Rosie’s #BookReview Team #RBRT THE FIVE ELEMENTS by @scottmarlowe

Today’s team review is from Crystin, she blogs at https://crystinlgoodwin.wordpress.com/

Crystin has been reading The Five Elements by Scott Marlowe

Title: The Five Elements by Scott Marlowe

• Genre: Fantasy

 

Shanna and Aaron are best friends who are separated when a violent and catastrophic force of nature destroys their home. Each embark on an adventure filled with adversity and unexpected luck in an attempt to set their world back to rights. However, their paths are vastly different, and only one is right …

The Five Elements is a fantasy novel filled with sorcery, alchemy, witchcraft, and good old-fashioned sword fights. While the book is well written with great detail, I occasionally felt it had too much detail. Granted, I thought the same thing when reading Zelazny and Tolkien.

I liked the pacing of the story: not too fast, but still full of events and plot twists galore. The characters were a little hit and miss though: I found Ensel Rhe fascinating, Aaron to be mildly interesting … but I didn’t like Shanna’s character progression. I didn’t give a hoot about most of the other characters – which may or may not be a bad thing.

The part that I disliked most? It doesn’t end well. There’s too much death and destruction and loss – which makes for a very real and vivid dark fantasy. Although it didn’t have the type of ending I prefer, it was an incredibly well written ending. I just prefer the fairy tale ‘and they all lived happily ever after’ sort of stories.

I’d recommend this to fans of fantasy – especially rich, detailed fantasy – and those who prefer a darker, grittier tale.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I discovered this book because I’m a proud member of Rosie’s Book Review Team!

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Rosie’s #BookReview Team #RBRT THE FIVE ELEMENTS by @scottmarlowe #Fantasy

Today’s team review is from Barb, she blogs here http://barbtaub.com/

Barb chose to read and review The Five Elements by Scott Marlowe

The world is made up of four elements: Earth, Air, Fire and Water. This is a fact well known even to Corporal Nobbs. It’s also wrong. There’s a fifth element, and generally it’s called Surprise.

— (Terry Pratchett, The Truth)

I like tropes. They are a wonderful shorthand that tells us immediately what’s going on. You know the ones I mean…

• Will they or won’t they? (If it’s season one/book one of the series—they won’t.)
• The quest. (Save the Chosen One, recover the macguffin, save the world. True love optional.)
• The Morgan Freeman (apparently, he’s in every possible movie as gravitas)
• Beautiful people are good. Ugly ones are either bad or funny. (No fat superspy will ever stop evil/get the girl/save the free world.)
• If you kill the leader of the bad guys, their minions will close up shop and go away.
• The government/big business did it. (Duh)
• Bad guys, outlaws, and imperial stormtroopers can’t shoot worth shit. Unless they are nameless extras, preferably wearing a red shirt, and it’s before the second commercial break. (Double duh)

I especially like it when people play with tropes. Joss Whedon is a master of this one. (Need to kill the evil undead? Use a blonde teenager.) In my review here of Scott Marlowe’s The Killing Knife, I mentioned my admiration for the way he uses tropes in his science fiction/fantasy works. And The Five Elements (The Alchemancer: Book One) is no exception.

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The Five Elements (The Alchemancer: Book One)

When powerful earth sorcerers forsook their vows to harness the earth not with magic, but with science, their brethren struck them down and hunted them to the last. Or so they thought… Now, five hundred years later, one person seeks to carry on the work of those first early thinkers by making the parts of their greatest creation whole again.

Aaron and Shanna fall victim to these ambitions when their home is leveled by a surprise elemental attack. In the ensuing chaos, the two are separated. For Shanna, hardship soon turns to fortune, as she finds herself

embarking upon the greatest adventure of her life. Only the worst of nightmares awaits Aaron. Hunted at every turn, the only thing keeping him alive is his own resourcefulness and an eslar mercenary whose reputation as a killer might make him the worst threat of all.

Though Aaron and Shanna travel different paths, their purpose is joined when they individually learn of the mysterious Fifth Element. Shanna sees it as the final piece in the puzzle that is her destiny. To Aaron’s logical mind, it is an impossible ambiguity. Whatever the answer, the Fifth Element draws them back together and into a final confrontation that will mean the end of everything unless they succeed.

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My Review: 4 stars out of 5

The story begins and ends with an unlikely friendship. Aaron, apprentice to a master sorcerer, is apparently marked for a successful and prosperous life, while best friend Shanna is a waif headed for a low-level, difficult existence. But she is the strong one who rescues him from street bullies and dominates their friendship. When their city and everything they know is destroyed in an attack of cataclysmic violence, Aaron becomes the one person that the powerful sorcerers demand must be saved—and he’s the one target of the attackers.

