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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
all i wanted for 400 pages was for Richard and Kahlan to hold hands is that SO MUCH TO ASK FOR??
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anywho, overall good story, even if it did take me a lot longer to read this than i thought it would. the characters were entertaining to read however im not sure i feel like reading the sequel... to be determined. 3.5/5
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anywho, overall good story, even if it did take me a lot longer to read this than i thought it would. the characters were entertaining to read however im not sure i feel like reading the sequel... to be determined. 3.5/5
I read 35% of this book. Parts were good. But I found it boring and uneventful. Maybe had I continued it would have been more interesting but I couldn't do it. Perhaps one day I'll try again
This series starts off so well. I hoped for a really good read and have not been disappointed.
I have mixed feelings about this book and series.
The magical system that gets revealed over the course of the book is among my favorites, along with those from_His Dark Materials_ and _The Kingkiller Chronicle_. The magic system reflects real aspects of human minds and human interaction, with additional details and descriptions that made me feel like the magic made sense, was a reflection of something real. Instead of waggling a magic wand to get what you want, you learn about human minds and human behavior. There are also consequences that feel real and resonate with my own life experiences.
The fantasy world is full of fun surprises, with creatures and cultures and objects that don't just riff on existing ideas but operate in a unique way that makes the world enthralling to discover.
That said, there are aspects of the writing that I have to skim past and try to ignore.
The author revels in describing abuse of power, with detailed views into how the (fat, bald, scarred) villains enjoy manipulating, raping, and murdering children, and yet still get rewarded with power, while the (attractive, tall, muscular) good guys do a lot of grinning and rescuing children and suffering from the intensity of their own morality. This aspect of the characters is poured on too thick. I don't need my fantasy to involve so much twisting of the knife. I can see that making the reader writhe against injustice is worth something, but there's just too much of it.
There's also a touch of homophobia. In this first book, the only character we meet that prefers same-sex encounters is a sexual predator, and the focus of his villainy is that he prefers boys. There's a sadomasochist woman villain that is a "man hater" that is hinted at as a lesbian. Beyond these villains, the world appears completely hetero.
As in many fantasy novels, there are moments when it feels like the author accidentally starts retelling Tolkien stories and then has to shake out of it.
I've read this series at least twice and just re-read the first book, so obviously I have found the fantasy worth having to trudge through the physical and mental torture of most of the characters... but I wouldn't recommend the series to everyone and am not sure I'll read it again.
The magical system that gets revealed over the course of the book is among my favorites, along with those from_His Dark Materials_ and _The Kingkiller Chronicle_. The magic system reflects real aspects of human minds and human interaction, with additional details and descriptions that made me feel like the magic made sense, was a reflection of something real. Instead of waggling a magic wand to get what you want, you learn about human minds and human behavior. There are also consequences that feel real and resonate with my own life experiences.
The fantasy world is full of fun surprises, with creatures and cultures and objects that don't just riff on existing ideas but operate in a unique way that makes the world enthralling to discover.
That said, there are aspects of the writing that I have to skim past and try to ignore.
The author revels in describing abuse of power, with detailed views into how the (fat, bald, scarred) villains enjoy manipulating, raping, and murdering children, and yet still get rewarded with power, while the (attractive, tall, muscular) good guys do a lot of grinning and rescuing children and suffering from the intensity of their own morality. This aspect of the characters is poured on too thick. I don't need my fantasy to involve so much twisting of the knife. I can see that making the reader writhe against injustice is worth something, but there's just too much of it.
There's also a touch of homophobia. In this first book, the only character we meet that prefers same-sex encounters is a sexual predator, and the focus of his villainy is that he prefers boys. There's a sadomasochist woman villain that is a "man hater" that is hinted at as a lesbian. Beyond these villains, the world appears completely hetero.
As in many fantasy novels, there are moments when it feels like the author accidentally starts retelling Tolkien stories and then has to shake out of it.
I've read this series at least twice and just re-read the first book, so obviously I have found the fantasy worth having to trudge through the physical and mental torture of most of the characters... but I wouldn't recommend the series to everyone and am not sure I'll read it again.
fast read, but longer than necessary; typos in my version...sometimes felt like you could skip paragraphs and not miss anything while other parts had to be reread to make sure I understood what was going on.
This is a fantastic book. I made the mistake of putting it down, and picking it back up again a week or two later-not a great way to read such a complex novel. Goodkind weaves a complex world with characters who become like family.
I had no idea what to think when I started this one. I haven't read much in the fantasy series, and the cover was...well, it was very fantasy series-y. But I really enjoyed this one. I know there were a lot of reviews about the writing being bad, but it was nothing I noticed. Is it prize-winning writing? no. Is it like Twilight? Hell no. It's perfectly acceptable writing and when blended with the plot and characters, I really enjoyed it. The story sucks you in, the characters are intriguing, and I flew through 800+ pages in about a week. Looks like I'll have to pick up #2.
Other than rather overt mention of dodgy Libertarian politics, this is a really great beginning to a strong series. And I have to say, I do completely agree with Wizard's First Rule: "People are stupid, they will believe something because they want it to be true; or they're afraid it might be true."
It took me ages to read this book and I do not know why. I enjoyed it and the story is exciting and interesting if a tiny bit derivative. I really like the characters and I look forward to reading more in this series. However, I am going to take a little break before I read the next one.
The story was compelling but the writing was so silly. Cringeworthy at times. I think I would have loved this book years ago - but as another reviewer said, "I'm a different reader now."