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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
Maybe my favorite fantasy series of the past few years? There are a few others that come close. But this is just magnificent.
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Another fine read. Winter was my favorite POV character by a long shot, but too much of this book was just detailing a military campaign, which is perhaps interesting but not as much as a story. Also, you knew the good guys were gonna win the whole time because otherwise the book would end, so it felt gutless. The magic in this book was limited but effectively used, and the colonel's relationship with winter is one I'm excited to continue following in the next book.
The Thousand Names is a "flintlock fantasy" with a distinctly British Empire in Asia feel to it. The action centers around a regiment of musketeers in an arid region far from home. They are hold up in an ancient fort because a populist religious uprising, the Redemption, has driven them out of the country's city along with the former ruler.
They're waiting for recall home - their enemy outnumbers them 10-to-1. But when their new commander arrives, he comes with relief troops and a mission from their king to retake the capital on behalf of their ally, the Prince.
In addition to the greater plot, the book also deals closely with multiple personal subplots for many of the characters, giving the book real life.
My main worry before starting was that this would turn out to be a thinly veiled rant against or libel of Islam. Other than the setting, however, there was not much parallel. Neither the society nor religion of Khandar ends up paralleling the Mideast. In fact, what real world parallelism there is seems like a distant inspiration by Hinduism.
I thought the writing was very solid, though it did not strike me as particularly beautiful or clever. The attraction in this book was the story itself, and the depth of the main characters.
I'll definitely be continuing The Shadow Campaigns.
They're waiting for recall home - their enemy outnumbers them 10-to-1. But when their new commander arrives, he comes with relief troops and a mission from their king to retake the capital on behalf of their ally, the Prince.
In addition to the greater plot, the book also deals closely with multiple personal subplots for many of the characters, giving the book real life.
My main worry before starting was that this would turn out to be a thinly veiled rant against or libel of Islam. Other than the setting, however, there was not much parallel. Neither the society nor religion of Khandar ends up paralleling the Mideast. In fact, what real world parallelism there is seems like a distant inspiration by Hinduism.
I thought the writing was very solid, though it did not strike me as particularly beautiful or clever. The attraction in this book was the story itself, and the depth of the main characters.
I'll definitely be continuing The Shadow Campaigns.
I consider military fantasy to be one of my guilty pleasures, since it tends to be a pulpy genre, heavy on stereotypes and lacking in depth. I'd rate this book a tier or two higher than the typical example. The pacing and action is excellent, but there's also a lot of emphasis on character. You really get to know Winter and Marcus.
For the most part, The Thousands Names is about a single military campaign. The puppet king of Khandar has been overthrown by religious fanatics, and the Vordanai Colonial Regiment chased to the sea. Even with reinforcements, they're vastly outnumbered, facing a determined enemy with the support of the populace and superior knowledge of the territory. So there are some lively, harsh, and engaging depictions of flintlock-and-bayonet battles. But there's also a deeper plot, involving forbidden magic, ancient secrets, and power struggles within Vordan and Khandar alike.
For the most part, The Thousands Names is about a single military campaign. The puppet king of Khandar has been overthrown by religious fanatics, and the Vordanai Colonial Regiment chased to the sea. Even with reinforcements, they're vastly outnumbered, facing a determined enemy with the support of the populace and superior knowledge of the territory. So there are some lively, harsh, and engaging depictions of flintlock-and-bayonet battles. But there's also a deeper plot, involving forbidden magic, ancient secrets, and power struggles within Vordan and Khandar alike.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Religious bigotry, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Colonisation
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Cannibalism, Outing
I received this book and its sequel from a Goodreads giveaway. It doesn't really break any new ground in the fantasy genre but it's still a good book. The two main PoV's are great likable characters and near continuous action makes it move very fast. It's really nice to see a strong female lead character who doesn't fit into the normal stereotypes of a strong female character.
Flintlock and military isn't my usual fare, but I was intrigued by the plot and decided to try something different. And now I'm definitely glad that I did, because this book was awesome! It hooked my attention early on and didn't let it go until the final page. Even when the plot seemed to slow down, I couldn't stop reading, and I would quickly be recaptured by a huge character development or twist or heart-pounding action scene. The "journey" aspect was really engaging, with characters becoming increasingly frustrated and exhausted and disillusioned by their goal. The characters were spectacular, with Winter being my favourite and with a truly tragic backstory, and Marcus being complex and torn between his feelings and his friends. I also have a soft spot for some of the side characters (looking at you, Mor and Give-Em-Hell). The magic was creative and terrifying and rich in lore. The action was plentiful, inventive, and virtually nonstop near the end. The next book promises to be just as exciting, and I'm so glad I gave this series a chance, because I can't want to see what happens next!
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I'll admit, I bought this book because of the author's unusual name. It was impulsive, bought during one of my book buying binges, but I don't regret it. The Thousand Names is a fresh and new. While it may not have the most original plot in fantasy, it has wonderful characters and that, to me, is what's important. I appreciated the fact that the author had such a diverse cast of characters. There were strong female characters, but they were realistically strong. All too often the "strong" female characters in fantasy behave completely unrealistically for women. Their strength is measured in physical feats and little else. The women in The Thousand Names are well-rounded. They take an active role in their destiny. They may be cowardly at times, they may be physically weak at times, but they are still strong. I really appreciated being able to read a book that was well written, depicted women realistically, and didn't have gratuitous violence against women, which it seems modern fantasy is chalk full of.
I look forward to reading the rest of this series.
I look forward to reading the rest of this series.