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The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett Reread: Tibbet’s Brook

Hello, and welcome to the first part of The Warded Man reread. The first section we will discuss is the section called Tibbet’s Brook 318 – 319 ar(After Return). I will be discussing some spoiler aspects of the book, but it certainly won’t be everything. 

Aftermath 319 ar

The novel starts off with an introduction to a dire situation and one we will become accustomed to throughout the book, which is the aftermath of an attack. The chapter title is called Aftermath 319 ar. At this point, we don’t know much now, only that 27 are dead, but a family was spared because their wards held all night. And they watched the whole thing. This violence does not portend to fluffy bunnies and rainbows. 

We are also introduced to Arlen; at the time of this chapter, he is 11 years old and working with his father out in the fields. Even at the young age of 11, I get a sense that Arlen is much wiser than his age allows. For example, the chapter outlines how Arlen handled a few bullies that had been torturing him. “Finally, Arlen had enough. He left a stout stick hidden in that spot, and the next time Cobie and his friends pounced, Arlen pretended to run, only to produce a weapon as if from thin air and come back swinging.” This is a very purposeful passage. Having read many of Peter V. Brett’s books, you come to understand that language and one-off memories like this are not for funsies, instead to show how a character could develop. This shows how Arlen is fine with violence, and he will not be hunted or tortured by foes larger than him. 

This chapter also introduces us to the idea of a Jongleur. A profession of a traveling entertainer. This delights the children of the villages as life is hard and full of toil, and Jongleurs offer respite. Jongleurs often travel with messengers; news, like entertainment, is hard to come by. In this chapter, we are also introduced to a portable warded circle. Expensive, but it allows individuals a chance to travel distances and be safe at night from corelings. Arlen also talks a bit about how he wants to be a messenger. To travel the world and see the Free Cities. 

With Arlen’s introduction, I think one of the most important quotes of the whole book happens in this chapter. It occurs after a character dies from an apparent suicide.

“Why?” He asked Ragen. “Why would he fight so hard last night, to kill himself now?” “Did he fight?” Ragen asked. “Did any of them fight? Or did they run and hide?”…”Sometimes hiding kills something inside you so that even if you survive the demons, you don’t really.”

With that, we are introduced to the central theme of The Warded Man, sometimes hiding is akin to dying. Ever since the corelings came, humans have been hiding and regressing. They are slowly dying. And not all are ok with it and would rather fight.  

If It Was You 319 ar

This chapter happens a little bit later and again involves Arlen. His father wants to have a discussion with him about Uncle Cholie. In case we didn’t get the importance of the “hiding can be like dying” quote from the previous chapter. Brett reiterates the thought and how much it rings to 11-year-old Arlen. “Sometimes people live through an attack, but die anyway.”Arlen also believed Uncle Cholie to be a coward. This idea of Cholie being a coward shows an 11-year-old grasp of things. Even a wise 11-year-old. I found it to be good writing on Brett’s part. His father tells him that no one can fight the corelings, and hiding is the correct thing. 

Arlen states there has to be a way… foreshadowing commences! 

Later in the chapter, Arlen is joining the other villagers at the Jongleur’s show. The Jongleur is discussing a time for humans before the creation of wards, called The Age of Ignorance until they discovered writing that helped them utilize wards. Things were not always the way they are now. The Jongleur also discusses The First Demon War and the First Deliverer. “The Deliverer was a man called upon by the Creator to lead our armies and with him to lead us, we were winning!” The demons disappeared, and men could stop fighting. Great cities developed. The Age of Science came about where humans forgot magic. 

Later in the chapter Arlen and his mother have a first-hand encounter with demons. There is a great rift between how Arlen sees the world and his father, safe behind the wards. This chapter hammers home how important that rift is. Arlen is someone who will fight, even if it means his own life. Whether that will be tempered by time and experience, we don’t know. But, we are given a glimpse into the kind of character Arlen is. It is also a chapter that is a tipping point for young Arlen, a moment of before and after.

“Back when the farm was safe. Back when his mother was well. Back when he didn’t know his father was a coward.”

All children have tipping points in their lives. Usually, it is when they discover that their parents are not gods but fallible people. This was Arlens. 

