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Manifest Delusions #1
Beyond Redemption
Faith shapes the landscape, defines the laws of physics, and makes a mockery of truth. Common knowledge isn't an axiom, it's a force of nature. What the masses believe is. But insanity is a weapon, conviction a shield. Delusions give birth to foul new gods.
Violent and dark, the world is filled with the Geisteskranken—men and women whose delusions manifest, twisting reality. High Priest Konig seeks to create order from chaos. He defines the beliefs of his followers, leading their faith to one end: a young boy, Morgen, must Ascend to become a god. A god they can control.
But there are many who would see this would-be-god in their thrall, including the High Priest’s own Doppels, and a Slaver no one can resist. Three reprobates—The Greatest Swordsman in the World, a murderous Kleptic, and possibly the only sane man left—have their own nefarious plans for the young god.
As these forces converge on the boy, there’s one more obstacle: time is running out. When one's delusions become more powerful, they become harder to control. The fate of the Geisteskranken is to inevitably find oneself in the Afterdeath.
The question, then, is: Who will rule there?
Violent and dark, the world is filled with the Geisteskranken—men and women whose delusions manifest, twisting reality. High Priest Konig seeks to create order from chaos. He defines the beliefs of his followers, leading their faith to one end: a young boy, Morgen, must Ascend to become a god. A god they can control.
But there are many who would see this would-be-god in their thrall, including the High Priest’s own Doppels, and a Slaver no one can resist. Three reprobates—The Greatest Swordsman in the World, a murderous Kleptic, and possibly the only sane man left—have their own nefarious plans for the young god.
As these forces converge on the boy, there’s one more obstacle: time is running out. When one's delusions become more powerful, they become harder to control. The fate of the Geisteskranken is to inevitably find oneself in the Afterdeath.
The question, then, is: Who will rule there?
480 pages, Paperback
First published June 16, 2015
About the author
Michael R. Fletcher
47 books1,199 followersMichael R. Fletcher is a science fiction and fantasy author, a grilled cheese aficionado, and a whiskey-swilling reprobate. He spends his days choreographing his forklift musical (titled "Get Forked"), and using caffeine as a substitute for sanity. Any suggestions that he is actually Dyrk Ashton in disguise are all lies.
Blog (kinda): http://michaelrfletcher.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelRFlet...
Twitter: @FletcherMR
Instagram: fletcher_michael_r
Blog (kinda): http://michaelrfletcher.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelRFlet...
Twitter: @FletcherMR
Instagram: fletcher_michael_r
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 602 reviews
July 26, 2023
4.5/5 stars
I don’t think I truly knew what I was signing up for when I started reading this book because it was beyond anything I could ever dream of, and was insanely marvelous.
Beyond Redemption, the first book in the Manifest Delusions series by Michael R. Fletcher is what I foresee as the beginning of a magnificent series in the grimdark fantasy genre.
This was an incredibly dark, riveting start to a series. The Gefahrgeist (Sociopath), who can be defined as those who are driven by their own selfishness and limited ability to empathized with others, will do everything in their power to bend the world to their own will, along with the other Geisteskranken (Delusionist), who has the power to manifest their delusions. The reality is highly responsive in this mad world and with that comes an opportunity; the stronger a person or the masses belief on an idea, the higher the chances are that those ideas will be manifested in reality. The possibilities are limitless -- even creating a new god is possible.
The plot of the book revolves around a boy who is believed to be the incarnation of a new god, and the several different forces who are trying to get their hands on the boy in order to control a god and further their own agenda. The story never failed to entertain me. It was incredibly hard to put down and every time I did, I would find myself reaching for it again; it was simply irresistible. The plot was truly violent, original, dark, gory, and filled with dark humor. It was also surprisingly philosophical. I was enthralled with this mad world right from the first page due to the originality of the concept.
It wasn't only the story and concept that captivated me; the deranged characters were the perfect companion to enhance my reading experience. The main trio of the story was fantastically crafted. Bedeckt, probably the last sane man in this mad world; Wichtig, a minor Gefahrgeist who believed himself to be the Greatest Swordsman in the World; and Schelten, a deadly murderous Kleptic (Kleptomania), have become characters that I truly care about despite them being almost totally evil. I loved their dysfunctional friendship, their interactions, their way of ‘caring’ about each other, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading all of their hilarious banter, clever manipulation, and bloody action scenes.
Picture: Beyond Redemption sketches by Richard Anderson, featuring the main trio of the story.
The main characters were very well-written, but don’t get me wrong, they weren't the only ones. Each character in the book was equally well-written. They all have their own agendas, which tend to be evil and insane. Outside of the main trio, almost every other side character in this book has their own POV, which made the cast of this book more colorful in personality than many fantasy books on the market.
I don’t think I need to say a lot on this topic, but the world-building was done exceptionally well; Fletcher has established a mad world filled with intricate rules, history, and a vividly described environment. It’s a great setup for the rest of the series. My favorite aspect of the world-building is that every Geisteskranken in the book, came from our real-world mental illnesses such as Cotardist (Cotard’s Syndrome), Doppelgangists (Syndrome of Subjective Doubles), Hassebrand (Pyromaniac), Kleptic (Kleptomania), and Gefahrgeist (Sociopath) to say a few. The inclusion of these mental illnesses into this grimdark fantasy is what made the book very original and a one of a kind experience.
Finally, Fletcher’s prose in this novel really worked well for me. I read Fletcher’s other standalone Cyberpunk book, Ghosts of Tomorrow, before reading Beyond Redemption and I must say, his prose here was even more dramatic, engaging, and more suited for my taste. I loved how raw, brutal, immersive, and heartfelt the writing is. It also never fails to be thought-provoking and, most importantly, addictive. The minor cons I had reading the book was that I felt the climax sections could have been expanded a bit longer. I also think the first half of the book focused too much on Gehirn and The Slaver that the pacing felt a bit sluggish compared to the second half. The second half was utterly compelling for me.
I feel like I found a hidden obsidian gemstone out of nowhere. Not a lot of people have read this book despite how much its resplendent darkness shines. Right after I finished reading it, I had a strong feeling or delusion that this series, depending on how the second book goes, will become one of my favorite series of all time, and I shall continue immediately to the second book to see whether that delusion will manifest or not. I absolutely recommend this for any lover of grimdark fantasy. I hope my review of this book piqued your interest and that you consider picking it up. Otherwise, I guess you can say that:
I’d like to also give a huge thank you to my good friend, Sarah from Booksprens, for recommending and giving me my first ever dedicated signed book. Thank you very much to both you and the author, Fletcher. This super early Christmas gift means a LOT to me! If we ever meet in real life, drinks are on me.
You can order this book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Anastasia, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, Diana, Donna, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Frank, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Hunter, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Justin, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tori, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe.
I don’t think I truly knew what I was signing up for when I started reading this book because it was beyond anything I could ever dream of, and was insanely marvelous.
Beyond Redemption, the first book in the Manifest Delusions series by Michael R. Fletcher is what I foresee as the beginning of a magnificent series in the grimdark fantasy genre.
"In a world where belief defines reality, the Gefahrgeist is king.”
This was an incredibly dark, riveting start to a series. The Gefahrgeist (Sociopath), who can be defined as those who are driven by their own selfishness and limited ability to empathized with others, will do everything in their power to bend the world to their own will, along with the other Geisteskranken (Delusionist), who has the power to manifest their delusions. The reality is highly responsive in this mad world and with that comes an opportunity; the stronger a person or the masses belief on an idea, the higher the chances are that those ideas will be manifested in reality. The possibilities are limitless -- even creating a new god is possible.
“One truism lay underneath every choice and word: change what people think and you change the world.”
The plot of the book revolves around a boy who is believed to be the incarnation of a new god, and the several different forces who are trying to get their hands on the boy in order to control a god and further their own agenda. The story never failed to entertain me. It was incredibly hard to put down and every time I did, I would find myself reaching for it again; it was simply irresistible. The plot was truly violent, original, dark, gory, and filled with dark humor. It was also surprisingly philosophical. I was enthralled with this mad world right from the first page due to the originality of the concept.
“Failure may be a harsh teacher, but you tend not to forget its lessons.”
It wasn't only the story and concept that captivated me; the deranged characters were the perfect companion to enhance my reading experience. The main trio of the story was fantastically crafted. Bedeckt, probably the last sane man in this mad world; Wichtig, a minor Gefahrgeist who believed himself to be the Greatest Swordsman in the World; and Schelten, a deadly murderous Kleptic (Kleptomania), have become characters that I truly care about despite them being almost totally evil. I loved their dysfunctional friendship, their interactions, their way of ‘caring’ about each other, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading all of their hilarious banter, clever manipulation, and bloody action scenes.
Picture: Beyond Redemption sketches by Richard Anderson, featuring the main trio of the story.
The main characters were very well-written, but don’t get me wrong, they weren't the only ones. Each character in the book was equally well-written. They all have their own agendas, which tend to be evil and insane. Outside of the main trio, almost every other side character in this book has their own POV, which made the cast of this book more colorful in personality than many fantasy books on the market.
I don’t think I need to say a lot on this topic, but the world-building was done exceptionally well; Fletcher has established a mad world filled with intricate rules, history, and a vividly described environment. It’s a great setup for the rest of the series. My favorite aspect of the world-building is that every Geisteskranken in the book, came from our real-world mental illnesses such as Cotardist (Cotard’s Syndrome), Doppelgangists (Syndrome of Subjective Doubles), Hassebrand (Pyromaniac), Kleptic (Kleptomania), and Gefahrgeist (Sociopath) to say a few. The inclusion of these mental illnesses into this grimdark fantasy is what made the book very original and a one of a kind experience.
Finally, Fletcher’s prose in this novel really worked well for me. I read Fletcher’s other standalone Cyberpunk book, Ghosts of Tomorrow, before reading Beyond Redemption and I must say, his prose here was even more dramatic, engaging, and more suited for my taste. I loved how raw, brutal, immersive, and heartfelt the writing is. It also never fails to be thought-provoking and, most importantly, addictive. The minor cons I had reading the book was that I felt the climax sections could have been expanded a bit longer. I also think the first half of the book focused too much on Gehirn and The Slaver that the pacing felt a bit sluggish compared to the second half. The second half was utterly compelling for me.
I feel like I found a hidden obsidian gemstone out of nowhere. Not a lot of people have read this book despite how much its resplendent darkness shines. Right after I finished reading it, I had a strong feeling or delusion that this series, depending on how the second book goes, will become one of my favorite series of all time, and I shall continue immediately to the second book to see whether that delusion will manifest or not. I absolutely recommend this for any lover of grimdark fantasy. I hope my review of this book piqued your interest and that you consider picking it up. Otherwise, I guess you can say that:
“I am Beyond Redemption”
I’d like to also give a huge thank you to my good friend, Sarah from Booksprens, for recommending and giving me my first ever dedicated signed book. Thank you very much to both you and the author, Fletcher. This super early Christmas gift means a LOT to me! If we ever meet in real life, drinks are on me.
You can order this book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Anastasia, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, Diana, Donna, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Frank, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Hunter, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Justin, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tori, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe.
February 27, 2018
Well that was different. It didn't seem like a grimdark to me but I'm crazy so who knows.
At first I was finding the book boring but I kept going and it turned out rather good =) Yes, there are all kinds of killings and some narley stuff with mirrors (don't ask) but it was good!
Here we have the 3 stooges who hate each other more than anything (not really) and they are rather funny. I just wish the Stehlen wouldn't spit every 5 minutes and Bedeckt with his sinus infection! Dear God! And Wichtig who was full of himself. I loved them 😄
Ignoring Wichtig, Bedeckt continued. "We work together. We're a team. A shite team, but we get things done. We aren't friends and we sure as shite aren't lovers. Never forget: I'd kill either of you if there was money in it for me."
"Stop it, I'm getting all misty-eyed." Wichtig pretended to mop at tears. "Stehlen, throw me a few gold coins-they're probably mind anyway-and I'll bed you."
Stehlen's stiletto hissed out and Wichtig laughed at her. Pretending nonchalance, he moved his horse away, carefully staying out of reach.
"There's an inn." Bedeckt pointed up the street. "Put your knife away, woman. Gut him after I've had a drink."
Then there is Konig who is the high priest and a nutter. He also has three doppels named, Acceptance, Abandonment and Trepidation.
He's up to all kinds of no good. There are some other peeps around him that aren't so bad.
But my favorite parts were with the trio.
"What the hells is going on in your thick skull, old man?" she demanded. "You look like you ate a cat turd." She tried to poke him again but he batted her hand away. "Ho ho! Old man is grumpy. You spend too much time thinking. Explains your cat turd face. I'll fetch idiot. Let's go back to Leichtes Haus for drinks."
"Fine." Bedeckt turned into the crowd and shoved his way through. People complained only until they caught sight of his scarred face and body and the massive ax slung over his shoulder.
He heard Stehlen shouting at Wichtig, "Hey, idiot! Cat-turd face needs a pint."
I totally wasn't expecting that ending either. Still loved the book!!
Happy Reading!
Mel ❤️
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
AMAZON: REVIEW
June 14, 2017
5/5
This is one of those books that you don't expect to be so good, like it runs up behind you and coward punches your face in until you love it. I went into this book knowing I would like it because of that blurb, but having finished it I'm just sitting here mind blown, literally like I'm questioning my own sanity right now. This is one of the most thought provoking novels I've ever read in my entire life. The plot is so intricate and complex and I can't believe this is a debut novel. I am so impressed by everything. It's a rarity that I read a novel where I hate every single character in it, but love the book with every inch of my heart. This was a fabulous and well written journey into the darker side of mental illnesses. It was also extremely fast paced, full of unexpected things & had a straight forward different magic system. It of course didn't come without flaws but alas, they were very minor (I'll talk about these later). I've been praying to the Gods of Grimdark for a while now, I just need a proper Grimdark that I don't roll my eyes at or doesn't try to hard to be dark. Well folks this is that book. It's warped, disturbing, disgusting & amazing all at once. I hate every character and they are proper villains (finally). I love books like this where you don't know who the real villain is. Is there even a villain? Or is everyone the villain? I don't know. But i honestly just love the whole concept of everyone being a fucked up evil mess. But despite hating the characters I actually felt terrible if something bad happened to anyone. At one point I was sick to my stomach because it was so intense. So this author is obviously extremely talented to have me hating everyone with a passion then sobbing quietly in the corner if they got hurt, especially Konig (I have no idea why, because I hate that guy his a c@&$). Oh and it made me happy that every single person was so ugly and I'm talking hideous. It helped me hate them more... Except Wichtig his beautiful & easy to hate.
Basically this is a story about villainary and villains doing villainous things. Everything I've ever wanted in a book. In a world where mental illness is power, the more insane you are the stronger you are at delusions and magic. Violent and dark, the world is filled with the Geisteskranken men and women whose delusions manifest, twisting reality. 'Belief defines reality' . There is a high priest Konig. Who is moulding a god from his own hands, twisting the child's mind everyday until this child is the 'perfect' God. However Konig isn't the only person who wants this god child to Ascend with his influence, in a world full of real walking doppelgänger's, kleptomaniac's, sociopaths, narcissists, schizophrenics, dysmophics, spilt personalities & psychopaths, all with their own intent to capture the gold child. Time is running out for everyone & this could be everyone's last chance of redemption before they pass into the after death. Yes this book is as good as it sounds and without saying spoilers I will say that it is so much more complex then the blurb leads you to believe. Blew my expectations out of the water at full speed. It took me a while to get to this novel because of the disappointing Grimdarks I've read lately, but trolling goodreads I came across two DNF reviews one was "this book was to dark" the second "it villainized mental illness". Which quite honestly made me want to read the book even more, that's when I added it to my priority list and I'm glad I did. It washed me into a void of craziness. Definitely not for everyone, I understand this, it is very gritty, full of badassery, dark, obscene & so fucking brutal, like it's beyond redemption. Which I guess most people don't enjoy. but I honestly love this shite the more crazy the better. I also just want to touch on the 'villainized mental illness' in this book. I totally understand how someone could feel this book demonizes mental illness. However I strongly feel that the author isn't trying to demonize mental illnesses instead he is showing his readers the dark side to a mental illness. Let's be real there are Orc shite crazy people out there who do bad things on a daily basis and that's exactly what this book is about. It's about being inside the head of someone who is so crazy they are actually 'delusional'. This book is one big mind fuck. But a good one. There is very little relief in the novel because even the authors humour is extremely grim, so if your a soft kitten who loves cuddles and rainbows, you definitely should not read this.
artwork by Quint VonCanon
Now I wanna talk about some shite that ruffled my feathers, like I said earlier there was a few minor cons. Firstly I need to talk about the over usage of the word shite. It really started to give me the shites. Every single page shite was said atleast five times. Shite Mccrikey. I've had enough. It is also one of those books that you need to concentrate on really hard, because the author has a rich vocabulary and it's also a little confusing because the concept is so different, so in this first 20% my poor simple mind had trouble following, however my delusions grew stronger and I have a doppelgänger that is highly intelligent which helped me understand the plot better. But in reality around 20% in most things are explained so the story becomes more enjoyable and easier to follow. Another thing that I personally didn't like (matter of personal taste here folks) is the German names. I have nothing against the language, it just confused me BUT I did get used to it and it taught me how to pronounce some huge tongue twisters. I'm now a delusional idiot from reading this.. Oh, I think I already was but I'm worse now.
artwork by Quint VonCanon
Recommended to all people who are hardcore. Also fans of Abercrombie, Erikson & R. Scott Bakker, will enjoy this novel. Also if you love dark fantasy and appreciate mind blowing differentness this book is for you.
artwork by Quint VonCanon
P.s. I think, I just became this authors biggest fan.
You can find this review and my other reviews at Booksprens.
"A sane man is simply a man afraid to unleash his inner demons."
This is one of those books that you don't expect to be so good, like it runs up behind you and coward punches your face in until you love it. I went into this book knowing I would like it because of that blurb, but having finished it I'm just sitting here mind blown, literally like I'm questioning my own sanity right now. This is one of the most thought provoking novels I've ever read in my entire life. The plot is so intricate and complex and I can't believe this is a debut novel. I am so impressed by everything. It's a rarity that I read a novel where I hate every single character in it, but love the book with every inch of my heart. This was a fabulous and well written journey into the darker side of mental illnesses. It was also extremely fast paced, full of unexpected things & had a straight forward different magic system. It of course didn't come without flaws but alas, they were very minor (I'll talk about these later). I've been praying to the Gods of Grimdark for a while now, I just need a proper Grimdark that I don't roll my eyes at or doesn't try to hard to be dark. Well folks this is that book. It's warped, disturbing, disgusting & amazing all at once. I hate every character and they are proper villains (finally). I love books like this where you don't know who the real villain is. Is there even a villain? Or is everyone the villain? I don't know. But i honestly just love the whole concept of everyone being a fucked up evil mess. But despite hating the characters I actually felt terrible if something bad happened to anyone. At one point I was sick to my stomach because it was so intense. So this author is obviously extremely talented to have me hating everyone with a passion then sobbing quietly in the corner if they got hurt, especially Konig (I have no idea why, because I hate that guy his a c@&$). Oh and it made me happy that every single person was so ugly and I'm talking hideous. It helped me hate them more... Except Wichtig his beautiful & easy to hate.
"My mirror never shows me what I want to see. I can’t possibly be that fat and ugly!"
Basically this is a story about villainary and villains doing villainous things. Everything I've ever wanted in a book. In a world where mental illness is power, the more insane you are the stronger you are at delusions and magic. Violent and dark, the world is filled with the Geisteskranken men and women whose delusions manifest, twisting reality. 'Belief defines reality' . There is a high priest Konig. Who is moulding a god from his own hands, twisting the child's mind everyday until this child is the 'perfect' God. However Konig isn't the only person who wants this god child to Ascend with his influence, in a world full of real walking doppelgänger's, kleptomaniac's, sociopaths, narcissists, schizophrenics, dysmophics, spilt personalities & psychopaths, all with their own intent to capture the gold child. Time is running out for everyone & this could be everyone's last chance of redemption before they pass into the after death. Yes this book is as good as it sounds and without saying spoilers I will say that it is so much more complex then the blurb leads you to believe. Blew my expectations out of the water at full speed. It took me a while to get to this novel because of the disappointing Grimdarks I've read lately, but trolling goodreads I came across two DNF reviews one was "this book was to dark" the second "it villainized mental illness". Which quite honestly made me want to read the book even more, that's when I added it to my priority list and I'm glad I did. It washed me into a void of craziness. Definitely not for everyone, I understand this, it is very gritty, full of badassery, dark, obscene & so fucking brutal, like it's beyond redemption. Which I guess most people don't enjoy. but I honestly love this shite the more crazy the better. I also just want to touch on the 'villainized mental illness' in this book. I totally understand how someone could feel this book demonizes mental illness. However I strongly feel that the author isn't trying to demonize mental illnesses instead he is showing his readers the dark side to a mental illness. Let's be real there are Orc shite crazy people out there who do bad things on a daily basis and that's exactly what this book is about. It's about being inside the head of someone who is so crazy they are actually 'delusional'. This book is one big mind fuck. But a good one. There is very little relief in the novel because even the authors humour is extremely grim, so if your a soft kitten who loves cuddles and rainbows, you definitely should not read this.
artwork by Quint VonCanon
"Their malnourished bodies reminded Gehirn of sticks and dry tinder and she resisted the urge to burn them where they stood"
Now I wanna talk about some shite that ruffled my feathers, like I said earlier there was a few minor cons. Firstly I need to talk about the over usage of the word shite. It really started to give me the shites. Every single page shite was said atleast five times. Shite Mccrikey. I've had enough. It is also one of those books that you need to concentrate on really hard, because the author has a rich vocabulary and it's also a little confusing because the concept is so different, so in this first 20% my poor simple mind had trouble following, however my delusions grew stronger and I have a doppelgänger that is highly intelligent which helped me understand the plot better. But in reality around 20% in most things are explained so the story becomes more enjoyable and easier to follow. Another thing that I personally didn't like (matter of personal taste here folks) is the German names. I have nothing against the language, it just confused me BUT I did get used to it and it taught me how to pronounce some huge tongue twisters. I'm now a delusional idiot from reading this.. Oh, I think I already was but I'm worse now.
artwork by Quint VonCanon
“Always best to start with violence and attempt communication second. People reacted more favorably when they knew you would snuff a few lives to get what you wanted... or for no reason whatsoever.”
Recommended to all people who are hardcore. Also fans of Abercrombie, Erikson & R. Scott Bakker, will enjoy this novel. Also if you love dark fantasy and appreciate mind blowing differentness this book is for you.
“I am beyond redemption.”
artwork by Quint VonCanon
P.s. I think, I just became this authors biggest fan.
You can find this review and my other reviews at Booksprens.
August 16, 2016
"I described it to friends as follows: “It’s like reading ‘Game of Thrones’ except every character is Walder Frey.” Which is to say they are morally repellent assholes, every one. And yet, somehow, it works. I found myself, improbably, rooting for the bad guys–in part because everyone is a bad guy."
Read my full review at https://nicholaseames.com/2016/07/20/...
Read my full review at https://nicholaseames.com/2016/07/20/...
February 28, 2017
At around 15-20% through the book, I was thinking that IF it got a lot better soon enough, it might get four stars, or else it will have to do with three. Finishing the book, I can only say this: A perfect five is not nearly enough.
In a World not far from our own in the Middle Ages, people can define reality with their beliefs. Think that someone loves you desperately, and he will die serving you. Think that you can manifest flames, and you will burn everything around you. Think that you can create a God, and who knows... you may fuck up the world.
"Most only dare tread the waters of insanity at night as they lie dreaming. Cowards. Dive deep into your psychopathy. Let loose the demons of delusion and know, in the end, when they finally devour you, you swam with sharks"
I had a little bit of trouble getting into this story. With weird German names on the one hand (if I knew Fletcher a little better, I would tell him to stick "Geldangelegenheiten" where the sun don't shine), and what only at the beginning seemed like a couple of boring characters on the other, I thought that I wouldn't really enjoy the story. But man, am I bad at predictions.
Fletcher's debut is a compelling, bizarre and addictive story that unfolds and unfolds with unbound imagination that itself is augmented by a polyphonic prose and a rarely but masterfully used Pathetic Fallacy. Allegorical quotes that manage to be entertaining as well as didactic only amplify this excellent composition.
The "magic" system is well-thought-out, easy to understand and rather original (at least to me) having seen something similar only on The Broken Empire by Mark Lawrence. The characters are compelling and multidimensional, and the world-building can only be described as mesmerizing.
All in all, Beyond Redemption is a great, dark, gritty and grim story that deserves your attention, and with the publication date of the 2nd book only a few days away, you may as well start it today.
You can find more of my reviews over at http://BookNest.eu/
In a World not far from our own in the Middle Ages, people can define reality with their beliefs. Think that someone loves you desperately, and he will die serving you. Think that you can manifest flames, and you will burn everything around you. Think that you can create a God, and who knows... you may fuck up the world.
"Most only dare tread the waters of insanity at night as they lie dreaming. Cowards. Dive deep into your psychopathy. Let loose the demons of delusion and know, in the end, when they finally devour you, you swam with sharks"
I had a little bit of trouble getting into this story. With weird German names on the one hand (if I knew Fletcher a little better, I would tell him to stick "Geldangelegenheiten" where the sun don't shine), and what only at the beginning seemed like a couple of boring characters on the other, I thought that I wouldn't really enjoy the story. But man, am I bad at predictions.
Fletcher's debut is a compelling, bizarre and addictive story that unfolds and unfolds with unbound imagination that itself is augmented by a polyphonic prose and a rarely but masterfully used Pathetic Fallacy. Allegorical quotes that manage to be entertaining as well as didactic only amplify this excellent composition.
The "magic" system is well-thought-out, easy to understand and rather original (at least to me) having seen something similar only on The Broken Empire by Mark Lawrence. The characters are compelling and multidimensional, and the world-building can only be described as mesmerizing.
All in all, Beyond Redemption is a great, dark, gritty and grim story that deserves your attention, and with the publication date of the 2nd book only a few days away, you may as well start it today.
You can find more of my reviews over at http://BookNest.eu/
January 7, 2022
delightful!
November 14, 2015
Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths.
Exquisite mayhem and madness, Beyond Redemption is a novel which appears once every few years; a harbinger of things to come that takes the familiar fantasy tropes and twists them into something fresh and original. Like Joe Abercrombie’s The First Law or Mark Lawrence’s Broken Empire, Mr. Fletcher has now become a trailblazer, breaking away from the traditional path of epic fantasy as he crafts a world full of grimdark characters, delicious madness, and stunning magic. A new path which future novels will be forced to follow, because Beyond Redemption has just made grimdark even grimmer.
The descent into magical madness begins right from the first page.
The old gods were broken by wars and plagues of the mind, left reeling like the most bloodied veterans. Infected with horror at the cost of their actions, they retreated into dementia … Seeking to free themselves, they fled to a world of delusion, a world uncorrupted by jealousies and psychoses. And yet, in the end, even this they would pollute.
From this ominous setup, Mr. Fletcher introduces a land where reality is literally created by the madness and delusion of gifted (or insane, you have to decide) people. This insanity coming in many, many forms. There are Geisteskranken, whose psychoses actually transform the world around them; their madness becoming reality for normal people. Hassebrands are pyromaniacs, burning people to ash when their control slips. Kleptics can steal from anyone, no matter how vigilant they protect themselves. Cotardist become near indestructible assassins, as they already believe they are dead, so they are impossible to kill. Doppelgangist create duplicates of themselves, who then go out to act independently of their creators. Then there are the Gefahrgeists, who are sociopaths, gaining strength from those that worship them. And so many more.
Naturally, the world where these crazed magicians create their warped versions of reality is a dark place to live. Abandoned by the gods, left to delude themselves into creating whatever world they wish, the inhabitants of this land are in a perpetual flux of being; the nature of the world constantly shifting as mad magicians rise in power or eventually lose themselves in their own delusions, causing all their work to crash down around them.
If only there was a way to stop the perpetual evolution of reality? Control it somehow. Then an eternal paradise could be created for humanity.
Oh, but there is a way. At least Konig Furimmer, an immensely powerful Geisteskranken, believes there is. All he has to do is create his own god; one who will serve him and rescue him from the inevitable madness of using his powers. Then the Geborene Damonen religion Konig has created can spread across the world and bring peace and prosperity to everyone.
Only one problem with Konig’s scheme. First, he has to create a being so perfect, so pliable, and so trusting that when it is his time to die (Gods can only become gods by being killed and ascending to their godhood in this world.) he will willingly go to the sacrificial altar. Second, Konig has to be the one who kills him, because only by slaying him can he force this risen god to obey him.
Brilliant plan. Unfortunately, there are always unexpected hurdles to overcome in any situation. Konig’s problem turns out to be something so simple he overlooked the possibility of it arising: outsiders.
Just when everything seems to be ready for Konig to create his god, a trio of drifters led by Bedeckt arrive in the land. This aged warrior is as sane as they come, troubling so; he is also a desperate man, who is looking for one last big score to set him up for retirement. Following him are his very untrustworthy companions: Wichtig, the “Greatest Swordsman in the World” and Stehlen, a Kleptic who will steal your shite and cut your throat before you even know it is occurring. When these three ride in and hear that a god is about to be created, Bedeckt immediately recognizes a way to end all his financial worries forever!
The tale that follows is grimdark at its grimmest and darkest. Nearly every character is vile beyond imagining. Insanity permeates every facet of the story. Mindless violence and very deliberate torture are present everywhere. People fight; people enslave others; and some people live in their own magically created hells. Decent people do atrocious things. Some really insane people do decent things. Plus, nothing is as it seems, because this whole place – the buildings, the farms, the people, everything – is a delusion of the criminally insane after all.
All in all, Beyond Redemption doesn’t sound like the type of story which I usually enjoy, but I did like it – immensely, in fact. Mr. Fletcher does such an amazing job crafting this morbid tale that I couldn’t stop turning the pages. His writing style effortlessly balancing between detailed and fast paced, somehow capturing the depth of the delusions, presenting the appalling dark side of worldwide insanity, and yet constantly convincing me to follow him down the path of madness to its inevitable conclusion.
Wildly imaginative, addictively entertaining, and morbidly dark, Beyond Redemption is a grimdark fantasy that more people should give a try. I know, madness can be intimidating, but once you get a taste of Mr. Fletcher’s fantasy version, you will see just how delicious it really is.
Exquisite mayhem and madness, Beyond Redemption is a novel which appears once every few years; a harbinger of things to come that takes the familiar fantasy tropes and twists them into something fresh and original. Like Joe Abercrombie’s The First Law or Mark Lawrence’s Broken Empire, Mr. Fletcher has now become a trailblazer, breaking away from the traditional path of epic fantasy as he crafts a world full of grimdark characters, delicious madness, and stunning magic. A new path which future novels will be forced to follow, because Beyond Redemption has just made grimdark even grimmer.
The descent into magical madness begins right from the first page.
The old gods were broken by wars and plagues of the mind, left reeling like the most bloodied veterans. Infected with horror at the cost of their actions, they retreated into dementia … Seeking to free themselves, they fled to a world of delusion, a world uncorrupted by jealousies and psychoses. And yet, in the end, even this they would pollute.
From this ominous setup, Mr. Fletcher introduces a land where reality is literally created by the madness and delusion of gifted (or insane, you have to decide) people. This insanity coming in many, many forms. There are Geisteskranken, whose psychoses actually transform the world around them; their madness becoming reality for normal people. Hassebrands are pyromaniacs, burning people to ash when their control slips. Kleptics can steal from anyone, no matter how vigilant they protect themselves. Cotardist become near indestructible assassins, as they already believe they are dead, so they are impossible to kill. Doppelgangist create duplicates of themselves, who then go out to act independently of their creators. Then there are the Gefahrgeists, who are sociopaths, gaining strength from those that worship them. And so many more.
Naturally, the world where these crazed magicians create their warped versions of reality is a dark place to live. Abandoned by the gods, left to delude themselves into creating whatever world they wish, the inhabitants of this land are in a perpetual flux of being; the nature of the world constantly shifting as mad magicians rise in power or eventually lose themselves in their own delusions, causing all their work to crash down around them.
If only there was a way to stop the perpetual evolution of reality? Control it somehow. Then an eternal paradise could be created for humanity.
Oh, but there is a way. At least Konig Furimmer, an immensely powerful Geisteskranken, believes there is. All he has to do is create his own god; one who will serve him and rescue him from the inevitable madness of using his powers. Then the Geborene Damonen religion Konig has created can spread across the world and bring peace and prosperity to everyone.
Only one problem with Konig’s scheme. First, he has to create a being so perfect, so pliable, and so trusting that when it is his time to die (Gods can only become gods by being killed and ascending to their godhood in this world.) he will willingly go to the sacrificial altar. Second, Konig has to be the one who kills him, because only by slaying him can he force this risen god to obey him.
Brilliant plan. Unfortunately, there are always unexpected hurdles to overcome in any situation. Konig’s problem turns out to be something so simple he overlooked the possibility of it arising: outsiders.
Just when everything seems to be ready for Konig to create his god, a trio of drifters led by Bedeckt arrive in the land. This aged warrior is as sane as they come, troubling so; he is also a desperate man, who is looking for one last big score to set him up for retirement. Following him are his very untrustworthy companions: Wichtig, the “Greatest Swordsman in the World” and Stehlen, a Kleptic who will steal your shite and cut your throat before you even know it is occurring. When these three ride in and hear that a god is about to be created, Bedeckt immediately recognizes a way to end all his financial worries forever!
The tale that follows is grimdark at its grimmest and darkest. Nearly every character is vile beyond imagining. Insanity permeates every facet of the story. Mindless violence and very deliberate torture are present everywhere. People fight; people enslave others; and some people live in their own magically created hells. Decent people do atrocious things. Some really insane people do decent things. Plus, nothing is as it seems, because this whole place – the buildings, the farms, the people, everything – is a delusion of the criminally insane after all.
All in all, Beyond Redemption doesn’t sound like the type of story which I usually enjoy, but I did like it – immensely, in fact. Mr. Fletcher does such an amazing job crafting this morbid tale that I couldn’t stop turning the pages. His writing style effortlessly balancing between detailed and fast paced, somehow capturing the depth of the delusions, presenting the appalling dark side of worldwide insanity, and yet constantly convincing me to follow him down the path of madness to its inevitable conclusion.
Wildly imaginative, addictively entertaining, and morbidly dark, Beyond Redemption is a grimdark fantasy that more people should give a try. I know, madness can be intimidating, but once you get a taste of Mr. Fletcher’s fantasy version, you will see just how delicious it really is.
August 15, 2017
Sanity. Insanity. Genius. Rampant stupidity. Frankly, I can no longer tell them apart.
—FEHLENDE WAHRHEIT, GEISTESKRANKEN PHILOSOPHER
An intriguing BR with The Queen of Cheese Stew :) Thanks for BR this horribly awesome book with me! <3
I guess I’m beyond redemption. When I saw this book firstly, read and reviewed by my GR friends, I thought: To hells, no way I can read this cruel book. Then almost a month passed, going around it, kicking it from the TBR list, adding again. What really helped me is support of my lovely GR friend, Sarah , the awesome purple goddess and an amazing reviewer <3 Love you girly and thanks!
“Beyond Redemption” is a grim, filthy and twisted tale, it’s disgusting but intriguing for sure. The world there is full of delusions and psychoses, forming the reality, and of course there’s a need for a religious tyrant to be a cherry on this dessert of madness. Faith and corruption crave there, putting the nature of belief, religion, and power on the chopping block.
I was amazed how Mr. Fletcher cleverly pulls the strings of religion and belief systems, juggling the quotes and thoughts of the mentionable people in the world of “Beyond Redemption”. Blending religion with the delusions and magic make this story an unforgettable and outstanding one. I can say for sure, I haven’t read anything like this before. How to survive in this grim dystopian world, which floods characters with terror, breaks them and takes away any hope? Fighting back, moving forward with determination, not giving up……
The Hot Lady :)
The story started quite slow to me, I didn’t care much about the world or characters at first, concentrating more on the trio, which clearly stole the show as others just annoyed me (Yes, Konig, I’m looking straight at you and your boring snout). To my loss I didn’t pay much attention to the info, which was dumped on me in great loads as 1. German words sounded a bit alien to me. 2. I didn’t care about the world which didn’t surround my fave trio. This pacing problem followed me throughout the book, while I cheered for fighting and action and crawling through mud, observing the scenes, I didn’t care much.
My fave part, the trio I became to love: Bedeckt, an old rascal with his wish to retire quicker, Wichtig, he Greatest Swordsman in the World and the best mind-pooper; Stehlen, my fave girly, the goddess of thieving and assassinating. If I ever give up my dashing career as a Godzilla, I'm returning as Stehlen. Beware :D
My team <333
They all came so alive and truly nonredeemable, with doubts and dreams and fears, lost in the filthy prose of life, poetic and brutal at the same time, clinging to their last straw of humanity.
And of course, the precious boy, in the middle of this insane “Beyond Redemption” world.
To sum up, this book is grim and dark. I MEAN IT, I wouldn’t recommend it freely to everyone. But if you do want to read it, be prepared to be surprised, tangled in, disgusted and intrigued.
—FEHLENDE WAHRHEIT, GEISTESKRANKEN PHILOSOPHER
An intriguing BR with The Queen of Cheese Stew :) Thanks for BR this horribly awesome book with me! <3
I guess I’m beyond redemption. When I saw this book firstly, read and reviewed by my GR friends, I thought: To hells, no way I can read this cruel book. Then almost a month passed, going around it, kicking it from the TBR list, adding again. What really helped me is support of my lovely GR friend, Sarah , the awesome purple goddess and an amazing reviewer <3 Love you girly and thanks!
“Beyond Redemption” is a grim, filthy and twisted tale, it’s disgusting but intriguing for sure. The world there is full of delusions and psychoses, forming the reality, and of course there’s a need for a religious tyrant to be a cherry on this dessert of madness. Faith and corruption crave there, putting the nature of belief, religion, and power on the chopping block.
I was amazed how Mr. Fletcher cleverly pulls the strings of religion and belief systems, juggling the quotes and thoughts of the mentionable people in the world of “Beyond Redemption”. Blending religion with the delusions and magic make this story an unforgettable and outstanding one. I can say for sure, I haven’t read anything like this before. How to survive in this grim dystopian world, which floods characters with terror, breaks them and takes away any hope? Fighting back, moving forward with determination, not giving up……
The Hot Lady :)
The story started quite slow to me, I didn’t care much about the world or characters at first, concentrating more on the trio, which clearly stole the show as others just annoyed me (Yes, Konig, I’m looking straight at you and your boring snout). To my loss I didn’t pay much attention to the info, which was dumped on me in great loads as 1. German words sounded a bit alien to me. 2. I didn’t care about the world which didn’t surround my fave trio. This pacing problem followed me throughout the book, while I cheered for fighting and action and crawling through mud, observing the scenes, I didn’t care much.
My fave part, the trio I became to love: Bedeckt, an old rascal with his wish to retire quicker, Wichtig, he Greatest Swordsman in the World and the best mind-pooper; Stehlen, my fave girly, the goddess of thieving and assassinating. If I ever give up my dashing career as a Godzilla, I'm returning as Stehlen. Beware :D
My team <333
They all came so alive and truly nonredeemable, with doubts and dreams and fears, lost in the filthy prose of life, poetic and brutal at the same time, clinging to their last straw of humanity.
And of course, the precious boy, in the middle of this insane “Beyond Redemption” world.
To sum up, this book is grim and dark. I MEAN IT, I wouldn’t recommend it freely to everyone. But if you do want to read it, be prepared to be surprised, tangled in, disgusted and intrigued.
April 17, 2022
💀 DNF at 46%. To hell with the shrimping MacHalo challenge, I'm done with this
This review is dedicated to all the silly Barnacles out there who were naïve enough to think I'd lost the Magic DNFing Touch (MDT™).
➽ This book should have been awesome. Except that it wasn't.
➽ This book should have been super uber cool. Except that it wasn't.
➽ This book should have been gloriously brilliant. Except that it wasn't.
➽ This book should have been...Sorry, what? You get the idea? Oh, good. Clever, clever Little Barnacles.
So. This book should have been all kinds of marvellous and all sorts of astonishing. I mean, the density of villains per square meter is simply mind-boggling. Let's put it this way: there isn't a single NOT evil character in this book. So obviously, reading it should have been wondrously exciting. And the mostest blissfullest experience ever. Right.
This ↑↑ is me being overwhelmed with enthusiasm and trepidation, in case you were wondering.
The problem here is that none of the characters are likeable. Or interesting. They are just, you know, evil for the sake of being evil. They are just, you know, ridiculously one-dimensional. They are just, you know, there. Which is why I didn't give a damn about a single one of them. And that, my Little Barnacles is disgraceful. That, my Little Barnacles is barbaric. That, my Little Barnacles is properly scandalous. Because creating unexciting, bland villainous villains should be outlawed. And such a waste of potentially glorious viler than vile characters should be severely punished.
You got that right, Grumpy! What is the world coming to, I ask you? Glen Cook would never have allowed this to happen! He, of the Super Yummy Delicious Please Be My BFF Vicious Evildoers (SYDPBMBVE™) would be positively shocked by the total lack of charisma of these wannabe creeps here. And let me tell you, Mr Fletcher, one does not baffle, deceive and generally consternate the Holy Father of Grimdark and get away with it. The murderous crustaceans are on their way. Sorry, but some things are just not done.
Go my babies, go!
Speaking of Grimdark. I tend to exaggerate and to be full of crap but I can't deny that this story is properly grim and suitably dark. And that there is blood and gore and stuff, which I usually find Xtra Xtra Delectable (XXD™). Except that I didn't. Find it XXD™, I mean (please do try to follow once in a while. Thank you). The problem is that it is all unpleasantly bland. And unappetizingly bleh. And feels unappealingly flat. So we have evil for the sake of evil, and gore and stuff for the sake of gore and stuff. How fascinatingly fascinating indeed. In Mr Flechter's defense, he tries. Oh boy, does he try. The problem is, he tries wayyyyyy toooooo hard. He piles on the slaughter, disturbing scenes and creepy behaviors. Granted, this is me assuming some Faint of Heart Barnacles (FoHB™) might find some of this stuff disturbing. Personally? Orgies in the mud, cannibalism and sadomasochism never fazed me much. Besides, mud is good for the skin. But I digress. Had there been
Yeah, pretty much.
Now. Time to tackle the Germanize Me issue. First, let me assure all my
» And the moral of this Give this Book to Glen Cook and He'll Transform it into a German-Free Epic Masterpiece Crappy Non Review (GtBtGCaHTiaGFEMCNR™) is: don't let the 4.03 average rating for this book fool you. I am obviously the only person on Goodreads who didn't read it wrong. And everyone else has despicable book taste. QED and stuff.
» And the other moral of this Give this Book to Glen Cook and He'll Transform it into a German-Free Epic Masterpiece Crappy Non Review (GtBtGCaHTiaGFEMCNR™) is: another one bites the dust. Yay.
✉ A very private, confidential message to Shelly: thank you so much for not recommending this book! You're a real friend!
June 11, 2017
"Belief defines reality"
My God this book is dark. This book makes all others in the grimdark genre look like Dr. Seuss wrote them. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't anything close to this. I think that partly what makes this so dark is the Geisteskranken (the Delusional). It's all based on real world mental illnesses. You've got your Dysmorphics (body dysmorphia), Gefahrgeist (sociopath), Kleptic (kleptomaniac), Mehrere (schizophrenic) and so on. This book ventures into the "what if these real world delusions manifested themselves into everyone's reality". Man is it scary.
Fletcher's prose is top notch, as well. I really loved so many different excerpts.
"The scarred warrior was liquid death. He flowed around and through them, leaving corpses and shattered bones in his wake"
"The morning sun had yet to crest the horizon and the sky was lit bloody with fire. It would be a red, red day"
In a world where it's filled with some of the most morally shite people, who do you root for? Why, the less shite of the bunch, of course! While you hate just about everyone in this world, Fletcher gives us some moments that make us hate some of them just a little less than we think we do. Like this beautiful exchange.
“Wichtig is not my friend. The only person Wichtig likes is Wichtig.”
“Wrong,” said Morgen with absolute certainty. “He is the only person he hates.”
I love when Fantasy books give me something to think about. Which is another thing I loved so much about this book; I've never read any Fantasy novel that is this thought provoking at every turn. While you can't help but hate just about everyone, he redeems each of them with tiny little moments. Except the fat slug; the Slaver. Fuck that guy.
This book holds nothing back. It's morally disgusting at times, people are self-serving asshats, and almost no one likes each other. But it works. This is unlike anything I have read before, especially in this genre. If there's something you dislike and get offended by, this book more than likely has it. But I say read it anyways. You'll thank me that you did.
My God this book is dark. This book makes all others in the grimdark genre look like Dr. Seuss wrote them. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't anything close to this. I think that partly what makes this so dark is the Geisteskranken (the Delusional). It's all based on real world mental illnesses. You've got your Dysmorphics (body dysmorphia), Gefahrgeist (sociopath), Kleptic (kleptomaniac), Mehrere (schizophrenic) and so on. This book ventures into the "what if these real world delusions manifested themselves into everyone's reality". Man is it scary.
Fletcher's prose is top notch, as well. I really loved so many different excerpts.
"The scarred warrior was liquid death. He flowed around and through them, leaving corpses and shattered bones in his wake"
"The morning sun had yet to crest the horizon and the sky was lit bloody with fire. It would be a red, red day"
In a world where it's filled with some of the most morally shite people, who do you root for? Why, the less shite of the bunch, of course! While you hate just about everyone in this world, Fletcher gives us some moments that make us hate some of them just a little less than we think we do. Like this beautiful exchange.
“Wichtig is not my friend. The only person Wichtig likes is Wichtig.”
“Wrong,” said Morgen with absolute certainty. “He is the only person he hates.”
I love when Fantasy books give me something to think about. Which is another thing I loved so much about this book; I've never read any Fantasy novel that is this thought provoking at every turn. While you can't help but hate just about everyone, he redeems each of them with tiny little moments. Except the fat slug; the Slaver. Fuck that guy.
This book holds nothing back. It's morally disgusting at times, people are self-serving asshats, and almost no one likes each other. But it works. This is unlike anything I have read before, especially in this genre. If there's something you dislike and get offended by, this book more than likely has it. But I say read it anyways. You'll thank me that you did.
June 21, 2017
Full review now up!
Shout out to Sarah. Who picked this for our BR!
'The voices in my head just told me they were hearing voices. The said the voices wanted them to do something dangerous.
Make room in the grim dark pantheon for Michael Fletcher. Beyond Redemption is a gritty and bloody journey through a world where delusion is reality. The German terminology and names, along with the different variations of Geisteskranken (The Delusional) made this unlike anything I have read before. MF did a great job of making this story unique and fascinating. He has taken us off the beaten track of mainstream grim dark fantasy, and forged a new path that is both engrossing and exciting to read. His prose resonate with the insanity of these characters and their bloody intentions.
‘We are, each and every one of us, addicted to chaos. Gorgeous, devouring, chaos. Every visceral pleasure comes from the moment when we truly lose control. That moment when our minds white out and thought vanishes, when the fire within us devours all rationality. Sex. Fire. It’s all the same.’
The characters are well developed and are all murderous, nefarious, back stabbing bastards. You’re never left guessing at their intentions as each scene displays just how vile and diabolical they are. There are several different POV’s, and of course I have my favorites.
Konig Furimmer - High Priest of the Geborene Damonen religion and doppelgangist extraordinaire. This man will stop at nothing to get what he wants. A sociopath of the highest order.
Stehlen - A ruthless Kleptic killer. She is a traveling companion and fellow partner in crime to Bedeckt and Wichtig. I believe this woman came out of the womb baring her pig sticker and wearing a ravenous yellow toothed smile. Ugh!
Wichtig - This brash and arrogant self-proclaimed greatest swordsman in the world added some humor to the storyline. Albeit the humor was morbid and murderous. He seemed to never shut up with his jibes and bravado. Plus, he and Stehlen made quite the dangerous pair.
‘My ability with the sword is secondary to my ability to talk. See, I understand what no one else seems to grasp. Communication is manipulation. Every time we speak, we are trying to achieve an effect – a goal.’ – Wichtig
The plot is pretty straight-forward which helped draw the focus to the characters and the distinct magic system (Delusional System). As I said above the German terminology and names were new to me, but they really didn’t slow down my progress. You get used to them rather quickly. There is not a large cast of characters either, so it’s easy to stay in tune with each story arc throughout the whole book.
Beyond Redemption was a very surprising and welcome addition to my reading collection this year. I plan on starting book 2, The Mirror’s Truth , and the short story, Fire and Flesh , within the next week. I highly recommend to all grim dark and fantasy fans alike. Word of warning : You may never look at mirrors the same way after reading this.
Shout out to Sarah. Who picked this for our BR!
'The voices in my head just told me they were hearing voices. The said the voices wanted them to do something dangerous.
Make room in the grim dark pantheon for Michael Fletcher. Beyond Redemption is a gritty and bloody journey through a world where delusion is reality. The German terminology and names, along with the different variations of Geisteskranken (The Delusional) made this unlike anything I have read before. MF did a great job of making this story unique and fascinating. He has taken us off the beaten track of mainstream grim dark fantasy, and forged a new path that is both engrossing and exciting to read. His prose resonate with the insanity of these characters and their bloody intentions.
‘We are, each and every one of us, addicted to chaos. Gorgeous, devouring, chaos. Every visceral pleasure comes from the moment when we truly lose control. That moment when our minds white out and thought vanishes, when the fire within us devours all rationality. Sex. Fire. It’s all the same.’
The characters are well developed and are all murderous, nefarious, back stabbing bastards. You’re never left guessing at their intentions as each scene displays just how vile and diabolical they are. There are several different POV’s, and of course I have my favorites.
Konig Furimmer - High Priest of the Geborene Damonen religion and doppelgangist extraordinaire. This man will stop at nothing to get what he wants. A sociopath of the highest order.
Stehlen - A ruthless Kleptic killer. She is a traveling companion and fellow partner in crime to Bedeckt and Wichtig. I believe this woman came out of the womb baring her pig sticker and wearing a ravenous yellow toothed smile. Ugh!
Wichtig - This brash and arrogant self-proclaimed greatest swordsman in the world added some humor to the storyline. Albeit the humor was morbid and murderous. He seemed to never shut up with his jibes and bravado. Plus, he and Stehlen made quite the dangerous pair.
‘My ability with the sword is secondary to my ability to talk. See, I understand what no one else seems to grasp. Communication is manipulation. Every time we speak, we are trying to achieve an effect – a goal.’ – Wichtig
The plot is pretty straight-forward which helped draw the focus to the characters and the distinct magic system (Delusional System). As I said above the German terminology and names were new to me, but they really didn’t slow down my progress. You get used to them rather quickly. There is not a large cast of characters either, so it’s easy to stay in tune with each story arc throughout the whole book.
Beyond Redemption was a very surprising and welcome addition to my reading collection this year. I plan on starting book 2, The Mirror’s Truth , and the short story, Fire and Flesh , within the next week. I highly recommend to all grim dark and fantasy fans alike. Word of warning : You may never look at mirrors the same way after reading this.
October 23, 2015
4.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/10/23/b...
Would it make sense to call a book “grimdarker than grimdark”? This question was the second thought that crossed my mind as I pensively closed the cover on the final page of my copy of Beyond Redemption. It followed right on the heels of my first thought, which was “Damn, that shit was a hundred different kinds of awesome.”
Grimdark, after all, is a term frequently used to describe fantasy fiction with mostly dystopic, brutal or violent themes. Very often it also features characters that are amoral or dishonorable. All of this applies to this novel, which most certainly is nihilistic and violent—viciously and disturbingly so. It’s also aptly titled, seeing as no one in this story is in possession of a single redeeming attribute. They are all terrible, disgusting people. No joke, I could strip these characters down to their infinitesimal building blocks in order to examine each and every single atom under an electron microscope, and I still wouldn’t be able to find the smallest trace of goodness in any of them. It’s quite amazing, really.
Gods help me then, why did I enjoy them so much? Perhaps one has to be a little bit crazy to revel in reading about dark, gritty and twisted characters such as these. In which case, can you please pass me some more of that sweet, sweet insanity?
Fortunately, Michael R. Fletcher is happy to oblige. The world he gives us is literally steeped in chaos, madness, and delusion. In Beyond Redemption, individuals known as Geisteskranken are the unstable and insane individuals whose psychoses manifest as reality. Furthermore, under normal circumstances their powers are also shaped by collective beliefs, so the more people who believe in your delusion, the more those ideas become the truth.
Let’s just take a moment to digest this, shall we? You’re essentially being thrown into a world where the “magic” is delusion, and all your magicians are batshit insane. Come on, doesn’t that sound positively delightful!
Not to mention, there are just so many types of Geisteskranken. Rarely do I recommend this, but in the case of this book, it might actually be helpful to check out the glossary of all the different kinds of delusions described in the back before you start reading. It’s an impressive list, each one more frightening than the last. Hassebrands, for example, like to set fire to everything as an outlet for their repressed rage and loneliness. Therianthropes, on the other hand, think they are possessed by animal spirits, and are able to shapeshift into these creatures simply because they believe they can. But perhaps the most nefarious of all are the Gefahrgeists, sociopaths who are driven by their desperate desire to be at the center of attention and to rule over others.
And heaven forfend if you happen to be one of those Geisteskranken who are comorbidic, a person who manifests multiple delusions. These men and women tend to be even more unhinged, as mental instability often goes hand in hand with comorbidity. In Beyond Redemption, High Priest Konig Furimmer is one such individual, a twisted madman who seeks to forge order from the fiery chaos around him. Konig’s plans involve creating a god – a god his church can control. An innocent and sheltered young boy named Morgen is being groomed for the honor, to be killed once it is determined that he is ready to Ascend.
But before his Ascension could come to pass, Morgen is stolen away by three wretched thieves: Bedeckt the old cantankerous warrior, Stehlen the bloodthirsty kleptomaniac woman, and Wichtig the pompous Gefahrgeist who fancies himself the Greatest Swordsman in the World. Konig has no choice but to send the most dastardly of his Geisteskranken after the trio of brazen miscreants, hoping to salvage his plans before Morgen is forever corrupted. Anything can happen in this wild, dark tale of cat and mouse, but one thing is guaranteed – there’ll be a body count numbering in the hundreds and a whole lot more blood and guts spilled before this is done.
If you think a book like this sounds too crazy and ludicrous to pull off, I don’t blame you. The thing is though, it works. It really does. Declaring the protagonists as flawed might be the understatement of the century, but I was nevertheless fascinated by their delusions and eccentricities. You might find yourself wanting to root for them, even if you hate yourself a little for it. They are all so vile and depraved, and yet I cannot deny this was one of the most fantastic and unique cast of characters I’ve ever met.
It’s impossible not to get completely sucked into this story. Not that I wanted to fight the pull, mind you. Beyond Redemption is so wildly imaginative and intensely entertaining, you just can’t help but embrace its bleak world, the tortured characters, the wicked concepts. Giving in to the madness has never felt so good.
Would it make sense to call a book “grimdarker than grimdark”? This question was the second thought that crossed my mind as I pensively closed the cover on the final page of my copy of Beyond Redemption. It followed right on the heels of my first thought, which was “Damn, that shit was a hundred different kinds of awesome.”
Grimdark, after all, is a term frequently used to describe fantasy fiction with mostly dystopic, brutal or violent themes. Very often it also features characters that are amoral or dishonorable. All of this applies to this novel, which most certainly is nihilistic and violent—viciously and disturbingly so. It’s also aptly titled, seeing as no one in this story is in possession of a single redeeming attribute. They are all terrible, disgusting people. No joke, I could strip these characters down to their infinitesimal building blocks in order to examine each and every single atom under an electron microscope, and I still wouldn’t be able to find the smallest trace of goodness in any of them. It’s quite amazing, really.
Gods help me then, why did I enjoy them so much? Perhaps one has to be a little bit crazy to revel in reading about dark, gritty and twisted characters such as these. In which case, can you please pass me some more of that sweet, sweet insanity?
Fortunately, Michael R. Fletcher is happy to oblige. The world he gives us is literally steeped in chaos, madness, and delusion. In Beyond Redemption, individuals known as Geisteskranken are the unstable and insane individuals whose psychoses manifest as reality. Furthermore, under normal circumstances their powers are also shaped by collective beliefs, so the more people who believe in your delusion, the more those ideas become the truth.
Let’s just take a moment to digest this, shall we? You’re essentially being thrown into a world where the “magic” is delusion, and all your magicians are batshit insane. Come on, doesn’t that sound positively delightful!
Not to mention, there are just so many types of Geisteskranken. Rarely do I recommend this, but in the case of this book, it might actually be helpful to check out the glossary of all the different kinds of delusions described in the back before you start reading. It’s an impressive list, each one more frightening than the last. Hassebrands, for example, like to set fire to everything as an outlet for their repressed rage and loneliness. Therianthropes, on the other hand, think they are possessed by animal spirits, and are able to shapeshift into these creatures simply because they believe they can. But perhaps the most nefarious of all are the Gefahrgeists, sociopaths who are driven by their desperate desire to be at the center of attention and to rule over others.
And heaven forfend if you happen to be one of those Geisteskranken who are comorbidic, a person who manifests multiple delusions. These men and women tend to be even more unhinged, as mental instability often goes hand in hand with comorbidity. In Beyond Redemption, High Priest Konig Furimmer is one such individual, a twisted madman who seeks to forge order from the fiery chaos around him. Konig’s plans involve creating a god – a god his church can control. An innocent and sheltered young boy named Morgen is being groomed for the honor, to be killed once it is determined that he is ready to Ascend.
But before his Ascension could come to pass, Morgen is stolen away by three wretched thieves: Bedeckt the old cantankerous warrior, Stehlen the bloodthirsty kleptomaniac woman, and Wichtig the pompous Gefahrgeist who fancies himself the Greatest Swordsman in the World. Konig has no choice but to send the most dastardly of his Geisteskranken after the trio of brazen miscreants, hoping to salvage his plans before Morgen is forever corrupted. Anything can happen in this wild, dark tale of cat and mouse, but one thing is guaranteed – there’ll be a body count numbering in the hundreds and a whole lot more blood and guts spilled before this is done.
If you think a book like this sounds too crazy and ludicrous to pull off, I don’t blame you. The thing is though, it works. It really does. Declaring the protagonists as flawed might be the understatement of the century, but I was nevertheless fascinated by their delusions and eccentricities. You might find yourself wanting to root for them, even if you hate yourself a little for it. They are all so vile and depraved, and yet I cannot deny this was one of the most fantastic and unique cast of characters I’ve ever met.
It’s impossible not to get completely sucked into this story. Not that I wanted to fight the pull, mind you. Beyond Redemption is so wildly imaginative and intensely entertaining, you just can’t help but embrace its bleak world, the tortured characters, the wicked concepts. Giving in to the madness has never felt so good.
February 24, 2020
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I have seen much praise for this book from almost all my friends who read it. I listened to my friend David’s Podcast with the author and decided that it was time to finally pick it up so I got myself a copy. You may want to take this review with a grain of salt because genuinely it is me not the book this time. I felt it did all the right things and yet I did not love it as much as I wanted to (I expected it to be a 5 stars tbh).
I heard this was one of the darkest books in the dark fantasy genre and that made me super intrigued. I then saw the glossary when I picked it up and I was so damned excited, most of the terms were familiar to me as a doctor who studied those mental illnesses in med-school, some of them were super rare and you only think of them as diseases in text books. I like the idea that those illnesses were used as the magical system (if it can be called that) and kind of a powerful thing to have rather than being stigmatized.
The only problem I had with this book were the characters, they were well written and I felt that but I could not make the emotional connection to them or as soon as I started caring about them, I would lose interest a couple of chapters after that. I think Dark fantasy highly depends on the characters, if I don’t care enough about the character then I won’t care what happens to them and that was partially the case here. That -and my high expectations- made me feel it was not dark as I thought it would be (mind you that it is still dark and effed up).
But let me tell you about the world-building, It was simply *Chef’s Kiss*. It was so original and refresh and not like anything that I ever read before. The way it was written was so atmospheric and It was just a very dark and creepy world. The title of the book actually says something about it because I did feel like the characters were beyond redemption. It is not a light read at all so I recommend going in with the right mood for a book as this one.
Summary: I think this is a good series in the Dark fantasy genre and I know many will love it so I still think it is worth giving a chance. The prose and world-building were excellent. The characters were good but I wish I connected to them more. For the time being, my choice is not to continue the series but I am for sure jumping into Fletcher’s City of Sacrifice series because the synopsis of that one is once again amazing. I have the author’s books on my radar now and that should tell you something about my experience with the book.
You can get more books from Book Depository
“I was sane once. It was horrible.”
I have seen much praise for this book from almost all my friends who read it. I listened to my friend David’s Podcast with the author and decided that it was time to finally pick it up so I got myself a copy. You may want to take this review with a grain of salt because genuinely it is me not the book this time. I felt it did all the right things and yet I did not love it as much as I wanted to (I expected it to be a 5 stars tbh).
I heard this was one of the darkest books in the dark fantasy genre and that made me super intrigued. I then saw the glossary when I picked it up and I was so damned excited, most of the terms were familiar to me as a doctor who studied those mental illnesses in med-school, some of them were super rare and you only think of them as diseases in text books. I like the idea that those illnesses were used as the magical system (if it can be called that) and kind of a powerful thing to have rather than being stigmatized.
The only problem I had with this book were the characters, they were well written and I felt that but I could not make the emotional connection to them or as soon as I started caring about them, I would lose interest a couple of chapters after that. I think Dark fantasy highly depends on the characters, if I don’t care enough about the character then I won’t care what happens to them and that was partially the case here. That -and my high expectations- made me feel it was not dark as I thought it would be (mind you that it is still dark and effed up).
“A sane man is simply a man afraid to unleash his inner demons.”
But let me tell you about the world-building, It was simply *Chef’s Kiss*. It was so original and refresh and not like anything that I ever read before. The way it was written was so atmospheric and It was just a very dark and creepy world. The title of the book actually says something about it because I did feel like the characters were beyond redemption. It is not a light read at all so I recommend going in with the right mood for a book as this one.
Summary: I think this is a good series in the Dark fantasy genre and I know many will love it so I still think it is worth giving a chance. The prose and world-building were excellent. The characters were good but I wish I connected to them more. For the time being, my choice is not to continue the series but I am for sure jumping into Fletcher’s City of Sacrifice series because the synopsis of that one is once again amazing. I have the author’s books on my radar now and that should tell you something about my experience with the book.
“No one loathed her more than she and thus none could truly harm her.”
You can get more books from Book Depository
July 13, 2016
If Nietzsche wrote GrimDark this is the book he would have written. So phenomenally original, thought provoking while savagely viewing the worst of humanity. And yet I laughed my ass off continually. It was American Psycho meets Catch 22 where the macabre was turned hysterically humorous.
I don't want to give away too much but Konig and his doppelgangers alone were worth the price of admission with all the different personalities all playing off of each other and where one starts and another begins. The psychology and philosophy interwoven with the madness.
I will say I'm glad I did this on kindle so I could instantly look up the German names given to many of the different groups which added to the experience.
If you love GrimDark with a caustic sense of humor this is the book for you.
I don't want to give away too much but Konig and his doppelgangers alone were worth the price of admission with all the different personalities all playing off of each other and where one starts and another begins. The psychology and philosophy interwoven with the madness.
I will say I'm glad I did this on kindle so I could instantly look up the German names given to many of the different groups which added to the experience.
If you love GrimDark with a caustic sense of humor this is the book for you.
June 16, 2015
Set in a world where madness equates to power, Michael R. Fletcher's Beyond Redemption is often as nightmarish as it is fascinating. An alarming, original and compulsive tale laced with a blackly comic sensibility. Highly recommended.
August 19, 2017
Beyond Redemption was a really unique reading compared to the usual tropes of the fantasy genre. In some years it might be considered groundbreaking. It comes from the grimest corners of the grimdark. There is no light here. Only an endless spiral of insanity. The whole world is evolving and decaying by the delusions of the most powerful delusionists. It’s a chaotic patch of dystopia where every land, every city-state represents the insanity of the psychopath that has emerged as its ruler in a constant battle of paranoid wills. That’s how life flows in Beyond Redemption’s lands! This is the battleground for all kinds of insane people and their egos. U can only feel pity for the common people who fill the land and live without purpose constantly declining while serving the unorthodox whims of every mad ruler. Add to these the various religions who try to enforce their insane cosmologies and the paradoxical fate they desire and u have a real shite-hole! Did Gods created man or man the Gods? Questions like these are pivotal in this land and have actual effect since everything, even gods and belief, is determined by the strongest and more paranoid will!
In all these we are witnesses of an insane clash of wills. Quoting one of my favorite bands we become passengers on some psycho’s paths! It all starts when an extremely delusional Priest King plans to create the perfect god for his aims and then have him controlled by himself. That plan will be thwarted by an unlikely trio. A narcissist warrior who claims to be the greatest swordsman of the world and who is devoid of emotions, a temperamental kleptomaniac woman and an old veteran of many battles tired of life and probably the only sane person we encounter. There others too. A rich cast of paranoia. Pyromaniacs, mirror selfs, tyrant slavers and so on. A full starting kit for an asylum. Prepared to be really surprised!
The story itself is really dark and there are little traces if none, of hope and light. It is full of injustice, violence, vanity and insanity. The only thing that lightens up things is the very good black humor of the author that is injected even in the grimmest of the scenes. The plot is really good and interesting and towards the end we are martyrs of some brilliant ideas. The ending of the drama is very well executed and u cannot help but think how unique is the whole concept! The writing is really good. The dialogues are very clever, especially between certain totally insane personas. A little trick that adds to the atmosphere is that the author uses the German language as the main form of expression making places, names, forms of insanity etc sound weirder and darker than usual. Also there are traces of philosophy that fit well in the dystopic and bleak setting.
All an all this book was a very pleasant surprise. Something u will not read often. Something very far from clichés. I am rating it with 4 stars cause I like to keep 5s for my really special ones and I hope and expect that Beyond Redemption will only be the kickstart for more stories in this paranoid setting that could really become very special in the future! Fletcher could really mark the genre if he follows that uniquely brilliant psycho’s path, building his world of delusions more and more!
P.S: Re rated it with 5 stars cause i cant stop thinking of its brilliance :)
In all these we are witnesses of an insane clash of wills. Quoting one of my favorite bands we become passengers on some psycho’s paths! It all starts when an extremely delusional Priest King plans to create the perfect god for his aims and then have him controlled by himself. That plan will be thwarted by an unlikely trio. A narcissist warrior who claims to be the greatest swordsman of the world and who is devoid of emotions, a temperamental kleptomaniac woman and an old veteran of many battles tired of life and probably the only sane person we encounter. There others too. A rich cast of paranoia. Pyromaniacs, mirror selfs, tyrant slavers and so on. A full starting kit for an asylum. Prepared to be really surprised!
The story itself is really dark and there are little traces if none, of hope and light. It is full of injustice, violence, vanity and insanity. The only thing that lightens up things is the very good black humor of the author that is injected even in the grimmest of the scenes. The plot is really good and interesting and towards the end we are martyrs of some brilliant ideas. The ending of the drama is very well executed and u cannot help but think how unique is the whole concept! The writing is really good. The dialogues are very clever, especially between certain totally insane personas. A little trick that adds to the atmosphere is that the author uses the German language as the main form of expression making places, names, forms of insanity etc sound weirder and darker than usual. Also there are traces of philosophy that fit well in the dystopic and bleak setting.
All an all this book was a very pleasant surprise. Something u will not read often. Something very far from clichés. I am rating it with 4 stars cause I like to keep 5s for my really special ones and I hope and expect that Beyond Redemption will only be the kickstart for more stories in this paranoid setting that could really become very special in the future! Fletcher could really mark the genre if he follows that uniquely brilliant psycho’s path, building his world of delusions more and more!
P.S: Re rated it with 5 stars cause i cant stop thinking of its brilliance :)
December 3, 2016
No way this was ever going to be less than 5 stars! Totally , literally, figuratively insane! There is a publication called the DSM - Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders used by clinicians and therapists. The cast of this novel must read similarly! We have kleptomaniac, pyromaniacs, schizophrenics, all types of phobics, paranoia, delusional states, narcissism, sociopaths, dysmorphics, doppelgängers, and that's just the ones I've heard of! I actually looked them up to find out if these were made up or not -(they weren't!).
So what happens when you take these conditions and combine them in a Grimdark fantasy novel? Pure genius! Loved the characters. Obviously hugely flawed, the lot of them. Loved the world building, loved the concept for the AfterDeath and man-made gods. what a trip! The lovechild of Joe Abercrombie's First Law and the Library of Mount Char.
Recommended.
So what happens when you take these conditions and combine them in a Grimdark fantasy novel? Pure genius! Loved the characters. Obviously hugely flawed, the lot of them. Loved the world building, loved the concept for the AfterDeath and man-made gods. what a trip! The lovechild of Joe Abercrombie's First Law and the Library of Mount Char.
Recommended.
December 17, 2016
!!!!! Man, that was brilliant!
The layers of worldbuilding here are fascinating, as is the mere concept of the delusional world shaping. Wow. Mr Fletcher, I would be afraid to see inside your head.
Really though, this is a unique work of grimdarkian delusional fantasy. One must simply read it to understand. And even then...
I've compared this story to a blend of Joe Abercrombie and Steven Erikson. But even that doesn't do it justice, nor capture what really makes this book special. But yes, if you take the dark fantasy with a dab of humor that we see in Abercrombie, then mix it with a many-layered reality as imagined by Erikson in his Malazan books, you might have an idea of what to expect here. But then...that description probably falls short.
Easier just to read it yourself.
The layers of worldbuilding here are fascinating, as is the mere concept of the delusional world shaping. Wow. Mr Fletcher, I would be afraid to see inside your head.
Really though, this is a unique work of grimdarkian delusional fantasy. One must simply read it to understand. And even then...
I've compared this story to a blend of Joe Abercrombie and Steven Erikson. But even that doesn't do it justice, nor capture what really makes this book special. But yes, if you take the dark fantasy with a dab of humor that we see in Abercrombie, then mix it with a many-layered reality as imagined by Erikson in his Malazan books, you might have an idea of what to expect here. But then...that description probably falls short.
Easier just to read it yourself.
March 15, 2022
This is the closest book we'll ever have to The Suicide Squad. So. Brilliant.
Imagine if Falcio, Brasti and Kest from The Greatcoats hated each other? You have Beyond Redemption.
Imagine if Falcio, Brasti and Kest from The Greatcoats hated each other? You have Beyond Redemption.
June 1, 2019
See this review and more on www.bookbastion.net!
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Wow did I sleep on this one or what?!
I mean, what an absolute smash this book is! I'm only sorry that it's been sitting untouched on my bookshelf for so long, because this book had everything I look for in a fantasy novel: darkness, death, betrayal, and one hell of an epic world to get lost in.
The older I get, the more I appreciate grimdark fantasy for all the exploring it allows authors and creative types to do within the genre. Gone are the princesses and noble knights filled with valour. There's no space for them - especially not in this book. Fletcher decisively settles this book in the muck and the mire of his world - and to great effect. The main characters are thieves, lunatics, and murderously destructive in their narcissistic schemes to advance their own place in the world.
Fletcher does an awesome job both at introducing the world, and carefully identifying each character's place within it. By making each character's end goal clear at the very start, Fletcher masterfully sets them all at odds with one another. It made for a very tense read! You see the danger each character is about to walk into before they do, but it's never boring because Fletcher is also really great at subverting expectations along the way.
Speaking of the world, we've got to back just so I can bask in how amazing it is for a moment longer. Inspired by Germanic language, Fletcher's world is filled with unique sounding places, people and classifications for those therein. The scope, detail and creativity that must have gone into creating all this was amazing. I was reminded in a lot of ways of Jay Kristoff's Nevernight, another grimdark fantasy novel with a very memorable setting. If you enjoyed that novel, you absolutely must give this a go!
The magic system was so unique and creative as well. Tying each character's powers to their sanity was a really daring choice, but it allows for the plot and characters to move in directions you as the reader never see coming. How can you guess what's going to happen next in a world where the very fabric of reality is tied to the character's sanity and belief system? Answer: you can't - so just enjoy the ride.
Lastly, I wanted to touch on the characters. I know earlier I pointed out they're all thieves and murderers, but there's definitely a sliding scale in terms of anti-hero vs. antagonist going on here. Some are downright evil, whereas the ones you want to root for are those living just beyond the path of redemption.
You all know that I love my strong characters, (especially strong female characters) and this book has them in spades. Stehlen, Bedeckt and Gehrin were all so perfectly, wonderfully developed. Each was flawed, and looking out for themselves, but they had a lot of heart and I found myself rooting for them in their own weird way.
All in all, this has to be one of the most unique and exciting books that I've read in ages! I was especially delighted upon finishing to realize that this the first book in a series, because I did not want this to end! You can expect reviews for the next two books as soon as I can get my hands on them.
In the meantime, let me just say: if you're going to give any underrated gem your time this year - let this be the one.
★★★★★ = 5 stars!
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Follow me on instagram @bookbastion
_______
Wow did I sleep on this one or what?!
I mean, what an absolute smash this book is! I'm only sorry that it's been sitting untouched on my bookshelf for so long, because this book had everything I look for in a fantasy novel: darkness, death, betrayal, and one hell of an epic world to get lost in.
The older I get, the more I appreciate grimdark fantasy for all the exploring it allows authors and creative types to do within the genre. Gone are the princesses and noble knights filled with valour. There's no space for them - especially not in this book. Fletcher decisively settles this book in the muck and the mire of his world - and to great effect. The main characters are thieves, lunatics, and murderously destructive in their narcissistic schemes to advance their own place in the world.
Fletcher does an awesome job both at introducing the world, and carefully identifying each character's place within it. By making each character's end goal clear at the very start, Fletcher masterfully sets them all at odds with one another. It made for a very tense read! You see the danger each character is about to walk into before they do, but it's never boring because Fletcher is also really great at subverting expectations along the way.
Speaking of the world, we've got to back just so I can bask in how amazing it is for a moment longer. Inspired by Germanic language, Fletcher's world is filled with unique sounding places, people and classifications for those therein. The scope, detail and creativity that must have gone into creating all this was amazing. I was reminded in a lot of ways of Jay Kristoff's Nevernight, another grimdark fantasy novel with a very memorable setting. If you enjoyed that novel, you absolutely must give this a go!
The magic system was so unique and creative as well. Tying each character's powers to their sanity was a really daring choice, but it allows for the plot and characters to move in directions you as the reader never see coming. How can you guess what's going to happen next in a world where the very fabric of reality is tied to the character's sanity and belief system? Answer: you can't - so just enjoy the ride.
Lastly, I wanted to touch on the characters. I know earlier I pointed out they're all thieves and murderers, but there's definitely a sliding scale in terms of anti-hero vs. antagonist going on here. Some are downright evil, whereas the ones you want to root for are those living just beyond the path of redemption.
You all know that I love my strong characters, (especially strong female characters) and this book has them in spades. Stehlen, Bedeckt and Gehrin were all so perfectly, wonderfully developed. Each was flawed, and looking out for themselves, but they had a lot of heart and I found myself rooting for them in their own weird way.
All in all, this has to be one of the most unique and exciting books that I've read in ages! I was especially delighted upon finishing to realize that this the first book in a series, because I did not want this to end! You can expect reviews for the next two books as soon as I can get my hands on them.
In the meantime, let me just say: if you're going to give any underrated gem your time this year - let this be the one.
★★★★★ = 5 stars!
______
Follow me on instagram @bookbastion
August 15, 2017
Some crazy shit to be read here xD and I mean it in a good way. Thankfully I could share the disgusting things with Orient, not sure I couldve digested this without her ;)
You get some great recipes and the plot causes wet buttcheeks. Next to that small discomfort or for some not it was delusional. I have no idea what I just wrote but it must be reality XD
Ok what...
Anyway...awesome grotesque fantasy horror! The only thing I missed was suspense. But the plot (it took me a few pages) when it starts tugging at you, it just grabs you and enslaves you! A well rounded 4! The characters need forming in the beginning, along with the german words (which I understand and that makes it confusing) that needed some getting used to. And I love German, so it got me excited as well. At some point you realise you have a few kick ass characters that amuse you during your read. Konig not being one of them. And you just hang in there and try not to puke or smell things that arent there irl. The writng is vidid and easy to get along with. Mr Fletcher manages to make you feel icky about certain characters, well done xD
While reading and updating I pointed out a few sentences that caught my attention. And I got another one to top it all off...lets see if I can find it again...removed the damned bookmarker....
'The world is a comedy, 'intoned Erbrechen, tittering, 'and each must play his fart.'
Farts, my kind of humor. I love it. Enjoy the sme...read!
You get some great recipes and the plot causes wet buttcheeks. Next to that small discomfort or for some not it was delusional. I have no idea what I just wrote but it must be reality XD
Ok what...
Anyway...awesome grotesque fantasy horror! The only thing I missed was suspense. But the plot (it took me a few pages) when it starts tugging at you, it just grabs you and enslaves you! A well rounded 4! The characters need forming in the beginning, along with the german words (which I understand and that makes it confusing) that needed some getting used to. And I love German, so it got me excited as well. At some point you realise you have a few kick ass characters that amuse you during your read. Konig not being one of them. And you just hang in there and try not to puke or smell things that arent there irl. The writng is vidid and easy to get along with. Mr Fletcher manages to make you feel icky about certain characters, well done xD
While reading and updating I pointed out a few sentences that caught my attention. And I got another one to top it all off...lets see if I can find it again...removed the damned bookmarker....
'The world is a comedy, 'intoned Erbrechen, tittering, 'and each must play his fart.'
Farts, my kind of humor. I love it. Enjoy the sme...read!
February 5, 2017
It is tough to rustle up a review for such a strange book as Beyond Redemption. It is best described as original, inventive, grimdark fantasy. The concept behind the magic system was absolutely fantastic and shaped the nature of Fletcher's whole fantasy world. It was a world full of evil characters doing really awful stuff! The genius of the book is that it never got too bleak or depressing despite the dark happenings because it was all told in a very engaging and darkly comic tone. The other real interesting, and surprising, thing was Fletcher's ability to elicit a bit of sympathy and pity in me for almost all of his twisted characters.
This was a strange read but it was definitely a good and enjoyable one. The story was dark but quite fun and there was plenty of humour to mitigate the horror.
The world building and the magic system were quite creative. In this world reality is defined by belief. Which makes the insane very powerful mages as they can bend reality to their will. Obviously this makes the world a fairly twisted one but also a super cool one.
I'd definitely not call any of the characters likeable but most of them were weirdly easy to root for at times and almost all of them had interesting and engaging stories.
All in all I quite enjoyed this unique and original fantasy story and will definitely be reading the sequel to find out what is next for this crazy world and its insane characters!
Rating: 4.5 stars.
My only real complaint about this book is that it does not have an audio version!
This was a strange read but it was definitely a good and enjoyable one. The story was dark but quite fun and there was plenty of humour to mitigate the horror.
The world building and the magic system were quite creative. In this world reality is defined by belief. Which makes the insane very powerful mages as they can bend reality to their will. Obviously this makes the world a fairly twisted one but also a super cool one.
I'd definitely not call any of the characters likeable but most of them were weirdly easy to root for at times and almost all of them had interesting and engaging stories.
All in all I quite enjoyed this unique and original fantasy story and will definitely be reading the sequel to find out what is next for this crazy world and its insane characters!
Rating: 4.5 stars.
My only real complaint about this book is that it does not have an audio version!
January 26, 2019
Okay, I have to come clean on something. I started this like a year and a half or more ago, and only realized recently I never finished it. That is no reflection on the book, as you'll see from below, but on me being incredibly flaky and having gotten caught up in God knows what else at the time and just never getting back to it. In the meantime I read Fletcher's Ghosts of Tomorrow and loved it. How I'm just getting to finishing reading Beyond Redemption, I have no idea. Like I said, flaky. I did start it over over again, and...
Um... Wow. Honestly, I'm blown away by this novel. I'll be thinking about it for weeks, not kidding. I can easily see why it's a darling of the grimdark community. What I can't see is why even more people aren't talking about it.
Incredibly bizarre, dark and whimsical at the same time, this is one of the strangest and most exciting books I've read in a long time. And it's grim. This is not for the squeamish - however, there is a glimmer of light here. All is not entirely nihilism and darkness.
This is one of the few books I've read in quite some time that's absolutely driving me to read more in the series. In my opinion, it's just that shockingly brilliant. And that's all I have to say on it right now, because seriously, I'm still kind of wrapping my head around it all...
Um... Wow. Honestly, I'm blown away by this novel. I'll be thinking about it for weeks, not kidding. I can easily see why it's a darling of the grimdark community. What I can't see is why even more people aren't talking about it.
Incredibly bizarre, dark and whimsical at the same time, this is one of the strangest and most exciting books I've read in a long time. And it's grim. This is not for the squeamish - however, there is a glimmer of light here. All is not entirely nihilism and darkness.
This is one of the few books I've read in quite some time that's absolutely driving me to read more in the series. In my opinion, it's just that shockingly brilliant. And that's all I have to say on it right now, because seriously, I'm still kind of wrapping my head around it all...
April 28, 2017
Wow! This was really really good. But also truly disturbing and incredibly imaginative!
People who have a trouble with 'grimdarks' should steer well clear of this one... For it is grim, it is dark, it is twisted and (first 5-20% section in particular) downright revolting.
At the same time, this book is unputdownable. It is a remarkable example of fantastic storytelling and worldbuilding (amazing implementation of the 'belief-insanity-reality' connection idea!) It is hard to sound fresh in the fantasy genre. Too many beaten tropes. But Beyond Redemptions succeeds to stand out with 'flying colours'. I really struggle even to compare it with something... it stands firmly on its own and I feel might develop into a 'landmark' series. (I would say it is in the same style-ballpark with Joe Amercrombie but in its own unique voice).
The prose itself is excellent as well. It is so easy to get immersed the story, despite the horrible things the plot has on the menu. It is also written in a language that somehow makes all the insanity going on to sound plausible, believable...gripping.
Anyhow, very strongly recommended read, 5/5. (Particularly to someone who is tired of the same-old-same-old 'farmer boy vs evil overlord' action. But not for someone faint of heart).
People who have a trouble with 'grimdarks' should steer well clear of this one... For it is grim, it is dark, it is twisted and (first 5-20% section in particular) downright revolting.
At the same time, this book is unputdownable. It is a remarkable example of fantastic storytelling and worldbuilding (amazing implementation of the 'belief-insanity-reality' connection idea!) It is hard to sound fresh in the fantasy genre. Too many beaten tropes. But Beyond Redemptions succeeds to stand out with 'flying colours'. I really struggle even to compare it with something... it stands firmly on its own and I feel might develop into a 'landmark' series. (I would say it is in the same style-ballpark with Joe Amercrombie but in its own unique voice).
The prose itself is excellent as well. It is so easy to get immersed the story, despite the horrible things the plot has on the menu. It is also written in a language that somehow makes all the insanity going on to sound plausible, believable...gripping.
Anyhow, very strongly recommended read, 5/5. (Particularly to someone who is tired of the same-old-same-old 'farmer boy vs evil overlord' action. But not for someone faint of heart).
November 22, 2017
It's been a while since I read this book and I'm still thinking about it. Every character is absolutely terrible but in the best kind of way. It's grimdark at its very finest: dark, and funny, inventive with lots of violence and crazy worldbuilding.
The Doppels are one of the most unique and thought-provoking additions to a character list in fantasy with all their creepy glory. The worldbuilding behind the Doppels, Mirrorists and delusions is unique and unlike anything I've read in fantasy.
I read a couple of reviews from different people here on Goodreads and a lot of them try to describe this book as (author) meets (author) or (book) meets (series). This is fine to draw in new readers who are familiar with other fantasy authors, but Michael Fletcher really does stand apart as he brings something new to he grimdark scene.
The Doppels are one of the most unique and thought-provoking additions to a character list in fantasy with all their creepy glory. The worldbuilding behind the Doppels, Mirrorists and delusions is unique and unlike anything I've read in fantasy.
I read a couple of reviews from different people here on Goodreads and a lot of them try to describe this book as (author) meets (author) or (book) meets (series). This is fine to draw in new readers who are familiar with other fantasy authors, but Michael Fletcher really does stand apart as he brings something new to he grimdark scene.
June 5, 2015
When belief defines reality, those with the strongest convictions - the crazy, the obsessive, the delusional - have the power to shape the world.
And someone is just mad enough to believe he can create a god...
Violent and dark, the world is filled with the Geisteskranken-men and women whose delusions manifest. Sustained by their own belief - and the beliefs of those around them - they can manipulate their surroundings. For the High Priest Konig, that means creating order out of the chaos in his city-state, leading his believers to focus on one thing: helping a young man, Morgen, ascend to become a god.
A god they can control.
Trouble is, there are many who would see a god in their thrall, including the High Priest's own doppelgangers, a Slaver no one can resist, and three slaves led by possibly the only sane man left.
As these forces converge on the boy, there's one more obstacle: time is running out. Because as the delusions become more powerful, the also become harder to control. The fate of the Geisteskranken is to inevitably find oneself in the Afterdeath.
The question, then, is: Who will rule there?
I like being a reviewer. It has many perks, and it enables me to read widely across a genre that I love. One of the downsides however is that I don't often get time to read as many unknown authors as I would usually like. So when Beyond Redemption popped up onto my radar I was curious, but also resigned to the fact that I probably wouldn't get to it for ages. Then something awesome happened. Michael kindly offered to send me an advanced readers copy, so I decided to give it a whirl on a whim (and the fact I had just finished another book and had yet to start my next). And damn... I'm glad I did.
I mentioned perks earlier. Well the best perk is when you stumble across an unknown writer whose work just blows you away.
Beyond Redemption is, and I don't say this lightly, one the most original, thought provoking, and hellishly dystopian dark fantasies that I have read in ages. It is also disturbing, disgusting, and action packed. And god I loved it!
It is in this dark and brutal setting that we meet Bedeckt and his companions Stehlen and Wichtig. Fleeing from a score gone wrong and down on their luck, they inadvertently learn of High Priest Konig's mad scheme to create a new god by helping a child called Morgen ascend. At the spur of the moment they decide to kidnap Morgen, and offer him up for what they hope will be a hefty payday. This mission won't be easy however. Konig is a powerful Gefahrgeist (sociopath), and he and Morgen are surrounded by an army of other Geisteskranken in one of the most protected cities in all the lands.
From the very first pages of Beyond Redemption I was drawn into the bleak, cramped and depressing world that Fletcher had created. The Gods, after countless wars and many deaths, have abandoned humanity to their fate. In turn, humanity, in its desperation to cling to anyone who still has any belief left, has created individuals whose mental illnesses can alter the very fabric of reality. These Geisteskranken, with their many different beliefs and delusions, form the backbone of Fletcher's world. We are introduced to an incredible range and breadth of Geisteskranken throughout this book, ranging from Gefahrgeists, whose ability to manipulate and control those around them makes Professor X. look neutered and lame, through to Kleptics (kleptomaniacs), who theoretically, at their pinnacle of their power, could steal your heart right out of your chest without you noticing. The catch, however is that all Geisteskranken are destined to implode and be swallowed by their own delusions one day. They are all also bound by the inverse square law in Fletcher's universe. The closer you are to a Geisteskranken, the stronger the effect of their delusions are. The further away you get, the weaker these delusions become. When reading this I was struck by how original this concept of 'magic' was. In fact, one of the most impressive things about Beyond Redemption is the length that Fletcher has gone to in order to fully flesh out his universe. There were plenty of gory details to lap up as I read, such as the fact that Geisteskranken could be made via emotional or physical trauma such as torture or rape, or that a Cotardist's belief actually made them undead machines (and the perfect assassins!). The continued introduction of all of these strange and weird ideas kept me enthralled, and I adored how nothing was static about the universe in this book (despite the fact that the world feels and sounds old with Fletcher's use of Germanic terms) Landscapes could be changed, and cities altered dramatically by the sheer will of many. One such instance occurs when Konig and his followers turn a dilapidated town and its barren setting into a pristine and religious stronghold just by believing it. This made the world building in Beyond Redemption fluid and incredibly amazing.
Fletcher's characterisation is also impressive. All of the characters in Beyond Redemption are multifaceted, layered, and incredibly rendered. This is another strength of Fletcher's writing. I was drawn to Bedeckt, Wichtig, and Stehlen from the start, and their motley relationship as a group is one of the highlights of the book. Bedeckt, as one of the few sane characters of importance, struggled daily to keep his Geisteskranken companions (Wichtig is a minor Gefahrgeist who believes himself to be the best swordsman in the lands, and Stehlen is a powerful and very violent Kleptic) together and on task. In fact the mental image of a tired and haggard medical physician working in an insane asylum came to mind whenever I thought of Bedeckt. The groups broken dynamic kept me enthralled as they attempted to kidnap Morgen, with their bickering and fighting a source of much humour and entertainment. However, as they bundled from one mishap to another, such as Stehlen murdering an entire temple of Konig's priests on a whim, I found myself hoping that they would unite and find redemption. And therein lies the magic of Fletcher's writing. I cared about these characters. I felt pity and sorrow for them all, including Konig's servants and followers who were trapped under his thrall. I wanted characters like Gehirn (a powerful Hassebrand or pyromaniac) to find peace from all the trauma she suffered at the hands of her father as a child. I even wanted Morgen to remain untainted and to ascend to godhood in order to make the world a better place. I wanted the end game to be an improvement on the present. And by the end of Beyond Redemption each character does change, but not in the way you might expect. And that's the point I think Fletcher vividly makes. The Geisteskranken can't be fixed (just like mental illness in our own world). They can merely learn to adapt, accept, and live with their circumstances. Konig is also depicted wonderfully as the main antagonist, and I loved reading how his mind became more and more fractured and twisted as he became more and more powerful. The appearance of his dopplegangers, each a representation of an emotion from his battered mind, had me shaking my head in awe.
The action and pacing in Beyond Redemption is also brilliantly executed. Fletcher showcases a real knack for writing interesting and bloody fights and battles in this book, and I absorbed all of these clashes like one of the mob watching a gladiatorial fight in Ancient Rome. Each event was unique and interesting in its own way, and I adored the grittiness that was woven into the confrontations. One particular scene that stands out as was when Bedeckt, Wichtig, and Stehlen stumble upon the Mehrere (schizophrenic) guarding Morgen's chambers. Mehrere, as schizophrenics, believe they are more than one person. So in Fletcher's world, they actually are! One foe suddenly turned into hundreds, and the chaos and violence that followed was awesome to read. The pacing is also fast and well balanced. Fletcher effectively pairs his detailed world building with a story that unfolds at breakneck speed, and at no stage did I feel the plot bog or slow down. The conclusion was also very satisfying, and I cannot wait to see where Fletcher goes next with this story.
In fact, I'm really struggling to find anything negative to say about Beyond Redemption. It is dark fantasy at its finest, with an original and highly fascinating universe that just blew my mind to mush over and over again.
Beyond Redemption is one of the most mind bending, gory, and twisted reads I've had since I first stumbled across a newbie by the name of Joe Abercrombie back in the day. Set to land on June 16th, Beyond Redemption is highly recommended to all dark fantasy fans with a functioning brain and beating heart!
5 out of 5 stars!
A review copy was provided.
And someone is just mad enough to believe he can create a god...
Violent and dark, the world is filled with the Geisteskranken-men and women whose delusions manifest. Sustained by their own belief - and the beliefs of those around them - they can manipulate their surroundings. For the High Priest Konig, that means creating order out of the chaos in his city-state, leading his believers to focus on one thing: helping a young man, Morgen, ascend to become a god.
A god they can control.
Trouble is, there are many who would see a god in their thrall, including the High Priest's own doppelgangers, a Slaver no one can resist, and three slaves led by possibly the only sane man left.
As these forces converge on the boy, there's one more obstacle: time is running out. Because as the delusions become more powerful, the also become harder to control. The fate of the Geisteskranken is to inevitably find oneself in the Afterdeath.
The question, then, is: Who will rule there?
I like being a reviewer. It has many perks, and it enables me to read widely across a genre that I love. One of the downsides however is that I don't often get time to read as many unknown authors as I would usually like. So when Beyond Redemption popped up onto my radar I was curious, but also resigned to the fact that I probably wouldn't get to it for ages. Then something awesome happened. Michael kindly offered to send me an advanced readers copy, so I decided to give it a whirl on a whim (and the fact I had just finished another book and had yet to start my next). And damn... I'm glad I did.
I mentioned perks earlier. Well the best perk is when you stumble across an unknown writer whose work just blows you away.
Beyond Redemption is, and I don't say this lightly, one the most original, thought provoking, and hellishly dystopian dark fantasies that I have read in ages. It is also disturbing, disgusting, and action packed. And god I loved it!
It is in this dark and brutal setting that we meet Bedeckt and his companions Stehlen and Wichtig. Fleeing from a score gone wrong and down on their luck, they inadvertently learn of High Priest Konig's mad scheme to create a new god by helping a child called Morgen ascend. At the spur of the moment they decide to kidnap Morgen, and offer him up for what they hope will be a hefty payday. This mission won't be easy however. Konig is a powerful Gefahrgeist (sociopath), and he and Morgen are surrounded by an army of other Geisteskranken in one of the most protected cities in all the lands.
