But here, I wish all of them had died. And somehow, their deaths was the thing that set the epic ending to motion. I would be mad, call the author some unsavory names, but also call this book a masterpiece of debut novels. Because there's great imagination and writing here! Another thing that went over my head was the references to songs, games etc.

I only caught one or two, and of course " the cake is a lie " line. And that's ironic, in a way. But the tasteful soundtrack list author has posted in his website , definetely upped my enjoyement. I loved buddy reading with everyone, but this experience made me realise, that I am a shitty buddy reader and others' reactions sometimes changes my expectations and make me doubt my own reactions.

So I will go back to lurking in group read threads for the books I'm enjoying but will not join another one, unless it is just one or two people. View all 39 comments. Update 21 Feb In a year full of impressive fantasy debuts, Kings of The Wyld earned itself a top spot among the greats. As I have not been gaming for almost two decades now, a lot of the RPG and Final Fantasy references did not click with me. Regardless, I still had an awesome time reading this book. Unlike Ready Player One which I found to be enjoyable mainly because of the 80s pop culture references, Update 21 Feb Unlike Ready Player One which I found to be enjoyable mainly because of the 80s pop culture references, Kings of the Wyld resonated with me because of its characters and story.

I did get the homage to the music bands of old vs the recent ones it's been over 30 years since I've fallen in love with Duran Duran and am proud to see them still going strong. And being in that demographic group, I can't help but agree that the overall quality of the bands back in the day was much better.

While I am not saying that there are no standouts in the modern era, they are but far and few in between. Ok, I am digressing. The characters are the highlight of this novel. I pretty much loved every band member of Saga. Even though the story was told solely from the third person perspective of Clay Cooper, I was still able to know the other band members well enough to appreciate their characterisation.


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Just when I thought that I found my favourite character, one or another will do or say something that makes me love him just as much. Gabriel, Moog, Matrick and Ganelon are all awesome in their own unique way and that solid bond of friendship between these guys is truly touching. Even the supporting characters, notably a revenant and a two-headed monster, were highly likeable. Eames also gave us a villain which I can completely empathise with. As individuals they were each of them fallible, discordant as notes without harmony.

Of course, great characters alone do not make a good tale. What was most compelling to me was the beautiful simplicity of the story. It was a story of a father's love for his daughter. And behind that, a friend's love, compassion and empathy. Eames then took that simple story that was full of heart and made it utterly entertaining with two killer ingredients; humour and mythological monsters.

With a blend of sarcastic and ironic humour, sometimes crude or laced with innuendos, and occasionally slapstick even, the narrative never ventured too far into grimness before it drew me back with laughter. While a lot of the gaming references flew over my head, I did appreciate and enjoy how the world was built upon almost every mythological monster in the fantasy genre - be it in books or games. Eames has a prose and writing style that engages the reader without too much flourish that can distract from an immersive experience.

With good pacing and well-written action scenes, the pages just flew by whenever I pick up the book. While this is the first book in a series, it can be read on its own as its ending wrapped up the story satisfactorily. All in all, a fantastic read that is full of heart and loads of rollicking fun. View all 28 comments. Mar 06, Petros Triantafyllou rated it it was amazing. I may be taking a risk here, what with being still on March and all that, but I'll declare Kings of the Wyld debut of the year.

Clay Cooper leads a peaceful and quiet life. He takes some shifts in the City Watch, he drinks a couple of beers in the King's Head, and spends some quality time with his wife and daughter. Or at least he used to. Because right now he's robbed, hungry, on the road, and trying to do the unthinkable; re-unite his old mercenary band called Saga, cross a forest full of ever I may be taking a risk here, what with being still on March and all that, but I'll declare Kings of the Wyld debut of the year. Because right now he's robbed, hungry, on the road, and trying to do the unthinkable; re-unite his old mercenary band called Saga, cross a forest full of every possible monster you have ever imagined and then some, and face a horde of one hundred thousand strong.

