Debut Showcase: Lamentation by Ken Scholes

Lamentation (Amazon USA, UK, Canada)
by Ken Scholes (website, blog)
Hardcover
Tor Books
Audio Excerpt

Tor's Blurb:

An ancient weapon has completely destroyed the city of Windwir. From many miles away, Rudolfo, Lord of the Nine Forest Houses, sees the horrifying column of smoke rising. He knows that war is coming to the Named Lands.

Nearer to the Devastation, a young apprentice is the only survivor of the city – he sat waiting for his father outside the walls, and was transformed as he watched everyone he knew die in an instant.

Soon all the Kingdoms of the Named Lands will be at each others' throats, as alliances are challenged and hidden plots are uncovered.

This remarkable first novel from an award-winning short fiction writer will take readers away to a new world – an Earth so far in the distant future that our time is not even a memory; a world where magick is commonplace and great areas of the planet are impassable wastes. But human nature hasn’t changed through the ages: War and faith and love still move princes and nations.

Tia's Take:
Read it, loved it. My review should be the next post up.

Mulluane's Take:

Geez, how do I follow that take? I have read this type of fantasy; the type set so far in the future that it no longer has any comparison to our world, and enjoyed it. It depends on the focus. If it is a degraded world where science is mainly forgotten and weapons are primitive (by our standards) then I find I enjoy it much more. I'll have to wait on Tia's review before I make up my mind on this one.