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seak's Reviews > River of Blue Fire
River of Blue Fire (Otherland, #2)
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This is now my second book, not counting novellas, by Tad Williams and while I finished it, I will in fact not be continuing on with the series.
Book 1 in the Otherland series was just interesting enough to continue and finally the ending ramps things up and I was actually entertained. I get that this series is one long book to the author, but it's so absolutely boring I need something to happen and I start to expect it to at least be at the end of the book. Spoiler alert: (view spoiler). Again, just about nothing happens. Yes we had some big-ish revelations but it was so not worth the tedium.
Because, yet again, we have a hugely long book where absolutely nothing happens, or I should say, things happen, but they take so long to happen it's like nothing happens. Listening to A Game of Thrones right now really emphasizes this. Things are constantly happening in that book.
To add to the tedium, the characters are suddenly going from one "land" within this computer system called "Otherland" to another with no end in sight. I just can't possibly see a reason for all this nothing.
And if I haven't already warned enough about spoiling the ending, here's another warning, but the last book at least got my expectations up to believe I might get another solid, entertaining ending. And yet no.
I have the entire series of Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn and this book really does not recommend it right now. And I do feel bad. I know there are lots of fans, Williams has had a huge impact on the fantasy genre and I definitely have seen glimmers of greatness, but by and large, there's just not enough going on to keep my interest anymore.
2 out of 5 Stars (I finished it so that means something right?)
Book 1 in the Otherland series was just interesting enough to continue and finally the ending ramps things up and I was actually entertained. I get that this series is one long book to the author, but it's so absolutely boring I need something to happen and I start to expect it to at least be at the end of the book. Spoiler alert: (view spoiler). Again, just about nothing happens. Yes we had some big-ish revelations but it was so not worth the tedium.
Because, yet again, we have a hugely long book where absolutely nothing happens, or I should say, things happen, but they take so long to happen it's like nothing happens. Listening to A Game of Thrones right now really emphasizes this. Things are constantly happening in that book.
To add to the tedium, the characters are suddenly going from one "land" within this computer system called "Otherland" to another with no end in sight. I just can't possibly see a reason for all this nothing.
And if I haven't already warned enough about spoiling the ending, here's another warning, but the last book at least got my expectations up to believe I might get another solid, entertaining ending. And yet no.
I have the entire series of Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn and this book really does not recommend it right now. And I do feel bad. I know there are lots of fans, Williams has had a huge impact on the fantasy genre and I definitely have seen glimmers of greatness, but by and large, there's just not enough going on to keep my interest anymore.
2 out of 5 Stars (I finished it so that means something right?)
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Reading Progress
October 8, 2014
– Shelved
October 8, 2014
– Shelved as:
to-read
October 8, 2014
– Shelved as:
books-i-own-to-read
January 19, 2015
– Shelved as:
arc-review
May 12, 2015
–
Started Reading
May 12, 2015
– Shelved as:
audio
May 12, 2015
–
37.04%
"I'm so bored. The ending of the last book got me excited, but now we're back to boredom. I don't know if I'll be continuing on after this book. Remind me after the exciting ending. :)"
page
250
May 14, 2015
–
44.44%
"Okay, why did the French woman blather on for so long about nothing?This series is killing me, it takes so long for anything to happen if at all."
page
300
May 22, 2015
–
85.93%
"I guess I'll finish it though I was really tempted not to last night."
page
580
May 23, 2015
–
Finished Reading
October 3, 2022
– Shelved as:
science-fiction
Comments Showing 1-12 of 12 (12 new)
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I did not like this series as much as Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn. This book in the series in particular is a bit of a slog to get through. That being said, book 3 is somewhat better and the payoff in book 4 is not bad considering all of the time invested. If you've gone this far, you may as well read the last two. Tad does get wordy at times when he doesn't need to. I love his writing, but this series does not showcase his talents the way his others do.
Nick wrote: "I did not like this series as much as Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn. This book in the series in particular is a bit of a slog to get through. That being said, book 3 is somewhat better and the payoff..."I'm glad to hear M,S,T, is better, but it will take me a whole lot of to even attempt this series anymore. I will have to have a pretty slow day of reading to pull these back out. That or a good experience with some of his other work.
Which, on that note, I've actually had. His story in Songs of the Dying Earth was excellent. Still, I need a novel-length something of his that is good enough. :)
His Shadowmarch series is much better than Otherland too. I actually really enjoyed it. they are bricks too though. I don't think he can wrote a book less than four inches thick.
Thanks for the honest review - have MS & T as well on my shelf and was contemplating this series as well; won't be pursuing now, however.
I listened to Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn and it was a far better series then this. I agree, Otherland was boring.
Good to hear I have it on audio and I need to give Williams another chance. I really loved the novella I read.
Haven't read Otherland, but I agree that the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn is a worthwhile read -- though not perfect. It's good enough that I do have book 2 on Mt. TBR.
Thank you, the more support by people with similar tastes is very helpful toward me reading that series.
If it helps, I also didn't especially like the first Bobby Dollar book by him. So I suppose he's an uneven writer, perhaps?
Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn is a much better series, in my opinion. Its a traditional fantasy epic, especially now that we have a couple of generations of fantasy authors coming after him.He kind of bridged the gap between these new authors and a kind of Fantasy Renaissance and what I like to call the "Regurgitate Tolkien" of the 80's.
I think the biggest problem I'm having with Otherland is that there is an interesting story buried in it, but I think it needed to be edited down a lot and have self contained start and end points for each volume.
Thanks for the review. After reading Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn which I mostly loved, then book 1 of Otherland, I'm of the opinion he's a better fantasy writer than science fiction.
I have some good friends that have been recommending M,S,T for ages (like Rob Bedford) so I hesitate to just give up. However, Otherland makes me really wary, especially given the fact that all his series end up being 4 books long when intended as trilogies. I can only imagine that 3 would be too long.