Chasers of the Wind (The Cycle of Wind and Sparks)

After the Necromancy Wars of ages past, there was peace for centuries. Small squads of soldiers were easily able to maintain the borders, and the focus of the people turned inwards, towards political jockeying, money making, civil works, and organized crime. Ga-Nor and Luk are soldiers, guarding a strategic pass in the mountains; Grey and Layan are master thieves, seeking to escape the country. The two pairs seem unrelated, until the savage Nabatorians and their Necromancer allies invade the land, and all four are forced together in a desperate quest to stop the undead menace before all perish.

This is a Russian book which has been translated into English; the translation is outstanding. The dialogue feels natural; the descriptions are fluid and precise; the words were well-chosen. The author also inserts brief descriptions of places in events in parentheses, making the novel much more accessible. However, the plot is dull, and moves far too slowly; the characters were also dull. Indeed, except for minor differences in frequency of speech, physical appearance, abilities, and a few regular tics, any one of the characters could be substituted for any other. This book brings nothing new or exciting to the fantasy genre.