Review: Weight of Blood

I’m not one to write reviews of fictional works. Personally, I just do not take the time to critically analyze writing. This book is completely abnormal to common fantasy fiction. So different, I decided it was time to undertake something different as well.

I discovered David Dalglish after I self-gifted myself a Kindle after determining my house didn’t need additional physical books. I must say I am very happy with the purchase of the Kindle because I have found a number of new authors I likely would have passed over. The self publishing capability allows for aspiring writers and the ability for them to get the work in front of readers. A chance they may never have been given within the traditional publishing framework. For $3.99, I got not just Weight of Blood but also the second and third in an omnibus volume for the Kindle. I likely wouldn’t have taken the risk for a $9.99 single volume paperwork.

Dalglish opens the Half Orc series in Weight of Blood by introducing two half-orc brothers in the midst of coming of age in a brutal world. In many ways, the story seems based on a D&D campaign as many reviewers have mentioned. It may be, it may not. What is wonderful is that he doesn’t adopt the main characters as protagonists. In fact, on many occasions I wanted to root against them based on the decisions they make. Harruq and Qurrah Tun are far from normal main characters. They defy categorization and I applaud the author for taking the road less travelled.

If you enjoy fantasy as fairy tales and happy endings, Dalglish is not for you. If you like dark fantasy intermixed with disturbing choices by the characters, read the sample provided. Even his choice of blood heritage for the Tun’s is unusual – half orc / half elf. I applaud his decision and the back story intertwines nicely.

I am in agreement with many reviewers on several topics. At times the plot seems forced. Decisions are made by the Tuns without much effort to explain why. These lapses also reinforce others opinion that Dalglish is writing up a gaming session from his past. However, the text is one of his first. It’s raw, gritty and sometimes unpolished. He’s not working with a professional editor and publishing house to identify and fix the mistakes. Instead, he’s chosen to provide his story to us as he wrote it.

Characterization has a few holes. As a reader, I was presented with a number of times where I wondered why the character chose how he did. I wished to delve deeper into the history so I could understand and perhaps sympathize with the choice. It was not to be. In reflection, I honestly can say I’m glad he didn’t expose too much detail on some of the decisions. By avoiding it, the characters became more realistic. People make oddball, bizarre decisions all the time. Many of mine I cannot explain even to myself. They just happen.

The bulk of the work is fast paced and wonderful to read. I overlooked the gaps and read for the enjoyment. After all, that is why many of us read fiction. If you enjoy fiction where the main characters are flawed and prone to morally objectionable decisions, you will likely enjoy reading the book. If you aren’t comfortable picking up a text with a necromancer as a main character, skip it. At times, the book made me flinch. Refreshing.

Leather Mugs

Welcome back to the Leather Network. All leather, all the time. I’m fixated on it for the moment but that will change soon. I actually swore to myself I would not do another leather related post unless there was other content. Well, I failed.

If you have admired a leather mug at a Ren Fest and wondered how they did it, Angster on LeatherWorker.Net published a great tutorial on how he constructs them. The step by step instructions are very easy to follow. I was essentially out of leather so had to scale it down to a mini-cup which is more shot glass than mug but the construction technique is the same.

Amid the great consumerism, my leather topics are not that interesting. No fear. I have some other ideas to present but just haven’t focused on writing them up. Perhaps I’ll get there in the next few weeks.

Inspiration Realized

When you are inspired by odd things, I find it is best to strike rather than delay. My original intent was to just utilize the pizza pan as a shield as identified by Kevin and Randall. I didn’t really have the materials on hand to just convert the pan into a shield with a bit of paint and design work. I did have a bunch of leather laying around from prior projects. I’m also a bit fixated on leather for some reason. Maybe its because I finally understand, albeit marginally, how to make it transform into the products I’m interested in.

Continue reading »

Inspiration

What would you use this for?

Sometimes odd items get used for strange purposes. I ran across this $3.00 item while I was shopping today. If you know how my brain works, you can likely guess why I drug it home. Kudos if you can also identify what it was intended for. I’ll reveal the results in the next few days.

Sir Dylan’s Leather Helm

Sir Dylan's Helmet

The helm above is what I concocted for my nephew, Dylan, to add to his Halloween Costume. I barely managed to get it complete in time for his school party. Not quite what I was looking to do. Between the short time frame and my sinus infection, I didn’t take any detailed pictures. The design is based on the Leather Helm by Baron Sir Gerhard Kendal presented by the The Armour Archive.

Happy Halloween, all.

Armor for Kids: Sir Dylan’s Base Suit

Sir Dylan’s basic cuirass is complete. I have pictures coming from his Mom but failed to take my camera along for the final fitting. Considering it was a balmy 98° Fahrenheit, Dylan wasn’t very interested in donning hot leather. He was focused on getting back outside to the sprinkler.

Sir Dylan's Set

The fit is okay. To wide on his frame but it will fit over a winter coat when he ventures out on Halloween to do battle with the local ghosts and goblins. I was overzealous when it came to room for growth. I should have stuck closer to the pattern and done a few more test fits before finishing.

Sir Dylan the Skinny

I’m pleased with the setup. It came out pretty well given I hadn’t touched leather in 10 plus years. Some of my techniques are still raw and need practice.

Leather Kids Cuirass Nearing Completion

Another progress update. The front and the back of the 2-part cuirass are now complete. The one remaining task is adding straps for the shoulders and sides.

Front and Back Completed

The straps will utilize modern buckles to allow easy adjustment to Sir Dylan. He stopped by on Sunday to get a test fit. Both sections line up well on his frame. The neck opening could have been slightly larger but will fit nicely. The length looks nice on him. I’m glad. When looking at it on the table, the halves appeared overly long but my measurements were true.

Dylan liked the look. If he’s happy, so am I. I’ll post final build photos when I do the final test fit.