Of Bone and Thunder - Chris Evans

Apocalypse Now meets The Lord of the Rings in a bold new fantasy from acclaimed writer, Chris Evans. In a daring new approach to the traditional world of sword and sorcery , it thrusts us into a maelstrom of racial animus, drug use, rebellion, and an unending, unwinnable,war. In this thrilling epic, right and wrong, country and honour, freedom and sacrifice are all put to the ultimate test in the heart of a dark, bloody, otherworldly jungle. 

My thoughts:

I really liked his other military fantasy series, but this one was haaaaaaard to like. After having read half of it I so wanted to throw in the towel, but then I already spent one day reading and was all aaaaaargh! So I read 50 more pages, and then just started skimming.

Do not ask me to tell you about the characters, I can not remember anyone's name. I do not remember anything about anyone. This was Vietnam, except it wasn't, except it totally was American solderers talking, crawling through the jungle, shooting civilians, realizing they will never win this stupid war, flying dragons instead of helicopters. Any real combat was scare, next to nothing. I knew about about the rash on a soldier's crutch than actual fighting.

I was bored, I need to know names, but all soldiers blended into each other, except for that spy guy Rickets and Jawn the magician. See I know two from dozens.

So not for me, a pain to read, and it's a stand alone, of course the war was not over, think of the actual war, they will just continue to go around that jungle until they give up and are shipped home.

Paperback, 528 pages
Published February 6th 2015 by Titan Books (first published October 14th 2014)
Fantasy
Own

Review: Ashes of a Black Frost - Chris Evans

Series: Iron Elves #3
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 448
Published: October 13, 2011
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Source: For review

The Calahrian Empire is collapsing. All across the realm native populations are rising up to throw off the shackles of colonial rule. Two key factors drive this -- the return of the Stars of Power and Knowledge and the spread of the Shadow Monarch's forest. The result is that the Calahrian Imperial Army is stretched thin trying to maintain order at the critical moment when it is needed to fend off the advances of the elf-witch. For the Iron Elves regiment, their loyalty is tested to the breaking point. The Prince is devastated by the destruction of the Lost Library and the realization that the Empire he is to inherit is crumbling. Major Konowa Swift Dragon is determined to lead the living survivors of the regiment while Private Alwyn Renwar -- an emissary with his own agenda -- commands the dead. Together, their only hope is to break the oath that binds them, but doing so means making the perilous journey to the Shadow Monarch's mountain in a final confrontation that may be the ultimate trap. There is only one way to find out...

My thoughts:

This is a different sort of fantasy, I do know that fantasy is about war a lot, but this takes it a step further. It is military fantasy and the author does it so very well.

In the third and final book the world is crumbling. An evil elf wants destruction, and our hero, Major Konowa is bent on finding and destroying her. Since this is military fantasy there is a lot of fighting. First they have to fight they way out of the desert they are in. Evil beings and trees are after them (yes trees ;). And then there is the final battle against the Shadow Monarch. Evans keeps the tempo up and when I am closing in on the end I still do not know how this all will turn out.

While reading it I find myself thinking of the Hornblower adventure books (even if those are set at sea), and the Richard Sharpe series, because the military feeling is clearly 19th century. I do like it because it is so very different. There are usually no guns in fantasy, and I always like those who try something new.

I know that the whole military aspect may be a bit of a turn off for some, but after I had read book 1 I was hooked. You root for the Iron Elves and Konowa. And there is even a tiny bit of romance, I say tiny because it is tiny, but at least it has me hoping he will get his girl. 

Conclusion:

A nice conclusion to this series and with an ending that made me happy. If you want to try something different then give book 1 a go (because you do need to read the books in order.) And it truly is fantasy for everyone.

Rating:

Nice, oh and I must mention how much I love the title!

Cover:

Nice

Review: The Light of Burning Shadows - Chris Evans

The Light of Burning Shadows by Chris Evans

Book 2 of The Iron Elves

Genre: Fantasy
Published: 2009
Pages: 384

Musket and cannon, bow and arrow, and magic and diplomacy vie for supremacy once again in this second epic fantasy adventure from acclaimed author Chris Evans. As the human-dominated Calahrian Empire struggles to maintain its hold on power in the face of armed rebellion from within, the Iron Elves' perilous quest to defeat the power-hungry elf witch, the Shadow Monarch, takes on greater urgency.

Recalled to duty to reform his regiment from the dregs of the Imperial Army, Konowa thwarted the plans of the Shadow Monarch at the Battle of Luuguth Jor -- ensuring that the fabled Red Star, a source of great natural energy, did not fall into Her hands. Now Konowa must cross storm-tossed seas to seek out the lost elves and the prophesied return of another Star somewhere in a desert wasteland roiling with mysterious power, infernos of swirling magic, and legends brought back to life in new and terrible ways. And the fate of every living creature will come to depend on a small band of ragged and desperate soldiers, whose very loyalty to the Empire they have sworn to serve is no longer certain. When death is but a temporary condition, a terrifying question arises: who is the true ally -- and fearsome enemy -- in a growing conflict that threatens all? (fantastic fiction)

This book continues where book 1 left off. Konowa and The Iron Elves are destroying the Shadow Monarchs trees on islands on their way to the desert on the south. There Konowa hopes to meet up with his exiled men, the true Iron Elves and with them take up the fight to banish the Shadow Monarch. But as they come closer darkness is growing, and there are rumours about another Star falling in the desert. Everyone wants the starts power for their own purpose, and Konowa knows that he held it once and did not free his men from their terrible oath, but can he do it again?

