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jonathanrobert's review
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
shane_tiernan's review against another edition
4.0
Listening to this on audio was like visiting old friends. Even though I only listened to the first book a couple months ago. The scale on this one seemed a little less epic than the first but also it seemed like the author got much deeper into the characters.
I love the narrator on the audio book. He really helps bring the characters to life. Hope to hear more from Egil and Nyx in the future.
I love the narrator on the audio book. He really helps bring the characters to life. Hope to hear more from Egil and Nyx in the future.
eoghann's review against another edition
4.0
_A Discourse In Steel_ is the second Egil and Nix book, but clearly not the last if the author has his way. However, the book easily stands on its own and any information you need is given to you without the need for a giant infodump at the beginning.
Paul S. Kemp is writing in the shadow of giants. Egil and Nix while distinct characters in their own right will inevitably be compared to Fafhrd and Grey Mouser. You've got one big tough guy and one smaller sneaky guy.
But more importantly Kemp gives us a great fast paced romp packed with action and with enough character and world building to satisfy without slowing anything down.
It's a cliche but page turner is definitely an accurate description for this book. I have limited reading time but gulped this book down in big chunks 20%+ at a time.
While most of the book is set in the city with an emphasis on the seedier side, we get glimpses of a much larger and more fantastical world later on. What starts out as a simple disagreement amongst thieves turns into something bigger and considerably more dangerous.
The setting and the style then is pure _Sword and Sorcery_ and all the better for it. There's no epic quest to save the world here. Rather it's about a tight knit group of people protecting their own... and sometimes stumbling into a dangerous mess.
Great fun. You should read it.
Paul S. Kemp is writing in the shadow of giants. Egil and Nix while distinct characters in their own right will inevitably be compared to Fafhrd and Grey Mouser. You've got one big tough guy and one smaller sneaky guy.
But more importantly Kemp gives us a great fast paced romp packed with action and with enough character and world building to satisfy without slowing anything down.
It's a cliche but page turner is definitely an accurate description for this book. I have limited reading time but gulped this book down in big chunks 20%+ at a time.
While most of the book is set in the city with an emphasis on the seedier side, we get glimpses of a much larger and more fantastical world later on. What starts out as a simple disagreement amongst thieves turns into something bigger and considerably more dangerous.
The setting and the style then is pure _Sword and Sorcery_ and all the better for it. There's no epic quest to save the world here. Rather it's about a tight knit group of people protecting their own... and sometimes stumbling into a dangerous mess.
Great fun. You should read it.
seak's review against another edition
4.0
When I read The Hammer and the Blade, the first Egil and Nix book, I had a good time with this buddy-sword-and-sorcery (is that redundant?). The characters were entertaining if a bit melodramatic, the action spot-on, and the writing professionally done.
A Discourse in Steel exceeds The Hammer and the Blade on just about every level (probably even the melodrama). I thoroughly enjoyed Discourse and a lot of that could be because I've gotten to know the characters that much more.
First, you have to know that A Discourse in Steel is more a second Egil and Nix book than a sequel. Yes, it follows the The Hammer and the Blade in both publication and timeline, but the events in Discourse are self-contained just like those in Hammer. In fact, you don't need to know anything to jump into this book.
Egil and Nix are just a great pair. I enjoyed them in the first book, but found their relationship and the events a bit cliche at times. Here, I'm convinced they're cliche and melodramatic, but it's such a good combination with tons of heart that you can't help but be won over. I mean, look at this exchange:
I had to pull over and write that one down. This also means any mistakes are mine although I'm sure I got all the words right.
In Discourse, Egil and Nix are up against an entire guild ... and the guild is the one that should be worried. In the first book, they were so powerless, it was a bit frustrating even though it worked for an interesting plot. This one really got me for this reason right here. Their attitude was awesome, I'd recommend not messing with them when they're even remotely serious. :)
And since I "read" the audio version, I have to comment on Nick Podehl. This was my first read by him and this guy seemed made for the duo that is Egil and Nix. He was hilariously sarcastic and blended the melodrama well too. It's actually quite interesting because Nick is reading my current book which is very serious. At first, it didn't work because I was used to the fun and sarcasm, but now I can't even believe they're the same person. Nick is an excellent narrator, I'll be happy seeing his name on audiobooks in the future.
Speaking of that, I'm looking forward to reading more of Kemp's work in the future too. I can't believe he balances four kids, a corporate attorney position, and writing. Plus, he finds time to discuss on reddit.com/r/fantasy and other places where fans congregate.
A Discourse in Steel is exactly what it claims to be. It's tons of fun with plenty of action and while it doesn't take itself too seriously, it knows when to be serious. Kemp stepped up his game and I'm looking forward to more adventuring with Egil and Nix.
4 out of 5 Stars (highly recommended)
A Discourse in Steel exceeds The Hammer and the Blade on just about every level (probably even the melodrama). I thoroughly enjoyed Discourse and a lot of that could be because I've gotten to know the characters that much more.
First, you have to know that A Discourse in Steel is more a second Egil and Nix book than a sequel. Yes, it follows the The Hammer and the Blade in both publication and timeline, but the events in Discourse are self-contained just like those in Hammer. In fact, you don't need to know anything to jump into this book.
Egil and Nix are just a great pair. I enjoyed them in the first book, but found their relationship and the events a bit cliche at times. Here, I'm convinced they're cliche and melodramatic, but it's such a good combination with tons of heart that you can't help but be won over. I mean, look at this exchange:
"Graduates of the conclave are bungholes," Nix said absently, and rifled his satchel. He quickly found the tallow sticks and the scribing wand and pulled them out. He also anticipated Egil's jest and cut it off. "I didn't graduate priest, as you know."
"Possibly still a bunghole though."
"Conceded." Nix said, with a tilt of his head.
I had to pull over and write that one down. This also means any mistakes are mine although I'm sure I got all the words right.
In Discourse, Egil and Nix are up against an entire guild ... and the guild is the one that should be worried. In the first book, they were so powerless, it was a bit frustrating even though it worked for an interesting plot. This one really got me for this reason right here. Their attitude was awesome, I'd recommend not messing with them when they're even remotely serious. :)
And since I "read" the audio version, I have to comment on Nick Podehl. This was my first read by him and this guy seemed made for the duo that is Egil and Nix. He was hilariously sarcastic and blended the melodrama well too. It's actually quite interesting because Nick is reading my current book which is very serious. At first, it didn't work because I was used to the fun and sarcasm, but now I can't even believe they're the same person. Nick is an excellent narrator, I'll be happy seeing his name on audiobooks in the future.
Speaking of that, I'm looking forward to reading more of Kemp's work in the future too. I can't believe he balances four kids, a corporate attorney position, and writing. Plus, he finds time to discuss on reddit.com/r/fantasy and other places where fans congregate.
A Discourse in Steel is exactly what it claims to be. It's tons of fun with plenty of action and while it doesn't take itself too seriously, it knows when to be serious. Kemp stepped up his game and I'm looking forward to more adventuring with Egil and Nix.
4 out of 5 Stars (highly recommended)
myfrogmonster's review against another edition
4.0
Another fun adventure. Total gaming geek literature candy!
winters's review
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
woodge's review
3.0
This is the second tale of Egil (big dude, carries hammers to crush little dudes) and Nix (sneaky thief who dabbles in magical artifacts). They get caught up in some shenanigans with a local crime guild and wreak havoc. Just the right thing to read when I wanted something light and sword-and-sorcery-ish to wade through.
chrisp623's review
3.0
This one wasn't nearly as good as the first book, but I still will check out forthcoming books featuring Egil & Nix!
bibliotropic's review
4.0
After reading The Hammer and the Blade, I have to admit I was a bit leery of this sequel. While I enjoyed the first installment of the tales of Egil and Nix, the book did have its problems, and a good part of my enjoyment of the novel stemmed from the fact that I have role-played similar characters and it was easy and fun to do a little mental transplantation and imagine Dek and Shaeyin in Nix and Egil’s places. Was that enough to make me put aside reservations and pick up the second novel?
As it turns out, yes. Putting aside the problems I had with it, The Hammer and the Blade was undeniably fun, action-packed and fast-paced, and A Discourse in Steel is no less so. Also, one of the problems I had with the first book was no longer an issue. Gone were the awkward word choices and overuse of obscure synonyms! Now when an odd phrase or word appeared on the pages, there was a 90% chance that it was thieves’ cant, appropriate for the novel and the characters, often left for the reader to figure out in context but that just made it all the more realistic. And I think only once did a term crop up where the meaning wasn’t immediately apparent from the context in which it was used. This made reading the novel much more enjoyable, since I wasn’t jarred out of my groove by an awkward turn of phrase the way I had been in The Hammer and the Blade.
Most of the story centres around Nix and Egil and their clash with the thieves’ guild, after the assassination of their leader, knowns as the Upright Man. Only while his body may be dead, his mind lives on, in bits and pieces, stuck in the head of one of the psychic sisters we were introduced to in the first novel. This situation is understandably dangerous for all involved, and the novel goes through their quest to save her mind and life while simultaneously trying to dodge the attempts on everyone’s lives when the thieves’ guild takes exception to the situation.
While it was good to see Rose and Mere get more time on the pages than previous, they still very much fit the damsel-in-distress trope, existing to either converse with Nix and Egil or else be saved from something or other. They are plot points more than characters, a way of giving the main characters something to do rather than actively contributing to the story themselves. This, sadly, wasn’t much of an improvement over the previous novel. There, both of them needed saving. Here, one of them needs saving.
Perhaps in the third book, they’ll both save themselves. Or better yet, maybe they won’t need saving at all.
As I mentioned, A Discourse in Steel is very fast-paced and filled with action from one end to the other. Coupled with the endless witty banter between Nix and Egil, this makes for a very swift read, one that you won’t want to put down because the next step of the adventure is just around the corner. No rest for the wicked. From exploring an alternate dark crazy-making dimension that moves around, the fleeing for their lives from assassins, to making their way through treacherous swamps, everything in this book begs you to keep turning pages.
We also get to see more hints about the lives of the characters before they appeared in novels. Egil, especially, has the spotlight shone on his uncomfortable past, enough to make the reader aware of darker things that happened to him without giving away the whole story in pages of exposition and backstory. Deftly done, that. Gadd, also, gets some spotlight, and for being a very minor character who doesn’t do much besides kick ass and serve ale, he’s probably got the most intriguing hints given about his past. I really hope that more detail is revealed later on, because what I’ve seen makes me very curious, and I’m on the opinion that his backstory could probably be an entire novel in itself. It was good to see characters get a little more fleshed out, more detailed and less like they just rolled off someone’s character creation sheet.
Though not without its issues, A Discourse in Steel is a definite improvement on its predecessor. This isn’t the kind of book you read when you want something deep and thought-provoking, but what you read when you want something undeniably fun, something exciting that’s going to entertain you in a cinematic way rather than a cerebral one. If you’re craving some good hack-and-slash adventure, something reminiscent of classic D&D quests, then this is definitely the book for you.
(Book received in exchange for an honest review.)
As it turns out, yes. Putting aside the problems I had with it, The Hammer and the Blade was undeniably fun, action-packed and fast-paced, and A Discourse in Steel is no less so. Also, one of the problems I had with the first book was no longer an issue. Gone were the awkward word choices and overuse of obscure synonyms! Now when an odd phrase or word appeared on the pages, there was a 90% chance that it was thieves’ cant, appropriate for the novel and the characters, often left for the reader to figure out in context but that just made it all the more realistic. And I think only once did a term crop up where the meaning wasn’t immediately apparent from the context in which it was used. This made reading the novel much more enjoyable, since I wasn’t jarred out of my groove by an awkward turn of phrase the way I had been in The Hammer and the Blade.
Most of the story centres around Nix and Egil and their clash with the thieves’ guild, after the assassination of their leader, knowns as the Upright Man. Only while his body may be dead, his mind lives on, in bits and pieces, stuck in the head of one of the psychic sisters we were introduced to in the first novel. This situation is understandably dangerous for all involved, and the novel goes through their quest to save her mind and life while simultaneously trying to dodge the attempts on everyone’s lives when the thieves’ guild takes exception to the situation.
While it was good to see Rose and Mere get more time on the pages than previous, they still very much fit the damsel-in-distress trope, existing to either converse with Nix and Egil or else be saved from something or other. They are plot points more than characters, a way of giving the main characters something to do rather than actively contributing to the story themselves. This, sadly, wasn’t much of an improvement over the previous novel. There, both of them needed saving. Here, one of them needs saving.
Perhaps in the third book, they’ll both save themselves. Or better yet, maybe they won’t need saving at all.
As I mentioned, A Discourse in Steel is very fast-paced and filled with action from one end to the other. Coupled with the endless witty banter between Nix and Egil, this makes for a very swift read, one that you won’t want to put down because the next step of the adventure is just around the corner. No rest for the wicked. From exploring an alternate dark crazy-making dimension that moves around, the fleeing for their lives from assassins, to making their way through treacherous swamps, everything in this book begs you to keep turning pages.
We also get to see more hints about the lives of the characters before they appeared in novels. Egil, especially, has the spotlight shone on his uncomfortable past, enough to make the reader aware of darker things that happened to him without giving away the whole story in pages of exposition and backstory. Deftly done, that. Gadd, also, gets some spotlight, and for being a very minor character who doesn’t do much besides kick ass and serve ale, he’s probably got the most intriguing hints given about his past. I really hope that more detail is revealed later on, because what I’ve seen makes me very curious, and I’m on the opinion that his backstory could probably be an entire novel in itself. It was good to see characters get a little more fleshed out, more detailed and less like they just rolled off someone’s character creation sheet.
Though not without its issues, A Discourse in Steel is a definite improvement on its predecessor. This isn’t the kind of book you read when you want something deep and thought-provoking, but what you read when you want something undeniably fun, something exciting that’s going to entertain you in a cinematic way rather than a cerebral one. If you’re craving some good hack-and-slash adventure, something reminiscent of classic D&D quests, then this is definitely the book for you.
(Book received in exchange for an honest review.)
kjcharles's review
3.0
Meh. The ideas are great, some of the writing vivid. If the repetition at word and content level was cut, it would lose about fifty pages. (Yes, I grasped Rusk wants the Upright Man dead, thanks.) The plot ended up feeling very hastily resolved, and much as if the author was aiming to get rid of a couple of. characters and wrote the book for that. Mostly, I got really bored of the supermen MCs. It does nothing for the tension when they're chased by six people if we already saw them kill about 30 people in more difficult circumstances.
I'd probably have loved this at 14.
I'd probably have loved this at 14.
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