Reviews

The Mad God exists on the far end of an ancient kingdom, now a desolate ruin known as the Execration and filled with twisted monsters. An eclectic group of individuals, including our protagonist, seek an audience with the Mad God because he may fulfill your wish if he hears your prayer. This novella follows the protagonist whom we only know as Pilgrim--a man with a dark past who is in possession of a demon-cursed sword--as he traverses the Execration with the six others who are propelled by the desire to have their own prayers answered.

This novella has good action, fun world building, and memorable characters. The land and cityscapes are vividly described, as are the horrors encountered in the Execration. Naturally, due to its short length there is much left unexplored. However, I think this is a fun story that introduces us to an interesting fantasy world with a lot of promise. I will certainly be looking to continue this series.

adriennemillerauthor's review against another edition

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5.0

This novella is an excellent callback to classic fantasy by authors like Michael Moorcock, from the grim setting, the morally grey characters burdened with metaphorical or even literal curses, to the ambiguous and often callous gods that rule over the different realms. The story is tight and compelling, moving quickly through the characters' ill-fated pilgrimage towards an elusive goal.

The characters are well-drawn, even in the context of a novella, and Ryan manages to give them a compelling level of complexity. The story's resolution is tonally consistent but still manages to be surprising.

Everything I could ask for from a novella of this length. Highly, highly recommend if you're in the mood for some classic dark fantasy.

skydhash's review against another edition

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4.0

Short book, but it sends you straight you to the action, and you quickly gain a feel on the characters. They are vague in the beginning, but feels different enough from each other that you don't get confused. The plot itself is straightforward, but enjoyable as it is self-contained. My impression was that it is a good and clean transcription of an adventure, but the glimpses of the world it is set in are interesting enough to wonder about.

trinforeman's review against another edition

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4.0

I had forgotten how much story is packed into these novellas! Anthony Ryan brings everything I want in fantasy with every book he writes. These short stories pack a serious punch and I am excited to be rereading them.

gooseturnover's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

jessriguez's review against another edition

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2.0

An enjoyable adventure story that doesn't overstay it's welcome. Not big on character development but when it does enter it's satisfying and interesting. A good palate cleanser to other things I'm reading.

mmarthia's review against another edition

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4.0

I picked up this novella just to try out Anthony Ryan's writing style and I must say I'm pleasantly surprised. This should've been a full-length novel. I wanted to feel that deeper connection with the characters and have a broader understanding of the world. It's such a shame because it's so good and fast-paced, great world-building, amazing characterization, it has everything you need...

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