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thinde's review against another edition
4.0
It's been at least a decade since I first read this series. It's aged well.
The casual brutality experienced by the children is offset by their proactive attitude and teamwork. There's never a sense of helplessness. Once out of the Redeemer compound we get a fish out of water story, where the protagonist's unique background and abilities allow him to survive and thrive. This section was excellent.
The ending... felt forced and incongruous. It was clearly a setup for book two, but it didn't sit right with me. Overall the book was still a fine story so I'll re-read at least one more in the series just to refresh my memory.
The casual brutality experienced by the children is offset by their proactive attitude and teamwork. There's never a sense of helplessness. Once out of the Redeemer compound we get a fish out of water story, where the protagonist's unique background and abilities allow him to survive and thrive. This section was excellent.
The ending... felt forced and incongruous. It was clearly a setup for book two, but it didn't sit right with me. Overall the book was still a fine story so I'll re-read at least one more in the series just to refresh my memory.
readerofdafuk's review against another edition
5.0
Great book. I loved it since I first picked it up. I want to know what that sweet smelling rock that the stupid, fat redeemer found when he cut up the girl. Glad Cale saved Riba, but it still sucks. What is the purpose of that rock? And at the end where the Lord Milliant said that Cale was the angel of death, what was that about!? Why did Cale go with them, willingly!? Shouldn't he question it, after all, the redeemers tortured him and hundreds of other boys everyday! And they were chasing him down for the last few months. Why did he believe them?? I am so glad that there is a sequal coming out, even if it won't be out 'til next August.
ganglari's review against another edition
4.0
This wasn't well reviewed, and it does have some problems; however, I really enjoyed it. It's a "Dying Earth"-type fantasy (or possibly an alternate dark ages) where the world has reverted to a pre-industrial state. The main draw is the really ironic, cynical narrator. It really helps one overlook the somewhat blue writing, as we never doubt that the narrator detests it as much as we do.
hisdarkmaterials's review against another edition
4.0
I loved and hated this book in equal measures. By God does it need some serious editing! There is more than one occasion the reader is left puzzled by a sentence because it's missing words! Very confusing and irritating. Cale is such a man in so many aspects, when I'm reminded he's 14 I'm like wait, what? I think he's too young, I would have enjoyed his character more if he was 16 to start with. There is a lot just not explained, we are just sort of expected to roll with it. The story is intriguing and the descriptions are pretty excellent, the characters are pretty well fleshed out which makes it a joy to read - I especially enjoyed IdrisBukke and Vague Henry. Oh yeah, and when authors constantly make up names for places, people's names, etc - it annoys me when it becomes ridiculous. You can't just throw in any word you feel like and expect it to work. Build your world. Touches of a would-be Gaiman, sadly falling short. Approaching the second book with cautious excitement.
han936's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
robert_deas's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
lanko's review against another edition
2.0
I remember this had a very good start. Then it alternated between good and bad moments, some of which unexplainable, like the female assassin who sees the main character for 10 minutes and rushes to him declaring her love.
Cale also looked pretty interesting, a genius in tactical prowess and warfare, while also being able to fight on his own like nobody else. One could say the part that it's said that he makes the plans for battle on his room and then they are sent to the battlefield as insane, but Napoleon actually planned his most formidable victory for days only using maps and reports. Of course, he adjusted it as necessary as reality demanded, so I suppose the Redeemers did the same.
The final battle is a copy and paste, in all aspects, from the battle of Agincourt. I only found this out many years later. I actually thought there was a sense of realism in that, and now I know why.
However, the thing that left me a bit bewildered was the fact this was being labeled around here as the "new Harry Potter" and intended for that audience. I couldn't really understand why was that so. There's plenty of swearing and graphic violence (including an autopsy on a living girl right in the beginning), some other mutilation, sex scenes and prostitution.
Totally baffled me as how they marketed this book.
Cale also looked pretty interesting, a genius in tactical prowess and warfare, while also being able to fight on his own like nobody else. One could say the part that it's said that he makes the plans for battle on his room and then they are sent to the battlefield as insane, but Napoleon actually planned his most formidable victory for days only using maps and reports. Of course, he adjusted it as necessary as reality demanded, so I suppose the Redeemers did the same.
The final battle is a copy and paste, in all aspects, from the battle of Agincourt. I only found this out many years later. I actually thought there was a sense of realism in that, and now I know why.
However, the thing that left me a bit bewildered was the fact this was being labeled around here as the "new Harry Potter" and intended for that audience. I couldn't really understand why was that so. There's plenty of swearing and graphic violence (including an autopsy on a living girl right in the beginning), some other mutilation, sex scenes and prostitution.
Totally baffled me as how they marketed this book.
metaphorosis's review against another edition
2.0
The Left Hand of God was a disappointment. Even allowing for over-hyping, I expected more from a book hailed as ' "Ender's Game" meets the Inquisition.' In truth, while it does deal with harshly, highly trained children, Daniel Abraham recently covered the same ground better (A Shadow in Winter).
Overall, Left Hand could have benefited from a more aggressive editor. There were occasional well-turned or strking phrases, but they were mixed in with a greater amount of awkward phrasing, typos, poor or even incorrect word choice, inconsistent narrators, and inappropriate context.
Left Hand tells the story of three boys who've grown up almost entirely in an inland monastery, and a girl from a similar convent. The setting appears to be a post-apocalyptic North America, given references to Memphis, the Appalachians, and dollars. The universe here is very small - a couple of neighbouring kingdoms (essentially) - and the known world appears to extend no more than several hundred miles. Society has regressed to a standard fantasy/medieval level where siege engines are an innovation. Yet at one point, a lady blithely sends someone off to the Middle East, and there is mention of a Jerusalem campaign a couple of hundred years back. It's hard to see how such a minor empire can so easily cross the Atlantic.
The book is full of similar inconsistencies or improbabilities. For example, while our world is still restricted to four children with very limited experience, a colour change is compared to color changes in an octopus - a creature none of the children will have heard of, and which likely no one in this entire world has heard of or observed. Similarly, while our protagonist is described as the youngest ever to enter the monastery, at about age 6, the author later describes crowds of 5 year olds chanting.
The story itself is interesting, with some novelty, though also with some enticing threads left almost completely unexplored by the end of the book. However, the inconsistent writing prevents it from being convincing, and tired stereotypes make matters worse - for example, Jews suddenly enter late in the story, purely to describe a class of moneylenders.
All in all, interesting, but hard to recommend, like a fantasy written by someone with only a passing familiarity with the genre. Some new things happen, but the errors more than overset the freshness.
Overall, Left Hand could have benefited from a more aggressive editor. There were occasional well-turned or strking phrases, but they were mixed in with a greater amount of awkward phrasing, typos, poor or even incorrect word choice, inconsistent narrators, and inappropriate context.
Left Hand tells the story of three boys who've grown up almost entirely in an inland monastery, and a girl from a similar convent. The setting appears to be a post-apocalyptic North America, given references to Memphis, the Appalachians, and dollars. The universe here is very small - a couple of neighbouring kingdoms (essentially) - and the known world appears to extend no more than several hundred miles. Society has regressed to a standard fantasy/medieval level where siege engines are an innovation. Yet at one point, a lady blithely sends someone off to the Middle East, and there is mention of a Jerusalem campaign a couple of hundred years back. It's hard to see how such a minor empire can so easily cross the Atlantic.
The book is full of similar inconsistencies or improbabilities. For example, while our world is still restricted to four children with very limited experience, a colour change is compared to color changes in an octopus - a creature none of the children will have heard of, and which likely no one in this entire world has heard of or observed. Similarly, while our protagonist is described as the youngest ever to enter the monastery, at about age 6, the author later describes crowds of 5 year olds chanting.
The story itself is interesting, with some novelty, though also with some enticing threads left almost completely unexplored by the end of the book. However, the inconsistent writing prevents it from being convincing, and tired stereotypes make matters worse - for example, Jews suddenly enter late in the story, purely to describe a class of moneylenders.
All in all, interesting, but hard to recommend, like a fantasy written by someone with only a passing familiarity with the genre. Some new things happen, but the errors more than overset the freshness.