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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.
yesteres's review against another edition
5.0
This was so good it deserves a big boy review, but for the meantime, I will just say that the warnings about pride peppered throughout the book made the ending that much better. Debating on whether I move onto the next book or wait until after the last is published I can finish the rest story in one week.
aidenseeyathere's review against another edition
1.0
Okay so I don't often hate a book since usually a book has some redeeming qualities. But this book is way better in theory than it is in practice. An incredibly interesting premise that was poorly executed with just random misogyny sprinkled in there. If I ever have to hear about Riba's """plumpness""" or Arbell "Swan-Neck" who many men have tried to imagine naked.... I might actually commit a war crime.
Granted, the first 10 chapters were enjoyable. They were dark and gritty and described awful living circumstances and grotesque stuff happening, but as the book progressed the entire tone shifted and it became a hot mess. I would've rather the gang stayed in the Redeemer's monastery for the entire book than whatever nonsense happened in Memphis.
The romance is by far the most unbelievable romance I have ever read. When the basis of your romance is that the person you might like is cold and heartless, but deep down probably a good person, it's probably good to ditch the romance plot and find a different way to have leverage on Cale.
Speaking of - Cale is by far the most insufferable protagonist to read about. He's good at everything, can defeat war veterans without so much as a scratch (despite being described as a half-malnourished yet dorito-shaped 15-year old) and the best generals in town, and barely gets any problems for it. In fact, he manages to get a seat as a top strategist even though he killed one of the most important generals in the Materazzi army. It's absolutely ridiculous and not in the good way. There's no grain of empathy in this man, and I have no grain of sympathy for him. However, somehow he manages to get the girl and be one of the most important people in the entire city. It reads as someone's first rogue character and follows all the tropes.
And then we aren't even talking about how the writing is slow, filled with unnecessary detail, and has awful pacing. Most of this book could've been condensed so it would've been 150 pages shorter and it would've covered the same ground. There are many long paragraphs that describe the size of cavalry or lore and worldbuilding that is never touched upon ever again. The dialogue is supposedly filled with "dark humour" that falls flat on its face.
Also, where does this book take place? Why is there mention of York, but also Memphis? Why are the Norwegians mentioned? Why is there a section about how Jews always take the short end of the stick in war??? Why was Jesus mentioned despite the fact that this book spends a good 5 chapters setting up a different religion system?? I thought we were in a fantasy universe???
I was planning to read the second and third book in this trilogy but after looking at some of the reviews it apparently only gets worse and doesn't deliver on the premise, so I'm not going to bother. Such a pity, though.
Granted, the first 10 chapters were enjoyable. They were dark and gritty and described awful living circumstances and grotesque stuff happening, but as the book progressed the entire tone shifted and it became a hot mess. I would've rather the gang stayed in the Redeemer's monastery for the entire book than whatever nonsense happened in Memphis.
The romance is by far the most unbelievable romance I have ever read. When the basis of your romance is that the person you might like is cold and heartless, but deep down probably a good person, it's probably good to ditch the romance plot and find a different way to have leverage on Cale.
Speaking of - Cale is by far the most insufferable protagonist to read about. He's good at everything, can defeat war veterans without so much as a scratch (despite being described as a half-malnourished yet dorito-shaped 15-year old) and the best generals in town, and barely gets any problems for it. In fact, he manages to get a seat as a top strategist even though he killed one of the most important generals in the Materazzi army. It's absolutely ridiculous and not in the good way. There's no grain of empathy in this man, and I have no grain of sympathy for him. However, somehow he manages to get the girl and be one of the most important people in the entire city. It reads as someone's first rogue character and follows all the tropes.
And then we aren't even talking about how the writing is slow, filled with unnecessary detail, and has awful pacing. Most of this book could've been condensed so it would've been 150 pages shorter and it would've covered the same ground. There are many long paragraphs that describe the size of cavalry or lore and worldbuilding that is never touched upon ever again. The dialogue is supposedly filled with "dark humour" that falls flat on its face.
Also, where does this book take place? Why is there mention of York, but also Memphis? Why are the Norwegians mentioned? Why is there a section about how Jews always take the short end of the stick in war??? Why was Jesus mentioned despite the fact that this book spends a good 5 chapters setting up a different religion system?? I thought we were in a fantasy universe???
I was planning to read the second and third book in this trilogy but after looking at some of the reviews it apparently only gets worse and doesn't deliver on the premise, so I'm not going to bother. Such a pity, though.
treeswerepens's review against another edition
2.0
I would describe this book as just okay. It was interesting and fast paced enough that I breezed through it and was never really bored. But it also wasn't very good. The writing was rather poor, and even though it was an obviously foreign fantasy world, he kept throwing in random every-day jargon and history, and it didn't mesh well. His main character was also relatively unsympathetic.
I didn't know this book was part of a trilogy when I picked it up, and I really don't feel compelled enough to pick up the next in the series.
I didn't know this book was part of a trilogy when I picked it up, and I really don't feel compelled enough to pick up the next in the series.