The Guns of Ivrea by Clifford Beal
4 February 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Clifford Beal, Fantasy/Adventure, Merfolk, Pirates, The Guns of Ivrea
The Guns of Ivrea was a very entertaining swashbuckling adventure that contained a number of genuinely unexpected surprises.
The main story is primarily one of treachery and deceit which I would say follows three main strands.
Captain Danamis enjoys the status of pirate princeling and King’s Admiral with stewardship of the port at Palestro. Years ago a unique deal was struck with the pirates and the, then, new King, Sempronius II. This is a deal whereby the pirates patrol the seas keeping other threats at bay. This is an unusual alliance that ensures the King’s waters remain relatively safe whilst at the same time providing the pirates with, not only a modest income, but also the means of making more attractive and lucrative alliances with other parties on the side. Danamis rather fell into this role when his father went missing at sea and unfortunately he’s not always the most sharply minded, usually paying more attention to his attire and his courtesans than whether conspiracies are brewing. At the start of the story he is double crossed by a long standing friend and loses almost everything.
At the same time we make the acquaintance of Acquel Galenus, one of the monks serving at the Great Temple at Livorna. Acquel is a grey robe, not yet initiated into the order and at the start of the story he makes a most unwelcome discovery that threatens to shake the foundations of the religion he serves. Acquel has not always kept to the straight and narrow and his earlier years of pickpocketing led to an ultimatum of serve the cloth or become acquainted with a small barred cell. Now on the run from his own Order Acquel needs to rely on his wits to survive as a pair of ‘seekers’ have been engaged to discover his whereabouts and silence him.
The third strand of the tale contains the merfolk. You may have picked up from the lovely cover that merfolk would be involved in this tale. For a number of years they have had an alliance with Danamis. Unfortunately this alliance is about to be shattered and would remain broken except for the intervention of Citala, daughter of the Mer chieftain. Citala has a vision for her people to regain the status and equality that they once enjoyed with humans.
Put bluntly, there’s no shortage of plot or action. We have a religious system that is about to be set in turmoil, a pirate who has lost everything and seeks not only to be reinstated but also to have his revenge, and finally the mer folk who have for many years been reviled in accordance with the faith of the land. These three strands will eventually come together and provide us with battle scenes fought out on the open seas, descriptions of dolphin drawn sea chariots, mercenaries with flashing swords and swaggering pirates.
The setting is Valdur, split into five duchies with three free cities and Perusia, the royal enclave and home to the King. Valdur is anything but a stable system and those who let down their guard or become complacent are quite likely to find themselves face down in the gutter with a piece of steel sticking out of their back. The country is held in the grip of a religious fervour and deep seated prejudices run rife – particularly towards the merfolk who have long since abandoned their close proximity to humans and now shy away from view.
The other characters who lead quite strong supporting roles are Captain Strykar who leads a band of mercenaries called the Black Rose. Based in Maresto they have long since had a profitable alliance with Danamis and are about to be sucked into his downfall. A pair of beautiful and yet coldly sinister sisters who will seek to not only discover the whereabouts of Acquel but have their own agenda and Timandra, a young widow who will become entwined in the young priest’s quest. Strangely, I would say that Strykar and probably Citala are my favourite characters at this point. Danamis, I’m waiting for him to develop a little more, I have to admit I enjoyed all his swaggering about and his unabashed enjoyment of dramatic clothing but he feels like he needs just something a little bit more to make him into a really show stopping leading man.
I enjoyed the writing with this one, it’s quite descriptive and Beal takes his time to set the scene – which might not be for everyone but I quite like detail so it suited me just fine. The nautical terms are splashed around quite liberally which I have to admit I got a kick out of and the fantasy elements of the book were quite inventive. I wouldn’t say the writing was gritty or dark but there’s no shortage of action and it’s quite busy in terms of characters – it has much more of a fantasy adventure feel to it with the underlying religious aspect playing a strong part. There were a couple of different scenes where unusual woodland critters stumbled into the adventure – and they were most unexpected. Who knew there would be a Manticore, okay, only a brief appearance but what an unusual scene!
