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Ironstone Saga #1
Fallen Empire
Assassin-for-hire Vyder Ironstone is on a mission for the King of Wendurlund. While the pay's good, the odds are not, since the task requires him to travel deep into enemy territory. But first, there's the little problem of his death to overcome, not to mention a malcontent travelling companion with no love for humanity and a deadly purpose of his own. Vyder had better find a way to deal with both, and quickly, because, controlled by an unseen power, hordes of giant spiders have attacked the capital. Facing vast numbers, Commander Tork of the King's Own and his small troop of elite soldiers won't be able to hold the walls for long. Vyder's quest is vital: he must not fail, or the empire will fall.
- GenresFantasy
324 pages, Paperback
Published June 4, 2018
About the author
Keith McArdle
15 books119 followersKeith was born in a hospital, somewhere in Australia, when he was very little. He owns every David Gemmell book ever written (and two versions of some books), including the graphic novels. To maintain some semblance of sanity, Keith likes writing fast-paced stories ranging from Fantasy and sci-fi, to modern military thrillers. He now lives somewhere else in Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 16, 2018
FALLEN EMPIRE by Keith McArdle is a quirky and gritty fantasy books, which is something that I rarely see in writing. Nevertheless, I found it to be an entertaining story and certainly worth my 3.99 to purchase it. It was an easy read with oddball characters that I liked and enjoyed the interactions of. It's got a few flaws but these are small ones in the larger scheme of things.
The premise is the insane tyrant King Filip has hired Vyder Ironstone, Highland assassin, to rescue his son with no backup. In what should have been expected, Vyder ends up stabbed and dying before he makes any real progress. The first third of the book follows the attempts by his slave to save his life despite the fact everyone assumes she wants to see him die. The next two thirds deal with the invasion of Wendurlund's capital by an army of giant spiders. Multiple perspectives follow as they try to deal with this decidedly unexpected development.
I like the use of giant spiders as enemies as, outside of Tolkien, you usually see them as enemies in Starship Troopers-derived fiction. I also found King Filip to be entertaining as hell as he's clearly a lunatic that shouldn't be in charge of the DMV let alone a kingdom. The fact the Empire of Wendurlund probably doesn't deserve to be saved is an interesting twist, especially since a number of our protagonists have an idealistic view of the land.
I had a few minor issues with the naturalistic religion depicted in the book. The "good" kind of witches in the world described are called Wiccans despite this being a real world religion. Sort of like visiting Abeir-Toril or Krynn and finding Christians. I also didn't believe that a woman in a Medieval environment had never killed an animal, which is a plot point when confronting a deranged human-hating nature spirit.
Despite this, the book has a lot of good moments like when the nature spirit is chided about his attitude of separating humans from nature like they did. I've wanted to see someone do that for environmentally themed books for some time. I also enjoyed the handling of the action which is exciting and surprising. I also enjoyed the book opens with someone dying from his wounds, which is a nice bit of realism you rarely see in fantasy.
8/10
The premise is the insane tyrant King Filip has hired Vyder Ironstone, Highland assassin, to rescue his son with no backup. In what should have been expected, Vyder ends up stabbed and dying before he makes any real progress. The first third of the book follows the attempts by his slave to save his life despite the fact everyone assumes she wants to see him die. The next two thirds deal with the invasion of Wendurlund's capital by an army of giant spiders. Multiple perspectives follow as they try to deal with this decidedly unexpected development.
I like the use of giant spiders as enemies as, outside of Tolkien, you usually see them as enemies in Starship Troopers-derived fiction. I also found King Filip to be entertaining as hell as he's clearly a lunatic that shouldn't be in charge of the DMV let alone a kingdom. The fact the Empire of Wendurlund probably doesn't deserve to be saved is an interesting twist, especially since a number of our protagonists have an idealistic view of the land.
I had a few minor issues with the naturalistic religion depicted in the book. The "good" kind of witches in the world described are called Wiccans despite this being a real world religion. Sort of like visiting Abeir-Toril or Krynn and finding Christians. I also didn't believe that a woman in a Medieval environment had never killed an animal, which is a plot point when confronting a deranged human-hating nature spirit.
Despite this, the book has a lot of good moments like when the nature spirit is chided about his attitude of separating humans from nature like they did. I've wanted to see someone do that for environmentally themed books for some time. I also enjoyed the handling of the action which is exciting and surprising. I also enjoyed the book opens with someone dying from his wounds, which is a nice bit of realism you rarely see in fantasy.
8/10
September 2, 2018
Now, that was interesting. There's a lot to enjoy in this short(ish) book. It starts off being the story of a badass fighting assassin highlander but quickly becomes something much more epic in scope. What I took for a story about a single flawed hero turned into a stage of several flawed actors.
