Search

Search only in certain items:

Dark Prince (Greek Series, #2)
Dark Prince (Greek Series, #2)
David Gemmell | 1991 | Fiction & Poetry
7
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Sequel to David Gemmell's earlier Lion of Macedon, with more emphasis on the mystical elements this time around: whereas that earlier novel was perhaps 90/10 in favour of history, this is (IMO) closer to 40/60.

As the novel starts, Alexander is but a 4 year old and Parmenion is out of favour with Philip of Macedon, who is jealous of the Spartan general's success in battle. Alexander is still plagued by the Chaos Spirit, and - at around the 1/4 mark - is magically transported into an alternate Greece, where the myths and monsters of Greek legend are all real. With a little help from Aristotle and the Siptrassi stones, Parmenion is soon off on a rescue mission, accompanied by Philip's assassin Attalus (without Philips knowledge). The bulk of this novel - parts 2 and 3 (of 4) - then takes place in that alternate Greece, with Parmenion - again - reliving his past and playing a key role in proceedings, before it returns to 'our' Greece for the final part of the novel.

As is standard for Gemmell, lots of musing on the nature of Good and evil throughout, and with a conflicted central protagonist.
  
The Change 3: Paris: A City of Fools
The Change 3: Paris: A City of Fools
Guy Adams | 2017 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Odd and more intense than previous books
This third book, again in a different city to the previous ones, is set in central Paris. A group of people have made a life for themselves in the catacombs and tunnels underneath the city, largely safe from the strange monsters and beings that have taken over the city.
Loic, the main PoV character, is a former street child who has quite easily adapted to life under the streets, scavenging for food where he can. The main threat they face is the Impressionists, a race of paint-monsters who roam the streets and tunnels rounding up the people they find.
This book is more focused on people who have made a life for themselves following The Change (still a mystery, but safe to assume that weird things can happen now), rather than those struggling to come to terms with it.
It is quite an exciting tale of rescue, bargaining and trying to evade some very strange, but very Parisian, enemies who are never as they seem.
This book, for once, is fairly self-contained and has an ending and was a good short read.