Customer Reviews

The Jackal of Nar (Tyrants and Kings, Book 1)

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

Billed (not very accurately) as a "military fantasy" this book deals with the conflict between the empire of Nar (ruled by the despot Arkus) and the peoples of the adjacent continent of Lucel-Lar (ruled, at least in a sense, by the religious zealot Tharn, whose rise to power is reflected in the opening chapters of the book). The events are portrayed mainly through the eyes of the story's central protagonist, Richius Vantran (a.k.a. The Jackal of Nar). Richius starts out as prince of the small kingdom of Aramoor (a part of the Nar empire), fighting a hopeless war in Lucel-Lar against Tharn's followers. Later he becomes king of Aramoor, if briefly. Throughout the rest of the book he is an outlaw from Nar, having chosen the side of Lucel-Lar and his beloved, Dyana.

This is a debut novel, and it made quite an impact upon publication. Various established authors (such as J.V. Jones) praised its merits, calling it "well-crafted" and the like. On the other hand, if you were to bother to wade through the many reviews posted here at Amazon, you'll find there's been a lot of criticism, too. For example, Richius is described, in no uncertain terms, as ridiculously stupid.

There's a very good reason for this duplicity. The first half of the book is, frankly, poor. The story stutters and jolts; the characters (especially Richius) are impossible to comprehend, let alone sympathise with. It's as if this section has been so heavily edited that the story-line's been forgotten, let alone the character progression.

Once Richius has returned to Lucel-Lar, however, everything changes. Suddenly, Marco hits his stride; the second half of the book is, indeed, "well-crafted" and, in fact, quite impressive.

So this seems to be a case where both the fans and the detractors are right (and wrong). Where does that leave us ordinary people?

Well, I'd recommend this book. Not because I'm particularly smitten by it as a whole, but because the latter half makes clear that Marco is an important new kid on the block, once he gets his chance. His style of fantasy - which includes very little magic, and instead deals more with politics and war - isn't new, as anyone familiar with George R.R. Martin's A Song Of Ice And Fire series will know. Neither is Marco the best there is in this field; again, a writer such as Martin comes to mind. But Marco's bound to mature and even this first novel, with its curious flaws, seems to make clear that he is a major new talent.

A vast fantasy military epic would be the easy way to describe this amazing novel, which opens a fantasy sequence that rivals many of the best (Jordan, Martin, Williams, Kay) out there in terms of characters, richness, scope and storytelling. However, this novel is more than a military fantasy, the intertwining and clashing of magic and technology is done in a way that does not take away from the story, but rather is essential to the story and the characters. What was best about the magic in this story is that magic is not something that is thrown around lightly, as it is in many of the fantasies written today. The characters that are imbued with magical talents pay a dear price to wield their powerful sorcery. The conflicts range on many levels in this story: magic/technology, brains/heart, etc.

John Marco has studied up on his military history and has also developed some very believable characters in his debut novel. When I say believable, they are not black and white--the ruthless Tharn is shown to have human emotions and convictions. The reasons behind his scheming is understandable from his vantage point, not acceptable, just understandable.

The supporting characters that surround Tharn are vile as well, and their schemings are ruthless, and again understandable from their vantage point, just not acceptable as good behavior.

Richius is a convincing character as well because while he is the 'hero' of the novel, he definitely has his shortcomings. At times he is brash and he does not always learn from his mistakes. He acts in a way that will best meet his goals, whether his goals are truly attainable or not. Throughout Richius matures while sticking to his deepest convictions of attempting to get to his goal of reuniting with his true love.

Mr. Marco is descriptive while allowing enough of the readers imagination to create the vivid scenery and events in the novel. The battle scenes come to life off the page, I felt like I was actually in the battles along with Richius and his comrades. When Tharn uses his magic, I could visualize the magical weavings he was invoking.

The ending was a bit abrupt, but overall this novel is sure to start a writing career that will be long, fruitful and epic. John Marco is 'an author to watch' to use another trite cliché, but it is true.

If you are a fan of George R.R. Martin, give John Marco a try. The third (and final?) book of Tyrants and Kings (Saints of the Sword) should be out early 2001, this will more than satisfy you while you wait for book 4 of A Song of Ice and Fire.

