You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by seak
Curse of the Mistwraith by Janny Wurts
5.0
Hey, I have a booktube channel (youtube for book reviews, etc.), and I include Curse in my top 10 fantasy books list here.
The best thing I can come up with to describe this book is that it's the most frustratingly amazing book I've ever read.
I can see why The Curse of the Mistwraith is one of those love it or hate it kind of books. It's been called overly-long, overly-detailed, and overly-descriptive, but I didn't find that to be the case. Instead, I'd go with the word 'immersive,' a word more often used to describe imagery and 3D technology.
What polarizes readers of this book/series comes down to the writing. This is also the reason for the "frustrating" part of my above statement. Not only is it full of details and description, the phrasing itself is complicated and the ideas expressed are, therefore, difficult to grasp the first time through. I can honestly say I've never had to reread passages as often as I have with this book.
At the same time, I couldn't imagine anything different. The writing perfectly fits the story, giving it an epic feeling, making it feel like history in the making.
Sometimes it's just a phrase framed with a negative instead of a positive and while I loved this book, I had a really hard time being forced to reread so often. It's definitely not a book to take to bed with you or for any time when you are remotely sleepy. You need full brainpower for this one.
Wurts is an incredible writer in so many ways, but what I really noticed is her ability to combine the "show don't tell" advice that's the typical writing advice with the moments when it's just better to tell. Character traits will be displayed through action or dialogue, but sometimes it's just better to tell a few things and Wurts is the master at it.
Along with the writing, the structure of the book is unique. After a short prologue, the book follows a pattern with a chapter, followed by two titled sub-chapters and then another prologue (essentially) with three lines that set up the next block of chapter/sub-chapters. The closest thing I can compare this to is Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings, which has set-up chapters throughout to explore the entire world and begin foreshadowing events.
Probably best compared to The Wheel of Time in terms of complexity of plot and immersion into the world, the Wars of Light and Shadow series is something full of life where if the characters don't feel like good friends, you'll at least know them just as well.
If you want a challenge along the lines of Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen, but not quite, that will having you living and breathing in another world altogether, you're in for a treat. I'm looking forward to the next book, Ships of Merior, but if you'd asked me a week or two ago while I was in the middle of Curse, I'd probably have told you I needed a long break before diving back into this series.
4.5 out of 5 Stars
Ps. Janny Wurts is also an amazing artist who's done all the covers (new and old) of this series. Some people just have it all. :)
The best thing I can come up with to describe this book is that it's the most frustratingly amazing book I've ever read.
I can see why The Curse of the Mistwraith is one of those love it or hate it kind of books. It's been called overly-long, overly-detailed, and overly-descriptive, but I didn't find that to be the case. Instead, I'd go with the word 'immersive,' a word more often used to describe imagery and 3D technology.
What polarizes readers of this book/series comes down to the writing. This is also the reason for the "frustrating" part of my above statement. Not only is it full of details and description, the phrasing itself is complicated and the ideas expressed are, therefore, difficult to grasp the first time through. I can honestly say I've never had to reread passages as often as I have with this book.
At the same time, I couldn't imagine anything different. The writing perfectly fits the story, giving it an epic feeling, making it feel like history in the making.
Sometimes it's just a phrase framed with a negative instead of a positive and while I loved this book, I had a really hard time being forced to reread so often. It's definitely not a book to take to bed with you or for any time when you are remotely sleepy. You need full brainpower for this one.
Wurts is an incredible writer in so many ways, but what I really noticed is her ability to combine the "show don't tell" advice that's the typical writing advice with the moments when it's just better to tell. Character traits will be displayed through action or dialogue, but sometimes it's just better to tell a few things and Wurts is the master at it.
Along with the writing, the structure of the book is unique. After a short prologue, the book follows a pattern with a chapter, followed by two titled sub-chapters and then another prologue (essentially) with three lines that set up the next block of chapter/sub-chapters. The closest thing I can compare this to is Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings, which has set-up chapters throughout to explore the entire world and begin foreshadowing events.
Probably best compared to The Wheel of Time in terms of complexity of plot and immersion into the world, the Wars of Light and Shadow series is something full of life where if the characters don't feel like good friends, you'll at least know them just as well.
If you want a challenge along the lines of Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen, but not quite, that will having you living and breathing in another world altogether, you're in for a treat. I'm looking forward to the next book, Ships of Merior, but if you'd asked me a week or two ago while I was in the middle of Curse, I'd probably have told you I needed a long break before diving back into this series.
4.5 out of 5 Stars
Ps. Janny Wurts is also an amazing artist who's done all the covers (new and old) of this series. Some people just have it all. :)