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mxsallybend's review against another edition
4.0
If you were a fan of When the Heavens Fall, then be prepared for an abrupt change with Dragon Hunters. For the second book of The Chronicle of the Exile, Marc Turner shifts location, characters, and story line. It’s still the same recognizable narrative voice, and the mythology ties the two books together, but it makes for a very different read . . . one that takes on a entirely new flavor. Having said that, if you’ve yet to encounter Turner’s work, then that same shift means this second book is just as accessible to new readers as the first.
Personally, I found this second volume a little more difficult to get into than the first. Call me old-fashioned, but I like my darkened alleys, haunted forests, and subterranean lairs. It’s classic (perhaps even clichéd) epic fantasy, but those elements were largely responsible for me celebrating the first as something of a throwback fantasy. That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with this second volume, or that it doesn’t grow on you, it just the sunny seaside setting didn’t have the same initial impact - although it does prove to have some very cool, very dark, very underwater secrets.
Senar Sol, Guardian, is our first real POV character in the novel. He’s as much a challenge as he is a mystery, trapped far from home, with rather murky loyalties. In terms of narrative, he allows us to view the events surrounding the Storm Lords with a critical eye, and in terms of character, he slowly emerges to reveal himself as a hero of note. Karmel Flood, Chameleon, is probably the most intriguing character in the novel, a woman who is both a thief and an assassin, with her loyalties divided rather than murky. She has a magical ninja-like quality to her, but she’s also intelligent and witty. Agenta Webb, Gilgamarian sailor, is a bit more of a mystery, but she’s strong-willed, independent, and more powerful than appearances would suggest.
Kempis Parr, Watchman, serves as the moral center of the novel, a good man who is perhaps too aware of his place in the world. He’s self-assured and sarcastic, but he’s also a good leader and an even better investigator. I’m not sure what it is about the kinds of city guards, but they often make for the best, most reliable, most admirable characters. Mazana Creed, Storm Lord, is the exact opposite, but far-and-away the most entertaining character in the book. She struck a chord in me from her first verbal sparring with Imerle Polivar, and I found myself hoping she’d have a significant role to play as the story progressed. She’s also the character who grows and evolves the most, although there were moments I doubted her motives (as I suspect we’re meant to). As was the case in the first novel, it takes a while for their individual stories to merge, but that's part of the charm.
The sea dragons are, of course, the main attraction here, and it’s well worth the wait for them to appear on the scene. They’re brutal killing machines, water-borne monsters who are fully prepared to amass a massive body count. Turner crafts the geography almost as carefully as he does the plot, ensuring that the dragons aren’t just something on which to hinge the story, but a legitimate part of a very water-borne story. Their presence has mythological as well as political implications, and in a book where political schemes are almost as serpentine as the dragons themselves, that leaves them a large role to play.
All in all, Dragon Hunters feels a bit more grounded than the first book, and swaps some of its almost-Gothic horror for pulp-adventure, but it still maintains the same dark sense of humor and epic scope of imagination that made it so enjoyable.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
Personally, I found this second volume a little more difficult to get into than the first. Call me old-fashioned, but I like my darkened alleys, haunted forests, and subterranean lairs. It’s classic (perhaps even clichéd) epic fantasy, but those elements were largely responsible for me celebrating the first as something of a throwback fantasy. That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with this second volume, or that it doesn’t grow on you, it just the sunny seaside setting didn’t have the same initial impact - although it does prove to have some very cool, very dark, very underwater secrets.
Senar Sol, Guardian, is our first real POV character in the novel. He’s as much a challenge as he is a mystery, trapped far from home, with rather murky loyalties. In terms of narrative, he allows us to view the events surrounding the Storm Lords with a critical eye, and in terms of character, he slowly emerges to reveal himself as a hero of note. Karmel Flood, Chameleon, is probably the most intriguing character in the novel, a woman who is both a thief and an assassin, with her loyalties divided rather than murky. She has a magical ninja-like quality to her, but she’s also intelligent and witty. Agenta Webb, Gilgamarian sailor, is a bit more of a mystery, but she’s strong-willed, independent, and more powerful than appearances would suggest.
