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highlanderajax's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The star rating here is fair, I think, but it's more of a comment on the structure of this specific book, and I don't think it should reflect on the author in general.
This book is, for want of a better word, a prologue. It's set up a world, it's set up some great characters, it's set up a ton of things that I want to know more about...and it's done sod-all with them. 75%, at least, of this book has almost nothing happen. Characters go places, they have conversations, they think things, and they do so in exquisite fashion. Lovely dialogue, vivid imagery, delicious hints at the broader world, and about as much plot as a children's book about a trip to the shops. But for Bear's ability to imbue her work with beautiful and immersive detail, I had the distinct feeling that most of this book could, should one choose to do so, be condensed into about three chapters.
Not only that, but while the world is detailed, the characters have - for most of the book - the depth of a puddle, and not a deep puddle at that. It is a frankly ridiculously long time before motivations, personality, or emotional presence of any character actually shine through. Events are described with almost clinical detachment; the experience is not unlike watching a wonderful ballet while deeply depressed. Fantastic things unfold, and are recited as though being recited by an observer on the other end of a video link.
So why, then, does this get the 3.5 stars? Well, first of all it is beautifully written. Incredibly so. The detail jumps off the page in a way unlike any other author. Perhaps, untroubled by plot or character depth, Bear is able to provide a backdrop that outstrips other works. It is truly remarkable, a glossy photograph of a world rather than a watercolour.
This book is, for want of a better word, a prologue. It's set up a world, it's set up some great characters, it's set up a ton of things that I want to know more about...and it's done sod-all with them. 75%, at least, of this book has almost nothing happen. Characters go places, they have conversations, they think things, and they do so in exquisite fashion. Lovely dialogue, vivid imagery, delicious hints at the broader world, and about as much plot as a children's book about a trip to the shops. But for Bear's ability to imbue her work with beautiful and immersive detail, I had the distinct feeling that most of this book could, should one choose to do so, be condensed into about three chapters.
Not only that, but while the world is detailed, the characters have - for most of the book - the depth of a puddle, and not a deep puddle at that. It is a frankly ridiculously long time before motivations, personality, or emotional presence of any character actually shine through. Events are described with almost clinical detachment; the experience is not unlike watching a wonderful ballet while deeply depressed. Fantastic things unfold, and are recited as though being recited by an observer on the other end of a video link.
So why, then, does this get the 3.5 stars? Well, first of all it is beautifully written. Incredibly so. The detail jumps off the page in a way unlike any other author. Perhaps, untroubled by plot or character depth, Bear is able to provide a backdrop that outstrips other works. It is truly remarkable, a glossy photograph of a world rather than a watercolour.
Second, the plot - when it comes - is captivating, and the plot set up and promised for subsequent works is interesting in the extreme. The characters are sparking to life, and the details we get makes them intriguing. I will definitely pick up the second book in this series, and I look forward to reading it. However, it needs to be said again that it takes quite a while to get to.
Overall, a good read. Not exactly a pulse-pounding page turner, but a well-written and engaging lead-in to what looks to be a series that is, taken together, far more than the sum of its parts.
stellarian's review
4.0
I love the gallery of people presented and set up for the coming book. This is very clearly a book in a series, so if you prefer a finished story you may want to wait to read until the trilogy is completed. However, this part was enjoyable with its themes of duty and being defined by ones actions. I look forward to learning more about this world in the following books!
jesslynh's review
5.0
While I was listening to this book on audio, I kept thinking "This is like beautiful poetry. This is like a 5 course dinner". I don't even LIKE poetry and am not sure that a formal cruise ship dinner rates as any 5-course, but it was the only way my brain could interpret and define how beautifully Ms Bear put her words and this story together.
This story is about as far from fast-paced as you can get, but it builds and builds and builds while you realize what it's all about. Women and (in)equality of power, prejudice, religion, gender identity, life, love....and magic.
