Alright. ( )

As with most first novels in a trilogy, this book contains a lot of setup. There are multiple unique races with different religious views, several different magic systems, extensive world building, a prophecy to be explained, and an impending war. Because of this, the book starts slow. Do not fear though, if you stick out the beginning, the resulting action will more then make up for the slow start.

Full Review Here:
Dragons, Heroes and Wizards ( )

Sara Douglass is recognised as one of the most popular fantasy writers in Australia. Her first fantasy adventures, The Axis Trilogy, had an overwhelming response from booksellers, readers and critics (StarMan won the 1996 Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel).
As the first book in Sara Douglass’ The Axis Trilogy, BattleAxe is a compelling epic fantasy.
The ‘Battleaxe’ of the title is Axis, the illegitimate son of the departed Princess Rivkah and the nephew of King Priam, who refuses to acknowledge him as family. His half brother, Borneheld, heir to the childless king, hates Axis and is determined to see him destroyed.

Axis is the the leader of the Axe-Wielders, a religious army. The purpose of the Axe-wielders is to uphold the religious beliefs of the land and destroy any of the ‘Forbidden’ they may chance upon. The Forbidden are races of beings that once populated the land alongside the humans but centuries ago were driven into exile.

A thousand years ago the Acharites drove the Forbidden from their land. Now, strange sightings along Achar’s northern border foreshadow their return. The barbaric tribes of the Ravensbund are pouring south with tales of fearsome beings who feed on the terror of their prey. Winter has come early, and with it the threat of war. Axis is sent to the battlefront at Gorkenfort with his elite Axe-Wielders. Once there, his command is handed over to his hated half-brother Borneheld, and Axis develops a penetrating love for Borneheld’s fiancée, Faraday.

A prophecy says that, one day, the Starman will come who will once again unite the races.

Sure, it is not a perfect book – it is sometimes in need of a good edit, the plot lines are a bit convoluted, and the characters not fully developed. But overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this one – and I look forward to following Douglass on this journey. ( )

Being a fantasy lover, I thoroughly enjoyed this book as well as the rest of the series and the series that followed on The wayfarer redemption. I have recommended it to many students and staff in the school library and have not had a bad report. Well worth reading, Sara Douglass is a fine author ( )

Quite simply an epic that starts slowly and builds into something that you just can't put down, nor do you wish to.
Extremely good series - riveting fantasy epic. ( )