Kempis Parr, Watchman, serves as the moral center of the novel, a good man who is perhaps too aware of his place in the world. He’s self-assured and sarcastic, but he’s also a good leader and an even better investigator. I’m not sure what it is about the kinds of city guards, but they often make for the best, most reliable, most admirable characters. Mazana Creed, Storm Lord, is the exact opposite, but far-and-away the most entertaining character in the book. She struck a chord in me from her first verbal sparring with Imerle Polivar, and I found myself hoping she’d have a significant role to play as the story progressed. She’s also the character who grows and evolves the most, although there were moments I doubted her motives (as I suspect we’re meant to). As was the case in the first novel, it takes a while for their individual stories to merge, but that's part of the charm.
The sea dragons are, of course, the main attraction here, and it’s well worth the wait for them to appear on the scene. They’re brutal killing machines, water-borne monsters who are fully prepared to amass a massive body count. Turner crafts the geography almost as carefully as he does the plot, ensuring that the dragons aren’t just something on which to hinge the story, but a legitimate part of a very water-borne story. Their presence has mythological as well as political implications, and in a book where political schemes are almost as serpentine as the dragons themselves, that leaves them a large role to play.
All in all, Dragon Hunters feels a bit more grounded than the first book, and swaps some of its almost-Gothic horror for pulp-adventure, but it still maintains the same dark sense of humor and epic scope of imagination that made it so enjoyable.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for review consideration. This does not in any way affect the honesty or sincerity of my review.
blodeuedd's review against another edition
3.0
When I first started this book I had totally forgot about the whole standalone thing I had heard, and I panicked. But later research showed me that this book yes takes place in the same world, but not in the same location, and not with the same characters. So it was indeed a standalone, and I started to read.
How to explain it then...it takes place during a short period of time. There are many players and conspiracies, all twisted around. I did feel I was thrown in too fast, it did work out, but you know the feeling of suddenly just being there, knowing no one, just following along.
There once was a league ruled by those with magic and the rest paying levies so that the ships could sail without being eaten by dragons. A gate was created and once a year they celebrate with letting a dragon in and killing it.
First we have the ruler, the one with magic, the one pulling strings.
Then there is the good soldier trying to track down whoever is killing folks with magic.
Then there is the priestess sent on a mission to sabotage the great hunt.
The guardian also trying to keep someone alive.
The merchant daughter whose father is loosing power.
All coming together on this Great Hunt. Trying to escape assassins, magic and dragons.
Then all hell breaks loose.
Oh and who are the weird ones? I can't not say more than that...spoilers, but that made me go all whaaat. I wanna know more that. Nothing is said about book 3, but I guess new location, new people, and the world will burn?
So yes some issues with the beginning since the players were just there. But at the end I already wondered about book 3. That is always a good sign.
How to explain it then...it takes place during a short period of time. There are many players and conspiracies, all twisted around. I did feel I was thrown in too fast, it did work out, but you know the feeling of suddenly just being there, knowing no one, just following along.
There once was a league ruled by those with magic and the rest paying levies so that the ships could sail without being eaten by dragons. A gate was created and once a year they celebrate with letting a dragon in and killing it.
First we have the ruler, the one with magic, the one pulling strings.
Then there is the good soldier trying to track down whoever is killing folks with magic.
Then there is the priestess sent on a mission to sabotage the great hunt.
The guardian also trying to keep someone alive.
The merchant daughter whose father is loosing power.
All coming together on this Great Hunt. Trying to escape assassins, magic and dragons.
Then all hell breaks loose.
Oh and who are the weird ones? I can't not say more than that...spoilers, but that made me go all whaaat. I wanna know more that. Nothing is said about book 3, but I guess new location, new people, and the world will burn?
So yes some issues with the beginning since the players were just there. But at the end I already wondered about book 3. That is always a good sign.
lauregul's review against another edition
3.0
Ein gutes Buch, wenn auch ein etwas enttäuschender Nachfolger.
Der zweite Teil von The Chronicles of the Exile mit dem spannenden Titel [b:Dragon Hunters|28792440|Dragon Hunters (The Chronicles of the Exile, #2)|Marc Turner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1453986403l/28792440._SY75_.jpg|45481233] führt uns an einen anderen Ort mit neuen Charakteren. Die Handlung findet auf den Storm Isles statt, auf denen die Storm Lords, mächtige Wassermagier, das Sagen haben.
