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Grimnoir Chronicles #3
Warbound
New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author's gritty urban fantasy set in an alternate noir 1930s. A tough P.I. battles an interdimensional monster that wants to suck magic power out of the world. Sequel to Hard Magic and Spellbound. Book Three in the Grimnoir Chronicles.Only a handful of people in the world know that mankind’s magic comes from a living creature, and it is a refugee from another universe. The Power showed up here in the 1850s because it was running from something. Now it is 1933, and the Power’s hiding place has been discovered by a killer.It is a predator that eats magic and leaves destroyed worlds in its wake. Earth is next.Former private eye, Jake Sullivan, knows the score. The problem is hardly anyone believes him. The world’s most capable Active, Faye Vierra, could back him up, but she is hiding from the forces that think she is too dangerous to let live. So Jake has put together a ragtag crew of airship pirates and Grimnoir knights, and set out on a suicide mission to stop the predator before it is too late.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published May 27, 2014
About the author
Larry Correia
99 books4,099 followersLarry Correia (born 1977) is the New York Times bestselling author of the Monster Hunter International series, the Grimnoir Chronicles, and the thriller Dead Six.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 456 reviews
August 1, 2014
Posted to The Literary Lawyer.ca
A Great Finish to an Epic Trilogy - 4 Stars
Warbound puts the finishing touches on what has proved to be one of the most original series I have read. It is well written, intelligent and fun in a sea of Dresden wannabes. The first thing I did after finishing Warbound was to hop on Twitter and ask the author if we will see more in this series. Larry Correia informs that while this puts an end to the trilogy of books, he intends on writing further novels set in this world. I will be in line waiting for my copy when that day comes.
Plot summary
The threads for the previous novels all gather in Warbound to coalesce in one massive, supernatural confrontation. At the outset of the novel, Faye has gone off the grid leaving everyone to believe she is dead. She has traveled to France to meet with a elder Grimnoir to learn the secrets of the Spellbound curse and to determine if she can manage the power. Without Faye, the rest of the Grimnoir crew gathers with a ragtag band of unlikely allies to track down and destroy the pathfinder. The book culminates with battles across the globe in an effort to save mankind.
The Good
Go Big or Go Home
In this installment, very little is done on a small scale. The explosions are bigger, the fights are bigger, the magic is bigger and the stakes are higher. The characters continue to grow and their grasp of and on the power reaches epic proportions. While I was a little disappointed with the final battle, the scope of the final confrontations was so vast that the final battle served as a footnote.
He Said it Right
I have said it before and I will say it again. Larry Correia writes some of the best dialogue in the business. The dialogue is used as tool to develop the character. If you are ever unsure of who is speaking in the story, you are likely to figure it out based on the character unique speech patter or nuanced language. This is one of the most enjoyable parts of the series.
The Bad
Turn it up to 11!
While the scale of the final confrontations was epic, the action and intensity of the scenes was not up to par with the previous installment. Throughout the novel there was significant periods of seeming inactivity causing the story to drag from time to time.
The time spent slowly in the book could have been better spent tying together all the loose ends. When the story wasn't going slow, part of the story felt rushed. It was as if some of the completed threads had to be wedged into the story. The final result was that the story lacked the impeccable pacing of the previous novel.
Final Thoughts
Thought the story suffered in terms of pacing, the over story overall was excellent and enjoyable. The characters were interesting and fun throughout and kept you rooting and cringing the whole way along. This is an exceptional trilogy and it is highly recommended by me!
Audiobook Notes
Once again, the narration is top of the line. I continue to gush over the excellent characterizations of the narrator. The author has written dialogue that begs to be read out loud. This narrator does it as good as anyone.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 2
Apparently some people can find time for sex on the eve of Armageddon. There is a scene in which sex in implied. There is little other sexually related content.
Language - 3.5
Larry Corriea rarely shies away from adult language. The use adult language is a little above average in this novel. There is moderate use of mild obscenities and mild use of the f-word.
Violence - 3.5
There is plenty of fantasy violence. The violence is not located in every chapter as it is focused in several of the large fighting scenes. There is a in which a large number of people are killed that is humerous as well as moderately graphic.
A Great Finish to an Epic Trilogy - 4 Stars
Warbound puts the finishing touches on what has proved to be one of the most original series I have read. It is well written, intelligent and fun in a sea of Dresden wannabes. The first thing I did after finishing Warbound was to hop on Twitter and ask the author if we will see more in this series. Larry Correia informs that while this puts an end to the trilogy of books, he intends on writing further novels set in this world. I will be in line waiting for my copy when that day comes.
Plot summary
The threads for the previous novels all gather in Warbound to coalesce in one massive, supernatural confrontation. At the outset of the novel, Faye has gone off the grid leaving everyone to believe she is dead. She has traveled to France to meet with a elder Grimnoir to learn the secrets of the Spellbound curse and to determine if she can manage the power. Without Faye, the rest of the Grimnoir crew gathers with a ragtag band of unlikely allies to track down and destroy the pathfinder. The book culminates with battles across the globe in an effort to save mankind.
The Good
Go Big or Go Home
In this installment, very little is done on a small scale. The explosions are bigger, the fights are bigger, the magic is bigger and the stakes are higher. The characters continue to grow and their grasp of and on the power reaches epic proportions. While I was a little disappointed with the final battle, the scope of the final confrontations was so vast that the final battle served as a footnote.
He Said it Right
I have said it before and I will say it again. Larry Correia writes some of the best dialogue in the business. The dialogue is used as tool to develop the character. If you are ever unsure of who is speaking in the story, you are likely to figure it out based on the character unique speech patter or nuanced language. This is one of the most enjoyable parts of the series.
The Bad
Turn it up to 11!
While the scale of the final confrontations was epic, the action and intensity of the scenes was not up to par with the previous installment. Throughout the novel there was significant periods of seeming inactivity causing the story to drag from time to time.
The time spent slowly in the book could have been better spent tying together all the loose ends. When the story wasn't going slow, part of the story felt rushed. It was as if some of the completed threads had to be wedged into the story. The final result was that the story lacked the impeccable pacing of the previous novel.
Final Thoughts
Thought the story suffered in terms of pacing, the over story overall was excellent and enjoyable. The characters were interesting and fun throughout and kept you rooting and cringing the whole way along. This is an exceptional trilogy and it is highly recommended by me!
Audiobook Notes
Once again, the narration is top of the line. I continue to gush over the excellent characterizations of the narrator. The author has written dialogue that begs to be read out loud. This narrator does it as good as anyone.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 2
Apparently some people can find time for sex on the eve of Armageddon. There is a scene in which sex in implied. There is little other sexually related content.
Language - 3.5
Larry Corriea rarely shies away from adult language. The use adult language is a little above average in this novel. There is moderate use of mild obscenities and mild use of the f-word.
Violence - 3.5
There is plenty of fantasy violence. The violence is not located in every chapter as it is focused in several of the large fighting scenes. There is a in which a large number of people are killed that is humerous as well as moderately graphic.
September 1, 2015
Warbound is not what anyone would mistake as quality, thought provoking literature; however, it is loads and loads of fun. The book oozes fun and entertainment. It has giant zeppelins, space aliens, magic, giant robots, zombies, death-rays, body snatchers, and more. It has twists and turns. It has the unexpected. It also has "it" - that indefinable thing that makes it virtually impossible to put down as you roll from one scene to the next.
So what makes Warbound so good? First and foremost is world building. Larry Correia has created an astonishingly new and fresh world. It is Earth in the 1930s with the same politics and nations as existed in our own world. The Japanese are militaristic. The Soviets dominate Russia. The difference is magic. Magic has entered the world and powers an small but growing number of people. The talents vary. Some have the ability to manipulate gravity. Some have the power to read minds, and so on. This infusion of magic into the world takes these same political and military conflicts and ... twists them.
The beauty is that the author makes all of this (including space aliens, robots and zombies) work. He creates a logical framework for how it all fits together. Take the case of zombies, for example. Zombies were living people at one time, but their being was trapped by magic in their dead bodies. The body is dead, but the human spark remains ... remains existing in that agonizing moment of death. Some zombies hold out for a while, but they all break eventually, going insane. Best of all, this world is revealed to us bit by bit. You never encounter page after page of exposition painfully explaining why magic works, or why there are death rays and zeppelins. Instead it is all revealed through natural dialogue and discovery.
The characters and their interactions are also fantastic. One of my favorite scenes is the final confrontation between Toru Tokugawa and Jake Sullivan. Very real. Faye is also a sweet heart of a character (although maybe not developed enough by comparison with Jake). I also like the fact that the author is hard on his characters - that you never know who might be at risk.
The two main things that might detract from an otherwise awesome book are pretty minor as far as I am concerned. There is perhaps a little too much 'gun-love' for my taste. I get it - these guys know their weapons, but I really don't need that much detail. Next, the author's libertarian philosophy does spill over into the story. Not that big of a deal to me, but I could see it bugging others.
Bottom line? Four and a half stars rounded down to four after some reflection. It is a thoroughly FUN adventure book - a steam-punk romp that I just couldn't put down.
So what makes Warbound so good? First and foremost is world building. Larry Correia has created an astonishingly new and fresh world. It is Earth in the 1930s with the same politics and nations as existed in our own world. The Japanese are militaristic. The Soviets dominate Russia. The difference is magic. Magic has entered the world and powers an small but growing number of people. The talents vary. Some have the ability to manipulate gravity. Some have the power to read minds, and so on. This infusion of magic into the world takes these same political and military conflicts and ... twists them.
The beauty is that the author makes all of this (including space aliens, robots and zombies) work. He creates a logical framework for how it all fits together. Take the case of zombies, for example. Zombies were living people at one time, but their being was trapped by magic in their dead bodies. The body is dead, but the human spark remains ... remains existing in that agonizing moment of death. Some zombies hold out for a while, but they all break eventually, going insane. Best of all, this world is revealed to us bit by bit. You never encounter page after page of exposition painfully explaining why magic works, or why there are death rays and zeppelins. Instead it is all revealed through natural dialogue and discovery.
The characters and their interactions are also fantastic. One of my favorite scenes is the final confrontation between Toru Tokugawa and Jake Sullivan. Very real. Faye is also a sweet heart of a character (although maybe not developed enough by comparison with Jake). I also like the fact that the author is hard on his characters - that you never know who might be at risk.
The two main things that might detract from an otherwise awesome book are pretty minor as far as I am concerned. There is perhaps a little too much 'gun-love' for my taste. I get it - these guys know their weapons, but I really don't need that much detail. Next, the author's libertarian philosophy does spill over into the story. Not that big of a deal to me, but I could see it bugging others.
Bottom line? Four and a half stars rounded down to four after some reflection. It is a thoroughly FUN adventure book - a steam-punk romp that I just couldn't put down.
