Darien

I've recently discovered Iggulden's historical novels and although I rarely read fantasy, I was interested to see how he tackles this genre. Very well is the answer; great cast of characters, a well imagined setting and some neat plotting that moves along at a fair old pace.

Darien is a city ruled by twelve families. There's a weak King and a population which goes about its business in what feels like a rather medieval way. There's a plot to kill the King and so the tale unfolds. Iggulden is a really great story teller and that's what it's all about. I was quickly engrossed in the machinations and duplicity. The characters and setting feel real and even the magic and sorcery are almost believable. I found the city setting convincing, even though it's imagined but it's the people who really bring the tale life. There's a diverse cast whose paths crisis cross through the story and it's clearly setting the scene for sequels.

I felt that Iggulden has drawn on his extensive knowledge of real people, places and events and added his own sprinkle of masterful storytelling to deliver a ripping yarn. I loved it and I'll follow with interest.

What happens when an unstoppable force meets an unmoveable object? What happens when magic and power is involved? This spellbinding trip into fantasy explores just this. A worthy ready. Buy it, you wont be disappointed.

The Empire of Salt has declined and fallen. What is left is Darien - a city ruled through a puppet king by twelve noble families. Magic has faded too, and only the wealthy manage to hoard anything more than trinkets. Plague ravages the countryside, and children steal to survive. Society is old and tired, looking back to an earlier age to avoid thinking about the failures and compromises of the modern day. There's no pride, justice, or nobility left.

Darien focuses on a cast of characters who want something more. A thief who dreams of a treasure hoard, a girl who dreams of justice. A gang leader with memories of a nobler calling and a general tired of pointless orders. Darien has been in placid decline for centuries, but times are changing. Plans and paths converge, beginning a chain of events that will either destroy the city or redeem it. 

C. F. Iggulden is actually Conn Iggulden, writing under a different name. Take a moment to recover from the shock of that reveal. Conn Iggulden is primarily known for stories set in ancient Rome, and that comes through in this book. There's a realism to the prose and the ideas, like a sepia filter. The story feels old, and it feels as though it could have really happened. Even the magical elements - which become increasingly noticeable through the novel - blend in seamlessly. Suspension of disbelief is not a problem. "Historical fantasy" isn't a genre, as far as I'm aware, but I find that I rather like it.

The book jumps between perspectives a lot - there are a lot of different characters each with their own, eventually-interweaving plotlines. One thing I liked about this book is that subplots genuinely are interwoven, rather than there being one main thread with the others just tacked on. The overall plot is about the city, not the characters, but each of the characters' roles is important - with one thread missing, everything would change, and it's not always obvious how a particular piece will fit in until it's in place. It makes an interesting change from plot-driven main-quest fantasy.

Darien is a quick read - either because it's relatively short for the genre, or because it rattles along fast. Perhaps due to the unusual plot structure, it never drags; even the quieter scenes move rapidly. In places, I actually would have liked the narrative to slow down a little, to spread out the events and build the tension more slowly. When events start snowballing, the pace accelerates rather inexorably. The book could have handled more space to explore itself without growing tedious. 

It's definitely fantasy - there's magic and everything. It ranges from little trinkets to fire conjuring and giant sword-wielding robots. There are hints throughout though, that Darien is set in some future version of our world. I'm not a huge fan of "actually the future" elements in my fantasy - it bugged me in Dragonriders of Pern, and grates a little every time it occurs in anything else. That is a personal quirk though, not a criticism. I don't like time travel either, but I accept that tastes differ. 

The tagline for the book mentions that it's part of a series. Presumably, the next couple of years will reveal a second Empire of Salt book. The story is really quite self-contained though - there's no obvious main hook for a sequel. The story reaches a natural end, with all the characters disposed off in satisfying ways and places.

I enjoyed Darien. It's rather different to standard epic fantasy - the plot, the prose, almost everything is non-standard. Fantasy is a genre that tends to stagnation, and Darien is absolutely kicking against that. It's a refreshing and engrossing book, and I'd enjoy reading more like it.

