I finally dug down deep enough in my stack of Books-To-Read-Before-I-Die and found myself flying through a book I mentioned a bit back: Hinterland, by James Clemens. I think I promised a review of it, since I gave one of the first in the series, Shadowfall. So here it is. Let it not be said I am one to shirk my promises.
Hinterland picks up a bit after Shadowfall leaves off. This is why it is known as a sequel. I would’ve been rather disappointed if a sequel had been written with all events occurring before the first book, but I digress. We find ourselves once more in Myrillia, land of the hundred gods, these gods being powerful people whose humours (all their bodily fluids, such as blood, sweat, tears, etc.) flow with Grace, this world’s form of magic. Hinterland centers on a number of familiar characters, with a few new members joining the cast. Although even then, most of the newer main characters seemed to be elevated minor characters from Shadowfall. With the last book’s crisis averted, it is time for a new one. Tashijan, which is the citadel of the Shadowknights (a military order blessed by shadowy Graces), comes under siege from both without and within, and it is up to the heroes of the story to figure out why they’re being attacked, who exactly is attacking them, and why all the trouble seems to revolve around the stolen skull of a rogue god.
My take, after finishing it? Good story. Well-built world. Great thought-out system of magic that has a lot of potential, and is fleshed out even more by Clemens in this continuation. Hinterland has a few classic elements of fantasy stories, including a magic sword…but fortunately even that is unique enough in its function and method of employ that one can avoid any cliché there. The characters all have their endearing qualities as much as their flaws. The villains are suitably creepy, powerful, mad, and cunning—although there was one main villain who I never did quite understand her motivation for all the ruin she wrought.
Is this a genre-breaking, incredibly philosophical, life-changing book? No. I didn’t expect it to be when I read it, because that’s not what the first one was. It has a lot of thrilling action, and Clemens manages to write very fast paced events without sacrificing any detail or character depth. If you enjoy good, solid fantasy, then pick this series up. I’m waiting for the next one, which the ending of Hinterland suggests will bring in a whole new level of nastiness for our heroes to plunge into.
I see that smile.