4 out of 4 stars
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I’m always apprehensive when selecting a fantasy novel by an unfamiliar author due to the extremely high bar set for this genre. The list of top fantasy authors has no shortage of easily recognizable names, like J.R.R. Tolkien; George R.R. Martin; Robert Jordan; and R.A. Salvatore. Relative newcomers, such as Brandon Sanderson; Brandon Mull; and Steven Erickson; are also well on their way to prominence and will soon take their respective places among the greats. For such an exclusive, niche market, the fantasy genre is inundated with some of the best writers of our time; for this reason, any fantasy novel that is less than exquisite is sure to become lost in the proverbial shuffle. With this in mind, I sat down to read Crik, a fantasy novel from debut author Karl Beer. Crik seemed to have a strong premise and a heavy dose of originality, which is a must in a genre laden with recycled themes, plots, and characters. In short, Mr. Beer did not disappoint; as it happens, Crik is easily one of the best novels I’ve read in recent memory.
Crik is a small village nestled in the vast and dark Crik Wood. The residents of Crik are unique in that almost all of them bear unique “Talents.” One boy has extremely good vision. Another woman can grow a seed into a fruit-bearing tree in a matter of minutes. Yet another man can communicate with insects. Jack’s Talent is that his shadow has free will and can contort and change shape on cue; this Talent has not served him well because his shadow, named Yang, is mischievous and ends up causing a lot more trouble than he’s worth. Jack’s best friend Bill has no Talent and is treated as second-class by the kids in the village. The two are, for different reasons, the outcasts of the small town. However, things begin to change one stormy night as a visitor from the Wood arrives under cover of darkness, and through his window Jack sees the stranger bury an object in front of Bill’s house. Jack almost immediately unearths the object and inadvertently opens a Pandora’s Box of mystery. It doesn’t take long before Bill finds his Talent; Jack finds that the Talents may not be what they seem; and they both find that the entire town has a history that may not be as respectable as Jack and Bill have been raised to believe. Jack’s obsession with solving the riddles of his Talent and his town’s history lead him and Bill to the darkest regions of Crik Wood, where they will encounter strange friends, demonic foes, and a few who lie somewhere in the middle. Even if they do find out the truth, they may not survive long enough to tell their story…
I had to read but a few chapters of Crik to realize that I was holding something special; to simply say that Crik was good doesn’t do the book any amount of justice. Mr. Beer has created a rich, complete world that is simultaneously beautiful and macabre, surreal yet eerily familiar. The story itself is masterfully told, and the author was able to make his adventure “come alive.” I could identify as much with Jack’s mistrust of Talents as I could with Bill’s blind allegiance to them, and I found myself cheering the resulting strengths of each character (and cursing the weaknesses). What truly set the novel apart, however, is Mr. Beer’s ability to at-once be as lighthearted as Lewis Carroll and gruesome as Stephen King. While it is true that Crik Wood is a magical place full of wondrous surprises waiting to be discovered, it is also a place of darkness where evil is patiently waiting for the opportune moment to seize its prey. When these two personalities converge, the result can be brutal, gory, and tragic. The result is a roller coaster of highs and lows that kept me on the edge of my seat, pouring through chapter after chapter. I cannot express how much I truly enjoyed this novel.
I will warn you that this book shares another common trait among fantasy novels: It’s long. It might not be War and Peace long, but Crik is no quick read. The book is a solid adventure that tells a complete story, and casual readers may be overwhelmed by the novel’s depth. In addition, this book is not for all ages. While Crik is reminiscent of popular children’s authors like Brandon Mull or Chris Colfer, there is a little coarse language; a couple of innuendos; and enough graphic imagery to give younger readers nightmares. That being said, this book is not marketed toward younger readers, although if they have already been introduced to the likes of Cassandra Claire or Joseph Delaney, then Crik is probably safe. Either way, as an adult and an avid reader, Crik completely won this reviewer over.
I am enthusiastically awarding Crik 4 out of 4 Stars; I would feel shameful rating it any less. Karl Beer is that diamond in the rough, that needle in the haystack that you hope for when you try an unknown author. Crik is simply a masterwork of fantasy fiction - Disney meets The Dark Tower – and you’re not required to be a fan of orcs, ogres, and wizards to fall in love with this book. If you’re looking for one heck of a good adventure, look no further; you’ve just found one.
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Crik
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