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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
This book was such a surprise. A mix of body horror, fantasy and scifi makes it very interesting, and not like any other book I read. It made the world interesting for me, despite the low worldbuilding. The cast of characters were also great and interesting. For a world that was very dark I liked that it had moments of compassion and characters trying to do good in this bad world. The ending was a bit of a let down. I guess i expected something else then how it ended, but I will still continue with the series.
It's not often I read a book where none of my favorite characters speak.
I enjoyed this book tremendously.
It's a bit hard to classify. The storyline is pretty fascinating. The character of the Vagrant, his sword, the long walking quest and the presence of demons are all fantasy staples. At the same time, there are guns, modular floating cities, automated farms and more trappings of science fiction. The demons themselves, and what their presence does to people, evokes more than a little bit of body-horror.
The world has been ruined by the emergence of demons from the Breach. The humans of the land weren't prepared, and a great army was destroyed. Into this chaos walks the Vagrant - mute, burdened with a baby and a dangerous sword. He picks up more companions along the way - a goat, a criminal, even a monstrous half-demon. They have to get the Vagrant and his burden back to what's left of the once shining civilization.
In addition, we learn the history of the tainted lands through a series of flashbacks that start with the invasion and lead up to the Vagrant embarking on his quest.
The story of the trip itself, though interesting enough, isn't really the star, here. The real story is about the relationships between characters. Between the Vagrant and the baby, the Vagrant and his companions, the baby and the world, the goat and what it hates (almost everything). Even the demons' minds and relationships are laid bare.
The writing is very strong as well. Poetic where it can be, spare where it needs to be. The POV characters' sections all have pretty clear voices throughout. Use of metaphor was particularly strong without becoming purple.
I enjoyed this book tremendously.
It's a bit hard to classify. The storyline is pretty fascinating. The character of the Vagrant, his sword, the long walking quest and the presence of demons are all fantasy staples. At the same time, there are guns, modular floating cities, automated farms and more trappings of science fiction. The demons themselves, and what their presence does to people, evokes more than a little bit of body-horror.
The world has been ruined by the emergence of demons from the Breach. The humans of the land weren't prepared, and a great army was destroyed. Into this chaos walks the Vagrant - mute, burdened with a baby and a dangerous sword. He picks up more companions along the way - a goat, a criminal, even a monstrous half-demon. They have to get the Vagrant and his burden back to what's left of the once shining civilization.
In addition, we learn the history of the tainted lands through a series of flashbacks that start with the invasion and lead up to the Vagrant embarking on his quest.
The story of the trip itself, though interesting enough, isn't really the star, here. The real story is about the relationships between characters. Between the Vagrant and the baby, the Vagrant and his companions, the baby and the world, the goat and what it hates (almost everything). Even the demons' minds and relationships are laid bare.
The writing is very strong as well. Poetic where it can be, spare where it needs to be. The POV characters' sections all have pretty clear voices throughout. Use of metaphor was particularly strong without becoming purple.
About time I write a review for this book.
I've been eyeing The Vagrant for a long time when I've seen it on shelves, but I never picked it up. When I got it for Christmas...well, let me put it this way. It's been a VERY long time since I last read a book in one day.
I got this book in the morning and was done it by evening. I loved every page of it.
FIRST OFF: Let's just appreciate the amazing cover on this book for a moment. I mean, DANG. That's just a really cool cover right there. Bravo to the designer and artist. Beautiful job.
Second off, looking at the inside of this book, the Vagrant has a completely different writing style than I have ever read, even down to the fact that it was written in Third Person Omniscient and Present Tense. Needless to say, I had never read a...
High fantasy? Sci-Fi? Post-apocalyptic?
Post-apocalyptic-high-technology-secondary-world-fantasy?
That. I had never read a book like that.
Anyway, style aside, the story is driven by mystery and unique worldbuilding. I really can't define the genre of this book (which was really enjoyable for me), and I appreciate the atmosphere that was established from page one and carried through until the very end.
The lead character of the Vagrant was a really interesting man to follow, the baby was written as a pretty convincing character, everyone they encountered felt as though they could have books written about them, and the style leant itself to beautiful prose and really poetic subtlety.
ALSO: I hadn't thought that slapstick in any form could be pulled off in book form. A certain goat proved me wrong.
Overall: excellent book. I look forward to finding out where this world will go next.
I've been eyeing The Vagrant for a long time when I've seen it on shelves, but I never picked it up. When I got it for Christmas...well, let me put it this way. It's been a VERY long time since I last read a book in one day.
I got this book in the morning and was done it by evening. I loved every page of it.
FIRST OFF: Let's just appreciate the amazing cover on this book for a moment. I mean, DANG. That's just a really cool cover right there. Bravo to the designer and artist. Beautiful job.
Second off, looking at the inside of this book, the Vagrant has a completely different writing style than I have ever read, even down to the fact that it was written in Third Person Omniscient and Present Tense. Needless to say, I had never read a...
High fantasy? Sci-Fi? Post-apocalyptic?
Post-apocalyptic-high-technology-secondary-world-fantasy?
That. I had never read a book like that.
Anyway, style aside, the story is driven by mystery and unique worldbuilding. I really can't define the genre of this book (which was really enjoyable for me), and I appreciate the atmosphere that was established from page one and carried through until the very end.
The lead character of the Vagrant was a really interesting man to follow, the baby was written as a pretty convincing character, everyone they encountered felt as though they could have books written about them, and the style leant itself to beautiful prose and really poetic subtlety.
ALSO: I hadn't thought that slapstick in any form could be pulled off in book form. A certain goat proved me wrong.
Overall: excellent book. I look forward to finding out where this world will go next.
An interesting story
I liked the book a lot. The world is interesting and the conflict engaging. There are some parts of the book that aren’t as fleshed out (magicians are mentioned and magic present, but is more a part of the setting than an element of the world). Very few complaints though, I definitely recommend it.
I liked the book a lot. The world is interesting and the conflict engaging. There are some parts of the book that aren’t as fleshed out (magicians are mentioned and magic present, but is more a part of the setting than an element of the world). Very few complaints though, I definitely recommend it.
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The style was the biggest turn off for this story as it was kind of hard to follow what was happening at any given moment since it felt like a lot of what was described was being implied.
I'm not sure if I can fully express how much I loved this book. It was tender and heartwarming, and at times made me laugh and at others made me cry.
The Vagrant follows a mute man traveling a war-torn world on a quest to return a magic sword to a magic city, but it isn't about a man on a quest, it's about a man clinging to his humanity, fighting for his own decency and the decency of others. It's been a long time since I read such a fundamentally dark book that left me smiling and feeling hopeful. I want more.
Also, it's been a long time since I read a fantasy/SF book where a baby was allowed to just be a baby and that was her only specialness - the fact that she represented new life and hope.
The Vagrant follows a mute man traveling a war-torn world on a quest to return a magic sword to a magic city, but it isn't about a man on a quest, it's about a man clinging to his humanity, fighting for his own decency and the decency of others. It's been a long time since I read such a fundamentally dark book that left me smiling and feeling hopeful. I want more.
Also, it's been a long time since I read a fantasy/SF book where a baby was allowed to just be a baby and that was her only specialness - the fact that she represented new life and hope.
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This one had a really cool plot, where the main character doesn't actually speak. It makes for a book that relies on the character's internal thoughts that we receive, and it's side characters. I liked it, but I'm not going straight to a bookstore to get the second one anytime soon.
It was alright. Different, but didn't really grab me. Maybe it was the writing style, which curt, abrupt. Just didn't find it all that interesting. YMMV.
adventurous
challenging
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated