The Fury of Kings (The Erland Saga #1), by R.S. Moule
The Book
Synopsis:
In the shadow of Eryispek—a mountain said to have no summit—a dark power is stirring. Storms rage in the frozen heights. Unexplained disappearances shake the kingdom below. And old enemies are sharpening their swords…
Andrick the Barrelbreaker first led an army at sixteen.
His victories secured the throne of Erland for his brother and shattered the rebellious noble houses in the West. Decades later, a fragile peace still holds.
But when the king’s only son is murdered, Erland is plunged into crisis. The new heir will stop at nothing to secure his claim. The king, maddened by grief, stalks the halls and hidden passages of his keep, growing more unpredictable by the day.
As war and magical disaster loom, Andrick must decide between protecting his family and marching out to serve a brother he barely recognizes.
His children must also choose their destinies.
Training in the practice yard every day, Orsian dreams of fighting beside his father. Now, for the first time, he faces the brutal reality of battle.
And Pherri is haunted by very different dreams—of figures struggling up the mountain, of a voice more chilling than the wind, of blood on the snow. Only she can resist the darkness that waits on the slopes above…
Race through the pages of an epic new series and enter a world of intrigue, battles and destiny that will leave you breathless. The Erland Saga is a classic fantasy adventure, perfect for fans of George R.R. Martin, John Gwynne and Raymond E. Feist.
My Review (4 out of 5 )
The Fury of Kings is the initial book in the Erland Saga, an epic fantasy series, written by R.S. Moule, perfect for those that look for an ambitious story spawning several POVs in the style of George R.R. Martin. The kingdom of Erland is broken, and several actors are trying to get control over the situation.
The murder of King Hessan's only son threatens to break the fragile peace that is held in Erland; and soon, an heir to the throne makes his move to reclaim his rights. War winds are blowing over Erland, and Andrik Barrelbreaker is called by the king to lead his army, bringing the rest of his family to the capital.
With this premise, we are soon in the middle of complex politics and war movements, but keeping the focus on the small characters and how their actions can change the conflict direction. Moule throws us early into the action and the blood, but goes more for the epic aspect of this kind of fantasy; there's almost no dull moment, even when we are having the first contact with the world of the Erland Saga.
A world made in a medievalesque way, patriarchal, but where many strong women are fighting to break the conventionalisms; a world where in the style of ASOIAF, magic is only present in reduced quantities, Magi are rather uncommon, but I think this will change the more we advance in the story.
Moule introduces us to this world slowly and uses the different POVs to portray different parts of the world, building some mystery all over the place (especially when we are talking about Eryispek).
Despite being the initial book of a saga, we don't have an excessively long introduction, opting the author to only develop those parts we will need for the narration. Said that, it is true that the first 100 pages or so could be called slow depending on the criterium used.
If you are looking for a new epic fantasy saga, spawning several POVs, The Fury of Kings is the perfect starter. Especially if you like Gwynne or Martin, you should try this book.
The Author/s
R.S. Moule
R.S. Moule ('Roger') lives in South London with his wife Eloise and their cat Tinks. He has a passion for writing epic fantasy grounded by human flaws and desires, set in worlds inspired by a childhood divided between his home in the rolling hills of the Cotswolds and summers spent exploring the rugged coastline and deep glens of the Isle of Man. When not reading or writing, he can often be found playing guitar, watching football, or looking for his keys.