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Many tales are told of the Syldoon Empire and its fearsome soldiers, who are known throughout the world for their treachery and atrocities. Some say that the Syldoon eat virgins and babies -- or perhaps their own mothers. Arkamondos, a bookish young scribe, suspects that the Syldoon's dire reputation may have grown in the retelling, but he's about to find out for himself. Hired to chronicle the exploits of a band of rugged Syldoon warriors, Arki finds himself both frightened and fascinated by the men's enigmatic leader, Captain Braylar Killcoin. A secretive, mercurial figure haunted by the memories of those he's killed with his deadly flail, Braylar has already disposed of at least one impertinent scribe... and Arki might be next. Archiving the mundane doings of millers and merchants was tedious, but at least it was safe. As Arki heads off on a mysterious mission into parts unknown, in the company of the coarse, bloody-minded Syldoon,he is promised a chance to finally record an historic adventure well worth the telling, but first he must survive the experience! A gripping military fantasy in the tradition of Glen Cook, Scourge of the Betrayer explores the brutal politics of Empire-and the searing impact of violence and dark magic on a man's soul.
- Sales Rank: #774292 in Books
- Brand: Brand: Night Shade Books
- Published on: 2013-01-08
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 8.90" h x .80" w x 6.00" l, .70 pounds
- Binding: Paperback
- 320 pages
- Used Book in Good Condition
Review
"A tale of terror and bloodshed, set on a fascinating world, told by an interesting narrator. What more could you want?" -- Mike Resnick, Hugo and Nebula award winning author.
"Scourge of the Betrayer is as harsh and profane as anything Richard K. Morgan or Joe Abercrombie serves up. Fortunately, Saylards has the skills - and the humor - to pull it off. Snappy dialogue, political intrigue, shady characters, gripping action sequences, a poor guy that has no idea what he's gotten himself into... Yeah, there's a lot to like about this debut." --David Anthony Durham, author of The Acacia Trilogy.
"Gritty, gripping, and layered with surprises." -- Howard A. Jones, author of The Waters of Eternity
"I've long been a great fan of novels that play and experiment with the standards of fantasy, and Scourge of the Betrayer comes as no exception. Salyards not only executes the tropes of the genre skillfully, but he knows just when and how to surprise the reader by veering AWAY from any expectations we might be developing. Readers of traditional fantasy and sword-and-sorcery definitely should give this one a look; I'm impatient for a sequel already, myself." --Ari Marmell, author of The Conqueror's Shadow and The Goblin Corps
Salyards's first novel launches a fantasy adventure series filled with grim characters, fierce battles, and dark magic--as well as. . . macabre humor. Killcoin embodies many mysteries, including a cursed weapon and a past that remains to be explored, while Arki serves as a brilliant counterfoil, his initial naiveté glowing brightly against the dark background of his chosen world. VERDICT: Reminiscent of Glen Cook's "Chronicles of the Black Company". . . this fantasy adventure should have broad appeal among fans of military fantasy and sword and sorcery. --The Library Journal
"[A] fascinatingly lateral take on quest fantasy. A gripping read, this is a fine opening to a series I'm looking forward to continuing to enjoy."
— Jay Lake, author of Mainspring and Green
About the Author
Jeff Salyards grew up in a small town north of Chicago. While it wasn't Mayberry, it was quiet and sleepy, so he got started early imagining his way into other worlds that were loud, chaotic, and full of irrepressible characters. While he ultimately moved away, he never lost his fascination for the fantastic, though his tastes have grown a bit darker and more mature over the years. Salyards lives near Chicago with his wife and three daughters. By day, he is a book editor for the American Bar Association; by night, he will continue to crank out novels as long as there are readers willing to read them.
Most helpful customer reviews
45 of 50 people found the following review helpful.
So Guys I Hear this Could be the Fantasy Debut of the Year?
By Nickolas X. P. Sharps
The Sword & Sorcery sub-genre is currently the most important facet of my reading life. This is the sub-genre that got me back into fantasy after a five year hiatus where I read nothing but science fiction. With that in mind, I take the authors and novels of this genre very, very seriously. At first glance SCOURGE OF THE BETRAYER by Jeff Salyards failed to catch my eye. I didn't find the cover immensely appealing (don't give me that look, we all judge books by their cover) and the synopsis sounded like somewhat standard fantasy fare. At second glance, however, one might notice a quote by an esteemed fantasy author, comparing this novel to the works of Joe Abercrombie and Richard K. Morgan. Name dropping of that caliber is the surest way to stroke my curiosity.
With this single blurb SCOURGE OF THE BETRAYER had been elevated to Must Read status. This quote has also set the bar almost impossibly high for poor Mr Salyards. Abercrombie and Morgan? Yeah, good luck buddy! Oh, wait...
Small town scribe Arkamondos finds himself in way over his head when he accepts a commission from the enigmatic Captain Braylar Killcoin and his rugged band of Syldoon warriors. As the company of battle hardened killers embarks on a secretive mission at the behest of the Empire, Arki discovers there are far worse things in life than the mundane histories of millers and merchants...
Enter Arkamondos the scribe, more commonly known as Arki. The tale is told from Arki's first person perspective, putting a less world weary and more naive narrative to the adventures of bunch of professional soldiers. This is the first wise move on Salyards' part. I've read plenty of books about bloody-minded anti-heroes, but few from the point of view of an inexperienced bystander. Arki's understanding of the world in which he inhabits is limited to his fairly limited travels. This allows readers to jump right into the story with a minimum of world building. What world building can be found is handled deftly. Salyards tantalizes with suggestions and remarks, allowing readers to puzzle out the bigger picture for themselves.
