Scan barcode
bigchipper's review
4.0
What's the word for something darker than grim? This book, though a little hard to follow is surely the darkest grimdark I've ever read...and I've read my share.
its_justine's review
5.0
In the stories, noble knights and their retainers hold in the chill of dawn. In the stories, footmen and soldiers form orderly lines, wait for the rising run. War is ordered, just. Clean. A clear winner, in the right every time, the gods' chosen side.
War is none of those things.
The Obsidian Psalm is a brutal and visceral tale of betrayal and power, set in a world locked in an eternal state of turmoil as history continues to repeat itself. At its black, shadowy heart, it features the hardships endured in the name of survival, utilizing the grisly pain of the past to brave an uncertain future. Snyder weaves his grand tapestry one careful thread at a time, presenting his narrative infused with a series of surreal, dreamlike sequences, each a stepping stone on the path to enlightenment. While the majority of the story is a flood of twists and turns, gut-wrenching truths lie in wait for those looking closely enough, and all comes together in a beautifully savage crescendo of blood and destruction. A highly intelligent and poignant read, The Obsidian Psalm takes its rightful place among the staples of Grimdark Fantasy.
A series of thick chains linked them, bones hanging from the black iron links. Green lichen crawled alongside, a bright counterpoint to the stark ivory that dangled and clanked and chimed in hollow notes in the wind.
Upon the bones of ages past rests the mammoth city of Golgoth, radiating its stench of rot and corruption, a sanctuary to those with no regard for the value of life. The gods have been at war for millennia, leaving the rest to dredge the detritus for a spark of true power. Snyder crafts this world in immersive, atmospheric detail, illustrating the foulness man is capable of in their drive for divinity. City streets decorated with the hanging dead, ivory shards scratching the skies, a people divided by which god they serve, unfortunate souls feeding the wrong and catastrophic necroengines, the aspects of this dark and tragic setting seem boundless. Readers are shown the world, a macabre fresco where each stroke is an addition to the lushness of the tale.
Of the strongest aspects of this story lies its complex, layered characterization, defined by accounts from both the past and present. At the lead stands Rook – brother, soldier, murderer. Often torn between duty and sentiment, he's a wonderfully realized character with a distinct voice and rich development. As the story progresses, readers become aware of the intricacy of what lies within his heart beneath the strata of pain and torment. There are many players on the chessboard that play pivotal roles in the narrative's evolution, each masking their own truths. Peeling away the petals to finally expose those truths is a demanding undertaking, but well worth the effort. It's important to remember nothing is quite as it seems, so be sure to keep an open mind as you make your way along this bleak journey.
In the face of a killing silence, what did one say?
I would certainly be remiss if I didn't speak of the writing itself. This story is told with beautiful, expressive prose, using a myriad of flowing metaphorical instances to convey vivid poetry. Blood as rubies and roses, shadows as black teeth, memories shattering like glass, Snyder excels at transforming the mundane into the weird and whimsical, breathing life into the pages. The Obsidian Psalm is Grimdark Fantasy done right, capturing the horrors and consequences of war and strife, unafraid to give into the darkness and touch upon the taboo. A dash of horror with splashes of melancholic dystopian cues, this book is elegant and terrifying and shocking in equal measure.
The Obsidian Psalm is a devastating, labyrinthine tale of retribution that snares and envelopes readers in the deepest of shadows. Expect discomfort, disgust, anguish, and hope – prepare yourself for a descent into the follies of mankind. Readers of Snyder's prior works will see some pretty incredible connections, a network crafting a universe that spans time, place, and genre. If you're a fan of unrelenting Dark Fantasy, then this is definitely the story for you. I highly recommend.
Note: I received a complementary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Warning: The Obsidian Psalm is not for the squeamish.
--
See this review and others at Whispers & Wonder
Twitter • Instagram • Facebook
nick_borrelli's review
4.0
Let me begin my review by saying that dark fantasy is kind of my thing. Out of all of the sub-genres of fantasy, it's truly my very favorite to read. I don't know what this says about me personally, but I can't help it. I get lost in the horror aspects that these books are infused with and there's just something about an evil necromancer or a hideous demon that builds up the tension magnificently and has always made me turn the pages with gusto.
