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coatiwrangler's review against another edition
3.0
3 ½ stars. An enjoyable, easy read but nothing super groundbreaking. I'll probably read the next book in the series when I feel to read something a bit 'lighter'.
ferrisscottr's review against another edition
4.0
We have a demon who was sealed away 700 years ago and now the demon has escaped.
Well thank goodness we have an intrepid band of adventurers there to fight.
We have a ranger (Elbryan) and a fighter (Pony) and we have monk (Avelyn). All have lived different lives, have different motivations and different things that drive them but all come together to fight the demon.
Assisting them are your side characters - the elves & the centaur.
This is fantasy how I like it - good writing, great action sequences, well formed characters, characters I really care about, good guys fighting bad guys. Salvatore's writing has really matured since his earlier work.
Things I didn't care for - too much time/energy spent on the church and religion. The demon didn't really seem all that much to worry about and his actions didn't make sense a lot of the time.
There's not much world building here. You don't learn a lot about anything but then you really don't need to in order to enjoy the book. While I like the characters better than his books set in the Realms - these characters weren't as fully formed so we'll see where he goes with them.
I'd recommend it and I will continue the series.
Well thank goodness we have an intrepid band of adventurers there to fight.
We have a ranger (Elbryan) and a fighter (Pony) and we have monk (Avelyn). All have lived different lives, have different motivations and different things that drive them but all come together to fight the demon.
Assisting them are your side characters - the elves & the centaur.
This is fantasy how I like it - good writing, great action sequences, well formed characters, characters I really care about, good guys fighting bad guys. Salvatore's writing has really matured since his earlier work.
Things I didn't care for - too much time/energy spent on the church and religion. The demon didn't really seem all that much to worry about and his actions didn't make sense a lot of the time.
There's not much world building here. You don't learn a lot about anything but then you really don't need to in order to enjoy the book. While I like the characters better than his books set in the Realms - these characters weren't as fully formed so we'll see where he goes with them.
I'd recommend it and I will continue the series.
tkat's review against another edition
3.0
First thing's first, it took me about a month to read this book because there is just so much going on I had to take my time with it or risk missing something and having to backtrack. Really, there's so much going on here that I think it could have been easily chopped into two books that would have been a lighter read, but I think this one worked out pretty well.
So here we are introduced to Salvatore's world of Corona. Corona is little different from our world during the Medieval ages: there are knights, castles, kings, and little villages that don't often have much contact with the wider world for months at a time. There are a few differences between Corona and our world however, in the fact that this world is freely inhabited by goblins and giants in the north, prowies in the oceans, and elves hidden in the forest, hiding for so long they are viewed more as fantasy than reality.
And he brings us to a small village called Dundalis and two dear friends Pony and Elbryan, who are unknowingly celebrating the last few days of their childhood before their home is destroyed by goblins and giants, and the two friends are separated for almost ten years before being reunited in love and purpose. Both experience trials and tribulations along their path back to each other, but each seem to walk parallel paths that mold them into the warriors they become, capable of taking on a great darkness that rises far to the north.
To the east we are introduced to a young monk by the name of Avelyn. A man strong in the faith of his god, but weak in the faith of humanity, young Avelyn is quickly faced with a crisis of faith when the superiors in his church show themselves to be corrupt, murderous, and full of greed. Grief stricken, the young monk steals some priceless treasures -stones with magical properties that are considered a gift from God- from the monastery he had called home and flees into the west, eventually crossing paths with young Pony and inadvertently guiding her back to Elbryan.
Along the way of these three finding each other and becoming friends, far to the north, along all these years, in a mountain that spews ash and molten rock, a great demon awakens and bands together the evil goblins and giants of the northern mountains to attack the villages of the south. Calling forth also evil sea-faring dwarves called prowies, the demon -'dactyl' as he is called- is able to summon up a fearsome force indeed with the intent to destroy and rule the world.
However the three comrades, Pony, Avelyn, and Elbryan, along with a centaur, a handful of elves and a score of human refugees, recognize the threat in the north and set forth to end the war before it really begins.
So how's that for a plot?
