Publication Date: March 12, 2014
Myrah and Al meet a wizard that tells them about a mysterious Index that only Myrah can control. The duo embarks on a quest to find the magical Index and unlock its secrets.
[easyazon_link asin=”B00IZEH7RW” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”rabidreaders-20″]Unreliable Histories: A Tale of Cartography, Magic and Other Perils (The Written World Book 1)[/easyazon_link] was a very difficult to get into. While the world is somewhat parallel to our own and the featured, commercialized adventure interesting, the characters are perhaps too jaded to be engaged in a plot line with a feel of real danger as a component. Gregson writing technique is strong but the too cool-for-school feeling of the players perhaps, robs the work of elements that could be winning.
Myrah is the main character of the novel, though mostly partnered by Al. Her parents died in a terrible accident and she seems to be at the mercy of her uncle who is one of the top officers in a company that sells adventure to wealthy clients. I could not help but picture Reacher Gilt of Terry Pratchett’s “Going Postal” whenever Myrah’s uncle stepped into a scene. They have a similar suave sliminess that conveys a character that would slice his mother in half if he could earn a buck selling her insides. We know that Myrah is attractive because her uncle tries to use her looks to attract clients. Of course, he seems to have no reasonable expectation that she’ll cooperate and, indeed, she doesn’t disappoint. She has hipster levels of ennui with her world at large, a modified Britain of the past. Myrah is a woman looking for equality in a world of knights and damsels. One of Myrah’s charms is that she is very intelligently funny in a way that is dark and unmistakably British.
Al is a big guy with a big crush. He acts in many ways as Myrah’s bodyguard but the two develop a mutual respect that allows Al to say things other characters might not. While Gregson could have taken Al to a very soppy place, he allows the character to gain distance and develop a Jiminy Cricket type of relationship with the main character. Whether Myrah listens to Al is up to her but those things are said lend a spirit of self awareness to the piece.
[easyazon_link asin=”B00IZEH7RW” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”rabidreaders-20″]Unreliable Histories: A Tale of Cartography, Magic and Other Perils (The Written World Book 1)[/easyazon_link] is riddled with baddies and pawns. There are the evil corporations and the heads of those corporations. There is rampant manipulation and those who feel that their evil and chess playing with human life is actually for the greater good of society. They are not so evil, they believe, as misunderstood. The self-awareness of some of the characters and cheeky winks to readers saves, for this reader, a book that started out as a two-star at best read.For all of the subjective conclusions, [easyazon_link asin=”B00IZEH7RW” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”rabidreaders-20″]Unreliable Histories: A Tale of Cartography, Magic and Other Perils (The Written World Book 1)[/easyazon_link] is a skilfully written novel. There are no errors that I noticed and though the story seems to shift greatly in feeling a little more than halfway through, the constancy and flow are strong making the novel an easy read. While there is a likeness of feeling to Pratchett, Gregson’s work is a beast of a different color. If you like fantasy novels with a touch of humor that borders on meta-fiction at very specific points, pick [easyazon_link asin=”B00IZEH7RW” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”rabidreaders-20″]Unreliable Histories: A Tale of Cartography, Magic and Other Perils (The Written World Book 1)[/easyazon_link] up today.
Read an excerpt and buy Unreliable Histories: A Tale of Cartography, Magic and Other Perils (The Written World Book 1) by Rob Gregson on:
Amazon U.S. • Amazon U.K. • Amazon Canada
For more information about Rob Gregson and his work, visit his website. You can connect with him on Goodreads, Facebook and Twitter @RobGregsonWords.