eBook Lords of Grass and Thunder ePub

This is the standalone follow-up to Curt Benjamin's Seven Brothers trilogy. It follows Prince Tayyichiut, a character from the series, and what happens when he returns from the war that he fought in that trilogy. His father was killed by a serpent-demon disguised as his wife during the war, and now his uncle has taken over the khanate. His uncle fully intends to hand over the khanate to Tayyichiut, but he wants to do so only once he's secured peace. He hopes to use a previously unacknowledged daughter, called Eluneke, to enter into a marriage treaty with the only remaining enemy of the Qubal on the grasslands.

Unfortunately for him, it turns out that said daughter has a will of her own. As a budding shamaness, she is already somewhat unsuitable for marriage, and when she falls in love at first sight with Tayyichiut, and he with her, that only complicates matters. Add in the fact that the serpent-demon who killed the prior khan is not as gone as everyone thinks, and you have a recipe for disaster.

I was a really big fan of the Seven Brothers trilogy as a teenager, so I was very excited for this book when it came out. Unfortunately, I was not only in the midst of a bit of a reading drought when it came out, I also have a bad habit of putting off the things I'm excited for until the 'perfect moment.' Cue me, ten years later, finally getting around to reading this book. And to be honest, I really wish I had read the book when it came out. I'm almost positive that I would have enjoyed it greatly. However, as an older and more experienced reader, I found this book to be a fun, but ultimately flawed, effort.

First, the good. The setting was a huge plus here. This is a Mongolian-based fantasy, and it's a great change of pace from the normal European-based systems. I liked all the subtleties of the setting, from the serpent-demon that acts as the main villain, to the shaman training that Eluneke goes under. It felt very fresh.

I also enjoyed the characters, for the most part. I thought they were all very well-realized. Each person had a history, had powers, had plots and plans. I always enjoy a strong cast of characters, and this book was no exception. My favorite was probably Eluneke, who balances strength and weakness very convincingly. I didn't enjoy Tayy as much, even though he was ostensibly the main character. I think this may be a flaw in my reading strategy. It's been so long since I read the books that originally introduced Tayy that I honestly don't remember much more than the bare outlines of them. I don't remember Tayy at all, so if the author was relying on the previous trilogy to create sympathy for Tayy in me, that was a miscalculation. Which is not to say that I disliked Tayy, but I felt like he was underdeveloped when compared with everyone else.

I also want to mention the romance side of this. This book does something that was pretty common back in the late 1990s and early 2000s in that it pairs up everyone. No character is without a love interest, and most of those love interests are not one-sided. I know it's an unrealistic strategy, but it's actually one that I really enjoyed as a change of pace. I've been in the mood for some romance lately, but it's been exceedingly rare in my epic fantasy choices, so this aspect of the book was also really fun for me. I think Bekter's romance was my favorite, although I did enjoy the part that romance played in the motivations of the villains as well.

On the not-so-positive side, this book had a pacing issue. It's about 560 pages, which is substantial but not overwhelming. I can read a 300 page book in a couple days without breaking a sweat, so this should not have taken me more than a month. Admittedly, I put it down and read other books in between. However, if there wasn't a pacing issue, I don't think I would have ever put it down in the first place. The plot moves exceedingly slowly in places, and I think it could have been about a hundred pages shorter and not lost any of its substance.

There were also some narrative tics that bothered me. For example, although most of the book is a bit formally written, there are times when the author falls out of that style dramatically, especially as the book draws near an end. In addition, there's quite a bit of hopping between character points of view. Some character views only last a page, imparting very little new information, and drawing attention away from the story as a whole. I wish that Benjamin had chosen to adopt a more static viewpoint. I think it would have given the story more flow and a better pace of movement.

In the end, I give this book 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 because it just wasn't quite good enough to merit rounding up. I really wish I had read it ten years ago, when I first picked it up. I think the fresh setting and fun characters would have been a much bigger draw for me, and the pacing issues less of a problem. Still, it's an enjoyable book and well worth a read for someone looking for a more non-traditional epic fantasy.

