Tarion is The Last Praetorian
OK, you take The Last Roman Praetorian, toss in The God of Thunder (yes, Thor), Loki as well as a few others from Asgard. Mix in some Dragons, good and bad, a few pixies, elves and dwarves. Sprinkle with wizards and evil sorceress's and flavor with Naugrathur the Destructor for a "hot" spice and the Goddess Freya for a "sweet" spice and you have one heck of a novel with more sub-plots then you can shake a stubby wrist at (have to read the book for that one).
Now, let me say right up front if you are not into these types of fantasy books you will most likely not like this one. If you are or are on the border line at least try the free sample. If you have a Kindle and aren't using the free samples you are not taken advantage of a great resource and feature. I myself was on the border line. While I have read some similar books I am more of a sci-fi space type main-liner. It did take me two reads of the sample to decide to get this book but once I did I loved it. Now, let me validate that statement just a touch.
I have seen in reviews of other books where one describes a book as an easy read or a hard read. This is sometime referenced on the "grade" level of writing, or thinness of plot or characters development. And hard reads can be toward grammatical / editing errors as well as just plain dry or boring. I mainly look at it on the basis of is it a "good" read. For those that go on the easy/good, this book falls into the "hard" read group, HOWEVER, I mean that as a good point as it was a very "good" read for me. It is long, a 671k file (such as this review seems to be going, kinda blew by the 300 word thing,oops). I am not sure how many pages that is, a recent book I read was listed with a file size of 491k at 291 printed pages, another one at 400k and approximately 120,00 words, as examples.
And of course this is from my view, it was most definitely not boring or dry. Quite the opposite, it was incredibly descriptive and not with frivolous (yes, I have a dictionary), or excessive points. Everything seem to need to be there, it added, enhanced, flavored. To borrow a bit from the movie City of Angels, when Seth and Maggie are in the library and Seth mentions how much he likes the author (Hemingway) because he always describes how something tastes or smells, that is how Mr. Anderson (hmm, Matrix?) does it as well. You can taste the ale, smell the cooking dragon (yum) or hear the crackle of the fire. It just carried me on from page to page. I always wanted more but this book I had to pace, it was as though I could only take so much at a time and had to pause a bit to let it absorb in. I consider myself a very good reader, I can kill a average sci-fi book in a day if it grabs me and I am left alone (read wife, yeah-yeah, sorry, love her -moving on, see my review of Baby I Love You). I guess I was not use to such a descriptively good book. And when I did get to the end I was ticked off because (yes, sort of spoiler but not really), it was a cliff-hanger. I am happy to say that according to Christopher's blog page (sorry, had to go to first name to keep The Matrix off my mind), the 2nd AND 3rd books are in editing and soon to be out this year. Delayed only due to getting out some of his other books. Very much looking forward to both.
So, to sum up (like you are getting away from me that easily), loved the book, everything I mention I meant in a POSITIVE way, this is just the way it felt to me. P Hardin
KINDLE PAPERBACK
OK, you take The Last Roman Praetorian, toss in The God of Thunder (yes, Thor), Loki as well as a few others from Asgard. Mix in some Dragons, good and bad, a few pixies, elves and dwarves. Sprinkle with wizards and evil sorceress's and flavor with Naugrathur the Destructor for a "hot" spice and the Goddess Freya for a "sweet" spice and you have one heck of a novel with more sub-plots then you can shake a stubby wrist at (have to read the book for that one).
Now, let me say right up front if you are not into these types of fantasy books you will most likely not like this one. If you are or are on the border line at least try the free sample. If you have a Kindle and aren't using the free samples you are not taken advantage of a great resource and feature. I myself was on the border line. While I have read some similar books I am more of a sci-fi space type main-liner. It did take me two reads of the sample to decide to get this book but once I did I loved it. Now, let me validate that statement just a touch.
I have seen in reviews of other books where one describes a book as an easy read or a hard read. This is sometime referenced on the "grade" level of writing, or thinness of plot or characters development. And hard reads can be toward grammatical / editing errors as well as just plain dry or boring. I mainly look at it on the basis of is it a "good" read. For those that go on the easy/good, this book falls into the "hard" read group, HOWEVER, I mean that as a good point as it was a very "good" read for me. It is long, a 671k file (such as this review seems to be going, kinda blew by the 300 word thing,oops). I am not sure how many pages that is, a recent book I read was listed with a file size of 491k at 291 printed pages, another one at 400k and approximately 120,00 words, as examples.
And of course this is from my view, it was most definitely not boring or dry. Quite the opposite, it was incredibly descriptive and not with frivolous (yes, I have a dictionary), or excessive points. Everything seem to need to be there, it added, enhanced, flavored. To borrow a bit from the movie City of Angels, when Seth and Maggie are in the library and Seth mentions how much he likes the author (Hemingway) because he always describes how something tastes or smells, that is how Mr. Anderson (hmm, Matrix?) does it as well. You can taste the ale, smell the cooking dragon (yum) or hear the crackle of the fire. It just carried me on from page to page. I always wanted more but this book I had to pace, it was as though I could only take so much at a time and had to pause a bit to let it absorb in. I consider myself a very good reader, I can kill a average sci-fi book in a day if it grabs me and I am left alone (read wife, yeah-yeah, sorry, love her -moving on, see my review of Baby I Love You). I guess I was not use to such a descriptively good book. And when I did get to the end I was ticked off because (yes, sort of spoiler but not really), it was a cliff-hanger. I am happy to say that according to Christopher's blog page (sorry, had to go to first name to keep The Matrix off my mind), the 2nd AND 3rd books are in editing and soon to be out this year. Delayed only due to getting out some of his other books. Very much looking forward to both.
