Scan barcode
raidelcakes's review against another edition
1.0
Full of rape and objectification of women. None of the women are given their own agency and seem to exist for the sole purpose of gratifying the male characters. I would not recommend this book to anyone because of its problematic portrayal of women.
mxsallybend's review against another edition
4.0
There is definitely a new trend in epic fantasy, one that I first encountered late last year with The Iron Wolves by Andy Remic. It's a trend towards a darker, more mature sort of epic fantasy, one that reaches deep into the genre's pulp sword-and-sorcery roots, but which refuses to hold back on the sex and the violence. It certainly contains elements of grimdark, especially the trend towards anti-heroes, but it chooses to smirk rather than scowl along with the reader.
It doesn't take long for The Barrow to declare its intentions regarding that trend. If you read the cover blurb and thought "Set in the world of the Eisner-nominated Artesia comic books" meant this was going to be a Young Adult or New Adult sort of romp, then think again. I haven't read the comics, so I don't know what liberties Mark Smylie may have taken in translating his world to prose, but this is certainly closer to a Heavy Metal novelization than something from Marvel, DC, or even Dark Horse.
In terms of world-building, there is an incredible amount of detail here to be explored. The geography is varied and well-defined, with the cities, mountains, fields, trails, roads, barrows, and barren wastes all having a tale to tell. Time and time again the characters top to tell one another a story, a bit of history or mythology, about their world and how this piece or that came to be. While those stories have the potential to be read as an info-dump by some, the backstory of Artesia is fascinating, and each story adds a welcome layer to the proceedings. There are probably enough stories here to fill half a dozen books on their own, and I (for one) appreciate that kind of narrative depth.
As for the characters, I was shocked by how willing Smylie was to sacrifice them to the cause. It doesn't take long to realize the stakes here are high, and that survival beyond the page is guaranteed for nobody. Once you get over the shock of seeing so many main characters murdered, dismembered, and eaten so quickly, you begin looking at the story with a fresh eye. When no character is safe, the sense of dread and mystery becomes that much more pronounced. As for those characters, they are indeed a crew full of scoundrels, deviants, and ruffians. Stjepan Black-Heart is about as questionable a leader as you can get, a man who is open with his perversions but secretive with his thoughts, and when a brothel owner and a mad magician seem the least distasteful of the lot, you know there's no crime, passion, or sin too low. There is one character in particular who crosses a line that I'm sure will shock most readers and, given his prominence in the tale, it's one of the biggest shocks in the story. I honestly felt betrayed by the revelation of his true nature, but it turns out to be crucial to the rest of the tale.
Plot-wise, this is a story that's as deceptive as its characters. On the surface, it looks simple - rob a tomb, find a map, gather a crew, and rob another tomb. It's no nearly so simple, however, and the bulk of the tale actually takes place between the two tombs. There are curses and conspiracies, political schemes and criminal agendas, and plots and counterplots to be navigated. The scenes within Gilgwyr's brothel are a turning point, revealing the story's true depth of depravity, vulgarity, and imagination. Even if you don't like Gilgwyr's or what he's scheming, you can't help but admire the intricacies of his agenda. Having said that, it takes a long time for many of those schemes to pay off, and some readers may be turned off by the amount of seemingly unnecessary detail. Patience is rewarded, however, with the final act of the story tying everything together, and revealing just how significant and how connected those events are.
As for that ending, it pays off in every respect. Whereas many fantasy novels build up our expectations with hints, promises, and threats of monstrous violence, only to stop short, Smylie delivers on his promises. From monstrous to madness, from necromancy to necrophilia, the events of the climax goes far beyond what we might have anticipated. He allows the worst to happen . . . and then pushes the horror even farther. There are no close calls or near escapes here, just one crushing defeat after another, with a victorious twist.
If you've ever wondered what it might be like to play Dungeons and Dragons with a bunch of death-row inmates, while a sadistic warden whispers depraved encouragement behind you, then you are indeed ready for The Barrow.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
It doesn't take long for The Barrow to declare its intentions regarding that trend. If you read the cover blurb and thought "Set in the world of the Eisner-nominated Artesia comic books" meant this was going to be a Young Adult or New Adult sort of romp, then think again. I haven't read the comics, so I don't know what liberties Mark Smylie may have taken in translating his world to prose, but this is certainly closer to a Heavy Metal novelization than something from Marvel, DC, or even Dark Horse.
In terms of world-building, there is an incredible amount of detail here to be explored. The geography is varied and well-defined, with the cities, mountains, fields, trails, roads, barrows, and barren wastes all having a tale to tell. Time and time again the characters top to tell one another a story, a bit of history or mythology, about their world and how this piece or that came to be. While those stories have the potential to be read as an info-dump by some, the backstory of Artesia is fascinating, and each story adds a welcome layer to the proceedings. There are probably enough stories here to fill half a dozen books on their own, and I (for one) appreciate that kind of narrative depth.
As for the characters, I was shocked by how willing Smylie was to sacrifice them to the cause. It doesn't take long to realize the stakes here are high, and that survival beyond the page is guaranteed for nobody. Once you get over the shock of seeing so many main characters murdered, dismembered, and eaten so quickly, you begin looking at the story with a fresh eye. When no character is safe, the sense of dread and mystery becomes that much more pronounced. As for those characters, they are indeed a crew full of scoundrels, deviants, and ruffians. Stjepan Black-Heart is about as questionable a leader as you can get, a man who is open with his perversions but secretive with his thoughts, and when a brothel owner and a mad magician seem the least distasteful of the lot, you know there's no crime, passion, or sin too low. There is one character in particular who crosses a line that I'm sure will shock most readers and, given his prominence in the tale, it's one of the biggest shocks in the story. I honestly felt betrayed by the revelation of his true nature, but it turns out to be crucial to the rest of the tale.
Plot-wise, this is a story that's as deceptive as its characters. On the surface, it looks simple - rob a tomb, find a map, gather a crew, and rob another tomb. It's no nearly so simple, however, and the bulk of the tale actually takes place between the two tombs. There are curses and conspiracies, political schemes and criminal agendas, and plots and counterplots to be navigated. The scenes within Gilgwyr's brothel are a turning point, revealing the story's true depth of depravity, vulgarity, and imagination. Even if you don't like Gilgwyr's or what he's scheming, you can't help but admire the intricacies of his agenda. Having said that, it takes a long time for many of those schemes to pay off, and some readers may be turned off by the amount of seemingly unnecessary detail. Patience is rewarded, however, with the final act of the story tying everything together, and revealing just how significant and how connected those events are.
As for that ending, it pays off in every respect. Whereas many fantasy novels build up our expectations with hints, promises, and threats of monstrous violence, only to stop short, Smylie delivers on his promises. From monstrous to madness, from necromancy to necrophilia, the events of the climax goes far beyond what we might have anticipated. He allows the worst to happen . . . and then pushes the horror even farther. There are no close calls or near escapes here, just one crushing defeat after another, with a victorious twist.
If you've ever wondered what it might be like to play Dungeons and Dragons with a bunch of death-row inmates, while a sadistic warden whispers depraved encouragement behind you, then you are indeed ready for The Barrow.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
sigfig's review against another edition
read three quarters of this book and just found I wasn't invested in the outcome.
iam_griff's review
4.0
This story was so very different from a lot of the fantasy stories I've read. The characters were very deep, well developed & there was some character growth. Not every character was as they seemed & you had to pay attention to some nuances as the story progressed. Magic was used in abundance & not subtle as in many fantasy stories. Not a lot of sword fighting or combat threw out the book, but was a nice change as what little there was I felt the author didn't explain the movements as the fight was purely for story progression. I do recommend this for any fan of fantasy adventure works.
kodermike's review against another edition
3.0
I won't hold back - this is a train wreck of a book. At first pass, these are the stock characters every GM has dealt into an ongoing campaign, the initial quest as straight forward as they come: rob the ancient tomb, plunder some gold, get the magic sword.
Why read it, then? There's an argument there. You could say its because it's a Michael Bay train wreck, a Wachowski style production. Larger than life explosions, Brandon Frazier as one of the male leads, over the top dungeon crawler.
And then chapter one starts.
The Barrow is a well written tale of gritty fantasy. The biggest problem this book faces, I think, is that if you haven't read the comic it's a prequel to, then there's no way to filter the volume of information being dumped on you. What's important? What's filler? I couldn't tell, and that's a problem. In a sea of gritty fantasy epics, this is certainly dark, more adult than most of its competition. Sadly, it didn't work for me, but it wasn't from a lack of style or ability, so your mileage may vary.
The ARC for this novel was kindly provided to me by Pyr for review.
Why read it, then? There's an argument there. You could say its because it's a Michael Bay train wreck, a Wachowski style production. Larger than life explosions, Brandon Frazier as one of the male leads, over the top dungeon crawler.
And then chapter one starts.
The Barrow is a well written tale of gritty fantasy. The biggest problem this book faces, I think, is that if you haven't read the comic it's a prequel to, then there's no way to filter the volume of information being dumped on you. What's important? What's filler? I couldn't tell, and that's a problem. In a sea of gritty fantasy epics, this is certainly dark, more adult than most of its competition. Sadly, it didn't work for me, but it wasn't from a lack of style or ability, so your mileage may vary.
