Fantasy is my favourite genre and so when I was given this ARC by Netgalley I was thrilled to bits. I've never read any of Conn Igulden's historical fiction and so this was a completely new author for me.
The magic in this world was done with a light touch- my favourite was the boy Arthur. The strongest magical elements seem to have been remnants from a time long past, but here and there people had 'knacks' for certain magical skills. The story is told from multiple points of view, not all with a clear distinct voice.
I generally prefer more character development and for me, there was a disconnect between me as reader and the characters, for which I knocked off a star. The most interesting development for me was between Tellius and Lady Sallet.
There was plenty of action to keep the most blood thirsty fantasist happy and I am interested to see how the story continues in the next instalment.

This is more 3.5 stars than just 3. I liked parts of this book quite a bit.

I really enjoyed Arthur's character, and I would have loved to see more of his POV. I felt that it was kind of unique at times, although this wasn't always consistent.

I feel like there wasn't enough backstory. I would have liked to see more of the motivations of the main characters for the way the actions they took.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read with some room for future improvement.

First part of new fantasy series – very good

This first part of a new fantasy series by Conn Iggulden is a very good start and shows that this author (who I have not read before) knows what he is doing. It deals with a world with a major city, Darien of the title. It has links with our own world as the Bible is known here. It is a world where magic occurs and three main characters all possess some link to magic. Elias has a knack of avoiding danger, Nancy can absorb and channel magic and Arthur is a golem with photographic reflexes. Their lives intertwine as power struggles break out in Darien.

The writing is successful although a little repetitive at times, especially in the fighting in the last act. The plot is engaging, the characters are well-defined and I am certainly curious as to where this goes next. The series shows a great deal of promise and I recommend it to lovers of fantasy.

So we have the classic epic fantasy multiple POV set up with six men and one woman (sigh) all of whom were supposed to be quite different but I just kept mixing them all up because I didn’t feel that they had particularly distinctive voices. The possible exceptions to this were Arthur and Nancy (given that these were a child and a woman it’s not that surprising that they were more distinctive than the sea of violent men that were the other characters).

But I hate being negative about books so let’s look to the positive. I do think this is a classic epic fantasy world clearly created by someone with an interest in historical fiction (the genre this author normally writes in). We have an older society with the addition of magic, largely based in artefacts though some can wield it in various ways. While this isn’t particularly innovative it was handled well, and the simplicity of the setting lends itself to a series as you can expand on principles later on if needs be.

Unsurprisingly, I liked the character of Nancy best, call me a cliché but I like a strong female character. I thought that the mystery surrounding her skills was handled well and that she developed well throughout the book. Arthur was also an interesting element to the story (not going to spoil that for you though).

So as I say, I think this book could have been really quite good, it just fell short in a few ways (for me, you might love it). I felt like the concept of the twelve families wasn’t expounded as much as it could have been, just to make the political system feel a bit more fleshed out, and I felt as though we jumped from calm to action really quite quickly with not much of a sense of continuity between the two. The flow was just a bit off for me which hindered my enjoyment of the book as a whole.

My rating: 3/5 stars (I liked it but I wouldn’t read it again)

Darien publishes on July 13th so if you fancy a trip to this fantasy world you can preorder now!

By the way: I received a digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher (Penguin Uk-Michael Joseph) via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.

I can barely follow what's going on in this book, it jumps about a lot between characters, which makes it hard to follow. I reckon I could really get into this book and enjoy it, but I'd have to be in the right mood for it, and now is not the time sadly.

Darien is a city in the new fantasy series by Conn Iggulden. He is more known for his historical fiction books. This is his first journey into fantasy and is aimed at Teen and YA readers, but also works very well for adult audiences as well.

