Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: A Demon in Silver
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S): Ford, Richard
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE:
CITY: Cambridgeshire
STATE:
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
NATIONALITY: British
https://richard4ord.wordpress.com/
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer.
WRITINGS
Author of a blog.
SIDELIGHTS
R.S. Ford is a British writer who also publishes under the name Richard Ford. He grew up in Leeds before relocating to Wiltshire. In a Games Radar interview, Ford admitted that his local pub provides a great opportunity for conducting research. “I find it a great place to meet different characters.”
Kultus
Writing as Richard Ford, Ford published his first novel, Kultus, in 2011. Thaddeus Blaklok is a thug-for-hire. When tasked with obtaining a mysterious key, he finds that there are other parties also trying to acquire it that will not hesitate to kill him for it. To stay alive and prevent them from gaining the key, he must outwit or kill a slew of cultists, gangsters, and monsters.
Reviewing the novel in Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review blog, Graeme Flory remarked that “Kultus is by no means a perfect read,” but it “is very good at what it does.” Flory concluded that “Kultus is a rip-roaring, bone crunching beast of a book that drops you right in the middle of the action and leaves you ducking to avoid flying fists and Hellfire (seriously, watch out for the Hellfire…). I couldn’t help but feel though that it could have been a whole lot more though if a little attention had been paid to the setting. I’ll definitely be back for any sequels though, I’ll let you know how things pan out.” A contributor to the Eloquent Page website pointed out that, at around three-hundred pages long, the novel “rattles along at a reasonable pace. I could have lived with a few more pages, as I think it would have been nice to learn a bit more than a few hints of Blaklok’s colourful history. I’m always keen, and find it interesting, to discover more about the origins of a character. The good news is the novel finishes with a nice little epilogue that acts as a perfect setup for further Thaddeus Blaklok adventures.”
Herald of the Storm
Also writing as Richard Ford, his novel Herald of the Storm is the first novel in the “Steelhaven” series. The cityport of Steelhaven has had a peaceful reputation under the rule of King Cael. After Elharim warlord Amon Tugha infiltrates the city, though, he unleashes an old, dark magic that threatens everyone and everything.
In an interview in Games Radar, Ford discussed the magic and the historical fiction elements in the series. He confessed: “I’m much more interested in character and story than I am in magic systems and world-building, though this is obviously epic fantasy, so those elements are still very important.” Ford continued: “Herald of the Storm is relatively low fantasy—so no dragons, dwarves or pink unicorns—and I wanted to make the use of magick quite dangerous, so there are dire consequences for those who wield it.”
Writing in the Fantasy Hive website, Laura M. Hughes remarked that “the contained setting is, for me, the book’s strongest point. The plot is tight and pacy, and the ways in which several of the individual storylines were eventually interwoven was nicely done. There are two or three main plotlines occurring at the same time … and it’s interesting to see how different characters are involved in each plot.” In a review in the Dribble Ink website, Justin Landon stated: “As I read, I came to the realization that my frustrations weren’t with the characters themselves as much as the structure of the novel that held them back. By spreading himself thin, Ford had less time to settle into the world and develop his characters.”
The Shattered Crown
The Shattered Crown is the second novel in the “Steelhaven” series. With King Cael dead and an untested queen on the throne, Steelhaven is in a precarious position to take on the many challenges it faces. A dangerous horde makes its way to the city determined to destroy the cityport. However, before the residents can take on the horde, they must deal with the dangers that stir within their borders first.
A contributor to Robin’s Books blog called it “an excellent book with excitement and intrigue in every chapter.” The same reviewer mentioned that “the plotting in this book is much tighter than in the first and as a result it is a much slimmer tome. At under 400 pages The Shattered Crown is slight for a fantasy novel, but Ford achieves as much as many authors do with twice this length. Not a word is wasted.” A contributor to the Curious Book Fans website lauded that “as book twos of trilogies go, I was impressed. Not satisfied with merely being a bridging book that shuffles characters into position for the final showdown, The Shattered Crown has plenty of action to keep it rattling along at an exhilarating pace and a few sub-plots that conclude within it, giving it a satisfying feel that most novels in this position lack.”
A Demon in Silver
Writing as R.S. Ford, Ford published the novel A Demon in Silver in 2018. After the Fall occurred, magic suddenly disappeared from the world. A century later, farm girl Livia is found to have very potent magical powers. Competing factions of the world will stop at nothing to use her for her magic, leaving her little choice but to partner with some unexpected allies.
In an interview on the Unbound Worlds website, Ford talked with Matt Staggs about the way he wanted to represent Livia in the novel. He admitted that “there was a danger that she would just become a focal point around which the action spins, rather than a fully-fledged protagonist. That’s why I tried to inject as much humanity into her character as possible. She does spend much of the book being shunted from pillar to post, but I think she also has agency, despite being in a state of utter confusion about what’s happening to her. Livia is certainly the beating heart of the novel.”
A Publishers Weekly contributor lamented that “shopworn archetypes … mar this otherwise promising tale, giving readers little reason to wait for volume two.” Writing in the Girl Who Reads website, M.K. French noticed that “the final third of the book is the most cinematic part, with the epic battles and the reveal as to who Silver and Livia really are and why they know of each other.” French also hinted at the “twist” at the end of the story.
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, May 7, 2018, review of A Demon in Silver, p. 52.
ONLINE
Curious Book Fans, http://www.curiousbookfans.co.uk/ (May 7, 2014), review of The Shattered Crown.
Dribble Ink, http://aidanmoher.com/ (September 20, 2013), Justin Landon, review of Herald of the Storm.
Eloquent Page, http://www.theeloquentpage.co.uk/ (October 31, 2011), review of Kultus.
Fantasy Hive, https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/ (November 2, 2017), Laura M. Hughes, review of Herald of the Storm.
