The Hammer and the Blade A Tale of Egil and Nix (Audible Audio Edition) Paul S Kemp Nick Podehl Brilliance Audio Books
Download As PDF : The Hammer and the Blade A Tale of Egil and Nix (Audible Audio Edition) Paul S Kemp Nick Podehl Brilliance Audio Books
So here's the plan Kill the demon, steal the treasure, and retire to a life of luxury!
It sounds easy when put like that. However, most unfortunately for warrior-priest Egil and sneak thief Nix, when the demon they kill turns out to have worshippers in high places, retirement is not an option.
A wonderfully fast-paced fantasy adventure redolent of the classic tales of swords and sorcery, from New York Times best-selling author Paul S. Kemp.
The Hammer and the Blade A Tale of Egil and Nix (Audible Audio Edition) Paul S Kemp Nick Podehl Brilliance Audio Books
Paul S. Kemp apparently has his roots in Dungeons & Dragons novelization, and while this book may not officially have any connection with that franchise, the similarities are plain to anyone familiar with the genre. High fantasy is something people either love or hate, and since anyone reading this would necessarily be squarely in the love camp, I'm happy to report that Kemp isn't shy about giving us the sword and sorcery that we crave.Nevertheless, I found the book's style to be surprisingly off the beaten track. I haven't read all that many D&D style novels, so it may be more prevalent than I think, but I couldn't get over just how masculine the book was. Egil and Nix, the two protagonists, are both male and as crude as sailors on shore leave. The sheer volume of blood, sweat, and vomit in the story is more than a bit gratuitous.
Nix, a good-hearted trickster and rogue, gets most of the characterization, while Egil, a brawny adherent of a dead god, gets less attention. In my opinion, the characterization was good for this type of novel, but don't go into it thinking it is akin to a Dickens novel, because it isn't. Going through the adventure, we meet a reasonably large and varied cast of characters. They all have their various skills, but none of them seem particularly profound or bright. The ending and the plot wrap-up showed some strain, but it was humorous, if a bit of a gross-out. But that's not a strong critcism. Endings are tough, and to his credit, Kemp handled it as well as most.
Just by mistake, I bought the second in the series before the first, so with some annoyance I bought the first one too without ever having read any of it..(You're welcome Mr. Kemp.) I have to say however that the second installment is on hold since my tolerance for blood and guts needs a recharge. I gave it four stars, although I would have gone with 3 1/2 if I had the choice.
Product details
|
Tags : Amazon.com: The Hammer and the Blade: A Tale of Egil and Nix (Audible Audio Edition): Paul S. Kemp, Nick Podehl, Brilliance Audio: Books, ,Paul S. Kemp, Nick Podehl, Brilliance Audio,The Hammer and the Blade: A Tale of Egil and Nix,Brilliance Audio,B008EPNSE8
People also read other books :
- The Enchanted Island Fannie Louise Apjohn 9781286080047 Books
- Bad Stepmom edition by Scarlett Marks Literature Fiction eBooks
- Wordsearch Puzzles 3 More Than 350 Engrossing Puzzles edition by Joseph Wendell Humor Entertainment eBooks
- TRAPPED In An Abusive Relationship The Women of Strength Diaries Book 1 eBook Tonya Thomas
- Decisive battles of the world Edward Shepherd Creasy John Gilmer 18531909 [from old Speed 9781174842214 Books
The Hammer and the Blade A Tale of Egil and Nix (Audible Audio Edition) Paul S Kemp Nick Podehl Brilliance Audio Books Reviews
I've read so many political intrigue stories that take place in throne rooms or on rooftops featuring assassins with hearts of gold lately; it's refreshing to read a good old fashioned buddy adventure story featuring characters with depth, weapons, and beer.
Story
Two down on their luck tomb robbers get incredibly lucky! Then fortune turns to misfortune as they're drawn into a fiendish plot between a wizard, a demon, and two witches. If I say anything else, I may ruin the story for you. Just know that this is a gritty fast paced adventure set in an original world full of magic and monsters.
