2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good read!, February 16, 2007
This review is from: The Mark of Ran: Book One of The Sea Beggars (Paperback)
I've been meaning to read some of Paul Kearney's works for some time now. This author is not widely known in North America, but he's been on the European scene for quite a while. Even better, I've only heard good things about him. Last but not least, Kearney comes with the Steven Erikson seal of approval! All in all, the odds appeared to be in favor of my liking Kearney's novels.
This author is known for the brevity of his books. And in this day and age, fans are screaming for epic fantasy works of titanic proportions, or so it seems. Hence, Kearney's novels are a far cry from the "doorstopper" works which have made Tad Williams, Robert Jordan, Steven Erikson, Peter F. Hamilton and George R. R. Martin famous. As as such, can the man compete with authors like these? Well, the answer is yes! Believe me when I tell you that great things come in small packages!
The Mark of Ran immediately grabs hold of you and won't let go. The pace is fast and crisp, with a narrative that flows effortlessly. Much like a thriller, the novel is a page-turning reading experience. With relatively short chapters, you always tell yourself that you'll only read one more. And then you reach the end of the book!
One would tend to believe that a 400-page novel would be rather linear and simplistic. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is a work that echoes with depth and an assured knowledge of the sea.
Unlike writers like Jordan, Erikson and company, Kearney doesn't go overboard (no pun intended!) with secondary characters and sub-plots. As a result, his main characters are more fleshed out more rapidly, and the novel moves along without a glitch.
Umer appears to be a far-reaching world, even if Kearney only offers us a glimpse in this opening chapter. Something tells me that the worldbuilding will continue to impress me as subsequent volumes are released.
The storylines don't necessarily offer anything new, but Kearney's style is definitely his own. The high seas and other naval elements make The Mark of Ran something special.
Hopefully this review will pique people's curiosity enough for them to give Paul Kearney a chance. Especially in the USA and Canada, where he remains little known. This is an author worth discovering! It's with great pleasure that I'll now read the second volume in The Sea Beggars sequence, This Forsaken Earth.
In my opinion, The Mark of Ran makes a fine addition to any fantasy collection.[...]
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Rafael Sabatini is reborn...and now writes fantasy, December 12, 2005
This review is from: The Mark of Ran: Book One of The Sea Beggars (Paperback)
I was first introduced to Paul Kearney with his excellent (and now unfortunately OOP) Monarchies of God series. As such I was eagerly anticipating the release of The Mark of Ran. I am glad to say that Kearney was not off his game here.
The story follows a man named Rol Cortishane, a seaman who is trying to find a place in the world for himself. Reading this book I couldn't help but think that that Kearney was very much inspired by Rafael Sabatini's pirate novels. As such anyone who enjoyed Captain Blood, or The Sea Hawk will definitely enjoy this book.
As the above reviewer noted Kearney does in fact use some Epic Fantasy's more overused elements, but Kearney does it with such elan that you really don't mind. Kearney's characters as usual are great and have (dare I say) depth, quite rare in the majority of fantasy being published these days.
The book is not quite perfect however. The Mark of ran is a bit episodic, and doesn't feel self contained. Though now with all of the chess pieces in place after the first book, this will probably change now that Kearney can get to the meat of the story.
Overall, quite an enjoyable read. Anyone looking for a great sea story need not look farther than here.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
11 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
I expected more, December 6, 2005
This review is from: The Mark of Ran: Book One of The Sea Beggars (Paperback)
As a fan of Kearney's Monarchies of God series, I was disappointed with The Mark of Ran. Stop me if any of this sounds familiar: a boy with a mysterious lineage and blossoming powers encounters a cruel trainer of assassins and a beauty with secrets. Is there a more unoriginal premise in fantasy? The plot is derivative of a dozen other novels, the characters are stereotypes, and the storyline lacks continuity. Don't excuse the averageness by saying it's the first in a series and it will get better. In my opinion, every book regardless of its position in a series should contain a complete story. This novel reads more like a sequence of episodes than a unified story with a beginning, middle, and end. The "end" here is the worst. The book just ends, with little resolution, as if the author was tired of writing any more. The potential for an engaging story exists in the love (lust is more apt) and subsequent enmity between Rol and Rowen. If they become legitimate enemies, the series will achieve some originality; however, I suspect that they will resolve their differences and work together.
The writing is passable, not memorable, and readers won't miss anything by skipping words and sentences. Kearney's talent is best displayed in the naval passages, and he would be smart to keep the story on water if he hopes to improve it. The Monarchies of God proved that he is capable of satisfying, original work.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192250339_.gif){kind=small}
