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A Guile of Dragons (A Tournament of Shadows #1)
by
James Enge
It’s dwarves vs dragons in this origin story for Enge’s signature character, Morlock Ambrosius!
Before history began, the dwarves of Thrymhaiam fought against the dragons as the Longest War raged in the deep roads beneath the Northhold. Now the dragons have returned, allied with the dead kings of Cor and backed by the masked gods of Fate and Chaos.
The dwarves are cut cut o...more
Before history began, the dwarves of Thrymhaiam fought against the dragons as the Longest War raged in the deep roads beneath the Northhold. Now the dragons have returned, allied with the dead kings of Cor and backed by the masked gods of Fate and Chaos.
The dwarves are cut cut o...more
Paperback, 280 pages
Published
August 24th 2012
by Pyr
(first published August 21st 2012)
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Morlock Ambrosius, son of Merlin and Nimue from the Arthurian legends, has a crooked shoulder, a resistance to fire and a dark pysche that probably would result in a 21st century prescription for Welbutrin.
He returns in “Guile of Dragons” (Pyr, $17.95, 278 pages), which is book one of the Tournament of Shadows, and which appears to be James Enge’s backstory for the Morlock readers have encountered in three previous books. This is all good news, for Enge is a more than capable writer and Morlock...more
He returns in “Guile of Dragons” (Pyr, $17.95, 278 pages), which is book one of the Tournament of Shadows, and which appears to be James Enge’s backstory for the Morlock readers have encountered in three previous books. This is all good news, for Enge is a more than capable writer and Morlock...more
Okay, this was a weird book. *Damn* weird. It covers the birth, childhood, and young-adulthood of Morlock Ambrosius, so it acts as (part one of) a prequel to the previous Morlock books. But, here's the thing, it turns out Morlock was raised by dwarves. (Maybe this was mentioned earlier, but I forgot.) Dwarves have a complex culture and history, and the humans in that world *also* have a complex culture and history, and none of this history overlaps ours at all, and the upshot is that we're readi...more
High Fantasy often faces the criticism that it is a poor reflection of the works that have gone before it, most notably Tolkien. By employing the same basic mythos with a highly Western European (and generally, British) composition, many chide that too much of fantasy falls into this trap and needs to be refreshed with something edgier, or something more original. The end result is generally a poor facsimile that inevitably fails to shine in comparison.
"A Guile of Dragons" is not some mere copy....more
"A Guile of Dragons" is not some mere copy....more
The plot is quick moving; readers might just have to swallow some confusion along the way. Coupled with Enge’s fantastic prose, the pages will probably turn themselves. A Guile of Dragons isn’t long, but it is quite amazing to see how much the author packed into its pages – from incredible world building, to fantastic (if haunted) characters, complex history and some traditional fantasy elements that will put readers in the mind of the fantasy greats. A Guile of Dragons truly proves that a book...more
This book was reviewed by Michael Cummings, senior reviewer with the Fantasy Book Addict.
High Fantasy often faces the criticism that it is a poor reflection of the works that have gone before it, most notably Tolkien. By employing the same basic mythos with a highly Western European (and generally, British) composition, many chide that too much of fantasy falls into this trap and needs to be refreshed with something edgier, or something more original. The end result is generally a poor facsimile...more
High Fantasy often faces the criticism that it is a poor reflection of the works that have gone before it, most notably Tolkien. By employing the same basic mythos with a highly Western European (and generally, British) composition, many chide that too much of fantasy falls into this trap and needs to be refreshed with something edgier, or something more original. The end result is generally a poor facsimile...more
I finished it. Read the whole thing. But... meh.
Would have liked it better had it been either a story steeped in the Merlin/Arthurian legend, OR a completely unique fantasy story. But as it was, the whole Merlin/Nimue angle seemed lazy, a cop-out. This was fanfic, starting with existing, well known characters so the author didn't need to bother creating his own backstory for his world.
