Artesia Afield, the second Book of Dooms, continues the chronicles of Artesia, a leader of men, a great warrior, and a witch, who will stop at nothing to rid the world of the evil Thessids. As with the other Artesia books, this one is filled with witchcraft and epic battles. While Smylie has created a massive middle-ages style of war filled with all of the action, drama, and suspense one would expect, I find myself drawn to the series for a completely different reason.
What I find most enjoyable about this series are those important moments with Artesia that allow us as readers to get inside her mind and show us that she has emotions we can relate to. In Artesia Afield, a quiet moment stands out in my mind and sets the tale above most other epic war stories. Here, a woman slips passed the guards and attempts to assassinate our hero. Luckily, she is denied her goal. But when Artesia discovers that the woman has lost her husband in battle and has no male children, the warrior’s heart softens. She promises to perform the funeral rights for the woman when no one else would.
This may seem like an unimportant moment to the story, and in the grander scheme of things, perhaps it is. However, this brief scene adds depth and personality to Artesia. This allows readers to relate to her and begin to understand her motivations. This in turn makes the events in the rest of the story to have a more meaningful impact. While the surface action is important in carrying the story forward, it’s telling moments like this, of which there are many, that make this series stand out.
Another thing Smylie has going for his series is that he has crammed each issue, and thus each trade, with plenty of story. For $25, you won’t get a quick read that is over before you know it. Instead, it feels more like an intellectual period piece of a novel with plenty of swordplay and magic to keep the action alive. When you’re done with this book, you’ll feel satisfied that you got your money’s worth.
I’ll be completely honest: The details of the Artesia series are lost I me. There are so many characters and so many kingdoms, it’s hard to keep them all straight. Luckily, for me anyway, this doesn’t matter. Smylie obviously knows all the details, which means I don’t have to. None of the meaning is lost on me and I get to enjoy all the benefits of Smylie’s research and attention to detail. For those out there who are into sprawling epics, this will be right up your alley.
If you’re into epic battles or sword and sorcery stories, you might want to consider giving Artesia a chance. Read the first trade first, and get in on one of the most sprawling epics on the shelves today.
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