AUGUST 2012 - AudioFile
Warrior-priest Egil and master thief Nix are a colorful pair of grave robbers who hoped to retire and enjoy themselves in a seedy pub. But they’ve been pressed into the service of an evil sorcerer who promises a painful death if they fail him. Narrator Nick Podehl delightfully portrays the engaging duo, who lighten their boredom with humor yet fight with imagination and skill. Podehl enlivens their witty sarcasm and playful banter and keeps this sword-and-sorcerer fantasy mostly lighthearted. He moves at a good pace as the quest ventures into unwelcoming lands with demons to be fought and conquered. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
After raiding the tomb of the Afirion ruler Abn Sur, adventurer Nix Fall and priest Egil decide to retire and settle down as owners of a tavern. Unfortunately, their plans do not take into consideration the wizard Rakon, who magically compels them to rob another Afirion grave and secure an ancient horn that Rakon ostensibly plans to use to cure his two ailing sisters. When one of those sisters manages to get inside Nix’s head, Rakon’s plans are revealed as less than altruistic, and Nix and Egil face a dilemma made more complex by the spell that binds them. The structure of the story has the feeling of a classic Dungeons & Dragons campaign as the heroes and supporting cast cross a wasted plateau in search of the tomb; however, the strong characters, setting, and history turn what could be a cookie-cutter adventure into a gripping tale. (July)
From the Publisher
"The structure of the story has the feeling of a classic Dungeons & Dragons campaign as the heroes and supporting cast cross a wasted plateau in search of the tomb; however, the strong characters, setting, and history turn what could be a cookie-cutter adventure into a gripping tale." - Publisher's Weekly
"Enough page-turning mayhem to sate the most avid sword & sorcery fans" – Elaine Cunningham, author of The Thorn Trilogy
"This rollicking tale hooked me from the get-go. Told with zest and humor, this is everything that is good and golden about classic old-school fantasy yarns. It joins my precious bedside shelf of favorite re-reads, 'comfort food' books I turn to again and again. Egil and Nix might not be the safest guys to go adventuring with, but they're sure good company. I'll be waiting for a sequel. Impatiently." – Ed Greenwood, bestselling creator of Forgotten Realms
"The Hammer and the Blade is an instant classic, with its punchy sense of humor, likeable heroes, and fast-paced, creative fight sequences. Killing a demon is just the prologue and after that the real adventure begins." - City Book Review
Library Journal
Egil, priest of the Momentary God, and his companion Nix, a man of many shady talents, let loose a demon while they're on their way to the tomb of a wizard-king in order to acquire an idol. They slay the demon, then discover that a powerful family devoted to the demon's house seeks vengeance. Kemp ("The Twilight War" series) delivers sword and sorcery at its rollicking best, after the fashion of Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser.
AUGUST 2012 - AudioFile
Warrior-priest Egil and master thief Nix are a colorful pair of grave robbers who hoped to retire and enjoy themselves in a seedy pub. But they’ve been pressed into the service of an evil sorcerer who promises a painful death if they fail him. Narrator Nick Podehl delightfully portrays the engaging duo, who lighten their boredom with humor yet fight with imagination and skill. Podehl enlivens their witty sarcasm and playful banter and keeps this sword-and-sorcerer fantasy mostly lighthearted. He moves at a good pace as the quest ventures into unwelcoming lands with demons to be fought and conquered. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine
