Interview - Daniel Polansky

Hi Everyone!

I'm over the moon to be able to finally bring you my interview with the irreplaceable Daniel Polansky! For those of you who don't know who he is, Daniel is the author of the acclaimed and popular Lowtown urban fantasy series. He was recently kind enough to take some time out of hectic schedule to chat (hilariously at times!) with me about various things, including his latest release, Those Above (scroll down for full review. Quick summary.. it's amazing!). 

Enjoy!

First up, tell us a bit about yourself and your upcoming release Those Above. 

The first thing to know about me, Daniel Polansky, which is who I am, is that I suck at interviews. Not any good at them. But then again, what sort of a person is really good at interviews? Think about that for a moment – what does it say about you if you're really, really good at talking about yourself. Nothing good. Anyway, sucking at interviews is why the above question reads 'upcoming release' instead of 'recently released', because your MC, the bold and noble (I assume) Matthew Summers sent me these questions like four months ago, and I forgot about them, and then HE SENT ME A REMINDER EMAIL AND I PROMISED I WOULD RESPOND TO THEM AND I DIDN'T. So that's the sort of person Daniel Polansky is. I wouldn't say a monster, but – fuck it, yes I would. A monster. A malcontent. Lacking in class, grace, diction, other things a person should have a surfeit in, rather than a deficit. Where was I? Right, Those Above. It's a book. I wrote it. My name's right there on the cover, can't you see it? WHY AREN'T YOU LOOKING AT IT IT'S RIGHT THERE?!?! Depending on how you look at it, Those Above is about Elves and humans and swords and battles, or it's about how our perspectives imperceptibly shape our define our lives, limiting what we can understand and appreciate. 

Why did you become a writer? Was it something you always envisaged yourself doing?

Honestly? I wanted to go traveling, and I had this idea that if I could sell a book I could work from the road. Hence, Low Town. Hadn't always envisioned myself as a writer, but I read constantly and from a young age which is the best/only real training for the job, so.

Those Above pits humanity against these perfect beings who rule from their eternal city. What can you tell us about these creatures? How did you come up with them? 

Yeah, I mean, not to play too coy here, but I'm gonna take a mulligan on this one, because sort of the whole point of the book is sort of trying to decipher that mystery. OK, they're basically elves. You got me. They're kind of elves. But weird elves. Like, not Tolkien elves. 

Hodder and Stoughton has described Those Above as Tolkien meets The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.  Can we expect to see a bucket load of war, rebellion, and change in this book then?

Yup, all of those things exactly. 

This is your first foray into epic fantasy. What challenges did you face in writing epic fantasy instead of urban fantasy?

Honestly it was hard as hell, I don't really know in retrospect why I tried it. First of all there are 4 characters instead of 1, obviously, and the characters are more authentically human and less action hero cliches (The Warden was a ton of fun to write, don't get me wrong, but mainly his purpose was to trick people and hit them with swords.) Plus the scale is much larger, I had to do a lot of world building even though most of it the reader doesn't exactly see, or only sees pieces of. Definitely the Empty Throne series was the hardest thing I had to write.

The cover for Those Above is brilliant. How did it come about? 

Thanks! I can claim absolutely no credit at all. Hodder handled that entirely on their end. 

Themes like war, power, love, and loss seem to be popular in your books. What attracts you to exploring these concepts?

Shit, what else is there to think about?

You have a reputation for writing extremely gritty, character driven books (and we here at Smash Dragons love them!).  Does this trend continue in Those Above?

Yeah, I think so. Those Above is a bit grander in scope, but it gets down into the nasty thick of things as well. Really it's about how each character views and effects this extraordinary moment of which they are a part.

Who are your literary influences? What drew you to speculative fiction? 

This is a hard question to answer, actually, and it kind of depends on what I'm writing at any given moment. I sort of like to think of myself as a literary chameleon – actually, I sort of like to think of myself as a two-fisted, action-adventure hero with a roguish grin, stunning good looks, and the literary prowess of a young Marcel Proust – shit, where was I? Right, influences. Genre wise, let's just say a bunch real quick because it's getting late here in Anatolia, which is where I am, and the letters are starting to blur together. Gene Wolfe, Borges, Chandler, Hammett, William Goldman.

