Friday, January 25, 2013

Synopsis - "Drakenfeld" by Mark Charan Newton

The past two years have been busy, my old schedule suffered a severe change. Not that I am complaining, the new development has been nothing but wonderful. However, more than a few things were left behind and in reading terms I can count Mark Charan Newton’s “Legends of the Red Sun” as one of these things. I reached the halfway point of his series, but somehow “The Book of Transformations” and “The Broken Isles” lost priority in face of other books although I did love “Nights of Villjamur” and “City of Ruin”. Despite the good start of this year I can’t promise myself that I will finish Mark Charan Newton’s series, I would regret making this commitment and not keeping true to it, but I’ll certainly do my best. But, I will definitely make sure to read his new novel, “Drakenfeld”, due to be released on October by Tor UK. Bythe looks of it, Mark’s new novel is a mix of mystery, crime and fantasy set in a world bearing the characteristics of the Ancient Rome and Byzantium. I am more than curious about “Drakenfeld”, especially since it would be interesting to see a criminal investigation in the fantasy genre, besides the multitude of paranormal ones. Amanda Downum’s entertaining “Necromancer Chronicles” springs to mind when it comes to investigations in fantasy settings and speaking of the Ancient Roman Empire characteristics in speculative fiction, the masterfully created worlds of K.J. Parker are one of the kind, but Mark Charan Newton’s “Drakenfeld” promises aplenty for both. We just have to wait and see what this novel has to offer at the time of its publication.

“I am Lucan Drakenfeld, second son of Calludian, Officer of the Sun Chamber and peace keeper. Although sometimes it seems I am the only person who wishes to keep it …”
The monarchies of the Royal Vispasian Union have been bound together for two hundred years with treaties and laws maintained and enforced by the powerful Sun Chamber. As a result, a long harmony has existed, nations have flourished, and civil wars are a thing of the past. But corruption, deprivation and murder will always find a way to thrive…
Upon receiving news of his father’s death and recalled to his home city of Tryum, Drakenfeld is soon embroiled in a mystifying case. King Licintius’ sister, Lacanta, has been found brutally murdered during a night of festivities – her beaten and bloody body discovered in a locked temple. Despite hundreds of revellers, no one saw anything. With rumours of dark spirits and political assassination, Drakenfeld soon has his work cut out for him trying to separate superstition from certainty.
With his assistant, Leana, he embarks on the biggest and most complex investigation of his career, revisiting the ancient streets of his past, tracking down leads, interviewing suspects and making new enemies in his search for the truth.
His determination to find the killer soon makes him a target, as the underworld of Tryum focuses on this new threat to their power…

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