November 18, 2015
Warbound is the third and final installment in Larry Correia's amazing "Grimnoir Chronicals" trilogy. This series is one of my favorites and now that it's over it's going on the keeper shelf for all time. Correia has promised some more material in the world so I have that to look forward to, but I would definitely like to read more about these characters specifically. I don't know if that will happen, but I would be thrilled if we got to see them again.
This book isn't perfect. In fact it's probably the weakest in the series, but that's all relative since all three books are fantastic, IMO. The ending felt rushed and the epilogue felt incomplete for the ending of a story arc. I think it could have used another chapter to wrap things up and to bring the remaining characters back together for a check-in rather than some reminiscences from one character's POV (memorial, wedding, conference … just something to bring them to the same place at the same time). Then it could still have ended with the same really nice scene it does have. But nobody listens to me and I can't say I was horribly disappointed in anything.
The battles in this world are mind-bending and the relationships are very effective. There were surprises and heartbreaks and, as always, a lot of humor in the face of catastrophe. Correia handles character death better than many fantasy authors. It's always important, never a gimmick, and I can't express how much, as an emotionally involved reader, I appreciate that.
The basic overview of the world is that people started being born with magical abilities in the mid-1800's. These abilities are specific, such as teleportation (Travelers), fire starting/controlling (Torches), Healers, incredible strength (Brutes), the ability to manipulate gravity (Heavies AKA Gravity Spikers), and so on. They can be super heroes or super villains and some nods and winks are made toward the comic book genre. But this is an alt-history, so some of the things you might think are "stolen" from comics are really references to actual historical events. It's fascinating and inspires further research which is kind of fun with this created world lurking in the back of the mind.
The characters in this series are well made and just about any of them (on the good guy side, of course) could be called my favorite. There's intrigue and action and mild romance and dirigibles, although it can't really be classified as steam punk. It's called "diesel punk" but it's also modern epic fantasy/alt history.
If you like audio books, the first two are award winners. I read the Kindle editions and, unfortunately, this installment suffered from many typos. I had to wonder if Baen had been taken over by Penguin since I don't usually have that problem with them and Penguin is notorious for shoddy end product. Still, it was an annoyance and not a deal-breaker.
Clearly, I highly recommend this series. :D
ETA - 11/18/15 - I just got around to listening to the audio of this book and it is an absolute tour de force of narration. Bronson Pinchot was great reading Hard Magic, even better reading Spellbound, but this ... this is off the charts. I almost want to go back to the beginning and listen to it all over again immediately.
This book isn't perfect. In fact it's probably the weakest in the series, but that's all relative since all three books are fantastic, IMO. The ending felt rushed and the epilogue felt incomplete for the ending of a story arc. I think it could have used another chapter to wrap things up and to bring the remaining characters back together for a check-in rather than some reminiscences from one character's POV (memorial, wedding, conference … just something to bring them to the same place at the same time). Then it could still have ended with the same really nice scene it does have. But nobody listens to me and I can't say I was horribly disappointed in anything.
The battles in this world are mind-bending and the relationships are very effective. There were surprises and heartbreaks and, as always, a lot of humor in the face of catastrophe. Correia handles character death better than many fantasy authors. It's always important, never a gimmick, and I can't express how much, as an emotionally involved reader, I appreciate that.
The basic overview of the world is that people started being born with magical abilities in the mid-1800's. These abilities are specific, such as teleportation (Travelers), fire starting/controlling (Torches), Healers, incredible strength (Brutes), the ability to manipulate gravity (Heavies AKA Gravity Spikers), and so on. They can be super heroes or super villains and some nods and winks are made toward the comic book genre. But this is an alt-history, so some of the things you might think are "stolen" from comics are really references to actual historical events. It's fascinating and inspires further research which is kind of fun with this created world lurking in the back of the mind.
The characters in this series are well made and just about any of them (on the good guy side, of course) could be called my favorite. There's intrigue and action and mild romance and dirigibles, although it can't really be classified as steam punk. It's called "diesel punk" but it's also modern epic fantasy/alt history.
If you like audio books, the first two are award winners. I read the Kindle editions and, unfortunately, this installment suffered from many typos. I had to wonder if Baen had been taken over by Penguin since I don't usually have that problem with them and Penguin is notorious for shoddy end product. Still, it was an annoyance and not a deal-breaker.
Clearly, I highly recommend this series. :D
ETA - 11/18/15 - I just got around to listening to the audio of this book and it is an absolute tour de force of narration. Bronson Pinchot was great reading Hard Magic, even better reading Spellbound, but this ... this is off the charts. I almost want to go back to the beginning and listen to it all over again immediately.
January 14, 2018
Rating of the whole series: 15/15
When I started reading this series I was extremely excited. As a non-Murican, I always liked stories set in the 30's US, as things were extremely different here back then. It's just an era that is interesting to me and when I read this one has fantasy elements and even some minimal steampunk in that era I couldn't help myself.
It was such a great idea. I very rarely ever read multiple books of the same series right after each other, but I did it with Hard Magic and Spellbound. In my world that is a huge deal and in itself a testimony of how much I enjoyed the series.
In this specific part we reached the big conflict with the sinister power that wants to gobble up all the magic and magical individuals in our world. Everyone needs to shape up, while the different countries are still being total idiots who can't get on with each other and many even claim the danger isn't even real and people shouldn't give a crap about it at all. They are in for a surprise.
The main thing about this series at least to me was the fact that the conflicts were so many, in so many directions. This ain't a simple story of good guys against bad guys, more like a bunch of different people with different goals and aims against each other and nobody really having the whole picture from an objective point of view. I guess that makes sense when it comes to part of it being history-inspired, but I find many authors are not exactly brilliant at it.
Even if many of the characters (especially Sullivan and Toru) are patriotic and are morally defined by their respective cultures they have a kind of respect for each other that transcends it all. Now some of the people who are more easily offended will groan a bit as the characters use language that is not accepted in today's America (like Jap), but the thing is, you have to realise two things; the book has a context (it's the bloody 30's and also the Japanese did some not particularly nice things, both to their own people and others) and also if you are careful, the Japanese characters are just as guilty or being racists as any of the other characters.
This was one of the most refreshing things about the book to me. Way too often authors try to be so tolerant that instead of having characters who are minorities, but more importantly people with the complex things of hopes, goals, flaws and issues, they are turned into these angelic, outstandingly wise noble creatures who become caricatures and boring as all hell. Ours is the Storm is a prime example of over the top "exotic means perfection".
Another really well done thing was the magic system. It's not complicated, basically just people having different powers. Here is the thing. It's all named for easy use and all the powers connect up into magic as a whole and you can create a whole spectrum, some connected more closely, some more distantly. Sounds easy, but it could have been a spectacular mess, like The Bone Season, where it already falls apart at the naming; the names are not obvious enough. Mr. Correia named fire users Torch, manipulators Mouth, electricity users Crackler, etc. You don't have to use the little help in the back of the book for 99% of the terms once you hear them for the first time.
This makes magic feel organic and part of the world. It's not convenient whatever you want it to be, power is not endless, they all have their limits. The only few characters who have unlimited power pay a price for it and it has a meaning.
Also... it's fun. It's entertaining, it's satisfying, I had a ton of good gasps and laughs. It had enough of action and I could feel the author being excited about it, but he also managed to infect me with his excitement. I had an amazing time with the whole series, I loved the characters, it was all great.
(Apparently Mr. Correia once said he is open to writing more books in this world, but he needs to do many others before. I am hoping for it. Seriously.)
I would recommend this to my friends and family for sure. Wouldn't want them to miss something so cool and entertaining.
Have a nice day and unleash your best powers!
When I started reading this series I was extremely excited. As a non-Murican, I always liked stories set in the 30's US, as things were extremely different here back then. It's just an era that is interesting to me and when I read this one has fantasy elements and even some minimal steampunk in that era I couldn't help myself.
It was such a great idea. I very rarely ever read multiple books of the same series right after each other, but I did it with Hard Magic and Spellbound. In my world that is a huge deal and in itself a testimony of how much I enjoyed the series.
In this specific part we reached the big conflict with the sinister power that wants to gobble up all the magic and magical individuals in our world. Everyone needs to shape up, while the different countries are still being total idiots who can't get on with each other and many even claim the danger isn't even real and people shouldn't give a crap about it at all. They are in for a surprise.
The main thing about this series at least to me was the fact that the conflicts were so many, in so many directions. This ain't a simple story of good guys against bad guys, more like a bunch of different people with different goals and aims against each other and nobody really having the whole picture from an objective point of view. I guess that makes sense when it comes to part of it being history-inspired, but I find many authors are not exactly brilliant at it.
Even if many of the characters (especially Sullivan and Toru) are patriotic and are morally defined by their respective cultures they have a kind of respect for each other that transcends it all. Now some of the people who are more easily offended will groan a bit as the characters use language that is not accepted in today's America (like Jap), but the thing is, you have to realise two things; the book has a context (it's the bloody 30's and also the Japanese did some not particularly nice things, both to their own people and others) and also if you are careful, the Japanese characters are just as guilty or being racists as any of the other characters.
This was one of the most refreshing things about the book to me. Way too often authors try to be so tolerant that instead of having characters who are minorities, but more importantly people with the complex things of hopes, goals, flaws and issues, they are turned into these angelic, outstandingly wise noble creatures who become caricatures and boring as all hell. Ours is the Storm is a prime example of over the top "exotic means perfection".
Another really well done thing was the magic system. It's not complicated, basically just people having different powers. Here is the thing. It's all named for easy use and all the powers connect up into magic as a whole and you can create a whole spectrum, some connected more closely, some more distantly. Sounds easy, but it could have been a spectacular mess, like The Bone Season, where it already falls apart at the naming; the names are not obvious enough. Mr. Correia named fire users Torch, manipulators Mouth, electricity users Crackler, etc. You don't have to use the little help in the back of the book for 99% of the terms once you hear them for the first time.
This makes magic feel organic and part of the world. It's not convenient whatever you want it to be, power is not endless, they all have their limits. The only few characters who have unlimited power pay a price for it and it has a meaning.
Also... it's fun. It's entertaining, it's satisfying, I had a ton of good gasps and laughs. It had enough of action and I could feel the author being excited about it, but he also managed to infect me with his excitement. I had an amazing time with the whole series, I loved the characters, it was all great.
(Apparently Mr. Correia once said he is open to writing more books in this world, but he needs to do many others before. I am hoping for it. Seriously.)
I would recommend this to my friends and family for sure. Wouldn't want them to miss something so cool and entertaining.
Have a nice day and unleash your best powers!
December 10, 2014
This book is cheesy big guns blazing entertainment, and I loved it. I am giving it five stars not because it is the best of the best, but because it was fun and action packed and it's an example of an author doing nothing more and nothing less than entertaining his audience without pretense.
