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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Characters are one-dimensional and story is simplistic.
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I really enjoyed this! I’m now convinced that I could become a fantasy reader. I liked the main cast of characters a lot, I liked the conflict, I liked the politics, so all in all I’m very likely going to keep reading this series! I would’ve given this book a 4, but all of the (very few) female characters are just love interests and have no other motivations beyond that. I could rant about that for days.
A very compelling plot. There were numerous very interesting plot twists and developments.
Quite frankly, I am surprised how much content could have been stuffed in. From this alone, I would gladly give 5 stars.
But... as has become my way, one star is removed for the lack of strong female characters. Every one of the female characters in this book have, for no purpose I can agree to, been relegated to fifth place.
From here on THERE BE SPOILERS!!!!
First of all, Carline. She was supposed to be strong willed but displays only what can be considered cliche girly thoughts as a young girl and as a woman shows barely any initiative or agency, left to depend on the fallible men in her life.
Second, the so-called Queen of the Elves, who almost immediately submits to Tomas and even becomes nothing more than his pleasure object for a considerable time. And even after that she does not have much agency.
Aruta's betrothed (I forget her name) has no agency and neither does Pug's wife. In fact, Pug's wife is barely much more than eye candy. Following his every command with barely a question or a demand for an explanation.
The book is filled with deep and well thought male characters, each with an interesting character arc, but it's evident that the women are there simply as flavoring.
Quite frankly, I am surprised how much content could have been stuffed in. From this alone, I would gladly give 5 stars.
But... as has become my way, one star is removed for the lack of strong female characters. Every one of the female characters in this book have, for no purpose I can agree to, been relegated to fifth place.
From here on THERE BE SPOILERS!!!!
First of all, Carline. She was supposed to be strong willed but displays only what can be considered cliche girly thoughts as a young girl and as a woman shows barely any initiative or agency, left to depend on the fallible men in her life.
Second, the so-called Queen of the Elves, who almost immediately submits to Tomas and even becomes nothing more than his pleasure object for a considerable time. And even after that she does not have much agency.
Aruta's betrothed (I forget her name) has no agency and neither does Pug's wife. In fact, Pug's wife is barely much more than eye candy. Following his every command with barely a question or a demand for an explanation.
The book is filled with deep and well thought male characters, each with an interesting character arc, but it's evident that the women are there simply as flavoring.
This is the author's edition of this classic work of Sci-Fi. But I should say up front that I have not read the edited version of this work, and that it may actually lack some of the indulgence that this one does contain from time to time. That said, this is an amazing work, a real epic saga covering two worlds and countless characters, and, for me, maintaining my interest with a sense of awe at the ambition of it all as I read. I wonder if I would have been so gob-smacked by the scope of this novel if I had read it in two parts? An interesting question, but there's no doubt that it is a mind blowing experience to read a novel as far reaching and complex as this one.
My family was travelling when we read Magician, and books were scarce, so we all ended up reading this book during a close period, so its interesting to report everybody's reactions, I think. Tess, my 15 year old, was recommended it by a physics/maths friend who she shares esoteric jokes with, and she felt much the same way towards it as me, I think, finding it incredible and ambitious and wonderful, though with some overwritten parts (hey, Mum, read this bit!). Bo, my husband, who rarely likes science fiction and is generally a NF reader, found it stimulating and fascinating, and read the first three quarters obsessively, then felt it lacked direction for a bit, before picking up in the last 100 pages or so. Sophie, my 12 year old is a bright girl who reads well above her level, and enjoyed it thoroughly, but felt it was a heavy read because of the plot complexity.
At the end of the day, this is truly a unique and wonderful saga, and I can't wait until I get to the next installment..
My family was travelling when we read Magician, and books were scarce, so we all ended up reading this book during a close period, so its interesting to report everybody's reactions, I think. Tess, my 15 year old, was recommended it by a physics/maths friend who she shares esoteric jokes with, and she felt much the same way towards it as me, I think, finding it incredible and ambitious and wonderful, though with some overwritten parts (hey, Mum, read this bit!). Bo, my husband, who rarely likes science fiction and is generally a NF reader, found it stimulating and fascinating, and read the first three quarters obsessively, then felt it lacked direction for a bit, before picking up in the last 100 pages or so. Sophie, my 12 year old is a bright girl who reads well above her level, and enjoyed it thoroughly, but felt it was a heavy read because of the plot complexity.
At the end of the day, this is truly a unique and wonderful saga, and I can't wait until I get to the next installment..
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Mr Feist I respect what ur trying to do but I was simply not entertained