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World of Prime #1
Sword of the Bright Lady
Christopher Sinclair goes out for a walk on a mild Arizona evening and never comes back. He stumbles into a freezing winter under an impossible night sky, where magic is real -- but bought at a terrible price.
A misplaced act of decency lands him in a brawl with an arrogant nobleman and puts him under a death sentence. In desperation he agrees to be drafted into an eternal war, serving as a priest of the Bright Lady, Goddess of Healing. But when Marcius, god of war, offers the only hope of a way home to his wife, Christopher pledges to him instead, plunging the church into turmoil and setting him on a path of violence and notoriety.
To win enough power to open a path home, this mild-mannered mechanical engineer must survive duelists, assassins, and the never-ending threat of monsters, with only his makeshift technology to compete with swords and magic.
But the gods and demons have other plans. Christopher's fate will save the world... or destroy it.
A misplaced act of decency lands him in a brawl with an arrogant nobleman and puts him under a death sentence. In desperation he agrees to be drafted into an eternal war, serving as a priest of the Bright Lady, Goddess of Healing. But when Marcius, god of war, offers the only hope of a way home to his wife, Christopher pledges to him instead, plunging the church into turmoil and setting him on a path of violence and notoriety.
To win enough power to open a path home, this mild-mannered mechanical engineer must survive duelists, assassins, and the never-ending threat of monsters, with only his makeshift technology to compete with swords and magic.
But the gods and demons have other plans. Christopher's fate will save the world... or destroy it.
432 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
54 people are currently reading
1448 people want to read
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October 21, 2014
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2014/10/21/b...
Many will probably read Sword of the Bright Lady and think what a peculiar world our protagonist Christopher Sinclair has landed in, with all these funny magical rules and strange way of doing things. On the other hand, if you’re a gamer, then you just might see things a bit differently, and a lot of the elements will have that persistent, familiar ring.
As already pointed out by many reviewers, the world of this book feels reminiscent of a video game. For example, gaining ranks and becoming more powerful by defeating your enemies, then plundering their bodies for loot is like the foundation of any role-playing game. Fortifying your base, allocating your resources, and delegating responsibilities to your minions while arming your fighters and supplying your crafters to make sure they churn out raw materials and products for the war effort also happens to be essential for strategy games. And the golden rule of battles and duels in Sword of the Bright Lady – that is, fight and deplete your opponent’s tael before they deplete yours – sounds extraordinary like the tongue-in-cheek “advice” I used to tell my raid group back when I was leading 25-mans in World of Warcraft: “Let’s all try and get the boss’ hit points to zero before he gets our hit points to zero, please.”
There are many more examples like this, and as the author had confirmed in a comment on another blogger’s review that he had intended to write a book exploring what it would feel like to be an actual person in the games we play, I had a lot of fun spotting the similarities and wondering what aspects might actually be subtle references to gaming. The concept itself is REALLY cool. The book begins with Christopher waking up in a strange, new world with no memory of how he got there. How many game narrative start off just like that? He gets drafted into an eternal war (as an online gamer, a war that goes on forever was one of those “AHA!” moments for me, because we all know in an MMO you can never truly “win”) by serving as a priest of the Bright Lady, joining the ranks of her followers who can heal wounds by using their magic and, for the right price, resurrect the dead (another “AHA!”) But then, drawn by the opportunity to return home to his own world, Christopher goes and pledges himself to the god of war, which sets off a series of unpredictable and violent events.
By all rights, I should have fallen in love with Sword of the Bright Lady. After all, I usually find myself drawn to any story with a gaming angle, no matter how tenuous the link. However, in the end “love” might be too powerful a word to describe how I felt about the book, though I did have fun and enjoyed reading it quite a bit. There were just a few things that added up to keep me from embracing this one completely.
Firstly, something about Christopher just doesn’t sit right with me. While I don’t pretend to be an expert on how a person would react when waking up to an unfamiliar world surrounded by strangers, still, Christopher’s behavior and many of his decisions and actions just didn’t seem realistic or normal to me. And while he clearly didn’t know about all the ways of this new place, he did seem to know quite a lot – perhaps too much to be believable. And though I was aware of the nature of this fantasy world, the people took to Christopher’s new ideas and projects much too easily, with not much fuss or resistance at all, which also didn’t feel very believable to me.
This segues perfectly into my second point, which is that the whole premise of this novel feeling like it’s hovering in this awkward place between trying to convey the realism and authenticity of this world but at the same time negating a lot of that by throwing in some pretty outlandish situations that make the story feel almost satirical. The book feels like it wants it both ways, which is a difficult balance to strike. I’m not sure I liked this “in between” feeling, and in fact if Christopher’s experience is meant to be a parody of sorts of what it might feel like to be a person in a video game – which is quite an ingenious and unique idea – I’d actually have liked to see the author carry that premise even further.
To sum it all up, I think there are a couple of missed opportunities to make this book stand out more, which for me is the only factor holding it back from being a truly excellent read. But I can’t deny there are some fascinating ideas in here, and overall it’s a very strong novel from author M.C. Planck.
Many will probably read Sword of the Bright Lady and think what a peculiar world our protagonist Christopher Sinclair has landed in, with all these funny magical rules and strange way of doing things. On the other hand, if you’re a gamer, then you just might see things a bit differently, and a lot of the elements will have that persistent, familiar ring.
As already pointed out by many reviewers, the world of this book feels reminiscent of a video game. For example, gaining ranks and becoming more powerful by defeating your enemies, then plundering their bodies for loot is like the foundation of any role-playing game. Fortifying your base, allocating your resources, and delegating responsibilities to your minions while arming your fighters and supplying your crafters to make sure they churn out raw materials and products for the war effort also happens to be essential for strategy games. And the golden rule of battles and duels in Sword of the Bright Lady – that is, fight and deplete your opponent’s tael before they deplete yours – sounds extraordinary like the tongue-in-cheek “advice” I used to tell my raid group back when I was leading 25-mans in World of Warcraft: “Let’s all try and get the boss’ hit points to zero before he gets our hit points to zero, please.”
There are many more examples like this, and as the author had confirmed in a comment on another blogger’s review that he had intended to write a book exploring what it would feel like to be an actual person in the games we play, I had a lot of fun spotting the similarities and wondering what aspects might actually be subtle references to gaming. The concept itself is REALLY cool. The book begins with Christopher waking up in a strange, new world with no memory of how he got there. How many game narrative start off just like that? He gets drafted into an eternal war (as an online gamer, a war that goes on forever was one of those “AHA!” moments for me, because we all know in an MMO you can never truly “win”) by serving as a priest of the Bright Lady, joining the ranks of her followers who can heal wounds by using their magic and, for the right price, resurrect the dead (another “AHA!”) But then, drawn by the opportunity to return home to his own world, Christopher goes and pledges himself to the god of war, which sets off a series of unpredictable and violent events.
By all rights, I should have fallen in love with Sword of the Bright Lady. After all, I usually find myself drawn to any story with a gaming angle, no matter how tenuous the link. However, in the end “love” might be too powerful a word to describe how I felt about the book, though I did have fun and enjoyed reading it quite a bit. There were just a few things that added up to keep me from embracing this one completely.
Firstly, something about Christopher just doesn’t sit right with me. While I don’t pretend to be an expert on how a person would react when waking up to an unfamiliar world surrounded by strangers, still, Christopher’s behavior and many of his decisions and actions just didn’t seem realistic or normal to me. And while he clearly didn’t know about all the ways of this new place, he did seem to know quite a lot – perhaps too much to be believable. And though I was aware of the nature of this fantasy world, the people took to Christopher’s new ideas and projects much too easily, with not much fuss or resistance at all, which also didn’t feel very believable to me.
This segues perfectly into my second point, which is that the whole premise of this novel feeling like it’s hovering in this awkward place between trying to convey the realism and authenticity of this world but at the same time negating a lot of that by throwing in some pretty outlandish situations that make the story feel almost satirical. The book feels like it wants it both ways, which is a difficult balance to strike. I’m not sure I liked this “in between” feeling, and in fact if Christopher’s experience is meant to be a parody of sorts of what it might feel like to be a person in a video game – which is quite an ingenious and unique idea – I’d actually have liked to see the author carry that premise even further.
To sum it all up, I think there are a couple of missed opportunities to make this book stand out more, which for me is the only factor holding it back from being a truly excellent read. But I can’t deny there are some fascinating ideas in here, and overall it’s a very strong novel from author M.C. Planck.
September 26, 2014
Fantasy Review Barn
Ten copper is equal to one silver, ten silver is equal to one gold. After a battle the victors go around the field and harvest a glowing ball of energy from each of the dead; collect enough of it and a person can level up one rank. Die and a person can be revived, but will lose a level of rank. More rank means better magical abilities; higher ranked men can shrug off sword blows with ease and heal even the deepest wounds in seconds. After a duel the victor gets all the lootz from the loser; usually keeping any magically enchanted items and selling off the mundane stuff.
The latest online roleplaying game from Blizzard? No, unfortunately this is the world in which protagonist of Sword of the Bright Lady finds himself transported to in this thoroughly mediocre portal fantasy offering. Now I have accused books of feeling like a video game before but I can’t think of a book that was this blatantly a video game in written form. The harvesting of tael and the ability to lose it upon death is the collection of XP, plain as day. I have collected glowing stuff from my kills in too many video games to mention. There is a color coded system to check people’s affiliation so a person can always check the manual if they get lost. And at one point Christopher, our poor lost soul of destiny, looks through his recently acquired spells through a visual menu like apparition in front of him; complete with a silent guide to act as a tutorial.
I wanted A Connecticut Yankee tale here, and in a way I got one. But instead of King Arthur’s Court we ended up in Azeroth; and did so without a trace of irony to be found. There was a decent story to be found here; Christopher using his mechanical knowledge to change society around him. But it walked a predictable line and was surrounded by so much silliness that it was hard to take seriously. Of course the protagonist shows gunpowder to a disproving audience, changes the course of warfare, and becomes a man of destiny within a world he barely understands. There was quite literally no other way this story could have gon. It was what I expected, it was what I got. Enjoyment can be found in these stories and I got a bit of satisfaction when everything he did was inevitably proven to be right. I admit that for all the predictability I saw through the story I was caught off guard by the ending; in retrospect it was obvious but the author managed to fool me and kudos to him for that.
Unfortunately the detractions to the book outweigh the strong ending and various comeuppances that the baddies of the tale get. Go beyond the silly set up and incredible ease in which Christopher bends the world around his will. It is actually surprising to see a book fail the Betchell test these days but this one does it rather miserably. The closest it comes to passing is when one woman addresses a table that has a second woman at it; it may be the only time in the book two women are in one scene — surprising because this is a land of endless war missing a large percentage of its male population. Of the six women of note in the book three offer themselves to Christopher in some fashion. And despite a large portion of the male population dying in the war women are still left with the prospect of a good marriage being their best (only?) hope in life (with a bit of an inconsistency arising from a high ranking church official).
For those who look for well-paced plotting first and foremost in their fantasy novels this book will probably work well. But it is pretty easy to overload on portal fantasy; they all too often deal with one super character changing the world and need something unique to break form the back. Granted, this one had a unique feel, but it wasn’t one that worked for me.
2 Stars
Copy for review provided by publisher.
Ten copper is equal to one silver, ten silver is equal to one gold. After a battle the victors go around the field and harvest a glowing ball of energy from each of the dead; collect enough of it and a person can level up one rank. Die and a person can be revived, but will lose a level of rank. More rank means better magical abilities; higher ranked men can shrug off sword blows with ease and heal even the deepest wounds in seconds. After a duel the victor gets all the lootz from the loser; usually keeping any magically enchanted items and selling off the mundane stuff.
The latest online roleplaying game from Blizzard? No, unfortunately this is the world in which protagonist of Sword of the Bright Lady finds himself transported to in this thoroughly mediocre portal fantasy offering. Now I have accused books of feeling like a video game before but I can’t think of a book that was this blatantly a video game in written form. The harvesting of tael and the ability to lose it upon death is the collection of XP, plain as day. I have collected glowing stuff from my kills in too many video games to mention. There is a color coded system to check people’s affiliation so a person can always check the manual if they get lost. And at one point Christopher, our poor lost soul of destiny, looks through his recently acquired spells through a visual menu like apparition in front of him; complete with a silent guide to act as a tutorial.
I wanted A Connecticut Yankee tale here, and in a way I got one. But instead of King Arthur’s Court we ended up in Azeroth; and did so without a trace of irony to be found. There was a decent story to be found here; Christopher using his mechanical knowledge to change society around him. But it walked a predictable line and was surrounded by so much silliness that it was hard to take seriously. Of course the protagonist shows gunpowder to a disproving audience, changes the course of warfare, and becomes a man of destiny within a world he barely understands. There was quite literally no other way this story could have gon. It was what I expected, it was what I got. Enjoyment can be found in these stories and I got a bit of satisfaction when everything he did was inevitably proven to be right. I admit that for all the predictability I saw through the story I was caught off guard by the ending; in retrospect it was obvious but the author managed to fool me and kudos to him for that.
Unfortunately the detractions to the book outweigh the strong ending and various comeuppances that the baddies of the tale get. Go beyond the silly set up and incredible ease in which Christopher bends the world around his will. It is actually surprising to see a book fail the Betchell test these days but this one does it rather miserably. The closest it comes to passing is when one woman addresses a table that has a second woman at it; it may be the only time in the book two women are in one scene — surprising because this is a land of endless war missing a large percentage of its male population. Of the six women of note in the book three offer themselves to Christopher in some fashion. And despite a large portion of the male population dying in the war women are still left with the prospect of a good marriage being their best (only?) hope in life (with a bit of an inconsistency arising from a high ranking church official).
For those who look for well-paced plotting first and foremost in their fantasy novels this book will probably work well. But it is pretty easy to overload on portal fantasy; they all too often deal with one super character changing the world and need something unique to break form the back. Granted, this one had a unique feel, but it wasn’t one that worked for me.
2 Stars
Copy for review provided by publisher.
August 11, 2014
Full Review at TenaciousReader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2014/0...
I have to admit; I found the concept of someone from our world landing in the middle of a medieval style fantasy story quite intriguing. I mean, really, we spend our free time reading about such things, but what would it really be like to wake up in one? Dirty, smelly and full of hard work. Probably not near as much fun as reading. So, curiosity grabbed me pretty quick, I couldn’t help but want to see how our protagonist, Christopher (one of us), fared in this new strange world.
About the magic in this world, I actually found it quite interesting and disturbing. To gain magical ability, you collect something called tael. Cool, right? It can even be used as a type of currency, purchasing favors from priests as well as social status. Just find a way to harvest tael, and you can advance, do magic, become superhuman in fights making it near on impossible for mundane (non-magical) people to harm you, and if they do, well, just use some tael and heal yourself. Sounds awesome! Let’s find some tael!
Well, it’s cool until you find out that tael is harvested from the dead. Then there's some interesting questions about the power and status attained from tael, versus the cost of acquiring it.
Christopher seems to know a lot of convenient things when he gets there. Things that help advance the technology of the world. I have to admit, part of me felt like he knew a bit too much, that it was all more convenient than it should be. But, I also have to admit to knowing a couple people in real life that can spout out facts and information about things that I, despite graduating from a College of Engineering, see no reason to ever know. There are some personalities in this world that just absorb information and are quite intrigued in the inner workings of basically everything. Christopher must be one of those people because he seems to know an awful lot. Perhaps it’s that personality trait that caused him to land in the middle of this strange world.
I think this was a pretty strong debut. I really enjoyed the premise and the way magic and status is handled. Magic with a real cost! At times things seemed a bit easy for our protagonist, but, hey, I liked the rest of it enough I can easily overlook that. When it comes down to it, Sword of the Bright Lady was an enjoyable and intriguing read with an ending that has me interested and asking more questions until I get the chance to read the next one.
I have to admit; I found the concept of someone from our world landing in the middle of a medieval style fantasy story quite intriguing. I mean, really, we spend our free time reading about such things, but what would it really be like to wake up in one? Dirty, smelly and full of hard work. Probably not near as much fun as reading. So, curiosity grabbed me pretty quick, I couldn’t help but want to see how our protagonist, Christopher (one of us), fared in this new strange world.
About the magic in this world, I actually found it quite interesting and disturbing. To gain magical ability, you collect something called tael. Cool, right? It can even be used as a type of currency, purchasing favors from priests as well as social status. Just find a way to harvest tael, and you can advance, do magic, become superhuman in fights making it near on impossible for mundane (non-magical) people to harm you, and if they do, well, just use some tael and heal yourself. Sounds awesome! Let’s find some tael!
Well, it’s cool until you find out that tael is harvested from the dead. Then there's some interesting questions about the power and status attained from tael, versus the cost of acquiring it.
Christopher seems to know a lot of convenient things when he gets there. Things that help advance the technology of the world. I have to admit, part of me felt like he knew a bit too much, that it was all more convenient than it should be. But, I also have to admit to knowing a couple people in real life that can spout out facts and information about things that I, despite graduating from a College of Engineering, see no reason to ever know. There are some personalities in this world that just absorb information and are quite intrigued in the inner workings of basically everything. Christopher must be one of those people because he seems to know an awful lot. Perhaps it’s that personality trait that caused him to land in the middle of this strange world.
I think this was a pretty strong debut. I really enjoyed the premise and the way magic and status is handled. Magic with a real cost! At times things seemed a bit easy for our protagonist, but, hey, I liked the rest of it enough I can easily overlook that. When it comes down to it, Sword of the Bright Lady was an enjoyable and intriguing read with an ending that has me interested and asking more questions until I get the chance to read the next one.
February 27, 2015
What I was hoping for:
What I was expecting:
What I got:
Now, I do feel a bit bad about having such a negative reaction, because I consider the author, or at least the author's online persona, to be a generally awesome guy.
But there really isn't much nice that I can say about this book. I like the concept of tael, although it does seem very, very videogamey. And overall, this story might have worked better if it had just gone all the way and made itself a WoW fanfic. It would have been a very creditable WoW fanfic.
Others before me have complained about this book seeming to be ripped out of a video game. And the author himself has mentioned that this is his interpretation of a common gamer fantasy-- that of being the one RL person stuck in fantasyland.
The problem with writing a book about a fantasy that everyone has already had... is that you have to do something to make it pretty darn interesting and compelling. Harry Potter does this really well-- starting with Stock Tragic Boy who then becomes a compelling character with flaws and struggles, trying to fit in in a strange and beautiful world-- all based on the similar premise of wish-fulfillment/ stranger in a strange land.
The other problem with writing a book about this type of video game fantasy, is that this book fails at being a video game fantasy. There is no video game plot. Video game plots take you through various parts of the world: jungleland, desertland, cryptville, etc. This Entire Book you spend at a save point, changing your character's outfit, talking to NPCs who have suffered arrows to the knee, and impressing locals.
--
It also might have been the first draft of a much better novel. One that outright admitted the MC was sucked into a video game, and actually explored in-depth the fear and displacement and horror at all the bloodshed. That gave a hint of the possibility the MC might not make it. That gave roles to other characters that were complex and GRRMartiny. The first chapters touch on the feelings of displacement, but then any depth gets sidelined in favor of lengthy descriptions of the financing concepts Gary Stu is bringing to Krynn/Wherever.
The MC character is a painful Gary Stu whose every roadblock exists only to prove how invincible he is, and there are no characters developed beyond the most flimsy cardboard cutout. Think of one of the NPCs in Diablo and... you'll get more backstory. Every other character exists only as a foil for Gary Stu's successes. And every conflict is resolved linearly within a ten-page chapter.
