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A review by jon_a
The Alabaster Staff by Edward Bolme
4.0
This book was a real surprise. Instead of the tropes so commonly found in the genre, e.g. flawless Ubermencsh kills absolutely everything before having his way with the beautiful women, The Alabaster Staff actually has some real depth to it.
The plot is labyrinthine, with many turns and reversals. At times it can be a little grating, and there were a few points that I had to groan about the direction it was headed. But overall it was a welcome relief from the straight-up slaughterfests that infest the genre.
The characters of The Alabaster Staff were also different. Many of them actually have some characterization, instead of just a weak explanation about how they're so awesome. The protagonist's struggle between being a thief and following her vow is more engaging than entire works.
The plot is labyrinthine, with many turns and reversals. At times it can be a little grating, and there were a few points that I had to groan about the direction it was headed. But overall it was a welcome relief from the straight-up slaughterfests that infest the genre.
The characters of The Alabaster Staff were also different. Many of them actually have some characterization, instead of just a weak explanation about how they're so awesome. The protagonist's struggle between being a thief and following her vow is more engaging than entire works.