Tag: In Media Res

As the title implies, I’m in the middle of this book (well, almost the middle), so this is not a review, just some thoughts along the way.

Banners of Wrath

by Michael Michel

DETAILS:
Series: Dreams of Dust and Steel, #3
Publisher: Chainbreaker Books
Publication Date: February 12, 2026
Format: eARC
Length: 873 pg.>

What’s Banners of Wrath About?

In short, Namarr is at war–from within and, pretty soon, from without. Some characters are trying to stop the war (which, at this point, equals winning it before it gets worse), some are trying to take advantage of it, some are ignoring it in favor of their own concerns, and some are just trying to survive.

Obviously, the bulk of the book is picking up where Book 2, A Graveyard for Heroes left off. But there are some smaller plots that were largely absent from the last half that get picked up, too. And there’s one storyline that wasn’t really a factor in that book, but is coming back into the spotlight (although not as much–yet–as it was in The Price of Power).

A Huge Plus

We get several pages of a recap of the series before the novel kicks off. With something as intricate as this series, that’s so helpful.

I really appreciate the way Michel keeps even this on theme, calling it, “The Cost Thus Far.” This whole series has been about prices to be paid. And this recap underlines many who have already paid.

Dramatis personae

There’s a lengthy dramatis personae at the beginning of the novel–if you’re like me, keep it open on your phone while you use an e-reader for easy reference. If you got your hands on a paper copy, keep a bookmark there–you’re going to want to check it often for the first third or so (results may vary on your attention span or memory).

Michel breaks it down into the 6 major plotlines of the book, so you can easily find who you’re looking for.

I’m almost far enough now that I don’t need to be checking names–but I find it reassuring that I can go back to it just in case.

New Characters

That reminds me–there are (understandably) a good number of new characters–I’m sure some of which will survive until the end of the book, and maybe even until the next. My only problem with any of them that I’ve come across is that the more of these new ones there are, the less time we’ll get with those already established. But other than that, there are a number that I’m eager to get to know better–and a couple that I hope find themselves at the pointy end of a sword soon.

I assume that Michel is going to terminate most that I want to see more of, and will allow the others to prosper. But a guy can hope, right?

So, what am I thinking about Banners of Wrath?

This book hits the ground running, and doesn’t let up. There’ve been some pretty exciting scenes already, some good fights–and they’re all precursors to sometime more–you can tell.

In each storyline there’s a very imminent threat of doom–very likely doom brought about by betrayal. The reader will have been told about some forms of betrayal soon to be seen–and the rest you’re pretty sure where they could come from. I don’t know that each storyline is going to take a big turn due to betrayal of some sort–but most of them will. I’m just sitting here on the edge of my seat wondering which, when and how.

I’m finding some characters that I really enjoyed previously leaving me feel pretty ambivalent at the moment. And there are two characters that I didn’t care much about–if I didn’t outright dislike/distrust them–that I’m coming around on. I’m not expecting that they’ll turn out to be heroes of the piece or anything, but I can see wanting more of them on the page.

I’ll come back in a few hundred pages–following several character deaths and a lot of harrowing moments for the survivors–with some fuller thoughts, but for now, here’s where I am. If you’ve read books 1 or 2, you’re probably waiting for this book already–and, at best, need this post to remind you that this is available. If you haven’t read any of these yet, let me encourage you to give them a try.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from the author but this my honest opinion—but also, the copy I ordered months ago downloaded to my e-Reader before I posted this, so…I only got a little bit of a head-start.

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A Special Guest Post In Medias Res: The Faithful Executioner by Joel F. Harrington

By HCNewton

On November 13, 2025

In Currently Reading, History, In Medias Res, Non-Fiction

As the title implies, I’m in the middle of this book, so this is not a review, just some thoughts mid-way through. This time, however, I’m not reading the book, my good friend, Lawrence Gale is. These are actually a series of texts he sent me recently about this book–it’s things like this that keep me from making progress on my TBR. (also, who texts like this?)

When he’s not sending oddly articulate and grammatically correct text messages, Lawrence has been known to write over at his substack: Keep the West, Honor the Rest.

The Faithful Executioner: Life and Death, Honor and Shame in the Turbulent Sixteenth Century

by Joel F. Harrington

Book Blurb:

In a dusty German bookshop, the noted historian Joel F. Harrington stumbled upon a remarkable document: the journal of a sixteenth-century executioner. The journal gave an account of the 394 people Meister Frantz Schmidt executed, and the hundreds more he tortured, flogged, or disfigured for more than forty-five years in the city of Nuremberg. But the portrait of Schmidt that gradually emerged was not that of a monster. Could a man who practiced such cruelty also be insightful, compassionate—even progressive?

In The Faithful Executioner, Harrington teases out the hidden meanings and drama of Schmidt’s journal. Deemed an official outcast, Meister Frantz sought to prove himself worthy of honor and free his children from the stigma of his profession. Harrington uncovers details of Schmidt’s life and work: the shocking, but often familiar, crimes of the day; the medical practice that he felt was his true calling; and his lifelong struggle to reconcile his craft with his religious faith.

In this groundbreaking and intimate portrait, Harrington shows us that our thinking about justice and punishment, and our sense of our own humanity, are not so remote from the world of The Faithful Executioner.

Imagine minding your own business, then a tyrannical German prince points to you and demands you execute three criminals because there are no executioners around. You realize the second you do that, society will declare you an executioner and your family is permanently ostracized from society and will lose all standing you have. You refuse. Prince then says, you’ll get executed too if you refuse. You don’t want to leave your wife and kids without their protector and provider, so you do the deed and now society has branded you as a necessary evil they don’t want anything to do with.

You then teach your son how to be the most professional and best executioner he can be, and then this son spends the next 50 years of his life being the most above board, skilled, and faithful executioner/citizen he can be in an attempt to free the rest of his family from being executioners and restore their honor before the eyes of society and be formally elevated by the government on your retirement.

My heart will ache if I reach the end and his honor wasn’t restored despite all his efforts.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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In Medias Res: The Price of Power by Michael Michel. A Powerful, Addicting Read

By HCNewton

On April 4, 2025

In Dreams of Dust and Steel, Fantasy, Fiction

As the title implies, I’m in the middle of this book (well, a little past middle), so this is not a review, just some thoughts along the way.

The Price of Power

by Michael Michel

DETAILS:
Series: Dreams of Dust and Steel, #1
Publisher: Chainbreaker Books
Publication Date: April 2, 2025
Format: eARC
Length: 498 pg.

What’s The Price of Power About?

This is not the easiest question to answer, I’ll tell you right now. The title really sums it up well, this the story about what power costs–political, familial, monetary, military, personal, magical.

But that’s not much of a plot, that’s more of a description. There are four plotlines–that somewhat overlap, but most of that is promised for book two and beyond. But the further you read, the more you see how they are intertwined even if most of the characters don’t see/understand that yet.

So I’m going to steal a little from the blurb that Michel sent me (and that I posted earlier today) to give some quick thoughts about each plotline.

“A mad prophet determined to control reality”

This is the hardest one to talk about–at this point, I’m not certain who the mad prophet is (I’m pretty sure, but I’m waiting to know for sure). But I’m probably in denial because I don’t want this person to be the prophet. The main reason that this is hard to talk about is that this storyline is full of symbolism, visions, dreams, and magic. The point of view character–and those around him, too–isn’t sure what is going on–what’s real, what’s a dream, and what’s his imagination.

I’m engrossed, though. I may not get it all, but I’m hooked by what I do get.

“A dead prince who isn’t dead”

This, on the other hand, is a straightforward story about a prince whose thirst for vengeance–driven by rage and grief–led to a type of destruction that might make Tywin Lannister take a step back.

Now he’s just trying to avoid contact with everyone, denying who he is, dwelling on what he did and what it cost him. You almost feel sorry for him and wish he’d snap out of his self-pity and self-destruction when he needs to (which is right about the time we meet him). But also…if anyone should hate themselves, it’s hard to argue against him.

Barodane is set-up for a redemption story. But I’m not convinced that’s what Michel has in mind. Of all these four plots, this is the one I’m most invested in because of some of the surrounding characters.

“An orphan with hero’s blood”

This, too, feels like a familiar fantasy story. A princess raised to take the place of her dead parents leading her nation through a tumultuous time, with everyone wondering if she is capable of doing the job. You just can’t help but feel bad for this girl. She’s got the weight of the world on her shoulders (or at least the weight of a nation), pressures and expectations on her are as high as an be.

On the one hand, what she’s called upon to do (so far) is easier than the rest–but her age and visibility even out the scales a bit. I like her, I like her teachers, and her animal companion. But honestly, everyone else in her immediate circle could be wiped out and the only reason I’d care is because of the impact it’d have on those four.

I’m pretty sure that I’ve spent a decent amount of time leaning forward during her chapters like you do during a tense part of a film (am I the only one who does that while reading?).

“And a powerful seer “

This is hard storyline to work through. This grandmother/Obi-Wan figure is a tough old lady, having to act tougher than she really is to do what she has to. Her ability to see time and reality have shown her what needs to happen, and the price she and her grandson will have to pay.

Michel keeps the details vague at this point–but you get to see enough to keep you invested and eager to learn alongside her grandson.

There’s a very cool magic battle in this story–at least one, anyway–and just knowing that this kind of thing is possible around this woman will keep you invested, even if you weren’t inclined to be anyway.

The way she’s tied to all of the above just makes me want to understand her more.

Dramatis personae

There’s a lengthy (or maybe my e-reader font is just set large enough that it seems that way) dramatis personae at the beginning of the novel–if you’re like me, keep it open on your phone while you use an e-reader for easy reference. If you got your hands on a paper copy, keep a bookmark there–you’re going to want to check it often for the first third or so (results may vary on your attention span or memory).

Even if you don’t rely on it, it’s a good way to think about the book–4 rosters of characters to get to know now.

I expect that those who survive will get tossed together like a salad in the ensuing novels.

How the Novel Works

This isn’t a “Book One: Barodane”, “Book Two: Princess” kind of thing where each book tells the complete story of each character. Each character/storyline gets a chapter and then it moves on to the next, and keeps rotating that way (I’m pretty sure it’s a pattern that repeats, but honestly I forgot to track–that largely holds true–and it doesn’t matter).

There are two schools of thought when it comes to chapters–a lot of authors will close an idea, or a time period at the end of a chapter. This makes it easy to put your bookmark/quitter strip in the book and set it down to sleep, eat, converse with people, or whatever. Other writers will end a chapter in a way that propels you to move on to the next (Jim Butcher, for example, talks a lot about this practice). This keeps you engaged, moves you to keep reading–and is an excellent way to annoy a reader who really has other things they should be doing.

Michel falls into the latter category. Of course, the trick with this book is that as a Bardodane chapter leaves you hungry for the next thing in his story–but you have to go through three other plotlines before you get back to it (and each one of those will leave you hungry to press on with that storyline). I love this–I also hate it. Some people will choose to skip chapters to stick with one story through the end. This is a mistake–and will inevitably involve you getting something spoiled (I can think of at least once where that spoiler is major. There may be more to come).

So gird up, and prepare for Michel to play with you like a fisherman trying to tire out his catch before reeling it all the way in.

The Secondary Characters

To keep this to a length people would want to read, I’ve limited what I’ve said about secondary characters. This is a problem–some of them are just as interesting and compelling as the point-of-view characters (possibly more so). That long dramatis personae is filled with people you will want to spend time with, or at least understand better. And sure, some of them are despicable and you will root for their defeat (but you’ll still want to understand them and maybe spend time with them on the page, just not at a pub).

There are a few secondary character deaths in this book–and you know there are more to come. One of them provoked me to send a message to Michel (the number of times I do that mid-read is incredibly small), threatening him if he did something similar to another character before the fifth book (at which point, I assume almost everyone will die or be defeated). I suspect I will not be alone in feeling that way about some of these characters, even if you pick ones that aren’t as cool as the ones I pick.

Michel is not playing around when it comes to character design or messing with his reader’s emotions.

So, what did I think about The Price of Power?

I’m at the 75% mark–so it’s possible that Michel will mess up the ending and lose me.

Possible, but unlikely.

Really, he’d have to do many, many things wrong to turn me off at this point–and he shows no signs of doing so.

The prologue wowed me. The first chapter raised the stakes–and as every point-of-view character was introduced the intrigue grew. I’m already impatient for the next book to be published and I’m not even finished with this one yet.

Go grab this one as soon as you can. Books 2 and 3 are scheduled for release this year (he talks about the timeline in the video I posted earlier today) and you’re going to want to be ready for them.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from the author in exchange for this post which contains my honest opinion—but also, I bought the earlier edition of the novel and just hadn’t gotten around to it yet, so I’m not sure how necessary this disclaimer is.

IN MEDIAS RES—The Book of Perilous Dishes by Doina Rusti, James Christian Brown (Translator): The Arts of Occult Cuisine

By HCNewton

On June 27, 2024

In Book Tour, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, In Medias Res

As the title implies, I’m in the middle of this book (59%), so this is not a full post, just some thoughts mid-way through. There were some challenges getting me a copy that my eyes could read, so I didn’t get the chance to finish the book on time. Many thanks to Dave at The Write Reads Tours for trying so valiantly to help.

The Book of Perilous Dishes

by Doina Rusti, James Christian Brown (Translator)

DETAILS:
Publisher:  Neem Tree Press
Publication Date: May 21, 2024
Format: e-Book
Length: 272 pgs.

What’s The Book of Perilous Dishes About?

This novel takes place in two distinct times, the majority of which starts in 1798 when fourteen-year-old Pâtca is forced to flee the only home she really knows because the city guards are raiding it to take in her grandmother (and anyone else they find there) for crimes imagined (and possibly real). She runs to Bucharest, the city she was born in, where her family had lived for a long time, and where her parents died when she was young.

She was told to track down her “little uncle,” Cuviosu Zăval, who could bring her to her parents’ home as well as provide for her. But Zăval is dead when she arrives—murdered, actually—and things get worse from there. Her meager possessions are stolen, she’s captured by criminals (possibly to be sold as a slave), accused of crimes and imprisoned, taken under the care of someone that she—and readers—cannot be sure she should trust, and…so much more (including several things I haven’t read yet).

Pâtca, Zăval, her grandmother, and who knows how many other members of her family, follow occult practices of various types. Some time back, Pâtca, compiled several recipes that are will bespell the eater into a collection called “The Book of Perilous Dishes.”

At the same time, the city is in turmoil. The current prince is about to be deposed (it doesn’t seem likely that he’ll be able to stop the fomenting rebellion). This prince recently took a slave, Silică, from a prominent citizen (the woman who will later assume Pâtca’s guardianship)—he’s a chef of a caliber that would get an invitation from the Chairman to take on Iron Chef in another time. Soon after she arrives in the city, Pâtca becomes convinced that Silică bought “The Book of Perilous Dishes” from her uncle, and is (unwittingly?) about to unleash chaos on the city unless she stops him.

(there’s a few other things afoot, but let’s stick with the story that the book gets its title from)

The other time is 1829, a.k.a. “The Present” is the perspective the 1789 story is being told from. We get snippets of what’s going on in Pâtca’s life there throughout the book—and the Table of Contents tells me that the last chapter will take place there. I’m really unsure beyond that what to say about it. I mean, obviously, Pâtca survives the tight places and dangers she faces (although that’s generally implied in first-person narration, but with the amount of ghosts/possible ghosts and other weirdness going on here, I’m not convinced that’d be guaranteed in this book)

That Opening

I can think of at least 4 books I’ve read in the last two years that have started like this*—guards/police/authorities/angry crowds, etc. coming for the protagonist/protagonist and their family and they have to flee their home to hide/take on a new persona/find a new home. I don’t bring this up to complain about the lack of originality or anything, it’s just something that occurred to me as Pâtca was being rushed out the door by her grandmother, Maxima.

Not only is it an exciting way to open a book—far better than a description of the weather or something—it almost guarantees that the reader will be hooked for at least a chapter or two, but it also tells the reader a lot about the novel and what to expect just from the opening pages. Odds are, not all of those who flee are going to make it—or someone is going to stay behind in an act of self-sacrifice, so you’ve got some tragedy right out of the gate. You’re also going to see your protagonist with a thirst for revenge, justice, or a resolve to carry on with whatever brought whoever to their door.

It’s an efficient and effective bit of writing and storytelling strategy. And Rusti pulls it off well.

* …and who knows how many in the last 40 years.

Rusti’s Writing

A good deal of the appeal to this book is Rusti’s descriptions and depiction of life in Bucharest. The way she describes certain people and Silică’s food, for example, just about justified what I paid for the book. For example:

If I tell you he was handsome, you will understand nothing. He was a man so luminous that you’d be drawn like a magnet to him from any distance. You couldn’t see his eyes. You couldn’t describe any of the features of his face. He was quite simply a soul that soaked into your flesh and blood. He was like water. He was a spark struck from the heart of a coal. He was the very breath of that noontide, fixed over the city.

That woman had a way of looking that was impossible to forget. She didn’t smile, but her face lit up as if she had drunk up all the events that she gazed at.

Beyond that, there’s just her language and way of telling the story. Largely this has to be Rusti’s culture and heritage shining through—the result is something that feels a lot less like our world than a lot of Fantasy/SF that’s supposed to be in worlds that have no relation to Earth. Tatooine, Qo’noS, and Krynn are a lot more like the U.S./U.K. than the world of this book—which is actually in Europe. This really shines forth brightly in this novel and adds a richness to the experience.

There’s a circuitous style to the way that Rusti moves the plot forward that’s both charming and frustrating. I’m not sure if I can describe it but I’ll try. She’ll begin a section at Step 10 (although you won’t realize that right away) and then slip to Step 2 (or 1) and proceed in order to Step 6 or 7, and maybe make you guess at/assume 8 and 9 while resuming at Step 10. Occasionally, she’ll throw a flashback into the middle of that.