A Night Alone 319 ar

A Night Alone is a pretty short chapter and details what happened to Arlen when he ran from his father into the woods after a fight between them. Arlen gets trapped in the dark, and the demons come. He makes his stand and creates a warded circle 6 feet in diameter. The demons thrash and try to kill him. Arlen learns some helpful information about demons and has his first experience with them alone. This tempers him a bit, as he is injured during the night. When night gives way to dawn, Arlen stumbles on towards Old Mey Frieman, who could help his mother. Or he was going to die trying. 

Leesha 319 ar

Leesha is the first chapter where we are introduced to 12-year-old Leesha Paper. Paper, because her father runs the paper mill. The first line is, “Leesha spent the night in tears. That in itself was out of the ordinary, but it wasnt her mother that had her weeping this night.” Leesha hears that runes have failed somewhere, and she hears the screams of the hunted townsfolk. You can imagine of terrifying this could be to a child. Also, we learn that Leesha is promised to Gared Cutter and that he is strong and tall. She will give him many strong babies. Humans are being hunted to extinction, and babies are needed to keep everything going. Later in the chapter, the townsfolk are trying to help put out the fires from the burning houses set aflame by Fire demons. We are also introduced to the herb gatherer Hag Bruna. Old beyond old, she has saved the townsfolk with her knowledge of herbal lore time and time again. She also brooks no stupidity, and there is plenty of that going around. Much of the chapter is devoted to discussing how Leesha is waiting on her courses to marry Gared. She has always been taught that that was what she was here for, but over this chapter, we start to see that there might be more ways to live your life. 

Much like Arlen’s chapters, Leesha’s chapters detail how she is not quite like the others in the town. But in juxtaposition to Arlen, Leesha wants to help. You see flashes of it in how she interacts with Bruna, but this will foreshadow who Leesha becomes. 

The next two chapters, Crowded Home 319, and The Secrets of Fire are again about Leesha’s virginity and “pureness.” Gared and his father have had to come live with Leesha’s family while their home is repaired. This puts the two promised teenagers close overnight. The first night they do some heavy making out, but Leesha stops Gared before things go too far. This is an important line for Leesha and one that she considers sacred. Gared, in turn, tells his friends they had sex, which gets out to the whole town. Leesha is mortified and feels that she is ruined. This also demonstrates what a terrible person Gared is. Leesha knees Gared in the balls. I really like Leesha. Later, after Leesha declares that she will not marry Gared and fights with her abusive mother, Leesha runs away to Bruna’s house, and this starts her journey as a healer. 

Rojer 318 ar

We first meet Rojer as a 3-year-old boy holding on to his mother’s skirts. Rojers’s family is the innkeeper for their village. Rojer’s mother is remarking how they need to get the wards fixed immediately as they are warping and not safe. Foreshadowing! Arrick Sweetsong pulls up; Sweetsong is a master Jongleur traveling as a herald for Duke Rhinebeck. 

Later that evening, the wards fail. 

This is a particularly vicious scene. Rojer’s parents are mauled, and Sweetsong is no hero. With her dying breath, Rojer’s mother saves him. Rojer is left with Sweetsong sitting in the dark. The whole village burns to the ground. 

To The Free Cities 319 ar

This chapter is a pivotal point for Arlen. He has run away, been cut by demons, had infected wounds. Ragen found him from earlier chapters while he was delirious. Ragen helped him overcome the infection, and Arlen tells Ragen that he does not want to go back. It is also discovered that Arlen has an affinity for painting wards. 

Fort Miln 319 ar

Arlen and Ragen make their way to the free cities, and Arlen gets his first view of what the city looks like. Ragen takes the responsibility of the boy and helps set him up with an apprenticeship of seven years with a warder. 

The first section of the book sets the foundation for the three main characters and the paths that they are setting out on. They start as children, but end up heading into their various vocations. Rojer, is with Sweetsong and will probably end up a Jongleur. Leesha is with Brun and is starting herb gatherer training. And, Arlen is about to start with a warder. While not a lot of plot happened, we have a firm foundation for the story. I also like how the story is bisected by time. The story takes place over quite a few years, so we will have time jumps and see how each of the characters is fairing in their respective fields.

I am looking forward to talking a bit more about how each character’s inner strength starts to show. Until next week my friends. 

Read The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett

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REVIEW: Later by Stephen King

Later is a thrilling, sarcastic, and gritty book that hits like a shovel to the skull. In a good way, of course. I knew it was likely to be solid, even great, but Later turned out to be a fantastic novel that I didn’t want to end.

“So yeah. I see dead people. As far as I can remember, I always have. But it’s not like that movie with Bruce Willis.”

The plot of Later follows a kid named Jamie Conklin who can, well, see dead people. How he sees them is interesting and original; there are rules and limits to what dead people can do and how long they can stick around after death. After their tenure as a spirit on earth is finished, they fade away to wherever people go when they die. Well, mostly. What kind of horror novel would it be if there weren’t carefully crafted rules to create a sense of control just to be quickly thrown out the window?

“Once you’ve seen what can happen to a human body that’s suffered an act of violence—accident, suicide, murder—maybe it doesn’t even matter.”

Later is billed as a horror novel but is much more than that. It changes its feel throughout, moving from supernatural thriller to mystery to horror, all wrapped up in a coming-of-age novel that only Stephen King could write. Sure, there is death and blood, but that takes a backseat to Jamie and his life. You really feel for him and the struggles he faces, both natural and supernatural. Hell, in some ways the “normal” struggles hit even harder than the supernatural ones.

“The worst part of growing up is how it shuts you up.”

Most Stephen King books are long, character-driven novels that thrive on a well-written cast and unsettling scenes that make you jump to turn on your bedroom lights. A majority of King’s career has been built around these doorstoppers, and there is a lot to love about the way he can make the pages whizz by. That is exactly why books like It, Salem’s Lot, and Doctor Sleep are so well-loved. He has also proven time and again that he is a master of the short story. Yet, Later is shorter than most of his full-length books but longer than his shorter works. It falls into that odd short novel category, similar to his first book Carrie.

Later takes advantage of its shorter, punchy length to tell a grim story that doesn’t hold back. There is plenty of character development, and I found myself loving Jamie just as much as characters in Stephen King’s longer works. It doesn’t hurt that the entire story is told from Jamie’s perspective, which allows for character development while also moving the plot forward.

Later is another amazing horror novel from an author known for amazing horror stories. Yet, with its genre-bending plot, its likable main character, and its streamlined plot, Later stands out as one of King’s best. 5 stars.

Read Later by Stephen King

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REVIEW: Barbarians on Netflix

Barbarians is a six-episode German historical drama from Netflix. It focuses on the build up to one of the most infamous battles in history – the Battle of Teutoburg Forest which took place in 9AD between the local Germanic people and forces of the mighty Roman Empire.

Barbarians plays it safe with its story and plot points.  The tribes of Germanic people squabble and argue between themselves as they struggle with life under the rule of the juggernaut that is the Roman Empire which demands crippling tributes and taxes. Barbarians builds the Germanic tribes as plucky underdogs who must band together and set aside their own differences to fend off a bigger, much stronger enemy. It is clear from the first episode that the series is leading to the infamous battle and so we wait for the explosive incident that will unite the tribes and truly paint the Romans as the evil conquerors who must be stopped. That incident arrives when lovers, Folkwin and Thusnelda steal the precious Roman eagle standard one night and the Romans respond with no mercy – an act that eventually leads to a rebellion.

The six episodes of Barbarians do not really allow enough time for the characters to be fleshed out and memorable. Arminius, childhood friend of Folkwin and Thusnelda is the only character that really stands out as the dust settles on the final episode. The son of one of the tribe leaders for the Germanic people, he is taken and raised as a Roman by the ruthless General Varus. He acts as a link between the two warring peoples, born of Germania but raised as a Roman and with the knowledge and skills of each to draw upon. This role has been done well before in shows such as The Last Kingdom with Uhtred and it is a shame that Arminius doesn’t have as much time given to explore the challenges and the internal battle that such a life would have caused.

