Gold Throne in Shadow - M.C.Planck

The continuing adventures of Christopher Sinclair, mechanical engineer turned priest of war.

Christopher, raised from the dead and promoted to a moderate rank, takes command of the army regiment he trained and equipped. Sent south to an allegedly easy posting, he finds himself in the way of several thousand rabid dog-men. Guns and fortifications turn back the horde, but Christopher has other problems that cannot be solved with mere firepower: a wicked assassin; hostile clergymen; dubious allies including a bard, Lalania, with a connection to a mysterious group of scholars; and worst of all his own impolitic tongue. But all of these pale into mere distractions once he discovers the true enemy: an invisible, mind-eating horror who plays the kingdom like a puppet-master’s stage. Lalania claims she can help--but will it be enough? 

My thoughts:

I am so never gonna wrap my head around this magic system and world. We have tael, some have more, you can take it from dead dinosaurs (and others), and if you get enough you go up a rank. Ranks are important when it comes to fighting cos a first rank will so die against a 5th rank. But I am not the only one, the main character Christopher struggled with this world too ;) I am so glad I am not alone. I really do feel like a stranger, just like him.

Right, so Christopher died in the last book, and was resurrected, yes they can do that too. He wants to change this world, I do get that. There are lots of issues with the whole feudal system, rank system and peasants as cannon fodder. At the same time I so did not like when he said that at least the peasants will have guns...yeah, that does not solve everything mister.

Guns, yes, this fantasy world now has guns thanks to his knowledge. Guns against their magic. And the monsters, and the dinosaurs, and the oh I can't tell you that, but we learn some things at the end.

This world is just so weird, in a good way, I think that is the fun part. The world. And now I am thinking of the whole dead can be alive part again, so weird. My mind is racing.

Conclusion:

It's an interesting story in a strange strange world, and I do wonder what will happen (and if he will die again). And with that new info we get, ohh, intriguing.

cover

pretty

Paperback, 315 pages
Published October 13th 2015 by Pyr
World of Prime #2
Fantasy
For review

Sword of the Bright Lady - M.C.Planck

Christopher Sinclair goes out for a walk on a mild Arizona evening and never comes back. He stumbles into a freezing winter under an impossible night sky, where magic is real -- but bought at a terrible price. 

A misplaced act of decency lands him in a brawl with an arrogant nobleman and puts him under a death sentence. In desperation he agrees to be drafted into an eternal war, serving as a priest of the Bright Lady, Goddess of Healing. But when Marcius, god of war, offers the only hope of a way home to his wife, Christopher pledges to him instead, plunging the church into turmoil and setting him on a path of violence and notoriety.

To win enough power to open a path home, this mild-mannered mechanical engineer must survive duelists, assassins, and the never-ending threat of monsters, with only his makeshift technology to compete with swords and magic.

But the gods and demons have other plans. Christopher's fate will save the world... or destroy it.

My thoughts:

How to explain this book...I mean...*silence* Ok I will try. The first part is easy.

There is our world, but there are other worlds too. As Christopher finds out when he suddenly finds himself in one. And like he should, it is totally alien to him, everything. He has questions about everything (and yes they speak another language, Norwegian to my eye). There are Gods? What about this religion? What is magic? Why are people ranked? Why are farmboys used as canon fodder? Who are they fighting? What is the Dark? Thanks to his questions we get to know this world were a constant war is going on and where there is magic. And the Gods are real as he pledges himself to one.

The whole magic thing and how you can move up in society was cool. I also liked that he was both clueless and had something to offer. He knows science, and hey if you want to get anywhere in this war then that might be a good thing. I would be totally lost if I got there btw.

Sure he was smart, a bit too smart. But hey he has a purpose in that world. So if someone got him there then of course they are gonna take someone who can make a difference.

Conclusion:

An interesting world and I wonder how this whole adventure will turn out in the end for him, and this world.

Cover

ok

Paperback, 429 pages
Published September 9th 2014 by Pyr
World of Prime #1
Fantasy
Own