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geekwayne's review against another edition
4.0
Zachary Jernigan's No Return is not an easily accessible work, but for those willing to put the effort in, it's quite rewarding. With strange characters and exotic world building that reminds me of China Mieville, it's a wholly original piece.
The reader is dropped into what feels like the middle of a story. I found myself foundering a bit in the first few chapters until I found my bearings and the rhythm of the story. I don't mind that about a book, but it may be a bit offputting for some.
There are 5 main characters who are very different from one another. Three of them travel on a journey to a tournament, a fighter in a strange black suit, a woman who has lost a child and a mechanical man. The other 2 characters are Adrash, the god who created this world and sits detached, and the one who would challenge his throne. That all sounds pretty standard, but in a world where the currency is bone dust, and a large needle looms over the planet, you can be sure of a strange ride ahead. I really enjoyed it.
The reader is dropped into what feels like the middle of a story. I found myself foundering a bit in the first few chapters until I found my bearings and the rhythm of the story. I don't mind that about a book, but it may be a bit offputting for some.
There are 5 main characters who are very different from one another. Three of them travel on a journey to a tournament, a fighter in a strange black suit, a woman who has lost a child and a mechanical man. The other 2 characters are Adrash, the god who created this world and sits detached, and the one who would challenge his throne. That all sounds pretty standard, but in a world where the currency is bone dust, and a large needle looms over the planet, you can be sure of a strange ride ahead. I really enjoyed it.
darren_f's review against another edition
3.0
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway - thanks.
I thought the book was good and there were elements that I thought were excellent: I particularly loved the world building and really liked some of the concepts behind the story as well as the fact the author didn't hold the reader's hand and explain every detail. I thought the mix of sci-fi and fantasy was seamless.
Saying that, I struggled to like any of the characters which is important for me to enjoy a book. Towards the end, when I did start to get invested in them (and in the case of Berun and Fyra even actually started liking) and the story also really began to take off, the book finished without any real resolution (hopefully because there will be a follow up book at some point). I also felt that the two different plot lines didn't have any real connection and needed more to tie them together.
As far as the sex and violence in the book goes it is pretty explicit but whilst the violence seemed appropriate (in context) I wasn't so sure the sex scenes were necessary for the plot.
All in all I would recommend reading it, especially for the writing, the world building and the ideas underpinning the story but would also say there are parts that might frustrate and parts that some may not find easy to read and the ending might disappoint (if it remains a standalone novel).
I thought the book was good and there were elements that I thought were excellent: I particularly loved the world building and really liked some of the concepts behind the story as well as the fact the author didn't hold the reader's hand and explain every detail. I thought the mix of sci-fi and fantasy was seamless.
Saying that, I struggled to like any of the characters which is important for me to enjoy a book. Towards the end, when I did start to get invested in them (and in the case of Berun and Fyra even actually started liking) and the story also really began to take off, the book finished without any real resolution (hopefully because there will be a follow up book at some point). I also felt that the two different plot lines didn't have any real connection and needed more to tie them together.
As far as the sex and violence in the book goes it is pretty explicit but whilst the violence seemed appropriate (in context) I wasn't so sure the sex scenes were necessary for the plot.
All in all I would recommend reading it, especially for the writing, the world building and the ideas underpinning the story but would also say there are parts that might frustrate and parts that some may not find easy to read and the ending might disappoint (if it remains a standalone novel).
dantastic's review
4.0
A tournament is announced and three warriors band together to journey to Danoor to take part. Meanwhile, two mages plot to travel to the outer atmosphere to confront the god Adrash...
Over the past few years, I've made no secret of the fact that I'm partial to fantasy that dares to step outside the Tolkien-via-Dungeons-and-Dragons box. No Return certainly fits the bill.
No Return is one of those books that I struggle to describe. Cosmic fantasy akin to Michael Moorcock, Roger Zelazny, and Jack Kirby? Partly, but it's also a hero's journey, at least to a point.
