Writer of Fantasy and Horror
from J.J. DiBenedetto (Four stars on Goodreads)
C.N. Faust's "The Dragon's Disciples" is an epic fantasy novel, with an emphasis on the epic. It's a long book, but it needs to be, in order to contain the many plots and counterplots of the Mahtrador family of vampires who rule over the world of Dragoloth.
The novel mainly concerns the struggle among the Mahtradors to claim Dragoloth's throne, but it also encompasses religious conflicts and a whole host of romantic (and not so romantic!) relationships.
The book put me in mind of the "Game of Thrones" series in terms of the scope of the story, and the multitude of characters, each with their own agenda and desire for power. The author doesn't flinch away from showing us the very darkest aspects of his characters, but they're all given depth - there are no cardboard villains here.
The prose is crisp and clear. There's plenty of blood-and-guts action, some bedroom action (occasionaly with blood-and-guts as well), and enough intrigue to keep the most devious mind satisfied. The worldbuilding is compelling; Dragoloth is a fascinating and fully realized world that stands fully as a unique creation well worth exploring.
If there's one thing I could wish for, it would be for a list of the characters at the beginning of the book (as you see in many other epic novels). There are a lot of characters here, and a whole noew world that Mr. Faust drops the reader straight into, and it took me a little while to get my bearings.
All in all, it's a great read and I'd gladly recommend it.
The Dragon's Disciples
The Age of Waking Death, #1
from Charles Yallowitz (five stars on Goodreads)
This is a long book, but it is entirely worth it. C.N. Faust has created an amazing world that you get to explore throughout the story. It is filled with religious and political intrigue that moves flawlessly from scene to scene, so you can't help but wonder what is going to happen next.
The most impressive part of this book is that every character has his or her own agenda. Many of them overlap and a few get absorbed by other character stories, but each one is well-plotted and interesting. One of my favorite parts about this is that I never knew which character was the main one and who I should root for. I couldn't decide who was right and who was wrong because every character came across as righteous by their own standards. It's rare that one finds a book where every character can be seen in this light.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes vampires, political intrigue, religious battling, and overall fantasy.
by Elizabeth Cook (four stars on Amazon)
The Dragon's Disciples is a spider's web of intrigue, with a varied cast who are all concerned, in some way big or small, with the fate of the empire. Theirs is a dark fantasy world peopled as much with vampires and dwarves as with humans. Faust weaves these characters together as change comes upon Dragoloth, where religion, politics, good and evil blend to build the narrative.
Faust's world is wide and there are many stories to follow within this one novel. Where there is no absolute right or wrong, the reader must choose who to root for.