Erin Hoffman

I am, have always been, a big fan of fantasy. By far my favorite genre, it's also the only genre I am willing to take on the risk of reading a new author with a concept that sounds a little shaky without giving it too much thought. It's how I found some of my current favorites (Brandon Sanderson, Rachel Aaron, Juliet Marillier) and how I'll likely find future favorites. Erin Hoffman included.

Don't let the cover mislead you, this isn't a sweet toothed fantasy with gilded pretty ladies and handsome men. Nor is this Asian inspired, despite the Asian fantasy cover art (which I adore, but feels a little out of place amongst the fantasy covers of Dan Dos Santos and Michael Whelan). Instead Hoffman draws on her gaming years to create a fully visualized world efficiently and without having the reader chug through chapters of backstory.

Despite its short length, under 300 pages, SWORD OF FIRE AND SEA uses its space wisely. It doesn't waste words or build in details that will have more significance later in the story. Hoffman focuses quite squarely on the here and now for Vidarian and Ariadel, giving us just enough to understand their situation(s) and motivations.

This is definitely more like the fantasy series of when I was younger and will likely appeal to anyone who enjoys RPGs (Role Playing Games) or MMO's games (Massive Multipleplayer Online). There is a definite 'quest' feel to each of their adventures as Hoffman tosses surprises at them and character relationships are built quickly and predicated on past association or some bonding element.

Surprisingly much of what is outlined in the blurb is not helpful until closer to the end of the book. Though much of it has ramifications (such as the rare genetic disease) the characters don't confront the issues until later on.

Though this is the start of a larger series, its self-contained enough that readers shouldn't feel stunted or unfulfilled. Truthfully speaking a reader could read this and be satisfied with the ending. For the moment I don't know what the second book is about, or who it features or what adventures they'll have, but the questions brought forth in this book were answered and fleshed out.which is enough for me any day of the week.
… (más)

Welcome to Book 2 of the Chaos Knight series, where our intrepid hero Vidarian Rulorat gets to fix the problems that came with opening the gate between worlds. Right up front if you haven't read the first book, read it. Its enjoyable and has some interesting world building elements to it, but beyond that Hoffman doesn't spend a whole lot of time or words talking about what came before. Though even having read the first book (SWORD OF FIRE AND SEA) I'm rather confused. I'm fairly certain time passed, though how much is vague and indeterminate.

My main problem with this second outing was that unlike the first book I felt more like I was reading the straight run through of a video game. The plot moves from Point A to Point B with little enough deviation that it felt stiff. The few deviations are minor and not particularly interesting, while Hoffman doesn't do enough to expand the world itself. Hoffman relies too heavily on the reader's prior knowledge of the first book (who Ruby is, the events surrounding the gate being opened, the feud between the various factions) while somehow giving out information about world sparingly.

I said the first book brought me back to the good old days of adventuring fantasy, and this still holds true. Sadly much like those books I was so fond of in my youth, LANCE OF EARTH AND SKY doesn't move the plot forward enough to make the reader care.

Originally reviewed at Night Owl Reviews… (más)

As readers of epic fantasy, we are spoiled. We've come to expect that anything labeled epic must be epic in all regards. It must require epic feats of strength to carry it; it must be epic in length and effort to read it; it must have an epic length cast. Reading Erin Hoffman's debut novel, "Sword of Fire and Sea," will be a shock to the system for most epic fantasy readers who haven't experienced fantasy from the recent batch of new to the scene fantasy authors. Hoffman employs an economy of words that is near terse - there are no wasted descriptions, no wasted scenes.

As the blurb from Pyr goes, three generations ago Captain Vidarian Rulorat's great-grandfather gave up an imperial commission to marry a
fire priestess. For love, he unwittingly obligated his descendants to an allegiance with the High Temple of Kara'zul, domain of the fire priestesses. Now Vidarian, the last surviving member of the Rulorat family, struggles to uphold his family's legacy. All of this, of course, is background, and this is about as much as is revealed in the novel itself. You can easily disregard the rest of the back flap's description of the book, because the book quickly changes course more than once as you weave through the story. Hoffman does a great job of keeping you turning those pages, though, so that it isn't until the novel is done and you glance at the back of the cover that you remember to ask yourself, whatever happened with that plot point?

For a time of the year when the northern hemisphere fantasy readers are looking for "beach books," preferably something shorter than the tomes the likes of Rothfuss and Sanderson are putting out (which are great, but ruin your tan by blocking out the sun as you struggle to hold a thousand page monstrosity up and turn the page), Hoffman's debut will be a fun delight.

My only complaint about the novel, and I'm phrasing this so it isn't a spoiler, is - really? "Correctamundo?" "See you later, alligator?" You've got a lot of explaining to do, Ms. Hoffman :)… (más)