Armor of God (Crimson Sky Series Book 1)

The world finds itself in the 'Age of Ruin', jumped-up wizards killed the gods, leaving their corpses scattered around the world, leaking wild magic. Scull's imagination is great, and he manages to make his book fun without sacrificing any of the hard-fightin', hard-drinkin', sweary goodness of grimdark fantasy. It's also fun to have a setting with plenty of magic, which is relatively rare in the muddy worlds of gritty fantasy.

Scull's pacing is impeccable, and after an explosive beginning, he chugs along nicely, and it's easy to find yourself up at four in the morning cursing what a bloody idiot you are for not going to sleep at a normal human time. Read this book if you like fantasy with a healthy portion of fun mixed in with the broken bones and rusted steel.

• Immigration Hustle (The Kink Twins #1).
• Top 25 Best Gritty Fantasy Books | #1 Guide to the best fantasy books, games, movies, and more!?
• Top 25 Best Gritty Fantasy Books?
• The (R)evolution of Audience Power: Or does the rise of user-generated content signal a radical power shift between media organisations and their audiences?.
• Get A Copy.
• Horror Comics Beyond Comics 21: Horror Stories – Prophecy of the Black Dream.

A Land Fit for Heroes. This book is a thoroughly grimdark adventure, following a world-weary PTSD sufferer on his quest to save the world he doesn't much care for. It's messy, gross, intense, brooding and also fucking awesome. Morgan has written some kick-ass sci-fi like Altered Carbon, and his fantasy also rocks. This book is a great example of fantasy caked in mud and blood rather than shining armour and codes of chivalry. Ringil, the protagonist, is a guilt-ridden, broken psyche wrapped in battle-scarred skin.

If there's even a shred of hope or goodness in my protagonists, I'm disappointed, and Ringil suits me just fine. The book is super-violent and super-sexual, and it's all about as gritty as contact lenses coated in dirt. It's quite gritty, is the point I'm trying to convey here, and there are plenty of moment where you'll feel mighty uncomfortable. But that's what you're here looking for, isn't it, you sick bastard? Ringil isn't the only viewpoint character, and the others are also well-characterized and interesting. Morgan certainly has a way with words, and the prose is a delight to read, just as the world-building is intruiging, with hints of more beyond the standard fantasy-land.

Bitter Seeds begins the Milkweed Triptych , a genre-bedning series set in an alternate version of WWII, where the Nazi's have created super-soldiers, and Britain responds by turning to warlocks and blood-magic. It blends fantasy, historical fiction and sci-fi in a way that somehow works and feels genuine.

The way magic works in the book is absolutely brutal. Warlocks appease vast, unknowable, demon-like entities with sacrifices, from a severed finger to a trainload of civilians. The increasing desperation of the British to combat the super-powered Nazi soldiers leads to some pretty questionable decisions made in the name of the greater good, and the viewpoint characters making those decisions end up, understandably, pretty fucked up.

Another interesting point is that one of the viewpoint characters is actually one of the Nazi super-soldiers, with the ability to walk through walls. The brutal training he undertakes at the hands of Nazi scientists is awful, and he makes for an interesting character. Overall, the violence is intense, with bullets flying, mortars falling, demons warping reality and Nazis flying around or setting people on fire with their minds. An illustration from the book would make a pretty sick album cover for a metal band.

Let me begin by saying that Mark Lawrence is a god and I would worship the very ground he walks upon. Why, then, is his book not rated higher on my list, you ask? Well, in terms of pure grittiness, Prince of Fools and the rest of the Red Queen's War trilogy is beaten out by the Broken Empire trilogy, which I'll get into further down the list.

In Prince of Fools , we follow Jalan Kendeth, drunkard, coward, womanizer and prince. The novel sees his beaten up by criminals, bound to a Viking warrior, and chased through icy wastes by the relentless undead. It somehow manages to be both utterly hilarious and horrifying, and some of the fight scenes with the undead, particularly at the end, are brutal.

The book's particularly fun to read because instead of taking all of this grit on the nose like a more hardened protagonist might, Jalan is scared to tears by everything he witnesses, and there's a lovely relatability in this. Even human criminals that pursue Jalan are a genuine threat, and the poor bastard is beaten up more times that you can count.