Darien is a city of magic, a city of mobs and a city of festivals.

This book focuses on a set of seemingly disparate characters, whose motivations and actions gradually lead them to cross each others' paths, even if only the reader realises the significance of this. It's very enjoyably written, and all of these different elements are worked together really well.

Some of the conversations between characters don't always match with the character/seem to be more plot-led, and the characterisation is occasionally weak, but the whole book was really enjoyable, and a little surprising in places.

I requested this book from NetGalley as I'm a fan of Conn's historical fiction. I thought I would like to see what his foray into fantasy fiction had to offer. To say i was disappointed was to put it mildly. Not in the writing which was superior as usual but just something I cannot put my finger on. I found this book very disjointed and the story hard to follow.It may be fantasy but not the type of fantasy that appeals to me. I am fully aware that this may be a failing on my part. After looking forward to reading this, I sadly have to say not for me.

Darien is the place where most of the story takes place. A city ruled by twelve different families. all vying for control. A fantasy novel is written from several points of view it's well plotted and has the occasional drop of magic. The themes are YA to adult, certainly not younger. It was an okay read, although I felt the ending wasn't as good as the main part. I assume there is a follow-up? If you like Games of Throne sort stuff, you'll like this.

When I first started this book I wasn't sure I whether I was going to like it or not, as it's not the sort of fiction I'd normally read. That feeling prevailed through the first 10% or so of the book - but then it became interesting and I had difficulty putting it down! It's very skillfully written, with the characters all being gradually introduced in such a way that you feel you're getting to know them and how they think and react to situations, whilst they become immersed in the story centred around the City of Darien. The main characters (who I presume we'll see in the books to come) have some sort of talent which sets them apart, Tellius starts off by being a bit like Fagin, but there's a lot more to him! Nancy, who seems so ordinary to begin with but has powers that can destroy, Elias the hunter whose main aim is to look after his family yet gets caught up in a rebellion and Arthur, who looks like a child, but isn't. I don't know quite how to describe this book, for me it's a sort of mixture of Dickens, Tolkien, J.K. Rowling and George R Martin and I loved it!

7/10

I saw this on NetGalley and having read and enjoyed the author’s series on Julius Caesar I requested this instantly. This is his first foray into Fantasy but it is set in a world where his historical background will have aided him in shaping the world. It felt like a Game of Thrones lite in that there were a number of viewpoints and nobody to really root for but it didn’t have the impact or the punch as that (early) series.

The magic in this world was quite an interesting aspect and allowed for a couple of interesting characters. A golem able to mimic actions he’s just witnessed, a woman who drains any magic within her vicinity to then use with flamethrower like skills, a man able to witness events a few moments ahead of time enabling him to avoid any threat. The problem is that these interesting characters were cast aside near the end for an epic battle which fell flat and didn’t really mean anything in the grand scheme of things. I’d have rather have it been smaller in scope and concentrated on the interesting characters and their interactions like in the earlier part of the novel.

The writing is easy flowing and allows for a quick read. It’s a style I like and isn’t bogged down in overly descriptive passages but still enough description to flesh out the world to make it feel lived in. The ending was a little bit flat for me which is why I rated it lower. I would have liked a stronger ending but then again this will be made into a series no doubt (it’s already listed as a series on GoodReads) and it’s not so much as closure as a way to tie off a section of the story.

I’d be happy to read more in the series as there were some interesting ideas and characters but I’d be hoping for something a bit more character focused in the next one.

I was aware of this author's reputation as a writer of historical fiction and the idea of reading the first part of a fantasy series was very appealing. The story effectively has three threads running through it. Firstly there is Elias, a remarkable hunter who is spotted by Deeds a gunman. Next there is Tellius, a Bill Sykes character, and a youngster who joins his group who Tellius names Arthur. The final strand is about Daw who uses magical devices to line his pockets in the main and Nancy who insists that magic doesn't exist.

