Genre: Historical Fantasy

Overall Rating: Passably Pleasing

After over 24 hours of consideration, I am still not entirely sure what to make of this book. The Skrayling reincarnation plot is a stroke of genius, one with several allegorical points condemning organized religion and commentating on the history of the follies of White European Supremacy. I found the historical aspects of the novel intriguing and also refreshing. Often in the sci-fi/fantasy genre readers are presented with alternate dimensions that are reminiscent of historical settings from our world, but Lyle cut to the chase and did a fairly decent job of interweaving her own fantastical influence into what we know happened (or perhaps what we think we know happened). Surely this must have been a daunting task for her, and I understand that, however there seemed to be some clumsiness with main plots and sub plots stumbling into each other. Usually when an author undertakes the task of having multiple side-stories which inevitably come together, it is like a puppet master drawing strings closer and closer together, all slowly becoming one plot. There is beauty in literature which masters this. Sadly, The Alchemist of Souls is not one of them. As a reader that pays especially close attention to the details, I found that there seemed to be potential problems that should have realistically occurred that were glossed over (most likely for convenience, or worse, absentmindedness). Perhaps authors like Scott Lynch have spoiled me with their genius.

Regarding characterization, I would say that Lyle does a pretty good job. I feel that this is where she spent most of her attention for detail, for it is the detail that truly builds all nuances of a character’s personality. While I cannot say that I enjoyed the majority of the characters, I fear that I truly only read the book for Kiiren and Maliverny Catlyn, it is because of this attention to fine details that causes me to find other characters annoying. I found Coby in particular to be suitably annoying, and Ned quite a distasteful fellow, but I believe that Lyle wrote it that way on purpose.

Like I said earlier, I’m still not entirely sure what to make of this book. I found the main plot to be delightfully fraught with action and dramatic angst. Though I was disappointed in the conclusion; I was really hoping Maliverny and Kiiren would hook up, as Lyle illustrated with Ned and Gabriel that she does not oppose gay couplings. Which brings me to another positive point about the story, there is a surprisingly awesome amount of gay in this story, and it is incorporated in such a way that it’s not a big deal. Sure, socially it is frowned upon, but Lyle doesn’t go through a lot of trouble to understate homosexual love, yet also doesn’t have it flaming off the pages. There are few authors who know that balance. Overall, there are enough pros to outweigh the cons, making it a passably pleasing read. I appreciate the way that Lyle set up the ending for a series, and will most likely become a faithful reader of her stories.

Genre: Fantasy

Overall Rating: Superior

Characterization Rating: Exceedingly Superior

Plot Rating: Superior

If This Book Were A Coffee: Most definitely a dark blend, black, no cream, no sugar

As fun as it is to tear insipid works into the pieces of its faults, I have no scathing words for this masterpiece. Much like Scott Lynch, Joe Abercrombie wastes not a single detail in crafting the first in what is clearly going to be an epic trilogy. Each sentence flows naturally without ostentation, proof that Abercrombie has picked not just a handful of words to convey his point, but the perfect words to do so. Furthermore, each character has a distinct voice, which is not just apparent through diction, but also through syntax. Simply glancing through the pages without truly reading the words, it is apparent which perspective Abercrombie is writing from. I will admit, when I opened to the first page, there was really nothing in particular that hooked my interest, no tried and true hallmark that would herald the magnificence of this piece. It just seemed to flow, like fine spun silk into a complex plot, each page adding another level of intrigue and arousing curiosity. Abercrombie’s subtlety in reeling in his readers is applause-worthy. And while ‘subtle’ is certainly not the word to describe any of his characters, the way he employs it makes it seem as if the characters are the ones writing the story completely devoid of any apparent higher power machinations, such as an author. One of my favorite aspects of this story is the questionable morality. No single person embodies good wholesomeness, which is delightfully refreshing. This is an excellent piece of literature, one worthy of the title.

My Favorite Character: Logen Ninefingers/The Bloody-Nine. He is positively delightful, in a bloody, sometimes sadistic kind of way. He has his adorable moments, especially when he comes to Adua and gawps at all the buildings. I spend a good portion of the story sympathizing with him; then he goes berserk in a fight, revealing a bloodthirsty duel personality, the Blood-Nine. Until that point in the story any reference made to The Bloody-Nine seems to be only a nickname, but no, the compassion found in Logen is most noticeably absent when The Bloody-Nine comes out to play. It strongly reminds me of Drizzt Do’Urden’s alternate personality The Hunter which takes control when he is desperate in the underdark in R.A. Salvatore’s Legend of Drizzt.

                For Example: “Please…” Logan tripped, nearly fell. There was something clinging to his leg. A woman, sitting on the ground beside a wall. Her clothes were dirty, ragged, her face was pale, pinched with hunger. She had something in her arms. A bundle of rags. A child. “Please…” Nothing else. The people laughed and chattered and surged around them, just as if they weren’t there. “Please…”

                “I don’t have anything,” he muttered. No more than five strides away a man in a tall hat sat at a table and chuckled with a friend as he tucked into a steaming plate of meat and vegetables. Logen blinked at the plate of food, at the starving woman.

                                                                                                VS

  “The man screamed, and screamed behind his mask, and the Bloody-Nine laughed, and twisted the blade. Logen might have pitied them, but Logen was far away and the Bloody-Nine had no more pity in him this winter. Less even. He stabbed and cut, and cut, and smiled, and the screams bubbled and died, and he let the corpse drop to the cold stones. His fingers were slick with blood and he wiped it on his clothes, on his arms, on his face-just as it should be.” 

Here’s the link to Joe Abercrombie’s bitchin’ page, which most interestingly announces that the First Law trilogy is becoming a graphic novel: http://www.joeabercrombie.com/

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