Ice Forged

March 30, 2015
Gallant young nobleman Blaine McFadden, convicted of murder and immured in Donderath's frigid penal colony of Velant, leads a revolt to escape the control of the homeland. With the âlong dark" coming and Donderath conquered in war, derring-do and the need for independence are in the air. Unfortunately, conniving magicians have used the war to disrupt the traditional patterns of magic, and chaos looms. Martin uses these plot elements to paint an overcrowded mosaic, full of scarcely distinguishable characters discussing events to death with an inflated dialogue-to-action ratio. The interminable conversations may be setting the ground for a sequel, but their function of filling in background and foreshadowing developments soon leaves the reader longing for the mute heroics of Conan the Barbarian. The travails of Blaine provide a unifying if hackneyed thread: the exiled prince returning home. But unlike, say, Aragorn, he gains neither stature nor depth as events progress, merely developing a confusion of identity. Even feuding factions of vampires fail to enliven this dragging tale. Some vivid scenes and Blaine's indecisive quest fail to offset the ennui of endless, repetitious dialogue. Martin's first task in the sequel should be to dispatch a trusty hero, armed with a battle axe, to lop off conversation.

December 1, 2012
First of a new fantasy series from the author of The Dread (2012, etc.), brewed from standard ingredients. Condemned as a murderer for killing his brute of a father, Blaine McFadden is shown mercy by King Merrill of Donderath; instead of execution, he's exiled to Velant, a bleak penal colony in the arctic Edgeland. Despite the brutality of the colony's swaggering governor, Prokief, and his cruel mages, Blaine--calling himself simply "Mick" to conceal his aristocratic background--survives and, in a limited way, prospers, acquiring a "family" of fellow exiles. But when the supply ships from Donderath stop arriving, the colonists face a harsh winter that many will not survive. Back in Donderath, meanwhile, young Connor serves as a go-between, reporting the news from King Merrill's councils (neighboring Meroven has invaded, and the news is grim) to vampire Lord Penhallow. Finally, Meroven's mages prepare a mighty blast of magic; Merrill counters but dies in the attempt--and the magic itself is extinguished. In Edgeland, Prokief's evil mages find themselves suddenly powerless and no match for the vengeful colonists. Luckily, at this point, an abandoned but seaworthy ship sails itself into harbor, so Blaine/Mick and chums prepare to sail back to Donderath to find out what's going on. There's plenty of action and plot embroidery, and the pages turn easily enough--although, after nearly 600 of them, Martin still can't provide even a token resolution. Better than average, but be prepared to settle in for the long haul.

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