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Legends of the Red Sun #3
The Book of Transformations
A new and corrupt Emperor seeks to rebuild the ancient structures of Villjamur to give the people of the city hope in the face of great upheaval and an oppressing ice age. But when a stranger called Shalev arrives, empowering a militant underground movement, crime and terror becomes rampant. The Inquisition is always one step behind, and military resources are spread thinly across the Empire. So Emperor Urtica calls upon cultists to help construct a group to eliminate those involved with the uprising, and calm the populace.
But there's more to The Villjamur Knights than just phenomenal skills and abilities - each have a secret that, if exposed, could destroy everything they represent. Investigator Fulcrom of the Villjamur Inquisition is given the unenviable task of managing the Knights', but his own skills are tested when a mysterious priest, who has travelled from beyond the fringes of the Empire, seeks his help. The priest's existence threatens the church, and his quest promises to unweave the fabric of the world.
And in a distant corner of the Empire, the enigmatic cultist Dartun Sur steps back into this world, having witnessed horrors beyond his imagination. Broken, altered, he and the remnants of his cultist order are heading back to Villjamur. And all eyes turn to the Sanctuary City, for Villjamur's ancient legends are about to be shattered...
418 pages, Hardcover
First published May 25, 2011
9 people are currently reading
646 people want to read
About the author
Mark Charan Newton
16 books250 followersMark Charan Newton was born in 1981, and holds a degree in Environmental Science. After working in bookselling, he moved into editorial positions at imprints covering film and media tie-in fiction, and later, science fiction and fantasy. He currently lives and works in Nottingham. His major label debut is Nights of Villjamur, which is published by Tor UK (Pan Macmillan) and Bantam Spectra (Random House).
"Newton combines strange and vivid creations with very real and pressing concerns with estimable commitment and passion." — China Miéville on City of Ruin.
"This is fantasy with vast scope and ambition... a complex, eldritch vision" — The Guardian on Nights of Villjamur.
"Newton combines strange and vivid creations with very real and pressing concerns with estimable commitment and passion." — China Miéville on City of Ruin.
"This is fantasy with vast scope and ambition... a complex, eldritch vision" — The Guardian on Nights of Villjamur.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
June 5, 2011
5 stars
I am really enjoying the evolution of Mark Charan Newton as a writer, the depth of the Legends of the Red Sun, and the fun that it all is to read. Like the previous two novels this is a fantasy, sci-fi, and New Weird novel rolled into one. Unlike the first two, this one does not play out as a detective novel, but it does not suffer as a result.
In this the third book in the series, we return to Villjamur with a whole new cast and very different plot line. Yes, war is impending but this book does not deal with it. We find this book to be about an Emperor who wants to regain his people's faith by creating a set of super heroes, the Knights of Villjamur. Newton has created this wonderful, alive city of Villjamur, that is a testament to incredible world building. To me Villjamur stands up to my favorite amazing fictional cities of New Crozubon, and Ambergis.
The best parts of this series has been the way that Newton makes us think about our prejudices, about our beliefs, and about what is the definition of good or evil. Brynd, a favorite character from the first two is defined by his actions involving him trying to hide his sexuality. In this one our main character Lan a Knight of Villjamur, is a man that through cultist intervention goes through trans- gender enhancements. Lan, like Brynd does all that is within her powers to hide from her past.
The irony in it all is that the people of Villjamur have come to accept enhanced individuals, cultists, and hybrid abominations, yet they still have prejudices that are without merit. The first two novels skirted these prejudices with a gentle hand, but Newton in this one makes them known, loud and clear. I love the real world similarities that these books makes one think about.
This story is fast paced and the outcome is fairly clear from the start. I really enjoyed the growth that Lan went through, first as an abused and mistreated youth, then to the unhappy circus performer, pumped up through transformations, and finally grounded as a person that is a genuine article, a woman that cares for those around her. The implications of what the future novels might bring are fantastic. I even enjoyed how the very ending of this book bridged with the story lines of the first two novels. This is dark, dirty, and raw fantasy at it's best.
The cast of characters are fresh and fun. The priest Ulryk was a good addition as he brought a level of good faith and mystery to the story. I grew to like Fulcrom the investigator, but I still have unresolved feelings about Jeryd from the first two books. The remaining two Knights of Villjamur were interesting and due to their past, they did not play out as stereotypical, would be comic book heroes.
This is great New Weird fantasy that should not be missed. I cannot wait for more to come, and The Legends of the Red Sun has quickly turned into one of my most anticipated series reads.
I am really enjoying the evolution of Mark Charan Newton as a writer, the depth of the Legends of the Red Sun, and the fun that it all is to read. Like the previous two novels this is a fantasy, sci-fi, and New Weird novel rolled into one. Unlike the first two, this one does not play out as a detective novel, but it does not suffer as a result.
In this the third book in the series, we return to Villjamur with a whole new cast and very different plot line. Yes, war is impending but this book does not deal with it. We find this book to be about an Emperor who wants to regain his people's faith by creating a set of super heroes, the Knights of Villjamur. Newton has created this wonderful, alive city of Villjamur, that is a testament to incredible world building. To me Villjamur stands up to my favorite amazing fictional cities of New Crozubon, and Ambergis.
The best parts of this series has been the way that Newton makes us think about our prejudices, about our beliefs, and about what is the definition of good or evil. Brynd, a favorite character from the first two is defined by his actions involving him trying to hide his sexuality. In this one our main character Lan a Knight of Villjamur, is a man that through cultist intervention goes through trans- gender enhancements. Lan, like Brynd does all that is within her powers to hide from her past.
The irony in it all is that the people of Villjamur have come to accept enhanced individuals, cultists, and hybrid abominations, yet they still have prejudices that are without merit. The first two novels skirted these prejudices with a gentle hand, but Newton in this one makes them known, loud and clear. I love the real world similarities that these books makes one think about.
This story is fast paced and the outcome is fairly clear from the start. I really enjoyed the growth that Lan went through, first as an abused and mistreated youth, then to the unhappy circus performer, pumped up through transformations, and finally grounded as a person that is a genuine article, a woman that cares for those around her. The implications of what the future novels might bring are fantastic. I even enjoyed how the very ending of this book bridged with the story lines of the first two novels. This is dark, dirty, and raw fantasy at it's best.
The cast of characters are fresh and fun. The priest Ulryk was a good addition as he brought a level of good faith and mystery to the story. I grew to like Fulcrom the investigator, but I still have unresolved feelings about Jeryd from the first two books. The remaining two Knights of Villjamur were interesting and due to their past, they did not play out as stereotypical, would be comic book heroes.
This is great New Weird fantasy that should not be missed. I cannot wait for more to come, and The Legends of the Red Sun has quickly turned into one of my most anticipated series reads.
June 20, 2012
Well, I wrote it. Of course I'm going to like it!
July 30, 2011
Third in Mark Charan Newton’s Legend of the Red Sun series, The Book of Transformations, was one of my most anticipated read this year and I looked forwards to returning to Villjamur to discover the events unfolding there in a timeline parallel to that of City of Ruin.
The Book of Transformations picks up where Nights of Villjamur left off: the refugees are freezing to death outside the gates whilst the citizens inside attempt to carry on their lives as normally as possible through the onset of an ice age. Investigator Fulcrom of the Villjamur Inquisition returns as a full POV this time as he is given the honour and challenge of leading The Villjamur Knights.
The trio of Knights, with Fulcrom’s help, are to stop Shalev, leader of the Caveside anarchists who are threatening to tear the peace within Villjamur’s walls apart. The four become the most likeable characters of the book as well as the most different leads I have read about in a long time.
The Knights are no longer mere humans, each of them having been enhanced by cultists to become something more. Simply put, they are superheroes. With powers beyond mortal expectations, I expected the Knights to leave me in awe of their accomplishments, to make me read through the exploits with excitement as they went about defending a city on the brink of being torn asunder.
But, despite being wonderful characters with unique and likeable personalities, the Knights seem to do little other than stand around on bridges, watching the city, stopping the odd petty theft or arriving too late on the scene of a crime to save everyone. Nonetheless, they are still paraded around as a symbol of hope—much like Captain America was at the beginning of his career. Despite their enhancements, the Knights are found lacking and when they finally seem to be given a chance to show what they are really capable of—at the very end of the book—they are going up against odds that even the X-men would have been overwhelmed by.
Despite all this, the Knights remain my favourite part of the book: as people, they are some of the strongest characters Newton has presented the reader with.
Lan is a transsexual MtF: it means she was once a woman born in the body of a man. But she is no longer. Cultists, much like modern science, have the capacity to rectify where nature screwed up. With that part of her story behind her, Lan is the most likeable, realistic and genuine female character I have encountered in a book. Toughened up by her past she is ready to fight for her freedom and to defend the innocent, but at the same time she is a delicate woman, almost like a girl growing into adulthood, learning her body and her place in the world. Newton does an extremely good job of getting her normality across, showing to the world that despite her initial difference, Lan is just another person—not someone to be afraid of. And when love gets involved, Lan becomes all the more a multi-faceted character and I found myself hoping through the entire book that she could be, at last, happy.
Lan follows in Brynd’s footsteps in that she allows Newton to wave his banner for minorities and although this one isn’t as close to my heart as the one Brynd represents, it was good to see Lan portrayed as a normal person whose past bears no relevance on the grand scheme of things.
Fulcrom is the Investigator for this instalment, and the centre point for a lot of the plot. Not only is he placed by Emperor Urtica in charge of the Knights, he is the only person remaining in Villjamur who is aware that Urtica attempted to have the refugees outside of the city murdered, whilst blaming the then-Empress Rika for it all, which means that more than anyone, he has to watch his step. Fulcrom also comes in contact with a strange priest, Ulryk, who carries knowledge that could tear the foundations of the Jamur Empire apart.
This where the story started to lose me: Ulryk’s quest throughout the book is filled with potentially awe-inspiring mysteries and the hope for answers to the questions raised at the very end of City of Ruin. But nothing seems to be explored to its full potential and Newton teases the reader with what should be ground breaking revelations before suddenly discarding them to the side. I won’t go into too much detail, for fear of letting spoilers slip to those who haven’t read the book and would perhaps find in the priest’s discoveries more excitement than I did.
The problem, I believe, was that I expected more. After reading the previous two books, I expected something that would make my jaw drop to the floor, both for how innovative and imaginative it was, but also because of the reasoning behind, because of the plot that unravelled around it. Instead, there was barely anything: when Ulryk discovers a hidden world/dimension/time/giant cave—I have yet to figure out what it was and the little attention paid to it makes me think that I never will—under Villjamur, so little fuss is made about it that he might as well have entered a well lit and familiar bistro.
The culmination of the search was an anti-climax and reminded me, in more ways than one, of video games where the player is sent to retrieve yet another lost artefact, forced to fight a few, low-level monsters before returning to what they were doing before. That image was only solidified by what happened when said artefact was recovered and I couldn’t help but begrudge Newton for what, to me, seemed to cheapen the technology and magic he had portrayed until then with what appeared to be a rather cheap trick.
From the previous two instalments, the character of Dartun Súr and the cultists of the Order of the Equinox return. First, I need to say that through the previous two books, I went from finding Dartun vaguely intriguing to downright irritating by the end. So when I read he had returned from the Realm Gates, I hoped that I would once again find him intriguing. But no, try as I might, Dartun’s chapters, written mostly from Verain’s POV, were a struggle to get through. Little of substance happens. Actually, apart from several slaughters and a most bizarre flight to the moon—another one of those wonderful discoveries Newton thrusts at the reader before taking it away and that leaves me as frustrated as if a video game had shown me a cut-scene of an awesome city I would never get to go to—nothing of relevance happens.
It isn’t until the very end that all is explained and I felt that I could have just easily not read any of the previous chapters concerning the group of cultists and instead just read that and known all there was to know.
Once again, with The Book of Transformations, Newton shows us that he is a master at political messages through his fantasy, although I found it almost suffocating this time round, relegating amazing characters and what could have been fantastic plot-lines to being nothing more than pawns in a chess game. Book-long antagonists feel like nothing more than political devices who never get the chance to outlive their use as they, once irrelevant, get chucked to the trash pile.
Nonetheless, the truly great characters manage to shine through: Lan and Fulcrom flanked by the other Knights were what made this book for me, what made me want to keep reading even when the plot made me shake my head in disbelief at what was happening, or more so at times, not happening.
Compared to the previous two instalments, The Book of Transformations left me bitterly disappointed. It progresses the plot along, but doesn’t possess the same strengths that the other two books had. At times too slow to progress, at times too crammed with action, The Book of Transformations doesn’t seem to have a set pace and leaves the reader slightly disoriented for it. It lacks the true magic present in the other books that swept me away to Villjamur and Villiren, that made me want to know what was going to happen next, and more importantly, why.
All in all, The Book of Transformations will be read by those who want to know what happens next in the series, but might leave them with a bitter taste in their mouths as they finish it. Nonetheless, it is a beautifully written story and its strong characters alleviate the disappointment created by too many unexplained occurrences.
With a fourth book to come, the only thing that makes me look forward to carrying on with the series is the idea of returning to Commander Brynd Lathraea, my favourite character of the series and on whom I am unashamedly crushing on. Apart from that, I fear where the plot is going to take us and exactly how much more destruction there is going to need to be before things finally make sense.
The Book of Transformations picks up where Nights of Villjamur left off: the refugees are freezing to death outside the gates whilst the citizens inside attempt to carry on their lives as normally as possible through the onset of an ice age. Investigator Fulcrom of the Villjamur Inquisition returns as a full POV this time as he is given the honour and challenge of leading The Villjamur Knights.
The trio of Knights, with Fulcrom’s help, are to stop Shalev, leader of the Caveside anarchists who are threatening to tear the peace within Villjamur’s walls apart. The four become the most likeable characters of the book as well as the most different leads I have read about in a long time.
The Knights are no longer mere humans, each of them having been enhanced by cultists to become something more. Simply put, they are superheroes. With powers beyond mortal expectations, I expected the Knights to leave me in awe of their accomplishments, to make me read through the exploits with excitement as they went about defending a city on the brink of being torn asunder.