I do wonder about some of the language used—there’s a formality to some of the writing and vocabulary that seems out of place to the pacing and atmosphere (and possibly, characters, I’m not sure about that yet). It’s not in every sentence or paragraph (which, I guess is why I said “some”), but it pops up often enough that I can’t help but take note of it. This is at least partially attributable to James Christian Brown, particularly when it comes to word choices—and what not to translate*. I don’t know how much of Rusti’s vocabulary is as formal as Brown’s, but for my purposes, I have to assume that if Rusti wrote this in English, it’d read this way.

* There is a handy-dandy glossary in the back of the book, I discovered too late, because why read the Table of Contents?

So, what do I think about The Book of Perilous Dishes so far?

I like it. I’m confused and/or uncertain about many things going on—I’m not even sure how much I like/trust/care about Pâtca, much less anyone else. But I’m intrigued and very curious about where this all is going.

It’s definitely one of those books that I’m going to have to read the last couple of pages of before I know what I think of the whole thing—I largely think that the journey is as rewarding as the destination when it comes to books—and certainly, the trip I’m on is pretty interesting. But this is going to be one of those books that I’ll have to look back at the journey once I arrive to decide if it was all worth it, pretty scenery notwithstanding.

At this point, I can say that this is a fascinating world, filled with riveting characters, and a story that’ll keep you wondering and guessing throughout (I’m willing to bet until the last ten pages). But I feel confident in saying that it’s worth a shot.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

My thanks to The Write Reads for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.

In Media Res: The Existence and Attributes of God by Shephen Charnock, edited by Mark Jones

By HCNewton

On June 18, 2023

In In Medias Res, Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

The Existence and Attributes of God: Updated and Unabridged

by Stephen Charnock, edited by Mark Jones

DETAILS:
Publisher: Crossway
Publication Date: October 18, 2022
Format: Hardcover
Length: 1,615 pg.

What’s The Existence and Attributes of God?

Crossway has given the world a gift by publishing an unabridged edition of Charnock’s classic work on God’s attributes. Over 14 Discourses (that really could be published individually as books), Charnock describes some of God’s attributes. He starts with almost 100 pages on God’s existence—mostly drawing on the so-called “Classical” proofs, then he moves on to eleven attributes of God, with two bonus discourses on related practical matters.

Some (but not all) of the language has been updated (there’ve been some footnotes added to help explain the bits that haven’t been), punctuation has been modernized, as have paragraph sizes (maybe sentence length, too). Jones cleaned up some of the section numbers and whatnot, too.

Jones has also provided footnotes showing more of Charnock’s citations than the original manuscripts did, demonstrating the wide range of sources he drew from. The nicest addition to this edition from Jones, however, (unless you’re a student or someone wanting to plunge deep into his citations) are the summaries of each discourse, helping the reader to know what they’re in for and what to keep an eye out for.

So, What Am I Thinking About The Existence and Attributes of God?

This is just a great work—it’s not the easiest read in the world, but it’s not that bad, either. Charnock’s on the accessible end of the Puritan spectrum. (Jones’ editorial work no doubt helped a bit with that).

I wasn’t crazy about the two practical discourses—Discourse 2: On Practical Atheism and Discourse 4: On Spiritual Worship. Which were offshoots of Discourse 1: On God’s Existence and Discourse 3: On God’s Being a Spirit. Not that there was anything wrong with them or that I didn’t benefit from the experience of reading them—I absolutely did. But they’re not what I came for, I was reading for explorations of God’s attributes and/or existence. Now, if each discourse had a practical follow-up, I wouldn’t be writing this paragraph. But these two outliers just seemed out of place.

Charnock does a fantastic job explaining these attributes. I’ve read a handful of works (largely shaped by him) in the last few years on these ideas—and I still learned something from each chapter, rather somethings.

Obviously, this isn’t a definitive, exhaustive work—it cannot be (and would be blasphemous to suggest otherwise). But when you’re in the middle of a chapter, it’d be easy to think it is. Not just because of the depth he goes into on each topic, but the angles he approaches it from. In the middle of the Discourse on God’s Knowledge, I was astounded, for example, by how many different ways he talked about it. Now that I’m looking back over the whole first volume, the chapter on God’s eternity is the one that stands out as the high point.

Ask me in a month, and I’m sure I’ll say something else.

So far, I’ve read about God’s Existence (and practical atheism), God’s Being a Spirit (and spiritual worship), God’s Eternity, Immutability, Omnipresence, and Knowledge. Coming up are discourses on His Wisdom, Power, Holiness, Goodness, Dominion, and Patience.

I’m looking forward to diving in. It’s easy to see why this work has stood the test of time and can’t imagine anything in the 21st Century topping it (maybe someone will get their act together in the 22nd).

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.