The ARC for this novel was kindly provided to me by Pyr for review.
luckbe's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to like this book. I really, really wanted to. I loved that it was sexy, and dark, and gritty, and brutal, and terrible. It was like a filthy trip into the dark parts of the human mind, and I was eager to see where it would go, and what would happen when it got there.
Unfortunately, it failed to live up to its promise. The plot was inconsistent, and it left the book feeling like two halves of a whole that just didn't quite fit together in the middle. The first half is a dark, erotic adventure novel. The second half is just dark, not erotic, and ends in an orgy of horror that seems to serve no actual purpose except to be edgy and brutal. The middle of the book is too much description about every last detail of every person's clothing and not enough of anything else (I don't need to know all about every person's buttons. I don't. I love costumes but this was too much.) Some people die, and eventually the story moves forward, but a lot of other stuff happens that doesn't further the plot and just creates loose ends that are never followed up on.
I originally picked this book up at the library and returned it before finishing it. Later, I special ordered it at the bookstore because I moved and the new library didn't have it. I wish I'd never ordered it, not because I hated it, but because the half of the book that I read before was so much better than the book as a whole. That said, I still love Stjepan, and I may yet read a sequel now that Mark Smylie has had some time to mature as an author.
Unfortunately, it failed to live up to its promise. The plot was inconsistent, and it left the book feeling like two halves of a whole that just didn't quite fit together in the middle. The first half is a dark, erotic adventure novel. The second half is just dark, not erotic, and ends in an orgy of horror that seems to serve no actual purpose except to be edgy and brutal. The middle of the book is too much description about every last detail of every person's clothing and not enough of anything else (I don't need to know all about every person's buttons. I don't. I love costumes but this was too much.) Some people die, and eventually the story moves forward, but a lot of other stuff happens that doesn't further the plot and just creates loose ends that are never followed up on.
Spoiler
Because all of those characters die.I originally picked this book up at the library and returned it before finishing it. Later, I special ordered it at the bookstore because I moved and the new library didn't have it. I wish I'd never ordered it, not because I hated it, but because the half of the book that I read before was so much better than the book as a whole. That said, I still love Stjepan, and I may yet read a sequel now that Mark Smylie has had some time to mature as an author.
lizzy_22's review against another edition
DNF at 32%
Bored, bored, bored. It's been two days and I have NO desire to pick up my kindle and keep reading this. Endless exposition and extreme perversion for perversions sake, no thanks.
Bored, bored, bored. It's been two days and I have NO desire to pick up my kindle and keep reading this. Endless exposition and extreme perversion for perversions sake, no thanks.
twerkingtobeethoven's review against another edition
5.0
I think this is, by far, the most sexually-graphic fantasy novel I've ever read. Also, there are plenty of beheadings, blood & guts. Alright, that said, I - being nothing but a wretched human being - love this sort of vileness so I am compelled to rate "The Barrow" five disgusting & filthy stars.
anverie's review against another edition
2.0
Loses one star for gratuitous and nonconsensual sex. Obviously an RPG world - places and history described in loving, exacting detail, while characters are superficially intriguing but ultimately barely sketched and/or inconsistent. Absolutely no character growth, and not a lot of character agency. Plot is remarkably by-the-numbers dungeon crawl. Some interesting scenes showed promise, but no follow through. Reading was a slog but I kept up because there were sparks, and one and a half fascinating characters - or perhaps I should say that their potential is fascinating. Writing and editing pretty solid, just lacking depth. Sad.
[EDIT] after some thought, while everything I said still stands, I have to admit the final twist was ingenious, and it reflects back on prior events, showing some hints that are not quite effective foreshadowing, but are clever nonetheless. I'd give another half star, if I could.
[EDIT] after some thought, while everything I said still stands, I have to admit the final twist was ingenious, and it reflects back on prior events, showing some hints that are not quite effective foreshadowing, but are clever nonetheless. I'd give another half star, if I could.
patremagne's review against another edition
4.0
Better than I expected and better than the ratings make it seem.
http://abitterdraft.com/2014/04/the-barrow-by-mark-smylie.html
At first glance at the cover and blurb for Mark Smylie’s prose debut The Barrow, you’ll notice that something sets it apart from a significant portion of recent fantasy. There are no warring states, no fight for the throne. There is no greater evil or battle between light and dark. The Barrow, at its heart, is a treasure hunt – an adventure. Sure, it’s got fae and curses, a band of anti-heroes, and a very Dungeons and Dragons-esque feel, but didn’t feel like the kind of bland story you might expect.
Stjepan Black-Heart and his crew have found a map that will supposedly lead them to an ancient barrow, where they hope to find an equally ancient sword worth an unimaginable sum of money. Among Black-Heart’s crew are Erim, a woman disguised as a man, a very sly brothel owned by the name of Gilgwyr, the archetypal mad magician Leigh, mercenary and all-around bastard Godewyn Red-Hand, and the Orwain siblings Arduin and Annwyn, whose family’s reputation lies in ruins thanks to the latter’s scandal. The characters all fill their roles remarkably well for what they are, though several of them aren’t what they seem as is revealed by the politicking and continually unexpected twists that Smylie has created. They weren’t necessarily characters to write home about, but they fit the story.
