A Winter of Chains by Jason R. Koivu(Disclaimer: I edited this, so I'll forego the star rating. You can probably guess what I would rate it, anyway, seeing that I edited it. Duh.)
A Winter of Chains is every bit as grueling a journey as one would expect from the title. This is the third in the "Beyond Barlow" series, and it presents a depth of emotional connection that is often missing from "sword and sorcery". Now, I must state that you will find few swords and little sorcery in this volume. Ford Barlow, the "hero" of the novel, is a seriously-flawed, yet so humn human being. You will likely see something of yourself in Ford's stumbling, bungling attempts to return to freedom from a state of utter subservience. As I said, this is a grueling journey. Ford is used and abused by others, makes critical mistakes in dealing with people and situations, is embarrassed, scared, and experiences cases of imposter syndrome that will make you squirm in discomfort, because you've "been there". This is where you will connect with Ford Barlow. One cannot read of his (mis)adventures without finding sympathy and possibly even empathy for him.
But Ford is not hopeless. Not by a long shot. If Ford has anything, it's just enough courage to hope and, even more importantly, vast reserves of perseverance. He is stubborn and impatient, and these become, in the end, both his worst curses and his greatest assets. He is subjected to one suffering after another. At times, one wonders why he carries on. But he seeks, above all else, freedom.
In his quest for freedom, Ford endures captivity, shame, bitter cold, frustration, abandonment, betrayal, embarrassment, hunger, and more. Yet, he perseveres. He conquers himself, but also learns the power of forgiveness, trust, and friendship in a way, again, much more deeply than one feels (or doesn't feel) in sword and sorcery.
That is not to say that Koivu has missed any beats of the genre. There is plenty of intrigue in a detailed and internally-consistent fantastical setting quite unlike many other fantasy settings. We experience Ford Barlow's world from the trenches and are exposed to cultures and places that seem fantastical even to Ford himself. Koivu is an able historian and an able anthropologist, but avoids the academic tone of the professor. Rather, this is a working-man's view of the world, which is appropriate, given both Ford's personality and experiences. Because of the way he makes do in the world, we get to see the unveiling of this rich world in a way that feels natural and surprising.
Even though we are led on a strange, exceedingly-difficult journey through a world with cultures and peoples that will seem bizarre to us, we connect with Ford Barlow on a deep-seated, human level, in ways that you won't soon forget. This novel will impress upon your heart and mind in powerful ways and leave its mark.
Recommended.
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