In terms of criticisms. Well, I enjoyed this and thought it was fairly punchy but I would say it lacked that spark of humour that is sometimes such a relief in the middle of all the clashing swords. And, I wouldn’t say this was a short read but that’s not really a surprise given everything that’s packed in here. I did feel that there was a good deal of scooting across the seas in one direction to then scoot off in another fairly quickly after but in fairness the author breaks this up quite successfully by jumping between the different storylines otherwise I think that could have become quite tiresome. Also, regarding the conclusion, I had mixed feelings, I was a little bit disappointed about the death of one of the characters although clearly I’m not going to reveal who that was. I suppose I just wanted or expected more from that character and the death felt not only quickly dealt but quickly forgotten. It just gave that particular character a ‘tacked on’ feel somehow.
Only a few minor quibbles really and the final scene ends on quite a dramatic note that leaves me eager to get my hands on the next instalment!
I had a good time with this story, I wouldn’t say it breaks the mould in particular and I admit that I was predisposed to like it when I set off on my reading adventure, but it didn’t disappoint. It was a swashbuckling adventure, filled with derring do, merfolk and other unusual creatures of fantasy. It held my attention, it gave me a few surprises along the way and it ended on a good note in terms of the next instalment.
I received a copy courtesy of the publishers through Netgalley for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
This review first appeared at the Speculative Herald.
Waiting on Wednesday: The Gates of Hell by Michael Livingston
3 February 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Breaking the Spine, Michael Livingston, The Gates of Hell, Waiting on Wednesday
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. Every Wednesday we get to highlight a book that we’re really looking forward to. This week I’ve got a hankering for The Gates of Hell by Michael Livingston. Due out from Tor Books in November this year – I can’t wait!
Alexandria has fallen, and with it the great kingdom of Egypt. Cleopatra is dead. Her children are paraded through the streets in chains wrought of their mother’s golden treasures, and within a year all but one of them will be dead. Only her young daughter, Cleopatra Selene, survives to continue her quest for vengeance against Rome and its emperor, Augustus Caesar.
To show his strength, Augustus Caesar will go to war against the Cantabrians in northern Spain, and it isn’t long before he calls on Juba of Numidia, his adopted half-brother and the man whom Selene has been made to marry — but whom she has grown to love. The young couple journey to the Cantabrian frontier, where they learn that Caesar wants Juba so he can use the Trident of Poseidon to destroy his enemies. Perfidy and treachery abound. Juba’s love of Selene will cost him dearly in the epic fight, and the choices made may change the very fabric of the known world.
Gates of Hell is the follow up to Michael Livingston’s amazing Shards of Heaven, a historical fantasy that reveals the hidden magic behind the history we know, and commences a war greater than any mere mortal battle.
I loved Shards of Heaven and it was on my top 10 list at the end of 2015. All I can say is – ‘Gates of Hell – get in my life’ (and that’s not something I ever thought I’d hear myself saying!)
Back to the past..
Every Tuesday over at the The Broke and Bookish we all get to look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) examples to demonstrate that particular topic. The topic this week is:
‘Top Ten Historical Settings You Love’
I love reading books with historical settings, alternate history or figures from the past that are brought back to us on the page through the flights of fantasy. My choices this week are:
- Ancient Greece: The Just City by Jo Walton. This series takes us back to ancient times where the Gods are experimenting. The Goddess Athene has created a city populated by children who will be taught and raised by a few chosen people. The idea is loosely based on Plato’s idea for a Republic, where people could strive to achieve excellence. The story includes both past and futuristic ideas, it uses time travel and brings in characters such as Sokrates. I really enjoyed this. It’s very thought provoking and I love reading stories where Gods are playing their games!
