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Ethshar #3
The Unwilling Warlord
A STAR RISES IN THE SOUTH
When the foreigners confronted Sterren in Ethshar of the Spices he was uneasy; when they all but abducted him, taking him to an obscure kingdom in the south, he knew he was in a terrible predicament.
A predicament some might actually find appealing -- he was by heredity the Ninth Warlord of Semma, least of the small kingdoms; he was a noble, and his rank afforded him material privileges, even in a place as insignificant and obscure as Semma.
But the office also carried certain terrible he was to win the war the stupid King had stirred up by his arrogance. Two larger and stronger Kingdoms were preparing to invade Semma.
And if the country lost, the first thing likely to be forfeit was the life of the Warlord.
And if it won . . . if it won, the fate and shape of Ethshar would change forever.
For deep in the south there are secrets of magic not even Sterren can imagine.
A LEGEND OF ETHSHAR
When the foreigners confronted Sterren in Ethshar of the Spices he was uneasy; when they all but abducted him, taking him to an obscure kingdom in the south, he knew he was in a terrible predicament.
A predicament some might actually find appealing -- he was by heredity the Ninth Warlord of Semma, least of the small kingdoms; he was a noble, and his rank afforded him material privileges, even in a place as insignificant and obscure as Semma.
But the office also carried certain terrible he was to win the war the stupid King had stirred up by his arrogance. Two larger and stronger Kingdoms were preparing to invade Semma.
And if the country lost, the first thing likely to be forfeit was the life of the Warlord.
And if it won . . . if it won, the fate and shape of Ethshar would change forever.
For deep in the south there are secrets of magic not even Sterren can imagine.
A LEGEND OF ETHSHAR
248 pages, Paperback
First published October 14, 1989
13 people are currently reading
412 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
February 13, 2014
Another entertaining entry in the Ethshar series. What Lawrence Watt-Evans excels at is writing an entertaining and humorous story without things getting too absurd or slap-stick. His books are well-written, fast-paced, and have well-developed characters.
Another nice thing about this series is that even though the books are part of a series, the only real connector between them is that they take place in the same world. You can pick up any book in the series and read it without having any knowledge of events or characters from another book. The nice thing about that to me (and I am actually reading them in their published order) is that I don't feel like I'm making a huge time commitment when I pick up an Ethshar novel. I know that it will stand on it's own and I won't feel obligated to read the next one right away. I can read the one book and know that the next one will be there waiting for me without me having to remember a lot about the series in order to know what's going on.
The Unwilling Warlord is a fine example of what Mr. Watt-Evans has managed to do with the rest of the series so far. The story opens with an introduction of sorts to the main character and usually moves fairly quickly into throwing some outlandish situation at said character which the remainder of the novel will deal with resolving (if any resolution is actually possible.) In this case, Sterren, our hero, finds out that he is the only heir to the office of Warlord in a far-off land. Not only does he have absolutely NO idea what the job entails, but there is the huge hurdle of the language barrier as the people of the land do not speak Sterren's language and vice versa.
I would recommend this book (and others in the series) to anyone who enjoys some lighter fantasy and especially to those who have enjoyed Terry Brooks' Magic Kingdom of Landover series or the Myth-Adventures series by Robert Asprin.
Another nice thing about this series is that even though the books are part of a series, the only real connector between them is that they take place in the same world. You can pick up any book in the series and read it without having any knowledge of events or characters from another book. The nice thing about that to me (and I am actually reading them in their published order) is that I don't feel like I'm making a huge time commitment when I pick up an Ethshar novel. I know that it will stand on it's own and I won't feel obligated to read the next one right away. I can read the one book and know that the next one will be there waiting for me without me having to remember a lot about the series in order to know what's going on.
The Unwilling Warlord is a fine example of what Mr. Watt-Evans has managed to do with the rest of the series so far. The story opens with an introduction of sorts to the main character and usually moves fairly quickly into throwing some outlandish situation at said character which the remainder of the novel will deal with resolving (if any resolution is actually possible.) In this case, Sterren, our hero, finds out that he is the only heir to the office of Warlord in a far-off land. Not only does he have absolutely NO idea what the job entails, but there is the huge hurdle of the language barrier as the people of the land do not speak Sterren's language and vice versa.
