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The Vagrant #3
The Seven
Years have passed since the Vagrant journeyed to the Shining City, Vesper in arm and Gamma’s sword in hand.
Since then the world has changed. Vesper, following the footsteps of her father, journeyed to the breach and closed the tear between worlds, protecting the last of humanity, but also trapping the infernal horde and all those that fell to its corruptions: willing or otherwise.
In this new age it is Vesper who leads the charge towards unity and peace, with seemingly nothing standing between the world and a bright new future.
That is until eyes open.
And The Seven awakes.
Since then the world has changed. Vesper, following the footsteps of her father, journeyed to the breach and closed the tear between worlds, protecting the last of humanity, but also trapping the infernal horde and all those that fell to its corruptions: willing or otherwise.
In this new age it is Vesper who leads the charge towards unity and peace, with seemingly nothing standing between the world and a bright new future.
That is until eyes open.
And The Seven awakes.
465 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 20, 2017
About the author
Peter Newman
9 books1,021 followersPeter Newman co-writes the Hugo and Alfie Award winning Tea and Jeopardy podcast and is also the voice of the butler, Latimer.
His debut novel, THE VAGRANT, was published by Harper Voyager and won the David Gemmell Morningstar Award for best newcomer in 2016. It was followed by THE MALICE, and then THE SEVEN.
There are also two shorter stories set in the same world, available as ebooks. THE HAMMER AND THE GOAT (which is set parallel to THE VAGRANT) and THE VAGRANT AND THE CITY, which is set between books 2 and 3.
He has also written for WILDCARDS, and Fantasy MMO ALBION ONLINE.
He's currently working on a new series. Book 1, THE DEATHLESS, is coming out in the UK in June 2018.
His debut novel, THE VAGRANT, was published by Harper Voyager and won the David Gemmell Morningstar Award for best newcomer in 2016. It was followed by THE MALICE, and then THE SEVEN.
There are also two shorter stories set in the same world, available as ebooks. THE HAMMER AND THE GOAT (which is set parallel to THE VAGRANT) and THE VAGRANT AND THE CITY, which is set between books 2 and 3.
He has also written for WILDCARDS, and Fantasy MMO ALBION ONLINE.
He's currently working on a new series. Book 1, THE DEATHLESS, is coming out in the UK in June 2018.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
May 6, 2020
I am so impressed with this trilogy. It’s so hard to make fantasy stand out these days because the market is so over crowded; yet, this is so unique and creative.
It’s one of the most original fantasy trilogies I’ve read in the last ten years because it brings so many different elements together with such effectiveness. It’s post-apocalyptic with fantasy and horror elements thrown in. And it’s by far the best example of it I’ve ever seen because all the fantasy is explained through the pre-apocalyptic tech and magic.
Excellent stuff! I can’t recommend it more highly.
I loved the ideas behind it all, and I loved seeing how the world became shaped into a war torn barren waste land. Though what really stole the show for me was the gods: the Seven. They have been asleep for centuries and they were meant to protect humanity from the tainted. They failed. They slumbered in their own grief and now that they are ready to wake and pick up their swords, nobody wants them because the world has changed.
The tainted have bred. They have mixed with humans and created half breeds. They are not inherently evil (like humans aren’t.) Yet some of them appear grotesque and monstrous so The Seven orchestrate a mass purging, which essentially involves a mass slaughtering of their own people in order to save the purist. It’s extermination, plain and simple. And they must be stopped, though the human follow them out of fear and love. They have spent centuries waiting to be saved, and now they are being betrayed and they don’t even realise it.
The characters are fantastic and fully fleshed out. Vesper, the shinning beacon of hope for the tainted, demonstrates the moral greyness that defines this world. In fantasy fiction, orcs are often represented as a sub-species and barbarous. As a race, they are treated with neglect and it’s rare to see them treated with fairness. This is a similar concept, but instead of orcs Newman deals in infernal monsters that can take on any shape flesh will allow. Evil is not in appearances; it’s in action and consequences. The complexity of this made the conclusion so fantastically compelling.
Newman turned everything on itself, effectively reversing who the good guys and bad guys are. And he brought all the characters together into a great action packed conclusion. And I was glad to see the Vagrant take a more active role in the fighting. I missed him a little in The Malice so it was great to see him stand by Vespers side, sword in hand, ready to face down the immortal Seven and right the wrongs of the world.
So this is a rather grand trilogy and I think you should go and read it.
The Vagrant Trilogy
1. The Vagrant - A very cool 4 stars
2. The Malice - An awesome 4.5 stars
3. The Seven - A fantastic 4.5 stars
_________________________________
You can connect with me on social media via My Linktree.
__________________________________
It’s one of the most original fantasy trilogies I’ve read in the last ten years because it brings so many different elements together with such effectiveness. It’s post-apocalyptic with fantasy and horror elements thrown in. And it’s by far the best example of it I’ve ever seen because all the fantasy is explained through the pre-apocalyptic tech and magic.
Excellent stuff! I can’t recommend it more highly.
I loved the ideas behind it all, and I loved seeing how the world became shaped into a war torn barren waste land. Though what really stole the show for me was the gods: the Seven. They have been asleep for centuries and they were meant to protect humanity from the tainted. They failed. They slumbered in their own grief and now that they are ready to wake and pick up their swords, nobody wants them because the world has changed.
The tainted have bred. They have mixed with humans and created half breeds. They are not inherently evil (like humans aren’t.) Yet some of them appear grotesque and monstrous so The Seven orchestrate a mass purging, which essentially involves a mass slaughtering of their own people in order to save the purist. It’s extermination, plain and simple. And they must be stopped, though the human follow them out of fear and love. They have spent centuries waiting to be saved, and now they are being betrayed and they don’t even realise it.
The characters are fantastic and fully fleshed out. Vesper, the shinning beacon of hope for the tainted, demonstrates the moral greyness that defines this world. In fantasy fiction, orcs are often represented as a sub-species and barbarous. As a race, they are treated with neglect and it’s rare to see them treated with fairness. This is a similar concept, but instead of orcs Newman deals in infernal monsters that can take on any shape flesh will allow. Evil is not in appearances; it’s in action and consequences. The complexity of this made the conclusion so fantastically compelling.
Newman turned everything on itself, effectively reversing who the good guys and bad guys are. And he brought all the characters together into a great action packed conclusion. And I was glad to see the Vagrant take a more active role in the fighting. I missed him a little in The Malice so it was great to see him stand by Vespers side, sword in hand, ready to face down the immortal Seven and right the wrongs of the world.
So this is a rather grand trilogy and I think you should go and read it.
