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A review by the_midwest_library
The Darkness Before Them by Matthew Ward
Did not finish book. Stopped at 22%.
I've decided to DNF this. I'm at the 20% mark and really not enjoying it. The writing style is absolutely not for me, it's so overwritten. This is very much a style over substance issue for me and the characters and the plot aren't captivating enough for me to keep going with it.
I'm going to provide an example of why this book didn't work for me. In chapter two here is a sentence in the first paragraph "Patrons exchanged hushed conversation over emptied bottles and upturned goblets while couples lingered in what shadows remained beneath the perimeter's brightly colored awnings, seeking a final tryst."
All of the sentences are like this, I find there is a fine line between lyrical or purple prose and purposefully pedantic writing. This, combined with the fact that the author heavily relies upon, not his own exposition or worldbuilding, but the poorly defined glossary in the back of the book to further the readers in world knowledge is just a no from me.
I'm not trying to be a dick about this but truly when you are not taking the time to show us, or even info dump the magic system, politics, or even just basic words used in the book and every sentence is written like the above it was like bashing my head with a thesaurus. For example, early on in chapter 1 or two you come across the word "Ilfri" with little context, if you flip to the back the definition literally says "kleptomaniac daemon" ...what am I to do with that hahahaha. Or the word "Hestic" introduced around the same time and defined as "protector Ilfri" ......so if you give me no world building and rely upon the glossary and I get all the way there and these are the words I'm given it's just not enough for me to push through the writing style that just doesn't work for me.
I know the author's other series is highly praised. I would consider giving it a try but this one really didn't work for me. But if the writing works for you, the concepts ARE cool so hopefully you end up loving this more than me!
I'm going to provide an example of why this book didn't work for me. In chapter two here is a sentence in the first paragraph "Patrons exchanged hushed conversation over emptied bottles and upturned goblets while couples lingered in what shadows remained beneath the perimeter's brightly colored awnings, seeking a final tryst."
All of the sentences are like this, I find there is a fine line between lyrical or purple prose and purposefully pedantic writing. This, combined with the fact that the author heavily relies upon, not his own exposition or worldbuilding, but the poorly defined glossary in the back of the book to further the readers in world knowledge is just a no from me.
I'm not trying to be a dick about this but truly when you are not taking the time to show us, or even info dump the magic system, politics, or even just basic words used in the book and every sentence is written like the above it was like bashing my head with a thesaurus. For example, early on in chapter 1 or two you come across the word "Ilfri" with little context, if you flip to the back the definition literally says "kleptomaniac daemon" ...what am I to do with that hahahaha. Or the word "Hestic" introduced around the same time and defined as "protector Ilfri" ......so if you give me no world building and rely upon the glossary and I get all the way there and these are the words I'm given it's just not enough for me to push through the writing style that just doesn't work for me.
I know the author's other series is highly praised. I would consider giving it a try but this one really didn't work for me. But if the writing works for you, the concepts ARE cool so hopefully you end up loving this more than me!