The Hammer and the Blade (Egil and Nix #1)

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The Hammer and the Blade (Egil and Nix #1)

by Paul S. Kemp (Goodreads Author)

3.73 of 5 stars 3.73 · rating details · 356 ratings · 100 reviews

Egil and Nix, adventurers and swords for hire, are pulled into the dark schemes of a decadent family with a diabolical secret. A fast paced adventure redolent with the best of classic sword and sorcery tales.

File Under: Fantasy [ Swords | Hammers | Deadly Secrets | Time To Die ]

Paperback, 410 pages

Published June 26th 2012 by Angry Robot

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The Hammer and the Blade by Paul S. Kemp

The Hammer and the Blade (Egil and Nix #1)
by Paul S. Kemp (Goodreads Author)

A Tale of Egil and Nix

A fast paced adventure redolent with the best of classic sword and sorcery tales…

Kill the demon.

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Jan 16, 2013 Seak (Bryce L.) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-review, 2013

I've been hearing about Paul S. Kemp for a while now, mostly from his Forgotten Realms work with Erevis Cale trilogy, but (like usual) had never gotten around to reading his work. There's just so much time and so few books, am I right?

This last year, 2012 to be exact, Kemp comes out with a new book from Angry Robot who's more than generous with its review copies, so I figured why not?

The Hammer and the Blade is fast-paced buddy sword and sorcery that is part homage to the classics in this sub-ge...more

26 likes · like · see review

Apr 22, 2013 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I struggled "a little" with the rating here...3 or 4. This is another of the "famous" 3.5 books. It's very, very light reading (and there's nothing wrong with that) and at times I did kind of have a, "yeah, yeah get on with it" reaction. Still it's a good sword and sorcery read with bantering heroes and lots and lots and lots of action. There is the inevitable "trip to somewhere" that we seem to find in many stories of this type but Mr. Kemp does a pretty good job of keeping things jumping.

I mus...more

10 likes · like · see review

Apr 28, 2012 Lexie marked it as to-read

Shelves: genre-fantasy, book-type-arc, review-blog, 2012

Prelim Review: This has been a banner year for me as far as old-school fantasy adventurer novels go. I get to add THE HAMMER AND THE BLADE to the list and I'm certainly glad for it. In the simplest terms this book is about two friends (two somewhat shady, definitely reckless and utterly unrepentant in their derring-do's) who's one last heist before they retire to a semi-respectable life brings about unforeseen consequences to trouble their lives.

Nix is a master thief with a whole satchel of usef...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jul 23, 2012 Chelsea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, awesome-author, wizards-and-mages, indiana-jones-and-the, rogues, series-to-build, reviewed

What a fun romp this was!

Pros:

Excellent protagonists. Both Egil and Nix come alive on the page. Their dialogue and interplay is great, and the author really delivers a sense of their brotherly camaraderie.

The book overall balances humor within the dialogue. It's easy to allow a book to have a humorous tone overall, but often times when an author does this, the jokes can undercut dramatic tension. This is done simply by lending a feeling of insincerity to the entire book. If the protag is too...more

12 likes · like · see review

May 24, 2012 Stefan marked it as to-read

I have been a long time fan of Paul’s work since his first book from Wizards of the Coast and was fortunate enough to receive an eARC of The Hammer and The Blade from Angry Robots Books (release date June 26, 2012). I was very excited to read this one as Paul was able to bring his flair for dark, flawed characters to a world of his own creation. The Hammer and the Blade is swords and sorcery at its best.

The book opens with Nix the Quick, a thief with some talent for magic, and Egil, a priest of...more I have been a long time fan of Paul’s work since his first book from Wizards of the Coast and was fortunate enough to receive an eARC of The Hammer and The Blade from Angry Robots Books (release date June 26, 2012). I was very excited to read this one as Paul was able to bring his flair for dark, flawed characters to a world of his own creation. The Hammer and the Blade is swords and sorcery at its best.

The book opens with Nix the Quick, a thief with some talent for magic, and Egil, a priest of the Momentary god, robbing a tomb. The duo hope this will be their last adventure and plan to buy their favorite tavern and put their adventuring days behind them. The guardian of the tomb they kill is part of a pact between House Thyss and House Norristru and set in motion a chain of events that are the basis for the central plot of the book. Upon the arrival at their newly acquired tavern they are “convinced” to recover an artifact for Rakon, the head of House Norristru.

