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4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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:
Complicated
I am in awe of how the scope just keeps getting larger and larger. Secrets only barely hinted at, forgotten gods coming back into play, the beautiful chaos of it all.
TOBLAKAI!!!
TOBLAKAI!!!
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
adventurous
funny
sad
medium-paced
House of Chains by Steven Erikson
The weakest book in the series so far, but that's not to say it isn't good, for it seems that even in its lowest (assuming he's hit rock bottom here, I hope he has), Erikson's writing prowess is above that of his fellow fantasy writers.
So, this is Erikson at his most conventional plotting and overall writing style, yet. I understand why people might have problems with the first three books in the series, especially the first one, but I don't want to hear you using the words, "difficult," "unapproachable" even, and so on when describing this one. Everything is plain and straightforward in this one, and I wish it weren't because I enjoyed the ambiguity in the first books.
Each of the four first books in this series is divided in four "books" within them. What happens in this book is throughout the entire first "book" in it, we follow one character. One POV, and then, during the three other "books," Erikson shifts back into multiple POVs. Now, though written commendably in terms of prose, what structuring the book this way lead to was me having issues with the pace. It's not a major problem, but you feel the fluctuations in pace while reading, and it bugs you.
My major problem with the book, however, were Erikson would meander a lot in some chapters to the point of them feeling like filler. Characters talking with each other and nothing happening to further the plot. For much that I like Erikson's dialogue, I don't want to, essentially, get stuck reading stuff it won't be useful later in the book, and that's the thing because Erikson did this in the previous book, but if in the previous book there was pay off for it that legitimised him "wondering" with his characters, here there was none of that.
At one thing this book was better than the previous ones, though, and that is the humour. I have laughed so much throughout this one, and while that doesn't necessarily makes it a book better, I thought of mentioning it because I don't feel like the book community talks enough about the humour in this series. Now, oddly enough, though the funniest, House of Chains is also the saddest book in the series so far, with that heartbreaking final chapter. Without exaggeration, I had this pain in the chest after I was done this one.
The weakest book in the series so far, but that's not to say it isn't good, for it seems that even in its lowest (assuming he's hit rock bottom here, I hope he has), Erikson's writing prowess is above that of his fellow fantasy writers.
So, this is Erikson at his most conventional plotting and overall writing style, yet. I understand why people might have problems with the first three books in the series, especially the first one, but I don't want to hear you using the words, "difficult," "unapproachable" even, and so on when describing this one. Everything is plain and straightforward in this one, and I wish it weren't because I enjoyed the ambiguity in the first books.
Each of the four first books in this series is divided in four "books" within them. What happens in this book is throughout the entire first "book" in it, we follow one character. One POV, and then, during the three other "books," Erikson shifts back into multiple POVs. Now, though written commendably in terms of prose, what structuring the book this way lead to was me having issues with the pace. It's not a major problem, but you feel the fluctuations in pace while reading, and it bugs you.
My major problem with the book, however, were Erikson would meander a lot in some chapters to the point of them feeling like filler. Characters talking with each other and nothing happening to further the plot. For much that I like Erikson's dialogue, I don't want to, essentially, get stuck reading stuff it won't be useful later in the book, and that's the thing because Erikson did this in the previous book, but if in the previous book there was pay off for it that legitimised him "wondering" with his characters, here there was none of that.
At one thing this book was better than the previous ones, though, and that is the humour. I have laughed so much throughout this one, and while that doesn't necessarily makes it a book better, I thought of mentioning it because I don't feel like the book community talks enough about the humour in this series. Now, oddly enough, though the funniest, House of Chains is also the saddest book in the series so far, with that heartbreaking final chapter. Without exaggeration, I had this pain in the chest after I was done this one.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Another large epic in the saga. A continuation and conclusion to much of the second book. An expansion on many of the smaller characters which became large characters. Confusion still a plenty but it was good to touch base with some of the characters absent from book 3, no matter how short. This book felt a little like a middle book, which is not surprising since its book 4 out of 10, in a way that the previous book did not feel. Book 3 felt like a turning point in the series while this one felt like a set up.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes