The Axe and the Throne (Bounds of Redemption Book 1)

At first, I was a bit put off by its many similarities to the Game of Thrones series. However, they are forgivable upon continuing to delve deeper into the book. The author has a real talent for writing interesting, yet very simple and effective prose. The story is fast paced and multi-faceted. Upon finishing, I can say I really enjoyed this book, would recommend it to any fan of fantasy, and am eagerly awaiting Book Two.

If you are a fan of GOT and the more realistic gritty fantasy, then this is a great book for you. There are no clear cut good and bad guys, and there are plenty of politics and plot twists. Great start in what I hope is a long series to come.

I have to say, I just don't see it. This book has gotten all kinds of accolades as being the next great thing in fantasy, but I just can't see why.
Now, I do give it a four star rating, because it was solid, enjoyable fantasy fiction. It hit on lots of standard fantasy themes, tropes, and settings (Viking-like clans of bearded Northmen, you say?) and did it in a not too annoying or poorly written way. And yet, I did find myself questioning the characters's motivations at times, and at times the plotting seemed tenuous.
This book is a solid and entertaining read, but let's see if there's some improvement in Book 2 before we hail this as the next GoT.

Great read, perhaps a little slow in the beginning as the necessary character introductions are made, but the middle and end more than made up for that. More of a first chapter than a discrete book, there is plenty of cliff hangers and I can not wait for the second instalment!

A Strong opener in what looks to be a good series.
Ireman writes with a fluidity that's easy to read and appreciate. Equal parts entertaining and thought provoking, he world-builds and drops back-story at a sensible and non pandering pace, revealing information as it pertains to the story's progression.
Along with the pacing, the scope of the story is also well done, as the dramatis personae and locations approach epic without being meandering or overdone.
I especially enjoyed the earlier chapters which were not always told in a linear or sequitur fashion, a writing device not often employed by fantasy writers for whatever reason.
The story itself is not particularly original, with medieval themed political unrest and tough Northmen, there are strong shades of the now near obligatory Martin, along with Ambercrombie (sans pitch-black humor) and others.
But it is the excellent characterizations that make a story that runs more in the vein of Tolstoy or Dostoyevsky.
By far the best part of this book were the brilliantly realized characters, well rounded and realistic, they had growth and regression that seemed honest to who and what they were, with believable thoughts and actions that moved the book forward with very little "Deus Ex Machina" required.
Some of my favorite characters were the ones I initially found uninteresting and wrongly assumed to be generic stereotypes, I.E. Decker, along with the tortured Tallos who takes a turn to be like something out of a Kafka nightmare.
The inner narrative of the multifaceted cast, often simultaneously deserving of sympathy, respect and detest, is successful is shaping characters you care about.
I eagerly await the second installment.

What a great book. I was thrown at first by the long list of names - so many characters to get to know, but I quickly looked forward to how they were progressing in their lives and it became a treat of a read. This is an awesome book. I would have enjoyed a little closure, but the author is insisting upon leaving me wanting more. Bad bad boy. Do yourselves a favor. Grab this book and enjoy. You only think you know what is going to happen.

I'm an avid reader consuming book after book after book and series after series. And where I always rate the books I read I seldom leave reviews. But this book....this book was awesome. Many characters going in many different directions.Complex. Surprises and twists. And definitely a page turner. Not for the faint of heart. Not for the "oh I'll read a few pages before bed" readers. You'll forsake sleep to keep reading, as I have done.

I'm going to hate waiting for books two!

Solid enough start for a new author. Interesting story, but not enough content for the story arc to make sense as a single book. Savage twists, completely changing the tenor of characters you are just getting to know. If the next book uses those as life changing events that define a character, Ireman could be showing a lot of promise. I suspect I will wish the first two books were one book though...but that means I will probably buy the next book so overall worth it.

At first this story starts a little slow. Some characters at this point have shown little point to the overall story. However since this is a series I assume that more will be explained. I recommend that the reader not give up early as this book gets much more interesting as you go and I look forward to reading the next installment.

The book starts with a rather bold and somewhat condescending statement from the author. Unfortunately, he falls well short of that statement. I found the book to be a blatant carbon copy of the way George RR Martin introduces and develops characters. Again, unfortunately, that is also a disappointment due to the incredibly boring themes and subject matter. Overall, I found myself punishing my mind to stay with the plot line. Even when something interesting was about to happen, I found myself bored out if my mind as the lead up was so plodding that you could almost take a pen to paper and write it yourself. The writing also lacked a lot of the usual twists and turns this genre is known for. Sorry, no unbelievable tales here. Just people, you get little chance to start knowing, being nasty to each other - the end. I gave it three stars because the grammar and structure was good. No spelling errors.

My sense is that this book is written in the genre or trying to present a similar feel to what one gets from a Game of Thrones novel. There is no true good guy at all, plenty of murder and betrayal and suffering by women. Like many first novels in a series, most of the story is a large introduction to what will happen next. Two sections begin without enough background as to how the character got there, but I suspect that will become more clear in the next one. I enjoyed the book enough to read the next one.

Even though the fantasy fiction scene is tending towards an increasingly higher rate of horrifying details, The Axe & throne manages to give the reader the feeling that all the horrors are justifiable in the narrative context and actually have a positive contribution to the reading experience. i'm definitely getting the next book1

For those who are seeking a fantasy world to inhabit while waiting for Martin and Rothfuss to finish their works, consider the Axe and the Throne. The author takes the reader behind the eyes of complex characters, who may seem like heroes and villains until their motives and desires often reveal them to be both. Like Martin, Ireman gets the reader to care about everyone's story, and leaves him unsure of whom to root for. But that's the compelling charm of a tale like this: every character matters and the fates of the despicable and virtuous alike are never certain. Now that it's over, I'll add Ireman's sequel to my list and hope he won't keep us waiting too long.

All those people who write reviews stating that they don't get why people like it....I'm with them. It's not the character switching that bothers me. There really aren't that many characters. It's just that the story is boring. The writing is not very good. Everybody compares things to George RR Martin these days, just like they used to compare to Tolkien. This is nothing like Martin.

Really good book to read until the next GRRM, Butcher, or Rothfuss book comes out. Starts out as one book and then cuts to a second halfway through. Would of preferred for the chapters to be interspersed and I think it would of made the book much better. I honestly enjoyed the plot/characters from the first half much more than the second half, and ended up reading the last few chapters (which got better by the way) just because I had so much time invested in it already.

As one who reads a lot of fantasy, I can say this to have been most satisfying in story and substance, arc and character breadth. Darkly unpredictable and hard to put down, as in the vein of GoT, I recommend this book and look forward to more from Ireman.

Thoroughly enjoyable book. I am reading for the third time: The first time I just wanted to see what would happen, second time I read for more detail, and this time to see if there was even more to uncover. There is! The author has a knack for nuance and his recipe of conflict flavored with compassion makes me hungry for the next course. The book starts with two cliff hangers (literally) and ends with several more. Mage Ireman knows how to light a fire. Let’s hope he does not restrain himself too long.

Loved reading the book so far. The writer has a knack for writing about a Norse Medieval Renassaince world that is engaging and contemporary. I'm not quite half way done but I am slowly making my way as to savor this first entry - since there is no word of a second book I don't to blow through it.
Well I hope there is a second and third book as this book is a joy to read despite the brutality of some of the characters' actions. The Writer is quite adept of getting inside the heads of even the most despicable characters and making them understandable if not likable. No small feat. Bravo!

Good, good character development and smart story line. It will be interesting to see where the story goes to bring the main characters together, as well as what is the ultimate threat is going to be. A long book for no identifiable good or bad or any type of goal for the main people. Compelling but just a story about a bunch of unrelatable people so far.

So what if some concepts were similar to game of thrones?

The violence and brutality is vivid. The characters are skillfully developed and each one is flawed in some way that makes them more real and believable. The plot line develops slowly and unpredictability, which I appreciate. I have no idea what lays in store in future chapters. There were instances where I didn't want to continue reading for fear of what my be happening to favored characters...
I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next one to be published!

I thought this was a great book.I cant wait for the next one! Very bloody, honest, sad, and humourus at times. I also love how everyone is tied together. Hmmm, wish I were better at "reviewing" anyway, bottom line I will recommend this book to friends and will be IMPATIENTLY waiting for the next one ( or any other M.D. Ireman book)!

Mr. Ireman is a gifted author; if you've a wit of sense, you are about to hit the buy button.

He was born for the Grim Dark genre. His characters are wonderfully broken, terrifying and pathetic. His plot is impossible to second guess without recycling trendy plot twists anther insipid gimmicks.

I occasionally had to stop reading this book to take a break: the story was so dark and events so shocking that I was actually affected. I'm a 44 year-old crabby, military vet; this has never happened to me.

To say this book is good is far too simple; this book is complex, dark and compelling. It is a creative, disturbing and wonderful addition to the genre. I can only hope that we readers lend Mr. Ireman the ability to continue writing by directly supporting his efforts.

Lastly, I'd be remiss were I not to mention the exceptional level of editing in this book: typos are not present; there's no logical fallacies; it's a thing of beauty.

