Book review: "The Cold Commands" by Richard Morgan

I have read "The Steel Remains", first in "A Land fit for Heroes" by Richard Morgan almost a year ago and I liked the book very much. My only objection was ending, which didn't make much impact nor was epic as expected from building up. I know this sounds conflicting, because ending is what usually make the biggest impression, but this just wasn't such a book. It had a great characters and world-building, was very gritty and violent and I liked it because of that. If its story wasn't epic enough, it was nevertheless a great enjoyment to read through it.

While I was buying its sequel, "The Cold Commands" (I bought a Kindle edition), I encountered some poor reviews of it, which made me think I made a bad investment. But these reviews, with my experience from first book, actually made this book better for me, because I knew not to expect an epic fantasy.

I am not sure that this book has a real, overall plot. Instead, we follow our three main characters, Ringil, Archet and Egar, in another set of adventures that in the end make them gather once again. Since last book, Ringil Eskiath, a League noble-man, war hero and exiled homosexual, has set himself to self-proclaimed war against slavery. But after he angers enough people, he will be forced to flee and abandon his efforts. Egar Dragon, a Majak barbarian with taste for pleasures of the city has decided to abandon his steppes and once again enjoy in decadence of Imperial City of Yhelteth. There he "acts" as bodyguard of lady kir-Archet Indamaninarmal (wrote it properly in only two attempts), but actually does much and grows bored. Archet herself, as senior adviser of Yhelteth Empereor and last Kiriath on this world, has gotten a mission to wait for some kind of messenger. The meandering stream of events will lead these threes friend together and they will once again be forced to confront the menace from last book, the dwenda.

OK, I know this "sounds" like a plot, but trust me, it is not in real sense of the word. "The Cold Commands" serves as a classical transitional book, from introductory and world-building first one, to closing third one. So, instead on plot, it focuses on characters and world-building, with fascinating results. We learn new information, about now finished war against lizards, about dragons, dwenda, Kiriath, Grey Places, and so on. I really like how Morgan made this sound like some strange mix of SF and fantasy, with references like "The cat is nor dead or alive", and with the concept of Helmsmen. He also succeeded with making Grey Places a very confusing and intriguing place.

Characters are also on high level. Ringil is this time described as bad-ass anti-hero ("Ringil Eskiath. Faggot dragonslayer."). If you like to read about tough guys spitting in the face of the world and authority, this is you book - Rambo (in first part) looks like a kitten compared to him. But you have to give him the credit; he doesn't do it without any reason or purely out of spite (although spite does make large portion of it), but because loyalty and his own sense of honor. Egar is done much better than in last book. His plot-line unfortunately doesn't hold much meaning, but he is a very fun and intense character to read about. Archet felt very subdued throughout whole book and not as competent as she was described previously, but I presume that forcing yourself off from very addictive drug makes you like that. Well, there is another reason for her anxiety, and I must admit that I didn't understand it until the very end.

Again, I have an objection regarding the ending. This time, I found it somewhat confusing and I didn't get it completely how Ringil did what he did. But this is only a small objection, and I think that a reread would help me with understanding. Not a real complaint, but more of an observation - don't expect some artistic writing and language. This book is very down-to-earth and gritty.

Well, since I am mentioning grittiness, I have to warn you: this is one of the most violent and gritty books I have ever read. Close description of gang-rape, sex, detailed memories of very war, very bloody and violent description of fighting... Also, if you have something against scenes of gay and lesbian sex, this is not a book for you.

But, I you like action-packed books about ass-kicking anti-heroes, with really clever world-building and gritty characters, then "The Cold Commands" IS a book for you. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to the sequel and last book in trilogy.

Book review: "The Steel Remains" by Richard K. Morgan

I've been reading positive reviews about "The Steel Remains" since it was out, so it has been in my wish list for a while. I've ordered it while I was rereading "Malazan Book of the Fallen" and it waited me for a month or two, and now it finally came its turn. Several years ago, while I had time to be a member if local library, I read one of Richard Morgan's hits, "Altered Carbon". I remember it as a good book, a SF action-thriller, but since I've read it only once, I don't remember much detail.