Barbarians shows flashes of brilliance and excitement even if it is lacking the depth of plot and character seen in shows such as Vikings and The Last Kingdom. Arminius’s father, the weary tribe leader, Segimer, really helps the audience to understand the weight of leadership as he is torn between wanting to help his people fight for freedom but knowing the risks involved with taking on the Roman Empire. Unfortunately, the poignant character moments are fleeting throughout the series and one wonders what could have been if more time was given to this first season. Segestes is a prime example of this. He is a sleazy, slimy character looking out for himself and throughout the series, the audience is waiting to see this Wormtongue/Peter Baelish type character get his comeuppance. However, his tale feels unfinished and fades into nothing. Hopefully the promise of a second season fixes this error.

From the very first episode, you will be waiting for the expected battle. Thankfully, it does not disappoint. The setting of the forest gives a claustrophobic and chaotic feeling to the whole episode and Barbarians ramps up the blood and gore to create a spectacle that makes the whole thing worth it. Though most of the plot points are tied up neatly, there is obvious room for the second season to expand upon what has been done and to follow the fallout of the battle.

It is not the best historical drama out there, but Barbarians, for all its faults, is an enjoyable romp through the Germanic woods that delivers a dark and bloody tale of the underdogs finding strength in unity to stand up to the bullying Roman Empire. I may not have been engrossed through every episode but each one finished with me wanting more. Recommended, but not essential.

Catch Barbarians over on Netflix.

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REVIEW: What Abigail Did That Summer by Ben Aaronovitch

The third novella in Ben Aaronovitch’s fantastic Rivers of London series, What Abigail Did That Summer takes place at roughly the same time as the events of the novel Foxglove Summer, and pretty much does what it says on the tin. While Peter Grant is spending his summer searching for missing girls in Herefordshire, young Abigail Kamara is engaged in her own – unsupervised – investigation back in London. Teenagers are going briefly missing on Hampstead Heath only to reappear safe and sound, if a little confused, and Abigail wants to know what’s going on. With new friend Simon in tow, and a small army of talking foxes running uncannily efficient surveillance operations in support, Abigail is confident she can solve the mystery, as long as she can avoid too many grownups getting in her way.

The Rivers of London series might not be an obvious choice for dedicated grimdark fans, but despite its generally light tone there are certainly some darker moments over the course of the series–faces falling off, grisly magical murders, demon traps containing the anguished souls of living beings tortured to death, just to name a few. What Abigail Did That Summer goes fairly easy on the grim stuff–not surprising, given the age of its protagonist–but as you’ll see from the rest of the review it’s a tremendously entertaining read…and sometimes it’s good to just kick back and enjoy a fun story, right?

As befits the shorter word count of a novella the central plot here is relatively straightforward, but it’s classic Aaronovitch, digging through London geography and history to unearth the magic that lies beneath the surface. As a standalone story this doesn’t really tie in to the ongoing narrative of the novel series, and that frees it up to occasionally reference existing characters (Peter is away from the city, but a few familiar faces do briefly appear) but mostly focus on telling its own story, exploring Hampstead through Abigail’s eyes as she accidentally makes a new friend, deftly dodges adult involvement in her investigation where possible, and offers up her own viewpoint on the demi-monde. All the while she’s accompanied by the talking foxes, who consistently threaten to steal the show with their talk of ‘operational redundancy’, ‘exfiltration’ and ‘human assets’, and their weaknesses for human food and having their fur scratched.

Abigail and the foxes have popped up in various Rivers of London stories before, but this is the first time that she and they have had quite so much attention, and it rather begs the question of why this has taken so long! With a story all of her own, Aaronovitch takes the opportunity to really add depth to Abigail’s character beyond the surface detail we’ve seen before, exploring her family situation and how it shapes her behaviour, as well as her unique way of looking at life, problems, magic and grownups. The foxes provide humour and a dash of the surreal, but it’s Abigail who drives the story and she proves to be a fantastic protagonist – just as witty and engaging as Peter, but in her own way and with a modern, youthful vernacular that’s playfully emphasised by occasional footnotes bearing Professor Postmartin’s commentary and translations for the benefit of Agent Reynolds.

