A review by ckjaer88
The Desert Spear by Peter V. Brett

2.0

I was really looking forward to reading the second installment of this series so it surprised me greatly that halfway through, I found myself not giving a fig about what happened to the characters and didn't really see a point in reading on. I did though.. I liked the first half where you get the lifestory of Jardir and get a feeling of WHO he is as a person, leader, husband and afversary to the painted man. Jardircame alive, while sadly, the painted man ended up being a sniffling teenager with all the Worlds problems on his shoulder. You like him in the first book when he's the brooding mysterious badass covered in tats and stripping his clothes like nobodies business. I don't know exactly where the switch happened, maybe Brett was to preoccupied with Jardir that he forgot to evolve Arlen, but all of a sudden I didn't like his character. I understood the choices he made and why, I even understood the selfpity and loathing - well some of it at least, but come on. What twenty-something man wont even TRY to get busy with a beautiful woman?! I don't care how badass he thinks he is, a man of that age have urges and needs, and given how he hasn't indulged those urges and needs - like ever! just seems so unlikely that I fail to see him as a proper character. Brett - being a dude - should know this and write accordingly.

The plot goes smoothly and he really tries to build up tension, but in my mind it isn't really working. Maybe it's connected to me not givin' a fig about any of them. Not even Leesha. The writing in itself is still sound. But(!)... I still smacked my hand to my forehead, quite loduly I might add, when I read the last sentence. come on Brett, if thi is you trying to build some tragic romance it's the wrong way to do it. Granted it's more behaviorelly right than most, but it doesn't make it any less painful to read.