Egil and Nix are the perfect compliment to each other, Egil is slower to act, more introspective, but when he does speak it is usually profound. Nix, on the other hand has a tongue as sharp as his sword and quick to act, yet has secrets he keeps from his closest friend. Their witty and sarcastic banter give the reader a clue to how deep their friendship runs and makes you wonder about the adventures these two have experienced together.

The time period in which the book takes place marks a perfect place for the series. The stories that follow could be their previous adventures or a follow-up to this one. I personally would like to see the former, as I would love to know how Egil and Nix met. Paul drops a few hints about their past that wets the appetite for more.

Paul paints the characters, especially Egil and Nix, not in black in white but shades of gray. They are flawed and have done many things they regret and their reflections on these events, especially Nix, give greater depth to their characters. His villains are not the standard one-dimensional bad guys, but complex and compelling characters. Their motivations are understandable and even pitiable. I found myself drawn in by Rakon’s plight at the beginning of the book and then shocked by the lengths he would take to realize his goal.

I was highly entertained by this book and look forward to reading more. The next book in the series, A Discourse in Steel, will be available in 2013. While you are waiting for the June 26 release date you can check out Paul’s previous works. Erevis Cale, his signature character from Wizard of the Coast’s Forgotten realms, spans six books, and several short stories. He has also written several Star Wars books as well.

I give this book 5 stars and highly recommend it. The Hammer and the Blade is available for pre-order now.(less)

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Mar 31, 2013 Matt Dickson rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Hammer and the Blade is Paul S Kemp's love letter to Leiber and Moorcock, a fantastic entry into the sword and sorcery genre. At the surface, the story's protagonists, Egil and Nix, are grave-robbing adventurers with clear lineage drawn from that ill-met duo in Lankhmar: one is stoic and strong, and the other quick-witted and skilled. Their partnership is, like many stories that have come before it, based on the oddest of couples, a camaraderie that is forged from experiences in spite of obv...more The Hammer and the Blade is Paul S Kemp's love letter to Leiber and Moorcock, a fantastic entry into the sword and sorcery genre. At the surface, the story's protagonists, Egil and Nix, are grave-robbing adventurers with clear lineage drawn from that ill-met duo in Lankhmar: one is stoic and strong, and the other quick-witted and skilled. Their partnership is, like many stories that have come before it, based on the oddest of couples, a camaraderie that is forged from experiences in spite of obvious differences. Kemp weaves an honest and believable dialogue loaded with banter between the two throughout the tale. The action is frequent and well-visualized, composed with truly heart-pounding sequences, horrific monsters, environments dripping with historic detail, and enough magic to buy into the fantasy without overwhelming the story. There's also a subtler voice at work here than with Paul S Kemp's earlier published work, and more patient with the reader. The story invites you to continue reading.

And like the best of love letters, Kemp demands more of the subject. I was surprised by how well this book not only praised the genre, but also called out its greatest flaws - notably, the treatment of women by men in traditional sword and sorcery tales. This book is brave - probably the bravest fantasy I've read in years. In the span of a few chapters, the author manages to focus the view on the misogynistic nature of its specific genre, which the book clearly admires and is meant to emulate, and call out that nature's crude ignorance. For decades, I've been afraid to recommend the fantasy works of Robert E Howard or Fritz Leiber to friends and family members because of their depiction and victimization of women as a standard character practice. The heroes rescue the virgin from the beast, sacrifice, curse, mad king.... and then seek respite with the whore, bar wench, doomed lover.

Kemp puts this clear in the crosshairs, forces Egil and Nix to directly confront the weakness of their genre by confronting the weakness in themselves. It's pretty profound, and triggered an "oh, wow," moment. Seriously, my fiance heard it.

This was one of the moments that you have as a reader, when you are proud of the story. It happens rarely in fiction.

Which is why this is also probably my first written review.

