Age of Misrule (GollanczF.) [Paperback]

Mark Chadbourn (Author)

Book Description

Series: GollanczF. | Publication Date: September 14, 2006

All over the country, the ancient gods of Celtic mythology are returning to the land from which they were banished millennia ago. Following in their footsteps are creatures of folklore: the Fabulous Beasts, shape-shifters and Night Walkers, and other, less wholesome beings. As they grow in power, so technology is swept away. It is myth and magic that now rule supreme in this new Dark Age: The Age of Misrule. The Eternal Conflict between the Light and Dark once again blackens the skies and blights the land. On one side stand the Tuatha de Danann, golden-skinned and beautiful; on the other are the Fomorii, monstrous devils hell-bent on destroying all human existence. But in times of trouble, come heroes. Five flawed humans, Brothers and Sisters of Dragons, are drawn together to search for the magical talismans which which to fight the powers of old. But time draws short and humanity looks set to be swept away ...

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mark Chadbourn was raised in the mining communities of South Derbyshire. He studied Economic History at Leeds before becoming a national newspaper journalist. He is the author of several novels, including The Age of Misrule and The Dark Age trilogies.

Product Details

• Paperback: 1360 pages
• Publisher: Orion Paperbacks (September 14, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0575079185
• ISBN-13: 978-0575079182
• Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 1.9 x 7.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,281,124 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A two-time winner of the prestigious British Fantasy Award, Mark has published his epic, imaginative novels in many countries around the world. He grew up in the mining community of the English Midlands, and was the first person in his family to go to university. After studying Economic History at Leeds, he became a successful journalist, writing for several of the UK's renowned national newspapers as well as contributing to magazines and TV.

When his first short story won Fear magazine's Best New Author award, he was snapped up by an agent and subsequently published his first novel, Underground, a supernatural thriller set in the coalfields of his youth. Quitting journalism to become a full-time author, he has written stories which have transcended genre boundaries, but is perhaps best known in the fantasy field.

Mark has also forged a parallel career as a screenwriter with many hours of produced work for British television. He is a senior writer for BBC Drama, and is also developing new shows for the UK and US.

An expert on British folklore and mythology, he has held several varied and colourful jobs, including independent record company boss, band manager, production line worker, engineer's 'mate', and media consultant.

Having travelled extensively around the world, he has now settled in a rambling house in the middle of a forest not far from where he was born.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mythology, Fantasy, Romance... Supurb, November 28, 2006

By 

C. Angelo "Romantic Extraordinaire" (Norwich, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Age of Misrule (GollanczF.) (Paperback)

After relocating to the UK for university, the first thing I did in the first free moment I had was to have a wander into Waterstones where I was fortunate enough to discover this trilogy. On a whim, as it looked interesting, I bought it, and I will say with pride and a bit of novel-obsessed geekiness, that this set of novels has changed my entire outlook on fantasy, as did Perdido Street Station (another wickedly amazing novel) years ago. I am not going to describe the plot, for fear that even the slightest spoiler might take away from the fantasia the reader is pulled into from the very start of these books, but I will say that it is an entrancing ride.

What pulled me in was the serpantine interlocking of myth, traditional fantasy, romance and modern day society. While Chadbourn does focus on Celtic mythology and mythology derived subjects, his command of everyday society and the dimensions of modern characters suddenly thrust into a world where everything, at first, is beyond their comprehension, is commendable to say the least. There is none of that epic awkwardness, no misplaced dialogue, or interactions between characters that is superfluous or underdeveloped. At the same time, his characters do not get lost in the plot of the trilogy- their own emotions and thoughts are not overshadowed by the storyline, yet work to shape it and evolve from start to finish. They are characters that you grow close to, in a story that you cannot help but find yourself absorbed in.

I absolutely reccommend this set of novels to anyone who enjoys fiction of a more trancendental nature- one that encompasses various time periods, myth, legend, contemporary and well developed characters, beautiful imagery, or, put simply very well written and satisfying fantasy.

Many thanks to Mark Chadbourn for writing one of the best sets of books I have read in ages.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I really wanted to love this book but...., November 18, 2008

By 

Alice M. Hand "chewy_girl" (england) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Age of Misrule (GollanczF.) (Paperback)

Age Of Misrule was a big disappointment for me. I picked it up because it looked like something different and I knew it was set in the UK, and partly in my hometown too, so I was really curious. Sadly, it's just not very well written. The characters are under-developed and two-dimensional, they all speak the same way...the author's attempt to make one character different from the others is to make him say 'bleedin'' every second word. It's tedious.

I really, really wanted to love this book because it has some amazing ideas and it's a really ambitious concept...a little along the lines of American Gods. However, for me, Chadbourn fails where Gaiman succeeded. The plot is repetitive, lots of being unconscious then conscious oh, then unconscious again...lots of running in the rain, hiding, then some more running in the rain.

The author uses character dialogue to inform us of his wealth of knowledge regarding mythology in such a dry way that I felt I was being given a lesson not reading a novel on several occasions. It seems to read like a video game...the characters go from A to B collecting clues from minor characters along the way (it's all so easy), at one point they luckily find a gun and some ammunition just left around for them to take....

The author uses the same descriptive phrases over and over again and the text is loaded with exposition. How many times do you need to hear that a character feels 'strangely uneasy...' it really grated on me.

The novel just doesn't work for me. I was suprised that it wasn't his first novel as it reads like a first novel, it feels more amateur than professional...or maybe his editor just needs to be fired. I don't know. It's a shame.

I might give some of his other work a go but I can't recommend this one to anyone. I suggest you just read American Gods instead.