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english_lady03's review
4.0
Wow. I rarely finish a book of this length in 2 days (well really a little over 2), but I had the time and inclination. I actually only read it because I agreed to be an early reader on the second book and wanted to catch up
I'm glad I did. Wind From the Wilderness really was a breathtaking, thrilling, rollercoaster of a ride through period of the First Crusade . Readers be prepared: this is not your typical Historical fiction. It has Time Travel, and evil sorcerer alongside the labyrinthine politics of the Medieval Near East.
Throughout it all out hero Lukas Bessarion must survive in a culture and time entirely alien to him, and endure a grueling trek through the mountains and deserts of Asia Minor with the armies of the Baron's Crusade, enduring battles, physical privations and bullying whilst trying to figure out a way to get home. As well as coming to terms with his feelings for the Turkish girl Ayra.
Oh, and he's also being chased by an evil harpy demon in the form of a vulture that brings death and misery in its wake, whilst trying to find out the identify of the mysterious group known as The Vowed, who may be tied up with the fate of his family.
There are battles and fights. The former of which are meticulously researched. Honestly, I think this has some of the best and most accurate descriptions of 11th century French battle tactics I've ever encountered in fiction. What's more it avoids an overly partisan view of the Crusades.
So many authors choose to depict the Franks and Western Christians in a one dimensional way, as greedy and stupid religious fanatics, whilst the Byzantines are long-suffering Saints and the Turks Enlightened humanitarians reluctantly driven to give up their pacifism.
If the complex motives and personalities are anything to go by the Byzantines, Armenians and Turks were truly about as bad as each other.
The only concerns I had were few, and mostly about the theological treatment of different religions (mostly the treatment of Islam and Christianity as essentially the same).
Apart from these though, Wind from the Wilderness is a truly magnificent read. Much recommended- and since its on SALE for only $0.99 right now, you can pick it up at a bargain price.
I'll be off the 3rd Crusade with Marta Bessarian's story in 'Lady of Kingdoms' soon.
I'm glad I did. Wind From the Wilderness really was a breathtaking, thrilling, rollercoaster of a ride through period of the First Crusade . Readers be prepared: this is not your typical Historical fiction. It has Time Travel, and evil sorcerer alongside the labyrinthine politics of the Medieval Near East.
Throughout it all out hero Lukas Bessarion must survive in a culture and time entirely alien to him, and endure a grueling trek through the mountains and deserts of Asia Minor with the armies of the Baron's Crusade, enduring battles, physical privations and bullying whilst trying to figure out a way to get home. As well as coming to terms with his feelings for the Turkish girl Ayra.
Oh, and he's also being chased by an evil harpy demon in the form of a vulture that brings death and misery in its wake, whilst trying to find out the identify of the mysterious group known as The Vowed, who may be tied up with the fate of his family.
There are battles and fights. The former of which are meticulously researched. Honestly, I think this has some of the best and most accurate descriptions of 11th century French battle tactics I've ever encountered in fiction. What's more it avoids an overly partisan view of the Crusades.
So many authors choose to depict the Franks and Western Christians in a one dimensional way, as greedy and stupid religious fanatics, whilst the Byzantines are long-suffering Saints and the Turks Enlightened humanitarians reluctantly driven to give up their pacifism.
If the complex motives and personalities are anything to go by the Byzantines, Armenians and Turks were truly about as bad as each other.
The only concerns I had were few, and mostly about the theological treatment of different religions (mostly the treatment of Islam and Christianity as essentially the same).
Apart from these though, Wind from the Wilderness is a truly magnificent read. Much recommended- and since its on SALE for only $0.99 right now, you can pick it up at a bargain price.
I'll be off the 3rd Crusade with Marta Bessarian's story in 'Lady of Kingdoms' soon.
crimsoncor's review
3.0
Totally here for fantasy set during the Crusades. The problem here is that the Crusades portion of this novel is so much better than the fantasy part. I'd have much rather spent more time with the actual political intrigue of the period which is captured so well than with the will they, won't they love story between the two main characters. Also, while .
Spoiler
if this was a generic fantasy world I wouldn't bat an eye, making the Arab characters the evil-worshiping magic users who have to be overcome by the pure Christian Watchers . . . definitely caused an eye-twitch or two.queenterribletimy's review against another edition
3.0
I've read A Wind from the Wilderness for SPFBO 6, in which it's a finalist. This review was originally published on Queen's Book Asylum along with the reviews of the rest of the team. Our collective rating is 7/10. My personal rating is 7 which amounts to 3.5*.
