What do you think?
Rate this book
Splendor and Ruin #preview
The Black God’s War Preview
Against the backdrop of epic warfare and the powers of ten mysterious gods, Lucia struggles to understand The Black One.
Her father-king wants war.
Her messianic brother wants peace.
The black god wants his due.
She suffers all the consequences.
King Vieri is losing his war against the lands of Pawelon. Feeling abandoned by his god, he forces his son Caio, the kingdom's holy savior, to lead his army. Victory ought to come soon.
To counter Caio's powers, Pawelon's prince enters the war. Rao is a gifted sage, a master of spiritual laws. He joins the rajah to defend their citadel against the invaders. But Rao's ideals soon clash with his army's general.
The Black One tortures Lucia nightly with visions promising another ten years of bloodshed. She can no longer tell the difference between the waking world and her nightmares. Lucia knows the black god too well. He entered her bed and dreams when she was ten.
The Black One watches, waiting to see Lucia confront an impossible decision over the fates of two men--and two lands.
Her father-king wants war.
Her messianic brother wants peace.
The black god wants his due.
She suffers all the consequences.
King Vieri is losing his war against the lands of Pawelon. Feeling abandoned by his god, he forces his son Caio, the kingdom's holy savior, to lead his army. Victory ought to come soon.
To counter Caio's powers, Pawelon's prince enters the war. Rao is a gifted sage, a master of spiritual laws. He joins the rajah to defend their citadel against the invaders. But Rao's ideals soon clash with his army's general.
The Black One tortures Lucia nightly with visions promising another ten years of bloodshed. She can no longer tell the difference between the waking world and her nightmares. Lucia knows the black god too well. He entered her bed and dreams when she was ten.
The Black One watches, waiting to see Lucia confront an impossible decision over the fates of two men--and two lands.
99 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2010
29 people are currently reading
422 people want to read
About the author
Moses Siregar III
4 books264 followersMy novel is a dramatic epic fantasy (cover below), with a novella-length intro now available as an ebook. I blog about the writing life at:
http://sciencefictionfantasybooks.net
You can find the novella at Amazon and Smashwords. Below, you'll find a YouTube video with my reading of the first chapter of my novel. The first chapter is also on my GoodReads profile.
When I was ten, I fell in love with an anime series: a space opera spanning three human generations, one that unfolded over 85 consecutive episodes and four months of after-school TV. Watching Robotech was a spiritual experience for me. I still remember how high I felt after watching the final episode for the first time. How many pleasures in life are better than a well-executed drama?
Because of that experience, I decided I wanted to be a storyteller when I grew up and hoped I could someday inspire others as that show inspired me. As things turned out, I have spent most of my life exploring religious and metaphysical questions, while writing a lot on the side, both professionally and for fun. In 2009, I decided to get back around to my heart's desire when I was a boy: Telling the big story.
My novella-length (24K words) preview of the novel is currently available for 89 cents on Amazon. The full novel is planned for release in print and as an e-book in May 2011.
I invite you to read a free sample:
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Gods-War-Int...
Smashwords link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/212...
I am the news manager at http://AdventuresinSciFiPublishing.com, and a monthly blogger at http://GraspingForTheWind.com
Facebook Page: http://facebook.com/MosesWrites
Facebook Profile: http://facebook.com/MosesSiregar3
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MosesSiregar
YouTube: http://youtube.com/SciFiFantasyBooks
Shelfari: http://shelfari.com/MosesSiregar
http://sciencefictionfantasybooks.net
You can find the novella at Amazon and Smashwords. Below, you'll find a YouTube video with my reading of the first chapter of my novel. The first chapter is also on my GoodReads profile.
When I was ten, I fell in love with an anime series: a space opera spanning three human generations, one that unfolded over 85 consecutive episodes and four months of after-school TV. Watching Robotech was a spiritual experience for me. I still remember how high I felt after watching the final episode for the first time. How many pleasures in life are better than a well-executed drama?
Because of that experience, I decided I wanted to be a storyteller when I grew up and hoped I could someday inspire others as that show inspired me. As things turned out, I have spent most of my life exploring religious and metaphysical questions, while writing a lot on the side, both professionally and for fun. In 2009, I decided to get back around to my heart's desire when I was a boy: Telling the big story.
My novella-length (24K words) preview of the novel is currently available for 89 cents on Amazon. The full novel is planned for release in print and as an e-book in May 2011.
I invite you to read a free sample:
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Gods-War-Int...
Smashwords link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/212...
I am the news manager at http://AdventuresinSciFiPublishing.com, and a monthly blogger at http://GraspingForTheWind.com
Facebook Page: http://facebook.com/MosesWrites
Facebook Profile: http://facebook.com/MosesSiregar3
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MosesSiregar
YouTube: http://youtube.com/SciFiFantasyBooks
Shelfari: http://shelfari.com/MosesSiregar
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
September 18, 2011
Take NOTICE Goodreaders...there is much TALENT here…
Moses Siregar III has written an excellent beginning to what appears to be a very promising debut novel of the same name. In a setting reminiscent of an ancient Greek epic where amoral, capricious gods walk the land with their worshippers (and occasionally step on them), two city-states have been locked in a bloody war for a decade...
...The Black God, Lord Danato, is well pleased, but not satisfied.
Rezzia is the religious-minded, polytheistic god lovers. Pawelon is the secular, science geek/ wizard magic state. The King of Rezzia's son, Caio, is destined to lead his people to victory as the fabled spiritual leader of this religious war. However, Caio only wants peace and to help heal the world and this creates the central conflict of the story.
Siregar avoids the good vs evil stereotype and presents the two sides as equivalent, believable and well developed philosophies whose adherents are too ignorant of the other side and myopic in thier own views to avoid a senseless, bloody war...
...Sounds all to much like real life to me.
Siregar's writing is dream-like and lyrical with surprising polish and his characters and world-building are very good. My only criticism is that I thought the romance aspect of the novella was weak and distracting from the overall strength of the narrative. It just didn't seem to fit with story and seemed tacked on and jarring from the flow of the plot.
I would like to see the cities (especially Pawelon) fleshed out a little more and see the story expand in the full length novel and I expect that is exactly what will happen. Overall, this is a smart, auspicious debut of what looks to be a rising literary talent and I look forward to seeing how Siregar expands this beginning into a full length novel.
3.0 to 3.5 stars. Recommended.
Moses Siregar III has written an excellent beginning to what appears to be a very promising debut novel of the same name. In a setting reminiscent of an ancient Greek epic where amoral, capricious gods walk the land with their worshippers (and occasionally step on them), two city-states have been locked in a bloody war for a decade...
...The Black God, Lord Danato, is well pleased, but not satisfied.
Rezzia is the religious-minded, polytheistic god lovers. Pawelon is the secular, science geek/ wizard magic state. The King of Rezzia's son, Caio, is destined to lead his people to victory as the fabled spiritual leader of this religious war. However, Caio only wants peace and to help heal the world and this creates the central conflict of the story.
Siregar avoids the good vs evil stereotype and presents the two sides as equivalent, believable and well developed philosophies whose adherents are too ignorant of the other side and myopic in thier own views to avoid a senseless, bloody war...
...Sounds all to much like real life to me.
Siregar's writing is dream-like and lyrical with surprising polish and his characters and world-building are very good. My only criticism is that I thought the romance aspect of the novella was weak and distracting from the overall strength of the narrative. It just didn't seem to fit with story and seemed tacked on and jarring from the flow of the plot.
I would like to see the cities (especially Pawelon) fleshed out a little more and see the story expand in the full length novel and I expect that is exactly what will happen. Overall, this is a smart, auspicious debut of what looks to be a rising literary talent and I look forward to seeing how Siregar expands this beginning into a full length novel.
3.0 to 3.5 stars. Recommended.
March 20, 2017
Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths Reviews
This novella is a great beginning to Mr. Siregar's career. The Black God's War has it all: interesting characters, mysterious gods, warring kingdoms, and twisting and turning plots. For those reasons alone, you should pick this book up and give it a try.
For me personally, my favorite parts of the novella resolved around Rezzia and her pantheon of gods, especially Lucia's haunting by the Rezzia God of the Underworld. This plotline caught my attention from the first pages and held it throughout the rest of the work.
The other major conflict in this book is Rezzia and Pawelon's eternal war with one another. Two, opposing cultures clashing together for generations at a mighty fortress. One nation bent on the annihilation of the other. While Mr. Siregar spends a great deal of novella presenting this conflict, the "war" serves more as a canvas upon which he can sketch the main characters personal conflicts, rather than a earth shaking struggle such as Lord of the Rings, so the battles before this Pawelon fortress never rise to the gripping drama of Tolkien's Helms Deep. I personally believe the major problem here was that a reader is told the two nations hate one another, but you never understand why.
The only other complaints I had with this novella were that Pawelon magic was not explained sufficiently, and that the ending was too neat and tidy a wrap up of all problems. I personally hate plots or character conflicts left danging, but you can't fix it all in two or three pages; life just doesn't work out that neatly.
While I only gave this book a 3 star rating, I want to be clear that I enjoyed it. As is pretty evident by my ratings, I am stingy about giving 4-5 star ratings, so a 3 star rating is not a statement that a book is to be avoided. On the contrary, I would encourage people to read The Black God's War.
This novella is a great beginning to Mr. Siregar's career. The Black God's War has it all: interesting characters, mysterious gods, warring kingdoms, and twisting and turning plots. For those reasons alone, you should pick this book up and give it a try.
For me personally, my favorite parts of the novella resolved around Rezzia and her pantheon of gods, especially Lucia's haunting by the Rezzia God of the Underworld. This plotline caught my attention from the first pages and held it throughout the rest of the work.
The other major conflict in this book is Rezzia and Pawelon's eternal war with one another. Two, opposing cultures clashing together for generations at a mighty fortress. One nation bent on the annihilation of the other. While Mr. Siregar spends a great deal of novella presenting this conflict, the "war" serves more as a canvas upon which he can sketch the main characters personal conflicts, rather than a earth shaking struggle such as Lord of the Rings, so the battles before this Pawelon fortress never rise to the gripping drama of Tolkien's Helms Deep. I personally believe the major problem here was that a reader is told the two nations hate one another, but you never understand why.
The only other complaints I had with this novella were that Pawelon magic was not explained sufficiently, and that the ending was too neat and tidy a wrap up of all problems. I personally hate plots or character conflicts left danging, but you can't fix it all in two or three pages; life just doesn't work out that neatly.
While I only gave this book a 3 star rating, I want to be clear that I enjoyed it. As is pretty evident by my ratings, I am stingy about giving 4-5 star ratings, so a 3 star rating is not a statement that a book is to be avoided. On the contrary, I would encourage people to read The Black God's War.
August 11, 2010
I will say this. I loved it so much I had to write it.
June 3, 2011
This book really is amazing, but I feel like the author is going to go overboard with the full version. The full version is going to be 85 chapters!!! Really!!! How much of war and love can we take. Please think about this....maybe splitting the book up would work better....just saying.
April 27, 2016
Intriguing introduction to the full length novel by the same name. I would definitely be interested in continuing, the author's writing was quite vivid and kept you enthralled in this different world. Definitely worth trying!
February 17, 2011
A day of wondrous glory, a day of devastating despair. A long-awaited, holy child is born and minutes later his mother dies. Lucia, his 10-year-old sister, is the only one who can see Lord Danato, the god who takes their mother's life. Nothing in Lucia's own life will never be the same again. Haunted by regular visitations from Lord Danato, and living in the shadow of her holy brother, Lucia must find her place in the world. 19 years later, Lucia's father, King Vieri is leading the Rezzia people in war against the Pawelon people. Caio and Lucia have very important roles to play in the future of the Rezzia people, and they wonder if the cause is worth the death toll that will certainly follow.
A novella by Moses Siregar III, the story opens with a scene that pulls you in at once. I was immediately sympathetic to Lucia and very curious about Lord Danato. We are given just enough context to pique our interest and help us understand the people of this time, but we are still left wanting more. This novella consists of 15 of the early chapters of a planned 85 chapter novel (to be released in May 2011), and it's an intriguing taste of what is to come. The characterization in this story is fitting to the length, but I was curious to know more about the main characters. Some characters we get to know a bit better while we are only given a taste of others. The full book promises a more in-depth exploration of some of the characters, particularly the Pawelon people (to whom we are only given a brief introduction). Gaining more perspective on where the Pawelons stand will really help to round out the story and draw us further in.
Well-paced and fluid, the writing style is engaging and descriptive. I really got a feel for the time period and the surroundings. There is more to the story than it seems; I noted religious undertones that brought to mind stories of a biblical nature. I hope the actual novel capitalizes on this as one of its themes without being preachy or blatant. I'm excited to know more about the journey of the Pawelons, as well as hopefully get more backstory on Lucia and what it was like for her and Caio to grow up a part of this legend.
I felt the ending wasn't really satisfying by itself; it left me feeling let down. As a stand-alone novel, I wanted more. As a "teaser" to a full-length novel, it works to prepare you for the rest of the story. Knowing that there will be a book that will take this same story and push it further, while giving me more backstory on the Pawelon people, I'm excited to read more!
@MotherLode blog
A novella by Moses Siregar III, the story opens with a scene that pulls you in at once. I was immediately sympathetic to Lucia and very curious about Lord Danato. We are given just enough context to pique our interest and help us understand the people of this time, but we are still left wanting more. This novella consists of 15 of the early chapters of a planned 85 chapter novel (to be released in May 2011), and it's an intriguing taste of what is to come. The characterization in this story is fitting to the length, but I was curious to know more about the main characters. Some characters we get to know a bit better while we are only given a taste of others. The full book promises a more in-depth exploration of some of the characters, particularly the Pawelon people (to whom we are only given a brief introduction). Gaining more perspective on where the Pawelons stand will really help to round out the story and draw us further in.
Well-paced and fluid, the writing style is engaging and descriptive. I really got a feel for the time period and the surroundings. There is more to the story than it seems; I noted religious undertones that brought to mind stories of a biblical nature. I hope the actual novel capitalizes on this as one of its themes without being preachy or blatant. I'm excited to know more about the journey of the Pawelons, as well as hopefully get more backstory on Lucia and what it was like for her and Caio to grow up a part of this legend.
I felt the ending wasn't really satisfying by itself; it left me feeling let down. As a stand-alone novel, I wanted more. As a "teaser" to a full-length novel, it works to prepare you for the rest of the story. Knowing that there will be a book that will take this same story and push it further, while giving me more backstory on the Pawelon people, I'm excited to read more!
@MotherLode blog
January 19, 2011
Two sons, one an embarrassment, the other prophesied to rule the world. Two armies, facing each other for nine years of war. A tortured princess. A bodyguard torn between duty and love. Moses Siregar III's "The Black God's War" novella has all the right ingredients and his prose lives up to the challenge--an exciting new epic fantasy is soon to arrive.
It's taken me far too long to read this tale, and I am reading an older draft, but I'm so glad I waited until I had the focus to properly appreciate it. It's been a while since a novella so captured me that I read it almost straight through--70 pages in the first sitting. But Siregar's novella, 15 chapters culled from 85 of his upcoming novel, just has that effect on you. His characters are as passionate as his descriptive prose. The pacing is perfect. There are a few spots where editing might tighten things up, but as I said, this is an older draft and I know he's been polishing a lot since then.
"The Black God's War" is the tale of two countries at war on a distant planet. The sons of their two leaders each take their role in battle. One, Caio, is the legendary Haissem, born to rule the world. The religious ceremony handing him his father's power takes place and the army awaits his arrival and their imminent victory. The other, Rao, hardly knows his father and is mocked by his men. Meanwhile, Caio's sister Lucia is leading the army as they await him. Each side calls on their gods and each expects to win.
The novella has elements of mythology reflective of Siregar's years spent studying religions and philosophies. It has a Greek or Roman feel to it at times, yet it remains clearly in the epic fantasy mold, despite being set on a distant planet.
Siregar handles the battle scenes well, using dialogue richly to both build his characters and his world. And the novella introduces many of his major characters well, wetting the reader's appetite and leaving him wanting more.
I'm anxious to know the rest of the story and you will be, too. This is a novella epic fantasy fans don't want to miss. Avaialble as an ebook right now through Kindle and other sites. The novel should follow in Spring 2011. Siregar is an exciting new talent to look forward to.
For what it's worth...
It's taken me far too long to read this tale, and I am reading an older draft, but I'm so glad I waited until I had the focus to properly appreciate it. It's been a while since a novella so captured me that I read it almost straight through--70 pages in the first sitting. But Siregar's novella, 15 chapters culled from 85 of his upcoming novel, just has that effect on you. His characters are as passionate as his descriptive prose. The pacing is perfect. There are a few spots where editing might tighten things up, but as I said, this is an older draft and I know he's been polishing a lot since then.
"The Black God's War" is the tale of two countries at war on a distant planet. The sons of their two leaders each take their role in battle. One, Caio, is the legendary Haissem, born to rule the world. The religious ceremony handing him his father's power takes place and the army awaits his arrival and their imminent victory. The other, Rao, hardly knows his father and is mocked by his men. Meanwhile, Caio's sister Lucia is leading the army as they await him. Each side calls on their gods and each expects to win.
The novella has elements of mythology reflective of Siregar's years spent studying religions and philosophies. It has a Greek or Roman feel to it at times, yet it remains clearly in the epic fantasy mold, despite being set on a distant planet.
Siregar handles the battle scenes well, using dialogue richly to both build his characters and his world. And the novella introduces many of his major characters well, wetting the reader's appetite and leaving him wanting more.
I'm anxious to know the rest of the story and you will be, too. This is a novella epic fantasy fans don't want to miss. Avaialble as an ebook right now through Kindle and other sites. The novel should follow in Spring 2011. Siregar is an exciting new talent to look forward to.
For what it's worth...
July 8, 2011
I've read quite a few Indie published books, and to be perfectly honest, most of them are not worth my time. Moses Siregar's The Black God's War: A Novella was a pleasant exception! This novella consists of 15 chapters and is used to introduce Siregar's upcoming novel of the same name. I gobbled it up during two very busy afternoons, and it left me wanting more. I eagerly await the August 1st release date!
