Rating: 
Summary: Hail Roman Empire
Review: This book is awsome. i rarely read novels but Thomas Harlan knows how to write a book. Using so many characters and uniting the plot was brilliant. I'm still not done but I'm about to order the second book in the series. I recomend this book for any history buff to just kick back and enjoy the glory of war.
Rating: 
Summary: A mismatch of fantasy and history
Review: This book shows a promising recommendation, but it didnt match at all its expectations. First, it is a book one of many. This should be made very clear before you order it. Others like myself are not fond of those series, especialy when you buy a book one without knowing that it is the first of a serie. Needless to say that this book doesn't end at the last page. second, the book consists of various story lines, whose are by itself mini-stories, and all well writen. But they don't mix of interfere (at least not in this book) and one of the stories (the one of the magician-healer fits beter in a horror book (diggin up the death and giving them life back using blood) This has nothing to do with SF ! The other stories are placed in the history. So, if you want to read SF, skip this book. As a historical/fantasy roman this book would probably score more then the single point it earns from me.
Rating: 
Summary: Leisurely development of endless intricacies
Review: This is a grandly conceived story, so grand and leisurely that it is obviously part of a larger series (a projected "Oath of Empire" tetrology, whose second volume is The Gate of Fire). The setting is a 7th century Roman Empire split between East and West but jointly confronting a hostile Persia, to which a spectacularly pyrotechnic variety of magic and some living dead have been added. (The idea reminds me of Kirk Mitchell's PROCURATOR, but so far lacking the rising tide of Christianity and Islam.) It took me a long time to figure out the relationships between the disparate stations and farflung locations of the many characters with which this story opens (or which it soon resurrects!). That is good, you have to figure out the storyline and history as you go. It adds mystery and anticipation to the experience. Not so good is the pedestrian prose in which the long story is written, 490 large pages of small print in the hardback. If the text is not going to be poetical, evocative, or strikingly insightful then it might as well be edited shorter than this. (This is a big book, and the complete series is going to cost you over $100 in hardback.) Four main characters gradually emerge, featuring healing, wild young magic, cunning, or wisdom. In this first volume they acquire separate sets of companions, living or macabrely "dead," and become involved in so-far unrelated quests much larger than one book can hold. An interesting development to watch is the ways each party of companions alters its alliances as it goes through its battles, whether magical or military. I did not empathize greatly with the characters, either because they are just too otherworldly or a bit coldly written. The occasional eruptions of magic are collossal and grossly horrendous but fall short of marvelous (a video may be needed to realize their ferocity). There is some sort of history and system to the magic, since the Persians have lots of it and the Romans don't. The presence of a neophyte and his master teacher provide the opportunity to clarify magic as part of the plot, but this oppportunity is lost. Magic doesn't seem to be used for everyday matters, but rather is confined to one small class of adepts and to issues of state. Much of the rest of the storyline seems to be authentically historic Roman and realistically mountain or desert Middle Eastern (where most of the action episodes in this volume take place). However, Harlan doesn't supply a note on sources and what's historically real and what's not, as some "alternative history" authors do. I think the back story is supposed to be the real Roman and Persian Empires, but Harlan never explains how his magic became real on earth, or how a Roman Empire could even have come into being if it had, or whether we are really in a parallel universe? (There is one kit-built device that surely sounds like a jet airplane.) Not all of the many many episodes with each character advance the story (whose goals--like why fight the Persians!--are not yet clear). I hope he will "explain all" before the series is finished; at the moment it's a hodgepodge. Description is satisfyingly full and careful, perhaps because Harlan is an RPG game designer (yes, there's a dungeon here, two in fact plus the Roman catacombs) and he is used to creating an immersive environment without the use of any visual aids (beyond a set of detailed maps, which become VERY small and blurry in paperback!). Harlan leaves the story with raw plot hooks sticking out everywhere (although having had the boldness to kill off perhaps the most attractive, or tragic, major character of book 1). I wasn't glued to the story; several times I laid this book aside. I suspect the really audacious scope of this project will draw me to the next book, but I wish the dreary prose would be firmly edited.
Rating:
Summary: Complex and engrossing alternate historical fantasy.
Review: This volume is part one of a series set in an alternate Roman empire, where the West does not fall, and every legion has a body of thaumaturges attached. Lots of characters, lots of action and intrigue, evil and good of mythic proportions, and a good sense of history allow this book to burrow itself into your mind and find a cozy home. This work is set in approximately 600 CE, and in addition to the Romans, East and West, you will find Persians, Khazars, Celts, and others mixed into epic events. Carrying the plot are a Roman wizard, a Gallic swordswoman, and a cast of thousands.