When the list of Finalists was out, A Wind from The Wilderness was the one I was most excited about (not including those books I’ve already read, obviously), as historical fiction is very much my jam (duhhhh). I didn’t quite know what to expect going in as I haven’t read reviews or the blurb, I wanted to be surprised. And though I ultimately enjoyed my experience with this book, I was left with quite a lot of mixed feelings.
A Wind from The Wilderness has three main plots: one involves Lukas, who finds himself in the future (well, future for him anyway), in 1097, during the time of the first crusade. All he wants to do is find a way home to his time and family so he could save them. The second involves Ayla, a young Turk girl, waiting for a worthy cause to fulfill a prophecy. And the third is the aforementioned crusade with Raymond Saint-Gilles in the thick of the events.
While I found the historical aspect of the book very interesting and very well written – it’s clear that Rowntree spent a huge amount of time on research -, I also think it kinda took away the spotlight from the main characters, and their stories. It was a much stronger and more refined plotline than the MCs’. Sometimes I felt that we got way too much about the crusade and their very slow progress toward Jerusalem and not enough about the background of the characters or other events. Especially in the light of how the book ended. At those times I felt the pace of the book dragging, while other times I could lose myself in the pages. It’s a pity Lukas and Ayla didn’t get more spotlight, which prevented me from really connect with them. Or care about them, really. Also, I think I would have preferred if Lukas and Ayla remained friends, their feelings for each other seemed a bit forced and not too unbelievable to me. Though, I appreciate how their relationship highlighted cultural differences and how they tried to overcome those.
If I voiced criticism for The Combat Codes regarding the absence of Fantasy elements, I think that I also have to mention that while in A Wind from The Wilderness there are supernatural elements (the vulture, the ritual, the way Ayla and Armen communicates, etc.) I could have done with some more. As well as answers – about the Watchers, the Vowed, about why they hate each other. Though we might get those answers in later installments.
A Wind from The Wilderness is a fine Historical Fiction novel, one that I’m sure many readers will enjoy. And for one, I’m glad we have such books among the SPFBO finalists this year. I think there are some missed opportunities in this one, but I happily got myself lost in this Middle-Eastern world, which was a nice change from all the European-based fantasies out there.
When the list of Finalists was out, A Wind from The Wilderness was the one I was most excited about (not including those books I’ve already read, obviously), as historical fiction is very much my jam (duhhhh). I didn’t quite know what to expect going in as I haven’t read reviews or the blurb, I wanted to be surprised. And though I ultimately enjoyed my experience with this book, I was left with quite a lot of mixed feelings.
A Wind from The Wilderness has three main plots: one involves Lukas, who finds himself in the future (well, future for him anyway), in 1097, during the time of the first crusade. All he wants to do is find a way home to his time and family so he could save them. The second involves Ayla, a young Turk girl, waiting for a worthy cause to fulfill a prophecy. And the third is the aforementioned crusade with Raymond Saint-Gilles in the thick of the events.
While I found the historical aspect of the book very interesting and very well written – it’s clear that Rowntree spent a huge amount of time on research -, I also think it kinda took away the spotlight from the main characters, and their stories. It was a much stronger and more refined plotline than the MCs’. Sometimes I felt that we got way too much about the crusade and their very slow progress toward Jerusalem and not enough about the background of the characters or other events. Especially in the light of how the book ended. At those times I felt the pace of the book dragging, while other times I could lose myself in the pages. It’s a pity Lukas and Ayla didn’t get more spotlight, which prevented me from really connect with them. Or care about them, really. Also, I think I would have preferred if Lukas and Ayla remained friends, their feelings for each other seemed a bit forced and not too unbelievable to me. Though, I appreciate how their relationship highlighted cultural differences and how they tried to overcome those.
If I voiced criticism for The Combat Codes regarding the absence of Fantasy elements, I think that I also have to mention that while in A Wind from The Wilderness there are supernatural elements (the vulture, the ritual, the way Ayla and Armen communicates, etc.) I could have done with some more. As well as answers – about the Watchers, the Vowed, about why they hate each other. Though we might get those answers in later installments.
A Wind from The Wilderness is a fine Historical Fiction novel, one that I’m sure many readers will enjoy. And for one, I’m glad we have such books among the SPFBO finalists this year. I think there are some missed opportunities in this one, but I happily got myself lost in this Middle-Eastern world, which was a nice change from all the European-based fantasies out there.
elihinze's review against another edition
5.0
When I saw the cover of this book, which is ridiculously gorgeous, I was intrigued. When I read the premise, I knew I needed more.
First off, the historical accuracy is astounding. I learned so much from this book just by osmosis alone. As someone who has written historical fantasy, let me tell you, that is not an easy feat. With western authors, you wonder if there will be biases in the portrayal of the Crusades, but I personally found none. The characters from both sides were sympathetic, and each side had its villains too.
The prose is very well honed, and even made things like the different time system they used (Vespers? Terce? Compline?) blend in without throwing me off.
I wondered how this book would resolve its many plot threads in time, because this is truly a sweeping historical epic and, even with 400+ pages I wondered how it’d cover everything. But it did, while still leaving room for it to pick up in future books. (A Conspiracy of Prophets, oh how I need you.)
The emotions in this book ran high. From Ayla’s internal struggles to Lukas’ hotheaded righteousness to Saint-Gilles’ quest for redemption to my complete and utter hatred for Evrard de Puiset, and so much more. Ugh.
I’m still reeling over how things ended, but when a book can punch me in the heart that hard while still inspiring hope and goodness, it deserves all the stars.
Do yourself (and your shelfies) a favor and pick up this book today.
First off, the historical accuracy is astounding. I learned so much from this book just by osmosis alone. As someone who has written historical fantasy, let me tell you, that is not an easy feat. With western authors, you wonder if there will be biases in the portrayal of the Crusades, but I personally found none. The characters from both sides were sympathetic, and each side had its villains too.
The prose is very well honed, and even made things like the different time system they used (Vespers? Terce? Compline?) blend in without throwing me off.
I wondered how this book would resolve its many plot threads in time, because this is truly a sweeping historical epic and, even with 400+ pages I wondered how it’d cover everything. But it did, while still leaving room for it to pick up in future books. (A Conspiracy of Prophets, oh how I need you.)
The emotions in this book ran high. From Ayla’s internal struggles to Lukas’ hotheaded righteousness to Saint-Gilles’ quest for redemption to my complete and utter hatred for Evrard de Puiset, and so much more. Ugh.
I’m still reeling over how things ended, but when a book can punch me in the heart that hard while still inspiring hope and goodness, it deserves all the stars.
Do yourself (and your shelfies) a favor and pick up this book today.
kitvaria_sarene's review
5.0
I had a bit of a problem getting into the prologue with A Wind from the Wilderness.
As soon as I got to the first chapter (and the second main character) I was hooked however.
I loved the time period and setting. I can't say I've remember any fantasy book there before!
I loved the female main character, and had a harder time to care for the male POV. But not as in him being badly written, rather in his attitude not being someone I personally click with easily. And the combination of the two just made the whole story feel more real to me.
The writing was beautiful, the plot intersting all the way, even though it is slow going and has quite some politics, which I'm not especially a fan of. The dialogues however where really well done, so I didn't mind the bickering between different factions but instead was glued to the pages.
The end was both exactly what I expected and yet surprising, and left me with that perfect "oh wow" feeling that keeps books in my head for years after I finished.
Highly recommended if you enjoy low magic alternate history with just some fantasy elements!
As soon as I got to the first chapter (and the second main character) I was hooked however.
I loved the time period and setting. I can't say I've remember any fantasy book there before!
I loved the female main character, and had a harder time to care for the male POV. But not as in him being badly written, rather in his attitude not being someone I personally click with easily. And the combination of the two just made the whole story feel more real to me.
The writing was beautiful, the plot intersting all the way, even though it is slow going and has quite some politics, which I'm not especially a fan of. The dialogues however where really well done, so I didn't mind the bickering between different factions but instead was glued to the pages.
The end was both exactly what I expected and yet surprising, and left me with that perfect "oh wow" feeling that keeps books in my head for years after I finished.
Highly recommended if you enjoy low magic alternate history with just some fantasy elements!
clairetrellahill's review
5.0
My reasonable review: this is a masterwork of incredibly researched historical fantasy fiction, with multiple povs, cool battle scenes, and three main characters that steal your heart in an astonishing way, amazing start to a series!!!
My emotional review: ASDFGHJKL;EIDBEIDNDISBCKGNDKSOJFJD!!!!!!! HOW DARE, MY EMOTIONS, also I need to lie down forever
Conclusion: IM UPSET
My emotional review: ASDFGHJKL;EIDBEIDNDISBCKGNDKSOJFJD!!!!!!! HOW DARE, MY EMOTIONS, also I need to lie down forever
Conclusion: IM UPSET
secre's review
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A Wind From the Wilderness is one of those books that is undeniably excellently written and researched, but just didn't quite do it for me. And whilst it is historical fantasy, I would say that the historical is the focus here rather than the fantasy. There are elements of fantasy including time travel, sorcery, magic communication bowls and spiritual aspects, these take a definite backseat to the descriptions of the crusades of the time period.
And that may have been part of my issue. I'm all for historical fantasy, but I like my fantasy elements to take the front seat unless I am already an avid fan of that period/cultural history or I know enough about the time period to easily immerse myself in it. Neither can be said for Syria in 636 or Constantinople in 1067, if I'm honest. And it just didn't resonate with me. Which is a me issue, not a book issue.
The other issue that I definitely had was with the pacing. This is a slow read. It's a mid-sized book at 400+ pages and it just didn't go anywhere fast. The opening was strong and caught my interest, but as you then follow the Pilgrimage through the journey, I just wanted things to get moving and they never really seemed to. If I'd have been able to immerse myself more in the setting, this might not have been such an issue, but as it stood it felt like there was a lot of politicking to no real end, journeying, and occasional fraught battle scenes that rarely actually brought the narrative forward.
What I did enjoy were the characterisations; both Ayla and Lukas are strong characters that you can see grow and develop as the novel progresses. There are a whole host of secondary characters, but they were largely individualistic enough that I never found myself confused by who was who. I particularly liked Count Saint-Gilles from the supporting cast, a strong-willed, battle-hardened, aging General who sees it as his mission to free Jerusalem from the heretics.
All in all, this is one of those novels that my head says is strong, but that I struggled to engage with on a personal level. If historical fiction is your forte, then I would definitely recommend this. It's certainly well written, if slow paced. If you're looking for a novel that is more fantasy though, this may not work for you.
And that may have been part of my issue. I'm all for historical fantasy, but I like my fantasy elements to take the front seat unless I am already an avid fan of that period/cultural history or I know enough about the time period to easily immerse myself in it. Neither can be said for Syria in 636 or Constantinople in 1067, if I'm honest. And it just didn't resonate with me. Which is a me issue, not a book issue.
The other issue that I definitely had was with the pacing. This is a slow read. It's a mid-sized book at 400+ pages and it just didn't go anywhere fast. The opening was strong and caught my interest, but as you then follow the Pilgrimage through the journey, I just wanted things to get moving and they never really seemed to. If I'd have been able to immerse myself more in the setting, this might not have been such an issue, but as it stood it felt like there was a lot of politicking to no real end, journeying, and occasional fraught battle scenes that rarely actually brought the narrative forward.
What I did enjoy were the characterisations; both Ayla and Lukas are strong characters that you can see grow and develop as the novel progresses. There are a whole host of secondary characters, but they were largely individualistic enough that I never found myself confused by who was who. I particularly liked Count Saint-Gilles from the supporting cast, a strong-willed, battle-hardened, aging General who sees it as his mission to free Jerusalem from the heretics.
All in all, this is one of those novels that my head says is strong, but that I struggled to engage with on a personal level. If historical fiction is your forte, then I would definitely recommend this. It's certainly well written, if slow paced. If you're looking for a novel that is more fantasy though, this may not work for you.
queenterribletimy's review
3.0
I've read A Wind from the Wilderness for SPFBO 6, in which it's a finalist. This review was originally published on Queen's Book Asylum along with the reviews of the rest of the team. Our collective rating is 7/10. My personal rating is 7 which amounts to 3.5*.
When the list of Finalists was out, A Wind from The Wilderness was the one I was most excited about (not including those books I’ve already read, obviously), as historical fiction is very much my jam (duhhhh). I didn’t quite know what to expect going in as I haven’t read reviews or the blurb, I wanted to be surprised. And though I ultimately enjoyed my experience with this book, I was left with quite a lot of mixed feelings.
A Wind from The Wilderness has three main plots: one involves Lukas, who finds himself in the future (well, future for him anyway), in 1097, during the time of the first crusade. All he wants to do is find a way home to his time and family so he could save them. The second involves Ayla, a young Turk girl, waiting for a worthy cause to fulfill a prophecy. And the third is the aforementioned crusade with Raymond Saint-Gilles in the thick of the events.
While I found the historical aspect of the book very interesting and very well written – it’s clear that Rowntree spent a huge amount of time on research -, I also think it kinda took away the spotlight from the main characters, and their stories. It was a much stronger and more refined plotline than the MCs’. Sometimes I felt that we got way too much about the crusade and their very slow progress toward Jerusalem and not enough about the background of the characters or other events. Especially in the light of how the book ended. At those times I felt the pace of the book dragging, while other times I could lose myself in the pages. It’s a pity Lukas and Ayla didn’t get more spotlight, which prevented me from really connect with them. Or care about them, really. Also, I think I would have preferred if Lukas and Ayla remained friends, their feelings for each other seemed a bit forced and not too unbelievable to me. Though, I appreciate how their relationship highlighted cultural differences and how they tried to overcome those.
If I voiced criticism for The Combat Codes regarding the absence of Fantasy elements, I think that I also have to mention that while in A Wind from The Wilderness there are supernatural elements (the vulture, the ritual, the way Ayla and Armen communicates, etc.) I could have done with some more. As well as answers – about the Watchers, the Vowed, about why they hate each other. Though we might get those answers in later installments.
A Wind from The Wilderness is a fine Historical Fiction novel, one that I’m sure many readers will enjoy. And for one, I’m glad we have such books among the SPFBO finalists this year. I think there are some missed opportunities in this one, but I happily got myself lost in this Middle-Eastern world, which was a nice change from all the European-based fantasies out there.
When the list of Finalists was out, A Wind from The Wilderness was the one I was most excited about (not including those books I’ve already read, obviously), as historical fiction is very much my jam (duhhhh). I didn’t quite know what to expect going in as I haven’t read reviews or the blurb, I wanted to be surprised. And though I ultimately enjoyed my experience with this book, I was left with quite a lot of mixed feelings.
A Wind from The Wilderness has three main plots: one involves Lukas, who finds himself in the future (well, future for him anyway), in 1097, during the time of the first crusade. All he wants to do is find a way home to his time and family so he could save them. The second involves Ayla, a young Turk girl, waiting for a worthy cause to fulfill a prophecy. And the third is the aforementioned crusade with Raymond Saint-Gilles in the thick of the events.
While I found the historical aspect of the book very interesting and very well written – it’s clear that Rowntree spent a huge amount of time on research -, I also think it kinda took away the spotlight from the main characters, and their stories. It was a much stronger and more refined plotline than the MCs’. Sometimes I felt that we got way too much about the crusade and their very slow progress toward Jerusalem and not enough about the background of the characters or other events. Especially in the light of how the book ended. At those times I felt the pace of the book dragging, while other times I could lose myself in the pages. It’s a pity Lukas and Ayla didn’t get more spotlight, which prevented me from really connect with them. Or care about them, really. Also, I think I would have preferred if Lukas and Ayla remained friends, their feelings for each other seemed a bit forced and not too unbelievable to me. Though, I appreciate how their relationship highlighted cultural differences and how they tried to overcome those.
If I voiced criticism for The Combat Codes regarding the absence of Fantasy elements, I think that I also have to mention that while in A Wind from The Wilderness there are supernatural elements (the vulture, the ritual, the way Ayla and Armen communicates, etc.) I could have done with some more. As well as answers – about the Watchers, the Vowed, about why they hate each other. Though we might get those answers in later installments.
A Wind from The Wilderness is a fine Historical Fiction novel, one that I’m sure many readers will enjoy. And for one, I’m glad we have such books among the SPFBO finalists this year. I think there are some missed opportunities in this one, but I happily got myself lost in this Middle-Eastern world, which was a nice change from all the European-based fantasies out there.
belle0216's review
It was just really hard to keep track of what was going on and I just wasn't invested in finishing the story.