Most Epic Fantasies are stories that follow a group of characters through many events that lead to a final battle between good and evil. These books are exciting to read with a lot of action. Some authors create Epic Fantasies that are slower paced and focus on a smaller part of a story. The Magic of Recluce by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. is one of these books. Readers will find the book entertaining because of its interesting plot, realistic characters and subtle magic system.
First, this book does not move at a fast pace but has an interesting plot to hook the reader. Readers follow the main character is this coming-of-age story through several fateful events. The story begins with Lerris leaving his island home to wander the continent of Candar under orders of the Brotherhood. He becomes involved in various adventures that eventually lead him to a final encounter with a a dangerous mage. A slow pace gives the book more depth as the reader gets to know the fantasy world and the character. Mr. Modesitt brings this plot to life with detailed, lively descriptions of an interesting conflict.
Next, the book is entertaining due to its realistic characters. Lerris is a young man from Recluce where order rules. He is bored and always wants answers to his questions. Trying his hand at wood working as his uncle’s apprentice, Lerris discovers he is bored with that too. Recluce requires its people to have a purpose to spread order or they must leave the island. After undergoing some training as a dangergelder, Lerris is sent to the land of Candar with a group of his fellow young people. There he begins his growth in maturity and magic. He meets other people like Justen, a gray wizard, and a wood worker that helps him grow. The author’s characters are realistic, since many have traits and problems like people such as providing for family and protecting others.
Finally, the subtle magical system keeps the story entertaining for readers. The magic is not of a flashy type like some novels. In this world, there is order and chaos magic. Order magic must be used carefully to strengthen and further order in the world. Chaos magic is of destruction. This magic comes with a price for its users, making them die young. Lerris has a talent for order magic, but gets frustrated at learning about it. He travels through Candar slowly learning the magic as he helps people. Mr. Modesitt weaves the magic system into the book seamlessly, which adds suspense to the book that makes it more entertaining.
The Magic of Recluce by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. is an entertaining book for readers. An interesting plot, realistic characters and subtle magic system provides several elements that keeps a reader hooked on the book. This is the first book in a long series of loosely connected books exploring the history of Recluce and other nations of this world in their struggles with magic.
Showing posts with label epic fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label epic fantasy. Show all posts
Friday, January 20, 2012
Friday, December 09, 2011
Review: _Kingmaker's Sword_ by Ann Marston
It starts with a dream: He practices with a sword on a hill topped by a circle of stones like Stonehenge. The boy, Mouse, wakes up to face a new day of struggle in slavery. This is the beginning of the Fantasy novel Kingmaker’s Sword by Ann Marston. It is the first book of the “Rune Blade” trilogy. Ms. Marston gives Fantasy readers a vivid new world with memorable characters, an action plot and believable setting.
Memorable characters help keep readers interested in a book. The author’s characters in this book keep it interesting. Kian grows throughout the story from a mistreated boy slave to a powerful warrior. He overcomes many obstacles including a difficult romance. His uncle, Cullyn, adds to the story with his fierce loyalty and love. As Kian’s mentor, he helps him to become a strong man. Into this mix comes Kerridwen, a head strong young woman from a far off land. She is tough and a formidable warrior. These characters help the plot with their emotional stories.
Ms. Marston’s book is helped by a good plot with a lot of action. There is a quest and many battles. The story begins with Kian as a slave. He escapes his brutal master by using his wits. Later, he obtains a mysterious sword by killing a bounty hunter. Kian meets his uncle and discovers that he is a healer. Next, the book moves on to the quest for the lost grandson of the king of Skai. Kian, Kerridwen and Cullyn must fight warriors and terrible blood mages during their quest. Ms. Marston keeps the action going at a good pace with intriguing p twists along the way.
Lastly, a believable setting for the story to take place in, adds to the liveliness of a book. This book has such a setting. The author brings her setting to life with vivid descriptions of the peoples and cultures of her world. Some of the people are based on Scottish culture, but this gives the reader some familiarity. Her magical rune blades of Celae are an interesting touch along with the love bond. All of these things provides the setting with a realistic touch.
Kingmaker’s Sword is an entertaining beginning of a trilogy. Memorable characters, an action plot and believable setting makes the book a worthwhile read. Ann Marston is a fresh voice in the Fantasy genre. She creates a vivid book with clean, descriptive prose that brings her world to life. I recommend this book as a wonderful place to start a winter of enjoyable reading.
Memorable characters help keep readers interested in a book. The author’s characters in this book keep it interesting. Kian grows throughout the story from a mistreated boy slave to a powerful warrior. He overcomes many obstacles including a difficult romance. His uncle, Cullyn, adds to the story with his fierce loyalty and love. As Kian’s mentor, he helps him to become a strong man. Into this mix comes Kerridwen, a head strong young woman from a far off land. She is tough and a formidable warrior. These characters help the plot with their emotional stories.
Ms. Marston’s book is helped by a good plot with a lot of action. There is a quest and many battles. The story begins with Kian as a slave. He escapes his brutal master by using his wits. Later, he obtains a mysterious sword by killing a bounty hunter. Kian meets his uncle and discovers that he is a healer. Next, the book moves on to the quest for the lost grandson of the king of Skai. Kian, Kerridwen and Cullyn must fight warriors and terrible blood mages during their quest. Ms. Marston keeps the action going at a good pace with intriguing p twists along the way.
Lastly, a believable setting for the story to take place in, adds to the liveliness of a book. This book has such a setting. The author brings her setting to life with vivid descriptions of the peoples and cultures of her world. Some of the people are based on Scottish culture, but this gives the reader some familiarity. Her magical rune blades of Celae are an interesting touch along with the love bond. All of these things provides the setting with a realistic touch.
Kingmaker’s Sword is an entertaining beginning of a trilogy. Memorable characters, an action plot and believable setting makes the book a worthwhile read. Ann Marston is a fresh voice in the Fantasy genre. She creates a vivid book with clean, descriptive prose that brings her world to life. I recommend this book as a wonderful place to start a winter of enjoyable reading.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Appeal of _Lord of the Rings_
Why is Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien so popular even among people who do not read Fantasy? This is a hard question to answer. When the new century rolled around Tolkien was named the author of the Twentieth century by many groups. Two movies based on the first two parts of the book have been huge box office successes. Tolkien’s books have been responsible for exploding Fantasy into a huge genre, bringing it into great demand. Numerous books try to emulate the book but few succeed. Lord of the Rings is popular because of its characters, story, setting and themes.
Characters must be memorable, likable and sympathetic for readers to identify with to follow them through a book. Tolkien’s characters are a powerful draw to readers. The characters have many admirable traits that make them realistic. Frodo is an innocent thrust out into a dangerous world beyond the Shire. He becomes a noble, self-sacrificing person to save his world. Sam Gamgee is the loyal friend any person would want, sticking ;with you through all problems. Aragorn is a reluctant warrior who believes he will never rule. He grows throughout the story into a wise leader of his people. Faramir is a young warrior that must take on a great responsibility. Women characters were not completely absent from the book. Eowyn proves her worth as a warrior and interesting love interest for one of the characters. Members of the elves and dwarves play important roles. Legolas and Gimli discover friendship where distrust once ruled. Galadriel and Elrond of the elves play vital roles of wisdom. The wizard Gandalf provides a fatherly figure of great virtue and courage. Gollum is a complex character wavering between two extremes of personality, but obsessed with possession of the ring. A reader can find many characters to love or identify within the book.
