OH MY word! I started this and I could not put it down......!
The world is really unique and exciting and yet easy to understand....the heroine is so OH MY word! I started this and I could not put it down......!
The world is really unique and exciting and yet easy to understand....the heroine is so likeable, the layers and twists just keep coming...
It was clean too, which I deeply appreciate, and I hope the rest of the series stays the same, cause I'm going after them so fast I might as well be a Blur. ...more
I JUST read this book for the first time, and it was BEAUTIFUL. The writing is exactly why I adore childhood classics (how can they make the ordinary I JUST read this book for the first time, and it was BEAUTIFUL. The writing is exactly why I adore childhood classics (how can they make the ordinary so magical; and the food is always so salivating) and then this tale took twist after twist...and it was utterly unique. I am a big fan. :)...more
Since this book is my favorite historical romance, it is high time I update my review.
First of all, I normally do NOT read historical romance. It jusSince this book is my favorite historical romance, it is high time I update my review.
First of all, I normally do NOT read historical romance. It just is a genre that I don't care for. But the summary led me to read this some years ago, and OH. How I loved it. The Victorian circus setting was completely magical, setting the stage to portray the drama called Life.
Characters: Ella is a sweet young woman hiding from pain and bitter against God in a new town where she hopes to become a nurse. Her compassionate heart soon leads her to instead become the nurse of a sick little girl named Holland who is cared for by her uncle, Charlie.
Charlie is the liontamer in a traveling circus, a charming man full of life and faith, but secretly fighting a battle against darkness after he saved his baby niece from a terrible fate...
Their love for the little girl and for each other leads them down a beautiful path of restoration. I love the settings and the colorful side characters in the circus (a sweet older dwarf woman, three Ukrainian sisters with hair down to the ground, and the LIONS...)
Romance: Our hero and heroine are completely shippable, they are SO SWEET and noble to one another. While their romance is rather swift for the majority of the book, they do have a period of separation later to test if their love is true or infatuation. They do share one passionate kiss that is described mainly through emotion. Another kiss on the neck is mentioned, but otherwise non-described and (in my pov) unnecessary.
But now we come to the trigger content section of the book, and for those who haven't read other reviews of the story, they might be a bit surprised at some of the content there is. But I like to say, it's not always a subject that bothers me as how it is handled. And Joanne Bischof handles dark subjects with a delicate, compassionate hand that I found very palatable (and many other conservative or sensitive readers with me).
Warning some spoilers ahead, I'll try to keep vague.
A girl was raped in her past, and while we do not see the incident, she still suffers from panic attacks. On top of that, she is confused with the grief of bearing a stillborn child she hadn't even wanted. A man is nearly blackmailed into becoming a male prostitute (he chooses an alternate fate). A man is mentioned to have sold his own child in order to feed his drug addiction. It is suggested that said child would have been raised and sold as a prostitute under her new owner had not a loving relative intervened.
So dark elements, yes, but surprisingly this does not feel like a dark story. I always wonder how to acknowledge the evil in our world WITHOUT indulging in it, and Ms. Bischof pulled this off admirably well! While obviously not for younger readers who aren't aware of this type of awfulness, I'd definitely recommend it otherwise. This circus contains two worlds just as ours, the light and the dark, the day and the night. The Lady and the Lionheart reminds us that God can heal and restore the hurting and bring the lost into a beautiful future....more
Before there can be a beginning, there must first be an end.
It was a sad day for fans when Anne Elisabeth declared she must pause the Tales of GoldstBefore there can be a beginning, there must first be an end.
It was a sad day for fans when Anne Elisabeth declared she must pause the Tales of Goldstone Wood series for a few years….it seemed new journeys into the Between were at an end, at least for a time. But lo and behold, a new beginning awaited! The first book of a four part series set WITHIN Goldstone Wood….not part of the series itself, but part of the very same world. So what joy, what excitement!
For me, it did not disappoint. True, the style of writing is a shade different…the plot takes its own sweet time in building up pace, and description can feel a bit repetitive at times. When I say the description is repetitive, I do not mean that it uses the same descriptions over and over, but that she finds a new and unique way to depict something. And that is a power all of its own as it creates a reality of mortal worlds and faerie horrors with high skill and grounded knowledge.
As always with Anne Elisabeth’s writings, if you know history or culture, you may recognize the inspired genius…apparently a certain important element in this book is directly inspired from a freakish ballet called “Le Sacre du primtempts." Who knew? I sure wouldn’t have without being told by a friend. But even if you don’t know what Anne Elisabeth may be using as reference, you can just feel the authenticity.
I think, perhaps, this plot is more confusing than previous Goldstone novels…both the cause and cure of the faerie curse is very complex, but really, what else can we expect from the fey kind? Don’t worry, if you are patient, your questions will be answered when all is said and done. This book is an excellent example of the art of withholding information from the reader to create mystery and suspense.
