A review by wazbar
The Silent Tower by Barbara Hambly
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
I have really liked all the Hambly I've read so far and this was similarly charming. Be aware that it does not fully resolve its own plot, which presumably concludes in the sequel.
I think Hambly's advantage over her peers is in her craft of perspective and characterization. The plot centers on the actions of three characters and we get meaningful insight into the perspective of each one. This is done while maintaining reasons for mistrust and incomplete knowledge on both their part and the reader's.
This isn't a requirement for me to like a book but I really liked the characters. I liked how people from another universe, upon meeting one character's shitty boyfriend, immediately conclude that he sucks. Furthermore, these are some good wizards. They don't do a lot of wizardry but you don't need to to, really; it's all in the vibes. Hambly knows how to write a wizard.
I think Hambly's advantage over her peers is in her craft of perspective and characterization. The plot centers on the actions of three characters and we get meaningful insight into the perspective of each one. This is done while maintaining reasons for mistrust and incomplete knowledge on both their part and the reader's.
This isn't a requirement for me to like a book but I really liked the characters. I liked how people from another universe, upon meeting one character's shitty boyfriend, immediately conclude that he sucks. Furthermore, these are some good wizards. They don't do a lot of wizardry but you don't need to to, really; it's all in the vibes. Hambly knows how to write a wizard.