Customer Reviews

Blood and Honor

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
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Once again Simon Green has given us another of his long line of very entertaining stories.This one concerns a down on his luck actor who agrees to become through magic of course to be stand in for ailing Prince Viktor.The actor,Jordan soon regrets his decision as he enters the sinister Castle Midnight where the real battle the terrifying unreal and he must match wits with Viktor's evil brothers, Lewis and insane sorcerer Dominic and their various henchmen.This novel has scenes of terrifying menace as the characters battle monsters and other creepy things thrown at them from barriers of the Unreal and there are scenes of lethal court intrigue and machivellian manuvers as each brother plots against one and another and no one is what they seem to be and no one can be trusted! A gripping fantasy novel set in the same world as Green's Blue Moon Rising.This novel also has ingenious murder mystery as you try to unravel who killed King Malcolm to gain the throne.The various villians like murderous Prince Lewis and dangerously insane Dominic were quite memorable as with some of the female characters as brave steward, Catriona Taggart, ruthless Lady Elizabeth and Viktor's ambitious Lady Heather were also great.Add this novel as feather in Green's cap as one of the most entertaining sf/fantasy author in the market today!

I would like to say that this is the best fantasy book I have ever read ( beleive me I`ve worked my way through quite a few ) and am very surprised that this didn`t immediatly become a bestseller. It has all the twists and turns, magic and politics, humour and sheer bloody mindedness of masterpiece.

The hero ( if you could call him such ) is a complex yet lovable rogue who is thrust into the world of demons and politics when he`s hired to impersonate a sickly prince. The king is dead and the three princes are attempting to find his will ( losing it if it doesn`t suit them!) as well as his crown and seal. It soon becomes apparent however that all the princes are willing to go to great lengths, and forge strange alliances to achieve their aims.

The lovable hero twists and turns through the strange politics, magic and assassination attempts with a wonderful droll cynicism which is bound to catch your heart.

Simon R Green`s best work is right here and I`m looking forward to more in this series.

I have to admit, I'm absolutely shocked this book didn't become an instant bestseller. This is quite possibly the most well-written, involving, immensely satisfying piece of fantasy fiction I've read, and that's saying a lot. With fascinating characters, a riveting plotline, a dramatic scope, and smooth, vivid writing, all tied together with the classic sword-and-sorcery fantasy element Green captures so well, this book is simply awesome.

Once again, Green has used the setting of _Blue Moon Rising_ as the jumping point for a different kind of story; unlike _Down Among the Dead Men_, though, this one is quite similar in tone and complexity to _Blue Moon Rising_. (I'm sorry to keep referring back to that book, but I truly loved it, and some of the in-jokes, such as Jordan's monologue performance as the "High Warlock," will make better sense if you've read it.)

The protagonist is Jordan, a rather lovable itinerant scamp and actor. Things take a grimmer--and richer, considering the sum offfered--turn when he is abducted by some "friendly" notables from Castle Midnight to impersonate a fading Prince Victor. Castle Midnight is currently suffering a crisis due to the death of its king, commonly suspected to be murder, and Victor's two brothers make life very interesting for a bewildered Jordan.

There's magic and mystery galore. I went crazy trying to figure out who killed the king; and for once the denouement was no disappointment. The tale is well-crafted, certainly more consistent in tone than _Blue Moon Rising_ (which glides from the comic to the grim, though in all fairness the humor is present throughout) and worth a try.

My one complaint is a touch of the Wheel-of-Time syndrome: almost too many characters, and keeping track of them is sometimes troublesome. On the other hand, Green does a fairly good job of keeping them distinct, and a couple of paragraphs into any point-of-view change should jog your memory.

The Great Jordan is an actor who has seen better days. But just when things seem to be at their worst, he is commissioned for a special role. He is to stand in for Prince Viktor who is currently under the weather. Viktor is the middle of three brothers in a small kingdom where the king has recently died. Palace politics would not allow him to seem weak at this time. Jordan agrees to the role.

Jordan is enchanted to look and sound like the prince and is schooled in the ways of the castle and family. But the castle is not an ordinary castle. It is Castle Midnight and it sits on a site where the real and unreal are very close. Without a proper king on the throne, the unreal becomes stronger and tries to break though completely. Add to that the plots and counterplots of the other princes, Regent, and supporting cast and Jordan realizes that this is not an easy role.

Another fine book related to Blue Moon Rising and the Hawk and Fisher books. The action is non-stop and the mysteries keep the reader guessing right up until the end. A fun and serious fantasy.

Although the ending was predictable, the book is still enjoyable and fun. Plenty of over the top action, intrigue, witty dialogue, and interesting, yet zany, characters.

There just might be SPOILERS.

Writing with gusto, Britain's Simon R. Green is as entertaining an author as they come, and BLOOD AND HONOR, released in 1993, is a rousing fantasy adventure rife with royal machinations, false identities, ghosts, and dark sorcery. And sword fights. Let's not forget the brawny, bloody sword fights. Having cast a thespian as his main protagonist, Green, in these pages, gets a chance to draw from his past experiences as a small time actor, having held several stage and television gigs. In the tradition of Robert Heinlein's Double Star and Anthony Hope's The Prisoner of Zenda, the protagonist of BLOOD AND HONOR is hired to enact a secret impersonation. And then, amazingly, the fin hits the shan.