The Black God's War is set in a country called Rezzia, a polytheistic nation. The opening scene is heartbreaking and sets the pace for the rest of the book. The novella focuses on two main characters, Lucia and Caio. They are the sole offspring of the king of Rezzia, and I became emotionally invested in them. Lucia is burdened with visions of the Black God, who first appears to her at her mother's death. Caio is born the Haissem, a prophesied messiah, and is Lucia's younger brother. Rezzia is at war with neighboring country Pawelon, a country that seems to be more about science and magic than religion. This war has been going on for 10 years. Lucia leads the armies, and Caio is called as the Dux Spiritus, the leader of this religious war. Towards the climax of the novella, Lucia and Caio meet up with the armies to make what is hoped to be the final strike against Pawelon.
Siregar's writing lyrical and in many ways is reminiscent of Brandon Sanderson's. Although we become only briefly acquainted with the characters, they jump off the pages. (I swear I fell a little in love with Caio's bodyguard and friend, Ilario.) I cannot choose my favorite character because Lucia and Caio are both written so well. I love Lucia's strength, and my heart breaks over her inner turmoil involving the Black God. Caio is such a good person, and while his faults are not apparent, he is still an interesting character, a character that made me cheer him on and have the desire to protect him. Even the minor characters from Pawelon made me want to know more.
In the end, I just don't know that I can wait until August to buy the complete novel. I was emotionally invested in the story from the first chapter right until the very end. I feel that Moses Siregar will have a promising career!
The Black God's War is set in a country called Rezzia, a polytheistic nation. The opening scene is heartbreaking and sets the pace for the rest of the book. The novella focuses on two main characters, Lucia and Caio. They are the sole offspring of the king of Rezzia, and I became emotionally invested in them. Lucia is burdened with visions of the Black God, who first appears to her at her mother's death. Caio is born the Haissem, a prophesied messiah, and is Lucia's younger brother. Rezzia is at war with neighboring country Pawelon, a country that seems to be more about science and magic than religion. This war has been going on for 10 years. Lucia leads the armies, and Caio is called as the Dux Spiritus, the leader of this religious war. Towards the climax of the novella, Lucia and Caio meet up with the armies to make what is hoped to be the final strike against Pawelon.
Siregar's writing lyrical and in many ways is reminiscent of Brandon Sanderson's. Although we become only briefly acquainted with the characters, they jump off the pages. (I swear I fell a little in love with Caio's bodyguard and friend, Ilario.) I cannot choose my favorite character because Lucia and Caio are both written so well. I love Lucia's strength, and my heart breaks over her inner turmoil involving the Black God. Caio is such a good person, and while his faults are not apparent, he is still an interesting character, a character that made me cheer him on and have the desire to protect him. Even the minor characters from Pawelon made me want to know more.
In the end, I just don't know that I can wait until August to buy the complete novel. I was emotionally invested in the story from the first chapter right until the very end. I feel that Moses Siregar will have a promising career!
August 22, 2011
I read the novella in a single sitting today, and I wanted to write about my experience while it was still fresh.
First, the positives. The character building is fantastic. Caio and Lucia steal the show, but there is enough substance with other minor characters that I am definitely looking forward to picking up the full novel. The underlying religious themes and blind political devotion experienced by both sides was well done and will certainly be fleshed out even more in the 85 chapters of the novel. The plot and pacing were the best of self-publishing that I've experienced--though before anyone casts stones at me, I have plenty on my to-read list.
There were only a few places that I stopped reading for a moment. In Chapter 4, Ilario seemed to switch between some first person and third person limited. For instance, I think "I hope you don’t—" should be in italics to indicate this is his thought, as should "Gods! It’s so hard to hide anything from you." This seemed a bit too personal for the third person limited, but maybe I'm wrong on that.
-----
Reviewer edit: Moses has fixed the italics issues in Chapter 4. Apparently these were lost in a recent conversion process. Both the novel and novella reflect these changes now.
-----
For me, the romance unfolded a bit too quickly between Lucia and Ilario in Chapter 11, but I am fully aware that this is a shortened version of the love story. A part of me wanted this to be a tortured romance between the princess and the blond guard, though. I also didn't like the info dump at the beginning of Chapter 12, where the author is relating what happened before Caio, Lucia, and their guards approached the outpost.
Anyway, the ending was satisfying, and this was a great but short epic fantasy read. Looking forward to diving into the novel!
First, the positives. The character building is fantastic. Caio and Lucia steal the show, but there is enough substance with other minor characters that I am definitely looking forward to picking up the full novel. The underlying religious themes and blind political devotion experienced by both sides was well done and will certainly be fleshed out even more in the 85 chapters of the novel. The plot and pacing were the best of self-publishing that I've experienced--though before anyone casts stones at me, I have plenty on my to-read list.
There were only a few places that I stopped reading for a moment. In Chapter 4, Ilario seemed to switch between some first person and third person limited. For instance, I think "I hope you don’t—" should be in italics to indicate this is his thought, as should "Gods! It’s so hard to hide anything from you." This seemed a bit too personal for the third person limited, but maybe I'm wrong on that.
-----
Reviewer edit: Moses has fixed the italics issues in Chapter 4. Apparently these were lost in a recent conversion process. Both the novel and novella reflect these changes now.
-----
For me, the romance unfolded a bit too quickly between Lucia and Ilario in Chapter 11, but I am fully aware that this is a shortened version of the love story. A part of me wanted this to be a tortured romance between the princess and the blond guard, though. I also didn't like the info dump at the beginning of Chapter 12, where the author is relating what happened before Caio, Lucia, and their guards approached the outpost.
Anyway, the ending was satisfying, and this was a great but short epic fantasy read. Looking forward to diving into the novel!
August 24, 2011
Lucia is excited that her mother has delivered a brother. And not just any baby boy, but a Haissem, with the power to rescue the world and spread the light of the gods. To Lucia's horror, the wonderful day is horribly twisted when she sees The Black God, Lord Danato by her mother in the birthing pool.
The death of the Queen was only the first time Lucia was witness to the appearance of Lord Danato.
Years later, when the siblings have grown, their nation of Rezzia is at war with Pawelon. Lucia is leading the armies with the sword of her chosen goddess Ysa, while her dreams are haunted by Lord Danato. Her brother Caio is on his way to take charge and lead the armies to victory. But Caio doesn't want war, he isn't enthralled by the idea of fighting.
Waiting for him to use is a great power, the power to raise one person from the dead. And the person he chooses isn't what anyone expected...
