Son of the Black Sword (spoiler free review) by Larry Correia
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- čas přidán 20. 01. 2024
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Hey, I'm the author. Thanks for the review.
One clarification, I'm 4 minutes in. When I organized Sad Puppies it had nothing to do with race. That's how they spun it for damage control afterwards to try and make us look demented. I originally got annoyed because for years the awards were more about an author having the right friends and political beliefs than talent. It was a group of insular insiders acting like the represented the best in all sci-fi/fantasy, when really it was just a tiny group of like minded people promoting each other (even George RR Martin had to finally admit I was right about that when I debated him). So I pushed a whole bunch of great authors who'd normally get shunned because of those same tainted politics you're lamenting today. In fact, the authors I got nominated were far more racially and sexually diverse than the previous years winners (16 white liberals and 1 Asian liberal). And my dad wasn't a white guy so when a whole bunch of entertainment sites all ran with that narrative that I was a white supremacist trying to keep minorities and women out of publishing (half my nominees were female!) I was friggin baffled, but that's the narrative they've run with ever since.
Larry thank you for standing up against the corruption!
Thank you for shedding light on this topic.
As a man who is an African American, I am really picky about the artist work I actively engage with.
Issues regarding the belief systems and system dynamics that have negatively impacted me are indeed issues I am fervently mindful of.
One truly has to be careful regarding idealogies and unsavory claims. So I opt to let the work and displayed values of the artist directly speak to me.
I purchased the Son Of The Black Sword about six hours ago. I just now have taken a break from it.
Your work has captured my attention so much so that I invested in the remaining books in the series.
I look forward to reading all of them.
@EuphoricImpact You won't regret it. It's a fantastic series. When Ashok get's serious, the world trembles.
Larry, you are an amazing author, much underrated. I loved the Malcontents, can't wait to get into your other works!!!
Keep up the good work!!!
@Larry, how many books are there going to be in the series! 😂
Finished this today. It was excellent! Cannot wait to continue. No idea why this one isn't more widely talked about in the fantasy community.
Nice! Gotta think people just don't like his politics. A large amount of people seemingly won't read a book by an outspoken conservative.
I just requested you to read this on your channel lol. Cant wait to hear what you think. I'm listening on audible for the second time right now.
This is a hugely underrated series. I read the first book shortly after it came out and I’ve telling people about it ever since. The world is so different and refreshing and the characters go on emotional journeys. Rare in many fantasy books today.
The good news is that every entry to the series isn't just consistent in quality, but each entry raises the bar. I keep running into lines that cause my hair to stand on end.
The Sad Puppies campaign aimed to expose the hugo awards for selecting books based on how politically and ideologically progressive they were, rather than whether they were actually good. It had nothing to do with author's race and gender. That was what pissed off Larry. Just some clarification.
Based
It's tough to write things that are easy to read, yet still have depth to them. This whole series (so far) is like that. The great thing is that he's working on the 5th and final installment now. Being a *professional* means that he's not going to just stop writing before he's finished, unlike some fantasy authors.
"This does not inspire confidence."
*shows Larry Elmore painting*
I LOL'ed at that one. He's done so many fantasy covers, including the Dragonlance series. But I prefer the black cover with the mask on this book.
Yeah, this cover is a little ridiculous.
Monster Hunter International and Hard Magic are two of my favorite series.
I have that book on my shelf and I need to read it.
I have read his series The Grimnoir Chronicles and I loved them. It is noir urban fantasy set in the 1930s.
Grimnoir chronicles are AWESOME!
Well said - I don't care about the identity or political affiliation of an author. Just write a good book and take my money. Added to TBR.
I have read these books! I really liked the books! I’m reading his urban fantasy series Monster Hunter International.
Been looking forward to this review. Correia is an auto buy author for us.
Met him in person on two occasions and he was great to chat with. Very friendly and willing to shoot the breeze as long as we wanted, despite him being busy. I know you aren't into urban fantasy, and I tend to agree. Most are terrible. But his MHI series is our favorite.
