31 August 2012

Review: Drasmyr


Hello, hello! Today, I'm posting of a review of Drasmyr, by Matthew D Ryan, as part of the Goddess Fish tour he's booked. Without further ado, let's go!


BLURB:

We vampires do not make easy prey. Our weaknesses are few, our strengths many. Fear is something we do not know, and death but a distant memory. So tread softly, pray to your god, and gird yourself with silver when the moons arise and night’s dark prince awakens. We fear not the wizard, nor the warrior, neither rogue, nor priest; our strength is timeless, drawn from darkness and we know no master save the hot lust of our unending hunger. We long for blood, your blood and no blade, nor spell, nor clever artifice, can keep us long from our prize. Feel our teeth at your throat, your life ebb from you, and know as darkness comes to claim you that the price of your folly is your everlasting soul.

EXCERPT:

There’s a woman in chain mail standing across the room from me; her sword is leveled at my chest. I can smell the enchantment on the blade, it’s a strong one; maybe even strong enough to cause me harm. Still, I’m not too concerned; it’s at least a ten foot lunge and I know I move faster than she does. Indeed, she’s the one who is looking worried. My display of strength and the death of her comrade have shaken her resolve.

She’s got a pretty face, flushed with excitement but strong and in control. It is her neck that really draws me, though, so soft and inviting, filled with the warm blood I desire. The curve of her flesh glistens, waiting for a well-placed gentle kiss.

She’s breathing rapidly now, her breath coming in shallow gasps. Her trek up through the castle has sapped much of her strength. And the fear she feels is naked in her eyes. Now, she’s getting ready to pounce, just a little too much tension in her stance, her eyes just a little too focused. She couldn’t give me more warning if she were to ask my permission first.

She moves in with remarkable speed, her blade striking out like a serpent’s tongue. Even winded, she still manages to cut my cape, then prances away with her back toward the wall, ready for anything. Anything, except me.

Review:

Drasmyr is an enchanting read.

My eyes were riveted to the page with the lyrical words of the author. Mr. Ryan has a way of writing that draws a reader in. His descriptions left a vivid image in my head of mages and vampires, long forgotten castles, and warriors battling.

A fire has erupted in the halls of the mages, and one man is missing. The new guild master, Recegon, hires bounty hunter Coragan of Esperia to find out the cause of the fire. Coragan is a complicated man. He has long since given up working for nobles and is hesitant to take the job. But with the prodding of his two friends, he reluctantly agrees.

I won't delve too deep into the plot. Suffice to say, this book had me hooked from the opening line. Though I don't often read stories involving sorcery and mages, this is one I'm glad I picked up. The characters are fleshed out very well, and give us something to root for, and even Drasmyr has his own appeal. I recommend this one.


AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Matthew D. Ryan is a published author living in upstate New York on the shores of Lake Champlain. He has a background in philosophy, mathematics, and computer science. He also has a black belt in the martial arts and studies yoga. He has been deeply involved in the fantasy genre for most of his life as a reader, writer, and game designer. He believes he saw the legendary Lake Champlain Monster (a.k.a Champy) once and he has a cat named Confucius.

Author’s Twitter Handle: @MatthewDRyan1

The book is available on Smashwords and elsewhere for no cost.

3 comments:

Matthew D. Ryan said...

Thanks for hosting me today. I really appreciate it.

bn100 said...

Nice review and excerpt.

bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

Matthew D. Ryan said...

Thanks.