When Jack Churchill and Ruth Gallagher encounter a terrifying, misshapen giant beneath a London bridge they are plunged into a mystery which porten...
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Sep 28, 2011
Jeff
rated it: 
I usually don't get into urban fantasy that much but I have to say I truly enjoyed this book, Chadbourn really knows how to set a scene and flesh out a character, and unlike some Authors he doesn't use this a a vehicle for his political or sexual beliefs. This book is about the old magic coming back to a modern world and he capture both the dread and the wonder with remarkable clarity. I simply can't wait to read the rest of the series.
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Oct 18, 2011
Monica!
rated it: 
So it's the end of the Age of Reason, and man's hold on the earth is slowly being ripped away by a whole host of Celtic gods and goddesses and creatures of myth and legend. There are dragons burning down the highways, and brownies appearing out of the fireplace, and technology (especially electronic technology) begins to fade in and out.
If you're like me, and like most of the characters in World's End, you immediately begin whining about how you can't get to YouTube on your laptop, More...
If you're like me, and like most of the characters in World's End, you immediately begin whining about how you can't get to YouTube on your laptop, More...
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Feb 06, 2011
Doug
rated it: 
World's End felt throughout like a book I expected to like, and I wonder if I might've liked it better if I'd encountered it earlier. It's a heroic fantasy of the magic-returns-to-the-modern-world variety. Chadbourn clearly knows a lot about the myths and legends of the British Isles, and this was what I enjoyed most in the novel -- oddly, the moments when I was most conscious that a character was delivering exposition to the reader were some of the most interesting. It's not that Chadbourn can'
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Sep 26, 2009
Reed
rated it: 
Having heard such wonderful things about this series, with comparisons to old Charles De Lint and Guy Gavriel Kay, I was eager to try it out for myself.
I can see how folks would draw such comparisons, with Chadbourn's novel being firmly set in the urban fantasy realm. I guess the Kay comparisons are to his Fionovar Tapestry books, where "ordinary" people take up powerful, archetypal roles in the story.
The problem I had with the story was the characterization was qu More...
I can see how folks would draw such comparisons, with Chadbourn's novel being firmly set in the urban fantasy realm. I guess the Kay comparisons are to his Fionovar Tapestry books, where "ordinary" people take up powerful, archetypal roles in the story.
The problem I had with the story was the characterization was qu More...
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Sep 19, 2009
Paul
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With Age of Misrule: World's End, Mark Chadbourn's oeuvre of Celtic gods and monsters returning, with catastrophic results, to the world, finally reaches U.S. Publication. Done in a handsome edition with great art by John Picacio, the book soon transports the reader into a world that starts off familiar.
Only at first.
We met a set of characters in-then contemporary Britain (the book was originally written in the 1990's). Jack, Ruth, Laura, Shavi, and Ryan slowly come toge More...
Only at first.
We met a set of characters in-then contemporary Britain (the book was originally written in the 1990's). Jack, Ruth, Laura, Shavi, and Ryan slowly come toge More...
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Jul 20, 2009
April (CSI:Librarian)
rated it:
You would think that a book about the world being ended by Celtic Gods would be able to hold my interest. Sadly you would be wrong.
Despite the interesting set-up and look into the concepts of non-duality (gods being both good and evil and evil only existing as long as there's good and vice versa), the pacing of this book irks me. The characters do too. Perhaps it's just I would rather read about the gods and their monsters than two people sharing a traumatic experience which will prob More...
Despite the interesting set-up and look into the concepts of non-duality (gods being both good and evil and evil only existing as long as there's good and vice versa), the pacing of this book irks me. The characters do too. Perhaps it's just I would rather read about the gods and their monsters than two people sharing a traumatic experience which will prob More...
Apr 07, 2011
mandee
rated it:
There are so many warring emotions going on when I look back on this read. Let's start with the positive: I really, genuinely love this plot. I know there's some people who have problems with old magics being mixed into a current day setting, but I don't mind it. I think it's more interesting if you can make it work and have it believable than creating an entirely made-up world where it'd be completely acceptable. It's much more interesting this way.
Now. Since I really don't have many More...
Now. Since I really don't have many More...
