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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
I love the idea of taking a mythic/medievalish fantasy series into the present day, but I had major issues with the execution. I also find Maewen a lot less interesting than previous protagonists in the series and wanted to spend more time with the characters I liked. The plot is either a kinder take on "The True State of Affairs" or a total cop-out from it; either way, it didn't strike me as hard as that early Dalemark novella, or as vividly as the earlier novels.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
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:
Yes
I only ever read the dalemark quartet because of a sense of duty. One of my favorite authors [a:Megan Whalen Turner|22542|Megan Whalen Turner|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1489507023p2/22542.jpg] recommended it as one of her influences in writing her Queen's thief series. Prior to that, i heard of the dalemark quartet back in high school, when a classmate said she was "reading the entire series because of a love story in the fourth book". i thought that was a silly reason to waste your time in three books, but i take that back now.
The dalemark quartet is a long con, and while i haven't been as impressed with the first three books based on my reviews, i do think the series is an example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. The last book, the crown of dalemark, wouldn't be as good without the first three giving context. I would even go so far as to say that the fourth book is not complete without the three novels that act as its introduction.
The crown of dalemark takes all the overused tropes in fantasy and mixes them up in a way that doesn't feel like a Hodge Podge of overdone ideas. There is a chosen one, there is a band of travelers on a quest, there are items to collect, there is a dark, mysterious nemesis; there are gods who walk the earth, there is (a bit out of genre) time travel, there is history and culture and geography and mythology and linguistics and politics--executed so well that you don't feel overwhelmed with information or feel like you've read this story before.
As i said, the quartet is a long con. An author couldn't have pulled off this much worldbuilding in one book. A normal person would have quit on the series after three books of cliffhangers and no evident payoff, but that's because the first three books serve to satisfy and lend credibility to the climax that is the last book. I respect that kind of long term planning, dedication, and scope of work.
I wish that dwj had chosen to end her series with a pretty bow with all leads wrapped up and neatly concluded, but that just wasn't her style. I've never come out of a novel wanting to read fanfiction immediately just so i could see my protagonists getting their happy ending. I'm sure many feel the same, and it's a testament to how much the series enthralls its readers.
The dalemark quartet is a long con, and while i haven't been as impressed with the first three books based on my reviews, i do think the series is an example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. The last book, the crown of dalemark, wouldn't be as good without the first three giving context. I would even go so far as to say that the fourth book is not complete without the three novels that act as its introduction.
The crown of dalemark takes all the overused tropes in fantasy and mixes them up in a way that doesn't feel like a Hodge Podge of overdone ideas. There is a chosen one, there is a band of travelers on a quest, there are items to collect, there is a dark, mysterious nemesis; there are gods who walk the earth, there is (a bit out of genre) time travel, there is history and culture and geography and mythology and linguistics and politics--executed so well that you don't feel overwhelmed with information or feel like you've read this story before.
As i said, the quartet is a long con. An author couldn't have pulled off this much worldbuilding in one book. A normal person would have quit on the series after three books of cliffhangers and no evident payoff, but that's because the first three books serve to satisfy and lend credibility to the climax that is the last book. I respect that kind of long term planning, dedication, and scope of work.
I wish that dwj had chosen to end her series with a pretty bow with all leads wrapped up and neatly concluded, but that just wasn't her style. I've never come out of a novel wanting to read fanfiction immediately just so i could see my protagonists getting their happy ending. I'm sure many feel the same, and it's a testament to how much the series enthralls its readers.