Elitist Book Reviews

I've been meaning to try out James Enge's work for some time now. I've seen some high praise (there is a blurb by Lev 'effin Grossman on the cover for instance) and so my expectations were high when I cracked open A GUILE OF DRAGONS. This novel is a prequel to Enge's Ambrose series and I saw that as a perfect opportunity for a beginner to jump in. As a book filling in some background detail for a beloved series fans may be satisfied. For those yet to be initiated this may not be the best entry point.

Here is the book description courtesy of Amazon...

"Before history began, the dwarves of Thrymhaiam fought against the dragons as the Longest War raged in the deep roads beneath the Northhold. Now the dragons have returned, allied with the dead kings of Cor and backed by the masked gods of Fate and Chaos. The dwarves are cut off from the Graith of Guardians in the south. Their defenders are taken prisoner or corrupted by dragonspells. The weight of guarding the Northhold now rests on the crooked shoulders of a traitor's son, Morlock syr Theorn (also called Ambrosius). But his wounded mind has learned a dark secret in the hidden ways under the mountains. Regin and Fafnir were brothers, and the Longest War can never be over."

Sounds pretty epic right? Right? Yeah, I thought so too at first. A GUILE OF DRAGONS starts out pretty well. The birth of Morlock is a cheerless one. The baby Amrbose is left to his own when the parents, both traitors of a sort, are exiled from the realm. The baby soon comes into the care of Tyr, lord of the dwarves and friend of Morlock's father. Morlock grows up under the mountains amongst the dwarves, eventually leaving to become a Guardian. This is where the main story picks up.

The intro is good. I like the way Enge binds our world to his fictional setting with the Sea of Worlds. And the fictional setting of the Wardlands appears very cool at first. The idea of a fantasy land without a monarchy of sorts is refreshing. The Graith of Guardians is an interesting concept, policing the realm and enforcing the law in a mostly benevolent manner. I liked the culture and lore of Enge's dwarves, as he gives reasonable explanation to a lot of genre tropes. I even liked Morlock at first. Orphaned by traitors and raised by dwarves I grew an intimate connection to Morlock.

But all of this cool stuff fizzles out after the opening chapters. The interesting and unique setting becomes a drab and dull affair. World building details are sparse and the majority of the plot takes place in and around the mountain city of the dwarves. The characters become just as bland as the setting. As fascinating as Morlock starts off he completely fails to develop. I was surprised at just how little attention was given to building this beloved character.

I was also under the impression that Morlock is a maker of sorts, a skill learned under the tutelage of the dwarves. As I understand it, this is a major aspect of the series. Morlock does not make anything over the course of A GUILE OF DRAGONS. This doesn't matter to me so much but it may disappoint fans. The action is also minimal and lackluster. Again, I don't know if this is a deal killer for fans but it could be.

Overall this book was pretty blah. I just wasn't feeling it and I struggled to finish. It could be that my high expectations set the bar unfairly high. I don't feel like that is the case but it is something to consider. Fans of the series may know better what to expect. It could be that I'm not the proper audience and all of these things are strengths of Enge's writing. The thing is that there are good ideas here, great ideas really. And there is some solid writing. It's just that the whole thing felt half baked. If you are a fan then you are probably going to buy this to complete the collection. Otherwise I recommend giving this a pass--or at least see if the sequel resolves these problems.

It may be best to just start with BLOOD OF AMBROSE after all.

Recommended Age: 14+
Language: I didn't notice any foul language, if there is some it must be minimal.
Violence: Don't let the cover fool you, the violence is also minimal.
Sex: Nope!

Still want it? Get it here.

After reading a ridiculous number of novels, we’ve managed to glean a few morsels of wisdom. The key to reading and enjoying novels of different genres and sub-genres is to know what to expect. With Epic Fantasy you prepare for large novels, and slow-paced sections punctuated by sprawling battles. With Mystery/Thrillers, you expect contrived dialogue, and a mandatory twist. Hard SF? You have a dictionary handy for those unavoidable moments where the author makes you feel completely dumb. When it comes to Heroic Fantasy/Sword & Sorcery, however, you need to be prepared for something completely different.

Sword & Sorcery is like white-water rafting. You let yourself get carried by the torrent. Sometimes it is rough. There will be brief, calm moments that lull you into complacency right before the next series of rapids. If you fight against the current, you get nowhere. If you go with the flow, and become part of the ride, you soon find you are grinning ear-to-ear, and having the time of your life.

Reading a James Enge novel is like that, and his latest novel THE WOLF AGE is no exception.

THE WOLF AGE stars Enge’s crooked-shouldered protagonist, the Maker Morlock Ambrosius. When sober, Morlock is a terrible foe. When drunk, he is a different type of foe altogether. He can seemingly make anything. It is his gift. It is also, as the saying goes, his curse. THE WOLF AGE finds Morlock having abandoned everyone dear to him. His self-imposed exile removes his loved-ones from the danger and imminent doom that is focused on him.

And of course, this being Morlock, nothing goes right.

The novel begins with Morlock being taken captive by a community of werewolves. And by community, we mean a civilization. Morlock’s goals, in the beginning, are simple. Survival. Escape. All the while, the Strange Gods are using him and everyone else in the area to attain a goal.

THE WOLF AGE is Sword & Sorcery. That means all sorts of death and destruction, followed by more death and destruction. The pacing is fast, and the action is visceral. Enge usually has a fair bit of humor to offset the grim tones, but that humor is largely absent for the beginning quarter of the novel. It is done to great effect. An early action sequence pits Morlock against a werewolf. The resolution had even us saying, “Well geez, that was BRUTAL.” Grim doesn’t even begin to encompass the beginning. The reader feels just how hopeless Morlock is. So amazingly well done.

As the novel progresses, the humor returns. Enge writes dry wit better than most authors, and it is what keeps his novels from being dragged down in hopelessness. As we mentioned earlier, beware the lulls in the novel. Beware those points where everything is rainbows and jellybeans for the characters. Enge is about to sucker-punch you with awesomeness.

THE WOLF AGE is the third Morlock novel, but if you felt like it, you could read it first. Enge does an incredible job making the werewolf civilization seems unique and realized, and he inserts Morlock into that learning process along with the readers. What this does is let new and old readers alike learn about what kind of man Morlock is. Would you be better served reading the novels in order? Well duh. You always are. And Enge’s first two novels are freaking great.

THE WOLF AGE isn’t perfect. There are times when progression in the novel is jumbled and overly chaotic. Sometimes descriptions—especially of Morlock’s inventions—aren’t clear enough. The werewolf names can really blend together. But really all this doesn’t matter. The novel is just plain enjoyable. The themes of racism and individualism are abundant. And even more than that, loyalty and the ability to look past the surface of things.

James Enge might be one of the most underrated novelists out there at the moment. For whatever reason, authors like Enge, JV Jones, and others don’t get the recognition they deserve. If you haven’t read anything by James Enge, you are missing out. Go grab the first two novels, BLOOD OF AMBROSE and THIS CROOKED WAY. Also read his short story “The Singing Spear” in the SWORDS & DARK MAGIC anthology. If you let yourself get washed away in the flood of Enge’s stories, you may find yourself with another author to put on your “favorites” list.

Recommended Age: 18 and up.
Language: Hardly any. There are a bunch of made up werewolf insults and insinuations though.
Violence: Oh yes. Werewolf politics is a violent practice.
Sex: Two graphic scenes.