The beauty of The Jackal of Nar lies not in having an exciting,past paced plot, which it has, or having well-crafted, detailed prose, which it also has, but in the simple fact that the characters Marco creates are beleivable. Far too often in fantasy novels the conflict is simply good/evil. Need I list Sauron, Shai'itan, Dharken Rahl, etc.? In the Jackal of Nar, Marco avoids this stereotypical conflict. He indeed initially labels numerous persons as "evil," but this evil is more of the "all communists are evil" kind, AKA nationalist war-time propaganda. But Marco has us meet these characters, one by one, and we learn that they are people, too, with basic desires and drives , such as wanting freedom, or long life. Also, it seemed to me that Marco was also trying relay the idea that the soldiers, the ones that do the killing, raping and pillaging in a war are the real criminals, the true evil. Marco's believable characters make the story. Buy it and you too will be refreshed by his original style.

John Marco's "The Jackal of Nar" has much to recommend it as a piece of sci-fi/fantasy. Marco has created a complex world of political intrigue, where empires of science and magic use swords and kerosene cannons to pursue their bloody ambitions. But some juicy supporting characters are overcome by Marco's choice of protagonist, Prince Richius, who is an unconvincing military "genius" whose selfishness causes much of the (considerable) grief that besets the novel.

The novel opens with Richius leading a doomed campaign on behalf of an Emperor Arkus out of political expediency. The causes of the war and the nature of Richius' opponents are never really explained. He's fighting "Drol," but it's never really clear if the Drol are another species (elves?) or merely another race of mankind. The battle scenes are rendered powerfully, as is the disenchantment that afflicts the soldiers.

Richius is Prince of Aramoor, a small kingdom in the Empire. Soon, Richius is dubbed king, but he shirks his responsibility to his kingdom to pursue information about a beautiful prostitute, Dyana (a "Triin" -- like the "Drol," another group whose nature is never fully explained), with whom Richius spent one night of passion. Richius, however, spent this night of passion with Dyana after rebuking his friend Dinadin for wanting to hire the very same prostitute - "we're here to help these people," Richius hypocritically bloviates, shortly before hiring her. Richius repeatedly tells people that he "has to do something," even if it's a bad idea, and spends much of the novel worrying about the vast gulf between his noble intentions and his selfish actions -- actions which leave many friends and family horribly dead.

Marco has also elevated Richius to the level of military genius, which we know primarily because people keep telling Richius that he is a good soldier . . . but we never really see Richius do or say anything that would lead us to that conclusion ourselves. Sure, during the climactic battle of the novel we hear that Richius has mapped out some defensive measures, but this is far too little, far too late.

All things considered, Richius is about as disappointing a protagonist as Anakin Skywalker was in the three "Star Wars" prequels.

Fortunately, Marco has populated his world with other, more enjoyable characters. The Empire is ruled by an Emperor who desires immortality above all things, even as his decrepit body withers away. The Emperor is surrounded by sycophantic-yet-dueling nobles, all equally addicted to drugs that extend human life well beyond its normal duration - but not without some gruesome side effects. And the sorcerer Tharn is a character for the ages -- a man who can command the fury of the Gods by channelling storms and wipe out entire armies, Tharn's body is wracked by torments from using the Gods' powers to kill.

The novel is uneven. Certain scenes stand out with their startling originality, such as Marco's depictions of the more barbaric tribesmen and some of the battle scenes. Other scenes just come across as contrived. At one point, Richius calls over another character to assist him with a mortally wounded comrade. Once the helper arrives, Richius says, "no, you can't help, I've got to find a horse," and walks off leaving the helper standing next to the stricken soldier with nothing to do. Well, nothing to do except get killed by the dying gesture of the wounded soldier, who hadn't bothered keeping up with current events. This kind of coincidence shows up a couple of other times in the novel, and they ring more contrived than true.

Here's hoping that during the remainder of the series, Richius grows into the character that everyone else believes he is. Marco's universe deserves a hero for the ages, not a whiny petulant kinglet.

