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A review by ken_bookhermit
Medalon by Jennifer Fallon
5.0
Reading Medalon was hardly a struggle unlike the other fantasy novels I've tried to read. The characters are likeable while at the same time they bear the faults that make them realistic. I read a few reviews that describe R'shiel as a Mary Sue and I don't understand why (probably because I'm not misogynist) since she has a share of her faults. Sure, she has "unrealistic abilities" but this is fantasy and she's the Chosen One™ If she had been male, I'm sure people who label R'shiel as a Mary Sue won't have a problem with it. Tarja was more of a Mary Sue, being full human and yet having the stamina that rivals gods.
The pacing is brilliant. It's enough to keep me reading while not feeling overwhelmed by the amount of things that are happening all at once. However, by the middle of the book, the pattern of 'out of the fire, into the frying pan' became noticeable. It wouldn't have been a problem but there were hardly any moments of relaxation for R'shiel and her companions that I got stressed out for them.
World-building-wise, I found the centrality of religion to be interesting and while not quite unique, it was entertaining to read. Having the Harshini and the half-Harshini as the bridge that links humans to the gods is a fascinating concept that not only prevents the idea that humans are special snowflakes, but also gives another dimension for the universe (namely, information that the Sisters of the Blade tried to tamp down but is now failing to do so.)
The ending was a bit of a problem for me, but at the same time, I liked how it did not have a long winded denouement. The ending was abrupt and succinct and it was a good technique, especially if the author intends me to read the next book (which I will).
The pacing is brilliant. It's enough to keep me reading while not feeling overwhelmed by the amount of things that are happening all at once. However, by the middle of the book, the pattern of 'out of the fire, into the frying pan' became noticeable. It wouldn't have been a problem but there were hardly any moments of relaxation for R'shiel and her companions that I got stressed out for them.
World-building-wise, I found the centrality of religion to be interesting and while not quite unique, it was entertaining to read. Having the Harshini and the half-Harshini as the bridge that links humans to the gods is a fascinating concept that not only prevents the idea that humans are special snowflakes, but also gives another dimension for the universe (namely, information that the Sisters of the Blade tried to tamp down but is now failing to do so.)
The ending was a bit of a problem for me, but at the same time, I liked how it did not have a long winded denouement. The ending was abrupt and succinct and it was a good technique, especially if the author intends me to read the next book (which I will).