annieb123's review against another edition
4.0
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
The Tower of Fools is the first book in The Hussite trilogy by Andrzej Sapkowski. First published in 2002 (in Polish), this reformated English translation from Hatchette on their Orbit imprint is 560 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is a well written, complex, character driven story with fantasy elements set in medieval Europe. I found myself floundering early on and felt like I was dropped headfirst into the narrative (with a vast cast of supporting characters). The prologue sets the stage (complete with a bewildering array of characters and history) rapidly followed by the juxtaposition of a graphic sex scene alongside hymns from the Latin version of the Ad Sextam Officium Beatae Mariae (the offices of the Blessed Virgin). Apart from the doorstop appearance of the book and the fact that most onlookers would assume it's another book in the prolific author's Witcher series, this is -emphatically- not safe for work reading and should probably be in a plain brown wrapper.
It's supremely irreverant and occasionally raunchy. There are glimmers of humor (profane sexual comparisons abound) and quite a lot of graphic violence (both of the sexual and garden variety). Once the story found its pace (or once I found *my* pace in the story), it unfolded at a canter. I never got over the feeling that it was literature in translation; the writing has an uneven off-kilter feel in English. I wish I could have read it in Polish. If I had to compare it, I would suggest that the rhythm and pace of the words reminded me a lot of Umberto Eco in translation.
There's a lot to like here. The story is interwoven onto a skeleton of actual history and it's not always clear what is real and what is fiction. I would recommend this one to fans of Eco, Katherine Arden's Winternight Trilogy (with a lot more sex and ribald dialogue), and other sort of hardcore historical fantasy realism.
Three and a half stars. (I strongly suspect my rating would be 4+ if I could read Polish).
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The Tower of Fools is the first book in The Hussite trilogy by Andrzej Sapkowski. First published in 2002 (in Polish), this reformated English translation from Hatchette on their Orbit imprint is 560 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is a well written, complex, character driven story with fantasy elements set in medieval Europe. I found myself floundering early on and felt like I was dropped headfirst into the narrative (with a vast cast of supporting characters). The prologue sets the stage (complete with a bewildering array of characters and history) rapidly followed by the juxtaposition of a graphic sex scene alongside hymns from the Latin version of the Ad Sextam Officium Beatae Mariae (the offices of the Blessed Virgin). Apart from the doorstop appearance of the book and the fact that most onlookers would assume it's another book in the prolific author's Witcher series, this is -emphatically- not safe for work reading and should probably be in a plain brown wrapper.
It's supremely irreverant and occasionally raunchy. There are glimmers of humor (profane sexual comparisons abound) and quite a lot of graphic violence (both of the sexual and garden variety). Once the story found its pace (or once I found *my* pace in the story), it unfolded at a canter. I never got over the feeling that it was literature in translation; the writing has an uneven off-kilter feel in English. I wish I could have read it in Polish. If I had to compare it, I would suggest that the rhythm and pace of the words reminded me a lot of Umberto Eco in translation.
There's a lot to like here. The story is interwoven onto a skeleton of actual history and it's not always clear what is real and what is fiction. I would recommend this one to fans of Eco, Katherine Arden's Winternight Trilogy (with a lot more sex and ribald dialogue), and other sort of hardcore historical fantasy realism.
Three and a half stars. (I strongly suspect my rating would be 4+ if I could read Polish).
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
aeonarin's review against another edition
adventurous
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
3.5
malvvina's review against another edition
4.0
Quite entertaining especially cause of the audiobook production, I really thought it’s a fantasy book series about medieval Poland but oopsie it’s more Silesia and Czechia centric. Obsessed with the historical figures appearing as characters, Zawisza the black, Nicolaus Copernicus and johannes Gutenberg 10/10 this motive. Plot is well, no existent more of like politics and such still no clue where the story is heading and what’s the point of all this. Also uh I really believe not every single book has to be a feminist manifesto but maybe try not to compare a woman having sex to a running cow next time xoxo
sambora's review against another edition
4.0
*A big thank you to Gollancz for the physical ARC in exchange for an honest and spoiler-free review.*
The Tower of Fools is the first book in a historical fantasy trilogy by the author of The Witcher novels, Andrzej Sapkowski. It is set in Europe in the 1420's - primarily Silesia, in Poland.
The story follows a young man called Reynevan as he is forced to flee his home after being caught sleeping with the wife of a Knight and angering a powerful family in the region, the Sterczas.
Reynevan is a doctor and also, supposedly, a magician - having secretly studied the arcane arts whilst abroad in Prague, thus he is also being tracked by the Inquisition to answer for his unholy crimes.
The way this story is structured is very straightforward.
We have only one main POV (and a few small interludes from the perspectives of our various antagonists), and it is completely linear, with no flashbacks or huge time jumps.
This may sound like a criticism, but I actually found it to be rather refreshing, and it helped me connect with young Reynevan on a much better level than I would have otherwise - despite him making a myriad of ridiculously terrible decisions throughout the journey.
The cast of characters - travelling companions, old school friends and the more minor side characters are all memorable, well written and distinct from each other.
There is a good balance of people who are willing to show Reynevan kindness, to count against the host of people that are out for his blood, all for their own reasons in well crafted circumstances.
Unfortunately I felt Reynevan himself, at least in the first half, to be the weak link in the character department. He seemed all too childish and ignorant, refusing to consider the consequences of his actions and chasing skirt wherever possible.
I am sure this was a deliberate design choice, but I found him too act too much like a teenager to believe he studied medicine (and sorcery) at university. As I mentioned, he did grow on me, but he was far from my favourite character.
The story itself was fantastic. I will keep it spoiler-free, but after an admittedly fairly weak prologue of stale and un-engagingly written history, straight into the awkwardly worded "lovemaking", it really improves, for which I am very thankful.
There is lots of historical politics, talk of holy crusades, banditry, religious fanaticism and zealotry. All spliced up with the more fantastical elements, such as the three witches, a prophecy, undead spirits, a reverse exorcism and a mountainside sabbath with not a few non-humans in attendance.
It's a very soft magic system and it's used with about the same regularity as Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings books - as a well implemented problem solver, rather than fireballs and lighting bolts on a field of battle.
The pacing of The Tower of Fools I can certainly see being a problem for some readers. It is markedly slower than Sapkowski's work with The Witcher. There is a lot of time spent journeying between locations, descriptions of scenery and wildlands, pit stops for herbalism and foraging, plus a lot of talk about the politics of the world in and around the major scenes.
I personally appreciated all of these moments. It made me feel like I was on a proper journey too, alongside our characters. And, of course, the payoff for paying attention to all of the politics and history was completely worth it come the end.
I am very much looking forward to seeing where the story goes in the next two books, and hopefully seeing Reynevan evolve further into being a character I can truly connect with.
If you want a slower-paced, historical light-fantasy set in a medieval Europe, this is a great place to start.
4 Stars. Solid and enjoyable, but there is plenty of room for improvement in the next installments.
______________________
Thank you for reading my review! And thank you again to Gollancz for the ARC!
The Tower of Fools is the first book in a historical fantasy trilogy by the author of The Witcher novels, Andrzej Sapkowski. It is set in Europe in the 1420's - primarily Silesia, in Poland.
The story follows a young man called Reynevan as he is forced to flee his home after being caught sleeping with the wife of a Knight and angering a powerful family in the region, the Sterczas.
Reynevan is a doctor and also, supposedly, a magician - having secretly studied the arcane arts whilst abroad in Prague, thus he is also being tracked by the Inquisition to answer for his unholy crimes.
The way this story is structured is very straightforward.
We have only one main POV (and a few small interludes from the perspectives of our various antagonists), and it is completely linear, with no flashbacks or huge time jumps.
This may sound like a criticism, but I actually found it to be rather refreshing, and it helped me connect with young Reynevan on a much better level than I would have otherwise - despite him making a myriad of ridiculously terrible decisions throughout the journey.
Mud splashed from the horse's hooves, muddying the already muddied, cloaked figure huddled by the cross. None of the riders paid the figure any attention.
And nor did Reynevan raise his head.
The cast of characters - travelling companions, old school friends and the more minor side characters are all memorable, well written and distinct from each other.
There is a good balance of people who are willing to show Reynevan kindness, to count against the host of people that are out for his blood, all for their own reasons in well crafted circumstances.
Unfortunately I felt Reynevan himself, at least in the first half, to be the weak link in the character department. He seemed all too childish and ignorant, refusing to consider the consequences of his actions and chasing skirt wherever possible.
I am sure this was a deliberate design choice, but I found him too act too much like a teenager to believe he studied medicine (and sorcery) at university. As I mentioned, he did grow on me, but he was far from my favourite character.
The story itself was fantastic. I will keep it spoiler-free, but after an admittedly fairly weak prologue of stale and un-engagingly written history, straight into the awkwardly worded "lovemaking", it really improves, for which I am very thankful.
There is lots of historical politics, talk of holy crusades, banditry, religious fanaticism and zealotry. All spliced up with the more fantastical elements, such as the three witches, a prophecy, undead spirits, a reverse exorcism and a mountainside sabbath with not a few non-humans in attendance.
It's a very soft magic system and it's used with about the same regularity as Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings books - as a well implemented problem solver, rather than fireballs and lighting bolts on a field of battle.
'Beware the terror by night, beware the pestilence that walketh in darkness; beware the demon that wasteth at noonday! And that which calls: Adsumus! Beware the Wallcreeper! Fear the night birds, fear silent bats!'
The pacing of The Tower of Fools I can certainly see being a problem for some readers. It is markedly slower than Sapkowski's work with The Witcher. There is a lot of time spent journeying between locations, descriptions of scenery and wildlands, pit stops for herbalism and foraging, plus a lot of talk about the politics of the world in and around the major scenes.
I personally appreciated all of these moments. It made me feel like I was on a proper journey too, alongside our characters. And, of course, the payoff for paying attention to all of the politics and history was completely worth it come the end.
'And you, kinsman,' she said, turning around, 'take care of yourself. Hussite emissaries are being hunted down. Strangers and foreigners are watched and anything suspicious is reported, because anyone who doesn't inform is himself suspicious.
You are foreign and a stranger.
I am very much looking forward to seeing where the story goes in the next two books, and hopefully seeing Reynevan evolve further into being a character I can truly connect with.
If you want a slower-paced, historical light-fantasy set in a medieval Europe, this is a great place to start.
4 Stars. Solid and enjoyable, but there is plenty of room for improvement in the next installments.
______________________
Thank you for reading my review! And thank you again to Gollancz for the ARC!
beevimes's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
jazpb's review against another edition
2.0
This book just wasn't my thing and I'm sure it has a great deal to do with my ignorance of European political and religious history. I wanted to like this book, I tried. But I had to look up so many terms, places, and people that I just couldn't follow along. It felt like a dense history text on church reform, and that's a subject I have no interest in. If you are looking for adventure fantasy, this is not it. But if you like to dive deep into historical fantasy, this may be your thing. I may try this book again down the road. Who knows, I might really enjoy it if I went in with a different mindset...
permanent_midnight's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
fragkris's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I would give 5, if there wasn't that many names, which I found hard to memorize.