What do you think?
Rate this book
Nysta #1
Revenge of the Elf
First in an ongoing Heroic Fantasy series, 'Revenge of the Elf' promises unrelenting action, oddball mages, and a foul-mouthed wisecracking heroine tougher than a hardboiled egg. Following in the footsteps of Conan, Drizzt, the Gray Mouser, Elric, Druss, and many more heroes of Sword and Sorcery, the elf called Nysta will carve her own epic path.
And that path will be bloody.
---
"So, I'd like to make a truce. You don't try opening my veins, and I won't melt your face off. The thing is, I want to sleep easy for one night without having to keep hold of my magic just in case. And I'm sure you don't need any more practice after what you did to those two out there. So, what do you say, Long-ear? Think we can agree to be polite?"
"Sure, Chukshene," the elf said, sheathing the blade and plunging the wagon's interior into darkness. "I reckon we can mind our manas for a bit."
---
Nysta is a new kind of elf.
When nine killers rode out of the homestead with blood fresh on their hands, they reckoned that would be the end of it.
The lost spellslinger was looking for a way out. He figured Nysta could lead him to the safety of a town called Spikewrist. And then there was the tragic creature born in the darkest shadows of legend. He reckoned she would fight the greatest fight of all.
But none of them counted on the violence she would unleash. Because in the Deadlands there is no forgiveness. No mercy.
Winter in the Deadlands could be cold. But the revenge of an elf would be colder.
And that path will be bloody.
---
"So, I'd like to make a truce. You don't try opening my veins, and I won't melt your face off. The thing is, I want to sleep easy for one night without having to keep hold of my magic just in case. And I'm sure you don't need any more practice after what you did to those two out there. So, what do you say, Long-ear? Think we can agree to be polite?"
"Sure, Chukshene," the elf said, sheathing the blade and plunging the wagon's interior into darkness. "I reckon we can mind our manas for a bit."
---
Nysta is a new kind of elf.
When nine killers rode out of the homestead with blood fresh on their hands, they reckoned that would be the end of it.
The lost spellslinger was looking for a way out. He figured Nysta could lead him to the safety of a town called Spikewrist. And then there was the tragic creature born in the darkest shadows of legend. He reckoned she would fight the greatest fight of all.
But none of them counted on the violence she would unleash. Because in the Deadlands there is no forgiveness. No mercy.
Winter in the Deadlands could be cold. But the revenge of an elf would be colder.
- GenresFantasy
298 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 28, 2012
About the author
Lucas Thorn
18 books40 followersLucas Thorn, is the author of the Nysta series which begins with the action-packed 'Revenge of the Elf'. A fan of swordpunk, he dreams of a day when pulp fantasy makes its violent and savage comeback.
Currently he lives in Melbourne, Australia, and hopes one day to live on a mountain.
More information about his books can be found on his website, http://www.lucasthorn.com.
Currently he lives in Melbourne, Australia, and hopes one day to live on a mountain.
More information about his books can be found on his website, http://www.lucasthorn.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
December 31, 2015
3.5, but I'll round up
I went into this book with high hopes of a strong, kick-ass female warrior. And I had reason to. The following is from the latter half of the Author's Note:
But the author fell into the same trite trap as many others when he made her a victim of sexual abuse and circumstantially forced prostitution as a child (starting as young as seven presumably). The book also starts with rape threats and whoring comes up frequently in conversation or insults. Nysta's very ashamed of what she had to do to survive and when discussing this history is the only time in the book that she feels fragile. I swear authors, there really are other ways for women to become strong. But you would never know it from reading fiction. How very pat.
I wouldn't even mention it, since it's basically the norm. Except that Thorn made it apparent in the above note that he was aiming to break the pattern of women's presentation in fantasy. Then why go with a plot device so overused as to have become cliché? Men don't have to be victims before they can become strong. They don't need that forging process and frankly neither did Nysta.
What's more, Nysta's presumed strength is of a very male sort. She can kill more people than the next guy therefore she must be strong. But I would argue that's skill and something else entirely. Internal strength needs to based on something more and Nysta lacks that. To paraphrase Chukshene, she's still just that scared little girl, servicing some minor noble on her knees in a dirty back alley.
So, I'll give it half marks for my hope of a strong, kick-ass woman warrior. She's kick-ass sure, but she didn't strike me as strong in any sense but the muscular type. Disappointing, to say the least.
The book also has a cool cover. But again, being as Thorn apparently wants to widen women's available and acceptable place in fantasy, I should ask why she's half-naked. Especially considering the book is set in winter and she's fully dressed in leather armour and a full length, fur-lined cape (mostly even with the hood up) for the entirety of the book. Again, for someone trying to break new ground, Thorn keeps falling into disappointingly well-trodden paths.
As for the rest of the story, I'll give it half marks too, because I liked it in a lot of ways, but feel very little compulsion to continue the series. For one, Thorn has a tendency to overuse things. Nysta, and to a lesser degree Chukshene, have a habit of dropping puns and one-liners. At first, it was funny. Then I couldn't decide if it was genius or just cheesy. By the end and the 100th such occurrence, I'd started imagining a 'ba-da-bum' and a laugh-track in my mind each time one of the characters dropped a clanger. It had been wholly reduced to Dad Joke level humour and definitely fell on the super-cheese side of the equation. Same thing with Nysta's constant threats and Chukshene's endless needling, it was effective in the beginning but just disruptive to the narrative by the end.
And the end, or lack there of, is one of the biggest reasons I don't think I'll continue this series unless I come across the sequel as a freebie. The whole plot of this book is set up by the blurb to be about Nysta hunting down and killing her husband's murderers. However, she doesn't find them until about 80% into the book. Then there is about a one-page altercation in which most of them escape. That's it. That's the entirety of the fight between her and the men she's hunting.
