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I'm reading the Forgotten Realms Novels- #202 The Howling Delve by Jaleigh Johnson (Dungeons 2)
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<blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 8937501" data-attributes="member: 16069"><p><strong>#179 Master of Chains by Jess Lebow (Fighters 1)</strong></p><p><strong>Read 6/2/23 to 11/2/23</strong></p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]275527[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>Well, it's a rum 'un, and apologies only posting now but I've been without the electronic internet for the best part of a week, and amidst the gloom (and to make matters worse) I've had a touch of surgery on my leg- this is the first time I've been able to get my foot/leg under my desk.</p><p></p><p>So, the Master of Chains- starts strong, although Liam seems to have dipped out in the naming stakes, his brother Ryder has the way cooler moniker. They're both members of the Crimson Awl, fighting for what's right and all that against the evil machinations of the Lord's men (actually elite Lord's men, for some reason the word 'elite' gets in there every time)- but then... it's a trap.</p><p></p><p>Ryder is dead, he died saving Liam's life.</p><p></p><p>Oh, woe.</p><p></p><p>Only we know that Ryder isn't dead, he's captured, and then tortured, and then sold into slavery- subject to the whims of the Taskmaster, who's real name turns out to be something like Mr Cobblepot.</p><p></p><p>It's a strange book, or else at some points the author wants us to be gripped by the high tension and yet in the next minute... Mr Cobblepot.</p><p></p><p>Odd.</p><p></p><p>It's as if two stories have been randomly sliced and then shuffled together, and that sometimes works.</p><p></p><p>So, Ryder is off to find a new lady in his life- a magical bandit queen that rescues and then falls in love with him almost immediately, I mean... why wouldn't you- he's called Ryder, and he's the Master of Chains.</p><p></p><p>Actually the Master of Chains bit is okay, there's all the symbolism of the broken chains etc. but here's the thing, Ryder's okay- he's no great shakes, as a hero however he's only second rate, and second draw to his younger brother Liam.</p><p></p><p>So, what about Liam?</p><p></p><p>Well, as it turns out the local Lord (Purdun) is not a bad sort at all... but hang on, weren't the Crimson Awl fighting this fellow for their freedom?</p><p></p><p>Things swiftly change and the new look Crimson Awl have a new leader and they're quickly (it takes maybe two pages) in thrall to a bunch of Vampires (or at least a bunch of Spawn).</p><p></p><p>The Vampire mistress- Shyressa comes along later.</p><p></p><p>Oh, but while Ryder has been dead/away Liam has taken up with his brother's wife, joined the ELITE Lord's men, and has been spending his days spying on the now evil Crimson Awl.</p><p></p><p>Again, it's an odd book.</p><p></p><p>The author seems to delight in telling/showing us one thing about an individual or organisation and then flipping it all on it's head fifty to hundred pages later.</p><p></p><p>Which isn't a bad device to use in moderation.</p><p></p><p>Moderation.</p><p></p><p>The Crimson Awl are renegade common folk fighting for their rights, then they're a bunch of Vampire spawn infiltrated evil dudes.</p><p></p><p>Lord Purdun and his elite guard are out to keep the common folk down, and then they're not... they're out to defend the common folk from the depredations, etc. Although, they still tortured Ryder, so...</p><p></p><p>Ryder while he's on the way to slavery and then on the run afterwards with the bandits has a best mate called... Naseem? I'm guessing, he's a very nice guy, at least until we get to the end when he sells Ryder and the bandits out, big time.</p><p></p><p>There's a lot of this, and the reader notices it- because it happens so often. So, when you are reading about character X, or organisation Y, your thinking, really... are they really the good/bad guys.</p><p></p><p>Which again, when done well, is probably a good device to use.</p><p></p><p>It's also a little odd in that the story just does pretty much everything that you would expect of it, there are no real surprises, maybe the fact that Ryder gets killed in the end, that's perhaps the only surprise. That the brothers end up on opposite sides at the finale, until- at last, they take a moment to catch each other up with what's been going on.</p><p></p><p>The villains (Shyressa, Montauk et al) are... expendable. They don't do a lot of villain-y things so, you end up just having to take the author's word for it. The plot/story seems too stuck on- Liam does this, while Ryder does that, much too often- the threat of the bad people just seems to rumble around in the background.