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The Vagrant #2
The Malice
Following Peter Newman’s brilliant debut, THE VAGRANT. This is the much-anticipated sequel, THE MALICE.
In the south, the Breach stirs.
Gamma’s sword, the Malice, wakes, calling to be taken to battle once more.
But the Vagrant has found a home now, made a life and so he turns his back, ignoring its call.
The sword cries out, frustrated, until another answers.
Her name is Vesper.
In the south, the Breach stirs.
Gamma’s sword, the Malice, wakes, calling to be taken to battle once more.
But the Vagrant has found a home now, made a life and so he turns his back, ignoring its call.
The sword cries out, frustrated, until another answers.
Her name is Vesper.
451 pages, Hardcover
First published April 14, 2016
About the author
Peter Newman
9 books1,017 followersPeter Newman co-writes the Hugo and Alfie Award winning Tea and Jeopardy podcast and is also the voice of the butler, Latimer.
His debut novel, THE VAGRANT, was published by Harper Voyager and won the David Gemmell Morningstar Award for best newcomer in 2016. It was followed by THE MALICE, and then THE SEVEN.
There are also two shorter stories set in the same world, available as ebooks. THE HAMMER AND THE GOAT (which is set parallel to THE VAGRANT) and THE VAGRANT AND THE CITY, which is set between books 2 and 3.
He has also written for WILDCARDS, and Fantasy MMO ALBION ONLINE.
He's currently working on a new series. Book 1, THE DEATHLESS, is coming out in the UK in June 2018.
His debut novel, THE VAGRANT, was published by Harper Voyager and won the David Gemmell Morningstar Award for best newcomer in 2016. It was followed by THE MALICE, and then THE SEVEN.
There are also two shorter stories set in the same world, available as ebooks. THE HAMMER AND THE GOAT (which is set parallel to THE VAGRANT) and THE VAGRANT AND THE CITY, which is set between books 2 and 3.
He has also written for WILDCARDS, and Fantasy MMO ALBION ONLINE.
He's currently working on a new series. Book 1, THE DEATHLESS, is coming out in the UK in June 2018.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 242 reviews
December 29, 2020
Son of a biscuit eater!! This book was so good and it made me freaking cry damn it!! Good cry and sad cry! I loved the characters, I was confused here and there per usual, loved the Kid and Scout and hope they are in the next book! Now I have to get the paperback even though I have the kindle book 😃. The hell am I rambling on for!! Happy Reading!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
May 6, 2020
This is an awesome mash up of fantasy, science-fiction and postapocalyptic fiction. It builds on the first book, establishing a world that is far more complex and morally grey. And, in all honesty, I wish I’d read it sooner.
I first read The Vagrant back in 2015 and was mesmerised by the use of a protagonist that never utters a word. Such a thing didn’t seem possible, but Newman pulled it off (somehow.) In doing so, he clearly established how sharp a writer he is. So I was surprised to see the Vagrant pushed to the background, and Vesper, his daughter, become the bearer of Gamma’s sword (known only to her enemies as The Malice.) That much so, I didn’t read this book until two years after I originally bought it.
It’s always risky changing a protagonist. It’s a bold move, and a completely necessary one to push this story forward though it may not seem that way in the beginning. Vesper is thrust into a situation she is completely unprepared for in order to protect her father. She doesn’t want him to carry the burden of the sword any longer, so she steals it and quickly finds herself in charge of a small army heading towards the frontlines. Her mission is to close the breach, a gaping hole in the earth that allows Infernals (shapeless nightmares seeking a body to inhabit) to pour forth and taint the land. She has no idea what she’s doing. She is not ready for it. And she fucks up, big time.
She spends the rest of the book running for her life from some terribly dangerous foes not realising how potent the weapon she carries sheathed on her back is. And the anticipation building up to the point where she actually drew it was incredible. Readers of The Vagrant will remember how powerful it is and exactly what it can do to Infernals. But Vesper is reluctant to kill, and such reluctance makes her a far more interesting character than her silent father. I loved the journey she went on, she is experiencing this world for the first time and it changes her (in surprising ways.)
She learns that there is more to her enemy, that they are not entirely evil despite how horrific they may appear to the eye. And they are truly horrific. The monsters are that grotesque and twisted, that it becomes very hard to actually visualise them in their contortedness. Newman does wonders though with his vivid prose to conjure up the unimaginable. Their master is dead and now the Infernals seek purpose in a world alien to them. They no longer inherently possess a desire to conquer and kill, but instead seek their own directions (whether good, bad or plain weird.) Vesper makes her own judgments based upon the things she sees, not the horror stories told to her. A such I found myself quite invested in her character.
Told alongside the story is the history of the breach and the build up to it. And this made the novel so much more compelling. There are often big gaps in postapocalyptic fantasy, so it’s great to see Newman build so strongly on the foundations and clearly define everything that has caused this big mess of a situation. It’s not a simple case of light verses dark, knights verses demons anymore. The world that deals with the aftermath of such a conflict could not be quite as linear and simple. It’s such a clever idea, the story flowed out of it.
I never read fantasy books in the same series in succession, though right now, as I finish writing this review, I find myself looking at my copy of The Seven, ready, eager and hungry for the rest of this fantastic story.
The Vagrant Trilogy
1. The Vagrant - A very cool 4 stars
2. The Malice - An awesome 4.5 stars
3. The Seven - A fantastic 4.5 stars
_________________________________
You can connect with me on social media via My Linktree.
__________________________________
I first read The Vagrant back in 2015 and was mesmerised by the use of a protagonist that never utters a word. Such a thing didn’t seem possible, but Newman pulled it off (somehow.) In doing so, he clearly established how sharp a writer he is. So I was surprised to see the Vagrant pushed to the background, and Vesper, his daughter, become the bearer of Gamma’s sword (known only to her enemies as The Malice.) That much so, I didn’t read this book until two years after I originally bought it.
It’s always risky changing a protagonist. It’s a bold move, and a completely necessary one to push this story forward though it may not seem that way in the beginning. Vesper is thrust into a situation she is completely unprepared for in order to protect her father. She doesn’t want him to carry the burden of the sword any longer, so she steals it and quickly finds herself in charge of a small army heading towards the frontlines. Her mission is to close the breach, a gaping hole in the earth that allows Infernals (shapeless nightmares seeking a body to inhabit) to pour forth and taint the land. She has no idea what she’s doing. She is not ready for it. And she fucks up, big time.
She spends the rest of the book running for her life from some terribly dangerous foes not realising how potent the weapon she carries sheathed on her back is. And the anticipation building up to the point where she actually drew it was incredible. Readers of The Vagrant will remember how powerful it is and exactly what it can do to Infernals. But Vesper is reluctant to kill, and such reluctance makes her a far more interesting character than her silent father. I loved the journey she went on, she is experiencing this world for the first time and it changes her (in surprising ways.)
She learns that there is more to her enemy, that they are not entirely evil despite how horrific they may appear to the eye. And they are truly horrific. The monsters are that grotesque and twisted, that it becomes very hard to actually visualise them in their contortedness. Newman does wonders though with his vivid prose to conjure up the unimaginable. Their master is dead and now the Infernals seek purpose in a world alien to them. They no longer inherently possess a desire to conquer and kill, but instead seek their own directions (whether good, bad or plain weird.) Vesper makes her own judgments based upon the things she sees, not the horror stories told to her. A such I found myself quite invested in her character.
Told alongside the story is the history of the breach and the build up to it. And this made the novel so much more compelling. There are often big gaps in postapocalyptic fantasy, so it’s great to see Newman build so strongly on the foundations and clearly define everything that has caused this big mess of a situation. It’s not a simple case of light verses dark, knights verses demons anymore. The world that deals with the aftermath of such a conflict could not be quite as linear and simple. It’s such a clever idea, the story flowed out of it.
I never read fantasy books in the same series in succession, though right now, as I finish writing this review, I find myself looking at my copy of The Seven, ready, eager and hungry for the rest of this fantastic story.
The Vagrant Trilogy
1. The Vagrant - A very cool 4 stars
2. The Malice - An awesome 4.5 stars
3. The Seven - A fantastic 4.5 stars
_________________________________
You can connect with me on social media via My Linktree.
__________________________________
February 7, 2017
I don't know what it was about this book, but it really hit all the right spots for me. What really blew me away the most was the absolutely gorgeous and disturbing descriptions of hoards of demons both friendly, neutral, and evil that roam the world. Truly mind-blowing.
This is an epic fantasy without hoards of heroes. This is a quest novel featuring a girl, her baby goat, and a couple of broken knights that guard her and the one sword that is anathema to all demons. Whereas the first novel with the Vagrant had an interesting "who is this guy" vibe, we know exactly who the baby grows up to be, and this is her journey. And what a journey.
I think I liked this about two times more than the first. Maybe the author is hitting his stride and maybe I've just fallen completely under his spell, but everything about this novel speaks to me of quality, from nearly lyrical and fabulous phrases that crystallize the horrors all around them to the depths of the characters' troubles to the reveals about the real history of the sword.
I loved the history something fierce. It's totally hard SF and it's truly fascinating to try to piece together how that world became this demon-infested wasteland of the present.
You know what this reminds me of? The best end scenes in all of the epic fantasies going up against horrid hoards and devilish demons, but rather than setting it up for a final climax, we get all that delicious goodness throughout the book, like a lot of icing in a LOT of layers in a cake. :) Yummy. And the fact that the real climax is one of PEACE is just as deliciously jarring and delightful, like spears of light and life through the darkest pits of hell. :)
This is really good stuff and I was reminded heavily of Jemisin's The Fifth Season and The Obelisk Gate for the feel and the hints and the need to piece together a truly awesome world. :)
This is an epic fantasy without hoards of heroes. This is a quest novel featuring a girl, her baby goat, and a couple of broken knights that guard her and the one sword that is anathema to all demons. Whereas the first novel with the Vagrant had an interesting "who is this guy" vibe, we know exactly who the baby grows up to be, and this is her journey. And what a journey.
I think I liked this about two times more than the first. Maybe the author is hitting his stride and maybe I've just fallen completely under his spell, but everything about this novel speaks to me of quality, from nearly lyrical and fabulous phrases that crystallize the horrors all around them to the depths of the characters' troubles to the reveals about the real history of the sword.
I loved the history something fierce. It's totally hard SF and it's truly fascinating to try to piece together how that world became this demon-infested wasteland of the present.
You know what this reminds me of? The best end scenes in all of the epic fantasies going up against horrid hoards and devilish demons, but rather than setting it up for a final climax, we get all that delicious goodness throughout the book, like a lot of icing in a LOT of layers in a cake. :) Yummy. And the fact that the real climax is one of PEACE is just as deliciously jarring and delightful, like spears of light and life through the darkest pits of hell. :)
This is really good stuff and I was reminded heavily of Jemisin's The Fifth Season and The Obelisk Gate for the feel and the hints and the need to piece together a truly awesome world. :)
May 31, 2018
Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths.
My rating is 3.5 stars.
The Vagrant was a revelation in 2015. Peter Newman perfectly blending fantasy, sci-fi, and post-apocalyptic themes into a page turning affair. The advanced technology and sky ships, guns and sentient swords, demons and god-like beings, knights and goats thrilling lovers of this type of speculative fiction. All of it told in a lyrical style which caused The Vagrant to bring to mind the ancient myth whispered around the campfires by Homer-like epic poet long ago. And when The Malice offered me a chance to return to this awe-inspiring place with its ravaged wastelands and pristine Shining City, I knew I was in for a thrilling ride
This tale picks up several years after book one's conclusion. The babe, Vesper, has grown to a young woman in the protected lands near the Shining City. Her fathers (The Vagrant and his partner Harm) have settled down to a peaceful and dull existence outside the Shining City, raising food and rearing an ever growing herd of goats, spawned by The Goat herself who practically stole the spotlight in book one. But now the Malice, Gamma’s sword, is stirring again. Its constant demands to be picked back up and wielded against the demonic hordes ignored by the Vagrant, who puts it away, hoping its eye will close and never open again.
But the Malice will not be denied its clash with its eternal enemies. When the Vagrant ignores it, another is found to take his place: young Vesper, who takes the sword, beginning a journey which takes her back to the Breach itself. Her path taking her to places her father once visited, encountering people he once met, and dealing with evil he knew – and even greater evil which he did not.
That is not all that is going on here though. Much like The Vagrant, Peter Newman has a separate story from the past taking palace alongside the main one in the present. This time it is flashbacks to a period a thousand years in the past. Readers introduced to a world before the creation of the Empire of the Winged Eye. The main character there embarking on her own journey of discovery, much like Vesper, but one which will take her to a far different place with much different results – some good and some bad.
Any betting man would have wagered I would have fallen in love with The Malice. I mean, not only did I love book one, but all the elements I adored there were back with a vengeance for this second installment of the series. However, though I really enjoyed and had lots of fun revisiting this amazing post-apocalyptic world, I did not like it quite as well as I did The Vagrant. A few things just kept me from losing myself in its embrace.
First, we have a whole new cast of characters. The Vagrant and Harm do make brief guest appearances at the beginning and the end of the tale, but this is Vesper’s show to carry or drop, and she has big shoes to fill here, for the Vagrant is an amazing character, one which comes around only every so often; his muteness, his expressiveness, and his tortured dignity causing him to be on par with other great post-apocalyptic characters such as Stephen King’s Roland Deschain in my eyes. And as this tale starts, Vesper just cannot compete at all with him. Her teenage angst, child-like naivete, insuppressible enthusiasm, and mind-numbing decisions making it difficult to tolerate her, much less love her. Yes, she does eventually get better; the situations she encounters maturing her, helping her gain better insight so as to make hard decisions; all of it combining to transform her into an okay character, but she is not great like the Vagrant, which causes another problem.
For me, the Vagrant and his personal reactions to the world is what brought book one to life. How Mr. Newman was able to do such through only the Vagrant’s expressions, hand signals, and one way conversations with those he encountered is still a complete mystery to me, but that is what happened. And our protagonist’s interactions in the stark, monotone wastelands with its unique survivors and horrific demons was what caused them to stand out, not blend together. But here Vesper does not have the strength of character to accomplish the same thing, and so places and things which shined brightly under the Vagrant’s steady glare fade under her less compelling observations.
Unfortunately, Vesper does not even have compelling co-stars to come to her aid as things begin to unravel. Samael, Duet, and the kid (a baby Goat) are unique, have their own individual personalities and motives, but they are not comparable to the cast which surrounded the Vagrant – especially The Goat herself, whose antics were terribly missed here.
Thankfully, two things propped this story up, kept it from deflating under my weight of expectations. The first being the demonic cast of characters. We have several returning faces from book one, but they are joined by other infernals like The Yearning, Gutterface, The Backwards Child and Hangnail. Each of them, their alien thoughts, and the strange dance they do with one another as well as the Malice and Vesper is an organic and interesting progression from where things were during book one. The second (and, for me, probably the most important) was the secondary plot line interspersed throughout the narrative, skipping back into time and showing the origins of the Empire of the Winged Eye and its amazing knights. Honestly, I could have read even more about that than I did.