In a standard fantasy, this would be the signal for the quest. There would be a small band of plucky adventurers who seek the macguffin that will save the world. Along the way, they will reveal the One, destined to save everything in a final battle. Only that’s where Scott Marlowe takes that trope, ties it up in knots, and slices it up the middle. The two friends are torn apart, each to begin separate quests for the macguffin Four Elements and mysterious Fifth Element that will allow their owner to either save or rule the world.

The Five Elements is an early work by Scott Marlowe, and by no means a perfect one. There is a much more than nodding reflection of works ranging from Lord of the Rings to The Fifth Element movie. The middle of the book is a long slog from one recovered element to another. The genre is pretty much a kitchen sink mashup of high fantasy sword and sorcery, steampunk airships, horror, and paranormal creatures.  And then there are the fantasy names that somehow all sound the same, whether they are sorcerer, dwarf, hero, villain: Elsanar, Engus, Ensel, Erlek… Luckily, there is a players list at the front. (Bookmark it—you’ll need it to keep score.)

Despite the wealth of detailed description and the length of the book, there were some things that were glossed over. For example, somehow the evil savant Erlek’s knowledge of just where each of the elements was located and how to find them was brushed off as the fruits of long research. And because the cast was just so huge, we never really get to know most of the characters or their motivations.

I was hovering at three stars, but there were two things that made me go for four. First, the pace picked up as the two opposing quests raced to a confrontation. Second, and far more interesting, was the way the book sets up the inevitable clash between best friends Shanna—a passionate waif with a lifetime of abuse and resentment—and Aaron—a scholar trained to apply logic and science to solve problems. The question the book asks is whether passion or logic triumphs when friendship and love are the stakes.

I reviewed The Five Elements (The Alchemancer: Book One) by Scott Marlowe for Rosie’s Book Review Team.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Rosie’s #Bookreview Team #RBRT The Five Elements by @scottmarlowe

Today’s team review comes from Karen, she blogs at https://mytrainofthoughtson.wordpress.com/

Karen chose to read and review The Five Elements by Scott Marlowe

My Opinion

This book introduces you to the Aaron and his friend Shanna. Aaron is shy, alchemy and studying are his world. Shanna is determined. I will not tell you more about the stories than shown in the Goodreads plot description. This would spoil the fun of reading this book yourself.

With The Five Elements, Scott Marlowe has created a thrilling first book in The Alchemancer series. The Five Elements tells Aaron and Shanna’s stories, each gripping in its own way. You get to know Aaron and Ensel Rhe Alon as well as Shanna and Erlek better and better with each chapter. Aaron is a very likable character and I held my breath along the way, feeling quite close to him and Shanna. I was drawn into the story – hoping to stay out of harm’s way. This is for you if you like fantasy and fast paced adventures.

The World of Uhl is addictive!  😀

Recommended!

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Rosie’s Book Review Team #RBRT Thief’s Gambit by @scottmarlowe #bookreview

Today’s team review is from Terry, she blogs at http://terrytylerbookreviews.blogspot.co.uk/

Terry chose to read and review Thief’s Gambit by Scott Marlowe

 

4.5 out of 5 stars

In this further adventure of the Assassin Without A Name, our hero is recruited by his ex love, Liz, for a special mission.

As with the other novelette length books in this series, I felt that its charm lay not so much in the plot itself as in the writing of the incidental parts.  I am not particularly interested in reading long, blow by blow accounts of fights or daring escapes, but I love the bits about the Assassin’s life, his thoughts, etc.  I like to picture him in his ‘working gear’, climbing over his rooftop empire like a cat, unseen by the Black Guard who seek him below, and reading little snippets about his life, like his secret hideout in the deplorable Shambles area of town, where one takes one’s life in one’s hands simply by entering its streets…

Scott Marlowe has invented a marvellous character, and writes beautifully, with wit and a wonderful turn of phrase.  I’d like to see a novella telling about the Assassin’s early life, something that makes more use of the writer’s powers of observation, character portrayal and presentation of atmosphere.  Again, this reminded me very much of some of Roald Dahl’s stories; the style of writing is very similar. Good stuff!

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

 

 

Rosie’s Book Review Team #RBRT Karen reviews Thief’s Gambit by Scott Marlowe

Today we have a review from team member Karen, she blogs at https://mytrainofthoughtson.wordpress.com/

Karen chose to read and review Thief’s Gambit by Scott Marlowe

My Opinion

This book introduces you to another killing order for the ‘Assassin Without a Name’. He has his principles and one weakness.