Frumious Consortium, http://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/ (June 20, 2018), Doreen Sheridan, author interview.
Games Radar, https://www.gamesradar.com/ (May 12, 2013), Stephen Jewell, author interview.
Girl Who Reads, https://www.girl-who-reads.com/ (June 19, 2018), M.K. French, review of A Demon In Silver.
Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review, http://graemesfantasybookreview.blogspot.com/ (December 9, 2011), Graeme Flory, review of Kultus.
Robin’s Books, https://robinbrooksbooks.wordpress.com/ (March 30, 2014), review of The Shattered Crown.
Unbound Worlds, https://www.unboundworlds.com/ (June 12, 2018), Matt Staggs, author interview.
Interview: R. S. Ford on His Novel A Demon in Silver
By Matt Staggs
June 12, 2018
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Cover detail from A Demon in Silver by R. S. Ford/©Titan
R. S. Ford is the author of A Demon in Silver, volume one of War of the Archons:
In a world where magic has disappeared, rival nations vie for power in a continent devastated by war.
When a young farm girl, Livia, demonstrates magical powers for the first time in a century there are many across the land that will kill to obtain her power. The Duke of Gothelm’s tallymen, the blood-soaked Qeltine Brotherhood, and cynical mercenary Josten Cade: all are searching for Livia and the power she wields.
But Livia finds that guardians can come from the most unlikely places… and that the old gods are returning to a world they abandoned.
In the following interview, we discussed world-building, and how magic in a fantasy world can be like a nuclear weapon in our own.
Unbound Worlds: Magic has disappeared in your setting. While I know that this happened prior to the events of the novel, could you tell us a little bit about how that affected society?
R. S. Ford: The three key regions in the book are affected very differently.
To the north, the Ramadi Wastes are occupied by warring death cults. Before the Fall these cults were ruled over by the immortal Blood Lords, who perished when magic was suddenly ripped from the world. Now the cults have degenerated into a state of perpetual civil war, and without the magic of their masters to empower them their culture has degenerated into ruin.
Further south, the Cordral extent has likewise been reduced to a mostly primitive state, governed by the central city-state of Kantor. Without magic most of its agriculture has been eroded, and now farmers have to eke out a living in the harsh environment the best they can.
In the Suderfeld, when the Crown Sorcerers lost their magic the country was also plunged into a state of civil war. This War of Three Crowns continues, and has devastated much of the three kingdoms, though now is mainly fought between mercenary companies who often switch alliances, depending on which king holds the most wealth at the time.
UW: It occurred to me that Livia, the farm girl who develops magical powers, is almost like a fantasy version of the nuclear bomb: Acquiring one radically and permanently changes the power dynamic for its possessor, even one that doesn’t plan on using it. Were any of these things in mind when you wrote the novel?
RSF: That’s a great analogy, and certainly she is the key to ultimate power… as long as she is the only one who possesses it. I guess you could liken the fact that she is being pursued by all these different players to the race to develop nuclear power in the 40s.
UW: You’ve got several factions willing to do whatever they can to possess Livia and harness her power. Not all of them are pleasant, but politics aren’t especially pleasant in our world, either. What is important to you when it comes to creating an enemy? It’s a matter of perspective, I assume, but all the same, seemingly good people are capable of doing terrible things for what they consider the greater good.
RSF: I think a decent antagonist has to have a strong motivation beyond the fact that they’re just evil. Everyone is the hero of their own story, and for many the ends justify the means. It depends which side you’re viewing it from as to whether you think someone is a villain or a hero.
Saying that, if you’re presenting your major characters as conflicted, and paint them with shades of grey as I do, you need to have someone pretty villainous to stand in opposition to them. Otherwise you’re just writing a book full of villains, with nobody to root for.
UW: All of that in mind, I’m certain that you didn’t want Livia to just be a MacGuffin. What did you consider most important in communicating her humanity to the reader?
RSF: There was a danger that she would just become a focal point around which the action spins, rather than a fully-fledged protagonist. That’s why I tried to inject as much humanity into her character as possible. She does spend much of the book being shunted from pillar to post, but I think she also has agency, despite being in a state of utter confusion about what’s happening to her. Livia is certainly the beating heart of the novel.
UW: I liked the names of your characters and places. They sound exotic, but familiar at the same time. Do you have any tricks or advice when it comes to that kind of thing?
RSF: Ah worldbuilding, my favourite subject. I tend to keep things as familiar as possible so the reader can get a sense of place without me having to write endless pages of exposition to show off how great I am at creating made-up cultures. The Suderfeld is basically an analogue of medieval Europe, but that much is obvious, whereas I took a lot of influence from the early Ottoman Empire for the Cordral (which is mostly reflected in the naming conventions). As for the Ramadi, I struggled to find a real-world analogue for a desert realm ruled by warring death cults, so that’s pretty much made up.
Essentially, a writer could spend forever designing their setting and making it unique, but for me the most important aspect of writing a novel is character and plot. Unique worlds are all well and good, but if your characters are wooden and your plot flat and lifeless, it won’t matter.
Jun
20
2018
An Interview with R S Ford, author of A Demon In Silver
By Doreen Sheridan in Author Interview, Doreen, Fantasy
Q: Every book has its own story about how it came to be conceived and written as it did. How did A Demon In Silver evolve?
A: It actually sprang from an idea for a totally different novel. I came up with a concept set in the modern day, featuring warring gods who had fought one another through the ages. They were known by different names in different cultures throughout time, but were now on the brink of extinction. I canned the idea as it was obviously very close to Gaiman’s American Gods, but the concept of warring gods stayed with me. When I later got to thinking about a fantasy realm that had once been ruled by magic but now there was none, the two ideas kind of evolved into the War of the Archons series.