So when I read the description of Clayton Snyder's THE OBSIDIAN PSALM, well it seemed like a natural fit to be quite honest. I mean, a shadow war between necromancers? What's not to like, right? And so it was with a great deal of anticipation and excitement that I sat down and began my incredibly wild ride with THE OBSIDIAN PSALM.
The story takes place mostly in and around the ancient infernal city of Golgoth. It is told in an interesting staggered timeline fashion where each chapter either leaps a little forward or back depending on what story line is being put forth The chapters are also labelled BC for "Before Chant" and AC for "After Chant" What is this Chant you ask? Well, I can't tell you because that would kind of ruin things, suffice it to say that it is pretty central to the main story and the mysterious nature of it is actually one of the things that made this book such a compelling one for me.
The book is all about gods at war with each other in a timeless struggle for power using humans and necromancers to fight their battles. Often times these battles are extremely bloody as one would expect and the body count is incredibly high and brutally depicted. The gods want to win these wars so badly that they often times resort to resurrecting some of the deceased warriors through their necromancer servants and re-equipping their bodies for future battles still to come. It all gets a tad bit dark as many of these resurrected humans still retain bits and pieces of memory from their former incarnations (here's where the staggered timeline comes into play). And frankly, it's torture for some as they aren't sure exactly how long they've been dead.
Rook is one of those who have been lifted from death to do the bidding of one of these all powerful deities. The book follows him through his journey as he plays the part of the good foot soldier, while secretly harboring an ambition of his own - revenge against those who thought they could use him as a puppet and slave to their whims. But to exact that revenge he must first survive in a place where survival is all but impossible. It's literally a hell on earth where the ultimate battle will be unlike anything ever witnessed before.
Well, this was not a warm and fuzzy read. Clayton Snyder has always had a penchant to lean dark in his books, but this one ramps the dark up to eleven (my apologies for the gratuitous Spinal Tap reference). If Joe Abercrombie is Lord Grimdark, then Clayton surely has at the very least inherited the title Duke or Baron Grimdark. That's not to say that THE OBSIDIAN PSALM is all blood and guts and no story. Oh there is an engaging and fantastic story that propels the narrative and creates a sense of mystery that makes it difficult to stop reading. It's definitely a book that encourages you to devour it in large chunks at a time.
There were a number of things that I really liked about this book. First, the dialogue is just remarkable. I'm hard-pressed to find even a handful of authors who can write the kind of seamless and witty dialogue that Clayton Snyder has mastered. There are a ton of quotes in this book that will make you say to yourself "how did he come up with that?" and some that even made me erupt in outright laughter. That's difficult to pull off with a book that is as violently dark as this one is, but Clayton managed to do it quite a few times between all of the carnage.
Going hand in hand with the impressive dialogue were the characters themselves. Main character Rook has his own demons to grapple with that involve his past. The first-person narrative really suits his character in my opinion, because we get to be immersed in his most intimate thoughts and these thoughts don't always coincide with his actions at the time. But having that first-person style I thought gave this story an added dimension that it might otherwise not have had if told any other way. The secondary characters were also complex and well developed.
The book ends in an apocalyptic insanity that will leave you wondering what the hell just happened, while at the same time feeling like you just read something pretty awesome. I am still speechless and kind of broken by what I just experienced. And I mean that in a really good way. It's not often that a book challenges you and puts you through the ringer the way that THE OBSIDIAN PSALM did to me. If you like your fantasy books dark, with a healthy amount of cool sorcery and bloody battles, and characters who are placed in no-win situation after no-win situation but continue to fight against the odds anyway, then you should check out THE OBSIDIAN PSALM. I'm glad that I read it and look forward to reading many more books from author Clayton Snyder.
So when I read the description of Clayton Snyder's THE OBSIDIAN PSALM, well it seemed like a natural fit to be quite honest. I mean, a shadow war between necromancers? What's not to like, right? And so it was with a great deal of anticipation and excitement that I sat down and began my incredibly wild ride with THE OBSIDIAN PSALM.
