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mackle13 's review for:
The Emperor of Nihon-Ja
by John Flanagan
Not one of my favorites in the series, which is disappointing since it's the last one (not counting the book of short stories). It's not bad, per se, but it just didn't have that same spark that has made me love this series, in general.
Anyway - Horace has gone to Nihon-Ja (essentially a version of Japan) on a diplomatic sort of thing and, while there, gets embroiled in a political upheaval. Evanlyn, worried about him, joins with Halt, Will and Alyss - and others - to go find him.
A quick not about the "and others". In the beginning of the story Halt, Will and Alyss are helping Toscano and Arrida broker a piece treaty - Selethen being the ambassador from Arrida. Since Selethen is there when Evanlyn shows up to start the quest, he decides to join in.
Also, Evanlyn arrives there on a ship helmed by Gundar, one of the Skandians from a previous story.
I couldn't help but feel that a lot of this was just maneuvering in order to get as many familiar faces from past stories together as possible for this final story.
Anyway, a fair part of the beginning of the story is travelling, and a good portion of the rest of the story is about military engagements. And while it was interesting enough for what it was, it didn't really have the same intensity as a lot of the other fights presented through-out the series.
And I guess I was a little miffed that Horace seems to take center stage in this story. Not that I don't like Horace or anything, but since it was the last book in the Ranger's Apprentice series I thought Will should've been in a more pivotal role.
Also, the characterizations seemed to be off from time to time. Also, it bugged me that Will was sort of shown as being clueless when it came to
In some ways I felt like the characterization of Will was off. He felt younger again, more like the Will of his second or third year - not the Will who has graduated and become a Ranger in his own right. But since the events of the book take place after all the others, chronologically, it felt off. So not only does Will not take center stage, but he felt off.
Everyone felt a little off, really.
I don't know. I would almost have been happier if the story took place earlier in the timeline, because everyone felt younger, if that makes sense. But it very clearly doesn't.
Who knows - maybe I'm just disappointed because the series is over, and I never would've been happy with "the last". But I think it's more than that and, overall, while it wasn't a bad story, overall, it was a let down for being the last in the series.
(Oh - Tug and Abelard aren't even in this one! Talk about being off... )
I think I would've been happier if Book 9 had been the end, to be honest. When I inevitably reread the series, I might even stop with Book 9. Or read Book 10 before Books 8 & 9.
Ah well. It wasn't like it was bad enough to sour my feelings towards the series (and that has happened) - but it's a bummer to go out on a down note.
Anyway - Horace has gone to Nihon-Ja (essentially a version of Japan) on a diplomatic sort of thing and, while there, gets embroiled in a political upheaval. Evanlyn, worried about him, joins with Halt, Will and Alyss - and others - to go find him.
A quick not about the "and others". In the beginning of the story Halt, Will and Alyss are helping Toscano and Arrida broker a piece treaty - Selethen being the ambassador from Arrida. Since Selethen is there when Evanlyn shows up to start the quest, he decides to join in.
Also, Evanlyn arrives there on a ship helmed by Gundar, one of the Skandians from a previous story.
I couldn't help but feel that a lot of this was just maneuvering in order to get as many familiar faces from past stories together as possible for this final story.
Anyway, a fair part of the beginning of the story is travelling, and a good portion of the rest of the story is about military engagements. And while it was interesting enough for what it was, it didn't really have the same intensity as a lot of the other fights presented through-out the series.
And I guess I was a little miffed that Horace seems to take center stage in this story. Not that I don't like Horace or anything, but since it was the last book in the Ranger's Apprentice series I thought Will should've been in a more pivotal role.
Also, the characterizations seemed to be off from time to time. Also, it bugged me that Will was sort of shown as being clueless when it came to
Spoiler
the budding relationship between Horace and Evanlyn, and also between the tension - or reason for the tension - between Alyss and Evanlyn. The former especially bugged me because just in the last story Will mentions Horace's desire to want to spend more time with the princess, and says "good for you" when Horace basically admits his feelings. But in this book we're meant to believe that Will's clueless. It really annoyed me.In some ways I felt like the characterization of Will was off. He felt younger again, more like the Will of his second or third year - not the Will who has graduated and become a Ranger in his own right. But since the events of the book take place after all the others, chronologically, it felt off. So not only does Will not take center stage, but he felt off.
Everyone felt a little off, really.
I don't know. I would almost have been happier if the story took place earlier in the timeline, because everyone felt younger, if that makes sense. But it very clearly doesn't.
Who knows - maybe I'm just disappointed because the series is over, and I never would've been happy with "the last". But I think it's more than that and, overall, while it wasn't a bad story, overall, it was a let down for being the last in the series.
(Oh - Tug and Abelard aren't even in this one! Talk about being off... )
I think I would've been happier if Book 9 had been the end, to be honest. When I inevitably reread the series, I might even stop with Book 9. Or read Book 10 before Books 8 & 9.
Ah well. It wasn't like it was bad enough to sour my feelings towards the series (and that has happened) - but it's a bummer to go out on a down note.