raj_page's review against another edition
5.0
So much happened in this book and still so little.
This book is about an invading army in a fantasy world with some really great, albeit scary, magic system.
If you liked A Song of Ice and Fire for the world and the intrigue but didn't care much about the sex and gore-y deaths, this book would be perfect for you.
Also, I share my first name with the villain. Weird feeling.
This book is about an invading army in a fantasy world with some really great, albeit scary, magic system.
If you liked A Song of Ice and Fire for the world and the intrigue but didn't care much about the sex and gore-y deaths, this book would be perfect for you.
Also, I share my first name with the villain. Weird feeling.
marshmalow01's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A great setup of the world as a whole. Worldbuilding was integrated in without dumping information and allowed the world to feel complex and complete. My only complaint would be occasional minor characters only having a single POV chapter, sometimes throwing me off a little.
abigcoffeedragon's review against another edition
2.0
I read this because this comes up on many search Engines for High Fantasy and Heroic Fantasy - and, in the end, I was disappointed - I feel that in comparison to the great wealth of bad fiction out there from this time period that this would be a 5 star novel against the maelstrom of poorly realized fiction, but if this is the top of the heap, then writers and readers need to aspire for more.
I have a problem with cut-out characters that have very linear actions and their course is planned out and no matter what happens, they are unflappable and continue on the course to destruction or self-destruction. Evil to be evil is old hat and boring. Betrothal though real has to have more resistance than this had. I can't love a man that I don't know - five minutes pass - I love this man that I have never met before today. Seriously? I have had horse pill size medication that is easier to swallow than this lackluster attempt at Fantasy Fiction. Actually, this is FF, but it holds nothing solid for the reader to grab a hold of and care about beyond 20 pages. I finished this with a week gone in my life, and nothing that sparks my imagination and creative juices.
If you like this style and genre, then good on you, because I have read better and I cannot regress to the point of old and unemotional flat fantasy fiction.
I have a problem with cut-out characters that have very linear actions and their course is planned out and no matter what happens, they are unflappable and continue on the course to destruction or self-destruction. Evil to be evil is old hat and boring. Betrothal though real has to have more resistance than this had. I can't love a man that I don't know - five minutes pass - I love this man that I have never met before today. Seriously? I have had horse pill size medication that is easier to swallow than this lackluster attempt at Fantasy Fiction. Actually, this is FF, but it holds nothing solid for the reader to grab a hold of and care about beyond 20 pages. I finished this with a week gone in my life, and nothing that sparks my imagination and creative juices.
If you like this style and genre, then good on you, because I have read better and I cannot regress to the point of old and unemotional flat fantasy fiction.
85838384's review against another edition
4.75
‘When you behold the face of pure evil, it will be beautiful.’
jephph82's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
4.25
jordancore's review against another edition
4.0
A solid fantasy book with a great concept and magic system. Would be willing to continue in the future 8.3
slothika's review against another edition
3.0
Read this over a decade ago... I don't remember anything except for its unique magic system. People can permanently gift someone else their share of certain attributes (intellect, beauty, strength, eyesight, charisma/voice, etc.) via runes. It's a zero-sum game, meaning if you give away your beauty (which is some magical unit of x), you become ugly and the recipient because x amount more beautiful until someone dies, breaking the bond.
The author explores the concept one level further with ways to take advantage of this magic system. There's a chaining effect where if A is the recipient of these endowments from B and B from C, then A gets everything from B and C (B just passes it along, essentially). This allows for the deployment of supersoldier chains that won't waste all that Rune-ing effort if the "head" (current recipient of all the attributes) dies--the next "head" of the chain would just step up. Also, this means A can ride off to war while B stays at home and racks up more attributes (from D, E, F, etc.) to pass along to A. I don't remember if he explained what would happen with loop, though.
The author explores the concept one level further with ways to take advantage of this magic system. There's a chaining effect where if A is the recipient of these endowments from B and B from C, then A gets everything from B and C (B just passes it along, essentially). This allows for the deployment of supersoldier chains that won't waste all that Rune-ing effort if the "head" (current recipient of all the attributes) dies--the next "head" of the chain would just step up. Also, this means A can ride off to war while B stays at home and racks up more attributes (from D, E, F, etc.) to pass along to A. I don't remember if he explained what would happen with loop, though.
rosekk's review against another edition
3.0
In places the book was really amazing, at other times a little slow. Over all though, I really enjoyed it. While one enemy has been fought off (for now), another seems to be emerging, so doubtless the next books will prove to be just as good.
eoghann's review against another edition
4.0
Right its the first part of a fantasy series. So lets get out the checklist:
Our Hero is a Prince……………………….CHECK
Our Heroine is a Princess………………….CHECK
The villain is a powerful sorceror…………..CHECK
A “great evil” is about to sweep the land…….CHECK
Only our hero can prevent it………………..CHECK
The cover art depicts a scene from the book wrongly and in a terribly clichéd manner…………………….CHECK
But you know what they say about judging a book by its cover. This book is actually rather good. I’m certainly looking forward to part two of the series.
For a start the author David Farland has come up with an interesting twist on how magic works. “Rune Lords” literally leach the power from other people leaving them weak or slow or stupid or ugly.
This may well strike you as a rather abusive magic system. And our heroes are inclined to agree having far fewer endowments than most Rune Lords. Farland takes great pains to show you the effect that taking endowments has on the people who grant them. And also the political realities of his world. Nor does he allow Rune Lords to easily become supermen. The most powerful endowments have some unexpected side effects.
The story itself seems fairly routine. The Wolf Lord Raj Ahten is on the rampage. Having conquered all the southern countries he is looking to the north. Prince Gaborn Val Orden finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But there is something bigger going on in the background. Little by little we discover about elemental magic, about an Earth King, about the reavers, and just what the title of the book means.
The book isn’t perfect. The publishers really need a better proof reader for a start. On several occasions people were actually called by the wrong name, which confused me no end. And author makes this worse by referring to both King Orden and Prince Orden as Orden on a few occasions.
Farland is also a little inclined to wander off and explain certain customs or events in his world. As they say in all the best writers books show, don’t tell.
Those points aside this is an enjoyable read that takes familiar fantasy elements and combines them in a refreshing way.
Our Hero is a Prince……………………….CHECK
Our Heroine is a Princess………………….CHECK
The villain is a powerful sorceror…………..CHECK
A “great evil” is about to sweep the land…….CHECK
Only our hero can prevent it………………..CHECK
The cover art depicts a scene from the book wrongly and in a terribly clichéd manner…………………….CHECK
But you know what they say about judging a book by its cover. This book is actually rather good. I’m certainly looking forward to part two of the series.
For a start the author David Farland has come up with an interesting twist on how magic works. “Rune Lords” literally leach the power from other people leaving them weak or slow or stupid or ugly.
This may well strike you as a rather abusive magic system. And our heroes are inclined to agree having far fewer endowments than most Rune Lords. Farland takes great pains to show you the effect that taking endowments has on the people who grant them. And also the political realities of his world. Nor does he allow Rune Lords to easily become supermen. The most powerful endowments have some unexpected side effects.
The story itself seems fairly routine. The Wolf Lord Raj Ahten is on the rampage. Having conquered all the southern countries he is looking to the north. Prince Gaborn Val Orden finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But there is something bigger going on in the background. Little by little we discover about elemental magic, about an Earth King, about the reavers, and just what the title of the book means.
The book isn’t perfect. The publishers really need a better proof reader for a start. On several occasions people were actually called by the wrong name, which confused me no end. And author makes this worse by referring to both King Orden and Prince Orden as Orden on a few occasions.
Farland is also a little inclined to wander off and explain certain customs or events in his world. As they say in all the best writers books show, don’t tell.
Those points aside this is an enjoyable read that takes familiar fantasy elements and combines them in a refreshing way.