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cindyc's review
4.0
‘The Barrow’ is an epic fantasy adventure, set in the world of the Artesia comic books, by the same author and illustrator, Mark Smylie. For those of you who are familiar with the Artesia comic books, ‘The Barrow’ follow Artesia’s brother, Stjepan, on a dangerous quest to retrieve a fabled sword from the tomb of notorious Demon King. The story is some sort of prequel to the Artesia comic books and is as such accessible for new readers. If you don’t know anything about the comic books, as I did when I first started this book, you’ll have no trouble following or enjoying the story at all. Artesia herself only makes a few brief appearances in this novel, but if I’ve heard correctly, we’ll learn more about her in the sequel to ‘The Barrow’.
First I’d like to warn people who are not familiar with the comic books and who are interested in picking this book up. This is a book that doesn’t shy away from anything. There is crude language, extreme, bloody violence, death all around and some very explicit and disturbing sex scenes and sexual references. I for one was not put off by this, though it made me feel slightly uncomfortable at times. It fit the story and somehow didn’t feel ‘wrong’ in the context of the book. But I’m pretty sure some people won’t want to read stuff like this and if you know that you are opposed to the things I mentioned above, than I don’t think this book is for you unfortunately.
The prologue that Smylie wrote for The Barrow is one of the best I’ve read in ages. In many ways it’s a story in itself that paves the way for the rest of the book. We meet Stjepan Black-Heart, Erim, Harvald and Gilgwyr, who, together with a band of thieves and criminals, are breaking in to a temple of the Nameless cult and stealing the gold and – more importantly – a map to The Barrow. You might have guessed, ‘breaking in to a temple of the Nameless cult’ sounds pretty dangerous and it is. Prepare for your first introduction to Smylie’s thrilling action scenes and the horror of some of the creatures he has inhabited this intriguing world with.
From there on follows a very extensive and intricate quest-like adventure where the surviving members of the gang first try to make sense of the map and then try to locate the Barrow. It would be too easy if the map just plainly led them to the Barrow, wouldn’t it? Off course it’s cursed. In a thrilling series of events the map is destroyed and it looks like everyone who had hopes of becoming rich when finding Azharad’s Barrow has to go back to their daily occupations. But then the map shows up somewhere no one had expected to find it. It brings with it some complications but the quest is back on and they all set out to find the Barrow and the sword.
I have to applaud the world building here, it was magnificently done. It might be a bit confusing and overwhelming at times, but it’s extremely interesting when one of the characters tells you something more about the history of the Known World. It gives the story a lot more context, especially since not all the characters are from the same part of the country or the same race. I’m always interested to know more about a certain culture’s history, their customs and their religion. Traveling through the lands of the Known World we get to know more and more about all these things, which delighted me.
Smylie has chosen a varied cast of characters for his story. I think it’s safe to say that the most important one is Stjepan Black-Heart, a royal cartographer with more than one obscure side-job. He’s both cruel, stone-hearted and solitary, but sometimes you can see a glimpse of a more caring, softer person deep inside. He met Gilgwyr and Harvald at the University, which teaches next to the more ordinary things also magic, and they are all in on this scheme to steal the sword from the Barrow. Gilgwyr owns a brothel and is one sick bastard. Seriously, get ready for some perverted thoughts and some weird stuff when you read from his point of view. Harvald is the son of a once rich and noble family that has fallen from grace due to his sister’s escapades. Harvald seems like a clever, sane person, but looks can deceive. Erim is a young girl that disguises as a boy and she is Stjepan’s protégé. She’s fierce, a skilled fighter and very loyal, though she is in a constant internal struggle over her own thoughts and virtue. Arduin and Annwyn are Harvald’s siblings. Arduin is every bit the image of a nobleman, the knight in shining armour, looking down on anyone who is not worth his time. Stjepan and his gang are definitely far beneath him and he’s not afraid to show it. Annwyn, famed for her beauty, has suffered immensely from the scandal that rocked her family and has since become a recluse. She is a very dubious character, but the ending explains everything concerning her behaviour throughout the story.
