This Broken World (The Vortex of Worlds, 1)

This is a thoroughly entertaining book, even though it is a fairly thick tome and the beginning of a new fantasy series. It does not break new ground in the fantasy genre, nor does it pretend to do so. It really reads like a Dungeons and Dragons adventure, one in which the writing is quite well done, and Charles Gannon puts the skills he has honed writing science fiction and fantasy to good use crafting a story that will keep the reader fairly entertained.

There are a few points where things get a little confusing and could have used some additional clarity, but they are minor and not off-putting. People who have read high fantasy books, or even those who have played Dungeons and Dragons, will recognize many of the character types and attributes, such as the hero, the scoundrel, political intrigue, the anti-hero, orcs of some type, and more.

Beyond adventuring and saving people from injustice, this is also a book about the main character finding himself, though his inability to grasp political maneuvering is a little hard to bear at times, as you wish he would learn about politics at some point.