Reviews: The Written (4)

To be honest I only stumbled across Ben Galley and this his first book by chance on Camberley Waterstone's twitter feed after the author had done a book signing in their store. Until now I had always been more of a classics (Thomas Hardy, Elizabeth Gaskell etc) and detective/crime (Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle, M C Beaton) reader, the fantasy genre had never really appealed to me. However upon reading a sample of the book I decided to take the plunge and buy it and I am so glad I did. I found the writing style extremely descriptive and whilst reading the book, Ben's passion for the characters and the story shone through. I don't always have the time to read for long periods and found the way the chapters were written allowed me to dip into the book whenever I had the time, saying that when I had got about two thirds of the way through, I read the last third of the book in one go, even though it was 4:30am by the time I had finished it. By the end of the book I was left wanting more (good job it's the first part of a trilogy), mainly due to the fact that I felt something for the characters (even the baddies). I have already bought the second book in the series 'Pale Kings' and can't wait to have a day or two to immerse myself in the world and characters that Ben has brought to life. If you enjoy reading about magic and dragons and sorcery then I think you'll enjoy this, and if this isn't normally your 'cup of tea' take a chance and try something different like I did, you might just enjoy it.

This book is the start of a fantastic series. There is a great strength in Ben's writing that has created some great characters as well as fantastic settings! I remember picking the book up not sure if I wanted to read it and being entranced from the first page. It is akin to what I imagine games of thrones would be like, just without the millions of characters. Aside from this i think the book has an amazing cover that really helped create part of the visual for me when reading. I've just started the second one and it hasn't failed to dissapoint!

I only stumbled across Ben Galley and this, his first book by chance and to be honest this is the first 'fantasy genre' book I have read. I have always been a reader of detective and crime novels and also of classics by Thomas Hardy, Elizabeth Gaskell and so on. Fantasy books had never really appealed to me, however after reading a small sample of Ben's work (just a few pages) I decided to take a chance, try something different and so bought The Written.
Ben's passion for his work, the characters and the world of Emaneska he has created within the book, really shine through. His descriptive writing style helps transport you into the book and his world.
By the time I had finished reading the book ( I actually read until 4.30 in the morning to find out the eventual outcome ) I was left wanting more, and so it is a good job this is the first book in a trilogy. I have already purchased the second book in the series "Pale Kings" and can't wait to immerse myself once again in the world and the characters that Ben has so vividly brought to life.
If you enjoy reading about myths and magic, dragons and sorcery then I think you will enjoy this book. However if this isn't normally your choice of reading material, take a chance and try something different like I did, you might just enjoy it!
I cannot wait to meet Ben in person at Camberley Waterstones in December just to say a big thanks for introducing me to a whole new genre of reading material. Thanks Ben!

This book is amazing! Galley has an incredible way of making his story incredibly intricate and detailed without it feeling like it's overly heavy with descriptions. The building of such a wealth of history to Emaneska is incredible, similar to that of Rowling and Tolkein. The story was powerful and intriguing, and every twist was shocking and well-done - I very much look forward to reading the rest of the series, and I have already recommended it to as many people as possible! A definite read for everyone!!