I always like to get newer authors a shot and this one turned out pretty damn good. It took a little while to get into it and I was worried there wouldn't be much variety from other fantasy books as I was reading but the end result was a very good book. Sure it has the brute northman, the Joffrey like Prince, and the tricky political "man" but there is an interesting magic structure and a well written plot that makes me want to read the second book. I have all the respect in the world for self published authors and I hope more people read this book because I think it is very enjoyable.

Not only does every character have an amazing amount of depth, but there seems to be a genuine surprise around every corner. I recommend this to anybody who is into fantasy, and can't wait for the second book!

A solid first start - akin to Martin and Abercrombie though not as rich as the former or violent as the latter. It's beauty is in the bleakness. Definitely buying the second book.

Sean - not elizabeth

This is a full length novel and I read it in 3 nights, it got me hooked. Each character has a unique voice and as the storyline progressed and I got to know them more, I found myself becoming invested in each one. But if I had to choose, I'd say Ethel is my favorite. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an unpredictable and enjoyable to read new fantasy series

I have randomly picked this book and didn't really know what to expect but it turned out to be very good read. It has really interesting well written characters and storyline is looking promising. Looking forward to next book. Thumbs up for Ireman.

Really liked this book.well written and has some great characters.there is a lot of viewpoints that might annoy some people but all the characters are so interesting that you will soon get used to it.I like the fact that some characters do some terrible things but you still root for them,I think thats the mark of a strong writer.the only thing id warn about this book is that its the first of a series so it kind of finishes rather abruptly so theres no clear resolution to any of the storylines.not really a criticism but just letting people know that anyone looking for a standalone that its probably not for them.all being said its an excellent read and well worth your time.

Awful. One dimensional characters who all speak with the same voice, regardless of the different regions and social classes. Was hard to find all characters interesting. With the poor writing and obvious character imitations, it reads as the "off brand" A Song of Ice and Fire, so to speak.

Fantastic. Subverts in some, and revels in other fantasy tropes that fuse seamlessly together in enjoyable ways. When it cuts, though, it cuts deep and doesn't staunch the wound. Can't wait for book 2.!

Interesting but at the same time rather confusing and disturbing, i like grey fantasy genre but this is bit too much for me... all the characters i like are either killed or into so much conflict based on miscommunication or whatever that it hurts to read. But smooth book nonetheless

It took a while for me to get into the flow of this book, but when I did it became a real page turner. Well fleshed out and interesting characters, lots of action and intrigue, and just enough magic in the world to keep it mysterious. The characters seem very real, which always seems a welcome bit of magic. I highly recommend this book, and eagerly look forward to the next!

The writer has multiple narratives playing out simultaneously from the viewpoint of many loosely connected characters. While some of the characters are interesting I find it hard to decipher all the
Mini dramas up to Decker's discovery of the axe near the end of the novel. While this should leave the reader hungry for some answers in the sequel it simply left me looking for a more cohesive tale .

Haven't finished the book yet, not from a lack of time but simply can't get through the stories. I usually read through books in a couple days, but I have had trouble connecting with the constant change in character perspectives. I see good potential however, and may recommend it to people who have liked how Song of Ice and Fire was written. I may change this review if I eventually finish the book.

This is a decent start to a fantacy series. Although 2 things bother me. 1) the author seems to have a much inflated idea of how wide and complex this rather normal fantacy book of his is. 2) there doesn't seem to be any definite plans or eta on the next book.
A pity because I auite liked this book. Would like to see where the story takes the characters.

The book interweaves back and forth to different characters. At first, they have seemingly no relevance to one another, but as the story progresses, you will be surprised at what is revealed. I can't say I have ever been more angry at a book (and the author) only to also find myself cheering when I least expected it. This is not a children's book, nor even a teenager. It is well written though, and for the price, an excellent read. I will definitely be keeping tabs on this author. I read through this in 2 days, fully not expecting to be so drawn into it. Another review compares it to Games of Thrones, which I can see some correlation to, but it does not detract from it. This is a book in which a hero may turn out to be a villain, or a villain a hero, and the good guys don't always win.

Not since reading The Wise Man's Fear have I stayed up all night to finish a book! The characters felt real and the story while a familiar one in the fantasy genre, was very well thought out and real. I'm anxiously awaiting the next book in this promising new series.

I am past the middle of the book now. I hope all the positive reviews that I have read are true, I am just a little bored having to get to know so many characters. I keep having to think of the earlier characters I read about because they are barely referred to if at all. I have been reading high fantasy books for 20 years now and this book is by far not in the bottom half. Just needs faith and dedication that the story will come together. Like I said, I have not finished the book. Will write another review upon completion.

Overall interesting storyline and characters. However, women in this book apparently like to be slapped by their husbands to bring them into line. Rape is a frequently described as a normal means of behavior.