But when you throw in witchery, possessing demons, giant intelligent spiders, and some mean-ass fighting wolves, what's not to love? Fallen Empire starts out as the tale of Vyder Ironstone, our badass fighting assassin highlander mentioned above. He takes on a quest to save a kidnapped prince from an enemy kingdom but before he can get moving on his quest, he's jumped by some foresters he had previously clashed with in a tavern. He's quite messed up and near death, but his servant Miriam senses he's in trouble and gets him to a healer. This leads them to a old Wiccan woman to fix what the doctor cannot, and opens a whole new can of worms. Sometimes the cure is worse than the disease. Now the kingdom has to deal with this Pandora's Box that has opened, while our "hero" comes to terms with his new gifts/curse and resumes his quest.
Honestly, the pacing did get away from itself a few times. It seemed to stall some in the middle parts. I think the author was trying to get so much rich detail in there that it backfired a little. As he went to open up the scope of the story, there were occasions where the detail slowed the pacing down and ended up distracting rather than enhancing the story. That's my only complaint though, and it's all that keeps my rating from being higher than an "I liked it".
I will say, however, that that in last third of the book, things really clicked into place. It finished strongly, though is quite obviously a setup for more books (I see a trilogy at least). That said, it ended at a decent spot, for now. There's a lot unanswered, of course.
But when you throw in witchery, possessing demons, giant intelligent spiders, and some mean-ass fighting wolves, what's not to love? Fallen Empire starts out as the tale of Vyder Ironstone, our badass fighting assassin highlander mentioned above. He takes on a quest to save a kidnapped prince from an enemy kingdom but before he can get moving on his quest, he's jumped by some foresters he had previously clashed with in a tavern. He's quite messed up and near death, but his servant Miriam senses he's in trouble and gets him to a healer. This leads them to a old Wiccan woman to fix what the doctor cannot, and opens a whole new can of worms. Sometimes the cure is worse than the disease. Now the kingdom has to deal with this Pandora's Box that has opened, while our "hero" comes to terms with his new gifts/curse and resumes his quest.
Honestly, the pacing did get away from itself a few times. It seemed to stall some in the middle parts. I think the author was trying to get so much rich detail in there that it backfired a little. As he went to open up the scope of the story, there were occasions where the detail slowed the pacing down and ended up distracting rather than enhancing the story. That's my only complaint though, and it's all that keeps my rating from being higher than an "I liked it".
I will say, however, that that in last third of the book, things really clicked into place. It finished strongly, though is quite obviously a setup for more books (I see a trilogy at least). That said, it ended at a decent spot, for now. There's a lot unanswered, of course.
May 17, 2019
This book has so many elements I love -- a conflicted protagonist (and conflicted is putting it mildly), lots of great action, and numerous fantastic creatures. McArdle puts his extensive military experience to good use in this novel, giving us highly detailed engagements that are fascinating in their specificity. He clearly knows what he's talking about, and he presents battles in ways most fantasy authors do not. I had some minor questions about which character was the actual focus of this tale, as we get healthy doses of supporting characters, but it's clear who the author intends to build the rest of his series upon. All in all, a fun, fast-paced read for any fan of indie fantasy!
August 23, 2019
This book is divided into three distinct parts. Each part has multiple point of view characters specific to that section of the story. They are so distinct, I think they would even function as individual novellas. For me, parts one and two were much stronger than part three in terms of character development and story progression.
Part one follows a slave after she discovers her master, Vyder, is dying. He has given her better treatment than most slaves would receive, and she desperately wants to save his life out of fear her next master would not be kind. Vyder is also the hero the kingdom is counting on, so the stakes of his survival are pretty high.
In part two, a nearby walled city is under attack. Large spiders and wolves are sneaking in and killing citizens. Initial reports can hardly be believed, but as the days pass the conflict escalates. The city is pushed further into despair as the casualties multiply with each night. This was my favorite part of the book. The tension was ever-present and the characters well-developed.
Part three involves a plot to find and rescue the prince of Wenderlund. He has been kidnapped by a hostile neighboring kingdom and his fate is uncertain. The beginning of this part was bold and exciting, but as I read through it, I had trouble connecting with the characters, and some of the circumstances of the story seemed overly coincidental to me.
All in all, it's a strong opening book to a series, and the sequel is available now, too. If you're looking for a quick, entertaining sword & sorcery read, check it out.
Part one follows a slave after she discovers her master, Vyder, is dying. He has given her better treatment than most slaves would receive, and she desperately wants to save his life out of fear her next master would not be kind. Vyder is also the hero the kingdom is counting on, so the stakes of his survival are pretty high.
In part two, a nearby walled city is under attack. Large spiders and wolves are sneaking in and killing citizens. Initial reports can hardly be believed, but as the days pass the conflict escalates. The city is pushed further into despair as the casualties multiply with each night. This was my favorite part of the book. The tension was ever-present and the characters well-developed.
Part three involves a plot to find and rescue the prince of Wenderlund. He has been kidnapped by a hostile neighboring kingdom and his fate is uncertain. The beginning of this part was bold and exciting, but as I read through it, I had trouble connecting with the characters, and some of the circumstances of the story seemed overly coincidental to me.
All in all, it's a strong opening book to a series, and the sequel is available now, too. If you're looking for a quick, entertaining sword & sorcery read, check it out.
September 10, 2023
Vyder Ironstone has been given a mission, one with a very slim chance of success but which will potentially decide the fate of kingdoms. But before he can even set off, he is waylaid and mortally wounded.
It takes some confidence to have your main character stabbed, shot, and left bleeding out in the street before chapter one is even over. Fortunately, Fallen Empire is deserving of that confidence. Managing multiple plot lines and points of view with ease, it’s a straightforward and highly enjoyable read.
That opening chapter serves more than just to put Vyder in jeopardy. The eventual solution, which involves a nature spirit becoming bound to Vyder in order to revive him, has unintended consequences. Gorgoroth, the spirit in question hates humanity for its mistreatment of the natural world and immediately begins sending giant spiders and wolves against his home city.
Although Vyder is the mainstay, there are a number of other POV characters. The first, Miriam, is Vyder’s ostensible slave, although really more of a maternal figure. With Vyder dying, Miriam does whatever she can to save him but soon finds that most in the area are more concerned with her being out after the curfew or automatically believe she is somehow involved. This, plus her own remembrances, shows how this society treats those of a lower station.
Gorgoroth’s attacks against the city are mainly seen through the eyes of Lord Tork, another of the POV characters. As Commander of the King’s Own regiment, he becomes the de facto leader of the city’s forces as the animal attacks increase. These battle scenes, which range from individual fights to cavalry charges; are exceptional, a testament to the author’s military experience. Realistic and gritty, but without overdoing the carnage or glorifying it. One of Tork’s best moments is in the aftermath of one battle as he oversees the funeral of his fallen men.
The remaining main POV character doesn’t appear until three-quarters of the way through the book and, I will admit, at first this threw me a little. But Ahitika quickly becomes a strong character in her own right; perhaps as skilled a fighter as Vyder but with even fewer loyalties. I expect to see more of her in the sequel.
One of the things I liked most is that even by the end of the book, there is still a lot to learn about Vyder. We know he is a formidable fighter, as evidenced by that opening chapter and he is often referred to as an assassin but we don’t know why he is given that particular appellation. He is known (and apparently trusted) by the king and he has a house in a wealthy area of the city but his neighbours dismiss him as an interloper and we never learn how he earned these things. I hope that the next volume delves into Vyder’s back story more.
All in all, Fallen Empire is an excellent read, with an obviously well-planned world and plenty still to be revealed.
4 out of 5 Nature Spirits
It takes some confidence to have your main character stabbed, shot, and left bleeding out in the street before chapter one is even over. Fortunately, Fallen Empire is deserving of that confidence. Managing multiple plot lines and points of view with ease, it’s a straightforward and highly enjoyable read.
That opening chapter serves more than just to put Vyder in jeopardy. The eventual solution, which involves a nature spirit becoming bound to Vyder in order to revive him, has unintended consequences. Gorgoroth, the spirit in question hates humanity for its mistreatment of the natural world and immediately begins sending giant spiders and wolves against his home city.
Although Vyder is the mainstay, there are a number of other POV characters. The first, Miriam, is Vyder’s ostensible slave, although really more of a maternal figure. With Vyder dying, Miriam does whatever she can to save him but soon finds that most in the area are more concerned with her being out after the curfew or automatically believe she is somehow involved. This, plus her own remembrances, shows how this society treats those of a lower station.
Gorgoroth’s attacks against the city are mainly seen through the eyes of Lord Tork, another of the POV characters. As Commander of the King’s Own regiment, he becomes the de facto leader of the city’s forces as the animal attacks increase. These battle scenes, which range from individual fights to cavalry charges; are exceptional, a testament to the author’s military experience. Realistic and gritty, but without overdoing the carnage or glorifying it. One of Tork’s best moments is in the aftermath of one battle as he oversees the funeral of his fallen men.
The remaining main POV character doesn’t appear until three-quarters of the way through the book and, I will admit, at first this threw me a little. But Ahitika quickly becomes a strong character in her own right; perhaps as skilled a fighter as Vyder but with even fewer loyalties. I expect to see more of her in the sequel.
One of the things I liked most is that even by the end of the book, there is still a lot to learn about Vyder. We know he is a formidable fighter, as evidenced by that opening chapter and he is often referred to as an assassin but we don’t know why he is given that particular appellation. He is known (and apparently trusted) by the king and he has a house in a wealthy area of the city but his neighbours dismiss him as an interloper and we never learn how he earned these things. I hope that the next volume delves into Vyder’s back story more.
All in all, Fallen Empire is an excellent read, with an obviously well-planned world and plenty still to be revealed.
4 out of 5 Nature Spirits
August 4, 2019
Check out my review, aperturereads.wordpress.com for more reviews!
324 pages| Self-published| Fantasy
The author kindly sent me a paperback copy of Fallen Empire in late 2018 in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately, I am very much a mood reader, and with the final year of uni taking precedence over writing reviews, this has been heavily delayed. Apologies for that. The thoughts below are wholly my own.
Note: this review contains some spoilers from early on in the novel, all of which are discussed by the author in his book trailer. This is also quite a negative review, unfortunately. If you're familiar with my posts then you will know that I'm a critical reader and an honest blogger - feel free to disagree with my reviews in the comments below if you want to :)
The digest: a heavily simplified fantasy novel with interesting ideas that just about misses the mark. If you don't mind extraordinarily fast character progression and a simplified plot, then you might enjoy this one.
From the book's Goodreads page:
What did I like?
There were some solid fantastical ideas in Fallen Empire, including life after death and resurrection, witchcraft, a partnership between man and god (or demon?). In addition to these, the novel also has an element (though brief) of political intrigue and tactical warfare - it's clear that the author has spent time creating his storyworld even if it isn't all that developed on paper.
The action scenes are very well written and at no point was I confused. Be it a brawl in the street, fending off giant wolves in a forest, or protecting the city from spiders, McArdle writes with clarity to ensure that the reader can get swept up in the action.
I appreciated the little details the author included which I would have overlooked. These include things like how to properly load a gun, battle signalling from buglers and so on - these small elements all increase the immersivity of the story.
On occasion, I felt an emotional connection with some of the characters here which was a bit unexpected. I can't really say much more as it would e too spoiler-y, but about 1/2-2/3 of the way through the story the tension became palpable.
The story of Fallen Empire is told from the points of view of a variety of characters, something which I believe increases the immersivity of the narrative and allows the reader to gain a deeper understanding of the storyworld.
What did I not like?
There were a few big issues that I had with Fallen Empire. The most easily rectified is that it needed another edit. The dialogue is at time dull and repetitive, with stale speech making reading character interactions a chore. For example, 'my love' is said far more often than necessary almost every time it appears - there are usually two people addressing each other as such. Would characters really say this? No.
The general presentation of the novel also suffered from a lack of editing. Too many times words and phrases were repeated, often within the same paragraph. I lost count how many times characters were described as 'lying supine', or the 'destrier' (a type of war horse basically) did something. In addition to this, there were noticeably more spelling, grammatical, and formatting issues than in most other books.
In fairness, I know that not all readers care that much about such repetition and imperfections and so might pass over these errors without judgement. Personally, I felt that they noticeably detracted from my reading experience.
Readers often appreciate a good mixture of showing and telling certain plot elements or characters' thoughts, this novel contains too much showing and telling. On almost any given page one can read a paragraph breaking down the plot's events before then reading the exact same information being commented on by a character. Why? There is no need for this to be the case - either have an omniscient narrator (the authorial voice) tell us what is happening or have a character give their own view. Having both is redundant, breaks the flow of the story, and feels like over-compensation.
The other main issue I have with Fallen Empire is that it felt overly simplified on many levels. Within pages, a human-hating being suddenly accepts that not all humans are evil and relationships are formed and grow much faster than believable. It seems that McArdle had an array of ideas he wanted to work into the story but struggled to make them fit into this relatively short volume. Some of these simplified elements could (and perhaps should) have been left to develop slowly across whole books in my opinion.
The pacing is off - the first few sections seem to plod along at quite a pedestrian pace while Vyder is taken to be healed, but then once he is fit the world suddenly changes around him; he must do this and that with an urgency not felt before.
The element of chance also detracted from my reading experience; on more than one occasion the story could only really progress because something happened by chance.
My final issue with this novel is that it does not stand as a work on its own. Thinking of fantasy series I enjoy, the first instalment, of course, lays the groundwork for sequels but also tells a full story on its own. Fallen Empire, however, does not have a satisfying conclusion of its own - it is nothing more than the first episode of a story. If you are happy to commit to a series before reading the first book (and I know some readers do do this), then you will have no issue with this particular comment. If, however, you want to test the water first you may be left asking why you just spend hours reading a build-up.
Conclusion: 2.5/5 (rounded to 3/5 where required). To me, Fallen Empire is a book of missed opportunities populated with rectifiable errors. The ideas behind the narrative are sometimes very good, but their execution is often lacking.
Check out my review, aperturereads.wordpress.com for more reviews!
324 pages| Self-published| Fantasy
The author kindly sent me a paperback copy of Fallen Empire in late 2018 in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately, I am very much a mood reader, and with the final year of uni taking precedence over writing reviews, this has been heavily delayed. Apologies for that. The thoughts below are wholly my own.
Note: this review contains some spoilers from early on in the novel, all of which are discussed by the author in his book trailer. This is also quite a negative review, unfortunately. If you're familiar with my posts then you will know that I'm a critical reader and an honest blogger - feel free to disagree with my reviews in the comments below if you want to :)
The digest: a heavily simplified fantasy novel with interesting ideas that just about misses the mark. If you don't mind extraordinarily fast character progression and a simplified plot, then you might enjoy this one.
From the book's Goodreads page:
"Assassin-for-hire Vyder Ironstone is on a mission for the King of Wendurlund. While the pay's good, the odds are not, since the task requires him to travel deep into enemy territory. But first, there's the little problem of his death to overcome, not to mention a malcontent travelling companion with no love for humanity and a deadly purpose of his own. Vyder had better find a way to deal with both, and quickly, because, controlled by an unseen power, hordes of giant spiders have attacked the capital. Facing vast numbers, Commander Tork of the King's Own and his small troop of elite soldiers won't be able to hold the walls for long. Vyder's quest is vital: he must not fail, or the empire will fall."