Another element of the book that appeals to readers is the setting. Middle Earth is a vividly realized world with a vast history and many cultures. Tolkien spent hours in researching mythology and creating languages for his book. The setting has a large array of landscapes from tall mountains, deep forests and underground living places of the dwarves. A strong presence of nature is depicted throughout the book with the different creatures. Ancient ruins from previous cultures permeate the land giving it a sense of history along with different races and strange creatures like the Ents. Tolkien describes Middle Earth in great detail bringing the world to life. This provides readers with the illusion that Middle Earth could have been real somewhere, which helps keep the reader’s sense of wonder alive.
In addition to characters and setting, Lord of the Rings is popular because of the plot. Tolkien fashioned a plot on a grand scale. He drew from the area of the ancient epics like “Beowulf.” The story revolved around a magic ring that corrupted anyone it touched. This set off events in the quest to destroy the ring. Armies clashed to defeat the growing evil in the land while two innocent hobbits underwent a grueling journey into the heart of evil. Readers find such epic stories of great interest, perhaps touching something deep inside their psyches. Tolkien was a master of appealing to this interest.
Finally, the last element that makes this book popular are the themes. The many different themes provide readers with timeless ideals that people hope exist in the real world. One of the main themes is the quest to destroy the ring, symbol of evil in Middle Earth. It is a dangerous, but noble endeavor. This leads to the themes of friendship and loyalty demonstrated by characters like Frodo, Sam, Legolas and Gimli. Honor is a theme shown by Aragon’s growth into leadership and being an accomplished warrior that inspires people. The themes of Lord of the Rings are universal, appealing to the higher nature of people.
Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien is popular because it speaks to everyone through its characters, setting, plot and themes. Tolkien created a book that resonates with people from all walks of life. When I read the book for the first time, I kept reading it until the end without stopping. The book impressed me and embarked me on a lifelong love of Fantasy. People cannot be wrong when various groups name Lord the of Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien the greatest book of the last century.
Characters must be memorable, likable and sympathetic for readers to identify with to follow them through a book. Tolkien’s characters are a powerful draw to readers. The characters have many admirable traits that make them realistic. Frodo is an innocent thrust out into a dangerous world beyond the Shire. He becomes a noble, self-sacrificing person to save his world. Sam Gamgee is the loyal friend any person would want, sticking ;with you through all problems. Aragorn is a reluctant warrior who believes he will never rule. He grows throughout the story into a wise leader of his people. Faramir is a young warrior that must take on a great responsibility. Women characters were not completely absent from the book. Eowyn proves her worth as a warrior and interesting love interest for one of the characters. Members of the elves and dwarves play important roles. Legolas and Gimli discover friendship where distrust once ruled. Galadriel and Elrond of the elves play vital roles of wisdom. The wizard Gandalf provides a fatherly figure of great virtue and courage. Gollum is a complex character wavering between two extremes of personality, but obsessed with possession of the ring. A reader can find many characters to love or identify within the book.
Another element of the book that appeals to readers is the setting. Middle Earth is a vividly realized world with a vast history and many cultures. Tolkien spent hours in researching mythology and creating languages for his book. The setting has a large array of landscapes from tall mountains, deep forests and underground living places of the dwarves. A strong presence of nature is depicted throughout the book with the different creatures. Ancient ruins from previous cultures permeate the land giving it a sense of history along with different races and strange creatures like the Ents. Tolkien describes Middle Earth in great detail bringing the world to life. This provides readers with the illusion that Middle Earth could have been real somewhere, which helps keep the reader’s sense of wonder alive.
In addition to characters and setting, Lord of the Rings is popular because of the plot. Tolkien fashioned a plot on a grand scale. He drew from the area of the ancient epics like “Beowulf.” The story revolved around a magic ring that corrupted anyone it touched. This set off events in the quest to destroy the ring. Armies clashed to defeat the growing evil in the land while two innocent hobbits underwent a grueling journey into the heart of evil. Readers find such epic stories of great interest, perhaps touching something deep inside their psyches. Tolkien was a master of appealing to this interest.
