The Ceramic Dolls by Darren Arthurs

 

471 Pages

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You can buy The Ceramic Dolls...Here

You can read an interview with Darren Arthurs...Here

The Blurb...

The King is dying and there are many eyes watching the throne.
Chief among these is the young prince, Sever, the king’s own brother, the evil Lord Hesk and those from the holy order of The Hall who wish to unite the clans and follow one religion.

But none can claim the crown until they have in their possession two ancient Ceramic Dolls.

So begins a race across the kingdom where the dangers are many and the promise of power will tempt even the most loyal.

The Ceramic Dolls is a tale of fantasy. A story of power, corruption, politics and action.

My Review...

Those few hardy souls who follow this site regularly will know that I have reviewed some of Darren's work before. His previous work was the Cosy Crime books the "DeLuca" series. (Reviews can be found on this site.) I thought then that Darren had a gift for handling violent crime in a light and comical manner, which can be a hard thing to do. So I was intrigued to see how he would fare in this sojourn into Fantasy. Turns out that he is pretty good at this as well.

While I have read the Game of Thrones (GoT) and Lord of the Rings (LotR) series, I wouldn't say I was a fan of fantasy. I find the often vast amount of backstory and lore that one has to absorb to be, more often than not, well, a bit of a chore. Thankfully the author has retained his delicate touch and the backstory/lore is kept to a minimum. There are several very strange names to take in at the start, but once you know who is who you are good to go.

One thing I found a little odd, why the race for the dolls? They have no magical qualities, they have no intrinsic worth (unlike for example the crown jewels), and they don't appear to be the artefacts of state (unlike for example the orb and sceptre.) It's what Alfred Hitchcock would call a MacGuffin.

Personally I think I would have gone for a more snazzy title ala "A song of Fire and Ice" I think the title doesn't really convey the dynamism and intrigue of the book.

It's race for the crown, both physically and politically. There are three front runners, the son of the dead king, the brother of the dead king and the religious leader of the country. Although there a few other potential candidates lurking in the shadows. I loved this aspect. I find stories about power and the battle to get it, fascinating especially when it conflicts with the closest to you (The Godfather, Animal Farm etc.) There are rules, do you break them to achieve your goal? If so, when? What will be the consequences? Is destroying your family worth the cost of power? 

While the race for the dolls is carrying on, we also flash back to the palace where a more subtle battle is taking place. The Queen is attempting to save her and her son's political position, while fending off suitors and power hungry zealots. It reminded me a little of Penelope (the wife of Odysseus in Homer's Odyssey.)

The fantasy part is also intriguing. The author drip feeds these in periodically through out the book, each one is a new delight. There are people who can converse with birds (which is a great idea, it's like having a medieval cctv system), talking animals, witches, and legendary horses. 

The ensemble background cast is well drawn out too. Nobody seems to be a simple card board cut out, all have some depth and backstory (but not too much) about them. You don't just follow the main two characters. It all helps to create a fuller, more rounded picture in one's mind.

Overall, the author has created a very enjoyable entry level/ YA fantasy, chase/thriller. I can imagine a parent enjoying reading this to an older child and the child enjoying it even more.

If you like this you might like...

• The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis
• The Hobbit by JRR Tolkein
• The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley

Selected Quotes..

"A fighting man needs to fight, when peace reigns, a fighting man is as disposable as a heavy coat in sunshine,"

"...unless I am drawn into the argument unwillingly, I will take no sides. Unless I am wronged, I have no reason to get involved in the tangled mess that an empty chair brings”.

"...it would bring little comfort to know her daughter’s killers were now dead, but, in grief, anger often sits near anguish and sadness."

"The soldier grinned, his black teeth revealing a life of bad choices and bad living."

"How the palace cheered him as he returned from battle, tired and in pain, bloodied and shocked, they cheered and waved. Some tapped his legs and feet as he rode by, praising his bravery and skill at taking another’s life, at widowing a poor woman and stealing a father from some unknown child. Kortince hated himself."

About the Author...

Darren is a hobbyist writer living in Swindon. He comes up with stories whilst driving to work and they niggle away at him, fleshing out details and characters until he has to write it down. He mostly reads crime and historical drama.