Komasi's Ride: The Grass Sea by Stephen John Lewis
When Komasi the Planner signed on for one last season as a mercenary captain in the service of the Hyseran Empire, all he looked for was one last opportunity to win some glory for himself before he moved far away from his homeland to take up farming in warmer and sunnier climates. This last ride offered him an opportunity to lead his warriors further into the territory of the wild Saraifi tribesman than any other captain in living memory. True to his reputation, he planned it all out thoroughly and well. But when the snakepit of Hyseran politics led to an act of treachery, he found himself far from home and safety, with ruthless enemies and uncertain allies all along the path he must take to lead his men to safety, with Saraifi horsemen in pursuit, intent on massacre. The odds are daunting, but he must somehow find a way to beat the Saraifi, get his men safely across an unbridged river and take a fortified town before starting out on the long ride across the Bleeding Ground. He must draw upon all his experience and skill, and trust that his reputation will be enough to give his warriors confidence to follow him no matter how desperate things may seem. Should he fail, or that confidence be lost, few of them will ever see their homes again.
The Reviews are pouring in for Komasi's Ride: The Grass Sea - This is a book that refuses to be pigeonholed. Nominally it's a fantasy since it takes place in an alternate universe and there's some magic involved. However, it lacks almost all the tropes of modern fantasy. Fundamentally, it's closer to a literary Western tale: hard people, journeying through a hard land, trying their best to live up to the warrior code while maintaining honor and humanity. To be sure, there is intrigue and politics and battles (exceptionally well written battles, by the way). But mostly what keeps you reading is the characters. You want to spend time with them, learn from them, share their triumphs and losses. If this kind of story appeal to you as a reader, you will be delighted. In a genre where a huge majority of new works involves leather-clad Amazonian type women or angsty teens, this work stands out for its simplicity: a good story with solid characters, well told. ~Countrychick
Komasi's Ride is a thoroughly enjoyable book ... there is something in it for everyone. Mr. Lewis' descriptive passages and character development are consistent and interesting. It's not all just rush out there and fight, fight, fight; but a methodical accounting of the day-to-day workings of a war campaign and what it takes to keep everyone sustained through human need, focus and devotion to their cause. And for anyone who is hesitant to take on a 525-page book, I can only say that it ended much too quickly and left me wanting to know more about the characters ... when will we be seeing a sequel Mr. Lewis? ~ i Watzlawick
My Green Publisher is working on fixing our ebook option. Until then please find the ebook version of Komasi's Ride: The Grass Sea:
Kindle
Smashwords
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Diesel