There’s no doubt that this does assume quite a bit of previous knowledge of the Rivers setting that Aaronovitch has created, but as a mid-series novella that’s pretty much to be expected. It’s aimed at fans of the series who love this world enough to want to spend time away from the central narrative and get to know a secondary character a bit more, and in that respect it’s incredibly successful. It’s not perfect – Abigail’s voice does occasionally get a bit lost in Aaronovitch’s prose (it’s not as consistently present as Peter’s normally is, although her personality shines through regardless), and neither the plot nor the pace quite hang together as well as they usually do in the novels, but these are minor quibbles. It’s tremendous fun from start to finish, and suggests that Aaronovitch might be setting things up for Abigail’s arc to be further developed. On the merits of this, let’s hope that’s the case!

Many thanks to Gollancz and Ben Aaronovitch for providing an advance copy of What Abigail Did That Summer in exchange for an honest review.

Read What Abigail Did That Summer by Ben Aaronovitch

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REVIEW: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is Ubisoft‘s newest open-world historical adventure that takes place in the ninth century. Valhalla is, in some ways, more of the same: environments are bloated with things to do, battles are waged with ponderous souls-like combat (as started in Assassin’s Creed Origins), and there’s a convoluted future storyline that gives a flimsy pretext to explore the historical flavor of the year. Yet, despite what has stayed the same, there is enough new to love here to warrant a playthrough no matter how many times you’ve donned the assassin’s cloak before.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s combat feels better and requires more strategy than its predecessors, and I was still encountering different variations of enemies over 40 hours into the game. Side quests are now world events that are activated and completed in a small area and usually in a short time akin to that of some MMORPGs. This may turn off some players, but all that budget usually delegated to copious side quests was put towards the main quests, and that’s where Assassin’s Creed Valhalla truly shines.

You play as Eivor, a Viking badass who exists as the aide-de-camp to their brother, Sigurd, who happens to be the chief. Due to them no longer wanting to live in Norway, Eivor accompanies Sigurd and the rest of the Raven clan to make a brand-new home in England.

Well, by home, you will be pillaging, killing, dipping your fingers in the political pot, and… assassinating, if you want to. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla opts to keep your preferred playstyle intact, allowing for brute Viking force to strike your enemies down or to strike from the shadows if you prefer stealth.

The main quest of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is broken into several large areas that, for the most, contain individual stories that occasionally build into the overarching story. Many of these are excellent, most are decent, and, unfortunately, there are a couple of duds. As wonderful as the main quest, the game as a whole ends up overstaying its welcome for the last few hours and becomes a bit of a slog (especially if you’ve been chipping away at the side quests). Yet, looking back, it was a journey I’ll remember fondly, and I may even go back for the season pass should it prove interesting enough.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is a step in the right direction for Ubisoft, creating a world that focuses more on the main narrative and less on filler. Yet, the bloat still exists, and it may prove too much for some.

Play Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

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REVIEW: The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper

The Wolf Den tells the story of Amara, a slave owned by the brothel keeper in Pompeii. Born the daughter of a doctor in Greece, she is highly educated, beautiful and determined to fight her way back to freedom. The book follows her and her fellow prostitutes as they navigate life in the brothel with being part of society and their personal lives. It is captivating and compelling, at times heartbreaking.

Bodily autonomy is not something these women have readily available, and the story touches on that in a variety of ways. There is the older woman who has aged out of the brothel and now depends on the generosity of her fellow slaves, the woman who gets pregnant after having had her first child sold as a baby and has to figure out how to deal with the situation. Being groped and abused is daily life for them. But despite their situation, these women are not without agency. They fight to improve their daily lives with kindness, determination and banding together.

All of that is not enough for Amara. Over the course of the story, she inserts herself into the business aspect of her master – apart from owning the city’s brothel he is also a money lender. She manages to grow the business in a variety of ways, not least of all through using her skills to impress Pliny. The prostitutes are referred to as She-Wolves, and the name is apt. This is a group of women fiercely protective of their own.

Reading this, it was hard to believe that this is a debut. It is well-written and deeply researched. It is full of historical detail about the city so famous for its destruction. It is sprinkled with just enough detail to make the setting come to life, without overpowering the story and characters at the heart of The Wolf Den. Although this is a purely historical novel, not a speculative fiction one, this will appeal to readers of books like Circe or Sistersong, straddling that fine line between genre fiction and broader literature. Amara’s story is one that is still relevant to the present day, where so many women remain in positions where they have to fight for bodily autonomy, and they are immediately perceived as lesser due to their bodies. Amara’s determination and ambition are a model to look up to. A truly modern book telling an ancient story.

Read The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper

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REVIEW: Lent by Jo Walton

Lent is a chimera of a novel, a combination of historical fiction and fantasy with bits of religious and philosophical arguments peppered throughout a thoroughly interesting Groundhog’s Day-esque story. Jo Walton juggles each of these pieces almost expertly, wrapping them in a wonderfully evocative novel with sparse, well-written, and even beautiful prose.

There is a powerful comfort in knowing nothing else you do in this world can matter, that everything that can be done has been done and very soon you will be with God.

Lent follows the very real Dominican friar Girolamo Savonarola as he purifies the city of Florence from demons and transforms it into “God’s Ark”, or the city of God. He does this by exorcising the demons who reside in and around the city as well as leading Florence (his flock) to a purer way of living. Others around him can sense aspects of demons, i.e. feel their presence or see a shadow, but only Girolamo can truly see and cast demons out. Girolamo also has the interesting gift of prophecy that plays an important role throughout portions of the story.

The supporting cast of Lent is made up of historical figures that interact with Girolamo in varying ways throughout his many lives. There is the Count Pico della Mirandola, a religious philosopher who in real life defended his book The 900 Theses which, interestingly enough, ended up as the first printed book to ever be banned by the Catholic Church.

We also briefly meet Lorenzo de Medici, the unspoken ruler of Florence who dies very early in the book but shows up again and again. His role is slight compared to others but is very important to the story of Lent.

This whole life has been an echo, where everything he says has the weight of all the times he has said it before.

And the story of Lent is… well, difficult to divulge without spoiling the nature of the book. What I can say is that the first half of Lent follows one of Girolamo’s lives and then, with a very intriguing twist of narrative, we see him live subsequent lives over and over again. These many lives are an attempt for him to find out the right way for him to live his life, a la Groundhogs Day or Palm Springs, which is not wholly original in and of itself. Yet, it is not the plot device itself but the way it is explored that makes this book work so well. Jo Walton uses it as a way to explore deep philosophical and religious theories of the renaissance in a way that is both dark, entertaining, and informative.

Lent is a fantastic novel that kept me enthralled the whole way. Lent may not be a very action-heavy book, but its themes are grim and philosophical in nature. Undoubtedly one of the best fantasy books I’ve read in a long time and I cannot recommend it enough. 5 out of 5 stars.

Read Lent by Jo Walton

 

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REVIEW: All The Murmuring Bones by A.G. Slatter

What happens when you renege on a deal with a monster? Miren O’Malley is the last daughter of true O’Malley lineage. The family used to be mighty and successful, but that luck (is it just luck?) has dwindled as surely as their bloodline has. There have always been rumors about how the O’Malleys managed to be so rich and successful for so long, but the truth has been kept strictly secret. This is where All the Murmuring Bones starts.

Miren’s grandmother is the matriarch of the O’Malleys and is desperate to regain some of their lost glory. She plans to marry Miren off to a rich, abusive jerk. Needless to say, this doesn’t sit well with Miren. She flees, but is followed-not just by her intended, but by the mer.

These aren’t your Disney merfolk. The mer are dangerous and mysterious. I loved everything about them. In fact, they are not the only wild and savage creatures of legend that make an appearance. Rusalka, kelpies, and more give All the Murmuring Bones a dark mythical feel that drew me in.

Miren is smart, capable, and no stranger to bloodshed. There is no boundary she is unwilling to cross to keep her life and her freedom. Her flight to safety turns into a quest for answers and the switch is fascinating and brilliant. I’m used to gothic novels sticking to a single setting. However, Miren’s travels allow the world and plot to open up magnificently.

I did feel there was a misstep here and there. For example, the ending wraps everything up in a neat little bow that feels a little out of place considering the path the rest of the book takes. I would have liked seeing parts of the story left, if not unexplained, at least a little enigmatic. Also, the climactic event was over sooner than I was hoping. It felt a teensy bit rushed. However, these are small complaints in the grand scheme of things and the rest of the book is really stinking good.

All the Murmuring Bones is a gothic novel that hits all the right points. I highly recommend it.

Read All The Murmuring Bones by A.G. Slatter

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REVIEW: A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine

A Desolation Called Peace, Arkady Martine’s next installment in the Teixcalaan following her Hugo award-winning novel A Memory Called Empire is just as culturally rich and profound as A Memory Called Empire was. Still, instead of focusing the guts of the story on the understanding of what memory is, A Desolation Called Peace focuses on how we communicate. 

“On the flagship Weight of the Wheel:

“You’d have to ask medical,” said Two Foam.

“Someone ask medical,” said Mahit. “I can’t talk to anyone. I’m not a citizen.” And she smiled, terrifying and far too beautiful with all those teeth exposed, gesturing to her entire lack of cloudhook.”

Arkady Martine quoted in the first book, “This book is dedicated to anyone who has ever fallen in love with a culture that was devouring their own.” The first novel, A Memory Called Empire, was about the power of memory and specifically what memory is. Cultural memory can devour and expand inside of you and push the “you” out and replace it with a new transformed you. 

It can devour. 

This abstract idea was wrapped in an exciting murder mystery that kept the story moving and gave it an understandable hook for readers to latch on to. Desolation is about memory again, but I think it expands on the idea of how memory is expressed through language and communication. This time the grander idea is wrapped in an exciting first contact story between two disparate creatures. 

The story starts up right at the end of the first book. We have a huge looming threat of an advancing alien empire that is both figuratively and in some cases literally devouring up the edges of the Teixcalaan Empire. As this is a first contact story, no one knows who or what these aliens are. I applaud Martine for her description of the aliens. Often, writers create aliens that have some sort of likeness to humans so that readers can empathize and understand them. I get that.  

However, if you think about aliens in a real sense and how infinite the universe is, they could be anything. Douglas Adams made me think hard about this when he created a planet with living mattresses wallowing around in the muck. 

“She’s a barbarian, but don’t hold it against her. She’s brilliant.”

We cut back and forth between Nine Hibiscus, the yaotlek of the campaign, Mahit Dzmare, and the newly appointed Undersecretary to the Minister of Information Three Seagrass. Three Seagrass was Mahit Dzmare liaison in the first book. Also, we have the young perspective of young Eight Antidote, the clone of the previous employer who is very much like his predecessor, but with notable differences. Each of the characters represents a different perspective on the aliens and how they will affect the future. 

Mahit Dzmare is back on Lsel station. In the first novel, we learn that she has a faulty imago machine, courtesy of the ministry. They would like her to download herself to be stored, but they will know that she has an updated imago machine if she does that. She is in a politically tricky position. The ministry would like her line terminated and probably her as well. 

Three Seagrass is at home in the shining city when she learns of the alien issue. She decides that she needs to get to Mahit post-haste to work together on the first contact problem and understand what the aliens want. This allows Mahit to leave the station and accompany Three Seagrass to the Weight of the Wheel, the Teixcalaan flagship. 

I had a difficult time with this part of the story. Yes, Mahit Dzmare and Three Seagrass are a great pair to work on this problem. But, the first contact with an alien species is such a complicated conflict. Martine sped through a bit of that. I am reminded of the movie “The Arrival” and this scene specifically:

“Dr. Louise Banks:  So first, we need to make sure that they understand what a question is. Okay, the nature of a request for information along with a response. Then, we need to clarify the difference between a specific “you” and a collective “you”, because we don’t want to know why Joe Alien is here, we want to know why they all landed. 

And purpose requires an understanding of intent. We need to find out: do they make conscious choices? Or is their motivation so instinctive that they don’t understand a “why” question at all? And, and biggest of all, we need to have enough vocabulary with them that we understand their answer.”

I felt like much of the ideas of collective “you” and understanding intent were skipped. I understand that A Desolation Called Peace is a weighty novel as it stands, and some streamlining was necessary. Also, Martine does explain the process that Mahit and Three Seagrass go through when dealing with the aliens, but it seemed just a touch too easy for a first contact scenario. 