What did I like?
There were some solid fantastical ideas in Fallen Empire, including life after death and resurrection, witchcraft, a partnership between man and god (or demon?). In addition to these, the novel also has an element (though brief) of political intrigue and tactical warfare - it's clear that the author has spent time creating his storyworld even if it isn't all that developed on paper.
The action scenes are very well written and at no point was I confused. Be it a brawl in the street, fending off giant wolves in a forest, or protecting the city from spiders, McArdle writes with clarity to ensure that the reader can get swept up in the action.
I appreciated the little details the author included which I would have overlooked. These include things like how to properly load a gun, battle signalling from buglers and so on - these small elements all increase the immersivity of the story.
On occasion, I felt an emotional connection with some of the characters here which was a bit unexpected. I can't really say much more as it would e too spoiler-y, but about 1/2-2/3 of the way through the story the tension became palpable.
The story of Fallen Empire is told from the points of view of a variety of characters, something which I believe increases the immersivity of the narrative and allows the reader to gain a deeper understanding of the storyworld.
What did I not like?
There were a few big issues that I had with Fallen Empire. The most easily rectified is that it needed another edit. The dialogue is at time dull and repetitive, with stale speech making reading character interactions a chore. For example, 'my love' is said far more often than necessary almost every time it appears - there are usually two people addressing each other as such. Would characters really say this? No.
The general presentation of the novel also suffered from a lack of editing. Too many times words and phrases were repeated, often within the same paragraph. I lost count how many times characters were described as 'lying supine', or the 'destrier' (a type of war horse basically) did something. In addition to this, there were noticeably more spelling, grammatical, and formatting issues than in most other books.
In fairness, I know that not all readers care that much about such repetition and imperfections and so might pass over these errors without judgement. Personally, I felt that they noticeably detracted from my reading experience.
Readers often appreciate a good mixture of showing and telling certain plot elements or characters' thoughts, this novel contains too much showing and telling. On almost any given page one can read a paragraph breaking down the plot's events before then reading the exact same information being commented on by a character. Why? There is no need for this to be the case - either have an omniscient narrator (the authorial voice) tell us what is happening or have a character give their own view. Having both is redundant, breaks the flow of the story, and feels like over-compensation.
The other main issue I have with Fallen Empire is that it felt overly simplified on many levels. Within pages, a human-hating being suddenly accepts that not all humans are evil and relationships are formed and grow much faster than believable. It seems that McArdle had an array of ideas he wanted to work into the story but struggled to make them fit into this relatively short volume. Some of these simplified elements could (and perhaps should) have been left to develop slowly across whole books in my opinion.
The pacing is off - the first few sections seem to plod along at quite a pedestrian pace while Vyder is taken to be healed, but then once he is fit the world suddenly changes around him; he must do this and that with an urgency not felt before.
The element of chance also detracted from my reading experience; on more than one occasion the story could only really progress because something happened by chance.
My final issue with this novel is that it does not stand as a work on its own. Thinking of fantasy series I enjoy, the first instalment, of course, lays the groundwork for sequels but also tells a full story on its own. Fallen Empire, however, does not have a satisfying conclusion of its own - it is nothing more than the first episode of a story. If you are happy to commit to a series before reading the first book (and I know some readers do do this), then you will have no issue with this particular comment. If, however, you want to test the water first you may be left asking why you just spend hours reading a build-up.
Conclusion: 2.5/5 (rounded to 3/5 where required). To me, Fallen Empire is a book of missed opportunities populated with rectifiable errors. The ideas behind the narrative are sometimes very good, but their execution is often lacking.
Check out my review, aperturereads.wordpress.com for more reviews!
April 17, 2019
You know you’re in for something different when the book you’re reading starts off with your hero already dead, and not even downed in some epic battle of good and evil. In that way, Fallen Empire drops you right into the story and the setting.
Low fantasy but with some elements of higher fantasy, I was struck by the petty cruelty of the world that Vyder, his slave and the other characters inhabited. McArdle didn’t feel the need to establish his grimdark credentials with gruesome scenes of rape and murder. The casual indifference to life and upper class assholes speak for themselves.
The body-sharing plotline is not unique but it was made more interesting by the alien morality of Gorgoroth. In spite of that, you kind of find yourself nodding along at some of his more salient points! I half-expected to come across him saying, “No human is innocent, also, there is no ethical consumption under capitalism.” Really enjoyed the characterisation of Agoth as well. The ending definitely comes up quick and wants you leaving more so be prepared, but looking forward to reading the next entry!
Low fantasy but with some elements of higher fantasy, I was struck by the petty cruelty of the world that Vyder, his slave and the other characters inhabited. McArdle didn’t feel the need to establish his grimdark credentials with gruesome scenes of rape and murder. The casual indifference to life and upper class assholes speak for themselves.