Hier begegnet der Leser vollkommen neuen Charakteren, abgesehen von der Göttin Spider, die bereits im Vorgänger Unruhe stiftete. Leider liegt für mich hierin die größte Schwäche des Buchs. Im Gegensatz dazu waren die Charaktere in [b:When the Heavens Fall|25399383|When the Heavens Fall (The Chronicles of the Exile, #1)|Marc Turner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1429605253l/25399383._SY75_.jpg|42713938] eine gewaltige Stärke und fesselten mich beim Lesen. Parolla, Luker und Romany konnten sich innerhalb von nur einem Buch einen Platz in meinem Herzen (vor allem aber in meinem Gedächtnis...) sichern. Hier schaffte das von den Hauptcharakteren nur Senar Sol. Einige der Nebencharaktere, besonders Mazana und Jambar sowie die beiden Zwillinge Tali und Mili, haben mir dafür außerordentlich gut gefallen, sie waren eben aber nur Nebencharaktere ohne POVs.
Der Titel des Buchs sorgte außerdem für eine weitere Enttäuschung meinerseits. Ich wartete während der ersten Hälfte des Buchs ständig darauf, dass die Drachenjagd beginnt. Letztlich ist das Buch jedoch eine Geschichte über eine Intrige, die zeitgleich zum ersten Teil stattfindet, statt über die Drachenjagd. Damit ist die Geschichte dieses Mal gegen Ende, wenn sich alles auflöst, noch spannender als im ersten Buch, braucht dafür aber auch deutlich länger, um an Fahrt aufzunehmen. Erst ab Mitte des Buchs stieg mein Interesse. Hätte mir der erste Band nicht so gut gefallen, hätte ich ehrlich gesagt schon lange davor abgebrochen – leider, denn die zweite Hälfte ist ziemlich gut.
Das Worldbuilding und die verschiedenen Götter waren das Einzige, was sich für mich genauso gut wie im ersten Teil angefühlt haben. Wie bereits im ersten Teil hat auch hier die Göttin Spider ihre Finger im Spiel, um ihre eigenen Ziele zu erreichen. Die so entstehende Hintergrundgeschichte über die Götter und die Konflikte, die sie, teilweise vor langer Zeit, ausfochten, lässt mich auf noch mehr Ausführungen dazu im dritten Teil hoffen.
Insgesamt klingt das wohl alles ziemlich negativ. Das kommt aber eher daher, dass ich nach „When the Heavens Fall“ einfach mehr erwartet hatte. Ab der zweiten Hälfte schaffte es das Buch auch endlich mich etwas für sich zu gewinnen. [b:Dragon Hunters|28792440|Dragon Hunters (The Chronicles of the Exile, #2)|Marc Turner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1453986403l/28792440._SY75_.jpg|45481233] ist definitiv kein schlechtes Buch, aber ein schwacher Nachfolger für einen so guten Start in die Reihe. Vielleicht waren meine Erwartungen nach dem ersten Teil auch einfach zu hoch.
Der zweite Teil von The Chronicles of the Exile mit dem spannenden Titel [b:Dragon Hunters|28792440|Dragon Hunters (The Chronicles of the Exile, #2)|Marc Turner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1453986403l/28792440._SY75_.jpg|45481233] führt uns an einen anderen Ort mit neuen Charakteren. Die Handlung findet auf den Storm Isles statt, auf denen die Storm Lords, mächtige Wassermagier, das Sagen haben.
Hier begegnet der Leser vollkommen neuen Charakteren, abgesehen von der Göttin Spider, die bereits im Vorgänger Unruhe stiftete. Leider liegt für mich hierin die größte Schwäche des Buchs. Im Gegensatz dazu waren die Charaktere in [b:When the Heavens Fall|25399383|When the Heavens Fall (The Chronicles of the Exile, #1)|Marc Turner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1429605253l/25399383._SY75_.jpg|42713938] eine gewaltige Stärke und fesselten mich beim Lesen. Parolla, Luker und Romany konnten sich innerhalb von nur einem Buch einen Platz in meinem Herzen (vor allem aber in meinem Gedächtnis...) sichern. Hier schaffte das von den Hauptcharakteren nur Senar Sol. Einige der Nebencharaktere, besonders Mazana und Jambar sowie die beiden Zwillinge Tali und Mili, haben mir dafür außerordentlich gut gefallen, sie waren eben aber nur Nebencharaktere ohne POVs.
Der Titel des Buchs sorgte außerdem für eine weitere Enttäuschung meinerseits. Ich wartete während der ersten Hälfte des Buchs ständig darauf, dass die Drachenjagd beginnt. Letztlich ist das Buch jedoch eine Geschichte über eine Intrige, die zeitgleich zum ersten Teil stattfindet, statt über die Drachenjagd. Damit ist die Geschichte dieses Mal gegen Ende, wenn sich alles auflöst, noch spannender als im ersten Buch, braucht dafür aber auch deutlich länger, um an Fahrt aufzunehmen. Erst ab Mitte des Buchs stieg mein Interesse. Hätte mir der erste Band nicht so gut gefallen, hätte ich ehrlich gesagt schon lange davor abgebrochen – leider, denn die zweite Hälfte ist ziemlich gut.
Das Worldbuilding und die verschiedenen Götter waren das Einzige, was sich für mich genauso gut wie im ersten Teil angefühlt haben. Wie bereits im ersten Teil hat auch hier die Göttin Spider ihre Finger im Spiel, um ihre eigenen Ziele zu erreichen. Die so entstehende Hintergrundgeschichte über die Götter und die Konflikte, die sie, teilweise vor langer Zeit, ausfochten, lässt mich auf noch mehr Ausführungen dazu im dritten Teil hoffen.
Insgesamt klingt das wohl alles ziemlich negativ. Das kommt aber eher daher, dass ich nach „When the Heavens Fall“ einfach mehr erwartet hatte. Ab der zweiten Hälfte schaffte es das Buch auch endlich mich etwas für sich zu gewinnen. [b:Dragon Hunters|28792440|Dragon Hunters (The Chronicles of the Exile, #2)|Marc Turner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1453986403l/28792440._SY75_.jpg|45481233] ist definitiv kein schlechtes Buch, aber ein schwacher Nachfolger für einen so guten Start in die Reihe. Vielleicht waren meine Erwartungen nach dem ersten Teil auch einfach zu hoch.
patremagne's review against another edition
4.0
I'd put this aside for a while because it wasn't grabbing me, but I picked it back up in anticipation of the final book in the trilogy in September. Once the Dragon Hunt began around halfway through, though, I was thoroughly hooked.
http://abitterdraft.com/2016/07/dragon-hunters-by-marc-turner.html
Once a year, on Dragon Day, the Storm Lords hoist open the Dragon Gate to let one of the majestic, scaled beasts slip through into the Sabian Sea to be hunted by the water-mage Storm Lords. Emira Imerle Polivar, the current elected ruler of the Storm Lords, is nearing the end of her reign and naturally has no inclination to relinquish power any time soon. Dragon Day and the raising of the Dragon Gate proves to be the perfect chance to eliminate any chance for her fellow Storm Lords to succeed her. Karmel Flood is a priest of the Chameleon, whose acolytes are able to turn invisible while not moving, and she and a companion are tasked to sabotage the Dragon Gate by Karmel's brother Caval, the high priest. Septia Kempis Parr is hot on the trail of an assassin with seemingly unconnected targets. Senar Sol is a Guardian who finds himself on the wrong side of a prison cell after stepping through a portal at the behest of the emperor, and he's thrust headfirst into Imerle's court following a mysterious summons of all the Storm Lords to the seat of the emira in Olaire. Agenta Webb is the daughter of a noble daughter of a tradelord in the Gilgamarian Ruling Council, and when her father's ship laden with valuable gems is attacked and raided by pirates, she finds herself also drawn into the great gathering of power in Olaire while attempting to find the perpetrating pirates. Unfortunately for all involved, the Storm Lords are not the only factions involved in plays for power and the game of thrones - gods do more than simply watch from above and races thought long-lost return with a vengeance.
There are several different types of novels when it comes to their similarity to the author’s inspired work, but the two most often used are those that unapologetically use a huge chunk of (if not all) of the ideas in terms of plot and characters of the inspired work, like Terry Brooks’s The Sword of Shannara, and then there are those that utilize the themes and feel of the inspiration but take it in a different way. Marc Turner’s Chronicle of the Exile is far closer to the latter than the former when it comes to its inspiration in Steven Erikson’s Malazan. When the Heavens Fall truly had a Malazan vibe to it in the way that the world, characters, and magic were described, but it sort of did its own thing with the plot. It wasn’t anything new or groundbreaking, but it didn’t need to be.
Turner continues on his own path in Dragon Hunters in giving us two things that are sorely lacking in much of modern fantasy: significant nautical action and dragons that aren’t skybound. While the entire novel doesn’t take place at sea, I have no reservations using the term nautical fantasy to describe it. The dragons are a great blend of majestic and vicious, and the Dragon Hunt is vividly depicted. There are of course varying opinions on the best way to describe magic, but I am all in favor of the way Erikson and Turner do it. Raw, powerful, and not necessarily specific in terms of its elemental charge. Magic in their worlds is often described as powerful waves of energy, utilizing words like coruscating to emphasize just what magic is: raw power. That’s not to say that Turner doesn’t have specific types of magic - there’s a scene with death magic that is easily one of the most visceral depictions of magic I’ve encountered - but that he’s versatile in his use of it.
The characters proved to be well-drawn as well, with some falling into archetypes and others not so much. At the outset I was slightly put off that we were getting another grizzled veteran Guardian who dwells on the loss of his master (Senar felt very similar to Luker of When the Heavens Fall), although while Senar did still fill the same archetype throughout, he also became easier to empathize with and therefore more likable as he gets caught in the middle of a conflict far over his pay grade. Kempis and his fellow watchmen went full Tehol and Bugg with their witty banter throughout their investigative hunt for the assassin. There's a definite feeling that every single character in Dragon Hunters is in over their head, including Imerle. The sense of foreboding and convergence that was pervasive throughout When the Heavens Fall returns in its sequel, and from what I've read and heard of the third title, Red Tide, something truly huge is coming.
It takes some time for Dragon Hunters to get going, but it's well worth the ride. Turner has shown versatility in his first two outings, with the first being a far more serious, grimdark novel and the second much more in the vein of adventure with some very well-placed humor. Whatever Turner does next with Red Tide, I'm on board.
http://abitterdraft.com/2016/07/dragon-hunters-by-marc-turner.html
Once a year, on Dragon Day, the Storm Lords hoist open the Dragon Gate to let one of the majestic, scaled beasts slip through into the Sabian Sea to be hunted by the water-mage Storm Lords. Emira Imerle Polivar, the current elected ruler of the Storm Lords, is nearing the end of her reign and naturally has no inclination to relinquish power any time soon. Dragon Day and the raising of the Dragon Gate proves to be the perfect chance to eliminate any chance for her fellow Storm Lords to succeed her. Karmel Flood is a priest of the Chameleon, whose acolytes are able to turn invisible while not moving, and she and a companion are tasked to sabotage the Dragon Gate by Karmel's brother Caval, the high priest. Septia Kempis Parr is hot on the trail of an assassin with seemingly unconnected targets. Senar Sol is a Guardian who finds himself on the wrong side of a prison cell after stepping through a portal at the behest of the emperor, and he's thrust headfirst into Imerle's court following a mysterious summons of all the Storm Lords to the seat of the emira in Olaire. Agenta Webb is the daughter of a noble daughter of a tradelord in the Gilgamarian Ruling Council, and when her father's ship laden with valuable gems is attacked and raided by pirates, she finds herself also drawn into the great gathering of power in Olaire while attempting to find the perpetrating pirates. Unfortunately for all involved, the Storm Lords are not the only factions involved in plays for power and the game of thrones - gods do more than simply watch from above and races thought long-lost return with a vengeance.