Along with the deep political intrigue betwixt the characters, there is significant character development in all of them. Young Eight Antidote begins to get first-hand experience in politics and protecting its people and culture. Mahit starts to develop a deeper and more complex symbiotic bond with Yskandr. And while they are two separate people, they begin to meld and share ideas. This character development is in service to the overarching plot and the discussions about what communication is and what part language and memory plays in it.

 Mahit’s experience on Teixcalaan has been invaluable. It has allowed her eyes to be opened up to worlds outside of her own. This, in turn, has allowed her to see her own culture with a critical eye. Does that make her dangerous to Teixcalaan or Lsel station? Possibly. I think her new perspective on things is one of the most exciting parts of this story.

I am looking forward to seeing where Martine takes hers and Three Seagrass’s character. 

The story continues and gets vastly more complicated. The aliens are a terrifying threat, and all of the characters, including a couple of new ones, are tested mentally and emotionally. Everything comes together in an unexpected climax. 

What is A Desolation Called Peace? I was curious as to the phrase choice of desolation. A desolation has two definitions that I know of, and it applies to the story in different ways. Desolation can be “a state of complete emptiness or destruction.” A Desolation Called Peace is a first contact story, and the aliens bring desolation in their wake. They destroy all before them wholly and thoroughly. They are a desolation, living destruction. 

Secondly, the word desolation is “anguished misery or loneliness.” Much like how Mahit feels at the beginning of the book. I found that more in-depth and particular word choice is found throughout this book, and I am quickly coming to associate this kind of next-level writing with Arkady Martine.  

Upon further research, the title of the story is seemingly based on one of Tacitus’ speaking about Calgacus, “To ravage, to slaughter, to usurp under false titles, they call empire; and where they make a desert, they call it peace.” It is no shocker to me that the title A Desolation Called Peace would have historical significance. Arkady Martine is a historian, and the detailing and worldbuilding reflect that upon each page. 

Every piece of this story flows and melds into others. It is an exquisitely written book. Martine is a master at language, character building, and history, and that mastery is evident in every facet of the story.  

A Memory Called Peace was an excellent book, wholly deserved of the awards and acclaim it has received. But that was Martine’s debut. It feels like now, with Desolation Called Peace, Martine is settling into her groove. I will read anything that she writes; her work is that good, and I recommend it to any science fiction or political intrigue lover. 

Read A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine

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The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett Reread

The Warded Man, the first novel in Peter V. Brett’s Demon Cycle series, is a series based around a world where demons called corelings rise from the ground each night and ravage the countryside. Humans have come to fear the night and shelter behind stone homes covered with ancient wards that offer a modicum of protection. Often this is not enough, and humans are dragged out into the dark. The story preys not only on a human’s fear of what lies in the dark but of the supernatural other. With the yawning of each night, the demons are banished with the light. 

 I first read The Warded Man when it was first released years ago, which introduced me to Peter V. Brett’s terrifying world. However, the novel started as a short story Brett wrote while attending NYU in 1998. “It was about a little boy named Arlen who loved to wander, but he could never go more than half a day from home, because if he wasn’t back before dark, the demons would get him.”

Since then, there have been four more books in the series with multiple short stories interwoven between them. The first novel of the series, The Warded Man, sets the stage and follows Arlen, an apprentice Warder, who as a child witnessed first hand the demons wreaking havoc. The experience stays with him, and as he ages, he begins to realize how much the demons are holding humanity back. The collected belief at the time across the various cultures of the land was that the monsters are a punishment for humanity’s many sins. But, Arlen does not hold with that. 

While the story’s main protagonist is Arlen, much of the story is devoted to other intriguing characters that will play a pivotal role in Arlen’s and the world’s future. 

The story is dark, violent with a morally gray protagonist. But amidst the horror’s of demons rising from the ground every night, there are moments of hope. Maybe humanity can rise and face these things. 

I will be cutting the novel into four sections, which will follow the timeline perfectly.

Section 1 – Tibbet’s Brook

Section 2 – Miln

Section 3 – Krasia

Section 4 – Cutter’s Hallow

If you would like to grab a copy and reread this masterpiece, do it! We’ll be starting next week, so get reading!

Grab your copy of The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett

The post The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett Reread appeared first on Grimdark Magazine.