If you want fiction that presents clear-cut sides, black and white, then avoid John Marco's books. This writer refuses to box his characters in--good or bad--and for that I applaud him. Following the story of young Prince Richius is a rambling, sometimes frustrating affair. He doesn't follow the tidy rules of fantasy fiction. Neither do his enemies. If you think you know who's who and what sides everyone stands on, just wait till you reach the end.

Despite the mixed reviews here, I ventured forth into the first hundred pages of this book. I kept my expectations low and found myself on page 184 before I knew it. No, it doesn't blow your socks off, but the writing moves smoothly and the plot drew me in. Nearly 600 hundred pages later, having completed the book, I can't say I'm disappointed. Sure, some aspects of the characters may grind at you (some of their idiosyncracies and idiocies), but isn't that life?

The military scenes are believable, sometimes riveting and/or teeth-shattering; and the romantic aspects of the story are only as clumsy as Richius' personality. Personally, I loved the book and look forward to reading the next. The lands of Nar and Lucel-Lor are distinctly reminiscent of our own environs, though with occasional surprises. The fact that the landscape seemed so simply believable to me is a testament to Marco's easygoing style and subtle complexity. I feel like I know his land and his characters, and yet I could read plenty more without growing bored.

I'm glad I scratched the surface...I see gold beneath the clay. (And, for those who've read it, do you think the Lorris and Pris statue will come into play in the next book?) I'm intrigued. I'm hooked.

While I agree with some of the criticisms mentioned in previous reviews, though not always their degree of harshness, this is nonetheless the best fantasy debut I've read this year, excelling first works by authors such as Juliet Marillier and Elizabeth Haydon which, while good, and in the latter case more popular, remain more problematic. Yes, many of the main character's actions seem self-indulgent and immature, and the action of the storyline does stall somewhat in the sections entitled "Nar" and "Phantoms." Perhaps in his effort to portray all his characters as flawed the author has gone too far in his characterization of Richius. And, perhaps in his effort to provide more background to both his character and the Empire of Nar, his choice to do so following the action and battle scenes of the opening chapters seems a let down. However, I would argue that some form of expansion upon the book's setting was required. The author's choice of how to establish this could maybe have been better, done in a way that would have retained the earlier tension of the first chapters--the more driving and successful debut a year ago by Steve Erikson comes to mind--but in part I suspect that many of the complaints found in earlier reviews stem from a difference in approach to fantasy fiction, a desire for readings that fill the pages with relentless and mage-spawned action (Again, these readers should really check out "Gardens of the Moon:" it'll leave them breathless). However, this is not the sole reason I turn to fantasy fiction. Good storytelling for me is not entirely based upon fast paced narration, and for this reason John Marco's tale has largely succeeded.

The author's strengths are his depictions of battles, descriptive detail, and political intrigue. While others have arguably done it better--George R.R. Martin comes to mind--Marco's efforts here are far more than just credible. And comparison to Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire" series is both apt and inevitable. The medieval-based military and political world in this book is also grim, and those readers that quailed at Martin's depiction will likely blanch equally here. Many of the secondary characters tend at times to upstage the leads, with particularly lavish and effective attention paid to the villain Count Renato Biagio. But even he has his sympathetic moments, and herein lies one of the books strengths: an general avoidance of typecasting, an attempt to render many of the characters in a manner that makes their actions understandable and believable, regardless of the baseness of their motivations or the evil that results.

It is perhaps because of the strength of treatment of many of the secondary characters that Richius' flaws of characterization stand out. I attribute this to a weakness in the author's ability to breath emotional depth into many of the main character's scenes that demand it. In particular the rape and subsequent regret that follows seems weak and unconvincing, and the relationship between Sabrina and Richius, while somewhat examined from the former's perspective, seems superficially rendered from Richius' point of view, with his response to his wife and other events at times hardly sympathetic. Because of this, and similar attenuated emotional responses on the part of the hero, I believe his choice of action in many episodes comes across as hollow and unconvincing, leading to many of the previous reviewers' criticisms of his portrayal being on occasion inexplicable and unconvincing. Further, the author touches upon issues of feminism, racism, and the inevitable false justifications of the brutality of war without ever exploring them to their full potential, which, in my opinion, is a missed opportunity, and could have done much to elevate this novel above the ordinary.

