Review Copy » Cybermage

Graphic Debut Space Opera Adventure Romp of the First Order

Death Drop (D-Evolution 1) by Sean Allen (Vinatage Six Media 2011)

I love getting to know new authors and this is Sean Allen’s debut novel. From visiting his homepage devolutionnovels.com I knew Sean is a bit of a renaissance man with an entertaining style of writing so I gladly accepted his publishers generous offer of a review copy. Since I haven’t seen fit to give myself a Pad (with or without an i) I read this on my iPhone. It translates to 1660 pages with the font I am using, just shy of 600 pages in print I would say. I like long novels so that was a plus right there.

What is it about? It is set in a universe with lots of different races, all likeness with earth animals intended (see the cast page). But they all have a problem with the Durax, a diminutive race with mind-controlling powers bent on conquering everyone and cruelly bend them to their will. Against them is the Dissension, a rebel organization with a Serum that protects them from the Durax’s mental powers. But something seems to be wrong with the Serum so they set out to catch the assumed culprit who happens to be the last Human (at least as far as she knows, she doesn’t really know she is human but from what she has read she assumes she is). Dezmara Strykar is a feisty rather likeable character and the whole mystery around her added a great deal of appeal to this book. That’s why it was rather frustrating to read the first fifth of the book since she doesn’t appear until then.

The beginning is a rather brilliant battle that makes use of almost every possible trope in military science fiction at least once and some of them many times and I mean that in a positive way. It was thrilling action packed and frustrating because I kept waiting on Dezmara. Things like that is author cruelty.

The rest is a fast paced, thrilling romp of a space opera adventure that just asks for more. There is treason, double-crosses, crash landings, rescues, pirates, traps, gambling, debt slaves, monsters, conspiracies, and strong characters.

You might believe the that writer is a graphic artist since the descriptions are really that, graphic. And that is the only real critic I would like to give, some of the description or events might be unnecessary drawn out due to wordy descriptions. The illustrations are in fact made by Matt Dixon.

Sean calls it ‘Greasepunk’ and it gives me sort of a Warhammer 40k (I have never read any 40k books but played the game) vibe mixed with classic science fiction and a good portion of humor. The banter level is acceptable (you know it is important to me) but it is the simple fun of the action that hooked me. I liked this book more and more as I read it and by the middle I was hooked.

This is a standalone book with a satisfying conclusion but open for more books about the characters and the D-Evolution universe I would gladly sign up for.

Book Information

You can download and read half the book on devolutionnovels.com or you can buy it there.

Death Drop (D-Evolution book 1) by Sean Allen (Vinatage Six Media 2011) – B&N – review copy

400,000 years have passed since the last known Human was exterminated, and Dezmara Strykar can’t remember anything before the moment, eight years ago, when she woke up in an abandoned space freighter. But in that time, she has come to realize three things: she’s the best pilot and smuggler in the universe, she can handle herself in a fight, and she’s Human.

A race of creatures called the Durax rule the universe using their savage mind powers, and the remaining free people have two choices: join the Dissension Army and fight, or struggle to survive in the cutthroat world of outlaws the war has created. In a time when a live Human specimen would fetch a king’s ransom on the black market, choosing life as a smuggler seemed like the perfect front to search for her people. But the cost of Dezmara’s operation has forced her to win each smuggling run she enters. Now every smuggler is gunning for her top position, and her rare black Zebulon star freighter makes her an easily recognizable target.

But dodging jealous smugglers, safeguarding her Human identity, and solving the mystery surrounding who she is will become harder than she ever imagined. A mysterious creature in a black Zebulon star freighter has murdered a soldier in the Dissension Army and has stolen their greatest weapon in the war against the Durax. Dezmara’s next run will turn into much more than just a cover to search for Humans. Dezmara Strykar just became the Dissension’s number one murder suspect. Now she is going to have to run for her life.

Harold is a charming rogue with a healthy disinterest in heroics who against his will has to try to save the kingdom by stealing a magical horn from deep down an ancient dungeon. It sounds like a cliche but its refreshingly done in a novel way. This is the catching first novel in a trilogy I am happy to have received for review from Simon & Schuster. In fact I wish I could read Russian, so I could read the whole series now, no offence to the translation.

Blurb

After centuries of calm, the Nameless One is stirring. An army is gathering: giants, ogres and other creatures joining forces from across the Desolate Lands, united for the first time in history under one black banner. By the spring, or perhaps sooner, the Nameless One and his forces will be at the walls of the great city of Avendoom.

Unless Shadow Harold, master thief, can find some way to stop them.

Epic fantasy at its best, Shadow Prowler is the first in a trilogy that follows professional thief Shadow Harold on his quest for a magic Horn that will restore peace to the kingdom of Siala. Accompanied by an elfin princess, ten Wild Hearts – the most experienced and dangerous royal fighters – and the King’s court jester (who may be more than he seems .

Format & Information

This is the first book I received for review.
Published by Simon & Schuster UK, April 2010
Format Trade Paperback, 400 pages
Translated by Andrew Bromfield, who translated Sergei Lukyanenko’s Night Watch series

World Building

The world Alexey Pehov builds feels refreshingly new. The story takes place in the border lands of the civilized world. It starts in the capital city before they head out towards an ancient dungeon/burial ground and all parts have their own story, their own background, their own history and it all feels interesting and fits well with the story being told.

The history of the world has elements familiar to fantasy readers. The first race were the Ogres followed by Orcs and Elves before the lesser races of gnomes, dwarfs, humans and such came along.

This is also a world where the gods sometimes walk among ordinary men. Alexey pulls off the god of thieves mysterious yet helpful appearance in a believable and intriguing way.

Plot

The story is told in first person by the thief Harold. He is commissioned to heist an item from a local aristocrat. He doesn’t know he has been lied to and that it is only a test to see if he is the right man for the job. He is then blackmailed against his will to take the most dangerous and potentially legendary commission in his life, to steal the Rainbow Horn from it’s resting place deep down Hrad Spein, a long abandoned dungeon now occupied by denizens of the dark.

Before he can leave though he has to sort out a few personal problems, like the local Thieves Guild wanting to kill him for not joining, being accused of stealing a horse by this and that murdering group, and a demon in need of a thief. He also has to enter the forbidden city, an area of wild magic that has been sealed off from the city, and retrieve a map of Hrad Spein for his mission. Along the way he also picks up a hitchhiker.

The Nameless-One has been biding his time for centuries, building armies and he is now prepared to strike and unless Harold can retrieve and recharge The Rainbow Horn, a legendary item that keeps the Nameless-One from entering this land, he will attack and sweep trough the border lands coming springtime.

There are also hints of another mystic antagonist simply called The Master I am sure we will see more off in the upcoming books.

Previous expeditions to the Hrad Spein has simply disappeared with only one returning survivor driven mad by what he experienced. So this time the King decides to send a small group of Wild Hearts soldiers, a thief, an elfish princess and a gnome jester in the hope they will have more success.

Characterization

I like the characters in the story a lot, and Alexey makes it easy to do so, they all have quirks or traits that makes them interesting and believable. Yet they don’t fall into stereotypes. Elves here have fangs and are not airy ethereal wisps for example. The Wild Hearts are an elite band of unruly soldiers all with distinct background and a lot of friendly banter. Kli-Kli the Gnome is really annoying as I am sure is the authors intention, but he also seems to be much more competent than he tries to appear.

My View

Shadow Prowler is a fresh take on high fantasy about a colorful and charming Rogue, with exceptional skill and a healthy interest in avoiding heroics, blackmailed into saving the kingdom and maybe the rest of the world. This is the first translated novel in the Chronicles of Siala by Russian writer Alexey Pehov and I can’t wait on the next books in the Trilogy Shadow Chaser and Blizzard of Shadows. I would like to recommend this book to all readers of fantasy especially if you like a good high fantasy adventure.