To sum it all up, The Malice is a fast-paced story which gives fans a return trip to Mr. Newman’s shiny post-apocalyptic world. New people are met; insidious demons arise; a singing sword awakens; and a quest is begun, even while the history of the world begins to take shape before our reading eyes. No, Vesper isn’t quite as dynamic a protagonist as the Vagrant, and only her limitations kept this book from standing out more to me, which is why I can’t rate it quite as high as its predecessor. Even with that being said, this is still a very strong installment from Peter Newman, giving fans hope that this is a series with the legs to last for quite some time.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
My rating is 3.5 stars.
The Vagrant was a revelation in 2015. Peter Newman perfectly blending fantasy, sci-fi, and post-apocalyptic themes into a page turning affair. The advanced technology and sky ships, guns and sentient swords, demons and god-like beings, knights and goats thrilling lovers of this type of speculative fiction. All of it told in a lyrical style which caused The Vagrant to bring to mind the ancient myth whispered around the campfires by Homer-like epic poet long ago. And when The Malice offered me a chance to return to this awe-inspiring place with its ravaged wastelands and pristine Shining City, I knew I was in for a thrilling ride
This tale picks up several years after book one's conclusion. The babe, Vesper, has grown to a young woman in the protected lands near the Shining City. Her fathers (The Vagrant and his partner Harm) have settled down to a peaceful and dull existence outside the Shining City, raising food and rearing an ever growing herd of goats, spawned by The Goat herself who practically stole the spotlight in book one. But now the Malice, Gamma’s sword, is stirring again. Its constant demands to be picked back up and wielded against the demonic hordes ignored by the Vagrant, who puts it away, hoping its eye will close and never open again.
But the Malice will not be denied its clash with its eternal enemies. When the Vagrant ignores it, another is found to take his place: young Vesper, who takes the sword, beginning a journey which takes her back to the Breach itself. Her path taking her to places her father once visited, encountering people he once met, and dealing with evil he knew – and even greater evil which he did not.
That is not all that is going on here though. Much like The Vagrant, Peter Newman has a separate story from the past taking palace alongside the main one in the present. This time it is flashbacks to a period a thousand years in the past. Readers introduced to a world before the creation of the Empire of the Winged Eye. The main character there embarking on her own journey of discovery, much like Vesper, but one which will take her to a far different place with much different results – some good and some bad.
Any betting man would have wagered I would have fallen in love with The Malice. I mean, not only did I love book one, but all the elements I adored there were back with a vengeance for this second installment of the series. However, though I really enjoyed and had lots of fun revisiting this amazing post-apocalyptic world, I did not like it quite as well as I did The Vagrant. A few things just kept me from losing myself in its embrace.
First, we have a whole new cast of characters. The Vagrant and Harm do make brief guest appearances at the beginning and the end of the tale, but this is Vesper’s show to carry or drop, and she has big shoes to fill here, for the Vagrant is an amazing character, one which comes around only every so often; his muteness, his expressiveness, and his tortured dignity causing him to be on par with other great post-apocalyptic characters such as Stephen King’s Roland Deschain in my eyes. And as this tale starts, Vesper just cannot compete at all with him. Her teenage angst, child-like naivete, insuppressible enthusiasm, and mind-numbing decisions making it difficult to tolerate her, much less love her. Yes, she does eventually get better; the situations she encounters maturing her, helping her gain better insight so as to make hard decisions; all of it combining to transform her into an okay character, but she is not great like the Vagrant, which causes another problem.
For me, the Vagrant and his personal reactions to the world is what brought book one to life. How Mr. Newman was able to do such through only the Vagrant’s expressions, hand signals, and one way conversations with those he encountered is still a complete mystery to me, but that is what happened. And our protagonist’s interactions in the stark, monotone wastelands with its unique survivors and horrific demons was what caused them to stand out, not blend together. But here Vesper does not have the strength of character to accomplish the same thing, and so places and things which shined brightly under the Vagrant’s steady glare fade under her less compelling observations.
Unfortunately, Vesper does not even have compelling co-stars to come to her aid as things begin to unravel. Samael, Duet, and the kid (a baby Goat) are unique, have their own individual personalities and motives, but they are not comparable to the cast which surrounded the Vagrant – especially The Goat herself, whose antics were terribly missed here.
Thankfully, two things propped this story up, kept it from deflating under my weight of expectations. The first being the demonic cast of characters. We have several returning faces from book one, but they are joined by other infernals like The Yearning, Gutterface, The Backwards Child and Hangnail. Each of them, their alien thoughts, and the strange dance they do with one another as well as the Malice and Vesper is an organic and interesting progression from where things were during book one. The second (and, for me, probably the most important) was the secondary plot line interspersed throughout the narrative, skipping back into time and showing the origins of the Empire of the Winged Eye and its amazing knights. Honestly, I could have read even more about that than I did.
To sum it all up, The Malice is a fast-paced story which gives fans a return trip to Mr. Newman’s shiny post-apocalyptic world. New people are met; insidious demons arise; a singing sword awakens; and a quest is begun, even while the history of the world begins to take shape before our reading eyes. No, Vesper isn’t quite as dynamic a protagonist as the Vagrant, and only her limitations kept this book from standing out more to me, which is why I can’t rate it quite as high as its predecessor. Even with that being said, this is still a very strong installment from Peter Newman, giving fans hope that this is a series with the legs to last for quite some time.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
February 13, 2017
This has the same amazing weird and wonderful world that was just as fascinating this time round as the first. This sequel was still good but not as good as The Vagrant. I love the author's spare writing style but Vesper is not the intriguing and iconic figure that the Vagrant is. The baby goat steals the show.
Want to read
March 3, 2016OH MY GOOOOOOD!
LOOK AT THE FUCKING GOAT! THE GOAT IS BAAAAACK!!!
LOOK AT THE FUCKING GOAT! THE GOAT IS BAAAAACK!!!
July 12, 2017
Deff not a bad sequel, but it didnt captivate me enough. Vesper as the headcharacter in this book was an epic idea but it didnt deliver. Loved the Kid though xD and Duet~ I guess I was more interested in the other characters. The beginning started off strong, the rest was just the story developing for book 3? Or so I hope and will find out soon enough~
November 30, 2016
„Yes.“
Posle ogromnog uživanja čitajući prvi deo ove trilogije, koja je na ramenima nemog protagoniste stvarno bila nešto posebno i potpuno drugačije, bojao sam se da uzmem drugi deo u ruke, odlagao ga i odlagao, jer (činilo mi se apokaliptičnim) glavni lik više nije pomenuti Vagrant, već Vesper, klinkica koja, kao i manjeviše svi ostali, ume da priča. To je to, mislio sam, ode sve niz vodu, sve ono što je činilo prvu knjigu toliko upečatljivom.
E, ali Njuman se zainatio, a ja na sreću često nisam u pravu, i eto, Vesper mi je postala možda čak i draža. Sve vrline prvog dela su tu, a mane na sreću ispeglane, i Njuman nastavlja da u suštini priča priču ne toliko bitne narative (iako svet nije ništa manje fascinantan i poseban) koliko te neke nevine topline kojom ona zrači: jer najteža vremena su upravo vremena za idealizam. Moderni, a zabavni esej o moralu, ni manje ni više u fantastici toliko sklonoj "ali on je zao!", okružen nekolicinom odličnih likova, ukrašen divnim stilom koji mogu da čitam do sutra.
Može se reći da sam (popriličan) fan.