Though the nicknames like Black-Heart and Red-Hand are pulpy and stereotypical, they’re part of an incredibly detailed world. The Barrow contains one of the most well-drawn and vivid worlds that I’ve read recently, though it wasn’t without its issues. Sometimes the story was bogged down by superfluous names. As soon as I began the prologue, names were dropped left and right – “War of the Throne Thief”, “The Sun Court”, you get the picture. Everything has a name. The bakery that a character briefly stopped at? Name. Any book the mad magician or Black-Heart consult? Name. That tree over there? You bet, it’s got a name. After finishing the prologue, I thought to myself, “Surely this book would benefit from some kind of glossary…” as I flipped to the back of the book and found just that. It was very helpful in understanding the world and its history. I think the previous wars and other historical events were important for the worldbuilding, but the names of stores the gang pass by are irrelevant and do more harm than help.
Skim through the reviews for The Barrow and you’ll see a large division between those who liked it and those who didn’t. In fact, the majority of negative reviews you’ll read come from people who were uncomfortable with the graphic detail of the (very) erotic and bizarre sex scenes. Many also share my feeling that there was a bit too much irrelevant information to digest, but the majority of said poor ratings were based on the over-the-top sex. The thing is, most of the violence and sex served a purpose. Sure, it did get pretty weird, but they weren’t tossed in the book simply for the edginess.
If you like your fantasy dark, your characters darker, and your worlds deep (dark) and full of terrors*, Mark Smylie’s debut The Barrow will have you by the teeth by the end of one of the most exciting prologues I’ve read and it will hold on all the way through the equally impressive finale.
http://abitterdraft.com/2014/04/the-barrow-by-mark-smylie.html
At first glance at the cover and blurb for Mark Smylie’s prose debut The Barrow, you’ll notice that something sets it apart from a significant portion of recent fantasy. There are no warring states, no fight for the throne. There is no greater evil or battle between light and dark. The Barrow, at its heart, is a treasure hunt – an adventure. Sure, it’s got fae and curses, a band of anti-heroes, and a very Dungeons and Dragons-esque feel, but didn’t feel like the kind of bland story you might expect.
Stjepan Black-Heart and his crew have found a map that will supposedly lead them to an ancient barrow, where they hope to find an equally ancient sword worth an unimaginable sum of money. Among Black-Heart’s crew are Erim, a woman disguised as a man, a very sly brothel owned by the name of Gilgwyr, the archetypal mad magician Leigh, mercenary and all-around bastard Godewyn Red-Hand, and the Orwain siblings Arduin and Annwyn, whose family’s reputation lies in ruins thanks to the latter’s scandal. The characters all fill their roles remarkably well for what they are, though several of them aren’t what they seem as is revealed by the politicking and continually unexpected twists that Smylie has created. They weren’t necessarily characters to write home about, but they fit the story.
Though the nicknames like Black-Heart and Red-Hand are pulpy and stereotypical, they’re part of an incredibly detailed world. The Barrow contains one of the most well-drawn and vivid worlds that I’ve read recently, though it wasn’t without its issues. Sometimes the story was bogged down by superfluous names. As soon as I began the prologue, names were dropped left and right – “War of the Throne Thief”, “The Sun Court”, you get the picture. Everything has a name. The bakery that a character briefly stopped at? Name. Any book the mad magician or Black-Heart consult? Name. That tree over there? You bet, it’s got a name. After finishing the prologue, I thought to myself, “Surely this book would benefit from some kind of glossary…” as I flipped to the back of the book and found just that. It was very helpful in understanding the world and its history. I think the previous wars and other historical events were important for the worldbuilding, but the names of stores the gang pass by are irrelevant and do more harm than help.
Skim through the reviews for The Barrow and you’ll see a large division between those who liked it and those who didn’t. In fact, the majority of negative reviews you’ll read come from people who were uncomfortable with the graphic detail of the (very) erotic and bizarre sex scenes. Many also share my feeling that there was a bit too much irrelevant information to digest, but the majority of said poor ratings were based on the over-the-top sex. The thing is, most of the violence and sex served a purpose. Sure, it did get pretty weird, but they weren’t tossed in the book simply for the edginess.
If you like your fantasy dark, your characters darker, and your worlds deep (dark) and full of terrors*, Mark Smylie’s debut The Barrow will have you by the teeth by the end of one of the most exciting prologues I’ve read and it will hold on all the way through the equally impressive finale.