It is so awesome that you gave this book a chance. I bought it a few years ago, but I’ve been hesitant to discuss it with people due to the controversy around Larry Correia. It’s been hard to find anything about it on Booktube. There are so many books on my owned TBR that I need to get to, but this will be moving up! It sounds pretty fantastic!
Thanks for sharing your review!
You're going to love it. And the controversy is based on a combination of lies and people disliking the author because he's an expert in a field that's currently politically in vogue to hate by certain groups.
Nice review, glad you don't let stupid stuff stop you from reading books. It would be a sad boring time if we only read books from one group of people who all share the same viewpoint. Awards and reviews are all utterly worthless in this day and age.
The cover art you show must have been replaced as now they are all a black background with some “icon” like image front and center. Despite people’s aversion to Correia, I really enjoy most of his books.
It was the original cover, and is still on the inside of the hardcover edition. (Possibly the paperback as well, but I have never checked.) I don't know why it was replaced.
I'll have to add this to my list. I've heard of his Monster Hunter series, but not this one. I don't care what color or gender or politics an author has. I very rarely look into that stuff.
If you liked MHI, it's worth checking to see what else he's written.
@@MatthewBowman thanks! I think I will at some point.
I haven't read this book but your description makes it sound like The Faithful and the Fallen which I absolutely loved. Onto the TBR it goes 😀
Faithful and fallen is more complex in how the characters all relate to each other where as forgotten warrior saga it’s a bit simpler and easier to grasp. Not to say that one is better than the other. Just different. I think the main difference between the two series though is that the forgotten warrior series is based heavily around a class system for the society and the corruption of government whereas faithful and fallen to me was more about farm boy growing up to be a hero and fulfilling a preordained prophesy and a more clearly defined right and wrong. I’ve finished what has been released of saga of forgotten warrior and am halfway through ruin at the moment. Both great series but I think forgotten warrior is my favourite just because of the way it makes you feel regarding the injustice of the class system
Another fantastic video! Thank you Matt
this makes me glad I picked up this book from a used bookstore at some point!
It’s great to find out why it’s not more well known. It’s a five star series for me and I’ve recommended it to anyone who will listen and I just couldn’t believe no one else I know had even heard of it let alone read it. I’ve read all four and the series keeps getting better. Pacing is perfect. Character building and world building is next level. As you say keeping the backstory as entertaining as the main plot line is hard and the author has done it perfectly.
This is my favorite series he's done. Highly recommend all four published volumes. There is at least one more coming.
Thanks for the suggestion, Matt. This was a great book. I started reading the second book in the series, and it’s even better!
You’re right about the cover art; some of my friends won’t touch this book because of the cover. Maybe the cover art shouldn’t matter so much, but it does.
I think the prose is good, so I disagree with you there, albeit I did find some errors in my kindle version. It’s not GGK, but I have to be in - certain mood to read that kind of stuff anyway. The focus of this book is great storytelling, and it excels at that.
Again, thanks for this recommendation.
I've had this book for a while. Sounds like it's time to finally read it.
Wow never even heard of this series. Definitely adding it to my TBR.
The setting / world building and the story sound very enticing. Thank for the review Matt! Adding this gem to the list.
Not kidding. Fantasy with an Indian/Southeast Asia setting is a damn refreshing change.
Phenomenal series
I’ve had this book on my TBR for a while now after it was heavily recommended. I’ll have to move this up ASAP because it sounds awesome.
Love Correia. SotBS is great. All of the water stuff really kept me involved.
Awesome. So excited to get to this
Added to my list! thanks Matt it's rare rhat you talk good about a book that i never heard of at all but this is one of them
Larry is a great writer regardless of what you think of him personally. Hard Magic is a great audio listen it’s narrated by Bronson Pinchot and it’s fantastic.
you are killing
my TBR list LOL
Sounds like my type of book! To the TBR!
This is such a great book, I am patiently waiting for the next book in the series… Once I read the first I couldn’t stop until I read all 3 … Just a fantastic story that griped me from page 1 …
Nice review. The whole series is amazing. I'm really looking forward to the next (last I guess) book in the series. I think I've read all of Larry's books, and they're all good reads.
