New Book Alert: Hag of the Hills (Bronze Sword Cycles Book 1) by J.T.T. Ryder; Epic Fantasy With Misleading Title Shows The Graphic Making of a Warrior

 New Book Alert: Hag of the Hills (Bronze Sword Cycles Book 1) by J.T.T. Ryder; Epic Fantasy With Misleading Title Shows The Graphic Making of a Warrior

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

A thousand apologies for my lateness, the end of May and beginning of June have brought troubles. My heel hurt and I couldn't concentrate on anything but pain. Then I had a migraine from an approaching cold front and our WiFi messed up.

It's all good now but I am playing catch up.

Spoilers: I can't fault J.T.T. Ryder's Epic Fantasy, Hag of the Hills for much. The book is set during the La Tene period between 400-200 BCE in the Isle of Skye and captures the setting and especially the Celtic mythology rather well. The Reader sees various legendary figures like fairies, goddesses, and selkies, and many human characters who invoke the gods for success, healing, revenge, and other things. It has a strong lead character and the suspenseful plot shows the graphic violence that can change one from a naive nervous kid into a strong warrior and leader. 

I can't fault it for much except for one thing. The title.

The title the Hag of the Hills refers to a mysterious woman, possibly a goddess named Chailleach Bhear, who is portrayed as a hag who delivers winter. She appears before the protagonist and gives him his call to adventure. The protagonist leaves and occasionally he sees visions of her, but only a few times.

 For a title character, Chailleach Bhear is barely in it. While she serves an important part and her presence is strongly felt throughout the book, she really doesn't appear very much. The book could have easily been called Warriors of the Hills or even The Bronze Sword (the latter is the name of the series) and it would make more sense. The supernatural divine aspects are present throughout the book. The main focus is how a young man is strengthened by his loss to become a violent man thirsting for revenge and embracing the warrior code in which he had previously paid little attention.

Brenn is the youngest in a family that boasts of warrior blood. His parents are dead and he is currently in the care of his older brothers, Bodvic and Fennigus. He knows his place in this clan and is soon to marry Clodagh, the neighbor's daughter in an arranged marriage. He also fancies Myrna, the chief druid's daughter though she is above his station. His sexuality may be more complex than we are led to believe.

The entire novel is a giant epistolary to someone named Luceo. We have yet to physically meet Luceo in person, but Brenn keeps referring to him in endearments like "my dear" and "beloved." The book is almost a confessional to this person who is clearly important to Brenn's future. He tells all about his past so there are no secrets between them.  

Even though Luceo has yet to appear, it's clear that Brenn is close to him on a physical and emotional level, possibly a soulmate. It will be interesting to read when Luceo is introduced, why he deserves to know so much about Brenn's past.

Anyway, returning to the main plot, Brenn hears voices to go up the Slighan Hills. When Brenn goes, he meets Cailleach Bhear taking the form of an eccentric old woman named Cally. In one of the strangest but also beautiful chapters in the book, Cally invites Brenn to come and have tea with her  and her companions.  Her companions are sidhe, or the faire folk. They seem to come from thin air or out of the ground. They blend into their natural surroundings. It's a moving tribute to the Celtic pagan pantheon and the close connection that spirits have with nature. It also shows the concept of fate and destiny. After his encounter with Cailleach Bhear, Brenn has the power of seeing sidhe. This comes in handy when he and his companions are attacked by such creatures, including a selkie.

Cailleach Bhear leaves such a memorable impression that I wish she was in the book more, especially, since she is the title character. She only appears here and there in other scenes, but her presence and motives are unclear. After he leaves Slighan Hill, Brenn's village is attacked by enemies from the hill. At this point, Cailleach Bhear seems to switch alliances and dances with glee at the violence. Is she on the side of the Hills, but why  does she give such an awesome power to Brenn to give him a distinct advantage? If she is on Brenn's side why is she dancing with delight at their defeat? Or is she more than likely the living embodiment of death and darkness, the winter of life? She knows that humans will do what they do, fight and kill just as she foresees? She is on her own side, the side that knows death and loss is on its way.

Brenn's village is attacked and his friends, family, and neighbors are either killed, wounded, or kidnapped. Brenn finds himself kidnapped by a group of raiders. He eventually fights his way into joining and then ultimately leading them. He was once very young, naive, and accepting of the warrior life, though not really a part of it. Through the book, he gains physical strength and begins to develop the lust for blood and fighting that other warriors have. He is stripped of his earlier naivete, coddled life, and boyish ideals. He is even stripped of his name and is called Vidav by the warriors.

There are many times with Vidav's new more weathered angrier outlook at the world, his morals become more questionable and less cut and dry. He sees the shades of gray that his youth never allowed. In one heart wrenching passage, an elderly druid begs Vidav to kill him. Later his wish is granted in the most violent way possible.

Vidav also considers selling a female companion to a monarch for a stronger army and safe passage. With Vidav ascending into adulthood and becoming a hardened warrior, he has to be awakened to tough decisions and actions that he would have never done before or once considered repellant if he had.. Right or wrong, it is a part of adulthood to make choices that could be immoral for a chance to survive. It's certain that Vidav's character will get darker the more the plot continues.

The Hag, Chailleach Bhear, may leave an unforgettable presence and had the  title but the truth is, this is the kid, Brenn's story as he becomes the warrior, Vidav.

Weekly Reader: The Circle of Ceridwen (The Circle of Ceridwen Saga Book 1) by Octavia Randolph; A Strong Feminist Start Cannot Save Over Long Historical Epic Romance

 

Weekly Reader: The Circle of Ceridwen (The Circle of Ceridwen Saga Book 1) by Octavia Randolph; A Strong Feminist Start Cannot Save Over Long Historical Epic Romance

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: There is nothing worse than a book that begins so promising that falters towards the middle and disappoints so much by the end. It's worse than a book that is bad all the way through, because there was such high hopes in the beginning that are deflated by an underwhelming end. The Reader can feel hurt and betrayed.

Such is the case with The Circle of Ceridwen, Octavia Randolph's historical epic novel. It begins very well with two strong female leads and carries a powerful theme on how similar enemies at war really are and only property lines and country names keep us from realizing it. Then it changes into a generic romance and threatens to become a standard good army vs. bad army conflict. It could have been so much more.

Ceridwen is the daughter of of a deceased warlord of Mercia. She has been raised in an abbey to read, write, and fight if need be.  At the age of 15, she is supposed to take the veil and become a nun. However, she doesn't feel the calling and has no prospects for marriage. With the abbot's blessing, she goes out in the world to seek her own path. 

Significantly, this is usually the start of a man's journey to seek their fortune. That a woman is doing this shows how slightly subversive the writing can be within certain tropes.

While stopping, Ceridwen encounters a procession that is carrying Lady Aelfwyn of Wessex who is heading for Lindisse, an area controlled by the Danes. Aelfwyn is arranged to marry Yrling, a Danish lord in an act of conquest and to bring about peace. Ceridwen and Aelfwyn bond so much that Aelfwyn instantly makes the younger woman her companion and the two become best friends.

The book develops Ceridwen and Aelfwyn very well. Ceridwen is more self assured and bolder than her friend while Aelfwyn is nervous and uncertain about her new role as Lady of the Danes. She is upset with being used as a prize and that she had to leave the man that she really loved, Gyric son of Godwulf of Kilton in the Kingdom of Wessex. Ceridwen reminds her that she can do much 

good for the people and become a shining beacon for those in war. She subtly reminds Aelfwyn that since she will be in a position of power, that there are more people involved than just her and she needs to put her hurt emotions aside because she has a job to do. 

One of the strongest moments of what this book could be is when Ceridwen and Aelfwyn visit the people of Lindisse and see many widows, orphans, and disfigured veterans. Aelfwyn is touched particularly, by the status of the women who live without choice and are under the thumb of societal standards and dominating husbands. She finally understands what her role is and she and Ceridwen talk about changing things in Lindisse. 

There is a lot of change in the beginning, especially towards Ceridwen and Aelfwyn. Before they, especially Aelfwyn, saw the Danes as an ignorant enemy that they didn't want to know. Yrling is gruff and set in his ways, but Aelfwyn comes to care for him to the point of worrying when he goes into battle. Ceridwen becomes the center of attention between two of Yrling's nephews. One, Toki, repulses Ceridwen with his aggressive sardonic behavior but Sidroc and Ceridwen develop a mutual understanding and friendship as they share stories as children of war.

One of the moments that show real understanding is how Ceridwen alters her spiritual path. At first, she was raised in a Christian abbey. While she didn't necessarily fit in with the life of a nun, she had preconceived notions of pagans because of her influence. She and Aelfwyn saw them as barbaric and backwards. 

However, Ceridwen begins to see the freedom that the pagan path offers for women. It's a nice departure from Christianity which insists that all women are vessels of sin because of Eve. It gets to the point that Ceridwen has a religious experience where she speaks to a figure that might be Ceridwen, the Goddess and her namesake. 