Like I said, lots going on, could have been broken down into two books to make for easier reading, but other than that I think it was done very well. The only 'problem' I have is that the ending was kind of absolute. Unless you know there's a sequel out there, it's a little hard to imagine where else the story could go. Obviously, Salvatore had something in mind to extend the saga as there are several more books set in Corona, and I for one am looking forward to seeing how he opens up the second book.
Enjoy folks.
So here we are introduced to Salvatore's world of Corona. Corona is little different from our world during the Medieval ages: there are knights, castles, kings, and little villages that don't often have much contact with the wider world for months at a time. There are a few differences between Corona and our world however, in the fact that this world is freely inhabited by goblins and giants in the north, prowies in the oceans, and elves hidden in the forest, hiding for so long they are viewed more as fantasy than reality.
And he brings us to a small village called Dundalis and two dear friends Pony and Elbryan, who are unknowingly celebrating the last few days of their childhood before their home is destroyed by goblins and giants, and the two friends are separated for almost ten years before being reunited in love and purpose. Both experience trials and tribulations along their path back to each other, but each seem to walk parallel paths that mold them into the warriors they become, capable of taking on a great darkness that rises far to the north.
To the east we are introduced to a young monk by the name of Avelyn. A man strong in the faith of his god, but weak in the faith of humanity, young Avelyn is quickly faced with a crisis of faith when the superiors in his church show themselves to be corrupt, murderous, and full of greed. Grief stricken, the young monk steals some priceless treasures -stones with magical properties that are considered a gift from God- from the monastery he had called home and flees into the west, eventually crossing paths with young Pony and inadvertently guiding her back to Elbryan.
Along the way of these three finding each other and becoming friends, far to the north, along all these years, in a mountain that spews ash and molten rock, a great demon awakens and bands together the evil goblins and giants of the northern mountains to attack the villages of the south. Calling forth also evil sea-faring dwarves called prowies, the demon -'dactyl' as he is called- is able to summon up a fearsome force indeed with the intent to destroy and rule the world.
However the three comrades, Pony, Avelyn, and Elbryan, along with a centaur, a handful of elves and a score of human refugees, recognize the threat in the north and set forth to end the war before it really begins.
So how's that for a plot?
Like I said, lots going on, could have been broken down into two books to make for easier reading, but other than that I think it was done very well. The only 'problem' I have is that the ending was kind of absolute. Unless you know there's a sequel out there, it's a little hard to imagine where else the story could go. Obviously, Salvatore had something in mind to extend the saga as there are several more books set in Corona, and I for one am looking forward to seeing how he opens up the second book.
Enjoy folks.
vaderbird's review against another edition
3.0
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
laneylune's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. Avelyn, was by far my favorite character and if you have not listened to it, I highly reccommend listening to the Graphic Audio version of the book, it was amazing. HO HO WHAT! HO HO WHAT?!? (Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, too soon tho :( ).
yanina_daniele's review against another edition
4.0
Un libro con un mundo nuevo por conocer, personajes que le tocan vivir situaciones nuevas y extrañas, y descubrir que las cosas no siempre son lo que parecen. Como la mayoría de los libros introductorios, en algunas partes del relato se vuelve algo lento el desarrollo de la trama, pero aún así vale la pena leerlo.
mike_no1's review against another edition
1.0
Terrible characters, terrible plot, random demon as villain, or red caps... RED CAPS
The gem based magic system is kinda cool.
The gem based magic system is kinda cool.
ctgt's review
4.0
I have read several of the Drizzt books and liked them well enough, but I enjoyed this story much more. The character development was great, his style seemed a little more fluid and I really liked the way all the main POVs came together.
brian's review
1.0
This was an absolute chore to get through.
The first half is setting the scene, introducing characters and the tedious route they take to where they're useful enough for the next leg.
It picks up slightly then becomes another yawn-fest as they head out to the boss level.
Predictable, uses most of the fantasy stereotypes going, and the characters aren't all that interesting during any stage of the book.
There was another book in the same universe called The Highwayman (set at a later date if I remember correctly) which was a better read.
The first half is setting the scene, introducing characters and the tedious route they take to where they're useful enough for the next leg.
It picks up slightly then becomes another yawn-fest as they head out to the boss level.
Predictable, uses most of the fantasy stereotypes going, and the characters aren't all that interesting during any stage of the book.
There was another book in the same universe called The Highwayman (set at a later date if I remember correctly) which was a better read.
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