I can't say enough good things about this novella. I read it on the heels of the latest George RR Martin, A Dance With Dragons, and was far more impressed with this story than the continuation of the Song of Fire and Ice saga. The character development is well done, the descriptions are vivid, and the story itself is unique and immediately gripping. I ended up reading the entire thing during a red-eye flight to Japan, severely cutting short my sleep time!
There are few things worse than getting on an airplane and finding out the books you've stocked up on are horrible. I plan to read this entire book on a long flight, since I know I will be absorbed in the story for the whole flight - and hopefully not as aware of the the overflowing and talkative seat-mate I always seem to end up with.
The death of the Queen was only the first time Lucia was witness to the appearance of Lord Danato.
Years later, when the siblings have grown, their nation of Rezzia is at war with Pawelon. Lucia is leading the armies with the sword of her chosen goddess Ysa, while her dreams are haunted by Lord Danato. Her brother Caio is on his way to take charge and lead the armies to victory. But Caio doesn't want war, he isn't enthralled by the idea of fighting.
Waiting for him to use is a great power, the power to raise one person from the dead. And the person he chooses isn't what anyone expected...
I can't say enough good things about this novella. I read it on the heels of the latest George RR Martin, A Dance With Dragons, and was far more impressed with this story than the continuation of the Song of Fire and Ice saga. The character development is well done, the descriptions are vivid, and the story itself is unique and immediately gripping. I ended up reading the entire thing during a red-eye flight to Japan, severely cutting short my sleep time!
There are few things worse than getting on an airplane and finding out the books you've stocked up on are horrible. I plan to read this entire book on a long flight, since I know I will be absorbed in the story for the whole flight - and hopefully not as aware of the the overflowing and talkative seat-mate I always seem to end up with.
July 7, 2011
This was a free novella I snagged through the Amazon Kindle Store. It's epic fantasy, which is not a genre I have found much enjoyment in over the years despite my efforts. Siregar's method of promotion intrigued me, though: promote the epic novel, which is due for release in August, by offering fifteen of the early chapters for free that provide their own storyline and give a clear sense of what to expect from the longer work.
While the novel is bound to include a multitude of characters, the novella concentrate's mainly on a brother and sister, Ciao and Lucia. The story begins as Lucia, then a child, witnesses the celebration of her infant brother's birth, hoisted by their father King Vieri before an adulating and exulting crowd. Ciao is heralded as the kingdom's savior-of-sorts, literally the son King Vieri has always wanted. Though, when the story jumps ahead to Ciao's adolescence, he's a healer rather than a warrior cast as the role of the King's lead general in a long-running war against a neighboring kingdom.
For what amounts to a snippet of a larger work, the story presented holds up and has a good pace to it. Siregar's strongest suit may be the character development on display, as the royal siblings and a few other characters exude their personalities and frailties in a believable fashion. Throw in some intriguing magical elements and this is a story I might actually invest a good amount of time in by reading the eight-five chapter novel.
@#$% me, eight-five chapters?
While the novel is bound to include a multitude of characters, the novella concentrate's mainly on a brother and sister, Ciao and Lucia. The story begins as Lucia, then a child, witnesses the celebration of her infant brother's birth, hoisted by their father King Vieri before an adulating and exulting crowd. Ciao is heralded as the kingdom's savior-of-sorts, literally the son King Vieri has always wanted. Though, when the story jumps ahead to Ciao's adolescence, he's a healer rather than a warrior cast as the role of the King's lead general in a long-running war against a neighboring kingdom.
For what amounts to a snippet of a larger work, the story presented holds up and has a good pace to it. Siregar's strongest suit may be the character development on display, as the royal siblings and a few other characters exude their personalities and frailties in a believable fashion. Throw in some intriguing magical elements and this is a story I might actually invest a good amount of time in by reading the eight-five chapter novel.
@#$% me, eight-five chapters?
October 9, 2010
You will want to read more after finishing this wonderful, well-crafted novella. The Black God’s War by Moses Siregar, a brilliant new author, is a treasure chest for those of us looking for new and exciting epic fantasy fiction. This is a spiritual trip painted in gloriously descriptive terms of good and black gods, fascinating characters, and a panorama of mystical places. I found myself wanting to get to the next page before finishing the one I was on to see what was going to happen next to the warring factions of Pawelon and Rezzia and our heroes Caio and his sister Lucia. Fortunately for those of us who have instantly become fans, the complete story will be published in May of 2010, but don’t wait, there is much enjoyment and many revelations of renewal and rebirth to be had right now by reading the novella.
November 16, 2010
Great story concept, with opposing forces being driven by incompatible ideologies. I really enjoyed the descriptions of battle, the references to their gods, and the different perspectives of the same events. The "romance" portion of the dialogue seemed more like a rough draft though, and I found that jarring, especially being in the midst of other writing that flowed well. It was almost like two different manuscripts were spliced together.
I also found the backwards words a little strange: "Haissem" and "Armak." I suspect that there might be more in the next (full length) installment, but I hope not.
I also found the backwards words a little strange: "Haissem" and "Armak." I suspect that there might be more in the next (full length) installment, but I hope not.
August 10, 2011
Wow. I can't believe this is Moses' first published fiction. What a great read. A political thriller of two opposing royal houses engaged in a holy war powered by magic. The technology level is at the sword and shield level. But both sides posses different magical skills that come into play in the conflict. What's not to like? It simply whets my appetite for the rest of this story. Can't wait to read the novel when it's published. Kudos, Moses, keep 'em coming.
July 11, 2011
FANTASTIC read, I honestly can't wait to read the entire series. I usually don't like books that use religion as its main theme but wow, this book keeps you reading with the use of great characterization and amazing world building. The only reason this book took me longer than a week to read was simply because life kept getting in the way.
July 28, 2013
I'm sure this will delight high fantasy readers.
My personal difficulty with this type of book is keeping track of the many unfamiliar names of characters-moreso if they go by their titles or aliases-their countries, their allegiances, foes, etc., etc. I always need a map and family tree to make sense of where, who and what's going on. *sigh*
My personal difficulty with this type of book is keeping track of the many unfamiliar names of characters-moreso if they go by their titles or aliases-their countries, their allegiances, foes, etc., etc. I always need a map and family tree to make sense of where, who and what's going on. *sigh*
October 30, 2012
Very nice short novel.