But, despite being wonderful characters with unique and likeable personalities, the Knights seem to do little other than stand around on bridges, watching the city, stopping the odd petty theft or arriving too late on the scene of a crime to save everyone. Nonetheless, they are still paraded around as a symbol of hope—much like Captain America was at the beginning of his career. Despite their enhancements, the Knights are found lacking and when they finally seem to be given a chance to show what they are really capable of—at the very end of the book—they are going up against odds that even the X-men would have been overwhelmed by.
Despite all this, the Knights remain my favourite part of the book: as people, they are some of the strongest characters Newton has presented the reader with.
Lan is a transsexual MtF: it means she was once a woman born in the body of a man. But she is no longer. Cultists, much like modern science, have the capacity to rectify where nature screwed up. With that part of her story behind her, Lan is the most likeable, realistic and genuine female character I have encountered in a book. Toughened up by her past she is ready to fight for her freedom and to defend the innocent, but at the same time she is a delicate woman, almost like a girl growing into adulthood, learning her body and her place in the world. Newton does an extremely good job of getting her normality across, showing to the world that despite her initial difference, Lan is just another person—not someone to be afraid of. And when love gets involved, Lan becomes all the more a multi-faceted character and I found myself hoping through the entire book that she could be, at last, happy.
Lan follows in Brynd’s footsteps in that she allows Newton to wave his banner for minorities and although this one isn’t as close to my heart as the one Brynd represents, it was good to see Lan portrayed as a normal person whose past bears no relevance on the grand scheme of things.
Fulcrom is the Investigator for this instalment, and the centre point for a lot of the plot. Not only is he placed by Emperor Urtica in charge of the Knights, he is the only person remaining in Villjamur who is aware that Urtica attempted to have the refugees outside of the city murdered, whilst blaming the then-Empress Rika for it all, which means that more than anyone, he has to watch his step. Fulcrom also comes in contact with a strange priest, Ulryk, who carries knowledge that could tear the foundations of the Jamur Empire apart.
This where the story started to lose me: Ulryk’s quest throughout the book is filled with potentially awe-inspiring mysteries and the hope for answers to the questions raised at the very end of City of Ruin. But nothing seems to be explored to its full potential and Newton teases the reader with what should be ground breaking revelations before suddenly discarding them to the side. I won’t go into too much detail, for fear of letting spoilers slip to those who haven’t read the book and would perhaps find in the priest’s discoveries more excitement than I did.
The problem, I believe, was that I expected more. After reading the previous two books, I expected something that would make my jaw drop to the floor, both for how innovative and imaginative it was, but also because of the reasoning behind, because of the plot that unravelled around it. Instead, there was barely anything: when Ulryk discovers a hidden world/dimension/time/giant cave—I have yet to figure out what it was and the little attention paid to it makes me think that I never will—under Villjamur, so little fuss is made about it that he might as well have entered a well lit and familiar bistro.
The culmination of the search was an anti-climax and reminded me, in more ways than one, of video games where the player is sent to retrieve yet another lost artefact, forced to fight a few, low-level monsters before returning to what they were doing before. That image was only solidified by what happened when said artefact was recovered and I couldn’t help but begrudge Newton for what, to me, seemed to cheapen the technology and magic he had portrayed until then with what appeared to be a rather cheap trick.
From the previous two instalments, the character of Dartun Súr and the cultists of the Order of the Equinox return. First, I need to say that through the previous two books, I went from finding Dartun vaguely intriguing to downright irritating by the end. So when I read he had returned from the Realm Gates, I hoped that I would once again find him intriguing. But no, try as I might, Dartun’s chapters, written mostly from Verain’s POV, were a struggle to get through. Little of substance happens. Actually, apart from several slaughters and a most bizarre flight to the moon—another one of those wonderful discoveries Newton thrusts at the reader before taking it away and that leaves me as frustrated as if a video game had shown me a cut-scene of an awesome city I would never get to go to—nothing of relevance happens.
It isn’t until the very end that all is explained and I felt that I could have just easily not read any of the previous chapters concerning the group of cultists and instead just read that and known all there was to know.
Once again, with The Book of Transformations, Newton shows us that he is a master at political messages through his fantasy, although I found it almost suffocating this time round, relegating amazing characters and what could have been fantastic plot-lines to being nothing more than pawns in a chess game. Book-long antagonists feel like nothing more than political devices who never get the chance to outlive their use as they, once irrelevant, get chucked to the trash pile.
Nonetheless, the truly great characters manage to shine through: Lan and Fulcrom flanked by the other Knights were what made this book for me, what made me want to keep reading even when the plot made me shake my head in disbelief at what was happening, or more so at times, not happening.
Compared to the previous two instalments, The Book of Transformations left me bitterly disappointed. It progresses the plot along, but doesn’t possess the same strengths that the other two books had. At times too slow to progress, at times too crammed with action, The Book of Transformations doesn’t seem to have a set pace and leaves the reader slightly disoriented for it. It lacks the true magic present in the other books that swept me away to Villjamur and Villiren, that made me want to know what was going to happen next, and more importantly, why.
All in all, The Book of Transformations will be read by those who want to know what happens next in the series, but might leave them with a bitter taste in their mouths as they finish it. Nonetheless, it is a beautifully written story and its strong characters alleviate the disappointment created by too many unexplained occurrences.
With a fourth book to come, the only thing that makes me look forward to carrying on with the series is the idea of returning to Commander Brynd Lathraea, my favourite character of the series and on whom I am unashamedly crushing on. Apart from that, I fear where the plot is going to take us and exactly how much more destruction there is going to need to be before things finally make sense.
September 25, 2011
The third installment of the "legends of the red sun" is the most unique so far with a focus on superheroes as a political tool. While this idea is well explored in the realms of comic, I haven't really seen it done in fantasy before. The motivations behind these "heroes" are, oddly enough, more realistic than in modern set comics. It also explores the "good people doing bad things" in a mature way and also highlights that people are often powerless against the system - something I'm sure Mark was intentionally doing.
Some people may find it distracting that only one character from the previous books appears here but to be honest that shouldn't be too much of a worry as the new cast are all quite likeable. Another aspect of Mark's writing which may be "love or hate" is that while he clearly has an epic storyline taking place the focus is, more often than not, more concerned with the immediate personal problems of his characters. I found this frustrating in places but at the same time realise this is a more honest form of telling the story.
An aspect of the story that may also generate controversy is the transgender character, although I think she is handled expertly and rather than take a sensationalist approach to her, Mark uses her as one of many links that fit into the books title. There are some scenes in the book that are worrying in the sense that I sadly fear that's how people in our own world would respond.
It's also worth pointing out that Mark is often at his best when writing scenes that should be utterly ridiculous but often turn out to be the most heartfelt eg being caught "cheating" by your dead partner.
Overall I'd say this book is well worth the read although many might find this story as a diversion from the main arc, although closer inspection reveals it actually progresses the story quite a lot as well as introduce some major characters. The action is more understated than it was in "city of Ruin" but the characterisation is as strong as ever.
