David Keck
David Keck grew up in Winnipeg, Canada. During his twenties, he picked up degrees in English literature, writing, and education. He has studied in rural England and taught in small town Canada. David Keck now teaches middle school in New York City. Read excerpts of his novels at David Keck’s
website.
The Eye of Heaven
The Eye of Heaven — (2007-2008) Publisher: On the very day of his homecoming, the future of Durand Col is snatched out of his hands. He has trained a lifetime for lands he cannot have, and a role he cannot play. There is nothing for him but the road on the verge of winter. With this news ringing in his ears, Durand reels from his father’s stronghold into a realm in turmoil. It has been a year of war and whispers. There are signs in the Heavens, and spirits stalk the land. Plagued by omens, Durand struggles to make an honest place for himself in this old kingdom, lurching into the company of desperate knights, madmen, lost nations, and fallen heroes. While he finds no shining armor, he soon stumbles into murder and the opening of a civil war. Every step tangles him deeper in knots of treason, love, and betrayal. While Durand and his companions struggle to resolve their private fates, their kingdom is collapsing. Their private course, however, leads them into the heart of the collapse. With their blades drawn, they arrive at the day when their kingdom’s fate is decided. It is on this day that Durand must find the strength to face his own sins if he is to save his country…
In the Eye of Heaven by David Keck
In the Eye of Heaven has potential, but unfortunately the writing drags it down considerably. It really needed to be polished. At the moment it reads almost like a first draft, without anything properly fleshed out.
The first problem is that scenes are poorly described, when they are described at all. I felt almost blind as I was reading, because David Keck gives you nearly no idea of the places or people that the characters find themselves around. When he does describe a place it is with only the barest hint of what is there, or it's in terms that don't have any descriptive value, terms that Keck has developed to describe his own world, but have no real meaning to anyone who can't see into his thoughts. For instance, two main characters are called 'Rooks'. They aren't really described much beyond that. I have no idea what they look like or sound like ... Read More
In A Time of Treason by David Keck
As much as I enjoyed David Keck’s debut, I admit that it was a flawed effort so I was quite happy to see how improved the writing was in In A Time of Treason. Namely, the prose was more elegant, the descriptions better expressed, there was a lot more background information without the author relying on shameless infodumping, and overall Mr. Keck just displayed greater confidence as a writer.
Even so, the writing wasn’t perfect. There are still passages that are confusing and may require a re-read or two, the limiting third-person narrative is still in effect, and the plotting is a bit uneven.
On the flipside, the pacing is just as strong as last time — if anything In A Time of Treason is even more intense than In the Eye of Heaven — and the novel just exudes with ambiance. The story itself was a l... Read More