And the characters! Oh the characters! Heloise may be a little difficult at first for some people, being a headstrong young teenage girl (much like Meirda from Brave, actually), but she truly has excellent development through this book. And Benedict! My! He starts off seemingly simple, and oh, how much he hides! Such a sweetheart, such a knight, such a tragedy. *excuse me as I go sniffle, snork, and blow my nose* Then there is a sylph. We’ve had sylph in the tales before, but this sylph is the BEST EVER. Cutest little stinker, I would hug it if sylphs could be hugged.
Then there is the Family of Night. Very. Interesting. And disturbing. And more complicated than at first impressions. And above all, readers of Goldstone Wood have heard of them before. Or at least of one member or two.
This is the beginning of a great thing for fantasy or fairy-tale readers. Three more books await, so take heart and prepare to continue the journey! If you are have wandered the Wood before, prepare to be swept off on a sylph wind as you return to the Between you love and encounter loved ones and new faces alike! If you are new, perhaps seeking a retelling of Twelve Dancing Princesses…you will find a beautiful and unique version…and so. much. more. ...more
As the fey dance through the glade, so do Ashlee Willis's words dance upon the page. Truly, each word, each sentence is exquisitely chosen, wriBeauty.
As the fey dance through the glade, so do Ashlee Willis's words dance upon the page. Truly, each word, each sentence is exquisitely chosen, written with the same wonder and enchantment as Juliet Marillier.
Bitter.
Our greatest enemy is so often ourselves, and the author unflinchingly writes a heroine of honest bitterness that will make your heart ache in unwanted familiarity.
Though a small story, this tale abounds with heart, and it will sweep you off your feet! Certainly one of the best Cinderella retellings I have ever read.
This book is full of so many fascinating and otherwise unwritten accounts and stories from the history of Arda.
The Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth (The De This book is full of so many fascinating and otherwise unwritten accounts and stories from the history of Arda.
The Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth (The Debate of Finrod and Andreth) is alone worth the entire book, and as Tolkien said, it may be of interest to those who start with similar beliefs as held by the Elvish king Finrod (in other words, the Christians). Tolkien puts forth such beautiful thought into the argument, and the Debate also includes a very interesting look at the interaction between elf and man and the only accounted love story between an elf man and mortal woman. And I may I just say that the end of the Debate just about made me cry?
Now I know why Anne Elisabeth Stengl says this author has the power to make you cry and laugh within sentences. The storyline with SamSniff...sniff...
Now I know why Anne Elisabeth Stengl says this author has the power to make you cry and laugh within sentences. The storyline with Sam and little Sam...wow...just wow.......more
This is not the comedy of Guards! Guards! No dragon in this book...just the dragon of mankind. So real, so raw, so...
Time travel. CoWhoa. Just...whoa.
This is not the comedy of Guards! Guards! No dragon in this book...just the dragon of mankind. So real, so raw, so...
Time travel. Corruption in the government and police forces. Revolution. Criminals. Assassins. And one man who dares to take a stand and lead others in moral rightness. This story is very dark as it deals with very realistic crime, bloody battle, devilish politics, and the Beast inside every man.
It also struck a little closer to home for me as the main characters are policemen. And yet just men. Most of them aren't prepared to deal with the darkness they are called to defeat. Some of them would rather join the darkness, others might run away. But for those who stand and rise--
Sam Vimes is now one of my favorite heroes. He's incredible, absolutely incredible. And Lord Vetinari--GASP.
It is so HUMAN. When people say Pratchett writes humanity like no other, they're right. Okay, so there are about two others I can think of who are also right there, but there IS something special about Pratchett.
It's a lot like our world...but different. ;)...more
Terry Pratchett was a genius. I suppose most everyone knows that. But now I know it too. I was laughing out lout so many times. Yet despite all the huTerry Pratchett was a genius. I suppose most everyone knows that. But now I know it too. I was laughing out lout so many times. Yet despite all the humor, there were profound moments of insight into the human nature. One character (who simply blew my mind) pointed out the hopeless state of man without God. And there was really no hope to answer it in the book. It was such a sad and fascinating point. The characters and relationships were amazing, the build-up into the climax was jaw-dropping, and...and...
...and it's not for young readers. Fortunately, I'd been warned of this, so I waited a few years before trying this book. It's a very good thing I did; I doubt I would have been prepared for it even a year ago. There's quite a bit of rough language (not the worst, but still crude), and innumerable innuendos and winks. So while there wasn't anything I felt was stumbling, any young people unused to the rough way of the world should definitely wait on this one.
Hurrah for Vimes, such an unlikely awesome hero! Hurrah for Carrot, for remaining his noble, ideal, and innocent self despite the city! Hurrah for the unlikely romance! Hurrah for Errol! There is much to learn from Terry Pratchett, both his mistakes, and his utter brilliance. He was given an incredible gift indeed. ...more
Even if I didn't like the book as a whole, I will always turn to the chapter, The Red King, for a magnificent reference on how to write a spine-chilliEven if I didn't like the book as a whole, I will always turn to the chapter, The Red King, for a magnificent reference on how to write a spine-chilling, breath-taking duel of fey and incredible power.
REVIEW
In many ways, this book is a gorgeous piece of art and skill. But there are several things from which younger readers should be warned and more mature readers might like to be aware of.
There is no doubt that this writing is spectacular. Jennifer's voice and story is all her own. She masters it, she immerses you right into the world she created. At the same time, the prose takes almost too much pride in itself as it will carry on and on through verbal sparring, court politics, and nightmarish exploring. What I hadn't realized is how big this book is. It requires a patient reader; I am not a patient reader.
When the story first began, I believed it would be a Beauty and the Beast tale, or more like Hades and Persephone. But as the tale progressed, I grew more and more uncomfortable with the idea that I was supposed to end up liking the beast (who purrs everything in the first few chapters). People can repent, yes, but the author was doing a mighty fine job of making me dislike him. Transforming that into admiration would be a mighty task indeed. At one point I could stand it no longer. This guy is awful, truly awful. (The author seems to have intended to make him sympathetic, but that sympathy was lost on me). He couldn't be the true hero of the story.
He wasn't. No, the true hero doesn't even show until a good bite into the book. And WHAT a hero. I don't think I've encountered a hero so fey, so untame. He is noble, self-sacrificing, wonderful...but I beg of you, do NOT get on this boy's bad side. It gets ugly. For a hero he could be shockingly ruthless. It was kind of cool to see evil really get what it deserve, but also a bit unsettling at points.
Violence: As a matter of fact, the ruthlessness of all the violence should make the reader pause. There is quite a bit of battle and confrontations, and the ease and near pleasure with which our hero and heroine dispatch foes is somewhat disturbing, especially the murder of an individual for whom I never worked up passionate hatred, as the author seemed to intend.
Sexual: The kidnapper of our heroine has a strange sense of honor that doesn't allow him to force her into his bed, but he has no problem forcibly kissing her, or abusing her in other physical and psychological ways. There is also a strong sexual comment, startling in its bluntness. A disgusting sexual war crime is discussed, which contributed nothing to the plot. Probably most bothersome of all, the heroine seduces a man in order to kill him.
Language: Foul mouths grow stronger and more frequent throughout the book. Ba----d, b---h, d--m, and more easily roll off character's tongues.
Magic: The magic gleamed unique and fascinating. There are spells, but if you don't have a problem with Tolkien or Lewis, I doubt you'll have a problem with this.
Spiritual: Jennifer Freitag is a Christian. This world is obviously connected to ours, with the same God. There is clearly a heaven and hell. Yet there is a surprising lack of faith. While the faultiness of our heroes is both realistic and compelling, the lack of remorse or conviction struck me odd.
A mature reader or writer seeking to expand their horizons in powerful writing, fantastic worlds, and original characters will find much to learn. And I did. I was also disappointed. I guess I expected better content from this author. I've read mature and grim books before, probably more mature than this at times, but they generally sent me soaring on the wings of inspiration. This one left me rather dull. ...more
...of a man deemed a coward for he found the courage not to murder, of a girl with spirit far beyond her crippled body, and
Let me tell you a story...
...of a man deemed a coward for he found the courage not to murder, of a girl with spirit far beyond her crippled body, and of a child who would gain strength from them both.
One of Anne Elisabeth's greatest gifts is to to write men and women with equal, if different, strengths. Here we find a brother and sister, who can only find friendship and understanding in each other amongst their brutal tribe. Draven is very humble in his strength and very protective of his sister. Ita is fierce and determined, always ready to prove her mettle, despite her clubfoot.
The relationships are portrayed with such powerful understanding: brother and sister, grandmother and granddaughter, adult and child.
Though only around 50k words, Draven's Light covers an incredible story packed with narrows escapes, daring hunts, sigh-worthy romance, and tear-inspiring sacrifice. In the very story itself, we are reminded why such tales are so important to us--how they can give us strength.
Although this may be considered a dark tale--a savage people who find honor through killing, and a mysterious malady that causes seizure-like death--it is presented as a man telling a story to a child so the darkness is never too gruesome or disturbing.
That this tale is being told to a child is not to say that it is any less powerful and potent--for the girl who listens finds here courage to carry her through life...and so do we all. ...more
Pretty incredible. Just from a through scan, pretty incredible.
While reading the prelude and the prologue of the first book, I turned to my brother aPretty incredible. Just from a through scan, pretty incredible.
While reading the prelude and the prologue of the first book, I turned to my brother and said, "I can literally feel my writing becoming better."
Brandon Sanderson has a way of doing that to you.
Prepare for a very long, rambling review. These books are over 1000 pages each. It is necessary. Ready? Go.
Characters
Kaladin.
Oh my word. He is one of the most realistic NOBLE characters I've ever encountered. Because the cost of being noble in a brutal war has the consequence of tearing you apart. Forcing you to ask the big theological questions.
Thus Kaladin is also one of the most BROKEN characters I've ever encountered. He so seeks to protect the people he loves--and despite his bitter heart, he actually loves quite easily, for he recognizes life as precious. And he is crushed. Again and again and again. He cannot protect those he loves. People die and they are reduced to rotting bodies. If life is precious, how can it be squandered so easily? Despite all his best efforts, he fails to protect.
But.
He keeps trying.
There are so many times when he is on the verge of giving up. When he considers suicide or at least despair. Because apathy is a release from this ravaging pain of guilt and failure. Luckily for Kaladin and the reader, there is Syl. I dare not say too much about Syl for spoiling things, but may I just say she is one of the cutest, sweetest sidekicks ever. And one of the most deadly awesome.
Shallan is also broken. We may not know it from the first book (until the end). After all, she seems to be an innocent, if desperate, young woman. A talented artist (yay!) and a determined student. But her past is revealed in the second book, and it is horrible. And yet and yet, she is beautiful, clinging to her sweetness, her cleverness, and her heart, despite the fact it should have been destroyed long ago.
Dalinar is another man striving for the nobility of old, a man seeking high ideals. He is truly an inspiring man, someone who totally won my heart despite being years older than me. There is also Adolin, his son, a courageous, but hot-headed young man who wants to do the right thing, though distracted by vanity and all the other consequences of being one of the greatest duelists.
Szeth. Driven to the storms of insanity from a job of violence forced upon him. Jasneh, an atheistic philosopher with a far better chance to discover the truth of the supernatural than most of the "religious" figures.
There are far, far more. There are so many characters, it will make your head swim. They come from all different walks of life and points-of-view. They often contradict one another. And the author presents them all with respect, even the ones you hate. Several are very witty, and humor abounds throughout the book, which helps lighten the mood. Each person, even the random ones, are important in their own way. It takes a genius to accomplish that.
World
Like the works of Tolkien, it will take several years to truly understand this world. I'm sure you could take history, geography, literary, spiritual, and language courses. You get a sample of all this throughout the books, but there is always more to learn. Boggling, truly boggling. That is really all there is to say.
Magic
Or is it science? Or *gasp* could it be both?
Brandon Sanderson is a master of magic, writing-wise. Inventive, effective, and understandable. No spells, no sorcery. Not all the powers his characters have are original, but the reasons behind them are. His writing has totally given me a new perspective on different ways powers can work. If you want to see what I mean, read his three laws of magic, which can be found here.
Violence
War and death. A constant theme in these books. Appropriately, it can get downright depressing, which might be one of the reasons why it took me so long to read these books. Had to take a break sometimes.
There is a lot of battle in here, and Brandon Sanderson does not sugar coat or ignore the horror of it. People are constantly dying brutally. Happily, I don't think the descriptions are as violent as they could be. There were really only a few times that I felt a little squeamish. Besides ruthless slaughter, there is also desperate surgery. Kaladin is a surgeon and he has to deal with very messy stuff. Again, I don't think think it's as gruesome as it could be, at least not very often. But if you're very sensitive to violence and death, you probably won't want to read these books.
Sexual
One thing I really, really appreciate about Brandon Sanderson is that he keeps his books clean. There are a few kisses, a few flirtations, but its all kept to a level lower than some of YA books I've read, despite having more real situations.
A truly witty character cracks a few crude or innuendo jokes, which even he acknowledges as beneath him.
Language
A common insult of choice is B-----d.There is a also a smattering of h---, a--, and d---m. But, for what it's worth, the characters don't use language flippantly, only when they're very upset (granted, they're often upset).
Message
Let me sum it up for you in a sentence.
This is a cosmic battle between good and evil, the cosmic good is losing, and it's up to men to turn the tide.
So, yep. BAD position to be in. And one that I'm SO glad isn't real.
The spiritual framework of this world is rather confusing, between all the Heralds, the spren, the Stormfather, the Voidbringers, and such. So far, the actual head god is a bit of a mystery to the reader. And these supernatural beings, whether divinities or not, suffer from the same weaknesses as mortals, albeit on a cosmic level. However, the world does stand on a belief of the ultimate truth of right and wrong, lending it a stronger foundation than other secular fantasies that would prefer to just do away with the divine altogether. Still, many characters flounder through the difficulties of what makes right right and wrong wrong.
On an another interesting note, the faultiness of the gods in here gave me a greater appreciation for my faith in Christ and also gave me a chance to remember just how EPIC it is for God to go through the ultimate suffering to restore a world that rejected him.
For the most part, I seek fantasy that reflects my belief in Christ. And this series doesn't. Mr. Sanderson is a Mormon, and while he doesn't seek to write an allegory, his belief does come through. I suspect that many of these characters, though they don't know it, are working their way to divine status, more or less. As such, this puts the heat on for very noble characters. They're working so hard here to do the right thing, so hard.
It's sad for me, because the beauty of undeserved grace from an all-loving and powerful God doesn't exist here in this story. And it causes me to consider my own life. I have just as powerful a reason to be noble. I'm not working for my own self-righteousness, constantly uncertain about the outcome of the cosmos. I am already guaranteed a victory; I have been redeemed. So in light of this incredible gift, I should be living up to it harder than ever. I'm going to have plenty of doubts, oh yes. Plenty of failures. There may come times when I feel as broken as Kaladin or as awful as Shallan.
But, by the glory of God, I will rise again. ...more
*sniff, SNIFF!!!!!* Mememmemmemme....this was soooooo sweet at the end. And...and...I WANT BOOK 5!!!!!!!!!! This CAN'T be the end of the series! There*sniff, SNIFF!!!!!* Mememmemmemme....this was soooooo sweet at the end. And...and...I WANT BOOK 5!!!!!!!!!! This CAN'T be the end of the series! There needs to be at least one more book. Or at least a short story. Please, Andrew Peterson, PLEASE!
I distinctly remember hearing about this series some years ago. On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness? North! Or Be Eaten? What outlandish titles! I had no interest whastsoever.
Until I read Gillian Bronte Adam's glowing review.
Until I read the first page.
Aewiar, the world in which these tales take place, is a wonky world that introduces its perils and bizarre monsters with cheek. But as the series continues, especially at the end of of the second book and on, even some of the seemingly ridiculous jokes and creatures are revealed to have a deeper, often darker nature. The truth behind the Fangs of Dang and The Nameless One (named Gnag) is twisted and tear-jerking. Indeed, some of the places and people here are downright horrifying.
But it wasn't always that way. That's not how the Maker created it to be.
As evil closes in, it seems all beauty and joy is choked out of existence. Except there are lost Jewels. Jewels that evil seeks to destroy. Jewels that could restore hope again.
Our heroes are truly delightful. Our three main characters are children, and though they are young (the oldest is twelve), their maturity is far beyond their years, especially as the books progress. We also have quite a fantastic host of adult characters, including their queenly mother and piratey grandfather. But I have a name for you, dear readers. A name that has been written on my list of favorite literary characters.
Artham P. Wingfeather.
He is a gem. He is a literary gem. While reading about him, I was astonished and impressed how the author made me fall absolutely in love with him despite his...peculiarity in the beginning and his strangeness later on. Really, I could read a series all about him. Sadly, this series isn't it. Though Artham is an important character, he stays out a lot of the pages in Books 2, 3, and 4. And his absolutely BEST moment is in Book 2. I understand why the author couldn't have him in the main climax of the final book, but I would have loved it if he had his own separate personal climax. And perhaps more of a back-story with his lady?
Now as for some things I didn't care so much for (besides prolonged absence of Artham). The monsters sometimes bordered on too bizarre. I mean some of the cloven were really creepy! I could take it in a book, but it would have been too weird for me on screen. But really it had a point. It was actually pretty heart-wrenching and important. So it's not something to complain about, just shudder-worthy. And other of the creatures were hard to take seriously. Toothy cows. Wow.
There were also some continuity inconsistencies I noticed, but nothing too awful.
Still, none of this really damaged my appreciation of these stories. Andrew Peterson is a remarkable and special author, bringing forth unique and profound tales that charm, chill, and captivate. He is truly a master storyteller. The closest style I could compare him to is Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events--except this is beautiful, less morbid, and severely more encouraging.
Readers may want to know that this series is sometimes to be considered to be a children's series, what with its young main characters and cheeky humor. But I disagree. Though mature kids from 10 (?) on up might enjoy it, the bad guys are quite evil, and the kids often find themselves in painful situations. Plus, these books deal with some pretty dark issues, such as a character mad from torture and guilt. If kids can read these books and glean the profound messages endowed here, good for them!
This is perhaps the most original way since The Chronicles of Narnia to portray the Great Truth.The bittersweet final book illuminates its beauty. I can't say too much for fear of giving anything away. But it is lovely. And the name of the last chapter? Lovely. And the epilogue?
GAH! HOW CAN THE AUTHOR SAY THIS IS THE FINAL BOOK WITH SUCH AN EPILOGUE???? Despite the satisfactory conclusion,the epilogue leaves our characters about to start on an adventure that has such potential and hope and...when you read it, you will join me in a chant for another book.
The young and old alike can enjoy these incredible tales of loss, restoration, failure, redemption, bitterness, forgiveness, and ultimate sacrifice.
Hilarious. If you are or were a Star Wars fan, this is a comic that will forever change your look on the movies! Find out the real reason behind so maHilarious. If you are or were a Star Wars fan, this is a comic that will forever change your look on the movies! Find out the real reason behind so many of the occurrences! ...more
Though I had not heard of this book before, after hearing Ashlee Willis's high recommendation (whose writing I respect and admire), I decided to give Though I had not heard of this book before, after hearing Ashlee Willis's high recommendation (whose writing I respect and admire), I decided to give it a shot.
Indeed, this book was beautifully written, bringing the world of Faerie to life in vibrant but comfortably familiar ways. Though a story all of its own, it also brings in strong themes of The Twelve Dancing Princess and the Frog Prince. The characters were unique and special, and I felt them all come to life.
Despite the fey world, there was little magic or casting of spells, unless you consider fey power and law to be included in that. There is a strange character known as the Witch of the Wood whose hand throughout the story is pivotal and often seemingly cruel, yet (view spoiler)[ turns out to be an almost providential guide to a happy ending. (hide spoiler)]
My main concern about this novel was its inclusion of the Night People--vampires. And the fact that one of the main characters falls in love with one. Let me be clear. I consider vampires evil and the fascination of them to be disturbing. That said, I didn't mind them in this novel. For one, they were appropriately EVIL as they should be. Oh yes, the author said she tried to keep their true intent mysterious, but they were BAD. And while their seductive behavior was present, the author really kept it out of the reader's head (at least in my opinion).
Which brings me to Sorrow, the fellow who one of the girls falls in love with. I didn't want an Edward and Bella story. Well, here is a spoiler that I included because it was extremely important to allow me to enjoy this story. (view spoiler)[ Sorrow is not a vampire! He's their slave, a human boy who was stolen from our world and has become more and more fey with time, but still desperate for freedom and love. So long as you accept that you aren't going to get a sensible reason for their love at first sight, Sorrow and Tati's romance is shown as pure, beautiful, and totally sincere, if a little otherworldly in their devotion. And it's not selfish either. Their self-sacrifice for each other, especially Sorrow's at the end, is touching. Though I do wish Tati had paid a bit more mind to her sisters during her whole "love sickness". (hide spoiler)]
Dramatic me could have had the stakes go a little higher at the end if some certain character had actually been caught instead of hunted for, but everything turned so beautifully I really didn't mind. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
My one problem with this tale is that it is based in Transylvania which is a real place with big problems. So long as you accept fantasy as fantasy, fine, but there are severe consequences to searching for "fey" (demonic) things in this world. ...more
I heard many great things about this book, praises of its genius, cleverness, deepness, surprises, and beauty. Needless to say my expectations built I heard many great things about this book, praises of its genius, cleverness, deepness, surprises, and beauty. Needless to say my expectations built rather high. So did this book meet my expectations?
Short answer: Yes, it did.
Long answer: Wow. Brandon Sanderson created a entire world real enough to step into within the first few chapters (not that I'd ever want to step into it; I'd probably run away screaming if given the chance). Nay, possibly from the prologue. His writing is confident and clear, leading the reader deftly through every plot twist and agony without any unintended confusion along the way. His characters spring into life with heartache and mystery. Indeed, mystery is thick as mist in this story, as the reader tries to anticipate the upcoming twists and the truth of the matter, despite what everyone in the book believes. It was fantastically written, an incredible exercise on the imagination, if exhausting. But before you go rushing off to read this book, I want to give some caution. It's a tough, dark book with some grisly stuff in it. You might want to be aware of the content first.
Violence: Without a doubt, this is probably the largest matter of concern. A lot of people die. A LOT of people. Bad guys and sometimes good guys kill with indifference, and some bad guys like to do it just for fun. Battle scenes are super intense and exciting, but not really gory. There is, however, a couple gory scenes of the aftermath of some killings that are kind of gross. And there's some creatures going around that are kind of disturbing to picture, especially one sort of creature that isn't much weirder than some of the creatures we have on microscopic level, but this creature isn't on microscopic level. Not really violent, just ew. I've heard it said that the violence in here is PG-13. Book-wise, perhaps so. But if it was translated to the movie screen, I'm guessing it would be R, if only for some of the innocent casualties. However, if you're not super sensitive to violence, I don't think it will be a problem. I think it might have been a problem for me a couple years ago, but I was able to handle it now.
Sexual: In this area, I was SO tremendously impressed!!! I kind of started to get the impression that if a book was labeled Adult, it probably was sexually inappropriate. But I heard that this wasn't the case in this book, and I was so delighted to discover that this was true! Though there is a romance thread in here (a very cute, suspenseful, and clever one, I might add) it was totally chaste. Thank you, Brandon Sanderson, for not thinking good writing in romance includes dropping the reader in the mind and body of the characters as they kiss. In fact, thank you for pointing out that a romance in a book can just be fine without revolving around the inevitable kiss (because there wasn't one, believe it or not).
The area in which readers would want to be aware in sexual content is the sexual reference. It is common knowledge amongst the people that a nobleman can take any skaa (peasant) woman he pleases, so long as he kills her afterwards to prevent any unusually gifted children amongst the skaa. So that's really awful, but while the reader is aware stuff like that happens, there is no scene that comes anywhere near this content. And Vin, our heroine, as a street urchin in quite used to making herself appear as unfeminine and unattractive as possible, as she knows how dangerous that is on the streets.
Language: A smattering of h--l, possibly bas---d, wh--e, and d--m
Magic: Just at the beginning, I was concerned that the magic elements in here would consist of, "Here drink this and you'll become really powerful." But it's way, way, way more complex then that. Allomancy involves drawing certain powers off certain metals. And only certain people have it, though the reasons for these gifted people is at first mysterious. Yes, Allomancers do swallow certain little bits of metal to draw internal power, but as it is pointed out, they have to use them up rather quickly before the stomach digests them and gets metal poisoning. Indeed, some impure metals could kill you altogether. And other metals are external, the Allomancer using them from the outside. There are a lot of rules and a lot of consequences, but all easily explained, so that it started feeling like a science we don't have in our world rather than magic.
Spiritual: The author has created an entire world here, so there are religions. Tons of them actually, and one character is often trying to match the most fitting religion to the other characters, often to their chagrin. But such religions are supposed to be forgotten, because the evil Lord Ruler in this book proclaims himself to be God. Which brings up an interesting problem in the book. Most people think our heroes are insane to challenge the Lord Ruler, even wrong. After all, if he's God and makes the rules, all the evil stuff he's doing really isn't evil, right? But our hero, Kelsier, is not so convinced by the Lord Ruler's supposed deity. He's ruled with absolute power for the past thousand years, but there are legends of a time before when the sky was actually blue, the grass green, and there were beautiful things called flowers. Crazy, huh? There are even rumors that the Lord Ruler is not immortal, but can be killed. Nobody's just figured out what his weakness is yet. And there seem to be other powers far greater than the Lord Ruler, ancient powers that come far behind his reign, powers that he seems to try to hide or attribute to himself. The book isn't written from a Christian world-view here, but neither is it written from an atheist view.
Conclusion: I'm not sure how the rest of the series will go, but this book stood pretty well on its own.
I understand now why this book is labeled Adult. But I don't think this means just an adult audience. It's a book that really gets you thinking, that really challenges, inspires, encourages, and prepares the hard road of life. Because of the tough, violent, and sometimes sad content, I don't think it's one kids should read, but I think it suits a mature young adult as they prepare for (or work through) the tough stuff in life.
This is a story where darkness has already won. The evil ruler reigns supreme. And yet, our heroes arise and realize that there is a choice. To trust rather than betray, to smile rather than cringe, to have courage instead of fear, to love despite the risks, to sacrifice yourself rather than hide, to have faith rather then doubt, and to know that instead of living in despair, you can live in beautiful, beautiful hope. ...more
While reading the prelude and the prologue, I turned to my brother and said, "I can literally feel my writing becoming better."
Brandon Sanderson has aWhile reading the prelude and the prologue, I turned to my brother and said, "I can literally feel my writing becoming better."
Brandon Sanderson has a way of doing that to you.
Prepare for a very long, rambling review. These books are over 1000 pages each. It is necessary. Ready? Go.
Characters
Kaladin.
Oh my word. He is one of the most realistic NOBLE characters I've ever encountered. Because the cost of being noble in a brutal war has the consequence of tearing you apart. Forcing you to ask the big theological questions.
Thus Kaladin is also one of the most BROKEN characters I've ever encountered. He so seeks to protect the people he loves--and despite his bitter heart, he actually loves quite easily, for he recognizes life as precious. And he is crushed. Again and again and again. He cannot protect those he loves. People die and they are reduced to rotting bodies. If life is precious, how can it be squandered so easily? Despite all his best efforts, he fails to protect.
But.
He keeps trying.
There are so many times when he is on the verge of giving up. When he considers suicide or at least despair. Because apathy is a release from this ravaging pain of guilt and failure. Luckily for Kaladin and the reader, there is Syl. I dare not say too much about Syl for spoiling things, but may I just say she is one of the cutest, sweetest sidekicks ever. And one of the most deadly awesome.