The story takes place mostly in and around the ancient infernal city of Golgoth. It is told in an interesting staggered timeline fashion where each chapter either leaps a little forward or back depending on what story line is being put forth The chapters are also labelled BC for "Before Chant" and AC for "After Chant" What is this Chant you ask? Well, I can't tell you because that would kind of ruin things, suffice it to say that it is pretty central to the main story and the mysterious nature of it is actually one of the things that made this book such a compelling one for me.
The book is all about gods at war with each other in a timeless struggle for power using humans and necromancers to fight their battles. Often times these battles are extremely bloody as one would expect and the body count is incredibly high and brutally depicted. The gods want to win these wars so badly that they often times resort to resurrecting some of the deceased warriors through their necromancer servants and re-equipping their bodies for future battles still to come. It all gets a tad bit dark as many of these resurrected humans still retain bits and pieces of memory from their former incarnations (here's where the staggered timeline comes into play). And frankly, it's torture for some as they aren't sure exactly how long they've been dead.
Rook is one of those who have been lifted from death to do the bidding of one of these all powerful deities. The book follows him through his journey as he plays the part of the good foot soldier, while secretly harboring an ambition of his own - revenge against those who thought they could use him as a puppet and slave to their whims. But to exact that revenge he must first survive in a place where survival is all but impossible. It's literally a hell on earth where the ultimate battle will be unlike anything ever witnessed before.
Well, this was not a warm and fuzzy read. Clayton Snyder has always had a penchant to lean dark in his books, but this one ramps the dark up to eleven (my apologies for the gratuitous Spinal Tap reference). If Joe Abercrombie is Lord Grimdark, then Clayton surely has at the very least inherited the title Duke or Baron Grimdark. That's not to say that THE OBSIDIAN PSALM is all blood and guts and no story. Oh there is an engaging and fantastic story that propels the narrative and creates a sense of mystery that makes it difficult to stop reading. It's definitely a book that encourages you to devour it in large chunks at a time.
There were a number of things that I really liked about this book. First, the dialogue is just remarkable. I'm hard-pressed to find even a handful of authors who can write the kind of seamless and witty dialogue that Clayton Snyder has mastered. There are a ton of quotes in this book that will make you say to yourself "how did he come up with that?" and some that even made me erupt in outright laughter. That's difficult to pull off with a book that is as violently dark as this one is, but Clayton managed to do it quite a few times between all of the carnage.
Going hand in hand with the impressive dialogue were the characters themselves. Main character Rook has his own demons to grapple with that involve his past. The first-person narrative really suits his character in my opinion, because we get to be immersed in his most intimate thoughts and these thoughts don't always coincide with his actions at the time. But having that first-person style I thought gave this story an added dimension that it might otherwise not have had if told any other way. The secondary characters were also complex and well developed.
The book ends in an apocalyptic insanity that will leave you wondering what the hell just happened, while at the same time feeling like you just read something pretty awesome. I am still speechless and kind of broken by what I just experienced. And I mean that in a really good way. It's not often that a book challenges you and puts you through the ringer the way that THE OBSIDIAN PSALM did to me. If you like your fantasy books dark, with a healthy amount of cool sorcery and bloody battles, and characters who are placed in no-win situation after no-win situation but continue to fight against the odds anyway, then you should check out THE OBSIDIAN PSALM. I'm glad that I read it and look forward to reading many more books from author Clayton Snyder.
argentrabe's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
1.0
I could not follow this book at all. The plot made zero sense to me. Sorry Dan.
Check out this review and others on the Fantasy Book of the Month Podcast Episode 18: Pick by our Friends.
Check out this review and others on the Fantasy Book of the Month Podcast Episode 18: Pick by our Friends.
swiff's review against another edition
5.0
I've been turning this book around in my head for over a week, and I don't feel any closer to writing a coherent review than I did after finishing it. It's not that I don't have things to say about it. Quite the opposite. There are things to say, like how the book goes there and twists your stomach like a thrice-damned egg beater, or how it plays with time and space and emotions like a toddler kicking around her Lego collection. But trying to summarize the reading experience into a couple of paragraphs is writing suicide. So bear with me if I jump around a bit.
The story starts off innocuous enough, almost laughably so, baiting you into what appears to be a straightforward narrative about an impossible mission to end a centuries-old war. The first couple of chapters are heavy on the exposition as we follow our coterie of anti-heroes into the mouth of Hell. Then things get unexpectedly stabby. Necrotic weapons are fueled from the life force of slaves, yet centuries of battles and untold deaths yield no gains for either side. Warring gods lead these armies to ruin, so we wonder what is to gain from all this madness? What is the purpose of this grim and tireless march toward ruin?
The book fully descends into a mad cacophony of gods-damned treachery, pride, and deceit that spans millennia. Raw truths are laid bare. Identities merge and are torn asunder. You are dragged, kicking and screaming, through memories of humanity brought to its lowest point. And you feel the wrath of vengeance laid upon those who share in the guilt of what these unholy divinities have brought to our world.
And it gets dark, my friends. Towards the end of the book, there is a reunion tour, of a sort, that contains some scenes of graphic violence that may haunt you. It frays and unsettles, which may accurately portray the tone of this entire story.
Do I recommend it? Hell yes, I do. It’s certainly not a bedtime story for your rugrats… well maybe it is, I won’t judge. It’s like a Gaspar Noe film in book form: uneasy, powerful, perhaps a bit too nonsensical, but something you cannot look away from, and will not forget. (Hard to believe this is the guy who wrote River of Thieves--with a word-for-word crossover chapter, no less--but there you go.)
The Obsidian Psalm immediately places Snyder in an elite group of ‘extreme grimdark’ writers. If that piques your curiosity in the least, or if you’re just looking to shake things up between Curious George books, then look no further. Say one thing for The Obsidian Psalm, say that it's going to leave a mark.
The story starts off innocuous enough, almost laughably so, baiting you into what appears to be a straightforward narrative about an impossible mission to end a centuries-old war. The first couple of chapters are heavy on the exposition as we follow our coterie of anti-heroes into the mouth of Hell. Then things get unexpectedly stabby. Necrotic weapons are fueled from the life force of slaves, yet centuries of battles and untold deaths yield no gains for either side. Warring gods lead these armies to ruin, so we wonder what is to gain from all this madness? What is the purpose of this grim and tireless march toward ruin?
The book fully descends into a mad cacophony of gods-damned treachery, pride, and deceit that spans millennia. Raw truths are laid bare. Identities merge and are torn asunder. You are dragged, kicking and screaming, through memories of humanity brought to its lowest point. And you feel the wrath of vengeance laid upon those who share in the guilt of what these unholy divinities have brought to our world.
And it gets dark, my friends. Towards the end of the book, there is a reunion tour, of a sort, that contains some scenes of graphic violence that may haunt you. It frays and unsettles, which may accurately portray the tone of this entire story.
Do I recommend it? Hell yes, I do. It’s certainly not a bedtime story for your rugrats… well maybe it is, I won’t judge. It’s like a Gaspar Noe film in book form: uneasy, powerful, perhaps a bit too nonsensical, but something you cannot look away from, and will not forget. (Hard to believe this is the guy who wrote River of Thieves--with a word-for-word crossover chapter, no less--but there you go.)
The Obsidian Psalm immediately places Snyder in an elite group of ‘extreme grimdark’ writers. If that piques your curiosity in the least, or if you’re just looking to shake things up between Curious George books, then look no further. Say one thing for The Obsidian Psalm, say that it's going to leave a mark.
michaelrfletcher's review against another edition
5.0
"The truth comes for us all."
I had no idea what to expect going into this book and yet was still constantly surprised.
Dark, visceral and flinching. Highly recommended!
I had no idea what to expect going into this book and yet was still constantly surprised.
Dark, visceral and flinching. Highly recommended!
More...