Posted on  21/08/2024 12:35:01

My rating: 5 shattered stars

for the beginning of a rich tale that has already gained a place among my Top 5 of All-time-favorite sweeping fantasy series, alongside Malazan by Steven Erikson; Wars of Light and Shadow by Janny Wurts, The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan and A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin

If you are a fan of any of those, there's a high chance you're going to love Shattered Dreams by Ulff Lehmann too.
fan art by The Magic Book Corner

I've read this in a buddy read with my good friend Daniel, over at Fantasy Buddy Reads. And the first comment both of us had after just a few chapters was: 'Malazan anyone'? Because Shattered Dreams will plunge the reader straight into a whirlwind of places, events and characters that readers will have a bit of a tough time getting a hold of. And just as with Gardens of the Moon, you need to wait it out, trust the author and keep reading. Because the pieces will slowly fall into place and you'll just as slowly get your bearings.

At its core, this book and implicitly this series, deals with ancient forces reaching forth to shape the world once more, with not only humanity, but several other races caught in between.

"Complacency is the greatest foe of peace." This strong and meaningful sentence represents the opening of Ulff's series and subsequently, the root cause for its events. Because humans never learn from their past and take way too much for granted.

For a hundred years the young kingdom of Danastaer has thrived in peace. After a long and bloody war had raged in between Elves and Wizards and ravaged the world. It had eventually ended in the retreat of Elves beyond the Veil of Dreams, as well as the death of all wizards and that of magic itself. Or so it was believed.
Humanity was left to recover, thinking their troubles were at an end.
But the mighty kingdom of Chanastardh, taking advantage of the complacency of Danastaer, has begun a cunning invasion that threatens to bring about another ruthlessly bloody war.

Drangar Ralgon is a shepherd haunted by a dark past.
'Once, people had called him Scyhte, the wall breaker. Now he was just a shepherd but even that life seemed at an end.' Because old instincts die hard and one used to killing will probably slip back into the habit if ruffled enough. So Dragnar is forced to flee the place he had chosen to spend the remainder of his life in obscurity. Not only that. He also decides to finally face his past and submit to justice for his crimes. But is he truly a villain? Hard to tell because of the way his past haunts him.

fan art by The Magic Book Corner

Jesgar, also known as The Hand, is a famous thief. But one of a special kind. He doesn't break into houses to steal. He does it simply because he can. And because it's a thrilling adventure. He gets recruited to be 'bait' and help discover a traitor among noblemen. But the plan works a little bit too good and more than one traitor is revealed. So Jesgar is thrust into the middle of a game of espionage and intrigue that can prove challenging even for one as good as himself.

Then we have Kildanor the Chosen, a holy warrior and adviser to the Baron of Dunthiochagh, Danastaer's oldest city. Just like his brethren, Kalindar doesn't age. The Chosen have given up their mortality to serve the God of Sun and War. A now outlawed God of a hidingly practiced religion. Kildanor uncovers the enemy's plans for invasion and tries his best to foil them.

Their stories make up the main threads of this novel. But they are intertwined with several others.
An Elf who takes responsibility for an unwitting error made by his people. A wizardess who wakes after a century of slumber to discover that the world she once new is long gone. And many more.

Ulff Lehmann gives us demonologists trying to summon untold horrors, as well as Gods, spirits and creatures in between. Lightbringer being the most intriguing of them all.

Written in multiple POVs and with several separate plot lines, Shattered Dreams is a richly layered and complex fantasy series that will be a bit difficult to follow if one doesn't pay attention.

War is the basis but so much more is built around it. The finer points of justice, as well as the perspective of truth, Religion as a means of control and persecution, fanaticism, as well as light versus dark and good versus evil.

fan art by The Magic Book Corner

The wordbuilding is complex and yet, easy to follow if you just sit back and wait for the explanation. Extremely well written and beautifully polished, this exceptional debut will give you well paced action with vivid scenes and absolutely none of the info-dump readers generally resent.

And then there are the characters. Masterfully written characters. Particularly Dragnar. His depression practically jumps off the page and makes the reader want to either shake him or give him a solid hug! His dance at the edge of the abyss on that knife edge that may any time tip him over - brilliant! Dragnar is one of the most complex and well-written characters I have ever met. And taking into account the fact that he spends half the book as a corpse, that should tell you something!
Kildanor is also no less. Complex and just as beautifully fleshed out, he ranks second on my list of favorites.

Intelligent, intense and ingenious, this is a read for those who prefer sprawling dark fantasy - not the laugh out loud kind of grimdark, but the subtle humor kind.
The kind where a thief sets a bookmark between the pages of a book he was readinmg inside a house he had just broken in. The kind where a holy man compares a prisoner with ropes and tools; and old warrior friends bicker about being a bastard somewhat like this:
'Bastards!'
'No, born and bred to a true family.' Kildanor said.
'Me too.' Nerran added. 'Not his though.'

Now I'm not saying that Ulff doesn't give us laugh out loud moments. Because he does, especially when Bright Eyes is concerned. And you have got to love that little bugger.
fan art by The Magic Book Corner

But these are few compared to the majority of more subtle fun.

Sprawling, beautifully layered, and outstandingly subtle, Shattered Dreams is one of those rare and brilliant series that you need to read slow and pay attention to. You need to savor it, the way you would do with a rare 1947 Château Cheval Blanc. Because it is that good.

I'll be continuing with the rest of the series and highly recommend it to all high dark fantasy lovers out there.
With a little mention:
YOU HAVE GOT TO READ THIS PEOPLE!
It is BRILLIANT!

Check out this book and more of Ulff Lehmann here