Book Review: Anaerfell by Joshua Robertson and J.C. Boyd

Image taken from Amazon.com for review purposes under fair use doctrine. 

Spoiler Free Summary: Anaerfell by Joshua Robertson  and J.C. Boyd was listed in my February Book Cover of the Month bracket. my March Book Cover of the Month. It’s an epic fantasy about two brothers who literally set out to kill death. Using the boost taken from a ceremony and the blood of a dead dragon, Drast and Tyran set out on this mission for reasons of family loyalty and glory.

 

Character:  This was my favorite part of the book. Drast and Tyran aren’t your typical fantasy brothers. They’re flat out monstrous in some degrees. They have justifiable reasons for their behavior, but it’s their efforts to find nobility in a world without honor that kept me reading throughout this story. I’ve already said I’m a huge fan of “white-hat” good guys, but these protagonists are compelling because their circumstances are plausible and compelling. What makes this dynamic perfect is the unconquerable love between these brothers. That sort of relationship is one I can get behind. If you love stories with compelling characters, this is a book you’ll enjoy.

Exposition: This was about average in terms of epic fantasy. It didn’t drone on in any areas, but there were certainly a few (probably necessary) information dumps. The authors do a nice job of weaving this in as necessary, so it doesn’t slow the book down.

Image of J.C. Boyd from Amazon.com

Worldbuilding:  A distant (but not terrible) second to the character. This is a world that’s deeper than we see in this, the first book in a series. We learn what we need, and it’s exciting to think about what other secrets will be revealed in future books. The magic system is well conceived, and the deeper scope of the story builds anticipation for more books.

Dialogue: I’d say this was the biggest issue in the book. It’s not bad or stilted, but some of it seems a bit rushed here or there. There’s an intense scene where someone dies, and that conflict, I feel, should have been worked out more deeply.  However, there are still moments of power and intrigue between the characters that this dialogue builds on. Yes, it might be the “weakest” part of the book, but that’s a pretty strong weak spot.

Description:  I’d say the description of the characters and action is deeper than that of the scenes and landscapes. It’s visual without being visceral. However, I’m a fan of that sort of skeletal description. Show me what I need to see and let my imagination take over with what you want. Details mater, but only the right details.

Image of Joshua Robertson from Amazon.com

Overall: This was a different sort of fantasy story, where the protagonists struggle with their shortcomings every bit as much as they struggle with their opponents, and that’s rare. Even more so, those internal conflicts don’t seem overly melodramatic. Fans of original magic systems with interesting “costs” will enjoy this fantasy element. Fans of grittier characters with flawed backgrounds will love it.

NOTE: As I mentioned above, Anaerfell did very well in it’s bracket. It had a tough fight with The Unleashed, but it didn’t quite make it. For this reason, Anaerfell will get another shot against eight other covers in the Book Cover of the Year Wild Card round. That will kick off the week before Christmas. Stay tuned for more on that.

Thanks for reading,

Matt