The Vagrant Trilogy
1. The Vagrant - A very cool 4 stars
2. The Malice - An awesome 4.5 stars
3. The Seven - A fantastic 4.5 stars
_________________________________
You can connect with me on social media via My Linktree.
__________________________________
July 18, 2017
To publish your debut and manage to make it stand out among a myriad of other fantasy books isn’t an easy feat.
To follow up in its success with a second installment which will be as good as the first and without suffering the middle-book syndrome is even harder.
But to close the series, tie all loose ends, provide a satisfying ending as well as a crave for more, and most of all, avoid anticlimax, requires a vast amount of talent. Not only does Peter Newman succeed in doing so, but he also teaches you how it’s done.
Vesper, the Seven’s Champion, is trying to do the unthinkable; Gather the leaders of all the world, Humans, infernals, and half-breeds alike, and unite them in a common cause; that of coexistence. But when the Seven awake, the cause is altered. Coexistence is no longer a problem; survival is.
"Six metal figures, perfect, gather together in a circle. Their voices are music, each weaving with the others, harmonious. Slowly, they sing of what has happened while they slept, of all that has gone wrong, and begin to debate what is to be done and how many will have to die."
In The Seven, Peter kept the distinguished style we came to love in the first two books, but he has also altered it somehow, making it smoother and easier to get into. While you had to grab The Vagrant and read it in big batches of time, The Seven is a far more relaxing read, allowing you to put it down at times and then resume from that point without a lack of enthusiasm.
Peter has done an excellent job in expanding the already established world-building, as well as in portraying the “alien” characters such as the Seven or the First. His true talent though lies in the writing itself; acute, intense and to the point, with wonderful prose and artistic turns of phrase, The Seven is a pleasure to read. The story itself is dark and grim as with the other two installments, but this time there’s a glimpse of hope in it.
All in all, The Seven is the perfect ending in a series that doesn’t only stand out, but may as well be the starting point of a new trope of fantasy. I highly recommend it to all Fantasy and Sci-Fi readers alike.
You can find more of my reviews over at http://BookNest.eu/
To follow up in its success with a second installment which will be as good as the first and without suffering the middle-book syndrome is even harder.
But to close the series, tie all loose ends, provide a satisfying ending as well as a crave for more, and most of all, avoid anticlimax, requires a vast amount of talent. Not only does Peter Newman succeed in doing so, but he also teaches you how it’s done.
Vesper, the Seven’s Champion, is trying to do the unthinkable; Gather the leaders of all the world, Humans, infernals, and half-breeds alike, and unite them in a common cause; that of coexistence. But when the Seven awake, the cause is altered. Coexistence is no longer a problem; survival is.
"Six metal figures, perfect, gather together in a circle. Their voices are music, each weaving with the others, harmonious. Slowly, they sing of what has happened while they slept, of all that has gone wrong, and begin to debate what is to be done and how many will have to die."
In The Seven, Peter kept the distinguished style we came to love in the first two books, but he has also altered it somehow, making it smoother and easier to get into. While you had to grab The Vagrant and read it in big batches of time, The Seven is a far more relaxing read, allowing you to put it down at times and then resume from that point without a lack of enthusiasm.
Peter has done an excellent job in expanding the already established world-building, as well as in portraying the “alien” characters such as the Seven or the First. His true talent though lies in the writing itself; acute, intense and to the point, with wonderful prose and artistic turns of phrase, The Seven is a pleasure to read. The story itself is dark and grim as with the other two installments, but this time there’s a glimpse of hope in it.
All in all, The Seven is the perfect ending in a series that doesn’t only stand out, but may as well be the starting point of a new trope of fantasy. I highly recommend it to all Fantasy and Sci-Fi readers alike.
You can find more of my reviews over at http://BookNest.eu/
July 18, 2017
I don't usually run across fantasy that stands out this much, but when I do, I really feel the need to shout it from the rooftops.
This one wraps up one of the most fascinating and epically glorious trilogies I've ever read. This is by far one of the most ambitious and fun demon-sword tales ever, especially since goats are involved and the swords are rooted in a deeply fantastic world-building setting that's as much hard-SF as it is epic demon hoards and battles.
It even has spacecraft and high tech battles right alongside immortal demons and flesh-crafting seen on a scale I've generally never seen done this big anywhere.
But if you think this isn't praise enough, all by itself, then know that the characters are hella cool and they more that carry the entire tale in such a way that we could easily do away with all the epic battles and it would still be a really fascinating and funny and deep ride.
High praise? Well, it deserves all that and more.
I have pretty high standards when it comes to epic fantasy. There's a lot of average epic stuff out there. This one is anything but average.
And as for the author, I have no qualms about following him to the ends of the earth, no matter what he writes next. He has real chops. :)
This one wraps up one of the most fascinating and epically glorious trilogies I've ever read. This is by far one of the most ambitious and fun demon-sword tales ever, especially since goats are involved and the swords are rooted in a deeply fantastic world-building setting that's as much hard-SF as it is epic demon hoards and battles.
It even has spacecraft and high tech battles right alongside immortal demons and flesh-crafting seen on a scale I've generally never seen done this big anywhere.
But if you think this isn't praise enough, all by itself, then know that the characters are hella cool and they more that carry the entire tale in such a way that we could easily do away with all the epic battles and it would still be a really fascinating and funny and deep ride.
High praise? Well, it deserves all that and more.
I have pretty high standards when it comes to epic fantasy. There's a lot of average epic stuff out there. This one is anything but average.
And as for the author, I have no qualms about following him to the ends of the earth, no matter what he writes next. He has real chops. :)
August 2, 2018
3.5 stars.
Decent end to a good series. Despite never reaching full 5 stars books in this series definitely found place in my hearth some better books didn't have with it's strange writing style, peculiar world and some of most unique and fascinating characters.
Decent end to a good series. Despite never reaching full 5 stars books in this series definitely found place in my hearth some better books didn't have with it's strange writing style, peculiar world and some of most unique and fascinating characters.
September 27, 2017
Book 1: 4.25*
Book 2: 3*
Book 3: 3.5*
A good conclusion to this series. The uniqueness of the world along with the interwoven humor were the things I liked about it best. I think gamers and people who like sci-fi, dystopia and quests will like it best. Although the series never quite recaptured the freshness of book one it still was enjoyable and the story did come full circle from it's beginnings.
Book 2: 3*
Book 3: 3.5*
A good conclusion to this series. The uniqueness of the world along with the interwoven humor were the things I liked about it best. I think gamers and people who like sci-fi, dystopia and quests will like it best. Although the series never quite recaptured the freshness of book one it still was enjoyable and the story did come full circle from it's beginnings.
May 20, 2017
Fantastic finish
Great stuff. Enjoyable, funny and bittersweet all in one. I love the writing style, and how you are left to fill in the details about characters yourself. This book features Vesper, the Vagrant and co as the Seven finally awaken, and threaten the fragile peace. Plenty of weird and wonderful monsters, high tech stuff and swashbuckling sword work. A fantastic finish to the series. Highly recommended.
Great stuff. Enjoyable, funny and bittersweet all in one. I love the writing style, and how you are left to fill in the details about characters yourself. This book features Vesper, the Vagrant and co as the Seven finally awaken, and threaten the fragile peace. Plenty of weird and wonderful monsters, high tech stuff and swashbuckling sword work. A fantastic finish to the series. Highly recommended.
June 7, 2023
Great finish of a series.
May 4, 2017
I turned the last page and it was over, I finished the Vagrant trilogy... I remember being pretty confused while reading the first chapters of The Vagrant but once I got it, I loved it!
The writing style is very different, I can't really put my finger on it or describe what I love about it but it makes the book very intense and real and like I'm there. I can see everything the author describes like a movie. This made it almost impossible to put down.
In The Seven the two previous books come together nicely and we meet some characters we have seen before and we meet some new. Some really really creepy and some almost beyond my imagination. Vesper, for me, got more complete and mature what made me connect with her more in this book than I did in The Malice.
I loved how the trilogy is completed and the tear that was brought to my eye by the last few pages...
I will definitly reread this series to see what the books are like with the knowledge gained throughout the trilogy. But more than wanting a reread, I want new books by Peter Newman who is now among my favorite authors. Can't wait to see what he comes up with next!
The writing style is very different, I can't really put my finger on it or describe what I love about it but it makes the book very intense and real and like I'm there. I can see everything the author describes like a movie. This made it almost impossible to put down.
In The Seven the two previous books come together nicely and we meet some characters we have seen before and we meet some new. Some really really creepy and some almost beyond my imagination. Vesper, for me, got more complete and mature what made me connect with her more in this book than I did in The Malice.
I loved how the trilogy is completed and the tear that was brought to my eye by the last few pages...
I will definitly reread this series to see what the books are like with the knowledge gained throughout the trilogy. But more than wanting a reread, I want new books by Peter Newman who is now among my favorite authors. Can't wait to see what he comes up with next!
March 12, 2018
Maybe like 4.75. So good but I wish it had been longer or had an epilogue, plus 1 of the characters irritated the shit out of me.
July 5, 2017
5 Stars
The Seven by Peter Newman is an amazing conclusion to the wonderful Vagrant trilogy. This is one of my favorite reads of 2017. Newman took what worked best in the first two books and brought them together here.
I loved the first book in the series, The Vagrant and even read it twice. The book deserved full marks because of it's originality, it's tone, it is dark without being vulgar or depraved, and it's emotions. Amazing for a nearly dialogue free story. What could be crazier than a traveling lone, mute warrior, a tiny baby, a spirited goat, and a living sword. None of them can Talk!
Malice, the second book in The Vagrant series by Peter Newman was a great second story. Book one shined because of the multiple characters, and in Malice, Vesper carries the show on her shoulders solo. The pacing, tone, and structure are all changed and I didn't know if it was for the better. At the time I felt that the young woman could not match the magic of the mute Vagrant and his goat.
Finally, in the concluding book The Seven, all of the story lines, characters, Gods, and monsters come together. I absolutely loved it...
The world is fantastic and it reminded me of one of my favorites The Gone Away World by Nick Haraway. The world is both futuristic, apocalyptic, and also old, all mixed into one. There are swords and bows, but also guns and bombs. There are neon lights, old trucks, and mention of flying dirgibles. Great stuff. There is a great deal of action in this book that is simply amazing. I love Vesper, her father the Vagrant, the Seven, and more. The book is an amazing genre bender. Newman brings fun and adventure to the forefront in a truly fantastical world.
Newman does an amazing job at both world building and character building of our protagonist through the dialogue of others and through the detailed writing of the situation at hand. I loved how connected I felt to the Vagrant and how Newman made him easy for us to read. His writing was fantastic and it made this story special.
What an amazing ending to a wonderful series. Not to be missed by fantasy lovers.
February 18, 2018
Sve se nešto mislim kako možda ovaj nastavak zapravo nije ni bio potreban. Žao mi je zbog toga, jer prva dva zauzimaju posebno mesto na mojoj polici.
Priča jeste zaokružena i radnja je sasvim pristojna (ali ne i nešto specijalna), stil pitak i čudan kao i pre, likovi (skoro sasvim) na mestu. Ali nešto nedostaje. Ne znam tačno šta. Možda jednom shvatim. Samo imam utisak kao da je ovo jedan od onih kambek albuma benda koji nije izbacio ništa zadnjih dvadeset godina (a ti albumi se pišu sa početnim T, kao treš), iako ovo jeste zamišljeno kao trilogija. Prva dva dela su magična, a ovaj je nekako... veštački. Zbrzan. Desio se, jer je bio primoran da se desi. Nešto nedostaje.
Nešto je posebno ostalo zaboravljeno, zatureno medju stranicama prva dva dela - njima ću se zasigurno vraćati. Ovome? Teško. Ali (mislim da) se neću praviti ni da ne postoji.
2+
Priča jeste zaokružena i radnja je sasvim pristojna (ali ne i nešto specijalna), stil pitak i čudan kao i pre, likovi (skoro sasvim) na mestu. Ali nešto nedostaje. Ne znam tačno šta. Možda jednom shvatim. Samo imam utisak kao da je ovo jedan od onih kambek albuma benda koji nije izbacio ništa zadnjih dvadeset godina (a ti albumi se pišu sa početnim T, kao treš), iako ovo jeste zamišljeno kao trilogija. Prva dva dela su magična, a ovaj je nekako... veštački. Zbrzan. Desio se, jer je bio primoran da se desi. Nešto nedostaje.
Nešto je posebno ostalo zaboravljeno, zatureno medju stranicama prva dva dela - njima ću se zasigurno vraćati. Ovome? Teško. Ali (mislim da) se neću praviti ni da ne postoji.
2+
March 9, 2019
4 Stars
A very different take on the normal fantasy and science fiction genres and I've enjoyed it.
Parts of this dragged a little but in the end a great finish to a great series.
The world building is understated a little but it still works. You don't quite get drawn into the world and done things are hard to picture but it's always been about the characters and this is still the case
Some characters lost me a little in this one and one in particular just irked me constantly. They were descriptively described though which was important and helped with the lack of world building. Characters like the man shape were very intriguing and very different.
