From: Argon Publishing Inc./Columbia Games Inc.
Reviewed by: Ron McClung
The Fragment, The House of Kand: Book 1 is a new novel from Argon Publishing Inc./Columbia Games Inc.
The Fragment is the first book in a series based in the fantasy role playing game world of Hârn. Hârn is a world that the writers and players claim is a more realistic and detailed fantasy world.
From the back cover : “Now a brilliant new novel captures the excitement of this intriguing island where chivalry and magic blend in the best traditions of the Arthurian legends.”
I only know Hârn through a friend who runs it very passionately. He even recommended the book to me. I approached this book as a person that knows very little about Hârn and the game universe that surrounds it. I had expectations that this book would give me a microcosm of what the world of Hârn is all about. In this book, one is exposed to the harsh social divisions of a feudal world, a world where magic exists but only very subtly, and two struggling characters that are torn by it all.
However, to be completely honest, the writer is no J R.R. Tolkein or George R.R. Martin.
The story revolves around two characters, initially on separate quests from separate regions of Hârn. They are brought together when evil rebellious forces drag them into a quest for the Fragment, an ancient piece of stone that has very special powers – the ability to transfer a soul from one body to another. Apparently, with the limited magic in this world, complete soul possession is one of the things that is very difficult.
The location of the adventure takes place in a fairly localized area in Hârn. As cults stir up rebellion against the current Emperor, minor fiefs deal with their own local issues and family affairs. The lands that are described come across as fairly ordinary and stereotypical of a fantasy world. I can not say they are richly described, however, just because of the style of writing by the author. More on that later.
From the back cover : “Thrust into this turmoil is Artace Kand, a warrior with elven blood, and Lady Bonlia Taladin, a member of the covert Order of the White Hand from distant Melderyn…”
Artace Kand is the half-elf son of a noble and warrior who longs to see himself in the armor of his House’s legion. He is scorned by his only surviving relative, his half brother, who rules over his father’s lands. Lady Bonlia Taladin is a noble-born lady who is thrust from a world of comfort and privilege to discover new levels of pain and suffering in a quest to find this Fragment at the request of a mysterious secret magic society. In a land torn by religious beliefs, feudal societal division, and political intrigue, the quest for the Fragment begins.
The novel itself tries really hard to illustrate the social turmoil caused by religious and social division. There are several gods worshipped by the people of Hârn and they run the gambit of types, levels of fanatical followers, and numbers of faithful. They all represent varying degrees of good and evil, as one would expect. The social divisions revolve around the typical noble vs. commoner dichotomy. I was overwhelmed by the originality in this novel, but because it was based on a given universe, I expected to find it in the subtle aspects of the characters and the plot.
There are some unique ideas and interesting surprises in The Fragment. It did not flow like your typical quest-oriented fantasy novel, which was a relief. It also ends kind of abruptly and leaves you wanting more. Overall, the plot is interesting but not awe-inspiring. It is no great fantasy epic, although it does hint that it is building up to something epic. It is a decent beginning to a good fantasy story that has potential to be epic. I also liked the way the writer easily switched between the two characters to give two perspectives of the situation and in may cases used that technique to increase the tension and mystery.
My only real problem with the book is the style of writing. Basically, I could tell the writer was an engineer/mathematician-type and not a literary/poet-type. There was some emotion and a little detail in the descriptions, but the author primarily focused on the action and the process of the action. This is a characteristic most engineers have when they write fiction. The emotions and the poetic descriptions fall secondary to the step-by-step actions of what is going on in the present. It is just the nature of the individual’s perspective on life. At times, he seemed redundant in his writing for the sake of filler or choppy in places where he could have used compound sentences. I am not saying it was a “See Spot run” situation, but it definitely was no William Shakespeare either.
I guess it hurt me in the beginning, however, that I was reading other books while I was reading the beginning of this one. I found myself comparing them all and so I stopped reading the other books to finish this one. I found myself less bothered by his idiosyncrasies though they were still there.
In conclusion, this is a decent start of a good series. I did get a small microcosm of the Hârn world when I read this. I admit that it does not drive me to want to play it, but if I do, I would be somewhat familiar with the feel of the game universe. Aside from the author’s writing quirks, it was a fairly easy read. If you have in interest in learning about the Hârn game world or an interest in reading a different style fantasy novel, this book will probably satisfy you. It is quite apparent from my friend that any Hârn fan will enjoy this novel.
For more details on Argon Publishing Inc. / Columbia Games Inc. and their new Novel “The Fragment, The House of Kand: Book 1” check them out at their website http://www.columbiagames.com, and at all of your local game stores.
The Fragment, The House of Kand: Book 1
From:Argon Publishing Inc. / Columbia Games Inc.
Type of Game:Novel
Written by:Lance Bond
Number of Pages:308
Retail Price:$ 15.95 (US)
ISBN:0-9769950-0-X
Website:www.columbiagames.com
Reviewed by: Ron McClung