Darien is ruled over by Twelve families, with overall control lying with the King. He is only a weak figurehead, with all the decisions being made behind the scenes by the Families. The main characters are Elias Post from the village of Wyburn, he is the main food hunter of the village. When the plague arrives he decides that he needs medicine for his family, along with Vic Deeds they make their way to the city. Vic Deeds has his own reasons for accompanying Elias. Daw and Nancy are associates of sorts, their own paths meet and events occur that require a special kind of partnership. Tellius and his group of ragged boys, who work their own trade for the benefit of Tellius and their group, he is a very likeable Fagin type character. Then there is Arthur, a boy who does not speak. They all have their own reason for being in the city. There are a couple of the characters who have an ability, or a knack. This becomes more apparent as the story unfolds.

The author has created some great characters, as well as the ones previously mentioned, there are also ones who I feel will make themselves known more in future books. The emphasis for this book seems to be more on the characters than on the setting. With this being the first in a series, the foundations have been set, I would like to think more detail about the history of this world will be explored in future books. The writing is a bit disjointed at times with character changes mid chapter, but not so much as to lose track of the story. Once the stories of the individuals start to merge, towards the latter half of the book, it really does becomes a brilliant, imaginative and action packed read.

I will be keeping my eye out for further books in this series and will definitely be reading more.

I would recommend this book to more mature YA readers as well as Adult fantasy readers.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and also C.F.Iggulden for my ARC of this book, for my honest and unbiased opinion

I went into this one with very high expectations and a lot of excitement. I'm a big fan of Iggulden's HistFic, and love fantasy, so it seemed like a perfect match.

Initially, however, i was vaguely disappointing. The build up seemed a little slow, and there didn't appear to be the worldbuilding and scope that I've come to expect from fantasy.

However the pace was good, and after the first 3rd, i was hooked. The book raced through then, switching seamlessly through PoV characters, and building to an immense and hugely satisfying conclusion.

If book 2 can expand on this ending, and develop this world further (which appears to be a post-apocalyptic earth), then Iggulden is onto a winner here.

I don’t get to read many fantasy novels and this novel went a long way in making sure I make amends for that. I enjoyed the book from the get go, getting wrapped into the world and plot generation as we learn about 3 specific characters/character groups and how a little something special harboured by each of them will shift the fate of Darien.

Ah, magic! Always so good when you can get absorbed into something that isn’t real.
I loved the way magic was incorporated into the story and the greater history of Darien. The perfect amount of back story and world building was provided whilst still ensuring that there is still so much more to be offered and explained. Enough to make the story flow, and enough to make sure you will await the second in the series with great anticipation.

At times I felt that more could be portrayed when it came to the emotional/physical interactions between key characters, but then I also felt that the way it was portrayed was akin to the setting and the way Iggulden intended it to be.

All in all a great book.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin UK for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love Conn Iggulden's historical fiction, especially the Ghengis Khan series and Dunstan, but couldn't get into this and didn't finish it. I used to read a lot of fantasy and I think I just overdid the genre so now it doesn't hold the appeal that it did. That said, it's clearly well-written, thoughtful and I could see an interesting emergent story for those who are fans of this type of fiction, so I gave it 3 stars on the basis of the author's proven track record.

I decided to try a slightly different genre for a change. I found the book a little slow going at first but it gained pace as the story went on. I liked the magical elements and the way the different characters came together towards the end of the book. If there was a follow up book to this one I would definitely be interested to read it.

I've always enjoyed Iggulden's historical fiction, so I was intrigued to try his fantasy offering. I was not disappointed. It's epic, detailed in its plot, darkly humorous and utterly believable. Fantastic world building and characterisation make this a really unique blend of history and fantasy.

Darien

Plot
3 concurrent stories are woven together. The story telling ability of the author cannot be denied; neither can his characterisation and backstory development. However, the constant jumping from one thread to another that comes without warning becomes frustrating very quickly. I tried really hard to get into the overall story but there is just not enough time given for any scene to hold your attention. Just as soon as you think you are getting into it the story lurches to another group of characters. As the book continues there is a clear drawing together of threads around the city of Darien and there is a weeding out of characters but by that time I had no investment in the story and just wanted the book to end.

Don’t get me wrong, it is a good story and some of the themes and plot twists are interesting. The pace of the story is well handled with a balance of story development and action. The use of magic, magical objects and extrasensory perception was credible, but it should be noted that there is a clear moral aspect to this side of the story concerning the effects of power on the individual. Innocence is a tool to be used and as such there are no unsullied heroes, similarly there are an awful lot of victims.

All of the themes resolve themselves in the end and there is a drawing together of a number of them into a more understandable and focussed dénouement. This closer binding makes the latter part of the book a much better and easier read, oh that it had been done much sooner.

I asked for this for my partner who is a big Iggulden fan.
It must be a great read as I haven't heard a word out of him since he started reading!

Conn Iggulden is better known for his historical fiction, which I love, so jumped at the chance to read Darien, the first in the Empire of Salt series.
This is a fast-paced high action fantasy which I loved and look forward to the next. 5*

I received an advanced copy of Darien: Empire of Salt via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank C.F. Iggulden, Michael Joseph, and Penguin Random House UK.

C.F. Iggulden is an alias of Conn Iggulden. The master of historical fiction who has released the critically acclaimed Emperor series and Conqueror series. The slight change of pen name is due Darien being his first foray into creating a fantasy tale. Darien is the name of a huge city in this fantasy world that houses over a quarter of a million citizens and the majority of the narrative is set within the city walls. There are twelve ruling family's in this complex political set-up. Each has great influence and almost act as puppeteers controlling the weak figurehead monarch. Unlike a lot of recent fantasy that has staggeringly grandiose fantasy worlds featuring a score of cities and hundreds of characters, Darien focuses more on the individuals, their actions and relationships in a more enclosed environment. There are about 10 main characters that we get to know relatively well in these 350 or so pages. The first half of the book follows about five points of view perspectives and the action sometimes switches mid-chapter to another players antics elsewhere. This switching of perspectives is administered well and it never becomes confusing or disorientating. Towards the end of the book a couple of extra POV's are added but they are usually in the presence of a person we are familiar with so this is also a seamless transition. There seem to be two types of characters presented here. Individuals that have stunning, special and perhaps even magical abilities and others that seem more normal and human, but this isn't to say that they lack unique talents. All in all, I think that the characters presented are expertly sculptured. The youth, Arthur Quick, and the hunter, Elias were my personal favourites.

The world does feature magic including rumours of sorcerers or witches, certain individuals knacks, and magic devices. I won't say too much about this aspect. It isn't earth-shatteringly original but it is well crafted and creates a real sense of intrigue. There is one scene which bizarrely reminded me of Disney's Aladdin that is excellent and magic focused.

This story is of quite an adult nature featuring destruction, murder, battles, kidnapping, and blackmail. The narrative is brimming with astonishing set-pieces. A segment at 60% through was as gripping and exciting as the finales of many great stories. Perhaps because I was treated with this gem of a sequence, the ending, although very good, fulfilling and expertly composed seemed a bit flatter in comparison. Although the majority of threads are tied up nicely there were a couple of loose ends and questions are presented as to what will come next. For example, will we follow the same characters? Will it be set a different city entirely somewhere else in the empire? Whatever comes next, I do not doubt Iggulden knows his craft and what follows Darien will be just as good, if not better. To conclude, this is an impressive, action-packed, character focused take on fantasy by the excellent Iggulden. I am looking forward to what the author has in store for us next on his fantasy venture.

James x

Have been a fan of Mr Iggluden since his Emperor series I jumped at the chance to read his epic new novel that starts off a new series of books. Darien introduces us to great new characters from gunslingers and magicians to a Fagan like character who teaches street urchins the secrets of a long lost art of sword fighting. Add to this a hunter who has the power to Reach and dodge swords and bullets and we have stunning story that follows the lives of these characters as they become intertwined in an attempt to assassinate the king and overthrow the thrown. An excellent story and a sure fire hit with characters you would love to read about in standalone books. The Golum is a fascinating boy who can mimic correctly after only one viewing and is the books standout character, an ancient assassin in the body of a 10 year old boy. A stunning start to what hints to be an exciting series.

