Library Journal gives Servant of a Dark God a starred review

ByJohn Brown

Library Journal just gave Servant of a Dark God a starred review. Yesss! BTW, that’s not one star out of four or five. The review gets a star or it doesn’t. Those with a star are “highly-rated.” I just wish I could lick it and put it on my forehead.

Brown, John. Servant of a Dark God. Tor. Oct. 2009. (The Dark Gods, Vol. 1). c.448p. ISBN 978-0-7653-2235-7. $25.99. FANTASY

Suffering under the oppressive rule of their Mokaddian conquerors, the Koramites hide ancient magics that draw power from a person’s “days,” thus shortening the lives of the donors. A young boy becomes caught up in a personal and political struggle when one of the Divines who knows how to wield this power disappears. Brown’s first novel, the opener in a new fantasy series, creates an elaborate new world with a rich and deep spiritual and political background. VERDICT Reminiscent of L.E. Modesitt Jr.’s “Recluce” novels and David Drake’s “Lord of the Isles” series and David Farland’s “Runelords” books, this well-wrought tale of families in conflict against both politics and religion represents a welcome addition to large-scale fantasy.

Share

Similar Posts

  • SERVANT in Raley’s grocery in California

    ByJohn Brown

    It’s official. SERVANT is in grocery stores outside of Utah. Saber2gecko saw and purchased a copy in a Raley’s grocery in the San Francisco Bay area then very thoughtfully posted that fact here. That chain has 144 stores. So not only is that great news for the book, but it also just plain rocks. I lived in that area for a few years.  I love it down there. To know my book is circulating in the stores I used to shop is cool. Welcome to the Grove, California.

    Share

  • Time for some Dark God voting

    ByJohn Brown

    Folks, I’m trying to decide between 2 book descriptions for SERVANT. Tell me which one appeals to you more.

    OPTION A

    The spirited blacksmith’s daughter accused of using the dark and terrifying sleth magic.

    The young man who hunts her. 

    And the ferocious monster who only wants to be free.

    Trapped in a web of lies and ancient secrets, of right becoming wrong, the three must struggle not only against each other, but also a being of irresistible powers. A creature who is gathering her servants to usher in the impending human harvest.

    If the three succeed, they will save those they love the most. If they fail, the clans of the land fall with them.

    OPTION B

    Sugar, the blacksmith’s daughter, is on the run, accused of using the chilling sleth magic.

    Talen is determined to catch her, not only to get the bounty on her head, but to clear his people from her guilt.

    But his plans go awry when a terrifying creature of grass and stone begins to stalk the clan lands. A creature that is somehow tied to those both Sugar and Talen hold dear. A creature sent by the dark Mother, the true master of the land, to both find the seed she planted in a woman’s womb a number of years ago and kill all those who might oppose her. 

    At odds and trapped in a web of ancient secrets, lies, and lore, Talen and Sugar must struggle to find the truth. But will they be able to uncover a way to fight back and save their loved ones before the Mother finds the one she bred to be her scepter and return her to power? The one bred to become lord and usher in the impending human harvest.

    Let the voting begin.

    Share

  • Tomorrow’s ILA keynote speech time and location update

    ByJohn Brown

    Just wanted to update anyone planning on attending my keynote at the Idaho Library Association conference in Soda Springs–I had the wrong location and time. The correct location and time are below. See you there.

    Keynote Speech
    Southeast & Eastern Idaho Library Association Conference

    DATE AND TIME
    Friday, April 30th, 10 AM

    LOCATION
    Tigert Middle School
    250 E 200 S
    Soda Springs, ID 83276-1412
    (208) 547-4922

    Share

  • Utah events this week

    ByJohn Brown

    Just a reminder. I’ll be meeting the public and chatting about my book in Utah this week. David Farland and Larry Correia will there as well. It’s a three-for-one deal.

    Thursday,
    October 22
    6 pm – 8 pm    		  Book signing and release party Logan, UT Borders
    1050 N Main St.
    Suite B-2
    Logan, UT 84341
    435-787-0678
    Friday,
    October 23
    4 pm – 6 pm    		 Book signing and release party Orem, UT Barnes & Noble
    330 East 1300 South
    Orem, UT 84058
    801-229-1611
    Saturday,
    October 24
    12 pm – 2 pm    		 Book signing and release party Layton, UT Barnes & Noble
    Layton Market Center
    1780 North Woodland Park Drive
    Layton, UT 84041
    801-773-9973
    Saturday,
    October 24
    3 pm – 5 pm    		 Book signing and release party West Jordan, UT Barnes & Noble
    Jordan Landing
    7157 Plaza Center Drive
    West Jordan, UT 84084
    801-282-1324
    Share

  • Writing Update: Awful Intent

    ByJohn Brown

    Folks, I just finished the first draft of my working outline for AWFUL INTENT. I’m stoked. Lots of research and lots fun and sometimes maddening work to get to this point. Here’s the current version of the summary, which will change.

    Southeastern Utah. 30,000 square miles of red-rock desert and wilderness.  One of the least populated places in the United States. The perfect place to hide just about anything.

    Frank Shaw is just passing through. He was once an elite soldier, trained to see what others want to hide. Then he made some terrible mistakes and fell from grace. Except the old skills never went away: they were only heightened during his time behind bars. Which is why Frank notices the fearful woman in the McDonalds and the killer watching her. 

    Frank could move on. He’s got a life to put together and a sandwich to buy. But some things are more important than a Big Mac. Frank follows the man who follows the woman, and that one decision leads Frank to a ranch that isn’t a ranch and into a plot of awful proportions.

    When Frank and the strong female Sheriff from the small town a number of miles away discover the truth, they try to get back and call for help, but the rancher is on to them and sends a private army out to hunt them down in the wilderness. Frank and the Sheriff will need to use all their combined skills to survive. Because time is running out, and thousands of lives are at stake.

    My agent got back to me on BAD PENNY. I will be focusing on some tweaks over the next two or three weeks. Then we need to get that moving forward.

    Finally, I know some of you are wondering about the DARK GOD series. And why wouldn’t you be with my earlier post? Things haven’t been finalized. Soon, Grasshopper. Soon.

    Share

2 Comments

  1. I’m glad you do the same thing with star stickers that I do. Congrats on the review, John. I’ll be pimping your novel all over Amazon, readandfindout.com, theintelli-gent.blogspot.com, goodreads, librarything and any other place that I can remember where I have a username. Why? Because I want an ARC of the second book.

    Seriously, though, after reading your book I really think it deserves this kinda press. Plus, I enjoy writing reviews, so I figure, why not?

Comments are closed.