Some people may find it distracting that only one character from the previous books appears here but to be honest that shouldn't be too much of a worry as the new cast are all quite likeable. Another aspect of Mark's writing which may be "love or hate" is that while he clearly has an epic storyline taking place the focus is, more often than not, more concerned with the immediate personal problems of his characters. I found this frustrating in places but at the same time realise this is a more honest form of telling the story.
An aspect of the story that may also generate controversy is the transgender character, although I think she is handled expertly and rather than take a sensationalist approach to her, Mark uses her as one of many links that fit into the books title. There are some scenes in the book that are worrying in the sense that I sadly fear that's how people in our own world would respond.
It's also worth pointing out that Mark is often at his best when writing scenes that should be utterly ridiculous but often turn out to be the most heartfelt eg being caught "cheating" by your dead partner.
Overall I'd say this book is well worth the read although many might find this story as a diversion from the main arc, although closer inspection reveals it actually progresses the story quite a lot as well as introduce some major characters. The action is more understated than it was in "city of Ruin" but the characterisation is as strong as ever.
February 13, 2013
And here we reach the book in the series where crap hits the ceiling. The third installment of the the Legend of the Red Sun series take readers even further into the issues and devious plots that surround Villamanjur with the impending ice age.
In a time of unrest, what is a city to do to alleviate its' inhabitants of the unease that lingers with each passing day? The obvious answer is to round up a trio of people with questionable backgrounds and magic them into superheros. They are then used as figureheads by the Emperor to calm down the civilians and give them a sense of security. Of course, there are political maneuverings and evil plots occurring in the background. However, I felt that those issues took a backseat to other more pressing matters that were really touched upon in this book.
Mark Charan Newton is one of the first authors that I have read to include a trans character as one of the main characters (Lan) in a novel and he did a splendid job. Similar to how he skillfully portrayed Brynd in the first two novels, Mark manages to weave in the pressures, worries and paranoia that one encounters in being different from everyone. Lan's journey into becoming who she is now is raw and painful in its truthfulness if you take into consideration that issues that we still currently face today in regards to the LGBTQ community.
In addition to that, he also address the prejudices that people have towards things that they don't understand. This fact in itself, being fearful or hatred to things out of the norm, is something that is addressed a lot. It is also highly reflective of real world problems.
Although Mark's style of writing may not be for everyone I greatly enjoyed this third installation and can't wait to see what his next novel will bring to the table.
In a time of unrest, what is a city to do to alleviate its' inhabitants of the unease that lingers with each passing day? The obvious answer is to round up a trio of people with questionable backgrounds and magic them into superheros. They are then used as figureheads by the Emperor to calm down the civilians and give them a sense of security. Of course, there are political maneuverings and evil plots occurring in the background. However, I felt that those issues took a backseat to other more pressing matters that were really touched upon in this book.
Mark Charan Newton is one of the first authors that I have read to include a trans character as one of the main characters (Lan) in a novel and he did a splendid job. Similar to how he skillfully portrayed Brynd in the first two novels, Mark manages to weave in the pressures, worries and paranoia that one encounters in being different from everyone. Lan's journey into becoming who she is now is raw and painful in its truthfulness if you take into consideration that issues that we still currently face today in regards to the LGBTQ community.
In addition to that, he also address the prejudices that people have towards things that they don't understand. This fact in itself, being fearful or hatred to things out of the norm, is something that is addressed a lot. It is also highly reflective of real world problems.
Although Mark's style of writing may not be for everyone I greatly enjoyed this third installation and can't wait to see what his next novel will bring to the table.
September 26, 2012
This aptly named book takes the Red Sun series to new and unexpected places.
It's not perfect, and at times the prose feels first drafty. Some of the dialogue is clunky, and the modern vernacular is distracting; ie; "What's up?" a character refers to their "rep," an angry boss yells "my office, now!" There are two mentions of Neandrathals, which seems to make no sense to this world. Presumably the dialect has been translated from a foreign tongue to modern English, but it can be jarring.
Newton deserves kudos for writing books like no one else. The introduction of what are essentially superheroes to a fantasy tale is risky, but he handles it deftly. Each of the Knights are compelling characters (though one wonders why there are only three of them.)
Urtica is an all-too believable villain; a petty, scheming greedy man who has risen to power via all means necessary. He doesn't get a lot of screen time, but he's written quite well.
The best part of this book, however, is the examination of underlying social issues. Even whilst reading the Knight's tales, we as a reader know that we are reading about the bad guys, the shock troops of Villjamur's 1 percent. That they don't consider themselves bad, that no one in the book does, is sign of a well-constructed story.
In short, Book of Transformations is a thinking man's fantasy, for fans of nuance and good characterization as much as epic battles and cool magic systems.
It's not perfect, and at times the prose feels first drafty. Some of the dialogue is clunky, and the modern vernacular is distracting; ie; "What's up?" a character refers to their "rep," an angry boss yells "my office, now!" There are two mentions of Neandrathals, which seems to make no sense to this world. Presumably the dialect has been translated from a foreign tongue to modern English, but it can be jarring.
Newton deserves kudos for writing books like no one else. The introduction of what are essentially superheroes to a fantasy tale is risky, but he handles it deftly. Each of the Knights are compelling characters (though one wonders why there are only three of them.)
Urtica is an all-too believable villain; a petty, scheming greedy man who has risen to power via all means necessary. He doesn't get a lot of screen time, but he's written quite well.
The best part of this book, however, is the examination of underlying social issues. Even whilst reading the Knight's tales, we as a reader know that we are reading about the bad guys, the shock troops of Villjamur's 1 percent. That they don't consider themselves bad, that no one in the book does, is sign of a well-constructed story.
In short, Book of Transformations is a thinking man's fantasy, for fans of nuance and good characterization as much as epic battles and cool magic systems.
April 21, 2016
The whole book simply seems to be filler, moving the story along from the end of book two to four and could have simply been a chapter as far as anything interesting happened. I only read this as was given the book after finding book 2 disappointed. Without the ending of book two; which I struggled to read; i would not have even started it.
I didn't find myself liking any of the characters and was hoping they would all be destroyed in Villjamir at the end. Book four might be more interesting, but this series seems to be same old recycled rubbish...
Lots of grammar and spelling mistakes again as if the book has simply been badly spell checked. One I remember at the end reads
' What's more, that object in ing to eradicate us if we do not flee' on page 464. Could have used an editor who read the book and corrected, or changed a lot more.
First book in the series was good, but has considerably degraded in content and any sense of a story.
I didn't find myself liking any of the characters and was hoping they would all be destroyed in Villjamir at the end. Book four might be more interesting, but this series seems to be same old recycled rubbish...
Lots of grammar and spelling mistakes again as if the book has simply been badly spell checked. One I remember at the end reads
' What's more, that object in ing to eradicate us if we do not flee' on page 464. Could have used an editor who read the book and corrected, or changed a lot more.
First book in the series was good, but has considerably degraded in content and any sense of a story.
July 23, 2014
very Short Comment: Just awesome and continues the very high level of a series that is already in my top-top level; the best characters of the author so far, especially Lan and Fulcrom.
will have more as time goes by and release date gets closer
will have more as time goes by and release date gets closer
June 5, 2011
Another great addition to the series. Imaginative characters again and I love the mystery to the world's beginnings/history. This is fantasy that makes the reader think about the environment and society in general as well. Really looking forward to the next book!!!