On to another thing that I thought was worth mentioning about this book: the sexuality. As I’ve said before, there is some seriously disturbing sexual behaviour and thoughts in this book, but it’s more than that. A lot of the characters are explicitly bisexual and they are also very open about this. The only ones that I’ve seen shy away from the sexuality are Erim, who’s scared to be condemned for her thoughts though she does have more than a few lewd thoughts, trust me, and Arduin, who is just a prude nobleman. Than we have the character of Erim, who is a girl but prefers to disguise as a boy. Does she identify more with a boy than a girl or is it simply to have an advantage in this male-dominated, criminal world? I’ll let you make up your own mind.
‘The Barrow’ is a richly narrated, dark story that kept me hooked all the way through. The worldbuilding is extensive and interesting and the characters are varied and complex. Nothing is as it seems in this book, there are twists aplenty that will keep you on the edge of your seat. There is a lot of gore, more than one disturbing scene and explicit sex and that might put you off, but if you think this won’t be an issue, read this, it’s one hell of a book.
First I’d like to warn people who are not familiar with the comic books and who are interested in picking this book up. This is a book that doesn’t shy away from anything. There is crude language, extreme, bloody violence, death all around and some very explicit and disturbing sex scenes and sexual references. I for one was not put off by this, though it made me feel slightly uncomfortable at times. It fit the story and somehow didn’t feel ‘wrong’ in the context of the book. But I’m pretty sure some people won’t want to read stuff like this and if you know that you are opposed to the things I mentioned above, than I don’t think this book is for you unfortunately.
The prologue that Smylie wrote for The Barrow is one of the best I’ve read in ages. In many ways it’s a story in itself that paves the way for the rest of the book. We meet Stjepan Black-Heart, Erim, Harvald and Gilgwyr, who, together with a band of thieves and criminals, are breaking in to a temple of the Nameless cult and stealing the gold and – more importantly – a map to The Barrow. You might have guessed, ‘breaking in to a temple of the Nameless cult’ sounds pretty dangerous and it is. Prepare for your first introduction to Smylie’s thrilling action scenes and the horror of some of the creatures he has inhabited this intriguing world with.
From there on follows a very extensive and intricate quest-like adventure where the surviving members of the gang first try to make sense of the map and then try to locate the Barrow. It would be too easy if the map just plainly led them to the Barrow, wouldn’t it? Off course it’s cursed. In a thrilling series of events the map is destroyed and it looks like everyone who had hopes of becoming rich when finding Azharad’s Barrow has to go back to their daily occupations. But then the map shows up somewhere no one had expected to find it. It brings with it some complications but the quest is back on and they all set out to find the Barrow and the sword.
I have to applaud the world building here, it was magnificently done. It might be a bit confusing and overwhelming at times, but it’s extremely interesting when one of the characters tells you something more about the history of the Known World. It gives the story a lot more context, especially since not all the characters are from the same part of the country or the same race. I’m always interested to know more about a certain culture’s history, their customs and their religion. Traveling through the lands of the Known World we get to know more and more about all these things, which delighted me.
Smylie has chosen a varied cast of characters for his story. I think it’s safe to say that the most important one is Stjepan Black-Heart, a royal cartographer with more than one obscure side-job. He’s both cruel, stone-hearted and solitary, but sometimes you can see a glimpse of a more caring, softer person deep inside. He met Gilgwyr and Harvald at the University, which teaches next to the more ordinary things also magic, and they are all in on this scheme to steal the sword from the Barrow. Gilgwyr owns a brothel and is one sick bastard. Seriously, get ready for some perverted thoughts and some weird stuff when you read from his point of view. Harvald is the son of a once rich and noble family that has fallen from grace due to his sister’s escapades. Harvald seems like a clever, sane person, but looks can deceive. Erim is a young girl that disguises as a boy and she is Stjepan’s protégé. She’s fierce, a skilled fighter and very loyal, though she is in a constant internal struggle over her own thoughts and virtue. Arduin and Annwyn are Harvald’s siblings. Arduin is every bit the image of a nobleman, the knight in shining armour, looking down on anyone who is not worth his time. Stjepan and his gang are definitely far beneath him and he’s not afraid to show it. Annwyn, famed for her beauty, has suffered immensely from the scandal that rocked her family and has since become a recluse. She is a very dubious character, but the ending explains everything concerning her behaviour throughout the story.
On to another thing that I thought was worth mentioning about this book: the sexuality. As I’ve said before, there is some seriously disturbing sexual behaviour and thoughts in this book, but it’s more than that. A lot of the characters are explicitly bisexual and they are also very open about this. The only ones that I’ve seen shy away from the sexuality are Erim, who’s scared to be condemned for her thoughts though she does have more than a few lewd thoughts, trust me, and Arduin, who is just a prude nobleman. Than we have the character of Erim, who is a girl but prefers to disguise as a boy. Does she identify more with a boy than a girl or is it simply to have an advantage in this male-dominated, criminal world? I’ll let you make up your own mind.
‘The Barrow’ is a richly narrated, dark story that kept me hooked all the way through. The worldbuilding is extensive and interesting and the characters are varied and complex. Nothing is as it seems in this book, there are twists aplenty that will keep you on the edge of your seat. There is a lot of gore, more than one disturbing scene and explicit sex and that might put you off, but if you think this won’t be an issue, read this, it’s one hell of a book.
its_justine's review
4.0
The Barrow is the exciting and provocative dark fantasy/horror hybrid debut by Mark Smylie that’s filled with dungeon crawls, perilous quests, ancient cults, mysterious rituals, and necromancy! The story begins with a gripping prologue that details the beginnings of a dangerous treasure hunt that accurately sets the tone for the rest of the book. We follow a group of coarse, rapacious, and morally-gray, but engaging, characters as they embark on an adventure to recover a sword of myth. Smylie’s worldbuilding is plentiful and impressive and often goes on saturate you in vivid detail. At times the info dumping could be a bit overwhelming and unneeded, but the story as a whole is one of the most fun and strange experiences I’ve had with a fantasy book in a long while.
I must point out that this story will not be everyone’s cup of tea - the ~600 pages are filled with lots of brutal, gratuitous violence, swearing mercenaries, and graphic, depraved sexual encounters. If the previous sentence doesn’t deter you, look forward to some great, pulse-pounding action, interesting character dynamics, and a dark humor that successfully breaks up the, at times, disquieting content. This story is weird and wonderful and I’m (im)patiently awaiting the sequel.
I must point out that this story will not be everyone’s cup of tea - the ~600 pages are filled with lots of brutal, gratuitous violence, swearing mercenaries, and graphic, depraved sexual encounters. If the previous sentence doesn’t deter you, look forward to some great, pulse-pounding action, interesting character dynamics, and a dark humor that successfully breaks up the, at times, disquieting content. This story is weird and wonderful and I’m (im)patiently awaiting the sequel.
bookadventurer's review
1.0
I won't finish this book. The following are the main problems I had with it:
Starting off with some technical issues:
1. The pacing was uneven. Long, long info-dumping passages that described characters, clothing, the world, its history, and other unnecessary elements to the story. These passages masqueraded as world-building, but were difficult to absorb. They interrupted the story. Interspersed with these sections were periods of high action. This roller-coaster pacing kept pulling me out of the story.
2. The world in which this book is set resembles our own world's history too closely. I kept getting distracted by the similarities between nationalities in the book and our own ancient civilizations. I had no trouble discerning the historical analogues for several events and countries in the book.