I really liked book 1, A Darkness Forged in Fire. It was good, and then suddenly it was so good that I did not want to put it down. Not the same feeling here because all books are different, but this was still great epic fantasy, and after reading this I do want to read book 3 that is out sometime 2010.

A negative thing about this book is that he did not move forward the possible relationship between Visyana and Konowa. Are there to be more books? Because then he movie it slow, as it was now they did not even say a word to each other. That was a tad bit slow since there obviously is something there.

The other negative part for me was that this was mostly about Allwyn, yes he was crucial to the book as he can see their fallen comrades and talk to them, he has a tree for a leg and he can handle the dark magic the best. It was his story in a way, still I missed Konowa.

But don't get me wrong, this was still good fantasy. The battle continues and I am really starting to like the different soldiers, while not so much others. Here we learnt more and got to see more of everyone, and of course big epic fight in the end when the star has come. The Empire wants it, the desert wants it, mysterious powers wants it, the Shadow Monarch wants it, yes it's not an easy battle and he manages to surprise me in the end.

Good old fantasy, with a big slice of military, I do like it. I will always like fantasy the best because it has this way of capture me the most. It's the excellent world building, the thought behind the political unrest and so forth. Oh and gotta have a nice map too, I want to see where I am going. This book has all those things, and I hope book 3 keeps up the good pace.

"They might be doomed, damned, and buggered for all eternity, but that didn't mean they couldn't sparkle like a diamond in the sun and grin like a skull in the moonlight on their way to oblivion."

Review: A Darkness Forged in Fire - Chris Evans

A Darkness Forged in Fire by Chris Evans

Genre: Fantasy
Published: 2008
Pages: 432

We do not fear the flame, though it burns us,
We do not fear the fire, though it consumes us,
And we do not fear its light,
Though it reveals the darkness of our souls,
For therein lies our power.
-- Blood Oath of the Iron Elves

In this world, Konowa Swift Dragon, former commander of the Empire's elite Iron Elves, is looked upon as anything but ordinary. He's murdered a Viceroy, been court-martialed, seen his beloved regiment disbanded, and finally been banished in disgrace to the one place he despises the most -- the forest.

Now, all he wants is to be left alone with his misery, but for Konowa, nothing is ever that simple. The mysterious and alluring Visyna Tekoy, the highborn daughter of an elfkynan governor, seeks him out in the dangerous wild with a royal decree that he resume his commission as an officer in Her Majesty's Imperial Army, effective immediately.

For in the east, a falling Red Star heralds the return of a magic long vanished from the earth. Rebellion grows within the Empire as a frantic race to reach the Star unfolds. It is a chance for Konowa to redeem himself -- even if the entire affair appears doomed to be a suicide mission, and that the soldiers recruited for the task are not at all what he expects. And worse, his key adversary in the perilous race for the Star is the dreaded Shadow Monarch -- a legendary elf-witch whose machinations for absolute domination spread deeper than Konowa could ever imagine.


I do like good old fantasy, rich worlds with complex histories, that is what world building is about. This was good fantasy.

The book begins and we learn that the former Governoner of Elfkyna was murdered, but a decorated officer named Konowa. But the governor was working for the dreaded Shadow Monarch, still there was a price to be paid. The Iron Elves were sent away and he was sent to the forest. He is not a normal elf, he was born with the dark mark and he does not care for trees. That is what the Iron Elves are, outcasts.

But something is happening and the Iron Elves stand again and he is called out from the forest. He is to lead them and find the red star, perhaps with that they can gain some power to fight the wicked witch of the North.

Konowa, well he angry, bit of a bastard sometimes, hates those trees and not a nice guy really. You would think, he would do anything for his Iron elves and he hates the Shadow Monarch and what she has done to him. You grow to like him, and bit by bit there are other sides of him. He is more than he seem to be. This is also shown when he meets Visyna. A tiny bit of romance that is not shown but that I want.

Some called this military fantasy, and that fits. The author know about military history and he uses that knowledge. He knows what he is writing about, and makes it enjoyable.

There is a great deal of fighting, and talking. A strange book that I well was rather neutral about at first. Then suddenly I was at page 150 and I could not stop reading. It had grabbed me and I had not known when and where. I wanted more so I finished it quickly without too many breaks in between. Good fantasy can do that.

This is a book that I would recommend to fantasy fans, for others, well I fear the military aspects could be a bit dry. I enjoyed it but perhaps this sort of fantasy is not for everyone.

But he has created a great world where the Human empire has spread out by the means of imperial forces and they have conquered the elves, orcs, the elfkynan and the dwarves. The world is ruled by men, and they see the rest of the races as a bit lesser. There are rebellions of course, and the elves, they only cares for their trees. I am happy that I have the next book so that i can see what will happen, The Shadow Monarch is out to rule the world, and the rest of the world really need to put their differences aside to win this fight.