From the very first pages of Beyond Redemption I was drawn into the bleak, cramped and depressing world that Fletcher had created. The Gods, after countless wars and many deaths, have abandoned humanity to their fate. In turn, humanity, in its desperation to cling to anyone who still has any belief left, has created individuals whose mental illnesses can alter the very fabric of reality. These Geisteskranken, with their many different beliefs and delusions, form the backbone of Fletcher's world. We are introduced to an incredible range and breadth of Geisteskranken throughout this book, ranging from Gefahrgeists, whose ability to manipulate and control those around them makes Professor X. look neutered and lame, through to Kleptics (kleptomaniacs), who theoretically, at their pinnacle of their power, could steal your heart right out of your chest without you noticing. The catch, however is that all Geisteskranken are destined to implode and be swallowed by their own delusions one day. They are all also bound by the inverse square law in Fletcher's universe. The closer you are to a Geisteskranken, the stronger the effect of their delusions are. The further away you get, the weaker these delusions become. When reading this I was struck by how original this concept of 'magic' was. In fact, one of the most impressive things about Beyond Redemption is the length that Fletcher has gone to in order to fully flesh out his universe. There were plenty of gory details to lap up as I read, such as the fact that Geisteskranken could be made via emotional or physical trauma such as torture or rape, or that a Cotardist's belief actually made them undead machines (and the perfect assassins!). The continued introduction of all of these strange and weird ideas kept me enthralled, and I adored how nothing was static about the universe in this book (despite the fact that the world feels and sounds old with Fletcher's use of Germanic terms) Landscapes could be changed, and cities altered dramatically by the sheer will of many. One such instance occurs when Konig and his followers turn a dilapidated town and its barren setting into a pristine and religious stronghold just by believing it. This made the world building in Beyond Redemption fluid and incredibly amazing.
Fletcher's characterisation is also impressive. All of the characters in Beyond Redemption are multifaceted, layered, and incredibly rendered. This is another strength of Fletcher's writing. I was drawn to Bedeckt, Wichtig, and Stehlen from the start, and their motley relationship as a group is one of the highlights of the book. Bedeckt, as one of the few sane characters of importance, struggled daily to keep his Geisteskranken companions (Wichtig is a minor Gefahrgeist who believes himself to be the best swordsman in the lands, and Stehlen is a powerful and very violent Kleptic) together and on task. In fact the mental image of a tired and haggard medical physician working in an insane asylum came to mind whenever I thought of Bedeckt. The groups broken dynamic kept me enthralled as they attempted to kidnap Morgen, with their bickering and fighting a source of much humour and entertainment. However, as they bundled from one mishap to another, such as Stehlen murdering an entire temple of Konig's priests on a whim, I found myself hoping that they would unite and find redemption. And therein lies the magic of Fletcher's writing. I cared about these characters. I felt pity and sorrow for them all, including Konig's servants and followers who were trapped under his thrall. I wanted characters like Gehirn (a powerful Hassebrand or pyromaniac) to find peace from all the trauma she suffered at the hands of her father as a child. I even wanted Morgen to remain untainted and to ascend to godhood in order to make the world a better place. I wanted the end game to be an improvement on the present. And by the end of Beyond Redemption each character does change, but not in the way you might expect. And that's the point I think Fletcher vividly makes. The Geisteskranken can't be fixed (just like mental illness in our own world). They can merely learn to adapt, accept, and live with their circumstances. Konig is also depicted wonderfully as the main antagonist, and I loved reading how his mind became more and more fractured and twisted as he became more and more powerful. The appearance of his dopplegangers, each a representation of an emotion from his battered mind, had me shaking my head in awe.
The action and pacing in Beyond Redemption is also brilliantly executed. Fletcher showcases a real knack for writing interesting and bloody fights and battles in this book, and I absorbed all of these clashes like one of the mob watching a gladiatorial fight in Ancient Rome. Each event was unique and interesting in its own way, and I adored the grittiness that was woven into the confrontations. One particular scene that stands out as was when Bedeckt, Wichtig, and Stehlen stumble upon the Mehrere (schizophrenic) guarding Morgen's chambers. Mehrere, as schizophrenics, believe they are more than one person. So in Fletcher's world, they actually are! One foe suddenly turned into hundreds, and the chaos and violence that followed was awesome to read. The pacing is also fast and well balanced. Fletcher effectively pairs his detailed world building with a story that unfolds at breakneck speed, and at no stage did I feel the plot bog or slow down. The conclusion was also very satisfying, and I cannot wait to see where Fletcher goes next with this story.
In fact, I'm really struggling to find anything negative to say about Beyond Redemption. It is dark fantasy at its finest, with an original and highly fascinating universe that just blew my mind to mush over and over again.
Beyond Redemption is one of the most mind bending, gory, and twisted reads I've had since I first stumbled across a newbie by the name of Joe Abercrombie back in the day. Set to land on June 16th, Beyond Redemption is highly recommended to all dark fantasy fans with a functioning brain and beating heart!
5 out of 5 stars!
A review copy was provided.
July 19, 2019
I’ve stopped writing my incoherent ramblings about books for a while now because of...reasons, but I kind of want to explain my rating as I comfortably sit here in the minority corner.
There is a channel on YouTube called First We Feast which features a show called Hot Ones. It is about celebrities being interviewed by host over a platter of increasingly spicy chicken wings, each prepared with a progressively hotter hot sauce. As the wings get hotter, the guest begins to display the effects of eating the spicier wings and start struggling to answer the questions. The guests seem like they can manage it and they are doing fine until they taste the one that really fucks them up:
What does any of this has to do with the book, you rambling dingus?! - I hear you say. Well, Beyond Redemption is Beyond Insanity, it is Da' Bomb of books and it really fucked me up.
I really must applaud the author for conveying mental disorders into a fantasy setting and creating a unique world and characters alike. It is a very original approach and deserves all the stars and praise it got.
I'm aware that grimdark fantasy has a dark, cynical and violent setting and I'm used to brutality and graphic scenes one may find in that kind of books and I'm a fan of the genre, but Beyond Redemption was too much for me. Grimdark level is off the charts in this one.
I have never encountered more disgusting and more fucked up world than the one portrayed in this book. It is a world full of manipulative assholes, murderers and thieves. It even features a slaver who eats human stew and feeds it to his manipulated slaves and if that isn't fucked up, I don't know what is.
I wasn't particularly interested in the characters other than the main trio but even they weren't likeable and that was my biggest issue. It is really hard for me to enjoy the story when I don't have anyone to root for. Their part of the story was interesting but also very twisted because their plan involved child abduction so I'm not sure I was even supposed to root for them and maybe that was the author's purpose. It's a conundrum, I know.
Fletcher succeeded in creating this bleak world filled with vile characters and, like I said, he has to be applauded for it because I do understand that was his intention but I really didn't like spending time in this world. I wasn't expecting fairies and unicorns when starting it but I wasn't prepared for the level of darkness in it.
So, points given for the originality but with the (disgusting) world I didn't wish to explore more of and the (repulsive) characters I didn't care for, that is all it gets from me.
There is a channel on YouTube called First We Feast which features a show called Hot Ones. It is about celebrities being interviewed by host over a platter of increasingly spicy chicken wings, each prepared with a progressively hotter hot sauce. As the wings get hotter, the guest begins to display the effects of eating the spicier wings and start struggling to answer the questions. The guests seem like they can manage it and they are doing fine until they taste the one that really fucks them up:
What does any of this has to do with the book, you rambling dingus?! - I hear you say. Well, Beyond Redemption is Beyond Insanity, it is Da' Bomb of books and it really fucked me up.
I really must applaud the author for conveying mental disorders into a fantasy setting and creating a unique world and characters alike. It is a very original approach and deserves all the stars and praise it got.
I'm aware that grimdark fantasy has a dark, cynical and violent setting and I'm used to brutality and graphic scenes one may find in that kind of books and I'm a fan of the genre, but Beyond Redemption was too much for me. Grimdark level is off the charts in this one.
I have never encountered more disgusting and more fucked up world than the one portrayed in this book. It is a world full of manipulative assholes, murderers and thieves. It even features a slaver who eats human stew and feeds it to his manipulated slaves and if that isn't fucked up, I don't know what is.
I wasn't particularly interested in the characters other than the main trio but even they weren't likeable and that was my biggest issue. It is really hard for me to enjoy the story when I don't have anyone to root for. Their part of the story was interesting but also very twisted because their plan involved child abduction so I'm not sure I was even supposed to root for them and maybe that was the author's purpose. It's a conundrum, I know.
Fletcher succeeded in creating this bleak world filled with vile characters and, like I said, he has to be applauded for it because I do understand that was his intention but I really didn't like spending time in this world. I wasn't expecting fairies and unicorns when starting it but I wasn't prepared for the level of darkness in it.
So, points given for the originality but with the (disgusting) world I didn't wish to explore more of and the (repulsive) characters I didn't care for, that is all it gets from me.
October 7, 2023
A
mind-bending
dark fantasy (literally) from a spectacular writer in which he tries to lay bare the hidden subconscious and the inner workings behind our deepest consciousness.
Like Stephen King said in his apocalyptic novel, Cell, and I'm paraphrasing here..."It's only madness and chaos that remains when a brain is stripped bare to its last layer."
"Most only dare tread the waters of insanity at night as they lie dreaming. Cowards. Dive deep into your psychopathy. Let loose the demons of delusion and know, in the end, when they finally devour you, you swam with sharks. —VERSKLAVEN SCHWACHE, GEFAHRGEIST PHILOSOPHER"
The characterisations aren't as complex or nuianced, and the world-building isn't as immersive and sprawling as I would otherwise expect from Michael R. Fletcher but a fantastic read all the same. Highly recommended.
"What is faith but delusion without the power to back it up? —VERSKLAVEN SCHWACHE, GEFAHRGEIST PHILOSOPHER"
2022 Read
Like Stephen King said in his apocalyptic novel, Cell, and I'm paraphrasing here..."It's only madness and chaos that remains when a brain is stripped bare to its last layer."
"Where delusion defines reality, the Gefahrgeist [delusionist] is king.The plot begins slow and builds up over the first half and then all terrors break loose in a world where the whims of the insane and crazy run amok and are given flesh and blood. Amazing fight scenes, a well fleshed out magic system that is fresh and unique while staying familiar at the same time.
—VERSKLAVEN SCHWACHE, GEFAHRGEIST PHILOSOPHER"
"Most only dare tread the waters of insanity at night as they lie dreaming. Cowards. Dive deep into your psychopathy. Let loose the demons of delusion and know, in the end, when they finally devour you, you swam with sharks. —VERSKLAVEN SCHWACHE, GEFAHRGEIST PHILOSOPHER"
The characterisations aren't as complex or nuianced, and the world-building isn't as immersive and sprawling as I would otherwise expect from Michael R. Fletcher but a fantastic read all the same. Highly recommended.
"What is faith but delusion without the power to back it up? —VERSKLAVEN SCHWACHE, GEFAHRGEIST PHILOSOPHER"
2022 Read
February 13, 2019
February 13th 2019.
I remember going through Michael R. Fletcher's BR.
God, how I loved this book. It was so bloody amazing a novel, I just couldn't believe it. I remember turning the pages, shaking my head, and whispering "Fucking hell, Fletcher." while smirking.
"Beyond Redemption" had it all. It was gritty, it featured the right amount of the blackest shade of black humour, and it followed a bunch of wretched characters that were every different flavour of FUBAR.
To cut it short, "Beyond Redemption" was 24 carat perfection, I had found a book that was on the very same level as Joe Abercrombie's "The First Law".
Since then, I have been reading a big bunch of "grimdark" books BUT, I'm sorry to report, a good 90% of them turned out to be just meh and lacking er... wit. I won't mention the names of the lackluster authors here because it wouldn't be fair, I guess. Let's just say that reading their offerings after this book feels like being forced to drive a Commodore after having melted the asphalt behind the wheel of a Lamborghini Diablo.
End of rant.
December 22nd 2016
My computer is fubar, and I'm not writing a review with my mobs, but this book deserves a proper review as it's all sorts of awesome.
Five stars. Actually five shining supernovas. Ace stuff.
A full & poorly written review will be posted as soon as I get a new putah.
I remember going through Michael R. Fletcher's BR.
God, how I loved this book. It was so bloody amazing a novel, I just couldn't believe it. I remember turning the pages, shaking my head, and whispering "Fucking hell, Fletcher." while smirking.
"Beyond Redemption" had it all. It was gritty, it featured the right amount of the blackest shade of black humour, and it followed a bunch of wretched characters that were every different flavour of FUBAR.
To cut it short, "Beyond Redemption" was 24 carat perfection, I had found a book that was on the very same level as Joe Abercrombie's "The First Law".
Since then, I have been reading a big bunch of "grimdark" books BUT, I'm sorry to report, a good 90% of them turned out to be just meh and lacking er... wit. I won't mention the names of the lackluster authors here because it wouldn't be fair, I guess. Let's just say that reading their offerings after this book feels like being forced to drive a Commodore after having melted the asphalt behind the wheel of a Lamborghini Diablo.
End of rant.
December 22nd 2016
My computer is fubar, and I'm not writing a review with my mobs, but this book deserves a proper review as it's all sorts of awesome.
Five stars. Actually five shining supernovas. Ace stuff.
A full & poorly written review will be posted as soon as I get a new putah.
Read
April 25, 2022My brother, Ed, read Beyond Redemption a few months ago, and said it was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Since then it has been lingering on my mind, and now I have finally read it. Some people have said it is like The Greatcoats in terms of the hilarious trio, but if they hated each other. That is so accurate. Their apparent dislike and disrespect for one another is done in a hilarious way, but one that is not too dramatic. It is an understated humour that really clicks. And as you go through the story the depth of their relationships are revealed, and it could be said that they really actually love each other...
Beyond Redemption positively surprised me, as I liked it even more than I thought I would. This really is fresh, unique fantasy that takes on certain traditional fantasy tropes and D&D ideas, such as wondering from village to village, but then these are subverted in ways that make these ideas, themes and motifs appear to be new. I highly recommend to all who enjoy fantasy!
Full RTC
Beyond Redemption positively surprised me, as I liked it even more than I thought I would. This really is fresh, unique fantasy that takes on certain traditional fantasy tropes and D&D ideas, such as wondering from village to village, but then these are subverted in ways that make these ideas, themes and motifs appear to be new. I highly recommend to all who enjoy fantasy!
Full RTC
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