Reviews & Overviews by Rod Cameron

        
World's End, Book 1 of the Age of Misrule by Mark Chadbourn
All over Britain, the ancient gods of Celtic myth are returning to the land from which they were banished millennia ago. Following in their footsteps are creatures of folklore: the Fabulous Beasts, shape-shifters and Night Walkers. Five flawed humans, named as Brothers and Sisters of Dragons but barely understanding what that entails, are drawn together on a desperate quest: to find four magickal talismans needed to fight the powers of old. As time draws short and the modern world falls into twilight, humanity looks set to be swept away in the terrible dawning of a new Dark Age.
I have been put off a lot of fantasy recently because of the apparent sameness of it all - the portal, the quest, the brother(sister)hood etc. However, having heard a number of people recommend it, I felt bound to take a look at World's End. It was subtly and sufficiently different from the more typical of the genre that I enjoyed it, and am looking forward to the sequel. The story is set in the modern day. The hero(ine)s are all too human, carrying a load of mental baggage that gets in the way of the quest. The story-line is fresh, although still typical of the genre. It left me wanting more. In particular answers to such questions as "How are Mr & Mrs Average coping with the collapse of civilisation around their ears?" and "What about the rest of the world - what's happening to them?" Part 2 - Darkest Hour is now available in trade paperback.
Publisher: Millenium
Date: 1999
Pages: 557 pages
Price: £6.99
Format: Paperback
Reviewed by: Rod Cameron
Date Reviewed: December 2000

 

 

Copyright : Roderick Alasdair Cameron 2001 - 2012                   rod@rodcameron.co.uk

Copyright : Roderick Alasdair Cameron 2001 - 2015                   rod@rodcameron.co.uk

Copyright : Roderick Alasdair Cameron 2001 - 2015                   rod@rodcameron.co.uk