Brisingr
Author: Cristopher Paolini
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Inheritance Cycle (3rd of 4 books)
Reading the third book in line, I could not help but wonder why.
- Why am I reading this?
Paolini's way of telling the story keeps bugging me immensely. Every single moment overflows with unnecessary details and stray thoughts. The details are probably meant to help creating a more diverse fantasy world, but they just don't. It causes irritation, because the plot comes to a complete halt every other page, for us to marvel at some boring banner, legend or feeling. As for feelings - although the constant complaints and general emoness of the main character is realistic, it is utterly annoying.
Brisingr was supposed to be the last book in the "trilogy", but it became too long so there are going to be four books. Maybe if Paolini did not feel the need to tell us of every single time his main character takes a bath, the trilogy would actually have consisted of three books?
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Inheritance Cycle (3rd of 4 books)
Reading the third book in line, I could not help but wonder why.
- Why am I reading this?
Paolini's way of telling the story keeps bugging me immensely. Every single moment overflows with unnecessary details and stray thoughts. The details are probably meant to help creating a more diverse fantasy world, but they just don't. It causes irritation, because the plot comes to a complete halt every other page, for us to marvel at some boring banner, legend or feeling. As for feelings - although the constant complaints and general emoness of the main character is realistic, it is utterly annoying.
Brisingr was supposed to be the last book in the "trilogy", but it became too long so there are going to be four books. Maybe if Paolini did not feel the need to tell us of every single time his main character takes a bath, the trilogy would actually have consisted of three books?
Mystic Warrior
Author: Tracy & Laura Hickman
Genre: Fantasy
Series: The Bronze Canticles (1st of, so far, 3 books)
Inanimate objects speak to Gaelen, and he is therefore shipped off with other "crazy" people to be executed. In another world a faerie is desperately seeking for a way to save her threatened people, and takes an interest in the fate of Gaelen. In yet another world, a lowly goblin finds a machine. It ticks.
Much more does not have time to happen in Mystic Warrior, since it is a very short book. The book would actually have benefited from being longer. As it is, there is simply too little material to create any long-lasting interest for the plot.
I recognize a lot of promise from the book though, as it at least tries to be original. I might read the next book in line one day, I just fail to feel very excited about it.
Genre: Fantasy
Series: The Bronze Canticles (1st of, so far, 3 books)
Inanimate objects speak to Gaelen, and he is therefore shipped off with other "crazy" people to be executed. In another world a faerie is desperately seeking for a way to save her threatened people, and takes an interest in the fate of Gaelen. In yet another world, a lowly goblin finds a machine. It ticks.
Much more does not have time to happen in Mystic Warrior, since it is a very short book. The book would actually have benefited from being longer. As it is, there is simply too little material to create any long-lasting interest for the plot.
I recognize a lot of promise from the book though, as it at least tries to be original. I might read the next book in line one day, I just fail to feel very excited about it.
The Icewind Dale Trilogy
Author: R.A. Salvatore
Genre: Fantasy
The Icewind Dale Trilogy comes after the Dark Elf Trilogy from the same author, making it the second trilogy in order. It is not one of Salvatore's better trilogies, as far as I'm concerned.
The Icewind Dale Trilogy is probably worth more if you read it after having read some of Salvatore's later works. That way, the story (especially the first book) may feel more interesting than it actually is. Having read later books you know Drizzt and his friends as full-fledged heroes - and to see them still in the beginning of their lives is... well, almost sweet.
Genre: Fantasy
The Icewind Dale Trilogy comes after the Dark Elf Trilogy from the same author, making it the second trilogy in order. It is not one of Salvatore's better trilogies, as far as I'm concerned.
The Dark Elf Trilogy being all about Drizzt Do'Urden, this trilogy starts out with introducing the rest of the characters properly. Spending so much time on characterization, the first book has a quite bleak plot.
The trilogy does not gain momentum until its second book, Streams of Silver. The main plot is interesting, with the friends out on a quest to find the legendary Mithral Hall. Strange places are visited, evil monsters slain, epic weapons found and Drizzt meets up with one of his greatest antagonists, a foe truly worthy the drow. Never a dull moment. The Halfling's Gem rounds everything up and the story ends. Pretty neat book I suppose, though not more nor less than you would expect.
The trilogy does not gain momentum until its second book, Streams of Silver. The main plot is interesting, with the friends out on a quest to find the legendary Mithral Hall. Strange places are visited, evil monsters slain, epic weapons found and Drizzt meets up with one of his greatest antagonists, a foe truly worthy the drow. Never a dull moment. The Halfling's Gem rounds everything up and the story ends. Pretty neat book I suppose, though not more nor less than you would expect.
The Icewind Dale Trilogy is probably worth more if you read it after having read some of Salvatore's later works. That way, the story (especially the first book) may feel more interesting than it actually is. Having read later books you know Drizzt and his friends as full-fledged heroes - and to see them still in the beginning of their lives is... well, almost sweet.
The Death Gate Cycle
Author: Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman
Genre: Fantasy
Series: The Death Gate Cycle
This is original, high-quality, mind-blowing fantasy - the kind of fantasy you badly want to read but so seldom find. The same authors also gave out The Dragonlance Chronicles - a series that is widely known and a lot more famous than Death Gate, for some inexplicable reason. Don't get me wrong, Dragonlance is fine, but compared to Death Gate... nothing.
I can't give these books unbaised reviews. I am baised. I love these books.
To be perfectly honest though, the three last books are very disappointing. The first four books are awesome in every way and the story could easily have ended with Serpent Mage - leaving the Cycle at one book for each element and a horrible, foreboding open-to-interpretion ending. Take a second to think about it, when you finish Serpent Mage. It would be an excellent ending.
Genre: Fantasy
Series: The Death Gate Cycle
This is original, high-quality, mind-blowing fantasy - the kind of fantasy you badly want to read but so seldom find. The same authors also gave out The Dragonlance Chronicles - a series that is widely known and a lot more famous than Death Gate, for some inexplicable reason. Don't get me wrong, Dragonlance is fine, but compared to Death Gate... nothing.
I can't give these books unbaised reviews. I am baised. I love these books.
To be perfectly honest though, the three last books are very disappointing. The first four books are awesome in every way and the story could easily have ended with Serpent Mage - leaving the Cycle at one book for each element and a horrible, foreboding open-to-interpretion ending. Take a second to think about it, when you finish Serpent Mage. It would be an excellent ending.
Divided Allegiance
Author: Elizabeth Moon
Genre: Fantasy
Series: The Deed of Paksenarrion (2nd of 3 books)
It is over six years since I read the first book is this trilogy (this I know because of a book review for my English class). It took me six years to get my ass over to the library and borrow the second part. And I am sure it will take me another six years before I finish the trilogy.
E v e r y t h i n g t a k e s s u c h a l o n g t i m e . . . The book is a million pages long and NOTHING happens.They talk and they talk and there are flashbacks to the first book and page after page explaining what happened in the first book in case you missed it and the main character is stuck in this unnecessary little village for FOREVER and then she t r a v e l s and then they talk some more and hey, neato, another flashback!
Genre: Fantasy
Series: The Deed of Paksenarrion (2nd of 3 books)
It is over six years since I read the first book is this trilogy (this I know because of a book review for my English class). It took me six years to get my ass over to the library and borrow the second part. And I am sure it will take me another six years before I finish the trilogy.
E v e r y t h i n g t a k e s s u c h a l o n g t i m e . . . The book is a million pages long and NOTHING happens.They talk and they talk and there are flashbacks to the first book and page after page explaining what happened in the first book in case you missed it and the main character is stuck in this unnecessary little village for FOREVER and then she t r a v e l s and then they talk some more and hey, neato, another flashback!
Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception
Author: Eoin Colfer
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Artemis Fowl (4th of, so far, 6 books)
Did you by any chance know that "Eoin" is pronounced "Owen"? Now you know. This is the fourth book I read about Artemis Fowl and now I know that I am too old for this. Oh well...
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Artemis Fowl (4th of, so far, 6 books)
Did you by any chance know that "Eoin" is pronounced "Owen"? Now you know. This is the fourth book I read about Artemis Fowl and now I know that I am too old for this. Oh well...
Brilliance of the Moon
Author: Lian Hearn
Genre: Historical fantasy
Series: Tales of the Otori (3rd of 5 books)
This is the third book in the Tales of the Otori trilogy. I will be honest right away and tell you than none of the two first books struck me as very exciting, and this one did not either. I do not know why, but I am not intrigued by this. The trilogy has touch of "fantasy" in it; a small amount of people have special powers. Other than that it takes place in a normal feudal (17th century) Japan and is all about typical 17th century power struggles.
Lian Hearn has my outmost respect for all the research he made on the time and place he set his story in, very admirable. He never compromises with the story's setting in order to make his main characters look good. Authors often do the mistake of forcing modern standards on their heroes - even if the story takes place in the 17th century.
Main character Otori Takeo is admittedly a bit less harsh than the others, but he still tortures his enemies, slaughters their families and gets absolutely furious when his most beloved wife leaves the house without his permission. Good job Lian.
Genre: Historical fantasy
Series: Tales of the Otori (3rd of 5 books)
This is the third book in the Tales of the Otori trilogy. I will be honest right away and tell you than none of the two first books struck me as very exciting, and this one did not either. I do not know why, but I am not intrigued by this. The trilogy has touch of "fantasy" in it; a small amount of people have special powers. Other than that it takes place in a normal feudal (17th century) Japan and is all about typical 17th century power struggles.
Lian Hearn has my outmost respect for all the research he made on the time and place he set his story in, very admirable. He never compromises with the story's setting in order to make his main characters look good. Authors often do the mistake of forcing modern standards on their heroes - even if the story takes place in the 17th century.
Main character Otori Takeo is admittedly a bit less harsh than the others, but he still tortures his enemies, slaughters their families and gets absolutely furious when his most beloved wife leaves the house without his permission. Good job Lian.
The Black Magician Trilogy
Author: Trudi Canavan
Genre: Fantasy
Canavan's trilogy is about a world more or less run by magicians. Our main character is a mere street urchin, who surprisingly turns out to have great magial potential. So great in fact that she is not able to control it. The first book is all about the magicians' hunt for this girl, as they try to save the city they live in from getting burnt to rubble by her renegade powers. The cool thing about this book is how there is not any legible badguys. The main character is nice enough, the magicians mean well... no badguys, which is strangely refreshing.
I would say that The Novice is the weakest link in Canavan's trilogy. It is the typical boarding school story, you know the ingredients: the hero does not fit in, the teachers are unfair, there is this one student who is really mean to her, but that is okay because our hero has a nice mentor that she likes... It all gives you a bit of a Hogwarts-feeling. Unlike Harry Potter though, The Novice is not completely PG-13 (thank you!).
The strength of Canavan's trilogy is the constant twists and turns it takes and all the unconventional material (ironically enough, fantasy is often very conservative, don't you agree?) Here we get gay male love and women who shag multiple partners, which feels extremely liberating in the genre.
Genre: Fantasy
Canavan's trilogy is about a world more or less run by magicians. Our main character is a mere street urchin, who surprisingly turns out to have great magial potential. So great in fact that she is not able to control it. The first book is all about the magicians' hunt for this girl, as they try to save the city they live in from getting burnt to rubble by her renegade powers. The cool thing about this book is how there is not any legible badguys. The main character is nice enough, the magicians mean well... no badguys, which is strangely refreshing.
I would say that The Novice is the weakest link in Canavan's trilogy. It is the typical boarding school story, you know the ingredients: the hero does not fit in, the teachers are unfair, there is this one student who is really mean to her, but that is okay because our hero has a nice mentor that she likes... It all gives you a bit of a Hogwarts-feeling. Unlike Harry Potter though, The Novice is not completely PG-13 (thank you!).
The strength of Canavan's trilogy is the constant twists and turns it takes and all the unconventional material (ironically enough, fantasy is often very conservative, don't you agree?) Here we get gay male love and women who shag multiple partners, which feels extremely liberating in the genre.
The Orc King
Author: R.A. Salvatore
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Transitions (1st of 3 books)
The Orc King is the first book in a brand new trilogy ("Transitions") by Forgotten Realms writer R.A. Salvatore. It starts where The Hunter's Blade trilogy ended - the orc invasion having been brutally crushed. The orc leader has started his own kingdom and intends for his people to live peacefully side by side with the dwarves... The other orcs are not amused. The dwarves most certainly aren't. So what now? Is the mere idea of orcs cooperating with other races that absurd? Well, uh... yeah.
The Orc King is a much needed trilogy in the fantasy world. At least I am pretty tired about orcs being utterly evil and stupid and hating everything and each other (honestly, how do they survive as a race?) R.A. gives the orcs names, faces, heroes... hey, even women and children! I am looking forward to much on this subject in the upcoming Transition books.
Orcs not your cup of tea? Then consider Drizzt Do'Urden and company, because they are in here too, along with an epilouge set a hundred years into the future <--- way cool!
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Transitions (1st of 3 books)
The Orc King is the first book in a brand new trilogy ("Transitions") by Forgotten Realms writer R.A. Salvatore. It starts where The Hunter's Blade trilogy ended - the orc invasion having been brutally crushed. The orc leader has started his own kingdom and intends for his people to live peacefully side by side with the dwarves... The other orcs are not amused. The dwarves most certainly aren't. So what now? Is the mere idea of orcs cooperating with other races that absurd? Well, uh... yeah.
The Orc King is a much needed trilogy in the fantasy world. At least I am pretty tired about orcs being utterly evil and stupid and hating everything and each other (honestly, how do they survive as a race?) R.A. gives the orcs names, faces, heroes... hey, even women and children! I am looking forward to much on this subject in the upcoming Transition books.
Orcs not your cup of tea? Then consider Drizzt Do'Urden and company, because they are in here too, along with an epilouge set a hundred years into the future <--- way cool!
Eldest
Author: Christopher Paolini
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Inheritance Cycle (2nd of 4 books)
When reading Eldest, I am constantly bugged about Paolini's way to write - probably because he makes the same mistakes I did, as a 12-year-old. The Swedish translation really does not help either - the guy who did the translation needs to choke on a sharp object.
Eldest is awkwardly written and horribly predictible at times, but it still tells a good story and I will stay around for the third and final part as well.
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Inheritance Cycle (2nd of 4 books)
When reading Eldest, I am constantly bugged about Paolini's way to write - probably because he makes the same mistakes I did, as a 12-year-old. The Swedish translation really does not help either - the guy who did the translation needs to choke on a sharp object.
Eldest is awkwardly written and horribly predictible at times, but it still tells a good story and I will stay around for the third and final part as well.
