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Out of This World SFF Reviews is excited to be just one of the many blogs participating in the Storytellers On Tour Book Tour featuring self-published fantasy author Patrick Samphire and his latest book, SHADOW OF A DEAD GOD! Today marks Day #2 of the tour and I am delighted to be one of the stops. I will soon be providing you with a synopsis of Patrick's book as well as my review to follow.
But first I'd just like to mention that Storytellers is currently running a fantastic giveaway in conjunction with this tour. One physical copy (US/CA/UK/EU only) and ten ebooks (international) of SHADOW OF A DEAD GOD are up for grabs!
Now, here is a synopis of SHADOW OF A DEAD GOD followed by my review:
Book Blurb
A dead god. A brutal murder. One second-rate mage.It was only supposed to be one little job - a simple curse-breaking for Mennik Thorn to pay back a favour to his oldest friend. But then it all blew up in his face. Now he's been framed for a murder he didn't commit.
So how is a second-rate mage, broke, traumatized, and with a habit of annoying the wrong people, supposed to prove his innocence when everyone believes he's guilty?
Mennik has no choice if he is going to get out of this: he will have to throw himself into the corrupt world of the city's high mages, a world he fled years ago. Faced by supernatural beasts, the mage-killing Ash Guard, and a ruthless, unknown adversary, it's going to take every trick Mennik can summon just to keep him and his friend alive.
But a new dark power is rising in Agatos, And all that stands in its way is one damaged mage...
Review
SHADOW OF A DEAD GOD is one of those unique fantasy reads that blends epic fantasy and a touch of detective noir, with excellent results. We open the story with the imperfect mage Mennik Thorn and his oldest friend Benny attempting to pull off a seemingly easy job. Mennik thinks nothing of it since he owes his buddy a favor and how hard could a simple snatch and grab job be, right? What they don't know at the time but will soon find out is they are trying to steal from one of the most powerful high mages in the city, and one that doesn't take to kindly to those who try and take what is his. When things go sideways really quickly, they are soon on the run (Benny actually finds himself imprisoned) while at the same time investigating who could have been behind their frame-up. Someone very powerful was willing to sacrifice Mennik and Benny to get what they wanted, but to what end?This book started out a bit on the slow side as we get introduced to all of the main players and there's a good amount of world-building that sets things up. After the quarter mark though, things heat up considerably and it becomes a very interesting detective story that also involves quite a lot of adventure as Mennik travels from one place to another trying to find answers before he and his friend end up dead. I really liked the way Patrick Samphire created such an intriguing murder mystery, so much so that at times I had to remind myself that I was reading a book that involved mages and various other fantastic magical creatures. Just when I would forget though, Patrick would bring me back into the wonderful fantasy world that serves as the backdrop. The city of Agatos is one that is run by a variety of nasty individuals, many of whom are involved in a power struggle that could have serious ramifications for those who get caught in the crossfire. The interesting side characters in and around the city gave the story an added dimension for me.
Speaking of characters, they are top-notch with dialogue that is frequently infused with sarcastic humor and wit throughout. I especially liked the interactions between Mennik and Benny. You can sense that they almost have a frienemy quality about them but when the chips are down, they seem to have each other's backs. This book had so many elements that I found enjoyable and even though it is a fairly large book at over 450 pages, the story is so compelling that it felt like a book half its size. I recommend SHADOW OF A DEAD GOD to those who enjoy their fantasy with a good dose of mystery, cool magic, and characters who are likable despite their flaws. A very promising beginning to Patrick Samphire's Mennik Thorn series!
My Rating: 8/10
Author Bio
He has lived in Zambia, Guyana, Austria and England. He has been charged at by a buffalo and, once, when he sat on a camel, he cried. He was only a kid. Don't make this weird.
Patrick has worked as a teacher, an editor and publisher of physics journals, a marketing minion, and a pen pusher (real job!). Now, when he's not writing, he designs websites and book covers. He has a PhD in theoretical physics, which means that all the unlikely science in his books is actually true. Well, most of it. Well, some of it. Maybe.
Patrick now lives in Wales, U.K. with his wife, the awesome writer Stephanie Burgis, their two sons, and their cat, Pebbles. Right now, in Wales, it is almost certainly raining.
He has published almost twenty short stories and novellas in magazines and anthologies, including Realms of Fantasy, Interzone, Strange Horizons, and The Year's Best Fantasy, as well as one fantasy novel for adults, SHADOW OF A DEAD GOD, and two novels for children, SECRETS OF THE DRAGON TOMB and THE EMPEROR OF MARS.
You can connect with author Patrick Samphire on these various platforms:
And that is it for my stop on the SHADOW OF A DEAD GOD book tour! I would like to extend a special thank you to Storytellers On Tour and author Patrick Samphire for the opportunity to participate. There are many more awesome stops to come, so if you would like to follow along, here is the official tour schedule:
Thanks again for stopping by and also for supporting Out of This World SFF Reviews. It is always appreciated.
Happy Reading!
-Nick
Fantastic review! Sounds like a good one to check out.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ollie! I appreciate that and you should definitely give it a go.
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