Customer Reviews

The Dark Glory War (A Prelude to the DragonCrown War Cycle)

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book has brought me back to the fantasy adventure genre. Tiring of the typical Forgotten Realms/Dungeons and Dragons cookie cutter books and not finding anything in the last few years to stir my interest like The Raymond E. Feist Midkemia books, I had all but abandoned the genre that had so intensely awakened my love of reading 24 years ago. With this book, I'm back. Stackpole's use of characters (that seemingly start out hackneyed and trite before developing beyond normal archetypes) against an epic background theme spanning hundreds, maybe even thousands, of years is thoroughly engaging. The villains are refreshing in their makeup and the new races and creatures introduced outstrip those I've found in other fantasy novels, especially the ur 'Zethi race. As I've read in other reviews, some parts of the story were predictable but Stackpole's writing style and prose make them enjoyable. The final, shocking twist completely blindsided me and I'm near to salivating as I wait for the next book in the series to come into print. All Hail Mr. Stackpole, he has produced a truly superior work in a field oft endangered of tired stagnation.

Tired of Pug saving the universe... again? Do you just want to strangle (insert Wheel of Time character here)?? How many times do Richard and Kahlan have to get beaten/separated/almost raped/ betrayed before Mr. Goodkind realizes he has been writing the same book over and over??? ARGH I CAN'T READ THIS TRASH ANYMORE! I know some of you are nodding you heads' any probably more of you have your fists' in the air yelling "Preach on Brother!" It seems sometimes that the masses aren't reading any good books.

Where does that leave us Fantasy Bookworms? Well I will tell you. Waiting for the next book from Martin, Wolfe, or Stackpole. Or in extreme cases like me: visiting Michael Stackpole's website religiously every morning to see if he has posted the first chapter in the sequel to Dark Glory Wars. Now there are plenty of decent fantasy writers out there, and while every once in a while they write something awesome they don't do it as often as Stackpole does. Unlike Fiest, Jordon, Goodkind, and countless other authors he doesn't bleed his series dry. Stackpole is interested in improving himself as a writer and that means that he has to switch gears and write something different.

The thing that is great about Dark Glory War (and all of his other books) is Stackpole's ability to really connect the reader to the characters. Each character has a great personality and they fit and contract with each other in a way that seems very real. In fact, I would consider Stackpole's character development to be very close to Martin's ability. Often times while reading DGW I found myself wishing I could jump into the book and beat the stuffing out of some character that was pissing me off, or perchance help out the hero and fix things that have gone wrong. This is what I consider to be good writing. Often times I read fantasy books and I find myself wishing I could beat the stuffing out of the author.

So if you like fantasy and you have never heard of Michael Stackpole then you owe it to yourself to buy this book. And if you know about Stackpole and you have only read a couple of his books then make sure you read the rest of them! Which are my favorite of his? Ummm that's a hard question but would probably be a tie between Dark Glory War, Talion: Revenant, and Wolf & Raven.

Stop wiping your butt with that Mercedes Lackey book and go buy a novel you won't be embarrassed about!

The author certainly wastes no time in getting to the meat of the story. To begin, we meet the three main characters, friends all going through a rite of passage at the same time, one a noble, another the son of a military man, the third a commoner. Their passage to adulthood is interrupted by a monumental event, an invasion from an enemy of old from the north. Having been in the right place at the right time, all three are thrust into an odyssey across their continent. This serves the purpose of introducing the reader both to the varied cultures in this fantasy world, and to the varied races in this world. Among the goodly races are humans, elves of a type to give a refreshing view of them, and a race of shapeshifters. The evil races are headed by an evil sorceress, who controls gibberers, temeryces (feathered, sickle-toed fast running horrors), and giants. The evil has lain dormant for a long time, choosing now to strike, when the populace has grown complacent.

Stackpole, as per his usual, deals with the politics of the various regions in regard to one another. Character development is also very well done. The three young men truly become the heroes of their generation. Their journey takes them through many battles, all captured in exquisite detail. While the good guys fare well, there are many extenuating circumstances that conspire to make them pyrrhic victories at best.

The story, told by one of the three as a memoir of sorts, ends with extensive setup for the upcoming trilogy, as it is intended. This book has all the elements one might seek from a fantasy novel: action, intrigue, suspense, magic, even romance. Stackpole as much as any other author can create characters that you just truly HATE, and others that you love like your own sibling. If you like fantasy novels and would like something of a change of pace from the tried and true material that is already moldering out there, give this one a try. You won't be sorry.

The Dark Glory War is the best piece of fantasy that Michael Stackpole has written. From the first page I was engrossed in the story line. Stackpole's first person style lends a different element to his work. The main character (Hawkins) is likeable from the start and you are rooting for him as the story proceeds.

Readers be warned...the title is accurate. This book is Dark. If the saga of Hawkins ended with this novel you would be very, very disappointed. Luckily Hawkins' story continues in the DragonCrown War Cycle trilogy. Read them all.

When I picked up this book at an airport, I must admit to having very limited expectations. I really loved Stackpole's X-Wing books, but I had never read any of his fantasy novels. The beginning of the book was interesting and yet, it took me a little bit of time to get into the flow of the book. Stackpole writes at a fast pace, which means that much of the background and exposition is not immediately discussed or if it is, it is brushed over. Some writers, for example, take eons to advance the plot of the book because they are focusing on describing the fantasy world in which the character lives. Stackpole doesn't give you all the information you need up front; he doles it out as needed. The result is that it took me a while to get a sense for Stackpole's world.

Well, I expected this book to be little more than a typical coming of age fantasy story a la the Belgariad or the Wheel of Time series. Although there are similar elements, man was I wrong!

Dark Glory War is awesome! Stackpole has crafted a fast paced, exciting adventure book in a style reminescent of Saberhagen's Book of Swords series. Dark Glory centers around three friends, each with their own distinct personalities and battle skills. Without hitting the reader of the head with their differences (Stackpole has a knack for conveying personalities in concise descriptions of clothing, mannerisms, and with very exact and appropriate dialogue), these three young men grow and develop as strong characters literally right before your eyes.

Stackpole has created a vibrant society full of endless possibilities. The main characters, Hawkins, Nay, and Leigh, live in a country where certain members of the society wear face masks (hence the cover art). On the night of their "coming out" party, they are suddenly thrust into a series of events which lead them accross borders, into massive land and sea battles, and to one absolutely kickin' ending. For fantasy action fans, if you like R.A. Salvatore, you'll love Stackpole!

So, what are you doing still reading this review? Go ahead and buy it! Dark Glory War was one of the most pleasant reading surprises I've had in a very long time.

I am a great fan of Mr. Stackpole and this book was great thrill to read. I took about one whole day and simply spent it in the wold of Tarrant Hawkins and his friends. Reality gets lost somewhere along the way and you get drawn into characters and events that you will never be able to forget. Now, don't be expecting exceptionally profound or difficult to grasp reading. Stackpole never claims to be writing great literature but what he does write is a wonderful story with believable, living characters and an exciting plot that grabs your attention and doesn't let it go till the very last page and then leaves you begging for more. If you are in the need of some good fiction or a little escape from reality, then make sure to pick up this book. All I can say is, I can't wait until the next one!

This book can only be described in one way. Awesome. When I first read it, I did it in about 5 hours. I could not put it down. 2 days later, I picked it back up and read it again, finding things I missed the first time, which made the book even better. Now if you're wondering why the book is so great, it's the characters. They are so believable, so real, so developed, you wish that you could keep spending time with them after you're done with the book. Also, Stackpole, the master of military fantasy, has created a vivid and deep realm for you to immerse yourself into. He describes everything in a way that lets you know what it is. He gives you a history. And not just a post-it note history like I've seen some writers do. He works the history into the story. The customs of the people are inspired by it, and so are the actions of the people. But, as I said before, the real stars of this book are the characters. Tarrant Hawkins, Bosleigh Norrington, Seethe, Resolute, Lord Norrington, and Naysmith Carver are the most interesting characters I've seen this side of the Dark Conspiracy novels, or the Tenchi OVA. They shine through, and you remember them and their struggles long after the book is finished. And then last, but certainly not least, is the action. As I said before, Stackpole is the master of military fantasy. He brings the battles to you in a way that is so easy to digest, and to understand, that you can picture everything that's happening. Swords slashing, arrows flying, creatures hurling themselves at barricades, and heros doing valiant deeds or making valiant sacrifices. This book is one of the greatest novels I've ever read, and I think far eclipses anything else I've read lately. It also proves waiting for the next piece of the story is the hardest part. I can't wait to find out what happens next. And if we're lucky, this could be Stackpoles first epic series.

This is an outstanding book. Michael Stackpole is easily one of the best authors writing today. If you have not read any of Michael's books, this is indicative of his writing. The character's are memorable, and the story keeps you reading. The world is original and colorful. This is the first of four, and I can't wait for the next. If you read any Fantasy books this definitely should be one of them!

I started reading Mike Stackpole's Star Wars books, and have since branched out into his original fantasy works. I have found all of his books to be quite good, and this one is no exception, in fact it is one of his best. It starts with the coming of age celebration of young Tarrent Hawkins. It ends many months (and battles) later, with everything we expect from Stackpole (and more), in between. We get to know Hawkins very well, as the story is told in the first person. Stackpole puts this device to good use, giving us his every thought on the characters and events, along with some heavy foreshadowing from the 'older' narrator. This really gives a sense of impending doom to the whole book, there is a LOT of tension here, for you can see from the first few chapters, that no character is safe, this is the real world here. As a result of this, the suspense and the enjoyment are really high. Another great thing is the originality of the work. Most Fantasy books are a rework of 5 or 6 different themes, most LOTR based. While this does 'borrow' some theme's and idea's from Tolkien's masterpiece, it is in a very reverential way. This is not ripping off genius, it is honoring it. Do not expect this to be Middle Earth, it is a VERY original world, entirely of Stackpole's own creation. While the customs and history are entirely new, everything is given to the reader in a way that we have enough information to be able to know what is going on, while not being overloaded. This corrects one of the problems in Eyes of Silver, which while a great book, was not one you understood up to the 150th page. I think the 1st person really helps in that regard. While we are treated to all the elements of first class fantasy, strange creatures and locals, adventure adventure adventure, we also get Stackpole's trademark style, friendship, laughs, and a bit of romance. Notice, that this is the lead book of a group, and as such not all is wrapped up. There is one big loose end at the last few chapters, and the last page is enough to give me the chills. The tension level is high, and anybody that reads this will not be able to help picking up the next one. I am quite confident that the rest of the books will live true to the high mark set here. This is really and truly first class fantay, highest recomendation. 5/5 stars.

I'll readily admit it- I'm a bit fan of Michael Stackpole's, and I picked up Dark Glory War with exceedingly high expectations. It was as fast-paced and furious as any of his other work, but had a distinctly unique flavor that I found strangely appealing. This was almost certainly by design, considering it's really just a teaser for the extensive Dragoncrown War Cycle trilogy.

Perhaps the most interesting departure from Stackpole's other work is the fact that nobody in Dark Glory War is invincible. The heroes are normal human beings, if perhaps a bit hardier than average, and they can die just like anyone else... or worse. There are a great many hidden secrets that are not revealed in the novel, for the obvious purpose of surprising the reader when the next three are read. Last, but not least, the main character from whose point of view the story is told (in first-person, which Stackpole does an excellent job with) is more of a supporting role in both this and the following stories.

So what hasn't changed? As usual, Stackpole has shown his prowess in world-building and characterization. The people, places, and politics all seem real- and that does nothing but contribute to the power of the adventure. And what an adventure it is! I won't spoil it for anyone, but suffice to say that Dark Glory War is fully comparable to Once a Hero and Talion: Revenant in that aspect (though, of course, lacking a final conclusion).

A brief synopsis of the story is in order, minus any spoilers of course: a powerful northern tyrant threatens the world with a massive horde of deadly minions. Moving to oppose her are the fragmented nations of the civilized races, led by a group of heroes (including the novel's 'author,' Tarrant Hawkins). Since it is told from the point of view of one person, you only see so much of the battles and the goings-on behind the scenes. However, you get just enough to see that this war isn't going to be done anytime soon. As for why the title is fitting... you will have to read the novel to find out.

The fact that Dark Glory War lacks a conclusion and invincible heroes should not be taken as a flaw. Bear in mind that this is just a prelude to the real story (which I am even now devouring at a formidable pace) and that it is told by a character that isn't the proverbial 'one hero to rule them all.' It is a departure for those familiar with Stackpole's work, but surely not in a negative way.