Q: I really enjoyed the way you constructed A Demon In Silver as essentially a chase narrative, introducing many important characters only as they become involved in the pursuit of Livia. I was also impressed with how you wound the plot back around to the beginning of your narrative, closing the circle, as it were, even as you left room for lots more to come. What inspired you to structure the story in these non-traditional ways?
A: I don’t really like rules, would be the quick answer. Basically, some of the plot reveals required a non-linear plot structure for a bigger impact. But I think the story bounces along fast enough so as not to ruin the pacing and plot.
Q: Do you write with any particular audience in mind? Are there any particular audiences you hope will connect with this story?
A: Readers of fantasy have become much more diverse in recent years, which is reflected in the wide array of fantasy that’s currently available. Aiming at a particular demographic only limits your readership so I don’t tend to write for any one perceived group. I think the best a writer can do is produce the kind of novel they’d like to read, then you just have to set in free and hope other people like it too.
Q: What is the first book you read that made you think, “I have got to write something like this someday!”
A: I’ve read and admired a lot of novels over the years. I think the one that made me sit up and take notice the most was The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie. On the face of it the story has been told a dozen times before, but it casts aside all the old tropes to become its very own thing. And I don’t think I’d ever laughed out loud that much at any novel I’d read before.
Q: How did you learn to write?
A: Practice, practice, practice. I’m a great believer in learning on the job, and writing novels (or anything for that matter) requires that you put in the hard hours. I wrote around five novels before I had a word published. The process of writing a novel from start to finish, even if it turns out to be horrendous, is more valuable than any creative writing course you could go on. That’s not to say those things aren’t valuable, but finding your own ‘voice’ as a writer is the key to success.
Q: Do you adhere to any particular writing regimen?
A: I find myself easily distracted, so I subscribe to a very strict regimen. I tend to cut my chapter plans down into bite-size pieces and go at them in short sprints. Then I’ll go back through in one session revising the huge mess I’ve just made.
Q: In the acknowledgments to A Demon In Silver, you talk about the changes you had to make to the novel as plotted. Do you generally consider yourself a plotter or a pantser (someone who writes by the seat of their pants)?
A: That particular plotting snafoo occurred because I didn’t have a firm plan for where the novel was going when I started it. Normally I have a strict chapter breakdown before I’ve written a word. Needless to say, I won’t be ‘pantsing’ again.
Q: What made you choose fantasy, and particularly the blend of high meets grimdark (highdark?) in A Demon In Silver, as your means of expression?
A: Ooh, Highdark! I like that, can I steal it? (Doreen responds: Absolutely!)
I’ve always been a fantasy fan, probably due to the freedom of expression it gives. You’re not tied down to a real time or place and are free to come up with whatever background you like. Also, I’ve always found that despite their ‘otherworldly’ settings, fantasy novels are essentially about people and character, as opposed to SF, which usually seems to be about high-concepts and ideas. I’m all about the characters.
Q: Speaking of high fantasy meets grimdark, I see that you’ve also written short stories set in the Warhammer and Pathfinder universes. Are you much of a role player, and how does that inform your writing, if so?
A: I used to work as an editor for an RPG company back in the dim and distant, and I have been known to roll the odd funny shaped die. I don’t take much influence from roleplaying, as the traditional adventuring-party concept doesn’t really fit in with the kind of books I write. However, I love a look through a setting guide every now and then, and find them a great source of inspiration.
Q: Are there any new books or authors in fantasy that have you excited?
A: I’m currently reading The Court of Broken Knives by Anna Smith-Spark and liking it a lot. I’ve also heard some very good things about Blackwing by Ed McDonald so I’ll be picking that up at some point and most likely adding it to my ever expanding to-be-read pile.
Q: What can you tell us about your next project?
A: As we speak I’m thrashing out book two in the War of the Archons series; The Hangman’s Gate, while I also dream about the other projects I’d love to write if only I had the time.
~~~
Author Links:
Hear All, See All, Say Nowt richard4ord.wordpress.com
Follow him on Twitter @rich4ord
~~~
A Demon In Silver was published June 12th 2018 and is available via all good book sellers. My review of the book itself may be found here.
Richard Ford
aka R S Ford
Richard Ford originally hails from Leeds in the heartland of Yorkshire but now resides in Wiltshire, where he can be found frolicking by the Thames, drinking cider and singing songs about combine harvesters.
Series
Thaddeus Blaklok
1. Kultus (2011)
Steelhaven
1. Herald of the Storm (2013)
2. The Shattered Crown (2014)
3. Lord of Ashes (2015)
S Ford
A pseudonym used by Richard Ford
New Books
June 2018
(paperback)
A Demon in Silver
(War of the Archons, book 1)
Series
War of the Archons
1. A Demon in Silver (2018)
Richard Ford originally hails from Leeds in the heartland of Yorkshire but now resides in the wild fens of Cambridgeshire.
You can find out more about what he's up to, and download free stuff, here:
http://richard4ord.wordpress.com
And follow him on Twitter here: @rich4ord
About
If you’re looking for Richard Ford, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Sportswriter and various other novels of significant literary note, then you’re in the wrong place.
However, if you’re looking for Richard Ford, author of heroic fantasy, sci-fi and balls to the wall action, then hello, nice to see you.
Feel free to check out the book pages to see what I’ve written. Go on… do it!
INTERVIEW! Author Richard Ford
By sfx May 12, 2013TV
Richard Ford talks to Stephen Jewell about launching the Steelhaven series with his new novel The Herald Of The Storm
Comments
Richard Ford talks to Stephen Jewell about launching the Steelhaven series with his new novel Herald Of The Storm
The author of Kultus has scored a three-book deal to write the Steelhaven fantasy series for Headline. Not to be confused with the other Richard Ford (ours is @Rich4ord on Twitter, who has written short stories for the likes of Dark Horizons and Black Library), Ford has just released Herald Of The Storm . Stephen Jewell tracked him down:
SFX : Your first novel Kultus explored steampunk territory. How did you come to move from that to epic fantasy? Is this like a new start for you?
Richard Ford: The Steelhaven series is most definitely a new start, since it nabbed me a new agent, a new publisher and a three-book deal.
I'd wanted to write a big doorstep-sized epic fantasy for a while. I'm certainly not keen on being a one-trick-pony kind of a writer and there's a lot I'd like to explore as my career develops - though perhaps it's a bit premature to call it a "career" just yet - that may well take me beyond the fantasy genre.
SFX : What would you write for Herald Of The Storm 's cover blurb?
Ford: I'd probably use my original selling pitch: "David Gemmell's Legend meets HBO's The Wire ."
SFX : Your bio says you live "on the first town on the Thames" so have your surroundings – or maybe even the local pub? - influenced the landscape of your novel?
Ford: It's funny you mention the pub – the Steelhaven series is very character driven, and I find it a great place to meet different characters: good, bad and ugly. Luckily, where we live I have six to choose from. My long-suffering better half has come to accept the fact that I like to "research" quite long and hard, sometimes well into the night.
SFX : Herald Of The Storm has been described as appealing to fans of both fantasy and historical fiction. How have you woven the historical side into the story?
Ford: I'm much more interested in character and story than I am in magic systems and world-building, though this is obviously epic fantasy, so those elements are still very important.
SFX : And what's your attitude towards the story's magical and fantastical elements?
Ford: Herald Of The Storm is relatively low fantasy - so no dragons, dwarves or pink unicorns - and I wanted to make the use of magick quite dangerous, so there are dire consequences for those who wield it.
SFX : As for your cast, Herald Of The Storm features "an unbalanced veteran, a disillusioned assassin, a hapless apprentice" amongst others… Do you enjoy playing with such character archetypes?
Ford: I don't see anything wrong in using archetypes as long as you're going to do something a bit different with them. In fact it would be fairly difficult to write a fantasy novel without them. Subverting tropes is all well and good, but doing so just for the sake of it is a bit pointless and can come across as kind of gimmicky if not done well. Herald Of The Storm has seven main point-of-view characters whose story arcs cross over as the story progresses. I wanted to tell the story of a city on the edge of destruction, but from all levels of society. We've got a princess, an assassin, a mercenary veteran, a thief, a wizard's apprentice, a rakish swordsman and a warrior priestess. All the usual suspects really, but hopefully not how you'd expect them.
SFX : Are there any particular books or authors that have influenced the creation of Steelhaven?
Ford: My earliest writerly influences came from comics; principally 2000 AD and its hardboiled characters like Judge Dredd and Slaine, which are probably reflected best in my first novel Kultus . For Herald Of The Storm there's a clear influence from George RR Martin, and even some of the newer gritty fantasy authors, but I'm also a big fan of episodic TV like Boardwalk Empire and Breaking Bad , and story driven computer games like Mass Effect . As a writer you're constantly influenced by whatever you're exposed to, character and story-wise, so it's impossible to pin it down to any one thing.
SFX : Herald Of The Storm is only book one of the Steelhaven series. What can you tell us about what comes next?
Ford: I've signed for a series of three novels with Headline, and the Steelhaven series will definitely be a self-contained trilogy. After that, who knows? There will certainly be more tales to tell within the world I've created, whether it's with existing characters or new remains to be seen.
SFX : Thanks Richard!
You can find out more about Richard Ford at his WordPress blog . Herald Of The Storm is available on Amazon.
A Demon in Silver
Publishers Weekly. 265.19 (May 7, 2018): p52.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
A Demon in Silver
R.S. Ford. Titan, $14.95 trade paper (400p) ISBN 978-1-78565-306-3
Launching the War of the Archons epic fantasy series, Ford establishes an engrossing world on the brink of a new era, but the story is sometimes confusing and tedious. Magic abruptly disappeared from the land in an event called the Fall, leading to escalations and shifts in ongoing wars as well as the development of various superstitions and gruesome rituals. Over 100 years later, humble farmer Livia Harrow develops sudden, uncontrollable magical powers. She is ripped from her comfortable life and thrust into a world in which mercenaries, political operatives, and blood cults all want to capture her for their own ends. Meanwhile, longexiled and inscrutable ancient gods called Archons make plans of their own. Readers learn more about the world as each new character is introduced, but the connections between their stories remain nebulous for long stretches as Ford jumps around among eras and places. Shopworn archetypes (particularly Livia, a sweet and pretty nonentity who gets passed around like a football by other characters) further mar this otherwise promising tale, giving readers little reason to wait for volume two. Agent: John Jarrold, John Jarrold Literary (U.K.). (June)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"A Demon in Silver." Publishers Weekly, 7 May 2018, p. 52. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A538858690/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=8683eaf9. Accessed 17 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A538858690
June 19, 2018
A Demon In Silver by R. S. Ford ~ A Review
by MK French
If the opening paragraph doesn't quite catch your attention, there's a longer excerpt from A Demon in Silver after the review.
Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.
June 2018; Titan Books; 978-1785653063
ebook, print (400 pages); fantasy
Magic has disappeared from the world, and war had ravaged the continent. Nations are at war, bandits travel the roads, and the average people in the world have little to their names. A young woman without memory and nearly burned to a crisp heals quickly and has skill with weapons. In another area, Livia suddenly performs magic and has to hide it so that she isn't taken against her will to Duke Gothelm. It's a rush to try to seize power before the other nations get it because magic is rare and superstition runs rampant.
There are multiple story threads at the beginning of the novel, and it isn't initially clear how they all intersect. Josten Cade cuckolds the Duke he works for despite being loyal. Silver has no memory of her life before coming to the farm but has nightmares of fighting frightening beings. Livia grew up on a farm and is able to make an entire garden bloom overnight. Her magic flares at erratic times, which gets her caught anyway, and her dreams seem to mirror Silver's. As the novel progresses, the threads start coming together and it begins to make more sense.