In his Seven Brothers fantasy trilogy, Curt Benjamin constructed a unique, mesmerizing fantasy world steeped in the lore of mediaeval Asian cultures and populated with all manner of gods and men. Here, magic and sorcery are decidedly real, gods take on the most unassuming of forms, and war is a way of life. Having greatly enjoyed the Seven Brothers trilogy, I was exceedingly happy to learn that Benjamin's next novel, Lords of Grass and Thunder, promised a return to that universe and a reunion with some of its unforgettable characters. The trilogy followed young prince Llesho as he escaped a life of slavery, reunited with his lost brothers, and eventually waged a successful war against demonic forces in the land. Among those who rode to war at the side of Llesho was young Prince Tayyichiut of the nomadic Qubal clans, who left home as a boy - he now returns as a warrior.

Whereas the events chronicled in the Seven Brothers trilogy played out on an epic, legendary scale, Lords of Grass and Thunder tells a story of political intrigue and personal jealousy. After Tayy's parents were murdered by a treacherous green bamboo snake demon (who assumed the appearance of the khan's new wife), his uncle, Mergen-Khan, reluctantly assumed the throne. A man of no great political ambition, Mergen-Khan overtly recognizes Tayy, upon his triumphant return from battle, as the rightful heir and plans to step aside as soon as Tayy is ready to assume the khanate. This does not sit well with Qutula, one of Mergen-Khan's illegitimate "blanket sons." As a loyal friend and companion of Prince Tayy, he is a recognized figure in the court, yet his father still won't even do him the honor of acknowledging him as his son. With his increasingly jealous heart, Qutula becomes the perfect vehicle for the second-chance designs of the green bamboo snake demon. Only one person senses the danger that walks beside Tayy, an apprentice shaman who sees her own fate in the face of the young prince. This maiden, Eluneke, is much more than she appears to be. While her fate and that of the endangered prince are indisputably intertwined, she must learn the secret gifts (and endure the demanding trials) of her shamanic trade quickly if she is to save him from the tragic death she sees overshadowing his face.

Lords of Grass and Thunder is in many ways a better read than Benjamin's previous novels, largely because it plays out on such a personal level. There is seemingly intrigue to be found beneath every tent in the Qubal clan, and there is never a lack of action among these nomadic warriors. Yes, there will be blood. As the rift between Tayy and Qutula opens and grows, it threatens to tear the entire clan apart (and leave the Qubal wide open to attack from their traditional enemies). Tayy has always been Benjamin's most sympathetic, human character, and Eluneke proves equally engaging from the first moment we meet her. Even minor characters fairly leap off the page, as Benjamin is a true master in the art of characterization.

With this, his fourth novel, Curt Benjamin firmly establishes a place for himself among the best writers working in the fantasy genre today. While many a fantasy writer basically churns out new versions of old stories (think of all the Lord of the Rings derivatives out there), Benjamin continues to blaze his own unique trail of creativity and originality. If you think there's nothing new or exciting in the world of fantasy, you obviously haven't discovered Curt Benjamin yet.

After defeating the enemies of the Cloud Country, Count Mergen Khan and his heir Prince Tayyichiut head euphorically home. The Prince was a hero who played a major role in the triumph. His uncle is only waiting for his nephew to gain more experience before he turns the power over to him. Mergen's son Qutvla not officially reorganized as his child wants to be the khan instead of Prince Tayy.

The snake demon who killed Tayy's parents weaves a spell over Qutula to kill Tayy and his father, and marry her so she can be the Khan's wife until she kills him and rules in her own right. Tayy's one hope is the shaman in training Eluneke who is learning how to use her power and is determined to save her beloved future husband (she saw that in a vision) from death from those he trusts. It will take a lot of power for an untried shaman to go against a demon and her consort but go against them she will in order to save her beloved prince.

This novel takes place in the same universe as the SEVEN BROTHERS where Tayy was a hero. In LORDS OF GRASS AND THUNDER he comes home an idol but almost immediately he is trapped by court intrigue, serpent demons bent on conquest and the love of a shaman who has much to learn about the use of her powers. His cousin envies Prince Tayy; so out of jealously of his power and the love his father has for him, starts planning to bring him down Curt Benjamin has written an exciting and enthralling stand alone book that readers will enjoy immensely.

Harriet Klausner