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Is it just me, or is Ken Scholes getting better with every book? What’s that you say? You haven’t read his latest novel, ANTIPHON (Amazon), yet? Well, then let me tell you: Ken Scholes is getting better with every book.
I won’t bother telling you the plot of the book. For one thing this is the third book in the series and the plot has gotten far too complicated to explain well here. Let’s just say that Scholes’ Psalm of Isaak series is a fantasy series set in a unique world full of well-rounded characters and more plot twists and turns than you can shake a stick at. The first book, LAMENTATION (Amazon) — which you should buy NOW — started out with the fall of the great city Wind-wir. And when I say fall, what I really mean is that it was destroyed in a giant pillar of fire killing everything and everyone in it. The rest of the series has dealt with the loss of that city. Mostly why it was destroyed in the first place, and who destroyed it. The first book ended with the reader thinking they figured out why the city was destroyed and the one responsible coming to justice. Book two, CANTICLE (EBR Review), opened up a much vaster world and new implications that the city may have been destroyed for other reasons. I’m not going to say much more except to say it just keeps getting better.
Ken Scholes gets better with every book, and ANTIPHON only takes us to the next level in the series, it's definitely worth reading.
At each book the reader feels he/she has gotten a good grasp on the world and its major players. Everything seems to fit nicely together and then in the subsequent book Scholes makes his scope just a bit wider, and you see more of the true picture. It’s as if we have been staring at a beautiful painting standing two inches away. Now, with ANTIPHON, we’ve stepped back a few feet and can see more of the painting and how things are coming together.
I have a feeling Scholes has a few more tricks up his sleeve before the entire piece of art is revealed, and I can’t wait to see what it turns out to be. Ken, if you’re reading this, WRITE FASTER! I’m dying to know what happens next. Also, thanks for the ride so far. For those of you who aren’t Ken, go out and read these books. NOW! You’ll be glad you did.
- Recommended Age: 16+ Not much to object too here, a few gruesome scenes and a very complicated plot
- Language: A few curses that are made up for the world, but nothing else
- Violence: Yeah there’s some violence. There are some torture scenes that are crucial to the plot but I didn’t find them too gory.
- Sex: None in this book. A few scenes implied in previous volumes. Nothing graphic.
Comments
I'm very happy to hear this. I'm a big fan of the previous two novels in the series.
I heart these commands you issue – “which you should buy NOW” and so on. They make me smile, and also wonder what is in the book to make you so enthusiastic. Said wondering eventually gets the best of me, and then there's a spending spree, and I start wishing that my eyes wouldn't get bigger than my wallet. Or my allotted reading time. But, you know, vicious cycle and all that. Thanks for the recommendation!
Your enthusiasm for the series is a great encouragement! Thanks for a great review. I'm writing Requiem (Volume 4) now and hope to have the entire series concluded by mid 2011.
Really glad you're enjoying the story and spreading the word!
I have now read Antiphon and wholeheartedly agree with your comments, spike. A very satisfying read that does exactly what a next-to-last book should do in just the right way.
Oops. I forgot that it was a five book series. Which means that Antiphon is even more of an achievement because it doesn't feel slack at all with the 3 of 5 (or 6) often does.