Eleventh Cycle (1) (Mistland)

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We were to the being what ants were to us, as a simple press of the glowing thumb could completely crush us.

In addition to the four first-person protagonists, we also read the third-person story of the Eleventh Seed. It’s a chonk of a book and in some ways dense with it, and yet at the same time, this was a tome I consumed within the space of two days (admittedly doing little else between commute and a very late night), although I will admit that part of that was because I was hopeful that I was going to find that spark that would make me love this book as much as others have. It would have been easy to have him just in that role – the saviour, the general – but as with all his characters, Ardalan fleshes him out far more than that.And despite this, Ardalan nailed their voice distinction and personality for these four main characters so damn well. Between the four of them, they embark on a journey of self-discovery, conflict, and ultimately intersect with the godly realms that decide the fate of the world. The layers sitting beneath the surface of what is actually on the page are evident as the world has history, depth, and character. On the positive side, despite the novel’s sheer length Ardalan demonstrated a lot of restraint in terms of the sprawl of the story.

I know I have mentioned in my review this is a grimdark fantasy novel, and as far as graphic content and brutal themes go, it truly belongs in the subgenre. I really enjoyed how this was employed by the author and found that it helped answer some questions while also creating an air of mystery that made me want to keep on reading through the wee hours. What we get is the emotion – and I can see why they were the aspects of emotion, but it was often shapeless emotion, that while we could see the source and understand it, lacked the impact it might have had with a bit more form and anchoring. Note: I have read/listened to an ARC copy of the book but I am leaving this review on my own accord.

It is a book that comes with a steep learning curve, with many moving pieces, and deep lore to bring together to make sense of the world that Ardalan has woven here. I took my leave from my official duties, passing them to my lieutenant as I wandered most of my day in deep thought.

The story is dark and violent, the emotions the empathizing characters felt were palpable, and it does not shy away from revealing the light and darkness of humanity to its maximum effect. It’s a commitment and an experience to read, and not always a pleasant one, but no, overall, I believe that Ardalan achieved what he set out to create in Eleventh Cycle.Maybe it was the fact that it happened with both of them, but for myself that detracted very much from the moment and what they were going through, and on both occasions, irritated me enough that I nearly abandoned the book.