On to the most problematic features:
3. The "erotic" sections were overwhelming. Too many detailed descriptions of sexual practices, sexual perversions, rape. They are shocking, and perhaps that is what the author meant to do. However, the story feels more like disturbing, perverted erotica that was glossed over with a bit of a fantastic (as in fantasy) plot. One example: a male protagonist practically salivates over the idea of a woman being raped by a bull in a secret (but public) "religious ritual." In another example, a woman endures being forced by her own brother to perform a (repeated) sexual act.
4. My third point brings me to my fourth (and most critical) point. The characterization was terrible, and one-sided. The male characters, when they weren't raping or forcing sexual acts on female characters, seemed interesting enough. Stjepan, in particular, I would have liked to learn more about. BUT!!! The female characters were always only defined through the perspectives of the male characters. Each female in this book serves only to reflect male characters' (often abusive) desires, lusts, needs, perspectives. The women are used and frequently abused by the men, even by the main protagonists. They (the women) have no agency, no control over their own sexuality. No way do I want to read a book where women are objectified, with no sexual, political, social power of their own, where they only exist as props for the male characters. Nor do I want to read glorified descriptions of rape and sexual abuse.
Given the way women and rape are portrayed in this work, I do not recommend it to anyone. See The Book Adventures for a few better reads.
Starting off with some technical issues:
1. The pacing was uneven. Long, long info-dumping passages that described characters, clothing, the world, its history, and other unnecessary elements to the story. These passages masqueraded as world-building, but were difficult to absorb. They interrupted the story. Interspersed with these sections were periods of high action. This roller-coaster pacing kept pulling me out of the story.
2. The world in which this book is set resembles our own world's history too closely. I kept getting distracted by the similarities between nationalities in the book and our own ancient civilizations. I had no trouble discerning the historical analogues for several events and countries in the book.
On to the most problematic features:
3. The "erotic" sections were overwhelming. Too many detailed descriptions of sexual practices, sexual perversions, rape. They are shocking, and perhaps that is what the author meant to do. However, the story feels more like disturbing, perverted erotica that was glossed over with a bit of a fantastic (as in fantasy) plot. One example: a male protagonist practically salivates over the idea of a woman being raped by a bull in a secret (but public) "religious ritual." In another example, a woman endures being forced by her own brother to perform a (repeated) sexual act.
4. My third point brings me to my fourth (and most critical) point. The characterization was terrible, and one-sided. The male characters, when they weren't raping or forcing sexual acts on female characters, seemed interesting enough. Stjepan, in particular, I would have liked to learn more about. BUT!!! The female characters were always only defined through the perspectives of the male characters. Each female in this book serves only to reflect male characters' (often abusive) desires, lusts, needs, perspectives. The women are used and frequently abused by the men, even by the main protagonists. They (the women) have no agency, no control over their own sexuality. No way do I want to read a book where women are objectified, with no sexual, political, social power of their own, where they only exist as props for the male characters. Nor do I want to read glorified descriptions of rape and sexual abuse.
Given the way women and rape are portrayed in this work, I do not recommend it to anyone. See The Book Adventures for a few better reads.
hadaad's review
3.0
Seemed like it might have a decent premise and some of the scenes were very good. I just don't really care for that kind of "fantasy" in my fantasy, if you know what I mean.
Gave it another try because that's what I do, then gave it up. Then gave it another try. Three strikes. It's out. If I try again, shame on me.
finally finished it. better than horrible, but the writing could have been tighter.
Gave it another try because that's what I do, then gave it up. Then gave it another try. Three strikes. It's out. If I try again, shame on me.
finally finished it. better than horrible, but the writing could have been tighter.
nziozis's review
1.0
The book as a whole was ok. The character Stepjan was interesting and I wish we got more of the story from his point of view. The main thing that bothered me was Erim. Why was she even in the book? Nothing she did impacted the story in any way. The second is how everything just jumped off the edge of a cliff in the last 150 pages. It felt vary abrupt, almost without warning. The story was moving at a nice pace and then half the characters pull "surprise I was evil all along." The narrative went from 0-60 so fast as to leave the reader behind.
weaver's review
This is a 300 page book turned into a 600 page book from all the infodumping. When stuff actually happens, it's very exciting! It is! But I stopped reading when I realized I was skimming pages just looking for dialogue or for something to happen. It's a bummer because I'm really interested in the story, but unfortunately, all I get is the history of the city's two bathhouses in excruciating detail, the names of every street in the city, plus the names, histories, and affiliations of every person they walk past in said named streets. There's at least 150 named characters and 95% of them are never mentioned again, or if they are, I certainly can't remember them on account of how there's 150 of them and they don't seem to do anything other than exist in the background. There's an entire page dedicated to describing the five different hells, who resides in them, and their demon rulers, which is immediately forgotten. "Gilgwyr considered himself an expert in the many varieties of female flesh that crossed the city from the corners of the Known World," and now, yep, he's going to describe every single one of them. For the curious, there are twelve different varieties and you get to learn about their respective culture's history and religion in addition to their unique sexy qualities Oh yeah, and ol Gilgwyr lets you in on his plan to let one of his whores get raped to death by a bull. Yeah. There was a whole lot of rapey stuff, too! OK edgelord.
Anyway....I got 1300 other books on my to-read list.
Anyway....I got 1300 other books on my to-read list.
mazi_marvel's review
I'm gonna end up DNF-ing this one. It could have been interesting but it's really not for me.
nightxade's review
4.0
A treasure hunting expedition goes horribly wrong when Stjepan Black-Heart steals from the Nameless cults. Violence and horror befalls the group in one of the most thrilling prologues I've ever read. The survivors escape with an even bigger prize than they had ever expected: a map to the Barrow, wherein lies a priceless sword. The journey to the barrow is dangerous and the barrow itself is more so, but Black-Heart and his people are willing—only, the pesky map gets cursed and is lost in the process of trying to decipher it. But when it reappears in the most unexpected of places, things really start to get dark and crazy as the anti-heroes embark on their deadly adventure.
First of all, I love the Black-Heart. Well, I love all the characters, mainly because none of them are particularly likable. Let's just say that I will be inviting none of them over for dinner. Anyway, Black-Heart I am fond of because at first, he is introduced as the dark, emotionless badass that rarely cracks a smile, but soon enough, you learn that he is actually the well-educated royal cartographer who is known well by those above and below the law. I love that the story remains entirely centred on Black-Heart and this map, even as more and more fascinating tidbits are revealed about him.
Fan of Smylie’s Artesia might be disappointed that she does not make an appearance beyond fleeting images in dreams and memories. This is the Black-Heart’s story and Smylie tells it well, without having to rely on Stejpan's sister, and expanding on the world he's already built in the stunning Artesia graphic novels.
As mentioned, this is an adventure story, complete with a fellowship in search of treasure. But Smylie makes it clear that these people are not in the least bit interested in saving the world or being heroes. They are in this for the treasure and some of them just might stab a man in the back to get it.
The Barrow does suffer from an over indulgence of tell, rather than show and often feels like a historical tour of the Known Worlds as Black-Heart and his crew make their way toward their goal. While I appreciate the wealth of knowledge and have always loved Smylie’s world, having so much within the book itself can be overwhelming. However, being a fan of Artesia, I did enjoy the mentions of deities and magical events that I was already familiar with. Smylie’s mythology is immense, with rich stories that go well beyond myth, since magic is very real and does play a significant role in The Barrow.
Technically speaking, the long sentences and paragraphs are problematic, as well as the point of view changes that occur within each chapter. However, I am very impressed with Smylie’s transition from graphic novels, where images tell most of the story, to novel format where words have to paint those pictures. I think, with lessons learned from this book and background lore already given, Smylie will be able to tighten up the writing to focus more closely on the plot.