Author Conn Iggulden has crafted an epic fantasy tale that can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. This is sword and sorcery at its finest, with plenty of background information to keep the reader interested until the final page.

The book information touts this as a series, but you would never know it. Although there are untold stories that could branch off of “Darien,” this particular tale starts and finishes in one book. This is a story of intrigue and hidden desires, and of people caught in a web of someone else’s making.

Many books have individual characters, each moving through a personal adventure that may eventually cross the path or paths of the others. Mr. Iggulden has grouped his cast into pairs, with each having their own story and interaction. Hunter Elias Post travels with gunslinger Vic Deeds (guns being new to this world). An uneasy respect and tension rides along, as Post and Deeds must rely on each other to survive. Tellius ( a teacher, of sorts) and Arthur (an incredibly apt student) find themselves unwillingly pulled into a dangerous situation, and each solution only seems to makes things worse. Daw and Nancy find out more about themselves and each other than they may have originally wished. Each pair follows their chosen paths and eventually end up in Darien, only to find other strings have been pulled and everything is not as it first seemed.

The author provides plenty of glimpses inside many of the characters, providing backstories and motivations. While I might have wished for more of the sights and sounds of the city, Mr. Iggulden more than made up for it with the battle scenes and the interaction between characters.

As stated above, this book can be read and enjoyed by all ages. Although there are large and small battles, it is not described with excessive gore, and Mr. Iggulden has written a book without a hint of adult language or intimate sexual scenes. This is an adventure tale first and foremost. Five stars.

I received a free EArc from Netgalley.

In the preface to the novel, the author gives his thanks to those writers of fantasy that have influenced his own writing. I was not surprised to find the names of Mark Lawrence and Robin Hobb amongst those mentioned as they are such huge names in the fantasy genre, (there are many others as well, but I've not read them all). As such, I was keen to begin reading the author's first foray into fantasy, expecting great things from such a well-regarded author, if one I've often struggled to appreciate as much as everyone else, finding his style to be a little too cold in regard to his historical characters. This novel certainly feels much warmer towards the various main characters and this is one of its strengths. This warmth makes the storyline much easier to read (I've often been left wondering why he even bothered to write about some of the characters he's chosen in the past- when it seems he had neither passion or regard for them).

Yet for all that, this novel is not astounding or jaw dropping as a Mark Lawrence and Robin Hobb book would be, with their pitch perfect characterizations and world building. It is a reasonably well-crafted novel, although little but character development seems to happen for the first 50% of the novel, and from then on, some of it seems a little rushed. I was also a bit, well peeved, to find a whole new character being introduced at about 80%. I always think this smacks a little too much of desperation (a bit like a who done it when the author brings in a new character as the actual perpetrator even though we've never heard of them before). It is a fairly run of the mill fantasy - the story is enjoyable without being astounding; the magic abilities of some of the characters are interesting; the baddies are bad, the goodies are good and there are a few in-between who we don't ever learn enough about to say one way or another - they are filler for the rest of the story.

I also found some of the author's naming conventions to be annoying - Tellius, Nancy, Daw, Arthur, Lady Sallet - too much of a mix with no firm basis for why these names are relevant -poor Nancy should have had a much exotic name (although without any X's or Z's in it).

Yet, for all that, this is without doubt, the most enjoyable novel I've yet read by this author. I'm sure that his fans will very much enjoy it, and if it opens their eyes to the wonderful worlds of Robin Hobb and Mark Lawrence, then this should be seen as a plus. Sometimes it takes a popular author to jump genre to find that new genre new fans.

If there's a second book would I read it? At the moment, I don't know. The novel would need to be about something a little different - I like my fantasy to be bold and new - always a little different and not regurgitating the same old stories (I might be in the minority here) - and as such, this novel is a little too mundane for me. There is nothing new on offer in this fantasy series - but, as I said, this might be just what some people are looking for.

(I will add to Goodreads/my Wordpress blog/Amazon no more than 1 week before publication, as requested.)

