The Shattered Lands

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Variations of "like a child" to describe how Sapphire feels she's reacting to something came up at least 14 times. Sometimes it was used twice in a chapter. I get that maybe it's meant to show that she's barely not a child but the author could've done that in a way that shows us such. As Jinnah falls ill soon after Independence, many political forces jostle for influence. If Jinnah succumbs, what will become of this newly independent nation facing many threats? And if Jinnah does survive his illness, will he lead the country as a benevolent father of the nation … or will destiny take a more sinister turn? The Dervans are compelling villians as well. HAJ does a great job at making them unique and very human. There's shades of grey here, not in a grimdark 'everyone is terrible' sense but in a genuine sense of everyone being human. I really enjoyed the supporting cast.

The British colony of Burma is plentiful in natural resources. As colonial administrators expand infrastructure within Burma and bring in additional labour from India to exploit Burma's natural wealth, it seems unlikley that the local Burmese will stand by idly.

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Each chapter is long, but functions as a short story in and of itself. Think of this book like the season of a tv show, each episode stand alone but also pushes the overarching plot forward bit by bit. Each chapter takes a moment to get reacquainted with who the new players are, but you get used to the structure and look forward to seeing what trouble Hanuvar gets in to in each one. Hanuvar steals the show as one of the best main characters ever: intelligent, resourceful, ruthless in battle, but not a young man anymore. His occasional brushes with the result of a life in the military make him just vulnerable enough to make you feel he could easily get in over his head if not for being cunning and careful. He’s good natured, even respectful of his enemies if he find them honorable. SHATTERED LAND is an alternate history mod for Hearts of Iron IV, which brings the chaotic and turbulent events of Indian independence and partition right into the middle of World War 2. There’s an interesting variety of stories and although each one is a separate tale, they also move a larger narrative forward. The final story does a great job of bringing threads from previous episodes together and sets up the next book well. A unique take on Sword & Sorcery. Dispensing with the trappings of the medieval Europe standard for the genre, this instead is set in a fantasy take on the Mediterranean and Roman aesthetic.

I really bonded with these characters and I thought the author did a stellar job of introducing the reader to them all and making us consider their plight, despite them often opposing the struggles of others. I could consider all angles of this story and it made the good/bad binaries never clear, luring me into dually bonding with and questioning them all. The stakes were never lowered due to this. understood well the emotions (or "passions") of the statue’s subject. The memory of those emotions survives "stamped" on the lifeless statue, even though both the sculptor and his subject are both now dead. On the pedestal of the statue appear the While I do not feel the pell-mell rush of many Sword & Sorcery stories in these tales, I do feel the full scope of heroic adventure pulling me alongside Hanuvar through each chapter. The stories "The Second Death of Hanuvar" and "The Crypt of the Stars" are quite enjoyable tales that showcase important aspects of our hero. The final story, "Thread from a Golden Loom" (possibly the longest), shares the stage among a full set of characters and nicely sets the stage for what lies ahead in the following books (the next of which will be in my hands in mere weeks!). I really, really like "The Warrior's Way" - it is quite possibly my favorite - comes early and gives the readers great insight into Hanuvar. "The Eyes of the Reaper" and "The Missing Man" are two of the darkest tales in this Chronicle, with my two other favorites right behind, "An Accident of Blood" and "Snare of the Hunter." The story that makes the most impact on me, however, and I think also changes the tone of Hanuvar, at least for me, and adds a depth to the man far beyond those he already possesses of Hannibal, Kirk, and Conan, is "The Autumn Horse." Also, the romance. Okay, yeah, I love sapphics, but the romance wasn't worked on. The MC falls for the love interest the second they meet, and the LI doesn't have a personality beyond "mysterious shady sexy witch". I understand there's an important part of the plot that resolves on LI being mysterious, so her character can't be too open or reveals a lot about herself, but the way she was written felt very bland and boring. The banter between the two girls never really hit, I didn't particularly ship them.

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A vast empire's greatest foe. A conquered people's last hope. His name is Hanuvar, and he will set his people free! This is what makes Hanuvar such a lodestone: he serves to remind us that family and friends and shared experiences are more important than conflict or revenge. No matter how riveting, fantastical, or terrifying each story was, Hanuvar's interactions with others served to highlight poignant glimpses of humanity which serves to ground the reader. The book is a riveting portrait of a hero trying to keep his civilization alive in the wake of a devastating military defeat; it’s a series of ripping yarns that collectively add up to a greater story with a deeper impact than any of its parts; it’s another triumph for Howard Andrew Jones, premier wielder of the new edge in sword-and-sorcery.” —James Enge, World Fantasy Award-nominated author of Blood of Ambrose The Dervans thought that Hanuvar perished during the siege of Volanus, but he survived and in these fourteen tales he fights to reunite his people. He faces Dervan soldiers, monsters, sorcerers, and spirits. As Hanuvar has his adventures we learn more about his world, its history, and its people. As exciting as the adventures are, the characters are a big reason why I like this book so much, characters on all sides of the conflict. Action is poignant and brutal when it arrives. Magic creatures range from nightmare fuel to strange and beautiful to abyssal gods.