As others have already pointed out, this book does contain a lot of sexually explicit content. Personally speaking, I’m a big girl and in my maturity, I’ve grown more comfortable with dealing with sexuality in its many forms. As a society, we have a long way to go when it comes to sexual maturity and moving beyond the oppressive Victorian sensibilities that plague us. Anyway, The Barrow does contain a lot of sex, especially within the first hundred plus pages or so, and some of it is quite perverse. One might argue that it comes off as mere titillation and I would agree that perhaps it goes on too long—but no more so than the violence or any other aspect of the story that Smylie spells out in detail as he weaves us into his world. I consider it important to the lore and, considering Smylie’s vast mythology, am not really surprised by it as such debauchery is not unheard of within the actual mythologies of the real world. Shall we take a walk through one of my favourites, Greco-Roman mythology, and see how often rape (sometimes in animal form) are attributed to Zeus? And consider, in turn, the debauchery common to the Romans in their time.
Now, all that said, I was ultimately disappointed that the female characters were most often and unsurprisingly the victims of these acts and the only woman who comes out of the story reasonably unscathed, sexually, is Erim, who is disguised as a man.
I was quite fond of Erim though. Another intriguing and completely atypical character in a book that is a dark and unique gem within the fantasy genre.
See more reviews at The BiblioSanctum
First of all, I love the Black-Heart. Well, I love all the characters, mainly because none of them are particularly likable. Let's just say that I will be inviting none of them over for dinner. Anyway, Black-Heart I am fond of because at first, he is introduced as the dark, emotionless badass that rarely cracks a smile, but soon enough, you learn that he is actually the well-educated royal cartographer who is known well by those above and below the law. I love that the story remains entirely centred on Black-Heart and this map, even as more and more fascinating tidbits are revealed about him.
Fan of Smylie’s Artesia might be disappointed that she does not make an appearance beyond fleeting images in dreams and memories. This is the Black-Heart’s story and Smylie tells it well, without having to rely on Stejpan's sister, and expanding on the world he's already built in the stunning Artesia graphic novels.
As mentioned, this is an adventure story, complete with a fellowship in search of treasure. But Smylie makes it clear that these people are not in the least bit interested in saving the world or being heroes. They are in this for the treasure and some of them just might stab a man in the back to get it.
The Barrow does suffer from an over indulgence of tell, rather than show and often feels like a historical tour of the Known Worlds as Black-Heart and his crew make their way toward their goal. While I appreciate the wealth of knowledge and have always loved Smylie’s world, having so much within the book itself can be overwhelming. However, being a fan of Artesia, I did enjoy the mentions of deities and magical events that I was already familiar with. Smylie’s mythology is immense, with rich stories that go well beyond myth, since magic is very real and does play a significant role in The Barrow.
Technically speaking, the long sentences and paragraphs are problematic, as well as the point of view changes that occur within each chapter. However, I am very impressed with Smylie’s transition from graphic novels, where images tell most of the story, to novel format where words have to paint those pictures. I think, with lessons learned from this book and background lore already given, Smylie will be able to tighten up the writing to focus more closely on the plot.
As others have already pointed out, this book does contain a lot of sexually explicit content. Personally speaking, I’m a big girl and in my maturity, I’ve grown more comfortable with dealing with sexuality in its many forms. As a society, we have a long way to go when it comes to sexual maturity and moving beyond the oppressive Victorian sensibilities that plague us. Anyway, The Barrow does contain a lot of sex, especially within the first hundred plus pages or so, and some of it is quite perverse. One might argue that it comes off as mere titillation and I would agree that perhaps it goes on too long—but no more so than the violence or any other aspect of the story that Smylie spells out in detail as he weaves us into his world. I consider it important to the lore and, considering Smylie’s vast mythology, am not really surprised by it as such debauchery is not unheard of within the actual mythologies of the real world. Shall we take a walk through one of my favourites, Greco-Roman mythology, and see how often rape (sometimes in animal form) are attributed to Zeus? And consider, in turn, the debauchery common to the Romans in their time.
Now, all that said, I was ultimately disappointed that the female characters were most often and unsurprisingly the victims of these acts and the only woman who comes out of the story reasonably unscathed, sexually, is Erim, who is disguised as a man.