The Great Jordan hasn't been having a great acting career of late. His best days behind him, he's been ekeing out an existence by touring the countryside, performing one-man acts and earning pitiful wages in tiny villages. So when he's tapped to pose as an exiled Prince returning home to the intimidatingly-named Castle Midnight, he accepts the proposition. But the task is far from a walk in the park. His role, that of Viktor, a prince of Redhart and wielder of fire magic, quickly immerses him in deadly politics of the purple and makes him an instant target for assassination.

With the murder of the king and with no clear heir to the throne of Redhart, Viktor, the middle of three quarrelsome brothers and believed to be too quick-tempered, means to become the new monarch. Jordan, as Prince Viktor, has his work cut out for him, not only with the royal succession but with the constant, unremitting encroaches into Castle Midnight by the nightmarish boogeymen and beasties of the Unreal. At least, Jordan's gift for sleight of hand comes in handy as his role necessitates a constant demonstration of fire magic. And he does make friends with a lost little boy and a sad-eyed hound, which is a lucky thing, because, well...no, I don't think I'll tell.

BLOOD AND HONOR makes for compulsive reading, one of those unputdownable books which'll keep you flipping pages. If you like your action fraught with indiscriminate blood-letting, then this one's for you. Green's writing, never mistaken for being subtle, is again gleefully over-the top. Reading his stuff is like jumping on a runaway train careening off a cliff. As expected, BLOOD AND HONOR is chock-full of weird shenanigans, over-the-top dramatics, and breathtaking action sequences. The Unreal are relentless and malignant, the three princes of Redhart seemingly irredeemably evil (yes, even Victor), and certain other personalities in court seen as extremely dubious. Green writes with directness and with a refreshing vigor, and his enthusiasm is infectious. There are passages in the book which will keep you on the edge of the couch, as when Jordan ventures into Castle Midnight's West Wing to quell an Unreal outbreak. Then there's the exciting, all-out climax. And, yes, there's even a bit of mystery as the king's assassin is eventually unmasked.

Green makes his characters stand out, cloaking his cast with a larger-than-life aura and giving them splashy names (the valiant Sir Gawaine Hellstrom, the trader Robert Argent, the steadfast steward Catrina Taggert, her doughty assistant Damon Cord, the enigmatic Monk, silent Ironheart, etc.). The Great Jordan himself is a pretty damn colorful character in his own right, and makes for a solid and very agreeable protagonist. Meanwhile, Green continues his streak of creating strong women with the no-nonsense and very capable Catrina Taggert.

I sometimes wish I lived my life like Simon R. Green writes his books, with zest and a disregard for conventions. Green couldn't care less if you think he's unfashionably over the top, he's too busy raking in the green and gathering in the plaudits. Unlike the stuffy, deadly serious fantasy epics of, say, Robert Jordan, Terry Goodkind, or David Farland, Green relishes a certain tongue-in-cheek approach in his writing. And it somehow works. Green can go from the sublime to the ridiculous in a hurry (check out Shadows Fall and Blue Moon Rising, both fabulous). For those who haven't read much of Simon R. Green's very addictive works, BLOOD AND HONOR takes place in the same world as BLUE MOON RISING, Beyond The Blue Moon (Hawk & Fisher), the Hawk & Fisher stories, and Down Among the Dead Men. All titles mentioned above are worth reading, but especially Blue Moon Rising, which is one of my favorite fantasy books.

BLOOD AND HONOR is rollicking and suspenseful, fantastical and blood-thirsty, fast-paced and action-packed. It even has moments which will move you. It's peopled with despicable villains and lantern-jawed heroes (okay, Jordan, in his original form, probably doesn't have a lantern jaw, but I'm sure Sir Gawaine and Damon Cord do). And the book flaunts a can't miss, tried-and-true premise. BLOOD AND HONOR, a story of magic and pretending and lethal sibling rivalry, may be considered by others as simply a flitting and pleasant diversion, but, in my eyes and for my particular tastes, for its sheer bravado and entertainment value, it qualifies as a cheeky masterpiece of sorts.

This book caught and held my interst. It was well writen, and the plot moved at a very nice pace. The characters were well developed, and an asset to the story line. I recomend this book to anyone who can read.

This is one of two works by Green that I've truly enjoyed, a well put together piece that combines fantasy and mystery.

Green has a very direct writing style that's well-suited for the frequent action going on, making it easy to read although you may occasionally wish for a more descriptive flair. (Then again, there are some gruesome bits I most definately would not want more detail on.)

In fact, he has a rather direct style in all things. His setting I found a bit simplistic but adequate, especially his system of magic (there are four royal children, each with an elemental gift: fire, water, earth, and air--a little too tidy and democratic for me). His dialogue is actually very modern, which again makes for easy reading but prevents this from becoming true high fantasy. (Not that I think that's what he's necessarily aiming for.)

His characters are the true joy in the story, especially the protagonist. His cynicism and wru humor will keep you smiling and rooting for him as he lands himself in the midst of trouble: impersonating a prince whose father was murdered, with the prince's permission--but not necessarily the acceptance of everyone else.

Things wrap up quite neatly, without any niggling loose ends. It's a fairly quick read that should tide you through any rainy day, but I won't award any literary merit to the author. Enjoy it for what it is: a light, amusing read.