What could possibly go wrong? What can it show us of ourselves? Oh, it might reveal a few scars, and perhaps a glimpse—there, in the eyes—of our true nature. The spirit beneath the skin.

Kings of the Wyld

Yet the deepest scars are often hidden, and though a mirror might reveal our weakness, it reflects only a fraction of our strength. Eames wrote a story of tragedy and darkness, but in an amusing, humoristic and light-hearted tone. To do so without turning the work into a parody, talent and experience are required. Eames has the first but not the second. And yet, he pulled it off, and more than successfully so.

Eames is excellent with prose, in fact one of the best that I've recently reviewed. He uses an intense "thriller-like" method of pacing which he successfully mixes with the humorous tone he introduced with a specific character's appearance. While Eames tells a straightforward story, he also gets into some strong explorations of the characters' characters, pasts and motivations, things that help to carry the story. He is also great in the small reversals of scene, especially those concerning the characters.

You may dislike, even hate some of them, and then love them or realize that you were unfair. All in all, Kings of the Wyld is a pleasant, poignant, well-told and engaging story, and Nicholas Eames is a talented author who's here to stay. You can find more of my reviews over at http: View all 10 comments.

May 29, Michael Britt rated it it was amazing Recommended to Michael by: Man, I'm blown away, yet again, by another book this year. It's been a pretty amazing year of books, and this one comes very close to topping that list. This is, quite possibly, my favorite debut novel. Eames had done something quite remarkable here and given us Clay Cooper: Something that can make or break a book for me is, by far, the characters.

I can deal with a crappy plot, as long as the characters are well written. This book excelled in both areas. But I like to keep my reviews spoiler free so I'll focus on the characters in this section. We get this band of mercs that are among the best bromances I've ever read. They're hilarious, bad ass savages. It would be folly for me to try and pick my favorite. They each being their own awesomeness to the table. Usually there is at least one character that's too perfect or just annoying.

He has managed, like he did with Clay, to create a whole band full of unique characters that being something to the table to help strengthen the group. I thought the classic rock references would eventually get old, but to my surprise and satisfaction, he did it perfectly. Some hidden so well that you might miss the majority of them. Also, the video game feel you get from it is subtle enough that it doesn't over power the story, but you'll pick up on it if you've played these games.

Now, to touch briefly on the story. I'll keep this spoiler free, as well. Eames has managed to create a story with the most perfect mix of grim dark and humor. It doesn't feel like he set out with a goal to write a grimdark story and I loved that. It was just a byproduct of the world he created. His prose is among some of the best, as well.

He's managed to write a story vivid enough to make you feel like you're there, but it's tight and fast-paced enough for you to not get bored. To me, that seems like a tough thing for authors to balance. And he's done it so well.

The Youth of Peter the Great (1980) movie

There were so many laugh out loud moments that I thought I was going to get kicked out of the coffee shop. I don't think I could ever do this book justice with a review.

Angelia Sparrow

If you're a fan of Fantasy and have a love for classic rock or video games, pick this up, immediately. If you're just a fan of well-written Fantasy, pick this up, immediately! View all 40 comments. Just a little "Get the boss, this bunch looks like trouble. Moog is, to put it plainly, a little bundle of joy. A ray of sunshine.

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The sweetest, most kind-hearted character who'll kill you with laughter. My favourite one, probably on par with Clay. Imagine what else is hidden inside View all 6 comments. Jun 25, Sebastien Castell rated it it was amazing Shelves: No spoilers as the book isn't out yet, but this is a terrific read for fantasy fans who enjoy a mix of old-school adventuring told in a modern voice and with a rock and roll flair.

Nicholas Eames knows how to take the tropes of heroic fantasy and simultaneously revel in them while often turning them on their head. Lots of fun to be had here. I read Kings of the Wyld as part of a Buddy Read with my favorite Goodreads group, Fantasy Buddy Reads where the author even showed up to say a few gracious words — how cool is that?! This is one of those unique books that got devoured as soon as it came across my radar.

The book was hysterical.

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And not just mildly amusing, but the kind of funny that still has me laughing at some of the moments several months later. To set the stage, a retired band of mercenaries who have become old, fat, and in some cases drunk pull themselves back together to go on a quest. The main character goes reluctantly, and his sardonic attitude towards everything is what gives this book such a strong voice. Add to that a ton of nerdy references, and you have one hella fun book!

What surprised me the most was not just the funny stuff, but how equal of an impact the more serious, deeper moments had on the story. They may have been far between, but the emotional investment I felt was just as strong as for a fantasy without all of the humor.

It meant to me that Nicholas Eames was in it to write more than just a fun book — he also succeeded in producing one with substance. There are so many books on my TBR that it becomes increasingly difficult to stop everything and just enjoy each book for the journey it offers. Overall, this is going to be a very easy book for me to recommend.

Finally, I have the start to a killer fantasy with tons of humor and substance — one that I can recommend with confidence. Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www. View all 20 comments. Dec 07, Celeste rated it it was amazing Shelves: Full review now posted! Man, this was so much fun!! First of all, I love 80s rock. Seriously, the soundtrack of my childhood consisted largely of Queen, Journey, Styx, Foreigner, and other bands of their ilk.

So, when my friends started gushing about a fantasy novel filled with musical references from one of my favorite eras, and promising that it was funny to boot, I added it to Full review now posted! So, when my friends started gushing about a fantasy novel filled with musical references from one of my favorite eras, and promising that it was funny to boot, I added it to my list.

But something else always seemed to grab my attention, and it stayed unread on my list for months. That is, until my lovely friend Petrik sent me a copy as a surprise early Christmas gift. With my very own copy in hand, I finally cracked KotW open. The use of music industry terms, like headliner and touring and booker and frontman, were all really fun additions. Also, I loved all of the band and song references. Video games and and movies and classic fantasy novels were all referenced, as well. Nor was it the sparse kind of hovel, occupied by little more than a ragged blanket and a straw-stuffed mattress: There are so many lines like that in this book.

But there was also depth here, lines that actually made me stop and think, which stood out all the more because of the predominant humor throughout the majority of the book. I enjoyed Clay so much. I loved all of the members of Saga, a classic band getting together for one last adventure and the central focus of the book. But Clay was definitely my favorite. If Saga is to be equated with an actual musical band, here are my thoughts on what instrument each member would play. Golden Gabe is the frontman, as we already know from the book itself, but the rest are all strictly my opinion.

I believe that Ganelon is the lead guitarist, because lead guitarists of rock bands tend to be destructive and more than a little crazy and are often lady magnets, all of which apply. Matty Skulldrummer would have to be the drummer for obvious reasons. I think Slowhand is an appropriate stage name for a bassist. A bassist tends to be the binding agent in a band, the person who quietly holds everything together and keeps the song moving in the right direction.

The bass-line is the heartbeat of a song, and Clay Cooper is without a doubt the heartbeat of Saga. Also, I have a thing for bassists; my husband is a phenomenal one. All of that randomness to say: I really loved this book. And honestly, I could go on about the employment of such a wide array of fantastical creatures and magical weapons and intriguing mythology, but I want to leave as much as possible unknown for others to discover for themselves.

There were a couple of writing choices that I would have changed, like doing away with a few of the plethora of similes employed in the prose, but there was nothing that bothered me enough to keep me from giving the book five rocking stars. Original review can be found at Booknest. View all 14 comments. Jun 17, Orient rated it really liked it Shelves: We are each what the past has made of us. What a peculiar book. Putting my crappy POV aside, I was surprised as this book is really well written and it feels so.

A bunch of comrades get back together to reunite the band for a noble cause. The most part of the story follows them in their perilous journey to reach that cause. Rather than presenting dashing young heroes as main characters, the author chose some older men with great experience and gripping old days to remember and repeat: And they did it great! D The moment I started liking this book is when I stumbled into arena with the guys and of course I loved all the monsters in action. Hah, had to wait for that a bit: But for the biggest part it did.

What happened to your face? Was thinking of trying that myself, to keep the boys out. Oh and the fighting, well done scenes, with all the juicy bits and crunchy sounds: Oh I liked this person a lot. Did I mention monsters? Oh yes, there are a lot them! Like kobolds or ettins. The ending pretty summarizes the main themes of this book: It definitely gave me a great satisfying feeling after finishing this book.

And so it goes, thought Clay. View all 64 comments. I got a lot of them. The ones I knew but couldn't quite place drove me mad. That said the writing was excellent as was the humor interwoven to give us a break from the gore. I was cracking up a half hour later at times. I don't think the humor is for everyone but if you like sarcasm and innuendo you will. Looking forward to the next book in the series. View all 9 comments. A tiger, however fearsome, could be hunted into a corner. It fought alone, so it died alone. But to hunt a wolf was to constantly look over your shoulder, wondering if others were behind you in the dark.

This is one the best debuts I have ever read and I can't remember having so much fun since the Lies of Locke Lamora and the Theft of Swords. That being said, this goes straight to my all-time favorites shelf. There was a time when Saga was the best band of mercenaries in the known world and their escapades remained legendary even today because glory never gets old. Speaking of present times, mercenaries have changed; there were no more touring across the lands of Grandual and the notorious Heartwyld and killing whatever you were hired to kill.

Mercenaries bands today are doing gigs in the arenas and the only thing they are after is fame. Clay Cooper, once a proud member of Saga, is living an ordinary life, enjoying the comforts of home with his wife and daughter. But then, an ex-bandmate turns up at his door asking for help. His daughter is trapped in the city under siege on the other side of the world and time has come to get the band back together for one last tour. If you like hit first, ask questions later, always eager to fight warrior, then your pick would be Ganelon.

If you like kind-hearted, goofy characters, Moog is your man.


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  5. Or your wizard, your preference. For a laid-back hedonist type, look no further than Matrick. No one can dislike an adventurous and charismatic character like Gabe. The last, and most certainly not the least, a silent but strong type, which is, of course, Clay. The heart and soul of this group, reluctant to be considered as a hero or a leader of any kind and most eager to help those in need. You can see straight away that Eames is fan of video games not just because of the quest like storyline but because of the vast number of RPG elements like the various creatures in this world, scenery, legendary weapons, armor and skyships.

    I was an avid gamer when I was younger so I had my fair share of RPGs and reading this was like a trip down memory lane. This book is the best RPG I have never played. Owl Bear with me. I was listening to these songs while reading and it worked great so not only did the author successfully managed to channel the spirit of the songs into the story but he also gave me a movie like experience as well.

    Riot House was the nickname of the Hyatt Hotel in LA and it was a hotel of choice for touring rock bands in the 60s and the 70s like Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, the Doors, the Who and the rest of the superstars of the era, and you can imagine what kind of stuff must have happened there and reading about it here made me grin with approval. Even though this is a lighthearted and fun fantasy there were a lot of touching moments and as I was reading them I could almost swear someone was cutting onions nearby.

    Author did a great job of delivering scenes that put you through a roller coaster of emotions and it will make you appreciate this story even more. One thing that I particularly enjoyed were the fighting sequences, they were gripping, energetic, suspenseful and mixed up with just the right dose of humor and every time they were done, I was craving for more. I had so much fun reading this rollicking adventure and I would recommend it to all fantasy fans but especially to the fans of Michael J.

    Sullivan because of the way the characters are written and Scott Lynch because this novel has that kind of flair with its witty, sharp dialogues and plenty of twists and turns. View all 33 comments. Jan 27, Bradley rated it it was amazing Shelves: A battle of the bands! A total rock out with their cocks out. I wasn't at all sure what I was going to make of this.