Mark Lawrence uses a tight first-person, single point-of view, and it's extremely effective.

Sword of the Bright Lady

The characterization in this book, and Lawrence's others, is some of the best I've ever encountered. Or even those people moderately capable with a sword. The Prince of Nothin. The Darkness that Comes Before, and the Prince of Nothing trilogy, along with Bakker's other works, are deep, philosophical books that demand your full attention, but are very rewarding if you will give it to them.

This book is as profane and violent as the best of them, but what sets it apart are two things. Firstly, the writing is more poetic, and more literary than most, and at its best, it's beautiful. This contrasts against, a filthy, vulgar world, and a cast of violent characters. Secondly, the content of the book is deeply philosophical and intellectual, not in an 'everyone sits around and discusses the meaning of life' way, but in that the underpinnings of the characters and plot draw from eastern and western philosophies.

The plot is epic and with many threads that play out across the series. It's a heavy meal, this, and not the sort of read that's for you if you're just looking for a light, entertaining read. The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever. Lord Foul's Bane begins the epic Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever , a series in which a leprosy-stricken man in the real world is transported to a stereotypical fantasy world. However, what ensues isn't a cutesy Narnia -like adventure, but something far less cutesy. To say the least. The grit in this book isn't primarily in the world, or the action, but in what an utter son of a bitch the protagonist it.

Thomas Covenant isn't like other anti-heroes in that he's a bastard with a heart of gold. He's a bastard through and through, and utterly unlikeable. Despite this, he's a well-drawn character grappling with the crippling disease of leprosy, refusing to believe that the fantasy world he's found himself in is even real. Covenant is so despicable at times, that on my first read of the book, I found myself doing something that I haven't done before or since; putting the book down because I was too appalled to continue.

Offsetting this is the flowery, poetic, old-fashioned way in which the book is written. Lord Foul's Bane isn't fun to read, nor will it probably be your favourite book, but it's an experience important to fantasy as a genre. Or even protagonists that aren't complete assholes. This is a story about a young street-rat becoming the apprentice of the most skilled assassin in the world, and as you'd expect from a tale about assassins, there's a lot of well assassinating.

It's the first in the Night Angel trilogy. The book opens on the protagonist as a young child, crawling through mud for enough coins to avoid a beating from his betters in a brutal street-gang. But then he accidentally witnesses a magical assassin killing a bunch of guys. It only becomes more so from there, and one particular sequence towards the end is absolutely fucking brutal. There's lots of cool sneaking around, awesome fights, and enigmatic magic as the protagonist slowly grows up to become a rival to his master. Rags to riches tales, especially those based around someone slowly becoming absurdly powerful, are always entertaining, and this is a good example of that.

I do, however, feel that the series does lack focus, and ends up feeling a bit bloated, but hey, if that's the price to pay for some sweet-ass ninja assassinations then I'm on board. This is another departure from traditional medieval fantasy, and is King's foray into creating a fantasy epic, but with a Weird West vibe.

The Dark Tower series it begins is being adapted into a film that will be released later this year. It's an extremely unique book, and King considers the series his magnum opus. For all it's weirdness, it's an impressive feat of fantasy, and an absolutely gritty one to boot. The Gunslinger is mostly about Roland Deschain, the last of the Gunslingers, following a mysterious 'man in black' across the desert of a dying world. Along the way he kills a heck of a lot of people, battles mutants, you know, all that fun stuff.

Rolan was inspired by Clint Eastwood's world-weary and eminently cool 'The Man With No Name' from The Good the Bad and the Ugly , and it's as if that character was set loose in a decaying fantasy world to follow up on a grudge. The book can actually be quite slow in places, but the violence, when it happens, it brutal. This is an odd one to appear on a list of the grittiest fantasy books, but hear me out.

Honestly, the violence and mental anguish depicted in the first book alone is more than one could expect to find in most adult books. Back in high-school I found this book in my school library. What were the librarian's thinking? In this book, demons completely destroy the life of a well-characterized young man, and things escalate explosively until the corpses of loved ones are being played with like puppets.

Despite the extreme violence, Shan somehow pulls of a realistic and genuine response in the protagonist, and it never feels 'edgy' or just an attempt at shock value. It may stray more into the horror genre than fantasy, but let's forget about that. The series becomes more firmly entrenched in fantasy as it progresses. There are mages and everything! The Red Knight and the Traitor Son Cycle it begins are the most historically-accurate depictions of medieval-era warfare that I've ever read. In fact, if you want to continue enjoying military fantasy as a whole, don't read this book, since it will make everything else seem silly Where is that knight's squire and retinue of retainers?

How the hell did that guy get into his plate armour so fast? Why does that army have no camp followers? What about their supply lines? Miles Cameron is actually a pen-name for Christian Cameron, a man almost ridiculously qualified to write military fantasy. As if that wasn't enough, he is an experienced re-enactor of medieval and classical battles. This is a man who knows what it feels like to cop a sword-blow to the helmet, and his writing shows it. Even the depiction of magic is based upon how people once thought magic might actually work. The novel follows the titular Red Knight, the leader of a mercenary company that is hired to defend an Abbey from the monstrous forces of 'the Wild'.

Cameron is dedicated to depicting warfare realistically even if it is against monsters , and when you hit someone with a mace, he demonstrates that the results are not exactly pretty. There are plenty of splintered bones, snapped tendons and torn-out throats. If you don't know who Joe Abercrombie is, then shame on you. So beautiful written the two protagonists and the relationship between them! I love it when the characters have a realistic building in their story with all the ups and downs etc. And the romantic element was just as mush as needed so it's not just a girly story.

A gorgeous element also So cool the way the author u I enjoyed this book quite much! So cool the way the author used that! There are beautiful scenes through out the hole book that take place in quite different sceneries which I also loved! I only wish the story was a little less fast passed so we could have more time with the characters during their personal development!

I wanted more between the main and also the side characters! I can't wait for the rest of the story! It's one of these books that grew on me as I kept going with the story and in the end I was desperate for the rest of it Emma Hamm did a genius thing with the ending I was left I bit heartbroken and I can't stop thinking of their destiny Oct 20, Michaela Whitney rated it really liked it Shelves: Emma, thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to read another of your books early! I give this one 4. It was so close! But I think the next book in this chapter will really hit the spot.

We meet Sigrid, a Beastkin, Part woman, part beast. And Sigrid is the matriarch of her sisters clan, and the very last of her kind. A Dragon, the last dragon. Every Beastkin are considered family and sister. Only their true faces may be seen by their husbands or family. Ornate masks reflecting their inner beast cover their faces in public controlling and suppressing the beast within , Beastkin have many rules and rituals they observe, they are a quiet secretive people, with an inner hunger for battle, each a trained- highly skilled warrior.

In Wildewyn they are the last of the Beastkin, only women remain or exist. They are strong and powerful, beautiful and dangerous. We meet Sigrid on her bittersweet wedding day. And it leads her down a path she never thought was possible. And we meet Nadir a spoiled bitter boy king who should have never been Sultan. The one job he never wanted, who gets far more than he bargained for. Seas of Crimson Silk was a refreshing blend of different mythologies, and a new look at shapeshifters, I really enjoyed it. Sigrid and Nadir are wonderfully complex characters.

I felt in a way that this first book felt a little more like a prequel, setting you up for this spectacular star - crossed lovers saga that you know is going to be epic. Two halves of a whole reaching for each other under the most terrible of circumstances. I hope they survive to meet at the end. Emma, thank you for continuing to wow us readers, we're lucky to have you! Oct 12, Ashley Martinez ilovebooksandstuffblog rated it really liked it. Full of adventure and suspense this book keeps you up all night.

There was so much emotion between the characters. I loved their journey together it was push and pull and just like breathing a breath of fresh air. The story was not what I was expecting and left off with high anticipation for the next book. But a must read if you love fantasy with story kick-butt heroines, adventure and romance. Nov 18, Nikki rated it it was amazing. What can I say? How is that possible? This book had a beautiful story, charismatic characters and an amazing aura of romance! Oct 13, My Reading to Write rated it really liked it.

To start with the world building was lush and beautiful. I found myself intrigued almost immediately by the premise. The novel is set over two distinct landscapes, Wildewyn and Bymere. By virtue of the action of the novel we do explore Bymere a little more in this novel, but that will likely be remedied as the series progresses. This is contrasted so beautifully with Wildewyn and the lush forest and castle-scape that is so often the home to fantasy fiction. This contrast is wonderfully explored not only through our main protagonists, but through the lush descriptions Hamm delivers. The basic premise is that Sigrid is given in marriage to Nadir, the Sultan of a more powerful enemy nation.

Now, I think this premise can be brilliant when well done. The relationship between the two develops as expected. With a fair amount of animosity and mistrust, which felt authentic. On the whole though, the characterisation is thorough and consistent. The main issue that I had with the novel was, after the delightful slow build of the first stages, the ending seemed rushed and incomplete.

One moment the characters were discussing the potential issues of what would be our climax, and then we were suddenly there with very little understanding of what got us to that point. In this my main issue was also Sigrid, for a lack of explanation as to what caused her to totally change her views and act entirely out of character at the end. Now, some of this may be made clear upon reading the second in this series but it does not make the ending any more satisfying in the reading of this book.

I still very much enjoyed it and will certainly read the rest of the series, I simply found the ending slightly unsatisfying after the beauty and delight of the earlier parts of the book. Nov 09, Madalyn added it. Review and rating to come!! Dec 01, Danica Dawn rated it it was amazing.

This story was everything! This is Game of Thrones meets Hundredth Queen with a slow burn romance and leaves you wanting more. I need the next book, now! Emma Hamm has done a brilliant job creating this new world. It's exciting well thought out with every detail. The twists keep coming and after reading her Otherworld series I expect nothing less.

Seas of Crimson Silk is a masterpiece. I expect great things from this author and can't wait to read the next book in the series and w This story was everything! I expect great things from this author and can't wait to read the next book in the series and whatever else she is cooking up!

See a Problem?

Thank you, Booksprout and the author for a chance to read this novel! Seas of Crimson Silk Author: Fantasy, Romance Release date: This story follows two perspectives, Nadir and Sigrid. As a peace treaty, Nadir and Sigrid are forced to marry and thus the story begins. I found the whole situation rather odd and abusive with his wife, it is said later on in the book that his wife is old enough to be his mother and that she has a son who is the same age as Nadir around 20 years old and that she manipulated and took advantage of him when he was a young king.

I hope this is all addressed properly in the next book. I was completely hooked right from page one. The world building was fantastic and intriguing, the magical system unique and engaging. I thought the author really succeeded in creating a well-formed world while avoiding the dreaded info dumping.

Each kingdom that we are introduced to has a lot of different cultural influences, which I really enjoyed seeing represented. An aspect I really loved was all the traditions and rituals our main characters perform. I found it fascinating and it really added a lot of great characterisation. Overall, I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this novel and I would definitely recommend it if it sounds like something you would enjoy!

72 best Arcane (The Arinthian Line #1) images on Pinterest | Book 1, Landscape and Nature

These "Beastkin", fierce women warriors, are all but imprisoned by their kingdom, even forced to wear masks. Their culture is steeped in restrictive tradition. Sigrid is the Beastkin matriarch and is bartered through marriage to the Sultan of the evil neighboring country. Nadir is a young sultan jerked around by his advisers, haunted by his brother's death, and filled with ideas but lacking the wherewithal to carry them out.

Together, Sigrid and Nadir learn to set aside prejudice to see the good in each other and their people, eventually having to make the choice between the two. Emma Hamm creates a world rich in magic and tradition. Her writing is breathtaking as always and truly depicts a beautiful fantasy landscape. This was an aspect that didn't click with me, although this is due to my own preferences. I just have trouble staying interested in heavy literary politics. The story was very much character driven. Sigrid is stoic, powerful, and idealistic. Nadir is headstrong, courageous, and just the right amount of arrogant.

One has to remember that this is the very beginning of their story and they are so, so young. Their romance is a slow burn, but I wish their friendship had been more developed before the romance came into play. That being said, I feel there's still so much growth yet to come. The ending left so many possibilities open that I can't fathom what is next, but I can't wait to find out!

Pick this one up if you like a beautiful fantasy tale heavy on the politics and stubborn characters. I'm looking forward to watching Sigrid and Nadir's growth, both in their relationship and as rulers. I received an ARC from the author and this in no way influenced my honest review Nov 21, Rebelle Books Kara rated it it was amazing. I was given an E-arc in exchange for a review. I loved this book! Emma Hamm is one of my favorite authors. It isn't the formulaic unoriginal books of the publishing industry. Her books are always interesting and original. This story is fantastic!

She is trying to do what she thinks is right for her people even when she is in a situation that would destroy most of us. Nadir is just as complicated and needs to come to terms with I was given an E-arc in exchange for a review.

Nadir is just as complicated and needs to come to terms with who he is. By the end of the book he was slowly coming to some of those realizations, he still has a long way to go. The relationships are real and multidimensional. The romance is such a slow burn it is refreshing. The politics keep you trying to anticipate what comes next. How does everyone navigate this difficult world? They do but make mistakes as you would expect.

The only part that I felt was a hole in the story was at the end. They were talking about training people to fight then the next part they are fighting and a MC does something that I felt was completely out of character to the person I thought they were. I would have liked to see how some of the training went and how the decision was made to have the battle turn out the way that it did. Overall I loved it. Great story and great characters fit earns its 5 star rating. A total must read if you want something original! Nov 13, Yels rated it liked it. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

There are some personalities in this world that just absorb information and are quite intrigued in the inner workings of basically everything. Christopher must be one of those people because he seems to know an awful lot. I think this was a pretty strong debut.

I really enjoyed the premise and the way magic and status is handled. Magic with a real cost! At times things seemed a bit easy for our protagonist, but, hey, I liked the rest of it enough I can easily overlook that. When it comes down to it, Sword of the Bright Lady was an enjoyable and intriguing read with an ending that has me interested and asking more questions until I get the chance to read the next one.

Aug 30, Kelly rated it it was amazing Shelves: Christopher Sinclair wakes from an interesting dream into a more interesting dilemma. He is in an alternate reality, a world eerily similar and yet markedly different to ours. The sleepy village he finds himself in appears to be stuck in the medieval age, but for certain marvels. The higher the rank, the more magic a practitioner commands.

On his first day in th Christopher Sinclair wakes from an interesting dream into a more interesting dilemma.

Beware of Dragons (Or Not): 50 Of The Best Epic Fantasy Series

On his first day in this new world, not quite given over to the fact he has left his own world, rather, Christopher believes himself the displaced victim of a plane crash. Our hero manages to transgress several laws while coming to the defence of a young woman. He is summoned by church officials and interviewed. By the time his audience with Saint Krellyan is finished, two things are clear. Some legal finagling puts off his death, but there is a cost. He agrees, seeing no other way to stay alive long enough to find a way home. He is given a rank and inducted into the local religion where he will serve a priest to the Bright Lady, the goddess of healing.

While preparing for war, Christopher succeeds in more than arming his cadre of young draftees with improved weaponry. In slow steps, he organises an industrial revolution. But not everyone appreciates his forward thinking or his methodology. Then there are the duellists who want a crack at his magic sword, grudge-bearing nobleman and a mysterious assassin who wants to know all of his secrets.

The magic system alone is fascinating. A little more fun, too. By about half-way through the book, I had decided that M. Planck had found a way to truly fictionalise a table-top gaming experience. Bodies are looted and experience and goods apportioned according to who struck the killing blow and rank, of course. So, characters gain tael and magical items by defeating foes. Tael can be used to regenerate limbs, raise the dead, or elevate rank.

War is a numbers game. So, the life of a commoner is not considered worth much. This is where the gap in society comes into play. The thought of riding to war on the backs of near-defenceless young men horrifies him. So, he changes the formula. Christopher is an engaging character who feels more real as the pages turn.

His sense of wonder and humour both amused. Dec 25, Daniel rated it liked it. Interesantna ideja i postavka ali mi je sve nekako malo suvise ko da je neko prebacio naku igru. Fin pocetak ali moci tek posle 2ge igre da kazem dal vredi serijal ili ne. Aug 24, Scott Bell rated it really liked it. A good start to a Displaced Person fantasy. The series suffers from bloat and the never-finishing syndrome of modern fantasy epics. Just one more novel and we'll reach the end Jul 30, David rated it it was amazing. This is what happens when you put science-fiction, fantasy, moral development, and political-science into a blender.

Stirling and Eric Flint will feel right at home with Christopher as he struggles to reconcile his gentle nature and modern sensibilities with a world filled with goblins, magic, and medieval privilege. World building is often one of the more difficult aspect This is what happens when you put science-fiction, fantasy, moral development, and political-science into a blender. His initial reaction is, quite predictably, shock and it progress as he grieves for the world he lost and his wife who was left behind he literally bargains with a god.

It is believable and not excessively angsty and he emerges from it dedicated to bringing some much needed justice to the world around him. The rest of the book alternates between impressive world building, whoever thought banking could be so fun, and action sequences. By the end it is clear that Christopher is not done growing as a character and that the conflicts he has faced so far are quite provincial. Better than average story of a stranger in a strange land. The mixture was indistinguishable from anger. It cannot comprehend Good.

Well, that and fireballs. Oct 14, drowningmermaid rated it did not like it Shelves: What I was hoping for: What I was expecting: Now, I do feel a bit bad about having such a negative reaction, because I consider the author, or at least the author's online persona, to be a generally awesome guy. But there really isn't much nice that I can say about this book. I like the concept of tael, although it does seem very, very videogamey. And overall, this story might have worked better if it had just gone all the way and made itself a WoW fanfic. It would have been a very credi What I was hoping for: It would have been a very creditable WoW fanfic.

Others before me have complained about this book seeming to be ripped out of a video game. And the author himself has mentioned that this is his interpretation of a common gamer fantasy-- that of being the one RL person stuck in fantasyland. The problem with writing a book about a fantasy that everyone has already had The other problem with writing a book about this type of video game fantasy, is that this book fails at being a video game fantasy. There is no video game plot. Video game plots take you through various parts of the world: This Entire Book you spend at a save point, changing your character's outfit, talking to NPCs who have suffered arrows to the knee, and impressing locals.

One that outright admitted the MC was sucked into a video game, and actually explored in-depth the fear and displacement and horror at all the bloodshed. That gave a hint of the possibility the MC might not make it. That gave roles to other characters that were complex and GRRMartiny. The MC character is a painful Gary Stu whose every roadblock exists only to prove how invincible he is, and there are no characters developed beyond the most flimsy cardboard cutout.

Think of one of the NPCs in Diablo and Every other character exists only as a foil for Gary Stu's successes. And every conflict is resolved linearly within a ten-page chapter. The author has said this book took about three months to write. It could have benefited from some more months. Sadly, it reads like a NaNoNovel. For one thing, one of the things I was really hoping to see was Mechanical Engineer Awesome. The MC is a supposed mechanical engineer who is going to change the world by industrializing Monty Python and the Holy Grail. But there is VERY little mechanical engineer research done here The final battle sequence was pretty good, if unsurprising.

But the final plot twist felt very, very rushed. I got royally sick of watching Christopher make stupid, overly-idealistic military decisions and then get rewarded for them. Part of war is loss. Dec 23, Denver Public Library rated it it was amazing Shelves: This book is awesome, SciFi hiding as fantasy or Fantasy pretending to be SciFi I couldn't tell but it really didn't matter! There were certainly some instances of suspension of disbelief but excellent payoff. Good characterization, decent pacing, good world building Christopher Sinclair, a gentle souled mechanical engineer wakes up in a strange bed with a strange woman, in a strange land where no one speaks English.

It must be a dream but even for a dream this is too weird. Turns out Christopher fell through space to another place altogether and, Toto, this ain't Kansas.

Katana swords, suits of armor, horses and stones which cast light without heat. Christopher is being sheltered by a priest, Pater Svengusta, and his "wench" for lack of a better word Helga. One day while earning his keep by chopping firewood he gets involved in a civil dispute between some serfs and a ranked man. Christopher doesn't even speak the language but he cannot stand for what is happening, and so, the gauntlet is thrown.

The only way to save Christopher is to bring him into the fold. Using magic Cardinal Faren communicates with Christopher that he must pledge himself to the service of the Bright Lady, and in so doing enlist in the army for the next three years. In trade, the church will resurrect him if he dies during the duel I know, right?! Bewildered and heartsick Christopher feels this might be the only way to survive this harsh world until he can find his way back home so he agrees.

This pledge grants Christopher certain powers, he can now speak the languages of this new land, he is granted rank meaning he has magic and access to the knowledge that comes with it, oh as well as making him the only Priest of the God of War that this land has seen in many years. Magic, swords, backyard chemistry and resurrection, this book kicks so much butt! Aug 27, Mike rated it liked it. When Christopher Sinclair takes a walk one night in Arizona he suddenly finds himself waking up in a strange land gripped by a freezing winter. Sinclair is quickly quickly finds himself embroiled in the affairs of the titular Bright Lady as her consort, the God of War Marcius, offers an exchange: From its initial layout Sword of the Bright Lady there is a sense of familiarity to the tale When Christopher Sinclair takes a walk one night in Arizona he suddenly finds himself waking up in a strange land gripped by a freezing winter.

He knows a bit too much to be able to survive in a pre-industrial society as he is able to bring techniques and technologies to bear in order to improve the quality of weapons and armor. Similar his prowess with a weapon, though below that of the native in the novel, is a bit too good for someone from our world. The world of Sword of the Bright Lady often feels familiar, particularly to anyone who has played a video game or enjoyed a session of Dungeons and Dragons.

Magic-users are measured by rank and their power is increased by taking on the energy of expired lifeforms, particularly other ranked individuals. While the novel lacks depths it makes up for that lack with some excellent action scenes and the pure entertainment value of watching a headstrong, independent-minded American butt heads with a rigid feudal society. Dec 29, Breanne rated it it was amazing Shelves: The writing style was very simple, but the story was very effectively told and I could not put down the last third of the book until after 2am when I read the last page.

This is one for fans of fantasy, gaming, time travel, and anyone who is intrigued by the thought of sending MacGyver back to medieval times and seeing what he comes up with. The first page starts with Christopher, a man from our world and our time, waking up in another world entirely. It's winter, he has no money and was found wandering the night before through the wilderness, half frozen. The world he has entered is full of magic and medieval-age technology, and a war has been ravaging their society for years.

Christopher is inadvertently swept into the war's draft for the following season. Not wanting to become part of the war's terrible mortality rate, and drawing on his skills as a mechanical engineer, he decides to invent firearms - but he's got to start from scratch.

This was obviously what I loved about the book, but there are other things that fantasy fans will love, too. Christopher becomes pledged to Marcius, the God of War, which leads to duels, assassins, monsters, sword fighting, and of course, magic. A complex world has been created filled with class divisions, political tensions between church and state, upper and lower classes. Heck, there are even levels "ranks" that you can gain or lose if you die. This was a fascinating story with a very likable main character and a wide cast of characters set in an interesting world. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

Dec 14, Joel Tone rated it really liked it. This book is the story of a modern man dumped into a self-consistent Dungeons and Dragons world. The part I enjoyed most about it is that he is moral without being preachy and the world makes sense. I'm very much looking forward to the next book in this series. If you liked this book, the closest analog is Joel Rosenberg's Guardians of the Flame series. Jan 19, Kate rated it really liked it. I have grown weary with teenagers saving the world and magic being unlimited.

The main character in this novel is not a teenager, the magic system Planck has built is neither free nor unlimited, and the complexity of the world and story thrive because of both. This book was a breath of fresh air. Aug 13, Chris rated it it was amazing Shelves: This was one of those books i was eager to continue reading, which hasnt happent too often this past year. What we have is a standard sword and sorcery fantasy novel starring a middleaged man who actually comes from our own normal world and somehow goes through a portal into this new fantasy realm.

Technologically speaking, this place is not yet at the industrial revolution. But fear not, because our main character, Christopher, just so happens to be a mechanical engineer and single handedly turns the ideas of the world on its head. Introducing machining, explosives etc he is able to bring new and improved methods to daily life as well as warfare. And of course there is violence here because the world exists on a feudal kingdom hierarchy of sorts that also deals with a magic system based on rank.