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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
More like 3.5 stars. There aren't a lot of standalone fantasy novels out there that I would call "epic," but this one fits the bill. Janny Wurts manages to capture vast empires and political drama, massive stretches of geography and mythical creatures, an intriguing magic system, and nuanced characters all within one book.
For me, though, all these wonderful ideas were inhibited by the overly complex writing style, which had me crawling through the book much slower than I'd have preferred.
For me, though, all these wonderful ideas were inhibited by the overly complex writing style, which had me crawling through the book much slower than I'd have preferred.
"Her heart saw the truth with all of love's dangerous clarity. Mykkael is a man who holds to integrity before honour. Ethics mean more than his promise. He will act on his human principles, first, and see himself damned if an oath, and right choice, should come to be set into conflict."
Merciful powers. I went into this never having read anything by Janny Wurts, and having no idea what to expect from the language or writing style of a standalone fantasy novel written over 20 years ago, but To Ride Hell's Chasm astounded me over and over again.
Wurts's storytelling is breathtaking. Hell's Chasm has a mode of urgency and mystery that volleys between the Royal Guard Barracks and the Garrison Keep for the first part of the book, then expands into vast, cinematic settings that feel wild and fraught with peril. The book follows the well-respected Commander of the Royal Guard, Taskin, and the incredibly competent Captain of the Garrison, Mykkael, as they scramble to uncover the truth behind the missing Princess Anja, for she mysteriously disappears right before her betrothal banquet to her handsome, beloved prince of the Devall throne.
The first several chapters are structured according to time of day following her disappearance, which helps to create a sense of urgency in finding out what happened to her. But we also get these brief sequences at the start of every few chapters that offer us glimpses into where she's at and what her emotional state is.
Wurts's expertise and deep love for horses shines in the story, which resonated with me personally; I've been obsessed with horses since I was a small child, doing everything from reading large amounts of horse fiction, collecting and playing with figurines, pretending to be a horse, attending horse camp, spending way too much time riding around on horses in video games... It's a problem lol. And so I appreciated Wurts's generous depictions of each of the six horses in the story, and how she developed the relationship Princess Anja had with them. It was a tender and heartbreaking experience as the story went along. I love animal companions, especially horses.
Bryajne, Covette, Vashni, Fouzette, Kasminna, and Stormfront wrecked me in Hell's Chasm :(
Basically, if you enjoy:
• mystery and magic
• court intrigue
• an ailing king
• a tragic, societally outcast hero
• one capable princess
• monsters and beasts
• unspoken romance
• treacherous, expansive landscapes
• constant peril
• wonderful dialogue
Then I think you'll appreciate Hell's Chasm. There are also major themes of racial injustice and prejudice, as the main hero Captain Mykkael is dark-skinned and hails from a region of the world considered barbaric and uncultivated by the society at large.
But this a dense read, especially when you consider that half of the book is spent on the run—out in the wilderness under constant danger—but everything is in the title: To Ride Hell's Chasm. It's quite literally a desperate ride for survival that focuses on the tender connection between a princess and her prized horses, and an honorable outcast who is duty-sworn to protect her while being haunted by his past.
For me, this will be a story I crack open again and again.
Other quotes I enjoyed (some are spoilery so beware!):
"Since when has a title been proof of intelligence? Prince Kailen will be drunken and whoring by morning. Simplistic, male adolescent behaviour, should that earn my applause?"
"Dress a milch cow in jewelry, she's still a cow. What's your name, Bessie? Who shall I say's come ploughing the gate?"
"You insolent sprig! Move aside! Apologize at once, or I'll see you publicly gelded." ...
"Since I won't apologize, and you can't shove past, you need not threaten my bollocks, madam cow. Looking at you would dismast any bull who ever had the healthy urge to rut."
"It's tragic how the lack of imagination so often shapes our defeat."
"Before this fair world, this demon's shape-changing pawns had taken another; and after this conquest, would reach between stars, seeking the next target to set under attack."