So, to sum up (like you are getting away from me that easily), loved the book, everything I mention I meant in a POSITIVE way, this is just the way it felt to me. P Hardin
KINDLE PAPERBACK
The Destructor takes the field to hunt down the troublesome Praetorian. Naugrathur, once the ancient God of Justice Tyr, cannot abide the chaos of the world. He defies his brethren the Gods and seeks to impose his Dominion on all life. The world will bend its knee to him or else. All that stands in his way is a single mortal man who nevertheless hides a kernel of his formal self in his mortal being: Tarion the Praetorian. Yet even if Naugrathur the Destructor himself can't destroy Tarion, surely the Praetorian cannot stand against the amorous predation of the Goddess Freya, his honor bound conflict with the mighty dragon Karkedon or the insatiable appetite of Fenrir the Wolf of the Armageddon--can he?
KINDLE PAPERBACK
KINDLE PAPERBACK
The Praetorian is gone. Tyr the Wanderer has banished Tarion to oblivion and taken his body, the final step in his quest to return to the world and end the tyranny of his Twain, Naugrathur the Destructor. Yet Tyr didn't consider the effect this would have on the world. Instead of welcoming him as a hero to save the world from the Dominion of the Destructor, Tyr is reviled. Undaunted Tyr rides to his destiny, meeting the Destructor on the battle plain of Vigrid at the ending of the world. The Twain meet at the moment of Ragnarok, the time of judgment, and only then does Tyr learn where true strength, true power can be found. He is failing and the world is falling into darkness. Only one being can intervene and salvage the disaster of Tyr's making--Tarion Praetorian--but how?
KINDLE PAPERBACK
KINDLE PAPERBACK
KARKEDON: The First of the Dragon's Eye Trilogy
Karkedon is back! Seething over Tarion's ill-use, Karkedon plots his revenge. He lays a trap for the Praetorian using Roma as bait but not everything is going according to plan. Empress Minerva isn't cooperating with the dragon; she doesn't seem to accept his might at face value and Karkedon can't consume her for her cheek--yet. Then there's the matter of Athena Xerxes, the loveliest and most frightful dame in history. Inexplicably, she spurns Karkedon, but not before the drake discovers her deepest, darkest secret! That will have to wait until Karkedon settles his score with the Praetorian. Karkedon won't forget Athena; in fact, he plans on using Tarion's head as a dowry!
Tarion is having problems of his own. Like Karkedon he's caught between two women: Empress Minerva and the Goddess Freya. Simply put, Tarion is looking forward to his duel with Karkedon; the dragon is the safest of the three perilous adventures!
Read the first book earlier this year and liked it. Book 2 is a fast-paced and solid read. The action moves quickly and the story is fluid and coherent. Strongly recommend. H. Desai
KINDLE e-Book PAPERBACK
Karkedon is back! Seething over Tarion's ill-use, Karkedon plots his revenge. He lays a trap for the Praetorian using Roma as bait but not everything is going according to plan. Empress Minerva isn't cooperating with the dragon; she doesn't seem to accept his might at face value and Karkedon can't consume her for her cheek--yet. Then there's the matter of Athena Xerxes, the loveliest and most frightful dame in history. Inexplicably, she spurns Karkedon, but not before the drake discovers her deepest, darkest secret! That will have to wait until Karkedon settles his score with the Praetorian. Karkedon won't forget Athena; in fact, he plans on using Tarion's head as a dowry!
Tarion is having problems of his own. Like Karkedon he's caught between two women: Empress Minerva and the Goddess Freya. Simply put, Tarion is looking forward to his duel with Karkedon; the dragon is the safest of the three perilous adventures!
Read the first book earlier this year and liked it. Book 2 is a fast-paced and solid read. The action moves quickly and the story is fluid and coherent. Strongly recommend. H. Desai
KINDLE e-Book PAPERBACK
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Veraxus has been taken by Johaan the Snow Giant, who intends on using the world's greatest drake to gain the Throne of the North. If he's not stopped the northern kingdoms will become thrall states of the Ice Queen Navernya, and Veraxus will suffer the fate of Karkedon, his son, and become a slave to the Dread Lord.
Tarion Praetorian journeys north to the Triune Kingdoms in a desperate attempt to thwart Johaan's plans. Yet not only does the Praetorian have the Snow Giant King to contend with, for Veraxus is Johaan's slave. How is Tarion to free his friend while Veraxus is trying to kill him? To make matters worse Ragnar the Kzurgnai, who once himself sat on the Throne of the North, wants to regain his seat. Tarion is beset by Johaan and Veraxus on one side and Ragnar and the Kzurgnai on the other. It is an impossible task, but the goddess Freya is not in an understanding mood. KINDLE e-Book PAPERBACK |