For me though this has always been about The Vagrant and it was great to see him in it more than in the second book. He is complex to day the least and I enjoyed watching his exchanges with Reela.
And of course it wouldn't be this series without a goat or Two.
The plot is unusual to say the least and quite often has elements of many genres and types which actually works well.
Overall a great series and a very fitting end. In fact the last 2 pages were as good an ending as I've read in a long time.
Highly recommended
A very different take on the normal fantasy and science fiction genres and I've enjoyed it.
Parts of this dragged a little but in the end a great finish to a great series.
The world building is understated a little but it still works. You don't quite get drawn into the world and done things are hard to picture but it's always been about the characters and this is still the case
Some characters lost me a little in this one and one in particular just irked me constantly. They were descriptively described though which was important and helped with the lack of world building. Characters like the man shape were very intriguing and very different.
For me though this has always been about The Vagrant and it was great to see him in it more than in the second book. He is complex to day the least and I enjoyed watching his exchanges with Reela.
And of course it wouldn't be this series without a goat or Two.
The plot is unusual to say the least and quite often has elements of many genres and types which actually works well.
Overall a great series and a very fitting end. In fact the last 2 pages were as good an ending as I've read in a long time.
Highly recommended
December 14, 2023
The conclusion to this is quite satisfying, and I'm almost willing to give it 5-stars, but I'm really at more like 4.5. With this trilogy, I really connected with the first book. It was a unique world filled with the most unique characters, and I was very fascinated with the whole story. As we moved into book 2, the story and characters went a different way than I expected. At first, I was not clicking with that, but over time, I finally did get invested and enjoyed its resolution. At this conclusion, I can again say that this is not the direction I was expecting, but still found it to be quite enjoyable. This is a cross genre (fantasy/sci-fi) mix and it is done superbly in my opinion. I very much enjoyed this author's writing style and the way character interactions were written as well as the moments of humor that were infused throughout. If you're fan of dark or apocalyptic fantasy or sci-fi, I think you should give this series a try. I listened to the audible version of this and have to say that the narration was exceptional also.
May 24, 2019
A satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.
July 29, 2019
A very satisfying read, this trilogy, as well as support books, was well written, emotionally driven, all at a strong pace. Peter Newman has a creativity that I highly recommend, fluid writing style, a terrifying vison of monsters and world building skills that are fresh and welcome. The goat is truly a memorable character that I will not forget. I really enjoyed that goat's antics, all of them.
I have to revisit my first review and compliment again, Peter Newman's gift to take a mute, a baby and a goat, three seemingly incongrous characters, weave them into a brilliant tale of action, intrigue and suspense, and do so in a deftly, clever manner. I felt engaged and involved in their stories, from page one. Well done, sir, well done.
I have to revisit my first review and compliment again, Peter Newman's gift to take a mute, a baby and a goat, three seemingly incongrous characters, weave them into a brilliant tale of action, intrigue and suspense, and do so in a deftly, clever manner. I felt engaged and involved in their stories, from page one. Well done, sir, well done.
April 16, 2017
It's been years since Vesper sealed the breach. Vesper now has a vision of peace where Demons wearing human skins, the Tainted and Humans live in harmony. The only trouble is, The Seven have awakened and they have other ideas.
The third book in the Vagrant series. A fabulous and original fantasy/sci-fi adventure, I had a lump in my throat at the ending. It's a hard one to describe so just read it, you'll not be sorry you did.
The third book in the Vagrant series. A fabulous and original fantasy/sci-fi adventure, I had a lump in my throat at the ending. It's a hard one to describe so just read it, you'll not be sorry you did.
October 12, 2022
What happens when the empire follows their immortal leaders without hesitation?
Newman's "The Seven" answers a lot of questions that I've asked myself through the first two books in the series. Halfway through "The Malice", seeds of doubt were dropped for me to figure out what might happen in the final book.
It turned out that I was right about the empire and about some of the infernals. I won't spoil the details, but know that the characters you meet through the series are well represented in the grand finale.
Like the other two books, we follow a variety of characters. The point of view enhances the sense of mystery, telling the readers what needs to be known and letting them fill in the thoughts that are let out. The style is unusual but effective, with a more action focused narrative.
The characters are outstanding. Each character has clear traits and stays true to their nature. Most are complex, feeling like they have a purpose, not only to the plot, but within the world.
My personal favourites are Tough Call, Delta and The Manshape, although I have to give credit where it's due. Vesper holds several great speeches throughout the book, most of which gave me chills. But the award for best character goes to Gem. He's the one who's always painfully right. The truth hurts and he never hesitate to say it like it is.
The last thing I want to touch on is the prose. Most people don't realise how much word choice matters. The style and tone enhances the plot immensely, giving it the impact it deserves.
During the weeks it took me to plow through this series, I've realized that few people talk about it. Either the core audience is shy or too small to surface. I strongly recommend picking up this series for anyone who's into fiction with dark undertones and morally gray characters. It's biggest drawback is a fairly steep learning curve, but other than that, it ticks all the right boxes.
At least for me.
Newman's "The Seven" answers a lot of questions that I've asked myself through the first two books in the series. Halfway through "The Malice", seeds of doubt were dropped for me to figure out what might happen in the final book.
It turned out that I was right about the empire and about some of the infernals. I won't spoil the details, but know that the characters you meet through the series are well represented in the grand finale.
Like the other two books, we follow a variety of characters. The point of view enhances the sense of mystery, telling the readers what needs to be known and letting them fill in the thoughts that are let out. The style is unusual but effective, with a more action focused narrative.
The characters are outstanding. Each character has clear traits and stays true to their nature. Most are complex, feeling like they have a purpose, not only to the plot, but within the world.
My personal favourites are Tough Call, Delta and The Manshape, although I have to give credit where it's due. Vesper holds several great speeches throughout the book, most of which gave me chills. But the award for best character goes to Gem. He's the one who's always painfully right. The truth hurts and he never hesitate to say it like it is.
The last thing I want to touch on is the prose. Most people don't realise how much word choice matters. The style and tone enhances the plot immensely, giving it the impact it deserves.
During the weeks it took me to plow through this series, I've realized that few people talk about it. Either the core audience is shy or too small to surface. I strongly recommend picking up this series for anyone who's into fiction with dark undertones and morally gray characters. It's biggest drawback is a fairly steep learning curve, but other than that, it ticks all the right boxes.
At least for me.
June 21, 2017
This is the final part of The Vagrant trilogy. Though I'd guess there could be more books set in that world, it's clearly not going to happen soon.
And it's a good ending, rounding off the story that saw a mute, would-be knight carry a famed sword out of Infernal-infested territory, protecting a young girl and a goat - and then followed her back to confront the Infernals, heal the Breach and save the world.
