Customer Reviews

Mad God's Wrath (Outlanders)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In a time when too many science fiction authors spend 700 pages to tell one 10th of their great big story arc (coughcoughrobertjordancoughcough) it's nice to know that a Science Fiction novel, with fantasy underpinnings, can deliver the goods quickly, sharply and efficiently.

Unlike the deathlands fan from oveido, florida, I didn't think the pace of the novel was at all harmed by the inclusion of backstory. For someone who has missed the books, or are reading them out of sequence (Amazon truly is a boon in regards to finding Outlanders books - you just can't find them used!), it was something vital. Maccan and David were only menaces that were referred to in passing, if at all in other books, but this novel definitely profited from the much-needed backstory, otherwise people who've missed the Devil In the Moon/Dragonseye two-parter, or the Outlanders' first visit to Mars would have been lost.

This is a series that contains continuity, but it is gentle to the readers by providing that backstory, then getting back to the business to adventure in a heroic age.

A great book with a masterful villain and a slam-bang opening.

Mad God's Wrath is the return of Mark Ellis to the Outlanders series with a solid, lucid story that rolls along smoothly with no missteps. He gets all the characters and conventions of this series exactly right, from the interactions between the lead characters to the tie-ins with mythology.

Even though there's nothing terribly new in this book except for the assault on the Cerberus redoubt, the story is familiar and comfortable, like a TV series you love but haven't seen in a while.

The science-fiction elements which were noticeably absent in the last book are back in full force, at least. Mad God's Wrath puts the trinity of Kane, Brigid and Grant on center stage again but Lakesh has a large part to play too. The most interesting thing about the book is the villain, Maccan, returning from the Dragon Kings two-parter of a couple of years ago. He's a much nastier in this one --with the Silver Hand of Nuadhu he splits open heads and tears apart chests like the wrappers off candy bars.

Able to murder at will but seeming to be immune to retaliation, Maccan is an effectively menacing and frightening enemy. His final fate is grimly appropriate...but I have a feeling he could return in the future.

The real joy comes with visiting our old friends at Cerberus again, feeling a part of their interactions and their on-the-edge lives. It's too bad Domi doesn't have a larger part to play (she gets graphically tortured). For that matter, a number of Cerberus personnel are either wounded or killed.

Despite scenes like that sort, there are a lot of enjoyable details thrown into the story, like the return of the vicious little David from Parallax Red or the uber-bizarre Tasha who comes off as a player in an S&M Kabuki play. One of the great delights of this series is its unpredictable quality-- you never know just what you're going to encounter. Mad God's Wrath may have a familiar feel to it, but it is in no way as hidebound or locked into a by-the-numbers formula as other series of this ilk are, like the predictable monotony of most entries in the Executioner or Deathlands series.

A very enjoyable book all the way around.

Mad God' Wrath by Mark Ellis is a nice return to the Outlanders series. Lately the flair was missing but this book has brought a nice return to the popular series' magic. Thanks !!

Mad God's Wrath was only the fourth book I've read in this series and like all the others it was a lot of fun. I never read the other books with Mars or Maccan but I'll be trying to order them soon. I've very pleased I found the Outlanders series.

Sure Mark Ellis is back - and he also is the master manipulator of the overall OUTLANDERS concept, design, and characterization, but this book was not his best.

But nor was it his worst.

The info-dumping and rehashing that seems to pollute each and every book now, is not so bad in this one. That in and of itself, is a blessing. But the problems I spotted were the unlikelyhood of the characters surviving a battle with Deathbirds right on top of them. Come on, no way! How could the pilots be so dim and slow witted? And the cliche ending has been overdone!

Mark Ellis IS a superlative writer, don't get me wrong. But this particular storyline could have been much better if Maccan would have taken them through the mirror. But alas, it was not to be, and this was still a most enjoyable novel in the series.

I totally disagree with the female reviewer: I am an avid fan of both Deathlands and Outlanders, and I like them both, thank you very much! Sure they are within the same universe, but are going in somewhat different directions. Sure the Deathland's characters should be ever-changing and developing - but it is still great, fun, and exciting action/adventure reading!!

Hell, it used to be labelled - Action/Adventure back in the day. And ultimately, that's what they are. Mark Ellis is definately creating his characters to develop as the series goes on - and that's a good thing - something the author's and editors of Gold Eagle books needs to seriously consider to do more of in the Deathlands series.

But I am the ultimate fan of these series. I have been reading them religiously since their inceptions - some I've read 2 or 3 times! Despite what others say, I believe for the most part - both Mel Odom and Victor Milan have written some fresh, infused blood into both series - and I hope they continue to. Mark needs a vacation from time to time, does he not?

And coming from a writers POV, (of which I have recieved good reviews from my work all over the world), despite the direction that Mr. Ellis decided to take this particular storyline, it was still a fun and exciting read. Just not one of his best.

Whether you are a fan or not of this series, this novel is worth checking out.

If nothing else Mad God's Wrath proves conclusively that the descriptive prose and scene-setting of other contributors to the Outlanders series can't hold a candle to those penned by Mark Ellis.

Since the main characters are the heroes of an action-adventure series it goes without saying they're larger than life but they are developed well enough to be believable, especially in the subtle personality growth they have all undergone over the course of the series. They seem to come alive on the page as you read about them.

The touches of satirical humor give Outlanders an individuality that can't be easily imitated by other writers and gives it a unique status.

Like the best of past Outlanders adventures, Mr. Ellis uses his vivid characterizations masterfully to build you up, then unexpectedly cut you brutally down as with the graphic assault on Cerberus.

This novel concerns Maccan, the last prince of the Tuatha De Danaan, the "mad god" of the title. Colorful and even a little over the top, he is a strangely sympathetic villain, despite his allegiance to no one but himself. His desire to walk "through the looking glass" is not just a mad delusion but based on a very interesting scientific principle about the mirror matter theory(which I only pretend to really understand!).

The scenes set on Mars are very interesting and exciting, particularly the wild train chase across the plains. I could picture every moment of it as if I were watching a movie. What a great film epic this book-most of them in fact-would make!

The best thing about the whole book for me was that the characters I have come to know and love over the last five or so years are back in fine form, and not the travesties of the previous book, Awakening.

Brigid, Kane, Grant, Domi, Lakesh, et. al-welcome back! A lot of us missed you!

At any rate, even though Mad God's Wrath contains plenty of action, violence and even sex , I don't think this is the sort of book that will appeal to young Deathlands only fans (or old Deathlands only fans for that matter) for whom quality of prose or characterization takes a backseat to descriptions of guns, blood-letting and rape. This is high adventure, pulpish even, but presented maturely and intelligently.

For anyone who likes their action heroes resourceful and witty and plots a bit more highbrow than shooting the straw man bad guy, this is the kind of book you're likely to appreciate.

I'm a fan of military science-fiction like the Demon Tech and Spec Ops Squad series but I think Outlanders is better most of the time. The stories are almost always exciting and written so vividly they're like movies inside the reader's heads!

Mad God's Wrath has abundant action and drama with fascinating characters and settings. The Cerberus crew return to a long abandoned Mars base which I liked a lot since I missed the first novel where they went there. All the material about Maccan and his race was fascinating.

I think fans of military science fiction will like this book and should read the previous books in this exciting series. The main writer of Outlanders has created heroes who are brave, resourceful and refreshingly humorous and the villains are unforgetable too, the classic bad guys "you love to hate".

Return to Mars
What is the sign of a good writer? Someone who can take an old, tried and worn out storyline and add enough twists and exotic locations to make it not only worthwhile reading, but memorable too boot.

The novel begins on the Manitius base, located on the moon. Here the survivors who have not yet made their way to Cerberus are guarding over the body of the last of the Tuatha Du Danaan, Maccan.

The reader quickly discovers that not all the base personnel are what they seem. There are still a number of men and women loyal to Maccan, and are simply waiting for the right time to revive him.

Now is better than never.

Grant, Kane and Brigid are off on the East coast, attempting to make a deal with a Pit Boss for weapons and ordinance he smuggled out of the Tartarus pits. As one can imagine, it turned out to be a trap, but one which ended up costing the lives and even more Deathbirds, while Kane and his companions made it away with nary a scratch.

In Cerberus, Lakesh is spending time with Domi, and most of the base personnel are just relaxing and living their lives.

Their peaceful little world came crashing down around them incredibly fast. Maccan invades the redoubt, his people causing extensive damage and killing a large number of the refugees from the Manitius base. He has two demands, one being that Lakesh accompany him, the other that the scientists bring along his interphaser.

Maccan has some interesting plans for the device. At first, Lakesh has no desire to help the Mad God, but after he tortures Domi, and puts her in a coma from which it is uncertain if she will awaken or not, Lakesh gives in.

Not so much as to save more lives, as he couldn't stand to lose Domi.

He, as well as the Interphaser, are taken and the surviving members of Maccan's invading force use the gateway and leave the base.

When Kane and his friend return to the base, they quickly discover the extent of the damage, and are able to track the jump location, where Maccan took Lakesh and the device.

He has made a trip to Mars.

None of them are all that eager to return to the red, barren planet, as they have no idea what sort of trap, if any - Maccan has left behind for them. However, the safe return of their friend is far more important, and they push any doubt and fear they have to the backgrounds of their minds and make the jump.

Upon returning to Mars, they briefly encounter more Transadapts, but they're more of an annoyance than an actual danger.

They find out that Maccan has taken Lakesh to the monument pyramid, and take the Martian bullet train to the huge monolith. The fight on the train against Maccan's people is very well written, and one could see the Cerberus warriors exchanging weapons fire against the fast moving sleds, piloted by Maccan's loyalists.

But, compared to the interior of the great pyramid itself, that is nothing more than a walk in the park. It was as if one was actually inside the huge structure, feeling not only the immeasurable weight of the stone the pyramid was built out of pushing down on you, but the weight of the passage of time as well.

Inside the monument, Maccan's forces capture Kane and his friends and they are taken to Lakesh.

A short period of time later, they're all taken deep into the pyramid, where they learn Maccan's plans, and even more fascinating, what happened to the Tuatha and their origins.

Maccan plans on using the Interphaser in conjunction with the Pyramid to cross the dimensions and return to his peoples own universe and world, and he intends on taking the Cerberus warriors with him.

Brigid sabotages his plans however, and in doing so, quite literally brings down the house around the Mad god.

As I stated at the beginning of my review, the story is as old as time, but when you mix characters you actually care about, locate them in exotic settings and throw in an insane alien who considers himself to be a god - you have the makings of a hell of a read.

The recapping of material wasn't quite as overbearing as it has been over the past couple of years, although it is still annoying, and it could potentially turn older readers away. But, to be honest, that would be the reader's loss. It is necessary from time to time to have recapping, as to fill in the newcomers to the series.

Once again the author has proven that he knows his science. The theories and technology mentioned in the novel are not just random bits of fluff pulled out of the air, but actual theories put forth in the scientific community, backed by research.

This is what sets Outlanders apart from many other novels, and the original series that spawned it.

Combine that with written descriptions that could stimulate even the most obtuse and un-imaginative minds, you have a winner, and once again, the author has proven that he is more than just your average writer.

Many authors making a great deal more for their work could learn a thing or two from this author.