In about ten days, we will finally be restarting Ranting Dragon's Book Club! For this first month, we will read Greatshadow by James Maxey together. James Maxey is best known for Nobody Gets the Girl and The Dragon Age Trilogy. Greatshadow is the first installment in The Dragon Apocalypse, with book two, Hush, scheduled for June of 2012.
Here's what Janea had to say about Greatshadow in her recent review of the book:
Janea's review wrote:On the surface, Greatshadow is a tale about stereotypical heroes straight out of 1980s fantasy pulps. You’ve got a group of inhumanely talented people, some of whom have never really been challenged in their adult lives. I’d expect a book like this to be rather dull and emotionally uninteresting. Where’s the challenge, after all? However, Maxey does a fantastic job with this. irst, the book is told from the point of view of Infidel’s dead companion Stagger. Additionally, for all their super powers, this is a group of deeply flawed people. The other thing that saves this book is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. On the other hand, this isn’t an innately humorous book. Every once in awhile I’d read something that would make me giggle, and then I’d move on to the rest of the action feeling reinvigorated.
Why you should read this book? Two words: it’s fun. In fact, I think this is the most fun book I’ve read in months. It plays with archetypes, it’s intense with just a bit of silly, and there’s a nice romantic arc. In short: win. Lots of win. Can it be June so I can read the next book now?
And here is the blurb on the back cover of the book:
Solaris wrote:Greatshadow is the primal dragon of fire, an elemental evil whose malign intelligence spies upon mankind through every candle flame, waiting to devour any careless victim he can claim.
The Church of the Book has assembled a team of twelve battle-hardened adventurers to slay the dragon once and for all. But tensions run high between the leaders of the team who view the mission as a holy duty and the super-powered mercenaries who add power to their ranks, who view the mission primarily as a chance to claim Greatshadow's vast treasure trove. If the warriors fail to slay the beast, will they doom mankind to death by fire?
The book club will start on Friday June 1st. So, who's joining us then? I, for one, definitely look forward to reading and discussing Greatshadow with you guys!
And yay, my nearest library has a copy available.
