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| Author: |
Alexey Pehov |
| Barcode/ISBN13: | 9781441814395 |
| ISBN: | 1441814396 |
| Imprint/Brand: | Brilliance Audio |
| Release Date: | 16 Feb 2010 |
| Format: | MP3 CD |
| Series: | Chronicles of Siala 01 |
| Price in AUD: | $51.95 |
| Categories: | Fantasy Audio |
When the great city of Avendom is threatened by the approaching forces of the Nameless One, a defensive army of supernatural beings begins preparing weapons while master thief Harold teams up with Elfin princess Miralissa and the king's court jester to break an ancient curse.
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Book review - Shadow Prowler by Alexey Pehov
Avendoom is an old city, twisty & winding, with a cursed area which has been walled off, to protect the rest of the city. But Avendoom and the world is under threat from the Orcs, first born of the races, and determined to be the only race left at the end. Shadow Harold is a master thief in the city of Avendoom, with a jaded viewpoint and twisted by cynical experience. Suspicious, thorough, paranoid & untrusting, somehow he finds that the king has managed to trap him, and he finds himself under oath to Sagot, God of Thieves, to steal the one artefact of power that may save them. Under contract, with an elf magician to assist, a couple of prissy magicians, ten of the Wild Hearts (the nastiest group of fighters & brigands known) , and a gnome with a taste for bad practical jokes, for an escort, what more could Harold ask for? Well, first he has to sneak into the cursed part of town, avoid the monsters lurking waiting to devour anybody within reach, locate the maps of Hard Spein detailing the city & traps, then get out alive again. Then they have to get to Hrad Spein, retrieve the Rainbow Horn & get it back to Avendoom in time. Easy.....or so they all keep telling him.......
To commence with, Pehov is the one responsible for the Nightwatch translations, and is a decent author, but the style is not the Western style we are comfortable with. The phrasing, the emphases, and the general narrative style is slightly different from Western authors, but you find yourself getting drawn into the story despite yourself, similar to the works of Sapiensky or Lukyanenko. This is the first of a saga trilogy, and sets the groundwork well, introducing the relevant players, getting you interested by the story potentials, and giving you an idea of the events to come. Whilst somewhat conservative in theme, ie quest to be completed to save the world, etc., the author has managed to create individuals that seem realistic and have depth of character, enticing the reader to go further. The world described also has a history & past, twisted, convoluted & dark, making it seem like a living creation, rather than just a stage for events. The inhabitants of this world are also slightly different from the standard Western archetypes, with elves being related to orcs, and rather than the classically beautiful creatures in Tolkien derived works, having grey hair, sallow skin & tusks. Overall, I found this book a touch difficult to get into at the very beginning, but as the characters were revealed & developed, I became intrigued and hooked by the work. Definitely one to follow up on, as I will be very curious to see where the author takes the next books in the series.
Jonathan Dean
