Review: Architect (Calamity’s Window Book 1) by RT Mulder

Gripping from the very first page, author RT Mulder delivers a savage opening salvo with Architect, Book 1 of the Calamity’s Window series. A colossal and complex fantasy world unravels before readers’ hungry eyes in this tour de force warrior fantasy from an exciting new author in the genre.

The world of Halja is a hard place, populated by those who have been steeled for survival. The kingdoms have a long history of conflict, but when an even greater evil from the past rises that threatens them all, an unsteady peace must be struck. From the swarthy and morally dubious pirates of La Isla to the fierce warriors who call the barren snow of Fortiso home, every kingdom contributes a colorful cast to this ambitious tale.

With a distinctive fellowship feel that would make Tolkien proud, this entrancing story has more than enough action, but also a strong thematic foundation and powerful revelations about honor, brotherhood, self-preservation and transcending superficial differences. The premise of this fantasy world is a thought-provoking stage that makes much of this book feel allegorical. As some in Halja believe, God killed the world two times – during the two calamities – first with a rock that killed the Fiend and then with a flood to finish the job. Combining religious history and archaeological fact, this doesn’t sound far off from Earth’s early traumas.

Not only is there fascinating depth to the world itself, but also to the individual characters, thanks to the omnipresent narrator. The intense self-reflection of Jurgen, a viri forti warrior who witnessed the Fiend firsthand, to the grandiose power of Scitus, one of those magicians blessed with the magical Gift since the Second Calamity, readers are welcomed into thoughts and minds seamlessly, while still being entertained and surprised by the path of the plot. The disparate cultures that have survived these destructive events grow more skeptical and divided, resulting in the brilliant tension that imbues every character interaction on these pages.

The main criticism lies in the occasional lapses in language, where the author appears to have gotten overly wordy in descriptions and characterizations, while still not adding to clarity. Some action sequences are hard to visualize, and certain conversations would better serve the plot as narration, rather than pace-slowing dialogue. There is also some space for editing and tightening up the language, particularly in eliminating passive voice when it appears.

That being said, the vast majority of the prose is rich and engaging, and the world that Mulder has cultivated is thick with potential. From the emotionally dense prologue to cleverly descriptive prose and a clear ability to shift narrative moods with grace and ease, this book is a pleasure to read, and a challenge to put down. As the starting point of a new series, Architect has all the elements for a successful fantasy saga: a compelling enemy, a swirling soup of diverse characters, and the skilled pen to pull it all together with a truly enthralling story.