Talismans of Puissance
By Justin Hinks 

      It is always interesting to read a debut novel by a young writer and here is a fat fantasy novel that ought to appeal to aficionados of D&D type fantasy. King Traaylon, the delightfully informal ruler of Traaylonia has a problem; the neighboring country of Marhtonia is spoiling for a war with them and showing too much interest in their gold mines. The amoral King of Marhtonia, Acurrah, possesses a magic sceptre, which the blacksmith Nuell believes will end the fighting, but first it must be fetched. It is Nuell's idea to send his king and four other people on a quest to find it, all armed with magical weapons of this own devising. This seems a straightforward enough plan, but the quintet are in for a lot of adventures along the way.

     You are probably thinking that there is nothing new about a tale of quests and magical weapons and yes, you are right about that much. But it is how a story is told that makes it interesting, and there are many things that make this one somewhat unique. For one thing, Hinks has an innovative turn of phrase and things like "frustration built a cabin on Hyslon's soil of anger" and "billows of newborn dust" vie for attention with the modern speech of the characters. The pace is admirable, and a lot happens in the 600+ pages, making it a fast read despite the book's size. I would have preferred it if the countries inhabited by these lively characters had been better realized, but they seem shadowy. I wondered the precedence for King Traaylon's informality with his subjects and the blacksmith's far more commanding presence for one thing, but these gripes aside, if you want an entertaining sword & sorcery fantasy with plenty of action then this ought to be right up your assassin-haunted dark alley.