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Dec 12, 2010
Rob
rated it:
...What to make of World’s End? After reading it I am left with mixed feelings. There are aspects of the story I liked a lot. Chadbourn is obviously very versed in Celtic mythology and he uses this to great effect in the novel. He also makes sure not to make his story into a black and white, good versus evil kind of book. On the other hand the plot is pretty standard in fantasy. I didn’t entirely escape the feeling I had read this book before. The final part of the book suggests the plot of the
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Jan 18, 2011
Kingsgrave
rated it:
Interesting thusfar, but a bit frustrating for someone who is already fairly well-versed in Celtic mythos and history. The author seems very concerned that his readers won't know what he's doing with it all, so he spends a lot of time pre-chewing things, characters, and concepts which I've long since digested. It gets a bit frustrating, and more than a bit 'talking-headish' That said, it's held my attention this far, and I mean to finish the thing, if for no better reason than that I've the s
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Jun 29, 2011
Kalyn
rated it:
This is an urban fantasy of the very typical "magic has returned to the modern realm" type where ordinary people of great magical lineage are called upon to become great. Chadbourn does a good job of creating a believable modern Britain suddenly besieged by magic but that's about it. The characters are rather flat and suffer from stereotypical cliches: tough girl is a bitch because she suffered horrific abuse, common, nothing special man becomes very attractive to his female companio
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Sep 15, 2010
Linda
rated it:
This was another book that I couldn't put down. Great characters, awesome world, and a moving plot. Some of his main characters are not my favorite, but then not every hero has to be likable.
Being a romance reader, the romantic plot in my opinion, is old and tired. I prefer my guys and gals to be self-aware enough that they realize what they are feeling and for whom. This is only the first book in the series, so I'm hoping for better development in this area in the next 2 books.
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Being a romance reader, the romantic plot in my opinion, is old and tired. I prefer my guys and gals to be self-aware enough that they realize what they are feeling and for whom. This is only the first book in the series, so I'm hoping for better development in this area in the next 2 books.
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Aug 08, 2009
Ryan
rated it:
Jack and Ruth encounter a murderous attack on a man one night, but the thing they saw attack the guy couldn't have been....?
Driven by a sense of nagging horror, they team up to find out what exactly happened that night. Their investigation leads them to Laura, but before they can get to her, they are attacked and saved by an old hippie named Tom. He calls the beings Formorii and then a dragon incinerates the freakin' motorway. Escaping to Stonehenge, Tom tells them a little more" More...
Driven by a sense of nagging horror, they team up to find out what exactly happened that night. Their investigation leads them to Laura, but before they can get to her, they are attacked and saved by an old hippie named Tom. He calls the beings Formorii and then a dragon incinerates the freakin' motorway. Escaping to Stonehenge, Tom tells them a little more" More...
Jul 30, 2011
Decent, but not great. Maybe just not my style. The story was good, but the writing felt like it was trying to hard. I don't like writers who seem to feel that every word has to MEAN something, and every object has to be a symbol for something else. That's what I got out of this book. Too many metaphors and allegories. I read to be entertained, not to have a book discussion at the end with a college professor. A good story, but I felt like it was a bit over-written. I probably won't fini
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Feb 21, 2011
Siobhan
rated it:
Final verdict: 2 1/2 stars.
This one had potential but wasn't executed well. I picked it up based on the subject matter (the premise that the old Celtic gods were returning, and a post-apocalyptic world without technology), but there was too much going on, the characters weren't very likable, and certainly didn't come off as very smart. There was an awful lot of jumping around, location-wise, and the idea that most of the population of the country hadn't noticed the current events was More...
This one had potential but wasn't executed well. I picked it up based on the subject matter (the premise that the old Celtic gods were returning, and a post-apocalyptic world without technology), but there was too much going on, the characters weren't very likable, and certainly didn't come off as very smart. There was an awful lot of jumping around, location-wise, and the idea that most of the population of the country hadn't noticed the current events was More...
Jul 18, 2010
Rodolfo
rated it:
I liked this book without really liking any of the characters. I was reading more to see where it went and what happened instead. None of them are heroes in the sense of the word, but flawed in many ways. unworthy even. You really have to suspend your sense of reality to get into this book. Impossible things happen really fast and all have a heavy impact on the world. A world that seems really small. The characters seem determined to make you believe that they are everything they present themsel
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Dec 11, 2011
Scott
rated it:
I read this book a few years ago (well all 3), and I remember it being a slow getting into this book.. it takes a while for things to pick up, but once they do it's non-stop.. this is also one of the few books that had me afraid of the dark.. though that could have been due to reading it out in a cabin late at night when the wind bangs the shutters.. anyway.. it was fun. I can see how some people wouldn't like this book, but I'm a sucker for semi-cheesy emotional character interactions which thi
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Feb 18, 2011
Eli
rated it:
It was an okay start. The story was good enough that I'll likely pick up the next book in the series, but not so great that I'm rushing out to snatch it up. This is completely just preference, but I think what's holding me back from a higher rating is that I just simply didn't like one of the main characters, and didn't have enough time to start caring about another one. Also, something I really wanted to happen didn't - and something that DID happen, I was hoping wouldn't. But this probably
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Dec 28, 2010
Danny
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Jul 27, 2010
Justin
rated it:
You hear an argument close by and you make in its direction to investigate. What you end up seeing is a man being murdered by a creature so hideous it makes you vomit then completely lose consciousness. That’s exactly what happened to Jack “Church” Churchill and Ruth Gallagher in Mark Chadbourn’s World’s End. The horrific experience has been permanently etched into their subconscious and it has changed their lives forever. Together they embark on a journey to find items that could save mankind f
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Nov 04, 2009
Jason
rated it:
Unfortunately, this book did not resonate well with me at all. This was my "Judge a Book By Its Cover" choice for 2009, and I probably should have paid heed to the old adage. My main issue with the book were protoganists that did not come alive, villains that did not come alive, and a story that did not come alive. At the midpoint, I seriously debated whether I should call it quits. I presssed on only to confirm my negative impression down to the last chapter. I will not be reading the
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May 19, 2011
Cathy
rated it:
Swing and a miss. It has a lot of the elements I like but it just doesn't come together. It does get a bit better in the last third, but it still isn't good. For one thing, there's never any emotion in the book. I was curious to see what happened but I never actually cared about the characters. And most importantly, while the writing was pretty good in general, there's no good dialog or clever wordplay enough to make the very, very long book any fun when the plot is full of gigantic holes. I saw
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Jan 14, 2010
Stefan
rated it:
World's End is the first book in British fantasy author's Mark Chadbourn AGE OF MISRULE trilogy. The novel was originally released in the UK in 1999, and has been re-released in the US by Pyr in 2009.
