Review: Quality Epic Fantasy With A Dynamic World  (Fantascize.com Review)
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 27, 2013
Book 1 of the Quintessence Cycle by Terry C. Simpson: Game of Souls ("Far'an Senjin") is an epic fantasy full of action and magic in a medieval world where power --not just class power but also internal "soul" power-- is the driving force of its moving plot.The exhilarating nature emanating in the the novel's cover art, is an accurate reflection of the experience readers would feel when they enter the world that Simpson gracefully builds.The Game opens up with a somewhat-seductive conversation between Tharkansen and Elysse the Temptress --A lighthearted scene that establishes the novel's formal tone typically heard in most medieval fantasy. Even Ellyse's statement moved me:"They say a man's strength is ameasure of his soul. Let's see how deep yours is."The word "soul" has a layered context which could refer to either a person's spirit or the measure of magic, the aura, the mana in Simpson's fantasy. Yet Simpson emphasizes on the latter meaning --An abstract yet well-developed magic system that the author clearly explains early on, without being overly-technical. Terms like Sintu, Tern , or Hyzen (soul abilities) may take readers some time to familiarize, but thankfully, Simpson does not let the concept be the only the fuel of the novel's dynamic experience. It reminds me of the manga Bleach in a way --where the soul is a substance of power.The main plot focuses on the protagonists: Keedar and Winslow. Though they make a good team, their class differences and some people around them, limit their freedom to train and discover the truth. Keedar is a bitter scoundrel or "dreg" from the Smear (A poverty-striken region); Winslow is the fortunate nobleman of House Mandrigal of Count Cardiff. They meet in the Smear, and their lives converge from that point: Keedar is introduced to Count Cardiff and Winslow meets his mentor, Keedar's heroic father, Delisar.From the the novel's title and themes, one could not help but compare Simpson's fiction to George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones. There are some clear similarities: the royal courtesies, the soothing and often overly-proper language in dialogues, and there are people who are planning to plot against the King so there's deception, betrayals, and bloodshed involved. Even the Farlanders remind me The Wildlings in a way. Although there's a few spices of sex in Simpson's writings, they don't permeate within the heart of the story. The lack of strong female characters feel like a void that needs to be filled. Men rule in this world no matter how wealthy.But don't get me wrong: the theme that money equals power is clearly expressed here. The grandiose home of King Jemare, The Golden Spires, is the total opposite of The Smears, but it's not only the visuals that distinguish the lifestyles of social classes; The language and attitude that the dialogues between Keedar and Winslow, help build the culture of the kingdoms.Simpson does an excellent job in describing the settings of his novel; I particularly like the rich and beautiful descriptions of the Treskilin Forest. Even the harsh living conditions of The Smear is vivid. The tavern Jarina's Hands and the Undertow are also memorable places. The author effectively weaves sharp imagery to tantalize the senses, and he uses interesting similes to describe some things, such as this:"The roundness of her ass, so much like an apple"Even derins (unique creatures) are interesting; I just wished there are other creatures that meander the hunting grounds. Even the subtle details characterize the main players. However, some descriptions are as vague as the soul itself, such as the firesticks.Because of the omniscient third-person perspective, much of the narratives and chapter titles reveal too much, leaving me little freedom to speculate and wonder, and minimizing the potential for suspense. For instance, when the mystery of Winslow's parents' true identity is being described, I felt like it was too telly. Most of the best-written dialogues involve Count Cardiff; His conversation with Seligula is striking. Even the wizardly Delizar gives us some quotable lines:"That's the problem with books. They can make some things sound so easy, brush over all the danger"."No matter what,...always look for a way to profit from the worst situations. There is always something to earn, even if it's only a lesson."The tension escalates in the last-fourth of the book: from the chapter "Friends and Foe" --an abrupt trigger-scene that awakened me from an unexciting middle. The climax is where it really picks up, moving the plot to a point-of-no-return. The fighting scenes are finely-paced, and they're fun to read, but I just wish the environments are used to their advantage with the action-packed conflicts. Delisar vs. Sorinya --Though short-lived, is the most interesting battle in this novel.Overall, Game of Souls is a marvelous novel, probably one of the best new epic fantasies you can find in Amazon today; Fans of medieval classics like Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings, will most-likely find something that they're already familiar with in this series, and I'm expecting that Simpson has a lot to offer his readers in the sequels.(This review is originally published in Fantascize.com)