I would recommend this book (and others in the series) to anyone who enjoys some lighter fantasy and especially to those who have enjoyed Terry Brooks' Magic Kingdom of Landover series or the Myth-Adventures series by Robert Asprin.
August 24, 2016
Allow me to rant about my new favorite book.
Actually, it seems like every book is my new favorite these days. This is entirely the fault of the books themselves; they insist on being epic--and this story did not break that trend, though it succeeded in breaking quite a few others.
The Unwilling Warlord begins by introducing us to the somewhat self-interested, vaguely roguish character of Sterren, who plies his trade of professional gambler ably enough to make a comfortable living, but quietly enough to avoid the eye of the law.
So, when a ragtag group of forbidding-looking foreigners shows up asking for him, Sterren is not overly keen on learning their intentions. As it turns out, however, they only intend to restore him to a long-lost ancestral inheritance, which would be good news--save for the fact that this inheritance is the position of Warlord (read: General) in a faraway kingdom about to go to war, and Sterren must either accept command of the kingdom's armies or die.
The story seems to start off a little slow, which isn't entirely a bad thing. It's not boring, but the first half of the book is dedicated to world-building and situation-setting, all of which is capitalized on (quite fantastically) in the second half. there's also a lot of growth going on for Sterren, who begins the story thinking almost exclusively about himself and ends it by thinking of everyone but himself. I really loved the way this change was executed--in quiet, unassuming stages that are barely noticable and entirely devoid of angst.
the perspective of the book also changes rather dramatically somewhere around the mid-way point. at first, the main worry of the story is about Sterren's responsibility, as Warlord, of defeating the kingdom's enemies. these enemies, however, are not the true danger, and the second half of the book revolves around an entirely different conflict. this is generally something they warn you against in Writer Land, but for the purposes of this story I thought it worked rather well--the main themes, questions of power and corruption, loyalty and self-interest, remained the same throughout the story, and the change of antagonist merely served to give them a new perspective.
And while this was a very deep story, there was also an enchanted cockroach who harassed the enemy by singing an annoying sea chanty for hours on end, an event which I will hold as the crowning achievement of literary ridiculousness until some challenger comes to cast it down.
Actually, it seems like every book is my new favorite these days. This is entirely the fault of the books themselves; they insist on being epic--and this story did not break that trend, though it succeeded in breaking quite a few others.
The Unwilling Warlord begins by introducing us to the somewhat self-interested, vaguely roguish character of Sterren, who plies his trade of professional gambler ably enough to make a comfortable living, but quietly enough to avoid the eye of the law.
So, when a ragtag group of forbidding-looking foreigners shows up asking for him, Sterren is not overly keen on learning their intentions. As it turns out, however, they only intend to restore him to a long-lost ancestral inheritance, which would be good news--save for the fact that this inheritance is the position of Warlord (read: General) in a faraway kingdom about to go to war, and Sterren must either accept command of the kingdom's armies or die.
The story seems to start off a little slow, which isn't entirely a bad thing. It's not boring, but the first half of the book is dedicated to world-building and situation-setting, all of which is capitalized on (quite fantastically) in the second half. there's also a lot of growth going on for Sterren, who begins the story thinking almost exclusively about himself and ends it by thinking of everyone but himself. I really loved the way this change was executed--in quiet, unassuming stages that are barely noticable and entirely devoid of angst.
the perspective of the book also changes rather dramatically somewhere around the mid-way point. at first, the main worry of the story is about Sterren's responsibility, as Warlord, of defeating the kingdom's enemies. these enemies, however, are not the true danger, and the second half of the book revolves around an entirely different conflict. this is generally something they warn you against in Writer Land, but for the purposes of this story I thought it worked rather well--the main themes, questions of power and corruption, loyalty and self-interest, remained the same throughout the story, and the change of antagonist merely served to give them a new perspective.
