A review by vallecillo
Children of Fire by Drew Karpyshyn
3.0
Was a regular book.
Not bad, but also, not that good.
Just regular.
Unfortunately, there are many similarities with other fantasy books, and I know, they usually recur to the same formulas: The journey, the dark one, the prophecy, the hero, BUT, it is the way the author portraits these elements that make the story different.
For me, this was a version of The Wheel of Time.
Dark One imprisoned trying to escape? Check √
Prophecy of a chosen hero to fight the dark one? Check √
Minions of the Dark Lord set lose? Check √
Hero losing a hand? Check √
Also, the magic system is kind of Deux ex Machina, there are no limitations on what a wizard can do. The limitations are more physical, depending on how much power the mage can channel, but apart from that, it seems they can do anything with this Chaotic Magic... you can imagine it? you can do it.
Characterization is not that deep, you don't really get excited to read the passages about any of the 4 main characters in particular (Hello Arya on ASOIAF!), you just go along and read it, that's all.
Well, let's go to book 2, Maybe it will be a little better than this one.
Not bad, but also, not that good.
Just regular.
Unfortunately, there are many similarities with other fantasy books, and I know, they usually recur to the same formulas: The journey, the dark one, the prophecy, the hero, BUT, it is the way the author portraits these elements that make the story different.
For me, this was a version of The Wheel of Time.
Dark One imprisoned trying to escape? Check √
Prophecy of a chosen hero to fight the dark one? Check √
Minions of the Dark Lord set lose? Check √
Hero losing a hand? Check √
Also, the magic system is kind of Deux ex Machina, there are no limitations on what a wizard can do. The limitations are more physical, depending on how much power the mage can channel, but apart from that, it seems they can do anything with this Chaotic Magic... you can imagine it? you can do it.
Characterization is not that deep, you don't really get excited to read the passages about any of the 4 main characters in particular (Hello Arya on ASOIAF!), you just go along and read it, that's all.
Well, let's go to book 2, Maybe it will be a little better than this one.