I did wish that the we heard more from Egil (as the vast majority of the narrative is from Nix's perspective), if I could offer a criticism. Hopefully, there will be many, many more future Egil and Nix stories, and I will get that chance.(less)

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Dec 29, 2012 Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Normally I wouldn’t force myself to write a review for a book like Egil and Nix, but I received it as a Goodreads giveaway and so feel obliged to sum up my thoughts on this excellent little freebie. It’s a perfectly fine book, enjoyable and great in moments (as the titular Egil would no doubt appreciate) but with glaring flaws in others. All in all though this is a good romp through a new fantasy world, one that the author Paul S Kemp describes with just enough details to tantalise without going...more Normally I wouldn’t force myself to write a review for a book like Egil and Nix, but I received it as a Goodreads giveaway and so feel obliged to sum up my thoughts on this excellent little freebie. It’s a perfectly fine book, enjoyable and great in moments (as the titular Egil would no doubt appreciate) but with glaring flaws in others. All in all though this is a good romp through a new fantasy world, one that the author Paul S Kemp describes with just enough details to tantalise without going beyond what’s important to the plot.

The characters of Egil and Nix have clearly been well crafted, one strong and dour, the other with a mouth that just will not stop no matter the situation. Their chosen profession; tomb robbing, which is neither as glamorous or fun as Indiana Jones or Lara Croft would have you believe, but is at least lucrative. The story picks up with them on one final heist; break in, kill Demon guardian, take treasure and leave. This small insignificant act however leads to complications across the city and despite their best efforts to retire the two are forced back into service when the wizard Rakon poisons them with a spellworm that will kill them if they don’t do as he says. The plot is fairly fast moving and moves in a few unexpected directions, if a little thin. Beyond the half way point of the book there’s only one real surprise, but that’s inconsequential (and to be honest is only there to tease the eventual ending, which I’ll come back to). You read a story like this for the characters, and it’s to the authors credit that it remains engaging throughout.

My one concern is the conclusion. Normally, in a book like this, you’d expect the villain to get some comeuppance and I’m not one to usually be accused of being squeamish. The end did however disturb me, genuinely, and I can’t make up my mind whether I’m happy about this or not. As the characters note, just killing the villain would have been too clean, and when the entire plot was based around the threat of rape I should have realised we were treading on unstable ground. In the end I think the matter is treated with the respect it deserves, but I would warn anyone squeamish about the subject to consider where they stand.

All in all a fun diversion; a fantasy book where the end of the world or the fate of the kingdom isn’t at stake, just the livelihoods of two men and two women. It’s fast moving, witty, with some well written action sequences, and no ambitions to punch above its weight. Definitely recommended.(less)

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Sep 03, 2012 Ruth rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: spec-fic

C2012. FWFTB: warrior-priest, demon, thief, worshippers, sorcery.
Lots of exposure on the web and I finally saw it on the library catalogue.This is a light frothy tale with some gruesome bits.
I closed the book not really knowing whether I really liked it or just liked it. Possible typo on P67. I didn’t really like the use of the word “fak.” We are told that Mr Kemp is a lawyer but has also written several Star War novels and he has appeared on the New York Times Bestseller list. He does not seem...more

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Jul 09, 2012 A.E. Marling added it

Shelves: sword-sorcery

This story is 95% banter by dry weight. The other 5% is magical worms, which seems like a good balance to me.

If you love sword and sorcery, this book will shine your blade. The story includes a priest of “Moments,” the most sacred of which seems to be the times he's bludgeoning people with hammers. The protagonist is a thief with a smattering of magical talent and a mouth that couldn't even be quieted with a silencing spell. The two adventure into tombs guarded by demons and perilous traps, and...more

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Jun 26, 2012 Donna BookWorm rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Hammer and the Blade by Paul S. Kemp isn’t even out yet!

Plot Summary

The book follows Engil the Warrior Priest and Nix Fall the thief. Together they form an Indiana Jones/Brenden Frasier’s character in the Mummy type duo. They rely and help each other and together they make a really funny team. When they kill a demon they accidently piss off a man of the noble family who needed that demon to fulfill a pact that keeps his house in power. So then that noble kidnaps them and tells them that they...more

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Jan 05, 2013 David rated it 5 of 5 stars

A fan of the author from his Forgotten Realms and Star Wars novels I made this my first download on my new Kindle after Christmas. Exactly as advertised this is a "ripping good yarn" of the sword and sorcery variety. Egil and Nix are a great pair of characters, tomb raiders who are tired of the life and ready to move on to retirement and buying their favorite tavern. Egil is the only living priest of a minor god dedicated to living in each moment while Nix is a rogue who knows just enough magic...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Ala rated it 4 of 5 stars

If Locke Lamora and Indiana Jones had babies together, it'd probably be really weird and hella awkward.

But after the awkwardness faded you'd end up with some quick talking, ass-kicking, trap defying, grave robbing mofos.

And they shall be named Nix and Egil. The heroes of our tale.

These two characters have a bond and camaraderie that makes them feel more real than your usual fantasy hero. And they are what gives life to what could have been just another fantasy story. Their wisecracks and wit ma...more

15 likes · like · see review

Jan 08, 2013 James rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This was a surprise, and yet not a surprise. It was exactly what I was expecting, yet more than I was expecting. A great, yet not spectacular, Four Stars.

Plot : Four Stars

Two career tomb-robbers do one last job and defeat a demon, only to unwittingly send themselves down a path that will risk their lives and help them find themselves. Retiring from that last job to a newly bought 'shit-hole' pub, they are then coerced magically into accompanying a sorcerer as he attempts to sustain his power b...more

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Jun 04, 2013 Wyatt Packard rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

The Hammer and the Blade is your classic fantasy adventure novel. Egil and Nix are tomb robbers and adventurers. They are a bit clichéd and the thing that I liked about it was that they know and freely admit it. After robbing a tomb and killing a devil they decide that they are through with the adventure business and have decided to go respectable. So they went and bought a bar/brothel. Unfortunately right when they thought they were done, a group of solders show up and force them back in.

I thou...more

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Oct 25, 2012 Steve Moseley rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This book is pretty good, but it's just that I have read so many other books in this same genre that I liked a bit better than this book is why I only gave it three stars. Probably deserves 3 1/2 stars.

There a lot of good action in the story and the two main heroes of the story Nix and Egil are likable and at times funny. Nix is the main hero while Egil is his prophet straight man side kick. Actually, I liked Egil better with his dry sense of humor and his more serious demeanor and wished he had...more

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Sep 19, 2012 Dave Wagner rated it 3 of 5 stars

I should state that I did enjoy the book. It was a fun read, with a lot of good, often-amusing dialog. Plenty of imagination is on display within the covers of this book, and a good handful of memorable scenes. A healthy dose of fun magic helps to take the edge off of the admittedly (and awkwardly) dark story elements, involving rape, enslavement, and devilry. That may sound odd, but the book could have been much, much darker than it was. In the wrong hands, it could have easily devolved into th...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Steve Drew rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a great sword and sorcery read - a reminder of what I loved (and miss) about Fafhrd and The Grey Mouser. Adventure fantasy writing at its best.

I've really enjoyed Paul S. Kemp's writing over the years. He has been rightfully compared to Leiber, Doyle and Moorecock - all masters of exciting fantasy tales. Kemp brings wit and an irreverent, fun attitude to the equation that is uniquely his own style. His writing stood out in the Forgotten Realms world and it's great to see him carry that...more

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May 20, 2013 Josh Barron rated it 5 of 5 stars

Two tomb robbers, experienced ones at that, run into a fateful encounter with a demon that proves to have strong repercussions throughout the entirety of the novel. Egil and Nix are quite the pair as they are not only long time friends, but become partners in a rather lucrative business. All the good fantasy elements are there: dungeon delving, tense action, adventure, and suspense. However, there are elements that I did not classify in typical fantasy setting because most authors fail to achie...more Two tomb robbers, experienced ones at that, run into a fateful encounter with a demon that proves to have strong repercussions throughout the entirety of the novel. Egil and Nix are quite the pair as they are not only long time friends, but become partners in a rather lucrative business. All the good fantasy elements are there: dungeon delving, tense action, adventure, and suspense. However, there are elements that I did not classify in typical fantasy setting because most authors fail to achieve the one element that sets their novel apart from the competition... characters. Not just characters in a broad sense, but characters as fully realized, believable, and memorable beings.

Paul S. Kemp really has nice prose and a solid writing style, but his characters are always the driving force of his plots. In fantasy, all too often authors seek to immortalize their cast of heroes to the point where it follows that typical fantasy formula: good and evil is easily defined and the heroes solve the problem unscathed. You will not find that here. Paul paints a more realistic picture where good and evil resides within the choices each individual character makes. The heroes make poor choices that they later on have to face and the villains have certain motives that the reader can relate to. As for the good guys being unscathed, unique circumstances bring Egil and Nix in contact with the novel's antagonist. And I mean they are quite unique!

Another aspect that I discovered is that Paul approaches magic in a complete original way. I won't divulge exactly because that would ruin the surprise, but it is unique and I really like his approach. Magic is one thing that has been beaten to death in fantasy novels and largely unchanged for many decades. Paul's spin on magic makes it seem new and fresh. As a long time fantasy reader, I haven't had this much fun reading and honestly after reading Mr. Kemp's novels everything else is generic swill.

"The Hammer and the Blade" is dark fantasy, but mixed with a healthy dose of comedic dialogue and a gripping adventure that is laden with enough action to keep you turning the pages. So... if you are looking for a novel that is familiar, yet fresh and exciting then I suggest you get to your computer or local bookstore and grab this for you won't regret it.

And if you like the amazing cast and style of this book, then check out The Erevis Cale Trilogy and The Twilight War. His new Egil and Nix book "A Discourse in Steel" comes out in June 2013. Paul S. Kemp has also written books for the Star Wars novel line which includes "Crosscurrent", "Riptide", and "Deceived".
(less)

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Jun 12, 2012 Sven Nomadsson rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

For my first introduction to both Paul S Kemp and the Sword & Sorcery sub-genre I was pleasantly surprised by The Hammer and The Blade. It kept things simple and entertaining, holding true to everything that I’ve heard on the SF Signal Podcast in their discussions of what makes Sword & Sorcery a separate sub-genre.

Having read plenty of epic fantasy including the works of Robert Jordan, Robin Hobb, George RR Martin and JRR Tolkien and listened to the discussions on SF Signal, I wanted to...more For my first introduction to both Paul S Kemp and the Sword & Sorcery sub-genre I was pleasantly surprised by The Hammer and The Blade. It kept things simple and entertaining, holding true to everything that I’ve heard on the SF Signal Podcast in their discussions of what makes Sword & Sorcery a separate sub-genre.

Having read plenty of epic fantasy including the works of Robert Jordan, Robin Hobb, George RR Martin and JRR Tolkien and listened to the discussions on SF Signal, I wanted to get away from such stories.
As odd as this sounds, I wanted something more realistic. Realistic in the sense that the world isn’t always threatened, but that the status of individuals is being called into question, because more often than not that’s how things develop – it’s an issue I’ve leveraged against Star Wars as well. The only other books I’ve read that can be considered Sword & Sorcery are the original Drizzt Do’Urden trilogy and prequel trilogy. Even those I felt, at the time I was a teenager, were far more world spanning than is traditionally defined within the sub-genre.

Of course I didn’t know of the sub-genre at the time. It just lumped it all in as fantasy at the time. The Hammer and the Blade has disabused (like that word?) me of that notion. In just a few hundred pages Kemp has introduced two characters set them off on an adventure and resolved it. There may be repercussions down the line for them but not in this book.

As far as characters go, Egil and Nix are an interesting duo with their own dynamics. Kemp time and again clearly demonstrates that the two have known one another for years and are extremely comfortable working with each other through the use of banter but also those times when there is no conversation and the two just get to work. Individually, the characters show bits of their background, but never so much that it creates more interest for the reader than the immediate story.

Nix, being the blade, is not just fast with his sword but also his tongue. Or he is supposed to be. There are definitely times when he won’t shut up no matter how much good it would do him, but then other times where he says very little. As the point of view character it can be a little odd, given that his partner Egil is meant to be the strong silent type. Nix’s sass gets them into and out of trouble but it simply isn’t consistent and I hope Kemp realizes that for future books.

The Hammer and the Blade was entertaining and quick. I finished it within two days and enjoyed it throughout. If Kemp produces more stories of Egil & Nix then I’d happily read them and if anything his work has made me want to go off and read some of the original Howard Conan stories.

