The Stormcaller by Tom Lloyd
Oct. 20th, 2009 09:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
quippeThe Blurb On The Back:
Isak is a white-eye, born bigger, more charismatic and more powerful than normal men ... but with that power comes an unpredictable temper and an inner rage. Feared and despised by those around him, he dreams of a place in the army and a chance to live his own life, but the Gods have other plans for the intemperate teenager. Isak has been Chosen as heir-elect to the brooding Lord Bahl, the white-eye Lord of the Farlan.
The white-eyes were created to bring order out of chaos, for their magnetic charm and formidable strength makes them natural leaders of men. Lord Bahl is typical of the breed: he inspires and oppresses those around him in equal measure. He’s a difficult mentor for a boy every bit as volatile as he is.
This is a time for revenge, and for the forging of empires. With mounting envy and malice, the men who would themselves be kings watch Isak as he is shaped and moulded to fulfil the prophecies that circle him like scavenger birds. The Gods are once again beginning to meddle in the affairs of men.
Brought up on a wagon train, Isak is used to being hated and feared. His father blames him for the death of his mother in childbirth, and others see him only as a strong and unpredictable white-eye. His only friend is Carel, a former soldier turned trader who’s training Isak to join the Ghosts, an elite band of soldier who serves Lord Farlan. When Isak arrived in Tirah however, he finds that he’s been chosen by Nartis, the God of Storms to be the heir (Krann) to Lord Bahl. Pitched into a world of privilege and prophecy, Isak finds himself thrust into a world where men and elves and Gods are in conflict with each other and he is regarded as the only saviour.
Ambitious world-building and story-telling on a huge scale means there is much that is impressive within this novel. Pitched from poverty to wealth and power, Lloyd uses Isak’s journey to draw out the complex nature of The Land and its history. He is supported by a wide-ranging cast, of whom the most interesting are Lord Bahl who tutors Isak in magic and his duties, Carel the crusty ex-soldier and the only person Isak trusts and Tila, the high-born lady who serves Isak and tutors him in protocol and politics.
The problem is that there are too many characters at times and while there is a cast list at the back, I frequently found myself having to refer to it in order to keep the character relationships straight. There is also a lot of plot, at times too much, making it difficult to keep track of what is happening to whom and it doesn’t help that Lloyd frequently head-hops between POVs within scenes, which is a distraction.
The battle scenes are brutal and well depicted and there’s no doubting Lloyd’s imagination. However there are times when it’s not clear within the writing just what is going on and a key scene towards the end with Lord Bahl happens off-page, robbing it of resonance. While the ending promises an interesting follow-up, there needs to be more focus in the writing for it to remain an interesting read.
The Verdict:
Although this is an ambitious and imaginative novel, the writing really lets it down and more focus is required for it to become a great read.
Isak is a white-eye, born bigger, more charismatic and more powerful than normal men ... but with that power comes an unpredictable temper and an inner rage. Feared and despised by those around him, he dreams of a place in the army and a chance to live his own life, but the Gods have other plans for the intemperate teenager. Isak has been Chosen as heir-elect to the brooding Lord Bahl, the white-eye Lord of the Farlan.
The white-eyes were created to bring order out of chaos, for their magnetic charm and formidable strength makes them natural leaders of men. Lord Bahl is typical of the breed: he inspires and oppresses those around him in equal measure. He’s a difficult mentor for a boy every bit as volatile as he is.
This is a time for revenge, and for the forging of empires. With mounting envy and malice, the men who would themselves be kings watch Isak as he is shaped and moulded to fulfil the prophecies that circle him like scavenger birds. The Gods are once again beginning to meddle in the affairs of men.
Brought up on a wagon train, Isak is used to being hated and feared. His father blames him for the death of his mother in childbirth, and others see him only as a strong and unpredictable white-eye. His only friend is Carel, a former soldier turned trader who’s training Isak to join the Ghosts, an elite band of soldier who serves Lord Farlan. When Isak arrived in Tirah however, he finds that he’s been chosen by Nartis, the God of Storms to be the heir (Krann) to Lord Bahl. Pitched into a world of privilege and prophecy, Isak finds himself thrust into a world where men and elves and Gods are in conflict with each other and he is regarded as the only saviour.
Ambitious world-building and story-telling on a huge scale means there is much that is impressive within this novel. Pitched from poverty to wealth and power, Lloyd uses Isak’s journey to draw out the complex nature of The Land and its history. He is supported by a wide-ranging cast, of whom the most interesting are Lord Bahl who tutors Isak in magic and his duties, Carel the crusty ex-soldier and the only person Isak trusts and Tila, the high-born lady who serves Isak and tutors him in protocol and politics.
The problem is that there are too many characters at times and while there is a cast list at the back, I frequently found myself having to refer to it in order to keep the character relationships straight. There is also a lot of plot, at times too much, making it difficult to keep track of what is happening to whom and it doesn’t help that Lloyd frequently head-hops between POVs within scenes, which is a distraction.
The battle scenes are brutal and well depicted and there’s no doubting Lloyd’s imagination. However there are times when it’s not clear within the writing just what is going on and a key scene towards the end with Lord Bahl happens off-page, robbing it of resonance. While the ending promises an interesting follow-up, there needs to be more focus in the writing for it to remain an interesting read.
The Verdict:
Although this is an ambitious and imaginative novel, the writing really lets it down and more focus is required for it to become a great read.
