The Shattergrave Knights edition by David M Haendler Literature Fiction eBooks
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Every family has its own traditions. The Merriwether family traditions are dark magic, devil worship and insurrection. Jack and Olive Merriwether thought they were two ordinary teenagers until they learned they were descended from the murderous sorcerer Gorgyaz. Now that the truth about their ancestry is out, the government wants to take their freedom, a witchfinder wants to take their lives and the shadowy leader of the Thirteenth Division wants to take their souls. Jack and Olive didn't intend on following in their infamous forefather's footsteps, but they'll have to learn the family traditions to survive.
The Shattergrave Knights edition by David M Haendler Literature Fiction eBooks
Shattergrave knights is about two teens on the run with family and friends from the Orwellian Protectorate. Haendler, the author, gets everything right, excels at all aspects of a good fantasy novel.Awesome worldbuilding? Yes: this is probably the best instance of an Orwellian/1984 style fantasy government I've read, the details of the environment are well done, and the morally gray nature of life on both sides of the conflict is well represented.
Unique, consistent, clever magic system? Yes: loosely based on a Le Guin type "true name" magic, the "Inner Alphabet" of Shattergrave Knights goes a step further, including grammar and runes to allow a kind of limited changing of universal rules and causality. Neither too powerful nor too feeble, it is well implemented and thought out, and gets huge bonus points for being completely original. If Shattergrave Knights reaches the popularity it should, I suspect other authors will imitate the magic system in the future.
Well written, exciting plot? Yes: the author does a great job at hinting at the interconnection of larger pieces of the picture without getting bogged down in them. The writing flows well, and fails to become awkward at any point. The pacing is also spot on. The overall plot, of the teens attempting to escape, survive, and eventually fight back against the government that harmed them is well executed, and contains enough unique minor details and twists to make it fresh.
Engaging, believable characters? Yes: Jack and Olive Merriwether have just the right mix of minor teenage fallibility, intelligent decision making, and heroic activity. Unlike many other teen protagonists, they come off as neither too adult, nor too foolish and ignorant.
Overall, this is a great story, and really showcases the author's talents. I was surprised that this was his first full-length novel, though after looking him up found out he is a lawyer, and apparently well used to writing. I'd strongly recommend this novel to all fantasy readers.
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The Shattergrave Knights edition by David M Haendler Literature Fiction eBooks Reviews
I agree with N. Taylor. This is definitely not a 4.5-star book. It has flat characters dragged mechanically along their predefined course, with shapeless young twins of protagonists whose only outstanding characteristic is that they can use the magic tools of their ancestor a sword that cuts anything and gives the wielder immense (yet curiously unreliable) skill, and a circlet that instantly teaches you how to destroy things. Both of the tools have very inconsistent scope to their powers. They are just as magical as they need to be to force the plot at that particular moment. At one moment the magic sword makes the female protagonist capable of /instantly/ slaughtering a dozen swordsmen. Moments later she fumbles a duel with one man with a hunting knife. The circlet can give the male protagonist the magic provocations that set his captors to killing each other, allow him to make battle plans with unreal efficiency and effectiveness, or magically show him the weak point in an enemy magician's education. It's not a question of superior observation or analysis, it's just arbitrary magical knowledge. But other times the circlet seems impotent, with no explanation. My only guess is that the author just didn't want to invoke its powers right then.
I also just can't over how the protagonists and supporting cast cheerfully and remorselessly kill anyone who gets in their way. Both Jack and his twin sister Olive kill others at will. There's a token "war wasn't like the stories, it was horrible!" sentence somewhere in the book, but these sociopathic teenagers kind of creep me out. Once during the novel the male twin Jack uses the magic circlet to make lots of money gambling at cards. He gets in over his head when he infuriates a sore loser (ex-bandit) by robbing him blind. He's saved by the deus ex machina appearance of a supporting character, who immediately kills the gambler as Jack yells "Shoot him!". They leave the corpse on the floor, collect the gambling winnings, and leave. No remorse.
And the shallow, cartoony villainy of the evil police state Protectorate... sigh.
Save a dollar, or whatever this costs. It's not worth it. I dragged myself through this book searching for some justification of the glowing reviews. You can save yourself the trouble.
This is a good read for the price but it could have been so much better. Like so many fantasy stories this is a quest of self discovery and growth. There are some fabulous ideas in the story such as how goblins are born and the world of the Protectorate is neatly developed. I also enjoyed the way that our heros are not from noble ,true or glorious ancestors but rather from the wrong side. But I do hate it when an emerging new world has references to ours. For example Jack plays poker. Suddenly I am dragged out of this imaginative world into 21st century Earth. Why not just let him play cards.
It may be because the two central heros were teenagers but I found the supporting characters much more interesting. Prudence, Zanzibar and Tom Fisk are rough, engaging and memorable, each individually drawn with warts and all. Even the tautho Daniel is a very believable character. But the two kids are amazingly bland ( though their roles are the reverse of so many male/female protaganists ) and Olive is given some of the most excruciating lines to say.
Maybe I am mean giving this book such an average review as the price was so reasonable but it was so close to being a great fantasy novel that I felt very frustrated. If you have not read much fantasy or just want an easy read this may be the book for you.
Shattergrave knights is about two teens on the run with family and friends from the Orwellian Protectorate. Haendler, the author, gets everything right, excels at all aspects of a good fantasy novel.
Awesome worldbuilding? Yes this is probably the best instance of an Orwellian/1984 style fantasy government I've read, the details of the environment are well done, and the morally gray nature of life on both sides of the conflict is well represented.
Unique, consistent, clever magic system? Yes loosely based on a Le Guin type "true name" magic, the "Inner Alphabet" of Shattergrave Knights goes a step further, including grammar and runes to allow a kind of limited changing of universal rules and causality. Neither too powerful nor too feeble, it is well implemented and thought out, and gets huge bonus points for being completely original. If Shattergrave Knights reaches the popularity it should, I suspect other authors will imitate the magic system in the future.
Well written, exciting plot? Yes the author does a great job at hinting at the interconnection of larger pieces of the picture without getting bogged down in them. The writing flows well, and fails to become awkward at any point. The pacing is also spot on. The overall plot, of the teens attempting to escape, survive, and eventually fight back against the government that harmed them is well executed, and contains enough unique minor details and twists to make it fresh.
Engaging, believable characters? Yes Jack and Olive Merriwether have just the right mix of minor teenage fallibility, intelligent decision making, and heroic activity. Unlike many other teen protagonists, they come off as neither too adult, nor too foolish and ignorant.
Overall, this is a great story, and really showcases the author's talents. I was surprised that this was his first full-length novel, though after looking him up found out he is a lawyer, and apparently well used to writing. I'd strongly recommend this novel to all fantasy readers.
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