The political conflicts and magical intrigue were more fascinating and ensured I will continue on with this series to see what occurs after that explosive finale. I could see it coming but was devastated to having been proven correct! What follows is a series of short, inter-connected stories that work well as stand alone tales, but together form a continuous overall story arc for the entire book. This sort of short story collection works well for the sword and sorcery genre; episodic chunks that read well on their own, but leave you wanting to see what happens in the next ‘episode’. And yes, this is genuine swords and sorcery fiction, complete with evil empires, foul sorcery, terrifying creatures, and flashing swords. Hanuvar is a great hero, with an emphasis on ‘hero’; he’s truly good man trying to do what he can to free his people from slavery. It’s not about personal gain or adventuring or exploring strange and wondrous lands. It’s about doing the right thing, no matter the cost. He’s more White Knight on a white charger than Conan with a blood-crusted broadsword, and I believe the genre needs a little bit of that now and then. I liked it, and I look forward to more. Recommended I have to admit I loved this book, and whilst it reminded me of classic sword and sorcery authors like Howard and Lieber, the book has a a modern contemporaryness to it. The book is very episodic, made up of individual contained stories that are split into sub chapters, but it reads like a modern television series with an overall thematic arc. The Shattered Lands is beautifully written and fast-paced. Ashes is a dangerously seductive character that I look forward to learning more about while Saphire is fiercely determined and strong willed. I adored both characters and the romance that develops between them is alluring and simply magical. I was soo close to DNF’ing this one, except I have this stupid thing where I have to finish what I start. So, regardless of how much I didn’t enjoy this book and want to throw it out the window – I had to finish it.My biggest issue with this book is that each character motivation seemed very flimsy based on what we knew about them. Many of the motives felt author led, instead of organic. the premise of this book is one of my favourites: princess x witch, enemies to lovers, and while in this book the romance is definitely not the focal point of the story, the parts with the romance absolutely shine. Howard has no qualms about wearing his influences on his sleeve, even going so far as to dedicate this book to Harold Lamb. While the stories themselves progress in a very Lamb-like fashion, I think that the influence is most apparent in the use of historical references. This is not to say the novel takes place in a pseudo-history of Earth like Conan's Hyborian Age or even a historical setting with sorcerous inclusions like the works of Scott Oden. Hanuvar's world is very much secondary but is written and described in such a way that evokes a sense of time and research. It is an ancient world that eschew the many well-tread trappings of the vaguely medieval. Howard's use of setting and language evokes a colorful age Roman expansion across a wine-dark sea. The weight of history is again bolstered by the framing device and footnotes. I am vocal about my desire to see and feel history in my Sword & Sorcery, which is why I prefer the likes of Conan and Imaro to Elric and Fafhrd. While Howard doesn't go as hard as the aforementioned Oden, the implications are still felt. I thought some of the world building wasn’t fully fleshed out but this is the first book in a series so I’m sure a lot will continue to unfold! I for one want to see how the story progresses.

It's still as stilted as the previous one, but at least each voice is recognisable even without the speaker being called in the script. For the Killing of Kings is a fast, fun swords-and-sorcery tale in the grand style, but updated for a modern reader. Magic, mayhem, betrayal, reversal, sword fights, court intrigue? This book hits all the right notes and has a great time doing it." —Kelly McCullough, author of the Fallen Blade and WebMage series Even as the Two Nation theory leads to the formation of Pakistan as the homeland of all Muslims across the subcontinent, will Bengalis get justice in East Pakistan? Will they be able to live in solidarity with fellow Muslims? Or will they just be replacing one colonial master with another? What identity do the people seek ... one based on land, faith, or language?

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As I mentioned before, Howard has a distinctive writing style that feels more modern than classic examples of Sword & Sorcery. It is brisk and trim. I have heard it described as YA adjacent in conversation, which I don't necessarily think is a bad thing. It is worth noting that I believe this particular style, alongside Hanuvar's personality, makes his novel feel more PG-13 than almost any other S&S fair. There is definitely violence within the narrative, but it is not as graphic or detailed as one might encounter in other fiction. It is also light on the horror element that thrives within the link between Conan and Cthulhu. The tales of Hanuvar feel more like reading an authors interpretation of a Greek myth than the adventures of a barbarian thief, pirate, or king. Again, that is not to say there isn't a multitude of weird monsters and interesting creatures, or that magic doesn't have its consequences. That is all true. But you won't find as much of the mind-blasting bizarre that exists throughout the genre. As a caveat, I will readily admit these things might be colored by my own reading history, so mileage may vary. Firstly you have to understand this is presented as The Hanuvid the great collection of stories about Hanuvar and his magnificent deeds as narrated by Antires Solinos and written by Andronikos Sosilos (a great, great, great nephew of Antires) and Hanuvar while always being the focus of the stories, never gets a POV. This approach adds an additional mystery as we never get a clue about his mental machinations and strategies. But through the insight of Antires and various other characters, we get an immersive look at a hero who’s one of the most charismatic ones to be found in the annals of fantasy. Howard Andrew Jones is a scholar and a gentleman, a deft multi-genre wordsmith . . . a living link between the right action-adventure narratives of old and the sprawling epic fantasies of today.” —Scott Lynch, author of The Republic of Thieves A VAST EMPIRE'S GREATEST FOE. A CONQUERED PEOPLE'S LAST HOPE. HIS NAME IS HANUVAR, AND HE WILL SET HIS PEOPLE FREE!