    I mean, epic fantasy is all great, but I was worried that it was just going to be another cookie-cutter, however well-written. In fact, it reads like a novel of aging rockers getting their lives out of the gutter to go on one last tour, not only recapturing the time that they were once the best of the best, but going out in a real blaze The novel is super fun on both sides of this mashup. It's a glory filled echo of all our most favorite old school rocker bands, their ignominy, their weaknesses, their absolute perfection. It's not only a road trip, but it's also one of the tightest character-driven novels I've seen in a long time.

    The other side is pure mercenary fantasy gold. I think just about every fantasy trope is treated as an old hat here, our world-weary tattooed rockers having already seen it all, done it all. Being fat and old and having lost a few magical weapons along the way is just the start of the tale, however, and getting their heart back is just as fun as the side quests.

    The whole novel is funny and tight and a pure delight from start to finish. Don't let the light tone fool you, either. All these characters feel real. And the blowout at the end? I haven't had quite this much fun with a new fantasy since Not true, but I do go through a barbarian hoard of books. I totally recommend this for View all 8 comments. Kings of the Wyld is an engaging and fun adventure where a band of mercenaries whose days have passed are coming together for a final time to rescue the daughter of their frontman.

    This is an impressive debut which walks a fine line between epic and grimdark fantasy interspersed with humorous elements. It's a great tale of friendhip between mature characters who are in for something they might be way too old for. Although there is constant humor and a bunch of more or less well disguised pop-cultu Kings of the Wyld is an engaging and fun adventure where a band of mercenaries whose days have passed are coming together for a final time to rescue the daughter of their frontman.

    Although there is constant humor and a bunch of more or less well disguised pop-culture references, the actual plot and characters are never put aside for it. An uplifting read that found me in a mood where I needed it and at an age where I needed it. View all 5 comments. Aug 25, Liam Degnan rated it liked it Shelves: It wasn't a circle; you didn't go round and round again.

    It was an arc, its course as inexorable as the sun's trek across the sky, destined at its highest, brightest moment to begin its fall" 3. Full review is now up! Two things before I even write this review: I really try to not be a "contrarian". Meaning that I try to never be that guy who bashes a good book just because everybody else liked it and s "But life, Clay knew, didn't work that way.

    Meaning that I try to never be that guy who bashes a good book just because everybody else liked it and so they feel some kind of need to be different and complain about it. I hate it when people do that, because you can tell when people are just pulling at straws to find something wrong with a book, and I find it to be extremely distasteful. I'm saying this because a lot of people loved this book, and while I definitely did enjoy it, I didn't love it like everybody else seemed to.

    And that's okay sometimes. This was definitely a good book, I just wasn't really feeling the level of hype that everybody else seemed to have. I try to always to be honest in my reviews, without being obnoxious towards people who liked the book, and without being disrespectful to the author. And that's the second thing worth mentioning - the author. Nicolas Eames seems like an awesome guy. He interacted with a bunch of us over at Fantasy Buddy Reads , which was awesome; and I've seen some of his conversations with people on their reviews.

    Genuinely seems like a great person, and he is clearly a gifted writer. He made me want to love this book, and while it wasn't my favorite book ever, I'm going to keep reading his books because I think that he has major potential in the fantasy genre. For a debut, this book was excellent. With that out of the way, I'll move on with my review.

    I need to talk a minute just to talk about the writing in this book, because it was so unexpectedly good. What everybody told me about this book did not expect me for the kind of writing that fills this book. Everybody quotes the jokes, the funny scenes, the banter ect. Even if you look at just a few of the quotes I've included in my review, he is so good at getting you into the emotions of the character he's writing about. It was a very pleasant surprise, and in spite of the lighthearted quality of the story itself, I very much appreciated it.

    I wanted to highlight this first, because it was really the thing that drew me into the story. I picked up this book because I LOVED the idea of a group of middle aged, has-been mercenaries coming back together the whole "getting the band back together" for one final tour thing. It's an unoriginal idea used in a context that IS totally original, and the combination seemed really cool and appealing.

