“Six Moons, Seven Gods” by Robert A. Walker is an original dark fantasy novel, livened by a multifaceted perspective and a diverse cast of characters.
Table of Contents
Review
Immerse yourself into the mysterious murders that strike the small town of Fostead and their eerie connection to a unique seer and a couple of criminal organizations with their own agendas.
King Axil’s kingdom was starting to reignite normality after the night that both his wife and daughter died. For the first time after the tragedy, they planned on celebrating the Lords and Ladies Feast and the celebration of Six Moons. However, an assassination attempt on the King and the string of murders that follow disrupt this fragile normalcy. Is this all revenge from the queen’s old paramour, or is something more sinister at play? And who is the woman who can see into the future? Six Moons, Seven Gods is a fantasy novel that takes place in the unique world of Baelon in which, besides formal governments, there’s a Guild of Takers and a League of Assassins with their own interests.
The story is presented from alternating viewpoints of a large and diverse cast of characters, which keeps up the pacing and allows us to meet some unique personas. From royalty to squires to despicable criminals, the world of “Six Moons, Seven Gods” is a multifaceted one. I especially enjoyed Sibil, a fearless young lady with a strong sense of loyalty and gratitude. King Axil was a second favorite because of his poise and his loyalty to his friends.
Though we don’t live in a world with squires and knights anymore, the book’s underlying topics are universal: love, lust, power, loss, loyalty, friendship, and greed. There’s a romantic subplot that’s sure to become juicier in the next installment of the series. The tiny bits of humor almost hidden in the story liven it up. For example, the wordplay used on the name of one of the inns: “The Good Knight’s Rest.”
Unlike many fantasy authors, Walker doesn’t rely on info dumps or long descriptions to introduce the readers to the world he’s created. On the contrary, the reader gathers clues from the lively dialogue and the quotes used at the beginning of each chapter, allowing us to take a more active role in the reading experience.
The strengths mentioned could be double-edged swords. The large cast of characters and the alternating viewpoints can make it hard to get immersed in the story initially. For the reader, it might appear as a lack of continuity and cohesion. Missing a detailed introduction to the cosmology and inner works of Baelon delays the immersive experience.
However, the alternating viewpoints provide a more rounded perspective of the plot and the characters. For example, the loyalty between Reynard and Spiro and a funny side to Spiro’s foolishness could have been hard to miss if the author had chosen a different narrative viewpoint. The neologisms and other unique traits of Walker’s worlds can be inferred from the context.
Six Moons, Seven Gods presents an ideal escapist fantasy adventure that strays from overused tropes to offer a raw and enthralling experience.
About the author
Robert A. Walker, the celebrated writer, was raised in Northwestern Massachusetts. He left for the west with his meager possessions, crammed into a car with rusted-out floors after graduating from college. Since then, he has made California his home on the Pacific Ocean, where he currently dwells with his wife and dogs. He likes to wander around the neighborhood tennis courts and work on his never-ending list of do-it-yourself home chores when he’s not making up stories.
Book Details
- Title: Six Moons, Seven Gods
- Author: Robert A. Walker
- Genre: Fantasy
- Theme: Romance, Friendship, Power
- Publication Date: November 1, 2023
- ISBN or ASIN: B0CJ5ZG487
- Number of Pages: 307
- Minimum Audience Age: 18
Book Themes
(Note: 0=none, 1=a few, 2=considerable, 3=pronounced, 4=excessive)
- Sexual themes: 2
- Religious themes: 2
- Violence, self-harm, etc.: 3
- Crude language, expletives, swearing, etc.: 2
- Other adult themes: 2
Rating
- Content: 5 stars
- Writing Style: 4 stars
- Appeal to Target Audience: 4 stars
- Uniqueness: 5 stars
- Editing: 5 stars
- Other factors: 5 stars
- Overall: 4.8 out of 5
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The thematic elements of love, power, and loyalty are woven into the narrative, adding depth to the story.