valeriew's review against another edition
3.0
This book was ok. It was good enough that I wanted to keep listening to it but it didn't totally suck me in. I was a little lost at the end....
Spoiler...
WHY did he just let useless go...after all that time keeping him locked up and he just let him go?!? Made no sense at all!
Spoiler...
WHY did he just let useless go...after all that time keeping him locked up and he just let him go?!? Made no sense at all!
nemerith's review against another edition
3.0
My take on the book:
It was good! A very different pace than my normal books but that was fine :) The plot is great and compelling and it has magic and dragon-like creatures... who doesn't love that hmm?
World-building was great, no matter where we were in the world, everything was described with an eye for detail, but not too much, which made it easy to just flow with the story and not be annoyed.
Character development was excellent! We see both Strell and Alissa grow (a lot actually) during their journey to the Hold and during their trials and tribulations at the Hold itself, growing up and growing closer to each other (which was so cute and had me face palming a couple of times... cute!).
We get a lot of insight into their reasoning, what their history is and why they are on this journey. Even when we look at our villain, the evil Keeper Bailic, do we get a lot of information, though at this moment, I'm still wondering about the big 'why'.
Pacing and flow were decent. Mind you, in my opinion, it is a very slow paced story with only the last few chapters that have a faster flow while working to the end of book 1.
The book in itself is well written, with no (noticeable) errors. There is also no sex in this book (if that is important to you).
All in all, a good start to a promising series, though perhaps for me a tad too slow and uneventful. However, I will surely be reading part 2 sometime soon (when I have a lot of spare time on my hands).
It was good! A very different pace than my normal books but that was fine :) The plot is great and compelling and it has magic and dragon-like creatures... who doesn't love that hmm?
World-building was great, no matter where we were in the world, everything was described with an eye for detail, but not too much, which made it easy to just flow with the story and not be annoyed.
Character development was excellent! We see both Strell and Alissa grow (a lot actually) during their journey to the Hold and during their trials and tribulations at the Hold itself, growing up and growing closer to each other (which was so cute and had me face palming a couple of times... cute!).
We get a lot of insight into their reasoning, what their history is and why they are on this journey. Even when we look at our villain, the evil Keeper Bailic, do we get a lot of information, though at this moment, I'm still wondering about the big 'why'.
Pacing and flow were decent. Mind you, in my opinion, it is a very slow paced story with only the last few chapters that have a faster flow while working to the end of book 1.
The book in itself is well written, with no (noticeable) errors. There is also no sex in this book (if that is important to you).
All in all, a good start to a promising series, though perhaps for me a tad too slow and uneventful. However, I will surely be reading part 2 sometime soon (when I have a lot of spare time on my hands).
prairiewolf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- 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? No
4.25
craftingrama's review against another edition
2.0
the stars are for the book lost the rest cause of the narrator
book_banshee's review against another edition
3.0
After 3 weeks I finally got through this book! I don't think it's ever taken me this long to read a book. While the fantasy element and the characters were interesting, the story kept such a slow pace that it never held my interest for long when I picked it up to read (hence the 3 weeks).
While First Truth provides the perspectives of multiple characters, the main protagonist was Alissa, a young woman who is one day thrown out of the house by her mother. She's sent off to follow in the steps of her deceased father and travel to the Hold, a place that trains its students in magic and a place that Alissa doesn't believe in. As she sets out, she picks up Strell, a wandering piper and storyteller, as a traveling companion.
My only real complaint with this book is that it was extremely slow paced and failed to hold my interest. Nonetheless, I think it's a decent fantasy read, I just don't think it was for me. (I also could have done without the long chapters from Bailic's perspective-- he was extremely boring)
Despite the dragging pace, I thought the characters and the setting were well developed. I did get a little confused on how the mind magic worked. There didn't seem to be any clear cut rules when it came to magic and that bugged me.
I do want to praise this book for it's slow growth in friendship and romance. Insta-love has been a big pet peeve of mine lately, and I appreciated how it took most of the book for the idea of love and romance to even cross the minds of the protagonists. Alissa and Strell's bantering were entertaining and felt very realistic.
Overall, I thought this was a good fantasy novel, it just didn't work me. If you find the synopsis intriguing, I say pick it up. I, however, do not plan to continue on with the series.
While First Truth provides the perspectives of multiple characters, the main protagonist was Alissa, a young woman who is one day thrown out of the house by her mother. She's sent off to follow in the steps of her deceased father and travel to the Hold, a place that trains its students in magic and a place that Alissa doesn't believe in. As she sets out, she picks up Strell, a wandering piper and storyteller, as a traveling companion.
My only real complaint with this book is that it was extremely slow paced and failed to hold my interest. Nonetheless, I think it's a decent fantasy read, I just don't think it was for me. (I also could have done without the long chapters from Bailic's perspective-- he was extremely boring)
Despite the dragging pace, I thought the characters and the setting were well developed. I did get a little confused on how the mind magic worked. There didn't seem to be any clear cut rules when it came to magic and that bugged me.
I do want to praise this book for it's slow growth in friendship and romance. Insta-love has been a big pet peeve of mine lately, and I appreciated how it took most of the book for the idea of love and romance to even cross the minds of the protagonists. Alissa and Strell's bantering were entertaining and felt very realistic.
Overall, I thought this was a good fantasy novel, it just didn't work me. If you find the synopsis intriguing, I say pick it up. I, however, do not plan to continue on with the series.
mousie_books's review against another edition
3.0
The book was okay, but I wanted it to be funnier like many of the author's other books. I'm planning on reading the next one though.
cavalary's review against another edition
3.0
Nicely written, good atmosphere, but not my kind of fantasy. Way too small of an area covered, way too few characters taking part in the action, little magic in spite of what it promises at the beginning, way too few fantastic creatures...
All in all, a well written book that aims to be fantasy but doesn't really "smell" like true fantasy to me. Then again, it's the first of a trilogy; the next ones may offer more of everything and the series as a whole may actually be good, not just well written.
All in all, a well written book that aims to be fantasy but doesn't really "smell" like true fantasy to me. Then again, it's the first of a trilogy; the next ones may offer more of everything and the series as a whole may actually be good, not just well written.
kersti_os's review against another edition
5.0
Read this book series first with 14 years and reread it a few months ago. Great teenage story about feeling lonely and being a freak in the first instance and turning out that you just have to be at the right place with the right people to be (proud of) yourself. Aaand -it's about dragons which is always cool!
britgirlreading's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent