“… All must fall before the power of the Omnisiah” – Tech-priest Dominus Auregus Osmium
Let me start with a warning. Don’t be confused by the descriptions on the cover of this book. They are not adequate to what we find inside. It only agrees that Tagard Logor Szalan is the main character. The rest is probably the invention of someone who has never read a book. These short descriptions have nothing to do with the actual content. First things first.
The action of this novel is set in the kingdom of Antian, which is located mainly in the ocean. The mainland is a rarity in this world, and it is a privilege to own even a plot of land. There is a strange power in this universe, referred to by the locals as the Will. It makes rocks float in the air or repel water, for example. This power is said to come from the gods and only they can use it. This world, or at least the setting of this novel, does not forgive weakness. Crippled people or those without the so-called divine stigmas are treated as slaves and employed as servants or workers for the worst tasks. In such a world, Tagard Logor Shalan is born, the son of the middle noble and the disinherited sister of the king-god. And it is he who will try to wrest their power from the gods for the first time. Will he succeed and what will be the little consequences for the world? This item will answer these questions.
The fictional disorder, or why creating your own world is a difficult art
I have already summarized the plot as much as possible without spoilers. So it’s time for the right part of the review.
In general, I rate the entire book quite well, especially since it was the author’s debut. However, I have some fairly large objections. They do not refer to any glaring flaws affecting the plot or the general shape of the novel, but evidence of the author’s experience, after all, and the unwillingness to ease the reader while meandering through numerous names that are new to him. So, the first thing that I have to criticize the book is the lack of any lexicon and map of the world. At some point, there are so many new terms like Zar or Harien and numerous places in the geography of the universe in question that it is impossible to grasp them. As if there was a map and some glossary of terms, or at least a tree with drawn dependencies, it would be easier. Another objection is the creation of the main character. Although the author’s pen is light and attracts attention, that’s how she doesn’t do character creation at all. The main character is either angry or furious throughout the novel. He doesn’t talk, just growls or screams. There is no depth in it, no hints that this individual may be alive. The only thing we know is that he cannot feel any emotions other than those mentioned above, and his desires do not change at all throughout the position. This is very bad as the concept for the book and the overall workmanship is really fine. The last – for me the most serious – accusation is a very ill-considered ending of the piece. Everything happens suddenly and for no real reason whatsoever. The main plot or motif goes to the head, and there are some strange threads detached from the rest. It is true that the title is explained, but it is so far-fetched that I do not believe that it was supposed to be like that at the beginning. I have the impression that the ending is a perfect example of a debut that is too long, where there is not enough strength for a good finish to the whole. Where all the energy is spent on building a residual history and mythology of the world instead of pampering the main plot, and at the same time finishing in glory and glory. I understand that you need to have an attack on the sequel, because I have no doubts that it will be created, but it could have been done better, like Richard Schwartz with the first volume of his seriesSecrets of Askiru .
Overall, as I mentioned, however, I rate the entire book very positively. You can see freshness and new quality in it. Despite the shortcomings, I had a great time. I can certainly recommend it especially to steampunk fans. The rating is also influenced by a good-quality edition for which the Lira publishing house is responsible. They published this item on quite thin paper, but with a nice illustration on the cover and very good formatting. Congratulations.
