Review – The Coyote Chronicles by Anton Le Roy
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. So here goes:
I have to be honest, I hadn’t heard of this one before the author contacted me. Of course, this doesn’t really mean anything as far as the book is concerned. It had good ratings, so I thought I’d give it a blast, and I’m glad I did.
Veteran (that’s his nickname) is a former soldier prodigy, a member of an elite unit of an elite army. We first meet him in the midst of his final battle, as a mistake he makes leads to his army broken and most of his unit killed. Now a treasure hunter and mercenary, Veteran discovers that his best friend is still alive, and heading up an apocalyptic cult. Veteran vows to rescue his old friend, averting the end of the world along the way.
Here’s my rundown:
Worldbuilding
The author went with a medieval setting – not quite knights in shining armour, but close to it. It is described as Epic Fantasy, but Swords and Sorcery may be a better fit. Either way, it’s worth a read. The world is a frozen one, and the author alludes to the weather often. It appears to be a number of countries, divided into separate kingdoms (don’t hold me to that), and the land where the adventure is set doesn’t seem to be the same as that of the battle that sets everything in motion. We have hints of dragons, crazy gods (is there any other kind?), fight mutant vampire apes (so there must also be vampires) and there is magic aplenty, but it seems to be frowned upon, unless you are a healer. The addition of an apocalypse cult is a “fun” touch, and while the world may seem very familiar at times, don’t let it hold you back. Finally, the battle scenes are nicely done. Our heroes flee when they need to, and soldiers take advantage of standard military tactics such as higher ground, narrow entry points and so forth, instead of sheer and unlikely awesomeness.
Score – 3.5/5
Characters
Veteran and Gregor, the two main characters, are an enjoyable buddy team, and they behave like the old friends they are. Veteran is the narrator, and he spins a good yarn. He’s a fine fighter, but he is well past his salad days, and he suffers from the ravages of age and bodily misuse during battles. He’s smart, but not too smart – he doesn’t have all the answers, but he asks the right questions, and is the kind of character who makes a first person perspective work. He is racked with guilt from his mistakes in the past, and is haunted (literally) by the ghosts of those he has encountered. He’s not entirely morose, but there’s certainly a sadness to him, and it is this guilt that sends him after his old friend Satipo when he discovers he is still alive. Gregor is the voice of reason, keeping Veteran from tipping over the edge frequently. A fellow soldier in that fated battle, he stands by Veteran through thick and thin. He is also a peerless warrior…and carouser. Satipo is the bad guy, but the author does a strong job of not painting him as some panto villain, providing understandable motivation for his insanity, while not excusing it. The rest of the cast are pretty good, some are a little cardboardy, but most are likeable, and stand true to life.
Score – 4.5/5
Plot
The basic plot is straightforward – save Satipo from his lunacy and stop the end of the world. But how we get from A to B is far from simple, as many unexpected events pop up that keep us interested along the way. Ultimately, it’s not a quest to save Satipo or stop the apocalypse, it’s a journey to save Veteran, The $64,000 question is, will we get their at the end?
Score – 4/5
Writing
It’s solid, and the author does a good job of keeping things under wraps, while chucking out a couple of breadcrumbs to keep us following his trail. Part of the problem of telling the tale from the perspective of a soldier instead of, say, an artist, means the writing tends to be more earthy, although cynicism can be fun too. However, the author has some rather pleasant flourishes that suggest that he could also write from the perspective of, say, an artist.
Score – 3.5/5
Personal Enjoyment
I really enjoyed this. It certainly wasn’t the most original of fantasy tales, but it was fun, the characters were great, and the world they inhabit was interesting, if not novel. If I had one concern, it’s the ending. It’s considered part one, but I can’t see an obvious follow on that isn’t wildly different from this one. However, I certainly look forward to it.
Score – 4.5/5
Verdict
Not mind-blowingly original, but well written and entertaining, and in the end, isn’t that all that matters?
Total Score – 20/25
