In the Eye of Heaven

Most of the reviews suggest that the book was insufficiently clear, hard to follow, undefined, etc. Maybe so, but for me this was a big part of the attraction. We aren't spoon-fed any information - we have to land on our feet and learn as things unfold. There's a lot still unexplained by the end of the book, and that clearly bothers some folks, but I'm looking forward to learning more as this continues. If it ends here then I'd agree that, as a stand-alone book, it's a failure, but as the first book of a series I suspect it will end up working out well. Some have compared the style to Steven Erikson, and I can see that, but I think a better comparison may be to Gene Wolfe's "The Knight." [High praise, indeed]. As in The Knight, there's much about the history, cosmology and even plot that remains foggy at the end of the book, but somehow that only adds to the otherworldly sense of wonder that the book produces. Give it a shot.

At first I was not sure I would complete the book. Mr. Keck's writing is unique and unfamiliar to me. However, this is a solid story that really gets your imagination involved and working after you get past the "newness" of the writing style. In some places it is a bit difficult to tell what is going on at first, and it has somewhat of a dreamlike quality to it, but it pans out rather nicely. You definitely come away with an appreciation and respect for how harsh life was for many people in the days of knights and kings. Even though this may be a fantasy, it appears that the author put a fair amount of effort into the study of those times and it comes through clearly in the story. If you are looking for something fresh and interesting then you should give this book a try.

I very much enjoyed David Keck's clever, muscular debut novel. The characters are strong and realistic, and the plot complex, interesting and action-packed - highly reccommended for epic fantasy fans!

This is not your typical sword-and-sorcery fantasy novel. The world the author creates is full of unique folklore and magic, but at the same time the story remains very realistic. I don't think I've ever read another book that does a better job of depicting the real hardships of a mercenary knight in the dark ages. The author's writing style is unique as well. Keck's descriptions are brief, almost poetic in places. Very different than the long, ponderous description that is common with so many fantasy novels these days. The story feels almost dreamlike at times, as the main character moves back and forth between the harsh realities of tournament combat and strange dealings with otherworldly powers. This realistic world and the author's unique descriptive style combine to make a book unlike anything I've ever read before. A book I very much enjoyed and will heartily recommend.

Durand considers himself lucky as a second son to gain the title and the lands of a widowed and childless knight in his father's barony. All his training has gone for naught when the dead knight's son makes his appearance leaving Durand with very few choices concerning his future. He decides to fight in a tournament in hopes of obtaining a place in a powerful lord's household. He joins the household of Lord Radomor, the son of the duke of Yrlac. When Radomor learns he has been cuckolded, he locks his wife and her newborn child into a room without food or drink. Disgusted by this ugliness and wanting no part in the conspiracy to overthrow the king of the Errest and leaves to join the retinue of Lamoric the youngest son of the Duke of Abravanal. While traveling, they stumble into the otherworldly place where Durand wins a favor from THE LADY OF THE BOWER. When they enter the real world Lamoric and the man he fought in a tourney, Lord Moryn along with Durand join forces to prevent Radomor from stealing the crown through guile and treachery. If Radomor takes the crown, the Banished led by the Son of Morningstar and his Host will gain a foothold in the kingdoms and that is something Durand and Lamoric will prevent at any cost. There are plenty of battle scenes, much political intrigue and a touch of magic in this excellent sword and sorcery fantasy. The characters are well developed especially Lamoric as a king Arthur archetype and Durand embodies the Sir Lancelot mythos. The audience will want more works starring this champion. Harriet Klausner