Woe to the Five ('King's Folly' Review and Song)

I suppose you’re all wondering why I’ve gathered you here today.

Sorry, I had to say that. *ahem* Welcome, digressors. As per the title, I am here today to deliver a final review of ‘King’s Folly’, book one of Jill Williamson’s ‘The Kinsman Chronicles’, as the sum of its parts (’Darkness Reigns’, ‘The Heir War’, and ‘The End of All Things’). I could just give you a flat-out summary of my thoughts on the book, and if that’s what you want, feel free to scroll down to the end and catch the TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read) version. But if you have the time and the patience to bear with me for a bit, I would like very much to tell you a story.

If you’ve been following me and/or my blog for very long, you’ve probably gathered by now that I’m a bit of a Jill Williamson fangirl. Mind you, I am also a fangirl of other people and things (such as J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and Doctor Who), but Jill’s work is of particular interest to me because she is a contemporary author writing in one of my favorite genres and does it very well. (Plus she’s just a great person in general, but I’m getting off-topic now.)

Really, though, get out there right now and try to track down as many good Christian fantasy novels as you can. Difficult, isn’t it? At least it always is for me. I might find a book or two on occasion by an author I don’t know, but to find a single author whose work I consistently like and feel confident in recommending to others is a luxury I prize.

My first experience with Jill’s books was ‘By Darkness Hid’. I read the entire ‘Blood of Kings’ trilogy and came out of it euphoric from the excitement of what I’d discovered. Along the way, I also managed to drag some of my teenage friends, my mother, and a few complete strangers into the fandom, but when I myself reached the end of the series, I found myself hungering for more. One Christy Award-winning trilogy (two books out of three won it) was, of course, a wonderful thing to experience, but once it was over, where was I supposed to get my fantasy fix?

Cue sometime last year when I caught the announcement that Jill was writing a new fantasy series, with different characters and cultures, but in the same general world (hundreds of years beforehand) as ‘Blood of Kings’. To say I was excited would be a gross understatement. I feared I would spontaneously combust from excitement before I ever had a chance to read the new books.

Now imagine how my excitement piqued when I discovered that Jill was building a launch team to help promote the book and the three eBooks of which it was comprised. The list of responsibilities was a bit intimidating for me, an awkward introvert with little skill for marketing, but being on the team would give me the opportunity to read all three eBooks beforehand and even receive my own copy of the full novel. So of course, I leapt on the opportunity, typed up my application as quickly as I could, and submitted it, euphoric with the very idea that I might get to experience the new series sooner than I had anticipated and have an excuse to fangirl unashamedly.

But true to my anxious manner, soon after submitting I began to prep myself for disappointment. Surely there would be many people who applied, and many of them would have much better marketing skills than I. By the end of October, when Jill was due to send out e-mails to those who made the team, I was utterly convinced that I had no chance of receiving such a missive. I resigned myself to waiting and began to make other plans for my time.

And then I got the e-mail. Against all odds, I was in. I didn’t know how exclusive the group might be (after all, as I said, Jill is a nice person, and I felt there was a good chance I was only recruited because of the sheer excitement I related in my application), but the instant I received that confirmation, all the old excitement came flooding back, and more. Anxiety also reared its head as I was faced again with my own woeful lack of experience with the successful promotion of books, no matter whose they were.

But — and this is a testament to just how much I wanted to read the book, and how badly I wanted an excuse to further promote Jill’s work — I decided to push through my own hesitations and do my best. I figured if nothing else, I could take cues from the more experienced members of the group and just follow their lead, and maybe I would look like I knew what I was doing.

My discomfort increased as I received the digital ARCs (Advance Reading Copies) of the books and saw that, as Jill had warned, this series would not be geared towards teens, or at least not young ones — it was geared towards a more mature audience, and while what mature content existed was handled in such a way that the reader would not get inappropriately caught up in it, just the simple fact that it was there made me, an awkward person from very conservative circles, nervous. What if I kept reading and it got more awkward? What if it was handled carefully in the beginning, but for whatever reason it devolved later? What if I had signed on to promote something and had to drop out a few weeks in because I couldn’t support the content? But I decided to keep the faith and keep reading, knowing that Jill had produced good, wholesome content consistently thus far, and reminding myself that sometimes darkness (when applied in moderation) can later give birth to much greater light.

The long and short of it is this: it was worth it.

Once I pushed past my initial discomfort, I got caught up with the characters and their stories. In the beginning I connected with Wilek and his sense of honor and responsibility, then my allegiance became divided when Trevn bounded into the picture and stole my heart with his winsome manner and boundless energy. (I think if I met the two in real life, I would have a very difficult time keeping up with Trevn and would instead end up sitting around talking with Wilek while Trevn ran off to some adventure somewhere.) Charlon, while her goals conflicted with those of the main characters and drove her to some ends which… well, you can find out what those ends were for yourself… was still a sympathetic character and I felt her pain deeply throughout all three parts. And Mielle… Well, she reminded me a bit of Vrell from ‘Blood of Kings’, except that thus far Mielle has not made me want to throw an iPad across the room out of frustration. (Don’t get me wrong — Vrell was a good character. But she did have her… *ahem*… moments.)

Even with the warnings that this story would take place long, long before ‘Blood of Kings’ and many things would be different, I was not prepared for just how different things would be. But that was not necessarily a bad thing. On the contrary, I found the culture (or cultures, rather) fascinating, and felt that even with as much as was articulated throughout the story, there was a world’s worth of information and depth beneath the surface that I as the reader could only dream of learning. The religions in particular intrigued me in how each of them evolved from their origins and, with all their differences, shared some things in common. I found this made them more believable, as many real-world religions have a few common elements (a moral code of some kind, end-times prophecies, references to past events that were interpreted very differently through the lens of different worldviews, etc.). If they were all too similar to each other or too starkly different from one another, it might have felt contrived, but they were not, and it did not.

On that same topic of religion, I liked how the assortment of similarities and differences between faiths created a natural confusion for the characters, leading them on a treasure hunt for truth wherein the reader gets to tag along and also come to those conclusions for themselves. Rather than shoving a sermon into the reader’s face, instead the narrative says, “Here are the facts, here are the issues — now look and judge for yourself which one is the truth.” And this, to me, makes the whole thing that much more effective. I must also admit to a certain degree of envy, as I struggle with this very area in my own writing. Believe me, it’s a difficult balance to maintain.

In addition to the above points, it all just felt so real. I swear if I fell asleep reading ‘King’s Folly’ and was groggy enough when I woke, I might be confused to open my eyes and see my own real-world room when I’d only just been in the five realms, clinging to medieval furniture as the Five Woes shook the land beneath my feet. I could forget, in my reverie, that the characters I read about were not, in fact, real people, and that the peril and suffering they endured was only penned by a human author onto paper and bound up in a book. Certainly, by the time I got to the end, I was tempted to just pick the book up again and read it from cover to cover to reunite with the characters and their world again.

Well, okay, technically I did pick it up again. I basically carried it around everywhere hoping someone would ask about it so I could babble to them about how much they needed to read it.

And now, in summary, I shall give you the long-awaited…

TL;DR VERSION 

If you are a mature teen or adult fan of epic fantasy, Christian or otherwise, you should read this book. There are thematic elements to deal with due to the culture in which the books are set, but from the beginning of ‘King’s Folly’ to its end, I could see the progression beginning from darkness to light. Besides which fact, the storytelling was stellar, the worldbuilding was rich, and the characters were like living people who just happened to end up living inside a book. I admit to being quite impatient for the next book’s release.

If you're interested, just go to the Goodreads pages for the book below, or go for the first installment, 'Darkness Reigns', and try that out for free if you're not ready to commit to the full story.

King's Folly: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25822052-king-s-folly

Darkness Reigns: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26108314-darkness-reigns

Oh, yes, and as for the "song" part of the post... Yes, well, I suppose I should make good on that, shouldn't I? Well, a couple of days ago, I sat down and wrote a ballad inspired by 'King's Folly', recorded it a cappella and added filters to make it fit the feel a bit more. If you want something to listen to as you start in on the series or just to get an idea of what's in store, give it a listen on SoundCloud here, or click on the YouTube video below.

Book Review: 'The Heir War' (Kinsman Chronicles #1.2) By Jill Williamson

Hey there, digressors. Guess what hit the digital market today? It's a new book! The second installment of 'The Kinsman Chronicles' by Jill Williamson released today, and it's available at all (or most) major eBook retailers. And because I know you're dying to know my opinion of it (okay, okay, maybe you're not, but you're already here), I shall leave it below. But first, for context, you can visit this site for the official blurbs of the books. Oh, and a charming little graphic Jill herself made in honor of the occasion. 

Two months ago, I reviewed 'Darkness Reigns', the opener to a compelling high fantasy series by Jill Williamson. Today I am reviewing its faster-paced sequel. 

The first book was very good, and a solid beginning to the series, but since it had to do the job of introducing not only an entire cast of characters, but the complicated world in which they lived, the pace was a little slow. 'The Heir War' does not have this problem. With 'Darkness Reigns' as a launching pad, it takes off, carrying along the reader in its ride through the five reals and the environmental and interpersonal chaos throughout. It's a riveting tale, filled with action and suspense that left me eagerly anticipating the next installment. Tension mounts between characters and prophecy comes to fruition, the religious systems are further developed, the faith themes have begun to evolve and cast light into the darkness, and the more questions are answered, the more rise up to take their place. 

If I had to pick a favorite character, though the cast in general is fantastic, I would choose Trevn, the youngest Sar (or prince) of Armania. He's energetic and charmingly offbeat, childish at times but with a good heart and a desire to see truth come to light. 

I do feel compelled to give a heads-up that there is some innuendo involved, primarily by cruder characters in conversation and dares and by priestesses seeking to fulfill an ancient prophecy. However, it's plot-relevant rather than gratuitous, so I wouldn't say that it necessarily makes the book any less worth reading. I'd only say that the story is clearly meant for adults and older teens, and this should be taken into consideration when choosing whether or not to read it. 

Overall, I liked 'The Heir War' even more than 'Darkness Reigns', and  I eagerly look forward to reading the third book. 

So what do you think? Would you like to join in on the quest to save the five realms? You can get 'Heir War' at any of the links below the lovely cover if you're interested. If you haven't read 'Darkness Reigns' yet, it's free for download at all the same e-retailers as 'Heir War'. 

Amazon 

Barnes & Noble 

Christian Book Distributors 

Kobo 

Review of 'Darkness Reigns' (The Kinsman Chronicles #1.1) by JillWilliamson

Hello again, fellow digressors! I apologize for disappearing over the last few days. Between finishing NaNoWriMo, dealing with Lyme stuff and a possible flu bug, and an encounter with peanuts and Benadryl, I've been a bit lazy. I didn't even manage to show you the countdown graphics for 'Darkness Reigns', but I suppose they're obsolete now, because... 

IT'S HERE! 

Some of you may have pre-ordered a copy already, but for those who didn't, you can snag it for your e-reader at any of the following retailers: 

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B013EW2SV4?tag=wwwteenageaut-20

iTunes: http://jillwilliamson.us3.list-manage.com/track/click…

Kobo: http://jillwilliamson.us3.list-manage.com/track/click…

CBD: http://jillwilliamson.us3.list-manage.com/track/click…

Nook: http://jillwilliamson.us3.list-manage.com/track/click…

Am I forgetting something...? Oh, right! I promised you all a full review when the book officially came out, didn't I? Well, here it is. 

First off, I read a digital ARC of this book which I received in exchange for an honest review. Honesty is important to me, and I have given less-than-glowing reviews of review copies before, so trust when I say that the following opinions are in no way coerced.

I've been a fan of Jill's books basically for as long as I've been aware of their existence. 'By Darkness Hid' was the first one I put on my wishlist, and also the first one I read, so the world and the characters are very close to my heart. I'm a die-hard fantasy fan, and especially Christian fantasy, which Jill writes masterfully. So I was, shall we say, rather intrigued when I found out that Jill was going to release another fantasy series. I was just a bit excited when I got the opportunity to read the first installment before its public release.

Okay, so maybe I had to do some repairs on the roof after I flew up through it. Sue me.

Bottom line, Jill did not disappoint with this one. One of the most important things to note, especially if you're coming to it as a 'Blood of Kings' fan, is that while it shares some elements with her other books, it is different in a few ways. First, 'The Kinsman Chronicles' is set hundreds of years prior to 'Blood of Kings' and therefore the setting is very different. Second, Jill usually writes what she calls "weird fiction for teens", whereas 'The Kinsman Chronicles' is geared primarily towards adults. As such, most of the characters are older and deal with different concerns, the most notable of which stem from the corrupt nature of the culture in which they've been raised.

The story is set primarily in Armania, a land ruled by a corrupt king who makes sacrifices to false gods and keeps several concubines, as well as multiple wives. This is considered normal for nobility in their culture (as was once the case in Israel when the people forgot Jehovah, and strong parallels may be drawn here). One character seems to be the victim of prior sexual abuse, though nothing is explicitly stated or shown, and characters practice dark arts through power drawn from dark spirits. As such, caution should be exercised when considering the book as reading material for less mature audiences. However, I should note that the author handles all these potentially problematic topics with care and restraint, and so puts the proper perspective on the characters' actions and lifestyles without allowing the story to become steeped in inappropriate scenes.

In my opinion, while the more awkward topics might make one squirm a little (the main reason I'm giving it 4.5 stars, though unfortunately there is no way to do that on most review sites), the darkness sets things up well for a future turning point when the characters find Arman (God) and make a change in their lifestyles. Have you ever heard the story of someone who was a slave to crime or passion or some other sin, only to experience a miraculous change when they gave their lives over fully to Christ? Those testimonies hold a unique power because of the sheer contrast they elicit between the darkness and the light. As such, I do believe it is important and necessary to show where the characters stumble (though with care, of course) to lay the groundwork for things to come.

The characters, imperfect as they are, are multi-dimensional and relatable. I especially enjoyed reading scenes with Wilek and Trevn, the Armanian Sars (or princes). Their personalities are different, but I found them equally relatable and might have a hard time deciding whom to root for should it come to a choice between one or the other in a future book. The story starts a bit slow as Jill sets everything up, but I didn't find that to be a major issue. The slower start gave me time to connect with the characters and get into their world in a way that a faster beginning would not have allowed. The world-building is superb as ever, with all due context given for the details of the immersive environment created for all the characters involved, without bogging the reader down in unnecessary info-dumps.

All in all, I'd say this is a good start to the series, and worth the read for discerning readers who enjoy epic fantasy. I'm excited to see how the rest of the series goes. 

Interested? As I said, it's a free download, so go check it out! In the meantime, here are the other countdown graphics which I failed to show you prior to the release date. Also, come join the Facebook party that's going until 9 p.m. Pacific time! There are Q&As and giveaways and we would all love to see you there. The link is in the comments. Enjoy, and happy digressing. 

Unleashing The Inner Fangirl, And A Book Review/Recommendation!

Well, here I am yet again, trying to be productive, and wandering over to this blog instead. This is becoming an addiction, methinks. I hope you are having a good day, fellow digressors, and that you are being more productive than I. 

I did manage to make some headway last night, though -- I finally got to work on writing a book proposal for one of my novels. Some kind soul posted a sample proposal and introduction online, so that all the "learning by observation" people like me could stop pulling their hair out and wailing over how they had no idea what they were doing. (The sample introduction/proposal, by the way, is here. You're welcome.) 

With some of the mystery taken out of the process, I've discovered that writing proposals can actually be kind of fun. Maybe I'm crazy for thinking that. That's okay; I accepted the reality of my own insanity a long time ago. But really, I have had way too much fun writing the synopsis for the book in question. I'll probably have to pull a Frankenstein on it later by chopping it up and cobbling it back together, but hey, it's better than having a blank page in front of me. (Although I'll probably have to find some alternative to an electric shock to bring it to life, considering that I'm using a computer to write/edit it...) 

Yesterday was an exciting day for me. Nothing big happened, I suppose. It was a Sunday like any other. Well, except that I managed to make it through morning services without having panic issues; that actually made it kind of an awesome Sunday. But after I went home, I decided to do some shopping on Amazon. And by "shopping," I mean, "looking up the same books that I've been drooling over for weeks and trying to talk myself into actually buying the paperbacks." The books were 'Captives' (first in 'The Safe Lands Trilogy') and 'By Darkness Hid' (first in 'The Blood of Kings Trilogy'), both by Jill Williamson. I became acquainted with Jill via a Facebook group/blog called Go Teen Writers, which she and Stephanie Morrill (another awesome author/person) headed up, and not only is she an awesome person with a heart for helping others, but her books are great. She writes what she describes as "weird fiction for teens," which happens to be exactly what I tend to read and write most, though she does a better job of it than I do. The 'Blood of Kings' trilogy happens to be my favorite series ever, actually. (As evidenced by the fact that I'm buying the paperback for 'By Darkness Hid' when I've already read the eBook; I just don't do that.) 

*steps off of fangirling soapbox for a moment to take some deep breaths* Okay. I'm okay now. For the moment, anyways. 

So anyways, the exciting thing was that, when I checked out copies of 'Captives' that other people were selling on Amazon, I found one that is supposedly signed by the author. Yes, it made me happy. No, don't bother going to look for it now, because I already claimed it. Sorry. 

It's unusual for me to purchase paperbacks these days. Why? Well, being a Lymie with no consistently-paying job, who also likes to save her shekels to publish future books, turns me into sort of a tight-wad. Oftentimes, if a book is not available at my local library, I'll just put it on a wishlist, or maybe use gift card money to get the (usually cheaper) eBook version, if that option is available. But I've read a preview of 'Captives' (via a FREE sampler of Jill's writing that is available here), and heard recommendations from friends. Those things, combined with my abiding love for 'Blood of Kings', convinced me to purchase the book, and I've caught myself checking my e-mail way too many times since to see whether the book has shipped yet. (That reminds me, I haven't checked in a while. *scurries off to check it, then comes back*) 

When the book gets here and I've read through it, I will be more than happy to post my review for you lovely people to read. Until then, here is my review of 'By Darkness Hid' (which can be purchased here): 

"I learned about this book through a writer's group which the author, Jill Williamson, helps manage. The premise intrigued me, and the idea of Christian, non-magical -- well, unless you count the bloodvoicing as magic -- fantasy also excited me. [EDIT: I have since read the other books, which are also awesome, and discovered that it is not non-magical, but the magic involved is handled very well.] I decided at once that I wanted to read it. I spent months drooling over it, putting it on every wishlist, longing desperately to dive into the story therein. 

I was not disappointed. 

From the first pages, I connected with Achan, and rooted for him through every trial and disappointment. What angered him made me livid, and what made him sad brought tears to my eyes. When I reached Vrell's first chapter, I was prematurely disappointed, sure I could not love her as much as I had Achan. She quickly proved me wrong, and I ripped through the pages (well, digital pages), anxious to see what would happen next, holding my breath whenever it seemed her secret (revealed to the reader early on) might be revealed. I found the world well-developed and believable, the characters well-rounded and dynamic, and the storyline exhilarating, heart-wrenching, humorous (in a good way), and breathtaking in its turns. I highly recommend this book (and the books following) to anyone who loves fantasy -- Christian or no -- or just a good, well-written story. I look forward to the next book! *runs off to purchase and read book two*" 

So there you have it. I should also note that I don't often remember to leave reviews for books, either, but I just had to trumpet about this one. And if you're looking for a blog with great advice for writing and editing, with contests and fellowship with other teen authors (well, okay, some of us are older, but it's geared towards teens), check out Go Teen Writers here. There's also a Facebook page full of young writers who actively discuss books and writing, encourage one another, and sometimes even act as beta-readers. Seriously, it's great. I hope to see you there, if you aren't already a member! 

...I came on here intending to write a semi-serious post to raise awareness for something, or to give some sort of devotional thought for the day. I failed. But hey, fangirling works, too, doesn't it? Of course it does. Also talking to yourself. You know, some studies have indicated that people who talk to themselves are actually smarter than people who don't do the same. I guess that means I must be a very smart person, indeed. I wonder where you'd go to get that tested... 

...But of course, I digress.