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(More customer reviews)Whether you believe that fantasy is making a huge comeback, led by the recent success of both the Harry Potter series and the recent Lord of the Rings films (as the optimists among us are inclined to do) or that these are mere blips on an otherwise barren landscape of same elf, different day (as the more cynical of us claim), there can be no doubt that a great deal of fantasy has for some time followed the same predictable recipe: take one young person of little reputation and less self-confidence (though with enormous potential below the surface), place him/her in impossible circumstances under which all (including him/herself) expect him/her to fail, add an appropriately evil character against which he/she will be tested, throw in a dash of magic and at least a hint of romance, and mix well. Bake, rinse, and repeat. Of course there are exceptions to this rule, works which clearly break away from the norm, but these are few and far between--and even more troubling, there are even fewer works which handle the existing formula well, in an interesting, intelligently written, and engaging way. If you're not going to reinvent the wheel every time you write a work of fantasy (and why should you have to?), at least it would be nice if the hubcaps shine on the works you do produce!
It's good to know, then, that at least some writers are now demonstrating their ability to write in this latter category. J. Gregory Keyes's new series THE KINGDOMS OF THORN AND BONE is a wonderful example of this work, and it's great to see that John Helfers is another writer who understands what works and, even better, how to deliver what works to his readers. Not that Helfers is a newcomer to the field--he has both edited and written a host of books and short story collections in both science fiction and fantasy over the past decade, and his reputation as a solid and competent writer is already well-established. But with THE SIEGE OF NIGHT AND FIRE, the first book in the world of the Eightfold Kingdoms, Helfers enters the fantasy novel market with a flourish. As the summary at Amazon and elsewhere will tell you, the book follows the adventures of Teris Rathden, youngest brother of the Rathden family (here's the young person of little reputation and less self-confidence) and Syrena Marsena, daughter of the rival Marsena clan (the necessary love interest), brought together for a political marriage which is immediately disrupted by an all out attack by the enemies of all the Eightfold Kingdoms, the Vaarbolg. Forced by circumstances beyond his control to lead the defense of his keep against the enemies' siege, Teris learns quickly the dangers and, perhaps, the joys of leadership, quickly growing from a mischievous ne'er do well to a confident man in full charge of his faculties at the end of the tale, which moves quickly and expertly between large scale combat to surprisingly poignant moments of intimacy between Teris and Syrena (who, as it turns out, is much more than just a pretty face). Through it all Helfers demonstrates facility and skill in moving and manipulating his readers, and through love and loss we come to genuinely care about his characters--no small feat for what is essentially a book of war.
As a military historian himself, Helfers knows how to write his battle scenes, and the combat never feels forced here, nor overly glamorous. Just the opposite, in fact; this is gritty fantasy too, and at times the sheer detail of the horrible deaths suffered in times of war can be a bit offputting if one isn't expecting it. Gratuitous, no; gruesome, yes, and you won't find a lot of Rivendell-esque pleasantness to lighten the grim military mood. And especially towards the end of the book, the narrative leaps so quickly from scene to scene that you can feel a trifle discombobulated--if you've ever seen these movies, imagine throwing SPEED and the fight scenes from THE BOURNE IDENTITY or BATMAN BEGINS together and you'll get the idea. But then, a siege itself might feel much like this; no time to think, no real time to plan, just observe the movements of the enemy and react accordingly. I'd trust Helfers' judgement on this, in any case; he establishes enough credibility in the book's beginning that one is willing to follow him through to its conclusion, and the payoff is well worth the journey. In the meantime, it's one hell of a ride.
This is not blazingly new work, but it is something arguably much more important--well-written and intelligent fantasy, carefully crafted by someone who clearly knows his field and how to move comfortably within it. The ending leaves a lot of open ground to cover in future books, and I for one am glad of it; it's about time we saw classic themes presented in ways that remind us why they became classic, and it's good to know that we can look forward to having John Helfers guide us through those themes for many books to come. This is quality work by a quality author.
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Five Star Science Fiction/Fantasy - Siege of Night and Fire: A Novel of the Eightfold KingdomsTeris and Syrena's wedding was supposed to prevent a war between their two kingdoms, but fate intervened with a much darker plan. Now Teris, Syrena, and dozens of others are trapped in an isolated keep, surrounded by a vicious army led by a cunning, inhuman war shaman. Teris must lead an uneasy alliance to victory over their relentless foe, if he doesn't get killed in the fighting first. However, the young groom has allies at his side - starting with his new bride - but can the two of them stand together against foes both inside and outside the keep? When all seems lost, Teris risks everything on a strike into the enemy's camp, and takes a vital first step toward becoming the leader of his kingdom.John Helfers is an author and editor currently living in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (20021201)
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