Bookworm Speaks!- Carnifex by D.P. Prior

Bookworm Speaks!

Carnifex

Book 1

by D.P. Prior

Acquired: From Word Slinger Publicity in exchange for an honest review

Series: Legends of the Nameless Dwarf

Paperback: 128 Pages

Publisher: D. P. Prior

Language: English

Subject: Fiction

****

The Story: For more than a thousand years, the dwarves have hidden away from the world in their ravine city of Arx Gravis.

Governed by an inflexible council whose sole aim is to avoid the errors of the past, the defining virtue of their society is that nothing should ever change.

But when the Scriptorium is broken into, and Ravine Guard Carnifex Thane sees a homunculus fleeing the scene of the crime, events are set in motion that will ensure nothing will ever be the same again.

Deception and death are coming to Arx Gravis.

The riddles that preceded Carnifex’s birth crystalize into a horrifying fate that inexorably closes in.

But it is in blood that legends are born, and redemption is sometimes seeded in the gravest of sins.

For Carnifex is destined to become the Ravine Butcher, before even that grim appellation is forever lost, along with everything that once defined him.

The Review: Let’s start off with the best part of this whole book: Freaking Dwarves!

Bookworm thinks Dwarves are probably one of his favorite races in the classic fantasy genre. Call them cliches, but they are a cliche that works and we love them. The author deserves credit for following the standard to its peak by giving the female dwarves beards. 

Carnifex is a great character. What makes him especially great is that he is different from other dwarf characters encountered in popular media. While he is a fierce warrior, he is also contemplative and sensitive. He isn’t particularly loud or boisterous and he does not seem to enjoy getting drunk. 

(Stepping back for a second. This was a good choice on the author’s part because while it is fun to party, getting drunk isn't something that should be glorified) 

Carnifex helps break something that would otherwise be characterized as being blatantly trite, an immediately makes the character memorable. The sensitivity is particularly compelling, as not only does it add the tragic nature of the story, it is a step forward in defying stereotypes, particularly regarding men and their feelings. 

That is the real strength of this book. At first glance, it seems like a generic, Tolkeinesque dwarf story utilizing standard elements from fantasy, but when read and diving in deeper, the reader realizes that this book breaks many cliches in several profound, if not the most dramatic, ways. 

If there are some flaws with the character to be found, one of them would be that Carnifex can get a little too brooding at certain points. Sometimes bookworm wanted to say, “Come on you’re the hero! Suck it up!”

That may be unfair expectation of those who are genuinely experiencing depression but we are reading this stuff to escape from real world problems. 

Characterization is all well and good but its made or broken by the story, and if the cover is any indication this story promises a lot of action and it delivers. 

Carnifex is a member of the Ravine Guard and thusly it falls to him to protect the great city. Many a chapter abounds with him and his crew

Be warned! Some of the action scenes are pretty gory. This is a dark book, make no mistake. 

The layer of mystery that surrounds these encounters adds to suspense. Carnifex spends a lot of his Ravine Guard time, chasing a mysterious homunculus whose motivations and origins are unclear. 

One scene in particular is a special treat for any fan of action. Carnifex goes to one of the city’s fighting pits and engages in a bout in order to beat out his frustration. The visceral violence of the scene is really quite compelling. 

While the book is indeed action packed, tragically so, the balance between the calm moments and the exciting moments is a little of, in that the transitions between such moments is oftentimes extremely sudden. 

That is the main flaw of the book, its pacing. One chapter is made up of a conversations, one is chasing something through the tunnels, and the next is more talking. The characters and story introduce a lot of elements and most of the time, a lot of them at once. Sometimes, they aren't brought up again into much later in the plot, after the reader has all but forgotten about them. 

The confusion summoned by reading this could be partially explained by the fact this book is one of a greater universe of previously written books. Perhaps, also it is meant to convey Carnifex’s journey through the eyes of the reader: Being swept up in a larger universe and suddenly coming into a great deal of knowledge. Such an experience would leave someone very confused in real life. 

The fact remains though that this isn’t real life, it is a novel, and when we read novels, consistency is a required facet to any adventure, and this book was not consistent. This is especially apparent at the ending where frankly, Bookworm had no idea what was going on. Perhaps it is motivation to read the sequel but that should be no excuse. 

Finally, the name Carnifex is just a bit silly. We get the meaning of it but it doesn’t seemed to fit the world being built. That is just a nitpick though. 

Final Verdict: The convoluted ending almost gave this one three stars but this book is greater than the sum of its parts due to everything that came before it.

Four Axes out of Five

thecultureworm.blogspot.com