5
Posle ogromnog uživanja čitajući prvi deo ove trilogije, koja je na ramenima nemog protagoniste stvarno bila nešto posebno i potpuno drugačije, bojao sam se da uzmem drugi deo u ruke, odlagao ga i odlagao, jer (činilo mi se apokaliptičnim) glavni lik više nije pomenuti Vagrant, već Vesper, klinkica koja, kao i manjeviše svi ostali, ume da priča. To je to, mislio sam, ode sve niz vodu, sve ono što je činilo prvu knjigu toliko upečatljivom.
E, ali Njuman se zainatio, a ja na sreću često nisam u pravu, i eto, Vesper mi je postala možda čak i draža. Sve vrline prvog dela su tu, a mane na sreću ispeglane, i Njuman nastavlja da u suštini priča priču ne toliko bitne narative (iako svet nije ništa manje fascinantan i poseban) koliko te neke nevine topline kojom ona zrači: jer najteža vremena su upravo vremena za idealizam. Moderni, a zabavni esej o moralu, ni manje ni više u fantastici toliko sklonoj "ali on je zao!", okružen nekolicinom odličnih likova, ukrašen divnim stilom koji mogu da čitam do sutra.
Može se reći da sam (popriličan) fan.
5
September 22, 2017
Book 1: 4.25*
Book 2: 3*
This Sci-fi, Dystopian and fantasy blended story was consistent with book one reading like a video game epic quest with heroes, villains, demons, twists and different eccentric characters that don't fit the stereotypes.
The second half of this book was much better but it still wasn't nearly as good as the first book. Some of the quirky things about the world and the characters weren't as fresh this time around and the story arc seemed to take forever to get some traction.
That said I did enjoy it overall and the ending does give me hope that the final book will finish off the series well.
Book 2: 3*
This Sci-fi, Dystopian and fantasy blended story was consistent with book one reading like a video game epic quest with heroes, villains, demons, twists and different eccentric characters that don't fit the stereotypes.
The second half of this book was much better but it still wasn't nearly as good as the first book. Some of the quirky things about the world and the characters weren't as fresh this time around and the story arc seemed to take forever to get some traction.
That said I did enjoy it overall and the ending does give me hope that the final book will finish off the series well.
August 5, 2016
Although I liked The Vagrant better than Vesper, I still enjoyed this book very much! Interesting new characters and surprising turning of events.
February 24, 2019
4 stars
The vagrant was the first in this series and worked brilliantly because it was so unusual.
This suffers a little from following on from that but overall it still works.
The world building is good but is very similar to the first. There aren't really any new or interesting places although some of the changes from the first are detailed well.
The characters are ok but not as good on the first. I won't give anything away here but they do develop quite well over time and grow on you.
The plot is strong and quite varied to the first. It's a bit slower but that adds to the build up to the ending. There's some flashback scenes that work really well too and explain a lot of what's gone on in these two books.
Overall well worth reading for those who read the first and if you haven't but like your fantasy books unusual and very descriptive give it a go.
Highly Recommended
The vagrant was the first in this series and worked brilliantly because it was so unusual.
This suffers a little from following on from that but overall it still works.
The world building is good but is very similar to the first. There aren't really any new or interesting places although some of the changes from the first are detailed well.
The characters are ok but not as good on the first. I won't give anything away here but they do develop quite well over time and grow on you.
The plot is strong and quite varied to the first. It's a bit slower but that adds to the build up to the ending. There's some flashback scenes that work really well too and explain a lot of what's gone on in these two books.
Overall well worth reading for those who read the first and if you haven't but like your fantasy books unusual and very descriptive give it a go.
Highly Recommended
September 25, 2020
MacHalo Buddy Read
Another one-man show buddy read. *sigh* Tis my curse of the year. I have some questions I wish I could talk with someone about, but I guess I'll just have to read on and finish. In the meantime I'll just do cactus poses.
I loved it! There was so much more on the history and emotional level than the first book. The Vagrant gave me a complete feel for the world. The Malice filled that world.
Although our comic relief goat doesn't go on the adventure, her kid does. And he's just as charming as her but without the meanness. Vesper is all grown up and this adventure belongs to her. She brings in a more emotional side to the story. A lot of history gaps are filled and a lot of future gaps are opened.
If you've read the first book, The Vagrant, I highly recommend continuing on to this book. In my opinion it's a little bit better.
November 9, 2016
i wish goodreads would let you click a half star instead of full stars when you want to give a book .5 stars. Anyways i'm totally going with an unpopular opinion here and rating this 2.5 stars.
This book just didn't do it for me, which is ugh so sad. One of my biggest problems was that at a point everything was just so anti climatic. Look, You spend chunks of the book just travelling with Vesper and you get just one chapter, one measly chapter (I'm really not kidding) of Vesper finally at the breach and her mission is over before the end of the chapter. This book has Twenty Nine chapters. It's almost like things just happen in the book and you're like 'umm okay is that it?"
Also like the Vagrant in between chapters you get story from years past, unlike the Vagrant where that eventually ties up with the main story, this one just leaves you with more questions. I'm still not clear on how Massassi's gets her "powers", heck i'm still not clear on who she is. It was just confusing really.
Then the writing, i dunno i can't say Peter Newman's writing is the best at times, description wise i think he's pretty good but sometimes it feels like you're reading unfinished sentences.
All in all for me Peter Newman frankly fails to deliver for this book. I heard it's a trilogy so maybe the next book does way better than this.
This book just didn't do it for me, which is ugh so sad. One of my biggest problems was that at a point everything was just so anti climatic. Look, You spend chunks of the book just travelling with Vesper and you get just one chapter, one measly chapter (I'm really not kidding) of Vesper finally at the breach and her mission is over before the end of the chapter. This book has Twenty Nine chapters. It's almost like things just happen in the book and you're like 'umm okay is that it?"
Also like the Vagrant in between chapters you get story from years past, unlike the Vagrant where that eventually ties up with the main story, this one just leaves you with more questions. I'm still not clear on how Massassi's gets her "powers", heck i'm still not clear on who she is. It was just confusing really.
Then the writing, i dunno i can't say Peter Newman's writing is the best at times, description wise i think he's pretty good but sometimes it feels like you're reading unfinished sentences.
All in all for me Peter Newman frankly fails to deliver for this book. I heard it's a trilogy so maybe the next book does way better than this.
March 4, 2018
A great sequel. Loved it from the first chapter. If there isn't a goat with an amazing personality in the final book, I may rate it 1 star regardless of the rest of the book ;)
August 27, 2016
Good sequel
A good sequel. Set in the same world, it focuses on the Vagrant's 'daughter' who was a baby in the first book. It is similar in style, which I enjoyed, and has the same fast pace. It also reveals a bit more about the world before the demons invaded. I hope there will be a third book.
A good sequel. Set in the same world, it focuses on the Vagrant's 'daughter' who was a baby in the first book. It is similar in style, which I enjoyed, and has the same fast pace. It also reveals a bit more about the world before the demons invaded. I hope there will be a third book.
June 7, 2023
An interesting sequel. A world in continuous development, I really liked it. I can't wait to continue.
April 12, 2019
This is the second in Peter Newman's Vagrant trilogy, and as with the first it's a damn fine read. Whereas the first novel followed the titular character, the Vagrant, here we journey with his adopted daughter, Vesper, as she unwittingly gets herself dragged into an epic quest to defeat the largest and most powerful infernal to ever crawl out of the Breach.
Vesper is an unusual hero. She all but drags herself into an adventure she knows nothing of, and is wholly unprepared for the terror and chaos she faces during her journey, but rather than trying to escape her fate she approaches every challenge with conviction, with the belief that she is doing what needs to be done. Travelling with her are Duet (one half of a harmonised pair charged with guarding Vesper) and a young goat who seems to enjoy the adventure far more than his companions. As they gradually make their way south to the Breach they encounter various remnants of the demonic armies left over in the aftermath of book one (The Vagrant), making friends and enemies as they go.
Setting-wise, the world of this trilogy is an interesting mix of post-apocalyptic nightmare coupled with some slightly more traditional elements of fantasy. It has righteous knights in shiny armour, but it also has airships, submarines and bio-engineered critters. In occasional interlude chapters we're gradually shown how the world came to be the way it is, how the Breach was first discovered, and why the world's protectors, The Seven, were created. It's a world brought low, with little hope of salvation even for those fortunate enough to live under the protection of The Seven and The Shining City.
Stylistically, Peter Newman's writing leans very much in the direction of literary prose, reminiscent in some ways of Cormac McCarthy or China Miéville. For me this just adds to the book's charm, giving the narrative a strength I don't think it would have had with a more traditional style, and while the prose may be sparse, barely a word of it is wasted. This is showing not telling at its finest.
While I can see that Newman's style might not be to everyone's liking, if you like fantasy that's decidedly different to the traditional fare then I'd still suggest you give this trilogy a chance. You don't necessarily need to have read The Vagrant to enjoy this one but it is recommended. As for this entry in the trilogy, I'd say it's a well-deserved four stars and I look forward to sinking my teeth into the final instalment soon.
Vesper is an unusual hero. She all but drags herself into an adventure she knows nothing of, and is wholly unprepared for the terror and chaos she faces during her journey, but rather than trying to escape her fate she approaches every challenge with conviction, with the belief that she is doing what needs to be done. Travelling with her are Duet (one half of a harmonised pair charged with guarding Vesper) and a young goat who seems to enjoy the adventure far more than his companions. As they gradually make their way south to the Breach they encounter various remnants of the demonic armies left over in the aftermath of book one (The Vagrant), making friends and enemies as they go.
Setting-wise, the world of this trilogy is an interesting mix of post-apocalyptic nightmare coupled with some slightly more traditional elements of fantasy. It has righteous knights in shiny armour, but it also has airships, submarines and bio-engineered critters. In occasional interlude chapters we're gradually shown how the world came to be the way it is, how the Breach was first discovered, and why the world's protectors, The Seven, were created. It's a world brought low, with little hope of salvation even for those fortunate enough to live under the protection of The Seven and The Shining City.
Stylistically, Peter Newman's writing leans very much in the direction of literary prose, reminiscent in some ways of Cormac McCarthy or China Miéville. For me this just adds to the book's charm, giving the narrative a strength I don't think it would have had with a more traditional style, and while the prose may be sparse, barely a word of it is wasted. This is showing not telling at its finest.
While I can see that Newman's style might not be to everyone's liking, if you like fantasy that's decidedly different to the traditional fare then I'd still suggest you give this trilogy a chance. You don't necessarily need to have read The Vagrant to enjoy this one but it is recommended. As for this entry in the trilogy, I'd say it's a well-deserved four stars and I look forward to sinking my teeth into the final instalment soon.
May 13, 2017
This is another inspired and distinctive tale. It takes the boundaries of traditional fantasy that were already stretched by "The Vagrant" and pushes them further but in new directions.
The central character is no longer the mute warrior with the singing sword. Instead the story is carried by (and carries) Vesper the baby from The Vagrant who has grown into a child. She takes up the sword - The Malice - for a journey to try and complete the task of Gamma, champion of the Empire of the Winged Eye. On the way she finds new allies as well as enemies, people who need more than the sword's edge to free them - to offer them some future in this most broken of worlds.
Interleaved with Vesper's journey is a backstory set not months, or years, but a whole millennium in the past, telling the story of another child - but one more gifted and different than Vesper. While Vesper tries to do right without benefit of any special powers, Massassi is a wholly remarkable individual and her tale - glimpsed in isolated episodes - tells how the empire of the winged eye came into being.
Complete as Newman's tale is, both the story of the past and the present are left interestingly poised to see how the world will develop, how ancient champions might find a purpose and how a young heroine might teach even immortals a thing or two.
I wrote a fuller review for fantasy-faction if you want to read it here http://fantasy-faction.com/2016/the-m...
13/05/17 Just finished my first re-read of this book, not something I do with many books. Still a splendid absorbing story that feels as fresh as the first time I read it.
I caught a moment I had forgotten in my first read - a point where a sword weeps and I shed a tear too.
The central character is no longer the mute warrior with the singing sword. Instead the story is carried by (and carries) Vesper the baby from The Vagrant who has grown into a child. She takes up the sword - The Malice - for a journey to try and complete the task of Gamma, champion of the Empire of the Winged Eye. On the way she finds new allies as well as enemies, people who need more than the sword's edge to free them - to offer them some future in this most broken of worlds.
Interleaved with Vesper's journey is a backstory set not months, or years, but a whole millennium in the past, telling the story of another child - but one more gifted and different than Vesper. While Vesper tries to do right without benefit of any special powers, Massassi is a wholly remarkable individual and her tale - glimpsed in isolated episodes - tells how the empire of the winged eye came into being.
Complete as Newman's tale is, both the story of the past and the present are left interestingly poised to see how the world will develop, how ancient champions might find a purpose and how a young heroine might teach even immortals a thing or two.
I wrote a fuller review for fantasy-faction if you want to read it here http://fantasy-faction.com/2016/the-m...
13/05/17 Just finished my first re-read of this book, not something I do with many books. Still a splendid absorbing story that feels as fresh as the first time I read it.
I caught a moment I had forgotten in my first read - a point where a sword weeps and I shed a tear too.
May 30, 2016
4 Stars
Malice, the second book in The Vagrant series by Peter Newman is a good read in a great world. This book could not possibly live up to the excellence of book one, and unfortunately, it did not. That is not to say that this is not a successful book, it is, as well as enjoyable. Book one shined because of the characters, and in this one Vesper cannot match the magic of the mute Vagrant and his goat.
The world is fantastic and it reminded me of one of my favorites The Gone Away World by Nick Haraway. The world is both futuristic, apocalyptic, and also old, all mixed into one. There are swords and bows, but also guns and bombs. There are neon lights, old trucks, and mention of flying dirgibles. Great stuff.
This adventure centers on the now grown up child Vesper as she too must now be the bearer and wielder of the sentinet sword Malice.
....
"But the sword is more than just a sword. It is part of Gamma, and she is more than just a human, she is part of a family and she carries their strength with them. Vesper sings for them all, for her father, her Uncle Harm, for Genner and the knights, for Samael and Jem. For all those that died for her to get here and those that might live if she succeeds. And when that is not enough, when the urge to stop becomes unbearable: she thinks of Duet."
There is a great deal of action in this book but at times feel forced. I liked Vesper, I simply missed her father the Vagrant. The book is an amazing genre bender. Newman brings enough fun and adventure for me to recommend this book. I hope that book three brings the Vagrant back into the story line.
Malice, the second book in The Vagrant series by Peter Newman is a good read in a great world. This book could not possibly live up to the excellence of book one, and unfortunately, it did not. That is not to say that this is not a successful book, it is, as well as enjoyable. Book one shined because of the characters, and in this one Vesper cannot match the magic of the mute Vagrant and his goat.
The world is fantastic and it reminded me of one of my favorites The Gone Away World by Nick Haraway. The world is both futuristic, apocalyptic, and also old, all mixed into one. There are swords and bows, but also guns and bombs. There are neon lights, old trucks, and mention of flying dirgibles. Great stuff.
This adventure centers on the now grown up child Vesper as she too must now be the bearer and wielder of the sentinet sword Malice.
....
"But the sword is more than just a sword. It is part of Gamma, and she is more than just a human, she is part of a family and she carries their strength with them. Vesper sings for them all, for her father, her Uncle Harm, for Genner and the knights, for Samael and Jem. For all those that died for her to get here and those that might live if she succeeds. And when that is not enough, when the urge to stop becomes unbearable: she thinks of Duet."
There is a great deal of action in this book but at times feel forced. I liked Vesper, I simply missed her father the Vagrant. The book is an amazing genre bender. Newman brings enough fun and adventure for me to recommend this book. I hope that book three brings the Vagrant back into the story line.
May 18, 2021
"Together they sing. Together they fall. A wordless song of woe, of loss, of anger."
The beginning of Malice was a bit awkward. Didnt have the instant warmth of Vagrant. Maybe it was the new cast of characters. But after I tuned in, enthusiasm landed again. The dystopic world Newman has created is awesome. Its so unique and interesting. Εverything, from the land to the ppl, reflects the ongoing struggle between the old, honorable, but deep in vanity human Empire and the invading, highly adaptable, alien demonic entities. What amazes me is that he manages to make a grey and grim world feels so epic. "Gravity" is always present. Thats usually difficult if the distinction between good and evil is not clear but it seems so easy for him. The demons especially are very interesting. A whole new concept. They have their own cosmotheory and approach to things that feels very plausible. There are demons u will like and demons u will despise. They are an uncharted "land" for the traditional thinking of the human denizens of the land and that makes for unusual situations, alliances and treaties!
I will not say much more. The story is very good with climacting pace and its full of weird places and characters, cinematic action and lots of touching stories and doses of good humor in similar vein to its prequel. In my mind these 2 books are an original mix of elements from Stephen King's Dark Tower, Lord of the Rings and the Fallout games.
March 5, 2017
I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as the first but it was still an interesting book. The thing is, the story could be boring as hell and I would still read it out of love for the characters and the totally adorable goatling.
The Vagrant and Harm are only in this book briefly and it's almost entirely about Vesper taking up the sword and going off to help people and heal the world. She's sweet, optimistic, and very kind. Plus she takes great care of the kid, which is the most important part.
In both of these books we have the world's most adorable goats, I swear. And yes, we have an epic fantasy/sci-fi dying earth story too, but we also have a kid that faints whenever it gets scared and gets stubborn at inconvenient moments, and sometimes convenient ones.
From a nearby nook, a dark pair of eyes dare to peek out. The kid sees Vesper slumped forward. He sees very little to eat. But more than that, he sees a climb of such immensity, such wonder, that terror is forgotten.
The kid gets up.
The kid looks up.
The kid begins to bounce.
The Vagrant and Harm are only in this book briefly and it's almost entirely about Vesper taking up the sword and going off to help people and heal the world. She's sweet, optimistic, and very kind. Plus she takes great care of the kid, which is the most important part.
In both of these books we have the world's most adorable goats, I swear. And yes, we have an epic fantasy/sci-fi dying earth story too, but we also have a kid that faints whenever it gets scared and gets stubborn at inconvenient moments, and sometimes convenient ones.
From a nearby nook, a dark pair of eyes dare to peek out. The kid sees Vesper slumped forward. He sees very little to eat. But more than that, he sees a climb of such immensity, such wonder, that terror is forgotten.
The kid gets up.
The kid looks up.
The kid begins to bounce.
April 20, 2016
You can also find my review on my blog: https://thetattooedbookgeek.wordpress...
4.5 stars.
Looks like I'm one of the first to review this book on Goodreads, oh the pressure!
I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The Malice is the sequel to last year's The Vagrant.
The Malice takes place a number of years after the conclusion of the first book. Vesper, the baby from The Vagrant is now a young girl and is the central main character in The Malice. Without going into to much detail about the story (for anyone unfamiliar with my reviews I don't use spoilers) after the events that transpired at the end of The Vagrant, the Vagrant himself, Harm, Vesper and the Goat have found peace living on the outskirts of the Shining City but The Malice, Gamma's sword start's stirring, the Vagrant won't answer the sword's call to be taken up once again and instead Vesper does, taking her on a journey to return the sword back to the Breach and once more to battle.
The Malice is a mix of fantasy, sci-fi and post-apocalyptic elements of books. A mashup of genres that works really well, you have sky ships and advanced suits of armour along with robotics and mechs which are the sci-fi part, sentient swords and demons which are the fantasy part and a world where disaster has happened leaving it a ravaged wasteland with hardly any resources which is the post-apocalyptic part and all three converge together to bring you a unique world that is well thought out and richly crafted.
Alongside the story arc's taking place in the present in The Malice we also have flashbacks dating over a thousand years before to the creation of the Empire of the Winged Eye, this adds an extra dynamic and element to the book as while the main story is involving it helps breakup the present story arc, giving the reader a glimpse into the past and the world before and it is interesting to find out far more about how the Empire and Seraph Knights were first created adding to the world building and both the history and lore while expanding the world by elaborating on the past.
Just like in the first book the plot is quite linear as the story moves along at a quick pace moving from one location to the next until the conclusion, however that's doing the writing an injustice as while linear Newman does a great job of making each location different and each journey along the way exciting with different challenges to confront for our characters.
Along the way on our journey back to the Breach we re-visit locations from the first book and it's really interesting to again meet a few of the characters we knew in The Vagrant and see how their situation has changed over the years since the events at the end of that book.
The cast of characters are well developed, interesting, have varying personalities and are all unique ranging from the main of Vesper, Samael, Duet (the harmonised) and the kid (a baby Goat).
Yes there's another Goat, though this time the cranky, curmudgeonly old Goat from The Vagrant only plays a small part in the story through to the other major character in Samael and finally onto the Infernal's, who have awesome names like The Yearning, Gutterface, The Backwards Child and Hangnail and are all grotesquely described and different.
As I mentioned with the Goat from The Vagrant, she only plays a small role in the book, likewise so do both the Vagrant himself and Harm only appearing at the beginning and end of The Malice as this is Vesper's tale.
I think that the kid has to be my favourite character in the book, I know, I know, he's only a Goat I here you all say! But Newman does a tremendous job of bringing him to life on the pages and he is a top quality character who is a tenacious little scamp who you can't help but get behind and root for whenever he's mentioned.
In the beginning it took me a while to like Vesper, at first she comes across as slightly annoying with her childlike enthusiasm, exuberance and constant chattering, though I think my dislike was merely down to the fact that she is so completely different from the mute Vagrant in the first book as with him, Newman was able to create such a unique silent character and was able to get so much emotion across in the descriptions of his facial expressions and hand gestures that Vesper just seemed irritating to start with but as you follow her on her journey and watch her grow in maturity as she makes tough decisions and overcomes obstacles progressing to the books finale she turns into a really engaging main character and while there willbe those who miss the silent protagonist from the first book Vesper herself was a great choice to continue the story in The Malice.
To conclude, The Malice is a terrific, well written, fast paced read that expands the scope and world of the first book while giving you a captivating, original story in a unique world with complex characters you really care about, an exceptional read.
Fans of the fantasy, sci-fi, SFF, post-apocalyptic and horror book genres will all find something to like in this book as will anyone else just wanting to try and read something different and hey, if you buy books merely based on the cover then your'll also be in for a treat as the book is a quality read and the cover art is stunning!
Highly recommended.
4.5 stars.
Looks like I'm one of the first to review this book on Goodreads, oh the pressure!
I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The Malice is the sequel to last year's The Vagrant.
The Malice takes place a number of years after the conclusion of the first book. Vesper, the baby from The Vagrant is now a young girl and is the central main character in The Malice. Without going into to much detail about the story (for anyone unfamiliar with my reviews I don't use spoilers) after the events that transpired at the end of The Vagrant, the Vagrant himself, Harm, Vesper and the Goat have found peace living on the outskirts of the Shining City but The Malice, Gamma's sword start's stirring, the Vagrant won't answer the sword's call to be taken up once again and instead Vesper does, taking her on a journey to return the sword back to the Breach and once more to battle.
