Geek Planet Online is first up, with an erudite review, spotting many of the references within, which I’m chuffed about. Some snippets (warning: spoilers!)
…impressively avoids the stereotypical cast that typically populate epic fantasy. For example, gay characters like Brynd aren’t new, but what’s impressive about Nights of Villjamur is the way Newton subverts traditional sexual politics. This is a world where we find pretty-boy dance and sword instructors and handsome princesses, and where men are just as likely to prostitute themselves for money as women…
Nights of Villjamur is an excellent novel, and it’s nice to see something new written within the ‘Dying Earth’ subgenre… The writing is evocative and precise, the characterisation intriguing, the plot absorbing and the narrative speedily paced. Nights of Villjamur is a fab start to what looks to be a fascinating series, and if you’re looking for a hot summer read, you really should check out this piece of glacial storytelling.
And Rob Grant at Sci Fi London gives a lovely write-up too:
…a smart and accomplished debut, stylishly wrought, melding a noir detective story with strange creatures like Garudas and Jurro the Dawnir and all-the-while dealing with adult themes and mirroring real-world issues in a way that the fantasy genre doesn’t do often and doesn’t often do well. All-in-all, refreshingly deft storytelling from an author who clearly knows how to write and I look forward to the next in the series.
Enough of the ego. Enough. I’m going to find something useful to blog about now. Stay tuned.
