Bevan McGuiness

Slave has been owned by Sondelle, and tortured and kept prisoner, since he was a child. He doesn’t even have a name. Finally escaping through the catacombs, Slave is almost killed by a revenant warrior spirit. He gains his freedom only by swearing fealty to this dangerous creature. Befriended by Ileki, Slave begins to learn about the world outside. However, in a fight to the death, Slave discovers that the revenant warrior has given him a ′blessing′ - a form of berserk rage that makes him virtually unbeatable in combat, but also makes him lethal to anyone in the immediate area, friends and foes alike. When he is left alone, Slave heads for Ileki′s home city to make amends and seek help. Also heading for the same city are a number of other desperate runaways. Meanwhile, an evil spirit imprisoned for centuries beneath a city finds its freedom ... and seeks its revenge.
A reasonable read, though I found it hard at times to keep track of who was who; and some of the characters (including Slave) aren’t particularly engaging.
I understand this is part of a trilogy. I enjoyed it enough to look for the next instalments.… (more)

The final instalment of The Triumvirate series, The Way of Purity neatly ties up all the strands of the previous two novels and comes to a satisfying conclusion.

The murder of Hwenfayre has let loose the true power of the Dannan; Shanek has almost completely lost his humanity; and Aldere is only just becoming aware of how important his role is.

The three strands of power – the triumvirate – were starting to come together before Hwenfayre’s death but now another, even less human, power is coming into play.

Will the sea people be able to control the rise of the deadly creatures of the sea? Will Shanek be able to destroy the Bloodwell and stop the Skrin Tia’k monsters from breeding? Will Aldere be able to move in time and save the others from themselves?

The Way of Purity answers all the questions, adds a couple of exciting twists and turns, brings in a touch of romance and basically rounds out the story in a very satisfying way.

McGuiness is an original fantasy author who has created a believable world and endearing characters.

Verdict: A solid conclusion to a great fantasy; but you need to have read the previous books in the series.… (more)

A land of mystery ... a corrupt society ... rare gifts which have been ignored and forgotten …

Hwenfayre has discovered the extraordinary powers of the driftwood harp left to her by a stranger - her father. But unless she learns self-control and discipline, the powers of the harp will continue to consume her.

The First Son, Shanek, hunts down the ancient enemy of the Empire. But he is lost to his people, and as his power grows he is taken further and further from the world he knows - and from the person he once was.

On Tanissan, a man with many names is scheming for the downfall of the Triumvirate and the world it protects ... and a boy who has never met his father discovers his true inheritance.

And Aldere continues a journey that will have greater consequences than he could ever imagine.

It’s a very colourful story, full of assassins and battles and magnificent sea magic and mysterious knowledge. It’s also very much the middle volume of a series.

McGuiness writes a rollicking tale and one that is definitely worth reading. It’s not an extraordinarily brilliant narrative, but it’s an entertaining one. For lovers of Big Fat Fantasy (and I don’t use the term in a derogatory way - I am such a reader myself, after all) it’s worth checking out. For those who want something a bit different, who like their speculative fiction edgy and challenging, this is probably not something you will enjoy.… (more)

The first installment of a stunning trilogy about power, decay and the hard path to redemption. In a remote coastal outpost of the Asan Empire, Hwenfayre is an outsider, taking pleasure only in her beautiful driftwood harp. The harp has extraordinary powers, and when Hwenfayre tries to use it she finds herself in mortal danger.

In the decadent Asan capital, Shanek, the third most important man in the Empire, becomes disturbed by a growing ability to sense the thoughts and feelings of others, while in a quiet village, a young man unleashes forces within himself that compel him to journey into the wider world.

But these strange powers will not be allowed to emerge unchecked, especially when Shanek becomes aware that the Empire's ancient enemy is on the rise once more ...
I was lucky enough to get a proof copy of this and I’ve already put my order in for the second volume.… (more)