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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
I bought this book many, many years ago when I was in high school watching Matt Colville’s Youtube channel. The first two hundred or so pages of this book are pretty good — it’s darker than what I usually like, but the chapters are short and the action is ever-changing, so it flows well. The main character, Heden, is fascinating and his background as a disgraced priest and the lore behind his order is masterfully done. The worldbuilding is also top-notch, Colville really knows how to craft a fantasy world. And although this isn’t a “D&D book”, it still has D&D vibes, which makes sense considering the world of the novel is Colville’s D&D world and his professional background is with D&D.
However, there are many issues with the book. Firstly, the novel’s portrayal of women is sexist. As many other reviewers have said, there are three major female characters and none of them are portrayed well. One of them, Aderyn, is a naive young squire who desperately wants Heden to have sex with her — but he refuses because she made a vow of chastity, the same one her knight (who burns to death) made. There are not-so-subtle themes of purity and purity culture here that just aren’t good or interesting or fun to read about. That’s the main reason I stopped reading.
The third major female character, Vanora, is a teenage whore whom Heden rescues. She is actually an interesting character, but we see nothing of her beyond the first hundred pages or so. And considering what Colville did for the two other female characters, I don’t have much faith in her arc once she does come back.
The book is also just dull after a while. It’s a little over 500 pages and it could EASILY be 300 or 350. Colville likes to linger on things a little too long and it just becomes a drag, even with the short chapters.
Read in my room at home.
However, there are many issues with the book. Firstly, the novel’s portrayal of women is sexist. As many other reviewers have said, there are three major female characters and none of them are portrayed well. One of them, Aderyn, is a naive young squire who desperately wants Heden to have sex with her — but he refuses because she made a vow of chastity, the same one her knight (who burns to death) made. There are not-so-subtle themes of purity and purity culture here that just aren’t good or interesting or fun to read about. That’s the main reason I stopped reading.
The third major female character, Vanora, is a teenage whore whom Heden rescues. She is actually an interesting character, but we see nothing of her beyond the first hundred pages or so. And considering what Colville did for the two other female characters, I don’t have much faith in her arc once she does come back.
The book is also just dull after a while. It’s a little over 500 pages and it could EASILY be 300 or 350. Colville likes to linger on things a little too long and it just becomes a drag, even with the short chapters.
Read in my room at home.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Bit of a slow burn, but the struggle of the characters was very compelling - I also really appreciated the bold choices the author made
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really felt Heden's frustration in this; he was in The Wode to help and the Green Knights wouldn't let him. It is an interesting world, though I am not sure I would like to live in it I am looking forward to reading more stories set in it.
One of my favourite fantasy novels. Some places seemed a tad awkward or could have been more concise, but overall a refreshing and entertaining novel!
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I absolutely loved this. The writing wasn't perfect, it created mystery then a moment later it plainly explained it without giving the reader a chance to mull things over and discover for themselves. It's a quest story that feels like a video game was translated into a book, but the story was captivating. The main character was interesting and multi-layered, the universe was intriguing, and the action was so fast paced, that I couldn't put it down. I'll definitely read the next book in the series