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kaziaroo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Grief, War, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Animal death, Torture, Vomit, and Child death
bergha1998's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
High Fantasy, Chosen Ones, Lots of Travel/Fleeing Bad Guys
“I read the books, all the travelers’ accounts, and it began to burn in me that I had to see, not just read.” ~Loial
“And the more I read, the more I knew that I had to go Outside, go to the places we have been.” ~Loial
Graphic: Grief, War, Death, Murder, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
mistert's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Violence and War
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Vomit, Murder, and Death
_mirambo_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: War and Sexism
ggcd1981's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, War, Violence, Stalking, Blood, Grief, Death, and Mental illness
rexpostfacto's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Violence and War
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Animal death
tiana_king's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Confinement, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, and Torture
Minor: War
surdiablo's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Murder and War
Minor: Sexism and Torture
amiegold's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
It is long and was hard to get through the middle part. But worth it!!
Moderate: Violence and War
ariel790's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
That said and out of the way, I read this book because of the Amazon TV series. In watching, I joined discussion threads about it, and came across one citing how different the books were. My interest piqued. If there is a book, I want to read it. Even if it is just to spot the differences. So I borrowed the book from my local library and here we are. There are many between the two... but I'm not here to discuss that, even though I could, but this is a book review, so I'll only really cover from now how I've felt about the book.
Possible spoilers beyond this point..
The book does cover familiar fantasy, adventure tropes. If you're into either, it is a safe story to read. The main protagonist is a boy who pretty much knows nothing of the world he lives in. You discover it as he does. He's joined by other characters that fit into other familiar character types. An Aes Sedai (elite of the magically inclined, mages, or 'witches and wizards'), the best friend who many not have the best of intentions, the romantic interest who has other interests to pursue, a Warder (ranger/warrior) leading the way, a Wisdom (healer/cleric), and a friend with an unexpected power. Each with their own strengths and weaknesses that eventually contribute to plot points within the story. This or that creature or persons of other powers added as needed.
The antagonist, The Dragon, is pretty much ominous, dark, and foreboding, without being delved much into until the end. He isn't directly chasing our characters, so minions are the primal driving force of pushing the characters to where they're needed. I assumed more so because this was intended as the start of a series. Final defeat of the greatest power being in the final book. As that comes to resolution with this story as its own; not every mystery opened up is solved, but biggest, first source of strength of The Dragon is confronted.
Overall, a decent read, but wouldn't put at the top of my all time favorites list. Each character on their own was interesting, I made a few favorites, together, I don't know. The pacing to keep them going was too slow so when I did set the story down, I wasn't super excited about returning to it unless a character I really liked was in the middle of being developed. Perrin or Thom in particular for me. I will probably continue with the series, but only when I have a few other reads I'm more enthralled about out of the way.
Graphic: War and Death
Minor: Animal death