And while this was a very deep story, there was also an enchanted cockroach who harassed the enemy by singing an annoying sea chanty for hours on end, an event which I will hold as the crowning achievement of literary ridiculousness until some challenger comes to cast it down.
December 16, 2012
You’ll hear me say I love fantasy and I hate it, because most fantasy lacks realism. Not that I’m suggesting there shouldn’t be elements of fantasy in a fantasy novel, but that the characters should be less than perfect, the situations less than ordained and less than typically heroic, and the scenery not so overly scenic. If you can give me a story like that, that is well written, I’ll give you a fantasy novel I’ll enjoy.
There are a select few fantasy writers I love, because they deliver on that realism. They have reluctant heroes who are likeable losers who experience a series of spectacular failures but still manage to struggle their way to success. The story ambiance is gritty and dirty, where they slog their way through bad weather and muddy pathways. They describe the things that matter, rather than the twelve different flowers they see along the roadside or the outfits of the half-dozen strangers they pass in the streets. Lawrence Watt-Evans brings that substance to his tales, and The Unwilling Warlord is no different.
In the beginning, we are introduced to Sterren, a failed warlock who makes money by cheating at gambling. Out of the blue, he gets the martial problems of a far away kingdom, Semma, dumped in his lap. Apparently, he has inherited the position of warlord there, because an unknown relative has died without a closer heir. It sounds like an interesting venture, but he is dragged there against his will, forced to learn their language, has to deal with a bitter and incompetent king, and must make do with horribly meager resources and less than favourable odds. He considers running away, but out of a morbid sense of curiosity and a masochistic sense of duty, he turns instead to making things work his own way.
To be honest, for all his faults, the reason there’s a story at all is because Sterren never gives up.
This was a fabulous story, with everything I look for in fantasy and none of things I don’t.
There are a select few fantasy writers I love, because they deliver on that realism. They have reluctant heroes who are likeable losers who experience a series of spectacular failures but still manage to struggle their way to success. The story ambiance is gritty and dirty, where they slog their way through bad weather and muddy pathways. They describe the things that matter, rather than the twelve different flowers they see along the roadside or the outfits of the half-dozen strangers they pass in the streets. Lawrence Watt-Evans brings that substance to his tales, and The Unwilling Warlord is no different.
In the beginning, we are introduced to Sterren, a failed warlock who makes money by cheating at gambling. Out of the blue, he gets the martial problems of a far away kingdom, Semma, dumped in his lap. Apparently, he has inherited the position of warlord there, because an unknown relative has died without a closer heir. It sounds like an interesting venture, but he is dragged there against his will, forced to learn their language, has to deal with a bitter and incompetent king, and must make do with horribly meager resources and less than favourable odds. He considers running away, but out of a morbid sense of curiosity and a masochistic sense of duty, he turns instead to making things work his own way.
To be honest, for all his faults, the reason there’s a story at all is because Sterren never gives up.
This was a fabulous story, with everything I look for in fantasy and none of things I don’t.
July 18, 2020
Entertaining read continuing the saga of Ethshar. The romance is stated but nonexistent in the story - where if included might have greatly improved the telling.
April 6, 2016
This is one of those books that I've had on my shelf so long that I don't even know where it came from. I also didn't know it was third in a series when I picked it up to read. Maybe I was missing some things, but it seemed like I was able to follow it without problem. And it was amusing. It's basically about a guy who finds himself in a series of ridiculous situations and finds his way out of them. The problem was that even though I chuckled regularly, I never found myself overly interested in it. It never quite reached the point of exciting. So, I basically thought it was ok.
December 23, 2017
The interesting thing about all of these Ethshar books is the non-conventional situations the characters are in and how they get out of them. The dilemma posed is solved in the first two-thirds of the book, only to create a bigger problem - which is solved without fighting or battles, a refreshing change in a fantasy novel.
