Review: Antiphon by Ken Scholes

Antiphon by Ken Scholes

Book Three of The Psalms of Isaak
Genre: Fantasy / Science Fiction
Published: September 2010 by Tor
Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Antiphon is book three of The Psalms of Isaac, a five book epic fantasy series. Wait, don’t leave if you haven’t read the first two books. It’s not entirely necessary to have read them to enjoy this volume, although I recommend doing so. The author takes care to refresh our memories of events that happened in the first two books and provide explanations for those who pick up the series with Antiphon, but the level of understanding and satisfaction will be enhanced with the detail in the first two volumes.

I read books one and two, Lamentation and Canticle, shortly before I read Antiphon. I only recently became acquainted with this series by having the opportunity to review an ARC of Antiphon and so decided to read them all at once. I was not disappointed. Each book gets better. Ken Scholes has created an original world, an ambitious plot and a richly layered epic tale.

The series begins with the destruction of the city of Windwir, the murder of it’s people and the hint of a coming war between the Kingdoms of the Named Lands. At times I felt it was a bit slow while I got to know the characters and their world but that was to be expected with a story this vast and by the end of Lamentation I was hooked on the series.

Antiphon is an even better book than the first two, which I enjoyed. Now that the characters are developed we proceed at a faster pace. More of the plot is revealed, many of the story lines that built up in the first two novels come together, and questions are answered. There are some great plot twists, surprises, and new mysteries arise. “Nothing is as it seems”, as it says on the back cover. The second half of Antiphon flew by and concluded with a climactic ending, an element which I did not feel was present in the first two books.

The writing style is from the point of view of each of the main characters within each chapter. I liked this and felt it allowed the reader to get to know each character. We were able to experience their thoughts and feelings as the point of view would shift. The story flowed nicely and was easy to follow.

This is not your typical wizards and swords story although many elements are present such as dreams to foretell events and the use of magic potions and powders. There is a lot of political maneuvering and alliances among the leaders of the Named Lands and the different religious beliefs in each of the lands contribute to the conflicts. The setting is medieval where characters ride horseback, use knives as weapons and send messages by bird, but there are also mechanical men, powered by steam, who hold a library of knowledge from a bygone era. There is good and evil, love and betrayal and at times the story becomes dark and painful with war, assassinations, and torture. There is a science fiction element present which becomes more evident as the series progresses.

Ken Scholes previously wrote a short story which takes place in the same world that this series inhabits. It occurs many years before Lamentation and explains some of the essential back story to The Psalms of Isaac. It can be read online on the publisher’s web site and is called A Weeping Czar Beholds the Fallen Moon. Readers who enjoy this story will definitely like Antiphon. I recommend Antiphon and the entire Psalms of Isaak series, especially to fans of the fantasy and science fiction genre.
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Source: Review Copy provided by the publisher through Barnes & Noble