There are several different types of novels when it comes to their similarity to the author’s inspired work, but the two most often used are those that unapologetically use a huge chunk of (if not all) of the ideas in terms of plot and characters of the inspired work, like Terry Brooks’s The Sword of Shannara, and then there are those that utilize the themes and feel of the inspiration but take it in a different way. Marc Turner’s Chronicle of the Exile is far closer to the latter than the former when it comes to its inspiration in Steven Erikson’s Malazan. When the Heavens Fall truly had a Malazan vibe to it in the way that the world, characters, and magic were described, but it sort of did its own thing with the plot. It wasn’t anything new or groundbreaking, but it didn’t need to be.
Turner continues on his own path in Dragon Hunters in giving us two things that are sorely lacking in much of modern fantasy: significant nautical action and dragons that aren’t skybound. While the entire novel doesn’t take place at sea, I have no reservations using the term nautical fantasy to describe it. The dragons are a great blend of majestic and vicious, and the Dragon Hunt is vividly depicted. There are of course varying opinions on the best way to describe magic, but I am all in favor of the way Erikson and Turner do it. Raw, powerful, and not necessarily specific in terms of its elemental charge. Magic in their worlds is often described as powerful waves of energy, utilizing words like coruscating to emphasize just what magic is: raw power. That’s not to say that Turner doesn’t have specific types of magic - there’s a scene with death magic that is easily one of the most visceral depictions of magic I’ve encountered - but that he’s versatile in his use of it.
The characters proved to be well-drawn as well, with some falling into archetypes and others not so much. At the outset I was slightly put off that we were getting another grizzled veteran Guardian who dwells on the loss of his master (Senar felt very similar to Luker of When the Heavens Fall), although while Senar did still fill the same archetype throughout, he also became easier to empathize with and therefore more likable as he gets caught in the middle of a conflict far over his pay grade. Kempis and his fellow watchmen went full Tehol and Bugg with their witty banter throughout their investigative hunt for the assassin. There's a definite feeling that every single character in Dragon Hunters is in over their head, including Imerle. The sense of foreboding and convergence that was pervasive throughout When the Heavens Fall returns in its sequel, and from what I've read and heard of the third title, Red Tide, something truly huge is coming.
It takes some time for Dragon Hunters to get going, but it's well worth the ride. Turner has shown versatility in his first two outings, with the first being a far more serious, grimdark novel and the second much more in the vein of adventure with some very well-placed humor. Whatever Turner does next with Red Tide, I'm on board.
embem28's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book and the first. Great character depth and a good variety of main characters. Such an exciting read!
kitschbitsch's review
5.0
I loved this book, 2nd in the Chronicles of the Exile series but set in a different part of this world than the previous book 'When the Heavens Fall' although the set up is similar with about five or so separate storylines converging at the end of the tale.
Amazon blurb:
Once a year the Dragon Gate is raised to let a fabled beast pass into the Sabian Sea. There, the dragon will be hunted by the Storm Lords, a fellowship of powerful water-mages. Emira Imerle Polivar is coming to the end of her tenure as their leader, and has no intention of standing down. But Imerle is not the only one intent on destroying the Storm Lords, and when she sets her scheme in motion, that enemy uses the ensuing chaos to play its hand.
Amazon blurb:
Once a year the Dragon Gate is raised to let a fabled beast pass into the Sabian Sea. There, the dragon will be hunted by the Storm Lords, a fellowship of powerful water-mages. Emira Imerle Polivar is coming to the end of her tenure as their leader, and has no intention of standing down. But Imerle is not the only one intent on destroying the Storm Lords, and when she sets her scheme in motion, that enemy uses the ensuing chaos to play its hand.
mike_no1's review
4.0
Might have to reread this one as i was confused about who did what in the end.
Still had as many complex interactions as the first book and was action filled. At first i was underwhelmed with the many boats VS fish scenes but i really loved the "Stoneskinned" and their deal + Sniffer is awesome.
Still had as many complex interactions as the first book and was action filled. At first i was underwhelmed with the many boats VS fish scenes but i really loved the "Stoneskinned" and their deal + Sniffer is awesome.
marktimmony's review
4.0
Those of you who have read the preceding volume in this series – When the Heavens Fall – would be forgiven for wondering why this books has none of the characters from book one in it. The only connection between books one and two is the shadowy background presence of the emperor of Erin Elal, a character from the Guardians (like Luker in book one) and one scene with the Goddess known as the Spider.
So if you haven’t read book one you can start here and go back. Or just keep moving forward.
I’ve read some reviews that When the Heaven Fall as more ‘traditional fantasy and Dragon Hunters as more grimdark fantasy. I don’t see that at all. In my opinion Turner is writing neither traditional or grimdark fantasy, but it certainly epic fantasy.
Anyone who has read Steven Erickson’s Malazan Books of the Fallen – or has wanted to but been unable to get past Erickson’s steep learning curve – could easily find a home reading Turner’s work, which I find to be incredibly similar to the Malazan books but much more accessible. Don’t get me wrong, Turner is not copying Erickson – his story is very different and his world almost feels more like Essos, with some Westeros thrown in (Game of Thrones), but has a lot more magic and a meddlesome, greek-like pantheon of gods.
It also has a huge scope. There is a lot floating around in the background. This doesn’t detract from the main story, which focuses very much on the characters and their struggles and ambitions, but rather adds weight to realms and political machinations that are stage the tale is set upon. Also it is at the end of this novel that you finally get an idea of just what the series title ‘The Chronicles of the Exile‘ might be referring to – and I am eager to jump into book 3 to find out more!
Epic in scope and history, Turner writes books filled with characters who jump of the page and has a scene of pace and world-building that ranks him amongst the best fantasy writers around today in my books. This perfect for readers of Erickson, Martin and Staveley.
So if you haven’t read book one you can start here and go back. Or just keep moving forward.
I’ve read some reviews that When the Heaven Fall as more ‘traditional fantasy and Dragon Hunters as more grimdark fantasy. I don’t see that at all. In my opinion Turner is writing neither traditional or grimdark fantasy, but it certainly epic fantasy.
Anyone who has read Steven Erickson’s Malazan Books of the Fallen – or has wanted to but been unable to get past Erickson’s steep learning curve – could easily find a home reading Turner’s work, which I find to be incredibly similar to the Malazan books but much more accessible. Don’t get me wrong, Turner is not copying Erickson – his story is very different and his world almost feels more like Essos, with some Westeros thrown in (Game of Thrones), but has a lot more magic and a meddlesome, greek-like pantheon of gods.
It also has a huge scope. There is a lot floating around in the background. This doesn’t detract from the main story, which focuses very much on the characters and their struggles and ambitions, but rather adds weight to realms and political machinations that are stage the tale is set upon. Also it is at the end of this novel that you finally get an idea of just what the series title ‘The Chronicles of the Exile‘ might be referring to – and I am eager to jump into book 3 to find out more!
Epic in scope and history, Turner writes books filled with characters who jump of the page and has a scene of pace and world-building that ranks him amongst the best fantasy writers around today in my books. This perfect for readers of Erickson, Martin and Staveley.
obviousthings's review against another edition
DNF at page 309 (Dec. 2020). I just did not care anymore. The characters aren't likeable. 3/4 of the mains have the same personality - a little bit jaded, a little bit superior, fond of dark humour - and the 4th is mostly just naive.
It seemed like any time any of them faced an interesting situation or dilemma, it was either ignored or conveniently resolved without any effort. I also felt like most of the scenes in part 1 were just... people talking to each other. The main characters hardly do anything - stuff just happens to them, or other people tell them what to do. Even when the plot starts picking up, it seems like they only take action outside of the scenes written from their perspective.
Also, I was disappointed with the dragons when they finally showed up. I feel like a book with the word "dragon" in the title needs to be more about the dragons. From what I read, they mostly seem like a plot device.
It seemed like any time any of them faced an interesting situation or dilemma, it was either ignored or conveniently resolved without any effort. I also felt like most of the scenes in part 1 were just... people talking to each other. The main characters hardly do anything - stuff just happens to them, or other people tell them what to do. Even when the plot starts picking up, it seems like they only take action outside of the scenes written from their perspective.
Also, I was disappointed with the dragons when they finally showed up. I feel like a book with the word "dragon" in the title needs to be more about the dragons. From what I read, they mostly seem like a plot device.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny and Violence
Minor: Fatphobia and Sexual assault