Jamie Marriage

Jamie Marriage is an internationally published Australian cyberpunk author with a taste for the dangerous and obscene aspects of life. His work ranges from the sarcastic to the satirical. Links to his work can be found at www.JamieMarriage.com

The golden age of fantasy produced some of the greatest works of fiction in a century: mighty heroes, roving barbarians, sword and sorcery, and epic quests galore. Drawing from this incredible pool of genre classics, new generations produced works that were both epic in scale and story, but also able to reflect the social changes in the real world.

Warriors of Vhast: Intimations of Evil, the debut novel by Cary J. Lenehan, is one of these incredible recent productions.

Set in a land both fantastical and familiar, Lenehan has created a world in which the sorceries of classic fantasy live side-by-side with the cultures and religions of feudal earth. Here Catholics and Christians ward themselves against undead hordes with miracles and holy writ; Hindus and Muslims battle alongside dwarves; and nomadic tribes hold true to historical traditions while venerating a mighty dragon that protects them from evil.

Intimations of Evil is a classic initial chapter in the “voyage against evil” story-type. Here the many heroes of this series are introduced to the narrative: some from noble backgrounds seeking adventure or glory, others from far humbler of origins questing only to find their place in the world. Each character is finely worked with back story, motive, and means that bring each to life and set them apart from each other. This layering of story upon story, adds wonderful depth that draws the reader to identify with their favourite protagonist.

Of course where would a sword and sorcery tale be without the great evil? Lenehan has interwoven each character masterfully into a complex narrative of prophecy and action against an evil that seems to want to draw the world into darkness. Only by combining their abilities could this seemingly random collection of heroes and zeros hope to defeat this unknown menace.

Warriors of Vhast: Intimations of Evil is fantastic proof that first-time authors have a lot to offer in terms of fresh ideas and new perspective. Cary J. Lenehan will definitely be a name to follow when it comes to great Australian fantasy fiction.

Jamie Marriage

Jamie Marriage is an internationally published Australian cyberpunk author with a taste for the dangerous and obscene aspects of life. His work ranges from the sarcastic to the satirical. Links to his work can be found at www.JamieMarriage.com

Jamie’s Top Reads for 2015:

1. The Shepherd’s Crown – Terry Pratchett
   A beautifully tearful and satisfying end to the stories from the Discworld from one of the greatest writers of our time.
2. Aurora – Kim Stanley Robinson
   The chillingly harsh depiction of the struggles of the space ship Aurora as she travels through the empty void of space in search of a new planet to call home.
3. Luna: New Moon – Ian McDonald
   When every breath you take costs you money, and every step could cost you your life, sometimes it seems that the moon wants to kill you. There are a million ways to die on the moon; just working to stay alive is only the first of your challenges.
4. A Crucible of Souls – Mitchell Hogan
   A world of fantasy and intrigue with plenty of incredible surprises in store. With more books to come in this series, it’s is only going to get better and better.
5. The Girl Thing Who Went Out For Sushi – Pat Cadigan
   Defying outdated social constructs such as gender roles and identity, this short story is perfect in its succinctness and form, leaving the reader questioning what/who they are and where they fit in this universe.

How long have you been writing for MDPWeb, why did you join the group, and what do you like about being part of it?

I’ve been lucky to have been writing for MDPWeb since the start in 2010. Originally I was reading and blogging for a Young Adult audience but over time moved into reading adult speculative fiction, mostly science fiction.

What creative piece are you working on, and what author would you liken your work too?

At the moment I’m working on a short story collection. In the past I’ve been likened to Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams (Rest in Peace this pair of literary giants), but in the end I would rather consider my work to have its own voice.

What book have you most enjoyed reviewing for MDPWeb?

Tough call. I’d had to give it a top five in no specific order: The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer; The Fictional Woman by Tara Moss; Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman; I Shall Wear Midnight, by Terry Pratchett; and Shaman by Kim Stanley Robinson

What’s your favourite thing to do in your downtime?

Photography, video games, plotting my next trip to Japan

Is there somewhere else online/in bookstores we can find your work?

Links to all my work are available on my website at www.JamieMarriage.com. And Anthologies containing my work can be found on Amazon.com

What’s your favourite TV series?

At the moment, House of Cards.