One does get the feeling that this is a shortened version of a full novel (which is what this is), that being said I did not feel cheated.
The story is well written, and I am very tempted to get the full novel to find out what happens after the events of this short.
One does get the feeling that this is a shortened version of a full novel (which is what this is), that being said I did not feel cheated.
The story is well written, and I am very tempted to get the full novel to find out what happens after the events of this short.
March 5, 2011
Awesome. This was just a teaser, though. Waiting for the whole book this spring!
August 1, 2013
An interesting introduction to a new fantasy world. The characters, especially the Gods, definitely caught my interest and I am looking forward to read the novel someday soon.
May 12, 2012
Really enjoyed this book, can't wait to get the second one :-)
August 8, 2012
This was an interesting read for me. I had a fair bit of time looking forward to this story. I had and do follow Moses Siregar on Facebook and enjoy seeing how he is progressing as an author. So I went into this story wanting to love it.
The story was a bit of a roller coaster for me, there were certainly parts of the story where I was deeply immersed and thinking four stars and then there were times of plunging into two star territory.
I’d like to expand on the ups and downs as a lot of the lows for me in this book is writing style and the use of certain characters roles, which I completely am open in saying, this is my opinion and preference, not that it is poorly done.
I really dislike scenes which are re-told again from a different point of view. I understand that you want us to see the story from three different angles, but reading the same story three times gives me a sense of “I have read this already” and I tend to skip. There were moments in the middle of the book where this happened often and I moved into the ‘I found other things to do than pick up the book’. I believe that a different approach to differing POV is needed, not going back in time to read the same story three time over.
The Gods played a major part in this story, I have to admit that I am not a big ‘Gods manipulating mortals’ fan, I’d even say that it was the least favorite part of Malazan, but in The Black Gods War, the Gods play a big part (well, duh! The book is named about a God, right?). I struggled at times to understand the motivations of the Gods and their interactions with their worshippers. This is a totally personal thing, but I wanted to point out why I chose three stars not four.
Now for the Good Stuff!
There is a really good story here. A very interesting magic system, of which I am yet to completely understand and some solid lead characters. The four main characters really began to show potential, I started to recognize traits and they became really quite believable. One of the female characters I found utterly annoying and set my teeth on edge. But hats off to Siregar for that, because I found the character annoying as hell, not the way it was written, shows that it was developed well. Unless he meant her to be nice ;)
There was times that I felt the characters were a bit young. But they are young in the story and it is hard to work out if it is the inexperience of youth or the inexperience of the author on some of the interactions with their peers or leaders. Sometimes the leaders were a little too forth coming with their information, I would like to have seen the protagonists have to work a little harder getting information they required.
The story really sets the background up well, plenty of back story to drop you in the hear and now and know what is going on. A neat job on the descriptive aspects of the world, that part seemed to be just perfect, information without overload.
The main story is set over a very short period of time. I found it bogging down in the middle, as I pointed out earlier in the review. But the last third I was engrossed wanting to see how the story would play out.
There are some great twists and turns that I had not seen coming, there are a few rushed scenes, where I think it shows that this is the authors first book, in his excitement to finish the story I felt the final battle was a little to neat and was rushed. I am not giving any spoilers away so you can form your own opinion.
I will read the next in the series when it is released because I think that Moses Siregar is going to be a fine author. As a first book he has done a great job. I expect to see his talent grow as the books progress.
The story was a bit of a roller coaster for me, there were certainly parts of the story where I was deeply immersed and thinking four stars and then there were times of plunging into two star territory.
I’d like to expand on the ups and downs as a lot of the lows for me in this book is writing style and the use of certain characters roles, which I completely am open in saying, this is my opinion and preference, not that it is poorly done.
I really dislike scenes which are re-told again from a different point of view. I understand that you want us to see the story from three different angles, but reading the same story three times gives me a sense of “I have read this already” and I tend to skip. There were moments in the middle of the book where this happened often and I moved into the ‘I found other things to do than pick up the book’. I believe that a different approach to differing POV is needed, not going back in time to read the same story three time over.
The Gods played a major part in this story, I have to admit that I am not a big ‘Gods manipulating mortals’ fan, I’d even say that it was the least favorite part of Malazan, but in The Black Gods War, the Gods play a big part (well, duh! The book is named about a God, right?). I struggled at times to understand the motivations of the Gods and their interactions with their worshippers. This is a totally personal thing, but I wanted to point out why I chose three stars not four.
Now for the Good Stuff!
There is a really good story here. A very interesting magic system, of which I am yet to completely understand and some solid lead characters. The four main characters really began to show potential, I started to recognize traits and they became really quite believable. One of the female characters I found utterly annoying and set my teeth on edge. But hats off to Siregar for that, because I found the character annoying as hell, not the way it was written, shows that it was developed well. Unless he meant her to be nice ;)
There was times that I felt the characters were a bit young. But they are young in the story and it is hard to work out if it is the inexperience of youth or the inexperience of the author on some of the interactions with their peers or leaders. Sometimes the leaders were a little too forth coming with their information, I would like to have seen the protagonists have to work a little harder getting information they required.
The story really sets the background up well, plenty of back story to drop you in the hear and now and know what is going on. A neat job on the descriptive aspects of the world, that part seemed to be just perfect, information without overload.
The main story is set over a very short period of time. I found it bogging down in the middle, as I pointed out earlier in the review. But the last third I was engrossed wanting to see how the story would play out.
There are some great twists and turns that I had not seen coming, there are a few rushed scenes, where I think it shows that this is the authors first book, in his excitement to finish the story I felt the final battle was a little to neat and was rushed. I am not giving any spoilers away so you can form your own opinion.
I will read the next in the series when it is released because I think that Moses Siregar is going to be a fine author. As a first book he has done a great job. I expect to see his talent grow as the books progress.
August 29, 2010
This taster novella gives you a few bites of what's sure to be a meaty epic. Siregar obviously has a strong gift for story telling and paints an almost dreamlike world in The Black God's War. It has many of the things fantasy readers have come to expect - nations warring more out of tradition than cause, gods with elemental gifts and a young prince at the center of it.
The world of the Rezzians and the bare glimpse we get of their rival Pawelons is clearly well thought out and nuanced. The main characters were well drawn, especially Ciao and Lucia. It's too early to say how the supporting characters will evolve, but the pieces are all there. Like another reviewer, I was a bit confused by some chapter headings, but I would imagine they'll make sense down the line. The author doesn't seem the sort to put things into the book for no reason.