The author has said this book took about three months to write. It could have benefited from some more months. Sadly, it reads like a NaNoNovel.
For one thing, one of the things I was really hoping to see was Mechanical Engineer Awesome. The MC is a supposed mechanical engineer who is going to change the world by industrializing Monty Python and the Holy Grail. But there is VERY little mechanical engineer research done here... and it translates more to "modern guy goes to medieval fantasy world and is somehow not killed and everyone loves him and instantly embraces all of the modernizations he brings." Also, hot chicks throw themselves at him, which he manfully ignores.
The final battle sequence was pretty good, if unsurprising. But the final plot twist felt very, very rushed. I got royally sick of watching Christopher make stupid, overly-idealistic military decisions and then get rewarded for them. Part of war is loss.
What I was expecting:
What I got:
Now, I do feel a bit bad about having such a negative reaction, because I consider the author, or at least the author's online persona, to be a generally awesome guy.
But there really isn't much nice that I can say about this book. I like the concept of tael, although it does seem very, very videogamey. And overall, this story might have worked better if it had just gone all the way and made itself a WoW fanfic. It would have been a very creditable WoW fanfic.
Others before me have complained about this book seeming to be ripped out of a video game. And the author himself has mentioned that this is his interpretation of a common gamer fantasy-- that of being the one RL person stuck in fantasyland.
The problem with writing a book about a fantasy that everyone has already had... is that you have to do something to make it pretty darn interesting and compelling. Harry Potter does this really well-- starting with Stock Tragic Boy who then becomes a compelling character with flaws and struggles, trying to fit in in a strange and beautiful world-- all based on the similar premise of wish-fulfillment/ stranger in a strange land.
The other problem with writing a book about this type of video game fantasy, is that this book fails at being a video game fantasy. There is no video game plot. Video game plots take you through various parts of the world: jungleland, desertland, cryptville, etc. This Entire Book you spend at a save point, changing your character's outfit, talking to NPCs who have suffered arrows to the knee, and impressing locals.
--
It also might have been the first draft of a much better novel. One that outright admitted the MC was sucked into a video game, and actually explored in-depth the fear and displacement and horror at all the bloodshed. That gave a hint of the possibility the MC might not make it. That gave roles to other characters that were complex and GRRMartiny. The first chapters touch on the feelings of displacement, but then any depth gets sidelined in favor of lengthy descriptions of the financing concepts Gary Stu is bringing to Krynn/Wherever.
The MC character is a painful Gary Stu whose every roadblock exists only to prove how invincible he is, and there are no characters developed beyond the most flimsy cardboard cutout. Think of one of the NPCs in Diablo and... you'll get more backstory. Every other character exists only as a foil for Gary Stu's successes. And every conflict is resolved linearly within a ten-page chapter.
The author has said this book took about three months to write. It could have benefited from some more months. Sadly, it reads like a NaNoNovel.
For one thing, one of the things I was really hoping to see was Mechanical Engineer Awesome. The MC is a supposed mechanical engineer who is going to change the world by industrializing Monty Python and the Holy Grail. But there is VERY little mechanical engineer research done here... and it translates more to "modern guy goes to medieval fantasy world and is somehow not killed and everyone loves him and instantly embraces all of the modernizations he brings." Also, hot chicks throw themselves at him, which he manfully ignores.
The final battle sequence was pretty good, if unsurprising. But the final plot twist felt very, very rushed. I got royally sick of watching Christopher make stupid, overly-idealistic military decisions and then get rewarded for them. Part of war is loss.
Read
April 14, 2021Christopher Sinclair wakes from an interesting dream into a more interesting dilemma. He is in an alternate reality, a world eerily similar and yet markedly different to ours. The sleepy village he finds himself in appears to be stuck in the medieval age, but for certain marvels. This ‘magic’, apportioned by a substance known as ‘tael’, affects the very way society operates, marking the most startling differences. The higher the rank, the more magic a practitioner commands.
On his first day in this new world, not quite given over to the fact he has left his own world, rather, Christopher believes himself the displaced victim of a plane crash. Our hero manages to transgress several laws while coming to the defence of a young woman. He does not know that striking a nobleman, even to save a young woman’s virtue, is a serious crime punishable by death. He is summoned by church officials and interviewed. By the time his audience with Saint Krellyan is finished, two things are clear. Christopher is no longer in Arizona or anyone on his Earth and he’s in deep…er, trouble.
Some legal finagling puts off his death, but there is a cost. Christopher must serve three years in the ‘draft’, at the front lines. He agrees, seeing no other way to stay alive long enough to find a way home. He is given a rank and inducted into the local religion where he will serve a priest to the Bright Lady, the goddess of healing. The Bright Lady’s consort, Marcius, god of war, has other plans for him, however.
While preparing for war, Christopher succeeds in more than arming his cadre of young draftees with improved weaponry. In slow steps, he organises an industrial revolution. But not everyone appreciates his forward thinking or his methodology. Then there are the duellists who want a crack at his magic sword, grudge-bearing nobleman and a mysterious assassin who wants to know all of his secrets.
‘Sword Of The Bright Lady’ is a really fun read. The magic system alone is fascinating. While on the surface of things, it seems like the usual mana-to-spell deal, depending on the rank of the wielder, it’s actually a little more complicated than that. A little more fun, too. By about half-way through the book, I had decided that M.C. Planck had found a way to truly fictionalise a table-top gaming experience. Bodies are looted and experience and goods apportioned according to who struck the killing blow and rank, of course. So, characters gain tael and magical items by defeating foes. Tael can be used to regenerate limbs, raise the dead, or elevate rank. War is a numbers game. A host of commoners or unranked draftees might keep an enemy’s attention long enough for a few higher ranked noblemen to cast devastating spells. So, the life of a commoner is not considered worth much.
This is where the gap in society comes into play. Without a rank, you’re cannon-fodder. Christopher is from our world, though, and he’s idealistic to boot. The thought of riding to war on the backs of near-defenceless young men horrifies him. So, he changes the formula. Christopher uses his tael in new and interesting ways that outrage and scandalise his companions and enemies and his revolutionary methods expose what isn’t so well hidden and more ignored. You’ll have to read the book to find out what that is.
I highly recommend ‘Sword Of The Bright Lady‘ for fans of sword and sorcery, epic fantasy and alternative reality, as well as table-top gamers! Christopher is an engaging character who feels more real as the pages turn. His sense of wonder and humour both amused. The cast of secondary characters are just as interesting and I’m looking forward to the continuing story.
Written for SFCrowsnest.
On his first day in this new world, not quite given over to the fact he has left his own world, rather, Christopher believes himself the displaced victim of a plane crash. Our hero manages to transgress several laws while coming to the defence of a young woman. He does not know that striking a nobleman, even to save a young woman’s virtue, is a serious crime punishable by death. He is summoned by church officials and interviewed. By the time his audience with Saint Krellyan is finished, two things are clear. Christopher is no longer in Arizona or anyone on his Earth and he’s in deep…er, trouble.
Some legal finagling puts off his death, but there is a cost. Christopher must serve three years in the ‘draft’, at the front lines. He agrees, seeing no other way to stay alive long enough to find a way home. He is given a rank and inducted into the local religion where he will serve a priest to the Bright Lady, the goddess of healing. The Bright Lady’s consort, Marcius, god of war, has other plans for him, however.
While preparing for war, Christopher succeeds in more than arming his cadre of young draftees with improved weaponry. In slow steps, he organises an industrial revolution. But not everyone appreciates his forward thinking or his methodology. Then there are the duellists who want a crack at his magic sword, grudge-bearing nobleman and a mysterious assassin who wants to know all of his secrets.
‘Sword Of The Bright Lady’ is a really fun read. The magic system alone is fascinating. While on the surface of things, it seems like the usual mana-to-spell deal, depending on the rank of the wielder, it’s actually a little more complicated than that. A little more fun, too. By about half-way through the book, I had decided that M.C. Planck had found a way to truly fictionalise a table-top gaming experience. Bodies are looted and experience and goods apportioned according to who struck the killing blow and rank, of course. So, characters gain tael and magical items by defeating foes. Tael can be used to regenerate limbs, raise the dead, or elevate rank. War is a numbers game. A host of commoners or unranked draftees might keep an enemy’s attention long enough for a few higher ranked noblemen to cast devastating spells. So, the life of a commoner is not considered worth much.
This is where the gap in society comes into play. Without a rank, you’re cannon-fodder. Christopher is from our world, though, and he’s idealistic to boot. The thought of riding to war on the backs of near-defenceless young men horrifies him. So, he changes the formula. Christopher uses his tael in new and interesting ways that outrage and scandalise his companions and enemies and his revolutionary methods expose what isn’t so well hidden and more ignored. You’ll have to read the book to find out what that is.
I highly recommend ‘Sword Of The Bright Lady‘ for fans of sword and sorcery, epic fantasy and alternative reality, as well as table-top gamers! Christopher is an engaging character who feels more real as the pages turn. His sense of wonder and humour both amused. The cast of secondary characters are just as interesting and I’m looking forward to the continuing story.
Written for SFCrowsnest.
August 1, 2014
This is what happens when you put science-fiction, fantasy, moral development, and political-science into a blender. Sword of the Bright Lady is the story I’ve been waiting years to find; I’m glad someone has finally written it. Fans of S.M. Stirling and Eric Flint will feel right at home with Christopher as he struggles to reconcile his gentle nature and modern sensibilities with a world filled with goblins, magic, and medieval privilege. World building is often one of the more difficult aspects of Sci-fi/fantasy and in this regard Planck has scored very high, while reading SOTBL I did not notice a single instance where Planck broke his rules.