The other part of the overall scene is the city of Darien where much of the book is set. I guess Darien is a fairly stereotypical city state with rulers who are seen as abusing power and authority. Those who are in authority are doing all they can to retain that authority.

I certainly enjoyed reading this book and found it easy to get into. Mostly the characters worked well enough for me. In particular Elias and Tellius were excellent in my opinion. Elias's skill was interesting and well used. Similarly Tellius's use of the Mazer steps struck me as very good. I did find Daw and particularly Nancy rather less convincing. Parts of Nancy's story line did not really work for me.

In general the action and pace were fine particularly as the book went on; I was happily caught up in the story. This was not a book I would have put down and I enjoyed reading it. My reservation is that the plot lines seem quite well telegraphed. It was apparent to me quite early on the general direction of the story. As I got further into the book I did work out a number of the general storylines.

This took me a while to get into, but once the story started coming together it was an engrossing story about loyalty, and the struggle for power if an empire.

I have been fortunate in receiving a copy of this book from NetGallery in exchange for an unbiased review.. My thanks to the author and publisher and of course NetGallery..
One cannot doubt Conn Iggulden's ability to write and to hold the reader's interest. At over 350 pages it's a bit long for a one sitting read which is at the same time a pity and a good thing. A pity because as the plot unfolds one wants to know more and I was irritated by the need to sleep, a good thing because over the next two days I knew that after the day's drudgery Darien and its world was waiting.
Reading the other reviews will give you a good idea of the plot and in my opinion too many delve too deep and come up with spoilers, so here I will concentrate on the creative effort and development of the characters.
As we are introduced to the characters we also get the feel of this world and the all too familiar influence of outside forces on small rural communities. Good reasons are provided as to why the characters exist and why they make their way to the city. There is enough detail to allow the author to stretch and give him leeway as the series will develops. Hopefully we'll get to learn more as they are published . I do get the feeling that the reader is walking the same path as the author albeit a few paces to the rear and occasionally he manages to turn aside leaving one to wonder where he's going and which direction the story will go.
George RR M's - tardiness in finishing the Song of Ice and Fire has left a wide gap in the market and whilst Darien does not have the sweep of the former it does have a promise of more soon along with an author who is not precious.
A great read and hopefully soon it will be joined by the second in the series - but there is time to read it again and get that feeling back that one is there with the characters and fate is perched on a branch playing the game. You will gather I enjoyed the book and I am very grateful that my thirst for fantasy may be quenched by a true writer.

I have heard a lot about this author and when offered the chance to read his latest work I jumped at it.. Darien started off a little slowly for me and I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy it but hey suddenly everything happened and I was hooked. I loved the character of Nancy who is very much like the Dragon Lady of GOT. In fact this novel is a must for any George Martin fan. Ended up loving it. I gave it three stars for the slow start but it ended as a four star read for me.

So Darien, Empire of Salt is the opening salvo to this high-fantasy trilogy by CF Iggulden, [Conn F Iggulden also happens to be one of my all-time favourite historical fiction authors]. After his books on Genghis Khan and Julius Ceaser (Both towering feats of story-telling, of spell binding imagination that brings alive historical stories drenched in blood and myths!) I was super excited that he turned his hands, to writing a full-on fantasy novel, without the trappings of actual history weighing down on the story. Unfettered imagination and brilliant writing chops, would make this a delectable affair, thought I. and naturally, the expectations were sky-high.

The premise for Darien, an empire at the “weary end of a golden age” was a cracker. Basically, it sets the ground for explosive happenings within the capital city of Darien – where a regicide is being planned and five strangers converge, their fates colliding with each other’s to write a new chapter for the Empire. A plot to kill the king? Political feuds? Backstabbing? Magic! Hell, count me in, thought I. The expectations were now stratospheric. Outer edges of moon and all that.