August 2, 2011
(meget) Kort fortalt: Startede ok og midtvejs troede jeg at det ville være klart bedre bog end de to forrige i serien, men..men den sidste 1/4 trak voldsomt ned :)
Tror ikke at jeg læser flere i bøger i denne serie...nu har jeg seriøst givet den flere chancer.
Tror ikke at jeg læser flere i bøger i denne serie...nu har jeg seriøst givet den flere chancer.
May 13, 2017
Emperor Urtica rules over a nation threatened from within and without. Hordes of invading creatures are threatening the northern islands, where the city of Villiren is commanded to hold out against impossible odds. However, with most of the imperial armies dispatched to Villiren, political intrigue and anarchic violence are taking hold of the streets of Villjamur, the capital. To combat the threat, Urtica recruits three individuals and transforms them into super-powered warriors, the Villjamur Knights, but must use a mixture of threats and promises of rewards to keep them in line.
Meanwhile, a priest arrives in Villjamur on a quest that has already seen him marked for death by the region's dominant religion. He seeks to expose a lie that has defined the history of the Boreal Archipelago, but in doing so may trigger events that he and the world are unprepared for. Far to the north, Dartun Sur and his band of cultists have returned from the invading creatures' homeworld and rush back to the capital to reveal their findings...in a manner that no-one is expecting.
The Book of Transformations is the third and penultimate volume in The Legends of the Red Sun, following on from Nights of Villjamur and City of Ruin. Like the earlier books in the series, it places a number of self-contained narratives in the context of a longer, more epic story. This time around Newton gives us the story of Lan, a woman born in a man's body, who undergoes a sex-change operation fuelled by magic (or, more accurately, relic technology) only to find herself pressganged into the Knights and kept in service by blackmail.
It's unusual to see transgenderism raised as an issue in a secondary world fantasy novel, but Newton ties it in expertly with the book's overall theme of personal transformation, whether it's physical, spiritual or ideological. Almost every character is undergoing a metamorphosis of some kind, some voluntary, others not, and Lan's transformation is handled sensitively and fits in with the overall theme of the book very well.
Elsewhere, Newton's skills with atmosphere remain strong, with the snow-shrouded streets and rooftops of Villjamur remaining an evocative setting for the action. Character-wise, he gives us some memorable newcomers and brings back a couple of older hands (though not many; the book takes place simultaneously with much of City of Ruin, so the characters from that book are not present) to keep the plot ticking over. This is where the book starts to run into problems: there are a lot of characters doing a lot of things that need to converge for a grand, world-shaking finale that is undoubtedly meant to be epic, jaw-dropping and leave you on the edge of your seat until the final book is released next year. Unfortunately, this doesn't really happen.
The narrative seems to run out of drive some distance before the end. The problem is that Newton is at his best when engaging with interesting issues in a manner that is thoughtful and based in characters' emotions. That's not to say he can't do great mayhem - City of Ruin had some splendid battle sequences - but to do so he needs to root scenes of chaos and combat with characters we've become emotionally invested in. Book of Transformation's key weakness is that there's so much going on we haven't really had time to get really acquainted with the characters to make the huge scenes at the end of the novel come to life. In particular, whilst Lan is well-written, her two fellow Knights are much more lightly-sketched with only hints at depth rather than real exploration of their characters. Hinging so much of the climactic action sequences on their exploits thus falls flat. Similarly, the priest Ulryk is an interesting character with great potential, but he never really comes to life, and Inquisitor Fulcrom's desire to help him feels a bit random, something that has to happen for the plot to work regardless of whether or not it makes sense in terms of character motivation.
The cumulative effect of this is that instead of a vast, awe-inspiring and grand climax, we get something that is, at best, perfunctory. On an intellectual level, lots of interesting things happen at the end, but there is little emotional power to them. Newton's prose, which can be richly atmospheric, feels flat and rushed as he moves to the climax. Scenes featuring huge amounts of devastation in which hundreds of people die feel distant and unengaging, whilst the arrival of what is apparently a major new character at the end passes by with little impact. The problems with the climax are in fact highlighted by how good the first half of the book is, particularly the success Newton initially experiences in exploring these themes of transformation and alteration.
The Book of Transformation (***½) starts off promisingly with some well-realised characters and ideas being explored, but then it tails off as the climax approaches. The ending of the book feels rushed and under-written in comparison to what has come before, but Newton manages to hold things together just well enough to make the final novel an interesting prospect, provided he can avoid the same issues next time around.
Meanwhile, a priest arrives in Villjamur on a quest that has already seen him marked for death by the region's dominant religion. He seeks to expose a lie that has defined the history of the Boreal Archipelago, but in doing so may trigger events that he and the world are unprepared for. Far to the north, Dartun Sur and his band of cultists have returned from the invading creatures' homeworld and rush back to the capital to reveal their findings...in a manner that no-one is expecting.
The Book of Transformations is the third and penultimate volume in The Legends of the Red Sun, following on from Nights of Villjamur and City of Ruin. Like the earlier books in the series, it places a number of self-contained narratives in the context of a longer, more epic story. This time around Newton gives us the story of Lan, a woman born in a man's body, who undergoes a sex-change operation fuelled by magic (or, more accurately, relic technology) only to find herself pressganged into the Knights and kept in service by blackmail.
It's unusual to see transgenderism raised as an issue in a secondary world fantasy novel, but Newton ties it in expertly with the book's overall theme of personal transformation, whether it's physical, spiritual or ideological. Almost every character is undergoing a metamorphosis of some kind, some voluntary, others not, and Lan's transformation is handled sensitively and fits in with the overall theme of the book very well.
Elsewhere, Newton's skills with atmosphere remain strong, with the snow-shrouded streets and rooftops of Villjamur remaining an evocative setting for the action. Character-wise, he gives us some memorable newcomers and brings back a couple of older hands (though not many; the book takes place simultaneously with much of City of Ruin, so the characters from that book are not present) to keep the plot ticking over. This is where the book starts to run into problems: there are a lot of characters doing a lot of things that need to converge for a grand, world-shaking finale that is undoubtedly meant to be epic, jaw-dropping and leave you on the edge of your seat until the final book is released next year. Unfortunately, this doesn't really happen.
The narrative seems to run out of drive some distance before the end. The problem is that Newton is at his best when engaging with interesting issues in a manner that is thoughtful and based in characters' emotions. That's not to say he can't do great mayhem - City of Ruin had some splendid battle sequences - but to do so he needs to root scenes of chaos and combat with characters we've become emotionally invested in. Book of Transformation's key weakness is that there's so much going on we haven't really had time to get really acquainted with the characters to make the huge scenes at the end of the novel come to life. In particular, whilst Lan is well-written, her two fellow Knights are much more lightly-sketched with only hints at depth rather than real exploration of their characters. Hinging so much of the climactic action sequences on their exploits thus falls flat. Similarly, the priest Ulryk is an interesting character with great potential, but he never really comes to life, and Inquisitor Fulcrom's desire to help him feels a bit random, something that has to happen for the plot to work regardless of whether or not it makes sense in terms of character motivation.
The cumulative effect of this is that instead of a vast, awe-inspiring and grand climax, we get something that is, at best, perfunctory. On an intellectual level, lots of interesting things happen at the end, but there is little emotional power to them. Newton's prose, which can be richly atmospheric, feels flat and rushed as he moves to the climax. Scenes featuring huge amounts of devastation in which hundreds of people die feel distant and unengaging, whilst the arrival of what is apparently a major new character at the end passes by with little impact. The problems with the climax are in fact highlighted by how good the first half of the book is, particularly the success Newton initially experiences in exploring these themes of transformation and alteration.
The Book of Transformation (***½) starts off promisingly with some well-realised characters and ideas being explored, but then it tails off as the climax approaches. The ending of the book feels rushed and under-written in comparison to what has come before, but Newton manages to hold things together just well enough to make the final novel an interesting prospect, provided he can avoid the same issues next time around.
April 5, 2012
Unfortunately, nowhere near as good as the first two books in this series,both of whom were excellent.
July 13, 2012
I’ve been a fan of Mark’s work since I read the first chapter of Nights of Villjamur. That book was something special, and Book 2 in the Legends of the Red Sun, City of Ruin, was even better. So when I started reading Book 3 I was pretty confident that Mark wasn’t going to disappoint – after all, being two books into a series should mean that the storyteller is more confident and at ease. I’m happy to report that The Book of Transformations didn’t disappoint. :-)
This third book in the series is an epic – major things happen, major and far-reaching events, even though most of the characters we’ve met in the first two books aren’t to be seen. The setting for this book is, for the most part, Villjamur itself, though there are chapters that venture further out to continue the story of a group of characters that stepped into the unknown in the first book.
Character-wise, Mark really had fun in this book. We’ve got a detective-kind of guy, who’s investigations put him firmly in the sights of the Emperor; a group of outcasts who are brought together to create something that the citizenry of the city can look up to, and an old man who has spent a long time traveling to Villjamur, in search of a very important artifact – The Book of Transformations.
You may recall that Books 1 and 2 also had a detective-kind of character in the main cast – it’s a difficult thing to pull off, having an investigator picking up clues and interviewing people as he’s investigating a case, especially in a Fantasy novel. I think it must be difficult to keep to that tightrope, to be able to balance the needs of the story against the characters, but Mark once again pulled it off – this investigator isn’t a carbon-copy of the man from Books 1 and 2, and as the novel progresses he grows into the kind of character that becomes the anchor, if you will – the island of normality in the strangeness. I think many readers will enjoy his story and the chapters that he features in, because there’s a definite sense of ‘impending doom’ dogging him, but he’s such a likeable character that I found myself cheering him on, despite knowing more than he did about the forces he was arrayed against (up to a certain degree, I must add). He also ends up taking a very important dual-role in the novel, and I hope that the final book in the series, The Broken Isles, explores the fallout of these dual roles a bit more, especially in light of what happens at the end of this novel.
The group of outcasts had me worried before I began reading the novel – a little birdie told me just what ‘kind’ of group this would be and though I was excited to read how they would be integrated into a Fantasy setting I was worried that it would fall flat. One of the characters seems to be a homage to a very famous axe-man in Fantasy, and Mark uses him to explore the consequences of being a hero; I really liked this guy even though, if I consider the situation he was pulled from, he had the least to lose. He brought a sense of melancholy to the novel, but also a different kind of emotional intensity versus the others in his group. Even though he had the least to lose, it turns out that he had the most to lose – he’s the kind of character that most people sympathies will go to and I really enjoyed his tale.
The female of the group – well now, if you’ve read Mark’s previous Legends of the Re3d Sun novels you’ll know that Mark doesn’t shy away from the kinds of subjects that usually aren’t present in Fantasy, or even Science Fiction. SPOILER WARNING. For example, one of the main protagonists from Nights of Villjamur and City of Ruin is a gay man, and I found Mark’s exploration of this character to be honest, unflinching and respectful – you know, the kind of portrayal any character should enjoy. Mark didn’t do anything special with this character – he just let him live out his tale in his world. It wasn’t always a happy tale and this guy had to face many obstacles and problems, but doesn’t every character in Fiction? What I’m trying to say is that it must be difficult to not place too much emphasis on a character who isn’t the mead-and-wench kind of man, but Mark not only pulled it off in Books 1 and 2 but also here, with this female character. She’s a practical, thinking and feeling being who is just trying to survive, and she finds herself in a situation where she can make something of herself and prove to herself that everyone has been wrong about her. But that same situation affords her the capability to exact some retribution for everything she’s been through – this constant struggle and the search for herself through it all made her a compelling character and a great ‘voice’ for everything that was occurred in Viljamur, the city in which the novel’s events take place.
The third member of the group, though, doesn’t get as tight a focus as his companions, yet his motivations still ring out, making the group three individuals instead of two memorable characters and one side-kick, which could easily have happened. I liked how this character’s point-of-view and motivations not only clashed with those of his companions but also forced them to look at themselves and their situations differently.
The plot of the book is, as I mentioned earlier, epic – the previous problems in the first two novels, that of refugees seeking shelter from the coming Ice Age, reach a boiling point of sorts when citizens within the city start working against what the Emperor wants, which then leads to the kind of crackdowns that channels such as CNN, BBC and Sky News have acquainted us too well with. Also, a character who has gone in search of something greater than himself has found it, and when he returns to Villjamur, the consequences are –among other things- shattering.
The novel’s title is perfectly apt, as practically everyone in the tale is forced to change, and not only them, but the Empire they’ve lived in. Plus, there is a literal meaning to the title in the novel. ;-)
This was a tense, exciting novel, standing strongly alongside the first two in the series, and I’m excitedly looking forward to seeing where everything leads in The Broken Isles. :-) Highly recommended!
This third book in the series is an epic – major things happen, major and far-reaching events, even though most of the characters we’ve met in the first two books aren’t to be seen. The setting for this book is, for the most part, Villjamur itself, though there are chapters that venture further out to continue the story of a group of characters that stepped into the unknown in the first book.
Character-wise, Mark really had fun in this book. We’ve got a detective-kind of guy, who’s investigations put him firmly in the sights of the Emperor; a group of outcasts who are brought together to create something that the citizenry of the city can look up to, and an old man who has spent a long time traveling to Villjamur, in search of a very important artifact – The Book of Transformations.
You may recall that Books 1 and 2 also had a detective-kind of character in the main cast – it’s a difficult thing to pull off, having an investigator picking up clues and interviewing people as he’s investigating a case, especially in a Fantasy novel. I think it must be difficult to keep to that tightrope, to be able to balance the needs of the story against the characters, but Mark once again pulled it off – this investigator isn’t a carbon-copy of the man from Books 1 and 2, and as the novel progresses he grows into the kind of character that becomes the anchor, if you will – the island of normality in the strangeness. I think many readers will enjoy his story and the chapters that he features in, because there’s a definite sense of ‘impending doom’ dogging him, but he’s such a likeable character that I found myself cheering him on, despite knowing more than he did about the forces he was arrayed against (up to a certain degree, I must add). He also ends up taking a very important dual-role in the novel, and I hope that the final book in the series, The Broken Isles, explores the fallout of these dual roles a bit more, especially in light of what happens at the end of this novel.
The group of outcasts had me worried before I began reading the novel – a little birdie told me just what ‘kind’ of group this would be and though I was excited to read how they would be integrated into a Fantasy setting I was worried that it would fall flat. One of the characters seems to be a homage to a very famous axe-man in Fantasy, and Mark uses him to explore the consequences of being a hero; I really liked this guy even though, if I consider the situation he was pulled from, he had the least to lose. He brought a sense of melancholy to the novel, but also a different kind of emotional intensity versus the others in his group. Even though he had the least to lose, it turns out that he had the most to lose – he’s the kind of character that most people sympathies will go to and I really enjoyed his tale.
The female of the group – well now, if you’ve read Mark’s previous Legends of the Re3d Sun novels you’ll know that Mark doesn’t shy away from the kinds of subjects that usually aren’t present in Fantasy, or even Science Fiction. SPOILER WARNING. For example, one of the main protagonists from Nights of Villjamur and City of Ruin is a gay man, and I found Mark’s exploration of this character to be honest, unflinching and respectful – you know, the kind of portrayal any character should enjoy. Mark didn’t do anything special with this character – he just let him live out his tale in his world. It wasn’t always a happy tale and this guy had to face many obstacles and problems, but doesn’t every character in Fiction? What I’m trying to say is that it must be difficult to not place too much emphasis on a character who isn’t the mead-and-wench kind of man, but Mark not only pulled it off in Books 1 and 2 but also here, with this female character. She’s a practical, thinking and feeling being who is just trying to survive, and she finds herself in a situation where she can make something of herself and prove to herself that everyone has been wrong about her. But that same situation affords her the capability to exact some retribution for everything she’s been through – this constant struggle and the search for herself through it all made her a compelling character and a great ‘voice’ for everything that was occurred in Viljamur, the city in which the novel’s events take place.
The third member of the group, though, doesn’t get as tight a focus as his companions, yet his motivations still ring out, making the group three individuals instead of two memorable characters and one side-kick, which could easily have happened. I liked how this character’s point-of-view and motivations not only clashed with those of his companions but also forced them to look at themselves and their situations differently.
The plot of the book is, as I mentioned earlier, epic – the previous problems in the first two novels, that of refugees seeking shelter from the coming Ice Age, reach a boiling point of sorts when citizens within the city start working against what the Emperor wants, which then leads to the kind of crackdowns that channels such as CNN, BBC and Sky News have acquainted us too well with. Also, a character who has gone in search of something greater than himself has found it, and when he returns to Villjamur, the consequences are –among other things- shattering.
The novel’s title is perfectly apt, as practically everyone in the tale is forced to change, and not only them, but the Empire they’ve lived in. Plus, there is a literal meaning to the title in the novel. ;-)
This was a tense, exciting novel, standing strongly alongside the first two in the series, and I’m excitedly looking forward to seeing where everything leads in The Broken Isles. :-) Highly recommended!
July 1, 2019
Third part of an original fantasy series. Exciting and intriguing
The plot thickens as this volume takes us back to Villjamur where much unrest and revolution are met by force. Supernatural and magical forces also come into play, leading to a mighty climax. More intriguing and unusual characters are introduced and developed, resulting in a complicated but fulfilling plot. Another book will complete the series where hopefully all will be resolved. Good stuff.
June 26, 2018
This book was mostly boring and, I felt, unnecessary. It did not add to the story one bit and could have been condensed to fit into the final book. This third book continues to confirm that this is a mediocre series at best.
March 29, 2020
Again , a mismatch of ideas in a book , we go back to the city of book 1 and a new set of characters, super hero's being made , all to build up to both stories joining in the final book I would assume
September 19, 2016
Though the start of this book focusses somewhat heavily on only a single of the main characters, it turns out to be necessary for her establishment. The rest, thankfully, is somewhat more balanced in terms of POV.
The introduction of Lan also left me somewhat fearful of how political this book would be on social issues, as Newton was not always too subtle about these things in previous books.
Turns out, this book is entirely political, but it is far from a bad thing. It serves as the narrative axis around which every event revolves. There is gender identity, anarchism and political malpractice that all comes together in an ending that is just brimming with energy, and some highly unexpected fireworks.
The commentary on modern-day society was adequately handled, and as a reader of R. Scott Bakker, it feels nice to have these kinds of views expressed in a genre that anyone might read, instead of literary fiction where left-wing intellectuals pat themselves on the back for being so progressive while only reaching people who already share their ideas. This, however, is an action-packed and original fantasy / new weird type of series that can get any reader hooked, provided they're okay with a far-future setting and non-human intelligent life.
The magic got a little tiresome - the amount of 'purple light' in this book is somewhat excessive, and I wish the author had found other ways of describing magic's effects. Alas, the fourth book in the series was just as full of it as this one.
The writing style sometimes wavered, as more old-fashioned high fantasy language mixed with modern-day English street tongues. Maybe the setting left me more in mind of the old-fashioned language than the actual writing itself, but at times it just felt a little stylistically mis-matched. Especially the difference between description and dialogue.
Of course, this book leaves out some of my favourite characters from earlier novels. Though there are some messages that reach characters in this novel, I kept wondering what happened to the people I remembered. Thankfully, they reappear in the last novel.
Despite having read book one and two a few years ago and them having faded from memory a bit, I feel confident in saying this was, for me, the best book in the series. Its ending felt narratively courageous, and left me oh so hungry for more.
The introduction of Lan also left me somewhat fearful of how political this book would be on social issues, as Newton was not always too subtle about these things in previous books.
Turns out, this book is entirely political, but it is far from a bad thing. It serves as the narrative axis around which every event revolves. There is gender identity, anarchism and political malpractice that all comes together in an ending that is just brimming with energy, and some highly unexpected fireworks.
The commentary on modern-day society was adequately handled, and as a reader of R. Scott Bakker, it feels nice to have these kinds of views expressed in a genre that anyone might read, instead of literary fiction where left-wing intellectuals pat themselves on the back for being so progressive while only reaching people who already share their ideas. This, however, is an action-packed and original fantasy / new weird type of series that can get any reader hooked, provided they're okay with a far-future setting and non-human intelligent life.
The magic got a little tiresome - the amount of 'purple light' in this book is somewhat excessive, and I wish the author had found other ways of describing magic's effects. Alas, the fourth book in the series was just as full of it as this one.
The writing style sometimes wavered, as more old-fashioned high fantasy language mixed with modern-day English street tongues. Maybe the setting left me more in mind of the old-fashioned language than the actual writing itself, but at times it just felt a little stylistically mis-matched. Especially the difference between description and dialogue.
Of course, this book leaves out some of my favourite characters from earlier novels. Though there are some messages that reach characters in this novel, I kept wondering what happened to the people I remembered. Thankfully, they reappear in the last novel.
Despite having read book one and two a few years ago and them having faded from memory a bit, I feel confident in saying this was, for me, the best book in the series. Its ending felt narratively courageous, and left me oh so hungry for more.
