Fantasy Books Reviews

The Gentleman Bastard Sequence - The Lies of Locke Lamora Review

2010-04-11T23:05:00.005-04:00

Let’s get on with the review of one of my all time favorites, Scott Lynch’s The Lies of Locke Lamora. Click here to read the rest of the review.

Many claim that this book is one of the best books they have ever read and it deserves this praise in most cases. To begin with, the book revolves around the exploits of a group of thieves known as The Gentleman Bastards and its leader, Locke Lamora. The Gentleman Bastards specializes in cons – not small ones, think Ocean’s Eleven – and they are the best at what they do. All the success revolves around the intelligence of Locke Lamora and his daring schemes. The plot begins with a light tone but takes a turn for the dark and the reader is plunged into a breathless ride of wild schemes and wilder schemers. Scott Lynch weaves the plot with a skillful hand and the final conclusion is truly a work of art when the reader finally sees the threads of the plot come together to culminate in a satisfying conclusion. The book is not all about the plot; Lynch truly creates a living, breathing world with a rich history and background and he truly brings his characters to life. Scott Lynch’s abilities truly come to the forefront when he writes dialogue as he uses heavy details and light-hearted banter in equal doses. The book’s plot is delivered to us through flashbacks and present narrative. This works very well as Lynch introduces us to the various characters through their early exploits instead of just shoving them down our throats. I have only one gripe (very minor) with the book: the pacing can be slightly off at times and you may find it a little (very little) annoying. Apart from this, the book is very well written and delivers to its reader a story worthy of the best names in the fantasy genre. Scott Lynch truly sets himself apart with The Lies of Locke Lamora as it delivers both an engaging and entertaining tale. I truly look forward to the rest of the series and would strongly recommend that you read this excellent, excellent book.

Score

Plot (5): 4.5 (Sucks you in and does not let go till the very end; Pacing can be slightly off at times)
Magic System (5): * (Not relevant since magic is not central to the book)
Writing (5): 4.5 (Very polished)
Ideas (5): 5 (Has never been done before and presents a unique and refreshing take of the fantasy genre)
Characterization (5): 4.5 (Characters truly come to life with their witty and intelligent dialogue)
Overall (5): 4.5 (One of the best books I have ever read)

Closing Comments: Lynch truly does something unique with his debut novel. He avoids all fantasy clichés and manages to craft a novel truly worthy of all the praise it has received over the past years. The Lies of Locke Lamora is one book that I will never forget and look forward to the upcoming books.

Song of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones Review

2010-03-13T18:46:00.007-05:00

George R.R. Martin stormed onto the fantasy scene with his wildly successful A Game of Thrones and is now considered by many to be one of the best authors of the fantasy genre. Does his first book in the Song of Ice and Fire truly stack up to the books by big names like Steven Erikson and Robert Jordan or is it just hype? Click here to read the rest of the review.

To put it simply, A Game of Thrones is possibly one of the best fantasy books to have ever been written. Not only does it stack up to the heavyweights, it demolishes most of them. George R.R. Martin’s main focus, however, is not the plot but the characters in his book. Martin successfully brings the characters in his book to life unlike any other author, and the cast is no small one with its size rivaling that of Steven Erikson’s. Martin’s characters have their own ambitions and motives, and they are so life-like that you will begin to believe in the characters and you may find yourself liking the wrong character several times. Along with their life-like ambitions, Martin’s characters represent shades of gray that I didn’t even know existed. Martin uses his characterization to drive the plot forward, with the differing motives and ambitions of the characters driving the plot forward. Make no mistake, the plot is no slouch as it could be a superstar on its own, but coupled with the characterization it becomes a champion. Oh just a warning. Martin does not pull any of his punches. You could potentially find one of your favorite characters dead in a matter of pages. Just for added measure, any character could turn into a villain by the next page. Additionally, the world Martin creates in A Game of Thrones is large, sprawling, and engrossing with several different races and nations. It is a medieval setting with knights, horses, and tournaments reminiscent of the Middle Ages. Curiously, magic is not as prevalent in A Game of Thrones as you would expect, especially considering this is a fantasy book. Magic is only hinted at throughout the book and, unlike many others, Martin does not rely on magic to get one of his characters out of a difficult situation. The character either dies or survives with injuries. This is a refreshingly new approach to the fantasy genre, one that is very rarely taken by other authors. I cannot say enough good things Martin’s debut book so definitely check it out for yourself and you yourself will be singing praises.

Score

Plot (5): 4.5 (Sucks you in with its depth and with the many twists and turns, it is almost perfect)
Magic System (5): * (Not relevant since magic is only hinted at throughout the book)
Writing (5): 4.5 (Very polished)
Ideas (5): 5 (Martin introduces several new ideas and redefines the fantasy genre)
Characterization (5): 5 (Shades of gray, black, and white. Need I say more?)
Overall (5): 4.5 (Very close to perfect)

Closing Comments: Martin’s debut into the fantasy genre is so well written that it redefines the fantasy genre and sets a new benchmark for other authors of the genre. Fantasy will never be the same for you once you read A Game of Thrones. Do yourself a favor and go pick up this book from your local bookstore.