I was quite fond of Erim though. Another intriguing and completely atypical character in a book that is a dark and unique gem within the fantasy genre.
See more reviews at The BiblioSanctum
rdominick's review
3.0
So I find myself a bit conflicted and at a loss for what to write. I think my status updates for The Barrow are a bit misleading; after all, I didn't say the Seven Deadly Words or anything. There was more than enough there to keep me going, even if a bit slowly. It did take a long time to finish, even for a 600-page novel.
I think my main problem with the book was pacing, when all is said and done. The book opens with a heist movie prologue -- you know what I mean, right? Introduce the characters and what they do while they do a different job than the one they'll do in the main story. I was quite happy when I figured out what the gimmick to this section was. It's exciting, and sets up the characters and stakes well, and firmly grounds the novel as a long-form version of an RPG campaign. (In fact, the type of story told here is pretty much what I was planning to run in an Artesia game that never really got off the ground.)
Then, the book floundered a bit with a long, dry city-based bit, introducing new characters, setting things up. Very detailed, and maybe not to its overall benefit. This ends with a good action sequence and then finally the party is on the road, and travelling, and I thought, yes, here we go, only to have the travelling move in fits and starts, through some well-detailed and moderately overexplained fantastic scenery.
Once we get to the eponymous barrow (I've tried very hard to avoid spoilers in this review -- hope nobody's upset to find out that they go to a barrow in the book called The Barrow) things tumble forward and, after it's all said and done, the story quite adeptly opens outward and becomes much wider than it originally appeared.
One more thing. My status updates seemed focused on ridiculous sexual content, so I think I need to talk about this a bit. With a novel based in the same world as the Artesia comics, I knew there would be some sex. I understand why it is there. I'm not a prude, or incapable of enjoying a good sex scene when one comes along. I just think that some of that type of stuff in The Barrow -- with the worst being a certain character's introduction -- wasn't handled as well as it could been, or not well enough to justify its inclusion.
So there we go. A bit disjoint, and I apologize for that. I ended up liking The Barrow -- not a lot, but well enough -- and I'll read another if Smylie writes one. It made me pull my copy of the Artesia RPG off the shelf, and until I went looking, I had no idea that there was a new version being worked on...
I think my main problem with the book was pacing, when all is said and done. The book opens with a heist movie prologue -- you know what I mean, right? Introduce the characters and what they do while they do a different job than the one they'll do in the main story. I was quite happy when I figured out what the gimmick to this section was. It's exciting, and sets up the characters and stakes well, and firmly grounds the novel as a long-form version of an RPG campaign. (In fact, the type of story told here is pretty much what I was planning to run in an Artesia game that never really got off the ground.)
Then, the book floundered a bit with a long, dry city-based bit, introducing new characters, setting things up. Very detailed, and maybe not to its overall benefit. This ends with a good action sequence and then finally the party is on the road, and travelling, and I thought, yes, here we go, only to have the travelling move in fits and starts, through some well-detailed and moderately overexplained fantastic scenery.
Once we get to the eponymous barrow (I've tried very hard to avoid spoilers in this review -- hope nobody's upset to find out that they go to a barrow in the book called The Barrow) things tumble forward and, after it's all said and done, the story quite adeptly opens outward and becomes much wider than it originally appeared.
One more thing. My status updates seemed focused on ridiculous sexual content, so I think I need to talk about this a bit. With a novel based in the same world as the Artesia comics, I knew there would be some sex. I understand why it is there. I'm not a prude, or incapable of enjoying a good sex scene when one comes along. I just think that some of that type of stuff in The Barrow -- with the worst being a certain character's introduction -- wasn't handled as well as it could been, or not well enough to justify its inclusion.
So there we go. A bit disjoint, and I apologize for that. I ended up liking The Barrow -- not a lot, but well enough -- and I'll read another if Smylie writes one. It made me pull my copy of the Artesia RPG off the shelf, and until I went looking, I had no idea that there was a new version being worked on...