Review - Gates of Hope by JE Hannaford

 

This is my first review of the SPFBO X competition finalists books. Gates of Hope by JE Hannaford is an engaging story with more than a dash of the fantasy epic about it. There is a deceptively large amount of world-building behind it within the land of Caldera. It is dominated by craters after an event called The Rending, in which people dwell in areas named semiclaves. Their world is bound up with the ancient history of the Aulirean Gates, and conflict with the race called awldrin, which sealed the gates closed. And beyond their settled areas, the Edgelands and threats like the dangerous flying xotryl creatures are encroaching 

It follows the viewpoints of three main characters. Darin is a young man who finds himself apprenticed as a So'Dal, an organisation of magical healers whose abilities centre around the use of special plants. However, he finds himself also bonded to a moonhound, enchanted beasts with the power to communicate telepathically and walk through dreams. And when Darin then finds himself involved with a hidden, elite group of men, his adventures truly begin. 

Suriin is also a young apprentice So'Dal on the same world. She must deal with the fate of her father who was unfortunately poisoned while on a journey. Suriin's impetuous nature and good intentions affect a difficult choice she must make. Lastly, the third POV character, Elissa, is from a separate world, Tebein, which has been harshly oppressed by the sinister race of the awldrin. Her decision to leave her harsh home community of DragonsBreath to join another society, based on harmony and understanding, has tragic but also, ultimately hopeful consequences. 

I found the magic system of Gates of Hope unusual, based as it is around music, dreams, plants, wefts and...whistles?! The story and characters are engaging, and the moments of youthful elation we experience with Suriin and Darin were some of the most enjoyable for me. But I also thought it could have done better with some more driving plot force and momentum. There were some sections that seemed a bit indulgently cosy, and rather a lot of time is spent on the characters' own inner thoughts and musings. Anyway, it's a promising start to a series.

Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)

⭐⭐⭐

Review - Warlords of Wyrdwood by RJ Barker

 

Book two of RJ Barker's Forsaken series shifts us deeper in to the fascinating world of Crua. Once more we get superb fantasy world-building, and this is a more polished, shorter, stronger book than the first. A warning that this review contains many spoilers, so if that's something you want to avoid, stop reading now!

The story begins with the fate of Udinny (the monk of the virtuous god, Ranya) who we learn after her death has crossed over into a spirit world. There she faces a wide range of trials and adventures in her mission as a servant of Ranya. Then we are moved back to Cahan and the villagers of Harn, faced with the continued threat of the Rai and their forces. They battle to flee their original village, then make a long trek into Wyrdwood. There they establish a new village with the aid of the Forestals. This is until they are betrayed by Sorha, the former Rai vanquished earlier by Cahan, who out of revenge leads their enemies to them. Sorha once again struggles with hatred and her former desires in her life as a Rai, and also uses her talent as a 'duller' who can negate others' powers.

At a certain point, some of the chapters take the viewpoint of Ont, previously one of the most pig-headed, close minded characters of the first book. He has now been redeemed, and in the unlikeliest of happenings he is transformed into an enlightened monk of Ranya. He proves himself brave, seeks after wisdom and even becomes a leader (in a way) of the village of New Harn.

We are also introduced now to Dassit, a trunk leader of the southern Red army of the Rai, the losing side. Over time, we learn that her character is that of a world-weary soldier, embittered by experience, who genuinely cares for her troops and their struggle for survival. She has long relied on her second-in-command, Vir, and together they try to prepare for and fend off the siege of a doomed town.

It is soon after at a pivotal section of the book that several different groups of characters learn about the true nature of the taffistones, and how their network allows magical travel between locations. They are led through the stones to the hidden city of the Forestals, Woodhome. There, Venn, the character whose nature is a special case as a trion, learns from the Forestals' Lens group the true extent of their powers as a 'conduit'.

Cahan once more struggles with his increasing feelings for Furin, the Leoric of the village. This time it is because in an earlier battle he succumbed to a temptation to draw power from bluevein of the forest, meaning he could now drain energy from anyone just by touch. It is a corrupt power source which proves to be uncontrollable for him, and whose origin it is revealed is linked to the dark god, Zorir. When Furin is captured, Cahan and his supporters must make a bid to rescue her from death at a rendezvous point, near to the enchanted Slowlands.

The sinisterly obsessed Skua-Rai of the northern Rai, Saradis, plots with Sorha to trap Cahan by using Furin as bait. Meanwhile, it is revealed Saradis has been corrupting the imprisoned Cowl-Rai, Nahac (also Cahan's sister), whom she has driven into suffering and madness. Saradis is a fanatically devoted servant of the dark god, Zorir, who seeks the end of the world. But things do not go exactly according to Saradis' plan, as both Cahan and Sorha are plummetted down a crevasse into a dark underworld. There they find themselves in the mysterious city of legend, Anjin, where they encounter the blind Osere. These creatures are not as previously thought, i.e. not demons, and together Sorha and Cahan travel with them until they are forced into a final battle with Zorir, the god himself. Zorir has been trying to trap and use Cahan's power by dragging him into the dark ruins underground. Unfortunately, in the end Zorir is able to capture Cahan and exploits his power, using it to ascend to the over-world. All looks dark! Now Zorir needs only Venn, the final part in his diabolical plan...

My favourite characters this time around were Dassit and Ont. Ont, while pursuing a new course as a monk, finds himself in a burgeoning relationship with Ania, the Forestal. The most heart-wrenching chapter of the whole book is without doubt the one where Ont awakens and finds the tragic extent of his injuries: he has been cruelly injured and blinded.

The revelations we get about the world of Crua are definitely what keep me reading: the nature of blue vein, the god Zorir, the roots of the cloudtrees, the myth of the Star Path, the Hetton, the background of the Forestals, the Osere and the holy city of Anjin. I also particularly enjoyed the more taut writing style of this installment, and its tone which can vary from the magically metaphysical with Udinny's journey to short, vibrant bursts of phrases in the battle and chase scenes. Once more, the atmospheric setting of Wyrdwood radiates throughout, and also that of the shadowy underworld of the Osere. And the plot and the experiences of the main characters get more disturbing as we get caught up in all of it: a sign of dark fantasy working at its best.

Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