Warbound is the third book in the Grimnoir trilogy, so you want to read the first two. It is set in an alt-history in which a magical being came to Earth in the 1850s, and its presence bestowed magical powers on 1% of the population. Most people get a single power, so there are "Brutes" (super-strength), "Heavies" (gravity controllers), "Cogs" (gadgeteer geniuses), "Readers" (telepaths), "Fades" (turn insubstantial), "Torches" (pyrokinesis) and so on.
Basically, despite the "fantasy" element, these are period superhero novels. And the author devotes many words to describing the battles in full-page multi-panel glory. It's hard to do superheroes (an inherently visual genre) justice in written form, but Correia does a pretty good job. At times he reminded me of his fellow Mormon author Brandon Sanderson, who's also known for his intricate "magic systems" and long descriptions of characters figuring out how to use their powers in creative new ways, but Correia's plots are less contemplative (which is not to say simpler) and more about the action.
That said, major suspensions of disbelief are required, but no more than with most epic or urban fantasy.
In the conclusion of the trilogy, war with the Japanese Imperium is imminent, but only the knights of the Grimnoir know that Chairman Tokugawa, , has been replaced by an impostor. His "son," Iron Guard Toru Tokugawa, knows of the deception and the corruption of the Imperium's magical training schools, Iron Guard, and Shadow Guard, and so has reluctantly joined the Grimnoir.
Since this is a rising Japan in the 1930s, guilty of pretty much the same atrocities Japan was committing in Asia at that time in the real world, this causes a lot of tension with the Grimnoir, who have been sworn enemies of the Imperium. Toru manifests all the usual tropes about fictional samurai: hard-headed, death before dishonor, all non-Japanese are weak and lazy, grudging respect for Westerners who are brave warriors even if they are ignorant barbarians, blah blah blah.
A summary of the plot would be kind of pointless: if the premise does not interest you, it's not gonna interest you, but Correia does do a very good job of working within the parameters he has established and then treating it seriously. Powers work a certain way and everything follows from certain first principles, and when some of the big twists are revealed, more pieces fall into place, including some that have been developed since the first book.
Is this is gonzo gun porn and superhero slugfests? Yes! And awfully damn fun. But awfully damn intelligent for a historical superhero novel as well. And there is a conclusion to bring this trilogy to a definitive close, while still leaving open the possibility (I would guess, based on Correia's prolificness, inevitability) of a new series coming down the pike.
This is not the best written or deepest or most original series. It's just fun and entertaining. Did I mention damn fun? Okay, so I am a superhero nerd. But in all seriousness, for what it is, the plotting, pacing, characterization, and worldbuilding were all far above the somewhat low bar I have for this kind of book. Hence, 5 stars. Would read more Grimnoir, definitely.
Warbound is the third book in the Grimnoir trilogy, so you want to read the first two. It is set in an alt-history in which a magical being came to Earth in the 1850s, and its presence bestowed magical powers on 1% of the population. Most people get a single power, so there are "Brutes" (super-strength), "Heavies" (gravity controllers), "Cogs" (gadgeteer geniuses), "Readers" (telepaths), "Fades" (turn insubstantial), "Torches" (pyrokinesis) and so on.
Basically, despite the "fantasy" element, these are period superhero novels. And the author devotes many words to describing the battles in full-page multi-panel glory. It's hard to do superheroes (an inherently visual genre) justice in written form, but Correia does a pretty good job. At times he reminded me of his fellow Mormon author Brandon Sanderson, who's also known for his intricate "magic systems" and long descriptions of characters figuring out how to use their powers in creative new ways, but Correia's plots are less contemplative (which is not to say simpler) and more about the action.
That said, major suspensions of disbelief are required, but no more than with most epic or urban fantasy.
In the conclusion of the trilogy, war with the Japanese Imperium is imminent, but only the knights of the Grimnoir know that Chairman Tokugawa, , has been replaced by an impostor. His "son," Iron Guard Toru Tokugawa, knows of the deception and the corruption of the Imperium's magical training schools, Iron Guard, and Shadow Guard, and so has reluctantly joined the Grimnoir.
Since this is a rising Japan in the 1930s, guilty of pretty much the same atrocities Japan was committing in Asia at that time in the real world, this causes a lot of tension with the Grimnoir, who have been sworn enemies of the Imperium. Toru manifests all the usual tropes about fictional samurai: hard-headed, death before dishonor, all non-Japanese are weak and lazy, grudging respect for Westerners who are brave warriors even if they are ignorant barbarians, blah blah blah.
A summary of the plot would be kind of pointless: if the premise does not interest you, it's not gonna interest you, but Correia does do a very good job of working within the parameters he has established and then treating it seriously. Powers work a certain way and everything follows from certain first principles, and when some of the big twists are revealed, more pieces fall into place, including some that have been developed since the first book.
Is this is gonzo gun porn and superhero slugfests? Yes! And awfully damn fun. But awfully damn intelligent for a historical superhero novel as well. And there is a conclusion to bring this trilogy to a definitive close, while still leaving open the possibility (I would guess, based on Correia's prolificness, inevitability) of a new series coming down the pike.
This is not the best written or deepest or most original series. It's just fun and entertaining. Did I mention damn fun? Okay, so I am a superhero nerd. But in all seriousness, for what it is, the plotting, pacing, characterization, and worldbuilding were all far above the somewhat low bar I have for this kind of book. Hence, 5 stars. Would read more Grimnoir, definitely.
February 12, 2017
4.5 stars.
I was anxious to get to this book so I could close out one of the 93 series I've started and because this is Mr. Correia's first series finale. Also, maybe this means he can finally get back to the Monster Hunter series.
I enjoyed almost everything about the story, the pacing was great, the action plentiful and the ending satisfying.
While listening to this book I learned that the very talented narrator, Bronson Pinchot was Balki on Perfect Strangers. That's just crazy.
Mr. Pinchot did an excellent job narrating this entire series.
Side notes:
Over the course of this series Fay went from being someone I loathed to being my favorite character.
I was anxious to get to this book so I could close out one of the 93 series I've started and because this is Mr. Correia's first series finale. Also, maybe this means he can finally get back to the Monster Hunter series.
I enjoyed almost everything about the story, the pacing was great, the action plentiful and the ending satisfying.
While listening to this book I learned that the very talented narrator, Bronson Pinchot was Balki on Perfect Strangers. That's just crazy.
Mr. Pinchot did an excellent job narrating this entire series.
Side notes:
Over the course of this series Fay went from being someone I loathed to being my favorite character.
July 29, 2013
Whoo Hoo! Let's hear it for ending strong. This novel was great. And it was a great conclusion to the Grim Noir Chronicles. Jake, Faye and the gang are still trying to defeat the enemy without the benefit of help from the US Government or the Grimnoir. I really don't want to say too much about this book, because you shouldn't be reading this if you haven't read Hard Magic and Spellbound, and if you have read them, I don't want to spoil any of the fun. The only minor quibble I had with the book was some of the profanity used towards the end. I get it that these are hard people in an incredibly stressful situation, but there was so little (if any, I really don't remember) earlier in the book that it seemed out of place. It was almost like it was just thrown in to say, "See? See how crazy this is getting?!" It wasn't ridiculously excessive, just seemed unnecessary.
December 1, 2013
A quick and short review:
Yes. I feel the same way, Mr. Burns. This book had some impressive carnage. Very impressive carnage indeed.
I don't know if I can say that this book lived up to my expectations, because... well, I didn't rightly know WHAT to expect. But what there was, I really enjoyed.
I still have the same nitpicks about the reading, but still, on the whole, it was well done, and I'm pleased to report that Pinchot yelled! Yay! I was so proud of him.
Otherwise, I'm not really sure what else needs to be said. The story as a whole was great, and I loved where it went and some of the themes presented. I'm very pleased that I got to live in this world for a while. And when it comes down to it, that's all that matters, right?
Yes. I feel the same way, Mr. Burns. This book had some impressive carnage. Very impressive carnage indeed.
I don't know if I can say that this book lived up to my expectations, because... well, I didn't rightly know WHAT to expect. But what there was, I really enjoyed.
I still have the same nitpicks about the reading, but still, on the whole, it was well done, and I'm pleased to report that Pinchot yelled! Yay! I was so proud of him.
Otherwise, I'm not really sure what else needs to be said. The story as a whole was great, and I loved where it went and some of the themes presented. I'm very pleased that I got to live in this world for a while. And when it comes down to it, that's all that matters, right?
May 7, 2013
WARBOUND is the third entry in New York Times Bestselling Author, Larry Correia's urban fantasy epic, Grimnoir Chronicles. Though Larry has suggested the possibility of future books set in the Grimnoirverse, WARBOUND wraps up the particular story arc began with HARD MAGIC (an all time favorite of mine). This is the first time Larry has concluded a series, and so I greeted WARBOUND with much excitement and a degree of reservation. As Larry's fans are well aware, this man knows how to kick off a series with flair - but would he be able to end one in a similar fashion?
In short: well, duh! If you need continued convincing, read on. If not, you've probably had WARBOUND on pre-order for months now.
Heavy Jake Sullivan is commanding a mission into Imperium territory, on the hunt for an alien from another dimension, aboard an experimental zeppelin, kept afloat with hydrogen, crewed by sky pirates, geared for war by John Moses Browning, and laden with Grimnoir Society knight wielding an array of abilities to rival the X-Men. Sally Faye Vierra, presumed dead, is searching Europe for a man capable of training her to be the Spellbound. With the threat of the Enemy looming ever nearer, Faye may be humanity's single hope for survival - or its ultimate demise. How's that for an elevator pitch?
Waiting a year for WARBOUND was almost unbearable (am I spoiled or what?) but it was sooo worth it. Having just come off a high from playing BIOSHOCK INFINITE, this served as the perfect chaser. Airships? Check. Magical powers? Check. Political problems? Check. Compelling characters? Check. Action? Check, checkity check check check.
WARBOUND has an incredibly diverse cast, populated with awesome characters (any one of which could carry a solo novel). We've got Jake Sullivan, reliable as gravity - the war hero turned convict, turned private investigator, turned knight of the Grimnoir Society. There's Sally Faye Vierra - the badass teleporting death machine with a cheery disposition. There's Iron Guard Toru, Pirate Bob the airship captain, wealthy industrialist Francis Stuyvesant, John Moses Browing, Pemberly Hammer - the Bureau of Investigation's human lie detector...the list goes on and on. Of the new characters Doctor Wells is easily a favorite. Jake recruits Wells, a sociopathic inmate of Rockville Penitentiary, in order to outwit the Imperium and the Pathfinder. Wells channels his inner Hannibal Lecter, making a memorable supporting character.
What's great is that these aren't all typical action heroes. Many of them can slug it out all day, but there are scientists, doctors, diplomats, detectives, serial killers, and engineers present. The Enemy cannot be defeated solely by the force of arms - saving the world will take some finesse.
I will admit to being slightly disappointed that characters such as Francis, Dan, Pemberly, and Heinrich have smaller roles this go around. WARBOUND definitely belongs to Jake, Toru, and Faye. This isn't a major complaint as I love the relationship that develops between Jake and Toru, and Faye is...well, Faye. Honestly, it's impossible not to love Faye. The new characters do much to make up for the absence, but it's still noticeable. After all, I was redshirted by Heinrich in SPELLBOUND!
The Grimnoir Chronicles' alternate history has always been one of its greatest selling points. This is a world that would have carried on much like our own without the arrival of the Power. World War I was even more horrific with the addition of magical powers thrown into the mix, ending only with the firing of a Tesla super weapon. Adolph Hitler and the Third Reich never rose to power, but the Japanese Imperium did - guided by the dreaded Chairman. Despite the assassination of the Chairman in HARD MAGIC the Imperium is drawing closer to all out war with the West. In the United States the government moves to register the magical Actives in order to provide greater "security" for the nation. Semi-historical quotes set the opening of each chapter and historical figures like Raymond Chandler, Buckminster Fuller, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John Moses Browning, and even Grigori Rasputin make appearances.
It's an extremely cool setting, featuring magically augmented technology that is vastly more impressive than anything you'll find in the steampunk genre. The zeppelins of The Grimnoir Chronicles are remarkable (Jake's experimental airship has firepower just shy of a Great War heavy cruiser). There are robots and all manner of deadly cool toys. WARBOUND even features Power armor. Power armor!
"Magic was nice in a fight...but it never hurt to back it up with bullets."
With WARBOUND Correia takes urban fantasy into all out war. No other author I have ever encountered writes action quite like Larry. If you have ever wanted to read about a soldier and a samurai, each encased in Power enhanced armor, engaging legions of warrior-magicians with heavy firepower and explosive magic as an entire city devolves into chaos around them...well here you go! I love the magic system of The Grimnoir Chronicles. It's interesting and intricate, each ability has limitations and dangers. It's a system that evolves over the course of the series, almost as if it is given a character arc of its own.
Larry succeeds in bringing the series to a close while leaving room open for other novels set in the Grimnoirverse. The plot is full of victories and defeats, and I was personally impressed at the level of problem solving. This is a big action novel but it would be foolish to confuse it with a big dumb action novel. Becoming The One is much less about prophecy in the case of Faye, and much more about understanding the mechanics of the world surrounding her. Fighting the Enemy isn't about charging in guns blazing, so much as identifying the motivations and actions of its pawns. There's a really cool meta-moment involving the illustrations of Zachary Hill, peppered throughout the series. WARBOUND is a worthy sequel, a satisfying conclusion, and a reminder of Larry's storytelling prowess (not that one was even needed). I'm sad to see The Grimnoir Chronicles end (for now) but I'm excited, as always, to see what comes next for the King of Pulp, Larry Correia.
Recommended Age: 15+
Language: Some, not as much as, say, MONSTER HUNTER LEGION.
Violence: Erm, yeahhh. Faye is creatively violent, Jake can increase gravity to smoosh people, and Toru wields an 80 pound tetsubo.
Sex: Hinted at one point, but not in any sort of explicit manner.
Nick Sharps
Elitist Book Reviews
In short: well, duh! If you need continued convincing, read on. If not, you've probably had WARBOUND on pre-order for months now.
Heavy Jake Sullivan is commanding a mission into Imperium territory, on the hunt for an alien from another dimension, aboard an experimental zeppelin, kept afloat with hydrogen, crewed by sky pirates, geared for war by John Moses Browning, and laden with Grimnoir Society knight wielding an array of abilities to rival the X-Men. Sally Faye Vierra, presumed dead, is searching Europe for a man capable of training her to be the Spellbound. With the threat of the Enemy looming ever nearer, Faye may be humanity's single hope for survival - or its ultimate demise. How's that for an elevator pitch?
Waiting a year for WARBOUND was almost unbearable (am I spoiled or what?) but it was sooo worth it. Having just come off a high from playing BIOSHOCK INFINITE, this served as the perfect chaser. Airships? Check. Magical powers? Check. Political problems? Check. Compelling characters? Check. Action? Check, checkity check check check.
WARBOUND has an incredibly diverse cast, populated with awesome characters (any one of which could carry a solo novel). We've got Jake Sullivan, reliable as gravity - the war hero turned convict, turned private investigator, turned knight of the Grimnoir Society. There's Sally Faye Vierra - the badass teleporting death machine with a cheery disposition. There's Iron Guard Toru, Pirate Bob the airship captain, wealthy industrialist Francis Stuyvesant, John Moses Browing, Pemberly Hammer - the Bureau of Investigation's human lie detector...the list goes on and on. Of the new characters Doctor Wells is easily a favorite. Jake recruits Wells, a sociopathic inmate of Rockville Penitentiary, in order to outwit the Imperium and the Pathfinder. Wells channels his inner Hannibal Lecter, making a memorable supporting character.
What's great is that these aren't all typical action heroes. Many of them can slug it out all day, but there are scientists, doctors, diplomats, detectives, serial killers, and engineers present. The Enemy cannot be defeated solely by the force of arms - saving the world will take some finesse.
I will admit to being slightly disappointed that characters such as Francis, Dan, Pemberly, and Heinrich have smaller roles this go around. WARBOUND definitely belongs to Jake, Toru, and Faye. This isn't a major complaint as I love the relationship that develops between Jake and Toru, and Faye is...well, Faye. Honestly, it's impossible not to love Faye. The new characters do much to make up for the absence, but it's still noticeable. After all, I was redshirted by Heinrich in SPELLBOUND!
The Grimnoir Chronicles' alternate history has always been one of its greatest selling points. This is a world that would have carried on much like our own without the arrival of the Power. World War I was even more horrific with the addition of magical powers thrown into the mix, ending only with the firing of a Tesla super weapon. Adolph Hitler and the Third Reich never rose to power, but the Japanese Imperium did - guided by the dreaded Chairman. Despite the assassination of the Chairman in HARD MAGIC the Imperium is drawing closer to all out war with the West. In the United States the government moves to register the magical Actives in order to provide greater "security" for the nation. Semi-historical quotes set the opening of each chapter and historical figures like Raymond Chandler, Buckminster Fuller, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John Moses Browning, and even Grigori Rasputin make appearances.
It's an extremely cool setting, featuring magically augmented technology that is vastly more impressive than anything you'll find in the steampunk genre. The zeppelins of The Grimnoir Chronicles are remarkable (Jake's experimental airship has firepower just shy of a Great War heavy cruiser). There are robots and all manner of deadly cool toys. WARBOUND even features Power armor. Power armor!
"Magic was nice in a fight...but it never hurt to back it up with bullets."
With WARBOUND Correia takes urban fantasy into all out war. No other author I have ever encountered writes action quite like Larry. If you have ever wanted to read about a soldier and a samurai, each encased in Power enhanced armor, engaging legions of warrior-magicians with heavy firepower and explosive magic as an entire city devolves into chaos around them...well here you go! I love the magic system of The Grimnoir Chronicles. It's interesting and intricate, each ability has limitations and dangers. It's a system that evolves over the course of the series, almost as if it is given a character arc of its own.
Larry succeeds in bringing the series to a close while leaving room open for other novels set in the Grimnoirverse. The plot is full of victories and defeats, and I was personally impressed at the level of problem solving. This is a big action novel but it would be foolish to confuse it with a big dumb action novel. Becoming The One is much less about prophecy in the case of Faye, and much more about understanding the mechanics of the world surrounding her. Fighting the Enemy isn't about charging in guns blazing, so much as identifying the motivations and actions of its pawns. There's a really cool meta-moment involving the illustrations of Zachary Hill, peppered throughout the series. WARBOUND is a worthy sequel, a satisfying conclusion, and a reminder of Larry's storytelling prowess (not that one was even needed). I'm sad to see The Grimnoir Chronicles end (for now) but I'm excited, as always, to see what comes next for the King of Pulp, Larry Correia.
Recommended Age: 15+
Language: Some, not as much as, say, MONSTER HUNTER LEGION.
Violence: Erm, yeahhh. Faye is creatively violent, Jake can increase gravity to smoosh people, and Toru wields an 80 pound tetsubo.
Sex: Hinted at one point, but not in any sort of explicit manner.
Nick Sharps
Elitist Book Reviews
July 3, 2015
Thank you to Netgalley and Baen for providing me with an e-ARC of Warbound in exchange for an honest review. This is the third book of bestselling author Larry Correia's Grimnoir Chronicles series, and because I had such a blast with the two previous books, I just couldn't wait to get my hands on this one and find out the conclusion!
As you can probably guess, I highly recommend the rest of the novels in this series, Hard Magic and Spellbound -- definitely read those first if you are interested in tackling the third installment. This being a sequel, the usual caveats will apply for this review regarding possible minor spoilers for the books that came before.
It is the 1930s in a world where a portion of the population possess magical abilities. Naming these people "Actives", the American government is seeking a way to keep track of and control them, while the magical community and certain special interest groups fight back. One of these groups is the Grimnoir, a secret society of Actives who have dedicated themselves to protecting their own people from anti-Active violence as well as the world from magical threats.
In the course of their war against the Japanese Imperium, the Grimnoir have discovered the source of humanity's magic actually comes from a cosmic creature dubbed the Pathfinder. It is a predator which devours magic, leaving whole worlds destroyed in its wake. Jake Sullivan, a Knight of the Grimnoir now leads a team to stop the Pathfinder, to prevent Earth from being its next victim. Faye Vierra, the young farm girl from Oklahoma with a sweetness and naivete which belies the fact she is the most powerful Active in the world is perhaps the Grimnoir's only chance to succeed -- but she is missing and on the run, hiding a dangerous secret of her own.
As with the two previous books in this series, I had myself a heck of a time trying to categorize or describe this novel. It is undoubtedly an urban fantasy, and also has elements of historical fiction and alternate history and even steampunk. The Grimnoir Chronicles is fun and full of action, but unlike Correia's other series Monster Hunter International (which I also adore) it feels darker and a little more serious to me, thanks also to the few nods given to the genre of Noir fiction.
On some level, I also can't help but think of these books as "Superhero fiction". The characters in the Grimnoir are certainly not superheroes in the traditional sense, but it's hard to read the blurb to these novels and not picture the X-Men and remember some of the comic series' story arcs. The Actives' struggles with discrimination, government control and the mistrust and fear of the populace certainly bring to my mind the Marvel mutants' plight, and the Grimnoir society's noble goals are similar to those of the X-Men for sure. Some of the Actives' powers which comes from magic are even analogous to X-Men powers, like the manipulation of weather, elements like ice and fire, teleportation, telekinesis, etc. Despite all this, I'm still reluctant to call this series "superhero fiction", but I'm guessing those who are fans of superheroes or comics will feel right at home with the Grimnoir books. After all, I did.