She fights some robbers, some zombie type things, walks, rides a horse, cries, refuses to eat, talks and talks and talks, but she doesn't fight the Bloody Nine much at all. Then, just at the end something else entirely happens, opening the plot to a much wider path and the book ends.
You don't get the satisfaction of seeing Talek's killers caught or much of a sense of vindication on seeing them realise that Nysta isn't 'just a whore' but a dangerous killer they should fear. You don't know what's possessed Nysta (she's unconscious at the end). You don't know why Chukshene is sticking with her. You don't have much more than a hint at where the series is headed. It's just one big question-mark, making this whole book feel like little more than a prologue to something more. It is not a stand-alone book.
The writing itself is pretty good. Mechanically readable with believable dialogue (outside of the puns). There were a couple editing hiccups, but not enough to bother me. I was confused with the world-building. The author does set up a rather complex religious and political landscape, but it's set up, not described or explored. So, I only ever had a vague understanding of it. It was enough to follow the story, but not enough to feel fully invested in it.
The author also seems to have an odd attachment to spiders. Chukshene runs with his knees too high, like an injured spider. A hill looks like a spider squatting. Runes looked like spiders dancing. Someone is described as cold, like a spider. Plus, apparently Chukshene just doesn't like them and they can get as big as a hand. I second Chukshene here, hate them, so I notice these things.
All-in-all, if I had gone into this book with different or no expectations, I might not be as disappointed with it as I am. It's not a bad book, a lot better than many indies I've read. But I really wanted that strong warrior Thorn promised in the beginning and I didn't find her. (Maybe we just have very different ideas of what makes a woman strong, but I still finished in a sulk.)
And as one finale snarky side comment, though she never drank tea, Nysta did in fact discuss a dress, a red one. Maybe not in the 'I'm a pretty-pretty princess' way a lot of fantasy, especially YA fantasy (which this is not, it's harsh, violent and gritty, with lots of cursing—none of which I mind) does when they want to let a man provide the woman with the femininity she's obviously lacking by being a fighter, but still there was a dress, it was discussed.
I went into this book with high hopes of a strong, kick-ass female warrior. And I had reason to. The following is from the latter half of the Author's Note:
Nysta is certainly the culmination of many years of dissatisfaction in the presentation of female characters in fantasy.And in some ways Nysta is bad-ass. She's certainly skilled with a blade or two (dozen). But that's not really the same thing as strong. I could excuse all the tears and even the way her thoughts are scattered one moment and obsessive the next; she's grieving the loss of the love of her life, after-all. (And Talek seemed wonderful and worthy of her love.)
As such, Nysta will never heal anyone with amazing healing powers. She will never drink tea and discuss dresses. She will not stand back and watch her boyfriend fight the monster.
She will not be rescued by the hero, because in my book, she IS the hero.
But the author fell into the same trite trap as many others when he made her a victim of sexual abuse and circumstantially forced prostitution as a child (starting as young as seven presumably). The book also starts with rape threats and whoring comes up frequently in conversation or insults. Nysta's very ashamed of what she had to do to survive and when discussing this history is the only time in the book that she feels fragile. I swear authors, there really are other ways for women to become strong. But you would never know it from reading fiction. How very pat.
I wouldn't even mention it, since it's basically the norm. Except that Thorn made it apparent in the above note that he was aiming to break the pattern of women's presentation in fantasy. Then why go with a plot device so overused as to have become cliché? Men don't have to be victims before they can become strong. They don't need that forging process and frankly neither did Nysta.
What's more, Nysta's presumed strength is of a very male sort. She can kill more people than the next guy therefore she must be strong. But I would argue that's skill and something else entirely. Internal strength needs to based on something more and Nysta lacks that. To paraphrase Chukshene, she's still just that scared little girl, servicing some minor noble on her knees in a dirty back alley.
So, I'll give it half marks for my hope of a strong, kick-ass woman warrior. She's kick-ass sure, but she didn't strike me as strong in any sense but the muscular type. Disappointing, to say the least.
The book also has a cool cover. But again, being as Thorn apparently wants to widen women's available and acceptable place in fantasy, I should ask why she's half-naked. Especially considering the book is set in winter and she's fully dressed in leather armour and a full length, fur-lined cape (mostly even with the hood up) for the entirety of the book. Again, for someone trying to break new ground, Thorn keeps falling into disappointingly well-trodden paths.
As for the rest of the story, I'll give it half marks too, because I liked it in a lot of ways, but feel very little compulsion to continue the series. For one, Thorn has a tendency to overuse things. Nysta, and to a lesser degree Chukshene, have a habit of dropping puns and one-liners. At first, it was funny. Then I couldn't decide if it was genius or just cheesy. By the end and the 100th such occurrence, I'd started imagining a 'ba-da-bum' and a laugh-track in my mind each time one of the characters dropped a clanger. It had been wholly reduced to Dad Joke level humour and definitely fell on the super-cheese side of the equation. Same thing with Nysta's constant threats and Chukshene's endless needling, it was effective in the beginning but just disruptive to the narrative by the end.
And the end, or lack there of, is one of the biggest reasons I don't think I'll continue this series unless I come across the sequel as a freebie. The whole plot of this book is set up by the blurb to be about Nysta hunting down and killing her husband's murderers. However, she doesn't find them until about 80% into the book. Then there is about a one-page altercation in which most of them escape. That's it. That's the entirety of the fight between her and the men she's hunting.
She fights some robbers, some zombie type things, walks, rides a horse, cries, refuses to eat, talks and talks and talks, but she doesn't fight the Bloody Nine much at all. Then, just at the end something else entirely happens, opening the plot to a much wider path and the book ends.
You don't get the satisfaction of seeing Talek's killers caught or much of a sense of vindication on seeing them realise that Nysta isn't 'just a whore' but a dangerous killer they should fear. You don't know what's possessed Nysta (she's unconscious at the end). You don't know why Chukshene is sticking with her. You don't have much more than a hint at where the series is headed. It's just one big question-mark, making this whole book feel like little more than a prologue to something more. It is not a stand-alone book.
The writing itself is pretty good. Mechanically readable with believable dialogue (outside of the puns). There were a couple editing hiccups, but not enough to bother me. I was confused with the world-building. The author does set up a rather complex religious and political landscape, but it's set up, not described or explored. So, I only ever had a vague understanding of it. It was enough to follow the story, but not enough to feel fully invested in it.
The author also seems to have an odd attachment to spiders. Chukshene runs with his knees too high, like an injured spider. A hill looks like a spider squatting. Runes looked like spiders dancing. Someone is described as cold, like a spider. Plus, apparently Chukshene just doesn't like them and they can get as big as a hand. I second Chukshene here, hate them, so I notice these things.
All-in-all, if I had gone into this book with different or no expectations, I might not be as disappointed with it as I am. It's not a bad book, a lot better than many indies I've read. But I really wanted that strong warrior Thorn promised in the beginning and I didn't find her. (Maybe we just have very different ideas of what makes a woman strong, but I still finished in a sulk.)
And as one finale snarky side comment, though she never drank tea, Nysta did in fact discuss a dress, a red one. Maybe not in the 'I'm a pretty-pretty princess' way a lot of fantasy, especially YA fantasy (which this is not, it's harsh, violent and gritty, with lots of cursing—none of which I mind) does when they want to let a man provide the woman with the femininity she's obviously lacking by being a fighter, but still there was a dress, it was discussed.
November 30, 2018
I began reading this book with basically no knowledge of what I was in for, other than the author telling me, and I quote: “Prepare for blood, violence, blood, swearing elves, violence, blood…”. Obviously, this became a must-read for me and Thorn so graciously delivered on his promise.
This is a story that sheds light on the dark and consuming path of vengeance. On the pain and fear that fuel and bolster one’s resolve. On the worry of disappointing those you truly care for, those who always seem to find the good in you, regardless of your flaws. Yes, there’s coarse language. Yes, it’s gritty and stabby with buckets and buckets of blood and gore. But once you get past that hardened exterior, you’re left with an emotional tale of a woman’s trying journey after her husband is brutally taken from her.
Now that we have that out of the way, this story is BAD. ASS. We follow Nysta and the mage Chukshene as they navigate through a bleak and frozen wasteland in pursuit of the murderers of Nysta’s husband. This wasteland, aptly named the Deadlands, is the end-result of a long war between gods and is riddled with dangerous creatures and even more dangerous people. You can expect intense fight scenes, sheer destructive magic, secrets and peril lurking in every shadow, and nightmares of folklore past.
The gallows humor is strong with this one and Thorn’s pun game is on point. Call me crazy, but I actually love hitting a line that makes my eyes audibly roll into the back of my head. At the end of each chapter, a character always had some one-liner ready to go and I couldn’t help but picture Nysta or Chukshene breaking the fourth wall with raised eyebrows, goading me into immediately starting the next chapter. And that’s exactly what I did!
Speaking of Nysta and Chukshene, I really came to love these characters. Upon introduction, I was a bit unsure if I’d get into Nysta’s character, but as the story progressed and we gain more insight into her past and the truth behind the rough, unpolished edges, she quickly became one of my favorite female leads. While outwardly ruthless and relentless, she’s internally haunted by the ol’ familiar, all-too-human feeling of self-doubt that makes you view her in a completely different light. It also didn’t hurt that she’s a firm believer in the old adage “you can never have too many knives”. Chukshene…oh, Chukshene, Chukshene, Chukshene. What can I say? It’s always lovely when a character surprises you.
I really had a blast reading this one and cannot wait to continue my journey through the Deadlands - it looks like I have a lot of reading ahead of me! If you’re looking for something dark and violent and at times vulgar, then I highly suggest giving this a read. Onto book two!
This is a story that sheds light on the dark and consuming path of vengeance. On the pain and fear that fuel and bolster one’s resolve. On the worry of disappointing those you truly care for, those who always seem to find the good in you, regardless of your flaws. Yes, there’s coarse language. Yes, it’s gritty and stabby with buckets and buckets of blood and gore. But once you get past that hardened exterior, you’re left with an emotional tale of a woman’s trying journey after her husband is brutally taken from her.
Now that we have that out of the way, this story is BAD. ASS. We follow Nysta and the mage Chukshene as they navigate through a bleak and frozen wasteland in pursuit of the murderers of Nysta’s husband. This wasteland, aptly named the Deadlands, is the end-result of a long war between gods and is riddled with dangerous creatures and even more dangerous people. You can expect intense fight scenes, sheer destructive magic, secrets and peril lurking in every shadow, and nightmares of folklore past.
The gallows humor is strong with this one and Thorn’s pun game is on point. Call me crazy, but I actually love hitting a line that makes my eyes audibly roll into the back of my head. At the end of each chapter, a character always had some one-liner ready to go and I couldn’t help but picture Nysta or Chukshene breaking the fourth wall with raised eyebrows, goading me into immediately starting the next chapter. And that’s exactly what I did!
Speaking of Nysta and Chukshene, I really came to love these characters. Upon introduction, I was a bit unsure if I’d get into Nysta’s character, but as the story progressed and we gain more insight into her past and the truth behind the rough, unpolished edges, she quickly became one of my favorite female leads. While outwardly ruthless and relentless, she’s internally haunted by the ol’ familiar, all-too-human feeling of self-doubt that makes you view her in a completely different light. It also didn’t hurt that she’s a firm believer in the old adage “you can never have too many knives”. Chukshene…oh, Chukshene, Chukshene, Chukshene. What can I say? It’s always lovely when a character surprises you.
I really had a blast reading this one and cannot wait to continue my journey through the Deadlands - it looks like I have a lot of reading ahead of me! If you’re looking for something dark and violent and at times vulgar, then I highly suggest giving this a read. Onto book two!
November 20, 2014
I should by way of disclosure admit that some months ago Lucas Thorn wrote a thoughtful and fair review of my first book on his website. This is a fact that Lucas did not tell (share or tweet) to me and which I only discovered recently entirely by the accident of googling my own book. However, we have exchanged views about the review-starvation that can afflict indie authors and the discovery of his review gave an added impetus to put my goodreads activity where my tweets were (or as we might have said in older days, to put my money where my mouth was).
Revenge of the Elf is a book without pretension, it is about coarse language and bloody violence as Nysta pursues revenge across a frozen and desolate wasteland. The titular heroine is so hard bitten and bad ass she would make iron nails look like cheese-strings. I had read the first 10% as a sampler and been intruiged, but I held off for a while from buying it based on some middle of the road reviews on the amazon website - the kind that damned with the faint praise of few stars. That was a bad decision on my part.
It is a shorter book than its page count might suggest, but it has a visceral quality that reads well keeping me turning the pages, or flicking the kindle. There aren't many books that hold my attention enough to be read in a few sittings over a couple of days. The opening scene with Nysta's husband, Talek is well written, drawing you into the experience of a great soldier brought low in enforced retirement. The writing has a terseness that keeps it tight and free of the purple extravagance of some indie prose. Description of scene and setting appear through the characters' story rather than as a writing exercise of their own, the book is about action and dialogue and the occasional internal ruminations of a guilt ridden central character drowning her sorrows in violence rather than drink, but all of it advancing the plot.
There is a gritty style to the book. The writing, dialogue and the action all have a certain edginess, an authentic voice of fury, desperation and despair and yes that means there's swearing, shitloads of it. The wandering wizard Chukshene is a useful foil to Nysta. Lucas said of their scenes that "they sort of wrote themselves" and you can see that in the way the constant war of words plays out between them. There is a natural rhythm to the entertaining abuse they exchange inbetween eviscerating a wide variety of foes.
Nysta is a distinctive character who I want to know better. A warrior who has so many knives she has to give them all names to tell them apart. An anti-archetype (well pretty much an anti-everything) she is not willowy or ethereal, more waspish and feral. This is indeed a very different kind of elf.
The world building is subtle, all seen through the lens of the character's viewpoints and dialogue, but there is enough to stimulate a certain curiosity. A world of (at least) three gods who came and fought each other on the earth. None of them seem to be particularly godly, walking amongst the living and apparently as fond of a good piss-up as the next man, but their bar-room brawls last for centuries and desolate continents. Throughout the book we get tantalising glimpses of the mythology and culture of different people is from the character's interactions rather than through any tedious infodump.
There was a moment when Nysta flung a knife at a noise in the forest that I was reminded of an entirely different fantasy book, albeit it twisted through a wormhole of distortion. Chukshene, the wizard, works well as the coarse and cowardly lion to Nysta's anything but dainty Dorothy while they follow a ragged trail about as far from the yellow brick road as it is possible to get.
The book as a whole rattles along at a brisk pace driven by its expletive fuelled dialogue and it's non-stop action and there were times when I could perhaps have wished it a little slower, a little more measured. The opening scenes with Talek were among my favourite, perhaps because the violence was curtailed by Talek's physical impairments and so dialogue and interaction took precedence over raw action.
Of recent books that I have read it reminds me most of "Those poor, poor bastards" the first in the Dead West series. There was the same rapid acceleration to unrelenting action and the same authenticity of voice in the f-bombed dialogue and the same relief that the breathless pace was confined to a relatively short book. This is a sprint of a read, not a marathon.
There are some points of style one might question, A dearth of pronouns or even nouns to take the subject in a sentence for example. Instead of "She could move...." or "Nysta couldn't breathe...." we get "Could move.... and "Couldn't breathe..." It adds a certain sense of urgency and pace to the text, but there is simply the question of whether it is overdone. The borrowed references to other works and the punning humour that other reviewers found distracting did not affect me in the same way - perhaps because I was forewarned, perhaps because I am an undiscovered borrower myself.
But the essential question is, is this a good book? is this a great book? Well it is certainly good, I wanted to finish it and I'm glad I did; that isn't always true when I read indie books, in fact it it isn't always true when I read any books. But then again, this book always had a headstart over the others, I mean look at my recent reads "Half the World," "Those Poor, Poor Bastards," dammit look at my books, "Lady of the Helm" "Wrath of the Medusa" d'you see what it is yet? The common theme?
Bad assed female heroines! What's not to like?
Revenge of the Elf is a book without pretension, it is about coarse language and bloody violence as Nysta pursues revenge across a frozen and desolate wasteland. The titular heroine is so hard bitten and bad ass she would make iron nails look like cheese-strings. I had read the first 10% as a sampler and been intruiged, but I held off for a while from buying it based on some middle of the road reviews on the amazon website - the kind that damned with the faint praise of few stars. That was a bad decision on my part.
It is a shorter book than its page count might suggest, but it has a visceral quality that reads well keeping me turning the pages, or flicking the kindle. There aren't many books that hold my attention enough to be read in a few sittings over a couple of days. The opening scene with Nysta's husband, Talek is well written, drawing you into the experience of a great soldier brought low in enforced retirement. The writing has a terseness that keeps it tight and free of the purple extravagance of some indie prose. Description of scene and setting appear through the characters' story rather than as a writing exercise of their own, the book is about action and dialogue and the occasional internal ruminations of a guilt ridden central character drowning her sorrows in violence rather than drink, but all of it advancing the plot.
There is a gritty style to the book. The writing, dialogue and the action all have a certain edginess, an authentic voice of fury, desperation and despair and yes that means there's swearing, shitloads of it. The wandering wizard Chukshene is a useful foil to Nysta. Lucas said of their scenes that "they sort of wrote themselves" and you can see that in the way the constant war of words plays out between them. There is a natural rhythm to the entertaining abuse they exchange inbetween eviscerating a wide variety of foes.