    That was awesome, and combined with really good writing, it seemed like we were going to get something really special. Just considering the fact that the writing was so good, it actually left me kind of frustrated, because it felt wasted on what is ultimately an "okay" plotline. Other than the few elements that make it unique, the story itself felt like one I've heard before. And this story was basically that, taken to an extreme extent. By the end of the book, it seemed like WAY too much of the resolution boiled down to "magic" , which was not satisfying to read about at all.

    Magic is not bad, but if you're going to solve your problems in a book using magic, it has to be foreshadowed and built up to. Otherwise, it feels like a lot of things were just pulled out of thin air, and there was far too much of this going on for my tastes. Overall, it wasn't in any way bad, just didn't grip me, and I felt like "magic" was overused by and large, which was a little disappointing.

    Stout as a the tree that counts its age in aeons, constant as the star that marks true north and shines most brightly on the darkest nights. The worldbuilding was another just "okay" thing to me. Almost all of it was borrowed, from a myriad of different sources, and all of the references to other books, video games, RPGs, actual real-life bands, ect. The characters in this book were great though. Clay himself the main perspective of this tale was superbly developed, and Eames gives us plenty of glimpses into his past, his character, and his thoughts and experiences throughout the book.

    His companions are just as likeable, and all incredibly different from one another, which definitely added a lot to this book. Even the side characters we meet along the way, as well as the villains, were excellently portrayed. Eames gives us a lot of humor in the interactions between characters, but there's also a heavy dose of reality in this book , and the deep friendship portrayed between many of these characters was a cool thing to see in the midst of all the laughs.

    My one complaint regarding character development is that I think my own enjoyment suffered due to the limited POV. We only ever see things from Clay's perspective and don't get to know any of the other characters in the way we know him. I think the story could have benefitted from having more than one perspective, even if it wasn't among those in the band itself. The story centers around the band trying to save Gabriel's daughter Rose, but Rose has almost zero presence in the book.

    A lot of people liked this book a heck of a lot more than I did, but even still, 3. Based on what I know about Nicolas Eames, I think we only have good things to come from him, and I'm really looking forward to see what else he has to bring to the table. Hoping to love it as much as everybody else did!

    View all 24 comments. Jun 01, Esmerelda Weatherwax rated it it was amazing. What an incredible book. It had everything I look for in a fantasy book, heart, action, humor, fast paced action, likeable characters, diverse characters - top notch in every way. He has a nice life with a wife he loves and a daughter he adores. The journey is a suicide mission, and Clay is hesitant to go, but after a comment from his daughter asking if he would rescue her — he decides to go. Rounding them all up to go on the mission was a lot of fun, all of these characters are entertaining and endearing in their own way.

    Against his wifes wishes, he trained her to be a fighter and she went out on a mission only to get herself stuck in a very bad situation. He could easily fit into Discworlds Unseen University and I love him to pieces. He knows it, but treats them well anyway. I love this guy, he has a great heart and his banter with his friends was hilarious Final Score: Cyclops, manticores, unicorns, dragons, centaurs — the works. There are minotaurs that are harassing villagers and killing people.

    This book is hilarious, I definitely count it as a comedy adventure story. No one can fill the void that Pratchett left, but I understand the comparisons people are making when referring to this as a Pratchett kind of book. The humor can be absurd, and there are references to the real world just like in Discworld.

    Ready Player One is very in your face with real-world references, this book has them much more streamlined. On top of that, the world building was great, the characters were unique — everything about this read very fresh and new. For people who like comedy For people who like a lot of action For people who like mysterious magic For people who like a lot of monsters For people who like a band of friends on a mission Final Score: Feb 28, Stefan Bach rated it liked it. History a turning wheel.

    And here it is, turning and turning, grinding us all to dust. A great, vicious company of killers. Not rummaging through wilderness chasing ghostly heroes of their former selves… But first — book cover and a nod to an awesome artist called Richard Anderson whose art can be found on various book covers from Brian Staveley's The Emperor's Blades to Michael R.

    Check him out, and of course, check those magnificent books, too. A disbanded company called Saga , with 5 members scattered all around the world, from edges of Heartwyld trough kingdoms of Grandual to provinces of Agria, Kaskar and Cartea. A man to whom time has imparted great wisdom and an even greater waistline, whose thoughtless courage is rivalled only by his unquenchable thirst.

    Arcandius Moog - A sorcerer, a cosmic conversationalist. Enemy of the incurable rot, absent chairman of combustive sciences at the university in Oddsford, and the only living soul above the age of eight to believe in owlbears. His is an ancient soul destined to die young. Ganelon - The quiet one, the gentle giant, he who fights his battles with a shield.

    Stout as the tree that counts its age in aeons, constant as the star that marks true north and shines most brightly on the darkest nights. He is the candle burnt down to the stump, the cutting blade grown dull with overuse. But see now the spark in his stride. Behold the glint of steel in his gaze. Who dares to stand between a man such as this and that which he holds dear? He will kill, if he must, to protect it. He will die, if that is what it takes. Yeah… quite formidable, right? Except that reality was much different. Matrick , on the other hand found himself lazing around for 19 on a throne.

    And 19 years of drinking and whoring can put you seriously out of shape. Gabriel , their proud and fearless leader, had gone meek as a newborn kitten. Well, five old geezers are getting back together to save daughter of one of them… Oh, you meant the story. A case quite self-reflecting to our world. I see a pattern here…: D But yeah, most important thing is that book has it quips and charm. D Worldbuilding, history, lore, mythology and magic system. First of all - map. Just look at that glorious, magnificent map: Goodness gracious such a beauty.

    And for someone who enjoys imaginary history and lore and mythology this book really has moments of delightful exploration in all those aspects.

    And I can't wait to see it only getting enriched in the future sequels. And as for the magic itself, you never get really an explanation how it works, on a grand scope at least, you just have to sit back and enjoy the ride. Now, due to an overblowing hype over this book, something this community is prone to generate from time to time or per book , honestly I have expected more.

    Considering he's coming from an enchanted land that gave us mages such as Erikson, Kay and Castel, I have expected a lot more. And since many of fellow GR members have been reviewing this book in a last month or so, I have read a lot of their impressions on it. Rarely, in those reviews, have I read something about female characters in this book. And I know why. There are none of them worth mentioning. A non-solvable enigma in fantasy to this day: Yes, there are wives and daughters, there are bitchy queens, cold blood killers and thieves. But, since this is a story of five men on a mission, there simply wasn't enough time to further explore some of them who were really promising characters.

    But, that's what sequels are for. All in all, a decent enough book. For a debut novel, quite good. I'm looking forward to see where this story goes. View all 17 comments. Humor can be a tricky beast, as I often say. What works for one reader might not work for another, and what works one day might not work the next. This book has it all: Nicholas Eames has reworked the classic quest narrative and presented it to us in a fun and refreshing package.

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    You might even find yourself laughing out loud along the way. After years of questing and brawling, Clay Cooper is ready put his past behind him. Fate, however, has different plans. One day, his old bandmate Gabe shows up with a desperate request for help. At first, Clay is reluctant to get involved. He has his own fledgling family to think of now; no longer can he drop everything to traipse across the world on dangerous missions. Leaving the comfort of home behind, Clay joins Gabe to round up the members of Saga, their old band. This includes Matrick, their resident rogue who is now a drunken cuckolded king; Arcandius Moog, a wizard who has turned to a life of research trying to find a cure for a deadly disease; Ganelon, who has spent the last nineteen years trapped in his own private prison; and along the way, they even meet a Daeva named Larkspur who is in fact more foe than ally.

    What follows is an entertaining, brilliantly crafted adventure that takes us across the Wyld by land and by air. Kings of the Wyld reads like a loving tribute to these types of classic narratives, while giving it heart—which I feel is the secret ingredient that sets this one apart. Somehow, Eames made it possible and even easy for me to relate to this band of mostly drunk, fat and jaded old men by turning their faults into endearing traits.

    These are genuine characters who have very real hopes and dreams, as well as values and principles that are important to them. And of course, humor is another huge selling point. The author might have taken a gamble on the style, but in the end I think it paid off. For me though, what matters more is the tone of humor; I prefer my comedy on the subtler side as opposed to more overt styles, like slapstick and this is where Eames struck the perfect balance.

    Without going overboard, he kept the story light and entertaining while still adhering to epic fantasy traditions. From the first page to the last, Kings of the Wyld is a rollicking fast-paced novel with just the right amount of grit and wit. Nicholas Eames is definitely on to something here with his impressive debut.

    Already I find myself craving the sequel. A true swashbuckling adventure and a breath of fresh air in a genre that often stagnates with the same old tropes being told again and again. Highly recommend for those that are new to the genre of fantasy as 4. Highly recommend for those that are new to the genre of fantasy as well as those who are old hats like myself Jun 30, Sarah thegirltheycalljones rated it it was amazing Recommended to Sarah thegirltheycalljones by: Shamelessly editing this review on the sole purpose to remind you of the existence of this book.

    Christmas is coming, you know what to do! I always say that I hardly ever give 5 stars to a book straight after finishing it, because I like to be sure, and 5 stars cannot be given lightly yes, I'm such a pain in the ass sometimes. Well, screw it, screw my former 4 stars, this one gets a 5. Also, I swear way too much below. Well, how fucking enjoyable was that! For the simple reason th Shamelessly editing this review on the sole purpose to remind you of the existence of this book. It took some balls to lure me in with the "If you like Scott Lynch" trick, but you were right and I regret nothing!

    D Hollywood gave some tries at the "let's get the band back together" thing, more or less successfully I fell asleep trying to watch Red twice, and couldn't bother to go through the 12 first minutes a third time but even if it sounds like a classic, I don't think I ever came across a book about that. Because sure, there's a quest, a big noble mission, adventures, monsters, allies, enemies, danger all around but most of all, there's friendship. This is a tale about friendship, a tale about genuine benevolence, a tale about family in its widest definition.

    This book was so fucking intense! Can we first talk about the names? Because names are important, especially when you have no visual, except from the one you're creating in your head from scratch. A name wisely chosen can make your character from good to mighty, and a lousy name can have the opposite effect. Well at least that's my opinion.

    Names matter to me you're talking to a girl who names all her devices with care and who needed two days before being able to use her first IPhone in order to "be sure the name fits" shut up , even more when it's about our heroes, the ones you're supposed to get and like that's how most of our pets are named, after all or hate but in any case feel - I mean, even I, who's not particularly fond of SJM to say the least, can admit that "Chaol Westfall" is a kick-ass name. Even in this painful Shoulda-Been-But-Wasn't disappointment best known as Pacific Rim don't even get me started on Pacific Rim you could find one of the coolest fictional names of the 21st Century: They show the past glory from their youth, they sound like band members names, they give them a personality and they got a certain panache.

    You want to feel connected to them just because you want to say their names out loud. And if that's not a good start, I don't know what is. Also, I promise you there will be less brackets from now on. God this paragraph might have been a nightmare to read I really liked how the author took all the lexical field of music and applied it to mercenaries. There were many winks to music on top of that amongst others, if Valery is not a wink to Yoko Ono, please punch me in the face , and many pop culture references - but sometimes I wondered if it was only in my head though nobody can mistake the "run, you fools" for something else.

    Okay I did it again with the bloody brackets. Some minor things bothered me a bit, so let's get them out of the way now, as I don't want to end this review on a somewhat negative note. Even if they seem so futile compared to my general enjoyment, I still need to point them out but they only affect the first half of the book: Only 1 left in stock more on the way.

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