Tales Of Pawan Kor

Despite the similarity in name, there's little to connect Tales of Pawan Kor and our previous list item. This world is very clearly high fantasy, with beautifully detailed creatures, religions, and magic. It's very much 'sword and sorcery', but with a flair Persia, India, and China that brings a refreshing environment. The world building is simply incredible, with plenty of detail that will please fans of epics. Equally impressive is Hayden's magic system, rooted in spirit stones of a dead race. The limited nature creates real concern for the well-being of the characters, with no ability to simply magic a way out of situations. And those tough scenarios make an appearance quite frequently. Though Jaska is of a knightly order, his activities are far from savory. He carries out every command, including assassinations. However, one particular task turns out too much. The request to kill a priestess reveals his master's real ambitions and pits him against the empire he once worked for. It's an intricate, weaving plot, with several pieces that fall into place at just the right time. Believable characters exist on both sides of the spectrum, forcing the reader to question black and white assertions of good and evil. All the while, the story maintains the fast pace, action, and entertainment that we have come to expect from fantasy assassin stories. Read if you like: David Gemmell, sword and sorcery, middle-eastern settings.