Nysta is a distinctive character who I want to know better. A warrior who has so many knives she has to give them all names to tell them apart. An anti-archetype (well pretty much an anti-everything) she is not willowy or ethereal, more waspish and feral. This is indeed a very different kind of elf.
The world building is subtle, all seen through the lens of the character's viewpoints and dialogue, but there is enough to stimulate a certain curiosity. A world of (at least) three gods who came and fought each other on the earth. None of them seem to be particularly godly, walking amongst the living and apparently as fond of a good piss-up as the next man, but their bar-room brawls last for centuries and desolate continents. Throughout the book we get tantalising glimpses of the mythology and culture of different people is from the character's interactions rather than through any tedious infodump.
There was a moment when Nysta flung a knife at a noise in the forest that I was reminded of an entirely different fantasy book, albeit it twisted through a wormhole of distortion. Chukshene, the wizard, works well as the coarse and cowardly lion to Nysta's anything but dainty Dorothy while they follow a ragged trail about as far from the yellow brick road as it is possible to get.
The book as a whole rattles along at a brisk pace driven by its expletive fuelled dialogue and it's non-stop action and there were times when I could perhaps have wished it a little slower, a little more measured. The opening scenes with Talek were among my favourite, perhaps because the violence was curtailed by Talek's physical impairments and so dialogue and interaction took precedence over raw action.
Of recent books that I have read it reminds me most of "Those poor, poor bastards" the first in the Dead West series. There was the same rapid acceleration to unrelenting action and the same authenticity of voice in the f-bombed dialogue and the same relief that the breathless pace was confined to a relatively short book. This is a sprint of a read, not a marathon.
There are some points of style one might question, A dearth of pronouns or even nouns to take the subject in a sentence for example. Instead of "She could move...." or "Nysta couldn't breathe...." we get "Could move.... and "Couldn't breathe..." It adds a certain sense of urgency and pace to the text, but there is simply the question of whether it is overdone. The borrowed references to other works and the punning humour that other reviewers found distracting did not affect me in the same way - perhaps because I was forewarned, perhaps because I am an undiscovered borrower myself.
But the essential question is, is this a good book? is this a great book? Well it is certainly good, I wanted to finish it and I'm glad I did; that isn't always true when I read indie books, in fact it it isn't always true when I read any books. But then again, this book always had a headstart over the others, I mean look at my recent reads "Half the World," "Those Poor, Poor Bastards," dammit look at my books, "Lady of the Helm" "Wrath of the Medusa" d'you see what it is yet? The common theme?
Bad assed female heroines! What's not to like?
January 23, 2019
Entertaining but some reservations.
While reading this, I quickly felt like I was reading a western. I liked it for that. I didn't like the excessive foul language. I'm disheartened that one of the toughest characters is talked about in past tense because he's dead. I cheered for Nysta and Chukshene although they both are miserable, foul, and murderous (the last one more so Nysta).
I do, however, enjoy a gritty and dark tale of revenge. I'm not sure what will come of the storyline between the three gods, two maniacal warring males and the seemingly more "righteous" female. I agree with the author that helpless or weak females aren't entertaining but I would disagree that most fantasy stories present them as so. Since the 80s at least, I have seen story after story of a female-focused lead that was above males in all regards. In reading many stories, male leads are usually flanked by a mixture of strong and weak makes and females but always at least one strong female without making it a point to point out to the reader "look at my strong male character". In this story, and with the author's after-story words, he seems to be pointing out "look at my strong female". I just want a good story.
At least in this story, whether intentional or not, there were actually strong males and females, minimally, but the main male is a scheming coward. No character was charitable and righteous but at least Chukshene kept helping Nysta when death was upon her.
I love strong characters, male and female, so I plan to move forward with the next story in the high hopes that Nysta and the female god Veil aren't representative of victims of a fantasy patriarchy that manage to overcome it all. I just want a good story with strong representation all around.
So far, I was entertained even with the Alice Cooper nod and cheesy one-liners and knife names.
While reading this, I quickly felt like I was reading a western. I liked it for that. I didn't like the excessive foul language. I'm disheartened that one of the toughest characters is talked about in past tense because he's dead. I cheered for Nysta and Chukshene although they both are miserable, foul, and murderous (the last one more so Nysta).
I do, however, enjoy a gritty and dark tale of revenge. I'm not sure what will come of the storyline between the three gods, two maniacal warring males and the seemingly more "righteous" female. I agree with the author that helpless or weak females aren't entertaining but I would disagree that most fantasy stories present them as so. Since the 80s at least, I have seen story after story of a female-focused lead that was above males in all regards. In reading many stories, male leads are usually flanked by a mixture of strong and weak makes and females but always at least one strong female without making it a point to point out to the reader "look at my strong male character". In this story, and with the author's after-story words, he seems to be pointing out "look at my strong female". I just want a good story.
At least in this story, whether intentional or not, there were actually strong males and females, minimally, but the main male is a scheming coward. No character was charitable and righteous but at least Chukshene kept helping Nysta when death was upon her.
I love strong characters, male and female, so I plan to move forward with the next story in the high hopes that Nysta and the female god Veil aren't representative of victims of a fantasy patriarchy that manage to overcome it all. I just want a good story with strong representation all around.
So far, I was entertained even with the Alice Cooper nod and cheesy one-liners and knife names.
February 22, 2015
Some days I enjoy reading about a character that is blunt and straightforward. Definitely a nice turn of events with regards to how he portrays elves. I like Berserk (the manga) just fine so the cursing and violence in the narrative didn't bother me too much. Basically its a dark fantasy and I came in expecting such things. Bought the whole series back when it was on a flash deal via Amazon. Looking forward to tackling the next books.
Recommended if books akin to the Witcher are your cup of tea.
Recommended if books akin to the Witcher are your cup of tea.
