- When Falls the Coliseum - https://whenfallsthecoliseum.com -

Added to my e-bookshelf … “Dominions”

Posted By Jeff McDonald On In books & writing | No Comments

Like many other Library Thing contributors, I found myself diving into Dominions, Volume 2 of the “Bladesmith” series [1] without first having read Volume 1. In my case, that did not pose any problems with my enjoying this book … though it HAS left me wanting to go back and read Volume 1, as well as other books by James Hetley/Burton.

photoHas there ever been a time when we have not shared stories with one another about gods, their relationships with one another and their relationships with us? It is an ancient and colorful tradition … one that I studied closely in my youth, and later in college as I pursued majors in anthropology and English literature. After reading Dominions, I have to say Hetley’s knowledge of those topics is deep and wide. Couple that with his experience and expertise in such diverse fields as wood and metal working, martial arts, mechanics and electronics (not to mention his skill at writing) and you have the foundation for some VERY good storytelling.

And Dominions IS good storytelling, as Mel and Al find themselves navigating dark alleys and dangerous battlefields in their own world and in alternate worlds they find through inter-dimensional Doors. In the course of their travels they encounter a variety of characters, and that includes a variety of gods … but that’s something Mel and Al are well-equipped to handle … or are they?

And while their quest for a safe return to their own world continues throughout the book, there is also a growing quest for peace and justice, for a new standing in their relationship to one another, and for a good meal with a cold beer.

Whether you jump right into Dominions or start with Powers (Volume 1 of the “Bladesmith” series), I strongly recommend this read. My summer has been filled with more leisure time than I had wanted … and I’m going to fill that time with more books from James Hetley/Burton.

__________

NOTE: I received a free e-copy of this work through LibraryThing [2] in exchange for a review.

Jeff McDonald [5]

There's a saying around here, something like, "I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could!" That's me. I'm a 'dang Yankee from back-east' who settled in the Lone Star State after some extended stays in the eastern U.S., and New Mexico. I worked as an archaeologist for a few years before dusting off my second major in English, and embarking on a 25-year career in journalism. Since then, I've embraced the dark side of the force, and now work in PR for a community college in Midland, Texas.

Latest posts by Jeff McDonald (Posts [6])