Back to the characters. I found Arki immediately relatable and likable. Up until the point in which he meets Captain Killcoin, Arki leads a relatively comfortable life. Recording the deeds of merchants is a safe enough prospect but deep down he is bored. Salvation from boredom is just what Captain Killcoin offers, even if Arki is too naive to comprehend exactly what that means. Which brings us to the aforementioned Captain Braylar Killcoin. What a complex character we have here. With a surname such as "Killcoin" one might expect an abrasive sort of brute with no incentive in life but money. This could not be further from the truth. Though Captain Killcoin is a rough and bristly protagonist, he is hardly one-dimensional. Killcoin's general demeanor could almost be considered manic in a lot of ways. One never knows whether to expect a friendly joke or a cruel barb. The deeds of the past way heavily on this man who is as skilled with his flail, Bloodsounder, as he is with his sharp wit.
At one point Arki declares that he has no love for the man but he would be loathe to see him die, and I can associate with this sentiment. Killcoin is the sort of man you are unlikely to become friends with but he is precisely the type to trust your life with. He can inspire even the most craven of scriveners to feats of courage. Of the members of Killcoin's retinue, Lloi abruptly became a favorite. Much like Arki, Lloi is an outsider to the Syldoon, though that does little to lessen her loyalty. It is rare to find such a pleasurable female protagonist in the Sword and Sorcery sub-genre. Much of the time they seem to fall under one of two extremes. Either they are powerless sex objects or warriors with a serious chip on their shoulder. Lloi manages to be a strong female lead without developing a "screw the world" mentality. She is essential to the company and unnaturally upbeat given her lot in life.
I enjoy the rest of the Syldoon nearly as much. The camaraderie of the group rang true at heart. These are profane professionals who earn their money on the battlefield and spend it on prostitutes and hard drinking. It doesn't matter whether they are swapping stories over watery ale at an Inn or fighting side by side, the Syldoon are quite obviously a family.
The world SCOURGE OF THE BETRAYER takes place in is of the pseudo-Middle Ages European bent but not without variation. Salyards nails all the important details, making the world seem real enough. The story is kept to a deliberately smaller scope than what most would expect. There is a much larger world to explore in future entries to the series. The plausible nature of the locales and people that inhabit the world are crucial when it comes time for Salyards to introduce the more mystical elements. The mundane makes the supernatural appear that much more awe-inspiring and intriguing. As with George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series, a little bit of magic goes a long way and I can't wait to learn more about the Deserter Gods, Memoridons, and the Godsveil.
SCOURGE OF THE BETRAYER is fraught with danger and deception. The conflicts are extremely personal. The violence is brutal and terrifying. No one escapes a battle unscathed, be it physically or mentally. This is the bread and butter of Sword & Sorcery. This story deals with a small component of what I assume will be a wide and sweeping campaign of tremendous proportions.
At first I had intended to make some snarky remark about SCOURGE OF THE BETRAYER being "fantasy debut of the year" as it is so frequently described by critics on Amazon. After reading it I have to grudgingly admit that yes, this very well could be the fantasy debut of the year. Night Shade Books had best cut a massive contract with Jeff Salyards because this author is a significant contender for the Sword & Sorcery throne.
Recommended Age: 16+
Langauge: Heavy and frequent.
Violence: Yes, flails aren't the most elegant of personal combat weapons but they sure are effective...
Sex: Yes, and plenty of sex-talk besides.
Nick Sharps
Elitist Book Reviews
***UPDATE***
I just finished reading RED COUNTRY by Joe Abercrombie (my favorite Sword & Sorcery author) and as great as it was and as much as I loved it, SCOURGE is still at the top of my Best Fantasy 2012 list.
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful.
Good read but incomplete
By Ryan
I have read many novels by new writers of late, and this just doesn't quite measure up to the rest. I'm not sure why so many of the reviewers have given it 5 stars. The overall 4.5 stars is significantly skewed the wrong direction. I give it a 3 because I hope the next book makes this one better. As a stand alone novel, it would be much less.
After finishing the book, the only thing I could think of was where is the rest of it. Very little was revealed by the end. I won't give any spoilers away, but because the main character (the scribe Arki) is not privy to the groups secrets, neither is the reader. The other members of the small group repeatedly say, you really haven't told him much have you? Well the reader by the end doesn't know much either. Small events happen throughout the book, but there is no overarching story that is wrapped up. It feels like the book had the last half just chopped off.
I understand the book is meant to be the first in a series, but at this point, I don't know enough to know if I want to read the sequel. What we are given is very well written, and I think I might like the series, but there was very little substance to the current story. The characters are interesting, at least what we know of them. Having everything delivered from the point of view of a noncombatant is different. I thought I would like the concept, but I think it's the reason the book fell short. It severely limited the reader's knowledge of the bigger picture.
Some of the last few lines explain it all:
"there is nothing large or grand in the things happening here. [...] They are small and shadowy. [...] unknown to all but a few key players."
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful.
Just Not For Me
By Closet Loser
Seemed like there was some potential early on but the story never quite reached it. The book is very short and unfortunately nothing really seems to happen. You can basically break the book up into a few big parts. The first 25% of the book takes place in an inn, the next 30% is the grass plains, and the remaining pages are the major fight scene. I understand trying to lure the reader in by passing along info in a piecemeal fashion can be an excellent writing tool, but I didn't have any idea what the point of the story was half way through the book. On the plus side there are very few editing errors and actual writing is quite good. What little we get of the characters is fairly interesting, but unfortunately the plot needs some serious work. I'd pass on this one until the price drops down to a dollar or two.
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