The writing and characters are pretty basic and simple and basic which holds back this book from being top of the line.
The writing and characters are pretty basic and simple and basic which holds back this book from being top of the line.
May 14, 2008
This is one the Magic of Ethshar series of books. I recorded most of them, including this one, in 50-55 minute installments for my local Golden Hours radio service for blind or reading-impaired listeners. I also made CD copies for myself.
My favorite book in the series is The Missenchanted Sword, closely followed by The Blood of a Dragon.
My favorite book in the series is The Missenchanted Sword, closely followed by The Blood of a Dragon.
October 8, 2019
This has a rough start and isn’t helped along by Watt-Evans’ pragmatic writing style in diving into the story. I had almost put it down if not for the interesting premise.
Once the characters have been introduced and the tone set in the first part, the book devides into a further two act which are both very much more interesting and ramping up in originality.
While the writing style and characters remain more or less the same, the story unfolds into some pretty fun and cool twists while giving interesting lore on the world (magical workings and descriptions of settlements and cultures are especially well done) but not getting stranded by it.
The world of Ethshar seems progressive and diverse as the cast reflects and while things like cruel monarchies, discrimination, slavery and oppression are present the story is not colored by it and at times goes out of its way to condemn these aspects.
While the main characters, and of course magic, play important and subtly unfolding parts, the book is wholly story driven and so everything serves that purpose in the end.
So what started out as a grudging experience gained momentum and I found myself enjoying the ride more as it went along. It feels modern and fresh, and positive, like some have compared to Pratchett; but Mr.Lawrence does it all at his own pace and style. I will look out for the other books in the series!
Once the characters have been introduced and the tone set in the first part, the book devides into a further two act which are both very much more interesting and ramping up in originality.
While the writing style and characters remain more or less the same, the story unfolds into some pretty fun and cool twists while giving interesting lore on the world (magical workings and descriptions of settlements and cultures are especially well done) but not getting stranded by it.
The world of Ethshar seems progressive and diverse as the cast reflects and while things like cruel monarchies, discrimination, slavery and oppression are present the story is not colored by it and at times goes out of its way to condemn these aspects.
While the main characters, and of course magic, play important and subtly unfolding parts, the book is wholly story driven and so everything serves that purpose in the end.
So what started out as a grudging experience gained momentum and I found myself enjoying the ride more as it went along. It feels modern and fresh, and positive, like some have compared to Pratchett; but Mr.Lawrence does it all at his own pace and style. I will look out for the other books in the series!
September 16, 2024
Another entertaining tale -- this time we have 21 or so year old Sterren, an erstwhile gambler in the city of Eshthar of the Spices, who finds out that through his papa he is the 9th Warlord of the tiny kingdom of Semma in the realm of the Small Kingdoms. They want him to come save them from two other kingdoms who have united and are planning to invade. He doesn't want to go, but he realizes that he must (or be tied up and taken) so he goes. Besides the language problems--even in the tiniest kingdom people speak their own language and spurn the idea of learning anyone elses'-- the king is an ass, the soldiers are lazy louts, and noblemen are as common as fleas. He decides he needs some folk who can practice magic and convinces the unwilling Semmans to let him hire some but that brings a host of new problems, in particular a warlock, Vond . . . if Valder's mantra was "there is always another way" (in the previous novel--see>86 above) Sterren's is "I can always leave" and yet, he doesn't, for one reason or another he sticks around. Couldn't.put.it.down. so ***** stars.
November 6, 2017
Another Ethshar book, another mundane fantasy as only Watt-Evans writes. This one is more frustrating than the prior two, because while it shares the tone and elements of the other book the second act is fully of really interesting stuff - a clever cast of misfit magicians with an untrained warlord running a guerrilla war - to which the first act has built towards nicely, the third act changes gears in ways that I don't want to spoil, but not only is the solution obvious, the protagonist knows it, and it is just a waiting game. So we spend a third of the book watching events in which our protagonist has little control, waiting for the ending he knows will occur. It's a real let down, and I wanted the second act to go on a lot longer. I almost gave this two stars, but the strong second act kept it up to the three star level.