It's such a good book in the beginning that it is extremely upsetting that it changes during the halfway point. Ceridwen volunteers to free Aelfwyn's imprisoned former lover, Gyric. The two go on the run to Gyric's kingdom of Wessex. Along the way,they become lovers.

On paper, it's not a bad idea. Ceridwen shows a lot of strength and determination and takes the lead in their adventure. Gyric had been blinded and wounded from his imprisonment and needs Ceridwen to guide him home.

However, the plot really devolves. Among the reasons that the second half isn't as good as the first is the departure of Aelfwyn and the decline of the friendship between her and Ceridwen. 

The book seemed to be more about a friendship between the two female friends. They could have been lovers, but more importantly they were best friends who brought out the best of each other. It was a feminist stance that two women can lead and bring about such change.

Unfortunately, since Aelfwyn disappears the second half of the friendship is gone, relying on the standard male-female romance to propel the narrative.  I apologize, but it is nowhere near as compelling as the friendship that preceded it. One of the reasons is that while Ceridwen and Aelfwyn are dynamic characters that change because of their friendship, Gyric is the same static character throughout. Of course, he has been wounded and tortured and is suffering through PTSD, but that could have easily been a separate book. In fact, his and Ceridwen's subplot could have easily been a separate book and not tacked on to this one.

Ceridwen's story has been told and she has gone through great dramatic change, so that her and Gyric's story is unnecessary that it seems like filler. The plot just drags on and on when it would have had a better ending.

The Circle of Ceridwen is like a circle that starts with a strong beginning and just goes on and on instead of having a real ending. This is one circle that needs to be a lot smaller.

 

Weekly Reader: Gol (Legend of Ansu Book 1) by J.W. Webb; Brilliant and Dark Epic Fantasy With Great Characters, Themes, Narration, Plot, and Suspense

 

Weekly Reader: Gol (Legend of Ansu Book 1) by J.W. Webb; Brilliant and Dark Epic Fantasy With Great Characters , Narration, Themes, Plot p, and Suspense

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: No joke, I am in the process of reading or reviewing five Epic Fantasies this month, one of the most popular genres for independent authors. I have often weighed the reasons why this genre is so popular for authors and I believe because it calls for the highest amount of creativity to not only develop a plot and put believable characters in it but to create the world around them including the history, geography, mythology, socio political environment, flora, fauna, and magical creatures as well as the rules that magic users follow so that they don't seem too powerful or too invincible. It also helps that many authors are echoing the favorite books of their youth like The Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, A Song of Ice and Fire, The Wheel of Time, The Sword of Truth, The Harry Potter series, His Dark Materials, The Mortal Instruments, and so on. People who are raised as fantasy geeks write books for fantasy geeks and let's be proud of it. 

It's a fun experience for Authors and Readers alike to fall into a new magical world and embrace that fantasy from within. If the first book of these Epic Fantasies, Gol (The Legend of Ansu) is any indication, then it shall be quite a ride. I am warning future authors, J.W. Webb has set the bar pretty high already so they will have to be something to catch up. Gol is a brilliant and dark Epic Fantasy that is filled with terrific characters and thrilling plot and suspense as the characters prepare for what amounts to the end of the world.

What is particularly engaging about Gol is that it is written in the style of ancient historical documents like the narrator is gathering together legends and myths that they have heard in their childhood and putting them together in written form. This shows in some moments when the Third Person Omniscient Narrator suddenly becomes intrusive. 

For example, one character is trained on an island to become a warrior. The Narrator skips over the training session saying that this section was incomplete and that they do not possess the research to reveal anything more about his education. 

From an author's standpoint it allows Webb to write future short stories and novellas to tie up those loose ends. On a storytelling standpoint it puts the Narrator and the Reader on the same level so that the Reader experiences the world of Gol as the Narrator is describing it. The Omniscient Narrator isn't a god who sees everyone and everything. They are more like a bard, a historian, or a storyteller who reveal the important points but leave enough interest for the Reader to listen and want to hear more.

The cast of characters are a well written group. While there are some cliches and tropes (The Heroic Paladin, The Wise Magical Mentor, The Corrupt Sorcerer, The Star Crossed Lovers), Webb does some brilliant unique things with them that make them three dimensional and stand out from their archetypal origins.

In the center of this cast are lovers, Erun Cade and Lissane Barola. They are the lovers from opposite sides of the economic scale. He is the son of a blacksmith and she is the daughter of a wealthy baron. Her corrupt father, Baron Eon Barola has arranged her marriage to Prince Varentin Gallante. While plotting their escape, Erun runs afoul of Lissane's brothers. They kill his father and kidnap him while Lissane is forced into marriage to the not so Gallante Varentin.

Meanwhile an evil wizard, Ozymandeus is possessed by a fire demon called Ashmali destroying everything in their path. Armies, lords, kings, and an emperor are torn between fighting or siding with this unstoppable force. The plots between Erun, Lissane, and Ozymandeus cover various characters, plots, and situations only to unite in a very violent and destructive end that gives only two options: fight an unstoppable force or flee to new worlds.

One of the interesting aspects to the book are the separate paths that Erun and Lissane take. Erun befriends outlaws and warriors like Red Torrig, a rough mannered Prince and a strange cranky but experienced old man, Irulan.

Some of the more intriguing chapters are when he is trained by the giantess, Scaffa. Scaffa is the type of mentor who challenges not only with tasks but gives him instructions that are purposely unclear but leaving him to figure them out on his own. In a way she is reminiscent of Scatheach, the druidess who trained Cuchulain in Irish mythology (In fact many times in Irish history and lore, boys were trained by women and girls by men.).

Scaffa also leads Erun in his most dangerous tasks to capture the other three elemental spirits of Earth, Air, and Water to fight against Ashmali. They are very dangerous and clearly play on Erin's fears and desires so these are difficult feats, but he realizes that they are tests so Scaffa can observe  his interaction with them. Through her instruction and guidance, Scaffa becomes one of the more intriguing characters that Erun and Lissane encounter, fiercely independent and wise, willing to make a fighter out of this young man or see him die in the attempt. It pays off in the end. Erun becomes a scarred fierce skilled warrior named Kell. 

While Erun takes a warrior's path, Lissane is thrown directly into palace intrigue, that of a queen. Varentin is a sociopath who has affairs and hangs on his mother's every word. Speaking of which Varentin's mother, Sophistra openly flaunts her lover and when her husband dies under not so mysterious circumstances, her lover Torlock becomes king in all but name. The dangerous couple conspire against and do away with multiple enemies. Living with such maniacs, Lissane learns survival skills and to bury her deeper feelings up to a point.

Finding no love from her alcoholic backstabbing father and or her scheming sadistic in-laws, Lissane looks for love elsewhere. She finds it in Estorian Sarfe, a charming but kind hearted baron's son. She eventually runs away with Estorian and is accepted by his family. Through the Sarfes, Lissane is finally accepted and learns to use her power to protect those close to her.

One of the strangest bonds that Lissane develops is with Morwella, Sophistra's younger daughter. Morwella is a mentally ill girl who lives in her own world where she imagines violent scenes and declares herself Queen of Cats. In fact the people of Gallante often call Lissane, Lady of Light and Morwella, Lady of Darkness. They complete each other in a strange way like Jane Eyre and Bertha Rochester, where Morwella serves as Lissane's dark shadow self acting on the impulses that Lissane buries. It makes sense that after Morwella finally does commit murder, Lissane takes a protective sisterly role in her life. Morwella is another interesting colorful character in this cast.

What makes Erun and Lissane's path so memorable is how their feelings for each other mature. They still care for each other and cite one another as catalysts for their desires for revenge and survival, but they realize that their feelings for each other were immature and brought on by childish emotion. In fact there is a moment where after they have been through so many struggles and have learned and changed so much that when they see each other again, they don't recognize one another. In a fantasy novel, it is nice to have this true to life scenario in which lovers do grow and change when they are separated. Their feelings aren't going to be the same and their situations are going to change accordingly.

Another interesting feat is how Webb handles Ashmali and what the characters do to fight against him. It is graphic to read about Ozymandeus being eaten from within by fire and him knowing it too. Even though he's egocentric and ambitious, it's not hard to feel sorry for him as he is being tortured and eaten alive.

 What is particularly compelling is that Ashmali is literally unstoppable. Yes, the other Elementals are destined to fight against him and blah blah blah. The Elemental battles are exciting and well worth the build up. However, there is a realization that Ashmali leaves so much destruction behind him as a fire demon that he is still destroying the world. 

Even if he loses and is defeated, there is so much destruction that he in effect has already won. While the characters prepare to fight, they are also preparing to leave the subcontinent of Gol to another world. They need to start over somewhere else. Again that is a very unique touch that sometimes the bad guys win and all you can do is move on, regroup, and start over somewhere else.

With it's brilliant cast of characters, dark themes, tight suspense, brilliant narration, and wide reaching plot, Gol could stand to be a future classic in the world of Epic Fantasy.