Finally, the last element that makes this book popular are the themes. The many different themes provide readers with timeless ideals that people hope exist in the real world. One of the main themes is the quest to destroy the ring, symbol of evil in Middle Earth. It is a dangerous, but noble endeavor. This leads to the themes of friendship and loyalty demonstrated by characters like Frodo, Sam, Legolas and Gimli. Honor is a theme shown by Aragon’s growth into leadership and being an accomplished warrior that inspires people. The themes of Lord of the Rings are universal, appealing to the higher nature of people.
Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien is popular because it speaks to everyone through its characters, setting, plot and themes. Tolkien created a book that resonates with people from all walks of life. When I read the book for the first time, I kept reading it until the end without stopping. The book impressed me and embarked me on a lifelong love of Fantasy. People cannot be wrong when various groups name Lord the of Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien the greatest book of the last century.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Review: _The Company of Glass_ by Valery Leith
Nine years have passed. The floating city of Jai Pendu comes close to Everien again. Tarquin the Free rides toward the citadel to warn the king of an invading army from Pharice. This is how The Company of Glass by Valery Leith begins the first book of the Everien trilogy. The author brings this different Epic Fantasy to life through its characters, setting and plot.
The book revolves around two main characters of different backgrounds. Tarquin is a jaded, tormented warrior once known as Quintar who blames himself for a failed quest eighteen years before that resulted in the loss of his Company of men. He tries to right a grave wrong from the past. Istar is the daughter of one of the lost company. She wants to prove her worth as a warrior and leader of men by going on a deadly quest. Quintar is a loner, running into different characters throughout the book but with few friends. Istar has the help of her companions Kassien, Pallo, Xiriel and Pentar who aid her through her growth. Ms. Leith crates memor ˇable characters through action and dialogue.
Next, the setting of the book helps to give it suspense. Everien is a land consisting of mountains and a high plateau. The people are made up of separate clans devoted to totemic animals such as bear, wolf, deer and others. Each clan has its own fighting style with their own weapons. Ancient ruins from the vanished Everien civilization are everywhere, giving the clans knowledge to explore. Pharice is a decadent empire bordering on Everien. This leads to trouble with other creatures. The author brings the setting to life with vivid descriptions that enhance the suspense of the book.
Ultimately, the plot of the book makes it an exciting read. The clans have been threatened for years by a species called the Sekk. These creatures enslave clan warriors making them slay their people in berserk massacres. A woman clan warrior unites them and becomes the queen. She seeks out the technology from the vanished Everien race to protect the clans from the Sekk. Her quest to J 8ai Pendu gained her entry to the ancient citadel of Jai Khalar. Nine years later she sends Quintar and his company to Jai Pendu, which gave them access to the Eyes to protect the land. Unfortunately that quest ended tragically with the mysterious loss of the Company except Quintar. Jai Pendu returns again. Istar wants to take her companions there to get new technology because the Eyes are failing. Quintar is drawn in again on a wild journey of redemption. All the elements of this plot are deftly put together by Ms. Leith providing a suspenseful, graphic adventure.
The Company of Glass by Valery Leith is a grand start to a different type of Epic Fantasy trilogy. Ms. Leith creates an exciting novel through her characters, setting and plot. This book is different because the characters do not win easily and the quest for Jai Pendu causes a lot of suffering. Interesting images remain with readers such as Jai Khalar’s shifting rooms and characters having to find a new route to places within the citadel. The book is an unforgettable beginning to be followed by The Riddled Night.
The book revolves around two main characters of different backgrounds. Tarquin is a jaded, tormented warrior once known as Quintar who blames himself for a failed quest eighteen years before that resulted in the loss of his Company of men. He tries to right a grave wrong from the past. Istar is the daughter of one of the lost company. She wants to prove her worth as a warrior and leader of men by going on a deadly quest. Quintar is a loner, running into different characters throughout the book but with few friends. Istar has the help of her companions Kassien, Pallo, Xiriel and Pentar who aid her through her growth. Ms. Leith crates memor ˇable characters through action and dialogue.
Next, the setting of the book helps to give it suspense. Everien is a land consisting of mountains and a high plateau. The people are made up of separate clans devoted to totemic animals such as bear, wolf, deer and others. Each clan has its own fighting style with their own weapons. Ancient ruins from the vanished Everien civilization are everywhere, giving the clans knowledge to explore. Pharice is a decadent empire bordering on Everien. This leads to trouble with other creatures. The author brings the setting to life with vivid descriptions that enhance the suspense of the book.
Ultimately, the plot of the book makes it an exciting read. The clans have been threatened for years by a species called the Sekk. These creatures enslave clan warriors making them slay their people in berserk massacres. A woman clan warrior unites them and becomes the queen. She seeks out the technology from the vanished Everien race to protect the clans from the Sekk. Her quest to J 8ai Pendu gained her entry to the ancient citadel of Jai Khalar. Nine years later she sends Quintar and his company to Jai Pendu, which gave them access to the Eyes to protect the land. Unfortunately that quest ended tragically with the mysterious loss of the Company except Quintar. Jai Pendu returns again. Istar wants to take her companions there to get new technology because the Eyes are failing. Quintar is drawn in again on a wild journey of redemption. All the elements of this plot are deftly put together by Ms. Leith providing a suspenseful, graphic adventure.
The Company of Glass by Valery Leith is a grand start to a different type of Epic Fantasy trilogy. Ms. Leith creates an exciting novel through her characters, setting and plot. This book is different because the characters do not win easily and the quest for Jai Pendu causes a lot of suffering. Interesting images remain with readers such as Jai Khalar’s shifting rooms and characters having to find a new route to places within the citadel. The book is an unforgettable beginning to be followed by The Riddled Night.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Review: _The Dark Glory Wary_ by Michael Stackpole
Becoming an adult in the modern world is easy by turning eighteen. There are no ceremonies to the process. In the fantasy realm of Oriosa, young people are given a moon mask and must pass a month of initiation into adulthood. Four young men face this in The Dark Glory War by Michael Stackpole, which changes their lives forever. Readers will find this book suspenseful from the characters, plot and themes.
The characters in the book help create suspense due to likability. Told in the first person point of view, readers are introduced to the main character of Tarrant Hawkins. He is a young man undergoing his month to adulthood. Tarrant is a loyal friend and level headed person that undergoes severe trials that change him. His closest friend is Leigh, the son of a noble. Leigh is flamboyant and brave, tempered by Tarrant’s friendship. A third friend is Nay, the calm, steady smith with quiet strength. Mr. Stackpole brings these characters to life in a timely fashion that gets readers to sympathize with them, which creates suspense through their experiences.
Next, the author creates a strong action plot full of suspense. Tarrant and his friends are taken out of the city for an initial trial. They end up in a fight for survival with a dangerous monster. This experience propels them into adulthood quickly by being included in a trip to the capital city to warn the queen of the monsters. On their journey they fight a desperate battle in the ruins of an ancient city where Tarrant meets the elf Resolute. From there, the young men find themselves quickly becoming warriors in the war against the evil empress Chytrine of Aurolan as she invades the realms of the south. The author weaves an engaging plot through tight, vivid descriptions that keeps readers turning pages.
Finally, the themes of the book create suspense because readers can relate to them. The characters must face their coming-of-age. In their society, they where masks at different stages of life. Every experience adds to the mask. Each character faces events that change them. Loyalty is another theme of the book. Tarrant, Leigh and Nay remain loyal to each other despite strains on their close friendships. Mr. Stackpole weaves these themes subtly into the book through the vivid incidents and characters’ reactions, which makes it have more tension.
The Dark Glory War by Michael Stackpole is an action packed novel full of suspense. Characters, plot and themes make the book suspenseful and ultimately entertaining. Mr. Stackpole is an excellent Fantasy author that uses his experiences to create books that keep readers hooked until the end. This book is a prequel to the Dragoncrown trilogy, which continues the story of some of the characters begun here.
The characters in the book help create suspense due to likability. Told in the first person point of view, readers are introduced to the main character of Tarrant Hawkins. He is a young man undergoing his month to adulthood. Tarrant is a loyal friend and level headed person that undergoes severe trials that change him. His closest friend is Leigh, the son of a noble. Leigh is flamboyant and brave, tempered by Tarrant’s friendship. A third friend is Nay, the calm, steady smith with quiet strength. Mr. Stackpole brings these characters to life in a timely fashion that gets readers to sympathize with them, which creates suspense through their experiences.
Next, the author creates a strong action plot full of suspense. Tarrant and his friends are taken out of the city for an initial trial. They end up in a fight for survival with a dangerous monster. This experience propels them into adulthood quickly by being included in a trip to the capital city to warn the queen of the monsters. On their journey they fight a desperate battle in the ruins of an ancient city where Tarrant meets the elf Resolute. From there, the young men find themselves quickly becoming warriors in the war against the evil empress Chytrine of Aurolan as she invades the realms of the south. The author weaves an engaging plot through tight, vivid descriptions that keeps readers turning pages.
Finally, the themes of the book create suspense because readers can relate to them. The characters must face their coming-of-age. In their society, they where masks at different stages of life. Every experience adds to the mask. Each character faces events that change them. Loyalty is another theme of the book. Tarrant, Leigh and Nay remain loyal to each other despite strains on their close friendships. Mr. Stackpole weaves these themes subtly into the book through the vivid incidents and characters’ reactions, which makes it have more tension.
The Dark Glory War by Michael Stackpole is an action packed novel full of suspense. Characters, plot and themes make the book suspenseful and ultimately entertaining. Mr. Stackpole is an excellent Fantasy author that uses his experiences to create books that keep readers hooked until the end. This book is a prequel to the Dragoncrown trilogy, which continues the story of some of the characters begun here.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Book Review: _The Kingless Land_ by Ed Greenwood
Aglirta is a kingdom without a king. The king sleeps an enchanted sleep hidden by magic. Only the magical world stones can awaken him, and everyone wants them for their own power. This is the main premise of the Adventure Fantasy book The Kingless Land by Ed Greenwood. Its interesting characters, action plot and recognizable themes makes it an entertaining book for readers.
Readers need interesting characters they can sympathize with to engage them in a book. The four main characters of this book are interesting because of their backgrounds and personalities. Hawkril is a tall, strong warrior who does not talk very much, but extremely loyal to his friends. Craer is Hawkril’s friend and has a sense of humor as well as being clever. Lady Embra Silvertree, a powerful s orceress, wants friends, working to keep the band together despite her problem. The healer Sarasper gravitates from gentle concern to a hard man. Mr. Greenwood brings all of these characters to life through their actions and dialogue. They work together to keep the plot moving at a fast pace.
Action is an important aspect of the plot of an Adventure Fantasy. This book has a strong action plot that keeps a reader hooked for every chapter of the book. The action is nonstop from the beginning when Hawkril and Craer break into Castle Silvertree to steal a bejeweled gown from Lady Embra. They get caught in the act by the lady who is a powerful magic worker. She asks them to help her escape from her ruthless father instead of imprisoning them. They flee, hounded by her father’s wizards sending monsters to stop them. Helped by Sarasper, they join together to start a quest for the magic stones to free the sleeping king. Aglirta is a chaotic kingdom run by various barons that are constantly at war with each other. Th e bards have hidden motives too. All of these plot threads are deftly woven together by Mr. Greenwood to provide a vivid, fast paced book that is entertaining.
Themes are important to books to give them meaning and a connection for readers. The recognizable themes in The Kingless Land keeps the book entertaining. Friendship and loyalty are two themes that bind the plot together. Four different people forge friendships under difficult conditions. They remain loyal to each other. Readers can identify w °ith this since everyone makes friends and wishes them to be loyal in their lives. Another theme for this book is the quest. The four main characters search for the world stones to help Sarasper and save Lady Embra from a life threatening problem. All the themes form strong connections for the reader.
The Kingless Land by Ed Greenwood is an excellent Adventure Fantasy for readers. The interesting characters, action plot and recognizable themes make this an entertaining book to read. It starts out with a lot of action and continues throughout the book, making it hard to put down. This is the first of the Band of Four series. Try it out for an enjoyable read.
Readers need interesting characters they can sympathize with to engage them in a book. The four main characters of this book are interesting because of their backgrounds and personalities. Hawkril is a tall, strong warrior who does not talk very much, but extremely loyal to his friends. Craer is Hawkril’s friend and has a sense of humor as well as being clever. Lady Embra Silvertree, a powerful s orceress, wants friends, working to keep the band together despite her problem. The healer Sarasper gravitates from gentle concern to a hard man. Mr. Greenwood brings all of these characters to life through their actions and dialogue. They work together to keep the plot moving at a fast pace.
Action is an important aspect of the plot of an Adventure Fantasy. This book has a strong action plot that keeps a reader hooked for every chapter of the book. The action is nonstop from the beginning when Hawkril and Craer break into Castle Silvertree to steal a bejeweled gown from Lady Embra. They get caught in the act by the lady who is a powerful magic worker. She asks them to help her escape from her ruthless father instead of imprisoning them. They flee, hounded by her father’s wizards sending monsters to stop them. Helped by Sarasper, they join together to start a quest for the magic stones to free the sleeping king. Aglirta is a chaotic kingdom run by various barons that are constantly at war with each other. Th e bards have hidden motives too. All of these plot threads are deftly woven together by Mr. Greenwood to provide a vivid, fast paced book that is entertaining.
Themes are important to books to give them meaning and a connection for readers. The recognizable themes in The Kingless Land keeps the book entertaining. Friendship and loyalty are two themes that bind the plot together. Four different people forge friendships under difficult conditions. They remain loyal to each other. Readers can identify w °ith this since everyone makes friends and wishes them to be loyal in their lives. Another theme for this book is the quest. The four main characters search for the world stones to help Sarasper and save Lady Embra from a life threatening problem. All the themes form strong connections for the reader.
The Kingless Land by Ed Greenwood is an excellent Adventure Fantasy for readers. The interesting characters, action plot and recognizable themes make this an entertaining book to read. It starts out with a lot of action and continues throughout the book, making it hard to put down. This is the first of the Band of Four series. Try it out for an enjoyable read.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Review of _Lord of the Isles_ by David Drake
A thousand years ago, an island sinks into the sea by magic. One sorceress saves herself by traveling to the future by her magic. She ends up on the island of Haft, setting dangerous events in motion. This is the beginning of an Epic fantasy series begun in Lord of the Isles by David Drake. Mr. Drake has written many books in both the Fantasy and Science fiction genres. His books are full of action and plenty of lively events. This book is entertaining because it has an action plot, interesting characters, and a grand setting.
Books of any genre need action in their plots to draw a reader into the story. Some Epic Fantasy books start out slowly, taking many chapters before the action begins. Lord of the Isles has an action plot that begins right away. Tenoctris, the sorceress from the past, is washed up on the beach of Barca’s Hamlet. Her presence triggers events that will change the lives of four young villagers. The King of the Isles’s rule is in jeopardy. His queen practices dark magic again st him. Magical forces are building toward a dangerous confrontation. Mr. Drake takes all of his plot threads and weaves them into an action story. Chapters change to different viewpoint characters as he tells the story of each character from their point of view. Each chapter leaves a character on a cliffhanger, adding to the suspense. Action is a major part of each chapter.
Another entertaining factor of the book is the interesting characters. Four young people have their lives change rapidly. They come from a small village of sheep herders and fishermen. Garric reads poetry while herding sheep. He discovers new fighting abilities after leaving the village. Cashel, Garric’s friend, grows with a new magical talent. His quiet strength helps him through many difficult situations. Sharina is the daughter of murdered nobles and embarks on a dangerous trip to her new destiny. Ilna is drawn into darkness with her talent of weaving. The hermit Nonnus is a loyal protector of Sharina with a dark past. All of these ch aracters have flaws and grow throughout the story. They contribute to the entertaining pleasure of the book with likable characters going through challenging events.
Finally, the book’s grand setting adds to enjoyment of reading it. The setting is a strong piece of world building. Mr. Drake created a world with a vast history and interesting cultures. This world is made up of islands that form one nation with a king. One of the intriguing cultures is the Floating Folk. They are tribes of people that live on :boats tied together on the sea. Wherever the currents take them, they go around in a yearly cycle. The Folk hunt whales for their food and building materials. Islanders live in cities that are thousands of years old, which the author makes you see with his vivid descriptions. This book’s descriptive setting brings the story to life. It helps increase the book’s entertainment high.
Lord of the Isles by David Drake is an entertaining Fantasy because of its action plot, interesting characters and grand setting. David Drake is an excellent Fantasy author with a good imagination and who creates an impressive secondary world. He delivers a gripping Epic Fantasy that is the beginning of a new series. I recommend this book to readers who love action and intrigue. Be sure to check out the other books in the series.
Books of any genre need action in their plots to draw a reader into the story. Some Epic Fantasy books start out slowly, taking many chapters before the action begins. Lord of the Isles has an action plot that begins right away. Tenoctris, the sorceress from the past, is washed up on the beach of Barca’s Hamlet. Her presence triggers events that will change the lives of four young villagers. The King of the Isles’s rule is in jeopardy. His queen practices dark magic again st him. Magical forces are building toward a dangerous confrontation. Mr. Drake takes all of his plot threads and weaves them into an action story. Chapters change to different viewpoint characters as he tells the story of each character from their point of view. Each chapter leaves a character on a cliffhanger, adding to the suspense. Action is a major part of each chapter.
Another entertaining factor of the book is the interesting characters. Four young people have their lives change rapidly. They come from a small village of sheep herders and fishermen. Garric reads poetry while herding sheep. He discovers new fighting abilities after leaving the village. Cashel, Garric’s friend, grows with a new magical talent. His quiet strength helps him through many difficult situations. Sharina is the daughter of murdered nobles and embarks on a dangerous trip to her new destiny. Ilna is drawn into darkness with her talent of weaving. The hermit Nonnus is a loyal protector of Sharina with a dark past. All of these ch aracters have flaws and grow throughout the story. They contribute to the entertaining pleasure of the book with likable characters going through challenging events.
Finally, the book’s grand setting adds to enjoyment of reading it. The setting is a strong piece of world building. Mr. Drake created a world with a vast history and interesting cultures. This world is made up of islands that form one nation with a king. One of the intriguing cultures is the Floating Folk. They are tribes of people that live on :boats tied together on the sea. Wherever the currents take them, they go around in a yearly cycle. The Folk hunt whales for their food and building materials. Islanders live in cities that are thousands of years old, which the author makes you see with his vivid descriptions. This book’s descriptive setting brings the story to life. It helps increase the book’s entertainment high.
Lord of the Isles by David Drake is an entertaining Fantasy because of its action plot, interesting characters and grand setting. David Drake is an excellent Fantasy author with a good imagination and who creates an impressive secondary world. He delivers a gripping Epic Fantasy that is the beginning of a new series. I recommend this book to readers who love action and intrigue. Be sure to check out the other books in the series.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)