Reviews

The Eternal Flame by T.A. Barron

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rochelleisreading's review against another edition

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adventurous inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

5.0

10stormlight's review against another edition

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5.0

I adored this series when I was in middle school. It is easily one of the most magical, mesmerizing series I have ever read. A decade later and I'm still having dreams that I am Merlin's heir. Or discovering secret passageways to the stars. Or that I can turn into a dragon. So thank you; for being my Name of the Wind before Patrick Rothfuss was even an author, for being my epic fantasy series before the the Stormlight Archive existed.

hickorynut's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

While this did wrap up many different plotlines and individual stories, as the final book in the entire series, it fell a little flat. By the time the actual final battle occurred within this book, so many other supposed final battles had already taken place throughout the others. It left the final battle feeling as if it wasn't actually a series wrap up but just another battle that would lead to another book in the future. Much of the second half of the series that is based on Avalon felt repetitive and therefore it was not as engaging and unique. I grew up with the stories of Fincayra and didn't finish the series until adulthood and it absolutely felt as if the Avalon section lost much of the original magic and beauty of the first half. I did enjoy the series overall and a few of the individual books were much more enjoyable but overall I was left a bit disappointed after it all ended.

tigerlinus's review against another edition

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3.0

Barron does not shy away from the evil in the story, yet I'm unsure what to rate this journey overall. I like most of the characters, settings, the different story lines in all 11 books of this series, yet there were some books, and characters, that stood out from others.

I respect an author who is comfortable taking the time to anchor a story, which Barron does well, but believe the story plods at times. Do so very much love the dark personalities, though, and that with all war comes death and suffering, even of some favorite characters. Barron tackles the vexatious, the vulgar, the evil quite well ~ it's what I feel is fluff that impedes the storytelling at times.

Sadly, a kind of rushed, not well understood, ending to a series. What is it about tying up loose ends? An author doesn't have to tie up all loose ends, as it shouldn't be all nice and neat with a pretty bow, but prophesies and character flaws would rank high as aspects that should be addressed. I felt the conclusion was a bit weak for the series overall, as it had one asking why the humans alone were selected from so many in Avalon that had similar human characteristics.

Series rating? I'm going with 3.6-3.8.