- Ancient Rome: The Shards of Heaven by Michael Livingston. What a fantastic combination of history and fantasy. The Shards of Heaven takes us to a period just after Caesar’s death where Rome is on the brink of civil war with Caesar’s ambitious adopted son going to war with Antony and Cleopatra. An absolutely compelling story that centres not on those characters that we know so well but on those on the periphery telling an altogether different and intriguing tale and a search for ancient artefacts.
- Iron Age: Skin by Ilka Tampke. This is a wonderful book filled with ancient myth and folklore. The story brings to us a country on the brink of Roman invasion. The people of Caer Cad believe that ‘skin’ is their heritage. It’s what makes them part of the tribe. Ailia is without ‘skin’, in other words her heritage is unknown and therefore although she serves the tribe she is unable to take part in ceremonies, learn or wed. However, in a strange twist of fate she is chosen by the tribal ancestors ‘mothers’ and embarks on a journey of knowledge.
- Iron Age: Age of Iron by Angus Watson. This book is absolutely brilliant. I loved it. A little bit of magic, druids, warriors, bloodshed, laughter and amazing characters. No shortage of action and a country poised for war. What’s not to love!
- San Francisco 1800s: The Girl with Ghost Eyes by M H Boroson. Set in San Francisco’s China Town this book brings to us a young Daoist Priestess called Li Lin who has ‘yin’ eyes – meaning she can see spirits. This story is so wonderfully fresh and original and Li Lin is a character that I really enjoyed reading about. There is plenty of action and the story has almost a Ghibli feel to it. Fantastic monsters coupled with kung fu and Chinese gangsters plus fast pacing that have you jumping from one incredible dilemma to the next.
- The Regency period: Longbourn by Jo Baker. Taking Austen’s well loved classic and looking at the story through a different perspective. We follow the story of Sarah, one of the servants from the Bennett household. This is a fascinating look at the life of one of the servants during this period. It’s not the story’s intention to revisit Lizzy and Jane but more to use the family and setting to highlight something different and it works so well. Highly recommended.
- Regency period: Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke. An epic work of fantasy set during the Napoleonic Wars where magic is once again being made popular and the doorways to the land of the fae are once again opening.
- Russia: 1812 – 1917: The Danilov Quintet by Jasper Kent is set in Russia and brings to us creatures known as the voordalak. It’s a supernatural historical thriller and the series covers the period 1812 – 1917 covering the French invasion and culminating with the Russian Revolution. It brings a whole new slant onto the historical happenings of the time combining real historical events with supernatural creatures.
- The Roaring 20s. Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray. A book about diviners: people who can see into the future. This is a beautifully written book that brings to us a dark story full of horror. A story where people go to sleep at night but can’t be woken up in the morning. This is a subtly crafted layered book with something evil lurking at it’s heart combined with an intriguing conspiracy.
- 1960s Los Angeles: Made to Kill by Adam Christopher. Raymond Electromatic is a private detective and coincidentally the last Robot. His PI work is really a cover because Ray is actually a hitman but, at the start of the novel, he’s hired by a young brunette and how can he refuse such temptation as a big bag of gold. A blend of noir detective, spies, sparkling Hollywood actors and actresses and twisted plots to take over the world.
Rosemary and Rue (October Daye #1) by Seanan McGuire
Just finished reading Rosemary and Rue as part of a readalong with a great group of characters. I’ve had my eye on this series for a while but as I’m so far behind I found it a bit daunting – this readalong was the perfect incentive and Rosemary and Rue is a great set up book for the series. I very much look forward to seeing where Toby’s adventures take us next.
Toby Daye is a changeling. Her mother was a member of the fae and her father a regular old mundane human. Changelings are unfortunate in many respects because whilst you could argue that having a foot in both camps would be advantageous it actually leaves them being neither one thing or the other. They have to cover up their outward appearance so that human eyes won’t see their differences, using magic that is quite weak and they’re not particularly welcome at most of the fae courts being looked down on as lesser creatures. Toby has been gifted with a rare magic, she can use blood magic and she does so in order to become an investigator in the fae world. Unfortunately, at the start of R&R Toby is taken away from the family she loves, in fact away from everything she knows. I won’t elaborate other than to say this book certainly gets off to a dramatic start.
