RISE OF THE SKULL CRUSHER
By Joel Jenkins
Pulp Work Press
269 pgs
Book two of this fast based fantasy
series continues adventures of exiled prince Strommand Greattrix as he battles
to free his people in the kingdom
of Argalas from the
tyrannical rule of the Damionite Empire. The action takes place on the planet
Carparath where sword and sorcery are the weapons of choice and warring nations
battle for power in the skies via fleets of massive balloon ships.
At the end of book one “Skull
Crusher,” Strommand had commandeered an enemy scout ship along with three
people he had rescued; Shawna a fiery redheaded slave being brutally tortured
and then Amber, a beautiful black woman and her warrior ally Roland, who were
prisoners of dessert raiders. Together the four of them overcoma the crew of
the small airship and barely escaped with their lives, the ship half destroyed
and staying aloft with only a few balloons and prayers.
Book two picks up with Strommand
guiding the dilapidated half-ship to the mountain kingdom of Covallis
in search of his exiled uncle Lance Greattrix. Strommand’s plan is to persuade
his uncle, the true legitimate heir to the throne of Argalas, to assist him in
recruiting a new air flotilla and return to their homeland to retake it from
the usurpers. But nothing is ever simple in a world where politics are
constantly changing people’s loyalties and the prince must court favors from
several foreign royal families before he can successfully complete his mission.
It is a dangerous game as he is uncertain who he can trust and who would betray
him to gain favor with the enemy lords.
In the Greattrix saga, writer
Jenkins weaves an adventure that is eighty percent Edgar Rice Burroughs Martian
tales as if they filtered through George R.R. Martin’s “Game of Thrones.” This
volume is a delightful mix of over-the-top action and Machiavellian intrigues all
perfectly balanced with a deft touch. Jenkins strength is his imagination and ability
to create some of the most memorable female characters ever to grace the pages
of a fantasy epic; each is unique and equally memorable. We enjoyed the first
entry in this series a great deal and are thrilled that the verve and adventure
haven’t let up one single bit in this second installment. If you love original
fantasy adventure, you’ll look far and wide before finding anything as good as
this saga. So says this reviewer.
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