Review: 'The Emperor's Knife' by Mazarkis Williams...

I felt guilty about my little rant a week or so back regarding the cover of this book.  Don't get me wrong, I still agree with every word I wrote.  I still agree that the saggy chin of the guy shows a lack of attention to detail in the design, but the story itself didn't deserve such a rant.  I suffered sleepless nights afterwards, loss of appetite and a decline in health...well, a bit of an exaggeration, but it did prompt me to track down and apologise to the author himself via his blog, 'Sarmin's Corner'.  He said he was okay about it, much to my relief, and then I thought I could go one step further and publish a little review of his book, 'The Emperor's Knife'.

I rarely write reviews so bare with me while I stumble my way through this one...

Review: 'The Emperor's Knife' by Mazarkis Williams

Blurb:

There is a cancer at the heart of the mighty Cerani Empire: a plague that attacks young and old, rich and poor alike, marking each victim with a fragment of a greater pattern.  Anyone showing the marks is put to death.  That is Emperor Beyon's law...

In a hidden room, a forgotten prince is grown from a child to a man, and as the empire sickens, Sarmin, the emperor's only surviving brother, is remembered.  He awaits the bride his mother has chosen: a chieftain's daughter from the northern plains.

Mesema is a Windreader, used to riding free across the grasslands, not posing and primping in rare silks.  She finds the Imperial Court's protocols stifling, but she doesn't take long to realise the politicking and intrigues are not a game, but deadly serious.

Eyul is burdened both by years and the horrors he has carried out in service to the throne.  At his emperor's command he bears the emperor's Knife to the desert in search of a cure for the pattern-markings.

As long-planned conspiracies boil over into open violence and rebellion, the enemy moves towards victory.  Now only three people stand in his way: a lost prince, a world-weary killer, and a young girl from the steppes who once saw a path through a pattern, among the waving grasses.

This fantasy story opens with a harrowing scene of a young boy, a prince, being dragged from his bed, still groggy with sleep, and taken to a tower where he witnesses the brutal assassination of his brothers in the courtyard below.  From this point, you know the story is going to be gritty and harsh.  It's going to be hard-hitting and spare no one, not even women and children, to make it a fairytale read.  It's a harsh, hard world which comes to life the instant you open the book.

The story mainly centres around the three main characters: Sarmin, the forgotten prince in the tower: Eyul the assassin, charged with the Emperor's Knife and the only one allowed to kill a Royal; and Mesema, a chieftain's daughter from the north on route to become the conspired bride of the forgotten prince.  Each tale goes about their own way, intertwining with one another, and each fed with the mystery of the strange patterns that mark people, killing them or driving them insane.  What are these patterns?  What magic do they come from?  And who is controlling it?

The one thing I noticed as soon as I stared reading was Mazarkis's use of prose.  I was blown away by his style.  He spares no words, and doesn't confuse with long descriptions that can jar the flow.  His style moves you forward, forcing you to turn page after page, and using up those precious hours when you should be sleeping.  The words carry you through a plot that twists and turns, forcing you to hold that book open just a little longer, and keeping you guessing till the end.  Only one other author out of all the books I've read has ever blown me away like this, and that was Scott Lynch.   

There are certain books that, once read, will remain with you for a long while afterwards, while some can be enjoyed and then quickly forgotten.  This is certainly one that will stay with me for a while yet, and certainly one that I will be recommending to anyone who is a fan of the fantasy genre.

'The Emperor's Knife' is Mazarkis Williams' debut novel and the first in his Tower and Knife Trilogy.  The second instalment from Jo Fletcher Books is titled 'Knifesworn' and is due for release soon.

A Thursday Rant On Book Covers...

We've all done it.  We've all judged a book by its cover.  It's hard not to.  When you're shopping for a book, the cover is the first thing you see.  It's what makes you reach out, take it off the shelf and read the blurb to see if the story is for you.  The cover sells the book.

This is I why think the front cover for any book is important.  It needs to be stunning; it needs to catch the eye, and it needs to capture the essence of the story that lies behind it. 

Since I've been designing front covers, this fact has started screaming at me, and I find myself taking note of other book covers, studying the detail and the message they portray - and there is some stunning cover art out there.   

However, I've also found I'm now rather critical when it comes to this subject too.  I can't help it.  I find myself looking at a mediocre book cover and shaking my head, tutting and thinking 'I wouldn't have done it like that', or 'it would have worked better if...'.  Does this make me a bad person?  No, it's just my opinion, and I know my covers are far from perfect but it nerks me when someone is presented with a huge opportunity to do something great and spectacular, but instead comes away with a 'that'll do' attitude.  What a waste.

I have a little example here that's been bugging me.  Prepare yourselves for a little rant: 

I'm currently reading 'The Emperor's Knife' by Mazarkis Williams.  It's the first book of a new fantasy series and I have to say I'm enjoying every word.  And what made me find this book?  Why, the cover of course.  It's stunning, it really is.  It speaks of mystery, of hidden secrets and dark shadows.  It really does stand out from its genre and was the reason why I picked it up in the first place.

Then I got it home and I studied the cover.  I'm being VERY picky here (that's actually an understatement), but here's a copy of the cover.  See if you can see where I'm coming from.

Do you see it?  I think this little detail may be hidden by the cover's overall magnificence.  So let me point it out to you.

There, now you see it?  A saggy chin.  A god-damn saggy chin!  The hooded figure should resemble a man of mystery, a man who is dangerous and full of adventures.  For any romantic they should be tall, muscular and strong, handsome and rugged - not someone with a double chin.  This isn't how the character is portrayed in the story.  He's someone who's battled their way across desert, forest and city to fulfil his role as an assassin.  These people are lean and fit.  They wouldn't have saggy chins.  

Here's another version of the cliched hooded figure.  This version is from Jon Sprunk's first instalment, Shadow's Son.  Now this is a man of fantasy.  He's handsome, rugged, dangerous - and LEAN!  

So to all you book cover designers out there, come on!!!  You have a chance to create something spectacular.  Why ruin it with a 'make do' attitude and let the whole thing down by a tiny detail that could have easily been remedied (photoshop works wonders lol ).  I'm not saying there's anything wrong with saggy chins, but when the picture on the front inaccurately describes the character from the story, it deserves a rant.

This is just a little thing that has bugged me since picking up this book and thought it needed to be aired.  This is in no way a review of the book itself.  So far, in my opinion, it's making for a fantastic read that I'm finding hard to put down.  This is Williams' debut novel and he's an author who has made it on to my 'look out for' list.  He doesn't mess aorund with his use of writing, which is good and I will be sure to check out his next instalment.  In fact, both the books mentioned here are worth your attention.  Go check them out if you haven't already.

Rant over.

That is all...