Rating:
Summary: A superb example of historical fiction at its BEST
Review: This was a superb novel depicting a perfect, and turbulent time period. I was especially intrigued by the involvement of magic, mixed together with insatiable action, It fit the theme of the story very well and surely expanded my sense of ejoyment of this book. Harlan has written a very deep novel here and it seems to be the start of a great new series. The book had a great start and really gets into cross stories. The way Harlan introduces each character in his/her appearance is well done. From the start the book pulls you in, right when there is a chase in the epicenter of rome to the hot dunes of aegiptus and even to the real,corrupt world of ancient politics. Personally a history buff I enjoyed this novel to the utmost peak. Although the middle parts were somewhat difficult to keep up with as the story had broadened to the hot dunes of syria,egypt and the muggy streets of constantinople. Did I mention the great variety of action and adventure? which is a great part of te book and the ongoing saga. If you enjoy a great historical fiction or even fantasy, filled with intrigue,action,drama and even some hidden surprise twists,then this book is for you, and definetly does deserve the 4 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Complex and challenging AND big fun. Excellent characters.
Review: Thomas Harlan is obviously a talented writer. His story is demanding of the reader - full of complex relationships, ancient geography and lots of arcane wank for people who just love all that stuff to test their own knowlege of the ancient world and its trappings. I was pretty enthralled the whole time I was reading it. Thanks Tom and write faster - I need to know what happens with a few of your female characters!
Rating: 
Summary: Magic + Rome = Interesting combination
Review: Thomas Harlan's The Shadow of Ararat is an engrossing tale of a Rome that survived into the 7th century with the help of magical thaumaturges, and it's struggles from without and within. For once, all of the major characters are interesting, as well as many of the minor ones. The battle scenes are done well, as is the historical imagery. I also thought the magic was done well enough. And I like the way he didn't explain everything that was going on, that way we'll keep guessing until we get the next book. However there are some things that bring down enjoyment somewhat. For one thing, Harlan never explains why the Empire has survived, other than perhaps Rome's "curse". History up until when Rome should have fallen stays exactly the same except the absence of Christianity, even with the introduction of magic. I think Caesar would not have been half as docile as presented in the book - although the resurrection may have changed him. And is he paid by the word - this book is HUGE, when it could have been cut down significantly. Not that there are large boring parts, but I had the feeling he could have gotten on with it. I stayed away from this book for a long time due to bad reviews, which is unfortunate since it IS good. Just don't expect the next Lord of the Rings here. I eagerly await the next one, in paperback.
Rating:
Summary: Magic + Rome = Interesting combination
Review: Thomas Harlan's The Shadow of Ararat is an engrossing tale of a Rome that survived into the 7th century with the help of magical thaumaturges, and it's struggles from without and within. For once, all of the major characters are interesting, as well as many of the minor ones. The battle scenes are done well, as is the historical imagery. I also thought the magic was done well enough. And I like the way he didn't explain everything that was going on, that way we'll keep guessing until we get the next book. However there are some things that bring down enjoyment somewhat. For one thing, Harlan never explains why the Empire has survived, other than perhaps Rome's "curse". History up until when Rome should have fallen stays exactly the same except the absence of Christianity, even with the introduction of magic. I think Caesar would not have been half as docile as presented in the book - although the resurrection may have changed him. And is he paid by the word - this book is HUGE, when it could have been cut down significantly. Not that there are large boring parts, but I had the feeling he could have gotten on with it. I stayed away from this book for a long time due to bad reviews, which is unfortunate since it IS good. Just don't expect the next Lord of the Rings here. I eagerly await the next one, in paperback.
Rating:
Summary: Impressive!!!
Review: Typically, I don't usually like first novels, most of them are slow and sketchy. But this was a very good book. It started out a little slow but really picked up. I love Fantasy and Historical novels, so I especially love Historical Fantasy. He choose characters from different levels of society, which gives us a very good idea of the situation from different perspectives.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Start
Review: When I first started this book, I wasn't particularly thrilled with it. It was kind of interesting, but not especially so. Then I started noticing little things about the characters. Yes, Maxian is more or less good, but some things he does fall far afield of what a traditional fantasy character would do. The characters argue about solutions and discard wrong theories, and ignore things that any one of us would pounce on, with our modern knowledge. For example, lead poisoning is seen as a benefit, rather than a health problem. It's refreshing to see how different from modern people the characters are. I'm also trying to figure out the diverging point. I think that, most likely, our world and their world were never the same, based on some religious commentary. I'm sure we'll find more. This is a really good book.
|