The body-sharing plotline is not unique but it was made more interesting by the alien morality of Gorgoroth. In spite of that, you kind of find yourself nodding along at some of his more salient points! I half-expected to come across him saying, “No human is innocent, also, there is no ethical consumption under capitalism.” Really enjoyed the characterisation of Agoth as well. The ending definitely comes up quick and wants you leaving more so be prepared, but looking forward to reading the next entry!
February 24, 2022
A fresh piece of epic fantasy. Possibly more sword and sorcery because its focuses are tight on a small number of characters.
Some really interesting world development (including a peek into the afterlife), and some interesting cultures in collision with each other via the characters themselves. The two-characters-in-one-body story is handled very well. The action is tight and credible (and engaging). And there was some moments of beautiful prose along the way.
Excellent addition to my fantasy bookshelf.
Some really interesting world development (including a peek into the afterlife), and some interesting cultures in collision with each other via the characters themselves. The two-characters-in-one-body story is handled very well. The action is tight and credible (and engaging). And there was some moments of beautiful prose along the way.
Excellent addition to my fantasy bookshelf.
February 17, 2020
3.5 stars but bumped to a 4-star as there were elements of the story that were original and that I thoroughly enjoyed.
April 18, 2019
Fallen Empire was a book I didn't know much about when I got started. Based on the first few pages I was expecting a pretty standard story of an assassin going on a retrieval mission, but then the main character Vyder mostly died and I got something much different than anticipated.
Vyder who is primarily an assassin, was hired by the king of Wendurlund to rescue his son. the prince from an enemy nation. Before Vyder even gets started on his mission he is attacked and mostly killed. His slave Mariam is very pset and plans to do everything she can to remedy this situation, this portion of the book is from her POV. In the process of his revival he is inhabited by a nature spirit names Gorgoroth. Unfortunately for Vyder and everyone else Gorgoroth is not a fan of humans and now that he has a physical body he plans to do something about his hatred. Vyder who I didn't think was going to be an overly interesting character was made much more so by the internal struggle between himself and Gorgoroth.
As Gorgoroth begins his assault on the people of Wendurlund using an army of giant spiders and wolves we meet Tork, the leader of the King's Own(two words I have to say I got very tired of reading). The King's Own are the elite personal guard of the king. They are called in as reinforcements once the normal city guards fail to repel the unconventional attacks of Gorgoroth's army.
I liked Tork he seemed like a good leader that really cared about the safety of the soldiers in his charge as well as the citizens of Wendurlund. During the POV chapters of Tork there were times where I was a little overwhelmed by the explanations of the different types of formations and attacks that the army employed to fight off the invaders. This was not to say there was anything wrong with the way it was written, it was 100% my issue. I tend to zone out when group tactics are discussed.
The style of writing made for a very quick read and I am looking forward to reading more from Mr. McArdle. I am interested in Tork but I am mainly interested to see how the battle between Vyder and Gorgoroth turns out and what impact that battle has on the rest of the world.
I would recommend this to anyone looking for a fast fun read, especially if you want something that I wouldn't say if full on military fantasy but does contain some of the aspects of the genre.
Vyder who is primarily an assassin, was hired by the king of Wendurlund to rescue his son. the prince from an enemy nation. Before Vyder even gets started on his mission he is attacked and mostly killed. His slave Mariam is very pset and plans to do everything she can to remedy this situation, this portion of the book is from her POV. In the process of his revival he is inhabited by a nature spirit names Gorgoroth. Unfortunately for Vyder and everyone else Gorgoroth is not a fan of humans and now that he has a physical body he plans to do something about his hatred. Vyder who I didn't think was going to be an overly interesting character was made much more so by the internal struggle between himself and Gorgoroth.
As Gorgoroth begins his assault on the people of Wendurlund using an army of giant spiders and wolves we meet Tork, the leader of the King's Own(two words I have to say I got very tired of reading). The King's Own are the elite personal guard of the king. They are called in as reinforcements once the normal city guards fail to repel the unconventional attacks of Gorgoroth's army.
I liked Tork he seemed like a good leader that really cared about the safety of the soldiers in his charge as well as the citizens of Wendurlund. During the POV chapters of Tork there were times where I was a little overwhelmed by the explanations of the different types of formations and attacks that the army employed to fight off the invaders. This was not to say there was anything wrong with the way it was written, it was 100% my issue. I tend to zone out when group tactics are discussed.
The style of writing made for a very quick read and I am looking forward to reading more from Mr. McArdle. I am interested in Tork but I am mainly interested to see how the battle between Vyder and Gorgoroth turns out and what impact that battle has on the rest of the world.
I would recommend this to anyone looking for a fast fun read, especially if you want something that I wouldn't say if full on military fantasy but does contain some of the aspects of the genre.
January 4, 2019
A fast enjoyable yarn with a hefty nod to Grand Master Gemmell in Vyder. I found 'that' added to the appeal, with a Waylander type character throwing many a laddie around. I listened to the Audible version and feel that format punched above the weight of the story and a very slick production that allowed me to burn through it in a couple of days. The narrator does a cracking job with Vyder and Tork.
It was an interesting idea in killing what you expect as the main character in the first few pages in a messy brawl which did feel very Druss-like. The shortish story is pretty straightforward and jumps between five principle characters as the tale progresses with a fair whack of mystery in witchcraft. I saw a couple of reviews comment on simplicity, which is harsh in some aspects, but a little justified with the characters. The key character in Vyder's slave (and the doctor whose motivations puzzled me) at the start, are abandoned once Vyder recovers enough to undertake the mission he was paid for. The prince only appears once the story progresses to his rescue and I hope to see develop more in the future. Tork stands out for me as the character of the book. Very punchy in his role and I hope to see him again in the future conflict. Vyder is interesting, with a couple of internal personal conflicts and adapts to his situation pretty smoothly. Perhaps too smoothly, with being dead and leaving his deceased wife on the other side of the icy river, but he isn't short of companions.
I look forward to book 2, with how a couple of cliffhangers are yet to be resolved, with the story interesting me enough to wonder about whether people 'make it'. However, the final engagement did come across to the listener as being a bit easy. Elite troops or not in doing the business, the Kings Own wriggled out without it being too much of a calamity. A couple of terms bugged me, but given it being a fun romp and a good laugh, it's easy to forgive.
It was an interesting idea in killing what you expect as the main character in the first few pages in a messy brawl which did feel very Druss-like. The shortish story is pretty straightforward and jumps between five principle characters as the tale progresses with a fair whack of mystery in witchcraft. I saw a couple of reviews comment on simplicity, which is harsh in some aspects, but a little justified with the characters. The key character in Vyder's slave (and the doctor whose motivations puzzled me) at the start, are abandoned once Vyder recovers enough to undertake the mission he was paid for. The prince only appears once the story progresses to his rescue and I hope to see develop more in the future. Tork stands out for me as the character of the book. Very punchy in his role and I hope to see him again in the future conflict. Vyder is interesting, with a couple of internal personal conflicts and adapts to his situation pretty smoothly. Perhaps too smoothly, with being dead and leaving his deceased wife on the other side of the icy river, but he isn't short of companions.
I look forward to book 2, with how a couple of cliffhangers are yet to be resolved, with the story interesting me enough to wonder about whether people 'make it'. However, the final engagement did come across to the listener as being a bit easy. Elite troops or not in doing the business, the Kings Own wriggled out without it being too much of a calamity. A couple of terms bugged me, but given it being a fun romp and a good laugh, it's easy to forgive.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2018
I'm conflicted about this book. I want to like it, but there is something nagging at me telling me it's really not that good. It feels... simplified..
It's the first part of a series of books (no idea how many there are planned) and it's about Vyder, a Highlander who is hired by the King to find his son in the neighbouring kingdom after being taken prisoner, and to rescue him and bring him home.
Things get off to a good start by Vyder being killed by a group of foresters who he picked a fight with in a tavern (as written about in Assassin, the prequel story) He's saved by his slave, Miriam, a Doctor, Griff, and a Wiccan witch. Unfortunately, to save his life, the witch summons a nature spirit to inhabit and heal Vyder's body, and the only one available is one who hates all humans and wants to exterminate them.
So while Vyder and Gorgoroth fight for control of Vyder's body, the town he lives in, Lisfort, is attacked by giant spider, giant wolves, and giant birds, laying siege to the town, and killing hundreds of the King's Guard and Watch.
Eventually, Vyder and Gorgoroth come to an understanding, infiltrate the Huron army that's learnt of Lisfort's misfortune and is invading, conveniently with the Prince as a prisoner, rescue him and escape. And that's where the story ends.
Like I said earlier, it's simplified. And it feels glossed over. Sure, it's no "Deeds of Paksenarrion", but I was hoping for better than this, especially from an Author who claims it's a tribute to David Gemmell, and his writing. I'm not sure I even want to bother with the next volume.
It's the first part of a series of books (no idea how many there are planned) and it's about Vyder, a Highlander who is hired by the King to find his son in the neighbouring kingdom after being taken prisoner, and to rescue him and bring him home.
Things get off to a good start by Vyder being killed by a group of foresters who he picked a fight with in a tavern (as written about in Assassin, the prequel story) He's saved by his slave, Miriam, a Doctor, Griff, and a Wiccan witch. Unfortunately, to save his life, the witch summons a nature spirit to inhabit and heal Vyder's body, and the only one available is one who hates all humans and wants to exterminate them.
So while Vyder and Gorgoroth fight for control of Vyder's body, the town he lives in, Lisfort, is attacked by giant spider, giant wolves, and giant birds, laying siege to the town, and killing hundreds of the King's Guard and Watch.
Eventually, Vyder and Gorgoroth come to an understanding, infiltrate the Huron army that's learnt of Lisfort's misfortune and is invading, conveniently with the Prince as a prisoner, rescue him and escape. And that's where the story ends.
Like I said earlier, it's simplified. And it feels glossed over. Sure, it's no "Deeds of Paksenarrion", but I was hoping for better than this, especially from an Author who claims it's a tribute to David Gemmell, and his writing. I'm not sure I even want to bother with the next volume.
