Scan barcode
srclary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, and War
Moderate: Gore, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture
Minor: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
hidodey's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Gore, and Slavery
Moderate: Sexual violence and Toxic relationship
Minor: Xenophobia and Classism
mozzribo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Not for everyone. If anyone below 16 wants to read it, consider that decision very well. This book is difficult in more ways than one.ecclesiastic_bohemian's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, and War
deimosremus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Shardik may well have one of the best opening scenes of any book I’ve read, captured with Adams’ penchant for vivid and lush descriptions that paint a full and detailed picture of the setting. The themes that resonate through the book are quite compelling, often delving into the nature of religious fanaticism and zealotry, crises of faith, idolatry, slavery, and how others can co-opt and hijack your goals to fulfill their own, as well as some exceptionally violent, brutal, and (pardon the pun) grizzly subject matter, even for Adams’ standards. The characters are complex and over the course of 600 pages, go through a lot of change and growth. It’s a very different kind of fantasy novel, one that doesn’t share the pitfalls of most high-fantasy stories, even if it has a comparable sense of scale and scope. It’s also refreshingly not some amalgamation/analog of Euro-centric, quasi-medieval fantasy either, instead having more in common with indigenous folklore and cultures. By focusing mostly on characters rather than spectacle, action-sequences really have a punch to them, and as I said, with the violence on display, they make for some rather intense moments.
Shardik’s main problem isn’t with its characters or plot, but with its repetition— too many chunks of the story revolve around following Shardik, and perhaps one of Adams’ less enviable traits is more apparent in a longer-form book like this; his overuse of long similes to describe character’s emotions can get tiresome. It makes sections of the book have a fairly meandering pace that dive in and out of being exciting, with some sequences being excellent, and others being rather dull and plodding. However, the final stretch of the book offers some of its best and most powerful moments that more than make up for most pacing issues.
At the end of the day, while I will admit there were times when the book was trying my patience, it’s Richard Adams, so the writing quality is generally excellent and its high-points are incredible.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gore, Slavery, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Violence