Conn begins the story by giving us the drop on each of these ‘strangers’ – their backstory, their motivations and what drives them to their ‘fate’ within the city of Darien. This was the most interesting part of the story, personally for me. Elias Post, the hunter – makes a deal with the devil [ a power hungry General Justan who wants to right the wrongs meted out to the people of Darien by bringing in winds of change, a revolution or a military coup to overthrow the absolute tyrannical rule of the ‘Royal’ family ] to save his family and is forced into a contract, the consequences of which could be disastrous. He is brought in by General’s right hand man, a young soldier Vic Deeds, who is better than the devil, when it comes to the guns and is assigned to keep an eye of Elias, to ensure he goes through with the contract. Now Elias was an easy character to follow, to root for. His family’ life is at stake and his ‘knack’ (magical ability) was fascinating, making him the perfect ‘assassin’ or weapon in the wrong hands. But Elias thinks for himself and a multi-layered personality. Vic, on the other hand, is a soldier and doesn’t think beyond saving his own skin. A fairly grey character with hidden motives but I just couldn’t get to like him.

The set of Tellius, an old retired soldier who wants to get back at the ‘arrogant swordmasters inside the city’ discovers a new urchin, who is mute but who might become his greatest student ever. Arthur, the boy who can learn anything within a few seconds of having observed it, however hides a greater secret than Telius can even fathom. I liked Arthur a lot. So much pain, so much hidden behind those silent gaze – and his secret is a mindblowing twist on the story plot. Telius, on the other hand – comes across as just a grumpy old man seeking to better his own fortunes – wasn’t my favourites. There are hints of a complex past, of war and soldiering with a secret sect but Conn doesn’t expound on these, choosing to focus on the tumultuous events of a military coup in the present.
The last set of two intertwined fates, that of Thee – a gambler and Nancy, a young girl down on her luck, started off as the best possible tale. That of an adventure, deep into the hearts of a desert, in search of magical artefacts and treasures. Thee – again an unscrupulous character out to just make good on his own fortunes, wants to use Nancy for the unique gifts she brings in – her ability to suck magic out of artefacts into herself. Nancy, comes across as a troubled soul, wanting to just lead a respectable life and coming to terms with the powers awakening inside her. Again, sadly these two characters didn’t really shine for me much.

Conn is a master of his craft – and the plot keeps unfolding at relentless pace. There is tremendous world building hints thrown out – very intriguing and deep but Conn again chooses to just tease the reader with these being just hints. The Empire of Salt, an erstwhile sprawling empire with its royal families each holding a family heirloom of magic to protect the city of Darien, seems to have some fairly interesting roots, histories. There’s magic aplenty – and Conn keeps these mysterious. Monstrous sorcery hidden deep in a tomb, magical weapons that will keep empires alive and more. There are battles, epic and huge in scale with the whole revolution brewing, skilfully wrought out alive on the pages by Conn that will keep you hooked and in between all the politicking and changing loyalties, there are some genuinely poignant moments, like the fate of Elias Post and his girls or the story of Arthur. I would have loved to see more of the city of Darien, the people, the culture and the practices followed that makes the Empire of Salt what it is. However, we are driven straight into the heart of the revolution as soon as we pass through the gates and I thought this was a shame.


Overall, I think it is a fairly good start to a new series by Conn but the magic and the thrill of reading the Emperor or the Conqueror series was definitely missing. Mainly because I couldn’t get behind and really like any of the multi POV’s in the book. But it’s epic fantasy in its purest form. The fate of an empire hanging in balance as individuals grow into their own destinies – An explosive clash of fortunes involving cunning schemes, political feuds that brings out raging fires, swordplay and gunshots sealing their fate along with city of Darien. A one-time read but don’t go in expecting the same charm of Julius Cesaer or the brutal ferocity of Genghis Khan.

I did not finish this book, its was not for me I apologise, I will not review it on goodreads,I can't and won't bad name something, based on my personal preference.
Good luck with the book.

Very deep sci fi type read. Took time to get into the storyline but eventually drawn in and particularly enjoyed the ending.

As we follow five people within the City of Darien, their destinies are made or lost. One night, everything changes.



Darien starts slow as every person is introduced. Side characters are introduced and the world is built up. Iggulden has a world filled with detail. With his past of historical fiction this isn't surprising. The detail is extremely immersive and you get to know the world really well. I loved the world it was set in, it was an old world, with problems for the lower classes. I also enjoyed that we weren't following one of the royals or twelve houses that are the higher classes within Darien.

At times, Darien is a struggle to read. The writing style is complex and full of intricacies. A lot of focus is needed when reading Darien because of this. I often read before bed, but when I'm winding down this is not the right book. Changing POV's kept confusing me because of lack of focus. It's very similar to Lord of the Rings or ASOIAF books in that sense.

What I enjoyed was the characters are not labelled good or bad. They all have both good and bad traits which are shown throughout the book. This gave the characters so much depth. There was the problem that I didn't know who I was routing for though as sometimes the characters were on opposing 'sides' of the conflict.

The character's storylines could have also been more entwined than they were. Although it was nice to see different POV's from each character, often I questioned whether it was necessary for the overarching plot. For example, the old man, Tellius, did we really need his part of the story for the story to make sense? I don't think we needed the background information. For some characters it was just a mention of missing each other at the same place by mere minutes. I would have been more coherent if it was all interlinked somehow.

Overall, Darien was a nice read. Iggulden has used his historical fiction background to ensure descriptive world building and well written politics. There were just some aspects that I personally didn't enjoy as much as others would.

I do quite like fantasy stories, but there was far to much fighting, war and destruction in this one. I got very bored and found myself skipping through vast quantities of it. Characters were interesting and I had real sympathy for the Golem in particular.., but I thought it lacked a depth of plot , without all the death and destruction it would be a very slight book.

Superb fantasy story with strong and interesting characters in a well imagined world. Clear that the author has used his extensive knowledge of the Roman, Persian and Dark Ages to inform his world building. Very much hope it is the start of a series

I am a big fan of Iggulden's historical novels and although i have never been a fan of fantasy fiction, his name was enough to encourage me to try this new departure for him.

It has a slow start, with quite a percentage of the story dedicated to setting the scene and introducing the main characters, which i found a little slow going. However, once the story gets moving it's fast and furious and as clever and gripping as all his other work.

Every character is finely drawn and you soon connect with them, willing your heroes on to success and, in my case, actually shedding tears when we lose a favourite.

I can see openings here for more tales from this fantasy land and I for one will be reading them,.

For Conn Iggulden's first book in the fantasy realms, his new pen name, C. F. Iggulden, introduces us to the mystical city of Darien and it's this city that is the main focal point of this wonderful story as it allows us the meet a large cast of characters including the famed Twelve Houses of Darien who run the city and keep order within the streets through varying magical and strange artifacts. Along with the major families we also meet a few very special and VERY engaging characters including Elias Post who's a simple man with an extraordinary gift, Arthur the young boy who seems unable to speak but turns out to be the most amazing literary character creation I've found in a while as well as shady Vic Deeds who is a very creepy and underhanded bloke indeed.... among a host of other equally fascinating and interesting characters.

Iggulden has used his previous historical writing experience cleverly here to create a visual and realistic world with the boundaries of the fantasy genre. It all feels very real, very gritty and very, very engaging to the reader. His prose grabbed me in exactly the same way his previous writing have done and it grabbed my tightly throughout the entire book as the pace zipped along from one terrifying scenario to the next even more horrifically emotional one. He really does pay on our human emotions to bring the best out of the story, his characters and the dark world their live in.

If Iggulden was ever worried about whether his readers would enjoy the move to fantasy then I have to say he shouldn't have as it's a most welcome genre jump for me and I hope to read many, many more of his fantasy novels in the future!