Hawkwood’s Voyage by Paul Kearney
Dec. 30th, 2010 07:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
quippeThe Blurb On The Back:
A ship appeared 100 years ago in the waters off the Hebrionese coast. None on board her survived, but now, when the Western world is in flames, and the faithful are warring amongst themselves, an ancient logbook from the ship of the dead tells of a free land across the Western ocean.
Ship owner Richard Hawkwood’s return to Abrusio (capital of Hebrion and greatest port in the Five Kingdoms) coincides with the middle of a religious purge orchestrated by the fanatical and ambitious Prelate. Those from non-Western lands or able to use Dweomer (magic) risks being burnt alive – including Hawkwood’s own crew. Worse, the Five Kingdoms find themselves threatened by the Merduk who have already taken the previously impregnable holy city of Aekir and intend to move against the rest of the West in the name of their Prophet yet the monarchs of the Five Kingdoms find themselves pitted against both each other and their own church hierarchy.
Hebrion’s young king, Abeleyn agrees to support an expedition under the command of the ambitious Murad who has a ledger purporting to give the location of a new western continent and Hawkwood’s ships are hired for the purpose. With Murad and Hawkwood’s fates intertwined, the course of their voyage mirrors the fate of their homeland.
Given that this is the first in a 5-book series, it is unsurprising that this is a book that’s mainly set-up as Kearney seeks to not only introduce his world but also all of the main players within it. For the most part, he does a good job – keeping the different strands spinning without confusing the reader (although I would still have liked a character list).
Hawkwood’s story runs front and centre through the action and he is not an easy character to like. Although he’s strong, determined and ambitious, he’s cold towards his wife and has a passionate relationship with Jemilla – a widowed and ambitious aristocrat who is also Abeleyn’s lover. Abeleyn by contrast is a pragmatist keen to distance his kingdom from the religious fanaticism of the Prelate because of the trade and political damage it is causing.
First published in 1995, Kearney draws a parallel between the Merduks and their faith and Islam and there are hints of a twist in the basis for the two main religious faiths being depicted here. However, it is a bit disturbing to have the Merduks shown as the villains and hope they’ll be fleshed out more in the future books.
All in all it’s a solid read with plenty of political and religious strife to hold the interest and a solid naval adventure at its heart. I will definitely be reading on.
The Verdict:
A solid start to an fantasy series, Kearney sets up a wide cast of characters and a complicated story that promises political and religious conflict of epic proportions. I will definitely be reading on.
A ship appeared 100 years ago in the waters off the Hebrionese coast. None on board her survived, but now, when the Western world is in flames, and the faithful are warring amongst themselves, an ancient logbook from the ship of the dead tells of a free land across the Western ocean.
Ship owner Richard Hawkwood’s return to Abrusio (capital of Hebrion and greatest port in the Five Kingdoms) coincides with the middle of a religious purge orchestrated by the fanatical and ambitious Prelate. Those from non-Western lands or able to use Dweomer (magic) risks being burnt alive – including Hawkwood’s own crew. Worse, the Five Kingdoms find themselves threatened by the Merduk who have already taken the previously impregnable holy city of Aekir and intend to move against the rest of the West in the name of their Prophet yet the monarchs of the Five Kingdoms find themselves pitted against both each other and their own church hierarchy.
Hebrion’s young king, Abeleyn agrees to support an expedition under the command of the ambitious Murad who has a ledger purporting to give the location of a new western continent and Hawkwood’s ships are hired for the purpose. With Murad and Hawkwood’s fates intertwined, the course of their voyage mirrors the fate of their homeland.
Given that this is the first in a 5-book series, it is unsurprising that this is a book that’s mainly set-up as Kearney seeks to not only introduce his world but also all of the main players within it. For the most part, he does a good job – keeping the different strands spinning without confusing the reader (although I would still have liked a character list).
Hawkwood’s story runs front and centre through the action and he is not an easy character to like. Although he’s strong, determined and ambitious, he’s cold towards his wife and has a passionate relationship with Jemilla – a widowed and ambitious aristocrat who is also Abeleyn’s lover. Abeleyn by contrast is a pragmatist keen to distance his kingdom from the religious fanaticism of the Prelate because of the trade and political damage it is causing.
First published in 1995, Kearney draws a parallel between the Merduks and their faith and Islam and there are hints of a twist in the basis for the two main religious faiths being depicted here. However, it is a bit disturbing to have the Merduks shown as the villains and hope they’ll be fleshed out more in the future books.
All in all it’s a solid read with plenty of political and religious strife to hold the interest and a solid naval adventure at its heart. I will definitely be reading on.
The Verdict:
A solid start to an fantasy series, Kearney sets up a wide cast of characters and a complicated story that promises political and religious conflict of epic proportions. I will definitely be reading on.