Vedas is the closest thing to a straight up hero in the book. He wears a Blacksuit, a garment made of the skin of one of the eldermen, beings who predate humans. Look, I said this was a special book, just follow me. He's torn between his loyalty to the order and his feelings toward Churls. Churls is a gambler, drunk, and quite a fighter, struggling with her feelings toward Vedas and is haunted by the host of her dead daugher. Berun, the artifical man, is conflicted between his loyaly toward his master and his feelings toward his new friends. And that's just the warriors journeying to the tournament.
While the tournament thread was my favorite part of the book, the mages looking to supplant Adrash were a close second. How can you not love mages flying to the moon to confront a god? Ebn and Pol both proved to be well rounded characters. Lots of twists in the mage thread. Adrash reminded me of a combination of the Silver Surfer and one of Jack Kirby's later creations, the New Gods. He was unlike the usual petulant child or all-knowing figure gods are normally portrayed as in fantasy. Adrash is a force of nature you do not want to cross.
The subject matter reminded me of Roger Zelazny, Michael Moorcock, Jack Vance, and Philip Jose Farmer, fantasy with shades of science fiction. The worldbuilding was just the way I like it, deep but not deep enough to drown in. The writing was detailed without being overwritten, again, something I'm a big fan of. For a fantasy book, there's a fair amount of sex to go with the violence.
I'm probably just being fickle by not slapping a five star rating on this. It's the first book in a trilogy but feels fairly self contained. I really don't have anything to complain about. I enjoyed the shit out of this and look forward to whatever Zachary Jernigan serves up next. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Over the past few years, I've made no secret of the fact that I'm partial to fantasy that dares to step outside the Tolkien-via-Dungeons-and-Dragons box. No Return certainly fits the bill.
No Return is one of those books that I struggle to describe. Cosmic fantasy akin to Michael Moorcock, Roger Zelazny, and Jack Kirby? Partly, but it's also a hero's journey, at least to a point.
Vedas is the closest thing to a straight up hero in the book. He wears a Blacksuit, a garment made of the skin of one of the eldermen, beings who predate humans. Look, I said this was a special book, just follow me. He's torn between his loyalty to the order and his feelings toward Churls. Churls is a gambler, drunk, and quite a fighter, struggling with her feelings toward Vedas and is haunted by the host of her dead daugher. Berun, the artifical man, is conflicted between his loyaly toward his master and his feelings toward his new friends. And that's just the warriors journeying to the tournament.
While the tournament thread was my favorite part of the book, the mages looking to supplant Adrash were a close second. How can you not love mages flying to the moon to confront a god? Ebn and Pol both proved to be well rounded characters. Lots of twists in the mage thread. Adrash reminded me of a combination of the Silver Surfer and one of Jack Kirby's later creations, the New Gods. He was unlike the usual petulant child or all-knowing figure gods are normally portrayed as in fantasy. Adrash is a force of nature you do not want to cross.
The subject matter reminded me of Roger Zelazny, Michael Moorcock, Jack Vance, and Philip Jose Farmer, fantasy with shades of science fiction. The worldbuilding was just the way I like it, deep but not deep enough to drown in. The writing was detailed without being overwritten, again, something I'm a big fan of. For a fantasy book, there's a fair amount of sex to go with the violence.
I'm probably just being fickle by not slapping a five star rating on this. It's the first book in a trilogy but feels fairly self contained. I really don't have anything to complain about. I enjoyed the shit out of this and look forward to whatever Zachary Jernigan serves up next. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
mxsallybend's review against another edition
3.0
I don't know if it was the title, the cover, or the blurb, but something about No Return caused me to pass it by when it was first released. I remember it, and may have even had it in my review pile at some point, but it wasn't until the blurb for Shower of Stones caught my eye that I decided to go back revisit it.
While I didn't find it entirely successful, I do have to give Zachary Jernigan full credit for doing something new, and for bringing some fresh ideas to the heroic fantasy genre. Really, this is a fantasy novel unlike I have ever read before. It's as much science fiction as it is fantasy, with a magical sort of superhero element to it, and some very odd flashes of erotica.