*Note: Copied from my blog at: http://worldwritsmall.wordpress.com/(less)

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Sep 16, 2012 Mark Neumayer rated it 4 of 5 stars

The book is a nice throwback of sorts to the rollicking adventures of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser - a fast-paced buddy adventure set in exotic fantasy realms. He hits on all of th elements one would expect from such a book. That sense of familiarity is what kept it from getting five stars. There weren't enough new elements to shake that sense of similarity to so much that I have read before.
The book also suffers from a big ending that can be seen coming from far away which robbed it of much of it...more

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Nov 28, 2012 Alex Ristea rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library, fantasy, standalone, mmpb

Full disclosure: I haven't read any of the "classic" sword & sorcery books like Moorcock, Lieber, or Howard, from which this book is heavily derived.

What a fun tale.

Imagine a fantasy buddy comedy. That's pretty much what The Hammer and the Blade is.

I did like the story, and the characters were fun to hang out with, but overall I gave it three stars because that's all it was: fun. I'm not sure if I would go back and re-read it, because I don't think I would gain anything new.

Also, a few small...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Jeffery Mace rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

A fun frolic by Paul Kemp. Humor, adventure, fun villians, monsters, and especially the heroes. Egil & Nix are a great duo here we are introduced to their antics and skills, hear a bit of the story in the past, and entertained by their exploits. Some of the best Sword & Sorcery I've read recently.

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Jul 08, 2012 Craig Meyer rated it 3 of 5 stars

THE HAMMER AND THE BLADE is a fun read. Paul S. Kemp strengths come out in this novel. His ability to write interesting characters that you can applaud or love to hate are in evidence with this book. The book has a great deal of promise as the first in a new series.

Why not four or five stars as a rating? THE HAMMER AND THE BLADE lacks background information. Paul S. Kemp has written mostly in the STAR WARS or FORGOTTEN REALMS universe. Both universes are well established in their histories, soci...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Joe Jones rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, favorite-books-published-in-2012, swordandsorcery

Sometimes you can go back again. As in old school Sword & Sorcery. Egil and Nix are a pair of adventurers who specialize in tomb raiding. After a run in with a particularly tough demon they decide to become respectible and buy a tavern/whorehouse. Of course nothing ever works out the way they plan and they quickly find themselves forced on yet another adventure, this time in the service of a sorceror.

You can't read this without thinking of Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser books whi...more

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May 24, 2012 Nathan Barker rated it 5 of 5 stars

I grew up reading classic sword & sorcery fantasy. Lin Carter, Fritz Leiber, Michael Moorcock, Robert E. Howard. Sword and Sorcery was by no means the only thing I read but one of my favorite subgenres. In later years, I read R. A. Salvatore, Weis & Hickman's Dragonlance, Gygax's Gord The Rogue series and many more.

Paul S. Kemp's upcoming novel The Hammer and the Blade owes much to Leiber's Fafhrd & The Grey Mouser stories but stands up against them nicely. This is classic Sword &...more

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Feb 27, 2013 Jeff rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sf-fantasy

My most favorite fantasy stories are probability best described as "sword and sorcery" tales. Stories like Conan the Barbarian by Howard and Elric sagas by Michael Moorcock are my most favorite. This story with Egil and Nix by Paul Kemp falls squarely within the likes of those.
Nothing fancy here but a good old rollicking adventure story that is just plain fun to read. This story starts in a musty tomb with dangers right out of Indiana Jones and the action never stops as Egil and Nix unknowing...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Loopychicken rated it 2 of 5 stars

Let's be clear here, since this issue keeps coming up with this book: This isn't Leiber, and it sure as hell isn't Robert E. Howard.

Much like with the recent Scourge of the Betrayer, many of the the 5-star reviews are coming from people with advanced reading copies who want to keep the publisher's bread buttered so they can continue to receive free books. Much like a 1-star review, you just can't trust a 5-star reviewer any more.

Having said that, this is an semi-enjoyable light read that skirts...more Let's be clear here, since this issue keeps coming up with this book: This isn't Leiber, and it sure as hell isn't Robert E. Howard.

Much like with the recent Scourge of the Betrayer, many of the the 5-star reviews are coming from people with advanced reading copies who want to keep the publisher's bread buttered so they can continue to receive free books. Much like a 1-star review, you just can't trust a 5-star reviewer any more.