Take me through a writing day in the life of Daniel Polansky. Do you get up at the crack of dawn and smash out ten thousand words before lunch? Or do you rise in the afternoon, drink a bottle of scotch, and hope that you can crawl to the computer in time before you pass out? 

If I'm in Brooklyn, I get up late but not shamefully late, drink coffee and write from my apartment, walk a while, drink coffee and write from a cafe, walk a while, drink beer and write from a bar. 

The zombie apocalypse is upon us. You have to assemble a crack team of fellow authors to survive in a now very dangerous world. Who do you pick, and why?

I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. Genre writers, they aren't exactly a physically prepossessing bunch. I mean there's Myke Cole who (spoiler alert) was in the military, and there are a whole wing of guys whose author photos have them caressing the barrels of  assault rifles (don't quite need to be Freud to read something into that one!) but I don't really know any of those last and would probably anyway prefer being eaten by zombies to having to survive in their company. So my short answer is, if you needed to pick a profession from which to gather a team of people to survive the apocalypse, you really could not pick a worse one then writers. 

I have read before that you are not a fan of Elves (I tend to agree with you). Care to explain this dislike? Do you think writers rely too much on clichéd tropes like Elves, Dwarves, and Old Wizards when writing speculative fiction? 

Elves, dwarves, orcs – it's all Tolkien fan-fiction, you know? Who wants to be dithering around in another man's sandbox? The whole point of genre fiction is you can make up whatever you want. I guess some people feel like the ideas really resonate with them, but they don't particularly with me, and even if they did I'd still want to go out and break my own territory. Just my opinion, don't digitally lynch me.

What is your take on the state of speculative fiction at the moment? Do you think we are entering a boom period due to popularity of Game of Thrones for example?

In terms of sales? I don't know. In terms of literary merit? Also don't know. To be able to comment broadly on the state of the genre like that...it's kind of impossible. So many books come out every month, and I'm pretty busy writing my own. There could literally be 5 debut authors this year that would blow my mind if I read and I would have no idea at all. 

Craziest thing a fan has ever said to you? 

Gosh, I dunno. Some of my fans are not the most...well-adjusted people, but I feel kind of bad picking at them in a public forum. Even the most discomfiting ones are essentially well-meaning. Oh, this is kind of crazy –  a guy in the US contacted me back when the 2nd and 3rd Low Town books weren't available, and said he was dying of cancer and would I send them to him. So that was nuts, but more in a flattering/sad way then a weird/awkward one. 

Can we expect to see you in Australia anytime in the next few years?

I would hope so! I love traveling and that's one part of the world I've never been to. I'll holler at y'all if I come through. 

And finally, why should readers go out and buy Those Above? 

I could use the sales? No, that's not going to help. Let me just offload this one to a real clever Australian cat, who has some choice words about the subject... Those Above Review.

Daniel Polansky, thanks for your time. 

My pleasure!

You can find Daniel's books at all good stores and online retailers. The Low Town books are simply amazing, and Those Above continues in this tradition. I implore you to click on the links below (or hit up your local store!) for more information and purchase details. 

Amazon

Booktopia

Goodreads

Up next in our interview series, we speak with wonderful Margo Lanagan and her upcoming project (alongside Scott Westerfeld and Deborah Biancotti) entitled Zeroes. 

Peace out peeps, and remember to keep on reading!

Quick Update

Just a quick post everyone to bring you all up the speed with what's happening here at Smash Dragons over the next few weeks. 

First up... lots of book reviews. I have been inundated with new titles the past month, so I have plenty to read and review for you in the coming weeks! So keep an eye out for those!

Secondly I have plenty of interviews coming up with writers such as Margo Lanagan, David M. Henley, and Donna Maree Hanson. I also am sitting down and having a chat with our first international guest, the wonderful Jen Williams! I am very excited about this, having adored her two books so far. Daniel Polansky has also dropped me a line indicating he will be able to finally sit down for an interview next week after a hectic few months for him. Fingers crossed everyone!

Finally, I just wanted to link this insightful and hilarious article by the irreplaceable Chuck Wendig... full of laughs and great advice for budding writers! 

http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2015/05/05/in-which-i-critique-your-story-that-i-havent-read/

Be nice to each other peeps... and keep on reading!

Matt.

Book Review - Those Above by Daniel Polansky

They enslaved humanity three thousand years ago. Tall, strong, perfect, superhuman and near immortal they rule from their glittering palaces in the eternal city in the centre of the world. They are called Those Above by their subjects. They enforce their will with fire and sword. 