When Toby eventually returns to the world you could say she’s traumatised and left wanting nothing more to do with the fae underworld. Everything she knows, loves and has worked hard to achieve has been taken from her and she basically goes into a self imposed seclusion to lick her wounds. Unfortunately, the fae world have other ideas and in spite of her intentions Toby is pulled into an investigation of the brutal murder of a Countess and within less than an eye blink she’s sunk back into the twisty political world of the fae.
I really enjoyed Rosemary and Rue. I think it has good pacing, the writing is very easy to get along with, in fact the narrative practically reads itself and the characters are a whole mixed bag of the fantastic.
It pretty soon becomes clear that Toby has more support than she lets on as friends and allies from her past start to seep out of the woodwork. However, Toby also has a darker side to her past and it’s in this direction that she seeks aid making bargains with perhaps those that she ought best to avoid.
This was a great start to series. I loved dipping my toes back into fae waters and there’s no shortage of Knowes/Courts/Politics/Seelies/magical artifacts and other creatures of myth with a murder mystery thrown in for good measure.
A very promising start to this series that I look forward to continuing.
January: My Month in Review
And there it was, January 2016 all behind us and so quickly. I hope you had a good start to 2016. My month in review looks as follows:
Books read: (with links to reviews)
- Under a Colder Sun by Greg James SPFBO
- Monstrous Little Voices by Jonathan Barnes, Emma Newman, Kate Heartfield, Fox Meadows, Adrian Tchaikovsky
- Goldenfire (Darkhaven No.2) by A F E Smith
- Medusa’s Web by Tim Powers
- Scourge of the Betrayer by Jeff Salyards
- City of Blades by Robert J Bennett
- War of the Worlds by H G Wells
- Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire
- The Invisible Guardian by Dolores Redondo
- Changers: Book One: Drew by T Cooper and Allison Glock Cooper
- Shattered Sands by W G Saraband (SPFBO)
- Guns of Ivrea by Clifford Beal
Backlist books
None this month
Unfinished series completed:
None this month
Books Bought:
- A Local Habitation by Seanan McGuire (No.2 Toby Daye)
Review Books: (with links to Goodreads synopsis)
- Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel
- The Complete Double Dead by Chuck Wendig
- Jani and the Great Pursuit by Eric Brown
- The Tiger and the Wolf by Adrian Tchaikovsky
- The Guns of Ivrea by Clifford Beal
- Quiet Neighbours by Catriona McPherson
- The Everything Box by Richard Kadrey
- The Fireman by Joe Hill
Cover Spotlight:
US or UK cover: I prefer the US version for this one:
Events:
Backlist Backburn is an end of month event organised by Lisa at Tenacious Reader. If you’ve caught up on any of your backlist then call over and link up. I find this a good incentive to dust off some of my books!
Vintage Sci Fi Month concludes at the end of January: I read War of the Worlds by H G Wells, I also have started 20,000 Leagues under the Sea and Starship Troopers – to be finished and reviewed at a later date.
The 2016 Sci Fi Event over at Stainless Steel Droppings also concluded at the end of January. Lock in and War of the Worlds both counted towards this event.
Top Ten Tuesday at The Broke and Bookish (every Tuesday)
Waiting on Wednesday is an event hosted by Breaking the Spine where every week we get to shine the spotlight on a book that we’re looking forward to.
Announced two readalongs for January:
- Kushiel’s Scion by Jacqueline Carey, details here the readalong is up to week No.5
- Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuide details here. This readalong has now concluded and an announcement about a readalong for No.2 will shortly follow.
I read two of my SPFBO (Under a Colder Sun and Shattered Sands which now takes my total to 8 out of 10 (with two books left until the conclusion of this event).
Hope you all had a great month.
Books and travelling with Lynn 