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mxsallybend's review against another edition
3.0
While I hesitate to call this a throwback or reactionary fantasy, there's no question that When the Heavens Fall has a very late-80s/early-90s feel to it. From the characters, to the world-building, to the story, to the narration, Marc Turner's debut just feels like something I'd almost swear I read 25 years ago. That's not necessarily a bad thing - many of my favorite epics are from that era - but it will certainly present a challenge to readers who've become accustomed to something more polished and more complex.
I've already seen some readers complain about the world-building, but I appreciated both the world itself and the way it's built. What you have to understand is that Turner's style is about as far away from info-dumping as you can get. He throws us head-first us into the story, drags us along, and simply expects us to catch up. The politics, mythology, and magic are revealed in sporadic dribs and drabs, often through conversation or internal monologues. You have to pay attention, and you have to make some connections on your own to have the story come together, and I liked that.
As for the characters, I liked them, and was certainly invested in their fates, but I'll be the first to admit they could have benefited from a little more emotional depth. The Lurker and Jenna were an interesting pair, playing off one another nicely, but neither one grabbed me and screamed HERO! Ebon was a legitimate hero, but a little too good to be interesting - he really needed a just a few darker, selfish aspects to round him out. Romany was pretty much his polar opposite, a legitimate villain, but a little too bad to be truly interesting, although I loved her interactions with Spider. Parolla, on the other hand, was a character about whom I constantly wanted to see, hear, and know more. I loved her as much as I loved her story arc, and I actually got frustrated when the story moved away from her. Had Turner invested as much effort in building out the other characters as he did her, I think this would have been a much stronger tale.
The narration itself was serviceable, but nothing special. Again, like I said, it has that feel of a late-80s/early-90s epic fantasy, when plot came before characters, and characters came before storytelling. It flows well, is nicely paced, and doesn't fall into any of the debut author traps of overused words or phrases, but the switch between POVs is a little harsh at times. There were times I felt like Turner was simply changing POV to give himself time to think, time to figure out what to do with a character next, without advancing too far towards the climactic convergence of magical forces and supernatural powers.
With all of that said, I really enjoyed the story. It not only developed well, but it resolved itself nicely. It's increasingly rare that an epic fantasy can manage to sustain my interest through the climax, and keep me reading closely, enjoying the details and nuances, as opposed to skimming ahead to find out how it all ends. The darkness, the magic, and the very idea of power really appealed to me here, and I felt Turner did a masterful job of building the story towards that climax. It's a story that just got bigger, deeper, and more intriguing with each new revelation.
I'm really curious to see how fans of the genre respond to When the Heavens Fall. I suspect that will largely depend on how long they've been fans, and how wide their reading experience has been. If it comes across like nothing they've ever read before, that might be a challenge. If it seems at all familiar, however, and evokes any feelings of nostalgia, then I think it's those readers who will be clamoring the loudest for a sequel. Either way, I enjoyed it, and I'm anxious to see what Turner does next.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
I've already seen some readers complain about the world-building, but I appreciated both the world itself and the way it's built. What you have to understand is that Turner's style is about as far away from info-dumping as you can get. He throws us head-first us into the story, drags us along, and simply expects us to catch up. The politics, mythology, and magic are revealed in sporadic dribs and drabs, often through conversation or internal monologues. You have to pay attention, and you have to make some connections on your own to have the story come together, and I liked that.
As for the characters, I liked them, and was certainly invested in their fates, but I'll be the first to admit they could have benefited from a little more emotional depth. The Lurker and Jenna were an interesting pair, playing off one another nicely, but neither one grabbed me and screamed HERO! Ebon was a legitimate hero, but a little too good to be interesting - he really needed a just a few darker, selfish aspects to round him out. Romany was pretty much his polar opposite, a legitimate villain, but a little too bad to be truly interesting, although I loved her interactions with Spider. Parolla, on the other hand, was a character about whom I constantly wanted to see, hear, and know more. I loved her as much as I loved her story arc, and I actually got frustrated when the story moved away from her. Had Turner invested as much effort in building out the other characters as he did her, I think this would have been a much stronger tale.
The narration itself was serviceable, but nothing special. Again, like I said, it has that feel of a late-80s/early-90s epic fantasy, when plot came before characters, and characters came before storytelling. It flows well, is nicely paced, and doesn't fall into any of the debut author traps of overused words or phrases, but the switch between POVs is a little harsh at times. There were times I felt like Turner was simply changing POV to give himself time to think, time to figure out what to do with a character next, without advancing too far towards the climactic convergence of magical forces and supernatural powers.
