voraciousbibliophile's review
4.0
When I first started this book (technically two since it's an omnibus) I didn't like it. In my progress update I noted it as Carey's homage to Tolkien. And it is. At first it lacked the descriptions I'm used to from Carey - sensual delights that she wove into her Kushiel's series. But thinking on it now, it only shows her scope as an author. The Kushiel's series requires sensual writing based on the subject. The Sundering is far more straightforward. Carey's strength is in her characterization, so of course the beginning had a huge info dump and was hard to get into. But - the story made me cry. A hero's journey, told from the villain's perspective, reminding us all that there is always another side to the story. All in all, well told with a memorable (if predictable) and and unforgettable characters.
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review
3.0
In The Sundering, Carey tells a story inspired by The Lord of the Rings, and tells it primary from the "bad guy" point of view. The book presents nicely layered characters and good battle sections. It is very much in the tradition of [b:The Lord of the Rings|34|The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, Part 1)|J.R.R. Tolkien|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1156043001s/34.jpg|3204327] even in the style, which is different slightly from Carey's Kushiel books. The draw back is that because of the bad guy focus the book seems to be a vacuum in terms of a center point. While Carey gives enough background to the characters so you can understand why they do what they do, it does not excuse what they do, and raises some very good questions about morality. Undoubtedly this is what Carey intends to do, but it makes a lack of intimacy between reader and the book, like the reader is one or two steps removed from the action. For what Carey was attempting to do, it is a very good try.
anoblesoul's review
5.0
Loved it. Very well done! On one level it is sort of a LOTR told from the POV of Sauron, but it is much more rich than that, and beautifully executed. The main characters are solid and complex. Several scenes were just written so perfectly! They were riveting, nearly poetic. Highly recommended.
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