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The Thousand Names
(The Shadow Campaigns #1)
by
Enter an epic fantasy world that echoes with the thunder of muskets and the clang of steel—but where the real battle is against a subtle and sinister magic....
Captain Marcus d’Ivoire, commander of one of the Vordanai empire’s colonial garrisons, was resigned to serving out his days in a sleepy, remote outpost. But that was before a rebellion upended his life. And once the ...more
Captain Marcus d’Ivoire, commander of one of the Vordanai empire’s colonial garrisons, was resigned to serving out his days in a sleepy, remote outpost. But that was before a rebellion upended his life. And once the ...more
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Hardcover, US edition, 513 pages
Published
July 2nd 2013
by Roc
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Chris C
Its a fantasy novel. Not race relations . Why even bring it up?
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Start your review of The Thousand Names (The Shadow Campaigns, #1)

Well, *I* obviously enjoyed it, or I wouldn't have written it. Hopefully other people will too.
...more

The steps of the novel echoed through the throne room. The book king watched as the large tome took a bow infront of him.
"Please rise, so I can see your beautiful cover," said the book king.
The book did as it was told. The high noon sun basking its front it looked up to his monarch.
"I was told that you'd like to be ranked for the book army. Is that so?" asked the king.
"Yes, my liege."
"From seeing you enter, I assume you have a good pacing. You're posture is well balanced. That's a good start. Bu ...more
"Please rise, so I can see your beautiful cover," said the book king.
The book did as it was told. The high noon sun basking its front it looked up to his monarch.
"I was told that you'd like to be ranked for the book army. Is that so?" asked the king.
"Yes, my liege."
"From seeing you enter, I assume you have a good pacing. You're posture is well balanced. That's a good start. Bu ...more

Oct 14, 2017
Petrik
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Flintlock/military fantasy fans
Recommended to Petrik by:
Mary ~Ravager of Tomes~
A great explosive Flintlock/Military fantasy debut that left me begging for more by the end of it.
Speaking of flintlock fantasy, the first thing that came to the reader’s mind would probably be The Powder Mage by Brian McClellan, which I loved, but I have a good feeling just from the first book out of five in The Shadow Campaigns series that it will eventually topple The Powder Mage.
If you truly want to know what the premise of the book is about, I strongly suggest you to just read the blurb of ...more
Speaking of flintlock fantasy, the first thing that came to the reader’s mind would probably be The Powder Mage by Brian McClellan, which I loved, but I have a good feeling just from the first book out of five in The Shadow Campaigns series that it will eventually topple The Powder Mage.
If you truly want to know what the premise of the book is about, I strongly suggest you to just read the blurb of ...more

I'm in love.

I went into this not just hoping to love it but somewhat weirdly confident that I would and low and behold, for once my hunch was right because I LOVED IT. I LOVED EVERY SINGLE ASPECT OF IT.
This is my third 5-star rating out of the 10 books that I’ve read since the new year which is saying a lot because I don't hand out 5 stars like candy anymore. And I wish I could say that I was the, oh so analytical reader type who break a book down into each of its parts, strive to understand ho ...more

I went into this not just hoping to love it but somewhat weirdly confident that I would and low and behold, for once my hunch was right because I LOVED IT. I LOVED EVERY SINGLE ASPECT OF IT.
This is my third 5-star rating out of the 10 books that I’ve read since the new year which is saying a lot because I don't hand out 5 stars like candy anymore. And I wish I could say that I was the, oh so analytical reader type who break a book down into each of its parts, strive to understand ho ...more

Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars
Wow I loved this!
I think the real strength in The Thousand Names is how incredibly well written it is.
I want to start by explaining the reason I docked half a star.
There were some moments where the in-depth paragraphs of military maneuvers and battles carried on for just a touch longer than necessary. There were some moments where I wished the plot moved just a touch faster.
HOWEVER...
These two small issues hardly detracted from my overall enjoyment. I can tell that this ...more
Wow I loved this!
I think the real strength in The Thousand Names is how incredibly well written it is.
I want to start by explaining the reason I docked half a star.
There were some moments where the in-depth paragraphs of military maneuvers and battles carried on for just a touch longer than necessary. There were some moments where I wished the plot moved just a touch faster.
HOWEVER...
These two small issues hardly detracted from my overall enjoyment. I can tell that this ...more

