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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
Fun, creative world, entertaining story, I liked it and continued.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Curiously uninflected fantasy in a classic '70s mold. Can be read in an hour, and could have been written in 24 hours. We are given no reason whatsoever to root for the hero, or against the villain, and what remains is a collection of strange images from a war beyond human understanding (and a lot of conversations that seem to have been scripted by George Lucas, which isn't entirely a bad thing). I had no desire whatsoever to read the sequels, but I'm sure this sort of thing will hit the spot for a solid minority of readers.
Maybe I'm just not used to this kind of thing, but for me this book lacked colour and depth. Tens of thousands die, and that's just something that's stated, but not felt in any way, just boring statistics. Of course, that's partly the point, the book being told from a semi-god's point of view, but it also feels like author's weakness. Like a computer game, long before computer games became a thing, this one renders the main characters clearly enough, but all the rest is painted with the broadest brush, it's all just a lifeless background, not lived-in in any way.
That said, I can't swear I won't be reading any more of this stuff, the action, though pretty basic, seems engaging enough.
That said, I can't swear I won't be reading any more of this stuff, the action, though pretty basic, seems engaging enough.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Not my favourite tbh. The whole thing has a through line of anachronisms in the content (cars, guns and cigarettes in fantasy land) and style (corny 80s slang interspersed with occasional genuinely beautiful passages) that come off awkward instead of entertaining.
The weak world building, contrived plot (replete with multiple deus ex machinas) and classic zelazny superhero man protagonist don’t help anything either
The weak world building, contrived plot (replete with multiple deus ex machinas) and classic zelazny superhero man protagonist don’t help anything either
fast-paced
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Reread:
This was my 3rd read of this book and I just truly live this and this series.
I just adore this whole series and Corwin is one of my favourite protagonists of all time!
This was my 3rd read of this book and I just truly live this and this series.
I just adore this whole series and Corwin is one of my favourite protagonists of all time!