Post by dinadan on Aug 22, 2005 19:44:17 GMT -5
Well, I have to say, I have very mixed feelings about this book.
The pros: I am enthralled by the mythology. The whole concept of The Old Kingdom and Ancelsteirre being almost different worlds on the same continent intrigues me, as does the obvously well-plotted system of Charter Magic vs Free Magic. The background of this book is great.
The cons: The background is better than the story. I'm hoping that this book is just suffering from "first novel syndrome"--I suppose I'll find out when I read Lirael, should I get around to it before the fall term starts. The book is incredibly boring to read--it reads like someone trying desperately hard to write fantasy...like its forced. The characters are dull, and the slow revelation of the "what's going on" is done in a very amateur way. By the middle of the book, when things were finally getting revealled while the characters were on a boat (because, for some unexplained reason, magic, including bindings, don't work out to sea?!?!), the moment things were finally about to get clarified, the character speaking stops mid sentences and is like "Oh, I can't talk anymore, we're too close to land!" Frustrating doesn't begin to describe.
All in all, I appreciate Mr. Nix's imagination, but his writing is deplorable. I don't really see what all the fuss is about, unless people are being really generous because the backstory he created is just incredible.
The pros: I am enthralled by the mythology. The whole concept of The Old Kingdom and Ancelsteirre being almost different worlds on the same continent intrigues me, as does the obvously well-plotted system of Charter Magic vs Free Magic. The background of this book is great.
The cons: The background is better than the story. I'm hoping that this book is just suffering from "first novel syndrome"--I suppose I'll find out when I read Lirael, should I get around to it before the fall term starts. The book is incredibly boring to read--it reads like someone trying desperately hard to write fantasy...like its forced. The characters are dull, and the slow revelation of the "what's going on" is done in a very amateur way. By the middle of the book, when things were finally getting revealled while the characters were on a boat (because, for some unexplained reason, magic, including bindings, don't work out to sea?!?!), the moment things were finally about to get clarified, the character speaking stops mid sentences and is like "Oh, I can't talk anymore, we're too close to land!" Frustrating doesn't begin to describe.
All in all, I appreciate Mr. Nix's imagination, but his writing is deplorable. I don't really see what all the fuss is about, unless people are being really generous because the backstory he created is just incredible.