Confused? So was I, at least for the first few chapters. This is a story set in a world where the gods are real, and where Adrash, the last god standing, remains among the stars, bored, depressed, and idly contemplating the destruction of the world below. He has crafted a series of metal moon-sized spheres, the orbit and rotation of which he shifts ever-so-slightly to keep his worshipers anxious and uneasy. He's already caused two cataclysms by dropping individual spheres upon the planet, but the next (should it come) will be the big one.
On the planet below, mortals are pretty evenly split into those who believe, those who don't, and those who simply don't care. They harvest the petrified flesh and bone of the elders (dead gods, or perhaps just immortals, it's not clear) to feed their magic, not realizing that consuming the elder bone-dust is hastening their own demise. Among these magic users on one side of the world are those who wear the Black Suits and those who wear the White Suits, each of them something akin to a latex or leather clad superhero, stronger, faster, and more resilient than any mortal. On the other side of the world we find the Royal Outbound Mages, similarly attired in superhero suits of black, but astronauts rather than fighters, launching themselves into space to make contact with their god.
The novel follows two converging story lines, with the first being a traditional sort of quest/journey across the world. Vedas is a member of the Black Suits, haunted by the deaths he couldn't prevent; Churls is a mercenary, a brutal young woman haunted by the ghost of her daughter; and Berun is a mechanical man, constructed of spheres, who is haunted by his creator. Together, they're travelling across the world to a great tournament, facing off against multiple horrors along the way. The second is more of a magical or philosophical quest, with a pair of Royal Outbound Mages looking to seduce, appease, or destroy Adrash. Ebn is the woman with mouths in her hands (who play a masturbatory role in her magic), while Pol is more of a scientist than a magician (and not above seducing other men to get what he wants).
No Return was an absolutely fascinating story, with some big ideas, some nice subversion of the usual tropes, and a fresh take on mythology and religion. Where it fell a little short for me, however, was with the characters and the narrative structure. The characters were interesting, but I never really warmed up to them. I was curious to see who'd win out and how, but never became emotionally invested in the outcome. The story was well-written, but the narrative itself was somewhat dry (to the point where I skimmed a bit towards the end), with a structure that too often forced a character viewpoint just to maintain the pattern Jernigan established.
I liked the book. I was fascinated by it . . . but I can't really say I enjoyed it. That said, I'm still inclined to check out the sequel, to see how the suitably epic climax plays out, but I hope we'll get a chance to warm up to at least a few characters before he's done.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
While I didn't find it entirely successful, I do have to give Zachary Jernigan full credit for doing something new, and for bringing some fresh ideas to the heroic fantasy genre. Really, this is a fantasy novel unlike I have ever read before. It's as much science fiction as it is fantasy, with a magical sort of superhero element to it, and some very odd flashes of erotica.
Confused? So was I, at least for the first few chapters. This is a story set in a world where the gods are real, and where Adrash, the last god standing, remains among the stars, bored, depressed, and idly contemplating the destruction of the world below. He has crafted a series of metal moon-sized spheres, the orbit and rotation of which he shifts ever-so-slightly to keep his worshipers anxious and uneasy. He's already caused two cataclysms by dropping individual spheres upon the planet, but the next (should it come) will be the big one.
On the planet below, mortals are pretty evenly split into those who believe, those who don't, and those who simply don't care. They harvest the petrified flesh and bone of the elders (dead gods, or perhaps just immortals, it's not clear) to feed their magic, not realizing that consuming the elder bone-dust is hastening their own demise. Among these magic users on one side of the world are those who wear the Black Suits and those who wear the White Suits, each of them something akin to a latex or leather clad superhero, stronger, faster, and more resilient than any mortal. On the other side of the world we find the Royal Outbound Mages, similarly attired in superhero suits of black, but astronauts rather than fighters, launching themselves into space to make contact with their god.