This is a really good series. It just keeps getting better. I think if you enjoy it you should really check out The Fire Sacraments by VS Redick. They're kinda similar and I think its super underrated and honestly might be better.
Started this book after the review. I’m on page 92. Great so far
This sounds cool. I like that you cover a lot of things I've never heard of.
This is such an amazing series. Its one of my new fantasy favorites and i cant wait for more.
It’s been a while since I have watched this review, but did you plan on reading the second book? I picked up the first based on this review and hope to get to it soon-ish.
Reading it next month!
Totally agree! This series is so underrated!
I loved this series, can’t wait for the newest book to get an audiobook
Ngl the cover is dope asf to me I like those retro berserk style covers
Just added this series to the wish list.
I read all of the saga of the forgotten warrior after really being impressed by book one. It was fantastic just wait till book three. Next level stuff.
Going to pick up this book today.
I just can't separate the art from the artist. To each their own though.
That's shameful, if your hypothesis is correct (and I'm confident it is.) Hopefully this exposure will benefit the author some. I definitely intend to check it out!
Larry's Correia has a pretty big fan base, but because he's considered bad by the sci-fi fantasy mainstream, he doesn't have a lot of publicity other than what he does himself, and word of mouth recommendations. You're right, though, that book reviewers like Matt likely have different audiences than Correia does.
I kid you not my coworker gave me the first few books (he's given me hundreds ) of this series and I donated them just because the cover.... Kinda regretting now
This series complete ?
Not quite, but he's pumping them out relatively quickly.
Please check out The Thousand Names by Django Wexler
The audio cover is better 🤪
Geralt is not poorly written. He's poorly translated. And he has emotions. That's like half of the point of the story. Every one thinks he's merciless killer without feelings while in reality he cares about people, he loves Ciri and Yen and all the other people around him.
Thank you, exactly this
If you like the Witcher books, you should check out Elric of Melnibone (sp?) by Michael Morecock. It's what the author ripped off to write the Witcher
@@bryce4228 I read the first omnibus last year. So far it's as much of a rip off as Star Wars or A Song of Ice and Fire are "rip offs" of Dune. It was inspired and the author doesn't even deny it but to call it rip off is a bit too much. (Yes I watched Razorfist's video too)
Moorcock doesn't have a monopoly on white haired sword wielding loners.
So Larry’s great crime was speaking out against political activists that were, (are) erasing merit from the “Hugo Awards” in favor in DEI? I’m sold - just bought every book in this series in hardcover.
If you like the series you should check out his other series, The Grimnoir trilogy and Monster Hunters International.
Our beloved Boomer Larry Coronary!
I like his writings(his books that is, his blog is a bit too much old Timer Boomerisms) ;)
Good, clean sword pron;)
So, I looked him up and he's only 47 years old. That makes him Gen X, not a boomer. I'm sure he does sound like a boomer though. I haven't read his blog.
I’ve met him… really nice guy. He just tells things the way he sees and he doesn’t suffer fools lightly 😊.
Can you be any more of a bigot?
Tell me you never read the Witcher without telling me 😂😂
This book just didn't do much for me. It's not bad...just very "meh". Two stars.
Great review and great take on the drama people like to stir up because a person doesn’t toe the line.
Thank you for mentioning the controversy on the author even though it’s not something you care about. I wasn’t aware of it and would have picked up the book otherwise. Your reviews are really unbiased and I appreciate that 😁
@Selitos676, take a look up-thread, about the "controversy". That whole "racist / sexist / meanypants" thing is BS, made up by the other side. Larry describes the "controversy" in detail, up-thread. Basically, the "popular kids" clique at Worldcon were awarding Hugos based on how "politically correct" the authors were, instead of how good the books were. The goal of Sad Puppies, was to expose the cliques. It did.
@@3fgburner from my research, sad puppies specifically thought that the Hugo Awards were snubbing white, heterosexual male authors in favor of embracing diversity and political correctness. I don’t really care that white guys are upset because they don’t dominate the fantasy genre anymore. It’s reminiscent of the “make American great again” mindset that I despise.