With Thief’s Gambit, Scott Marlowe has created another thrilling tale about the Assassin Without a Name. Thief’s Gambit comprises more than just a killing. This time, The Assassin Without a Name is hunted by Gwendolyn and her Black Guards – a nuisance as he’s been recruited for a mission with Elizabeth West. As I mentioned in my earlier review – The Assassin Without a Name is quite a character and has some surprises for the readers. I was drawn into the story – hoping to not become his next killing order and wondering about the rivalling groups. The occasional shade of funny moments makes for a real enjoyable read. This is for you if you like fantasy, crime and – do not object to admitting that a killer can seem like quite a nice guy.  😉

The World of Uhl is addictive!

Highly recommended!

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Rosie’s Book Review Team #RBRT Terry reviews The Goddard Affair by Scott Marlowe

Today we have a book review from Terry, she blogs at http://terrytylerbookreviews.blogspot.co.uk/

Terry Chose to read and review The Goddard Affair by Scott Marlowe

The Goddard Affair by Scott Marlowe

About 4.8 out of 5 stars

As with most well constructed sequels, it is best to read the prequel first (in this case, the previous volume about The Assassin Without A Name, The Killing Knife), but not imperative.

I’ve just spent a very enjoyable couple of hours reading this. The assassin attends a dinner party given by a society he wishes to infiltrate, which is where he meets the intriguing Gwendolyn Morgan and becomes involved in her fight with her brother, one of the assassin’s clients. But never mind my summary of the plot; I made notes when I was reading as I usually do, but they didn’t do it justice. You’ll discover the rest of the plot for yourself when you read the book; my job is to say BUY THIS NOW if you love seriously good adventure in fantasy worlds not so unlike our own. Or buy it because you love ingenious weaving of unguessable plot about-turns and skillful characterisation, especially if your preference is for those that make you say “I’d better go and download the next one” as soon as you’ve finished it!

I’m not a lover of fantasy fiction, generally, but Marlowe does that clever thing that only truly talented writers of this genre do: he makes his imagined world seem so believable that the reader is not always conscious of the fact that it IS fantasy. His hero is super smart and witty and the story itself is a gem, but the beauty of this book lies in the smooth, amusing prose that seems almost effortless. The Goddard Affair reminded me of Roald Dahl’s My Uncle Oswald (a book most definitely for adults, not one of his children’s stories).

I can say no more except that this is one classy writer – highly recommended.

Find a copy from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

 

 

 

Rosie’s Book Review Team #RBRT Karen reviews The Goddard Affaire by Scott Marlowe

Today we have a review from Karen, she blogs at https://mytrainofthoughtson.wordpress.com/

Karen chose to read and review The Goddard Affair by Scott Marlowe

My Opinion

This book introduces you to another killing order for the ‘Assassin Without a Name’. He has his principles and one weakness.

With The Goddard Affair, Scott Marlowe has created another thrilling tale about the Assassin Without a Name. The Goddard Affair comprises more than just a killing. You might have realised earlier that the assassin without a name has detective qualities. As I mentioned in my earlier review – The Assassin Without a Name is quite a character and has some surprises for the readers. I was drawn into the story – hoping to not become his next killing order and wondering about Gwendolyn. This is for you if you like fantasy, crime and – do not object to admitting that a killer can seem like quite a nice guy.

I read the story in one go – I couldn’t resist…

The World of Uhl is addictive!

Recommended!

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Rosie’s Book Review Team #RBRT Karen reviews The Killing Knife by Scott Marlowe

Today’s review team book review comes from Karen, she blogs at https://mytrainofthoughtson.wordpress.com/

Karen chose to read and review The Killing Knife by Scott Marlowe

This book introduces you to the ‘Assassin Without a Name’. He has his principles and one weakness.

With The Killing Knife, Scott Marlowe has created a thrilling compilation of the three first tales about the Assassin Without a Name in the series. The Killing Knife comprises three different stories, each gripping in its own way. You get to know the assassin without a name better and better with each story. The Assassin Without a Name is quite a character and I held my breath along the way. I was drawn into the story – hoping to not become his next killing order. This is for you if you like fantasy, crime and – do not object to admitting that a killer can seem like quite a nice guy.

The World of Uhl is addictive!

Recommended!

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Rosie’s Book Review Team #RBRT Barb Reviews The Killing Knife by Scott Marlowe

Today’s review is from Barb, she blogs at http://barbtaub.com/

Barb chose to read and review The killing Knife by Scott Marlowe

My review of The Killing Knife by Scott Marlowe–4 out of 5 stars

 

Let’s hear it for the tropes. As reviewers, we can pretend to turn up our noses at them. But the fact is they can be a hell of a lot of fun. The hooker-with-the-heart-of-gold trope? Pretty Woman. The MarySue trope? Grease. (And almost every Disney film ever made.) The tormented-reluctant-alpha-hero trope? Die Hard. (And almost every western/thriller/romance film ever made.)

