Egil the Scarred Defenders of Blackspire Abbey eBook Michael Panush
Download As PDF : Egil the Scarred Defenders of Blackspire Abbey eBook Michael Panush 
In the bloody height of the Dark Ages, when long ships carried Viking raiders across the waves and swords decided the fates of kingdoms, monasteries offer small pockets of civilization and learning - but Blackspire Abbey is no ordinary monastery. Located on a jagged chunk of rock off the English coast, Blackspire Abbey serves as a library for forbidden books of black magic and the occult, where heresy can be studied firsthand. Blackspire Abbey has a strange guardian - the Viking warrior known as Egil the Scarred.
Egil was not born, but created by a mysterious witch who sewed the pieces of fallen Vikings into a patchwork man, and animated Egil with magic to create an unstoppable solider with war fused into his very bones. Now, Egil is trying to end his wandering and forge an new life for himself.
But danger is coming to Blackspire Abbey. Father Enrico Dori, a priest turned Satanist and author of a bloody, heretical rebellion, comes to Blackspire Abbey in chains so that he may be studied. Inquisitor Hox, a fanatic servant of God, seeks to cleanse Blackspire Abbey of heresy with Holy Fire. Viking raiders, including Egil’s former friend Ragnar Redye, seek to raid the abbey and steal its wealth.
Egil’s only allies are Brother Cuthbert and Timothy Foundling, a wise monk and his apprentice, and Clare of Burgundy - a former nun turned outlaw queen sent to do penance in the abbey. They are the Defenders of Blackspire Abbey and they will stand against all foes and battle for the light of civilizations - and for their very lives.
Egil the Scarred Defenders of Blackspire Abbey eBook Michael Panush
I REALLY wanted to like this book! After all, who doesn't love a "heroic last stand" type of novel, especially one about the Vikings? Sadly, it was a bit of a disappointment.In terms of the writing quality, the book had a lot of problems. Grammar and syntax was off, and adverbs were way over-used. It was plagued by passive constructions, improper sentences, and more nitty gritty problems that made my "perfectionist" mind struggle to keep reading.
I also found the story line a bit hard to swallow. Don't get me wrong: Viking Frankenstein taking on a demon-worshipping heretic--no problem! It was all the small character interactions, the way they talked to each other as if old friends, and the sequence of events that really threw me off. I like my fantasy to be as "realistic" as possible, and this lacked the realism that makes it possible for us fiction lovers to swallow a fantastical story.
The dialogue felt stunted and off, and characters spoke more like the narrator than like themselves. The action scenes were…lacking. As a man who loves a good fight scene, I was disappointed to say the least.
Where the writer excelled was at developing the character of Egil. The inner narrative was solid and gave a good look at the man--flaws, strengths, weaknesses, and all. The world in the book was fascinating and well-described. The characters (the fighting nun, the Jewish boy priest, and the curious jester fellow) were absolutely intriguing, but I felt the story didn't do them justice.
Great concept and interesting characters, but a "hit and miss" overall.
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Egil the Scarred Defenders of Blackspire Abbey eBook Michael Panush Reviews
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).
(This review may contain spoilers).
I found this book to be a really intriguing read. I liked Egil as a character. It was good to see the contrast between the monks' beliefs and Egil's own.
I would have liked a bit of background as to how Egil became the defender of the abbey. I did like reading about his interactions with the other characters. And it was really interesting to learn something of his origins... and how the forms of those taken to create him affect him.
I liked Tybern in this book, a whole lot. It was good to see that Egil seemed fond of the cat. I also liked seeing him with Timothy and Clare. I did have some mixed feelings about Cuthbert, I have to say. Even though he seemed to come across as one of the good characters, it was also like he was reluctant to do the right thing if it meant endangering himself and/or Timmy.
I found the descriptions of the demons to be utterly disturbing. Some of them really made me cringe.
I liked the fact that the supernatural did play a big part in this book... not that it couldn't, considering Egil's creation. But it was good to see the different types of skills... and that the monks did have the ability to bless weapons and have it work, rather than the power of prayer doing nothing.
I found Egil's Viking friends to be quite interesting, too, especially Bjorn and Gunnhilde (I may have the spelling wrong). It was cool to see that Bjorn was a berserker and that I had the opportunity to see him access that ability... though he seemed to recognise friends/allies, which I didn't think tended to happen.
It was good to learn bits and pieces of the Viking culture as the book went on. I was glad to see that Clare and Timothy, especially, stood up for what they knew was right. And I did also like Merrymore.
It was good to have the two short stories at the end of the book and have the opportunity to get to know the characters more. I liked seeing how Egil's attitude changed gradually towards Cuthbert and Timothy. The second story was a lot scarier, though... not to mention fairly disturbing.
I would like to read the next book in this series in the future. I was drawn into the world and felt myself connection emotionally with the characters.
Review Originally Posted At www.FictionForesight.com
In accordance with current FTC Guidelines, please let it be known this book was received through Curiosity Quills Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.
An Appealing 2.5 Stars!
Egil the Scarred Defenders of Blackspire Abbey is an intriguing combination of both historical fiction and fantasy, resulting in an adventure-filled tale of demons, Vikings and Christianity.
A Quick Summary
Defenders of Blackspire Abbey is, at its core, a story of war, companionship and magic.
Egil is a Viking, and as such he has the heart of a warrior; literally. Years ago, an old witch created Egil out of the bodies of fallen Vikings. Built for war, Egil sells his sword to those who need him, in return for food and lodging. His recent travels led him to Blackspire Abbey, a place where forbidden books on black magic are kept and studied. The monks of Blackspire hire Egil to defend them and the abbey against potential invaders.
Despite Egil’s best efforts, chaos comes to the abbey. It is up to Egil and his companions (a monk, a novice, a jester and a noble-born thief) to defeat the Satanist Father Dori. For if they fail, the abbey will succumb to evil, the forbidden knowledge will fall into the wrong hands, and the entire world will be in grave danger.
The Good
Let’s start with characters. In general terms, they were relatively decent. They all had their flaws, their quirks, their uniqueness that added a bit of depth. They felt real enough to invest in emotionally. In short, they were living. That being said, I didn’t particularly care for Egil. It’s not that he was badly written, he just didn’t sit well with me, or at least as well as Timothy and Merrymore did.
Timothy was great because he was both naïve and bold. I always find that personality combination somewhat endearing, especial in a younger character. He had the guts to say and do what needed to be said and done, but yet he was still just a kid; still just learning the ropes. On the other hand, Merrymore was just plain awesome. I would relate Merrymore to a Mad Hatter of sorts. He’s that fun and fun-loving character who brings out the laughter in almost any situation – which makes sense considering he’s a Jester. His little quirks, like the way he walks and fights, make him a truly enjoyable character to read about. If there was a book just about him, I would buy it any day of the week. *Oh, let’s not forget Tybern! I love that cat!*
I really enjoyed all the Norse mythology that was presented throughout the book and the short stories that followed. It was quite interesting to see them incorporated into essentially historical events – such as the Vikings invading Northumbria. It felt a lot like the television show Vikings was being merged with Supernatural.
Boy oh boy do I love magic. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t the most magic filled fantasy book you’ll find, in fact it’s rather light on the job, but what it does have it does quite well. I particularly enjoyed the blessings / prayers that the monks used that provided real world protection. I could just picture the monks praying over the weapons and then seeing that blinding glow….awesome. The demons were pretty well described, even if they weren’t exactly my cup of tea. And of course, let’s not forget the berserker / shape-shifter. That was one of my favorite parts of the whole book. I kept saying to myself, now where the heck was that guy this whole time?!
The Bad
One of the biggest points of contention that I had with this book is that it felt like it built up for days and then rushed the finish line. It left me pretty unsatisfied. I understand that it’s going to be a series, but it isn’t like it left off on a cliffhanger. Most of what went down was resolved. My issue is that if your going to have this big fight and then square off against the antagonist, it shouldn’t end all neat and tidy. Things shouldn’t all work out, there needs to be clear and evident costs to failure. I’m not saying Egil didnt struggle, he had a hell of a time, but what pain did he suffer that was lasting? Too much was wrapped up. Not only was I desiring a more epic boss fight, but I couldn’t figure out why I should return to the story. Everything but the bow tie was in place by the last page!
I suppose this is more of a packaging thing, but I really despise that the 1st short story is after the book. If you read it, it helps to make so much more sense of the story that it really should be first. Label it a prequel and keep it in the book, but at least put it in the beginning. So much confusion could have been spared by such a small fix. Honestly, almost the entire time I was reading I kept thinking that it had to be a sequel, because there was too much information being brought up that read like it was old news. It felt like I was being left out of the story.
Other
Normally I don’t feel the need to say something like this, but I’d rather give a warning than not. While this book is fantasy and historical fiction, it does contain a LOT of religion; specifically, Christianity, Judaism and Satanism are all addressed. Now it is a liberal take, and not everything is copied exactly, but if these topics don’t sit well with you please consider yourself warned. Viking era Christianity and the like were not as they are today.
Overall
Honestly, this book is just ok. It’s not the kind of book that I would finish and immediately call up friends demanding they read it. Then again, I didn’t hate it either. For me, it’s exactly in the middle. There are things I liked about it, and then there are others I just didn’t. I think the concept is interesting, but the results are just so-so. Would I recommend reading it? Yes, but I wouldn’t count on it blowing your mind. I think I’ll stay tuned just to see how our heroes adventure plays out. If nothing else Merrymore makes the read worthwhile!
(www.FictionForesight.com)
I REALLY wanted to like this book! After all, who doesn't love a "heroic last stand" type of novel, especially one about the Vikings? Sadly, it was a bit of a disappointment.
In terms of the writing quality, the book had a lot of problems. Grammar and syntax was off, and adverbs were way over-used. It was plagued by passive constructions, improper sentences, and more nitty gritty problems that made my "perfectionist" mind struggle to keep reading.
I also found the story line a bit hard to swallow. Don't get me wrong Viking Frankenstein taking on a demon-worshipping heretic--no problem! It was all the small character interactions, the way they talked to each other as if old friends, and the sequence of events that really threw me off. I like my fantasy to be as "realistic" as possible, and this lacked the realism that makes it possible for us fiction lovers to swallow a fantastical story.
The dialogue felt stunted and off, and characters spoke more like the narrator than like themselves. The action scenes were…lacking. As a man who loves a good fight scene, I was disappointed to say the least.
Where the writer excelled was at developing the character of Egil. The inner narrative was solid and gave a good look at the man--flaws, strengths, weaknesses, and all. The world in the book was fascinating and well-described. The characters (the fighting nun, the Jewish boy priest, and the curious jester fellow) were absolutely intriguing, but I felt the story didn't do them justice.
Great concept and interesting characters, but a "hit and miss" overall.
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