Don’t like this guy’s politics. Will buy this book on secondary market.
You strike me as an N. K. Jemisin fan.
I’m personally on the right wing of politics (I know that’s basically a crime now), but I still love books written by left wing progressives and I still love many actors that are left wing. Even if they hate me for what I believe. I just want to read a well written story and I I know that different people will view the world differently and that should be a good thing. Not sure why we all have to think the exact same way now.
Lerry, there seems to be a rather large over abundance of assholes in your monster hunter novels. It's Tiring.
I almost DNFed this one....😅...but I finished it..."the law the law the law!"....LOL...to each their own.
When that piece of crap trilogy by NK Jemisin won three straight Hugo awards, we learned the award was no longer based on merit. Good for Larry and others speaking out!
I agree. I thought her trilogy was OK but couldn't figure out how it won three Hugo awards. Now, it makes more sense. Politics should not be a factor.
It has the same problems as the Oscar’s/Emmy’s where left wing activism is given more weight than quality.
Politics is ruining entertainment.
Your opinion on the broken earth trilogy is unpopular. The books are very highly rated by readers and in my opinion definitely deserved the awards. Just because you don’t like the books doesn’t mean the awards are no longer based on merit.
I had my suspicions, but were the books (N.K.’s trilogy) really that bad? I mean Hugo Award Winning? Probably not, but horrible? It’s sad how far the Hugo has fallen; to say they have not changed, and become biased, is to shout loudly “La La la la.” While covering your ears. The sad Puppies were just a reaction to the very apparent changes taking place in the nomination process, and in response to the sad puppies, they (Hugo top brass) overcorrected by doubling down on the identity politics. Just a shame. A downright shame.
Thanks for not letting crowd-sourced politics shape your reading list.
second book was way worse couldnt even finish it unfortunately
Larry Correia isn’t White(his quite literally a “POC” via one of his parents), it wasn’t about that other than in the eyes of people that think they can take POCs race card if they don’t follow the appropriate thinking.
Several other of the Sad Puppies were POCs or married to one so this level of laziness/ignorance seems a bit too much if you’re going to bring it up imo.
And I’m not a fan of Correia non-author activities, truth matters though(for me at least).
I mentioned in the video that I didn't follow it very closely, and that I probably missed something in my explanation because I find the whole thing kind of silly. But I appreciate the info!
You haven't actually explained the issue then...
@@RLX5201chill out buddy
Ahh yes, the poor white authors. There must be bias. Give me a break. I've read Monster hunter international and it was one of the biggest pieces of crap I've ever read, you'll never convince me that dude wrote anything of value
Look at the nominees for the Hugo's the last handful of years and tell me with a straight face that there aren't political games going on.
I can't speak for monster hunter, but this story here is a banger!
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews yup, just looked at it with my "the minorities aren't out to get me lens" and yeah, I see a bunch of good books recommended along with a bunch of bad and mediocre books like "Legends and Lattes" or downright terrible books like "Kaiju preservation society".
I won't say political games aren't going on because by definition a vote is political. How could you have a group of people voting for something without political games going on?
@@bryson2662 don't have a group vote in the first place. Make it like every other major awards and have experts doing the voting.
The awards for decades was dominated by men. That was dumb. Now it's dominated by women. That's dumb too.
Just find a way to get the best books nominated without caring about gender, race, political beliefs, etc.
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews that's the way the Hugo's have always been. Literally always. That's why they've always been garbage. But suddenly minorities and women start getting recognition and we got to set to conservative voting blocks "cause my books where I masturbate with guns" isn't getting nominated is going to have me eye-rolling and asking the deeper questions.
@@MattsFantasyBookReviews that's literally how the Hugo's have always been done. That's why they've always been second rate. But for some reason only when racial minorities and women started to win more did people have to set up conservative voting blocks to get my "pleasure myself with gun p*rn" book nominated. Sounds like a deeper issue to me
Liam from @LiamsLyceum had made me already curious about this series. And now this review. Might be interested in reading this.