Pay close attention to the time stamps at the beginning of the chapters, though. Because the story skips around a bit in the middle, and there are fragments of mythology and poetry at the close of each chapter, it can be easy to lose track of where in the story you actually are. I'm not sure there's a better way to arrange everyone's backstories because it's all important to know. The final third of the book is the most cinematic part, with the epic battles and the reveal as to who Silver and Livia really are and why they know of each other. The very end has a bit of a twist to it, as well as enough loose ends to make me hope that there's a sequel to this.
Buy A Demon in Silver at Amazon
Friday, 9 December 2011
‘Kultus’ – Richard Ford (Solaris)
What with one thing and another, it’s been a crazy week that has left me with urge to start drinking strong coffee (possibly some Lucozade as well) and never stop. A week where all the things that needed urgent attention were rapidly obscured behind an ever thickening cloud of ‘brain fog’ that has done its level best to stop me functioning. (What? ‘Brain Fog’ is a real term...) And would you believe that, at the time of writing, it’s still only Thursday? I’ve still got another day to get through before weekend kicks in? A weekend, might I add, that’s also full of things that I need to get done...
As far as my reading goes then, it was obvious then that I needed something to clear the fog and give me enough of a boost to get over that last hurdle before the weekend. Obvious to everyone apart from me that is... The only reason I picked up ‘Kultus’ was because of the rather eye-catching cover. Have another look at it, have you ever seen a book cover better designed to ensure that you pick the book up to check out the blurb? Nope, me neither.
I’m a sucker for good cover art and that’s what got me reading ‘Kultus’. What I wasn’t expecting though was a shot of steampunk powered adrenalin that had me quite literally buzzing for more.
Thaddeus Blaklok is not a person you want to be on the wrong side of, not ever. Not only is he a mercenary and demonist but he’s more than a bit of a bastard in general, someone who will make sure you stay down when you’re on the floor... and then give you an extra kicking just because he felt like it.
Blaklok‘s the ideal man then for a mission where he will be working for the very denizens of Hell itself. The Key of Lunos is far more than just a very well guarded museum curio; it can open gates that should never be opened and there are people in the city of Manufactory who want to open those very gates. Blaklok has no idea who he’s working for but the job seems simple enough; get the Key of Lunos and make sure that no-one else gets their hands on it. How hard a job can it be? Very hard when you’re just one man against a city teeming with gangsters, mercenaries, brutal law enforcers and heel spawned monsters. Luckily for Blaklok, there’s far more to him than a vicious right hook...
‘Kultus’ is by no means a perfect read and I’ll go into more later on. ‘Kultus’ is very good at what it does though which is the literary equivalent of throwing a bucket of ice cold water into the reader’s face and leaving them gasping. I was certainly left gasping more than once; I couldn’t help but wince a few times as well. Ford is quite happy to have his ‘hero’ Blaklok pull no punches whatsoever and the results are appropriately bloody. Blaklok wades through a sea of blood and broken bones and absolutely nothing is going to stop him from getting to what he wants, even if he doesn’t fully understand why the Key is so important. Ford keeps things ticking over nicely by making everyone that Blaklok goes up against at least twice his size and keen to dish out a pounding. The result of each confrontation is always slightly in doubt (especially the explosive finale, I really couldn’t put the book down at this point) and its Blaklok’s sheer bloody-mindedness that keeps things moving, you can’t help but want to hang around and see if there is something that can finally put him down. There were also enough hints at Blaklok’s dark past to make me want to find out more about him, I’m hoping for at least one book that features him.
The plot itself is a manic head rush of heists and standoffs; no-one seems to be capable of holding on to the Key of Lunos for more than half a chapter and sometimes you feel like the plot is almost trying to keep up with its own headlong pace as the Key falls into yet another set of hands. Everyone is out to get the upper hand on everyone else and there is a real atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust coursing through the novel. What I found here though was that while I didn’t know which character would suddenly betray the others, I did know that it would happen and that lent a repetitive feel to the pace of the plot. I knew there was going to be another big ‘switch around’, I was expecting it in fact, and the plot lost its ability to surprise as a result.
What I also found was that more attention was paid to the plot than its surroundings. This is fair enough; plot should take precedence but not entirely at the cost of scene setting. I knew that the city of Manufactory was heavily polluted and... that was about it (apart from the gorgeously realised ‘Repository of Unnatural History’). It’s not that Ford doesn’t let you know where his characters are, I just didn’t really get a feel for what that meant. I’ve said this before about other books; if there’s no scene setting then, in some respects, a book is only doing half of its job.
There’s no denying that Ford really delivers on that half though. ‘Kultus’ is a rip-roaring, bone crunching beast of a book that drops you right in the middle of the action and leaves you ducking to avoid flying fists and Hellfire (seriously, watch out for the Hellfire...) I couldn’t help but feel though that it could have been a whole lot more though if a little attention had been paid to the setting. I’ll definitely be back for any sequels though, I’ll let you know how things pan out...
Eight and a Quarter out of Ten
Posted by Graeme Flory
at 00:52
Kultus by Richard Ford
October 31, 2011
Thaddeus Blaklok – mercenary, demonist, bastard and thug-for-hire – is pressed into retrieving a mysterious key for his clandestine benefactors. Little does he know that other parties seek to secure this artifact for their own nefarious ends and soon he is pursued by brutal cultists, bloodthirsty gangsters, deadly mercenaries and hell spawned monsters, all bent on stopping him by any means necessary.
In a lighting paced quest that takes him across the length and breadth of the steam-fuelled city of Manufactory, Blaklok must use his wits and his own demonic powers to keep the key from those who would use it for ill, and open the gates to Hell itself.
I remember hearing once somewhere, that Mos Eisley spaceport is a wretched hive of scum and villainy. After reading Kultus, I am convinced that Manufactory may come a close second. The inhabitants of this city, bar a few notable exceptions, are a resolutely nasty bunch. Everyone spends much of their time looking out for number one. Double crossing family, friends and business partners is standard practice.
Into this mix we are introduced to the force of nature that is Thaddeus Blaklok. He is best described as a ‘tattooed bulldog’ of a man and after reading the descriptions of the iron willed tenacity he exhibits this certainly seems appropriate. Put it this way, I certainly wouldn’t necessarily want to meet Blaklok in a dark alley; but you’d be sorted if you found him fighting in your corner.
After reading about fifty pages of the novel I found myself wondering – Is Thaddeus Blaklok the first proper Steampunk geezer? He reads like he is blueprint for the archetypal Steam Punk; all ‘couldn’t care less’ attitude, and unfettered aggression. He has a gruff, violent, no-nonsense approach to dealing with his problems. This tends to be both amusing and brutal in equal measure. I was easily won over by his laconic anti-heroesque bolshieness. Blaklok stomps around Manufactory one hundred percent focused on the task in hand. He will retrieve the Key of Lunos and he will return it to his bosses, and woe betide anyone who gets in his way.
The good news is that irrespective of how driven he is, Thaddeus doesn’t have an easy time of it. Where would be the fun in that? He faces many groups of adversaries who are just as determined as he is to gain the Key for themselves, There’s nothing more important than a magical maguffin after all. Whether it be the innumerable followers from the Cult of Legion, the local constabulary, or a group of mercenaries known as The Hounds – all are out to stop Blaklok and dispose of him in various unpleasant ways.
Richard Ford’s writing style displays a nice cinematic quality which lends itself well to the action scenes that make up big chunks of the story. It’s certainly easy to imagine the likes of Dwayne Johnson or Vin Diesel playing Blaklok in the movie version of the book. I was going to say any famous bald actor but I’ll be honest – I don’t think Patrick Stewart is muscular enough, and Ross Kemp is just plain annoying.
Whenever I hear a novel described as ‘steampunk’ I have a mental checklist that automatically kicks in. I won’t bore you with all the details, but near the top of this list is the requirement that the names of the characters involved are suitably evocative. I’m just not happy until I see oddly named individuals appearing in the text, strange but true. The good news is that Kultus delivers plenty of this – Castor Cage (is this a subtle reference to the John Woo classic Face Off?), Earl Beuphalus Westowe, Trol Snapper, Quickstep and Thaddeus Blaklok himself. You just know with outlandish monickers like this, things are going to be fun.
Kultus is just a shade less than three hundred pages long and the story rattles along at a reasonable pace. I could have lived with a few more pages, as I think it would have been nice to learn a bit more than a few hints of Blaklok’s colourful history. I’m always keen, and find it interesting, to discover more about the origins of a character.
The good news is the novel finishes with a nice little epilogue that acts as a perfect setup for further Thaddeus Blaklok adventures. Blaklok is a lot of fun and I would certainly welcome the opportunity to read more of his exploits. Here’s hoping that in the future, there will be chance to do so.
Kultus by Richard Ford is available on Tuesday 1st November 2011 and is published by Solaris.
Herald of the Storm by Richard Ford
By Laura M. HughesNovember 2, 20172550
Comparisons to other authors can hurt a book rather than help it. Typically, readers draw parallels between Ford’s work and that of George R.R. Martin (though let’s face it, it seems rare nowadays for a fantasy novel to escape comparison to – or endorsement by! – ol’ GRRM). Richard Ford’s debut is no exception. However, aside from the structure (alternating chapters from differing points of view) and maybe a bit of the grittiness I wouldn’t personally make this comparison, partly because ASoIaF is something of a sweeping epic, while Herald of the Storm concerns itself entirely with the city of Steelhaven.
Stand together . . . or die alone.
The contained setting is, for me, the book’s strongest point. The plot is tight and pacy, and the ways in which several of the individual storylines were eventually interwoven was nicely done. There are two or three main plotlines occurring at the same time – an illegal slave-trading operation, a royal assassination attempt, and an act of dark magic – and it’s interesting to see how different characters are involved in each plot, and how each mini-plot becomes relevant to the bigger picture. In fact, the whole book does a nice job of laying the groundwork for the rest of the series.
I enjoyed the diversity of the characters: there’s Kaira Stormfall, morally upright Shieldmaiden of the goddess Vorena; Janessa Mastragall, innocent and headstrong heir to the throne; River, an assassin with a conflicted soul; Merrick Ryder, a former duellist and dandy who has fallen on hard times; Rag, a street urchin and pickpocket; Nobul Jacks, soldier-turned blacksmith-turned city guard; and Waylian Grimm, apprentice in the tower of magick (no, I’m not sure why it has to be spelt with a ‘k’ either). Although there are a fair amount of characters, the variety between them really makes it work.
The author cleverly uses the novel’s form to keep certain things – e.g. the identity of certain characters – hidden until key moments. Ford uses alternating PoV chapters to gradually reveal surprising connections and illustrate the impact of characters’ decisions on others. I did feel that some storylines felt a little out of place: Rag’s story came to feel a bit irrelevant, and Waylian (and magick in general) also seemed somewhat shoe-horned into the story. However, the final chapters for these characters do seem to suggest that both will play a larger role in future novels.
A quick point about the language: I don’t have a problem with profanity in fiction, as long as the language fits with the character of the person who’s saying it. The author has created several less-than-golden characters here (many of whom swear frequently), and while they suit Herald’s grimdark tone the fucks and shits do become a bit tiresome!
Earlier, I mentioned the use of GRRM as a benchmark for modern fantasy novels. Fact is, I bought this book on the strength of its comparisons with Joe Abercrombie. While I can certainly see the similarities – character-driven storytelling, grimy characters, dirty deeds – Ford’s characters didn’t quite spring to life for me in the same way as Logen, Glokta, Monza et al., and I think this is another case of hurting a book by (unfairly) comparing it to another of a very high standard. One review raved that Herald of the Storm was actually much better than the First Law trilogy, and I couldn’t help being just a tiny bit disappointed.
However, unrealistic as my expectations were I still enjoyed the book a lot. The characters grew on me over time, and I look forward to reading Steelhaven #2: The Shattered Crown.
Review of Herald of the Storm by Richard Ford
By Justin Landon September 20th, 2013
Herald of the Storm by Richard Ford
Publisher: Headline - Pages: 400 - Buy: Book/eBook
Richard Ford made me into Emperor Palpatine because all I could think reading the opening chapters of Herald of the Storm was, ‘Patience my friend. . .’ None are particularly boring, but they are exhausting. Ford takes eight chapters and some hundred pages before a point of view character is revisited. With only 398 pages to work with, so many characters left the novel rushed and me not particularly invested in anyone’s fate.
Herald of the Storm opens with a herald (stunning right?), coming to the city of Steelhaven. He brings word of his employer’s intent to defeat King Cael in the north, and offers deals to those within the city who will aid him. Despite the rebellion he sows, the populace seems content in their ignorance and life goes on as normal to one degree or another–officials squander their wealth, assassins and thieves lurk in the shadows, and agendas run rampant.
Epic fantasy in its purest form. It is, for lack of any better words, sprawling and atmospheric.
With that as the backdrop, Ford writes eight point of view characters who all have their own self-contained stories. These individual stories tie only loosely into the larger tapestry, resulting in a slow paced, often interesting tale where each character is compelling, but the overall plot is not. Such a description could be a criticism, but I actually present it as praise–Steelhaven is epic fantasy in its purest form. It is, for lack of any better words, sprawling and atmospheric.
Like most epic fantasy novels, and with something of a ‘grimdark’ bent, Steelhaven succeeds and fails with characters. With eight central characters, Ford gives himself plenty of opportunities to strike it rich. It’s unfortunate that he only does so about half the time. Janessa, the princess who refuses to take a husband, and River, the perfect assassin who rebels against daddy assassin (Weeks? Dalglish?) are simply retreads, while Rags, the urchin trying to carve out a living on the streets, and Massoum, the guiltless purveyor of evil, are simply expected.
Others like Nobul, Waylian, Merrick, and Kaira, demonstrate an author playing with archetypes and carving out his own distinct take. Nobul, for example, has something of Logen Ninefingers in him. He’s a hard man who wants to be a good. But, he’s also unique. He’s not just a killer. He’s a failed father, a master craftsman, and full of regret he can’t show. There’s a depth to Nobul that opens up a range of choices for Ford as the author, and makes me, as a reader, desperate to see what direction he takes.
In other words, Steelhaven succeeds as often as it fails, but when it does good it does very good. Ford’s writing carries great energy, and each chapter is well paced with that instinctive quality that prods the reader along to the next one. It makes the entire package well worth reading.
Nobul Jacks performed the song like an artist, working his anvil as well as any fiddler at his bow, his powerful strikes expert in their precision. His formidable frame struck out the rhythm; hammer smashing white-hot steel, which sparked in quick time, filling the smithy with a dirge to rival any orchestra. Steelhaven
pg. 40
[Herald of the Storm is] the answer to fans of Brent Weeks and Joe Abercrombie who always ask, ‘What do I read now?’.
As I read, I came to the realization that my frustrations weren’t with the characters themselves as much as the structure of the novel that held them back. By spreading himself thin, Ford had less time to settle into the world and develop his characters. Add to that the early slog and an overly didactic prologue, and I hope my frustrations with the novel are evident. (As an aside, is there anything less interesting than a messenger on a ship pulling into harbor and struggling to keep his lunch where it belongs? I think it might be time to let the prologue finally finish its slow decline into irrelevance.)
In the end, I can’t tout Richard Ford’s new novel as the next THING. If an author is aping a style that’s been done so well by others, I expect it to be flawless. Steelhaven is not. It is, however, the answer to fans of Brent Weeks and Joe Abercrombie who always ask, ‘What do I read now?’. Although I don’t believe Ford is at their level in terms of overall craft, he’s certainly getting closer. With a tighter editorial hand, I wager he’ll get there sooner than later. In the meantime, I’ll endeavor to find more patience.
Maybe I really am a Sith Lord.
The Last Guardians – The Shattered Crown by Richard Ford
March 30, 2014Robin's Books
Herald of the Storm was a one of the most pleasant surprises of 2013. I had few expectations but after a slightly over-long build up, it blossomed into a thrilling heroic fantasy with some of the finest characters I’ve encountered in fantasy fiction. I’m not sure I realised at the time of reading how much I had enjoyed it. When The Shattered Crown dropped through the letterbox, I was inordinately excited to find out what would happen next. I’m pleased to report that Ford has used the solid foundations of book one to support a phenomenal second instalment.
I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. I don’t think I’ve found a fantasy book this exciting since discovering David Gemmell 25 years ago. Fantasy has evolved a lot since then and I think with The Shattered Crown, Ford probably eclipses Gemmell. Modern writers have to deliver a more rounded product. I used to joke that Gemmell books were all about ageing warriors, heavily outnumbered, making one last stand against the odds. (Actually this isn’t really a joke, that’s what they were about.)
Ford’s novel has an element of that. A dire force is descending on Steelhaven, and there is a veteran warrior waiting to come out of retirement to fight for the city, but there is so much more. As I said in my review of Herald, the key is in the characterisation. Gemmell’s were as two dimensional as they come. They swung swords and cussed a lot. Ford’s have greater depth. He’s created epic heroes with credible fragility.
