Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.29 AVERAGE
4.29 AVERAGE
An amazingly written book, loved the unique way of learning the story.
I have read other Goodreads reviews of this book that favorably compare it to Name of the Wind. When I started reading the book, I took those reviews with a grain of salt. Every new fantasy is always touted as "the next..." something and I figured that this was the case with Blood Song. I now understand what those reviewers were talking about. The book is not quite as well written as Name of the Wind, let me say that off the bat. The story is captivating and characters well drawn, but the prose lacks Rothfuss' elegant, almost poetic style. However it is the only other fantasy I have ever read that has invoked such a similar emotional response from me. One of the reasons why this book is so successful is that the author has chosen to create a framing story device, similar to Kote sharing his tales to the Chronicler. When an older soldier can look back on his life of bloodshed and loss, it makes the story just feel so much more alive and rich. A world weariness is evident in the man that Vaelin Al Sorna becomes. Seeing how he became that way is fascinating. What is different in this story, that I actually really loved, was that where in Name of the Wind you are always wondering whether Kvothe is reliable narrator of his own life's events, in "Blood Song" Ryan makes it CLEAR that Vaelin Al Sorna is lying to Verniers, which we discover in his first person narrative breaks. This is SUCH a unique way of showing how history is "created" by those who write it down. Vaelin is a really interesting character. While he excels at many things, he is not the best at everything (archery, riding, etc) which highlights the strengths of his Brothers and makes him so much more human. A slight spoiler -- the book ends with the narrative catching up with the framing story. I wonder then if the sequel or subsequent books will also feature that same storytelling element or whether it will be a simple continuation of Vaelin's quest. I really hope that the author can find a way of incorporating that storytelling feature because I generally find it more interesting when characters are looking back than looking forward. It shows growth and perspective. Now that Vaelin has grown in his powers (by the end of the book) it remains to be seen in future volumes whether he can maintain his humanity. A stellar read, a captivating read. I highly recommend it to any lover of fantasy, but particularly fans of Rothfuss and Michael J Sullivan.
4.5 stars
Loved this book. Starting [b:Tower Lord|18138189|Tower Lord (Raven's Shadow, #2)|Anthony Ryan|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1382486392s/18138189.jpg|25481154] right away.
Loved this book. Starting [b:Tower Lord|18138189|Tower Lord (Raven's Shadow, #2)|Anthony Ryan|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1382486392s/18138189.jpg|25481154] right away.
If you love epic fantasy, drop everything and read this book.
4.5 stars
12/31/15: I loved this book when I first read it, but looking back it doesn't seem nearly as good. Eventually I'll read the next one I guess.
12/31/15: I loved this book when I first read it, but looking back it doesn't seem nearly as good. Eventually I'll read the next one I guess.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really enjoyed this book. It was one of those that gripped me from the start and was awesome, but sadly bogged down a bit about 3/4 of the way through. The author used some flashbacks/forwards(?) that were not clear. I got it eventually, but when you are running full speed it sucks to stumble. That said - he recovered very well and the finish was very strong. 4.3 stars?
Vidēja balle 4.63/5 no ~10`000 balsotājiem ir visai iespaidīgi, taču izlasot šo grāmatu, neticami augstās balles man palika noslēpums. Pieklājīgs fantāzijas žanra romāns, noteikti turpināšu lasīt sēriju, taču tāds uhh un ahhh, kāds bija, lasot, piemēram P.Rotfusa “Vēja vārdu”, man nebija.
Plašāk blogā:
https://andrislasa.wordpress.com/2014/03/03/anthony-ryan-blood-song-ravens-shadow-1/
Plašāk blogā:
https://andrislasa.wordpress.com/2014/03/03/anthony-ryan-blood-song-ravens-shadow-1/