Twenty five years ago mankind mustered an army and rose up against them, only to be slaughtered in a terrible battle. Hope died that day, but hatred survived. Whispers of another revolt are beginning to stir in the hearts of the oppressed: a woman, widowed in the war, who has dedicated her life to revenge; the general, the only man to ever defeat one of Those Above in single combat, summoned forth to raise a new legion; and a boy killer who rises from the gutter to lead an uprising in the capital. 

I approached Those Above with an almost giddy like excitement. I previously have adored Polansky's work in the Low Town universe, and the premise of this novel had me jumping up and down in anticipation. Every time the mailman came to deliver a package to my door I was hoping it was Those Above. Finally, the book arrived, and boy was I not disappointed.

Those Above is Polansky's first foray into what can arguably be described as epic fantasy, and it is a vastly different reading experience to what many people might expect. Focusing primarily on four different points of view, Polansky takes the reader on a journey of masterful world building and intricate characterisation. We are first introduced to Bas, an army general, early on. Bas is the only human to have ever defeated one of the immortals in combat, and it is this sticking point that makes his character so enthralling. He is brilliantly painted throughout the story, and I adored how he interacted with those around him because of it. Eudokia is also of a similar vein. She is the power behind one of the human thrones and has been setting in play her plans for revenge against the 'others' for decades. I particularly liked the political intrigue and manuevering that surrounded her chapters, as well as those of Calla, a human assistant and representative for a well placed immortal in court. Calla's chapters gave me a fascinating insight into the thoughts and motivations of the immortals, and really fleshed out their alien-like nature. The final viewpoint is that of Thistle, a young brawler who is born into poverty and now has to fight for everything in his life. Thistle's chapters incorporated the more familiar tones of grit and grime that I usually associate with Polansky's writing, and it was wonderful to read the transition from this dark and brutal existence to the more lofty and noble setting of Eudokia's chapters. 

This is one of the highlights of Those Above. The world building is immersive, detailed, and vivid, with Polansky shifting seamlessly from the glittering halls of the Roost (the immortal's domain) to the lowliest criminal establishment page after page. I loved the level of detail that Polansky included in this book, and I adored how despite this he still left many grey areas in which to explore in future releases. The immortals are also portrayed brilliantly, exhuming a creepy and disconcerting aloofness and arrogance that that had me on edge from start to finish, and I loved the simmering hatred of them that oozed out of every facet of humanity throughout this book.

The flow and pacing in Those Above is also very surprising. For the first half the book Polansky lays down a solid foundation on which to build, fleshing out his protagonists and the world in which they live. As a result the pace of the story does suffer at times, but overall this didn't bother me too much. I usually don't mind a slower narrative so long as I can see the end game coming (as was the case with Those Above). The second half of the book speeds up dramatically, and the four protagonists and their plot threads weave together and gain momentum, eventually reaching a crescendo in what was a very satisfying ending (and lead in to the sequel). 

All in all Those Above is an amazing and cracking release that I enjoyed on many different levels. Polansky has shown with this book that he is not a one trick pony, and I cannot wait to see what he will produce next. An enthralling epic fantasy that will only get better and better, I would highly recommend this book to anyone with even a slight interest in speculative fiction. 

5 out of 5 stars. 

smashdragons.blogspot.com.au

A review copy was provided. 

Book Review - Abduction by Alan Baxter

It is no secret that I am a fan of Alan Baxter. When I first read Bound last year I touted him as one of the future stars of speculative fiction in this country, and after reading Abduction I still stand firm on that opinion. 

Abduction finds Alex Caine in a bad way. The weight of the world and its secrets have taken their toll, and some days Alex finds it hard to even get out of bed. Alone one night, Alex is overwhelmed by a band of Fey who kidnap him and take him away from the mortal realm. Their leader, a powerful enemy, wants the Darak from his chest. Another more familiar enemy has also returned seeking vengeance, and Alex and his friends will need all of their power and intellect to fight both of these foes. The fate of the world rests on whether they succeed or not. 

So what did I love about Abduction? Pretty much everything!

Abduction is a cracking adventure that will leave you needing a sweat rag and a lie down after finishing it. From the outset Baxter sets a frantic pace that pulls no punches as Alex is suddenly kidnapped and whisked away to the deadly realm of the Fey and their Queen. From this start the story unfolds at a rapid rate and twists and turns as Alex and Silhouette attempt to save the world, and familiar and unfamiliar players emerge from the shadows in a showdown that has been coming for a very long time. 

Sublime action is Baxter's norm, and Abduction does not disappoint. Each action sequence and fight scene were choreographed brilliantly, and at times I was left stunned by the realism and violent intent on the pages. You really can tell that Baxter has a background in martial arts, and by god does he use that knowledge to great effect! I was glued to these to these scenes, and I felt every punch and kick ricochet off the pages as I read. 

The characterisation and world building were again very strong in Abduction, and I adored seeing old foes return to the fray as events spiralled out of control. Alex, despite being incredibly powerful, has almost buckled from the pressure that this has brought upon him, and his conflicted nature was one of the highlights of this series for me. I loved the fact that despite his power he still experiences depression, fear, anger, and hopelessness. His power bears a cost, and it is one that he struggles with. With Alex being trapped in the land of the Fey there is also a much greater focus on secondary characters in Abduction. 

Silhouette is again alluring and deadly, and the roles of Armour and Black Diamond are fleshed out much more. The Lady is an enthralling new player who both delighted and terrified me at the same time, and the return of Robert Hood is brilliantly executed. Hood was one of my favourite characters from Bound (alongside the Subcontractor, who just creeped the fuck out of me!), and his return really added a sense of dread and danger to the book for me. Baxter also knowingly laces the narrative with tidbits and world building that both delighted and informed me without ever slowing the pace of the story down. His universe is dark, deadly, and addictive, and it will grab you by your eyeballs and steadfastly refuse to let go.

Baxter has continued to improve with each book, and Abduction is arguably his finest work yet. The twists and turns left me reeling, and the ending was both surprising and very satisfying. Baxter has now reached the milestone of being an author whose work I immediately buy without question now, such is his talent for weaving a great story. 

Abduction is a fantastic tale filled with magical splendour and pools of bloody and violent realism. I would highly recommend it (and the rest of Baxter's work) to anyone with a beating heart and functioning brain.

4 out of 5 stars

smashdragons.blogspot.com.au

Book Review - The Vagrant by Peter Newman

The Vagrant tells the story of a lone Seraph Knight (The Vagrant) as he travels across a post-demonic and apocalyptic landscape with only a legendary sword and a baby for companionship. He must deliver this sword to the Shining City, the last bastion of humanity, if there is to be any hope of defeating the demonic plague. But the Shining City is far away, and the blasted lands are a very dangerous place. 

I was lucky enough to be the recipient of an early ARC of the Vagrant many months ago. At the time I was blown away by the ambition and scope of the story, and following its release my opinion has only grown after reading it again in its final form. The Vagrant is one of the most fresh and compelling books I've read in years, with Newman weaving an imaginative and enthralling story that is set in arguably one of my favourite worlds since I read Frank Herbert's Dune a long time ago. 

So what did I love about this book that warranted me giving it a full rating of five stars? Oh so many things. 

The titular Vagrant is arguably one of the most fascinating protagonists I've come across in years. A mute, he doesn't speak (although he can sing, which reminded me of people with speech impediments who can't speak but sing beautifully without any trouble) throughout the entire book. Instead, he communicates solely via facial expressions, gestures and cues, and body language. In fact Newman does a superb job of showing rather than telling throughout the entire book, and it made for absolutely enthralling reading. I adored how the Vagrant interacted with those around him, and a simple thing such as a waved hand or a raised eyebrow drove the story along and made for such a wonderful and unique reading experience. The Vagrant's background as a Seraph Knight also remained mysterious right to the end, despite the use of flashbacks throughout the book. This for me added to his mystique and compelling nature, but may leave some readers who want things fully fleshed out disappointed. 

