PoB: Not sure (spoilers for first four chapters only, please)

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

Only just begun this book, so it is, of course, way to early too form an opinion, but this one really isn't grabbing me. Part of the problem is point of view. I haven't even got to know one character before the novel skips onto another, to the point where when the guy from the first chapter showed up again, I hadn't even remembered him. This is unusual for me, as I usually have a pretty good recall for stuff like that, but he just didn't make enough of an impact from the beginning. And there is so much political manoeuvring going on from the outset that I'm finding it hard to get things straight as it is. None of this is making me keen to keep reading.

Now, I'm not one to give up on a book this early, and it could yet turn around into something great, but so far I'm finding it very clumsy. Anyone else finding it a struggle already? To those who have read and loved it, did you also struggle with the beginning, or was it instant love? What, if you are liking it right away, drew you in?

For me, the coup is interesting enough to cause a slight tickle of interest, especially the way the instigator of the coup (I can't think of anyone's names thus far) feels a little guilty about the upcoming execution of the king. The memory of the king as a boy on his knee is sweet and disturbing. Still temped to put this book aside and read something else, however.

[Ben]

Yeah, I remember feeling the start was kind of disjointed but it comes together better as it progresses.

[Kristina]

I remember feeling the same at first... but once the story got rolling I really enjoyed it.

[Rob]

If "Robespierre trying to make the French Revolution work with magic flying around" doesn't interest you, the book does pretty much diverge into three genres: political thriller, mystery story, and vanilla epic fantasy. The juggling between the three protagonists becomes much more organic as he book goes on.

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

I've been hooked on this book from the start. (I'm 12 Chapters in)

The only time I got lost on a character was when Nila came back into the story. I had to go back to find out who she was.

At this point I expect to continue on with the rest of the series.

[Joe Informatico]

I greatly admire this book's ambition. I'm always glad to see a fantasy novel explore historical territory outside of the usual medieval, Renaissance, or Victorian-to-modern eras. And the premise is really intriguing--a fantasy French Revolution with the ancien régime represented by classic elemental wizards and the revolution represented by gunpowder wielding mages is a great idea.

I just had a feeling while reading it was maybe too ambitious for a first novel. I was kind of derailed maybe halfway in (view spoiler)[when the fantasy French Revolution story I came for was sidelined in favour of the "cabal of immortal wizards are up to no good" plot (hide spoiler)]. I'm in the middle of The Thousand Names, another flintlock fantasy and first novel that came out around the same time as PoB, and it seems to benefit from a much tighter focus on the military campaign, while only hinting at the politics, intrigue, and magic that are going on all around.

[Sky]

Joe Informatico wrote: "Some stuff about historical fantasy and how awesome it is."

I agree with pretty much everything you said here, in addition to seconding that recommendation for The Thousand Names.

I'll also say that I found the 2nd book in the Powder Mage series, The Crimson Campaign, to be much better than PoB.

[[deleted user]]

Things have been really easy for me to keep track of since page one, everything just sticks for some reason; who's who, what's going down, and where everyone's at in the story. It's a really fun ride so far, eight chapters in.

I'm definitely going to read straight on to the next book, I'm enjoying how action packed it is.

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

Alex wrote: "However, I could tell that Brian showed a lot of promise, and forgave a debut novel its faults. The sequel is a gazillion times better"

Sounds like this might be a book Brian McClellan will look back on and wish he could re-write. I'm still struggling with it (I know more or less who is who now, though I'm no more certain why I should care) but I'll press on.

[D. E.]

It's taken me a while to get into the three character view points. Sometimes the chapters don't flow into one another and it takes a paragraph or two to get me settled into the next chapter or view point. I haven't had problems like this with other writers.

[Darren]

I'm struggling with it. The tin ear for names, the confusion on what a sable is (eg: they don't have thorns)... These things are irritants. The depressed revolutionaries, though... That I can't look past. Robespierre, Rob? More like Mopespierre.

[Andy]

I am joining the chorus of voices saying keep with the book. I really did not love the first third of the book. It was heavy with exposition, the characters were disconnected, and I was not 100% sold on the need for Tamas' revolution in the first place.

Then, then it became worth it to me. I rated the book 3 stars because of the beginning but honestly the ending is 5. Brian McClellan has also written a lot of short fiction that has a lot of great back story for the world and the characters.

[Rob]

Hahahaha nice!

[Maclurker]

I wasn't too sure about this book at first, being a bit gun-shy after Dance Of Cloaks. But it's been growing on me and I can't wait to reach the end.

But I'm really hanging up in the title for some reason. It seems over-dramatic. I'm constantly reminded of The Princess Bride and Inigo Montoya: There will be blood tonight!

[Jack]

I'm finding it fun and competent so far. I'm not really one to read for the hook, but this has already had some pretty good ones, and the pacing seems to promise payoff in the long run. I'm looking forward to the rest of the book. I admit that I'm not exactly invested, but the buzz around the second book has me pretty much buzzing about this series as whole.

BTW - Hi, everybody! I'm new to the book club though I keep up with the S&L shows.

[Stephen]

Hey all! New to the club FYI.

Anywho, I found the first couple of chapters difficult and clunky too (especially the first one), Seemed like there was a lot of unnecessary description going on. But it really picked up for me once the council met up and I'm thoroughly enjoying it now.

Maybe it's because I don't necessarily care for the inspector at the moment and find Tamas and company a lot more interesting.

Not sure why but I keep picturing the inspector as Johnny Depp from that Jack the Ripper movie "From Hell" lol

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

Welcome, Stephen and Jack! :)

Stephen wrote: "Not sure why but I keep picturing the inspector as Johnny Depp from that Jack the Ripper movie "From Hell" lol "

As long as it doesn't include the dreadful accent, I will happily go along with that image. You should drop it in the 'casting' thread. :) I shall employ it from now on. Might make the book more interesting.

I'm still struggling with this one, guys! Starting to think its just a case of 'not for me'. But I do still want to see where it ends up, so it's not all bad.

[Jordan]

Hey all! Long time listener, first time contributor.

I originally bought this book a while back because the premise sounded awesome. I probably got about 3 chapters in and then stopped. I'm not entirely sure why, I didn't have the issue with forgetting characters or getting them confused or they didn't grip me.

In fact on my second start, I went back to the very start and remembered Nila most vividly. I'd like to see a bit more come of her, but I guess I'll have to wait and see.

I'm about halfway through now and it's definitely picked up and got me intrigued. Will probably go out and buy the second book at this stage I'm enjoying it that much.

tl;dr: Keep going with it, it gets much better and hte pace really starts to pick up.

[Rochelle]

I'm struggling with this one too, though not as much as in the beginning. I'm about 200 pages in now, and things have become more intriguing and I'm starting to settle into the characters.

I really like Adamant and his story, and Taniel. I find myself dreading the scenes with Tamas and the rest of the military. The whole "over-throwing the government and establishing a new order" part of the storyline is not doing it for me.

I agree that Dance of Cloaks may have spoiled this type of story for me. If I hadn't read that so recently, I might not be so wary of reading PoB.

But I'm still powering through, mostly for the mysticism/magic parts of it.

[Carolina]

I finished it yesterday and it was quite hard for me to actually do so. I never got fully into the story so I found myself re reading paragraphs over and over again. I am not someone who need to like the characters, but at least enjoy them and this a book were I did not enjoy any of them. I thought the concept was interesting, but the more I read, the more I felt disconnected from the whole world. I don't know if maybe it is partially due to the fact that I had to read the book in French, and so some of the dialogues read a bit too forced IMOO, but I read His Majesty's Dragon in French too and it was not the case, I actually really liked that one...I don't know guys, I ended up with a "meh" feeling for this one, albeit I can see why it would be interesting for someone else.

[Rob]

Well translations vary insanely in quality from book to book, so I don't think you should give up on the series just because you have read a single other book by a different translator in French before? I mean I'd at least flip through a kindle sample to see if the English is similarly awkward for you.

That said, dialogue is not this book's strong suit. It's not bad overall, but I can see how someone else might not enjoy it.

[Carolina]

Rob wrote: "Well translations vary insanely in quality from book to book, so I don't think you should give up on the series just because you have read a single other book by a different translator in French be..."

I thought about it, but even ignoring the dialogues and trying to just concentrate in the story itself I didn't get the feeling of "oh wow, I really want to know what happens next". I saw a lot of people have liked it; I read the reasons why they did and I think to myself...yes, that is in the book but no, it didn't make me like it...I don't know, I guess the book and I just didn't "click" this time.

[Ben]

Carolina wrote: "I saw a lot of people have liked it; I read the reasons why they did and I think to myself...yes, that is in the book but no, it didn't make me like it...I don't know, I guess the book and I just didn't "click" this time. "

Sometimes that just happens. What you described minus the translation stuff is actually pretty close to how I felt about Ancillary Justice.

[Jeff]

The first few chapters make you feel out of the loop, there's a lot of names and ideas to digest and they are not always explained well. It does take a few chapters to sink in.

Some people aren't fond of it, but I liked the constant PoV change.