April 24, 2013
This series is dark fantasy, and this book is no exception, in fact I think this is actually the darkest of the books so far. Villjamur is a cold, bleak, place with the new Emperor Urtica on the verge of losing everything he finagled his way into. All the bribes, murders, and politicking could come to naught given the threat that faces the ancient city.
Enter the Villjamur Knights.
In keeping with the Emperor’s methods are three individuals who are blackmailed into accepting transformations that will give them powers; strength, speed, even the ability to fly. They are tasked with protecting the people of the city. But the question is who should they protect them from? The corrupt emperor, or the so called anarchist, Shalev who is giving the poor people of Caveside (a region of the city) a better life than they ever thought possible.
Add to this mix, a priest on a mission to bring Frater Mercury back from his extra-dimensional exile (every time I read that name I pictured Freddie Mercury – I wonder if perhaps the name is in fact an homage to that legendary vocalist) to help save the world from invasion. Plus the modified cultist Dartun who is cutting a swath of destructions to reach the city for some clearly nefarious purpose.
This book has rather a lot going on. From a trans-gender main character, politics that blurs the line of right and wrong, technology, magic, action, and the bleakness created by the coming ice age. I think that the author did a great job of keeping all the balls in the air.
There is no classic battle between good and evil here. I like to think of this book as depicting a battle between good and legal. On the one hand Shalev has been helping a good many people lead a better life, but she is using violence and death to achieve her ends. On the other is the Emperor who while being the legal ruler of the city is as self centred and corrupt as they come – yet he has the right of law on his side.
In an environment like that there can be no clear winners and in fact by the end this book I found myself thinking how in the hell is humanity going to survive what is happening.
A dark book, with a dark ending, but certainly captivating enough to make me eagerly anticipate book four.
Enter the Villjamur Knights.
In keeping with the Emperor’s methods are three individuals who are blackmailed into accepting transformations that will give them powers; strength, speed, even the ability to fly. They are tasked with protecting the people of the city. But the question is who should they protect them from? The corrupt emperor, or the so called anarchist, Shalev who is giving the poor people of Caveside (a region of the city) a better life than they ever thought possible.
Add to this mix, a priest on a mission to bring Frater Mercury back from his extra-dimensional exile (every time I read that name I pictured Freddie Mercury – I wonder if perhaps the name is in fact an homage to that legendary vocalist) to help save the world from invasion. Plus the modified cultist Dartun who is cutting a swath of destructions to reach the city for some clearly nefarious purpose.
This book has rather a lot going on. From a trans-gender main character, politics that blurs the line of right and wrong, technology, magic, action, and the bleakness created by the coming ice age. I think that the author did a great job of keeping all the balls in the air.
There is no classic battle between good and evil here. I like to think of this book as depicting a battle between good and legal. On the one hand Shalev has been helping a good many people lead a better life, but she is using violence and death to achieve her ends. On the other is the Emperor who while being the legal ruler of the city is as self centred and corrupt as they come – yet he has the right of law on his side.
In an environment like that there can be no clear winners and in fact by the end this book I found myself thinking how in the hell is humanity going to survive what is happening.
A dark book, with a dark ending, but certainly captivating enough to make me eagerly anticipate book four.
November 25, 2013
Ok, things got crazy in this book. Again with the heavy handed diatribe against our sexual mores in society, this time about the transgendered community. Lan is a great character, but really, how many times do I have to be hit over the head with this commentary about our ill treatment of people that are different?
The plot progressed in fits and starts and the deaths and abuse in this book became distasteful. I did like Vuldon as a character, but Ulryk's last minute deus ex machina thing he did was strange. Overall, I'm glad the next book is the last. There are still things I want to know about the world and the plot, and I hope we go back to the characters from the last book: Jamur, Brynd, etc.
The plot progressed in fits and starts and the deaths and abuse in this book became distasteful. I did like Vuldon as a character, but Ulryk's last minute deus ex machina thing he did was strange. Overall, I'm glad the next book is the last. There are still things I want to know about the world and the plot, and I hope we go back to the characters from the last book: Jamur, Brynd, etc.
June 5, 2013
A wonderful book, yet I do miss the characters from City of Ruins. But gods, the last fifty pages knocked my socks off. And when Caley stopped running away, thinking about how he'd rather be with his family than see Villjamur destroyed by alien forces, to talk to this little girl about Mythmaker, and then taking her away from imminent danger... that was touching. I cannot wait to see what the fourth book holds in store now that Urtica is no longer emperor and Villjamur is destroyed. It's quite interesting to read Mr. Newton's writing for his incorporation of mixed-gender people, homosexuals, and the like. Whether or not this is deliberate, it nonetheless gives the plot that extra kick.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2011
This series really shifts into high gear with this latest novel. We have seen before Mark is not scared to tackle issues, serious issues that we as a society have to deal with. This book takes a much deeper look at such things than the other novels in the series, they were great but with this book I think Mark has really hit his stride.
Through the story gender, the nature of power structures and social responsibility are all covered, however don't let that put you off they are all issues that take place with in a hugely entertaining story with a fast expanding plot behind the series.
Through the story gender, the nature of power structures and social responsibility are all covered, however don't let that put you off they are all issues that take place with in a hugely entertaining story with a fast expanding plot behind the series.
October 15, 2014
Superheroes employed by the emperor to fight against the anarchists ruled by a determined cultists! Awesome! And a love story between a rumel-investigator for the Inquisition. And one of the two Moons which rotates around the planet is actually a city created hundreds of thousands of years ago by a Demi-God called Frater Mercury. I think this volume prepares us for the climactic last volume, where everything must mix and explode in our faces.
Though I didn't understand why the second volume takes the action from the capital Villjamur and transfers it in a far distant city called Villiren.
Though I didn't understand why the second volume takes the action from the capital Villjamur and transfers it in a far distant city called Villiren.
September 4, 2013
The third book in the Legends of the Red Sun series takes us back to the city of Villjamur and introduces a number of interesting new characters while moving along the storyline through last-ditch attempts to quell the rising anarchy in the city and setting the stage for what promises to be a breathtaking conclusion of the series. I did miss some of the protagonists from the first two books in this one that I'm certainly looking forward to seeing again in book four.
October 3, 2012
Another splendid entry in this series. At times, I was more interested in the Knights/Lan/Fulcrum scenes than the Dartun scenes, but they tied together well in the end. Brynd's missive re: the events of Villirien suggest that Book 4 is going to lead to very intriguing developments, especially now as a certain Frater is on the scene.
June 8, 2011
Even though I didn't enjoy it as much as the first two, the Book of Transformations is still a great book. I love Newton's style and I can easily connect with his characters.
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A more detailed review will follow...
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December 21, 2015I am abandoning this after 30 pages, which is rare for me. I don't know if I'm spoiled by great fantasy, but the characters are unbelievable and the dialogue clunky. I know there are better books on my shelf.
August 10, 2011
Another great book from Newton. personally, I felt some of the character arcs were a little rushed in places, but still a very worthwhile read
July 7, 2013
Definitely a series worth checking out for fantasy fans. While I enjoyed the first two more, this book was still quite entertaining.
November 10, 2013
After reading the other books of this series, I was disappointed. but the ending was good
July 23, 2015
goddamn this series is the weirdest and most unexpected fantasy ever and I LOVE it.
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