The fate of Steelhaven is focused mainly around its new queen and her two new bodyguards. All three of these characters appeared in Herald, and they are a strong triumvirate. Merrick Ryder, a womanising squanderer has found the chance for redemption, but will he take it? The arrival of some new elite knights and a shadow from Merrick’s past threaten to push him over the edge. His internal struggles will decide whether a kingdom stands or falls. The two women form a bond; The taciturn warrior and the queen whose every decision is scrutinised. Should she marry for the money that is desperately needed to pay her armies, or wait for her doomed lover to return?
Other characters from Herald prove vital too. Waylian continues his apprenticeship as Ford’s magic system starts to take some shape. His mistress has seen and done things that turn the stomach, but she has Steelhaven’s interests at heart, doesn’t she? Ford leaves the reader guessing as to just what Waylian’s true potential may be and whether he’s right to implicitly trust his mentor.
Nobul Jacks, former soldier, blacksmith and now a policeman is a character that is pure Gemmell. It was the death of Nobul’s son that opened Hearld of the Storm, and he is driven by demons and wanted by powerful men. It’s a potent combination that leads him down dark pathways.
Finally there is Rag. I must confess to not being entirely convinced by her at first. Her flip-flopping between ruthless Guild member and street kid with a heart of gold, felt a bit convenient, but by the end of Shattered Crown I was converted. She’s a girl with nothing, and few prospects more likely than a knife in the back. Rag is an appropriate name as she is tossed on the capricious winds of treachery that blow through the criminal underworld. She is a chameleon, a survivor and the final piece of Steelhaven’s puzzle.
The novel’s strongest asset is its sense of impending doom. A dire army is descending on the city, and all plans and manoeuvres must be completed by the time it arrives. This gives the novel a great sense of urgency, far stronger than if the army had actually arrived. The unseen foe is far more menacing in the reader’s imagination. The sense of fighting a hopeless cause is The Shattered Crown’s strongest similarity with a David Gemmell novel.
The plotting in this book is much tighter than in the first and as a result it is a much slimmer tome. At under 400 pages The Shattered Crown is slight for a fantasy novel, but Ford achieves as much as many authors do with twice this length. Not a word is wasted. This an excellent book with excitement and intrigue in every chapter. There is still little resolution by the end and lots of threads are left untied. When I started reading Gemmell all those years ago, he’d already written half a dozen novels, so I had plenty devour. It’s a little early to be calling Ford the heir to David Gemmell, but I hope he hurries up with volume three so that I can continue the comparison. This is a fine follow up, from an exciting talent.
Many Thanks to Caitlin at Headline for sending me a copy of this book.
The Shattered Crown
7 May 2014 By collingwood21
Comments 0 In Fantasy fiction, Fiction Books
Buy book online
It is a truth, universally acknowledged, that a publisher in possession of free review copies will be in want of a book reviewer to read them. This, for the reviewer, means lots of lovely free books, many of which being ones that they would otherwise likely never have read. Unfortunately, in amongst this pile will occasionally creep the odd book that is part of an ongoing series or (worse) the mid-point in a trilogy. I have had several such books in the past and have generally struggled to understand what is going on, given that much of the story, scene-setting and character development has taken place before the book in my hands has even started. The second book in a trilogy in particularly difficult, as it is often the weak link, a mere bridging stage between an intriguing introduction and an explosive finale.It takes a good author to stop the reader coming to their work at this point feeling lost and confused; it turns out that Richard Ford is one of these authors.
In The Shattered Crown – book two of Ford’s Steelhaven trilogy – we find ourselves in the bustling city of the same name, a walled citadel, and administrative and trade hub to the surrounding Free States. With the city’s great warrior leader Kind Cael dead, it is up to his young daughter Janessa to lead the States; a hard enough job for an untested woman of such youth as it stands, without the imminent arrival of warfare to Steelhaven. For, approaching steadily from the south and sweeping all before them away, comes the Elharim warlord Amon Tugha and the band of Kurhta tribesmen that he has drawn together into an all-conquering army reminiscent of the Mongol hordes. The city is twitchy and preparing for siege, food and coin are both running low, and Janessa wonders who she can trust amongst her court to advise her through this crisis.
Alongside Janessa is a rich cast of characters and a generous smattering of sub-plots to keep things interesting as we await the arrival of the approaching armies. We get a different perspective on the court through Janessa’s Sentinel bodyguards Kaira and Merrick, and learn of the workings of Steelhaven outside of the Crown District through the eyes of city guards, thieves, apprentices and street children. Through their various perspectives we learn of a complex world and a web of alliances around the city that might mean that not everyone inside the walls of Steelhaven is unhappy at the approach of Amon Tugha – and he may even just have people working for him inside the city already.
As book twos of trilogies go, I was impressed. Not satisfied with merely being a bridging book that shuffles characters into position for the final showdown, The Shattered Crown has plenty of action to keep it rattling along at an exhilarating pace and a few sub-plots that conclude within it, giving it a satisfying feel that most novels in this position lack. Coming to it without having read Herald of the Storm, I also found that there was adequate “previously on” material to pick up the story and enjoy it (while avoiding the dull and frankly lazy information dump tactics that some writers use to try and bring new readers up to speed with events). I’m sure some subtleties were lost on me as a newbie to this world, but I had no problem with following and enjoying the plot laid out in front of me. This was solid storytelling that stands up well against other epic fantasy series, although the names and conventions within it did make me wonder if perhaps Mr Ford hadn’t enjoyed playing the popular RPG Skyrim maybe a little too much…?
Recommended, although I would suggest reading the series fully in order to get the most from this book.
The Shattered Crown by Richard Ford
Published by Headline, March 2014
With thanks to the publishers for providing me with this review copy.