The beginning centers on Christopher’s reaction to being transported to a fantastical land by powers beyond his comprehension. His initial reaction is, quite predictably, shock and it progress as he grieves for the world he lost and his wife who was left behind (he literally bargains with a god). It is believable and not excessively angsty and he emerges from it dedicated to bringing some much needed justice to the world around him. The rest of the book alternates between impressive world building, whoever thought banking could be so fun, and action sequences. By the end it is clear that Christopher is not done growing as a character and that the conflicts he has faced so far are quite provincial. I was left with the feeling that as impressed as I am with SOTBL, the rest of the series will be even better.
The beginning centers on Christopher’s reaction to being transported to a fantastical land by powers beyond his comprehension. His initial reaction is, quite predictably, shock and it progress as he grieves for the world he lost and his wife who was left behind (he literally bargains with a god). It is believable and not excessively angsty and he emerges from it dedicated to bringing some much needed justice to the world around him. The rest of the book alternates between impressive world building, whoever thought banking could be so fun, and action sequences. By the end it is clear that Christopher is not done growing as a character and that the conflicts he has faced so far are quite provincial. I was left with the feeling that as impressed as I am with SOTBL, the rest of the series will be even better.
December 29, 2014
Interesantna ideja i postavka ali mi je sve nekako malo suvise ko da je neko prebacio naku igru.
Fin pocetak ali moci tek posle 2ge igre da kazem dal vredi serijal ili ne.
Fin pocetak ali moci tek posle 2ge igre da kazem dal vredi serijal ili ne.
August 24, 2018
A good start to a Displaced Person fantasy. The series suffers from bloat and the never-finishing syndrome of modern fantasy epics. (Just one more novel and we'll reach the end...no, really, just one more, I promise.)
November 18, 2016
“Sometimes peoples would rather cling to a pretty lie than face an ugly truth, especially if the lie is one they’ve told themselves about themselves.”
Kept from being your typical A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by the strong internal voice of our displaced protagonist and his strong sense of right and wrong. Better than average story of a stranger in a strange land.
“… with hope came fear. The mixture was indistinguishable from anger.”
Both magic and faith work, the latter healing and rejuvenating.
“I must respect the will of the gods, assuming I can figure out what that is.”
Humor is integral to the story. Christopher recognizes the emperor’s clothes, but also sees worth and potential in his rustic new surroundings.
“This is how we defeat Evil. It cannot comprehend Good. Well, that and fireballs.”
Minor typos, such as “abject lessons.”
“My cynicism remains untroubled by hope.”
Cover art quibble: a revolving receiver rifle pictured while the text describes a rolling block design. Very different looking.
“You underestimate yourself. Stop it. It’s stupid and weak.”
Kept from being your typical A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by the strong internal voice of our displaced protagonist and his strong sense of right and wrong. Better than average story of a stranger in a strange land.
“… with hope came fear. The mixture was indistinguishable from anger.”
Both magic and faith work, the latter healing and rejuvenating.
“I must respect the will of the gods, assuming I can figure out what that is.”
Humor is integral to the story. Christopher recognizes the emperor’s clothes, but also sees worth and potential in his rustic new surroundings.
“This is how we defeat Evil. It cannot comprehend Good. Well, that and fireballs.”
Minor typos, such as “abject lessons.”
“My cynicism remains untroubled by hope.”
Cover art quibble: a revolving receiver rifle pictured while the text describes a rolling block design. Very different looking.
“You underestimate yourself. Stop it. It’s stupid and weak.”
January 21, 2015
I have grown weary with teenagers saving the world and magic being unlimited. The main character in this novel is not a teenager, the magic system Planck has built is neither free nor unlimited, and the complexity of the world and story thrive because of both. This book was a breath of fresh air.
December 23, 2016
This book is awesome, SciFi hiding as fantasy or Fantasy pretending to be SciFi I couldn't tell but it really didn't matter! There were certainly some instances of suspension of disbelief but excellent payoff. Good characterization, decent pacing, good world building...
Christopher Sinclair, a gentle souled mechanical engineer wakes up in a strange bed with a strange woman, in a strange land where no one speaks English. It must be a dream but even for a dream this is too weird. Turns out Christopher fell through space to another place altogether and, Toto, this ain't Kansas. This world is a place/dimension peopled by medieval folk, with magic and strangely uneven technology. Katana swords, suits of armor, horses and stones which cast light without heat. Christopher is being sheltered by a priest, Pater Svengusta, and his "wench" (for lack of a better word) Helga. One day while earning his keep by chopping firewood he gets involved in a civil dispute between some serfs and a ranked man. Christopher doesn't even speak the language but he cannot stand for what is happening, and so, the gauntlet is thrown. The only way to save Christopher is to bring him into the fold. Using magic Cardinal Faren communicates with Christopher that he must pledge himself to the service of the Bright Lady, and in so doing enlist in the army for the next three years. In trade, the church will resurrect him if he dies during the duel (I know, right?!). Bewildered and heartsick Christopher feels this might be the only way to survive this harsh world until he can find his way back home so he agrees. That night in the Chapel while meditating on the Bright Lady Ostara Christopher has a vision and ends up pledging himself to the service of the Brightlady's companion Marcius the God of War (and Strength, War, Luck,and Travel!). This pledge grants Christopher certain powers, he can now speak the languages of this new land, he is granted rank meaning he has magic and access to the knowledge that comes with it, oh as well as making him the only Priest of the God of War that this land has seen in many years. Magic, swords, backyard chemistry and resurrection, this book kicks so much butt!
Get Sword of the Bright Lady from the Denver Public Library
- Emily
Christopher Sinclair, a gentle souled mechanical engineer wakes up in a strange bed with a strange woman, in a strange land where no one speaks English. It must be a dream but even for a dream this is too weird. Turns out Christopher fell through space to another place altogether and, Toto, this ain't Kansas. This world is a place/dimension peopled by medieval folk, with magic and strangely uneven technology. Katana swords, suits of armor, horses and stones which cast light without heat. Christopher is being sheltered by a priest, Pater Svengusta, and his "wench" (for lack of a better word) Helga. One day while earning his keep by chopping firewood he gets involved in a civil dispute between some serfs and a ranked man. Christopher doesn't even speak the language but he cannot stand for what is happening, and so, the gauntlet is thrown. The only way to save Christopher is to bring him into the fold. Using magic Cardinal Faren communicates with Christopher that he must pledge himself to the service of the Bright Lady, and in so doing enlist in the army for the next three years. In trade, the church will resurrect him if he dies during the duel (I know, right?!). Bewildered and heartsick Christopher feels this might be the only way to survive this harsh world until he can find his way back home so he agrees. That night in the Chapel while meditating on the Bright Lady Ostara Christopher has a vision and ends up pledging himself to the service of the Brightlady's companion Marcius the God of War (and Strength, War, Luck,and Travel!). This pledge grants Christopher certain powers, he can now speak the languages of this new land, he is granted rank meaning he has magic and access to the knowledge that comes with it, oh as well as making him the only Priest of the God of War that this land has seen in many years. Magic, swords, backyard chemistry and resurrection, this book kicks so much butt!
Get Sword of the Bright Lady from the Denver Public Library
- Emily
December 8, 2014
When Christopher Sinclair takes a walk one night in Arizona he suddenly finds himself waking up in a strange land gripped by a freezing winter. Sinclair is quickly quickly finds himself embroiled in the affairs of the titular Bright Lady as her consort, the God of War Marcius, offers an exchange: Christopher’s help in dealing with the the threat of war for Marcius’ help in returning to his wife and home. From its initial layout Sword of the Bright Lady there is a sense of familiarity to the tale that reminded me a bit of the Thomas Covenant or even A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court series but hearkens back even further to the old fairy stories of mortals wandering into strange in new lands full of magic and water.
Sword of the Bright Lady stretches credulity with Sinclair coming off a touch like a Mary Sue. He knows a bit too much to be able to survive in a pre-industrial society as he is able to bring techniques and technologies to bear in order to improve the quality of weapons and armor. Similar his prowess with a weapon, though below that of the native in the novel, is a bit too good for someone from our world. The world of Sword of the Bright Lady often feels familiar, particularly to anyone who has played a video game or enjoyed a session of Dungeons and Dragons. Magic-users are measured by rank and their power is increased by taking on the energy of expired lifeforms, particularly other ranked individuals. It comes off a little corny and a bit derivative but I none-the-less found myself enjoying the loosely explained narrative context for “levels” and “experience points.”
Sword of the Bright Lady isn’t a particularly great novel but it is an entertaining diversion. Planck leaves the mystery of the Sinclair’s journey between his world and the magical world largely in the dark. It’s something I’d like to have seen explained a little more. While the novel lacks depths it makes up for that lack with some excellent action scenes and the pure entertainment value of watching a headstrong, independent-minded American butt heads with a rigid feudal society. If you’re looking for a fun, goofy read Sword of the Bright Lady is worth a shot.
Sword of the Bright Lady stretches credulity with Sinclair coming off a touch like a Mary Sue. He knows a bit too much to be able to survive in a pre-industrial society as he is able to bring techniques and technologies to bear in order to improve the quality of weapons and armor. Similar his prowess with a weapon, though below that of the native in the novel, is a bit too good for someone from our world. The world of Sword of the Bright Lady often feels familiar, particularly to anyone who has played a video game or enjoyed a session of Dungeons and Dragons. Magic-users are measured by rank and their power is increased by taking on the energy of expired lifeforms, particularly other ranked individuals. It comes off a little corny and a bit derivative but I none-the-less found myself enjoying the loosely explained narrative context for “levels” and “experience points.”
Sword of the Bright Lady isn’t a particularly great novel but it is an entertaining diversion. Planck leaves the mystery of the Sinclair’s journey between his world and the magical world largely in the dark. It’s something I’d like to have seen explained a little more. While the novel lacks depths it makes up for that lack with some excellent action scenes and the pure entertainment value of watching a headstrong, independent-minded American butt heads with a rigid feudal society. If you’re looking for a fun, goofy read Sword of the Bright Lady is worth a shot.
April 7, 2024
This book is truly terrible. I loved it.
First off, it's an isekai. Just don't.
Second, the entire system is based on D&D. D&D is great, but there was no originality applied in the money, language, or magic of the book's world.
Third, the writing was truly atrocious. This problem is big enough to break into smaller sections.
A. Reading this book was like overhearing gossip on a bus. And she was like oh my god, then I was like, whaaaaaaaatt! Seriously, learn to modulate sentences to fit their meaning!
B. The typoes, misused words, and missed words also ticked up significantly about halfway through. I think I know where the proofreader gave up.
C. And at the wider level, there was no real through line of the threats against the protegonist. Again, it was like a D&D game, but a really bad one where the threats are picked at random out of the book. Duels! Okay, the duels are done. Ambushes! Okay, that was fun. Necromancer attack! Okay, that was cool, let's never use that again.
D. The characters get introduced, given a two-word personality, then dropped until they're necessary again. "Okay, so this journalist is... Smart and horny. Cool, and her friend is... Reckless and powerful."
E. Characters serve the plot, NOT their own already established motives.
I knew what I was getting into. Well, kind of. I thought it was a retelling of A Connecticut Yankee on King Arthur's Court, and it was almost that. But I knew it was going to be dumb and fun. It was definitely dumb and fun. It had the same problems as Connecticut Yankee, namely a protegonist who just so happens to know exactly how to make everything needed to eventually build a gun. And cannons, and grenades, and fireworks. I knew that going in.
This book was dumb as a bag of rocks. It was very stupid fun. I'm glad I only paid two bucks. I'd probably pay two bucks for the second book.
First off, it's an isekai. Just don't.
Second, the entire system is based on D&D. D&D is great, but there was no originality applied in the money, language, or magic of the book's world.
Third, the writing was truly atrocious. This problem is big enough to break into smaller sections.
A. Reading this book was like overhearing gossip on a bus. And she was like oh my god, then I was like, whaaaaaaaatt! Seriously, learn to modulate sentences to fit their meaning!
B. The typoes, misused words, and missed words also ticked up significantly about halfway through. I think I know where the proofreader gave up.
C. And at the wider level, there was no real through line of the threats against the protegonist. Again, it was like a D&D game, but a really bad one where the threats are picked at random out of the book. Duels! Okay, the duels are done. Ambushes! Okay, that was fun. Necromancer attack! Okay, that was cool, let's never use that again.
D. The characters get introduced, given a two-word personality, then dropped until they're necessary again. "Okay, so this journalist is... Smart and horny. Cool, and her friend is... Reckless and powerful."
E. Characters serve the plot, NOT their own already established motives.
I knew what I was getting into. Well, kind of. I thought it was a retelling of A Connecticut Yankee on King Arthur's Court, and it was almost that. But I knew it was going to be dumb and fun. It was definitely dumb and fun. It had the same problems as Connecticut Yankee, namely a protegonist who just so happens to know exactly how to make everything needed to eventually build a gun. And cannons, and grenades, and fireworks. I knew that going in.
This book was dumb as a bag of rocks. It was very stupid fun. I'm glad I only paid two bucks. I'd probably pay two bucks for the second book.
September 12, 2023
I'm rating this book based on how much I enjoyed it (5/5 stars). The writing style was very simple, but the story was very effectively told and I could not put down the last third of the book until after 2am when I read the last page. This is one for fans of fantasy, gaming, time travel, and anyone who is intrigued by the thought of sending MacGyver back to medieval times and seeing what he comes up with. (Also recommended for fans of Andy Weir's The Martian, which is basically MacGyver on Mars).
The first page starts with Christopher, a man from our world and our time, waking up in another world entirely. It's winter, he has no money and was found wandering the night before through the wilderness, half frozen. The world he has entered is full of magic and medieval-age technology, and a war has been ravaging their society for years. Christopher is inadvertently swept into the war's draft for the following season. Slight spoiler ahead: Not wanting to become part of the war's terrible mortality rate, and drawing on his skills as a mechanical engineer, he decides to invent firearms - but he's got to start from scratch.
This was obviously what I loved about the book, but there are other things that fantasy fans will love, too. Christopher becomes pledged to Marcius, the God of War, which leads to duels, assassins, monsters, sword fighting, and of course, magic. A complex world has been created filled with class divisions, political tensions between church and state, upper and lower classes. Heck, there are even levels ("ranks") that you can gain or lose (if you die).
This was a fascinating story with a very likable main character and a wide cast of characters set in an interesting world. I can't wait for the next book in the series.
The first page starts with Christopher, a man from our world and our time, waking up in another world entirely. It's winter, he has no money and was found wandering the night before through the wilderness, half frozen. The world he has entered is full of magic and medieval-age technology, and a war has been ravaging their society for years. Christopher is inadvertently swept into the war's draft for the following season. Slight spoiler ahead: Not wanting to become part of the war's terrible mortality rate, and drawing on his skills as a mechanical engineer, he decides to invent firearms - but he's got to start from scratch.
This was obviously what I loved about the book, but there are other things that fantasy fans will love, too. Christopher becomes pledged to Marcius, the God of War, which leads to duels, assassins, monsters, sword fighting, and of course, magic. A complex world has been created filled with class divisions, political tensions between church and state, upper and lower classes. Heck, there are even levels ("ranks") that you can gain or lose (if you die).
This was a fascinating story with a very likable main character and a wide cast of characters set in an interesting world. I can't wait for the next book in the series.
December 15, 2014
This book is the story of a modern man dumped into a self-consistent Dungeons and Dragons world. The part I enjoyed most about it is that he is moral without being preachy and the world makes sense. I'm very much looking forward to the next book in this series.
If you liked this book, the closest analog is Joel Rosenberg's Guardians of the Flame series. There are also some elements of Leo Frankowski's Cross Time Engineer.
If you liked this book, the closest analog is Joel Rosenberg's Guardians of the Flame series. There are also some elements of Leo Frankowski's Cross Time Engineer.
June 21, 2016
***Won in a GoodReads First Reads giveaway***
Great way to kick off a series, and yet at the same time not create a large gulf for someone to cross if wanting to pick up and start at book 2. This was one of those books i was eager to continue reading, which hasnt happent too often this past year.
What we have is a standard sword and sorcery fantasy novel starring a middleaged man who actually comes from our own normal world and somehow goes through a portal into this new fantasy realm. Technologically speaking, this place is not yet at the industrial revolution. But fear not, because our main character, Christopher, just so happens to be a mechanical engineer and single handedly turns the ideas of the world on its head. Introducing machining, explosives etc he is able to bring new and improved methods to daily life as well as warfare. And of course there is violence here because the world exists on a feudal kingdom hierarchy of sorts that also deals with a magic system based on rank. Ranks involve quatities of a substance called Tael, which all things considered is not that well explained. I would expect more in future books.
Higher ranks naturally mean more power. This leads to new ways of fighting as the Tael is also thought of as regenerating shields/bank accounts of power. The goal of a duel may be to wittle your opponent's Tael until a mortal blow can be delivered. But wait there is more. Even the dead can be resurrected with Tael! It all sounds confusing but it does make a sort of sense as the story progresses.
Christopher finds himself at odds with many people throughout the story. He does get ranked as a priest but then pledges to a different god. Not the Bright Lady but the god of War, Marcius. This benefits Christopher as he has spent the last 20 years training in martial arts and sword play.
Although the whole story felt like one big setup, it moved very fast as with each chapter the reader learns something else about the world. A grand war is going on against monsters: goblins, trolls etc. There are magic weapons, although we have not seen them yet. Different counties in the kingdom have completely different gods and churches. Light vs Dark etc. And all of this stuff is thrown into a story that has one man try to advance civilization as fast as possible by using the limited means at his disposal and his knowledge that it should be possible.
Certainly MC Planck is a great writer and I am very interested in finding out where the next book brings us, especially after where this one left off. Not so much a cliffhanger, but by no means is it closure. I may even think about picking up The Kassa Gambit while I wait for Book 2 in the World of Prime.
Note on cover art: I did not care for the image used, the tone, the props. In fact when I received notification of winning, i was apprehensive to even start in. I am glad I did, but the art did nothing for me...and did nothing for the story. This whole book has only slightly to do with some guy in armor with a rifle. They may as well have just used an image of a guy firing his rifle at an advancing goblin in cartoon style. I am not a fan of this intense, high contrat photgraphic style anyways. Hated it when they did it to Joe Abercrombie just as much. Fantasy is fantasy, keep it to art and style and less photo realistic please!
Great way to kick off a series, and yet at the same time not create a large gulf for someone to cross if wanting to pick up and start at book 2. This was one of those books i was eager to continue reading, which hasnt happent too often this past year.
What we have is a standard sword and sorcery fantasy novel starring a middleaged man who actually comes from our own normal world and somehow goes through a portal into this new fantasy realm. Technologically speaking, this place is not yet at the industrial revolution. But fear not, because our main character, Christopher, just so happens to be a mechanical engineer and single handedly turns the ideas of the world on its head. Introducing machining, explosives etc he is able to bring new and improved methods to daily life as well as warfare. And of course there is violence here because the world exists on a feudal kingdom hierarchy of sorts that also deals with a magic system based on rank. Ranks involve quatities of a substance called Tael, which all things considered is not that well explained. I would expect more in future books.
Higher ranks naturally mean more power. This leads to new ways of fighting as the Tael is also thought of as regenerating shields/bank accounts of power. The goal of a duel may be to wittle your opponent's Tael until a mortal blow can be delivered. But wait there is more. Even the dead can be resurrected with Tael! It all sounds confusing but it does make a sort of sense as the story progresses.
Christopher finds himself at odds with many people throughout the story. He does get ranked as a priest but then pledges to a different god. Not the Bright Lady but the god of War, Marcius. This benefits Christopher as he has spent the last 20 years training in martial arts and sword play.