This one just didn't work for me and to be honest I am not entirely sure why. The writing was good, the characters were pretty well written and it was easy to get into, but I just wasn't invested in it. I didn't connect with the characters and the plot didn't grab me. Overall this didn't work for me but it is still worth a read if it sounds interesting to you.

Darien is the start of a new series by C.F. Iggulden. Iggulden is perhaps better known for writing several series of well received historical fiction, but this is his first foray into fantasy.

Darien is a feudal city-state in a low-magic world. That world seems to share a certain amount of history with our own – there’s the occasional mention of Romans, for example. But there was a divergence – a grand empire, the Empire of Salt, formed and fell – and Darien is one of its successor states. Most of the world-building is focused on the contemporary, though there’s scattered mentions and inferences one can make about the history of Darien to this point. Currently, however, Darien is an unequal society. It’s ruled by twelve noble families, each with their own heritage and rivalries. They sit beneath a monarch – in this case, a relatively tractable one. The people are a swirling morass, trying to get through their day to day without notice from their social superiors. There’s evidence of a slowly burgeoning middle-class though – merchants thriving in the main streets of Darien, and those with the wages to purchase their wares.

It feels like an insular society, one which holds on to old feuds and older grudges. At the same time, it has a familiarity to it – the twisting alleys of Darien evoke those of the medieval period. Darien and its outlying environs do have some differences though – mostly in their magic. There’s old sorcery sitting with vicious quiet in ancient tombs, and powerful artifacts horded by families. Some people seem to have knacks, as well – peculiar skills and talents which may exceed or defy the norm.
I wanted to see more of Darien – of the people in it, f the customs and habits which defined them, and of the strange and familiar world in which they find themselves. What’s there is intriguing, suggestive, and builds a solid foundation, but left me hungry for more.

The characters – well, this is a narrative from multiple points of view. So we range from hunters to thieves, from martial troubleshooters to troubled duellists. The main cast get enough elbow room to differentiate themselves, though as with the world, I ended up wanting more. Standouts include Elias Post – a hunter, he begins the story as an unremarkable and pleasant man. As matters progress, though, he is offered some exceedingly difficult choices. The text doesn’t back away from this; in fact it embraces it, which is marvellous. Post grows quickly, and in different directions than we might otherwise have expected. There’s echoes of Monte Cristo there, as Post struggles to fulfil his overriding purpose, with no regard to the cost to himself – or what the struggle to reach his goals will turn him into.

I also thoroughly enjoyed following Tellius. An old soldier, and not from Darien, he has a sharp intelligence which made following his thoughts enjoyable and a wry cynicism which made me chuckle more than once. Tellius is a pragmatist, with some moral constraints. He’s learned to look out for number one, but struggles against that lesson. Tellius’ dry wit and focus made walking alongside him amusing. The hints of a complex past that were thrown out, and his own efforts to be something better, despite himself, made the journey a pleasure.

There were other points of view here for example the vulpine Vic Deeds, the ultimate guiltless problem solver, is charming and ruthless in equal measure, I won’t approach the others, for fear of spoilers – but I will say that even if I wanted more time with these characters, I still felt they had sufficient depth to encourage emotional investment, and to keep me turning pages alongside them.
The plot – well, there’s certainly a lot going on. There’s assassination attempts, some very fast-paced and visceral duels, and even a battle or two. Those are choreographed masterfully, and Iggulden brings the movements of large masses of troops, and the dangers and chaos which they face, to life brilliantly. In between the murders, the politicking and the struggles for the life of the city, there’s some touchingly genuine emotional moments as well. It’s epic fantasy at its most literal – the fate of empires settled with fire, sword and pistol shot. In this case, there’s some rather explosive magic thrown in as well.

Is it any good though? I’d say so. It approaches the form of epic fantasy with care, and constructs a story which kept me interested and unwilling to put the book down. I want to see more of the world and the people in it, but that’s less a criticism than a hope for future instalments. If you’re looking for something new to fill your next epic fantasy fix, then this will see you right.