The novel follows two converging story lines, with the first being a traditional sort of quest/journey across the world. Vedas is a member of the Black Suits, haunted by the deaths he couldn't prevent; Churls is a mercenary, a brutal young woman haunted by the ghost of her daughter; and Berun is a mechanical man, constructed of spheres, who is haunted by his creator. Together, they're travelling across the world to a great tournament, facing off against multiple horrors along the way. The second is more of a magical or philosophical quest, with a pair of Royal Outbound Mages looking to seduce, appease, or destroy Adrash. Ebn is the woman with mouths in her hands (who play a masturbatory role in her magic), while Pol is more of a scientist than a magician (and not above seducing other men to get what he wants).
No Return was an absolutely fascinating story, with some big ideas, some nice subversion of the usual tropes, and a fresh take on mythology and religion. Where it fell a little short for me, however, was with the characters and the narrative structure. The characters were interesting, but I never really warmed up to them. I was curious to see who'd win out and how, but never became emotionally invested in the outcome. The story was well-written, but the narrative itself was somewhat dry (to the point where I skimmed a bit towards the end), with a structure that too often forced a character viewpoint just to maintain the pattern Jernigan established.
I liked the book. I was fascinated by it . . . but I can't really say I enjoyed it. That said, I'm still inclined to check out the sequel, to see how the suitably epic climax plays out, but I hope we'll get a chance to warm up to at least a few characters before he's done.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
rocketiza's review against another edition
2.0
I bought this on a recommendation without even knowing what it was about. When I got the book, I read the jacket and nearly wet my pants I found it so hilarious. It delivers exactly on it.
antonism's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 / 5
No Return by Zachary Jernigan is a tough novel to review. It is a work that has many good things mixed with several that I personally didn't enjoy very much. Make no mistake, Zachary Jernigan is a very very skilled author and it shows early. He knows how to write beautifully. His characterization is deep and very interesting. His imagination is top-notch, full of novel ideas and aspects and feels very fresh on a field that brims with stagnancy and repetition of the same old tropes and ideas. No Return has nothing of those! But on the other hand, I felt as if some things were maybe a bit too much, as if they were taken all the way up to eleven when I was really not completely ready for it. So, I suppose most of my critique comes from a clearly subjective point of view but I think some points are a bit more general and objective. So what are my gripes?
I think the grittiness level was a little too high for my liking. I've read a lot of gritty books but there were scenes in here (graphically containing and describing violence, sex, etc) that caught me totally unprepared and pulled me out of it.
Another thing that bothered me occasionally were some rather dry info-dump passages. I'm sure Jernigan had a huge world and history behind this novel and was feeling eager to share it with us at any opportunity but it came out rather unnaturally and not as if it was part of the story. Those info-dumps often felt as a foreign body to the rest of the text, always making me feel provoked to skip them.
Finally, I have a personal gripe with the chapter structure. I've had problems in the past with books containing multiple viewpoints but in No Return the forced chapter order (same character viewpoint order in each part) came out too stiff and artificial.
Other than that, the plot is a bit on the slow side, without any real urgency or (sometimes) aim but it always feels multilayered and rich.
In general, I think Jernigan took a risk and made a bold move with this novel. It offers a lot of new and fresh ideas, often pushing the boundaries of what is expected and acceptable in fantasy literature today and I feel that the points I deducted from the final rating are more due to my own unpreparedness and inability to adapt to what is offered in No Return rather than from its problems. Did I enjoy it as much as I expected? No, not really. Do I regret reading it? Of course not, as it is a unique book that is not easily categorized or reviewed. Do I recommend it? Well it depends on what you want and expect but I'd say it's definitely worth a try!
I enjoyed it for 3 stars but it's probably worth at least 4!
3.5 / 5
No Return by Zachary Jernigan is a tough novel to review. It is a work that has many good things mixed with several that I personally didn't enjoy very much. Make no mistake, Zachary Jernigan is a very very skilled author and it shows early. He knows how to write beautifully. His characterization is deep and very interesting. His imagination is top-notch, full of novel ideas and aspects and feels very fresh on a field that brims with stagnancy and repetition of the same old tropes and ideas. No Return has nothing of those! But on the other hand, I felt as if some things were maybe a bit too much, as if they were taken all the way up to eleven when I was really not completely ready for it. So, I suppose most of my critique comes from a clearly subjective point of view but I think some points are a bit more general and objective. So what are my gripes?
