laura_storyteller's review
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
nuphoc3's review
5.0
Loved the use of deadpan humor in this book. I am getting back into reading the author and this was an enjoyable way to do it
tita_noir's review
1.0
There is an evil entity in the Wastelands. It is creating minions to overrun the land of Dhrall. The four elder Gods of Dhrall attempt to combat this by creating young children known as dreamers (although these people aren't really young children and this is revealed fairly early on it the book). But the dreamers aren't enough and there aren't enough people in the land of the Dhrall to combat all the minions of the Vlagh. So the Elder Gods go out to recruit mercenaries from other lands and thus the beginnings of an epic is born.
I probably shouldn't be writing a review of a book I haven't finished, but...oh,well. I must preface this by saying that I've read and adored the Belgariad and The Elenium. So I was happy to see that Eddings has put out the beginning of a new book. However, I was quickly overcome with disappointment. The writing seemed overly simplistic and I the characters are boring. The good guys so very intuitive with good ideas and great skills and they all become the bestest of best friends. They are simply too good to be true. I've gotten very used to reading fantasy series where the characters are flawed and emotional and aren't always "good". I found myself disinterestedly flipping the pages. I simply wasn't engaged in the story. And I was just fed up with the character of Eleria who was just too, too precious for words. She seemed to embody the worst characteristics of Flute, one of Edding's earlier characters. If I want to read a story that includes the character of Flute I'll go back and re-read the much better written and more interesting Elenium.
I probably shouldn't be writing a review of a book I haven't finished, but...oh,well. I must preface this by saying that I've read and adored the Belgariad and The Elenium. So I was happy to see that Eddings has put out the beginning of a new book. However, I was quickly overcome with disappointment. The writing seemed overly simplistic and I the characters are boring. The good guys so very intuitive with good ideas and great skills and they all become the bestest of best friends. They are simply too good to be true. I've gotten very used to reading fantasy series where the characters are flawed and emotional and aren't always "good". I found myself disinterestedly flipping the pages. I simply wasn't engaged in the story. And I was just fed up with the character of Eleria who was just too, too precious for words. She seemed to embody the worst characteristics of Flute, one of Edding's earlier characters. If I want to read a story that includes the character of Flute I'll go back and re-read the much better written and more interesting Elenium.
heyt's review against another edition
3.0
I have read quite a few of the Eddings' series and this one had some of the characteristics of those but it was definitely not their best work. There was quite a bit of repetition, so much so it became really noticeable. I found the world interesting where there are 8 gods but the cycle of power only has four active at a time. I have a feeling that the other books will be similar and will focus on one of the four domains in each title culminating in a showdown with the Vlaugh. I had a good time reading it though because it was like fantasy fluff; no real depth just a light and escapist story.
vaderbird's review
2.0
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
whisper88's review
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
_rae's review against another edition
2.0
I'm spoiled. I started reading [a:David Eddings|8732|David Eddings|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1223870462p2/8732.jpg] with his series The Elenium and The Tamuli. I fell in love with those books. It was great Fantasy Lite reading and I ate all six books up. I followed them with The Belgariad and The Mallorean. And it was then I started seeing a pattern. The Redemption of Althalus confirmed it. David Eddings seemed to have a formula and he was determined to stick to it.
There isn't much imagination in Fantasy writing. It's nearly always about a quest and there is always someone in that quest discovering something about themselves. There are massive battles, there are deaths and there are magical beings. This is found in all fantasy books, not just David Eddings'. But he hangs onto these tropes like his life depended on it. The verbal exchanges are almost the same, the buddy-buddy between the male characters. The female characters always needing love and affection physically; their habit of always being flighty and whimsical is the same as well. Each book/series of books can be laid side to side and lines of comparison drawn between everything.
I didn't mind it because the books were still enjoyable but- BUT in this book it's bordering on the ridiculous. The well rehearsed quips between characters are getting predictable, the small child who always wants kisses is now becoming annoying (where as in the Sparhawk series it was almost endearing), and the questing group of characters is back again with everyone filling in their required roles.
I don't want these books spoiling my enjoyment of the Sparhawk series but I'm starting to think less of Eddings because of his more lazy approach to the writing of fantasy.
I'll finish The Dreamers series, so I can say I have read all of Eddings' books. But I'd have to say these are not his best. And I would not direct a first timer to these. Read The Elenium, The Tamuli, The Begariad and The Mallorean in that order. And those books only. Love David Eddings for his good works. Don't let the other books spoil it.
There isn't much imagination in Fantasy writing. It's nearly always about a quest and there is always someone in that quest discovering something about themselves. There are massive battles, there are deaths and there are magical beings. This is found in all fantasy books, not just David Eddings'. But he hangs onto these tropes like his life depended on it. The verbal exchanges are almost the same, the buddy-buddy between the male characters. The female characters always needing love and affection physically; their habit of always being flighty and whimsical is the same as well. Each book/series of books can be laid side to side and lines of comparison drawn between everything.
I didn't mind it because the books were still enjoyable but- BUT in this book it's bordering on the ridiculous. The well rehearsed quips between characters are getting predictable, the small child who always wants kisses is now becoming annoying (where as in the Sparhawk series it was almost endearing), and the questing group of characters is back again with everyone filling in their required roles.
I don't want these books spoiling my enjoyment of the Sparhawk series but I'm starting to think less of Eddings because of his more lazy approach to the writing of fantasy.
I'll finish The Dreamers series, so I can say I have read all of Eddings' books. But I'd have to say these are not his best. And I would not direct a first timer to these. Read The Elenium, The Tamuli, The Begariad and The Mallorean in that order. And those books only. Love David Eddings for his good works. Don't let the other books spoil it.
spoerk's review
2.0
eh?
I mean. it's easy enough to read and parts were quite interesting, but more for the dialogue than for the plot.
I have the second one as well, (the perks of being a bookseller) but I don't feel that compelled to read it.
I'd recommend it though for those teens (boys mostly) who liked the Hobbit etc and don't want to deal with dystopia.
I mean. it's easy enough to read and parts were quite interesting, but more for the dialogue than for the plot.
I have the second one as well, (the perks of being a bookseller) but I don't feel that compelled to read it.
I'd recommend it though for those teens (boys mostly) who liked the Hobbit etc and don't want to deal with dystopia.