Fantasy/SF Book Reviews
Page One of ThreeThe Jackal of Nar by John Marco
Bantam Spectra, March 1999 .Hardcover, 660 pages.
ISBN: 0380974568.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.
Prince Richius Valtran, known as "the Jackal," is fighting
a war he doesn't believe in, for an Emperor he's never met.
The mysterious Emperor of the
land of Nar rules over many kingdoms, including that of
Richius' father, but still he longs for more territory. His latest conquest is
the borderland of Lucel-Lor, which is hotly defended by the
fanatical followers of Tharn, a rebel rumored to possess dark,
powerful magic. Richius returns home from the front in defeat, weary and
heartsick from the misery and endless death that surrounded him,
and from the horrible loss of the only woman he will ever love.
When his father dies and Richius ascends to the throne, he is
invited to the Black City itself to be crowned by the
Emperor in a grand ceremony. There he will be drawn into
political intrigue at a high level, and become the centerpiece of
yet another of the Emperor's grand plans, which if fulfilled,
could mean death and suffering for the entire known world.
But is one man a match for the machinations of a brilliant,
powerful and apparently immortal ruler and his vast army?
John Marco has crafted a sweeping epic which will thrill lovers of military fantasy. Although the story is perhaps a bit more lengthy than it really needed to be, the pacing is steady and the plot is well-crafted. What really sets The Jackal of Nar apart from the crowd are the wonderful characters Marco has created. The hero, Richius, is a tortured soul, who has a lot of growing up to do and is forced to make some terrible decisions in order to save lives. He doesn't always make the right decisions, which makes him seem all too human. But it is the delightfully nasty Count Biagio who steals every scene he is in, and the strangely compelling story of the evil Emperor which really fascinates. The humor is subtle and ironic, and the love story, while unusual, satisfies. All in all, an excellent debut from a promising new author.
Fear Nothing by Dean Koontz
Bantam Books, December 1998.Paperback, 432 pages.
ISBN: 0553579754.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.
For Christopher Snow, a sufferer from the
rare genetic disease xeroderma pigmentosum
(XP), an intense allergy to light and sunlight, life is
very difficult and unusual. But it is about
to become even more
unusual. People already treat him in
a mysterious celebrity-like manner because of
his affliction, but the people in the town
begin to act even more peculiar around him after
he makes some startling discoveries.
When his father dies of cancer
at the hospital, he forgets to bury a certain
photograph with him, as he had promised to do.
When he goes to take the photograph
to place it in his father's coffin he finds
his father's body is being switched
with the body of a hitchhiker
by the funeral director and another
man. Snow watches in secret and later
asks the funeral director about his
father's body, who tells him his father
has already been cremated.
Confused by the disloyalty of
the director, Snow begins investigating
only to find that other townspeople
of Moonlight Bay are
hiding things too and that they will
do every thing they can
to keep the town's
dark secrets from reaching the outside
world.
Dean Koontz has created two terrific characters: Christopher Snow, forced to be a creature of the night due to his XP and his highly intelligent dog and loyal friend, Orson. The supporting cast of characters is just as interesting. This is certainly one of Koontz's best. With an exciting plot line, appealing characters and terrifying elements of scientific horror Fear Nothing is a great beginning to this horror adventure series. Highly recommended.
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