I think the grittiness level was a little too high for my liking. I've read a lot of gritty books but there were scenes in here (graphically containing and describing violence, sex, etc) that caught me totally unprepared and pulled me out of it.
Another thing that bothered me occasionally were some rather dry info-dump passages. I'm sure Jernigan had a huge world and history behind this novel and was feeling eager to share it with us at any opportunity but it came out rather unnaturally and not as if it was part of the story. Those info-dumps often felt as a foreign body to the rest of the text, always making me feel provoked to skip them.
Finally, I have a personal gripe with the chapter structure. I've had problems in the past with books containing multiple viewpoints but in No Return the forced chapter order (same character viewpoint order in each part) came out too stiff and artificial.
Other than that, the plot is a bit on the slow side, without any real urgency or (sometimes) aim but it always feels multilayered and rich.
In general, I think Jernigan took a risk and made a bold move with this novel. It offers a lot of new and fresh ideas, often pushing the boundaries of what is expected and acceptable in fantasy literature today and I feel that the points I deducted from the final rating are more due to my own unpreparedness and inability to adapt to what is offered in No Return rather than from its problems. Did I enjoy it as much as I expected? No, not really. Do I regret reading it? Of course not, as it is a unique book that is not easily categorized or reviewed. Do I recommend it? Well it depends on what you want and expect but I'd say it's definitely worth a try!
I enjoyed it for 3 stars but it's probably worth at least 4!
3.5 / 5
mikiher's review against another edition
3.0
This was an interesting read, quite an an impressive effort for a debut novel. A lot is still not well understood at the end, presumably seeing the scene for a sequel. The story was engaging, albeit somewhat simplistic. I liked that this wasn't a cliche story of good against evil, more of power, its limits and its follies. This isn't by any means a great book, but I don't regret spending the time reading it. I'll look for the author's next book.
old_tim's review against another edition
4.0
In the last few years Night Shade Books has developed a reputation for introducing bold works by debut authors. Zachary Jernigan’s No Return can be added to that list.
The action can be divided into three spheres. There’s the possibly mad god Adrash who lives on the moon and contemplates judgment on the people of Jeroun. Then there’s power mad Ebn & Pol, alchemical astronauts who each are committed to acquiring as much magical power as possible. Finally we have a trio of fighters, Vedas, Churls, and Berun, strangers brought together over the course of a journey to a massive tournament. Their storylines do, of course, converge, but to give more details would be running deeply into spoiler territory.
Thematically, there’s a lot to chew on. A surprising amount, considering this is a debut novel. At the core of No Return is the nature of God, of the worshipers and the worshipped. What is the relationship? And what should it be? Also Jernigan is fascinated with parents and children, both biological and sociological. (And of course this parallels the relationship of God & worshiper.)
Don’t worry, this isn’t some philosophical treatise disguised as novel. There are lots & lots of cool stuff here. Alchemical spaceships, dead races, magical suits that are controlled by the wearers’ thoughts. How many novels have both giant martial arts tournaments and spaceships?
I was impressed with the physicality of the characters in No Return. Here in this time of grimdark we are perhaps used to characters actually aching or retaining injuries. But rather than relying on the extremes that some authors use, Jernigan gives us the details in smaller, more realistic ways. Additionally, there was more physical sexual frustration than in perhaps any book I’ve ever read. Normally unresolved romances are dealt with only in emotional terms. Here the separation becomes a physical thing.
No Return is a bold debut and not for the faint of heart. Some of the subject matter may be objectionable or difficult for some readers. For the rest of us, No Return provides a deeply rich world with fascinating ideas and great action. I’m looking forward to reading his next book.