Nov 10, 2013
carol.
rated it
liked it
Recommends it for:
fans of Sheepfarmer's Daughter, military fantasy
Recommended to carol. by:
Fantasy Aficionados
For some time now, I’ve been co-moderating a fantasy group on Goodreads. One of the troubles with attempting to be an active group co-moderator are monthly reads. Ultimately, only a few read the selections in a timely enough fashion to discuss, so I’ve been making it a personal challenge to read the books chosen. The Thousand Names won our ’round-the-world fantasy,’ African setting poll, so I dutifully ordered it from the library. While it began promisingly enough, it soon segued into a detailed
...more

The Thousand Names didn't just deliver as a fantasy novel, but rather a military fantasy novel. It was all about tactics, strategy, survival, and betrayal. All of those elements intertwined to produce this spectacular novel.
The premise was a bit unclear in terms of the goal of the novel. It merely introduced the readers to the two main characters who helped shape this into the perfection that it is. What made up for the unclear premise would be the unpredictable plot. Everything was not as it s ...more
The premise was a bit unclear in terms of the goal of the novel. It merely introduced the readers to the two main characters who helped shape this into the perfection that it is. What made up for the unclear premise would be the unpredictable plot. Everything was not as it s ...more

I have had my eye on The Shadow Campaigns series for a while now. The flintlock fantasy genre is one that really seems to appeal to my tastes as a reader. I wouldn't refer to myself as a history buff by any means, but history has always fascinated me. Mr. Wexler has managed to give The Thousand Names a 17th century or early 18th century feel with the muskets, cannons, and military atmosphere. This managed to make my inner historical nerd jump with glee every time a fight broke out. But that is n
...more

Jul 22, 2017
✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans)
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Actual rating: 3.5 stars. Methinks.
Introducing…the Murderous Shrimps Want to Dance then again Maybe not Super Crappy Express Non Review (MSWtDtaMnSCENR™)!
➽ Murderous shrimps want to dance because:
✔ Cool military stuff and battles and war strategy and stuff.
✔ A little magic.
✔ Great cast of intriguing characters.
✔ Traitors and scumbags and assholes, oh my!
✔ Both male and female POVs.
✔ Scrumpalicious final chapters.
✔ Slightly orgasmic book cover.
Time to dance and stuff.

➽ Then again maybe not becaus ...more
Introducing…the Murderous Shrimps Want to Dance then again Maybe not Super Crappy Express Non Review (MSWtDtaMnSCENR™)!
➽ Murderous shrimps want to dance because:
✔ Cool military stuff and battles and war strategy and stuff.
✔ A little magic.
✔ Great cast of intriguing characters.
✔ Traitors and scumbags and assholes, oh my!
✔ Both male and female POVs.
✔ Scrumpalicious final chapters.
✔ Slightly orgasmic book cover.
Time to dance and stuff.

➽ Then again maybe not becaus ...more

You can find this review and more at Booksprens.
The Thousand Names is exactly what I came to expect of Flintlock Fantasy: Colonials, a dusty setting, military tactics and old, dangerous magic. A fantastic, exotic and intriguing combo!
The story takes place in Khandar, an arid colony where the dregs (with a few exceptions) of the Vordanai army are sent (or rather "exiled") to keep the peace and support the local prince. A precarious alliance of zealous priests (the Redeemers) and desert warriors ( ...more
The Thousand Names is exactly what I came to expect of Flintlock Fantasy: Colonials, a dusty setting, military tactics and old, dangerous magic. A fantastic, exotic and intriguing combo!
The story takes place in Khandar, an arid colony where the dregs (with a few exceptions) of the Vordanai army are sent (or rather "exiled") to keep the peace and support the local prince. A precarious alliance of zealous priests (the Redeemers) and desert warriors ( ...more

I liked this book so much that I needed to make another review - a gush review - on my blog!
https://todaysdecameron.wordpress.com...
Let me know your thoughts!
- - -
I have been particularly lucky lately with the reading picks.
I was nervous about starting this series, I owned this book for quite some time - and the cover is spectacular - the blurb is magnetic and the rating is high. I had high expectations about the book (and the series) but I was worried to be disappointed. I should not have wo ...more
https://todaysdecameron.wordpress.com...
Let me know your thoughts!
- - -
I have been particularly lucky lately with the reading picks.
I was nervous about starting this series, I owned this book for quite some time - and the cover is spectacular - the blurb is magnetic and the rating is high. I had high expectations about the book (and the series) but I was worried to be disappointed. I should not have wo ...more

May 31, 2016
Norah Una Sumner
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
adventure,
covergasm,
lgbtqa-plus,
magic,
4-star-read,
2016,
series,
fantasy,
great-female-characters,
adult
4.5 stars
When you're studying for your college entrance exam and you manage to read one book per week. At least it was a damn good one! Really needed some good ol' fantasy in my life.
Me: *sees multiple POV, male and female*

Me: *worships the trope of girl escaping the dark past & joining the army as a man*

Me: *realizes that the female protagonist is, in fact, gay*

Me: *sees that there's some cool flippin' magic included and some shady characters*

This book was really good. I shall read the sequel ...more
When you're studying for your college entrance exam and you manage to read one book per week. At least it was a damn good one! Really needed some good ol' fantasy in my life.
Me: *sees multiple POV, male and female*

Me: *worships the trope of girl escaping the dark past & joining the army as a man*

Me: *realizes that the female protagonist is, in fact, gay*

Me: *sees that there's some cool flippin' magic included and some shady characters*

This book was really good. I shall read the sequel ...more

so this took me a freaking long time but hey I DID IT!!! hurray for me
also the audiobook is like 22 hours??? why
anyways, this was good though i lowkey feel like im not smart enough to understand these crazy "developed" plots like im just sitting here ignoring it as the audiobook plays while thinking about how many pages and chapters could have been omitted in order to make this more easy to understand - for me, a peasant™
but like i got the whole concept?? i just didnt get why it had to be so dra ...more

4.5 Stars
The Thousand Names was an awesome debut filled with gripping action, intriguing mysteries and fascinating characters. Featuring a cool ‘flintlock fantasy’ setting this book chronicles the twists and turns of a spectacular military campaign fought against seemingly hopeless odds. Woven neatly into this story are interesting mysteries, strange magic and great characters.
Captain Marcus d’Ivoire and Ranker Winter Ihernglass are part of the ‘Old Colonials’, a ragtag force of rejects servin ...more
The Thousand Names was an awesome debut filled with gripping action, intriguing mysteries and fascinating characters. Featuring a cool ‘flintlock fantasy’ setting this book chronicles the twists and turns of a spectacular military campaign fought against seemingly hopeless odds. Woven neatly into this story are interesting mysteries, strange magic and great characters.
Captain Marcus d’Ivoire and Ranker Winter Ihernglass are part of the ‘Old Colonials’, a ragtag force of rejects servin ...more

Check out my Booktube channel at: The Obsessive Bookseller
Thousand Names was an unusual military fantasy, but I quite liked it.
First off, it’s clear that magic is going to be an integral part to the overall mechanisms of the series and the conflicts within, but it’s presence in this first book was next to nil. If you pick this up, go in expecting a bonafide flintlock military story set in a fantasy world, and NOT expecting battles with mages flinging spells left and right (as I’d been).
I especia ...more
Thousand Names was an unusual military fantasy, but I quite liked it.
First off, it’s clear that magic is going to be an integral part to the overall mechanisms of the series and the conflicts within, but it’s presence in this first book was next to nil. If you pick this up, go in expecting a bonafide flintlock military story set in a fantasy world, and NOT expecting battles with mages flinging spells left and right (as I’d been).
I especia ...more

*** 4 ***
A buddy read with the Fantasy Buddy Reads Group.
This Flintlock Fantasy, or what we used to call plain Adventure back in the day, was very good! It was intriguing, it had battles and politics, gods and demons, and the faith of the military men from noble born officers to urchins serving in the lowest ranks of the privets. A foreign army invades a country which has exiled its Prince and the Prince has turned to the invaders for help in order to regain the throne. This is the reason all ar ...more
A buddy read with the Fantasy Buddy Reads Group.
This Flintlock Fantasy, or what we used to call plain Adventure back in the day, was very good! It was intriguing, it had battles and politics, gods and demons, and the faith of the military men from noble born officers to urchins serving in the lowest ranks of the privets. A foreign army invades a country which has exiled its Prince and the Prince has turned to the invaders for help in order to regain the throne. This is the reason all ar ...more

I am giving this four stars because I enjoyed it very much despite the pages and pages of detailed battle strategies. Quite frankly details of long battles send me to sleep. However the fantasy content increased as the book progressed until eventually the fight was between possessed corpses with glowing green eyes and the army. That was much more entertaining.
The characters were great especially Marcus, Winter and Colonel Janus. In fact I thought that Janus brought the whole thing to life althou ...more
The characters were great especially Marcus, Winter and Colonel Janus. In fact I thought that Janus brought the whole thing to life althou ...more

3.7 stars.
Few years back my friend was dating this girl and during few night outs I seen her she seem like confident young woman until I had opportunity to meet her in more private atmosphere. Without strong makeup there was face of a teen and behind mature posturing there was mindset of young person trying to fit in with adults.
The thousand names kind of reminds me of that. From afar it seem to be grimdark fantasy similar to Powder mage or The first law series but within hard,dirty shell there ...more
Few years back my friend was dating this girl and during few night outs I seen her she seem like confident young woman until I had opportunity to meet her in more private atmosphere. Without strong makeup there was face of a teen and behind mature posturing there was mindset of young person trying to fit in with adults.
The thousand names kind of reminds me of that. From afar it seem to be grimdark fantasy similar to Powder mage or The first law series but within hard,dirty shell there ...more

I am very confused as to how I did not give this 5 stars in my first read. To be fair, I read a lot less back then and was less familiar with the what's out there, etc. This should be THE flintlock fantasy novel people go to to get their fix. So good. There is no reason this book shouldn't outsell Powder Mage 10-to-1.
...more

‘Don’t put things off too long, because you may never get a chance at them.’”
This is my first book by the author, also the first time I'm reading a book with muskets instead of swords that I'm familiar with in fantasy book. This book is so unlike the fantasy books I'm used to and I admit I needed the different aspect in this. The book focus mainly on war campaigns, the title of the series should give a clue on that.
You’ll have some scars, I expect.”
“Scars on my back don’t worry me,” Adrec ...more
This is my first book by the author, also the first time I'm reading a book with muskets instead of swords that I'm familiar with in fantasy book. This book is so unlike the fantasy books I'm used to and I admit I needed the different aspect in this. The book focus mainly on war campaigns, the title of the series should give a clue on that.
You’ll have some scars, I expect.”
“Scars on my back don’t worry me,” Adrec ...more

http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201...
Apparently, I love "flintlock fantasy". The phrase, which according to Wikipedia has been around since the 1990s to describe a sub-genre of fantasy "set in a Regency or Napoleonic-era period", admittedly only entered my lexicon just this year. But all this time, I knew deep in my gut that there simply had to be a term out there for this incredible and distinctly unique brand of fantasy with the musket-era setting that I so adore; I just never knew the name ...more
Apparently, I love "flintlock fantasy". The phrase, which according to Wikipedia has been around since the 1990s to describe a sub-genre of fantasy "set in a Regency or Napoleonic-era period", admittedly only entered my lexicon just this year. But all this time, I knew deep in my gut that there simply had to be a term out there for this incredible and distinctly unique brand of fantasy with the musket-era setting that I so adore; I just never knew the name ...more

Two word summary: Enormously enjoyable!
My baby daughter had a bad case of stage fright when she born; she was overdue, my wife was induced, and we were still in hospital for several days before she arrived. Over that time, we did a lot of reading to kill the time. This wasn't one of the books we took with us - this was an impromptu purchase from the hospital bookshop when our travelling library was running low.
I think my first comment was, "Django Wexler. What an awesome name for a spec-fic writ ...more
My baby daughter had a bad case of stage fright when she born; she was overdue, my wife was induced, and we were still in hospital for several days before she arrived. Over that time, we did a lot of reading to kill the time. This wasn't one of the books we took with us - this was an impromptu purchase from the hospital bookshop when our travelling library was running low.
I think my first comment was, "Django Wexler. What an awesome name for a spec-fic writ ...more

Mar 12, 2015
Kitty G Books
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
my-sff-faves
This book is getting a solid 4.5* rating from me which is really good considering I'm not usually one for battle-heavy books. This is a fantasy debut book but it really doesn't feel like the author is settling into fantasy. It's very well paced with only one or two moments of slow writing, a lot of moments of intrigue, and an explosive ending. I constantly had questions and when I wasn't reading the book I did wonder about it. I have to say I am very glad I picked this up because it's a really b
...more

Django Wexler has delivered a highly entertaining debut which mixes elements of Bernard Cornwall-esque military adventure with an original take on magic and keen eye for action, dialogue and character. If this is any indication succeeding volumes may end up doing for the Napoleonic Wars what George RR Martin did for the Wars of the Roses. Highly recommended.

Nov 21, 2013
Rob
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Rob by:
Alex Ristea
Executive Summary: This one is more flintlock than fantasy. It should appeal to any military fantasy, or maybe even military fiction fans, but may be found slow/uninteresting to sword and sorcery readers.
Audio book: Mr. Poe is a decent reader, but nothing spectacular. I think he does attempt to distinguish voice a little, but it was mostly too subtle for me to really tell the difference. He does have good inflections and emotion in his reading at least.
Full Review
I didn't know much about thi ...more
Audio book: Mr. Poe is a decent reader, but nothing spectacular. I think he does attempt to distinguish voice a little, but it was mostly too subtle for me to really tell the difference. He does have good inflections and emotion in his reading at least.
Full Review
I didn't know much about thi ...more

5 Stars
The Thousand Names by Django Wexler surpassed my expectations by a long shot. All of the reviews that classify this as a military fantasy are spot on, it is that and more. Wexler treats the choreography of the military campaign as many authors would detail sword fights and fisticuffs.
This book is a real treat for those that like strategy with their action. So many of the situations and scenarios are discussed amongst the characters and we are treated to an incredible amount tactics and ...more
The Thousand Names by Django Wexler surpassed my expectations by a long shot. All of the reviews that classify this as a military fantasy are spot on, it is that and more. Wexler treats the choreography of the military campaign as many authors would detail sword fights and fisticuffs.
This book is a real treat for those that like strategy with their action. So many of the situations and scenarios are discussed amongst the characters and we are treated to an incredible amount tactics and ...more

Unlike many of the fantasy books that take place in a world parallel to our Medieval Ages, "The Thousand Names" takes place in an era parallel to our 17th/18th century - with muskets and cannons (how cool is that?). Which is nice and mostly - refreshing. Django writes fantastically! His main characters are very likable and well written. Both Winter and Marcus are great! But I think Marcus is my favorite for the time being. He got me with his healthy cynical approach to life, as can be seen in th
...more

I really enjoyed this book, which I would classify as Flintlock Fantasy. A lot of military battles between the Colonizers and the natives of a colony, who have rebelled against the Colonizers' backed Prince. There is some local magic involved, and it becomes clear that the leader of the Colonial Army, Colonel Janus has asked for his position in order to look for some of that magic and not only to put down the rebellion...
The other two main characters, who are the main POV's, are Captain Markus ...more
The other two main characters, who are the main POV's, are Captain Markus ...more

Jul 30, 2017
Sarah
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy,
sff-book-club-challenge
I'm giving it 3.5 stars and rounding down to 3. Which is a lot more than I expected to give honestly.
The book is bloated with pages upon pages of battle scenes that, to be frank, were really incredibly boring. The problem wasn't necessarily the writing, but more of: I don't care who wins the battle, I don't know enough about either side, I don't care about these characters all that much.
Also... I have a really high standard when it comes to battle scenes. It's really not enough to just say a ch ...more
The book is bloated with pages upon pages of battle scenes that, to be frank, were really incredibly boring. The problem wasn't necessarily the writing, but more of: I don't care who wins the battle, I don't know enough about either side, I don't care about these characters all that much.
Also... I have a really high standard when it comes to battle scenes. It's really not enough to just say a ch ...more

Holy crap, I never left a review for this, shame on me.
I loved this book, I really like military/flintlock fantasy and this scratched that itch so hard.
It's a multiPOV book, but it's largely just two characters which keeps this easy to follow, and it really gets you emotionally invested in both characters.
This book takes a topic that can be done really poorly - women pretending to be men in the military - and does it perfectly. Sometimes this tack falls really flat and doesn't work well at al ...more
I loved this book, I really like military/flintlock fantasy and this scratched that itch so hard.
It's a multiPOV book, but it's largely just two characters which keeps this easy to follow, and it really gets you emotionally invested in both characters.
This book takes a topic that can be done really poorly - women pretending to be men in the military - and does it perfectly. Sometimes this tack falls really flat and doesn't work well at al ...more
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Django Wexler graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh with degrees in creative writing and computer science, and worked for the university in artificial intelligence research. Eventually he migrated to Microsoft in Seattle, where he now lives with two cats and a teetering mountain of books. When not planning Shadow Campaigns, he wrangles computers, paints tiny soldiers, and plays g
...more
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“You got rid of him?”
“For the moment,” Winter said. “Nothing confuses an officer like violently agreeing with him.”
—
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“For the moment,” Winter said. “Nothing confuses an officer like violently agreeing with him.”
“The name meant "Angel of Victory," which Jaffa supposed was appropriate enough. The Divine Hand himself had started the fashion for taking the names of angels when he'd called himself Vale-dan-Rahksa, the Angel of Vengeance. At the rate the Council was expanding, there would soon be a serious shortage of angels. Jaffa wondered what would happen when they ran out of manly, intimidating names and were reduced to naming themselves after the Angel of Sisterly Affection or the Angel of Small Crafts.”
—
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