All of that sounds like an exhausting list, but is done so subtly that you don't get hit over the head with anything. Much like the exquisite unwinding of her language, the plot slowly unwinds as well. Right up to the bang at the end.
I cannot express how eager I am to get my hands on the rest of the series. This book was VERY well done. Hm....re-reading my review. Perhaps I used the wrong analogy; some of you lucky souls will get what I mean. :)
This story is about as far from fast-paced as you can get, but it builds and builds and builds while you realize what it's all about. Women and (in)equality of power, prejudice, religion, gender identity, life, love....and magic.
All of that sounds like an exhausting list, but is done so subtly that you don't get hit over the head with anything. Much like the exquisite unwinding of her language, the plot slowly unwinds as well. Right up to the bang at the end.
I cannot express how eager I am to get my hands on the rest of the series. This book was VERY well done. Hm....re-reading my review. Perhaps I used the wrong analogy; some of you lucky souls will get what I mean. :)
wanderlustqueen's review
3.0
An interesting enough story, but a bit overwhelming to figure out who's who for the first five chapters. Also some odd phrasing chocies and sentence fragments that I'm not quite sure were intentional. Odds are I won't be reading the rest of the series.
cameronkc's review
3.0
There are numerous moments during the book where I found myself finishing a paragraph, only to stop and slow down so I could reread a passage that caught my attention. Some of the writing is deep and rich with feeling and description. Gage and Deadman are like the odd couple, and I felt I could have read a book on just their adventures. Bear writes a slow, slow, very slow story filled with a story about the most boring of them. While I felt like she creates a great world, she kept the pace and the larger secrets too well buried. For all its wonder, I don't think I can wade through forest to see the dragons (if there are any).
kerstincullen's review
4.0
This is a slow book but very enjoyable. The characters are interesting, the world building fresh and gorgeous. There is a delightful mix of science mixed in with the fantastical that was fun to theorize and speculate about. I loved the importance of predicting the monsoons, that dragons appear to be radioactive, and I had no idea what was going on with the sky until half way through the book.
This book is incredibly descriptive, but the world is so interesting I found it very enjoyable. I would say this is the perfect book to read before bed- until the last hour or two when it gets very exciting.
I am looking forward to the next one!
This book is incredibly descriptive, but the world is so interesting I found it very enjoyable. I would say this is the perfect book to read before bed- until the last hour or two when it gets very exciting.
I am looking forward to the next one!
ericbuscemi's review
3.0
On one hand, I am glad I read this. It was exceptionally well written, and the plot, characters and setting were all different enough from standard fantasy to feel fresh and modern. I loved the strong female characters, and especially loved the automaton Gage. On the other hand, my personal preference is for fantasy that moves at a much more breakneck adventure pace, and there was very little action to be found in this first volume. I also prefer a story from one point-of-view, and this switched back and forth from three main characters.
I'm honestly not sure if I'll continue on in the series, I guess I'll see how I feel about it when the second volume comes out.
Audiobook specific note -- Switching between two narrators to tell three different character points of view was extremely confusing at first (the female narrator covered two points of view). I'd prefer either one narrator for the entire novel, or one per point-of-view character.
I'm honestly not sure if I'll continue on in the series, I guess I'll see how I feel about it when the second volume comes out.
Audiobook specific note -- Switching between two narrators to tell three different character points of view was extremely confusing at first (the female narrator covered two points of view). I'd prefer either one narrator for the entire novel, or one per point-of-view character.
talenyn's review
4.0
A slow burn character study exploring another corner of Bear's intricate fantasy world from the Eternal Sky trilogy, which is loosely inspired by 14th century Asia. The writing is exquisite, as usual, but there is no driving force to the plot. It still worked for me because the characters are so realistic and engaging. But I can also tell that readers unfamiliar with the previous trilogy may be lost or bored by this first book. For those people, I would highly recommend reading both trilogies even though this one starts off slow.