Having said that, this is an semi-enjoyable light read that skirts around traditional sword-and-sorcery, but somehow manages to omit most of the elements that make sword-and-sorcery great. It's more akin to (but somewhat better than) your average Forgotten Realms novel (which tends to have a penchant of mediocrity), yet often times falls into the same pitfalls of said novels by thinking that an over abundance of action is an acceptable substitute for plot and/or character development.

The beginning is much stronger than the ending, which makes for a disappointing adventure when you're enjoying the book less and less with each page turned. In the end, I didn't really care what happened to Egil and Nix. Their lighthearted nature, which is ever present in even the most deadly of situations, diminishes the gravity of the situations they find themselves in, and makes the reader feel as though they are never really in any danger. In the beginning, this witty banter is slightly amusing, but by the middle of the book, it becomes apparent that Kemp can't write a serious scene with serious dialog in the book. The book is missing the key element of sword-and-socery, which is suspense being ever-present.

While I do (mostly) like Kemp's writing style, it does suffer greatly by being the kind of writing you're most apt to read when you have nothing better to do... it just isn't transcendent or lasting or even memorable. Kemp is the instant mac-and-cheese of the fantasy literary world; his books are quick, easy, and your kids will probably love them.... but they're not particularly good, and they will probably make you constipated. His storytelling is like that first and second bite of Spagetti O's that you love, then your stomach churns and you look in your bowl regretfully, wondering if you have the stamina to finish the rest.

While those may sound like harsh criticisms, the fact is there is a time and place for that kind of writing, and I'd like to see Kemp keep the kiddie stuff in the Forgotten Realms/Star wars books, and get a little more serious in his own crafted world.

Given Egil and Nix are oftentimes likened to (erroneously, in my opinion) Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, it would be nice for Kemp to go (re)read some Howard and Leiber and try to gleen some elements from their storytelling that make those stories as good today as when they were written. Rather than continue to write stories like this that are an "ok" romp through a dungeon complete with quirky and juvenile jokes and innuendos (e.g. Slick Tunnel being the name of the whorehouse in the book, among numerous others) that often times fall flat, and which will be forgotten by next year, why not try to write something a little more serious and stable... especially if you're working in your own world, as Kemp has done with this one? Now that I think about it, this book is more of a parody of sword-and-sorcery, than anything.

Kemp says if you've liked his other books, you'll like this one. My take on that is you'll probably have the same opinion of this book as you've had of his other books, given they're essentially the same story. Or in other words, if you've previously liked vanilla, then you'll probably continue to like vanilla. What I'd like from Kemp in the future is a little more Black Sabbath, and a little less Kenny G.

In the end, if you've recently read your Howard stories, and you're waiting on Abercrombie's upcoming release of Red Country, then go read and reread George Martin, but pick this up too, so you have something to read on the toilet.

Recommended for those who enjoy a light fantasy that doesn't take itself seriously (at all), but only after you've read the authors who came before who did it a whole lot better.

(less)

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Jul 26, 2012 Alan Dehaan rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Fantasy, Fans of Gritty Fantasy, Fans of Indiana Jones-Style Adventures

Recommended to Alan by: Paul Kemp

Shelves: favorites

I have been a fan of Paul S. Kemp's since his first Erevis Cale short story appeared in The Halls Of Stormweather. As with many practitioners of the art of writing it seemed as if every book he released was improved upon the last. And it continued this way through Shadowrealm. Unfortunately for me, the next set of novels he wrote were in the Star Wars Expanded Universe and I do not truly enjoy Star Wars so with some trepidation and a load of guilt I avoided them.

When he announced he was working...more I have been a fan of Paul S. Kemp's since his first Erevis Cale short story appeared in The Halls Of Stormweather. As with many practitioners of the art of writing it seemed as if every book he released was improved upon the last. And it continued this way through Shadowrealm. Unfortunately for me, the next set of novels he wrote were in the Star Wars Expanded Universe and I do not truly enjoy Star Wars so with some trepidation and a load of guilt I avoided them.

When he announced he was working on a new novel in a setting of his own making I was overjoyed. I have been on record in the past as stating I would love to see what Mr. Kemp could do with his own world-building. Once he announced a plea for fans to pre-order his work on Amazon to show support I quickly joined in as if pre-ordering would alleviate the guilt I felt for not supporting an author I so enjoyed when he moved on to other works.

