REVIEW: Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames
Author: Nicholas Eames
Publishing Information: Paperback, 544 pages
Publisher: Orbit (Feb 21, 2017)
ISBN-10: 0316362476
ISBN-13: 978-0316362474
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Yagiz
"GLORY NEVER GETS OLD.
Clay Cooper and his band were once the best of the best, the most feared and renowned crew of mercenaries this side of the Heartwyld.
Their glory days long past, the mercs have grown apart and grown old, fat, drunk, or a combination of the three. Then an ex-bandmate turns up at Clay's door with a plea for help--the kind of mission that only the very brave or the very stupid would sign up for.
It's time to get the band back together."
I regularly give out about hype. Being bombarded by too much information wreaks havoc with our expectations, and this, at least for me, ends up with a certain number of disappointments every year.
Earlier this year, I kept hearing about Kings of the Wyld from fellow bloggers. Naturally, I was curious. One night right after it was published, I went online to have a look at its sample chapters. I read the first four, and that was it! I immediately ordered a copy.
"I myself was directly inspired by both Joe Abercrombie and Scott Lynch when it came to writing something with elements of humour, though their books are decidedly more serious than mine." - Nicholas EamesOne of the great things about Kings of the Wyld is its humor. It's not silly, mind you. As the author admits himself, his humor is reminiscent of Abercrombie's and Lynch's. It is a delightful and very entertaining read. And it's easy to understand why when you hear the premise of the book: what if mercenary bands were treated like rockstars? What if they were called "Bands"? What if they had "bookers", they had "gigs" and they "toured"?
Our main protagonist is Clay Cooper, one of the retired members of the greatest band there ever was. When his old friend needs his help, he is unable to say no and Clay leaves with him to try to "get the band back together".
All of the band members has different personalities with their flaws and abilities. I'm pretty sure you'll end up liking one of them more than the others. I had my favorite one. But this diversity creates memorable characters in an interesting story filled with sword, sorcery and monsters.
Eames is a skillful storyteller. Kings of the Wyld contains numerous ups and downs, quickly becoming a page turner. What it lacks in court intrigue it makes up in sheer adventure.
The setting is a land with many kingdoms, where magic and monsters are aplenty. The author doesn't develop all parts of this world as much as The Wyld, the monster-ridden forest that is the source of an incurable disease. I'm hoping that the author is going to develop other parts of his setting in future installments.
Last but not least, the book has also a great map (I love good maps).
Kings of the Wyld is one of the most entertaining page-turners that I've read in recent years. If Eames can deliver a second book with the same quality, he would take important steps towards becoming a big name in fantasy.
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