Hawkwood's Voyage (The Monarchies of God, Book 1)

Rating:
Summary: HERESY!
Review: Ultimately, it was the title of the second book in the series, The Heretic Kings, which caught my attention and convinced me to try this series

It begins as quite recognizably history based fantasy, with the period in question being roughly the time from 1450-1500. The Holy City of Aekir has just fallen to the heathen Marduks, who now threaten to invade further into the five Ramusian kingdoms. In the kingdom of Hebrion, the Prelate Herminus is starting a witch-hunt against foreigners and magic-users, while King Abeleyn can offer little resistance for fear of being excommunicated.
However, when his ambitious cousin Murad comes to him with plans to establish a colony on a supposed western continent, he arranges for a small number of wizardly folk to escape persecution by this route. Captain of the ships used for the expedition is Richard Hawkwood, blackmailed into accepting this task since half ofhis crew would end up on the pyres, and most likely himself too, would he refuse.

What he doesn't know is how Murad learned of the continent. A hundred years earlier, a similar expedition had been undertaken. When that ship returned, everyone on board was dead; at least, everyone human...

OK, that much for the plot; there are quite a few characters for a book with only 380 pages, though thankfully there are no teenaged heros with unknown parentship among them. The character description is good, Kearney tries to avoid instant black/white categorisation, with mixed results though, and he has a tendency to info-dump duringconversations.
His research of the period is very good, when it comes to military, and especially sea-going matters. The political maneuvers are handled less refined, compared to George R. R. Martin the scheming and planning is very rudimentary, and some characters are too altruistic given their position, in my opinion (If you didn't have a problem with that in Farseer, it won't bother you here either).
However, apart from having researched the former two matters extensively, he also handles them well dramatically, in battle and sea-voyaging scenes.

"There are many long leagues of sailing before us yet, Captain, and an unknown continent awaiting our feet. Many things could happen before any of us sees Hebrion once more. Hazardous things. Dangerous things."
"You cannot do that, Murad! He is a priest."
"He is a man, and his blood is the same colour as my own. When he chose to set his will against mine he fixed his own fate. There is nothing more to be said."

The magic in his world is relatively low-key, and realistically integrated with conventional technologies. One purpose wizardry is used for is strategic long-distance communication, another would be weather alteration (conjuring wind at sea). Also in existance are werewolf-like shapeshifters.
Compared to other books I've read, it reminded me most of Mary Gentle's Ash, and Glen Cook's Black Company series, though it's faster-paced and not as monotous as the former, and not as cynical and bleak as the latter.
I haven't read Guy Kay's Sarantium books, but I've heard they're roughly based on the same period in history, so if the setting interests you, check out those too.

I've become a pretty jaded reader of fantasy myself, and there are quite a few of the 'classics' among fantasy which simply leave me cold (Covenant, M,S&T, Farseer), but slowly and steadily, this book grew on me.

I'd recommend it to everybody who's interested in a less conventional setting, and especially to fans of military fantasy and sea-faring.

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Hawkwood's Voyage gets four out of five envious pegboys. Har!