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| Demon's Gate
Hardcover
Author: Steve White
Publisher: Baen
Release Date: December 2003
ISBN-10: B000VY9FHE
Average Customer Rating:
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Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com
Valdar, heir to the throne of Dhulon, was in the fabled city-state of Schaerisa to pay his kingdom's respects to the recently deceased co-emperor. But then he ran into his old mentor, the sorcerer Nyrthim-who was supposed to be dead. The sorcerer's death had been faked so that he could be free to investigate tales that demons, once banished, were returning to the world. And unfortunately, the tales understated the danger. Once demons ranging from deadly imps to evil demigods had ruled the world. They had been cast out and confined to the nether world only with powerful sorcery, using spells long lost. Now someone is trying to summon the most powerful-and unspeakably dangerous-of these accursed creatures back to the world of men, hoping to conquer it through them. And unless Valdar and his companions at arms can thwart the plan, creatures evil beyond all human conception will return to rule the world. And this time, nothing will drive them back into the darkness. Instead darkness will rule the world forever . . .
Boring
| Customer Rating: | | I can't finish this book. I can't put my finger on why I am not getting into it but I have read 10 other books in the time since I started this one. Just not entertaining. It never grabs you. I am not pleased with this purchase. |
The Demons Return
| Customer Rating: | In a land very much like our own Bronze Age, a young noble is thrust into a world-spanning plot. Demons, which most people think are merely creatures of legend, have begun to return to the capitol of the old Empire. The young noble and companions must return to their homelands on the fringes of the empire and warn the High King.
But demons are not their only problem. Religious and political factions are on the move while the current Emperor is attempting to restore full control over the Old Empire. Plots and counterplots abound and secrets are revealed. Just when it looks like things can't get worse, more revelations make it so. Finally, armies gather to decide the fate of the world.
This was much more of an intrigue and politics novel then it was about fighting demons (although that is at the heart of things). Plenty of action rounds out the intrigue and plotting. There is even a reference to our own world at one point. While the book has a good conclusion, there are some openings for further adventures. If there is a sequel I will certainly pick it up. |
Say, Aren't You ...
| Customer Rating: |
An earlier reviewer already noted that one of the characters is clearly supposed to be an analogue for Belisarius. The entire novel is basically a take on an idea developed by Kenneth Hite in one of his "Suppressed Transmissions" columns, collected (if memory serves) in the first volume -- what if Justinian of Byzantium (as portrayed by Procopius) went to war with King Arthur? The author then does that one better by having the central protagonist be a thinly-disguised analogue for Hal Foster's Prince Valiant!
While certainly amusing in segments, it's just too derivative to be taken seriously. And the concept of the relationship between extradimensional "demons" and mortal religion was used to much better effect in Gemmell's "Winter Warriors". |
Some great scenes, some shortcomings . . . .
| Customer Rating: | I have great respect for Steve White after having recently enjoyed the novels IN DEATH GROUND and THE SHIVA OPTION which he co-authored with David Weber. I expected much from this book, but I was somewhat disappointed. DEMON'S GATE has some great scenes that kept me reading, but to my mind the book also has some serious shortcomings. And some of the problems Steve White created for himself.
The names drove me crazy. White creates dozens of odd names. They have too many verbs, or in some cases, too many consonants, and are unpronounceable. What is worse, many of the names are confusingly similar. For example, two brothers are named Khaaradh and Khaavorn. I kept leafing back to the previous chapter, trying to straighten out which was which. I will quote one sentence which can suggest to you how very awkward these names become: "Lanoraak, Khaaradh, and Akhraworn were immediately on their feet besides Khaavorn, bellowing their support for him." I could NOT keep these characters straight.
For another example, two of the most central evil characters in the book, a high priestess and the demon emperor, have highly similar names of about 10 letters and -- again -- I found it almost impossible to keep them straight. The place names are just as bad. This slew of clumsy names is just continual -- the chapters are salted with them. I can't remember having so much struggle just to keep straight who was who. Or where they were! This was completely unnecessary, in my opinion.
The demons were great! Steve White not only sprinkled the book with demons, but he created several orders of demons with different powers and appearance. The scenes where the characters battled the demons were very well executed and were real page-turners. These parts of the book show White at his best. Some of the magic users -- high priests and sorcerors -- were also excellently rendered. The female mages were both drop-dead beautiful and also very frightening.
Some scenes in the book appeared to violate common sense. A good example -- Late in the evening before the great battle, the king gets this "brilliant idea" to defeat the demons. He asks one of his officers if the men can find some digging tools. A few hours later, demons the size of elephants are falling into ENORMOUS hidden pits that have been cleverly covered over with branches and leaves. In other words, soldiers with a few scrounged up shovels -- in a few hours and within sight of the enemy -- have excavated enough dirt to practically dig another Holland Tunnel. I mean, this borders on "nuts." As though a writer would describe how a bunch of janitors have rebuilt the World Trade Center overnight.
A mixed bag. A few great scenes, a few memorable wicked characters, and . . . I have to say it . . . some major shortcomings.
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Good, but not great
| Customer Rating: | | Now that one of the co-emperors has died, Valdor and Khaavorn are on their way to the imperial city of Schaerisa to offer the High King's condolences to the now lone emperor, Tarhynda. However, on arrival, they find themselves waylaid and brought before Valdor's old mentor, the sorcerer Nyrthim. Once, the world had been tormented by demons of great power and evil, and now someone is trying to bring those days back. Someone in the emperor's household is dealing with demons, and it is up to Valdor and Khaavorn to find out who it is. Also, with the empire's armies on the march, things are getting downright dangerous. Overall, I found this to be a pretty good book. The setting of the story is ostensibly a bronze-age world, but everything in the story seems to point to the sixth century A.D., when the Eastern Roman Empire was seeking to reconquer the lost west. (I could not read "General Vaelsaru" without hearing "General Belisarius.") Overall, I found this to be a good story, with lots of terrifying demons and adventure, but something didn't quite click. The story is good, even very good, but it's just not great. So, if you are looking for a good fantasy story, filled with warriors and demons and marching armies, then this book is for you. |
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