The only quibbles I had, and they're minor, were that it felt all a little rushed and the romance between Ilario and Lucia was a little forced. I really loved the world Siregar created and it would have been nice to see more of it, to be able to dive a little deeper into what I thought was a fascinating culture. And, I wanted to know more about some of the relationships between a few of the characters. For example, I wanted to know more about the King and his relationship with his children and his people. We got a tantalizing glimpse of something rather complex.
I think the thing I enjoyed the most was the unique feeling of both the world and the author's voice in the writing. There's a gentleness and deeply spiritual aspect to the book that were a pleasant surprise. Even though there's war and killing (there's plenty of action), there's also a thread of peace that was sewn into every chapter. I can't wait to read the complete novel.
If you're tired of the same old fantasy novels or want to be there for the beginning of something special, give The Black God's War a try. You won't be disappointed.
The world of the Rezzians and the bare glimpse we get of their rival Pawelons is clearly well thought out and nuanced. The main characters were well drawn, especially Ciao and Lucia. It's too early to say how the supporting characters will evolve, but the pieces are all there. Like another reviewer, I was a bit confused by some chapter headings, but I would imagine they'll make sense down the line. The author doesn't seem the sort to put things into the book for no reason.
The only quibbles I had, and they're minor, were that it felt all a little rushed and the romance between Ilario and Lucia was a little forced. I really loved the world Siregar created and it would have been nice to see more of it, to be able to dive a little deeper into what I thought was a fascinating culture. And, I wanted to know more about some of the relationships between a few of the characters. For example, I wanted to know more about the King and his relationship with his children and his people. We got a tantalizing glimpse of something rather complex.
I think the thing I enjoyed the most was the unique feeling of both the world and the author's voice in the writing. There's a gentleness and deeply spiritual aspect to the book that were a pleasant surprise. Even though there's war and killing (there's plenty of action), there's also a thread of peace that was sewn into every chapter. I can't wait to read the complete novel.
If you're tired of the same old fantasy novels or want to be there for the beginning of something special, give The Black God's War a try. You won't be disappointed.
April 11, 2012
This was a good book. The story was original, the pacing and the plot were good and it didn't rehash any of the tired fantasy tropes. The only downside to the story is that in many places the characterization seems to be wafer-thin, almost stereotypical. We have a king who is a war monger at all costs, an evil general who will kill when his power is threatened, a spiritual prince who believes in peace - even the Gods get short shrift. Even the Black God of the title isn't fully explained until the last pages of the book. That said, there is enough of a story here - enough ideas, action and adventure, not to mention magic to make it a page turner from beginning to end. The juxtaposition of Western and Eastern based religions battling it out for the power to be right is an interesting concept. Though some subtle commonalities were included, something more substantial would be great. The concept for the book is a good one and the book ends gracefully , instead of some of the ruder cliffhanger endings that I have been reading lately. Most of the questions are answered and there is a definite wrap up before the book concludes. An extra star for that. With greater characterization this could easily be a 5 star book. There are very few people who are sure of themselves 100% of the time. If they are they tend to be driven or obsessed. Add a bit of gray into these characters - you won't be sorry.
All in all, I would definitely recommend this book to people who love fantasy. This looks like it has the makings of a fine fantasy series and I will be reading the next one.
All in all, I would definitely recommend this book to people who love fantasy. This looks like it has the makings of a fine fantasy series and I will be reading the next one.
August 18, 2012
I really tried with this book and perhaps that was the problem. I kept reading then giving up and then trying again so the read was disjointed to start with. I found that the dialogue was strained and much of it constrained as the author seemed to build the world, gods, myths, powers, magic etc by this means. There was so much of this that I really could not get a handle on it plus with all these wonderful powers it is hard to believe that anyone could beat this particular nation at all. There are also well over 50 characters with names such as Caio, Strategos Duilio, Feel Mya, Lord Cosimo, Lord Galleazzo and on and on and on. I was also distracted of the mention of yurts with double doors (P31). As far as I was aware (at the time) traditional yurts have door entrances but it is only the modern ones for camping etc that have permanent doors as yurts are used by nomadic tribes. Now, it is probably a lack of knowledge on my part that led to fretting about this one point - so no comments are required:-)Various religions and the belief systems are explored but again there are holes. I think I am in the minority of the readership as the novel was a finalist in the eFestival of Words Best of the Independent eBook Awards so, once again, it was probably due to my lack of concentration powers rather than a poorly written book but I just could not summon up the interest to carry on after P47. "The clay-white acropolis of the holy city sprawled across the desert plateau: massive domes structures, spiraling minarets, and temples of the ten gods supported by grand columns."
November 4, 2010
I enjoyed reading The Black God’s War: A Novella Introducing a new Epic Fantasy. I was fascinated by the setting and the characters. Here the gods take an active role in matters, they interact with the world and work on behalf of the Rezzians. In contrast, the Pawelons rely on their sages who employ magic. Both sides are well thought out and distinct. You get a feel for each culture even though the novella focuses more on the Rezzians. Moses avoids labeling one side as “evil”. Both sides in the conflict believe the other side to be the bad guys. He also illustrates how little the two sides understand one another.
Like the setting, the main characters are interesting. Their personalities and motivations are believable. That said, some characters stand out more than others. I wanted to learn more about the Pawelon characters such as Rao. Moses left out several early chapters that dealt with the Pawelon side of the war. The novella would have benefited from their inclusion.
There was only one instance early on in the novella where I needed to reread a sentence to grasp its meaning. Other than that, the writing is solid. All in all, I enjoyed the novella. When the rest of The Black God’s War is released, I will pick up a copy.
Like the setting, the main characters are interesting. Their personalities and motivations are believable. That said, some characters stand out more than others. I wanted to learn more about the Pawelon characters such as Rao. Moses left out several early chapters that dealt with the Pawelon side of the war. The novella would have benefited from their inclusion.
There was only one instance early on in the novella where I needed to reread a sentence to grasp its meaning. Other than that, the writing is solid. All in all, I enjoyed the novella. When the rest of The Black God’s War is released, I will pick up a copy.
