Stan Nicholls (1) (1949–)

I liked the book, but I really feel that it could have been told better and with greater effect if it had been half the length. Too much of the story felt like it was just dragging out time between the parts worth reading.

A fantasy series that I will not continue to read. Even though it ended on a cliffhanger, there was nothing about the characters that makes me want to continue. The world building was mediocre, sometimes hard to follow and understand the powers of the different characters. Some exciting chase and fight scenes.

An intriguing idea, but not so well realised as I would like. Yes, there might well be an Orcish race, with whom one might feel sympathy. Nicholls' goblins, are just not strange enough to be interesting. They are merely down at the pecking order mercenaries, and the world he creates for them leaves me cold. At some point, I may toss the lot for better use of shelf space.

The middle book of a trilogy always poses problems about foreshadowing. How far will we move the story arc to keep the audience in line to buy volume three? Who, do we kill off in between the initial incident, and the big showdown? Stan Nicholls does not do a great job of those things in this effort. There is far too much coincidence, and not enough humour.