I also loved the other characters in this book. Vesper, the infant on the cover, brought a real sense of innocence and fragility to the story. Her bond and relationship with the Vagrant is one of the highlights of the book. I adored how he watched over and protected her (as a stay at home father for my beautiful little girl I can relate) as they travelled, and I laughed out loud at parental moments like nappies that needed changing at the worst possible place and time. The constant struggle to feed and protect Vesper from both demons and humans alike was also incredibly vivid and real, adding a real tension as they travelled across the blasted lands. Harm was another fascinating character who joins the Vagrant and Vesper as they travel. His redemptive evolution into another surrogate parent of Vesper is wonderful, and made even more so by the fact that he is tainted by demonic energies. There are so many other compelling characters in this story, far too many for me to go into in this review. One however that has to be mentioned is the goat. A point of view character in some sections of the book, the goat provides many hilarious moments of stubbornness that made me laugh and shake my head at it all. I've had goats, and trust me they are infuriating buggers that somehow manage to find a way into your heart. The goat in the Vagrant is the same. 

The world building in The Vagrant is also stunning beyond belief. Weaving together elements borrowed from fantasy, science fiction, and apocalyptic fiction, Newman has produced one of the most amazing and jaw-dropping settings I've read in many years. The blasted lands come to life before your eyes in a way that reminded me of Stephen King's Gunslinger, the Warhmmer universe (the forces of Chaos especially) and the Fallout games. I felt very alone and alienated playing those games, and I got the same sense of hopelessness and danger around every corner from this book. The blasted lands are gritty, dark, and incredibly dangerous, with the demonic hordes and their leaders changing the face of literally everything. The humans that survived the invasion are mostly tainted (some by choice), and deformed cities and ruins that pockmark the landscape are shadows of their former selves. In showcasing this ruined world Newman also describes what existed before the invasion, a world where an advanced civilisation reigned supreme. Sky ships traversed the skies, armoured tanks and trains powered over the land, and the power of the Seven and the Seraph Knights was unchallenged. This distinction between the two worlds is also what makes The Vagrant so addictive. I loved reading about the broken and tainted remnants of humanity cannibalising technology in order to try and eke out a vestige of their former existence, and the environmental changes brought about by the release of demonic energies alone made this book worth it. 

The action itself is also top notch, and I licked my lips at the many battles and fights that unfolded throughout the book. The prologue, depicting the initial invasion from the Breach and the downfall of Gamma, was poetic and enthralling from the outset, and the fights that followed also were amazing and gruesome in nature. In fact I'd argue that Newman has a real knack for choreographing a fight scene (it comes as no surprise that he has a background in Drama), with his use of language, tone and emotion in these parts keeping me glued to the book from start to finish. The plot raced along at a fast pace, and at no stage did I feel that it laboured or slowed down. By the end of the book I still had many questions unanswered, but I felt that the foundations of what is truly going to be an amazing series had been well and truly laid. 

To put it simply... I cannot find any fault with this book. I loved every single part of it. It is that bloody good! Newman has achieved something truly magical with this book in my opinion, and I haven't been as excited for a series since I first read Frank Herbert's Dune back in high school. 

The Vagrant is a unique tale that is both wondrous and epic in scope and execution. An amazing debut, with an amazing future ahead. The Vagrant will now take pride of place on my bookshelves, and I cannot wait for more. An absolute must read!

5 out of 5 stars.

smashdragons.blogspot.com.au

A review copy was provided.

My recent trip... and how my faith in humanity was restored in a bookshop

I've been itching to write this post for the past week or so. If you are one of the few who follow my twitter feed then you would have noticed that my partner and I recently had our first trip away since the birth of our daughter. To say it felt weird leaving her behind with family is an understatement, but it was a good opportunity to go and have a couple of days RnR in Canberra and do some things that aren't possible with little kids (such as the simple pleasure of going out to dinner and seeing a late movie afterwards). 

We both enjoyed our adventure, but it was our visit to a bookstore that arguably was the highlight of the trip. Canty's Bookshop is an ACT institution. In 2014 BuzzFeed listed it as one of the 17 book bookshops in Australia that you should visit before you die. And after spending almost 5 hours of bliss in there I can safely say BuzzFeed was right. Tucked away in the suburb of Fyshwick, Canty's storefront is as unassuming as you can get. In fact it looks more like the frontage of an appliance outlet store then one of Australia's premier used bookshops. It's only after you enter that the magic of the place unfolds before your very eyes. Books, literally tens of thousands of them stacked from floor to roof, greet you. And nestled next to the cash register and surrounded by piles of more books and a warm beverage is Luke Canty, one of the most gentle and charming hosts I've ever stumbled across in a bookstore. He made my partner and I feel like we were browsing our shelves at home, and never once hassled us as we settled into his store for the long haul of unearthing treasures everywhere we looked. It was an amazing experience, and both my partner and I had to return to the car to retrieve bags to carry our hauls in. 

A quick run down of my haul included books on military history, sports biographies, gardening, and naturally fantasy and science fiction. I was able to pick up an entire set of the Harry Potter books in mint condition for $30 to gift to my daughter when she is a little older, and I managed to score titles by Adrian Tchaikovsky, Adam Roberts, Jim Butcher and many more to add to my overflowing collection here at home. But it was an experience I had whilst browsing over the SF/F titles that blew me away and restored my faith in humanity. 

Before I go on some context. Where I live I don't see many kids reading, or showing that much interest in reading for that matter. The local library is small, and when I notice kids in there they mainly are on the computers playing games rather then borrowing books. There is no bookstore in town either, and the nearest one outside of town is an hour away by car. So when I heard the following squeal from the people next to me my curiosity was piqued...

"KATE FORSYTH! OH MY GOD... THE POOL OF TWO MOONS! MUM! MUM! CAN I GET IT!?!" 

I peeked out of the corner of my eye, and I saw a mother and her young daughter browsing the SF/F section alongside me. The girl was bouncing up and down in excitement, and her mother was smiling broadly as she took the book down from the shelf and added it to the basket they were carrying. 

"Thanks so much mum! I love Kate Forsyth.. I wonder if they ha... OH MY GOD... OH MY GOD... THE RHIANNON'S RIDE SERIES!!!!!!!" 

And on it went for the best part of 15 minutes. The daughter would find a book she had heard about or author whose work she loved, and she would let out a squeal of delight and infectious excitement that just restored my faith in humanity. My partner had wandered to my side by this time, and we just were struck at how passionate this young girl was about books and reading. It really made us both feel good, and it was a random event that really drove home for us the importance of giving our daughter the opportunity to share our passion for books and reading as well. 

As we left I noticed the mother and daughter pair snuggled together on one of Canty's numerous couches reading the afternoon away. It is my hope that one day I will see something like this where I live.

Faith in humanity restored... and parenting done right!

Book Review - The Iron Ghost by Jen Williams

When I think of Jen Williams and her writing a few words spring to mind... adventurous... fun... and balanced. The Iron Ghost, the sequel to the very successful The Copper Promise, is all of these and so much more. 

The Iron Ghost picks up on the adventures of protagonists Lord Frith, Sebastian, and Wydrin as they find themselves in high demand following the events of The Copper Promise. When a job comes up in the distant city of Skaldshollow it looks like an easy way to make money. But things are never easy, and an infamous mage appears alongside enemies old and new to threaten the heroes in ways they could never imagine. 

I loved many things about The Iron Ghost. Like The Copper Promise, it is a very fresh and modern take on the classic fantasy adventure that we all know and love. Firth, Sebastian, and Wydrin are as rich and vivid as I remember them, and the cast of new characters (Joah Demonsworn especially) have added a real depth to the adventure. The story is propelled along at a cracking pace, with action aplenty and magical and bestial mayhem on every page. Williams has also managed to weave a sense of purpose and meaning into this book, and you find yourself immersed not only in the action that leaps out from the pages but also in the thoughts and motivations of the characters. I especially loved gaining an insight into the mind of Joah Demonsworn, and his slip into madness was depicted brilliantly by the narrative. The world building again is filled with detail and depth, and Williams has taken her writing to another level by incorporating a sense of grit and realism that wasn't as present in The Copper Promise. I adored reading this book as my eyes lit up at the many mage battles, demon infused children, dragons and walking stone statues! The Iron Ghost has literally taken all that is good about Dungeons and Dragons and added an enthralling sense of character and fun to it that has brought the genre of quest fantasy into the 21st century. I finished this book in one sitting, and the ripping and fun filled banter between the characters kept me glued from start to finish. 

Jen Williams has an amazing gift for storytelling, and The Iron Ghost highlights this. It is amazing to think that she is still a relatively new writer on the scene, with only two books under her belt. All in all The Iron Ghost is a vibrant and inventive fantasy filled with addictive characters and action. The Dungeons and Dragons for a new generation, I would highly recommend this book to anyone with even a remote interest in speculative fiction.

4 out of 5 stars.

A review copy was provided.