Review: Half the World (Shattered Sea, book 2), by Joe Abercrombie

It’s been a little while since I read the first of these (Half a King), but I did remember enough to be able to follow along most of the characters that appear in this book, set a little way down the line.

The High King’s power waxes ever greater, and lesser kings and kingdoms are none too pleased at having to kneel before another. Yarvi, the protagonist of the first book, is ever-present and the driving force behind a bid to break the power of the High King and forge an alliance. The POV characters, however, are both new. Thorn Bathu is a wild, angry, and rather violent young lady who accidentally kills a man and is saved by Yarvi from execution, while Brand (whose whispered word secures her release) was set to be a warrior but gets ostracised for his deed.

The pair end up with Yarvi, and assorted rapscallions, on a ship destined to cross half the world to try and secure friends for Gettland and prise away allies from the High King. Along the way Thorn gets a serious training in weapons, and Brand discovers the warrior life he dreamt of was not necessarily it was cracked up to be.

As ever with an Abercrombie book it’s very easy to read, with engaging characters, a detailed, compelling world, and a plot that cracks along but also has slower moments to help the pacing and give the characters time to grow. I was reading another book at the same time, but still got through the almost 500 pages pretty rapidly. If you liked the first book you’ll like this, and I’m looking forward to the third.

Thaddeus

Revisiting The Wars of Alexander’s Successors, by Bob Bennett and Mike Roberts

I'd thought I'd reviewed these two books already, but it turns out not. 

It’s been a decade or so since I first read these two volumes, which covers the period immediately after Alexander’s death down to the end of the last direct Diadochi (Successors), Seleucus and Ptolemy. Details are reasonable down to the Battle of Ipsus in 301 BC but become altogether more scant after that.

It’s interesting re-reading history compared to other genres because you can get more out of it and either appreciate a book to a greater extent or realise more contentious matters or even potential flaws (as an aside, I’ve started a book about the early Seleucid/Seleukid Empire and in that the author asserts Demetrius cavalry at Ipsus would probably have been able to deal with elephants rather than being totally terrified, a common view and one held by the authors here).

Since reading these I’ve reading biographies of Antigonus Monopthalmus and Pyrrhus, as well as James Romm’s excellent Ghost on the Throne, all of which cover similar ground from differing angles.

Got to say I still really like Bennett and Roberts’ two volumes on the period, which do an excellent job of presenting the major strokes of the four decades or so after Alexander’s death in the first book, before focusing on some of the biggest battles and other aspects of warfare in the second. As such, there is some overlap and, personally, I would’ve preferred a single larger volume but both are still well worth reading.

I’d still recommend these to anyone, including people who don’t normally read history but are looking to get into it.  The Diadochi period is fascinating because there’s a cauldron of war but a surplus of excellent military commanders who grew up under Alexander. Not only that, there’s plenty of scheming and double crossing, and a number of intriguing leading ladies too. 

Thaddeus

Review: Kingshold, by DP Woolliscroft

Those of you with freakishly good memories may recall I read the sample of this as part of my snapshot reviews a while back, and I’ve decided to make a little progress with those.

Kingshold occurs almost entirely within the city of the same name. Ironically enough, the king and queen have sadly died from a case of decapitation, and it’s time for an elected leader. That, essentially, is the plot, which is written in quite a charming and relaxing way.

The cast, I would say, is more ensemble than focusing on a specific individual, with POV characters including precocious maidservant Alana, Hoskin the looking-forward-to-retiring-but-can’t-yet chancellor who has to govern the city before the new lord protector is elected, Mareth the bard, Motega the mercenary, and Neenahwi[sp], his sister (and also a sorceress).

And there might be yet more skulduggery afoot from elsewhere as the potential leaders use tactics fair and foul to try and get ahead.

The book is pretty simple, and the world is interesting (beneath the city there’s another settlement of dwarves, with whom good relations are typically maintained). Although events are mostly straightforward there are sufficient twists to keep it from being predictable or tedious, a couple of which are particularly good.

I found it to be a good, relaxing read. (NB the next review might be slightly longer than usual as I’m doing a spot of beta-reading, but I may ramble about CK3 in the meantime).

 

Buying note: I got this as part of the bundle within Kingshold: The Wildfire Cycle: Volume 1, which is only £3 and (provided the sample tickles your fancy) offers great value for e-book readers.

Thaddeus

Crusader Kings 3: Reading Recommendations

It isn’t long now until the current-gen consoles get some more grand strategy in the form of Paradox’s Crusader Kings 3. As someone into history, and enjoying strategy games coming to consoles, this is right up my street.

The game can start in 867 AD or 1066 AD, and I know a little of British (and, to an extent, European/Near East/North African) history of that period. Fairly poor on the rest, and given the map includes all of Europe, the northern half of the African continent, and most of Asia there’s a lot of new stuff to explore.

If you’re into the backstory and want to learn more, here are some reading recommendations, with links to full reviews of each book indicated.

 

The Norman Conquest, by Marc Morris

This is a fantastic book, and probably my favourite by the historian (I own four of his works). Not only does this detail what goes on in 1066, one of the most important years in British history, it also explains what happened beforehand and for decades afterwards, providing plenty of context.

 

 

 

Byzantium: The Apogee (book 2 in a trilogy), by John Julius Norwich

This entire trilogy is a riveting tale of the Eastern Roman Empire, which was a yawning chasm of ignorance in my understanding of Europe before I read it. All of it is worth checking out, but both start years are covered by a single volume, The Apogee. This covers, unsurprisingly, the high point of the Eastern Roman (also known as the Byzantine) Empire and, of course, their allies and enemies over this period.

 

Viking: The Norse Warrior’s (Unofficial) Manual, by John Haywood

A slightly more lighthearted book this one, and part of a fun yet informative series. To dive into Norse culture and the raiding military antics of the time (covering both start dates), this is one of the shorter and easier reads on the list, but still does much to shine a light on the Vikings and their impact on wider Europe (most notably in Normandy and England, as well as setting up numerous cities in Ireland).

 

Alfred the Great: The Man Who Made England, by Justin Pollard

This biography covers one of England’s most important kings. While technically never ruler of all England, he and his brother halted the seemingly unstoppable Viking advance and drove it back, thereby increasing the power of Wessex. Alfred’s reign started a few years after the earlier start date in CK3, but it’s still a wonderful book and one that goes a long way to painting a picture of a very different England.

 

The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000, by Chris Wickham

This is easily the broadest book on the list, covering not only Europe but north Africa and parts of the East over a period of centuries. It’s one of the best histories I’ve read and does a great job bridging the gap between the Western Roman world and the medieval era. If you ever want to understand why Europe was the way it was when the earlier start date comes about, look no further.

 

The Anglo-Saxons: A History of the Beginnings of England, by Marc Morris

Another Marc Morris history, this one covers almost the exact same period as Wickham but looks at England and, thus, the Anglo-Saxons. If you want a more specific look at England, this is what you’re after (note it ends right before the Battle of Hastings).

 

Thaddeus