But really, my favorite character trope is the hitman-with-a-code. He’s the best killer out there, a super-ninja who always gets his target, only he has a moral compass that won’t let him hurt kids/dogs/Mamas. And there are just so many of them out there, it’s a wonder anyone gets assassinated at all. We’re talking about every killer-wannabe from the huntsman who couldn’t kill Snow White to Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Dexter. In Grosse Pointe Blank, he’s the hitman who spurns the French government’s contract to blow up a Greenpeace vessel with the line, “No way—I have scruples.” In Terry Pratchett’s Diskworld, it’s any member of the Assassins’ Guild, whose motto is “Nil Mortifi Sine Lucre” (“No killing without profit”) but whose members are not allowed to kill the defenseless. (Dr Cruces: “No, we do it for the money. And, because we above all must know the value of a human life, we do it for a great deal of money.”)

Lucky for me, now there’s Scott Marlow’s Assassin Without a Name, the antihero of The Killing Knife. When we meet our nameless protagonist, he’s in the middle of an ordinary work day—just wondering why it’s taking so long for his intended victim to get on with the dying. Fine Wine, the first story in the anthology, is little more than an introduction to the Assassin’s world. The killer-for-hire is not, he assures himself, a monster. Sure, he’ll still kill his victim, and he’ll still refuse the offer of a bribe because he’s already been paid—but after he makes the gut-eviscerating cut his employer requested, he will add a subtle “mercy” cut to end the victim’s suffering. That’s Moral Code, baby. The amusing part comes when our noble assassin is offered a bribe he can’t refuse: a five-year supply of the intended victim’s incredible syrah wine, a victory over both the moral and business scruples of the killer.

In the next two stories, the Assassin Without a Name reveals further signs of a moral compass in direct opposition to his business priorities. While he does manage to kill both living and already-dead in Killing the Dead, the assassin finds himself seeking reassurance from one of the clerics that even one such as he could seek absolution.

“As a holy servant of my god and church,” Father Kem said, “my word is always representative of…” He stopped, sparing me the remainder of his practiced doctrine. Then he sighed. “The church oftentimes takes a hard stance against men such as yourself. But my own thoughts… I think all men deserve a chance to make amends.”

It was enough for me.

Scott Marlowe just plain gets it. Nobody wants to read about an assassin who questions his work, or who has moments of weakness. So these are for the most part, tiny blips on the radar of an accomplished professional killer. “They almost had me; in a fair fight, I’d be dead. But I never fight fair…” In the end, despite (possibly) saving the world, and (probably) saving the girl in Night of Zealotry, he remains comfortable in the skin of the killer. “I make no excuses regarding my love for wine; it may very well be my only vice. Killing people? That’s not a vice. Not for me anyway. It’s just what I do.”

If you’re looking for a complex novel with deep thematic threads, Killing Knife isn’t the book for you. But if you’re up for a collection of fast-paced, tightly crafted little rollercoaster miniatures with plenty of snarky humor, then these stories are guaranteed to entertain. I’d give them four stars and a plea to Scott Marlowe to give this engaging killer a full-length novel to play in. He nails the hitman-with-a-code trope, and makes it his own.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Rosie’s Book Review Team #RBRT Terry Reviews The Killing Knife by Scott Marlowe

Today we have a book review from team member Terry, she blogs at http://terrytylerbookreviews.blogspot.co.uk/

Terry chose to read and review The Killing Knife by Scott Marlowe.

THE KILLING KNIFE (Tales of the Assassin without a name) by Scott Marlowe

4 out of 5 stars

This is a novelette sized book, rather than full length.

The nameless assassin lives in a fantasy world that reminded me a little of those described in Game of Thrones, particularly the lands of Pentos, Bravos, etc, over the seas. This is not to say it is in any way a copy of such; I mention this just to give an indication of the type of location. For those unfamiliar with Game of Thrones, think a combination of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves mixed with ancient Rome, perhaps!

I liked the structure of this book. The Killing Knife is actually three stories in one, all linked, as are other installments in the series, also available. I thought the beginning was excellent, and liked the first, short story the best, though they are all well written, intelligent and amusing. The nameless assassin is an oddly endearing sociopath, I suppose; the way in which he considers himself apart from and superior to most other beings is artfully illustrated. The only time he shows a little emotional connection and vulnerability is when he is in the vicinity of Liz, his former lover and some time partner in crime.

Marlow is a talented writer who clearly understands how to hold the reader’s attention, and I would recommend this to anyone who likes tales of fearless, alpha male type adventurers told with a smooth wit.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com