The Anvil of Ice By Michael Scott Rohan

I will admit I've read this book before; I picked up the third book in the trilogy recently so wanted to read the first two again soon (so coming soon to a website near you will be the next two books in the series...). First time around I remember liking it, and I will say not much has changed; the story is still familiar, but the world is detailled enough that it still holds interest.

So, the plot. The book features Alv, an orphan who's universally reviled by his townsfolk, who consider him a freak, because he's of an unfamiliar ethnic origin to them. His town is attacked by raiders from the Ekwesh, and he is captured, but saved from slavery or death by a mysterious man known as the Mastersmith. The Mastersmith sees talent in Alv; he sees the ability to shape metal and add "virtue" to his forgings; in other words, he can craft magical items. Hence, the Mastersmith takes him as an apprentice; but all is not as it seems. This book is the tale of Alv, his deeds, and his travels.

This book is lovely. While many books of fantasy follow a familiar route, with fairly typical worlds and fairly typical magic. The world in The Anvil of Ice is, as far as I can tell, prehistoric North America, set during an ice age; the people are not primitive however; the level of technology is something like the middle ages. The magic is very unusual too; the smiths of the north, and the dwarven smiths, have the ability to set virtues into items, to give them power of various types; some smiths are more able than others. There are also "Powers", who are godlike beings, although exactly what they can and can't do is not made too clear - a feature I like, since it adds to the mystery of the world. The whole world feels natural, partly due to its historical origins, and it works well; the book feels like an adventure, with the reader discovering more about the world as the book goes on.

The story is good too. The plot twists and turns nicely, but in a natural way; the book is consistent and the story unfolds neatly into chapters. The characters are interesting, and the author has managed to resist the temptation to make any character perfect; everyone has their flaws and their talents, and people react to their situations in a realistic fashion. I enjoyed the story too; it's not just technically good, but entertaining, although as an observation and not a criticism, I would say that this is not a fast story; there are few sweeping battle scenes or epic fights, and even the showdown a the end is relatively short and certainly not laden with action.

I had one issue with this book; it's a little bit heavy. The book is well written, and the use of language is good, but it's perhaps too poetical and I found this detracted from my enjoyment; there were times when I wanted to get on with the story, but it felt like a bit of a struggle. I have to admit I find it hard to put my finger on what exactly is wrong, though, it's more of a niggle than anything else.

But don't let that detract too much. This is a really good book, and if you like a slightly slower book, and don't expect action, I will heartily recommend the Anvil of Ice.

9/10