A review by abigcoffeedragon
The Runelords by David Farland
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.