Previous SFF Author: Paul Marlowe
Ari Marmell is a graduate of the University of Houston with a Creative Writing degree, and has written several shared-world short stories and novels. He has worked for such role-playing games as Dungeons & Dragons and the World of Darkness, and written tie-in fiction for Vampire: the Masquerade and Magic: the Gathering. Marmell lives in Austin, Texas. You can read some of his short stories at Ari Marmell’s website.
The Conqueror’s Shadow by Ari Marmell
CLASSIFICATION: Combining lighthearted humor and graphic violence with both traditional fantasy tropes and trope-breaking twists, The Conqueror’s Shadow is what would happen if you took Dungeons & Dragons and crossed it with the writing styles of David Eddings and Joe Abercrombie.
FORMAT/INFO: The Conqueror’s Shadow is 448 pages long divided over 28 numbered chapters, a Prologue, and an Epilogue.
Robert Thompson´s rating: 4.5 | Ari Marmell | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
The Warlord’s Legacy by Ari Marmell
PLOT SUMMARY: Corvis Rebaine, the Terror of the East, is no hero. In his trademark suit of black armor and skull-like helm, armed with a demon-forged axe, in command of a demonic slave, and with allies that include a bloodthirsty ogre, Rebaine has twice brought death and destruction to Imphallion in pursuit of a better, more equitable and just society. If he had to kill countless innocents in order to achieve that dream, so be it.
At least that was the old Rebaine.
Robert Thompson´s rating: 3 | Ari Marmell | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
The Goblin Corps by Ari Marmell
FORMAT/INFO: The Goblin Corps is 552 pages long divided over a Prologue, eleven numbered/titled chapters, and an Epilogue. Narration is in the third-person omniscient via numerous characters including the seven members of the Demon Squad, the Charnel King Morthûl, his lieutenant Vigo Havarren, Ananias DuMark, King Dororam, etc. The Goblin Corps works well as a standalone novel, coming to a satisfying stopping point, but there is room for a sequel. July 2011 marks the North American Trade Paperback publication of The Goblin Corps via Pyr.
Robert Thompson´s rating: 4.5 | Ari Marmell | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 4 comments |
Note to self; Get the first two books in Ari Marmell’s WIDDERSHINS series, so that I am current on this fascinating character. If Lost Covenant is representative of this series, I’ll be in for a great time.
Widdershins is a young, snarky female thief from the city of Davillon. She is unusually skilled, not only at climbing, running and skulking, but also swordplay and even firing flintlocks. Widdershins has a bit of an edge over other humans,
Marion Deeds´s rating: 4 | Ari Marmell | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | 5 comments |
Thieves seem to be “in” this decade, and Ari Marmell’s Widdershins, from the COVENANT series, is one of the most popular in YA. In Covenant’s End, Widdershins returns to her home city, only to discover that there have been drastic changes while she has been away. Some are huge and affect the entire city. Some are personal, shifting the fault lines in Shins’ heart.
Shins carries a tiny god, Olgun, in her head. Olgun provides insight,
Marion Deeds´s rating: 3.5 | Ari Marmell | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | 6 comments |
In Thunder Forged by Ari Marmell
To: Military Subcommittee, Colonial Council, Kingdom of Fantasy Literature
Month of Summer Solstice, in the Year of the Brazilian World Cup
Re: Codename In Thunder Forged, After Action Report
Honorable Council:
Herewith my report on the targeted objective, codename In Thunder Forged. In reviewing reports for this mission I noted that your intelligence analysts theorized that In Thunder Forged may have been based on a video game,
Marion Deeds´s rating: 3.5 | Ari Marmell | SFF Reviews | 6 comments |
Previous SFF Author: Paul Marlowe
Thanks for the kind words, Marion! Coming as they are from a professional writer, they are much appreciated!
Wonderful review, Sandy.
The "body count" bothered me a bit less because being dead seemed more like an inconvenience than anything else... unlike…
Detailed, thoughtful review, Bill. I'm going to read it for two reasons. First, Karen Russell wrote it, and second, it…
this sounds like a fun one