Speaking of powers, I'm amazed that even now in the third book we're still being introduced to new types of Actives. Of most interest to me is the "Alienist" whom Jake Sullivan recruits for his team in his war against the Pathfinder. Again, I liken the plot of these novels to those story arcs in a comic book, and in a good way, because one of the coolest thing about this series for me has always been the Grimnoir characters' use of their magic, working together and applying the almost limitless possibilities against their foes.
One of the downsides though, that in feeling like superhero archetypes, the characters also come off a bit like caricatures and underdeveloped. After three books, characters like Sullivan and Faye still feel predictable and flat like templates. Toru, the Iron Guard who had decided to join the Grimnoir in destroying the Pathfinder, is the worst when it comes to this. It always irks me somewhat when an entire group of people is painted with the same personalities, characteristics and cultural values, and I see now that Toru and the whole Imperium does not stray from the mold.
There's also a lot going on in this novel, which can be good and bad. Because of the breakneck pace of this novel and all the things happening, my face was constantly buried in this book, that's for sure. But with several plot threads going forward at the same time (there are at least four, including dealing with the government, Faye's own struggle with her destiny as Spellbound, Jake Sullivan bringing the fight to the Pathfinder, and ending the Imperium threat) there may have been too much to cover, and the last 10% of the book felt really rushed, like it was eager to wrap everything up. This also made it so that several of those characters like Francis and Dan and Jane and Hammer that I liked so much in the previous books had much less screen time in this one.
All in all, I thought this was a great conclusion even if it wasn't entirely satisfying, but I still think very highly of the Grimnoir Chronicles as a whole. If you're looking for something fun and action-filled in the urban fantasy genre with great world building that's also really cool but a bit different from the norm, I can't recommend this series enough.
As you can probably guess, I highly recommend the rest of the novels in this series, Hard Magic and Spellbound -- definitely read those first if you are interested in tackling the third installment. This being a sequel, the usual caveats will apply for this review regarding possible minor spoilers for the books that came before.
It is the 1930s in a world where a portion of the population possess magical abilities. Naming these people "Actives", the American government is seeking a way to keep track of and control them, while the magical community and certain special interest groups fight back. One of these groups is the Grimnoir, a secret society of Actives who have dedicated themselves to protecting their own people from anti-Active violence as well as the world from magical threats.
In the course of their war against the Japanese Imperium, the Grimnoir have discovered the source of humanity's magic actually comes from a cosmic creature dubbed the Pathfinder. It is a predator which devours magic, leaving whole worlds destroyed in its wake. Jake Sullivan, a Knight of the Grimnoir now leads a team to stop the Pathfinder, to prevent Earth from being its next victim. Faye Vierra, the young farm girl from Oklahoma with a sweetness and naivete which belies the fact she is the most powerful Active in the world is perhaps the Grimnoir's only chance to succeed -- but she is missing and on the run, hiding a dangerous secret of her own.
As with the two previous books in this series, I had myself a heck of a time trying to categorize or describe this novel. It is undoubtedly an urban fantasy, and also has elements of historical fiction and alternate history and even steampunk. The Grimnoir Chronicles is fun and full of action, but unlike Correia's other series Monster Hunter International (which I also adore) it feels darker and a little more serious to me, thanks also to the few nods given to the genre of Noir fiction.
On some level, I also can't help but think of these books as "Superhero fiction". The characters in the Grimnoir are certainly not superheroes in the traditional sense, but it's hard to read the blurb to these novels and not picture the X-Men and remember some of the comic series' story arcs. The Actives' struggles with discrimination, government control and the mistrust and fear of the populace certainly bring to my mind the Marvel mutants' plight, and the Grimnoir society's noble goals are similar to those of the X-Men for sure. Some of the Actives' powers which comes from magic are even analogous to X-Men powers, like the manipulation of weather, elements like ice and fire, teleportation, telekinesis, etc. Despite all this, I'm still reluctant to call this series "superhero fiction", but I'm guessing those who are fans of superheroes or comics will feel right at home with the Grimnoir books. After all, I did.
Speaking of powers, I'm amazed that even now in the third book we're still being introduced to new types of Actives. Of most interest to me is the "Alienist" whom Jake Sullivan recruits for his team in his war against the Pathfinder. Again, I liken the plot of these novels to those story arcs in a comic book, and in a good way, because one of the coolest thing about this series for me has always been the Grimnoir characters' use of their magic, working together and applying the almost limitless possibilities against their foes.
One of the downsides though, that in feeling like superhero archetypes, the characters also come off a bit like caricatures and underdeveloped. After three books, characters like Sullivan and Faye still feel predictable and flat like templates. Toru, the Iron Guard who had decided to join the Grimnoir in destroying the Pathfinder, is the worst when it comes to this. It always irks me somewhat when an entire group of people is painted with the same personalities, characteristics and cultural values, and I see now that Toru and the whole Imperium does not stray from the mold.
There's also a lot going on in this novel, which can be good and bad. Because of the breakneck pace of this novel and all the things happening, my face was constantly buried in this book, that's for sure. But with several plot threads going forward at the same time (there are at least four, including dealing with the government, Faye's own struggle with her destiny as Spellbound, Jake Sullivan bringing the fight to the Pathfinder, and ending the Imperium threat) there may have been too much to cover, and the last 10% of the book felt really rushed, like it was eager to wrap everything up. This also made it so that several of those characters like Francis and Dan and Jane and Hammer that I liked so much in the previous books had much less screen time in this one.
All in all, I thought this was a great conclusion even if it wasn't entirely satisfying, but I still think very highly of the Grimnoir Chronicles as a whole. If you're looking for something fun and action-filled in the urban fantasy genre with great world building that's also really cool but a bit different from the norm, I can't recommend this series enough.
February 11, 2017
Me encanta. Le pongo la cuarta estrellita por la inmensa sonrisa y la sensación de dinero bien gastado que me ha dejado la trilogía en conjunto. Sospecho que esta trilogía va pasar a formar parte de las sagas que visito cada año.
April 2, 2016
I think this is the best book in the series. It definitely has the best writing and the best story. It also has the least involvement of the "Faye" character, who I find absolutely intolerable.
July 21, 2019
Super conclusion de cette trilogie ! Ça part dans des direction complètement dingues mais c’est tellement bien écrit qu’on avale tout sans broncher.
Ça m’a beaucoup fait penser à une version prohibiton des Xmen où il n’y aurait pas le politiquement correct de marvel xD en tout cas ça ferait une super serie TV mouarf.
Ça m’a beaucoup fait penser à une version prohibiton des Xmen où il n’y aurait pas le politiquement correct de marvel xD en tout cas ça ferait une super serie TV mouarf.
June 6, 2018
A high caliber, rowdy urban fantasy/alternate history.
Oh man, that was fun! This whole series exceeded my expectations and really packed a punch. And this last one topped the trilogy. Larry Correia, I’ve got to read more of your stuff.
I highly recommend these books to fantasy fans who are looking for something well out of the norm. You probably haven’t read anything quite like this.
Oh man, that was fun! This whole series exceeded my expectations and really packed a punch. And this last one topped the trilogy. Larry Correia, I’ve got to read more of your stuff.
I highly recommend these books to fantasy fans who are looking for something well out of the norm. You probably haven’t read anything quite like this.
June 5, 2015
This was the final book in the Grimnoir Chronicles. It wraps up the story nicely and I enjoyed it a lot. While I haven’t enjoyed this series as much as Correia’s MHI series; it was a well done series and action packed.
I listened to this on audiobook and the narration is well done. I still have some trouble hearing some of the really low pitched character voices with the road noise in my car; but that’s something I have gotten used to over the series. Aside from that, the narrator does an excellent job with having distinct character voices and portraying character emotion well.
At the opening of this book Jake Sullivan is taking a small, yet desperate and determined, group of Grimnoir knights to face off with the Chairman in Singapore. Meanwhile Faye has gone off grid and is visiting a Elder French Grimnoir knight that is supposed to help her understand what it means to be the Spellbound and if she has any hope of making use of the Spellbound curse without destroying the world.
The book is very fast-paced and viewpoint switches between a number of characters. However the story focuses mostly on Jake and Faye for this book. There is a ton of action and I really enjoy the magic powers the characters have in here. The character continue to be able to manipulate portions of the The Power such as gravity, strength, and fire. This book stretches that a bit as characters learn more and more about the Power and are able to stretch their abilities into other areas of power.
While I enjoyed a lot of the characters my favorite of the bunch is Faye. She is super smart and super kind and sweet, but she doesn’t hesitate to take out anyone around her that she considers evil. It was interesting to have a character like her given ultimate power and force her to face the decision of whether or not that power can be used for good.
As with all of Correia’s books there is a lot of gun talk and talk about war and weapons. There are some pretty awesome battle scenes throughout too.
The book is a fantasy alternate history with the book being set in the 1940’s but in a world where all these magical powers exist. Some of the political tensions of that time are kept in the story as well.
Overall this was a very well done and fast-paced historical fantasy. There is a ton of action, a lot of witty dialogue, and wonderful characters throughout. I have really enjoyed all of Correia’s books and will definitely continue to read future books by him. I would recommend this series to Corriea fans and fans of action-packed alternate histories with some magic in them.
I listened to this on audiobook and the narration is well done. I still have some trouble hearing some of the really low pitched character voices with the road noise in my car; but that’s something I have gotten used to over the series. Aside from that, the narrator does an excellent job with having distinct character voices and portraying character emotion well.
At the opening of this book Jake Sullivan is taking a small, yet desperate and determined, group of Grimnoir knights to face off with the Chairman in Singapore. Meanwhile Faye has gone off grid and is visiting a Elder French Grimnoir knight that is supposed to help her understand what it means to be the Spellbound and if she has any hope of making use of the Spellbound curse without destroying the world.
The book is very fast-paced and viewpoint switches between a number of characters. However the story focuses mostly on Jake and Faye for this book. There is a ton of action and I really enjoy the magic powers the characters have in here. The character continue to be able to manipulate portions of the The Power such as gravity, strength, and fire. This book stretches that a bit as characters learn more and more about the Power and are able to stretch their abilities into other areas of power.
While I enjoyed a lot of the characters my favorite of the bunch is Faye. She is super smart and super kind and sweet, but she doesn’t hesitate to take out anyone around her that she considers evil. It was interesting to have a character like her given ultimate power and force her to face the decision of whether or not that power can be used for good.
As with all of Correia’s books there is a lot of gun talk and talk about war and weapons. There are some pretty awesome battle scenes throughout too.
The book is a fantasy alternate history with the book being set in the 1940’s but in a world where all these magical powers exist. Some of the political tensions of that time are kept in the story as well.