</p><p></p><p>It's all a little underwhelming, and in places it doesn't know what it's aiming for- trying to be risible while trying to maintain/build tension and threat. It's not a bad book, just nothing to write home about.</p><p></p><p>Stay safe and well you lovely people.</p><p></p><p>Cheers Paul</p><p></p><p>PS I've already read the next one- I'll catch up tomorrow possibly.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Goonalan, post: 8937501, member: 16069"] [B]#179 Master of Chains by Jess Lebow (Fighters 1) Read 6/2/23 to 11/2/23[/B] [ATTACH type="full" width="173px"]275527[/ATTACH] Well, it's a rum 'un, and apologies only posting now but I've been without the electronic internet for the best part of a week, and amidst the gloom (and to make matters worse) I've had a touch of surgery on my leg- this is the first time I've been able to get my foot/leg under my desk. So, the Master of Chains- starts strong, although Liam seems to have dipped out in the naming stakes, his brother Ryder has the way cooler moniker. They're both members of the Crimson Awl, fighting for what's right and all that against the evil machinations of the Lord's men (actually elite Lord's men, for some reason the word 'elite' gets in there every time)- but then... it's a trap. Ryder is dead, he died saving Liam's life. Oh, woe. Only we know that Ryder isn't dead, he's captured, and then tortured, and then sold into slavery- subject to the whims of the Taskmaster, who's real name turns out to be something like Mr Cobblepot. It's a strange book, or else at some points the author wants us to be gripped by the high tension and yet in the next minute... Mr Cobblepot. Odd. It's as if two stories have been randomly sliced and then shuffled together, and that sometimes works. So, Ryder is off to find a new lady in his life- a magical bandit queen that rescues and then falls in love with him almost immediately, I mean... why wouldn't you- he's called Ryder, and he's the Master of Chains. Actually the Master of Chains bit is okay, there's all the symbolism of the broken chains etc. but here's the thing, Ryder's okay- he's no great shakes, as a hero however he's only second rate, and second draw to his younger brother Liam. So, what about Liam? Well, as it turns out the local Lord (Purdun) is not a bad sort at all... but hang on, weren't the Crimson Awl fighting this fellow for their freedom? Things swiftly change and the new look Crimson Awl have a new leader and they're quickly (it takes maybe two pages) in thrall to a bunch of Vampires (or at least a bunch of Spawn). The Vampire mistress- Shyressa comes along later. Oh, but while Ryder has been dead/away Liam has taken up with his brother's wife, joined the ELITE Lord's men, and has been spending his days spying on the now evil Crimson Awl. Again, it's an odd book. The author seems to delight in telling/showing us one thing about an individual or organisation and then flipping it all on it's head fifty to hundred pages later. Which isn't a bad device to use in moderation. Moderation. The Crimson Awl are renegade common folk fighting for their rights, then they're a bunch of Vampire spawn infiltrated evil dudes. Lord Purdun and his elite guard are out to keep the common folk down, and then they're not... they're out to defend the common folk from the depredations, etc. Although, they still tortured Ryder, so... Ryder while he's on the way to slavery and then on the run afterwards with the bandits has a best mate called... Naseem? I'm guessing, he's a very nice guy, at least until we get to the end when he sells Ryder and the bandits out, big time. There's a lot of this, and the reader notices it- because it happens so often. So, when you are reading about character X, or organisation Y, your thinking, really... are they really the good/bad guys. Which again, when done well, is probably a good device to use. It's also a little odd in that the story just does pretty much everything that you would expect of it, there are no real surprises, maybe the fact that Ryder gets killed in the end, that's perhaps the only surprise. That the brothers end up on opposite sides at the finale, until- at last, they take a moment to catch each other up with what's been going on. The villains (Shyressa, Montauk et al) are... expendable. They don't do a lot of villain-y things so, you end up just having to take the author's word for it. The plot/story seems too stuck on- Liam does this, while Ryder does that, much too often- the threat of the bad people just seems to rumble around in the background. It's all a little underwhelming, and in places it doesn't know what it's aiming for- trying to be risible while trying to maintain/build tension and threat. It's not a bad book, just nothing to write home about. Stay safe and well you lovely people. Cheers Paul PS I've already read the next one- I'll catch up tomorrow possibly. [/QUOTE]
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