And it could have been such a good world! But... trying to keep tying in the Merlin story just held it back. Di...more
Would have liked it better had it been either a story steeped in the Merlin/Arthurian legend, OR a completely unique fantasy story. But as it was, the whole Merlin/Nimue angle seemed lazy, a cop-out. This was fanfic, starting with existing, well known characters so the author didn't need to bother creating his own backstory for his world.
And it could have been such a good world! But... trying to keep tying in the Merlin story just held it back. Di...more
A Guile of Dragons by James Enge features the return of Morlock Ambrosius though not in quite the same way as the previous novel, The Wolf Age. I rather loved the The Wolf Age with the fantastic character of Morlock and an original and fascinating setting it was a high water mark for the first three Morlock novels. A Guile of Dragons takes things back to the start detailing the birth and rise of Morlock Ambrosius and marks the beginning of a new serious of Morlock novels.
Of course, given that I...more
Of course, given that I...more
Normally, I'm all for reading novels in chronological order, even if they weren't written that way. But this book (as I assume subsequent prequels will be) would be far less comprehensible and interesting if I had not already read Blood of Ambrose, This Crooked Way, and The Wolf's Age. Enge's fiction has deep roots; these are stories that feel like they go on forever (in the sense that there's always more to them than is being said, not in the sense that they are boring). This book reveals thing...more
Just finished this book & really liked it. I loved the dwarf culture - complex and believable. Really absorbing. I didn't realize that it was a prequel. It stands alone as an intriguing book. I can't wait to read the other books in the series.
I liked the story of this book but I didn't feel enough brought into the world so a lot of the cool parts of the story weren't as meaningful because I didn't have a great sense of the world.
A genuinely impressive fantasy that manages to provide a coherent context for a "Merlin" story.
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I wouldn't call James Enge unknown or unsung among fantasy authors these days. Clearly he is known and must sell fairly well, or Pyr wouldn't keep taking chances on him. We seem to be rich with talent in this age, given the Rothfusses and Weekses and Abercrombies, but I still feel that Enge doesn't get the recognition or fame he richly deserves. The tales of Morlock the Maker get better with each book that is released, and this latest - A Guile of Dragons - is no different. Do yourself a favor a...more
It's always exciting to find a new, talented author in the staid annals of fantasy fiction. James Enge's vision is wonderful and I truly look forward to the next book.
I love James Enge's setting, which is so cleverly and persuasively linked to Arthurian and classical myth that I sometimes forget that it's his own invention.
In this, Enge goes back to tell a story of the young Morlock Ambrosius we've met as a much older man in this earlier books. Those are written as a series of stand-alones, but this one is the start of a named series so I'm assuming it's going to be an extended story meant to be read in sequence. For those who haven't read the earlier three, A Guile of Dragons might be just as good a starting point with the character as Blood of Ambrose, though I found that knowing where Morlock ends up later cast...more
Quite enjoyable interpretation of the Merlin saga. Nice twist to dwarven origins as well.
The book is well written and I really enjoyed it, although at sometimes a bit confusing.
Moving this off of my currently reading shelf for now. The first 100 pages didn't really grab me, but it's usually not a great idea to start a series with a prequel, so I'll begin at the proper beginning in 2013 and see if I want to come back to this.
Can't wait for this one. I really like this series and author.
Just finished this and it did not disappoint. James Enge is a great writer and I am really happy he is continuing this series.
Just finished this and it did not disappoint. James Enge is a great writer and I am really happy he is continuing this series.
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This is the first I've read by this author and I enjoyed his style very much. I would start with his earlier books just to get a nice lead-in and more time with his imagination!
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James Enge is the pseudonym of James M. Pfundstein, an American fantasy and sword and sorcery author. His best known work is the ongoing Morlock the Maker series. His first novel in the series, Blood of Ambrose, was nominated for the World Fantasy Award in 2010. His newest series, A Tournament of Shadows, tells the origin story of his famous character Morlock Ambrosius.
James M. Pfundstein has a Ph...more
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