The Book Plank

The Vagrant by Peter Newman The Vagrant is his name. He has no other. Friendless and alone he walks across a desolate, war-torn landscape, carrying nothing but a kit-bag, a legendary sword and a baby. His purpose is to reach the Shining City, last bastion of the human race, and deliver the sword, the only weapon that may make a difference in the ongoing war. But the Shining City is far away and the world is a very dangerous place. The Vagrant received a lot of media attention being a massive debut for Peter Newman. Of course this book hadn't escaped my attention and the good folk over at Harper Voyager kindly send me a copy to review.  What first got me fired up for The Vagrant was the very brief synopsis with a lot of promise, I encountered something similar a few years back with Jay Posey's Three . Also an post-apocalytic story with a less is more synopsis. Secondaly the cover allured so much to me, a guy with a sword and a baby... What is going on? Does Peter New...

Half a King by Joe Abercrombie,  Shattered Sea #1 “I swore an oath to avenge the death of my father. I may be half a man, but I swore a whole oath.”   Prince Yarvi has vowed to regain a throne he never wanted. But first he must survive cruelty, chains, and the bitter waters of the Shattered Sea. And he must do it all with only one good hand. The deceived will become the deceiver.   Born a weakling in the eyes of his father, Yarvi is alone in a world where a strong arm and a cold heart rule. He cannot grip a shield or swing an axe, so he must sharpen his mind to a deadly edge. The betrayed will become the betrayer.   Gathering a strange fellowship of the outcast and the lost, he finds they can do more to help him become the man he needs to be than any court of nobles could. Will the usurped become the usurper?   But even with loyal friends at his side, Yarvi finds his path may end as it began—in twists, and traps, and tragedy. One of the l...

Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence, The Red Queen's War The Red Queen is old but the kings of the Broken Empire fear her as they fear no other. Her grandson Jalan Kendeth is a coward, a cheat and a womaniser; and tenth in line to the throne. While his grandmother shapes the destiny of millions, Prince Jalan pursues his debauched pleasures. Until he gets entangled with Snorri ver Snagason, a huge Norse axe man, and dragged against his will to the icy north. In a journey across half the Broken Empire, Jalan flees minions of the Dead King, agrees to duel an upstart prince named Jorg Ancrath, and meets the ice witch, Skilfar, all the time seeking a way to part company with Snorri before the Norseman’s quest leads them to face his enemies in the black fort on the edge of the Bitter Ice. Experience does not lend Jalan wisdom; but here and there he unearths a corner of the truth. He discovers that they are all pieces on a board, pieces that may be being played in the long, se...

Author interview with Mark Lawrence Author bio: Mark Lawrence is married with four children, one of whom is severely disabled. His day job is as a research scientist focused on various rather intractable problems in the field of artificial intelligence. He has held secret level clearance with both US and UK governments. At one point he was qualified to say 'this isn't rocket science ... oh wait, it actually is'. Between work and caring for his disabled child, Mark spends his time writing, playing computer games, tending an allotment, brewing beer, and avoiding DIY.  ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hi Mark, Welcome over to The Book Plank and for taking your time to answer these few questions! BP: First off, could you give us a short introduction as to who you are? What are your likes and dislikes? What are your hobbies. ML: I could list the hobbies from my dust jackets but the tr...

Emperor of Thorns by Mark Lawrence, Broken Empire #3 To reach the throne requires that a man journey. Even a path paved with good intentions can lead to hell, and my intentions were never good. The Hundred converge for Congression to politic upon the corpse of Empire, and while they talk the Dead King makes his move, and I make mine. The world is cracked, time has run through, leaving us clutching at the end days, the future so bright that those who see it are the first to burn. These are the days that have waited for us all our lives. These are my days. I will stand before the Hundred and they will listen. I will take the throne whoever seeks to thwart me, living or dead, and if I must be the last emperor then I will make of it such an ending. This is where the wise man turns away. This is where the holy kneel and call on God. These are the last miles, my brothers. Don't look to me to save you. Don't think I will not spend you. Run if you have the wit. Pray if y...

King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence, The Broken Empire #2 The land burns with the fires of a hundred battles as lords and petty kings fight for the Broken Empire. The long road to avenge the slaughter of his mother and brother has shown Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath the hidden hands behind this endless war. He saw the game and vowed to sweep the board. First though he must gather his own pieces, learn the rules of play, and discover how to break them. A six nation army, twenty thousand strong, marches toward Jorg's gates, led by a champion beloved of the people. Every decent man prays this shining hero will unite the empire and heal its wounds. Every omen says he will. Every good king knows to bend the knee in the face of overwhelming odds, if only to save their people and their lands. But King Jorg is not a good king. Faced by an enemy many times his strength Jorg knows that he cannot win a fair fight. But playing fair was never part of Jorg’s game plan. ...

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence, The Broken Empire #1 From being a privileged royal child, raised by a loving mother, Jorg Ancrath has become the Prince of Thorns, a charming, immoral boy leading a grim band of outlaws in a series of raids and atrocities. The world is in chaos: violence is rife, nightmares everywhere. Jorg has the ability to master the living and the dead, but there is still one thing that puts a chill in him. Returning to his father’s castle Jorg must confront horrors from his childhood and carve himself a future with all hands turned against him.  Prince of Thorns is Mark Lawrence’s debut book and the first in The Broken Empire series. This book has been high on my to read list ever since it was first released but just hadn’t come around to read it. Prince of Thorns has received several outstanding reviews as was very eager to get to it. If you haven’t read this book yet (yes I was once shame on me), give into you inner epic fantasy demon, it kno...