Although the whole story felt like one big setup, it moved very fast as with each chapter the reader learns something else about the world. A grand war is going on against monsters: goblins, trolls etc. There are magic weapons, although we have not seen them yet. Different counties in the kingdom have completely different gods and churches. Light vs Dark etc. And all of this stuff is thrown into a story that has one man try to advance civilization as fast as possible by using the limited means at his disposal and his knowledge that it should be possible.
Certainly MC Planck is a great writer and I am very interested in finding out where the next book brings us, especially after where this one left off. Not so much a cliffhanger, but by no means is it closure. I may even think about picking up The Kassa Gambit while I wait for Book 2 in the World of Prime.
Note on cover art: I did not care for the image used, the tone, the props. In fact when I received notification of winning, i was apprehensive to even start in. I am glad I did, but the art did nothing for me...and did nothing for the story. This whole book has only slightly to do with some guy in armor with a rifle. They may as well have just used an image of a guy firing his rifle at an advancing goblin in cartoon style. I am not a fan of this intense, high contrat photgraphic style anyways. Hated it when they did it to Joe Abercrombie just as much. Fantasy is fantasy, keep it to art and style and less photo realistic please!
August 23, 2015
Originally posted on Powder & Page
Warning- CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS
The Sword of the Bright Lady (TSOTBL) is the first book in the World of Prime series by M.C. Planck. I discovered it whilst browsing the SciFi/ Fantasy section in the bookstore and decided that it might actually be worth my time. As I deduced from reading the back cover, the premise of The Sword of the Bright Lady was fascinating and unique, making use of the familiar idea of parallel universes while adding an original perspective. My brother swiped it up and read it before I had a chance and revealed a few interesting tidbits- first, the main character has to invent guns in the world he was transported to and second, the ending was quite astonishing and not at all what he anticipated.
The world, characters, and society in TSOTBL were crafted well and with sufficient detail and depth. This, in part, seems to be due to the main character Christopher’s sudden arrival in an unknown realm that he knows nothing about. He is as a newborn babe entering the world, completely unaware of culture, traditions, and the dangers of society. Everything must be explained to him, and even when he is told what to do or how to act he screws up on a grand scale. The society is largely based around nobility and the churches, both of which have access to very powerful magic that can work a variety of wonders or horrors. In order to escape his first epic mistake, Christopher is drafted into the church of the Bright Lady, though he specifically serves the Bright Lady’s war aspect. He continues to serve by making rifles and cannons for the recruits in hopes that Marcius, the war aspect, will help him find his way back to Earth and his beloved Maggie.
The ending was as E. had described it- utterly astonishing. After Christopher and his little army of recruits defeat a horde of monsters with their newly minted rifles they struggle to march back to the town of Kingsrock to have their dead revived. Christopher is woken in a strange dungeon where he is tortured for an unknown amount of time by a mysterious captor and then killed, only to be revived by the Saint of the Bright Lady. I found this short segment to be disturbing, though it was not greatly detailed and written as if by a dispassionate observer. Perhaps the blunt simplicity with which the horrors inflicted on Christopher were described made the impact more powerful because so many other writers go into such great detail when describing atrocities.
The story overall was strong and I see much potential for the rest of the series, though I did find some segments to be a bit dull or repetitive. I have no doubt that the minor character will have their roles fleshed out more in the coming books and some of the duller bits will be rendered vital to the storyline. I found the magic and rank system to be quite interesting because it was largely reminiscent of the leveling system in most video games- you kill more enemies, you gain more levels and become more powerful. The Sword of the Bright Lady has well earned 4 out of 5 stars and the ending left so many options for stories to come.
Warning- CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS
The Sword of the Bright Lady (TSOTBL) is the first book in the World of Prime series by M.C. Planck. I discovered it whilst browsing the SciFi/ Fantasy section in the bookstore and decided that it might actually be worth my time. As I deduced from reading the back cover, the premise of The Sword of the Bright Lady was fascinating and unique, making use of the familiar idea of parallel universes while adding an original perspective. My brother swiped it up and read it before I had a chance and revealed a few interesting tidbits- first, the main character has to invent guns in the world he was transported to and second, the ending was quite astonishing and not at all what he anticipated.
The world, characters, and society in TSOTBL were crafted well and with sufficient detail and depth. This, in part, seems to be due to the main character Christopher’s sudden arrival in an unknown realm that he knows nothing about. He is as a newborn babe entering the world, completely unaware of culture, traditions, and the dangers of society. Everything must be explained to him, and even when he is told what to do or how to act he screws up on a grand scale. The society is largely based around nobility and the churches, both of which have access to very powerful magic that can work a variety of wonders or horrors. In order to escape his first epic mistake, Christopher is drafted into the church of the Bright Lady, though he specifically serves the Bright Lady’s war aspect. He continues to serve by making rifles and cannons for the recruits in hopes that Marcius, the war aspect, will help him find his way back to Earth and his beloved Maggie.
The ending was as E. had described it- utterly astonishing. After Christopher and his little army of recruits defeat a horde of monsters with their newly minted rifles they struggle to march back to the town of Kingsrock to have their dead revived. Christopher is woken in a strange dungeon where he is tortured for an unknown amount of time by a mysterious captor and then killed, only to be revived by the Saint of the Bright Lady. I found this short segment to be disturbing, though it was not greatly detailed and written as if by a dispassionate observer. Perhaps the blunt simplicity with which the horrors inflicted on Christopher were described made the impact more powerful because so many other writers go into such great detail when describing atrocities.
The story overall was strong and I see much potential for the rest of the series, though I did find some segments to be a bit dull or repetitive. I have no doubt that the minor character will have their roles fleshed out more in the coming books and some of the duller bits will be rendered vital to the storyline. I found the magic and rank system to be quite interesting because it was largely reminiscent of the leveling system in most video games- you kill more enemies, you gain more levels and become more powerful. The Sword of the Bright Lady has well earned 4 out of 5 stars and the ending left so many options for stories to come.
September 3, 2014
This review will be available on my website: Fantasy Findings
eARC provided by the publisher in exchange for fair review.
September is turning out to be a rather good month for fantasy. Between The Mirror Empire, City of Stairs and now Sword of the Bright Lady, fans looking for something that feels free have plenty of options to choose from - and certainly at least one (it not more) will satisfy that itch.
At the core of it, Sword of the Bright Lady is a tale of a modern man stuck in an decidedly unmodern world. We never see the act that brought him to Prime, nor does he find his home in this book either, as one might expect of a series. That said, it will be interesting to see if he ever does get a chance to go, if he would - for all that he misses his wife, his impact on Prime has been so fantastic, and his world so changed that I can't imagine his character returning to a desk job as an engineer when all is said and done. And that's a good thing, because it means that I bought into his character growth.
At its core, it's a story of a man trying to prepare to fight for a war that is more or less a death sentence, and fighting with what he does have - his knowledge as an engineer, knowledge of modern weaponry and a wee bit of magic that he picked up by pledging to Marcius. Ultimately, Christopher is an agent of change, taking these villages that we'd see as fairly sleepy and backward and dragging them into the modern era, skipping over bayonets and muskets and heading straight for civil-war era rifles. His ideas are often seen as absurd, but he is known as well-meaning and change, as they say, is inevitable.
There is action in this book, but it truly is a story of people. If anything, my major fault lay in the battle at the end of the book when there are suddenly trolls and goblins and giants roaming about. Yes, there's magic in this world, but these creatures aren't even really seen until this point, so it does feel a bit jarring.
Still, I really like the cast of characters that Planck has gathered together - from Christopher himself, to Karl, a commoner soldier, to the various figures from the Church and even some of the knights they meet. Planck does a good job of slowly exposing Christopher (and ourselves) to the world at large, but manages to do so in a way that is neither too slow, nor is a giant text dump. Finally, even as the book approaches its climax, we get reminders of the modern man that Christopher is - I found myself rather amused at a comment about commuting on horseback. It'd normally be jarring, but it works well here.
Overall, it's a nice twist on more traditional fare without straying too too far out of the genre (it's easily the most traditional of the three books referenced in this review) if say, City of Stairs doesn't sound like your cuppa.
Give it a shot. It's a good read, and I'll be checking out the sequel.
eARC provided by the publisher in exchange for fair review.
September is turning out to be a rather good month for fantasy. Between The Mirror Empire, City of Stairs and now Sword of the Bright Lady, fans looking for something that feels free have plenty of options to choose from - and certainly at least one (it not more) will satisfy that itch.
At the core of it, Sword of the Bright Lady is a tale of a modern man stuck in an decidedly unmodern world. We never see the act that brought him to Prime, nor does he find his home in this book either, as one might expect of a series. That said, it will be interesting to see if he ever does get a chance to go, if he would - for all that he misses his wife, his impact on Prime has been so fantastic, and his world so changed that I can't imagine his character returning to a desk job as an engineer when all is said and done. And that's a good thing, because it means that I bought into his character growth.
At its core, it's a story of a man trying to prepare to fight for a war that is more or less a death sentence, and fighting with what he does have - his knowledge as an engineer, knowledge of modern weaponry and a wee bit of magic that he picked up by pledging to Marcius. Ultimately, Christopher is an agent of change, taking these villages that we'd see as fairly sleepy and backward and dragging them into the modern era, skipping over bayonets and muskets and heading straight for civil-war era rifles. His ideas are often seen as absurd, but he is known as well-meaning and change, as they say, is inevitable.
There is action in this book, but it truly is a story of people. If anything, my major fault lay in the battle at the end of the book when there are suddenly trolls and goblins and giants roaming about. Yes, there's magic in this world, but these creatures aren't even really seen until this point, so it does feel a bit jarring.