Overall this was a very well done and fast-paced historical fantasy. There is a ton of action, a lot of witty dialogue, and wonderful characters throughout. I have really enjoyed all of Correia’s books and will definitely continue to read future books by him. I would recommend this series to Corriea fans and fans of action-packed alternate histories with some magic in them.
August 18, 2013
Wow!
Larry Correia has easily become one of my favorite authors. He had me with the "Monster Hunter International" series. The Grimnoir trilogy totally blew me away.
Correia has the knack like Brian Sanderson for detailed world building with a cohesive and thought out magic system. In some ways this series is like X-Men along with a few of the same themes. The difference is that the actives (the ones with some degree of magical ability) are divided into classes of powers. The main character is a gravity spiker, but there are torches, ice boxes, readers, travelers, along with many other abilities that show up in the population. Some abilities are rare like healers and their opposite pale horses.
What really sells the story telling are the characters. I just love the characters, pretty much each and everyone of them. This was certainly true to a major extent in the "Monster Hunter International" series, but here it is even more so. Jake Sullivan, the gravity spiker, is quite an interesting character and hero. A soft-spoken man with intellectual curiosity and book-learning hidden behind his southern drawl. A man of honor, thoughtful, and not prone to wise-cracks like so many action heroes. Plus add a plethora of other characters with their own back stories and personalities and you get living characters totally believable within the world of this story. So many characters to enjoy but Faye has to be one of the most memorable characters ever. A farm girl despised by the people who raised her until she meets somebody else with her abilities. Faye is a real firecracker and just kept me laughing throughout. The situations she meets throughout the trilogy test her character and abilities. Just must be read to be believed.
The actions scenes were equally outstanding and I have become rather jaded by most actions scenes. You get kind of summer blockbuster action, except without having to leave your brain at the door.
I listened to the audiobook versions narrated by Bronson Pinchot. His voice characterizations were dead-on and added another layer of enjoyment to the series. Just so good.
There is a short story that is available for free that introduces the main character and takes place before the events in "Hard Magic"
http://www.baen.com/DetroitChristmas.asp
Larry Correia has easily become one of my favorite authors. He had me with the "Monster Hunter International" series. The Grimnoir trilogy totally blew me away.
Correia has the knack like Brian Sanderson for detailed world building with a cohesive and thought out magic system. In some ways this series is like X-Men along with a few of the same themes. The difference is that the actives (the ones with some degree of magical ability) are divided into classes of powers. The main character is a gravity spiker, but there are torches, ice boxes, readers, travelers, along with many other abilities that show up in the population. Some abilities are rare like healers and their opposite pale horses.
What really sells the story telling are the characters. I just love the characters, pretty much each and everyone of them. This was certainly true to a major extent in the "Monster Hunter International" series, but here it is even more so. Jake Sullivan, the gravity spiker, is quite an interesting character and hero. A soft-spoken man with intellectual curiosity and book-learning hidden behind his southern drawl. A man of honor, thoughtful, and not prone to wise-cracks like so many action heroes. Plus add a plethora of other characters with their own back stories and personalities and you get living characters totally believable within the world of this story. So many characters to enjoy but Faye has to be one of the most memorable characters ever. A farm girl despised by the people who raised her until she meets somebody else with her abilities. Faye is a real firecracker and just kept me laughing throughout. The situations she meets throughout the trilogy test her character and abilities. Just must be read to be believed.
The actions scenes were equally outstanding and I have become rather jaded by most actions scenes. You get kind of summer blockbuster action, except without having to leave your brain at the door.
I listened to the audiobook versions narrated by Bronson Pinchot. His voice characterizations were dead-on and added another layer of enjoyment to the series. Just so good.
There is a short story that is available for free that introduces the main character and takes place before the events in "Hard Magic"
http://www.baen.com/DetroitChristmas.asp
September 9, 2013
This is the third and final(?) installment of Correia's "Grimnoir Chronicles" and it is a fitting capstone to a very well-done series. There is a lot to appreciate in this work specifically and the series overall.
- The setting and background are meticulously researched and presented in a very subtle fashion without any "as you know, Bob" or info dump moments, something very difficult to pull off.
- Characters are rich and vibrant without pausing every other chapter to delve into their childhood histories and psychoanalysis reports.
- The pace is almost perfect.
- The raw imagination horsepower in this series is consistently red-lining the whole time.
- The author has a talent for taking historical figures from the 1930's and breathing life into them in this alternate Earth setting.
- Action and combat scenes are pulse-poundingly effective and well crafted.
If I had to nutshell the milieu of the setting I'd go for "pulp action + superheroes + a wee touch of Cthullu mythos".
This latest book explores some lingering questions raised in the first book, addresses some of the "secret history" of the world and provides a satisfactory conclusion to the major arcs introduced in the first work.
The only reason I did not rate this book 5 stars was the climax. IMHO, it felt a little tropey and familiar. Just wasn't much of a surprise. And the epilogue was almost cliched in nature. I hope this isn't the last work in the series. Not because I was disappointed in any way. Rather, I want to read more about Jake Sullivan and his band of heroic Actives.
One last point. Kudos to Larry Correia for managing to keep two entirely different series up in the air and going strong. I'm a huge fan of his Monster Hunter International series as well. The thing that impresses me the most is the tone, voice, setting and "all the other fixins" are completely different from each other. He does an amazing job of creating two radically different worlds, populated with intriguing characters and never once "crosses the streams" in terms of author mechanics. Impressive feat.
- The setting and background are meticulously researched and presented in a very subtle fashion without any "as you know, Bob" or info dump moments, something very difficult to pull off.
- Characters are rich and vibrant without pausing every other chapter to delve into their childhood histories and psychoanalysis reports.
- The pace is almost perfect.
- The raw imagination horsepower in this series is consistently red-lining the whole time.
- The author has a talent for taking historical figures from the 1930's and breathing life into them in this alternate Earth setting.
- Action and combat scenes are pulse-poundingly effective and well crafted.
If I had to nutshell the milieu of the setting I'd go for "pulp action + superheroes + a wee touch of Cthullu mythos".
This latest book explores some lingering questions raised in the first book, addresses some of the "secret history" of the world and provides a satisfactory conclusion to the major arcs introduced in the first work.
The only reason I did not rate this book 5 stars was the climax. IMHO, it felt a little tropey and familiar. Just wasn't much of a surprise. And the epilogue was almost cliched in nature. I hope this isn't the last work in the series. Not because I was disappointed in any way. Rather, I want to read more about Jake Sullivan and his band of heroic Actives.
One last point. Kudos to Larry Correia for managing to keep two entirely different series up in the air and going strong. I'm a huge fan of his Monster Hunter International series as well. The thing that impresses me the most is the tone, voice, setting and "all the other fixins" are completely different from each other. He does an amazing job of creating two radically different worlds, populated with intriguing characters and never once "crosses the streams" in terms of author mechanics. Impressive feat.
August 7, 2016
The third book of the Grimnoir Chronicles. Serious spoilers ahead for Hard Magic and Spellbound.
Indeed, after a flashback to the first fight with the Pathfinder, it opens with Faye secretly watching Whisper's funeral. Fortunately, she's noticed and manages to catch the Grimnoir elder who raised Whisper after her family was murdered. She wants him to try to train her, even though she knows he thinks she's too dangerous to live.
Meanwhile, Jake Sullivan is filling up an airship with all sorts of specialists to attack an Iron Guard position crucial to their plans. Because the stakes have gotten a lot higher.
It involves the discovery that someone can send a living thing through a communication spell, going into the Dead City, mazes without paths, Shanghai's criminal underground, a suit of armor, the reason why many countries had situations that got many Actives concentrated in small locations, and more.
And the grand finale to it all.
Indeed, after a flashback to the first fight with the Pathfinder, it opens with Faye secretly watching Whisper's funeral. Fortunately, she's noticed and manages to catch the Grimnoir elder who raised Whisper after her family was murdered. She wants him to try to train her, even though she knows he thinks she's too dangerous to live.
Meanwhile, Jake Sullivan is filling up an airship with all sorts of specialists to attack an Iron Guard position crucial to their plans. Because the stakes have gotten a lot higher.
It involves the discovery that someone can send a living thing through a communication spell, going into the Dead City, mazes without paths, Shanghai's criminal underground, a suit of armor, the reason why many countries had situations that got many Actives concentrated in small locations, and more.
And the grand finale to it all.
July 29, 2014
This is the 3rd and last novel in a series.
It is a peculiar series. I read it would have a bit of a noir taste; at first, I thought it had more of a YA taste: lots of Powers, lots of things happening, lots of heroes everywhere; at this point, it was IMO a 3 stars at best.
But then I realized it wasn't a YA series: it was an Adventure series (with a capital A). I realized I started to read HF when I was a kid, reading the wonderful Emilio Salgari books: "The Black Corsair" series and "Sandokan, the Tiger of Malaysia" series (that's why at 8 I wanted to be a pirate, or maybe, thanks to Edgar Rice Burroughs, an explorer).
Salgari wrote books about places he never saw but was able to describe perfectly, full of heroes, scoundrels, action and Adventure (same capital A); honor and mayhem.
Mr Correia gave me back 3 books in exactly this spirit. So kudos to him, I really appreciated this series and I surely will check other books from this author.
Every Last One!
It is a peculiar series. I read it would have a bit of a noir taste; at first, I thought it had more of a YA taste: lots of Powers, lots of things happening, lots of heroes everywhere; at this point, it was IMO a 3 stars at best.
But then I realized it wasn't a YA series: it was an Adventure series (with a capital A). I realized I started to read HF when I was a kid, reading the wonderful Emilio Salgari books: "The Black Corsair" series and "Sandokan, the Tiger of Malaysia" series (that's why at 8 I wanted to be a pirate, or maybe, thanks to Edgar Rice Burroughs, an explorer).
Salgari wrote books about places he never saw but was able to describe perfectly, full of heroes, scoundrels, action and Adventure (same capital A); honor and mayhem.
Mr Correia gave me back 3 books in exactly this spirit. So kudos to him, I really appreciated this series and I surely will check other books from this author.
Every Last One!
October 17, 2015
So sorry to have finished this trilogy, but the ending was epic. I love the characters and am going to have a hard time leaving them behind. My timing for reading this series couldn't have been more perfect though, since there are two little audio shorts to ease my withdrawal pains. And the one with a member of the next generation gives me hope that maybe we'll get a little more from this fabulous world that is a mash up of alternate history, magic, sci if, and detective noir, wrapped up in some unexpected heroes and made even more awesome by the fabulous reader Bronson Pinchot.
I'll be keeping an eye out for more by him and author Correia - together and separately.
I'll be keeping an eye out for more by him and author Correia - together and separately.
August 2, 2019
Warbound is the third and final book in the Grimnoir Chronicles series written by Larry Correia and centered on Jake Sullivan, war hero, private eye, and an ex-con.
