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A review by thebobsphere
Mordew by Alex Pheby
5.0
I will admit I am not a big reader of fantasy. In fact, probably the last time I read it was back in 2010 when I decided to read all seven Narnia books. Saying that I was VERY excited to read Mordew as I knew it would take me out of my comfort zone and explore a genre where my knowledge of it could fill a thimble and leave room for the thumb.
As I expected Mordew is complex and to describe everything that is going on could create spoilers and ruin one’s fun in discovering all the secrets the book reveals. Also due to intricate details, I could write long paragraphs focusing on every nuance of this world that Alex Pheby created but I don’t want to bore the reader either. In other words I going to simplfy the novel’s plot.
Nathan Treeves lives in the slums in the country of Mordew. His father is dying and he needs to earn money to buy medicines. Nathan also has the ability to spark, that is he can destroy things and give them life, something a lot of people envy. After a failed attempt to work for the master, who is the creator of Mordew, Nathan joins a gang of teen criminals. This does not work out either and the Master, with the help of his consultant, Bellows takes Nathan under his care and educates him.
As Nathan grows wiser, especially when the secrets of Mordew and his father are revealed to him, he is sent to kill the master’s enemy , the mistress of rival country Malarkoi. Nathan succeeds, but at a price as he discovers more secrets about his powers.
On the way back he finds out that the mistress’ daughter, Dashini, has been kept by the master as a prisoner. He meets up and he finds out that the master is not as innocent as he seems, which leads to an epic escape act and a journey into the very heart of Mordew. Obviously I won’t say the ending but be prepared for a stunning conclusion that is grandiose in every way possible,
Mordew is a novel of talking dogs, magic creatures and clever world building but it’s also rich in other ways. There’s definitely a Dickensian vibe going through the whole book, especially in the first part. The unbound creativity reminded of Terry Gilliam’s film Brazil and Jeff Vandemeer’s Borne. The whole idea of Mordew’s structure as a country has whiffs of Nietzschean philosophy and the glossary at the back, which delves into more detail about Mordew and it’s characters borrows aspects from Plato’s theory of forms. Not to mention that the book is also a coming of age novel of sorts.
Personally, to say I enjoyed this book is an understatement. I had a ton of fun reading Mordew. I was able to be transported into another world and I felt like I was a part of it. I loved discovering all the secrets which helped Nathan grow mentally. I liked all the characters, good or bad. I thought the creatures where brilliantly described. At points I was thrilled and my heart was thudding, at other points, especially the last part. I appreciated the fact that there was a glossary and a detailed addendum about Nathan’s spark. I was flabbergasted from the first page to the last. Furthermore this is the first part of a trilogy (or is it a hexology?) Anyway I’m definitely on board.
As I expected Mordew is complex and to describe everything that is going on could create spoilers and ruin one’s fun in discovering all the secrets the book reveals. Also due to intricate details, I could write long paragraphs focusing on every nuance of this world that Alex Pheby created but I don’t want to bore the reader either. In other words I going to simplfy the novel’s plot.
Nathan Treeves lives in the slums in the country of Mordew. His father is dying and he needs to earn money to buy medicines. Nathan also has the ability to spark, that is he can destroy things and give them life, something a lot of people envy. After a failed attempt to work for the master, who is the creator of Mordew, Nathan joins a gang of teen criminals. This does not work out either and the Master, with the help of his consultant, Bellows takes Nathan under his care and educates him.
As Nathan grows wiser, especially when the secrets of Mordew and his father are revealed to him, he is sent to kill the master’s enemy , the mistress of rival country Malarkoi. Nathan succeeds, but at a price as he discovers more secrets about his powers.
On the way back he finds out that the mistress’ daughter, Dashini, has been kept by the master as a prisoner. He meets up and he finds out that the master is not as innocent as he seems, which leads to an epic escape act and a journey into the very heart of Mordew. Obviously I won’t say the ending but be prepared for a stunning conclusion that is grandiose in every way possible,
Mordew is a novel of talking dogs, magic creatures and clever world building but it’s also rich in other ways. There’s definitely a Dickensian vibe going through the whole book, especially in the first part. The unbound creativity reminded of Terry Gilliam’s film Brazil and Jeff Vandemeer’s Borne. The whole idea of Mordew’s structure as a country has whiffs of Nietzschean philosophy and the glossary at the back, which delves into more detail about Mordew and it’s characters borrows aspects from Plato’s theory of forms. Not to mention that the book is also a coming of age novel of sorts.
Personally, to say I enjoyed this book is an understatement. I had a ton of fun reading Mordew. I was able to be transported into another world and I felt like I was a part of it. I loved discovering all the secrets which helped Nathan grow mentally. I liked all the characters, good or bad. I thought the creatures where brilliantly described. At points I was thrilled and my heart was thudding, at other points, especially the last part. I appreciated the fact that there was a glossary and a detailed addendum about Nathan’s spark. I was flabbergasted from the first page to the last. Furthermore this is the first part of a trilogy (or is it a hexology?) Anyway I’m definitely on board.