All that was ten years ago. Yet the land is still broken - and the remainder of the Seven, who should have defended the world from the demons, still sleep, sulking perhaps that they failed to play their part. Now that young girl - Vesper - is grown and she's fed up waiting for them to bring aid to the scattered communities, suffering from infernal Taint but more from the damage done in the wars.
And the Seven arise...
This was, I think, actually my favourite of the three books. A deeply human story, it brings out themes present but not explored in the previous volumes. The Seven are truly powerful and when They rise, all tremble. Yet They did not defeat the Infernals, They left that to Vesper, wielding Gamma's pillaged sword. Now, we learn something of Their history and creation, returning to the woman Massassi who made Them and built the Empire of the Winged Eye to stand against the Infernals. We see how that intention was corrupted, and how the Seven turned from the outside world.
We also see - and I think this is unusual in fantasy - what happens after the Great Victory. It's a scarred, battered world, uneasy, full of friction. Compromise is needed. Forgiveness. Mercy.
Yet now They arise, intending to purge the infernal taint from the world. While Vesper sees the value of mercy and compromise, the Seven want only an icy purity. And now they're safe from real harm, they can pursue it. When Vesper stands against Them, she is labelled a traitor.
As ever in these books, complexity is piled on moral complexity. Vesper wants peace and compromise: to achieve them she must harm the Empire that gave her purpose and shelter. Her allies - the Infernals from whom her father previously rescued Gamma's sword.
The Man Shape.
The First.
The Backwards Child.
Nightmares from the darkness of the pit, all of them, yet now wanting to build lives alongside the tainted humans, all of whom would be wiped out by the Empire.
It's a taut, beautifully told story.
Again the Vagrant sets forth.
Again, he's accompanied by a child - perhaps by two, there is the girl Reela, Vesper's daughter, and the sulky Jem, her lover. Jem is perhaps a bit of a manchild. I didn't take to him at first. he wasn't wholeheartedly for adventure. he told lies - and little lies at that! Not a hero, not even a villain. What was he doing in the book? Then, I think, I saw what he was: not a great warrior or leader like Vesper, just an ordinary man caught up in unimaginable horror. No, he's not likeable - he's definitely not good enough for Vesper - but he's a witness, standing alongside great events and showing their scale by his smallness.
And again, there is conflict and loss, dear friends killed, betrayal and a hopeless fight - all the more for the Empire, that ultimate refuge, now being the enemy.
(And yes, there are goats in this book. Perhaps less central than before, but as enduring, as obdurate. The goats, too, give events here a scale. May there always be goats.)
I may be biased - see for yourself the nice message that Pete wrote in my copy of the book at the launch! - but for me this is a fitting completion to one of the most original fantasy trilogies of recent years, and it's a satisfying conclusion, a peace being hard won through suffering but much, clearly, still to be done to deliver harmony in Vesper's world.
And it's a good ending, rounding off the story that saw a mute, would-be knight carry a famed sword out of Infernal-infested territory, protecting a young girl and a goat - and then followed her back to confront the Infernals, heal the Breach and save the world.
All that was ten years ago. Yet the land is still broken - and the remainder of the Seven, who should have defended the world from the demons, still sleep, sulking perhaps that they failed to play their part. Now that young girl - Vesper - is grown and she's fed up waiting for them to bring aid to the scattered communities, suffering from infernal Taint but more from the damage done in the wars.
And the Seven arise...
This was, I think, actually my favourite of the three books. A deeply human story, it brings out themes present but not explored in the previous volumes. The Seven are truly powerful and when They rise, all tremble. Yet They did not defeat the Infernals, They left that to Vesper, wielding Gamma's pillaged sword. Now, we learn something of Their history and creation, returning to the woman Massassi who made Them and built the Empire of the Winged Eye to stand against the Infernals. We see how that intention was corrupted, and how the Seven turned from the outside world.
We also see - and I think this is unusual in fantasy - what happens after the Great Victory. It's a scarred, battered world, uneasy, full of friction. Compromise is needed. Forgiveness. Mercy.
Yet now They arise, intending to purge the infernal taint from the world. While Vesper sees the value of mercy and compromise, the Seven want only an icy purity. And now they're safe from real harm, they can pursue it. When Vesper stands against Them, she is labelled a traitor.
As ever in these books, complexity is piled on moral complexity. Vesper wants peace and compromise: to achieve them she must harm the Empire that gave her purpose and shelter. Her allies - the Infernals from whom her father previously rescued Gamma's sword.
The Man Shape.
The First.
The Backwards Child.
Nightmares from the darkness of the pit, all of them, yet now wanting to build lives alongside the tainted humans, all of whom would be wiped out by the Empire.
It's a taut, beautifully told story.
Again the Vagrant sets forth.
Again, he's accompanied by a child - perhaps by two, there is the girl Reela, Vesper's daughter, and the sulky Jem, her lover. Jem is perhaps a bit of a manchild. I didn't take to him at first. he wasn't wholeheartedly for adventure. he told lies - and little lies at that! Not a hero, not even a villain. What was he doing in the book? Then, I think, I saw what he was: not a great warrior or leader like Vesper, just an ordinary man caught up in unimaginable horror. No, he's not likeable - he's definitely not good enough for Vesper - but he's a witness, standing alongside great events and showing their scale by his smallness.
And again, there is conflict and loss, dear friends killed, betrayal and a hopeless fight - all the more for the Empire, that ultimate refuge, now being the enemy.
(And yes, there are goats in this book. Perhaps less central than before, but as enduring, as obdurate. The goats, too, give events here a scale. May there always be goats.)
I may be biased - see for yourself the nice message that Pete wrote in my copy of the book at the launch! - but for me this is a fitting completion to one of the most original fantasy trilogies of recent years, and it's a satisfying conclusion, a peace being hard won through suffering but much, clearly, still to be done to deliver harmony in Vesper's world.
August 31, 2021
4,5*
Tretí diel série Tulák delí od predchádzajúcich udalostí niekoľko rokov. Medzičasom sa postavy snažili dosiahnuť mier. Tvárou tejto kampane sa stala Vesper. Teraz už dospelá, matka, revolucionárka, mierotvorkyňa. Ibaže musí čeliť neustálym výzvam. Po jej boku síce stojí Tulák, ale v hre je celý svet. Newman prostredníctvom tejto neistoty núti čitateľa zamyslieť sa. Opäť otvára morálne silné témy. Pripomína nielen ľudskosť, ale pristavuje sa aj pri dôvere, takej potrebnej pre naplnenie sna o lepšom živote.