That first section of the book mostly follows Jake Sullivan, leader of the attack against the Pathfinder's master, recruiting and organizing his attack force from Grimnoir volunteers and other sources in order to do so.
Several of the sections followed Faye Vierra, an Active who has been given the gift/curse of the Spellbound so that she takes the magical power of any person she kills. As her sections unroll she finds a reluctant mentor who may help her understand and control this attribute.
Warbound is written rather well. The narrative starts with pure unadulterated action and the suspense grows as Jake Sullivan prepares for the upcoming fight against Pathfinder and its master. While typically, I like my urban fantasy from one perspective, the additional passages from Faye Vierra was rather well done.
Overall, the Grimnoir Chronicles is a wonderful series set in an alternative historic world, filled with dark noir and steampunk. The premise is rather simple, but the setting is wonderful and imaginative and Correia goes into wonderful detail. The series starts out strong and continues in strength throughout the series.
All in all, Warbound is written rather well and is a good conclusion to a wonderful series.
That first section of the book mostly follows Jake Sullivan, leader of the attack against the Pathfinder's master, recruiting and organizing his attack force from Grimnoir volunteers and other sources in order to do so.
Several of the sections followed Faye Vierra, an Active who has been given the gift/curse of the Spellbound so that she takes the magical power of any person she kills. As her sections unroll she finds a reluctant mentor who may help her understand and control this attribute.
Warbound is written rather well. The narrative starts with pure unadulterated action and the suspense grows as Jake Sullivan prepares for the upcoming fight against Pathfinder and its master. While typically, I like my urban fantasy from one perspective, the additional passages from Faye Vierra was rather well done.
Overall, the Grimnoir Chronicles is a wonderful series set in an alternative historic world, filled with dark noir and steampunk. The premise is rather simple, but the setting is wonderful and imaginative and Correia goes into wonderful detail. The series starts out strong and continues in strength throughout the series.
All in all, Warbound is written rather well and is a good conclusion to a wonderful series.
June 9, 2014
Originally posted at Fantasy Literature.
Warbound is the third volume of Larry Correia’s GRIMNOIR CHRONICLES, an alternate history which takes place during the early 19th century. This review will contain spoilers for previous volumes. You’ll definitely want to read those before picking up Warbound.
The stakes are higher than ever in Warbound. When Jake Sullivan was let out of jail to help his country, he never dreamed he’d be fighting an evil being from another dimension that plans to suck the power out of magic-wielding humans so it can use their power for its own. Roosevelt’s administration is unwittingly (perhaps) helping this “Pathfinder” by demanding that all Actives get registered and wear a special badge. They’re even building special towns for Actives to live in and are starting to round them all up. Jake realizes that this will only help Pathfinder when he’s ready to harvest all the power.
Francis, an airship tycoon who’s also an Active, is frustrated as he tries to enlighten congress. His girlfriend Faye, whose Spellbound powers are growing, is worried that the power will taint her. Feeling more alone than ever, and knowing that the Council is trying to assassinate her, she goes on a quest to zombie-infested Berlin to get some answers. Meanwhile, Toru, the disgraced Japanese Iron Guard who was exiled to America, feels certain that the Chairman of his beloved Imperium is now the Pathfinder’s pawn. If so, the Chairman has fooled all of Toru’s brothers in the Iron Guard and Toru wants them to know the truth. He’s looking for redemption and hopes to win back his honor. He’s also starting to question his country’s moral philosophies.
Toru, Jake and their international group of magical friends (we met most of these fascinating folks in Hard Magic and Spellbound) have to make some unsavory alliances if they want to defeat the Chairman and Pathfinder. They meet some helpful Chinese mobsters in occupied China, but the scariest ally is a psychopathic psychologist who Jake retrieves from solitary confinement in a maximum security prison. It will take all of these people’s combined efforts and skills to win this war for humanity. Along the way, they’ll fight Samurai and ninjas, find a mechanical armored body suit, cause a riot, explore underground tunnels, blow up dirigibles, control animals, meet Rasputin, create origami art, and learn about the metaphysics of the magic. As usual there is some humor, some romance, some clever alternate history (I love the bastardized quotes at the beginning of each chapter), and several well-choreographed brutal fight scenes. There is also major loss and one of my favorite characters dies. If there are any future volumes in the GRIMNOIR CHRONICLES, I’ll miss that character.
After enjoying seven of his novels, I’m no longer surprised that Larry Correia always entertains me. His outspoken libertarian political views don’t bother me (I lean that way, too), but he’s a rabid gun nut, and that’s an issue that I don’t feel quite so libertarian about. There’s some gun porn in Warbound but it’s minimal and tasteful. Jake Sullivan occasionally lets us know that he’s politically conservative:
“FDR can go to hell. I’m a man. Not a type, not a number, and sure as hell not something that can be summed up as a logo to wear on my sleeve. A man. And I ain’t registering nothing.”
Larry Correia’s political views inspire Jake Sullivan’s characterization, but Jake’s libertarianism fits well in a story set during the time of the New Deal and it never interferes with the exciting plot. (It’s far less intrusive than Heinlein’s pulpitting.)
Warbound has been nominated for a Hugo award. I’m not interested in commenting on this year’s Hugo kerfuffle except to say that I agree with John Scalzi when he says let’s put politics aside, read all the books, and judge them based on quality. And to those who refuse to read this Hugo-nominated book, all I can say is that you’re missing out on a lot of fun. This story may not have the intellectual heft that I’d prefer from an award-winning book, but it’s wildly popular and it’s certainly not dumb. It’s clever, well-written, and immensely entertaining.
Now, let me talk about my favorite part of Warbound: the audiobook! This series has one of the best (maybe the very best) audio performances I’ve ever heard, and I’ve listened to close to 1,000 audiobooks. Actor Bronson Pinchot, the narrator, is an audio genius. Genius, I tell you! This story has a large diverse cast of characters that differs in sex, age, race, region, culture, education level, and every other way you can think of. Pinchot handles them all with ease, giving each character their own voice, rhythm and tone. I have never heard this done so well. Even if the story wasn’t entertaining in itself, Pinchot’s narration of Warbound could keep anyone riveted, which is why it’s been nominated for a prestigious Audie award. Have a listen!
A note about my rating of Warbound: I struggled with how to rate Warbound. If I was rating the audiobook, it’d get 5 stars. But, realizing that most of our audience doesn’t listen to audiobooks, I tend to rate based on if I’d read it in print. In this case, though, it’s really hard for me to separate the audio out of it because it was such a huge part of my enjoyment of the book. I may be being a bit stingy to only give Warbound 4 stars because I got more than 4 stars worth of enjoyment out of it.
Warbound is the third volume of Larry Correia’s GRIMNOIR CHRONICLES, an alternate history which takes place during the early 19th century. This review will contain spoilers for previous volumes. You’ll definitely want to read those before picking up Warbound.
The stakes are higher than ever in Warbound. When Jake Sullivan was let out of jail to help his country, he never dreamed he’d be fighting an evil being from another dimension that plans to suck the power out of magic-wielding humans so it can use their power for its own. Roosevelt’s administration is unwittingly (perhaps) helping this “Pathfinder” by demanding that all Actives get registered and wear a special badge. They’re even building special towns for Actives to live in and are starting to round them all up. Jake realizes that this will only help Pathfinder when he’s ready to harvest all the power.
Francis, an airship tycoon who’s also an Active, is frustrated as he tries to enlighten congress. His girlfriend Faye, whose Spellbound powers are growing, is worried that the power will taint her. Feeling more alone than ever, and knowing that the Council is trying to assassinate her, she goes on a quest to zombie-infested Berlin to get some answers. Meanwhile, Toru, the disgraced Japanese Iron Guard who was exiled to America, feels certain that the Chairman of his beloved Imperium is now the Pathfinder’s pawn. If so, the Chairman has fooled all of Toru’s brothers in the Iron Guard and Toru wants them to know the truth. He’s looking for redemption and hopes to win back his honor. He’s also starting to question his country’s moral philosophies.
Toru, Jake and their international group of magical friends (we met most of these fascinating folks in Hard Magic and Spellbound) have to make some unsavory alliances if they want to defeat the Chairman and Pathfinder. They meet some helpful Chinese mobsters in occupied China, but the scariest ally is a psychopathic psychologist who Jake retrieves from solitary confinement in a maximum security prison. It will take all of these people’s combined efforts and skills to win this war for humanity. Along the way, they’ll fight Samurai and ninjas, find a mechanical armored body suit, cause a riot, explore underground tunnels, blow up dirigibles, control animals, meet Rasputin, create origami art, and learn about the metaphysics of the magic. As usual there is some humor, some romance, some clever alternate history (I love the bastardized quotes at the beginning of each chapter), and several well-choreographed brutal fight scenes. There is also major loss and one of my favorite characters dies. If there are any future volumes in the GRIMNOIR CHRONICLES, I’ll miss that character.
After enjoying seven of his novels, I’m no longer surprised that Larry Correia always entertains me. His outspoken libertarian political views don’t bother me (I lean that way, too), but he’s a rabid gun nut, and that’s an issue that I don’t feel quite so libertarian about. There’s some gun porn in Warbound but it’s minimal and tasteful. Jake Sullivan occasionally lets us know that he’s politically conservative:
“FDR can go to hell. I’m a man. Not a type, not a number, and sure as hell not something that can be summed up as a logo to wear on my sleeve. A man. And I ain’t registering nothing.”
Larry Correia’s political views inspire Jake Sullivan’s characterization, but Jake’s libertarianism fits well in a story set during the time of the New Deal and it never interferes with the exciting plot. (It’s far less intrusive than Heinlein’s pulpitting.)
Warbound has been nominated for a Hugo award. I’m not interested in commenting on this year’s Hugo kerfuffle except to say that I agree with John Scalzi when he says let’s put politics aside, read all the books, and judge them based on quality. And to those who refuse to read this Hugo-nominated book, all I can say is that you’re missing out on a lot of fun. This story may not have the intellectual heft that I’d prefer from an award-winning book, but it’s wildly popular and it’s certainly not dumb. It’s clever, well-written, and immensely entertaining.
Now, let me talk about my favorite part of Warbound: the audiobook! This series has one of the best (maybe the very best) audio performances I’ve ever heard, and I’ve listened to close to 1,000 audiobooks. Actor Bronson Pinchot, the narrator, is an audio genius. Genius, I tell you! This story has a large diverse cast of characters that differs in sex, age, race, region, culture, education level, and every other way you can think of. Pinchot handles them all with ease, giving each character their own voice, rhythm and tone. I have never heard this done so well. Even if the story wasn’t entertaining in itself, Pinchot’s narration of Warbound could keep anyone riveted, which is why it’s been nominated for a prestigious Audie award. Have a listen!
A note about my rating of Warbound: I struggled with how to rate Warbound. If I was rating the audiobook, it’d get 5 stars. But, realizing that most of our audience doesn’t listen to audiobooks, I tend to rate based on if I’d read it in print. In this case, though, it’s really hard for me to separate the audio out of it because it was such a huge part of my enjoyment of the book. I may be being a bit stingy to only give Warbound 4 stars because I got more than 4 stars worth of enjoyment out of it.
November 17, 2020
A strong end to a scary foe
Sad to lose friends but oh how they went.
Sad to lose friends but oh how they went.
December 9, 2020
I think this was a sufficiently enjoyable conclusion to the series. I'm somewhat sad that this is the last of the books in this universe, but not heartbroken about it.
I think if you liked the other books you'll like this one as well.
3.5 of 5 stars
I think if you liked the other books you'll like this one as well.
3.5 of 5 stars
December 5, 2017
A very satisfying end to the trilogy. I highly recommend reading this series.
December 18, 2017
Hard Magic was the first ever fantasy book I ever read/ listened to, and I was stunned. I have now finished a fitting end to a great trilogy. It might have done enough to try the bigger series in this genre. Warbound is possibly the weakest of the trilogy, but a trilogy is a trilogy ( unless its starwars).
August 15, 2013
Warbound is the third and final instalment of the Grimnoir Chronicles. it is an alternate 1930s and Jack Sullivan has gathered a group of Grimnoir knights and has headed to China. Along with Toru, the son of the true Chairman of the Imperium, they plan to unmask the false Chairman who is now aiding the Pathfinder, an alien intent on stealing the power which fuels all magic on earth. Meanwhile, Faye has gone to Europe to find out what her role as Spellbound really means and why the Council is trying to assassinate her.
This is a hard book to categorize. it is urban fantasy but also alternate history and noir. And, if I'm being honest, I am not sure why I enjoy these books so much. This is a tale of good versus evil and there are no nuances in either the story or the characters who are mostly one dimensional, more like comic book characters without any real discernible personalities. Take away their magic and they are pretty much interchangeable and that includes Faye, the rare woman who, if anything, is even more violent than the male characters if that's possible
And the story is over-the-top uberviolent, the characters are all blood-soaked and revelling in it:
She reached down, grabbed him by the arm, not even that hard, mind you, and his bones snapped like brittle twigs. Faye had surprised herself. The Heavy bellowed.
Fun as that was, that big Russian grenade was about to go off, Faye focused...and stepped outside.
She was whistling through the sky. The Pacific Ocean was bright blue and pretty. It was a beautiful day.
The most interesting new character is a bona fide psychopath and proud of it but, in reality, the only reason one can differentiate him from the rest of the cast is because the book tells us so. Otherwise, well, they all pretty much seem like psychopaths on both sides of this fight. If the author didn't tell us who to root for, it'd be hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys. It's all kind of like a gigantic MMA match with ninjas, magic, dirigibles, aliens, lots of guns, swords, bazookas, and no rules.
And yet...and yet...it is so much damn fun. It is heart-pounding, non-stop, adrenaline soaked action, the kind that keeps you up at night reading despite the important meeting in the morning. It is, in short, the literary equivalent of bungee-jumping off of high bridges, completely nuts, and oh so addicting.
This is a hard book to categorize. it is urban fantasy but also alternate history and noir. And, if I'm being honest, I am not sure why I enjoy these books so much. This is a tale of good versus evil and there are no nuances in either the story or the characters who are mostly one dimensional, more like comic book characters without any real discernible personalities. Take away their magic and they are pretty much interchangeable and that includes Faye, the rare woman who, if anything, is even more violent than the male characters if that's possible
And the story is over-the-top uberviolent, the characters are all blood-soaked and revelling in it:
She reached down, grabbed him by the arm, not even that hard, mind you, and his bones snapped like brittle twigs. Faye had surprised herself. The Heavy bellowed.
Fun as that was, that big Russian grenade was about to go off, Faye focused...and stepped outside.
She was whistling through the sky. The Pacific Ocean was bright blue and pretty. It was a beautiful day.
The most interesting new character is a bona fide psychopath and proud of it but, in reality, the only reason one can differentiate him from the rest of the cast is because the book tells us so. Otherwise, well, they all pretty much seem like psychopaths on both sides of this fight. If the author didn't tell us who to root for, it'd be hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys. It's all kind of like a gigantic MMA match with ninjas, magic, dirigibles, aliens, lots of guns, swords, bazookas, and no rules.
And yet...and yet...it is so much damn fun. It is heart-pounding, non-stop, adrenaline soaked action, the kind that keeps you up at night reading despite the important meeting in the morning. It is, in short, the literary equivalent of bungee-jumping off of high bridges, completely nuts, and oh so addicting.
December 15, 2015
This is the third and, I believe, the last installment in the Grimnoir Chronicles by Larry Correia. I have enjoyed all of the books although I still have a preference for his Monster Hunter International series over this one.
The books in this series are all a mix of magic and alternate reality. The first book in this series was quite overwhelming in that sense as far as I am concerned. I am not a great fan of alternate reality stories but the book was still well written in the usual style of Larry Correia which means the characters was interesting and the action, whether it involved magic or conventional weaponry, was well done and plentiful. This book continues in the same style and takes of pretty much where the last one left off.
The book focuses mostly on Sullivan and his quest to stop the “Pathfinder” in getting the predator to Earth and on Faye from the previous book in her quest to not become the monster everyone seems to expect her to become. Not surprisingly Faye’s quest eventually becomes the same as Sullivan’s. Toru the former Iron Guard also has a prominent role in the book and his verbal clashing with Sullivan, and everyone else around him for that matter, was mostly quite entertaining.
As I said, most of the book focuses on this quest to stop the predator. However, there are also parts of the book that revolves around the American president and his political nonsense scheming to round up all the actives to keep them under control. I was not too thrilled over these parts of the book. Partly because I do not like dumbass politics in the first place and partly because rounding up the actives/mutants/different ones/whatever are a rather overused plot element by now and it is just as boring every time. Luckily this part of the story not very large and were easily overshadowed by the quests of Sullivan and Faye.
I get the feeling that this was the end of the book series and as such I personally have to say that the conclusion was satisfactory. I would have enjoyed seeing the dumbass president get a bit more of an ass whopping but still, it was a satisfactory ending. In all, I enjoyed the book. It was another well written book from Larry Correia and if you liked the previous installments then you will probably like this one.
The books in this series are all a mix of magic and alternate reality. The first book in this series was quite overwhelming in that sense as far as I am concerned. I am not a great fan of alternate reality stories but the book was still well written in the usual style of Larry Correia which means the characters was interesting and the action, whether it involved magic or conventional weaponry, was well done and plentiful. This book continues in the same style and takes of pretty much where the last one left off.
The book focuses mostly on Sullivan and his quest to stop the “Pathfinder” in getting the predator to Earth and on Faye from the previous book in her quest to not become the monster everyone seems to expect her to become. Not surprisingly Faye’s quest eventually becomes the same as Sullivan’s. Toru the former Iron Guard also has a prominent role in the book and his verbal clashing with Sullivan, and everyone else around him for that matter, was mostly quite entertaining.
As I said, most of the book focuses on this quest to stop the predator. However, there are also parts of the book that revolves around the American president and his political nonsense scheming to round up all the actives to keep them under control. I was not too thrilled over these parts of the book. Partly because I do not like dumbass politics in the first place and partly because rounding up the actives/mutants/different ones/whatever are a rather overused plot element by now and it is just as boring every time. Luckily this part of the story not very large and were easily overshadowed by the quests of Sullivan and Faye.
I get the feeling that this was the end of the book series and as such I personally have to say that the conclusion was satisfactory. I would have enjoyed seeing the dumbass president get a bit more of an ass whopping but still, it was a satisfactory ending. In all, I enjoyed the book. It was another well written book from Larry Correia and if you liked the previous installments then you will probably like this one.
January 8, 2017
What a great series with a great narrator. Faye, Francis, Jake, Toro, Lance, and many other old and new actives go after the Pathfinder in order to stop its master from sucking all the magic power out of the earth. Faye, while still enjoying killing bad guys, grows into a very mature young woman. Jake falls in love with a diminutive active who can control fire (she went after him). This was a great end to the alternative universe series. And it is even quite relevant to today's political situation (as well as reminiscent of WWII days).
The soviets and the Imperium have already segregated their actives. Now President Roosevelt has issued an executive order requiring all actives to register and identify their skill and wear an armband that shows an icon of their power. A cog architect is building "villages" where actives are promised they will be safe. Francis and Dan are lobbying against a bill that would make the executive order law. Meanwhile Faye is in the dark city (full of zombies) looking for a near dead who has foresight and Jake is putting together a group of actives to use in his scheme to take our the pathfinder.
There is lots of action in this installment and more graphic descriptions of killing than I needed. But I loved watching Faye learn and mature - she's a great character - and Sullivan find purpose beyond killing. Great end to the series.
The soviets and the Imperium have already segregated their actives. Now President Roosevelt has issued an executive order requiring all actives to register and identify their skill and wear an armband that shows an icon of their power. A cog architect is building "villages" where actives are promised they will be safe. Francis and Dan are lobbying against a bill that would make the executive order law. Meanwhile Faye is in the dark city (full of zombies) looking for a near dead who has foresight and Jake is putting together a group of actives to use in his scheme to take our the pathfinder.
There is lots of action in this installment and more graphic descriptions of killing than I needed. But I loved watching Faye learn and mature - she's a great character - and Sullivan find purpose beyond killing. Great end to the series.
May 1, 2016
'Warbound' by Larry Correia is the third and final book in the Grimnoir Chronicles. It's a big crazy novel with lots of improbable stuff going on, but I love the way it weaves real history in with events in the series.
The Power is an interdimensional monster that wants to destroy the world, or at least remove the magic from it. Standing in The Power'sway is former P.I. Jake Sullivan who is an Active, part of a group of people who have extraordinary powers that are classified kind of like in computer and role playing games. There are healers and heavies and torches and lots of others.
This time around Jake has to find help in unlikely places, like a group of airship pirate or even someone from the enemies side. There are all kinds of things from death rays to zombies to big last stands.
I like how real characters are woven in, and some even are fellow Actives. It's not the most literary thing I've read, but it's bombastic and action packed. It was a fun ride.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Baen Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
The Power is an interdimensional monster that wants to destroy the world, or at least remove the magic from it. Standing in The Power'sway is former P.I. Jake Sullivan who is an Active, part of a group of people who have extraordinary powers that are classified kind of like in computer and role playing games. There are healers and heavies and torches and lots of others.
This time around Jake has to find help in unlikely places, like a group of airship pirate or even someone from the enemies side. There are all kinds of things from death rays to zombies to big last stands.
I like how real characters are woven in, and some even are fellow Actives. It's not the most literary thing I've read, but it's bombastic and action packed. It was a fun ride.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Baen Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
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