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A review by bea
The Golden Torc by Julian May
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
If you liked The Many-Coloured Land, then chances are you'll like this too. Following on directly from where the first book leaves off, The Golden Torc takes us south and into the intrigue-ridden court of Muriah. Allegiances and factions of all shapes and sizes vie for supremacy and, ultimately, glory as The Grand Combat sacred to the Tanu and Firvulag battle-religion fast approaches.
I adore the premise of this series and I love the direction that is taken in this instalment. The politics of the world are expanded upon with a huge cast of characters plotting and scheming amid a rapidly evolving backdrop. This is where this book really shines and excels compared to the first book. The world-building continues to be excellent and we get a much deeper look at Tanu history and culture. The interaction between all the races in this book is fascinating and despite the varied motivations and stances of different characters and factions influenced by differences in culture, history, both collective and personal, it is surprisingly easy to follow where everyone stands and how their positions evolve.
Much like the first book, however, I found that the characters are one-dimensional and generally speaking lack depth and room for growth. There are exceptions, however these characters seemed to get less time than I think they deserved. I also found that most pivotal and climactic moments felt hollow and failed to live up to the build-up to them, so while I enjoy the overall story beats, the execution of them leaves you feeling a little short-changed. Further to that, most action scenes are a slog to read and there are plenty of examples of needlessly obtuse passages describing metafunctions and the like which just seem to bog the story down and kill any momentum that had been generated by political intrigue.
Despite my criticisms though, I find a lot to like about this series so far. It's fun and pulpy, at times absurd and eye-raising, and it never feels too heavy despite some grim scenes. The overall story is intriguing, the world-building intricate and the end of this novel leaves me excited for more.
I adore the premise of this series and I love the direction that is taken in this instalment. The politics of the world are expanded upon with a huge cast of characters plotting and scheming amid a rapidly evolving backdrop. This is where this book really shines and excels compared to the first book. The world-building continues to be excellent and we get a much deeper look at Tanu history and culture. The interaction between all the races in this book is fascinating and despite the varied motivations and stances of different characters and factions influenced by differences in culture, history, both collective and personal, it is surprisingly easy to follow where everyone stands and how their positions evolve.
Much like the first book, however, I found that the characters are one-dimensional and generally speaking lack depth and room for growth. There are exceptions, however these characters seemed to get less time than I think they deserved. I also found that most pivotal and climactic moments felt hollow and failed to live up to the build-up to them, so while I enjoy the overall story beats, the execution of them leaves you feeling a little short-changed. Further to that, most action scenes are a slog to read and there are plenty of examples of needlessly obtuse passages describing metafunctions and the like which just seem to bog the story down and kill any momentum that had been generated by political intrigue.
Despite my criticisms though, I find a lot to like about this series so far. It's fun and pulpy, at times absurd and eye-raising, and it never feels too heavy despite some grim scenes. The overall story is intriguing, the world-building intricate and the end of this novel leaves me excited for more.