In a world full of demons and sorcery, Deckard Cain’s better days are behind him. His muscles are sore, his bones are creaking, and he’s not getting any younger. But more importantly, he feels traumatically guilty. Images of his friends and family being slaughtered by Diablo’s forces haunt him to where he no longer believes in himself. This kind of thinking was amplified when a paladin under his watch, Akarat, succumbed to the forces of evil. With another wave of demons and undead set to take over the world of Sanctuary, Deckard Cain must now keep watch over a little girl named Leah who possesses magical abilities far beyond her own comprehension.
The entirety of this book, set to a dark fantasy backdrop, is a redemption tale as Deckard Cain looks to find peace within himself as he battles the forces of evil. How could he possibly win a war with a brittle body and a traumatized mind? Granted, he is extremely wise in his old age and can provide those around him with the wisdom and courage they need to carry on. But there are still those “fingers of doubt” that crawl up and down his spine to keep him from repairing his broken self-esteem. It seems like an impossible journey for an old man.
But if there’s anything fantasy storytelling has taught me, it’s that true adventure is not about extraordinary people doing extraordinary things. It’s about everyday people like you and me doing extraordinary things. On paper, Deckard and Leah are not a formidable team. It takes 400 plus pages for them to realize their inner greatness, but it happens nonetheless. Fiction is not about if a happy ending is reached. It’s about how it’s reached and how much work it took to reach it.
Despite the fact that I’m a sucker for ass-kicking battle scenes, I’m actually glad the ultra-powerful monk Mikulov wasn’t overused. He’s a warrior in the truest sense of the word: powerful, disciplined, and the closest thing to God you’ll find. If he goes around saving the world with his punches, kicks, and fire attacks, nobody will learn to fend for themselves. Don’t get me wrong. Mikulov plays an important role in this story, but he’s not the whole story and that’s what makes the novel so breathtaking and believable.
You’re probably wondering why I would rate such an incredible tale only four stars instead of the maximum five on Good Reads. Everything fell into place perfectly except for one thing: the pacing. Diablo III: The Order dictates a slower pace than the books I’m used to reading and because of that I’ve had to spend more time recovering my mental energies than I did reading the damn book. However, the novel has so many redeeming qualities that a slightly slower pace seems like small potatoes. The creative and vivid descriptions may slow you down a bit, but they’re necessary in painting a picture of the blood-stained world of Sanctuary.
Buy a copy of this book and give Nate Kenyon your patronage. Even if you’re not a fan of the Diablo videogame franchise, you’ll be an instant believer in the power of morbid storytelling.
No comments:
Post a Comment