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The Black Guard
(The Long War #1)
by
The launch of an heroic fantasy saga set in the lands of Ro, an epic landscape of mountain fortresses, vast grasslands, roiling ocean and slumbering gods.
The Black Guard is the first in a major new fantasy series, The Long War, set in an invented world somewhat similar to medieval Europe in terms of technology, heraldry and ethics. Magic features in the world, but is rare ...more
The Black Guard is the first in a major new fantasy series, The Long War, set in an invented world somewhat similar to medieval Europe in terms of technology, heraldry and ethics. Magic features in the world, but is rare ...more
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Hardcover, 640 pages
Published
August 1st 2013
by Head of Zeus
(first published July 1st 2013)
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Popular Answered Questions
Benedict Heuff
Yes every chapter is told by a different character though you do often return to previous characters or the people surrounding them
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Start your review of The Black Guard (The Long War, #1)

The reviewer gazed through the large cavern. In front of him towered the Book Giant on his throne made up of book shelves. As the Giant leaned down to him the reviewer could see the mighty chain around his neck crafted of the ten tomes of the Malazan Book of the Fallen.
On his left arm the creature had a tatoo of the One Ring, on his right turned the Wheel of Time. Further down the giant wore a Pandora bracelet consisting of 5 A Song of Ice and Fire books leaving two spots on the bracelet painful ...more
On his left arm the creature had a tatoo of the One Ring, on his right turned the Wheel of Time. Further down the giant wore a Pandora bracelet consisting of 5 A Song of Ice and Fire books leaving two spots on the bracelet painful ...more

To give it to you short and sweet? I freaking loved The Black Guard.
Now, on to the ramblings...
Characters:
What a set we have here… we have the Clerics of various colors (Red, Purple, Black, Gold, Brown, Blue)- each with their own set of rules. Some live a life of abstinence, other drink and shag their way through life as much as they want. Gives for some entertaining dialogue in parts!
We have the assassins (Al Hasim, Rham Jas Rami) who are a joy, truly! Then there are the Seven Sisters (powerfu ...more
Now, on to the ramblings...
Characters:
What a set we have here… we have the Clerics of various colors (Red, Purple, Black, Gold, Brown, Blue)- each with their own set of rules. Some live a life of abstinence, other drink and shag their way through life as much as they want. Gives for some entertaining dialogue in parts!
We have the assassins (Al Hasim, Rham Jas Rami) who are a joy, truly! Then there are the Seven Sisters (powerfu ...more

The Black Guard is one of those books you pick up and know by the weight of it that it is a fantasy book, a proper one that you could kill a noisy redneck on the train with, and carry on quietly reading.
It is basically a clever, twisted tale of weak minded people in positions of power (a King for example) being manipulated by unsavory factions, that are not quite what they may appear to be. It’s a tale of how that will affect the lives of various people, and how they may react; perhaps causing ...more
It is basically a clever, twisted tale of weak minded people in positions of power (a King for example) being manipulated by unsavory factions, that are not quite what they may appear to be. It’s a tale of how that will affect the lives of various people, and how they may react; perhaps causing ...more

Although it does suffer from some pacing issues (a great start, a bit of a slog, a fantastic middle, and a rushed finale), this delivered on everything it promised. The storytelling was strong, and the world-building both deep and thorough. This isn't grimdark in any sense, but it is a realistic world where people have needs, where they get hurt, and where they need the escape of illicit pleasures.
It's become increasingly rare to find admirable, likeable protagonists in the genre, so it was refr ...more
It's become increasingly rare to find admirable, likeable protagonists in the genre, so it was refr ...more

This was an exceptional fantasy read and given that this was his debut novel, Mr AJ Smith should be given a standing ovation!
The story flowed perfectly and there was not a single moment in this book that felt slow, boring or bogged down with dialogue. The characters were interesting and there was a nice interrelation between many of the POVs.
I can't wait to read the next book in this series and I would recommend it to all fantasy fans.
Forget GRRM and his lovechild Rothefuss, who cant seem to put ...more
The story flowed perfectly and there was not a single moment in this book that felt slow, boring or bogged down with dialogue. The characters were interesting and there was a nice interrelation between many of the POVs.
I can't wait to read the next book in this series and I would recommend it to all fantasy fans.
Forget GRRM and his lovechild Rothefuss, who cant seem to put ...more

Ah this has potential, but is a bit of a way off being a bona fide fantasy classic. Still for 99p I cant complain too much. Its sold as a grimdark novel but is actually pretty much a classic Fantasy novel with groups of disparate people coming together to fight a greater foe. The start doesn't show that but at the end, its what pretty much happens.
Its a bit rough round the edges. The language is a bit terse and functional in places. Short sentences that explain things as an aside in almost a te ...more
Its a bit rough round the edges. The language is a bit terse and functional in places. Short sentences that explain things as an aside in almost a te ...more

The Black Guard by A. J. Smith is a debut that is perhaps the author's tribute to J.R.R. Tolkein & other paragons of world-building. That's the cornerstone of this wonderful debut, the world that's lushly described within: with gorgeous maps, glossaries & much more. The Black Guard doesn't just stop at world-building with a large POV cast & a story format that is very reminiscent of Tolkien's trilogy.
The characterization while focussing on most of the good guys also a bit characteristically si ...more

Read the full review at Fantasy Faction
The Long War series is an epic fantasy/dark fantasy quadrilogy which deals with courtroom intrigue, politics, magic and gods in a world similar to ours but set during the medieval period. It consists of the following books: The Black Guard, The Dark Blood, The Red Prince and The World Raven. These four books have a complexity and style that is a mix of George R.R. Martin and Steven Eriksson with a dash of H. P. Lovecraft.
Read the full review at Fantasy Fact ...more
The Long War series is an epic fantasy/dark fantasy quadrilogy which deals with courtroom intrigue, politics, magic and gods in a world similar to ours but set during the medieval period. It consists of the following books: The Black Guard, The Dark Blood, The Red Prince and The World Raven. These four books have a complexity and style that is a mix of George R.R. Martin and Steven Eriksson with a dash of H. P. Lovecraft.
Read the full review at Fantasy Fact ...more

Jul 07, 2017
Justyna
added it
Another DNF...I really don't have any luck recently in picking up new books...
What's wrong with this book? Well, the writing style is bad. There is also plenty of swearing...while I am not really very sensitive about it usually, it just got on my nerves in this book, since it was bad writing plus swearing...oh, and for the first 15% of the book or so, the only characters I got to meet were male...again, normally that's not an issue with me too, I can wait...but it was just male characters talkin ...more
What's wrong with this book? Well, the writing style is bad. There is also plenty of swearing...while I am not really very sensitive about it usually, it just got on my nerves in this book, since it was bad writing plus swearing...oh, and for the first 15% of the book or so, the only characters I got to meet were male...again, normally that's not an issue with me too, I can wait...but it was just male characters talkin ...more

An abrupt ending kept this from five stars, yet I highly recommend book #1 of this series by A.J. Smith. I'm looking forward to staying in his world and imagination some more. His characters are multi-faceted, especially Bronwyn, and I have a feeling this is just the beginning, as the Seven Sisters are only now starting to unfold their diabolical plans. Comparisons to Tolkien are not spot-on as those to Steve Erikson, Joe Abercrombie, and Gemmell-Award winner, John Gwynne (That Faithful and the
...more

More and more, it seems to me that the ability to write beautiful prose while also telling a tremendous story is abandoned to authors like Tolkien or Hobb--in favor of one or the other. However, some few authors succeed at both (like Gwynne, Staveley, or Rothfuss). So, after recently finishing a great story with pathetically bad prose, The Black Guard was quite a welcomed surprise. The writing is quite good, even very good at its best, but never distracting at it's worst. The story, while certai
...more

A brilliant start to what looks like it's going to turn out to be an amazing series. Already started the next one.
...more

Unbelievably good .debut novel. Hopefully the next novel "The Dark Blood" continues at this high level. An amazingly crafted world
...more

#Wow
So ive finished this bundle of well interconnected words after weeks of hacking away at its pages.This was due not to a lack of interest but from having to be interrupted from the in depth journey i was clearly sharing by mundane task of everyday life.
As an aspiring writer, i must comment that this book should be used as a fine example of how third person limited should be utilized. It is flaunted about with skill akin to the assassin Rhas Jam who ive come to depend on about as much as the c ...more
So ive finished this bundle of well interconnected words after weeks of hacking away at its pages.This was due not to a lack of interest but from having to be interrupted from the in depth journey i was clearly sharing by mundane task of everyday life.
As an aspiring writer, i must comment that this book should be used as a fine example of how third person limited should be utilized. It is flaunted about with skill akin to the assassin Rhas Jam who ive come to depend on about as much as the c ...more

“They’ll just assume we’ll go into the wilds and lie low. The idea of us going to Tiris is so stupid it won’t occur to them.” “So, our stupidity is what’s going to keep us alive?” “Precisely … I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Engaging epic fantasy. Good world building. Touted for being Lovecraftian, but I didn’t feel it. In fact, Smith’s supernatural dimension felt more organic to his world. Prose was easy to read. A little humor.
Numerous non sequiturs: “He was flabby, with little muscle, thoug ...more
Engaging epic fantasy. Good world building. Touted for being Lovecraftian, but I didn’t feel it. In fact, Smith’s supernatural dimension felt more organic to his world. Prose was easy to read. A little humor.
Numerous non sequiturs: “He was flabby, with little muscle, thoug ...more

2013 seems to be a year for Debut fantasy novels for me, and they have all been fantastic books so far (Luke Scull, Stella Gemmell, Nathan Hawke), so how does the Black Guard stand up against those other debuts?
Like The City by Stella Gemmell it took me a little while to get into this book, maybe its the risk of a debut author landing such a hefty tome in my lap, at 640 pages its a serious expression of trust from the publisher Head of Zeus, and an announcement that they think they have a real w ...more
Like The City by Stella Gemmell it took me a little while to get into this book, maybe its the risk of a debut author landing such a hefty tome in my lap, at 640 pages its a serious expression of trust from the publisher Head of Zeus, and an announcement that they think they have a real w ...more

When a friend at HoZ sent me a review copy of this particular book; I was sceptical. Fantasy was rapidly becoming something that I had grown weary of and the allure of Dan Abnett's work in the thirty-first millennium of a certain other universe was pulling me hard into science-fiction again after the SW EU derailed. But what the hell, right? They were nice enough to send it to me so the least I could do was give it a whirl.
I won't copy and paste the preface of the book. You can turn it up with a ...more
I won't copy and paste the preface of the book. You can turn it up with a ...more

The Black Guard is an excellent novel and a riveting first installment in The Long War fantasy series created by debut author AJ Smith. The book is set in the fatastical lands of Ro, Karesia and Ranen. I was plunged headlong into a believable, highly detailed world of thriving cities, sprawling landscapes, wars, politics, multi-ordered warrior priests, Kings, enchantresses, squires, knights, giants and gods.
The Black Guard starts off confidently and moves forward with real purpose. Smith clever ...more
The Black Guard starts off confidently and moves forward with real purpose. Smith clever ...more

Sep 17, 2013
Ubiquitousbastard
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy
Pleasantly surprised by how good this book was. It isn't from a major publisher, and I've never heard of it outside of a list on this site, but I have to say that I really liked it. It's actually the first book in a while where I was disappointed when I was within 25% of finishing it because I wanted more to read. I think that the viewpoint changes were well done, as the author tended not to switch to someone unless they had already been introduced, so it was easy to keep track of who they were
...more

So the cover blurb touted this book as a cross between GRR Martin and Lovecraft which I kind of snorted at when I read it, but hey I picked it up so you could say it worked. And if I had to pick a description of the book the blurb would be very apt.
Varying races of men/creatures, political machinations, some horror elements, plenty of action and adventure. While the Lovecraft angle isn't developed fully yet the method used to integrate the mythos into the story is interesting and the author did ...more
Varying races of men/creatures, political machinations, some horror elements, plenty of action and adventure. While the Lovecraft angle isn't developed fully yet the method used to integrate the mythos into the story is interesting and the author did ...more

I'm being very honest when I say this book puts Smith in the same league as George R.R. Martin and Patrick Rothfuss, with one exception...Smith has finished his series. After reading book one of four, I am completely hooked and I am so glad I already have book two, because waiting is not something I do.
...more

The Black Guard by A.J. Smith is a book one finds if he digs through Goodreads hours on end, searching for more fantasy books to be devoured. However, it is no hidden treasure.
The book constantly hovers between being a good one and a bad one, leaning more towards the latter than the former. Despite it's flaws however, it was still interesting enough to read till the end.
Plot: The story is about the long war of the Giants. Gods in their own right who have lived thousands of years and now have ret ...more
The book constantly hovers between being a good one and a bad one, leaning more towards the latter than the former. Despite it's flaws however, it was still interesting enough to read till the end.
Plot: The story is about the long war of the Giants. Gods in their own right who have lived thousands of years and now have ret ...more

This could have been a whole lot better if it had fewer points of view. The first seven chapters introduce seven (main) characters, some we don’t really get to know at all until they disappear from view (mostly because they are, in some cases thankfully, killed). And it doesn’t end there. Chapter eight brings you back to a character you already know, but (much) later on in the novel you are introduced to more pov’s. This is such a shame, because not many characters get enough “screen time” for m
...more

The Black Guard by A.J. Smith, is a book I picked up while browsing through John Gwynne’s social media. A fantasy novel that is possibly a tribute to J.R.R. Tolkien and George R.R. Martin. In this novel, the city of Ro Canarn has been invaded by the Knights of the Red. Influenced by the Karesian Witches of the Seven Sisters for The Long War designed to destroy worship of the Gods of Men.
The execution of the Duke of Canarn, commanded by the King, brought death, chaos and tyranny to its people. I ...more
The execution of the Duke of Canarn, commanded by the King, brought death, chaos and tyranny to its people. I ...more

As I type this, we’re past the midpoint of 2013, which is shaping up to be a great year for Epic Fantasy. When I started at the beginning of the year, like 2012, I had great hopes for the genre. There were some debut writers who I hoped would set a standard, but was generally disappointed by what I read.
I’m pleased to type that The Black Guard is an entertaining debut from an author I want to read more from. From the publicity blurb:
The Duke of Canarn is dead, executed by the King's decree. The ...more
I’m pleased to type that The Black Guard is an entertaining debut from an author I want to read more from. From the publicity blurb:
The Duke of Canarn is dead, executed by the King's decree. The ...more

I was lucky enough to receive a preview copy of unknown author A.J.Smiths first novel, The Black Guard; the first part of the new fantasy saga 'The Long War'. The book was already garnering some buzz, and, as a lover of all things fantastical, I couldn't wait to delve into this new world.
The first thing that struck me was it is a weighty tome, weighing in at near 600 pages (though this includes world maps plus a gazetteer of notable characters and creatures). That being said, the novel is split ...more
The first thing that struck me was it is a weighty tome, weighing in at near 600 pages (though this includes world maps plus a gazetteer of notable characters and creatures). That being said, the novel is split ...more

This debut book by A.J. Smith was clearly inspired by some of the known great like martine or tolkien with a healthy dash of abercmobie thrown in and in doing so the author created something that vies to reach their greatness and with great effort too.
The story is uniquely written with the whole book divided into 2 parts and with different events described in first person by different point of views so that in vein of a song of ice and fire their are no main protagonists or even a proper band o ...more
The story is uniquely written with the whole book divided into 2 parts and with different events described in first person by different point of views so that in vein of a song of ice and fire their are no main protagonists or even a proper band o ...more
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Writing is the only thing I do that doesn't make me feel like I should be doing something else.
Fantasy author of The Long War. Owner of 24 goblins (one too many). ...more
Fantasy author of The Long War. Owner of 24 goblins (one too many). ...more
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The Long War
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