October 1, 2011
As I sit down to write this review I struggle to find the words to say. But maybe that is the review. Siregar creates a strong world with dynamic (if not slightly plain) characters and an epic war plotline that touches the Gods themselves.
However at the end of the day I just didn't feel any of it. In some ways the novel was too well-rounded. We were introduced to all the main characters on both sides of the conflict (which will bring me to anyother criticism soon) we were even allowed snippets of what the God's were up to. So rather than taking the tension up a notch and raising dramatic literary questions really we just have a story that leaves us asking "so whats the actual point of the story"
Along these lines a key flaw is the lack of strong antagonist - we have the Black God, but as a said God he doesn't feature as a 'character' per se, and with main characters of both sides of the war its hard to hate anyone. A few bad apples come out towards the end of the novel, but not soon enough to save the dramatic tension.
Don't get me wrong, The Black God's War is a well done novel, its just I get the impression that Siregar didn't want to get his hands dirty and thus has created a fantasy novel that ticks all the boxes but fails to hit the x-factor of a good book.
However at the end of the day I just didn't feel any of it. In some ways the novel was too well-rounded. We were introduced to all the main characters on both sides of the conflict (which will bring me to anyother criticism soon) we were even allowed snippets of what the God's were up to. So rather than taking the tension up a notch and raising dramatic literary questions really we just have a story that leaves us asking "so whats the actual point of the story"
Along these lines a key flaw is the lack of strong antagonist - we have the Black God, but as a said God he doesn't feature as a 'character' per se, and with main characters of both sides of the war its hard to hate anyone. A few bad apples come out towards the end of the novel, but not soon enough to save the dramatic tension.
Don't get me wrong, The Black God's War is a well done novel, its just I get the impression that Siregar didn't want to get his hands dirty and thus has created a fantasy novel that ticks all the boxes but fails to hit the x-factor of a good book.
September 25, 2011
This is an interesting book. I bought it because David Farland recommended it in one of his Daily Kicks. I started reading it initially but couldn't get into, then left for about half a year. Then a few days ago, I picked it up and started reading it again and was pleasantly surprised. Its like a blend of the Illiad, Egyptian mythology and Dune. It was the likeness to Dune though that kept me reading. The story revolves around a brother and sister blessed with gifts by the Gods. They have a strange relationship with their Gods as it seems at times they are praying for their help and at other times ordering them to do as they are told. The brother has been thrust into the role of a Christian-style God in human form and the sister is haunted by visions of slaughter sent by Siregar's version of Hades. Both are required to serve as military figureheads, like the heroes of Hellenic myth or of Chinese mythology.
This is a novella, so its rather short, but there is a promised full book to follow the story. The writing is good and never distracts from the story. The plot, whilst not fast-paced, moves along at a balanced rate. At £0.86, this is money well spent.
This is a novella, so its rather short, but there is a promised full book to follow the story. The writing is good and never distracts from the story. The plot, whilst not fast-paced, moves along at a balanced rate. At £0.86, this is money well spent.
November 5, 2013
Definitely an interesting introduction which did leave me wanting to read more, but not as sharp as some. First, while the setting is an interesting ancient Greek/Roman departure from the cod-medieval norm, it's not therefore up my specific street. Second, the sections of narrative for each character were a bit short and therefore jumpy and slightly confusing at times (the chapters are likewise short, hence 85 in the full novel).
Still, well-written and above average. The detail on clothing, religion and especially scents was good. Some of the tactics, geography and maneuvering were perhaps a bit simplistic (not quite Barclay or Marco dumb, though), which is a shame with the detail in other places. Characters were likeable and nuanced enough, with clear tensions and ambitions laid out. Will be interested to see the characters from the other side of the war in the full version, as clearly they will add depth.
Putting it on my to-read list but maybe not that high up...
Still, well-written and above average. The detail on clothing, religion and especially scents was good. Some of the tactics, geography and maneuvering were perhaps a bit simplistic (not quite Barclay or Marco dumb, though), which is a shame with the detail in other places. Characters were likeable and nuanced enough, with clear tensions and ambitions laid out. Will be interested to see the characters from the other side of the war in the full version, as clearly they will add depth.
Putting it on my to-read list but maybe not that high up...
November 8, 2011
This novella was OK, especially for a Kindle freebie. It's made of a selection of 15 early chapters from an 85 chapter "epic." It was decently written, and there were some fun ideas in the book.
This particular selection of chapters centers around a brother-sister pair who are the leaders of a country and have been endowed with powers by their patron gods. Their country is involved in a holy war against another country (of non-believers, of course). The parallels between these gods and Greco-Roman mythology was a bit fun and I liked the involvement of the gods in the story.
It was decent, but I just couldn't really bring myself to get very invested in the characters. It just feels like something is missing. Ideas are OK, writing is decent, and I have read reviews that it got better, but I just have other things I would rather read.
This particular selection of chapters centers around a brother-sister pair who are the leaders of a country and have been endowed with powers by their patron gods. Their country is involved in a holy war against another country (of non-believers, of course). The parallels between these gods and Greco-Roman mythology was a bit fun and I liked the involvement of the gods in the story.
It was decent, but I just couldn't really bring myself to get very invested in the characters. It just feels like something is missing. Ideas are OK, writing is decent, and I have read reviews that it got better, but I just have other things I would rather read.
October 2, 2012
This is an interesting way to introduce a novel. This ebook contains the first five chapters of the The Black God's War [A Stand-Alone Novel] (Splendor and Ruin, Book I). This novella is fifteen chapters in length. The chapters that follow after chapter five are chapters that were discarded from the initial novel, I assume due to the fact it was already quite long, with it having 85 chapters. So the reader gets a glimpse of the lost chapters of the Black Gods War which give a different view of the events that unfold.
It gives us a clearer indication of just how the two siblings are led and even tortured by nightly visions and visits from the Dark Lord.
I think this is an intrigueing marketing ploy to get people interested in the full lengh novel and it is one that certainly worked in my case. The first five chapters were enough to warrant buying the longer version.
It gives us a clearer indication of just how the two siblings are led and even tortured by nightly visions and visits from the Dark Lord.
I think this is an intrigueing marketing ploy to get people interested in the full lengh novel and it is one that certainly worked in my case. The first five chapters were enough to warrant buying the longer version.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews