Harry's Blog

This fantasy story is McInteosh’s first novel and it shows, but buried beneath the clumsy plotting and dialogue are some interesting ideas that mean I will read the two other books in the trilogy.

The story concerns Wyl, born into a family of generals it is the lad’s role to serve the kind as commander of his Army and act as a companion to the heir to the throne. As is often the case in plots like this, the king’s son is evil and twisted and will not be good for the realm.

So it’s a traditional and rather clichéd setup then. However the book does have a twist, the gift of the title. Through a setup that’s no unlike Quantum Leap, once things go wrong for Wyl Thirsk, there is a way he can continue his efforts to fight the growing power of the new evil kind.

The book should be seen as something of a failure though, but I don’t lay the blame at the feet of the author. Myrren’s Gift reads as though there’s been no editorial control. Strangely-modern language occasionally pops in, as do lines that give too much away too soon. The biggest problem is the ridiculous way characters choose to trust or not trust each other based on the expediency of the plot – this completely spoils the end of the book.

For anyone who’s ever edited written work Myrren’s Gift will be rather maddening. Here you have a first novel from a writer allowed to reach bookshelves full of amateurish mistakes, mad plot decisions and twee dialogue. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a million times better than the rubbish David Eddings or Dan Brown peddles, but it could have been so much better.

Many of the characters are interesting, as is the overall plot. McIntosh clearly has an active imagination and flair for broad plotting that’s let down by the execution. I’m about to begin the second book in the series and I hope there have been some lessons learned since the first book. I’ve been captured enough by the setting and the possibilities to want to read how the story develops.

As it stands, Myrren’s Gift is entertaining and mostly fun, though towards the end you might be screaming at the stupidity and unbelievability of some of the events and a dramatic change of allegiance.