Na príklade skeptikov z Vesperinho okolia autor pripomína existenciu prekážok. Hlas im dáva prostredníctvom postáv. Do deja tak výraznou mierou zasahuje napríklad aj Jem, vypočítavý a túžiaci po bezpečí. Potom aj Reela, po matke odvážna a s citom pre to, čo je správne. V neposlednom rade Sedma, zdecimovaná na šesticu, so svojím fanatizmom. Komparz tvoria rôzne frakcie, ktoré niekomu venovali svoju poslušnosť. Nehovoriac o „druhej strane“ tvorenej démonskou mágiou zmenenými ľuďmi – a nielen nimi.
Každý z aktérov má čo povedať a ukázať. Nielen v príbehovej prítomnosti, ale aj v minulosti. V nej autor ešte viac približuje vznik Sedmy a to, ako jej členovia zabudli na svoju úlohu. Dej je aj preto rozvetvený. Do istej miery tak vzniká chaos, avšak nie úplne neprehľadný. Je jasné, že Newman ho vytvoril zámerne, aby podporil myšlienku, že cesta k mieru je kľukatá.
Držiac sa tejto myšlienky necháva Newman svoj svet vybuchovať a horieť. Čitateľa strhne doslova vražedným tempom a neodbytnou temnotou. Ľudia prichádzajú nielen o život, ale hlavne o ideály. Autor má skrátka nutkanie neustále dokazovať, že jeho svet je síce mrzký, no všetko má svoj základ v ľudskom správaní.
Postupom strán je jasné, že Newman opúšťa snahu šetriť čitateľa. Dokazujú to hlavne akčné sekvencie. V nich úplne zanecháva víziu pacifizmu. Všetci bojujú, všetci umierajú. Autor postrkuje do popredia myšlienku, že „zlo“ a „dobro“ sú si bližšie, než sa ktokoľvek odvažuje priznať. Napriek ohňu a všadeprítomnej smrti však dej nie je chudobný na náhle okamihy plné ľudskosti. Newman skrátka rád ukazuje, že hraničné situácie dokážu prebudiť v ľuďoch aj čosi dobré.
Okrem toho sa mu darí gradovať napätie, aby ho v závere nechal bravúrne vybuchnúť – v tom najzlomovejšom okamihu, keď už nikto nemôže pred realitou zatvoriť oči. To všetko preto, aby mohol otvoriť bránu k tomu, k čomu sa od úvodu prvej knihy blížil – k svetu, kde ohavnosť a dokonalosť môžu skúsiť koexistovať.
Kniha Sedma predstavuje pomyselné tri bodky za celou sériou. Newman uzatvoril príbeh postáv, no zároveň započal tvorenie nového cisárstva, za prítomnosti morálne silných tém. Posledné scény síce trochu zaváňajú zbytočným idealizmom, našťastie ich autor „skrotil“ nádychom reality a ľudského sebectva. A kozieho mečania.
viac v recenzii: https://www.fandom.sk/clanok/recenzia...
Tretí diel série Tulák delí od predchádzajúcich udalostí niekoľko rokov. Medzičasom sa postavy snažili dosiahnuť mier. Tvárou tejto kampane sa stala Vesper. Teraz už dospelá, matka, revolucionárka, mierotvorkyňa. Ibaže musí čeliť neustálym výzvam. Po jej boku síce stojí Tulák, ale v hre je celý svet. Newman prostredníctvom tejto neistoty núti čitateľa zamyslieť sa. Opäť otvára morálne silné témy. Pripomína nielen ľudskosť, ale pristavuje sa aj pri dôvere, takej potrebnej pre naplnenie sna o lepšom živote.
Na príklade skeptikov z Vesperinho okolia autor pripomína existenciu prekážok. Hlas im dáva prostredníctvom postáv. Do deja tak výraznou mierou zasahuje napríklad aj Jem, vypočítavý a túžiaci po bezpečí. Potom aj Reela, po matke odvážna a s citom pre to, čo je správne. V neposlednom rade Sedma, zdecimovaná na šesticu, so svojím fanatizmom. Komparz tvoria rôzne frakcie, ktoré niekomu venovali svoju poslušnosť. Nehovoriac o „druhej strane“ tvorenej démonskou mágiou zmenenými ľuďmi – a nielen nimi.
Každý z aktérov má čo povedať a ukázať. Nielen v príbehovej prítomnosti, ale aj v minulosti. V nej autor ešte viac približuje vznik Sedmy a to, ako jej členovia zabudli na svoju úlohu. Dej je aj preto rozvetvený. Do istej miery tak vzniká chaos, avšak nie úplne neprehľadný. Je jasné, že Newman ho vytvoril zámerne, aby podporil myšlienku, že cesta k mieru je kľukatá.
Držiac sa tejto myšlienky necháva Newman svoj svet vybuchovať a horieť. Čitateľa strhne doslova vražedným tempom a neodbytnou temnotou. Ľudia prichádzajú nielen o život, ale hlavne o ideály. Autor má skrátka nutkanie neustále dokazovať, že jeho svet je síce mrzký, no všetko má svoj základ v ľudskom správaní.
Postupom strán je jasné, že Newman opúšťa snahu šetriť čitateľa. Dokazujú to hlavne akčné sekvencie. V nich úplne zanecháva víziu pacifizmu. Všetci bojujú, všetci umierajú. Autor postrkuje do popredia myšlienku, že „zlo“ a „dobro“ sú si bližšie, než sa ktokoľvek odvažuje priznať. Napriek ohňu a všadeprítomnej smrti však dej nie je chudobný na náhle okamihy plné ľudskosti. Newman skrátka rád ukazuje, že hraničné situácie dokážu prebudiť v ľuďoch aj čosi dobré.
Okrem toho sa mu darí gradovať napätie, aby ho v závere nechal bravúrne vybuchnúť – v tom najzlomovejšom okamihu, keď už nikto nemôže pred realitou zatvoriť oči. To všetko preto, aby mohol otvoriť bránu k tomu, k čomu sa od úvodu prvej knihy blížil – k svetu, kde ohavnosť a dokonalosť môžu skúsiť koexistovať.
Kniha Sedma predstavuje pomyselné tri bodky za celou sériou. Newman uzatvoril príbeh postáv, no zároveň započal tvorenie nového cisárstva, za prítomnosti morálne silných tém. Posledné scény síce trochu zaváňajú zbytočným idealizmom, našťastie ich autor „skrotil“ nádychom reality a ľudského sebectva. A kozieho mečania.
viac v recenzii: https://www.fandom.sk/clanok/recenzia...
November 29, 2017
This book was up-and-down, but ultimately a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.
