Product Description

After a long journey across the ages, Jack Churchill has returned to the modern world, only to find it in the grip of a terrible, dark force. The population is unaware, mesmerised by the Mundane Spell that keeps them in thrall. With a small group of trusted allies, Jack sets out to find the two 'keys' that can shatter the spell. But the keys are people - one with the power of creation, one the power of destruction - and they are hidden somewhere among the world's billions. As the search fans out across the globe, ancient powers begin to stir. In the bleak North, in Egypt, in Greece, in all the Great Dominions, the old gods are returning to stake their claim. The odds appear insurmountable, the need desperate . . . This is a time for heroes.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #64253 in Books
• Published on: 2009-06-11
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

SANDY AUDEN, SFX
He challenges accepted points of view, comments on religion and politics and questions perceptions, all while cracking open various mythological histories. You'll be mulling over its concepts for weeks afterwards."

About the Author
Mark Chadbourn studied Economic History before becoming a national newspaper journalist. As well as novels and non-fiction, he also writes for many popular TV series. He is the author of more than a dozen novels, including The Age of Misrule and The Dark Age trilogies, and JACK OF RAVENS, the first book in the Kingdom of the Serpent sequence.

Customer Reviews

Dont read without reading book one.
The second novel in Mark's "Jack of Ravens" series and one that seemingly is getting nigh impossible to explain to a layman. That said its addictive, its adventurous and above all it does make perfect sense when you're reading the series even if you can explain it afterwards. LOL Extremely well written and a cracking adventure to be had within its pages. However you really do need to know Marks work and having read his previous releases I'm fairly up there with all the knowledge that is hinted at within this story's pages. If you're uninitiated however this really wont do much for you except leave you terribly confused and wondering what the hell is going on.

So if you have to read this book make sure you've at least read Jack of Ravens and you'll be fine although it's a shame to miss out a lot of the references and with the Battles within the pages coming down to war with the gods of numerous mythos then you can pretty much see that the third conclusive novel is going to be epic.

No review can do this book justice
Church returns with his Brothers and Sisters of Dragons to find a way to beat the Void and return humanity to the world it should have. Reuniting the groups from both previous trilogies means that everyone's favourite charcters should be here, and as the character's memories return they begin to realise their role in existence.
The cover states this is book 2, and it is but when there are 2 trilogies before it you might need to read up a bit in order to get the full flavour of this. Jack of Ravens (book 1) was about Church's journey across 2,000 years of history - this is a race against evil forces around the world.
Chadbourn always weaves myths and legends brilliantly into these books, and while the Celtic Gods are still the main characters we now have Norse, Chinese and Egyptian Gods making a play for the title of most bloodthirsty and confusing beings. As another reviewer writes it should be really confusing but when you're reading it its not - Chadbourn hooks you so skillfully into his world that you never realise how indepth it is until you try to explain it. Its so brilliant that I never want the series to end.

A riot of myth and magic
Jack (Church) Churchill and his motley band of warriors, the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons, are cast into a fresh vortex of myth and legend where they must fight or be annihilated - according to the whims of various gods.

This is book two in a trilogy. And yes, I know: this is book eight in Chadbourn's on going sequence. Reading the previous seven volumes would probably be useful, but on this occasion I would venture to say that's far from essential: The Burning Man starts with both a forward and an extensive prologue of previous events. In addition, Mark Chadbourn does explain much of prior histories as the story progresses.

In essence The Burning Man is all about cosmic balance and the struggle of human beings to gain control of their own destiny, free from divine intervention, for good or for evil. To recount the plot itself would not only spoil things for the reader but also take almost as long as the book itself. I will just say that Chadbourn's heroes battle demons and spiders, humans and gods who are possessed by spider demons. The novel embraces the gods and peoples from just about every pantheon you care to name, from the myths and legends of Celtic, North American, Norse, Chinese, Egyptian and probably a few others I have forgotten in the melee.

The Burning Man is action packed and rushes onward at an unrelenting pace that allows scant time to draw breath between each fresh intrigue. Jack and company fight their enemies with gritty determination. They also fight not only amongst themselves but on occasion even their own selves; with as many love affairs as there are grudge matches between the erstwhile companions. Of course as befits the middle of a trilogy, The Burning Man ends on a cliff edge ready for the final volume, but it's none the worse for that. The novel is complex and compelling and there is one thing you should never do when reading this book: do not blink or you will miss some tiny and vital clue along the way! Sound confusing? It should be in theory, but being so skilfully written its multi-stranded complexity never detracts from an enthralling story. First rate. Highly recommended.
--- Jan Edwards