The Malice is a mix of fantasy, sci-fi and post-apocalyptic elements of books. A mashup of genres that works really well, you have sky ships and advanced suits of armour along with robotics and mechs which are the sci-fi part, sentient swords and demons which are the fantasy part and a world where disaster has happened leaving it a ravaged wasteland with hardly any resources which is the post-apocalyptic part and all three converge together to bring you a unique world that is well thought out and richly crafted.
Alongside the story arc's taking place in the present in The Malice we also have flashbacks dating over a thousand years before to the creation of the Empire of the Winged Eye, this adds an extra dynamic and element to the book as while the main story is involving it helps breakup the present story arc, giving the reader a glimpse into the past and the world before and it is interesting to find out far more about how the Empire and Seraph Knights were first created adding to the world building and both the history and lore while expanding the world by elaborating on the past.
Just like in the first book the plot is quite linear as the story moves along at a quick pace moving from one location to the next until the conclusion, however that's doing the writing an injustice as while linear Newman does a great job of making each location different and each journey along the way exciting with different challenges to confront for our characters.
Along the way on our journey back to the Breach we re-visit locations from the first book and it's really interesting to again meet a few of the characters we knew in The Vagrant and see how their situation has changed over the years since the events at the end of that book.
The cast of characters are well developed, interesting, have varying personalities and are all unique ranging from the main of Vesper, Samael, Duet (the harmonised) and the kid (a baby Goat).
Yes there's another Goat, though this time the cranky, curmudgeonly old Goat from The Vagrant only plays a small part in the story through to the other major character in Samael and finally onto the Infernal's, who have awesome names like The Yearning, Gutterface, The Backwards Child and Hangnail and are all grotesquely described and different.
As I mentioned with the Goat from The Vagrant, she only plays a small role in the book, likewise so do both the Vagrant himself and Harm only appearing at the beginning and end of The Malice as this is Vesper's tale.
I think that the kid has to be my favourite character in the book, I know, I know, he's only a Goat I here you all say! But Newman does a tremendous job of bringing him to life on the pages and he is a top quality character who is a tenacious little scamp who you can't help but get behind and root for whenever he's mentioned.
In the beginning it took me a while to like Vesper, at first she comes across as slightly annoying with her childlike enthusiasm, exuberance and constant chattering, though I think my dislike was merely down to the fact that she is so completely different from the mute Vagrant in the first book as with him, Newman was able to create such a unique silent character and was able to get so much emotion across in the descriptions of his facial expressions and hand gestures that Vesper just seemed irritating to start with but as you follow her on her journey and watch her grow in maturity as she makes tough decisions and overcomes obstacles progressing to the books finale she turns into a really engaging main character and while there willbe those who miss the silent protagonist from the first book Vesper herself was a great choice to continue the story in The Malice.
To conclude, The Malice is a terrific, well written, fast paced read that expands the scope and world of the first book while giving you a captivating, original story in a unique world with complex characters you really care about, an exceptional read.
Fans of the fantasy, sci-fi, SFF, post-apocalyptic and horror book genres will all find something to like in this book as will anyone else just wanting to try and read something different and hey, if you buy books merely based on the cover then your'll also be in for a treat as the book is a quality read and the cover art is stunning!
Highly recommended.
October 31, 2017
3.5 stars
Remember Fatty Bolger from The Lord of the Rings? Or Seamus from Harry Potter? Maybe you do and maybe you don’t – they’re not all that prominent compared to other characters. Now imagine if Fatty replaced Frodo in The Two Towers or Seamus replaced Harry in The Chamber of Secrets. Wouldn’t that be a gamble on the part of the author? Wouldn’t it disrupt the flow of the story after you fell in love with a certain character and they just got thrown out in an experimental fashion?
This is exactly what happened to the Malice, the second installment in The Vagrant series. The Vagrant followed a mute man accompanied by only a holy sword, a baby and a stubborn goat that make their way through a wasteland infested with demons and taint. I loved the Vagrant – he is one of the most well-written fantasy characters I have enjoyed in recent memory. The Malice is still considered a part of The Vagrant series, but The Vagrant himself only features for one chapter. Instead we follow Vesper, the baby he carried with him in the first book. Now Vesper is grown up and just a little annoying.
The book begins with The Vagrant attempting to resist the call of the sword, but he refuses to answer. Vesper, our high-and-mighty protagonist, decides to help her old dad out by taking the sword to the Knights of the Seven, who she expects, in turn, will deliver the sword to the Breach. She hopes her actions will let her father live on in peace. Instead of dropping off the sword and heading on back home for teatime, Vesper is forced into a quest to deliver the sword to the breach herself. She is accompanied by a baby goat and a snarky bodyguard named Duet. Duet and the baby goat made up for where Vesper lacked.
"Days of travel blend together.”
I feel like this description of Vesper and Duet’s travels is self-referential to the occasional repetition in the book. A lot of the encounters that the duo has are entertaining, but in the end, that’s all they are – encounters and nothing that contributes to the plot. Infernals and humans alike help or dissuade the trio from their path but a lot of it is forgotten by the end of the book. I loved this type of episodic adventure in The Vagrant, but it seemed forced in The Malice and just a little repetitive.
The reason I’m still rating the book so high is because Newman implements such fantastic world-building. The Malice still lends itself toward the immersive and intriguing world of The Vagrant with its half-bloods, dogspawn and infernals. The attitudes and ideas around the tainted individuals are full of political intrigue and thought-provoking commentary on racism. The past ten years have seen a lot of post-apocalyptic worlds in literature, but I feel that none have been able to encapsulate uniqueness as well as Peter Newman’s world.
“Why are they tainted? Because we let them down. The Seven let them down. How can we hate them for being what they are?”
The narrator of the audiobook, Jot Davies, is fantastic. Newman is good at writing believable dialogue and Davies enhanced this aspect of the book extremely well. Davies convincingly alters his voice from a young girl to a dry-throated infernal in seconds. I never once questioned who was saying what and it added to my enjoyment of the book.
I’ll end the review on one of my favourite moments in the book:
“For what’s its worth I like it better now that the other you isn’t here.”
She looks up, disbelieving. “But I’m horrible to you.”
“Only sometimes.”
She punches Vesper on the arm. “I think I’m starting to like you too.”
“I thought so.” Duet punches her again, a little harder this time.
“Owe! What was that for?”
“It’s not easy for me. I’m not like you.”
“Okay.”
“Vesper?”
“Yes?”
“I don’t want to die.” Vesper squeezes Duet’s hands.
“I don’t want to talk anymore. Let’s eat.”
Okay. I’ll admit it. I bumped the rating up another half star just for Duet because she’s the grumpiest ball of grump that ever grumped and I love it.
Remember Fatty Bolger from The Lord of the Rings? Or Seamus from Harry Potter? Maybe you do and maybe you don’t – they’re not all that prominent compared to other characters. Now imagine if Fatty replaced Frodo in The Two Towers or Seamus replaced Harry in The Chamber of Secrets. Wouldn’t that be a gamble on the part of the author? Wouldn’t it disrupt the flow of the story after you fell in love with a certain character and they just got thrown out in an experimental fashion?
This is exactly what happened to the Malice, the second installment in The Vagrant series. The Vagrant followed a mute man accompanied by only a holy sword, a baby and a stubborn goat that make their way through a wasteland infested with demons and taint. I loved the Vagrant – he is one of the most well-written fantasy characters I have enjoyed in recent memory. The Malice is still considered a part of The Vagrant series, but The Vagrant himself only features for one chapter. Instead we follow Vesper, the baby he carried with him in the first book. Now Vesper is grown up and just a little annoying.