Characters
Egil and Nyx are memorable because they're old friends. They don't tell you that they're friends. You can read it in their mannerisms. They complete each others sentences. They know what the other one is going to do before he does it. Their strengths compliment each other's weaknesses. They may not always see eye to eye on things, but they trust each other. In a world full of demons and shady characters, trust is more valuable than gold.
The other characters in the story are also well written and all of their actions are motivated by their beliefs. Nobody acts good or bad because it's what it says on their character sheet. They all act like real people in dire situations.
World Building
This is a unique world full of magic and demons. If I had to pick a similar world, I'd go with Diablo. There's vile sorcery, desolate demon wastes, nefarious spirits, foul creatures lurking in the darkness, hidden tombs beneath the earth, and diabolical traps. In a world like this, it's good to have your best friend by your side.
Writing Style
The story is a little rough in the beginning, but once it gets going, it's a fast paced adventure. This book is also really funny. You will probably laugh out loud a few times. The environments are well written and provide a dark atmosphere. The characters are memorable. The action is brutal and leaves physical scars as well as emotional ones.
Action
As with most of Paul's books, there's lots of demon slaying action. Faces get punched, people get stabbed, monsters get crushed, mercenaries get eaten, soldiers get immolated... And it's never easy. Nobody walks away from a fight without a black eye or few new ghastly wounds.
Maturity Older Teens
There's violence, gore, rape, demons, and pseudo swearing. What is pseudo swearing? Fak <- swear words spelled differently, but sound similar. Fak means nothing out of context. But in context, you get the point. But with a book that has violence, demons, and rape, why not just Fakking swear?
Overall
This is a great buddy adventure at a time when the world needs more buddy adventures. Some parts are rough but it really comes through in the end; kind of like some of your buddies.
Read it if you like demon slaying adventures in a world full of magic.
Read it if you like buddy adventures and sarcastic humor.
Read it if you like gritty characters.
Avoid it if you don't like books with disturbing scenes.
Avoid it if you need fantasy races like elves and dwarves.
Avoid it if you need your good guys to be heroic white knights who always go good.
If you enjoyed this book, check out the Erevis Cale Trilogy and the Twilight War Trilogy also by Paul Kemp. They're great. If you like buddy adventures read Lankhmar by Fritz Leiber. If you like gritty adventures with battle hardened characters check out anything by David Gemmell. Start with Legend.
Paul S. Kemp apparently has his roots in Dungeons & Dragons novelization, and while this book may not officially have any connection with that franchise, the similarities are plain to anyone familiar with the genre. High fantasy is something people either love or hate, and since anyone reading this would necessarily be squarely in the love camp, I'm happy to report that Kemp isn't shy about giving us the sword and sorcery that we crave.
Nevertheless, I found the book's style to be surprisingly off the beaten track. I haven't read all that many D&D style novels, so it may be more prevalent than I think, but I couldn't get over just how masculine the book was. Egil and Nix, the two protagonists, are both male and as crude as sailors on shore leave. The sheer volume of blood, sweat, and vomit in the story is more than a bit gratuitous.
Nix, a good-hearted trickster and rogue, gets most of the characterization, while Egil, a brawny adherent of a dead god, gets less attention. In my opinion, the characterization was good for this type of novel, but don't go into it thinking it is akin to a Dickens novel, because it isn't. Going through the adventure, we meet a reasonably large and varied cast of characters. They all have their various skills, but none of them seem particularly profound or bright. The ending and the plot wrap-up showed some strain, but it was humorous, if a bit of a gross-out. But that's not a strong critcism. Endings are tough, and to his credit, Kemp handled it as well as most.
Just by mistake, I bought the second in the series before the first, so with some annoyance I bought the first one too without ever having read any of it..(You're welcome Mr. Kemp.) I have to say however that the second installment is on hold since my tolerance for blood and guts needs a recharge. I gave it four stars, although I would have gone with 3 1/2 if I had the choice.
0 Response to "≡ Read The Hammer and the Blade A Tale of Egil and Nix (Audible Audio Edition) Paul S Kemp Nick Podehl Brilliance Audio Books"
Post a Comment