October 26, 2015
This is one of those unique cases where I hate how the book was written, and I flat-out despise the puns that ended every chapter, yet I want to keep reading. I like the characters, and I like the story, and I am willing to ignore my irritation over the writing style in order to get to them. It's great to see such a strong, independent female lead.
I do hope to see some flashbacks of Nysta's husband. I adored him right away!
I do hope to see some flashbacks of Nysta's husband. I adored him right away!
Read
August 4, 2013Rape threats and homophobic taunts before we get to Nysta. Described as not pretty by her husband and then again by the narrative, which goes on to use an adjective usually used to describe the skin of a black woman. Done. Disgusted.
Read
November 3, 2014I have read all three of his books in this series and they just keep getting better and more intense in Nysta's journey to what I think of as finding her true self and purpose.I don't know what the future holds for this elf but I know I can't wait to read the next book.
October 30, 2014
F this F that.. pretty much sums up the story.
February 5, 2023
Lucas Thorn's first book in the Nysta series gut-punches both the reader and the protagonist right off the start. Though punctuated with chuckle-worthy pop culture references and humor, the book is a nasty, bile-flavored read through and through. True to the title, it is a tale of revenge; death following Nysta as she single-mindedly focuses on destroying the jackwagons who murdered her husband.
This is a fantastic indie novel: well-written, well thought-out, and well-edited. Fantasy lovers will be hard-pressed to find a better work. On par with the Elric novels, Game of Thrones, the Drizzt novels and the other legendary tales of swords and sorcery.
Take note though, adult violence and language are used copiously, but are well-warranted within the world of the work.
This is a fantastic indie novel: well-written, well thought-out, and well-edited. Fantasy lovers will be hard-pressed to find a better work. On par with the Elric novels, Game of Thrones, the Drizzt novels and the other legendary tales of swords and sorcery.
Take note though, adult violence and language are used copiously, but are well-warranted within the world of the work.
March 21, 2017
First half of this book was utterly fascinating. The second half was utterly boring. This book was 5 stars until the characters got to the town of Spikewrist. Then the plot folded in on itself, the magic was not believable, the moment of vengeance too coincidental and the fight scenes just too damn long. I might try the authors second book in the series, hoping that his writing improves. What a terrible end to something that started so well. The author completely botched the latter half of the book. But there is promise in the writing style.
p.s. What's with all the f bombs? Do you truly think they add anything to the story? You are badly mistaken if you do.
p.s. What's with all the f bombs? Do you truly think they add anything to the story? You are badly mistaken if you do.
December 5, 2017
Hot damn, this is one of the best fantasies I have ever read (and I have read a lot of them).
I absolutely loved the heroine, an elf outlaw Josey Wales (if you have not seen the movie you really need to).
I loved this book so much I have gone and got the next three in the series.
Nysta has become one of my favorite female characters, Lucas, please keep writing lots of sequels. Also if any movie makers are reading this - what are you waiting for?
Very highly recommended.
Five stars are not enough!!!
I absolutely loved the heroine, an elf outlaw Josey Wales (if you have not seen the movie you really need to).
I loved this book so much I have gone and got the next three in the series.
Nysta has become one of my favorite female characters, Lucas, please keep writing lots of sequels. Also if any movie makers are reading this - what are you waiting for?
Very highly recommended.
Five stars are not enough!!!
October 22, 2017
Read it in one go.
I recognised the bits of influenced writing in this book and was glad the author acknowledges it in the end. If ever a character was reincarnated in grand style this one has been. Nysta is all an anti heroine needs to be and I can recommend her story to anyone who enjoys fury and mercilessness in the face of overwhelming odds.
I recognised the bits of influenced writing in this book and was glad the author acknowledges it in the end. If ever a character was reincarnated in grand style this one has been. Nysta is all an anti heroine needs to be and I can recommend her story to anyone who enjoys fury and mercilessness in the face of overwhelming odds.
May 8, 2017
This was the bloodiest, grittiest, Grimdarkiest fantasy/noir book I've ever read. Swears and blood, hatred and violence, and more swears, and secrets, and revenge, all bathed in blood.
And there was BLOOD. And SWEARS.
I am definitely going to have to read more of this series.
And there was BLOOD. And SWEARS.
I am definitely going to have to read more of this series.
August 31, 2019
Ummm!
Going to read this series to the end. Nysta is broken and a lot crazy, but the author is taking you through her life so you can see what made her that way. A dark and twisted fantasy. But she loved her man.
Going to read this series to the end. Nysta is broken and a lot crazy, but the author is taking you through her life so you can see what made her that way. A dark and twisted fantasy. But she loved her man.
October 9, 2017
Darkness
The start of a very dark saga, the death of a scarred loved one resulting in seeking vengeance against those only to release an unknown foe from its confinds
The start of a very dark saga, the death of a scarred loved one resulting in seeking vengeance against those only to release an unknown foe from its confinds
February 14, 2018
It starts good, but sinks. It has to do with Nysta and the way the story goes. World building is nice, plot ok.
January 8, 2019
Decent Read
I kept expecting something to happen to make the book something special. It didn't. The ending just left me hanging. Disappointing.
I kept expecting something to happen to make the book something special. It didn't. The ending just left me hanging. Disappointing.
March 6, 2016
Ok, so this review will be aimed at all the books in the series so far (5 at the time of writing this)
If you're looking for a fantasy series that doesn't follow all of today's unspoken rules about what fantasy is supposed to be - then this it. All the concepts I've come to expect - a generic teenage main character, high moral standards, long blocks of text about politics and history - all that is pretty much turned upside down. Right from the start you are introduced to a dark and cruel world and an even crueler main character - Nysta. She quite often kills her enemies, cusses constantly and is generally just nasty - and that is amazing. Today's protagonists are practically made to be liked - to appeal to a general public. With Nysta - you'll practically hate her at times and that is the kind of story I want to read. Not one made to suit someone's tastes or some general norms.