The sword on the cover has a cool mirror-effect

I loved this book literally from the first sentence:

"When a men you know to be of sound mind tells you his recently deceased mother has just tried to climb in his bedroom window and eat him, you only have two basic options."

What a great way to start a book. From the very start I was remind of Joe Abercrombie's "The First Law Trilogy". It has the familiar combination of grittiness and humor, only with Morgan it is bit more of grittiness and little less of humor. Nevertheless, it has that same feel of fantasy that deals with real people; people who are weak, dirty, curse a lot, but manage to surprise you more than not. So don't expect clear differentiation on good and bad...

Story follows three main characters. Ringil is an ex-soldier, hero of last war, now fallen on lower branches of life. He's living in a small village, using remains of his glory to get drinks and room in local inn. You get first indication that Ringil was more than he is now when his mother, a member of one of most powerful noble families, comes to force him into finding their cousin, sold to slavery. Although he is reluctant of come back to capital, to people who betrayed him and life it disappointed him, his mother's wishes are hard to decline.

Two second main characters are Egar Dragonbane and Archeth. Egar is member of nomadic horse-warrior tribe Majak. In his youth he was a mercenary and also a war-hero. After returning to his tribe, he is now a rich leader, having everything that a man could wish for, but finds his life among almost-barbaric people too dull, especially compared to sophisticated life in neighboring Empire of Yhelteth. Archeth is one of most trusted advisors of Emperor of the same Empire, mainly because she is a last member of her race, advanced and long-living people of Kiriath. Her life will again become exciting as she is sent to investigate a strange attack on one of the coastal towns.

First, I liked the worldbuilding. Morgan has something of a Erikson's approach. He plunges you in the middle of a world and don't explain you much. You get brief references to the world throughout the book, and you do your best connected them to whole picture. For example, you get mentions of Lizard Folk and Kiriath, two inhuman races during the whole book, but even after reading it whole, you don't have a complete picture of who they really were and what happened to them. I like this approach because it gives you an impression of a solid world, one that has a life of its own. Also, I always like when fantasy mixes with SF; as with Erikson's K'Chain Che-Malle, so with Morgan's Kiriath.

Characters are great. Ringil is a main guy. At first he is described as just one old veteran, with one heroic act to single him from the mass. As book follows him to capital, you find out that he was, and still is, much more. He has one trait that forced him to abandon his rightful place as a son of powerful noble family: he is openly gay in a world that ostracizes homosexuality. And by ostracizing, I mean torture and death, except in case you happen to be rich and powerful. This hypocrisy, combined with what he considers a betrayal of his war efforts, left him disappointed in humanity, especially to higher classes. Egar is also great. He is a middle-aged warrior that had a touch of sophistication in big city capital and can't find his rest now when he is back to his people. And Acrheth is very interesting, since she is of different race. From her POV I think we get most facts about the world. Although that doesn't mean she is just an info-dump-machine.

Unfortunately, book is great only till last quarter or so. At one point, one all three main characters come together, it just starts to fall apart. Story is good until that point, but after it gets too predictable and uninteresting. It fails to give an impression of well-rounded conclusion and it lacks any exciting parts: it just falls into usual fantasy tropes. And worse than that, characters do the same. Egar, who is very insightful characters for the most of the book, becomes just a wise and friendly barbarian; Ringil a snarly but good commander and Archeth an elf. I was quite disappointed with this ending. But, considering how book was good until that point, and how good was worldbuilding, I have hopes for the sequel, "The Cold Commands", and plan to order it soon.

As I mentioned, I have read "Altered Carbon" only once, but I remember that main character's name was Takeshi Kovach. I wonder if name Takavach in "The Steel Remains" is a hidden reference to it?

The book has quite graphical description of violence and sex. I noticed on some user reviews that some people were offended with such detailed depiction of sex between two men. So if this really bothers you, maybe you should skip this book.

"The Steel Reamins" is one very innovating and gritty book, with exceptional worldbuilding and characters, but unfortunately with weak ending. Nevertheless, it is a great read for fans of darker fantasy, so I recommend it.