The book begins with The Vagrant attempting to resist the call of the sword, but he refuses to answer. Vesper, our high-and-mighty protagonist, decides to help her old dad out by taking the sword to the Knights of the Seven, who she expects, in turn, will deliver the sword to the Breach. She hopes her actions will let her father live on in peace. Instead of dropping off the sword and heading on back home for teatime, Vesper is forced into a quest to deliver the sword to the breach herself. She is accompanied by a baby goat and a snarky bodyguard named Duet. Duet and the baby goat made up for where Vesper lacked.
"Days of travel blend together.”
I feel like this description of Vesper and Duet’s travels is self-referential to the occasional repetition in the book. A lot of the encounters that the duo has are entertaining, but in the end, that’s all they are – encounters and nothing that contributes to the plot. Infernals and humans alike help or dissuade the trio from their path but a lot of it is forgotten by the end of the book. I loved this type of episodic adventure in The Vagrant, but it seemed forced in The Malice and just a little repetitive.
The reason I’m still rating the book so high is because Newman implements such fantastic world-building. The Malice still lends itself toward the immersive and intriguing world of The Vagrant with its half-bloods, dogspawn and infernals. The attitudes and ideas around the tainted individuals are full of political intrigue and thought-provoking commentary on racism. The past ten years have seen a lot of post-apocalyptic worlds in literature, but I feel that none have been able to encapsulate uniqueness as well as Peter Newman’s world.
“Why are they tainted? Because we let them down. The Seven let them down. How can we hate them for being what they are?”
The narrator of the audiobook, Jot Davies, is fantastic. Newman is good at writing believable dialogue and Davies enhanced this aspect of the book extremely well. Davies convincingly alters his voice from a young girl to a dry-throated infernal in seconds. I never once questioned who was saying what and it added to my enjoyment of the book.
I’ll end the review on one of my favourite moments in the book:
“For what’s its worth I like it better now that the other you isn’t here.”
She looks up, disbelieving. “But I’m horrible to you.”
“Only sometimes.”
She punches Vesper on the arm. “I think I’m starting to like you too.”
“I thought so.” Duet punches her again, a little harder this time.
“Owe! What was that for?”
“It’s not easy for me. I’m not like you.”
“Okay.”
“Vesper?”
“Yes?”
“I don’t want to die.” Vesper squeezes Duet’s hands.
“I don’t want to talk anymore. Let’s eat.”
Read
July 20, 2016The Vagrant was one of the best fantasy novels of 2015, but The Malice I could not finish. The fabulous group of characters from the first volume are gone, the new ones are completely uninteresting and the world brings nothing new.
June 21, 2017
I'm not entirely sure wether or not I liked The Malice. Let's see if writing a review will clear that up for me ?
World-building
The Malice continues the excellent world-building from The Vagrant and boy does it do a good job. We have intermittent flashbacks to a, very interesting, POV from before the Breach which provides a nice backstory about the Empire of the Winged Eye. We learn more about different cities and their relationships and how the landscape has changed after the Usurper was defeated and what impact this had on its denizens. All in all, the world-building is top notch and the picture it creates, albeit not very pretty, is quite amazing in scope and consistency.
Characters
This, for me, is the most tricky part. I didn't like Vesper from the get-go and that hasn't really improved throughout the story. That said, she does have a nice development arc, but overall I found here to be boring, irritating and stupid or any combination of those, for most of the time. On the other hand, I really liked Duet & Sammael. Even the less important ones like Tough Call, Max, The First, Gutterface, Eze and little Eze were very entertaining and well worked out.
Writing
The writing again is beautiful. It flows with its own rythm and this becomes extra clear when listenening to the audiobook. It really fits the narrative and its 3rd person POV and I enjoyed it immensely. There's a subtle undercurrent of humor that rears its head every now and then, that made it even more enjoyable.
I really LIKE Duet.
Plot / Story
The plot isn't particulary complicated or deep. It's very much a story about the journey, more than the destination. There are a few conflicts along the way that are interesting, but left me wanting a little more depth. The power struggle and the difficult co-habitation of humans and usurperkin in Verdigris for instance, is something that could have been a little more fleshed out.
I REALLY do not like Vesper. I still cannot understand the stupidity she displayed at
The main plot ending isn't very grandiose, despite the story properly ramping up to it and it left me confused and dissapointed.
Conclusion
Despite some dissapointments with some characters and the plot, I still very much enjoyed reading this. The narrative style and writing are something special, and the world building is stellar. I have no idea what else is going to happen next, since there's still the last part of the trilogy and this seems to have wrapped up most things pretty nicely, but I'm eager to find out.
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
World-building
The Malice continues the excellent world-building from The Vagrant and boy does it do a good job. We have intermittent flashbacks to a, very interesting, POV from before the Breach which provides a nice backstory about the Empire of the Winged Eye. We learn more about different cities and their relationships and how the landscape has changed after the Usurper was defeated and what impact this had on its denizens. All in all, the world-building is top notch and the picture it creates, albeit not very pretty, is quite amazing in scope and consistency.
Characters
This, for me, is the most tricky part. I didn't like Vesper from the get-go and that hasn't really improved throughout the story. That said, she does have a nice development arc, but overall I found here to be boring, irritating and stupid or any combination of those, for most of the time. On the other hand, I really liked Duet & Sammael. Even the less important ones like Tough Call, Max, The First, Gutterface, Eze and little Eze were very entertaining and well worked out.
Writing
The writing again is beautiful. It flows with its own rythm and this becomes extra clear when listenening to the audiobook. It really fits the narrative and its 3rd person POV and I enjoyed it immensely. There's a subtle undercurrent of humor that rears its head every now and then, that made it even more enjoyable.
‘Hold on,’ says Doctor Grains, also standing. ‘You can’t possibly leave now!’ ‘We can,’ replies Duet. ‘You can watch us, if you like.’
I really LIKE Duet.
Plot / Story
The plot isn't particulary complicated or deep. It's very much a story about the journey, more than the destination. There are a few conflicts along the way that are interesting, but left me wanting a little more depth. The power struggle and the difficult co-habitation of humans and usurperkin in Verdigris for instance, is something that could have been a little more fleshed out.
I REALLY do not like Vesper. I still cannot understand the stupidity she displayed at
The main plot ending isn't very grandiose, despite the story properly ramping up to it and it left me confused and dissapointed.
Conclusion
Despite some dissapointments with some characters and the plot, I still very much enjoyed reading this. The narrative style and writing are something special, and the world building is stellar. I have no idea what else is going to happen next, since there's still the last part of the trilogy and this seems to have wrapped up most things pretty nicely, but I'm eager to find out.
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
March 26, 2017
Review later.
December 6, 2023
I enjoyed this one, although not quite as much as book 1. The story really didn’t go in the direction I thought that it would, but after about 2/3 of the book, I finally got more invested. By the end I was good with it. Overall, I was a 3.5/5.0 stars that I rounded up to 4. I listened to this on audiobook and quite enjoyed the narration. I’ll probably listen to book 3 on a road trip I have to take next Monday to finish off the trilogy. Looking forward to it.
April 9, 2024
Equally well written as the first, but in essence very similar. I do like the authors writing style and will definitely read the final book in the trilogy.
June 23, 2017
Just wasnt for me. Didnt really like the protagonist Vesper. Maybe its the sparse writing style as well. Probably wont continue on to the 3rd book
October 6, 2016
Wonderful! Full review to come.
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