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Tarkas, a young and unpretentious Singer, finds himself cast into the role of an apprentice Hero. Together with his mentor, a Demi-God, and a non-descript beast, Tarkas embarks on a mission of uncertain nature. Breathtaking adventure and many dangers are their lot while, undeterred, they move through a Dantesque world.
The universe in which Tarkas moves is governed by capricious gods, demi-gods and other supernatural entities, who set their own rules and then swiftly change them at their whim, leaving Tarkas disoriented and the reader thirsty to see what else they have in store for him.
Unbinding the Stone is a tale through which the reader is forced to face the capricious nature of Life and the obscure meaning of omens that can make you take the wrong turn and head for perdition. It also takes you through the complete gamut of human behavior, from the careless indifference to death to the deepest sympathy for somebody else’s tribulation. But when it comes right down to it, the extraordinary behavior of the characters in the book, when stripped of the magic and fantasy accessories, is not much different from what we face in real life. That makes you wonder.
However, if you don’t feel like philosophizing, don’t worry. The book is just plainly entertaining, even if read without an eye for the roots of human nature. It contains some pearls that make the reader smile no matter what – the “thatway”, a path that can only be found when not paying attention, and a friendly incarnation of Death with which it is a pleasure to go for a walk – to mention just two.
Fans of the genre will find an enjoyable new voice in this fast-paced fable. This is one of those books that make you wonder whether you really read the whole 393 pages; you won’t be able to shake away the feeling that maybe – just maybe – one of the many spells it contains has taken you too quickly, by a hidden magic route, to the last page. I haven’t had this much fun since Willow! Vun Kannon left me breathless with this well-crafted story. Start to finish, the crisp dialogue and detailed, realistic plot of The Flame in the Bowl: Unbinding The Stone never ceases to entertain. The focus of the tale is on the adventures of Tarkas the Singer, a charming character who is always boiling in some sort of moral stew. He doesn’t seem to understand the rules and morals he clumsily applies to his own life until he is cast from his social womb and stumbles blindly into a world of sorcerers, demons, and invisible storm dragons where the rules are as unpredictable as weather. The ensuing adventures are wonderfully exciting as Tarkas and his pals struggle with love, danger, and ominous dreams, moments that are spiced by the presence of carefully composed, witty dialogue. But the most endearing parts of this book for me are the scenes of great compassion, such as when the runner who is spreading the word that Tarkas has been banned pauses long enough to remove his own sandals and give them to the barefoot Tarkas. This is the type of behavior we need more of in our own society, and part of the pleasure in reading this book is realizing how closely Vun Kannon’s characters resemble people you find yourself dreaming you might someday meet on your own streets. In “Ex Libris,” the library has become a very dangerous place to visit. Things are escaping from books—deadly, impossible things. And the only thing standing between these things and chaos are the world’s most highly trained and deadly ninja-librarians. Marc Vun Kannon plays this story with an admirably straight face, which turns out to be a good idea; otherwise, the story might collapse under the weight of the silliness of the original premise.
For those readers who enjoy fantasy, "Ex Libris" by Marc Vun Kannon will be a treat. This solid story about a library where the characters in the books come alive — often with deadly consequences — is an enjoyable thrill ride.
Remarkably complex and often very funny, this first book by Marc Vun Kannon
is more fable than fantasy and reminds me of myths and stories about the
Chinese Monkey God. The Flame in the Bowl: Unbinding the Stone is
definitely NOT your usual, run-of-the-mill tale of saving the world from
dark magics but something considerably more original!
Marc Vun Kannon has created a unique and memorable fantasy tale. This fantasy tale is riddled with detailed descriptions and well-developed settings that bring the characters' experiences to the forefront. The story is filled with original, diverse characters who display personalities and characteristics that make them a joy to read. Readers will enjoy the banter between Khan and Tarkas. Mr. Vun Kannon leads the reader through the story with entertaining dialogue and descriptions. There are moments of action, despair, and humor. Each moment in the story, regardless of how seemingly inconsequential, ties into the much greater whole of Tarkas' journey. Marc Vun Kannon is very adept at taking small details and using them to enhance the overall story. If you enjoy a fantasy novel that has been carefully crafted, you will enjoy The Flame in the Bowl: Unbinding the Stone.
Vun Kannon has written an interesting tale that uses a new approach on how the gods, demi-gods, heroes and elementals interact in order to keep the planes and worlds in order. This is not the ordinary fantasy/sword and sorcery tale and it is one that will give you something to think about as you look forward to more adventures.
This book is filled with one adventure after another, each more exciting than the last. There are bits of humor in it as well. This is also a bit of a coming of age book as Tarkas grows to full hero status and learns all kinds of things about himself. This is definitely an entertaining book and is well worth the time.
"UNBINDING THE STONE is a witty, fantastical adventure with a motley crew of unsuspecting heroes."
"Funny and fantastical, UNBINDING THE STONE is one of the better fantasy novels I've read in a while. I can't wait to see what's next."
I would strongly recommend reading both Unbinding
The Stone and A Warrior Made to see the talent at work. He has a gift
for language and way of making you feel that you are in the story with
Tarkas fighting with the beasts, meeting Death, sleeping in a tree,
and looking for Rogue Lords.
In "The Flame in the Bowl: A Warrior Made", Marc Vun Kannon has crafted a compelling tale of Gods and Goblins, and of Magic and a Hero named Tarkas. Our Hero, along with his nephew Janosec, guides the reader through innumerable adventures. Through each adventure, Vun Kannon paints a word picture which kindles the reader's imagination, resulting in an inferno. A "must read" for every devotee of this genre.
"It was an enjoyable read, lots of action, good imaginary realms. The character
development could be stronger...Good sensual details, good reactions to trauma. The scene
with the burials was touching. The start was a little confusing...but I
really liked Querdishani, the Lady of the Air, and cute little/big
Deffin. Definitely an interesting first novel."
"When I first began to read the book, I thought it was good. As I continued through the chapters, I thought this was great!...after reading his first book, I definitely want more!...There are a lot of things in this book that are interesting and new, creatures that are definitely interesting, an interesting take on the planes, a good spell system, and a method of inter/intra planer travel that is unique.
"That was fun!"
"A happy read."
"Marc Vun Kannon has published Unbinding the Stone, a fantasy novel with an epic vision veiled in a skein of humor and down-to-earth, simple characters. Combining Pratchett's wit with Tolkien's imagination, he creates his story with rare skill...Vun Kannon avoids deus ex machina with grace and élan, has good character development, and is consistent. He has both the trappings and the substance of a good book, weaving them together seamlessly."
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