quippe | Entries tagged with den patrick

The Blurb On The Back:

Do you bear the sign of the witch? Because if you do, gods help you.

It has been seventy-five years since the dragon’s rule of fire and magic was ended. Out of the ashes, the Solmindre Empire was born.

Since then the tyrannical Synod has worked hard to banish all manifestations of the arcane from existence. However, children are still born bearing the taint of the arcane, known to all as witching. Vigilants are sent out across the continent of Vinterkveld to find and capture all those bearing the mark.

No-one knows when the Vigilants of the Synod will appear and enforce the Empire’s laws…

But today they’re coming …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Den Patrick’s fantasy novel (the first in a trilogy) has interesting world-building that incorporates Norse and Russian history and tries to subvert the tropes of normal ‘young people discover magical powers’ fiction. Unfortunately the pacing is slack, the storytelling doesn’t stand on its logic and the characterisation - particularly of the antagonists - is rarely above the superficial, meaning I won’t be reading on.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

”‘Why are they here?’ said Lucien quietly.
‘They’re criminals,’ replied Giancarlo. ‘It has been decided that they can go free if they face you in single combat.’
‘To first blood?’ said Lucien, feeling a chill in his veins.
‘To the death.’”

Lucien de Fontein has grown up an outsider; one of the Orfano, the deformed of the Kingdom of Landfall. He is lonely, tormented by his difference and a pawn in a political game. The reclusive king and his majordomo rule Landfall from the vast castle of Demesne, but the walls are no barrier to darkness from without. Or within.

Landfall is a harsh world of secrets and rivalries, where whispers are as lethal as blades, where control is fragile and the peace waits to be broken. Lucien will have to rely on more than just his blade to protect the ones he loves.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Den Patrick’s fantasy novel is a nicely written but slim tale of intrigue and discrimination in a claustrophobic castle where everyone is subject to the scrutiny and malice of their neighbours. The novel’s chapters alternate between Lucien’s final testing and its aftereffects and an account of his childhood, which gives the story an episodic feel. My main issue is that for someone highly educated and politically aware, Lucien charges headlong into trap after trap, reacting to events rather than driving them forward. Worse is the fact that he’s been aware for 4 years that something bad is happening to Landfall’s women and yet does absolutely nothing until the plot requires him to, which made it difficult for me to care about him. This is a shame because Patrick keeps the action moving and I enjoyed the Medieval Italian influences to his fantasy world, however while the book sets up a sequel I’m not that interested in reading on – although I would check out Patrick’s other books.

THE BOY WITH THE PORCELAIN BLADE was released in the United Kingdom on 20th March 2014. Thanks to Gollancz for the review copy of this book.