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A review by ladyethyme
The Assassins of Thasalon by Lois McMaster Bujold
2.0
Unfortunately, I was looking much forward to a longer Penric novel, as the proceeding books were mostly short novella. However, what I was met with was a regurgitation for about 3/4 of the book of information that readers would already know.
The author tends to do this in every book, assuming that the reader had not read any previous books in the series, something that I find rather odd, and in my opinion is more of a way to fill pages hastily then actually have to do any plot or character development.
The plot to this novel was also incredibly straightforward, when there was such potential for twisting political intrigue she spent those pages instead going over the abilities of a sorcerer and demon, in the mode of instructing a new sorcerer.
This for me was incredibly boring, and I skipped probably at least half of the book because of this.
Another thing I find rather irritating is Tannar being a extremely intelligent and capable young woman, as apparently only good for giving birth to babies… It is remarked previously in another novel that she had better start making babies, because otherwise she might become a pirate queen.
What I read this as was "she might actually do something interesting with her life". How many great women scientists, artists, have we lost to childcare through the centuries? If Jane Austen had been giving birth to child after child, we would never have any of her great works.
After this annoyance, she marries a man that she barely knows, rather than the one that she is actually in love with. I find it very disappointing that she did not recognize her love of the albino, and marry him anyway, despite prudence or cultural expectations, which would have been far more interesting. Instead, we get the expected and boring outcome… Which unfortunately this entire novel seems to revolve around.
The worst part, in my opinion, is that I know this author is capable of so much more.
Although she is often hit or miss for me, her turn of phrase, sense of humor, and insight has often struck me as incredibly profound and her ability to describe vividly just about anything, held me spellbound throughout her Miles Vorkosigan novels.
At least most of them… Until she decides to marry him off to a completely boring gardener for no apparent reason… Again, that is the hit or miss I am talking about.
The author tends to do this in every book, assuming that the reader had not read any previous books in the series, something that I find rather odd, and in my opinion is more of a way to fill pages hastily then actually have to do any plot or character development.
The plot to this novel was also incredibly straightforward, when there was such potential for twisting political intrigue she spent those pages instead going over the abilities of a sorcerer and demon, in the mode of instructing a new sorcerer.
This for me was incredibly boring, and I skipped probably at least half of the book because of this.
Another thing I find rather irritating is Tannar being a extremely intelligent and capable young woman, as apparently only good for giving birth to babies… It is remarked previously in another novel that she had better start making babies, because otherwise she might become a pirate queen.
What I read this as was "she might actually do something interesting with her life". How many great women scientists, artists, have we lost to childcare through the centuries? If Jane Austen had been giving birth to child after child, we would never have any of her great works.
After this annoyance, she marries a man that she barely knows, rather than the one that she is actually in love with. I find it very disappointing that she did not recognize her love of the albino, and marry him anyway, despite prudence or cultural expectations, which would have been far more interesting. Instead, we get the expected and boring outcome… Which unfortunately this entire novel seems to revolve around.
The worst part, in my opinion, is that I know this author is capable of so much more.
Although she is often hit or miss for me, her turn of phrase, sense of humor, and insight has often struck me as incredibly profound and her ability to describe vividly just about anything, held me spellbound throughout her Miles Vorkosigan novels.
At least most of them… Until she decides to marry him off to a completely boring gardener for no apparent reason… Again, that is the hit or miss I am talking about.