As with the first in this series, the "buddies and banter" are well done here. Also again, the female characters are just pathetic -- weak and uninteresting. The story is entertaining, if fairly predictable. ( )

Listening to this on audio was like visiting old friends. Even though I only listened to the first book a couple months ago. The scale on this one seemed a little less epic than the first but also it seemed like the author got much deeper into the characters.

I love the narrator on the audio book. He really helps bring the characters to life. Hope to hear more from Egil and Nyx in the future. ( )

3.5 stars Originally posted at FanLit: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/reviews/a-discourse-in-steel/

A Discourse in Steel is the second novel in Paul S. Kemp�??s EGIL AND NIX series about a couple of ƒ??retiredƒ? graverobbers who just canƒ??t seem to stay out of trouble. I thought the first book, The Hammer and the Blade, was a fun story that didnƒ??t quite meet the standards of Fritz Leiberƒ??s LANKHMAR series which is an obvious influence. I was happy to give Egil and Nix another chance to charm me, though.

This time the guys investigate Black Alley, a dark extra-dimensional space that shows up somewhere around their town every evening. Then they take on the Thievesƒ?? Guild who is planning to kill one of the women that Egil and Nix saved in the previous book. These adventures take them to strange places where they meet strange people and other creatures. For most of the time they are in imminent danger of being brutally killed and they must use all their brains and brawn to stay alive and to protect the people they love. Along the way they do a little philosophizing ƒ?? talking about the meaning of life, their regrets, the pathetic legacy theyƒ??re leaving behind, the importance of our memories and past deeds to who we are, and even the provocative idea that the bad things weƒ??ve done could make us a better person.

Readers who loved The Hammer and the Blade (which seems to be the majority based on reviews Iƒ??ve seen elsewhere) will probably love A Discourse in Steel, too. Itƒ??s just as good as its predecessor. The action is non-stop, the characters are likable (though Egil and Nix make a couple of really dumb decisions), the dialogue is somewhat amusing, and the plot is tight and unpredictable.

I canƒ??t stop myself from comparing Egil and Nix to Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, however, because the influence is so obvious (in fact, I think one of Leiberƒ??s stories involved Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser busting into the Theivesƒ?? Guild and, instead of ƒ??Black Alley,ƒ? Leiber has a ƒ??Death Alleyƒ?). Like Leiber, Kemp does a great job with his characters ƒ?? roguish thieves who are a little more intelligent and educated than youƒ??d expect and who tend to wax philosophical while drinking.

Whatƒ??s missing here, though, is the clever and almost poetic prose and dialogue that Leiberƒ??s so brilliant with; Leiberƒ??s style is a large part of why I love Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser. Kempƒ??s style is appealing enough, but it just canƒ??t compare to Leiber. Compare the texts side by side and youƒ??ll see what I mean. Leiberƒ??s words, not just his plot, can give you chills. If youƒ??re just in it for the action, Kempƒ??s story will do nicely. If youƒ??re looking for a full Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser experience, Egil and Nix donƒ??t quite measure up. On the other hand, Kempƒ??s stories have a feminist sensibility that Leiberƒ??s lacks. Iƒ??m often annoyed with Leiberƒ??s portrayal of his female characters, so I definitely appreciate Kempƒ??s more modern spin.
In the end, I guess Iƒ??d say that the EGIL AND NIX stories lack both what I love about Leiberƒ??s stories and what I hate, which makes them an average read. Many readers will find this to be an unfair criticism, and I realize that may be true, but I am hoping that my comparison will help potential readers know what to expect. I did enjoy A Discourse in Steel and I recommend this series to sword & sorcery fans looking for something new. Egil and Nix arenƒ??t the next Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, but they are still entertaining.
Iƒ??ll continue to read this series in audiobook format. Nick Podehl is the narrator. I had to speed him up a bit because his cadence sometimes trudges along, and I think his voice for Nix is a little high-pitched, but generally I liked him. ( )

The further adventures of Egil and Nix in their hometown of Dur Follin. Unfortunately, the town is little more than a name, and a home for their bar and a thieves guild. They get caught in the middle of a guild takeover when one of their girlfriends? wards? adopted urchins? gets in the way. After that, its a beatdown on the thieves in the guild. This is openly written in admiration of the Fafhrd and Grey Mouser stories by Fritz Leiber, but unfortunately it has been influenced by modern fantasy games and comics. The heroes are so far above the minions of the thieves guild that they don't present any threat at all - until they run into the big bad thing! The setting and characters could definitely use some detail. The action is good and there are some funny parts. ( )

I don't use star ratings, so please read my review!

(Description nicked from B&N.com.)

“Egil and Nix have retired, as they always said they would. No, really – they have! No more sword and hammer-play for them!

But when two recent acquaintances come calling for help, our hapless heroes find themselves up against the might of the entire Thieves Guild.

And when kidnapping the leader of the most powerful guild in the land seems like the best course of action, you know you’re in over your head…”

The thing that I’ve noticed about Kemp’s Egil and Nix stories is that they turn a lot of fantasy’s common tropes on their heads. Egil is a warrior priest, but he is his god’s only devotee. Nix is a former street rat and thief, but learned a surprising amount of compassion from the woman who raised him. The city they live in has a thieves’ guild, but its members are followers of a god who is rather active in their lives. Magic exists, but it’s not common and often not understood.

For me, this book was slow to start (which I also thought about the first one), but once it gets going, it’s hard to put down. The story leaves the confines of Dur Follin and heads out into the wilds, getting our heroes information about their world’s past history that isn’t well known. There are hints of massive events that took place, and I hope Kemp gets around to exploring those a little more.

Egil and Nix remind me of nothing so much as Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, the classic pair penned by Fritz Lieber. Those guys were my introduction to sword and sorcery, and Kemp’s novels definitely echo them. This isn’t the convoluted, world-shaking type of plot that so many fantasy series strive for these days; rather, these are smaller tales, delivering lots of adventure and action without the often weighty issues of other books. Sometimes, a dose of fun is just what you need, and the Egil and Nix stories are just that.

I get the feeling that my role-playing friends would love these novels, because the main characters get up to the same antics that they would, merrily rampaging around trying to keep from getting killed. In a way, it made me feel that I know these characters even better, because their brand of devil-may-care mayhem reminds me of in-game situations that I’ve witnessed. A Discourse in Steel is a heck of a fun read, and I can’t wait until the next one comes out!

This review originally appeared on Owlcat Mountain on August 21, 2013.
http://www.owlcatmountain.com/a-discourse-in-steel/