Nonetheless, this is a first novel that is very strongly rendered. The solitary description by J.V. Jones that this is a "military fantasy" is unfortunate, as it sets up expectations not entirely represented by the text. True, military matters dominate much of the story, and represent some of its strongest moments. But this is as much a tale about a character coming to grips with his own identity in a world determined to destroy him through his choice to go his own way, as well as the shifting nature of truth and morality. At times these currents of the novel become muddied or are not fully realized, yet the effort deserves to be applauded, and in terms of the overall storyline, succeeds. Based upon the strengths of this work, John Marco appears to have a bright future before him, and I look forward to the tales he has yet to tell. With that expectation, I have already sought out the sequel, and would recommend this work to any looking for more than the common book of spells and over-blown heroes.

The Jackal of Nar is one of the better debut fantasies of the last several years, because it's fresh and unlike anything before it. The author has created a completely believable world peopled with real characters and an elaborate plot dramatically depicting love and war. Instead of being riddled with cliches like a typical fantasy, there are no magic swords or talking dragons or other crutches. Instead, John Marco takes a new view of classic ideas. The main character, Richius, is a good example of this. Instead of being a typical brat-prince, he is a troubled anti-hero reminicent of Holden Caulfield, struggling to do the right thing against impossible circumstances. Though not without its flaws, I think the Jackal of Nar succeeds wonderfully. It drew me in from the first opening battle and held me until the end. Not too many books do that these days. If your appetitie is for something new and compelling, try this book.

A book brimming with interesting ideas and characters, sadly very little of this potential is realized. Marco has a good grasp of the basics of telling a great fantasy story but he constantly hamstrings himself with failures of logics. He tends to create characters and plot threads that are fascinating and then suddenly cuts them off before they can fully develop.

It remains an enjoyable book to read but it could have been incredible.

John Marco's tales evoke all-too-human characters in a vivid and beautiful world. Fate, uncertainty and imperfect knowledge cause unpredictable twists of plot and good and evil rise in smoky spirals of grey from the fires of war. I have been so tired of superhuman heroes and villains, incredibly powerful uber-characters who never err, who are never bested in single combat and who suffer only minor setbacks or temporary troubles rather than psyche-shattering loss. His tale deftly avoids these pitfalls and the balance is incredible, neither elevating people to levels beyond their real capacity nor denying the beauty, the strength and inner resilience which humans can find in time of crisis. The characters live, die, fight, love and learn just as real people might. Previous reviewers who call the characters "clods" have much to learn about the reality of life and humanity. We are all clods from time to time. Character flaws, from hubris to pride, avarice and selfishness, have made and unmade both the great and small from the dawn of time until now. Military fantasy is a sorely overlooked genre and this contribution stands head and shoulders above others. I'm truly impressed and eagerly await the third volume.

I will admit that I did not read the second and third books but I was disappointed with this one. I think what makes a book interesting is when the characters behave believably in incredible circumstances and a story is one that makes you want to read on. Neither were in this book for me. The setting is interesting enough and I'm sure this book could adapt well into a RPG but as for literature it was unconvincing. THIS BOOK IS NOT MILITARY FANTASY. There are sections in the story where there are battle scenes but they are not explored enough and the result is usually killing off main characters for no special reason. This happens in real life you say? Yes, but don't introduce characters in depth and then kill them off, you are wasting my time. People seem to accept the fact that a first book is week because the author is trying to lay out the scene for you, introduce characters ,motivations of characters and villians and in the case of fantasy novels, building worlds. But the truth of the matter is publishers want to sell three books minimum to a series and this results in the watering down of a story. I hope that people realise this trap and are more selective in their purchases. Hey Marcos ,what about pathos? The main character is annoying and consistently behaves foolishly. I find it hard to believe that in war, a military commander would fight hand to hand with the enemy, isn't he more useful to devise military strategy? What happens if your commander gets killed? Who then makes the decisions? There are other holes in the story and I could go on, but read something else will ya? If you are interested in military stories read the Sharpe novels(this is historical fiction however). Raymond Feist writes some intersting military scenes in a fantasy setting but the books have become a little monotonous.Try reading his books spread out with other books in between. George Martin's Fire and Ice novels have good military elements and a good story but the series is not finished yet.