Bloodstone

Imagine if the Tycho guy from Penny Arcade wrote a Robert E. Howard pastiche only without even his usual vestigial traces of self-consciousness, irony, and attempted humor, and that's how bad Karl Wagner's writing is. The prose is literally that simultaneously overwrought, and clunky, awkward and downright bad. I have never seen a text repeat the word "bufanoid" so many times before in my life. The protagonist is also a one dimensional cut out wish fulfillment figure with zero charisma to anyone other than the author too. I mean I can't deny this thing is swords and sorcery, but it's also totally trenchcoat and fedora too.

Kane, immortal wanderer, man punished to never-ending servitude for crime he committed. Although he tries to remain human, although he longs for love, for chance to lead men [into whatever he desires] he is forbidden to enjoy fruits of his own efforts. He is an eternal wanderer, man without land or family, treated well by high-lords when he leads their mercenary bands and subjugates their enemies but more than feared when he tries to establish himself as a ruler and a leader (interestingly this almost always unites his enemies – even those very unlike to ever fight side by side).
Wagner’s Kane is a man seeking fortune and wealth (not unlike Conan or other barbarians of similar adventure tales … well, to be honest not unlike any man show more I ever knew) but he suffers from something that was depicted so many times as a main flaw in character of many a member of ancient Greek pantheon – he is immortal and gets bored very soon – he sees no joy in everyday things, he always seeks more, aspires to higher position, more adventures and more power. He is a terrifying force on a battlefield, fearsome warrior and general but also a scholar and possesses intimate knowledge of arcane lore and ancient knowledge (that came together with Elders from the stars when Earth was young). He doesn’t feel much toward human race, since he was expelled from it and every man fears him and/or hates him– so is it so strange that he treats them like a cannon fodder for his political and military machinations (as Wagner says so often in this book – why is Kane so different from all dictators and warlords that destroy everything in front of them and bring nothing more than chaos and death to newly conquered lands; why is he so different from members of the cult that use human sacrifice for their own magic and spread their teaching in not so humane way).
In search for power Kane awakens an ancient self-aware weapon that has landed eons ago from the stars only to end up used as a pawn by that same alien intelligence – he breaks from this bond (freed by the affection and love from the most unexpected source) and does the right thing by destroying this evil entity and again fades into legend just to come out on some other place where he is not known so well.

Excellent book, highly recommended. I am currently searching for other books in the series. show less

Interesting. Hero's a cross between Conan the Barbarian, Elric, and the biblical Cain, and reads like he's the villain of the story. Quite a trick.

I am enjoying Wagner's Kane works. This was the second book after Nightwinds. Kane and the other characters are fleshed out with a story plot weaves the diverse characters into a complete work. Very good sword and sorcery. Definitely on par with Fafhrd and Mouser with Wagner having his own distinct voice. Not a Conan knockoff.

Kane, immortal wanderer, man punished to never-ending servitude for crime he committed. Although he tries to remain human, although he longs for love, for chance to lead men [into whatever he desires] he is forbidden to enjoy fruits of his own efforts. He is an eternal wanderer, man without land or family, treated well by high-lords when he leads their mercenary bands and subjugates their enemies but more than feared when he tries to establish himself as a ruler and a leader (interestingly this almost always unites his enemies even those very unlike to ever fight side by side).[return]Wagner s Kane is a man seeking fortune and wealth (not unlike Conan or other barbarians of similar adventure tales & well, to be honest not unlike any man show more I ever knew) but he suffers from something that was depicted so many times as a main flaw in character of many a member of ancient Greek pantheon he is immortal and gets bored very soon he sees no joy in everyday things, he always seeks more, aspires to higher position, more adventures and more power. He is a terrifying force on a battlefield, fearsome warrior and general but also a scholar and possesses intimate knowledge of arcane lore and ancient knowledge (that came together with Elders from the stars when Earth was young). He doesn t feel much toward human race, since he was expelled from it and every man fears him and/or hates him so is it so strange that he treats them like a cannon fodder for his political and military machinations (as Wagner says so often in this book why is Kane so different from all dictators and warlords that destroy everything in front of them and bring nothing more than chaos and death to newly conquered lands; why is he so different from members of the cult that use human sacrifice for their own magic and spread their teaching in not so humane way). [return]In search for power Kane awakens an ancient self-aware weapon that has landed eons ago from the stars only to end up used as a pawn by that same alien intelligence he breaks from this bond (freed by the affection and love from the most unexpected source) and does the right thing by destroying this evil entity and again fades into legend just to come out on some other place where he is not known so well.[return][return]Excellent book, highly recommended. I am currently searching for other books in the series. show less

The best Kane Novel of all. Kane discovers one of the eldritch keys to an ancient Pre-human technology. A Malevolent Crystalline Intelligence that has slumbered for aeons awakes under Kane and he attempts to reshape the land around him to his own wishes. Except that Bloodstone has plans of its own. The question is whether alien evil is equal to Kane's own malevolence.