"He lived as himself. Moment to moment, he surmounted his impaired strength through trained skill, and the unshakable self-trust of a man who had been put to the extreme test, and who had won triumph through the unflagging use of his wits."
"Tested by her own uncertainty, she tried to measure the volatile nature of a spirit who could not be contained or predicted. She studied the living man, and encountered a presence, a potential whose imprint on the world could not be known through its state of pent stillness. The warrior himself could not be understood. His power could not be analysed. He could only be recognized by his impact, as movement and action begat consequence."
"What was her worth, as princess or as human, that these dumb, trusting beasts should give up their lives for a horror outside their natural understanding? They had served her, unstinting. Where came the right, to demand of their grace the ultimate, ruinous sacrifice?"
"I ached to possess you the moment I dreamed of the spirit I saw in your portrait. But your strength of character would have been wasted alongside a man of the sword. Your people revere you. Their need for your peace is more pressing than mine, that has been too well tempered for war. Anja, brave heart, you were never for me."
Merciful powers. I went into this never having read anything by Janny Wurts, and having no idea what to expect from the language or writing style of a standalone fantasy novel written over 20 years ago, but To Ride Hell's Chasm astounded me over and over again.
Wurts's storytelling is breathtaking. Hell's Chasm has a mode of urgency and mystery that volleys between the Royal Guard Barracks and the Garrison Keep for the first part of the book, then expands into vast, cinematic settings that feel wild and fraught with peril. The book follows the well-respected Commander of the Royal Guard, Taskin, and the incredibly competent Captain of the Garrison, Mykkael, as they scramble to uncover the truth behind the missing Princess Anja, for she mysteriously disappears right before her betrothal banquet to her handsome, beloved prince of the Devall throne.
The first several chapters are structured according to time of day following her disappearance, which helps to create a sense of urgency in finding out what happened to her. But we also get these brief sequences at the start of every few chapters that offer us glimpses into where she's at and what her emotional state is.
Wurts's expertise and deep love for horses shines in the story, which resonated with me personally; I've been obsessed with horses since I was a small child, doing everything from reading large amounts of horse fiction, collecting and playing with figurines, pretending to be a horse, attending horse camp, spending way too much time riding around on horses in video games... It's a problem lol. And so I appreciated Wurts's generous depictions of each of the six horses in the story, and how she developed the relationship Princess Anja had with them. It was a tender and heartbreaking experience as the story went along. I love animal companions, especially horses.
Bryajne, Covette, Vashni, Fouzette, Kasminna, and Stormfront wrecked me in Hell's Chasm :(
Basically, if you enjoy:
• mystery and magic
• court intrigue
• an ailing king
• a tragic, societally outcast hero
• one capable princess
• monsters and beasts
• unspoken romance
• treacherous, expansive landscapes
• constant peril
• wonderful dialogue
Then I think you'll appreciate Hell's Chasm. There are also major themes of racial injustice and prejudice, as the main hero Captain Mykkael is dark-skinned and hails from a region of the world considered barbaric and uncultivated by the society at large.
But this a dense read, especially when you consider that half of the book is spent on the run—out in the wilderness under constant danger—but everything is in the title: To Ride Hell's Chasm. It's quite literally a desperate ride for survival that focuses on the tender connection between a princess and her prized horses, and an honorable outcast who is duty-sworn to protect her while being haunted by his past.
For me, this will be a story I crack open again and again.
Other quotes I enjoyed (some are spoilery so beware!):
"Since when has a title been proof of intelligence? Prince Kailen will be drunken and whoring by morning. Simplistic, male adolescent behaviour, should that earn my applause?"
"Dress a milch cow in jewelry, she's still a cow. What's your name, Bessie? Who shall I say's come ploughing the gate?"
"You insolent sprig! Move aside! Apologize at once, or I'll see you publicly gelded." ...
