The world is in my opinion the biggest selling point of THE GARDEN OF THE STONES: here the author Mark T. Barnes has abated noticeably and presents a setting that significantly more exotic than the 08/15 Fantasy setting (the famous "fantasy world of next door ") is advised. Exotic breeds and sometimes very bizarre cultures with equally strange technologies meet here. I was here in reading, even if designed by Barners world has quite a lot of autonomy, often reminiscent of the creations by authors such as China Mievielle or Gene Wolfe or to role-playing games like "Talislanta" or "Earth Dawn" ... just worlds, which can be roughly situate in the genre of fantasy, which nevertheless neither a mere "European Middle Ages with better sewer" or simply "Middle-earth" -Abklatsch are.
The whole plot is epic and far stretched - and, perhaps because of the many characters and subplots, one is many a time to "A Song Of Fire And Ice" remembers, the latter cycle is naturally superior to THE GARDEN OF STONES - what THE GARDEN OF STONES however keienswegs makes it a bad book. Not at all: indeed affects the egsamte history sometimes confused for its own sake, and certainly one has sometimes the impression that the author himself looking not so much like the all is to develop concrete over, but Mark T. Barnes is here undeniably a talent for platische descriptions, original ideas and memorable characters. If he had still been a bit better the "red thread" in its sights a real surprise success would have happened to a good and original in every respect Roman.
"Echoes of Empire" I'll definitely keep an eye on the whole thing definitely makes you hungry for more.
Total scarce due to the sometimes somewhat unfortunate construction 4 star - certainly not for everyone and at times a bit annoying, but the bottom line is a quite interesting and original book.