With all of that said, I really enjoyed the story. It not only developed well, but it resolved itself nicely. It's increasingly rare that an epic fantasy can manage to sustain my interest through the climax, and keep me reading closely, enjoying the details and nuances, as opposed to skimming ahead to find out how it all ends. The darkness, the magic, and the very idea of power really appealed to me here, and I felt Turner did a masterful job of building the story towards that climax. It's a story that just got bigger, deeper, and more intriguing with each new revelation.
I'm really curious to see how fans of the genre respond to When the Heavens Fall. I suspect that will largely depend on how long they've been fans, and how wide their reading experience has been. If it comes across like nothing they've ever read before, that might be a challenge. If it seems at all familiar, however, and evokes any feelings of nostalgia, then I think it's those readers who will be clamoring the loudest for a sequel. Either way, I enjoyed it, and I'm anxious to see what Turner does next.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
lauregul's review against another edition
5.0
[b:When the Heavens Fall|25399383|When the Heavens Fall (The Chronicles of the Exile, #1)|Marc Turner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1429605253l/25399383._SY75_.jpg|42713938] ist der kleine Bruder der Spiel der Götter-Bücher (im engl. Original Malazan Book of the Fallen). Mit Unrecht, denn das Buch ist fantastisch. Das Buch kann fast alles: eine große Anzahl an interessanten Charakteren, eine spannende Handlung und gutes Worldbuilding. Ähnlich wie bei der Spiel der Götter-Reihe mischen dabei verschiedene Götter mit und verfolgen jeweils ihre eigenen Ziele.
Das Buch bietet etwa 5 verschiedene POVs. Anders als viele andere Bücher blieb für mich dabei jeder einzelne davon ständig spannend, weshalb die Wechsel zwischen den verschiedenen POVs mich nie gestört haben – meiner Erfahrung nach eine außergewöhnliche Tatsache. Ebenso weckten die Nebencharaktere, von denen es mehr als nur genug gibt, mein Interesse. Auch hier gibt es einige Parallelen zu den Charakteren der Spiel der Götter-Bücher.
Auch das Worldbuilding innerhalb dieses ersten Teils der Reihe ist außergewöhnlich gut. Ich bekam ständig das Gefühl, dass es noch so viel innerhalb der Welt zu entdecken gibt. Auch die Orte und die zahlreichen Völker, die im Buch vorkamen, haben eine ausführliche Hintergrundgeschichte. Hoffentlich geht das im nächsten Band genauso weiter.
[b:When the Heavens Fall|25399383|When the Heavens Fall (The Chronicles of the Exile, #1)|Marc Turner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1429605253l/25399383._SY75_.jpg|42713938] ist ein fantastisches Buch, das von guten Ideen nur so strotzt. Wer die Spiel der Götter-Bücher mag, wird sicherlich auch dieses Buch mögen. Ein großer Vorteil besteht für mich hier sogar darin, dass zumindest dieser erste Teil deutlich weniger verwirrend ist und einen deutlich kürzeren Handlungsrahmen zu verfolgen scheint als die Bücher von [a:Steven Erikson|31232|Steven Erikson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1219169436p2/31232.jpg]. Ich bin gespannt auf den nächsten Teil, der hoffentlich bald ankommt.
Das Buch bietet etwa 5 verschiedene POVs. Anders als viele andere Bücher blieb für mich dabei jeder einzelne davon ständig spannend, weshalb die Wechsel zwischen den verschiedenen POVs mich nie gestört haben – meiner Erfahrung nach eine außergewöhnliche Tatsache. Ebenso weckten die Nebencharaktere, von denen es mehr als nur genug gibt, mein Interesse. Auch hier gibt es einige Parallelen zu den Charakteren der Spiel der Götter-Bücher
Spoiler
(z.B. Mottle an Kruppe; Jünger/Schüler [im engl. Disciples] von Shroud an Anomander Rake u.ä.)Auch das Worldbuilding innerhalb dieses ersten Teils der Reihe ist außergewöhnlich gut. Ich bekam ständig das Gefühl, dass es noch so viel innerhalb der Welt zu entdecken gibt. Auch die Orte und die zahlreichen Völker, die im Buch vorkamen, haben eine ausführliche Hintergrundgeschichte. Hoffentlich geht das im nächsten Band genauso weiter.
[b:When the Heavens Fall|25399383|When the Heavens Fall (The Chronicles of the Exile, #1)|Marc Turner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1429605253l/25399383._SY75_.jpg|42713938] ist ein fantastisches Buch, das von guten Ideen nur so strotzt. Wer die Spiel der Götter-Bücher mag, wird sicherlich auch dieses Buch mögen. Ein großer Vorteil besteht für mich hier sogar darin, dass zumindest dieser erste Teil deutlich weniger verwirrend ist und einen deutlich kürzeren Handlungsrahmen zu verfolgen scheint als die Bücher von [a:Steven Erikson|31232|Steven Erikson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1219169436p2/31232.jpg]. Ich bin gespannt auf den nächsten Teil, der hoffentlich bald ankommt.
veronica87's review against another edition
3.0
Well, this started out well enough...an interesting world and four POV characters to guide us through it...but by the midway point it just seemed to be all show and no real substance. There's a Prince, a Priestess, a Guardian with Jedi-like powers (™ Star Wars), and a demi-goddess (?) who are all more or less on converging paths to defeat a crazy coot mage with his very own Precious (™ Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien). The problem is there is no real character development going on in 700 pages worth of story so what we're left with is a really long road trip tale that just moves from one fight scene to the next. Good news for fight scene aficionados but a bit lacking if you want more from your fantasy story than just action. It wasn't bad but some decent character development would have made this into something...more.
mferrante83's review against another edition
4.0
When the Heavens Fall
by Marc Turner is the author’s debut novel. This is a big swords and sorcery epic that seems to channel a touch of Steven Erikson. The story is catapulted into action by the theft of a magical book that is filled to the brim with magic; the Book of Lost Souls. As the mage who stole the book begins to explore its power over the dead it begins to drawn the attention of gods and men into an epic convergence of power. The story follows several characters from different corners of the world as each is drawn ever towards the book’s power; each for a different reason. Luker, a magic wield swordsman called a Guardian, seeks to find his master who was also on the trail of the book; Romany, a priestess of the Spider is an agent of her Goddess’ machinations; Ebon, a Prince whose home lies close to the site of the convergence seeks to end the book’s effects on his people (mainly in the form of an army of undead); and Parolla a mysterious necromancer whose motivation I don’t want to spoil.
Turner manages to split the novel’s leads equally between genders and surrounds each character with a strong supporting cast. Turner’s female characters are all strong, competent women who stand on their own. Jenna, an assassin and acquaintance of Luker’s is easily pegged as the character’s love interest however Turner does a fantastic job at creating a rich history between the two characters such that their obvious attraction to one another doesn’t feel forced. Further, Luker’s attraction to Jenna is strongly predicated on her competence in her work. Parolla, struggles against hidden currents within herself both with regards to her power and due to the struggles she has faced in her past. Romany is the character who grated the most; at least a first. Vain, and self-centered Romany just rubbed me the wrong way. Romany acts as an agent of the Spider carefully manipulating the various players who converge upon the Book of Lost Souls. However, Turner has a keen hand when it comes to character development and Romany’s growth as the novel progresses is fascinating watch. Ebon and Luker actually felt the most traditional. Luker’s motivation, primarily out of loyalty to the man who trained, cast him as honest and driven. He chooses personal loyalty out any sense of obligation to a government or organization. He is a likeable character who in early chapters feels a bit adrift but who feels like a more complete individual once he has a concrete goal ahead of him. Ebon is that character who could have easily been the most boring of the bunch. However, Turner does an admirable job making Ebon a character who is drawn in a variety of different directions by his sense of loyalty, honor, and responsibility. At one time haunted by the spirits of the dead Ebon is partly motivated by a sense of redemption as he not only seeks to prove himself free of the spirits” influence but also make up for the terrible loss of life that resulted from his rash actions. He is further saddled by his love for a woman below his station. This plot point is one that gets loss in the shuffle and Ebon’s quest in the latter part of the novel doesn’t really draw on this in any meaningful way. Furthermore, as the novel comes to a conclusion and various plot threads are wrapped up Turner never returns to Ebon’s lady love. Ebon’s chapters do introduce my favorite secondary character in the air mage Mottle. The “crazy” wizard character isn’t anything new but Mottle, despite the cliché, manages to walk that fine line between hyper-competence and wackiness with aplomb.
Turner has a rich and interesting world in When the Heavens Fall but provides very little by way of exposition as readers journey through it. He establishes a keen sense of history both recent and ancient over the course of the novel and uses both primarily as a means to drive the action forward. Turner lays out the current status of the Guardians as a once independent organization now under the thumb of an Emperor and now a shadow of their former selves. It is this fact that serves as a driving force of tension in Luker. However, at the same time I never felt particularly confident I knew what the Guardians were precisely. Over the course of the novel readers are introduced to a handful of gods. Shroud, lord of the dead plays a significant role in the novel as does the Spider but both deific figures remain largely inscrutable. It is in this world building that Turner’s Steven Erikson really comes to the fore. Shroud, in name and power, called to mind Erikson’s lord of the dead, Hood. The Spider, while less capricious, reminded me of Erikson’s Shadowthrone. Similarly the complex history of Turner’s world particularly the mysterious ancient empires, and beings with ancient enmity called to mind elements of the Malazan Book of the Fallen I was particularly reminded of the rivalry between the T’lan Imass and Jaghut.
When the Heavens Fall is an excellent start to a new series. While the novel wears its inspirations quite visibly on its shoulder it is never enough to take away from Turner’s strong characterization and masterful juggling of plot and action. Turner has a tendency to stick with show over tell and When the Heavens Fall is one of those novels where I actually wish there was a touch more tell. I am hoping that in further novels Turner works towards further originality and find a voice that is more clearly his own. Regardless, fans of swords and sorcery and epic fantasy will definitely find a lot to life here.
by Marc Turner is the author’s debut novel. This is a big swords and sorcery epic that seems to channel a touch of Steven Erikson. The story is catapulted into action by the theft of a magical book that is filled to the brim with magic; the Book of Lost Souls. As the mage who stole the book begins to explore its power over the dead it begins to drawn the attention of gods and men into an epic convergence of power. The story follows several characters from different corners of the world as each is drawn ever towards the book’s power; each for a different reason. Luker, a magic wield swordsman called a Guardian, seeks to find his master who was also on the trail of the book; Romany, a priestess of the Spider is an agent of her Goddess’ machinations; Ebon, a Prince whose home lies close to the site of the convergence seeks to end the book’s effects on his people (mainly in the form of an army of undead); and Parolla a mysterious necromancer whose motivation I don’t want to spoil.
Turner manages to split the novel’s leads equally between genders and surrounds each character with a strong supporting cast. Turner’s female characters are all strong, competent women who stand on their own. Jenna, an assassin and acquaintance of Luker’s is easily pegged as the character’s love interest however Turner does a fantastic job at creating a rich history between the two characters such that their obvious attraction to one another doesn’t feel forced. Further, Luker’s attraction to Jenna is strongly predicated on her competence in her work. Parolla, struggles against hidden currents within herself both with regards to her power and due to the struggles she has faced in her past. Romany is the character who grated the most; at least a first. Vain, and self-centered Romany just rubbed me the wrong way. Romany acts as an agent of the Spider carefully manipulating the various players who converge upon the Book of Lost Souls. However, Turner has a keen hand when it comes to character development and Romany’s growth as the novel progresses is fascinating watch. Ebon and Luker actually felt the most traditional. Luker’s motivation, primarily out of loyalty to the man who trained, cast him as honest and driven. He chooses personal loyalty out any sense of obligation to a government or organization. He is a likeable character who in early chapters feels a bit adrift but who feels like a more complete individual once he has a concrete goal ahead of him. Ebon is that character who could have easily been the most boring of the bunch. However, Turner does an admirable job making Ebon a character who is drawn in a variety of different directions by his sense of loyalty, honor, and responsibility. At one time haunted by the spirits of the dead Ebon is partly motivated by a sense of redemption as he not only seeks to prove himself free of the spirits” influence but also make up for the terrible loss of life that resulted from his rash actions. He is further saddled by his love for a woman below his station. This plot point is one that gets loss in the shuffle and Ebon’s quest in the latter part of the novel doesn’t really draw on this in any meaningful way. Furthermore, as the novel comes to a conclusion and various plot threads are wrapped up Turner never returns to Ebon’s lady love. Ebon’s chapters do introduce my favorite secondary character in the air mage Mottle. The “crazy” wizard character isn’t anything new but Mottle, despite the cliché, manages to walk that fine line between hyper-competence and wackiness with aplomb.
Turner has a rich and interesting world in When the Heavens Fall but provides very little by way of exposition as readers journey through it. He establishes a keen sense of history both recent and ancient over the course of the novel and uses both primarily as a means to drive the action forward. Turner lays out the current status of the Guardians as a once independent organization now under the thumb of an Emperor and now a shadow of their former selves. It is this fact that serves as a driving force of tension in Luker. However, at the same time I never felt particularly confident I knew what the Guardians were precisely. Over the course of the novel readers are introduced to a handful of gods. Shroud, lord of the dead plays a significant role in the novel as does the Spider but both deific figures remain largely inscrutable. It is in this world building that Turner’s Steven Erikson really comes to the fore. Shroud, in name and power, called to mind Erikson’s lord of the dead, Hood. The Spider, while less capricious, reminded me of Erikson’s Shadowthrone. Similarly the complex history of Turner’s world particularly the mysterious ancient empires, and beings with ancient enmity called to mind elements of the Malazan Book of the Fallen I was particularly reminded of the rivalry between the T’lan Imass and Jaghut.
When the Heavens Fall is an excellent start to a new series. While the novel wears its inspirations quite visibly on its shoulder it is never enough to take away from Turner’s strong characterization and masterful juggling of plot and action. Turner has a tendency to stick with show over tell and When the Heavens Fall is one of those novels where I actually wish there was a touch more tell. I am hoping that in further novels Turner works towards further originality and find a voice that is more clearly his own. Regardless, fans of swords and sorcery and epic fantasy will definitely find a lot to life here.
kitvaria_sarene's review against another edition
3.0
This is a hard one to judge...
For magic, and sorcerry, I'd give it 10 stars!
But sadly the rest didn't grip me as much as I would have liked it.
I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book - I usually don't have a problem with lots of POVs (yes, I read Erikson, Martin and such), but with this one I had some question marks floating above my head for quite a while. When the different storylines finally start to meet up, I quite enjoyed the story for a while.
I liked the spider and her priestess, and I liked the part about the undead laying siege to a city - but afterwards it lost me again. I didn't like or get the main villain (like as in think him interesting). I didn't care for him at all - and the others seemed mostly to just walk/ride/run and fight through lotds and lots and lots of people. There was not enough plot in there for my personal liking.
I did love as already stated the big amount of magic and sorcery, and I loved some quite diverse characters that got introduced, so that kept me reading, but I was never really sucked into the story sadly.
I really missed a bigger plot besides "get the book" or "destroy the book".
If you are looking for a book with bigscale magics and lots of fighting and battle scenes this is perfect for you though!
For magic, and sorcerry, I'd give it 10 stars!
But sadly the rest didn't grip me as much as I would have liked it.
I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book - I usually don't have a problem with lots of POVs (yes, I read Erikson, Martin and such), but with this one I had some question marks floating above my head for quite a while. When the different storylines finally start to meet up, I quite enjoyed the story for a while.
I liked the spider and her priestess, and I liked the part about the undead laying siege to a city - but afterwards it lost me again. I didn't like or get the main villain (like as in think him interesting). I didn't care for him at all - and the others seemed mostly to just walk/ride/run and fight through lotds and lots and lots of people. There was not enough plot in there for my personal liking.
I did love as already stated the big amount of magic and sorcery, and I loved some quite diverse characters that got introduced, so that kept me reading, but I was never really sucked into the story sadly.
I really missed a bigger plot besides "get the book" or "destroy the book".
If you are looking for a book with bigscale magics and lots of fighting and battle scenes this is perfect for you though!
selinadragonair's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book!
It had a refreshing taste of originality. No common tropes, lines, characters or magic you would say "I have read that a thousand times". Especially at the beginning I couldn't say what will happen or how everything will turn out. I let myself get surprised every chapter. That was a great change.
Then there are the characters. Guardian Luker had probably the coolest skills with his telekinetic powers and "Will" (or rather "the Force" lol, there's an obvious reference to Luke, which I enjoyed).
The most fun I had with the priestess Ramony, who just wanted to relax in a hot bathtub and drink red wine, but gets repeatedly sent to missions in a dirty wood. Her sarcastic mental comments were the best. And she was some kind of behind-the-scene-manipulator or a game-master.
Prince Ebon with his ghostly voices in his head got the epic part of the story with his kingdom and necromancer Parolla was the joker card with a few secrets.
I really liked the support characters: the weird magus Mottle, the assassin Jenna and the curious ghost Tumbal.
Also, the whole story centers on a book. Nice!
The contras: Yes, the book is a bit of a slow burner. Sometimes it felt like there was one fight after another without the story progressing at all. It was unneccesary long and dragged in the end.
And the characters could really have had more emotional depth! There was so much potential to make this story and the characters truly epic and touching, but it felt like they wanted to stay professional instead.
Still, I definitely want to read the next two installments and I have heard both pace and character depth improve. So I am looking forward to them!
It had a refreshing taste of originality. No common tropes, lines, characters or magic you would say "I have read that a thousand times". Especially at the beginning I couldn't say what will happen or how everything will turn out. I let myself get surprised every chapter. That was a great change.
Then there are the characters. Guardian Luker had probably the coolest skills with his telekinetic powers and "Will" (or rather "the Force" lol, there's an obvious reference to Luke, which I enjoyed).
The most fun I had with the priestess Ramony, who just wanted to relax in a hot bathtub and drink red wine, but gets repeatedly sent to missions in a dirty wood. Her sarcastic mental comments were the best. And she was some kind of behind-the-scene-manipulator or a game-master.
Prince Ebon with his ghostly voices in his head got the epic part of the story with his kingdom and necromancer Parolla was the joker card with a few secrets.
I really liked the support characters: the weird magus Mottle, the assassin Jenna and the curious ghost Tumbal.
Also, the whole story centers on a book. Nice!
The contras: Yes, the book is a bit of a slow burner. Sometimes it felt like there was one fight after another without the story progressing at all. It was unneccesary long and dragged in the end.
And the characters could really have had more emotional depth! There was so much potential to make this story and the characters truly epic and touching, but it felt like they wanted to stay professional instead.
Still, I definitely want to read the next two installments and I have heard both pace and character depth improve. So I am looking forward to them!
patremagne's review against another edition
4.0
4.3 I'd say.
http://abitterdraft.com/2015/05/when-the-heavens-fall-by-marc-turner.html
The Book of Lost Souls, an ancient relic guarded closely by a circle of mages for centuries, has been stolen by the rogue mage Mayot Mencada through the subtle directive of the goddess Spider. The Book gives its wielder immense necromantic power, and Mayot’s ambition knows no bounds as he openly challenges the god Shroud’s rule over the underworld by raising the ancient dead and lashing out at any settlement near the Forest of Sighs, the cursed forest he has made his base of operations.
The Book emits massively powerful rays of death magic, attracting all manner of other beings. Luker, a Guardian of Erin Elal and a man forced to take on the quest by the very people who betrayed him; Ebon, a prince of Galitia deeply haunted by spirits following a foolhardy expedition into the Forest of Sighs; Romany, a high priestess of the Spider commanded to play the game by her goddess; Parolla, a powerful necromancer with an incredibly mysterious past with an unstoppable drive to confront Shroud for deeds past. Of the four, Parolla easily took the cake for the most interesting and the one whose chapters I was always chomping at the bit for. Ebon followed closely behind Parolla in interest level, as he consistently struggles on the brink of insanity in both his own eyes and those around him. Luker is the stereotypical grizzled war veteran, and it felt like Romany got the least face time, though the things that she did were of import. Each character was developed deftly, but Parolla and Ebon overshadowed Luker and Romany in my interest level.
Alongside these protagonists, the disciples of Shroud and the followers of the Hunt are at the fore, the former at the bidding of their lord and the latter in pursuit of one who has angered their god. Shroud’s disciples each make spectacular entrances. I felt the way I did while reading parts of Malazan, when Anomander Rake or any of the awesomely powerful characters did something. They simply leave you thinking holy shit, that was awesome.
Comparisons are a curious thing. There’s no surprise that When the Heavens Fall has been compared to Erikson’s Malazan, since Turner cites Erikson as a major influence. Whenever you find people looking for recommendations, you’ll see the same books repeated over and over so many times that it’s hard not to imagine the recommender giving a deep sigh, pulling a scroll from their pocket, and rattling off the go-to genre names. More often yet, these insta-recommendations often don’t have anything more than the basic fantasy tenets in common with the book in question. Turner’s debut is one of the very few books that I can safely and wholly recommend to fans of Erikson. In fact, it’s common in so many ways that it’s probably easier to point out its differences (the only glaring one being that there are fewer main characters in Turner’s). The most prominent similarities are probably the magic and the richness, or even over-richness of the world. I say over-richness because while reading both Malazan and When the Heavens Fall, there are a ton of names of people, races both ancient and modern, events, and objects that it’s staggeringly difficult to keep track of at times. It’s only fitting that both authors’ works have detailed maps and dramatis personae to help out the overwhelmed reader (though a list of terms would have been nice). The magic is the highlight of both series for me. Sometimes it’s very descriptive and visceral like Turner’s death magic, and other times both series simply describe it as sorcery a la “waves of sorcery stripped the flesh from his bones.” The only clear, black-and-white difference between the two is that Mayot Mencada is without a doubt the bad guy, whereas Malazan doesn’t necessarily have one so clearly defined.
While When the Heavens Fall is a bit slow to get going, Turner’s writing will have you hook, line, and sinker the way he builds up the story and the sense of foreboding as the Book of Lost Souls pulses greater and greater power from its pages. It’s a tale of convergence no doubt, and the further I read, the more I could tell shit was going down real soon, and when it all hit the fan there was no stopping. Seriously, I tried to stop three separate times toward the end so that I could do mundane things like eat or go out, and each time I closed the book and stood up, I sat right back down and kept on going, straight through to the thrilling conclusion.
http://abitterdraft.com/2015/05/when-the-heavens-fall-by-marc-turner.html
The Book of Lost Souls, an ancient relic guarded closely by a circle of mages for centuries, has been stolen by the rogue mage Mayot Mencada through the subtle directive of the goddess Spider. The Book gives its wielder immense necromantic power, and Mayot’s ambition knows no bounds as he openly challenges the god Shroud’s rule over the underworld by raising the ancient dead and lashing out at any settlement near the Forest of Sighs, the cursed forest he has made his base of operations.
The Book emits massively powerful rays of death magic, attracting all manner of other beings. Luker, a Guardian of Erin Elal and a man forced to take on the quest by the very people who betrayed him; Ebon, a prince of Galitia deeply haunted by spirits following a foolhardy expedition into the Forest of Sighs; Romany, a high priestess of the Spider commanded to play the game by her goddess; Parolla, a powerful necromancer with an incredibly mysterious past with an unstoppable drive to confront Shroud for deeds past. Of the four, Parolla easily took the cake for the most interesting and the one whose chapters I was always chomping at the bit for. Ebon followed closely behind Parolla in interest level, as he consistently struggles on the brink of insanity in both his own eyes and those around him. Luker is the stereotypical grizzled war veteran, and it felt like Romany got the least face time, though the things that she did were of import. Each character was developed deftly, but Parolla and Ebon overshadowed Luker and Romany in my interest level.
Alongside these protagonists, the disciples of Shroud and the followers of the Hunt are at the fore, the former at the bidding of their lord and the latter in pursuit of one who has angered their god. Shroud’s disciples each make spectacular entrances. I felt the way I did while reading parts of Malazan, when Anomander Rake or any of the awesomely powerful characters did something. They simply leave you thinking holy shit, that was awesome.
Comparisons are a curious thing. There’s no surprise that When the Heavens Fall has been compared to Erikson’s Malazan, since Turner cites Erikson as a major influence. Whenever you find people looking for recommendations, you’ll see the same books repeated over and over so many times that it’s hard not to imagine the recommender giving a deep sigh, pulling a scroll from their pocket, and rattling off the go-to genre names. More often yet, these insta-recommendations often don’t have anything more than the basic fantasy tenets in common with the book in question. Turner’s debut is one of the very few books that I can safely and wholly recommend to fans of Erikson. In fact, it’s common in so many ways that it’s probably easier to point out its differences (the only glaring one being that there are fewer main characters in Turner’s). The most prominent similarities are probably the magic and the richness, or even over-richness of the world. I say over-richness because while reading both Malazan and When the Heavens Fall, there are a ton of names of people, races both ancient and modern, events, and objects that it’s staggeringly difficult to keep track of at times. It’s only fitting that both authors’ works have detailed maps and dramatis personae to help out the overwhelmed reader (though a list of terms would have been nice). The magic is the highlight of both series for me. Sometimes it’s very descriptive and visceral like Turner’s death magic, and other times both series simply describe it as sorcery a la “waves of sorcery stripped the flesh from his bones.” The only clear, black-and-white difference between the two is that Mayot Mencada is without a doubt the bad guy, whereas Malazan doesn’t necessarily have one so clearly defined.
While When the Heavens Fall is a bit slow to get going, Turner’s writing will have you hook, line, and sinker the way he builds up the story and the sense of foreboding as the Book of Lost Souls pulses greater and greater power from its pages. It’s a tale of convergence no doubt, and the further I read, the more I could tell shit was going down real soon, and when it all hit the fan there was no stopping. Seriously, I tried to stop three separate times toward the end so that I could do mundane things like eat or go out, and each time I closed the book and stood up, I sat right back down and kept on going, straight through to the thrilling conclusion.
urlphantomhive's review against another edition
4.0
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
I first read the first few chapters when they were put on Netgalley and I thought it was the complete book. After my initial disappointment I was very happy when I was later contacted and they asked me if I wanted to read the entire book. Of course I wanted this, as I had enjoyed the first chapters (even though I didn't understand too much about it).
Although I'm a bit inexperienced when it comes to large fantasy sagas (it's usually more like Game of Thrones), this was different from what I've read before, but in a good way. A simple act, a burglary in a temple will have major consequences, not unlike for example in Greek mythology.
Prepare for a large number and characters and shifting POVs. And if you expected to be told what's going on, you're wrong. Don't be afraid of large pieces of exposition because they are not there. Everything you learn is coloured by the character's thoughts and beliefs and you're left to puzzle things together and try to figure out what exactly is going on in that wood. (I'll be honest, it took me some time).
After the first few chapters I didn't understand what the book was about really, but I did like the fact that the Gods in this book, who ever they may be or represent actively mingle in the lives of the mortals while all the same hiding cowardly behind them. Exactly who or what the Spider is, I still don't know after reading the complete book. I'm however intrigued.
I liked the magic. It was complicated as in it takes a lot of time to figure it out, and more importantly, it's not just some ex machina solution to the hero's every problem. There are Elemental mages, necromancers, people sucking the live right out of people, a bunch of people not entirely good or bad but with one thing in common: they all have their own reasons to come look for the book. O, and their is an entire civilization of warrior zombies.
I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did. It was not a fast read, but I enjoyed every page. I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series!
When The Heavens Fall is the first book in the Chronicle of the Exile series. The second book, Dragon Hunters is expected to be published next year.
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I first read the first few chapters when they were put on Netgalley and I thought it was the complete book. After my initial disappointment I was very happy when I was later contacted and they asked me if I wanted to read the entire book. Of course I wanted this, as I had enjoyed the first chapters (even though I didn't understand too much about it).
Although I'm a bit inexperienced when it comes to large fantasy sagas (it's usually more like Game of Thrones), this was different from what I've read before, but in a good way. A simple act, a burglary in a temple will have major consequences, not unlike for example in Greek mythology.
Prepare for a large number and characters and shifting POVs. And if you expected to be told what's going on, you're wrong. Don't be afraid of large pieces of exposition because they are not there. Everything you learn is coloured by the character's thoughts and beliefs and you're left to puzzle things together and try to figure out what exactly is going on in that wood. (I'll be honest, it took me some time).
After the first few chapters I didn't understand what the book was about really, but I did like the fact that the Gods in this book, who ever they may be or represent actively mingle in the lives of the mortals while all the same hiding cowardly behind them. Exactly who or what the Spider is, I still don't know after reading the complete book. I'm however intrigued.
I liked the magic. It was complicated as in it takes a lot of time to figure it out, and more importantly, it's not just some ex machina solution to the hero's every problem. There are Elemental mages, necromancers, people sucking the live right out of people, a bunch of people not entirely good or bad but with one thing in common: they all have their own reasons to come look for the book. O, and their is an entire civilization of warrior zombies.
I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did. It was not a fast read, but I enjoyed every page. I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series!
When The Heavens Fall is the first book in the Chronicle of the Exile series. The second book, Dragon Hunters is expected to be published next year.
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
ruineleint's review against another edition
4.0
I really wish we could give half stars. I would have given 3.5 stars.
As a book I found it to be surprisingly good, but I thought it a fell a bit short of great. I have an aversion to a theme developed in the book, but discounting that, I felt that even though the book began excellently the middle dragged a bit and the end... well it could have been better. One issue I noted was that the protagonists were a bit-overpowered. It didn't start off like that, but towards the end it started to grate. Also I would liked another PoV slightly distant from the convergence to give other perspectives.
Thats all I can say without explicit spoilers, but for a fantasy debut its good.
As a book I found it to be surprisingly good, but I thought it a fell a bit short of great. I have an aversion to a theme developed in the book, but discounting that, I felt that even though the book began excellently the middle dragged a bit and the end... well it could have been better. One issue I noted was that the protagonists were a bit-overpowered. It didn't start off like that, but towards the end it started to grate. Also I would liked another PoV slightly distant from the convergence to give other perspectives.
Thats all I can say without explicit spoilers, but for a fantasy debut its good.
kitschbitsch's review against another edition
5.0
This is definitely in the Erikson school of excellent fantasy writing in that it contains a cast of protagonists who are all, in their differing ways, flawed and sometimes with unclear motives. Lots of different story strands to start with, but all converge at the end to join forces to defeat the power-hungry necromancer who has stolen the Book of Souls.