"Since I won't apologize, and you can't shove past, you need not threaten my bollocks, madam cow. Looking at you would dismast any bull who ever had the healthy urge to rut."
"It's tragic how the lack of imagination so often shapes our defeat."
"Before this fair world, this demon's shape-changing pawns had taken another; and after this conquest, would reach between stars, seeking the next target to set under attack."
"He lived as himself. Moment to moment, he surmounted his impaired strength through trained skill, and the unshakable self-trust of a man who had been put to the extreme test, and who had won triumph through the unflagging use of his wits."
"Tested by her own uncertainty, she tried to measure the volatile nature of a spirit who could not be contained or predicted. She studied the living man, and encountered a presence, a potential whose imprint on the world could not be known through its state of pent stillness. The warrior himself could not be understood. His power could not be analysed. He could only be recognized by his impact, as movement and action begat consequence."
"What was her worth, as princess or as human, that these dumb, trusting beasts should give up their lives for a horror outside their natural understanding? They had served her, unstinting. Where came the right, to demand of their grace the ultimate, ruinous sacrifice?"
"I ached to possess you the moment I dreamed of the spirit I saw in your portrait. But your strength of character would have been wasted alongside a man of the sword. Your people revere you. Their need for your peace is more pressing than mine, that has been too well tempered for war. Anja, brave heart, you were never for me."
Hey, I have a booktube channel (youtube for book reviews, etc.), and I include To Ride Hell's Chasm in my Top 10 Standalone books list here. Please subscribe if I've earned it!
In the land of the 10 volume monster-epics of fantasy, the stand-alone is a much rarer beast, so many preferring to take a concept and bludgeon it to death. Not that I'm complaining, it's just nice to have a book that you know will run its due course in one, single volume.
To Ride Hell's Chasm takes what seems to be a simple concept, but combines it with the Wurts-effect to become a much deeper and resonating piece than I ever imagined it could be.
The princess, Anja, of the remote kingdom of Sessalie has disappeared and on the same night as her betrothal banquet. Being such a small kingdom, Sessalie rarely if ever succumbs to the problems of the outside world, and such a disappearance is a more than momentous occasion.
The king, in his wisdom or possibly oncoming dementia, tasks his household guard commander, Taskin, with the responsibility of finding her, but additionally puts the new lower gate captain and foreigner, Mykkael, to oath to find her as well.
Mykkael, having one the rights to his position in the annual tournament takes on the duty, much to the chagrin of the ruling class who have become comfortable in their ways and supremely prejudiced against outsiders.
What follows is a story about prejudice and trust, overcoming incalculable odds, and what it really means to be loyal. Add sorcery and Mykkael's style of fighting, barqui'ino, that's like Jui-Jitsu's version of the Gun Kata (Equilibrium)...
...and you're in for a real treat. The passion with which Wurts writes is unprecedented in my reading experience.
Sessalie is a small place, as has been mentioned, and Wurts plays on the inherent biases that such a place will produce. Anything out of the ordinary or different would naturally cause such a sequestered people to feel threatened. At the same time, it is completely unwarranted, you know, the usual when it comes to prejudice. Mykkael is of a much darker skin tone than those in Sessalie and therefore, an immediate prejudice is built up, but what has he done to deserve such treatment? Nothing.
Without even needing a "bad guy," the odds are already stacked up against Mykkael.
Every ounce of pain, nobility, love, you name it, is felt as you get to know the characters and see their actions. I have to admit to wondering at the level of detail at points, especially when the characters' interactions were explained to include every minute component of their relationships. But in the end, you find that it was well worth it because you glory in their triumphs as much as suffering their pains.
What I guess is that I'm implying that this book is no walk in the park. It's very dense and probably took me twice as long to read as most other books of its size. But again, it's well worth it, just make sure you're in the right mood.
For a fantasy treat that will stick with you long after you read it and that inhabits the remote and distant country of StandAlone, To Ride Hell's Chasm is one of the best reads I've had all year.