December 29, 2018
This read has a lot going for it, and I can definitely recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy mingled with early firearms. The story was largely fast-paced, and the characters possessed enough depth to make them believable. Vyder, the main character, is very well done!
I had only two problems with the book, and neither of them is too huge.
First, there seemed to be an over-abundance of adjectives, which leant some bits a sense of melodrama they would have done better without.
Secondly, I found the ending left me feeling as if there were a final 1/3 of the book to go. Up to that point, the pacing was great, and it certainly will not keep me from reading book 2, but the ending just didn't feel like an ending--it felt like a pivot point that turns THIS story toward a final stretch. Of course, the story needed to leave room for a sequel, but Fallen Empire finishes more like a book with the back 1/3 ripped out.
I give it a strong 3-star rating and will definitely recommend it to others.
I had only two problems with the book, and neither of them is too huge.
First, there seemed to be an over-abundance of adjectives, which leant some bits a sense of melodrama they would have done better without.
Secondly, I found the ending left me feeling as if there were a final 1/3 of the book to go. Up to that point, the pacing was great, and it certainly will not keep me from reading book 2, but the ending just didn't feel like an ending--it felt like a pivot point that turns THIS story toward a final stretch. Of course, the story needed to leave room for a sequel, but Fallen Empire finishes more like a book with the back 1/3 ripped out.
I give it a strong 3-star rating and will definitely recommend it to others.
May 4, 2019
The Highlander From Shadolia🐺🔪💪
👑King George's son has been kidnapped from his kingdom of Wendurlund and he needs an assassin🐺🔪🔫 to rescue him from the kingdom of Huron.
Vyder Ironstone🐺💪🔪🔫, a mighty highland warrior and assassin of Shadolia, is the kings chosen man.
One man instead of an army, he can slip in and retrieve his son. If Vyder🐺🔪🔫💪 fails, King George👑 will invade and burn Huron to the ground....
ARC Received from Hidden 💎Gems
I also got the book with KU.
This is an interesting and well written medieval style fantasy🏰🐲🌈 with many paranormal elements. The book had me mesmerized from the beginning!
There were a few instances of continuity problems. Vyder's 🐎horse, Storm, was alternately called he and also she at various places in the story.
The book ends in a cliffhanger at the end of the battle in Huron.
👑King George's son has been kidnapped from his kingdom of Wendurlund and he needs an assassin🐺🔪🔫 to rescue him from the kingdom of Huron.
Vyder Ironstone🐺💪🔪🔫, a mighty highland warrior and assassin of Shadolia, is the kings chosen man.
One man instead of an army, he can slip in and retrieve his son. If Vyder🐺🔪🔫💪 fails, King George👑 will invade and burn Huron to the ground....
ARC Received from Hidden 💎Gems
I also got the book with KU.
This is an interesting and well written medieval style fantasy🏰🐲🌈 with many paranormal elements. The book had me mesmerized from the beginning!
There were a few instances of continuity problems. Vyder's 🐎horse, Storm, was alternately called he and also she at various places in the story.
The book ends in a cliffhanger at the end of the battle in Huron.
August 7, 2018
A tale that you won't soon forget!
I admit, I began reading this book because of my online friendship with the authors incredibly talented artist wife. But now I'm hooked and compelled to devour everything he has written. Read this book!! Within lies epic battles, woven amongst the honor and chivalry of true loyalty. I eagerly await the next chapter of the Assassin's adventures and only hope they continue indefinitely!
I admit, I began reading this book because of my online friendship with the authors incredibly talented artist wife. But now I'm hooked and compelled to devour everything he has written. Read this book!! Within lies epic battles, woven amongst the honor and chivalry of true loyalty. I eagerly await the next chapter of the Assassin's adventures and only hope they continue indefinitely!
June 1, 2018
The first book in the Ironstone saga, and what a start! Some characters I really hated and some characters I grew to love by the end of the book. As with all of Keith's books, it's extremely well written and a proper page turner.
Even though it's Grimdark/Fantasy, I found myself really enjoying it and I can't wait for book 2.
Even though it's Grimdark/Fantasy, I found myself really enjoying it and I can't wait for book 2.
October 15, 2019
This was absolutely brilliant and a real hidden gem. So glad I came across this and if you're reading this Keith, there better be way more planned for Vyder. Speaking of Vyder Ironstone, he is perfect, Keith has done a wonderful job of creating such a badass character that you can root for and one I now consider as a favourite. Onto Warlord now I suppose, can't wait!!!
May 2, 2019
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy
The book is amazing! While it does jump from time to time and it takes a moment to get your bearings the story line is well put. The ending is open for another and leaves you hanging for more.
The book is amazing! While it does jump from time to time and it takes a moment to get your bearings the story line is well put. The ending is open for another and leaves you hanging for more.
January 19, 2019
Awesome, it was enjoyable and loved the WICCA
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
added-it
May 6, 2022🎁Books 1 & 2 in the Series are FREE on Amazon today (5/6/2022)! 🎁
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