#eyvindr

Being the royal babysitter isn't all it's cracked up to be (ft. Tyrilar annoying Eyvindr, and Embra slugging Njord sibling style)

Hey, thanks for asking and sorry for the wait.

I haven't talked about Eyvindr in ages so this was an opportunity.

I think the thing(s) he's proudest to own are his amulet of Stendarr and his robes since they remind him of how far he's come and that he's serving his faith well. He's extremely proud of being a vigilant and pretty extremist in his beliefs.

The Last God #1 is...exactly what you’d expect. One hand a gritty fantasy with Berserk-style monstrosities and violence that provide some beautifully nightmarish images, with excellent artwork to match the challenge they’re presenting. On the other, a dark twist on a typical epic fantasy quest-type story, with a dark god of evil awakening after being defeated 30 years prior and new generation having to finish him. With the twist, that they spoil in solicits, being that the old heroes never did kill the guy in the first place, just made a deal with him. 

The book is...ambitious. In similar ways that I sadly have seen before. It is hoping to become a new fantasy epic with world-ending threat, huge quest and world map and a protagonist, Eyvindr, that is supposed to be special but feels as bland as most. I mean the book’s full title includes the “Book I of the Fellspyre Chronicles”, indicating the author wants to make sequels when only the first issue of his 12-part story is out. 

It is ambitious in its worldbuilding, providing us with full-on notes about the myths and legends behind most trivial details, while some fundamentals of the world are not yet properly established. It’s like the back-up features in Monstress (a book this is most likely gonna be seen as DC’s contender to) except instead of filling us in on the basics we need to know so the story doesn’t need to stop and establish them, it goes on about the stories behind statues we see on one page or a tune sang by some drunks. I get the purpose might be a bit different, trying to add more depth and dimension to the history of this world, but I wish we could get more on the basic “who, what or how” too. 

And finally, this book is so ambitious that it can come off as pretentious, what with the fact it thinks itself too cool to have Dwarves, it has bearded short people named Dwarrows. Come on!

(On a side note:  Something is itching me wrong about these totally-not Elves that makes me question if they do not step into cultural appropriation, but I also feel I’m too white to make this call if any of my Asian followers have an opinion, feel free to share it.)

I have seen this kind of thing before. We constantly get a new fantasy book promising to be the first part of an epic saga and best thing since Tolkien...and then the sales are disappointing and the second book never materializes. The closest comparisons I have so far are to a Neverwinter Nights module, Shadowguard. A module that was supposed to be a part in an epic series, with ambitions to introduce a new, wonderful world to the players and be the Next Baldur’s Gate, with the audacity to include the library with seven volumes dedicated to telling the world’s whole history. But the story the game told was not bad, but not exactly on the level, it thought itself. Compared to the other two modules it was released in a pack with, it was overshadowed by equally ambitious but much more intriguing in its writing Witch’s Wake, that people still play for the story itself, and by Kingmaker, that, while leaving room for a sequel, told a shorter, but complete tale and took several steps to build-in great replayability to itself. When all 3 modules were canceled, Shadowguard was missed the least. I do fear Last God may end the same way.

I’m not saying this book is bad or carried on by the excellent artwork. The premise is decent and from what we have seen so far there might be a fascinating and criminally underexplored theme of historical revisionism in this story. It has potential, but so far it has not yet channeled it fully to match its own ambition. Which is worrying since it is the same writer who wrote recent return of Marvel Zombies. When paired together these books give me an impression of a writer who is decent, talented but also seems to aim higher than his abilities allow. An ambition unmatched by skill. I could be wrong, I haven’t read anything else by him, just going by what I had read. I could also be letting my own personal perspective as a wannabe fantasy writer with his own epic story in eternal WIP cloud my reading. Since, you know, I also have high ambitions, except I have no fucking skill whatsoever...

Shale’s Life

….and does Rethul fastidiously comb his moustache every morning, or does it naturally take on a fabulous curl on its own? :3

Hey, thanks for asking and sorry it took so long. I'm on holiday and haven't spent much time on my phone.

Let's see.

Rashkan:

Rashkan would take a seat somewhere out of the way. He'd try not to attract attention while watching the other patrons, however, he doesn't mind (polite) company. If some drunkard were to flop down at his table he wouldn't react kindly.

Rethul:

Rethul is fairly paranoid, so in most cases he'll avoid the other patrons, check into his room and lock the door (Except for the evening before Bleak Falls Barrow. He got completely hammered that evening). However, there are situations where he'll let loose and once he knows the Dark Brotherhood isn't after him, he's the parties it up. He boasts, drinks, takes on dares, etc. Only once he adopts Aventus Aretino does he finally find a good balance between excess and responsibility.

As for his mustache, he's rigorous when it comes to beard care. Combing it is the bare minimum, even when logic would dictate different priorities.

Eyvindr (need to write about him more):

Eyvindr is rather shy and honestly a bit judgemental when it comes to the other patrons. If he really has to stay at an inn, he'll spend the time in his room, trying to block out the noise.

Sol: