Lamentation (Psalms of Isaak Series #1)

The first Psalms of Isaak is an excellent epic fantasy

Way into the distrant future in the Named Lands, the city of Windwir is recognized by most as the center of world. Much of that proclamation comes from the city being home to the Androfrancines, who are the keepers of the Old World knowledge in their Great Library; a place where science and magic mingle. This is a normal day until a metal bird flies above the city. Soon afterward darkness engulfs Windwir. When the dust settles and the sun shines through, the city is gone; left behind is a scorched plain.

Nothing will be the same inside the Named Lands from that moment when the Old World metallic weapon quoting Xhum Y'zir's Seven Cacophonic Deaths destroyed the city. Stunned warrior Lord Rudolfo of the Ninefold Forest Houses saw from a distance the smoke that is all that is left of Windwir. He heads there immediately and finds a shocked survivor apprentice Isaak sitting where the city was moments earlier sputtering references from the Seven Cacophonic Deaths; he had been just outside when the devastation occurred. The kingdoms blame each other and maneuver to take advantage of the dramatic change in relationships. Increasingly evidence points to the Entrolusian City States Overseer Sethbert as the culprit. He apparently has brought back the ancient weapons of mass destruction as war threatens to send the Named Lands back to the Stone Age.

The first Psalms of Isaak is an excellent epic fantasy that in many ways is a post apocalyptic science fiction thriller. The story line is fast-paced from the incredibly opening sequence and filled with intriguing twists that never quite allows the reader to gently peruse the plot. The world seems plausible and solid enough while the key players Isaak and Rodolfo are well developed so readers get to know them.. Fans will relish Ken Sholes¿ strong opening act as war engulfs the Named Lands while mindful of nineteenth century novelist Alphonse Karr¿s commentary ¿The more things change, the more they are the same¿.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Great start to the series.

I didn't really get into this novel until about 4 or 5 chapters in, but it takes off from there. Very well written(great descriptions),Schole really paints a picture when describing things. Scholes style reminds me a lot of Raymond Feist. I can't wait to get my hands on the next one.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Couldn't put it down

So many new twists, can't wait to read the next

A brilliant voice in the genre

Windmir is gone, the once Golden City the center of culture, education and religion is nothing but smoke, ash and bones. What or who caused this terrible desolation, and most important why. The devastation will bring out the best and the worst in people, some will rise to and above their potential and some will slither away, some will shine and some will show their true tarnish, some will live and some will die, but all will never forget. There are schemes at work here and it's up to a chosen few to not only protect what is left but to prepare for the future, a future with more questions than answers, more doubt than hope, more fear than resolve. But these are the peoples of The Named Lands and they're made of strong stuff and they'll need to be to make it from their Lamentation to a Canticle.
Ken Scholes is a luminous voice in a genre of plenty, a relatively new voice and yet one so versed in his own new world that it seems they've been around for ever. This is not my first reading of Lamentation, I was lucky enough to get at ARC of the third in the series Antiphon and to give it what it deserves I read the first two first. I was literally blown away by the creation of this semi-familiar and yet very foreign world and it's people. It was familiar in the language and objects and so I didn't have to learn a whole other vernacular, but the landscape was total make believe and he instilled the views in my mind with his narrative. Then there were his characters, most human with one very special metal man, the man of the hour Isaak who's humanistic compassion set him far above his compatriots and other humans in the tale. His human characters are as diverse as the world they live in but they are all eloquently detailed and we readers will get all the in-depth information on them we need to make the read more enjoyable.
Lamentation is a love story, it's a mystery, it's a thriller and it's filled with vivid imagery that highlights the author's creative genius. If you're a fan of Science Fiction you will love this, but that's not a pre-requisite to enjoy this novel and the novels that follow.

An original literary fantasy novel

It is very well written, in a world unlike any fantasy novel I've read before. Very highly recommended for anyone that likes their fantasy with some meat on it's bones.

Couldn't put it down

Similar to Song of Fire and Ice, this epic, multi-character story takes place in a unique and fully realized world.

Excellent political fantasy

This novel isn't your typical swords and sorcery fantasy. While it has magic and such, it also includes a "scientific" bent that I would classify as influenced by some steampunk. Qualifying that statement I don't want to leave an impression its not magical fantasy because it definitely is.

The plot of the novel is presented through the eyes and actions of 7-10 characters. It is very character driven. One thing I really enjoyed is you get the impression from each of the characters that they are all doing the "right" thing. The novel has some violence of course but the fighting is a minor part of the story, and only shown where necessary for the story.

I really enjoyed this story. One of the first truly political fantasies I've liked.

Recommended.

Too Slow For Me

If you just want a good and differnt type of story than this should work for you. However, for me, it is lacking in any real action or suspense.

A great read, leaving you yearning for the next installment.

An interesting blend of sci-fi and fantasy elements. It reminded me of Star Wars, oddly enough, with androids and deserts and magical powers.

I want to know more!

I am a huge fan of fantasy, and found this story to meet all of my expectations. Imagine a world where science and religion battled it out for supremacy and neither one, leaving only ruin and a few scattered people. After a thousand years the people left from the cataclysm are just beginning to rediscover old technologies and this may actually become their downfall. This is a compelling tale of treachery, love and the desire for knowledge.

An amazing maze of mystery.

This story to me is like the Whymer Mazes used as a meditation device by the Androfrancines. The maze circle that seems to never end and always turns back on to itself. I loved this story, there's always a mystery to figure out. Who and why did they destroy the city of Windwir, the home to the Androfrancines who protected the rest of the people in the world from the technology and dark pieces that could be used to destroy the world and only trickling out the small pieces of information they felt the people of the world can handle.

There is talk of an ancient Wizard whom created the Seven Cacophonic Deaths, which no one is to know what the words are inorder to protect everyone and anyone from causing distruction.

However, the book starts right off with the distruction of Windwir and only one metal man from the city, being fully functional, seems to have somewhere in his memory some idea yet no idea as to what happened on that tragic day. Isaak is the name given to this metal man.

There are many creative secrets in this book, such as the letters with secret messages intertwined within, the tapping out of messages while talking to another person on their skin, and the wonderous magic of running so fast and not being seen either running or standing still. Then you have Isaak the metal man, who is powered by a constant steam source.

I loved the writing style of a view from each characters point of view. When I first say this was the writing style I was nervous that information would be lost in the translation. After I read through this book so far, I did start taking notes so I didn't forget all the wonderous details to help with the mystery, but found that I really liked the way the author wrote this with the point of views. I actually got more details from seeing and knowing what each character did.

Did the right man pay the price for the distruction of the city? Could he have weaved the web that you see in this book? The further you go in the book the more intricate the web becomes. The more I thought on the book after reading and trying to piece together information from through out the whole book I have a very my idea of what is going on. I am curious to read what really happens. I had a wonderful time piecing the pieces together and making the story go the way I think it may.

Wow...what a great read...

I finished Lamentation a few months ago and honestly, I am sad I finished it. I admit, I couldn't put it down. I was drawn in from the beginning and was kept enthralled by the movement and escapism that Scholes provides with his unique Sci Fi/Fantasy world.

Ken has created a world with so much potential for future stories, not only from Lamentation's time setting, but probably even more from the world's past history. Many great stories deal with choosing between making the sacrifice for the greater good, and Scholes' I believe really made his character's live up to this.

I am very excited and am impatiently waiting for the next in the series, "Canticle".

Efficient in the best way

Scholes' fast-paced style manages to keep the plot clipping along while somehow (and this is the amazing part) managing to introduce a deep world that begs to be discovered. I highly recommend this book and plead with the author to stay the course. I am ready for the next installment.

Great start and excited for more

I had been searching for a new SciFi/Fantasy author to enjoy and I believe I have find him. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It reads quickly and at times, you just can't put it down. Although the world the author creates is perhaps not quite as rich as some of the best of the genre, it is right up there and you jump in right away.

In my opinion, the plot has just the right amount of complication, intrigue, and suspense. Not simplistic, but not so convoluted as to cause head-scratching or doubt. And it sets up more to come, which is great.

This is perfect for a rainy day or any time you just want to get away. I recommend it highly.

Loved it

Fast paced from start to finish. Great characters and plot line that grab you and won't let you go. Best fantasy of the year so far.

Awesome

I like books that start off running and don't stop, This book has interesting twists, good characters and leaves you wanting MORE!!! can't wait for the next one.

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