Customer Reviews

Talion: Revenant

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In the afterword to Talion: Revenant, author Michael Stackpole states that this novel initially went unpublished because, at 175,000 words, it was too long for an unknown author. Whoever said that must have not read the book, because the problem is that it is too SHORT, not too long! This is one of those titles that you just don't want to end, and that make you seriously depressed when you realize there is no sequel, even by another author.

The world that Stackpole has created in this stand-alone adventure is original, detailed, and has incredible potential. His characters, as always, are so real that you start wondering if you actually know them. This novel, like Once A Hero and I, Jedi is told from the first person perspective. This isn't an easy way to write a good novel, but Stackpole certainly makes it seem that way. The protagonist is Nolan, a Talion Justice with a tragic history that has some serious scores to settle. The story switches between his time training as a Talion and his missions as a Justice. At first this might be a bit confusing, but you will soon get accustomed to it, and it quickly becomes apparent that the author has turned this potentially unwieldy scheme into an elegant and pivotal element of his tale.

Some fantasy authors write works that are what I like to call 'borderline romance,' with an obvious love scheme that is typically invincible and an almost fairy-tale style of storytelling. Don't expect this from Stackpole. Talion: Revenant is traditional purebred fantasy, and it doesn't get much better than this. If you are even remotely interested in fantasy, or just a very deep, compelling story, then look no further. Summon your tsincaat and pick a good Imperial hawk- Talion: Revenant will certainly sweep you off your feet.

Michael A. Stckpole said this was the first novel he ever wrote. As an aspiring author I have to say, I wish my first efforts were this good.

Fantasy books are very difficult to write for several reasons. Far too many people have tried to ride Tolkien's momentum. Consequently, many books feel like the author was afraid to try some original ideas. Conversely, some go so far off of the path that it's difficult to identify the work as fantasy. Then you have repetitive characters and plots, thin worlds, and thousands of undefined theologies. These are just a few of the snares waiting for aspiring writers.

Stackpole deftly avoided all of these traps, and gave us a book that is a plain and simple good read. The story moves at a good pace. Characters and lands are very well defined. And, it's easy to understand, and identify with the main character Nolan.

To me it's quite amazing. This story has many of the elements that one would expect to come off as repetitive, and maybe even a little cheesy. There's a beautiful princess in it for crying out loud. But, with a slick plot, frequent and well thought out fights, and exceptional characters this story pulls it off.

My last thought goes out to Mr. Stackpole. I'm sure he's heard it before, but one more won't hurt. How about a sequal?

MhalkyChris

Michael Stackpole's first novel, Talion: Revenant is a fine addition to his bestselling fiction. Though written in 1986, it was only published a decade later, but is a fine fantasy offering nonetheless. While superficially, the plot appears to be rather stereotyped (A boy, who witnesses the brutal killing of his family by Hamisian raiders vows to exact vengeance on the lands of Hamis), interest rarely, if ever wanes. This is created primarily through the intriguing web of politics weaved through the plot and the creation of multi-dimensional characters, particularly the main character, Nolan ra Sinjaria. Rather original ideas involving magic enhance the effiacy of Stackpole's writing.

A "Talion" refers to one in service to the Shattered Empire, which in Revenant is comprised loosely of several states. Talions take on a diverse range of roles, from riding mythical hawks to the feared Talion Justices, whose duty is to uphold the law, empowered with the ability to draw the souls from a body. Written from the first person perspective, "Talion: Revenant" details the experiences both of the main character Nolan as a Novice Justice in training and a Justice pursuing bandits throughout the Shattered Empire. Without revealing too much of the plot, a conspiricy is soon revealed, and as a Justice Nolan seeks to uphold the law in a divided nation. While Talion: Revenant is not a short read, spanning 175,000 words and in parts slows in pace, Michael Stackpole masterfully weaves politics, adventure and magic into an absorbing read.

Michael Stackpole's Talion: Revenant is the first novel he wrote, but that is hard to tell once you read the book. This is a well-told heroic fantasy with believable characters and fast paced action that keeps the pages flying by.

One might call this story the study of a hero, because ultimately, Nolan, a Talion Justice is just that, a Hero. The novel opens with Nolan, an experienced Talion Justice, in pursuit of bandits led by the rogue Morai and Nolan's eventual disbanding of the group. The novel then switches to years earlier as Nolan arrives at the gates of Talianna, the home nation of the Talions, with aspirations of becoming a Justice. He wants to ultimately right a wrong that befell him, the killing of his entire family by the King of Hamis in his conquest of nations.

The novel takes place in the world of the Shattered Empire, a loose band of nation policed by the Talions-an elite police nation. The Talions are divided into Warriors, Wizards, Archers Lancers and the Justices, which are the highest ranking of the Talions. The rest of the novel switches between these two view points, that of Nolan as a full Talion Justice in the midst of his missions and Nolan's growth and development through the land of Talianna as he pursues his goal of becoming a Talion.

The novel also has interesting creatures, the giant Hawks that are used as mounts by the Talions, Jevin the Fearleen, one of Nolan's Talion companions. Fearleans are Stackpole's version of ogres. And of course the undead nekkhit, the basis for Nolan's ultimate assignement. The nekkhit possess the bodies of the dead, and is being used in an attempt to take the life of King Tirrel. The only problem with this assignment, other than the usual possible death at the hands of the nekkhit, is that King Tirrell is responsible for the death and slaughter of Nolan's family.

This parallel narrative works extremely well and again, Stackpole handles it so well that it does not read as his first novel. In the parallel narrative we see the growth of Nolan at two stages of his life, as a young man growing up and a mature man accepting his state in life. This is a novel illustrates the fact that not every issue is black and white, not every struggle is good vs. evil.

To sum up, this novel has many qualities to enjoy: believable, likeable characters, intrigue and action, tension and struggles between characters.

This was the first book that I read by Michael A. Stackpole, and after three chapters he was my favorite author. Now that's gotta be a good sign. This perfect work of art is about Nolan ra Sinjaria, whose family has been wiped out by the Hamisians (another country). Nolan travels to Talianna to be trained as a Justice in order to avenge his family. (Justices are the best of the group of peace-keepers called the Talions.) Anyway, after he is fully trained in the art of war, he is assigned to protect the life of the king that had his family slaughtered. The book is set up in a kind of strange way where all odd-numbered chapters (ie: 1,3,5,7, etc) are after his training where he is grown up and on assignments, and all odd-numbered chapters are during his training where he is a kid. Some find this setup confusing, but I thought that it was very appropriate because the chapters during his training link up with the odd-numbered chapters althroughout and most importantly, at the end of the book, and make it less typical than most fantasy books. All in all, it is a fabulous book that really gets to you and makes you love the characters. I highly recommend it to anyone that likes an entertaining story.

this book was well thought-out and well written...there were some difficulties in understanding certain things because of bad grammar the editor must not have seen (i.e. little by slowly...should be little by little...this is only one of numerous examples unfortunately) and a difficulty in understanding the layout of the cities...also, i must pose one question: the goddess states that princess zaria would marry the duke ra sinjaria...this never happens seeing as how that duke is killed...is there supposed to be a seqquel and nolan is the new duke or what? maybe morai with the star of sinjaria? anyway, hopefully someone will see this and able to help out

Incredible that publishers are not demanding the sequel. Luckily, once 10,000 e-copies of Talion:Revenant are sold Stackpole will write the sequel.

I bought this book in paperback form, back in the late nineties. I became a fan of Mr. Stackpole beginning with his battletech novels, and have found that I really enjoy all of his work. Since I bought my kindle, I've bought almost all the stories he's published electronically, the price has been reasonable and the stories enjoyable. When Talion was released for Kindle, I was hesitant to buy it, but I read on Mr. Stackpole's website, he always wanted to publish a sequel to this story, and would be financially able to do so if he could sell about 10,000 of Talion: Revanant electronically. $5 is not pretty resonable considering some of the other pricing out there for paperbacks on Kindle. So I am happily buying again. If you like the action type of fantasy (or any other of Mr. Stackpoles many stories), you'll enjoy this book, I promise. If you enjoyed this book, put a down payment on a sequel and buy it on the Kindle! Tell your friends!

While this is one of the first works of Michael Stackpole, its also one of his best. And thats something. As always his characters are likable and interesting, especially the main character Nolan. A judge, but more in the sense of Judge Dread than a normal judge in our time, a man that who just needs to touch a deliquent with his hand, sucking in his lifeforce, his soul, killing him instantly. A hunter, preying on the most dangerous criminals of his home, but not without mercy, without a sense of justice.

Nolan is a man with a past. After exploring his current life, looking back in his youth, his history, he is confronted again with his past and a new enemy. The most dangerous one he ever faced.

I hope, I have awakened your interest and I believe you will enjoy reading it as much as I did! And some info for all people who have already read it: Michael has promised in his blog [...] that he will write a sequel it the ebook edition is sold 10.000 times. The only downside is that amazon hasn't cleared the kindle already ;-)

This was Mike's earliest fantasy book as far as I know but it reads simply brilliant. It doesn't have the reach of his DragonCrown War but the characters themselves are so real that it more than makes up for the less realized world they inhabit. A sequel would fix that problem nicely though (hint hint Mike!) The complex interactions of charcters and their ever-changing minds embraces the reader, keeping him/her guessing as the ever-deepening plot evolves into something much darker than initially thought. Buy it! Read it! You'll love it!