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hostral's review
4.0
Sometimes you stumble across a book and think 'yeah, your influences are apparent and I appreciate them for being that way.' The author even states to the effect that he wears them on his sleeve prior to the tale's commencement.
Sorcerer's Code is very honest from the outset about the authors that helped shape the tale. You have a snarky first person perspective of a wizard who gets in over his head. Only this wizard doesn't hail from Chicago.
No, instead we have our second influence: pulp fantasy. That golden Weird Tales period of history right before the first World War.
The unfolding tale is what happens when a leading man that could have starred in any of those early Sword and Sorcery works runs into the humorous and calamity-prone protagonist that wouldn't be out of place in any of the modern Urban fantasies littering the bookshelves these days.
The clash of characters makes for an entertaining romp, and the tone is humorous throughout, though it certainly doesn't skimp on the action or suspense.
It's clearly a gateway novella into the rest of Christopher Kellen's work, but this brief tale is worth a lot more than the nothing you have to pay in order to read it.
Overall if you're a fan of Sword and Sorcery or you prefer Sword and Snarkery, Sorcerer's Code is well worth a read.
- J.R.
Sorcerer's Code is very honest from the outset about the authors that helped shape the tale. You have a snarky first person perspective of a wizard who gets in over his head. Only this wizard doesn't hail from Chicago.
No, instead we have our second influence: pulp fantasy. That golden Weird Tales period of history right before the first World War.
The unfolding tale is what happens when a leading man that could have starred in any of those early Sword and Sorcery works runs into the humorous and calamity-prone protagonist that wouldn't be out of place in any of the modern Urban fantasies littering the bookshelves these days.
The clash of characters makes for an entertaining romp, and the tone is humorous throughout, though it certainly doesn't skimp on the action or suspense.
It's clearly a gateway novella into the rest of Christopher Kellen's work, but this brief tale is worth a lot more than the nothing you have to pay in order to read it.
Overall if you're a fan of Sword and Sorcery or you prefer Sword and Snarkery, Sorcerer's Code is well worth a read.
- J.R.
ellen_mellor's review
5.0
Before I read this novella, I had not come across Christopher Kellen’s work before. However, now that I have read it, I am extremely glad that I have done so. It is an extremely accomplished work of dark fantasy with a very nice line of dark, sharp-edged humour.
The basic story is a relatively simple one – a hedge magician gets caught up in the consequences of murder. However, the victim, the person who comes investigating the murder and the murderer all add together to make it so much more.
The story is told from the point of view of Edar Moncrief. Initially, he appears to be a relatively lowly magician and part-time conman, peddling ‘love potions and wart removers’. However, as the story continues it becomes apparent that he is much more than this. The slow reveal of Edar’s abilities and the wily intelligence he uses in utilising - and at the same time hiding – makes him a rare character in fantasy, one that has multiple dimensions and comes across as realistic. Most of the humour in this story comes from the thoughts and asides that Edar makes and his reactions to the events of the story.
The other characters, while less vividly drawn than Edar (understandable as they are seen from Edar’s point of view) are all well-written and believable, from the fear-inspiring Arbiter, D’Arden Tal (the protagonist of the short story ‘The Sorceror’s Code’ and Kellen’s ‘Arbiter Codex’ trilogy – of which volume 1, ‘Elegy’ is currently available) to the self-serving and somewhat slimy fence Jahain Torthanas.
The setting in which Sorceror’s Code takes place is brilliantly evoked. You get an excellent sense of the world and, without any hint of info-dumping, learn things about how it all works. There is obviously a complex and well-thought history of the world which is mentioned here and there without needing any further explanation. The city in which the story takes place seems to be in a seriously disputed area which is constantly changing hands and consequently ‘the name changes twice a year’. As a result, the city seems to have sunk into squalor and become a sinkhole of crime and corruption where even the City Guard are just another gang.
Overall, The Sorceror’s Code is an excellent, well-written and extremely enjoyable story. It works well both as a stand-alone story and as an introduction/extension to Kellen’s Eisengoth series.
The basic story is a relatively simple one – a hedge magician gets caught up in the consequences of murder. However, the victim, the person who comes investigating the murder and the murderer all add together to make it so much more.
The story is told from the point of view of Edar Moncrief. Initially, he appears to be a relatively lowly magician and part-time conman, peddling ‘love potions and wart removers’. However, as the story continues it becomes apparent that he is much more than this. The slow reveal of Edar’s abilities and the wily intelligence he uses in utilising - and at the same time hiding – makes him a rare character in fantasy, one that has multiple dimensions and comes across as realistic. Most of the humour in this story comes from the thoughts and asides that Edar makes and his reactions to the events of the story.
The other characters, while less vividly drawn than Edar (understandable as they are seen from Edar’s point of view) are all well-written and believable, from the fear-inspiring Arbiter, D’Arden Tal (the protagonist of the short story ‘The Sorceror’s Code’ and Kellen’s ‘Arbiter Codex’ trilogy – of which volume 1, ‘Elegy’ is currently available) to the self-serving and somewhat slimy fence Jahain Torthanas.
The setting in which Sorceror’s Code takes place is brilliantly evoked. You get an excellent sense of the world and, without any hint of info-dumping, learn things about how it all works. There is obviously a complex and well-thought history of the world which is mentioned here and there without needing any further explanation. The city in which the story takes place seems to be in a seriously disputed area which is constantly changing hands and consequently ‘the name changes twice a year’. As a result, the city seems to have sunk into squalor and become a sinkhole of crime and corruption where even the City Guard are just another gang.
Overall, The Sorceror’s Code is an excellent, well-written and extremely enjoyable story. It works well both as a stand-alone story and as an introduction/extension to Kellen’s Eisengoth series.
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