scrollsofdragons's review against another edition
1.0
Some 1 star books are because I loathe them or I find them offensive. This book is just bland and boring.
Relationships - 1
Originality - 1
Plot - 1.5
Characters - 1.5
Enjoyability - 1.5
Writing - 2
World Building - 1
For a total of 1.35 so round down to 1.
Relationships - 1
Originality - 1
Plot - 1.5
Characters - 1.5
Enjoyability - 1.5
Writing - 2
World Building - 1
For a total of 1.35 so round down to 1.
keryyys's review against another edition
At less than 100 pages in i felt like i had read twice that length with how slow and drawn out the writing was. I was just bored and don’t have the time for that
heatherllama's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
colt_allen1068's review
4.0
I really enjoyed the world that Donaldson created with this book. I am very interested in reading the subsequent books. However, if there is something negative to say it is about Price Bifalt' ability to take the point that he is the King's eldest son and beat it until it is dead. Repetition can be a good thing, but I don't think I am going to forget the main character's title that often.
craiglister's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
hanna3110's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
rusmo's review against another edition
2.0
As excited as I was to read a new fantasy series by Mr. Donaldson, I’m left wondering if I’ll continue on to the next book. This is not usually the case for me, but I was able to figure out a couple of the major plot points eons before the main character, and neither were very satisfying to witness played out. Short as this book is, its story may have been served better as a novella.
aimeespages's review against another edition
2.0
Not very well written. Like reading someone in the first year of a creative writing course.
metaphorosis's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars, Metaphorosis Reviews
Summary
Belleger and Amika have been at war for generations, using sorcerous powers each to decimate the other on the basis of a very old insult. Now, Belleger has gained the upper hand by developing rifles - but all its sorcerors have suddenly lost their power. The only road they see for success is to pursue the vague legend of a hidden library.
Review
Stephen Donaldson’s books, somewhat like K.J. Parker’s, have a great deal of similarity of tone and characterization. But where Donaldson’s worked well in – and was even the central conceit of – the Thomas Covenant series, his conflicted, unwilling characters have been less effective elsewhere. In this book, which is also fairly slight, at 200 pages, the characters are never really very well developed, and much of their action feels authorially dictated rather than organic. Rather than frustration at Covenant’s refusal to act, in this book, I found myself frustrated by the fact that Bifalt’s actions simply didn’t make much sense.
Covenant hasn’t lost his skill with words, though sometimes (as with ‘Decimates’, of which there appear to be fewer than ten, or a refusal to use any synonym for ‘wain’ over and over) he seems more obstinate than lyrical. The prose is strong, the concept and setting are interesting. It is only the characters that disappoint. Far too often, I felt that the characters’ actions were unreasonable, or senseless, or simplistic, or simply random. I discarded a fair portion of that feeling, since a part of the concept relies on key motives being unknown. But the remainder still stretched beyond what I felt I could accept. At one point, Bifalt, who has spent the whole book searching for the mysterious Seventh Decimate, completely ignores two others. The ending, particularly, didn’t fit with any of the rigid, unimaginative Bifalt we’d spent the book getting to know. The result felt very artificial and constructed.
Overall, an interesting entry, but not really satisfying. I’d like, someday, to see Donaldson lift himself out of the rut I think he’s created – as his short fiction and flashes in other books suggest he can. For the present, it’s a good book, and I could imagine reading a sequel, but it’s not high on my list.
The cover, by the way, while certainly interesting, has nothing at all to do with the contents of the book.
Summary
Belleger and Amika have been at war for generations, using sorcerous powers each to decimate the other on the basis of a very old insult. Now, Belleger has gained the upper hand by developing rifles - but all its sorcerors have suddenly lost their power. The only road they see for success is to pursue the vague legend of a hidden library.
Review
Stephen Donaldson’s books, somewhat like K.J. Parker’s, have a great deal of similarity of tone and characterization. But where Donaldson’s worked well in – and was even the central conceit of – the Thomas Covenant series, his conflicted, unwilling characters have been less effective elsewhere. In this book, which is also fairly slight, at 200 pages, the characters are never really very well developed, and much of their action feels authorially dictated rather than organic. Rather than frustration at Covenant’s refusal to act, in this book, I found myself frustrated by the fact that Bifalt’s actions simply didn’t make much sense.
Covenant hasn’t lost his skill with words, though sometimes (as with ‘Decimates’, of which there appear to be fewer than ten, or a refusal to use any synonym for ‘wain’ over and over) he seems more obstinate than lyrical. The prose is strong, the concept and setting are interesting. It is only the characters that disappoint. Far too often, I felt that the characters’ actions were unreasonable, or senseless, or simplistic, or simply random. I discarded a fair portion of that feeling, since a part of the concept relies on key motives being unknown. But the remainder still stretched beyond what I felt I could accept. At one point, Bifalt, who has spent the whole book searching for the mysterious Seventh Decimate, completely ignores two others. The ending, particularly, didn’t fit with any of the rigid, unimaginative Bifalt we’d spent the book getting to know. The result felt very artificial and constructed.
Overall, an interesting entry, but not really satisfying. I’d like, someday, to see Donaldson lift himself out of the rut I think he’s created – as his short fiction and flashes in other books suggest he can. For the present, it’s a good book, and I could imagine reading a sequel, but it’s not high on my list.
The cover, by the way, while certainly interesting, has nothing at all to do with the contents of the book.
zakkramer's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5