4.5 out of 5 Stars
Ps. I always wondered why this book was called "To Ride" Hell's Chasm. I thought, why not just "Hell's Chasm?" Believe me, it deserves the title it already has, it is more fitting than I would ever have guessed in more ways than I would have guessed.
Pps. I don't care what anyone says about Equilibrium, it's the best movie ever created. :D
In the land of the 10 volume monster-epics of fantasy, the stand-alone is a much rarer beast, so many preferring to take a concept and bludgeon it to death. Not that I'm complaining, it's just nice to have a book that you know will run its due course in one, single volume.
To Ride Hell's Chasm takes what seems to be a simple concept, but combines it with the Wurts-effect to become a much deeper and resonating piece than I ever imagined it could be.
The princess, Anja, of the remote kingdom of Sessalie has disappeared and on the same night as her betrothal banquet. Being such a small kingdom, Sessalie rarely if ever succumbs to the problems of the outside world, and such a disappearance is a more than momentous occasion.
The king, in his wisdom or possibly oncoming dementia, tasks his household guard commander, Taskin, with the responsibility of finding her, but additionally puts the new lower gate captain and foreigner, Mykkael, to oath to find her as well.
Mykkael, having one the rights to his position in the annual tournament takes on the duty, much to the chagrin of the ruling class who have become comfortable in their ways and supremely prejudiced against outsiders.
What follows is a story about prejudice and trust, overcoming incalculable odds, and what it really means to be loyal. Add sorcery and Mykkael's style of fighting, barqui'ino, that's like Jui-Jitsu's version of the Gun Kata (Equilibrium)...
...and you're in for a real treat. The passion with which Wurts writes is unprecedented in my reading experience.
Sessalie is a small place, as has been mentioned, and Wurts plays on the inherent biases that such a place will produce. Anything out of the ordinary or different would naturally cause such a sequestered people to feel threatened. At the same time, it is completely unwarranted, you know, the usual when it comes to prejudice. Mykkael is of a much darker skin tone than those in Sessalie and therefore, an immediate prejudice is built up, but what has he done to deserve such treatment? Nothing.
Without even needing a "bad guy," the odds are already stacked up against Mykkael.
Every ounce of pain, nobility, love, you name it, is felt as you get to know the characters and see their actions. I have to admit to wondering at the level of detail at points, especially when the characters' interactions were explained to include every minute component of their relationships. But in the end, you find that it was well worth it because you glory in their triumphs as much as suffering their pains.
What I guess is that I'm implying that this book is no walk in the park. It's very dense and probably took me twice as long to read as most other books of its size. But again, it's well worth it, just make sure you're in the right mood.
For a fantasy treat that will stick with you long after you read it and that inhabits the remote and distant country of StandAlone, To Ride Hell's Chasm is one of the best reads I've had all year.
4.5 out of 5 Stars
Ps. I always wondered why this book was called "To Ride" Hell's Chasm. I thought, why not just "Hell's Chasm?" Believe me, it deserves the title it already has, it is more fitting than I would ever have guessed in more ways than I would have guessed.
Pps. I don't care what anyone says about Equilibrium, it's the best movie ever created. :D
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is one of the best stand-alone fantasy novels that I have read in a long time. The action was crisp and detailed, the characters were well-drawn and sympathetic, and the plot was creative and well-connected, with a satisfying ending.
Ratings:- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ratings:- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finished reading To Ride Hell's Chasm by Janny Wurts.
Its an excellent book. Since it is a true standalone the intensity of the events and the heady pace can sometimes feel like an adrenaline rush. In fact after the first bit of setup the book takes off and never looks back.
The emotional quotient in this book is very high as several pretty major events happen in a relatively short time.
The author puts detail in the strangest things. This is the first time I was genuinely worried about a horse.