The first half or so definitely left me feeling that this was maybe 3 stars if I was feeling generous, though in fairness much of that was because I didn't remember many of the specifics from the previous two books. Reading the series straight through, or having a good synopsis, would have made a big difference I feel.
But the second half ramped everything up, and was one big exciting climax for basically the last 40% of the book. Very well done, and very emotional.
But while satisfying, this didn't really have quite the magic that The Vagrant did, for one simple reason: an insufficient quantity of goats. While the baby goat from The Malice is present, all grown up, he's a pretty minor presence compared to the levels of goat I've come to expect from Peter Newman. While I can understand having the goats take a back seat in this book - no one wants to be known as "the goat dude" - nevertheless the goats were the very best part of the previous two books. They were a comic relief that I definitely felt the lack of here.
Still, a satisfying read, and I look forward to Newman's next project.
The first half or so definitely left me feeling that this was maybe 3 stars if I was feeling generous, though in fairness much of that was because I didn't remember many of the specifics from the previous two books. Reading the series straight through, or having a good synopsis, would have made a big difference I feel.
But the second half ramped everything up, and was one big exciting climax for basically the last 40% of the book. Very well done, and very emotional.
But while satisfying, this didn't really have quite the magic that The Vagrant did, for one simple reason: an insufficient quantity of goats. While the baby goat from The Malice is present, all grown up, he's a pretty minor presence compared to the levels of goat I've come to expect from Peter Newman. While I can understand having the goats take a back seat in this book - no one wants to be known as "the goat dude" - nevertheless the goats were the very best part of the previous two books. They were a comic relief that I definitely felt the lack of here.
Still, a satisfying read, and I look forward to Newman's next project.
February 7, 2018
Wow, what a fabulous end to a unique trilogy! It's been such a journey following the Vagrant, and then Vesper and all the others, even the infernals and demons and half-breeds, through Newman's strange and horrific world.
It was a real treat to see this third book go in directions I expected, and others I didn't. Newman's ability to write from the point of view of the most unexpected characters has lost none of its efficacy, and he also managed to make unsympathetic characters a compelling read - never easy!
Thoroughly recommend this trilogy.
It was a real treat to see this third book go in directions I expected, and others I didn't. Newman's ability to write from the point of view of the most unexpected characters has lost none of its efficacy, and he also managed to make unsympathetic characters a compelling read - never easy!
Thoroughly recommend this trilogy.
September 12, 2017
That was absolutely fantastic. A full review will follow in due course
April 18, 2017
Review
I find that Peter Newman breaks the mould a bit with this series, as he makes me break my reading rules. He somehow convinced me to read Malice before Vagrant…. i know shocking! Yet i found the book could indeed be read as a stand alone. I’m not sure i feel that The Seven could be, there is too much you need to know from before to invest you in the book/ series to just take a dive into this book. I’m also not sure where i would truly pigeon hole this book genre wise… is it really Fantasy? or Dystopian? or Scifi? (i hate Scifi) or just a blend of all?
Full review: click link
https://parmenionbooks.wordpress.com/...
I find that Peter Newman breaks the mould a bit with this series, as he makes me break my reading rules. He somehow convinced me to read Malice before Vagrant…. i know shocking! Yet i found the book could indeed be read as a stand alone. I’m not sure i feel that The Seven could be, there is too much you need to know from before to invest you in the book/ series to just take a dive into this book. I’m also not sure where i would truly pigeon hole this book genre wise… is it really Fantasy? or Dystopian? or Scifi? (i hate Scifi) or just a blend of all?
Full review: click link
https://parmenionbooks.wordpress.com/...
September 24, 2020
I liked it but didn't love it as much as the first 2. For me it seemed to drag a bit about halfway through and I struggled to get back on track. Nice conclusion a the end to the book and the trilogy.
June 18, 2022
Bringing to you one old Vagrant, a kid who has grown up and now has a kid plus a Goat.
Many many years after the event of the Malice, Vesper has grown up, married and has a kid who has the stain. The stain of the underworld, the demon, whatever you call it. While Vesper aim of uniting the human race and those of the demons once and for all, the Seven has finally risen. And they do not like what Vesper is planning.
Suffice to say, the sword sings again, this time against friends and enemies alike and maybe for once, blind faith in gods will not be enough to stop the tide.
Many many years after the event of the Malice, Vesper has grown up, married and has a kid who has the stain. The stain of the underworld, the demon, whatever you call it. While Vesper aim of uniting the human race and those of the demons once and for all, the Seven has finally risen. And they do not like what Vesper is planning.
Suffice to say, the sword sings again, this time against friends and enemies alike and maybe for once, blind faith in gods will not be enough to stop the tide.
October 16, 2019
This review is for all three books in The Vagrant trilogy.
The Vagrant trilogy starts strong. It has a unique style and voice…creepy, disturbing, weird and intense. It’s a surreal dystopian fantasy that lands somewhere between The Road and Spawn. I did enjoy it throughout, but as the series progresses it begins to lose steam stylistically and the weirdness becomes less inspired and the style more traditional. Of the three books, the first part The Vagrant really captured me, but then each subsequent book was a bit less compelling.
The worldbuilding establishes a human world (Is it Earth? Possibly.) in the aftermath of a huge confrontation between demonic spirits that emerged from a crack in reality, and an “angelic” force called The Seven of immortal silver beings with wings and living, singing swords. When the crack burst open, one of The Seven, Gamma, was sent to destroy the demons, however she was killed while her sword survived. The demons won and seep into the world—corrupting, absorbing, and twisting humans forms with “a taint” that mutates them. The remaining six immortals go into isolation after the loss of their sister.
The Vagrant himself is a human warrior who takes up the destroyed angel’s sword and sets out on a quest with his only companion an ornery goat to defeat the current leader of the demonic forces. Over time, it becomes clearer that these forces while appearing as angels and demons aren’t really representations of heaven or hell per se. They may have other-dimensional and magical abilities, but their aspects are by no means so black and white. The angelic immortals aren’t all-good but they do generally represent “law” (and conformity) while the demons represent more chaos than evil.
The Vagrant is mute and never speaks, but he can sing and when he does it enhances the power of Gamma’s sword allowing it to generate enough energy to block projectiles or emit forces. He travels through a surreal world that morphs around him encountering bizarre creatures that hybridize human and demonic aspects. The atmosphere is dark and post-apocalyptic, which is quite literally true here as it takes place after the demonic apocalypse that infected most of the entire planet. The sun itself above was split into two halves—a yellow sun and a blood red sun. Newman does a very nice job developing a disturbing atmosphere that lies somewhere between horror and fantasy. It has a knowing ambiguity, as if there is much behind the scenes we cannot understand. Book one ends with a satisfying conclusion and the unique style and atmosphere drove me immediately on to the rest of the series.
As the second book begins, Gamma’s sword is taken up by The Vagrant’s daughter who in similar fashion to her father goes on a quest against demonic forces. Like her father, she is noble and kind-hearted, but whereas he often seemed reluctant and dragged into doing the right thing…she is rather painfully naïve. Her character grated on me at times because she was so innocent.
As book two moves into book three, we find the story continues to focus on The Vagrant’s daughter Vesper. Her mission at this point grows even larger as she takes sides in a final confrontation between the remaining immortal angels and the forces of the demons. The story in part three has evolved to combine singular heroics and warfare with political and cultural struggles. Vesper’s role becomes a figure infrequently seen in fantasy, a socio-political actor—something more than just a hero who defeats a great evil in combat. It’s an interesting evolution but technically, as a story it all becomes a bit less interesting. The story has lost some of its edge, and I also attribute that partially to the lack of depth of Vesper and the world becoming too set and established in its nature. It’s no longer as surprising and twisted as it was in book one.
I had a few additional niggles…some of the characters, particularly Vesper’s “love interest,” are grating and their relationship seems hardly justified. And Vesper’s story becomes too didactic by the conclusion. But overall, The Vagrant trilogy is a unique contribution to the fantasy genre and especially book 1 comes recommended to fans for surreal, near-horror dystopias.
The Vagrant trilogy starts strong. It has a unique style and voice…creepy, disturbing, weird and intense. It’s a surreal dystopian fantasy that lands somewhere between The Road and Spawn. I did enjoy it throughout, but as the series progresses it begins to lose steam stylistically and the weirdness becomes less inspired and the style more traditional. Of the three books, the first part The Vagrant really captured me, but then each subsequent book was a bit less compelling.
The worldbuilding establishes a human world (Is it Earth? Possibly.) in the aftermath of a huge confrontation between demonic spirits that emerged from a crack in reality, and an “angelic” force called The Seven of immortal silver beings with wings and living, singing swords. When the crack burst open, one of The Seven, Gamma, was sent to destroy the demons, however she was killed while her sword survived. The demons won and seep into the world—corrupting, absorbing, and twisting humans forms with “a taint” that mutates them. The remaining six immortals go into isolation after the loss of their sister.
The Vagrant himself is a human warrior who takes up the destroyed angel’s sword and sets out on a quest with his only companion an ornery goat to defeat the current leader of the demonic forces. Over time, it becomes clearer that these forces while appearing as angels and demons aren’t really representations of heaven or hell per se. They may have other-dimensional and magical abilities, but their aspects are by no means so black and white. The angelic immortals aren’t all-good but they do generally represent “law” (and conformity) while the demons represent more chaos than evil.
The Vagrant is mute and never speaks, but he can sing and when he does it enhances the power of Gamma’s sword allowing it to generate enough energy to block projectiles or emit forces. He travels through a surreal world that morphs around him encountering bizarre creatures that hybridize human and demonic aspects. The atmosphere is dark and post-apocalyptic, which is quite literally true here as it takes place after the demonic apocalypse that infected most of the entire planet. The sun itself above was split into two halves—a yellow sun and a blood red sun. Newman does a very nice job developing a disturbing atmosphere that lies somewhere between horror and fantasy. It has a knowing ambiguity, as if there is much behind the scenes we cannot understand. Book one ends with a satisfying conclusion and the unique style and atmosphere drove me immediately on to the rest of the series.
As the second book begins, Gamma’s sword is taken up by The Vagrant’s daughter who in similar fashion to her father goes on a quest against demonic forces. Like her father, she is noble and kind-hearted, but whereas he often seemed reluctant and dragged into doing the right thing…she is rather painfully naïve. Her character grated on me at times because she was so innocent.
As book two moves into book three, we find the story continues to focus on The Vagrant’s daughter Vesper. Her mission at this point grows even larger as she takes sides in a final confrontation between the remaining immortal angels and the forces of the demons. The story in part three has evolved to combine singular heroics and warfare with political and cultural struggles. Vesper’s role becomes a figure infrequently seen in fantasy, a socio-political actor—something more than just a hero who defeats a great evil in combat. It’s an interesting evolution but technically, as a story it all becomes a bit less interesting. The story has lost some of its edge, and I also attribute that partially to the lack of depth of Vesper and the world becoming too set and established in its nature. It’s no longer as surprising and twisted as it was in book one.
I had a few additional niggles…some of the characters, particularly Vesper’s “love interest,” are grating and their relationship seems hardly justified. And Vesper’s story becomes too didactic by the conclusion. But overall, The Vagrant trilogy is a unique contribution to the fantasy genre and especially book 1 comes recommended to fans for surreal, near-horror dystopias.
July 31, 2017
The Seven carries on the the story from the previous book and takes the story in very different direction than you would expect with the Vagrant and Vesper taking on a more diplomatic as well as action driven role! :D Scout, Simon and Jam and the hero of the tale Scout appear again and the whole story proceeds at a breakneck pace with possibly the two most dysfunctional families in an absolutely brilliant way! :D As with the previous books there is vein of humour that runs brilliantly throughout many of the (literally) sticky situations the character find themselves in time and again! :D
The Seven is fast paced, funny, clever and action packed! :D Brilliant and highly recommended! :D
The Seven is fast paced, funny, clever and action packed! :D Brilliant and highly recommended! :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2019
I could not continue after the first chapter, it literally broke my heart and I'm so disappointed. I'm sure the author gives a great closure for the story but I just refuse to continue reading.
Harm deserved better. The vagrant deserved better. Way go with the only two gay characters. Because of course it's damn "unrealistic" to have the gay characters have a damn happy ending.
I'll pretend the story ended with the vagrant living happily with his family and goats.
It's a shame because I loved the first 2 books so much, and now I just can't bring myself to finish it.
Harm deserved better. The vagrant deserved better. Way go with the only two gay characters. Because of course it's damn "unrealistic" to have the gay characters have a damn happy ending.
I'll pretend the story ended with the vagrant living happily with his family and goats.
It's a shame because I loved the first 2 books so much, and now I just can't bring myself to finish it.
May 15, 2017
3.5 stars
It was a decent end to the trilogy but I didn't find it particularly compelling. The story and the set up are original, but the implementation for the trilogy was a bit boring, I think.
*****************************
I'm actually listening to the audible of this, but GRs doesn't have a listing for it.
It was a decent end to the trilogy but I didn't find it particularly compelling. The story and the set up are original, but the implementation for the trilogy was a bit boring, I think.
*****************************
I'm actually listening to the audible of this, but GRs doesn't have a listing for it.
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