One gets the sense that the author is alternating between a "Game of Thrones" explicit / graphic approach versus writing for a more universally acceptable fantasy. The result is unpleasant and I for one don't need or want graphic sexual details while reading.

Another deep flaw is that magicians are so weak. An example is the the main magician / advisor to the king only apparent power is to gather shadows around himself. The king either ignores him or he talks himself out of even trying to truly assist the king. He never helps anyone, so, why is he a main character?

There is a genuinely interesting story in the making, but needs a significant amount of polish and drop the graphic details.

It’s a slow build that is worth its while. For any game of thrones fan, this has a cast of many and a story that is just building, leading you to the next. Be prepared to ignore your usual routine as this will take you far away from it.

Bad characterisation with inconsistent almost schizophrenic changes in personality as the plot requires. The writing itself is not bad but there is too much effort made to try to force the reader to falsely sympathise with horrible people. Just let them be horrible. Abercrombie does this kind of writing way better

To paraphrase Ireman's dedication in the front of the book: it's refreshing to read a story that isn't about an orphan who saves the kingdom, kills the king, and that doesn't have a long-beard wizard following the protagonist everywhere to help him/her escape sticky situations the novelist irresponsibly wrote them into. This is a wonderful read and you shouldn't waste more time reading reviews when you could already be enjoying The Axe and the Throne.

I want to give this book four stars because I'm a stickler, but I think the MD Ireman deserves five for an extraordinarily well-written novel and a bold first effort. This review will contain character names but no spoilers. I've tried to get away from the GRRM comparisons but it's sort of impossible, so instead I've included them where pertinent.

I don't know how many Fantasy novels I've read, but let's just say it's my favorite genre and I've been reading them for 20 years. I honestly cannot think of a better written fantasy novel, including GRRM (my read immediately before this was everything Rothfuss has written). Rothfuss' major failing is that his writing reads like something a writing professor would do, so it feels a bit stale and like the novel thinks it's smarter than the reader. Ireman is focused on the story and the characters and nothing else, it seems, except creating situations in which every character faces certainty of death more or less constantly. I completely disagree with the other reviews who say that the violence isn't "graphic" because it's as gritty as anything you'll ever read. I also disagree with the people who say that the sexual violence was hackneyed: it wasn't, not only because of Ireman's exceptional writing, but because the violence changes both victim and perpetrator in surprising/human ways. There is nothing especially lusty about the violence or the sex, but if you're a puritanical pacifist, well, you're probably going to have a bad time with this book.

The people who complain about pacing in this novel must have been bored to death in GRRM's third/fourth/fifth books or in anything (everything?) Tolkien wrote. The pacing is extremely fast after about 40% of the way through and before that, it moves along at a very pleasant clip. This is epic fantasy, not a horse race.

Some criticism:

My major reason for wanting to give this book four stars is that I found some of the characters too closely analogous to those in GRRM's ASOIAF, namely I saw much of Eddard, Varys and Joffrey in this book. In the first 80% of the story, I was able to predict several outcomes just based on familiarity with the genre. That being said, there are enough twists and turns in the last 20% that I trust MD Ireman to play with Fantasy conventions instead of capitulate to them. In fact, I get the sense that this book is an open challenge to GRRM to write better and I think that Ireman brings the heat. The fact that so many reviewers compare this to GRRM should be a selling point, not a detractor, and for my money I think this series has more potential to delight readers than future ASOIAF books.

Other than that, the only negative thing I can say about this book is that it wasn't long enough. I want more!!!

Why so many favorable ratings? I just cannot understand this. And I really cannot understand the people who say "the writing was not bad, but..." The writing is bad. Period. Writing, as all communication, is a two-person effort and the harder the writer works, the easier things are for the reader. Nothing about this guy's writing drew me in. I could not begin to live the world in the book, no matter how many times I picked it up. Having come directly from Patrick Rothfuss, The Axe and the Throne was a terrible disappointment.

Masses of characters: I don't mind having lots of characters. But the characters have to become real. And the more characters there are, the more each one has to stand out as an individual. In this book, however, not only are they hard to tell apart, a lot of them seem like paper cutouts of Game of Thrones Characters. Examples: A portly, effeminate guy who deals in secrets. A hero of less-than-heroic height. A tyrannical king who is less than pleased with the strength of his heirs.

Violence, depravity, sex: These are all important additions if they are believable, and flow naturally from the story. If they makes me squirm on my couch and say, “Oh my God!” (Bernard Cornwell's Saxon series is one of my current favorites.) But if the writing is bad and if the characters do not become real people, then the violence comes across as nothing more than an expression of the writer's closet fantasies. All writing is this way to a degree, but I expect a 10 dollar book to be more than “Dear Diary, guess what I considered doing today.”

Finally, pictures. Really? In a book for adults? I understand that the writer probably wanted to try to get away with not having to actually describe his characters, but if you are going to go that far, why even bother to write in the first place? I was embarrassed to open my kindle on the train.

In a word, yuck. This ranks up there in my 2 worst fantasy books of all time, right next to “Orcs!” I don’t know which is worse.

It IS full of gore and well written but otherwise, so negative I truly regret reading this book. I suppose if you want to feel disturbed after a reading but somehow pervertedly inspired it could be a decent read.

Snuck a paid advertisement into top 10 fantasy reads webpage I was looking at. I bought it and fell for it. The trick of me thinking it was rated with the other titles I was looking at. I'd put it in the top 5000 maybe.

I didn't like it and I won't be buying the second book in this series. I didn't mind that each chapter is told from the perspective of a different person and not even in a linear time progression (though it does make it hard, specially at the beginning when you don't know all the characters). I just didn't like the plot. I think it's childish and shallow. Too many perfect people (so beautiful or such great warriors that can defeat a much bigger army with no better argument that they are fearless). It's not realistic and the characters don't grow on you so as to want to pick up the next book and see what comes next. I love fantasy, so the fact that there is magic or "vikings" is not a problem. But I guess this book isn't for adults. It's not so easy to find good fantasy books like Wheel of Time, Stormlight Archives or the Lightbringer Series. We'll just have to keep looking.

The first thing you'll read is a note that says "nimble" readers "...with a thirst for more than linear adventure..." will get this book and others may find it too challenging or offensive. My bull**** sense started tingling, but I gave it a shot.

The one thing I liked about this book is that it didn't have fake, ridiculous sounding fantasy names. I think some authors go too out of their way to establish that this is a different world. The rest of the book was disappointing. It was an ad that snuck itself onto a page where I was looking for strong female characters in fantasy novels. This book is nothing but a string of GoT stereotypes. There were very cookie cutter references of the strong, handsome, lined face of a man, or the flowy dresses and equally flowy hair of the terrified woman who wanted to run to her man for comfort...Jesus. When I read the other reviews mentioning the raping and pillaging, I knew this book wouldn't be for me. Dear male authors, when rape is very real threat that can occur any day of your life, it tends to make you not want to read about it as a plot point. It also comes across as a creepy fantasy. Please stop. The writing style was ok, since the author was able to describe a mood/feeling more cleverly than some ("woolen tongue" was one of my faves - you really get the feel and understand why he feels that way). The numerous flashbacks from the get-go didn't help the pacing either. Rest assured, disliking this book does not make anyone less "nimble" in their preferences...

Note, while my review will be highly positive, I warn the reader that this book is not for everyone. The first paragraph outlines my line of thinking and why this book appealed to me. The remaining review concerns the book itself.

Having just finished rereading the Lord Of the Rings I found myself hungry for a new fantasy novel into which I could sink my teeth. However, I did not want something as simple and one-sided as the typical fantasy book is written. Let me explain myself, many fantasy books that follow the Tolkien-esque writing style follow the pattern of the good guys versus the evil forces of the world. While this is enjoyable, I wanted something a bit more complicated; I love books and stories that play with moral ambiguity. So, when I heard that this book had been described as a more complex and dark piece of fiction for a non-casual reader, I was eager to dig into my new find!

ON THE BOOK:
(1) Writing: The author is skilled in creating characters and developing both those characters and the world within which they reside. I found myself enjoying watching the characters progress throughout the story; attempting to reconcile actions they had taken or failed to take. Moreover, I thoroughly enjoyed the diversity of characters within the book. Their social upbringing shapes the character's opinions and thoughts and such an upbringing differ wildly depending on where the character was raised.
(2) The Story: The book is structured through short glimpses into individual character's experiences within the world. The book does not operate through a single overarching story (though I am sure the character's paths will become more intertwined in later editions). Rather, the book has three or so shorter stories that involve a couple of the characters. In this way, it can be difficult navigating the various storylines at the start of the book. However, the stories are not overly complicated from a structural standpoint (though they are complicated from a moral perspective), so the reader should not be worried about getting lost.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Overall, I enjoyed the book quite a lot. I found the characters to be interesting and more complicated than the typical "orphan saves the kingdom" style of writing. Moreover, I enjoyed the stories contained in the book and watching how the characters dealt with changes in the world.

WARNING: With all this said, I offer the following advice: the book may be too dark for the average reader. While I personally did not find the book to be overly depressing or grim in nature, that does not mean that others have not. This book portrays the nastier side of humanity. If you want to read this book, prepare yourself for topics such as murder, slavery, rape, and other such atrocities. For instance, without giving too much away, one of the factions within the book is a group of tribes from the North. The reader learns quickly that these tribes raid southern villages (to sustain their own families and make sure their wives and children do not starve to death in the bitter-cold winters) and that the tribes have a tradition of taking everything from those they raid. To be blunt, I mean they are taught to rape the woman before killing the men of the village as this act sufficiently destroys the soul of the "evil southern men." So, if my warning has made you uncomfortable, perhaps give this book a pass. Underneath the grim exterior is a well-written book.

I've never been of fairy tales in epic fantasy. I have enjoyed a great deal in reading Malazan Book of the Fallen and The Black Company, along with Abercrombie's twisted characters; so it is not a big of a problem to digest harsh plots (in both cruelty and scope). I liked this book. I hope the author continues to write the trilogy; it is fun an entertaining. Although it is epic fantasy, the plot focuses more on the human nature, and that's something to be highlighted in comparison to most novels out there. It is cruel and unfair at many places (just like GOT has got use to), but keeps you interested along the whole reading. Sometimes it remain me to the whole of stories like Conrad's or Faulkner's (although none of the characters is retarded :P).

As a first novel from the author, I feel his style needs to be improved and polished, but there is a lot of potential. Can't way to read the rest of the story.

I was duped into buying this book via a pernicious the store advertisement seamlessly integrated into a "best of" list at a fantasy website I have frequented and trusted for years.

My biggest regret is that I read 20% of the book before returning to the website and realizing my error. Some of the negative reviews have made it seem like the book is too dark or too violent. Don't misunderstand: dark is good. I love grim and bloody stories in the capable hands of GRRM, Joe Abercrombie, Mark Lawrence, Glenn Cook, etc. "The Axe and the Throne" doesn't deserve to be on the same shelf as books written by the aforementioned authors. Perhaps it could be stored beneath a wobbly table leg in a restaurant. On second thought that won't do either, lest some unsuspecting soul should look down and feel bad that a book is being mistreated, pick it up and (God forbid) begin reading this aggressively illiterate compilation of words and paragraphs and chapters masquerading as a novel.

Like the stew repeatedly consumed within its pages, this book is a reheated, rehash of reconstituted tropes congealed into an inedible putrescent gloop unfit for the swine trough.

Pretentious twaddle. There's even a "warning" up front, so the author can make clear that if you don't like this book, it's just because you're too stupid and soft to handle his amazing book.

It's nonsense. The characters are shallowly drawn, the author loves to tell rather than show. The chapters are padded out with reams of unnecessary verbiage to hide the fact that almost nothing has happened.

All that, and the author doesn't understand much of anything about history or anthropology or anything. Terrible, boring, shallow. Neither as grim nor as complicated as the author wants you to think it is. It's just muddled for the sake of being muddled.

Let me put it this way. In this book you have three groups: the dogmen, the northerners, and the nobles. The dogmen and the northerers have the more interesting story and are better written characters. The nobles are a poorly written, cliche filled distraction, whose storyline has nothing to do with the plot of the dogmen and the northerners.

Furthermore, none of the storylines are resolved. Instead, everything is left pending for a second book, and in that respect I've come to belive that this book could have been so much better. Instead of writing what could have been a powerful, plot driven story between two opposing factions (the dogmen and the northerners) the author just seemed to pad the pages with a third storyline about the clichéd and the uninspired political machinations of a spoiled aristocracy, so as to give us the impression of a trilogy worthy epic tale.

I'm giving it two stars and I suggest you spend your money elsewhere, or either look for this book in a library or look for a wiki summary if your curious. And if you do deide to read it, skip the chapters involving the nobles. It's just boring filler.

This was a surprise read of vast quality! "Game of Thrones" wrapped up in "The Black Company", and topped with a Norse epic.! It doesn't shy away from subjects that dominated in a period of time adjacent to thus storyline. Shockingly accurate of an old world mentality. From start to finish, I was hard pressed to put it down. It really felt like I was transported to a different time. Yes, a brutal time, but a place wholly different from the world I live in. This is not fantasy laced with political correctness or Modern day ideas. Avoid it if you can't tolerate the intolerant practices of the ancient world, or the "present day" of the Third World. Do not avoid it for fear of being offended. This book doesn't aim to be offensive, or to be shocking. It's almost a period piece except for its readability. It doesn't wax poetic or attempt to recreate ancient literature. It is a sword and sorcery tale, told with common language and yet taking place in a believably ancient world of fantasy.

I cannot tell you how much I HATE authors who think the more characters they bring in that have their own chapters and own point of views is a good thing.

This book seems to jump from character to character and their thoughts, each with there own chapter. The story crawls by snail speed and your lost the entire time. 1-3 characters with their own chapter is fine but more than that and your just plain stupid.

The story starts out with a hunter helping a friend. 1 chapter later that character disappears for the next 20ish chapters. The same thing happens to most character. You don't get to know any character. You can't connect with anyone which makes this book garbage.

Loved this book. An amazing start to what should be an amazing series. The book manages to be serious and "gritty" without being gratuitous. If you are a fan of fantasy you will not regret your time spent on The Axe and the Throne!

This was an amazing book. I read a lot of fantasy and have never read a book like this. I loved that there were no clear hero's or villains, but that many characters were both! I found the characters fascinating, and the story captivating. Can't wait for the next book.....

The author is a fine wordsmith and the book is action-packed. So why two stars? Well, first, I couldn't finish it (you'll see why). This is a book that will appeal to fans of movies like Saw, Hostel and the Human Centipede. Torture porn. It is full of graphic, (literally) unbelievable savagery and rapes. The author tries to make a legitimately savage period in history even more savage - he forgets that humans are humans in whatever time period. Silly and sickening.

After completing G.R.R. Martins ASOIAF series, I was eager to munch down on some more dark fantasy, and this definitely sated my appetite. I was skeptical at first, I think it could have a better title, but I am very glad that I didn't let that deter me. I think Ireman is very talented at character building and has a knack for language. I finished this book in less than a week because I could not put it down.
Gruesome, sad, dark, romantic, thrilling. I'm eagerly awaiting the next instillation.

The Axe and the Throne is a real fantasy. Finally. It has a large scope and cast, so if you don't like epics then don't read this. If you can handle many characters, then you're in for a treat. Magic and princes and barbarians and even more. Nowadays it's hard to find books like this. (hell, it's always been hard to find books like this) And Mr. Ireman does it masterfully. Hoping for a sequel or sure!!!!!!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book! Highly anticipating the sequel and only annoyed that I can't find anything online that gives a date of its release.

Characters are great! Takes a little bit to keep them all straight but having so many character perspectives on the same events makes "The Axe and the Throne" that more immersive. Each chapter leaves you wanting more and the book ending was very disappointing for me in only that I now have to wait to find out what's going to happen next!

Highly recommend!

Good: Writing had a decent flow. It wasn’t amazing but it was good enough.

Bad: Too many POVs. Slow to no plot development. The writer added in crude scenes just for the sake of it being a grimdark book. All in all it is a Game of Thrones rip off, that fails in every way that Martin succeeded.

I would recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy or action type books. Many twists and interesting little details that somehow end up being very important. The writing style is not overly detailed so it reads faster than some others while still telling fun stories. Would love to read the next one and see what happens to Tallos, Keethro, Decker, both Titons and Ethel, basically everyone. I assume one of those chapters at the end was Ellie so that could be good too.

Found this book while searching for fantasy books about anti-heroes (such as the brilliant Darkblade series by Dan Abnett/Mike Lee a and the not-so-great Prince of Thornes).
This is a very good book that demands a lot of it's readers but gives a lot in return.
The story is very complex and shifts between characters, plots, locations and time periods - often without prior "warning" (i.e it takes a few sentences of each new chapter until you pin down where/when/who the story is about). A really good read with a lot of non-heroic characters (rape, regicide, cannibalism, ...). In my taste a few too many characters (and sadly very few deaths among them) - but overall a *really* good read. Highly recommended.

Starts strong, no clear villain and fairly believable characters, but resorts to a personality/scenario reset for many of the characters to bring things back to stasis for what I assume will be book two, and requires a little too much contrivance to get there.

Great book - liked the characters and the story progression was steady and interesting. I would say this book is on par with the likes of Name of The Wind, and the First Law trilogy. Looking forward to the next instalment.

Hard to tell where this tale is going at first, but it just keeps spreading out like a beautiful carpet. I can't wait to see what happens to these people. Really makes you question the territory between might and compassion. Read this book.

As I am sure many fellow readers are wary of self-publications I am as well. After signing up for Kindle unlimited I found it easier to risk a free book. None however were as good as The Axe and the Throne.

This book was slow at first. However, it definitely got me hooked. Once it picked up the pace, it was great. Although there were many characters, they all developed very well, which I did not expect. However, I feel like I got cut off too soon. I was eager to go to book 2 and was crushed when there wasn't one or even mention of one. Look forward to the next one.

The way this story reads is very smooth. Much like an Abercrombie fan nov. As often as the story moves around, you might expect to get lost, but not so. Very good read. Definitely grim dark, low fantasy. Cant wait for the next one

Yeah I don't get all these other reviews, I've been spoilt by the likes of Steven Erikson, George R Martin, Mark Lawrence, Robert V.S. Reddick, Joe Abercrombie, Paul Hoffman, Angus Watson, Stephen R Donaldson, Gene Wolfe, R.Scott Bakker, Susanna Clarke and even Jordan. Honestly people don't waste your time and money on this when you have so much on offer from the above. This goes into the trying too hard box with Rothfuss and Anthony Ryan.

(Disclaimer: Review is plot-spoiler free and posted to Goodreads, the store, and my blog.)

The Axe and the Throne is a dark foray into a world of decrepit magic, greed-driven war, and will-breaking hardships, that highlights the ever conflicting natures of our human hearts.

I loved this grimdark fantasy. I also wish I could love it more. Let's get into the review.

(Plot)
This is the first book in a series and it's very evident. The plot itself is gritty and follows over a dozen characters. This is a large read and it's completely due to the character count.

The whole book, from what I can tell, is a pathway to war. It is essentially showing the origin stories of all the coming conflict's major characters. It is in the minds of these developing characters that we see the author's talent.

Just going off the last chapter, I wouldn't be surprised if there's something beyond just human conflict to come, but I can give no definites. It's just a guess.

Only one event in the plot was particularly shocking, with everything else having been foreshadowed well before it happened.

The plots of the characters' individual story-lines really wasn't as interesting as said characters' interactions and thoughts on one another.

(Characters)
There are no clear heroes in this story. There are only protagonists operating within varying shades of gray. Who is the hero and who is the villain depends on which character you're rooting for.

To give you a taste of what you have to look forward to, without ruining anything, in this book there are: scheming eunuchs, powerful mages trying to find successors, spoiled nobles, food-loving and bookish heroines, axe-wielding paragons of strength, and genius barbarians, among others.

The main theme of this book--by my judgment--is the destruction that happens when people's desires conflict. The secondary theme, and my favorite aspect of this book, seems to be that people can be more than one thing.

None of Ireman's characters are one-dimensional in their entirety. Of course, there are characters that fulfill certain tropes. However, even these archetypal characters are given an air of depth since all the individuals within the book have different opinions of each other--opinions that are based upon their own wide spectrum of world views.

I won't sugarcoat it. Some of these characters are monstrous in some of the things they do--and even more so in the things their worlds expects them to do--but they're also people and they have human hearts that you can see under the terror and scars.

This ability to pit everyone against each other--even if only in small ways, and even if certain characters are allies--is the real strength of the work's high page count and many viewpoint characters.

The downside of having so many characters is that some of their story-lines were less interesting, if only by necessity of others' being more thrilling. There was also the issue of getting to know so many characters in the beginning, causing a bit of a slow start until the mid-point.

(Writing)
M. D. Ireman likes to convey his world through many different eyes, giving it a feel of life. He does well to change the voices of his characters and has some great moments in his writing.

There is nothing overly astonishing in his prose, save when he describes physical sensation which is impressively vivid and diverse, but there is a respectable flow and brevity of description. Despite having penned a massive book, Ireman doesn't over-describe things.

The writing is enjoyable and never breaks the tone of his characters. A feat that is impressive given such a large number of characters being present.

(Conclusion)
The Axe and the Throne isn't going to be for some people. It's riding the long-established wave of realistically shocking dark fantasy that's been around for a while now.

I really want to give this book four stars. I do. My only major fault with it is that some of the characters evolved a shocking amount, while others did not at all. It's lacking that jaw-dropping punch of impact that a book needs for me to give it four stars.

I love this book though. I love what the author did. I respect the sheer scope of how he did it, the hours it must have taken to write this tome is enough for me to give kudos to Ireman.

The Axe and the Throne satisfied a lot of what I want to see in epic fantasy. I only rate it lower that I would have wanted for objectivity's sake.

This is a very high 3/5 stars for me. I would recommend it to those who don't mind its adult and disturbing themes.

Thank you for reading!

It is a solid fantasy book, with a little rather than a lot of magic. I starts off in one direction, and then twists and turns somewhat. I would say it is different from a lot of other books. But by the end of the book, I want to read the 2nd. I hope this man makes enough money to be able to start writing full time, mainly because I am selfish and to see where this goes. The chapters are fairly short and seem to run along at a comfortable pace, rather than a page turner speed, but personally I found them to be full of content rather than trying to fill out pages for the sake of it. I have about 30 pages to the end of book one, thinking it was a singular story, but now I really want this guy to concentrate on writing the book, now that I have found it is a tri-ology.

If you liked Game of Thrones, you will absolutely love this. This is what kept me going in my wait for Winds of Winter. I appreciated the characterization, the pace and the intertwining POV's one of my favourite fantasy's so far.

Also, who the heck are all these 1-star raters? Like get the heck outta here fam