(In some ways this is like Pratchett's _Pyramids_, where the back half of the book is so much less interesting than the front half...)
(In some ways this is like Pratchett's _Pyramids_, where the back half of the book is so much less interesting than the front half...)
February 23, 2019
Another tale of misadventure by Watt-Evans and a nice diversion.
The reluctant hero, a young gambler who lives by the luck of the dice, is abducted by agents from one of the tiny Small Kingdoms. He's informed that he is now the Ninth Warlord of Semma, whether he likes it or not. He soon discovered the army is pathetic and hardly existent; his officers are worthless; plus, he himself doesn't know the first thing about wars or leading an army. Worst of all he can't even surrender, because to do so is a guaranteed execution!
You'll have to read to discover how it all turns out.
An entertaining escape from reality.
The reluctant hero, a young gambler who lives by the luck of the dice, is abducted by agents from one of the tiny Small Kingdoms. He's informed that he is now the Ninth Warlord of Semma, whether he likes it or not. He soon discovered the army is pathetic and hardly existent; his officers are worthless; plus, he himself doesn't know the first thing about wars or leading an army. Worst of all he can't even surrender, because to do so is a guaranteed execution!
You'll have to read to discover how it all turns out.
An entertaining escape from reality.
December 5, 2022
So I've been recommended the Ethshar books generally, and advised it's more a shared world sort of series than a direct sequels, so I've been picking them up here and there when I can. They're pretty cheap at HPB when you see them. This one was a lot of fun.
Sterren is a gambler in Ethshar right up until he's forcibly recruited to be Warlord of a small backwater country. Upon arriving he learns attack is eminent and he'll be killed if they lose. Desperate, he hires a bunch of magicians as cheaply as possible. If you thought this wouldn't come with it's own issues, you'd be wrong.
It's well put together, with a compelling story, and likeable characters.
Sterren is a gambler in Ethshar right up until he's forcibly recruited to be Warlord of a small backwater country. Upon arriving he learns attack is eminent and he'll be killed if they lose. Desperate, he hires a bunch of magicians as cheaply as possible. If you thought this wouldn't come with it's own issues, you'd be wrong.
It's well put together, with a compelling story, and likeable characters.
October 29, 2023
The protagonist this time is a gambler with probably-magical luck who discovers, to his surprise and dismay, that his grandmother was from a small kingdom where her family supplied the hereditary warlords, and now he's inherited that post. If he refuses, he'll be executed; if he fails, he'll be executed; and the king, who's an idiot, has managed to annoy both of his neighbours and all of his potential allies, and it looks like the kingdom is going to be conquered.
But the protag has grown up in a city which has its own ideas about war, and manages to recruit several magicians to help, which works... but complicates matters further.
In the course of the book, the protag undergoes the usual evolution from unpromising nobody to commendable somebody. It's believably done, and the journey is enjoyable.
But the protag has grown up in a city which has its own ideas about war, and manages to recruit several magicians to help, which works... but complicates matters further.
In the course of the book, the protag undergoes the usual evolution from unpromising nobody to commendable somebody. It's believably done, and the journey is enjoyable.
March 9, 2019
An old favorite.
Lord Sterran, humble gambler of Ethshar, finds hinself shanghaied into the upper nobility of a small kingdom after his great uncle dies without a direct heir. Whats a common sense fellow to do when suddenly thrust into a title and duties he never knew existed, didn't train for, and doesn't want anyway? I read this novel many years ago and enjoyed it enough to buy it again on Kindle. Highly recommended.
Lord Sterran, humble gambler of Ethshar, finds hinself shanghaied into the upper nobility of a small kingdom after his great uncle dies without a direct heir. Whats a common sense fellow to do when suddenly thrust into a title and duties he never knew existed, didn't train for, and doesn't want anyway? I read this novel many years ago and enjoyed it enough to buy it again on Kindle. Highly recommended.
April 16, 2023
A young gambler is kidnapped from a large city to take his "rightful" place at the hereditary warlord of a small and distant kingdom. He doesn't want the job, especially when it's clear that invasion is imminent and he's expected to oversee the kingdom's defense.
Lawrence Watt-Evans is very good at creating easy-to-read light fantasy stories with fairly likeable characters and satisfying endings. This is one.
Lawrence Watt-Evans is very good at creating easy-to-read light fantasy stories with fairly likeable characters and satisfying endings. This is one.
December 2, 2018
This is a light, entertaining read - Sterren learns that he is the hereditary war lord of a Small Kingdom, and sets out to make the best of it. His missteps end up .
I liked that the books consistently had happy endings. Sterren was resourceful and good at keeping calm in the face of his difficulties.
2.5/5
I liked that the books consistently had happy endings. Sterren was resourceful and good at keeping calm in the face of his difficulties.
2.5/5
October 28, 2020
My favourite of the Ethshar series, just ahead of the Misenchanted Sword. The main character gets out of difficult situations by thinking (sometimes from unorthodox perspectives) and not (directly) through the use of magical devices. A solid piece of work which I recommend to those who love fantasy which focuses on human ingenuity rather than external factors.
May 18, 2017
This was a very entertaining read. I really liked how the main character was a pretty ordinary guy who just made the best of his situation. Enough fantasy elements to be interesting and not too much to be irritating or confusing.
December 24, 2022
Even better than the last, I think. Man's on a roll.
The stoic unflappable energy of his MCs is killing me. And I'm mightily invested in his world and lore at this point.
Can't believe I never heard of this series before.
The stoic unflappable energy of his MCs is killing me. And I'm mightily invested in his world and lore at this point.
Can't believe I never heard of this series before.
August 18, 2017
Ethshar for the win! I loved how you grow to love the characters by the end of the book. The world is ever so intriguing. Love it!
August 5, 2019
It starts a little slow, but picks up steam. I didn't like the character at first, but he has a nice growth arc, and turns into someone you wouldn't mind knowing
May 23, 2022
This was a highlight, Lawrence Watt-Evans at his best.
December 4, 2025
*4.25 stars
June 5, 2024
Toujours cette fantasy low impact, (ou plutot ou les grandes choses se passent en arrière plan), c'est agréable, et relativement court
January 30, 2024
Another fun and interesting story in this world. Love how so much is turned on it's ear. Great characters with thier strengths and huge failings.
August 27, 2014
I read this book after seeing Yudkowsky recommend it in an old LessWrong post. When reading it, I also thought I saw passages that influenced Yudkowsky, but I unfortunately didn't make note of them. One might be the refusal to use magic in battles as something similar to similar to the Interdict of Merlin. Another might have been the inherent restrictions on power (Warlock's die when they get too powerful, mages need ingredients, witches just aren't that powerful, etc) as the importance of counter-balancing the power of different parties is something Yudkowsky talks about.
I liked it for the same reason that it was recommended, the characters acted in the way that made sense to them, not in a way dictated by plot concerns. Each of their actions rang true, for example, the protagonist's constant efforts to escape,the manner in which he justified procrastinating in those efforts to himself, and the subtle half measures he took (encouraging desertion among his troops) rang true. Some of it was surprising/clever/funny while still making perfect sense, such as in the beginning when he yelled point to the door that the person they were seeking (him) had just left. That was even funnier in retrospect as his pursuers did not speak his language.
It was cool that the author had the guerrilla war go on for a bit and be actually reasonably effective before the twist. The twist itself was also quite cool.
Over the past week, the book has begun to feel less significant to me in what I've taken away from it, but I think that is partially because I've already been exposed to its lessons (through someone it influenced).
I liked it for the same reason that it was recommended, the characters acted in the way that made sense to them, not in a way dictated by plot concerns. Each of their actions rang true, for example, the protagonist's constant efforts to escape,the manner in which he justified procrastinating in those efforts to himself, and the subtle half measures he took (encouraging desertion among his troops) rang true. Some of it was surprising/clever/funny while still making perfect sense, such as in the beginning when he yelled point to the door that the person they were seeking (him) had just left. That was even funnier in retrospect as his pursuers did not speak his language.
It was cool that the author had the guerrilla war go on for a bit and be actually reasonably effective before the twist. The twist itself was also quite cool.
Over the past week, the book has begun to feel less significant to me in what I've taken away from it, but I think that is partially because I've already been exposed to its lessons (through someone it influenced).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2011
Reviews Of Unusual Size!
Re: Sterren is bad at pretty much everything but dice, and that's mostly due to a very slight touch of warlock abilities. And it's hard to be too successful without people being sure you're cheating, especially when you are, technically. So he's tempted when a mysterious band of foreigners appear, certain that Sterren is their long lost hereditary warlord. Though he entertains thoughts of sneaking away, Sterren goes along, off to the distant kingdom of Semma. Where he learns that he must train an army, defeat two invading countries, fend off his own tactless king, who's just making things worse. And on top of that, he may have deteriorated things further by bringing a forbidden and unknown magic to the kingdom.
Outstanding: The Unwilling Warlord is light and amusing. It's great to see the pickle Sterren gets himself into, especially once he returns to the kingdom with magicians to fight the war, something that's a big no-no. Watt-Evans takes some standard traditions of fantasy and adds a unique wrinkle to them that makes this novel a kick to read.
Unacceptable: There are two very different parts to this novel, and they're a bit strange to see combined, but the author does a great job doing it. I absolutely despise the Wildside Press cover of this book. Seek out the original, 1989 version if at all possible.
Summary: Not my favorite Ethshar novel, but it's one of those that I start remembering how much I like it about halfway through and the last third flies by.
4/5
Re: Sterren is bad at pretty much everything but dice, and that's mostly due to a very slight touch of warlock abilities. And it's hard to be too successful without people being sure you're cheating, especially when you are, technically. So he's tempted when a mysterious band of foreigners appear, certain that Sterren is their long lost hereditary warlord. Though he entertains thoughts of sneaking away, Sterren goes along, off to the distant kingdom of Semma. Where he learns that he must train an army, defeat two invading countries, fend off his own tactless king, who's just making things worse. And on top of that, he may have deteriorated things further by bringing a forbidden and unknown magic to the kingdom.
Outstanding: The Unwilling Warlord is light and amusing. It's great to see the pickle Sterren gets himself into, especially once he returns to the kingdom with magicians to fight the war, something that's a big no-no. Watt-Evans takes some standard traditions of fantasy and adds a unique wrinkle to them that makes this novel a kick to read.
Unacceptable: There are two very different parts to this novel, and they're a bit strange to see combined, but the author does a great job doing it. I absolutely despise the Wildside Press cover of this book. Seek out the original, 1989 version if at all possible.
Summary: Not my favorite Ethshar novel, but it's one of those that I start remembering how much I like it about halfway through and the last third flies by.
4/5
October 17, 2013
Imagine a land unlike anything on earth. Where magic is more common than bugs and the world is constantly changing. That's where the Unwilling Warlord takes place. A world like ours but very unlike at the same time. It's very juxtaposing to our own world. The book the unwilling warlord is a fantasy book written by Lawrence Watt-Evans and revolves around a young man named Sterren. Apparently Sterren is first in like to be warlord for a far off country so he is kidnapped and taken there, being told he must fend off an impending war.
When he aquesses to being warlord(for otherwise he would be killed) he finds himself equipped with a shameful military and now way to fend off the coming war. The majority of the book revolves around him trying to defeat the invaders but an interesting twist for the last part of the book. A good example of this is when Sterren learns of the impending assault. ""sire, the Killonise and Quartan Countries have joined forces and are going to attack Semmna!" says Gethar. "how many men?" replies Sterren "tipple our own." (pg 254).
I would recommend this book for teens ages 14 and up because for some parts it gets confusing and a younger child wouldn't be able to understand well. I am rating this book 5 out of 5 because it never stops probing your imagination and the plot never seems to loose suspense.
When he aquesses to being warlord(for otherwise he would be killed) he finds himself equipped with a shameful military and now way to fend off the coming war. The majority of the book revolves around him trying to defeat the invaders but an interesting twist for the last part of the book. A good example of this is when Sterren learns of the impending assault. ""sire, the Killonise and Quartan Countries have joined forces and are going to attack Semmna!" says Gethar. "how many men?" replies Sterren "tipple our own." (pg 254).
I would recommend this book for teens ages 14 and up because for some parts it gets confusing and a younger child wouldn't be able to understand well. I am rating this book 5 out of 5 because it never stops probing your imagination and the plot never seems to loose suspense.
August 9, 2025
This is one of my new favorite fantasy books. Lawrence Watt-Evans writes in a way that sets him apart from every other author I've read so far. It's hard to completely describe, but his stories are so often engaging and "realistic" (in as far as that applies to speculative fiction) in a way that I rarely see otherwise.
Here, we are given the story of a gambler in a huge city-state who finds himself told by foreigners he's the hereditary Warlord of their country (commanding the military) despite having never been there nor being trained or skilled at warfare in any way.
He tries to get out of it naturaly, but when this fails he's forced to play the role, no matter how ill-equipped. Despite this inexperience, he's canny enough to recruit magic users (who don't play a part in war there) to help the country he's brought to against their foes.
Here too he is canny, though realistically so, and finds that even the spells not made for battle can be useful, particularly when the enemy doesn't use magic. One magic user in particular finds that his power increases greatly in this new land, and things get out of control.
I found the story was very engaging and fast-paced, with well-described characters. This was the very first of Watt-Evans' Ethshar series I had read, and I'm glad to discover the books. I can highly recommend it to other fantasy lovers.
Here, we are given the story of a gambler in a huge city-state who finds himself told by foreigners he's the hereditary Warlord of their country (commanding the military) despite having never been there nor being trained or skilled at warfare in any way.
He tries to get out of it naturaly, but when this fails he's forced to play the role, no matter how ill-equipped. Despite this inexperience, he's canny enough to recruit magic users (who don't play a part in war there) to help the country he's brought to against their foes.
Here too he is canny, though realistically so, and finds that even the spells not made for battle can be useful, particularly when the enemy doesn't use magic. One magic user in particular finds that his power increases greatly in this new land, and things get out of control.
I found the story was very engaging and fast-paced, with well-described characters. This was the very first of Watt-Evans' Ethshar series I had read, and I'm glad to discover the books. I can highly recommend it to other fantasy lovers.
October 29, 2008
This is my second favorite of the Ethshar series, of which I'm very fond, after The Misenchanted Sword (5 stars). The world has an elaborate and very well-concieved system of magic, with vastly different rules and capabilities for Wizardry, Witchcraft, Demonology, and a host of other disciplines.
**SPOILER ALERT**
The Unwilling Warlord tells the story of Vonn, an ordinary guy not only thrust into an extraordinary situation, but also suddenly granted extraordinary abilities. He develops Warlockry, a discipline with almost limitless power, but an unforgiving finite total use. Rather than pace himself and exercise temperence or judgement, he becomes Icarus, flying to fantastic heights, before burning and suffering a terrible fall. The joy of this book is watching Vonn discover his power and wield it to greater and greater effect. We know he is doomed, but are unable not to be thrilled by his exuberance.
**SPOILER ALERT**
The Unwilling Warlord tells the story of Vonn, an ordinary guy not only thrust into an extraordinary situation, but also suddenly granted extraordinary abilities. He develops Warlockry, a discipline with almost limitless power, but an unforgiving finite total use. Rather than pace himself and exercise temperence or judgement, he becomes Icarus, flying to fantastic heights, before burning and suffering a terrible fall. The joy of this book is watching Vonn discover his power and wield it to greater and greater effect. We know he is doomed, but are unable not to be thrilled by his exuberance.
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