Official Review: Empire by Calvin Jones

LauraBambrey · Post by **LauraBambrey** » 25 Jan 2015, 11:11

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Empire" by Calvin Jones.]

3 out of 4 stars

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Empire by Calvin Jones is an epic fantasy novel and is the Book One of the Bantara Chronicles.

Empire follows the story of Amber the half-elf, as she seeks for the truth about her past and her true parentage. Having never fitted into her childhood home of Oraciel, the Elven stronghold, Amber soon discovers that she doesn’t belong in the human world either. Little does she know that her quest for self-discovery will have far reaching consequences for the whole empire of Bantara, its neighbouring states and even Oraciel itself.

As she travels, slowly unraveling the mysteries surrounding her birth, hunted by those who would capture and kill her, Amber gathers around her a band of adventurers- mercenaries, merchants, assassins and spies. This loyal but motley crew aids Amber in her search for answers and ultimately, in staking her claim to her true heritage.

Empire is fantasy written on a massive scale. Whole countries and empires clash- but the author’s world-building is sure footed and threaded deftly through the narrative- preventing it from bogging down the reader or slowing down the story. Although it is set on a grand scale, Empire draws the reader into the personal quest of the heroine, and the hopes and fears that form this complex character. I felt very close to Amber and her co-adventurers and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time in their company. Each character is beautifully drawn and well rounded- so much so that I am already having withdrawal having finished the book. The villains of the piece were just as complex and well thought out- and far from being “the big bad evil” with no character that seems to be so prevalent in epic fantasy.

Something that pleased me immensely as the group grew was that they weren’t the stereotypical, carbon copy of J.R.R Tolkien’s classic ‘fellowship’. Jones has dared to be different and it has paid off. I didn’t feel that I was reading about a group of characters who would disappear down tried-and-tested paths, and this resulted in a far more enjoyable and unpredictable read.

The one serious negative that I feel needs mentioning about Empire lies with several grammar, punctuation and editing errors that are spread throughout the novel. It is such a shame that these are present, as they could easily be picked up by a final, professional proof-read of the edition. Luckily, I was so hooked by the plot that I was happy to overlook these frequent errors (though they were impossible to completely ignore, and did serve to pull me out of the story more than once.) I can imagine that, for some people, these mistakes would be deal-breakers and would cause them to put the book aside.

Empire is the first book of the Chronicles of Bantara but has a fantastic ending that neatly ties up most of the story lines. I hate it when a book ends on a cliff-hanger and doesn't feel like a complete tale in itself- but Empire works beautifully as a stand-alone novel, although I can still see its scope as a series.

Despite the negative that I mentioned above, I am very much looking forward to reading the next instalment in the series. I give Empire 3 out of 4 - I thoroughly enjoyed the read, but am unable to add in that extra point because of those annoying errors.

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Empire
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WriterCJ · Post by **WriterCJ** » 09 Feb 2015, 04:28

Thanks for the review Laura. I'm delighted you enjoyed the story... and promise to fix up those annoying errors and oversights you mention. I am aware of them and I'm currently fixing them up and will update the e-book files accordingly as soon as I have.

Thanks again.

All the best,

Calvin!

gali · Post by **gali** » 09 Feb 2015, 05:02

Sounds like a nice book. Thank you for the lovely review.

LauraBambrey · Post by **LauraBambrey** » 09 Feb 2015, 05:10

WriterCJ wrote:Thanks for the review Laura. I'm delighted you enjoyed the story... and promise to fix up those annoying errors and oversights you mention. I am aware of them and I'm currently fixing them up and will update the e-book files accordingly as soon as I have.

Thanks again.

All the best,

Calvin!

Hi Calvin- I really did, and have been recommending it to my fantasy loving friends- even better that you're 'on it' with the corrections. Looking forward to the second in the series!

-- 09 Feb 2015, 10:12 --

gali wrote:Sounds like a nice book. Thank you for the lovely review.

Hi Gali - aw, thank you! I was so nervous as this is my first review for the OBC - and this is definitely one to add to your TBR shelf if you're a fantasy fan xx

gali · Post by **gali** » 09 Feb 2015, 05:14

I am a fantasy fan, but will wait for the errors to be fixed before giving it a try.

WriterCJ · Post by **WriterCJ** » 05 Apr 2016, 17:51

Hi Laura and Gali,

Well, it's been a while! Finally managed to make time between life, work and everything else to work through Empire and fix up the gaffs that slipped through the net first time around. I also took the opportunity to tighten up parts of the prose where I felt it would enhance the narrative.

I'm sure one or two small things are bound to have slipped through again, but it is certainly much "cleaner" now.

As well as revising the text I've also reworked the cover which I think is a huge improvement.

Thanks again for a feedback -- Laura, give me a shout if you'd like a review copy of the revised edition and I'll send it on.

The good news is that going through the manuscript again (I wrote it more than 15 years ago) has both reacquainted me with the characters and their story, and enthused me to find out what happens next, so the second book in the series is on the way. All I need is time -- so watch this space.

All the best,

Calvin!