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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
I liked it.
I'm glad I stuck with it.
I can see why some would be turned away from the style the author employs. It is quite odd to have a mute main character who can't ask direct questions and get direct answers. We, as readers, are at the mercy of what the environment itself tells us, or what other characters we encounter feel like relaying. Sometimes thoughts that are shared aren't the sort we are looking for! To me, that makes for a very intriguing experience.
So a mute man with a sword, a goat and a baby travels through a tainted world. What could go wrong??? The sword, the goat and the baby make for some of the best companions I've read about.
This book started strong but then got a little boring at the middle (with all the non-verbal characters). I felt the world-building needed a little work in places where the "monsters" were concerned but then once I put it down and decided not to finish it I just had to know the ending. And the ending was so spectacular that I changed my mind and loved the book once more!
In a fair world I would rate Vagrant with 4 stars, but seeing its low rating, especially compared to hyped mediocre fiction books that have very high grades, I will cheat and rate it with 5 stars.
This was a very special book. Very close to my heart to almost all of its aspects. I love post apocalyptic worlds and this one delivers. It’s a post war, demon infested technofantasy land. There are airships, guns, swords, sorcery etc. The Demon factions are not your typical mindless villain. They are an alien presence that actually tries to rule the ppl of the land according to their own means and cosmotheory. Others with iron hand, others with promises and charms. In this setting we follow The Vagrant in his flight towards the still free lands of the North.
He is a survivor of the war that brought all this apocalypse to the land. What makes him special is that he is a mute, wielding a special iconic weapon, and accompanied by a baby. Through some flashbacks we get to see how he ended in that situation. He is a weathered, sad and noble man. A figure from ancient epics. Solemnly journeying to his target carrying his burdens. His relationship with the baby is sweet and at times touching or hilarious. Through his odyssey he gets to meet many, a goat (!), demons, rebels etc, and kindness, lots of good humor and malice lurk in unexpected places. Many of these characters are really memorable, being friendly or antagonists. The author is capable to make u attach to characters with the minimum of words.
In general the writing is laconic. Very precise and meaningful. The whole time I felt like reading some alternative epic. About a legend of apocalyptic times. Grim gravity is always at presence. Pretty superb for me. Newman is able to build emotions with ease and present a very lively and imaginative setting. Managing this through main characters who are unable to converse is surprising and admirable.
The book could be a stand alone, but fortunately for me there are sequels and we ll be able to visit again this land and its special denizens.
P.s: I have to add that another positive aspect for me was that there are light references to social issues like how priviledged ppl treat refuges and generally low lifes. How ppl try to profit from the misery of war and poverty etc.