Still, I really like the cast of characters that Planck has gathered together - from Christopher himself, to Karl, a commoner soldier, to the various figures from the Church and even some of the knights they meet. Planck does a good job of slowly exposing Christopher (and ourselves) to the world at large, but manages to do so in a way that is neither too slow, nor is a giant text dump. Finally, even as the book approaches its climax, we get reminders of the modern man that Christopher is - I found myself rather amused at a comment about commuting on horseback. It'd normally be jarring, but it works well here.
Overall, it's a nice twist on more traditional fare without straying too too far out of the genre (it's easily the most traditional of the three books referenced in this review) if say, City of Stairs doesn't sound like your cuppa.
Give it a shot. It's a good read, and I'll be checking out the sequel.
July 8, 2014
Easily 4.5! This book is fantastic and i can't wait to see more from M.C. Planck! woot!
This book is awesome, SciFi hiding as fantasy or Fantasy pretending to be SciFi I couldn't tell but it really didn't matter! There were certainly some instances of suspension of disbelief but excellent payoff. Good characterization, decent pacing, good world building...
Christopher Sinclair, a gentle souled mechanical engineer wakes up in a strange bed with a strange woman, in a strange land where no one speaks English. It must be a dream but even for a dream this is too weird. Turns out Christopher fell through space to another place altogether and, Toto, this ain't Kansas. This world is a place/dimension peopled by medieval folk, with magic and strangely uneven technology. Katana swords, suits of armor, horses and stones which cast light without heat. Christopher is being sheltered by a priest, Pater Svengusta, and his "wench" (for lack of a better word) Helga. One day while earning his keep by chopping firewood he gets involved in a civil dispute between some serfs and a ranked man. Christopher doesn't even speak the language but he cannot stand for what is happening, and so, the gauntlet is thrown. The only way to save Christopher is to bring him into the fold. Using magic a Cardinal Faren communicates with Christopher that he must pledge himself to the service of the Bright Lady, and in so doing enlist in the army for the next three years. In trade, the church will resurrect him if he dies (I know, right?!). Bewildered and heartsick Christopher feels this might be the only way to survive this harsh world until he can find his way back home so he agrees. That night in the Chapel while meditating on the Bright Lady Ostara Christopher has a vision and ends up pledging himself to the service of the Brightlady's companion Marcius the God of War (and Strenght, War, Luck,and Travel!). This pledge grants Christopher certain powers, he can now speak the languages of this new land, he is granted rank meaning he has magic and access to the knowledge that comes with it, oh as well as making him the only Priest of the God of War that this land has seen in many years. Magic, swords, backyard chemistry and resurrection, this book kicks so much butt!
This book is awesome, SciFi hiding as fantasy or Fantasy pretending to be SciFi I couldn't tell but it really didn't matter! There were certainly some instances of suspension of disbelief but excellent payoff. Good characterization, decent pacing, good world building...
Christopher Sinclair, a gentle souled mechanical engineer wakes up in a strange bed with a strange woman, in a strange land where no one speaks English. It must be a dream but even for a dream this is too weird. Turns out Christopher fell through space to another place altogether and, Toto, this ain't Kansas. This world is a place/dimension peopled by medieval folk, with magic and strangely uneven technology. Katana swords, suits of armor, horses and stones which cast light without heat. Christopher is being sheltered by a priest, Pater Svengusta, and his "wench" (for lack of a better word) Helga. One day while earning his keep by chopping firewood he gets involved in a civil dispute between some serfs and a ranked man. Christopher doesn't even speak the language but he cannot stand for what is happening, and so, the gauntlet is thrown. The only way to save Christopher is to bring him into the fold. Using magic a Cardinal Faren communicates with Christopher that he must pledge himself to the service of the Bright Lady, and in so doing enlist in the army for the next three years. In trade, the church will resurrect him if he dies (I know, right?!). Bewildered and heartsick Christopher feels this might be the only way to survive this harsh world until he can find his way back home so he agrees. That night in the Chapel while meditating on the Bright Lady Ostara Christopher has a vision and ends up pledging himself to the service of the Brightlady's companion Marcius the God of War (and Strenght, War, Luck,and Travel!). This pledge grants Christopher certain powers, he can now speak the languages of this new land, he is granted rank meaning he has magic and access to the knowledge that comes with it, oh as well as making him the only Priest of the God of War that this land has seen in many years. Magic, swords, backyard chemistry and resurrection, this book kicks so much butt!
February 27, 2015
4.5 out of 5.
I really liked this book. In reading the reviews I can understand why so many others feel as if it borrows heavily from D&D and its true nothing in this story is uniquely novel on its own. The magic is how it all ties together. As long as you suspend your disbelief that a man can cross into a fantasy world where "magic" can happen in many respects the world-building is superior to nearly all of these tales.
We are dropped in to the "World of Prime" with the protagonist and just like him find ourselves learning as we go. While it seems initially very similar the sudden and unexpected addition of magic throws everything sideways. However even in this strange area there seem to be rules and an underlying system to how it all works.
Unfortunately his modern values don't quite fit and he ends up having to sell himself into the "service" as a priest of a war god. The factors and balances of the world borrows quite a bit form role-playing and the building of a "modern" army pulls from any number of stories. But the tie of all of that into a functioning political structure and making it work is what makes the book so good.
It ties so much together without the main character being the "chosen one" as in so many of these stories. In fact his magic is useful and needed but its not overwhelming and its only his affiliation that makes it as effective as it is at the moment.
I'm hoping that the next book can come ASAP and that the story continues quickly.
gallandro.
I really liked this book. In reading the reviews I can understand why so many others feel as if it borrows heavily from D&D and its true nothing in this story is uniquely novel on its own. The magic is how it all ties together. As long as you suspend your disbelief that a man can cross into a fantasy world where "magic" can happen in many respects the world-building is superior to nearly all of these tales.
We are dropped in to the "World of Prime" with the protagonist and just like him find ourselves learning as we go. While it seems initially very similar the sudden and unexpected addition of magic throws everything sideways. However even in this strange area there seem to be rules and an underlying system to how it all works.
Unfortunately his modern values don't quite fit and he ends up having to sell himself into the "service" as a priest of a war god. The factors and balances of the world borrows quite a bit form role-playing and the building of a "modern" army pulls from any number of stories. But the tie of all of that into a functioning political structure and making it work is what makes the book so good.
It ties so much together without the main character being the "chosen one" as in so many of these stories. In fact his magic is useful and needed but its not overwhelming and its only his affiliation that makes it as effective as it is at the moment.
I'm hoping that the next book can come ASAP and that the story continues quickly.
gallandro.
June 29, 2015
If you loved Bruce Campbell in the scifi noir film, Army of Darkness, this has that same flavor and atmosphere. Mechanical engineer Christopher Sinclair gets sucked into an alternate universe stuck at a medieval level of technology and engaged in a war they can’t hope to win against dark magic, goblins, trolls, and a corrupt ruling class. I loved the magic system as it is well-developed and makes sense. The religious system is more hands-on than you expect and the cost for priests to bring people back from the dead is so high that few people can afford it. Christopher brings technology in the form of guns and cannons to the common people thus changing the face of the culture. But all is not good as evil stalks him and his allegiance to the martial god Marcius may be both a good and bad thing. The story moves fast but with great character development and the use of magic doesn’t always make things better in the long run. Planck also wrote “The Kassa Gambit” about two very different main characters caught in political intrigue amongst the planets of a far flung empire. Planck’s website says this about the World of Prime sequels: “Theoretically this will be followed up by Gold Throne in Shadow, Judgement at Verdant Court, Verdict on Crimson Fields, and Black Harvest.” Other cool things you can find on his webpage is that he is married to another great author, Sara Creasey, and the awesome cover for Gold Throne in Shadow is available for your viewing pleasure. Read and enjoy!
January 31, 2015
Predictable and shallow. Having grown up reading the otherworldly adventures of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Lin Carter, on through Andre Norton's Witch World and Donaldson's Thomas Covenant, I was hoping for a little of that old magic with this new offering. Sadly, it's not even a shadow.
Fantasy is all about suspending reality, but Planck asks us to accept too much right out of the gate. Christopher Sinclair has to be the luckiest damned person on two worlds. The intervention of indistinct gods notwithstanding, Sinclair is virtually handed everything to ease him into his great "destiny". There is no real struggle, no sense of confusion or adapting to this strange (not really) land that he suddenly finds himself in. Instead, Sinclair sets himself to rigging the system in his favor, completely oblivious to any of the people who sacrifice so much to help him. It's okay, they're really only cardboard cutouts anyway.
I could only stomach the first quarter of the book before giving up in disgust. As one other reviewer alluded to, this book feels like the script for a video game. There is no sense that this realm, or the "modern world" Sinclair comes from is even a real place.
I can safely say that it's doubtful I'll feel the urge to pick this up again and I'll be a little less eager to buy a new release based on the recommendation of the publishing editor who bought this manuscript in the first place. What a waste!
Fantasy is all about suspending reality, but Planck asks us to accept too much right out of the gate. Christopher Sinclair has to be the luckiest damned person on two worlds. The intervention of indistinct gods notwithstanding, Sinclair is virtually handed everything to ease him into his great "destiny". There is no real struggle, no sense of confusion or adapting to this strange (not really) land that he suddenly finds himself in. Instead, Sinclair sets himself to rigging the system in his favor, completely oblivious to any of the people who sacrifice so much to help him. It's okay, they're really only cardboard cutouts anyway.
I could only stomach the first quarter of the book before giving up in disgust. As one other reviewer alluded to, this book feels like the script for a video game. There is no sense that this realm, or the "modern world" Sinclair comes from is even a real place.
I can safely say that it's doubtful I'll feel the urge to pick this up again and I'll be a little less eager to buy a new release based on the recommendation of the publishing editor who bought this manuscript in the first place. What a waste!
August 22, 2016
3½ stars
I was surprised at how much I liked this story.
I suppose that I had low expectations, because these types of books (man travels to another world) usually follows a certain path. For example, the MC will quickly become a super bad-ass warrior or overpowered mage. He will also usually acquire a harem of beautiful willing women... Those things get tiresome. I am more interested in seeing how a modern-day person with modern-day values would reacts in a medieval type society.
