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capgambit's review
3.0
I have to admit I wasn't too impressed at the beginning of this book. All of the characters felt foreign to me for the first half of the book. I know it's a first book they won't seem familiar yet. I may have used the wrong words but that's what first came to mind. Basically I feel like it would have been more satisfying if there were a bit more description of character and features. It was almost as if we were supposed to already know them before starting.
By the end however I found that I was enjoying the story. One positive note was the shortness of the story. There wasn't a lot of action but there was enough to carry the story and it resolved quickly without leaving too many unanswered questions.
Hopefully having been already introduced to the characters Jango will be a bit easier to get into.
By the end however I found that I was enjoying the story. One positive note was the shortness of the story. There wasn't a lot of action but there was enough to carry the story and it resolved quickly without leaving too many unanswered questions.
Hopefully having been already introduced to the characters Jango will be a bit easier to get into.
booksong's review
5.0
One of my favorite fantasies, this book goes outside the norm in both character and plot.
Ages ago, a single warrior named Noman founded an order of warrior monks called the Nomana. Their duty was simple; to spread peace, safeguard the people, and protect their god, the All and Only. Ensconced in their sacred citadel Anacrea, the Nomana are idolized and feared by many.
Seeker After Truth, a young boy who lives on Anacrea, yearns to join the warrior order like his older brother, scorning his father's hopes that he become a schoolteacher.
In a faraway country, the shephard's daughter Morning Star, who has the gift of seeing emotions, also wishes to join the Nomana, following in the footsteps of her vanished mother.
And on the waterways of the land, a handsome and wild teenage river pirate named the Wildman meets with the Nomana, and is awed in spite of himself by their peaceful power. And he wants it for his own.
Now, three teenagers come together for a common purpose; to join the ancient order. But when a threat arises from a city where people are sacrificed daily, Seeker, Morning Star, and Wildman will undertake a quest to save all the Nomana.
With three amazing main characters, a winding plot, and nothing held back in terms of danger and death, this is the first of a strange yet compelling trilogy that I have always loved.
Ages ago, a single warrior named Noman founded an order of warrior monks called the Nomana. Their duty was simple; to spread peace, safeguard the people, and protect their god, the All and Only. Ensconced in their sacred citadel Anacrea, the Nomana are idolized and feared by many.
Seeker After Truth, a young boy who lives on Anacrea, yearns to join the warrior order like his older brother, scorning his father's hopes that he become a schoolteacher.
In a faraway country, the shephard's daughter Morning Star, who has the gift of seeing emotions, also wishes to join the Nomana, following in the footsteps of her vanished mother.
And on the waterways of the land, a handsome and wild teenage river pirate named the Wildman meets with the Nomana, and is awed in spite of himself by their peaceful power. And he wants it for his own.
Now, three teenagers come together for a common purpose; to join the ancient order. But when a threat arises from a city where people are sacrificed daily, Seeker, Morning Star, and Wildman will undertake a quest to save all the Nomana.
With three amazing main characters, a winding plot, and nothing held back in terms of danger and death, this is the first of a strange yet compelling trilogy that I have always loved.
auora1484's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
spiderstapdance's review against another edition
4.0
I first read this book several years ago, before I knew it was part of a series. It stuck with me in the hazy places of my memory, and in fact I was astonished how much I remembered once I started reading it again. This is due, no doubt, to Nicholson's immense talent of description: he makes you see really see the scene without slowing the plot down. The world is fully realized and the characters are enchantingly entertaining. However parts of the plot and characterization felt a little rushed, particularly the ending. I suppose that is why this is the first of a trilogy and not a stand alone book.
aylaravenstar's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
kurohaneshizumi's review
5.0
Really thought-provoking and engaging; great, complex characters. Surprising ending. Excited to read the next!
stephilica's review against another edition
This book excels at drawing characters and rhythmic prose, though it could have done with a few less POVs. While the plot threads do all intersect and wrap up by the end, in the middle act it feels slightly unfocused.
The book's strength lies in the scene-setting passages that provide a framework for characters to discuss their deepest motivation: each of them is on a pilgrimage, but for different reasons. One seeks justice and truth, one seeks peace, and one seeks the love she lacked from a mother. It's refreshing to see the characters' choices actually reflect their religious beliefs—rather than serve as some over-arching 'worldbuilding,' the religious institutions and precepts have a noticeable effect on the cast. I wish we knew more about some of the tenets, but we have just enough to understand why each character interacts with the idea of the All and Only in their own way. Worth reading for that alone.
As an aside, the not-quite-Abrahamic motif of the monotheistic All and Only (the name itself is a callback to the rarer epithet Alpha and Omega used in the NT) was a pleasant surprise. Many fantasy religions draw on animistic or pantheistic interpretations of divinity, which is no surprise considering the influences of Greek mythology and other pantheons in developing the Western storytelling tradition. That said, it was interesting to see a monotheistic fantasy religion, in fact one competing with the neighboring empire's naturalistic worship of the sun, develop on the pages.
chroniqled's review
5.0
As with the Wind on Fire trilogy, truly flawless. I love the adventure in this book so much that I couldn’t put it down. Amazing work, truly. I shall always be a fan of William Nicholson.
I also really loved Wildman. He’s my favourite character
I also really loved Wildman. He’s my favourite character