REVIEW: The Burning Isle by Will Panzo

The Burning Isle by Will Panzo
Publishing information: Paperback; 432pgs
Publisher: Ace; 1 Nov 2016
ISBN: 978-1101988107
Standalone
Copy: Provided by publisher
Reviewer: Tyson

Amazon

Synopsis: “A man has only three reasons for being anywhere: to right a wrong, to earn a coin, or because he is lost.”

Cassius is not lost...

The mage Cassius has just arrived on the island of Scipio. Five miles of slum on the edge of fifty miles of jungle, Scipio is a lawless haven for criminals, pirates, and exiles. The city is split in two, each half ruled by a corrupt feudal lord. Both of them answer to a mysterious general who lives deep in the jungle with his army, but they still constantly battle for power. If a man knows how to turn their discord to his advantage, he might also turn a profit...

But trained on the Isle of Twelve, Cassius is no ordinary spellcaster, and his goal is not simply money. This is a treacherous island where the native gods are restless and anything can happen…"

In some social sites The Burning Isle has gained a lot of traction, but most of the posts are just asking if anyone has read it. When I went and looked at my review pile, I found that I had a copy of the book and I might as well give it the old college try and see if is worth the hype and to let people know whether it is worth their time to read it.

The book starts off with Cassius arriving on the isle of Scipio, an island that is ruled by two opposing factions that are at an uneasy peace. Cassius sees this as an opportunity to reach his secret mission. While Panzo tries to weave his main character in mystery, he immediately has him put on his wizard gloves and enter a wizard duel where he bests the feared sorcerer in the ring in a stunning victory. Panzo then tries to keep his character a wrapped up in mystery all the while he is providing background on where Cassius has the ability to summon his vast powers. It just didn't work for me. You have to have one or the other. You can't have an explanation for his overwhelming powers and still keep him a mystery.

The book wastes no time with Cassius finding employment and setting his plan into action. He quickly betrays them and inevitable switches sides. No trust between his employer was even attempted, yet he received the benefit of the doubt. The sorcerer that he defeated on his first day was part of the second faction and when he defects they waste no time forgetting the incident and employing him. By this time it was hard to suspend my disbelief. Panzo rushed through the first faction and it would have been nice to see Cassius build up trust and work behind the scenes before pulling the double-cross.

While Panzo should be praised for his world-building, his pacing and plotting could use some work. I was really interested in the world he was creating a Roman Empire-esque world that is quickly set up and then misplaced. I wanted to know more about it and unfortunately, didn't get much more than a taste. The other fascinating idea was the Isle of Twelve where Cassius received his magical training. We see a lot of it through flashbacks and learn how Cassius was trained by his cruel masters but I would have really enjoyed learning more about this secret sect.

In the end, The Burning Isle is a direct ripoff of Yojimbo (or more recently, Last Man Standing) in a fantasy setting. The book started out well but quickly spiraled into the obvious. There were some hints of cleverness but it falls on its face in its execution.

Overall 4/10