Shallan is also broken. We may not know it from the first book (until the end). After all, she seems to be an innocent, if desperate, young woman. A talented artist (yay!) and a determined student. But her past is revealed in the second book, and it is horrible. And yet and yet, she is beautiful, clinging to her sweetness, her cleverness, and her heart, despite the fact it should have been destroyed long ago.
Dalinar is another man striving for the nobility of old, a man seeking high ideals. He is truly an inspiring man, someone who totally won my heart despite being years older than me. There is also Adolin, his son, a courageous, but hot-headed young man who wants to do the right thing, though distracted by vanity and all the other consequences of being one of the greatest duelists.
Szeth. Driven to the storms of insanity from a job of violence forced upon him. Jasneh, an atheistic philosopher with a far better chance to discover the truth of the supernatural than most of the "religious" figures.
There are far, far more. There are so many characters, it will make your head swim. They come from all different walks of life and points-of-view. They often contradict one another. And the author presents them all with respect, even the ones you hate. Several are very witty, and humor abounds throughout the book, which helps lighten the mood. Each person, even the random ones, are important in their own way. It takes a genius to accomplish that.
World
Like the works of Tolkien, it will take several years to truly understand this world. I'm sure you could take history, geography, literary, spiritual, and language courses. You get a sample of all this throughout the books, but there is always more to learn. Boggling, truly boggling. That is really all there is to say.
Magic
Or is it science? Or *gasp* could it be both?
Brandon Sanderson is a master of magic, writing-wise. Inventive, effective, and understandable. No spells, no sorcery. Not all the powers his characters have are original, but the reasons behind them are. His writing has totally given me a new perspective on different ways powers can work. If you want to see what I mean, read his three laws of magic, which can be found here.
Violence
War and death. A constant theme in these books. Appropriately, it can get downright depressing, which might be one of the reasons why it took me so long to read these books. Had to take a break sometimes.
There is a lot of battle in here, and Brandon Sanderson does not sugar coat or ignore the horror of it. People are constantly dying brutally. Happily, I don't think the descriptions are as violent as they could be. There were really only a few times that I felt a little squeamish. Besides ruthless slaughter, there is also desperate surgery. Kaladin is a surgeon and he has to deal with very messy stuff. Again, I don't think think it's as gruesome as it could be, at least not very often. But if you're very sensitive to violence and death, you probably won't want to read these books.
Sexual
One thing I really, really appreciate about Brandon Sanderson is that he keeps his books clean. There are a few kisses, a few flirtations, but its all kept to a level lower than some of YA books I've read, despite having more real situations.
A truly witty character cracks a few crude or innuendo jokes, which even he acknowledges as beneath him.
Language
A common insult of choice is B-----d.There is a also a smattering of h---, a--, and d---m. But, for what it's worth, the characters don't use language flippantly, only when they're very upset (granted, they're often upset).
Message
Let me sum it up for you in a sentence.
This is a cosmic battle between good and evil, the cosmic good is losing, and it's up to men to turn the tide.
So, yep. BAD position to be in. And one that I'm SO glad isn't real.
The spiritual framework of this world is rather confusing, between all the Heralds, the spren, the Stormfather, the Voidbringers, and such. So far, the actual head god is a bit of a mystery to the reader. And these supernatural beings, whether divinities or not, suffer from the same weaknesses as mortals, albeit on a cosmic level. However, the world does stand on a belief of the ultimate truth of right and wrong, lending it a stronger foundation than other secular fantasies that would prefer to just do away with the divine altogether. Still, many characters flounder through the difficulties of what makes right right and wrong wrong.
On an another interesting note, the faultiness of the gods in here gave me a greater appreciation for my faith in Christ and also gave me a chance to remember just how EPIC it is for God to go through the ultimate suffering to restore a world that rejected him.
For the most part, I seek fantasy that reflects my belief in Christ. And this series doesn't. Mr. Sanderson is a Mormon, and while he doesn't seek to write an allegory, his belief does come through. I suspect that many of these characters, though they don't know it, are working their way to divine status, more or less. As such, this puts the heat on for very noble characters. They're working so hard here to do the right thing, so hard.
It's sad for me, because the beauty of undeserved grace from an all-loving and powerful God doesn't exist here in this story. And it causes me to consider my own life. I have just as powerful a reason to be noble. I'm not working for my own self-righteousness, constantly uncertain about the outcome of the cosmos. I am already guaranteed a victory; I have been redeemed. So in light of this incredible gift, I should be living up to it harder than ever. I'm going to have plenty of doubts, oh yes. Plenty of failures. There may come times when I feel as broken as Kaladin or as awful as Shallan.
But, by the glory of God, I will rise again. ...more
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