And that is actually what I get in this book! Hurray!!
Sure, it does at some points feel like the MC has it a little too easy. But I'll accept that because the alternative would transform this into a very grim and dark story. This is a fantasy book, that's why I chose to read it after all.
Also, at some points it almost felt like the plot changed into a list of chores that the MC had to check off. But, again I accept this because I was curious about all the details of the society and the mechanics of building an economic empire. Those are the type of details I want in every travel-to-a-different-world story!
So, I really liked this book. I really liked the characters. I really liked how the author gave details about the society the MC came to. I especially liked that the MC had culture shock and confusion about the new place he came to. All of this was portrayed well.
This is what I want in a story about travelling to a different world.
I was surprised at how much I liked this story.
I suppose that I had low expectations, because these types of books (man travels to another world) usually follows a certain path. For example, the MC will quickly become a super bad-ass warrior or overpowered mage. He will also usually acquire a harem of beautiful willing women... Those things get tiresome. I am more interested in seeing how a modern-day person with modern-day values would reacts in a medieval type society.
And that is actually what I get in this book! Hurray!!
Sure, it does at some points feel like the MC has it a little too easy. But I'll accept that because the alternative would transform this into a very grim and dark story. This is a fantasy book, that's why I chose to read it after all.
Also, at some points it almost felt like the plot changed into a list of chores that the MC had to check off. But, again I accept this because I was curious about all the details of the society and the mechanics of building an economic empire. Those are the type of details I want in every travel-to-a-different-world story!
So, I really liked this book. I really liked the characters. I really liked how the author gave details about the society the MC came to. I especially liked that the MC had culture shock and confusion about the new place he came to. All of this was portrayed well.
This is what I want in a story about travelling to a different world.
August 10, 2014
How to explain this book...I mean. Ok I will try. The first part is easy.
There is our world, but there are other worlds too. As Christopher finds out when he suddenly finds himself in one. And like he should, it is totally alien to him, everything. He has questions about everything (and yes they speak another language, Norwegian to my eye). There are Gods? What about this religion? What is magic? Why are people ranked? Why are farmboys used as canon fodder? Who are they fighting? What is the Dark? Thanks to his questions we get to know this world were a constant war is going on and where there is magic. And the Gods are real as he pledges himself to one.
The whole magic thing and how you can move up in society was cool. I also liked that he was both clueless and had something to offer. He knows science, and hey if you want to get anywhere in this war then that might be a good thing. I would be totally lost if I got there btw.
Sure he was smart, a bit too smart. But hey he has a purpose in that world. So if someone got him there then of course they are gonna take someone who can make a difference.
An interesting world and I wonder how this whole adventure will turn out in the end for him, and this world.
There is our world, but there are other worlds too. As Christopher finds out when he suddenly finds himself in one. And like he should, it is totally alien to him, everything. He has questions about everything (and yes they speak another language, Norwegian to my eye). There are Gods? What about this religion? What is magic? Why are people ranked? Why are farmboys used as canon fodder? Who are they fighting? What is the Dark? Thanks to his questions we get to know this world were a constant war is going on and where there is magic. And the Gods are real as he pledges himself to one.
The whole magic thing and how you can move up in society was cool. I also liked that he was both clueless and had something to offer. He knows science, and hey if you want to get anywhere in this war then that might be a good thing. I would be totally lost if I got there btw.
Sure he was smart, a bit too smart. But hey he has a purpose in that world. So if someone got him there then of course they are gonna take someone who can make a difference.
An interesting world and I wonder how this whole adventure will turn out in the end for him, and this world.
September 9, 2014
I won’t lie, this book starts off a little slow, but the payoff is worth it. Planck has created an oddly intriguing take on a genre that sometimes feels as old as time itself.
As with many sword and sorcery stories, Sword of the Bright lady begins with a hero thrust into an unknown world with strange rules and stranger people. In this incarnation we find that the world is both a fascinating and ominous place where death has become it’s own sort of currency.
The Tael was an interesting concept within the realm of magic, lending use of that magic a special brand of moral questions. However, I could not stop thinking about Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask because of it. Which is an odd thing to associate, but did occasionally bring me out of the story.
The protagonist was not always likeable, but what human truly is. There were moments when he seemed too smart for his own good. Overall, though, I do believe he showed a decent amount of growth even though there is clearly room for more.
I’ll be interested to see what comes of book two.
As with many sword and sorcery stories, Sword of the Bright lady begins with a hero thrust into an unknown world with strange rules and stranger people. In this incarnation we find that the world is both a fascinating and ominous place where death has become it’s own sort of currency.
The Tael was an interesting concept within the realm of magic, lending use of that magic a special brand of moral questions. However, I could not stop thinking about Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask because of it. Which is an odd thing to associate, but did occasionally bring me out of the story.
The protagonist was not always likeable, but what human truly is. There were moments when he seemed too smart for his own good. Overall, though, I do believe he showed a decent amount of growth even though there is clearly room for more.
I’ll be interested to see what comes of book two.
November 30, 2014
Connecticut Yankee/Lest Darkness Fall meets Barsoom when a modern day engineer finds himself adrift in a medieval world featuring magic of various sorts. A fun yarn, but it lost its fifth star for me by suddenly darkening at the end with pages of explicit torture--and also, as at least one GoodReads reviewer has already pointed out, by failing the Bechdel test.
Some good lines, though:
"You lie less convincingly than a two-copper whore. I like that in a man, shows he's got a conscience."
"It's just a scratch," he said defensively. "Although I suppose if it had hit me in the nuts, I wouldn't be laughing." He laughed at that.
"Ball bearings were one of those things you took for granted, until you didn't have any."
"Christopher could see the enemy advancing at a slow jog, holding their sparse formation. For some reason he thought of the Alamo. But that wasn't the image he really wanted at the moment."
Some good lines, though:
"You lie less convincingly than a two-copper whore. I like that in a man, shows he's got a conscience."
"It's just a scratch," he said defensively. "Although I suppose if it had hit me in the nuts, I wouldn't be laughing." He laughed at that.
"Ball bearings were one of those things you took for granted, until you didn't have any."
"Christopher could see the enemy advancing at a slow jog, holding their sparse formation. For some reason he thought of the Alamo. But that wasn't the image he really wanted at the moment."
August 4, 2016
“Sword of the Bright Lady” (Pyr, $18, 426 pages) is a classic setup: A modern American finds himself in a strange world, with no friends and only a background in katana (Japanese swordsmanship) and engineering to help him navigate a very strange world. How strange? Anyone can be revived from the dead by a sufficiently powerful wizard, and obviously the rich and powerful are much more likely to be rejuvenated.
The hero manages to alienate some key folks but still stumbles along, learning his way in this odd society while trying to introduce some mechanical marvels that will help human beings in what appears to be an endless war against demons, trolls and other nasties.
M. C. Planck does a very nice job in book one of World of Prime, and as I liked his debut, “The Kassa Gambit,” I’m ready for more – and if you’re a fan of classic fantasy in this particular mold, you should jump in too.
The hero manages to alienate some key folks but still stumbles along, learning his way in this odd society while trying to introduce some mechanical marvels that will help human beings in what appears to be an endless war against demons, trolls and other nasties.
M. C. Planck does a very nice job in book one of World of Prime, and as I liked his debut, “The Kassa Gambit,” I’m ready for more – and if you’re a fan of classic fantasy in this particular mold, you should jump in too.
October 16, 2014
One of my favorite tropes is that of someone from our world dropping into a fantasy one. Christopher Sinclair is a forty-year-old mechanical engineer with sword fighting hobby. The world he finds himself in gets its magic from dead people, with ranks coming from the amount of magic owned. Once his is magically taught the language, and told he can’t go home, he has to become a priest of one of the very real gods and carry the Sword of the Bright Lady (trade from Pyr) Every year all the villages have their young men drafted into a war with monsters and he will go with them. Of Course M. C. Planck has him creating a banking system and building guns and cannons. It’s not as easy as it sounds because rumors of his magical sword send swordsmen after him. Lots of fun with enough left for a sequel. I can’t wait.Review Published by Philadelphia Weekly Press
January 4, 2015
This was a refreshing read, it was full of what could happen if your life was interrupted by suddenly finding yourself in a different time and place where magic is real and the things you know are gone, especially your wife. Christopher Sinclair finds himself in a medieval place, thinking he's in a dream. He uses his own knowledge to make something of his circumstances. This comes at a huge cost, as his personal values come to a head with those circumstances. I liked this book. The writing is good, the moral dilemmas that he faces as he attempts to find his way home are constant. The enemies he encounters are determined to oust him because he represents change.
If you desire a subtle change to what you have been reading, read this book and then get ready to ask those questions of yourself, What do you know that could change the world around you today?... Enjoy.
If you desire a subtle change to what you have been reading, read this book and then get ready to ask those questions of yourself, What do you know that could change the world around you today?... Enjoy.
June 22, 2016
This is a strange book. It is the tale of a guy from our world who strands in a fantasy world and tries to survive there. That is something we have heard before. The real special thing in this book is that the world the main character finds himself in, is based on the rationalization of the old school D&D rules.
So this is a world where levels do exist, although they are called ranks in here. And to gain Ranks you need to harvest Tael (experience points :-)). The way you harvest tael is defeating enemies and steal theirs.
Also the way magic works, or the different classes people can be in Dungeons & Dragons are present here.
The story itself is amusing and entertaining and I'm certainly interested in the next volume in this series.
So this is a world where levels do exist, although they are called ranks in here. And to gain Ranks you need to harvest Tael (experience points :-)). The way you harvest tael is defeating enemies and steal theirs.
Also the way magic works, or the different classes people can be in Dungeons & Dragons are present here.
The story itself is amusing and entertaining and I'm certainly interested in the next volume in this series.
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