So all that being said as a preamble, the short-form of the review is this: 'Forgive me O Author for I have sinned, and I will now seek out your previous novels that I have avoided for I had indeed forgotten how much talent your fingertips can evoke.'

This work was very strong. Mr. Kemp is a descriptive writer but is not dry with it. His words can draw you into a scene and make you see every last thing that is going on in them. His words are like a brush upon the canvas of your imagination.

Upon the opening Prologue, which featured a pair of adventurers on what they were deciding was their last tomb-robbery, I found myself getting drawn in. To their brief attempt at business-running through to the long caravan trip in the wastes I was drawn in on the descriptions and the adventure.

Then came the tomb towards the end. Vivid and well thought out, a good edit and refreshing of the idea of a fantasy 'dungeon'.

Now as it may have been noticed, I gave this work 5 stars. This does not mean it is flawless in my eyes. There are two main issues that I felt could have been improved. The first is that we knew too much of the villain's motivations and plans while the main character was kept in the dark.

This is a taste issue, of course, but I prefer to be in a similar space as the Main Character unless it's one of those mysteries they never find out and it enhances the story. While having several pages follow the main villain around did much to characterize him and his family in a positive way, I felt as if I learned too much.

Secondarily, and once again this is a taste issue, for a work sub-titled 'A Tale of Egil & Nix' and that Egil is the foremost character on the cover he actually takes a backseat in the work. Nix is the main Point-of-View character and I felt as if it should be balanced. Of course, due to some of the pain in Egil's back-story and how not everything is fully explained I think there is probably an authorial reason for it. And it is a taste issue, as I said, but it still stuck out to me.

There is a minor issue as well, and as with all things it is one of taste. There is faux-swearing in this novel, with "Fak" substituting for a word that is stronger yet rather prevalent in American culture. I am unsure if this was an editorial decision or if it was authorial intent, but I do dislike the 'Fak' and 'Frack' and 'Frick' and others of that nature. It causes to take me out of the work.

Having quantified those, however, I maintain this is a very strong novel. There is a strong character arc in it for Nix and I can see how, if the author is both able to and desires to do more works, this can be expanded upon. But be warned, the subject matter is strong in this work and it is grittier than many are used to coming from a Fantasy novel and so you may want to get a hold of a lighter book as a palate cleanser for after you are finished.(less)

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Jul 13, 2012 Jefferson Smith rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fantasy

A decent yarn from front to back - a light tale, well told and with a wry sense of humour that held my attention. Ultimately though, a bit thin for my tastes. Much was hinted at about the the society in which our stalwart heroes sell their wares, and about the older cultures whose tombs them, but these were teases only. Not enough was provided to make them seem real. The rapport between Nix and Egil was enjoyable, but again, hints of depth without quite giving enough. The magic system was fairly...more

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Jul 17, 2012 David Traver Adolphus rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: old-school-fantasy

Thoroughly enjoyable. Not quite a throwback, but definitely in the manner of Fritz Leiber. The author has written mostly Forgotten Realms books and I think that shows--he doesn't really stretch himself and the plot is very linear. I was also a little unhappy with the tremendous abuse heaped on the protagonists; and the way they shrugged it off. I'd find myself asking, "Wait a minute, wasn't he stabbed a minute ago? What happened to that?" There's also a fairly major subplot that goes nowhere at...more

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Sword & Sorce...: [Series] Egil and Nix	9	21	May 23, 2013 05:25am
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About Paul S. Kemp

Bestselling speculative fiction author, creator of Egil and Nix, Erevis Cale, drinker of scotch, smoker of cigars, amiable dude. :-)

More about Paul S. Kemp...

Books by Paul S. Kemp

Resurrection (Forgotten Realms: War of the Spider Queen, #6)

Deceived (Star Wars: The Old Republic, #2)

Twilight Falling (Forgotten Realms: Erevis Cale, #1)

Midnight's Mask (Forgotten Realms: Erevis Cale, #3)

Shadowbred (Forgotten Realms: The Twilight War, #1)

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The Hammer and the Blade (Egil and Nix #1)

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