World's End can probably best be categorized as dark contemporary fantasy. The setting is England, in more or less the present day. Jack Churchill ("Church") lives in London and is trying to cope with the apparent suicide of his girlfriend Marianne. Returning home one night, he More...
World's End can probably best be categorized as dark contemporary fantasy. The setting is England, in more or less the present day. Jack Churchill ("Church") lives in London and is trying to cope with the apparent suicide of his girlfriend Marianne. Returning home one night, he More...
Aug 05, 2010
Tylerdfc
rated it: 
Throw "Lord of the Rings", Del Toro's "Hellboy" movies, and Arthurian legend in a blender and you get Age of Misrule. A very fun and scary story that find 5 ordinary people charged with saving modern England from being overtaken by an evil force out of Celtic mythology. Well drawn characters, lots of surprises, highly recommended for fans of dark fantasy like American Gods and The Talisman. Note, this is for book one. I just ordered books 2 and 3 to finish the trilogy.
Sep 04, 2009
Suburbangardener
rated it:
The modern, urban, industrialized world is being thrown into chaos as the beings of myth and legend return in an attempt to take over. It's up to five damaged people to complete a quest for legendary objects to defeat the dark powers. An aging hippie guru comes along for the wild ride across Britain, with the hounds of hell hot on their heels. Fun, dark, imaginative and unpredictable, I had a hard time putting it down.
Jan 05, 2011
Kristina
rated it:
Overall: I really enjoyed this book. Even when I put it down it wasn't long before I was picking it back up to find out what happened next. I'm looking forward to the next book to see what happens now that the Danann and the Fomorri are back on Earth and the next part of the journey for the Brothers/Sisters of Dragons.
Full Review:http://newborrowedused.blogspot.com/2011/01/book-giveaway-winner-worlds-end.html
Full Review:http://newborrowedused.blogspot.com/2011/01/book-giveaway-winner-worlds-end.html
Sep 02, 2009
Isk
rated it:
Remind me never to read books where 'normal world' + fantasy intermix again. Please, just follow Rowling (who did it so well), and let the characters immediately accept that magic or what-have-you exists. I can suspend my disbelief if it means not having idiotic characters blabbering on about retardedly refusing to accept some minor fantasy even when they've already seen fucking dragons with their own fucking eyes.
May 27, 2011
Rachel "Rae"
rated it:
This book was purely awesome. As someone who has always been enamored with all things Celtic, this novel is simply a dream come true, not to mention the fact that it was written beautifully. The only downer to this book is the funky British spelling--for example, "realized" spelled as "realised"--but that's easy to overlook, and, in fact, added to the charm and old English feel of the story.
Jan 08, 2011
Laura
rated it:
I thought it was a interesting read, different to what I had read before. I really liked the very personal feel to the characters and how they all had contrasting personalities. I picked this book up after finding it listed on website and I thought I would give it go. I'm glad I did and I look forward to reading the rest in the series plus more of Chadbourn's work.
May 22, 2009
Cindy
rated it:
I really loved this book and got into it. Partly because I am a huge England fan (sometimes I think I was born there). I loved the way that Chadbourn mixed Arthurian myths with modern day, it's a hard mix to pull off but he did is successfully and it didn't really feel forced.
For a first book in a series I felt that the book left off in just the right spot so that you want to read the second but feel good about the first.
The only problem I saw with this book, is if you More...
For a first book in a series I felt that the book left off in just the right spot so that you want to read the second but feel good about the first.
The only problem I saw with this book, is if you More...
Oct 27, 2009
Annji
rated it:
A really fun read though not particularly well structured. Speaks to a lot of my own personal worries about modern living and, even though the plotting sometimes feels flat (okay, squashed), I enjoyed it. Celtic mythology, Arthurian legend and a rather eye-browing raising read of witches and broomsticks.