Another thing to expect is that the series doesn't have that standard plot linearity common to most fantasy - basically at many times it won't be clear where the story is headed or what the characters' main purpose is. If you need a clearly defined quest - then don't look for it here. Much like in reality the characters at most times are shown as being lost - they don't have some villain to kill or some end goal - each has their own motives ranging from plain survival to a bigger cause. But at the same time the pacing of the books never feels slow - there is a very good balance between amazingly crafted action scenes and down-times. Some of the best dialogue I've read regarding killing and survival was during those pauses in between fights.
Later in the series a lot of other characters are introduced through which a whole new array of subjects are covered. Everything from romantic relationships to ruling a city is shown in a way you won't find almost anywhere else today - brutally honest and not made to be liked. (And I couldn't possibly cover all of those topics in this review)
There are tons of references and homages to other authors and books which I've also rarely seen - few writers today openly admit to their inspirations let alone constantly mention them in some way.
In conclusion - the Nysta series is an amazing thing to find today - a very large risk taken by Lucas Thorn. The books definitely aren't for everyone and that's what makes them all the better. And in my opinion we as readers should always support experiments - even if they don't always match our current tastes.
If you're looking for a fantasy series that doesn't follow all of today's unspoken rules about what fantasy is supposed to be - then this it. All the concepts I've come to expect - a generic teenage main character, high moral standards, long blocks of text about politics and history - all that is pretty much turned upside down. Right from the start you are introduced to a dark and cruel world and an even crueler main character - Nysta. She quite often kills her enemies, cusses constantly and is generally just nasty - and that is amazing. Today's protagonists are practically made to be liked - to appeal to a general public. With Nysta - you'll practically hate her at times and that is the kind of story I want to read. Not one made to suit someone's tastes or some general norms.
Another thing to expect is that the series doesn't have that standard plot linearity common to most fantasy - basically at many times it won't be clear where the story is headed or what the characters' main purpose is. If you need a clearly defined quest - then don't look for it here. Much like in reality the characters at most times are shown as being lost - they don't have some villain to kill or some end goal - each has their own motives ranging from plain survival to a bigger cause. But at the same time the pacing of the books never feels slow - there is a very good balance between amazingly crafted action scenes and down-times. Some of the best dialogue I've read regarding killing and survival was during those pauses in between fights.
Later in the series a lot of other characters are introduced through which a whole new array of subjects are covered. Everything from romantic relationships to ruling a city is shown in a way you won't find almost anywhere else today - brutally honest and not made to be liked. (And I couldn't possibly cover all of those topics in this review)
There are tons of references and homages to other authors and books which I've also rarely seen - few writers today openly admit to their inspirations let alone constantly mention them in some way.
In conclusion - the Nysta series is an amazing thing to find today - a very large risk taken by Lucas Thorn. The books definitely aren't for everyone and that's what makes them all the better. And in my opinion we as readers should always support experiments - even if they don't always match our current tastes.
October 2, 2013
I really really wanted to like this book. But no matter how much I tried to force myself to like it, I just couldn't.
I give credit to the author for trying hard to change the way people look at Elves. Unfortunately it is a lost cause, to many books and movies have been created at this point to get away with it. I can't help but think of them as tall, willowy people that can be cold hearted but are also good for the most part. Here I got a scarred up elf that curse almost ever other word. I could have maybe handled that well, but cursing in modern phrases killed it for me, though I can say every now and again a homemade one was thrown in, but for the most part the f-bomb was dropped so much I have a feeling I might be saying it a lot in the future because I have read it so many times.
I couldn't even like Nysta, I wanted to. . .she had it hard in life, but her thoughts were all over the place that I started to get tried reading about her. At first I thought it was a pretty neat concept on how she named her weapons, but after a while I got really tried of reading them over and over again, it had a way of jarring me out of the story itself.
I really don't even understand the end of it at all, she started out wanting to get revenge (hence the title) but ended up mixed up in some kind of darkness that wanted her. It seemed kinda pointless to me, the author could have gotten away with her just going after the people she wanted, there was enough of them to kill off a few every book and keep it going.
I did like the mage, he was interesting to me and amusing. He is the reason I read the book to the end. Can't say what it is that I liked so much about him, but its out there. I started to wish things would start to be told from his point of view after a while, I was way more interested in him than Nysta. What I don't understand is why Nysta let him tag a long with her, especially since she supposedly hates mages. I stopped caring about that after a while though. I imagine it will be something explained in the books after this one.
I wish I also got a better understanding of the gods. To me they didn't really seem like gods after awhile, just siblings that didn't get a long and started to kill each other off.
Would I recommend this book? Probably not, it just didn't work well for me.
As a side note. . .love the cover, it is the reason I got the book.
http://zephyrbookreviews.blogspot.com/
I give credit to the author for trying hard to change the way people look at Elves. Unfortunately it is a lost cause, to many books and movies have been created at this point to get away with it. I can't help but think of them as tall, willowy people that can be cold hearted but are also good for the most part. Here I got a scarred up elf that curse almost ever other word. I could have maybe handled that well, but cursing in modern phrases killed it for me, though I can say every now and again a homemade one was thrown in, but for the most part the f-bomb was dropped so much I have a feeling I might be saying it a lot in the future because I have read it so many times.
I couldn't even like Nysta, I wanted to. . .she had it hard in life, but her thoughts were all over the place that I started to get tried reading about her. At first I thought it was a pretty neat concept on how she named her weapons, but after a while I got really tried of reading them over and over again, it had a way of jarring me out of the story itself.
I really don't even understand the end of it at all, she started out wanting to get revenge (hence the title) but ended up mixed up in some kind of darkness that wanted her. It seemed kinda pointless to me, the author could have gotten away with her just going after the people she wanted, there was enough of them to kill off a few every book and keep it going.
I did like the mage, he was interesting to me and amusing. He is the reason I read the book to the end. Can't say what it is that I liked so much about him, but its out there. I started to wish things would start to be told from his point of view after a while, I was way more interested in him than Nysta. What I don't understand is why Nysta let him tag a long with her, especially since she supposedly hates mages. I stopped caring about that after a while though. I imagine it will be something explained in the books after this one.
I wish I also got a better understanding of the gods. To me they didn't really seem like gods after awhile, just siblings that didn't get a long and started to kill each other off.
Would I recommend this book? Probably not, it just didn't work well for me.
As a side note. . .love the cover, it is the reason I got the book.
http://zephyrbookreviews.blogspot.com/
October 4, 2015
More like a 1.5.
The story started out good. I was pulled in learning about Talek and then reading his death. After that, though, it went down hill.
All of the characters sounded like they were from the wild west and seemed to speak with a drawl. They even used words like "feller" and "ain't" and "reckon" and the f-bomb in every other paragraph. All of them. None of the characters had any difference in speech patterns or manners. It got to the point where I had to read back a couple of dialog sentences to see who was speaking. It was almost as if they all dropped out of middle school at the same time and had the same English teachers.
Nothing about the characters really stood out to make me feel for them. Sure, I felt sorry for Nysta for losing her husband, but after all the introspection about her anger and self-pity, I realized I felt sorry for Talek. Although, at least he did not have to hear about it anymore.
Outside of the dialog, the author did show rather than tell but he used. A lot. Of short sentences. As if. It was. Captain Kirk narrating.
Also, the names of the blades were pretty stupid sounding to me.
At the end I was hoping the warlock did kill Nysta.
The story started out good. I was pulled in learning about Talek and then reading his death. After that, though, it went down hill.
All of the characters sounded like they were from the wild west and seemed to speak with a drawl. They even used words like "feller" and "ain't" and "reckon" and the f-bomb in every other paragraph. All of them. None of the characters had any difference in speech patterns or manners. It got to the point where I had to read back a couple of dialog sentences to see who was speaking. It was almost as if they all dropped out of middle school at the same time and had the same English teachers.
Nothing about the characters really stood out to make me feel for them. Sure, I felt sorry for Nysta for losing her husband, but after all the introspection about her anger and self-pity, I realized I felt sorry for Talek. Although, at least he did not have to hear about it anymore.
Outside of the dialog, the author did show rather than tell but he used. A lot. Of short sentences. As if. It was. Captain Kirk narrating.
Also, the names of the blades were pretty stupid sounding to me.
At the end I was hoping the warlock did kill Nysta.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2016
This was an impulse buy for me, and I'm glad I did it. It was very enjoyable, in a way a Conan story by Robert E. Howard is. The developing story is intriguing, and the protagonist is interesting enough to make the reader wonder about her future.
I can see why some people could never pass the dialogs peppered with many f*#%s. My main complaint is not about the vulgarity, because, in my opinion, this adds to the realism of the story. Bad-ass protagonists don't talk like royalties, and thieves and bandits don't speak like you're reading an old classic. My main complaint is about the characters speaking the same way, or in a very similar way. This doesn't help the reader create different voices in her/his mind.
All in all it was a very enjoyable read. Will I read the next installments? Yes, probably I will.
I can see why some people could never pass the dialogs peppered with many f*#%s. My main complaint is not about the vulgarity, because, in my opinion, this adds to the realism of the story. Bad-ass protagonists don't talk like royalties, and thieves and bandits don't speak like you're reading an old classic. My main complaint is about the characters speaking the same way, or in a very similar way. This doesn't help the reader create different voices in her/his mind.
All in all it was a very enjoyable read. Will I read the next installments? Yes, probably I will.
May 10, 2017
Lucas Thorn's first book in the Nysta series gut-punches both the reader and the protagonist right off the start. Though punctuated with chuckle-worthy pop culture references and humor, the book is a nasty, bile-flavored read through and through. True to the title, it is a tale of revenge; death following Nysta as she single-mindedly focuses on destroying the jackwagons who murdered her husband.
This is a fantastic indie novel: well-written, well thought-out, and well-edited. Fantasy lovers will be hard-pressed to find a better work. On par with the Elric novels, Game of Thrones, the Drizzt novels and the other legendary tales of swords and sorcery.
Take note though, adult violence and language are used copiously, but are well-warranted within the world of the work.
This is a fantastic indie novel: well-written, well thought-out, and well-edited. Fantasy lovers will be hard-pressed to find a better work. On par with the Elric novels, Game of Thrones, the Drizzt novels and the other legendary tales of swords and sorcery.
Take note though, adult violence and language are used copiously, but are well-warranted within the world of the work.
January 17, 2013
I enjoyed the characters in the book. The main two characters were witty, and relate-able with the scenario that they must travel throughout the story. I can't wait for the next book in line to come out.
Nysta is a kick ass unlikely heroin that just makes you want to help her out and take some of the pain from her away.
Nysta is a kick ass unlikely heroin that just makes you want to help her out and take some of the pain from her away.
September 16, 2015
Good Bones
The basic idea of the story is pretty good. Anger, grief, and guilt mixed with a little revenge could possibly make a really deep character. Unfortunately the f-in f-bomb every f-in sentence kind of takes away from the brief glimpses of good character interaction. It was still a f-in fun book to read!
The basic idea of the story is pretty good. Anger, grief, and guilt mixed with a little revenge could possibly make a really deep character. Unfortunately the f-in f-bomb every f-in sentence kind of takes away from the brief glimpses of good character interaction. It was still a f-in fun book to read!
March 3, 2016
Good to the last drop. I want more.
Great. Book.
I really can relate to the way this book was written. It had a lots of action, natural dialogue, and an appropriate feel.
Great. Book.
I really can relate to the way this book was written. It had a lots of action, natural dialogue, and an appropriate feel.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews