Reviews

On the one hand, the characters are engaging and there is quite an interesting world set up for them to inhabit, full of magic and mysteries whose details are only beginning to come clear -- but part of the reason it is only beginning is because Hobb is perhaps the slowest-paced plotter I've ever read in fantasy, and this includes things like Rothfuss's Kingkiller (eventually-to-be-)trilogy. Even in this book, the Fool both wittily and skillfully presents Fitz with a Chekhovian gun early on in the novel, but the resolution apparently isn't coming until the third book. While the book is good and enjoyable, at some point I wouldn't mind some action to balance out the atmospherics. That said, the ending is considerably more dramatic and a good launchpad seemingly for the final volume of the trilogy.

bexamethasone's review against another edition

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dark emotional slow-paced

5.0

highcaliber's review against another edition

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3.0

The prose, characters and dialogue are top notch. Unfortunately the plot is paper thin and moves at a snail's pace.

nemonline's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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