The way the worldbuilding takes place is very interesting. The story takes place in a relatively small area which is easy enough to construct, but the way the wider world is portrayed through memory and the way the sorcerous threat is built up is very interesting. The juxtaposition of scarred veterans and brutal sorcery against the rather bucolic insular society of Sessalie made for a very interesting contrast.
I have read in multiple places about Wurts' style of writing - her tendency to use the occasional archaic word or phrase. To me this did not detract from the story at all. After I took a couple of chapters to get settled in, the narrative moved fast and smoothly.
On the other hand I could not help but feel that the characters of the Anja and Mykaael were somewhat exaggerated. Of course this may have been a side-effect of the book focussing so much on them. Also I would have liked to know more about how things worked out in Sessalie and the Empire at the end really merited more explanation.
Overall, a very enjoyable book which I would recommend.
Its an excellent book. Since it is a true standalone the intensity of the events and the heady pace can sometimes feel like an adrenaline rush. In fact after the first bit of setup the book takes off and never looks back.
The emotional quotient in this book is very high as several pretty major events happen in a relatively short time.
The author puts detail in the strangest things. This is the first time I was genuinely worried about a horse.
The way the worldbuilding takes place is very interesting. The story takes place in a relatively small area which is easy enough to construct, but the way the wider world is portrayed through memory and the way the sorcerous threat is built up is very interesting. The juxtaposition of scarred veterans and brutal sorcery against the rather bucolic insular society of Sessalie made for a very interesting contrast.
I have read in multiple places about Wurts' style of writing - her tendency to use the occasional archaic word or phrase. To me this did not detract from the story at all. After I took a couple of chapters to get settled in, the narrative moved fast and smoothly.
On the other hand I could not help but feel that the characters of the Anja and Mykaael were somewhat exaggerated. Of course this may have been a side-effect of the book focussing so much on them. Also I would have liked to know more about how things worked out in Sessalie and the Empire at the end really merited more explanation.
Overall, a very enjoyable book which I would recommend.
What a dense book! Almost 700 pages that take place in only a few days. I started reading it several years ago, I think while my son was still very small (he's now 6) and abandoned it for whatever reason. Maybe because I couldn't give it the attention it demanded at the time. Then my husband asked for a recommendation. When he caught up to where I had left off (strangely 450 pages in!) we switched to reading it aloud.
I'm not sure this was the best method for this book, but we did really enjoy it. As a musician, I especially loved the final chapter where singing plays a major role. A very satisfying ending to a wonderful book!
One quibble: one "desert-bred" or maybe two to describe the main character would have been enough. Rather no descriptive adjective at all than every other one "the desert-bred captain" or some such.
I'm not sure this was the best method for this book, but we did really enjoy it. As a musician, I especially loved the final chapter where singing plays a major role. A very satisfying ending to a wonderful book!
One quibble: one "desert-bred" or maybe two to describe the main character would have been enough. Rather no descriptive adjective at all than every other one "the desert-bred captain" or some such.
"Hazed. Clipped. Pitched. Hazed, clipped, pitched. Ad infinitum.
The book started slowly, and that's a crime even the very best books from the very best authors commit. Much worse is the barrage of action for the final two thirds. This can work for movies and TV series where the action is limited to an hour or two, but reading this took months longer than it should have by virtue of how exhausted I felt after every chapter. Even the downtime is "Pitched on the edge of Barqui-ino." The ebb and flow of good story-telling is just a barrage of tension. A far cry from the Empire trilogy."
The book started slowly, and that's a crime even the very best books from the very best authors commit. Much worse is the barrage of action for the final two thirds. This can work for movies and TV series where the action is limited to an hour or two, but reading this took months longer than it should have by virtue of how exhausted I felt after every chapter. Even the downtime is "Pitched on the edge of Barqui-ino." The ebb and flow of good story-telling is just a barrage of tension. A far cry from the Empire trilogy."
Started out with a little mystery mixed in with the fantasy. It was a good read not one of the best Wurts. I felt like the end was rushed and abrupt with so much leading up to it.