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Title: The Dark Glory War (A Prelude to the DragonCrown War Cycle) by MICHAEL A. STACKPOLE ISBN: 0-553-57807-3 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 29 February, 2000 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.33 (57 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Much Better than I Expected or Could Hope for!
Comment: When I picked up this book at an airport, I must admit to having very limited expectations. I really loved Stackpole's X-Wing books, but I had never read any of his fantasy novels. The beginning of the book was interesting and yet, it took me a little bit of time to get into the flow of the book. Stackpole writes at a fast pace, which means that much of the background and exposition is not immediately discussed or if it is, it is brushed over. Some writers, for example, take eons to advance the plot of the book because they are focusing on describing the fantasy world in which the character lives. Stackpole doesn't give you all the information you need up front; he doles it out as needed. The result is that it took me a while to get a sense for Stackpole's world.
Well, I expected this book to be little more than a typical coming of age fantasy story a la the Belgariad or the Wheel of Time series. Although there are similar elements, man was I wrong!
Dark Glory War is awesome! Stackpole has crafted a fast paced, exciting adventure book in a style reminescent of Saberhagen's Book of Swords series. Dark Glory centers around three friends, each with their own distinct personalities and battle skills. Without hitting the reader of the head with their differences (Stackpole has a knack for conveying personalities in concise descriptions of clothing, mannerisms, and with very exact and appropriate dialogue), these three young men grow and develop as strong characters literally right before your eyes.
Stackpole has created a vibrant society full of endless possibilities. The main characters, Hawkins, Nay, and Leigh, live in a country where certain members of the society wear face masks (hence the cover art). On the night of their "coming out" party, they are suddenly thrust into a series of events which lead them accross borders, into massive land and sea battles, and to one absolutely kickin' ending. For fantasy action fans, if you like R.A. Salvatore, you'll love Stackpole!
So, what are you doing still reading this review? Go ahead and buy it! Dark Glory War was one of the most pleasant reading surprises I've had in a very long time.
Rating: 5
Summary: Wow! Original well written Fantasy!
Comment: I started reading Mike Stackpole's Star Wars books, and have since branched out into his original fantasy works. I have found all of his books to be quite good, and this one is no exception, in fact it is one of his best. It starts with the coming of age celebration of young Tarrent Hawkins. It ends many months (and battles) later, with everything we expect from Stackpole (and more), in between. We get to know Hawkins very well, as the story is told in the first person. Stackpole puts this device to good use, giving us his every thought on the characters and events, along with some heavy foreshadowing from the 'older' narrator. This really gives a sense of impending doom to the whole book, there is a LOT of tension here, for you can see from the first few chapters, that no character is safe, this is the real world here. As a result of this, the suspense and the enjoyment are really high. Another great thing is the originality of the work. Most Fantasy books are a rework of 5 or 6 different themes, most LOTR based. While this does 'borrow' some theme's and idea's from Tolkien's masterpiece, it is in a very reverential way. This is not ripping off genius, it is honoring it. Do not expect this to be Middle Earth, it is a VERY original world, entirely of Stackpole's own creation. While the customs and history are entirely new, everything is given to the reader in a way that we have enough information to be able to know what is going on, while not being overloaded. This corrects one of the problems in Eyes of Silver, which while a great book, was not one you understood up to the 150th page. I think the 1st person really helps in that regard. While we are treated to all the elements of first class fantasy, strange creatures and locals, adventure adventure adventure, we also get Stackpole's trademark style, friendship, laughs, and a bit of romance. Notice, that this is the lead book of a group, and as such not all is wrapped up. There is one big loose end at the last few chapters, and the last page is enough to give me the chills. The tension level is high, and anybody that reads this will not be able to help picking up the next one. I am quite confident that the rest of the books will live true to the high mark set here. This is really and truly first class fantay, highest recomendation. 5/5 stars.
Rating: 4
Summary: good prelude to what might be a decent series [no spoilers]
Comment: 'The Dark Glory War" is the prelude novel in The DragonCrown War Cycle series. It is an entertaining book filled with creative battles and entertaining people. The characters are reasonably believable and the environment descriptions are detailed.
Although the mask that certain cultures wear is an unusual concept, I am not fond of it since a good smack could dislodge the mask to blind the person during combat. Various monsters seem to be hybrid or typical fantasy creatures with different classifications. Also, there are some moments where a physical description is challenging to envision.
Aside from the above aggravations, overall the book was good and I would recommend it. The ending was a shock. I look forward to continuing the series.
Thank you.
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Title: Fortress Draconis (The DragonCrown War Cycle, Book 1) by MICHAEL A. STACKPOLE ISBN: 0553379194 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 27 November, 2001 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: When Dragons Rage (The Dragoncrown War Cycle, Book 2) by Michael A. Stackpole ISBN: 0553379208 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 26 November, 2002 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: The Grand Crusade (The DragonCrown War Cycle, Book 3) by MICHAEL A. STACKPOLE ISBN: 0553379216 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 30 December, 2003 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: Talion : Revenant by Michael A. Stackpole ISBN: 0553576569 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 31 March, 1997 List Price(USD): $6.50 |
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Title: A Hero Born (Realms of Chaos: The First Book) by Michael A. Stackpole ISBN: 0061056804 Publisher: Eos Pub. Date: 01 May, 1997 List Price(USD): $5.99 |
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