The action can be divided into three spheres. There’s the possibly mad god Adrash who lives on the moon and contemplates judgment on the people of Jeroun. Then there’s power mad Ebn & Pol, alchemical astronauts who each are committed to acquiring as much magical power as possible. Finally we have a trio of fighters, Vedas, Churls, and Berun, strangers brought together over the course of a journey to a massive tournament. Their storylines do, of course, converge, but to give more details would be running deeply into spoiler territory.
Thematically, there’s a lot to chew on. A surprising amount, considering this is a debut novel. At the core of No Return is the nature of God, of the worshipers and the worshipped. What is the relationship? And what should it be? Also Jernigan is fascinated with parents and children, both biological and sociological. (And of course this parallels the relationship of God & worshiper.)
Don’t worry, this isn’t some philosophical treatise disguised as novel. There are lots & lots of cool stuff here. Alchemical spaceships, dead races, magical suits that are controlled by the wearers’ thoughts. How many novels have both giant martial arts tournaments and spaceships?
I was impressed with the physicality of the characters in No Return. Here in this time of grimdark we are perhaps used to characters actually aching or retaining injuries. But rather than relying on the extremes that some authors use, Jernigan gives us the details in smaller, more realistic ways. Additionally, there was more physical sexual frustration than in perhaps any book I’ve ever read. Normally unresolved romances are dealt with only in emotional terms. Here the separation becomes a physical thing.
No Return is a bold debut and not for the faint of heart. Some of the subject matter may be objectionable or difficult for some readers. For the rest of us, No Return provides a deeply rich world with fascinating ideas and great action. I’m looking forward to reading his next book.
chukg's review against another edition
3.0
This book had an interesting and unusual fantasy setting, some fairly well-drawn viewpoint characters (and not a crazy huge amount of them, maybe half a dozen or so), and an interesting if sometimes gross magic system. The writing was good -- it didn't get in the way, I don't remember really savouring any individual sentences but there were descriptive phrases here and there.
It does have quite a bit of violence and fairly explicit sex, sometimes both at once. It wasn't in every single chapter but it was frequent enough that it struck me as a bit gratuitous. If you like the dark fantasy coming from authors like R. Scott Bakker or Joe Abercrombie, you might want to give this one a look. I feel there will be sequels.
It does have quite a bit of violence and fairly explicit sex, sometimes both at once. It wasn't in every single chapter but it was frequent enough that it struck me as a bit gratuitous. If you like the dark fantasy coming from authors like R. Scott Bakker or Joe Abercrombie, you might want to give this one a look. I feel there will be sequels.
melanatedbibliomancer's review against another edition
5.0
From almost the first page of this gem of a book, I knew I was in for a treat. Jernigan's creativity and delicious weirdness is what I've been craving for some time, and he satisfies in every way imaginable.
No Return is split into the POV of five different characters, offering a fleshed-out view of Jeroun and its rich history. Jernigan does a great job with worldbuilding, and never did I find myself bored or skipping over details; the man knows what to gloss over and what to dwell on. Before I even finished No Return, I went ahead and ordered Shower of Stones.
With space mages, queer characters, mercurial gods, dudes fightin' in skintight suits, SPACE MAGES and constructed men made of spheres, there's something for everyone and their sci-fi-lovin' grandma pressed between these pages!
Mr. Jernigan, if you happen to come across this review, know you've got a fan for life. Keep up the magnificent work, good sir!
No Return is split into the POV of five different characters, offering a fleshed-out view of Jeroun and its rich history. Jernigan does a great job with worldbuilding, and never did I find myself bored or skipping over details; the man knows what to gloss over and what to dwell on. Before I even finished No Return, I went ahead and ordered Shower of Stones.
With space mages, queer characters, mercurial gods, dudes fightin' in skintight suits, SPACE MAGES and constructed men made of spheres, there's something for everyone and their sci-fi-lovin' grandma pressed between these pages!
Mr. Jernigan, if you happen to come across this review, know you've got a fan for life. Keep up the magnificent work, good sir!