Brimstone Angels by Erin M. Evans is not your typical fantasy novel . There ’s jealousy , unbidden powers , forbidden lust — and not a magical Macguffin in sight .
In Brimstone , a pair of tiefling twins and their dragonborn foster father stumble into a devilish plot in Neverwinter , a metropolis still reeling in the aftermath of major cataclysm .
[ take note : I ’ve discussed this novel at distance with Evans , include some of my criticisms of it . It ’s certainly not distinctive of a reviewer to run thing by an author before publish the review , and while I do n’t think this renders my congratulations or unfavorable judgment of the novel invalid , I did want to mention this fact in the interest of full revealing . ]
The tiefling twins , Farideh and Havilar , exist with their dragonborn “ father , ” Mehen , who was range out of his dragonborn clan some years ago . No one really trusts tieflings , assuming they ’re all in league with devils or demons . When Farideh does make a connection with a monster named Lorcan , and her new treaty grant her powers beyond her control , the three are forced to take to the road seek work as bountyhunters .
All this happens within the first chapter or two , and direct right to one of my chief complaints about the novel – the plot drifts a bit aimlessly at first . Of naturally , Mehen and the Gemini are rove aimlessly at this point as well . Once they reach Neverwinter , things find fault up , but to some extent major plot points are driven by raw coincidence . The admirer ’ involvement in the plots of some seriously evil devils appears when they blunder into each other while meandering the streets . That the Old Nick are touch to Farideh ’s not - so - well-disposed devil Lorcan is another element of coincidence that strain my abeyance of disbelief a bit .
Of course , most phantasy novels are screw for being plot - force – get the ring to Mordor and so onward – and I did say that this is not a typical fantasy novel . The characters in Brimstone Angels are n’t drive unrelentingly from plot of land point to patch point . They indicate , brood and simmer with gall . They interrogate themselves , are wracked with doubt , and lose control of their emotion ( and their flaming devil - pact power ) . So when the novel occasionally lose pace , it ’s venial to the extent that Evans is trying to do something unlike than just gussying up the same old phantasy figure . bestow in her plainspoken prose , which eschews flowery description for raw emotion ( and is thoroughgoing for action at law scenes ) , and the overall effect is highly gratifying .
If Brimstone Angels is n’t primarily plot of land - driven , that leave us with the characters to latch onto . Luckily , they ’re awesome characters , ones that I ca n’t hold back to read more about . Farideh has complicated relationships with : her twinned baby , who was always more extroverted , but now seems jealous of Farideh ’s new powers ; Mehen , who is her father , but not really ( he is n’t even the same species ) ; and Lorcan , whom she feel unfairly bind to , yet undeniably drawn to . In fact , her relationship with Lorcan is very cryptical and complex , touching on issues of opprobrious relationships and the folly of teenage love . Yet it is n’t as simple as an after schooling special on mean boyfriend , because they ’re both dynamic character who alter themselves , and relative to each other , over the course of the novel .
Havilar takes several turns as the point of view quality , and she becomes a glaive - wielding badass in her own right . Once the twins finally figure out what ’s going on in Neverwinter , there ’s plenty of devil - stabbing , cult - bust action mechanism . As the devils ’ plot unwind , a bizarre revulsion is loose upon Neverwinter . If you ’ve ever wondered what it looks like when a succuba get harebrained , well , now you ’ve get that to attend frontwards to .
Brimstone Angels is the first in a series , with the sequel , Lesser Evils , due some time in belated 2012 . This , unfortunately , brings up another problem – as part of a series , the persona ’s tale arc feel incomplete . They are uncomplete , of course , since that ’s the nature of a serial publication . It certainly does nothing to lessen my cosmopolitan apathy toward the incessant deluge of fantasy trilogy , septologies and dodecahedrologies being foist upon illusion readers , but that ’s just the nature of the brute , I conjecture . Also keep in mind that the plot of land of this novel had to line up not only with its own continuation , but alsothe Neverwinter Campaign Guide , which describes many of the plots afoot in the shattered urban center , andR.A. Salvatore ’s novelset in the same ecumenical area of the Forgotten Realms . If the plot of land seems superfluously twist around at times , that may explain why .
Despite some misgiving , I really am looking forth to the further dangerous undertaking of Farideh and fellowship . Their weird little folk and treasure trove of unusual problem has a substantial emotional vibrancy , and if Farideh ’s ongoing pursuit to deal with her powers is a batch more Jean Grey than Frodo Baggins , consider that a in force matter .
rule book reviewBooksDungeons & DragonsFantasy
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