Official Review: SKELLIG: The Tales Of Conor Archer, vol. 2
Posted: 08 Jul 2020, 16:47
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "SKELLIG: The Tales Of Conor Archer, vol. 2" by E. R. Barr.]
Skellig: The Tales of Conor Archer, Vol. 2, is bestselling author E.R. Barr’s follow-up to his debut novel, Roan. Roan became an instant favorite of mine and a go-to suggestion for anyone looking to read an original fantasy novel. If there was any undue pressure on Barr to live up to the high standard he set with his first book, he certainly did not indicate as much in Skellig; it is without question as good as its predecessor, and the author’s style of storytelling makes reading this sequel feel akin to reconnecting with an old friend. Should the author continue this series, the saga of Conor Archer has the potential to become a multigenerational favorite for years to come.
Skellig picks up directly after the events in Roan. Conor is sent to Ireland from Wisconsin to be closer to his family and learn more about his lineage. He quickly learns that his previous encounters in Wisconsin are but precursors to a much bigger and more sinister plot; Conor and his companions, both new and established, are the primary players in a game where the fate of humanity hangs in the balance. Two worlds separated since the War in Heaven are converging, and it is up to Conor’s band of heroes to prevent the dark forces of the Otherworld, great monsters of myth and legend, from once again terrorizing the material world. Led by Conor, his friend and Champion Jace, and his faithful dog Troubles, this small group of fae, selkies, long-dead Irish clergy, a changeling, and maybe even a seraph, will be forced to sacrifice all to fight ancient evils and ensure the safety of mankind.
I cannot say enough good things about this series. Just as Roan immersed the reader in Native American folklore, Skellig sends the reader headlong into the deep-rooted Irish and Celtic mythos that have seeped into so much of our modern stories and traditions. Mr. Barr has an incredible wealth of knowledge not only about the legendary history of the Irish people but how it is intertwined with Western Christian faiths. As such, I believe my favorite aspect of Barr’s style is his ability to explain these unfamiliar stories and legends through compelling narrative and dialogue without making the story seem like a lecture on myth and religion. Moreover, I found myself several times researching Barr’s assertions only to find that his retelling of the old Irish tales was complete and unmodified. This is extremely important for a book’s historical authenticity, even if the “history” is based around folklore.
The only mark against Skellig is its trace amount of editing issues. One issue is the frequent, random capitalization of the letter ‘I’; I believe this is more of a formatting issue in the Kindle file, but it needs to be fixed nonetheless. There is also a time-jump issue as the chapters are labeled with days and dates, and the dates become out of sequence for a chapter. These errors are not enough to make me think that the book was not professionally edited; Skellig is a 412-page book, and in that context, such trivial mistakes are only minor grievances. The only other item of note that stuck out to me in a major way is the amount of profanity in the novel. To be fair, there is not an inordinate amount of foul language, but if memory serves me, it is significantly more than what was in Roan. The language didn’t turn me off to the book, and I know the Irish are a colorful bunch; still, I mention it as it may be a point of contention for other readers.
Skellig: The Tales of Conor Archer, Vol. 2, has easily earned 4 out of 4 Stars. The novel is fast-paced and compelling, and even at 400-plus pages, it contains no filler. Mr. Barr is able to educate the reader on Irish culture while never taking his foot off the gas. If Rick Riordan were to craft a series for adults, it would be The Tales of Conor Archer; that being said, I’d put my money on Conor over Percy Jackson any day. If you are a fan of epic or urban fantasy, pick up a copy of Roan today and know that when you finish, Skellig is waiting.
******
SKELLIG: The Tales Of Conor Archer, vol. 2
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Skellig: The Tales of Conor Archer, Vol. 2, is bestselling author E.R. Barr’s follow-up to his debut novel, Roan. Roan became an instant favorite of mine and a go-to suggestion for anyone looking to read an original fantasy novel. If there was any undue pressure on Barr to live up to the high standard he set with his first book, he certainly did not indicate as much in Skellig; it is without question as good as its predecessor, and the author’s style of storytelling makes reading this sequel feel akin to reconnecting with an old friend. Should the author continue this series, the saga of Conor Archer has the potential to become a multigenerational favorite for years to come.
Skellig picks up directly after the events in Roan. Conor is sent to Ireland from Wisconsin to be closer to his family and learn more about his lineage. He quickly learns that his previous encounters in Wisconsin are but precursors to a much bigger and more sinister plot; Conor and his companions, both new and established, are the primary players in a game where the fate of humanity hangs in the balance. Two worlds separated since the War in Heaven are converging, and it is up to Conor’s band of heroes to prevent the dark forces of the Otherworld, great monsters of myth and legend, from once again terrorizing the material world. Led by Conor, his friend and Champion Jace, and his faithful dog Troubles, this small group of fae, selkies, long-dead Irish clergy, a changeling, and maybe even a seraph, will be forced to sacrifice all to fight ancient evils and ensure the safety of mankind.
I cannot say enough good things about this series. Just as Roan immersed the reader in Native American folklore, Skellig sends the reader headlong into the deep-rooted Irish and Celtic mythos that have seeped into so much of our modern stories and traditions. Mr. Barr has an incredible wealth of knowledge not only about the legendary history of the Irish people but how it is intertwined with Western Christian faiths. As such, I believe my favorite aspect of Barr’s style is his ability to explain these unfamiliar stories and legends through compelling narrative and dialogue without making the story seem like a lecture on myth and religion. Moreover, I found myself several times researching Barr’s assertions only to find that his retelling of the old Irish tales was complete and unmodified. This is extremely important for a book’s historical authenticity, even if the “history” is based around folklore.
The only mark against Skellig is its trace amount of editing issues. One issue is the frequent, random capitalization of the letter ‘I’; I believe this is more of a formatting issue in the Kindle file, but it needs to be fixed nonetheless. There is also a time-jump issue as the chapters are labeled with days and dates, and the dates become out of sequence for a chapter. These errors are not enough to make me think that the book was not professionally edited; Skellig is a 412-page book, and in that context, such trivial mistakes are only minor grievances. The only other item of note that stuck out to me in a major way is the amount of profanity in the novel. To be fair, there is not an inordinate amount of foul language, but if memory serves me, it is significantly more than what was in Roan. The language didn’t turn me off to the book, and I know the Irish are a colorful bunch; still, I mention it as it may be a point of contention for other readers.
Skellig: The Tales of Conor Archer, Vol. 2, has easily earned 4 out of 4 Stars. The novel is fast-paced and compelling, and even at 400-plus pages, it contains no filler. Mr. Barr is able to educate the reader on Irish culture while never taking his foot off the gas. If Rick Riordan were to craft a series for adults, it would be The Tales of Conor Archer; that being said, I’d put my money on Conor over Percy Jackson any day. If you are a fan of epic or urban fantasy, pick up a copy of Roan today and know that when you finish, Skellig is waiting.
******
SKELLIG: The Tales Of Conor Archer, vol. 2
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