The Belgariad Review

2010-02-15T23:15:00.005-05:00

David Eddings' name is to fantasy what Henry Ford’s is to automobiles. Before Henry Ford only the rich could buy cars and before David Eddings only the hardcore could truly enjoy fantasy fiction. It is for this reason I consider David Eddings to be one of the greatest fantasy writers of all time. Click here to read the rest of this review.

The Belgariad is easily David Eddings' best work and the reason is the series' simplicity. It does not make any excuses for what it is: a straightforward coming-of-age story. There are no smokescreens that trick the reader into thinking The Belgariad is any more than that. The entire plot of the series revolves around a boy Garion, who is the long lost heir to the Rivan Throne, his quest for the Orb of Aldur, and his subsequent conflict with the evil god Torak. That is about the extent of the plot and you can see the end result from the beginning of The Pawn of Prophecy. This could have been a problem with many other books but why is it not a problem with The Belgariad? The answer is the execution. The world David Eddings creates in his books is rich with detail and filled with several races including gods, dragons, and thinking rocks (Now that’s cool). The characters, even though they are very one-dimensional, are strong with each representing a different aspect of humanity (Algars – Racial bias, Drasnians – Deception, Chereks – Brutality…). Even all of this would not be enough to excuse some of the rather deep flaws present in the series. Then why do I think The Belgariad is one of the greatest series out there? It represents a time when people just wanted to read for the fun of reading and authors did not have to worry about whether or not their characters were shades of grey. Frankly, most critics would say The Belgariad is a deeply flawed series, but I say it is the series that made fantasy famous. The two most important characters in the series, Belgarath and Garion, remain to this day my two favorite characters in the fantasy genre. Belgarath is just plain cool while Garion is the person I want to be: amazingly powerful with the ability to kill evil gods. I have never read any other series that made me love the characters as much as The Belgariad made me love its characters. For this I give kudos to David Eddings (R.I.P) and to his best literary work, The Belgariad.

Score

Plot (5): 3 (Very predictable but still thoroughly enjoyable)
Magic System (5): 4 (Simple yet effective in the context of the series)
Writing (5): 3.5 (Easy read but some language, like that of the Mimbrates, is corny)
Ideas (5): 2 (Can’t give too many points here; Eddings definitely didn’t introduce anything new)
Characterization (5): 4 (Some of the strongest and most lovable characters in all of the fantasy genre)
Overall (5): 3.5 (An average literary series but one that you will enjoy immensely)

Closing Comments: David Eddings must be lauded for his success in bringing fantasy to the masses with The Belgariad. This series does not rank very high in the minds of critics but ranks high in the hearts of readers. When you finish reading it, you will never forget the characters whether it be the Drasnian Prince Kheldar or the Cherek Barak. Do yourself a favor, find the entire series at your local library and read it, fantasy will never be the same for you ever again.

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Malazan Book of the Fallen - Gardens of the Moon Review

2010-02-09T21:38:00.007-05:00

Ever heard of the Malazan Book of the Fallen or Gardens of the Moon? If you live in the United States, you probably have no clue what I am talking about. There is a very good reason for your lack of knowledge: Steven Erikson’s wildly successful Malazan series just never caught on in America but it is one of the most popular fantasy series outside of the United States. Click here to read the rest of this review.
This lack of popularity can be attributed to the series’ high level of complexity and its requirement of thought and investment on the part of its reader which is uncommon among fantasy books of this day and age. Gardens of the Moon marks Steven Erikson’s debut in the fantasy genre and, frankly speaking, this review is ten years overdue but there is still time for some new reader to fall in love with this great, but complex, series. Alright, now to the book. Well the real question is: Is it any good? Simply put, Gardens of the Moon is one of the best books I have ever read and I have read quite a lot. The characterization is great, the plot is deep, and the history of the land is rich (Erikson successfully creates a living, breathing world). However, like I said before, the book is extremely complex due to its multiple plot threads, large cast of grey characters, and grand scale. But these are the exact things that make Gardens of the Moon so great. The plot is so complex it will leave your head spinning, the characters are so grey that you may find yourself rooting for the villain, and the entire book takes place over two extremely large continents (How’s that for scale?). Even though this book can seem daunting to read, trust me it is, you will be having a great time every page you read and will leave with a feeling of satisfaction for just having finished the book, much less understanding it. The plot starts slow with many threads but slowly begins to pick up the pace and by the end you are rushing towards a very satisfying conclusion. Erikson’s world and characters are Gardens of the Moon’s real gems. It is a large sprawling world filled with mages, demons, gods, and so many other races it is hard to keep track of them. What is so special is the sense of mystery surrounding each race. Then there are the characters and there a lot of them. Each character is well thought out and has his unique history and background. Erikson cleverly avoids common fantasy clichés that many new authors fall prey to. My favorite character is Anomander Rake who wields the black sword Dragnipur. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series and find out more about him. I could go on praising Gardens of the Moon but I will stop and say you should definitely check out the book even if the sheer scale of the book intimidates you. Keep in mind, however, that Gardens of the Moon is only for those willing to investing both time and effort into reading it.

Score

Plot (5): 4 (Plot is excellent but can be difficult to understand in the beginning)
Magic System (5): 4 (Extremely interesting system but could have been explained better)
Writing (5): 4.5 (Very well written with lots of detail)
Ideas (5): 4.5 (Steven Erikson successfully avoids almost all clichés and most ideas are unique)
Characterization (5): 5 (Shades of grey. Need I say more?)
Overall (5): 4.5 (Great book for those willing to invest time and effort)

Closing Comments: Gardens of the Moon was Steven Erikson’s entry into the fantasy genre and it was so good that it looks as if it was written by someone who is a veteran of the fantasy genre. Despite its complexity and grand scale, Gardens of the Moon is one of the best fantasy books out there and when you finish it, you will leave be rushing to find the next installment in the series, Deadhouse Gates.

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The Inheritance Cycle - Brisingr Review

2010-02-09T00:44:00.013-05:00

Brisingr marks the third installment in Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle (initially Inheritance Trilogy). Paolini's fame began with his first book, Eragon, and continued with his second, Eldest. Critics praised Paolini's writing potential and claimed he would one day rise to the upper echelons of fantasy writing. Two books later and what do I see? Click here to read the rest of this review.
Well…Christopher Paolini has improved in some areas while he seems to have worsened in others. First the positives. Paolini has added a refreshingly new layer of depth to his characters. Many of the main characters seem to have become more than killing machines and begin to explore the morality of their actions and emotions, especially Eragon. The plot remains interesting throughout the book thanks to the many bits of historical information Paolini includes. Also, the many fight scenes in the book remain as good as ever with lots of detail and imagery. I found myself sometimes cheering for Eragon when he was fighting against great odds. Now the negatives and there are a lot of them. The plot, while interesting, is very linear. Most of Brisingr is just too predictable with too many clichés. To compound the linearity of the plot, there are basically no transitions throughout the book and the result is a jarring ride. It was sometimes extremely difficult to get back into the book after a new scenes begins after a completely separate scene. There are several more minor problems that can be overlooked but my major gripe with this book is Christopher Paolini’s writing style. Like I previously mentioned, he seems to be perfectly at home when writing about fights but when he starts to write dialogue, the results are quite bad. One of two things usually happens. Either the character goes on a rant about some moral issue or the character just says what he wants. There seem to be no conversations with emotional value throughout the entire book. Sure Eragon has a few conversations with Arya and the Urgal chief but the dialogue just lacks any wit or emotion. Now don’t get me wrong, this may seem like I am bashing the book, I am not and I am a fan of the series; I am just saying that I haven’t seen the improvement I expected to see in Christopher Paolini since Eragon. He really had a chance to distinguish himself with Brisingr but the final effort falls a little flat.

Score

Plot (5): 2.5 (Too predictable but furthers some of the major arcs and begins to close others)
Magic System (5): 3.5 (Continues the same system from the previous books and adds a few new details)
Writing (5): 2 (Has definitely devolved in some areas)
Ideas (5): 1.5 (Christopher Paolini is definitely attempting to add a few twists with new ideas)
Characterization (5): 4 (One of the areas that has seen a lot of improvement)
Overall (5): 3 (Once again a mediocre read that can see improvement in many areas)

Closing Comments: Christopher Paolini had the chance to do something great with Brisingr but failed to do so. His book suffers from many of the flaws his previous books suffered from and his style of writing is tolerant at best and laughably bad at worst. However, there is still potential for improvement. Brisingr will likely not entice any newcomers to the series but fans will find it an excellent read despite some of the problems.

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The Inheritance Cycle - Eragon Review

2010-01-10T22:02:00.015-05:00

Every year we see books such as Terry Goodkind's Confessor make the top of bestsellers' lists. Despite containing few literary merits, these books make millions of dollars and garner fame and recognition for their authors. I expected Eragon to be much of the same with the added bonus of a teenager writing the book. Imagine my surprise when Eragon turned out to be decent. Click here to read the rest of this review.
Eragon's plot, while not entirely original, is interesting and leaves you asking for more. Some of the characters are memorable and interesting, and the magical system is well thought out. That is not to say the book is without its flaws. The writing style can be quite amateurish and is beneath the standards of some of the books out there, and many of the ideas in the book have been, how do i put this, used. Christpoher Paolini seems to have used every single common fantasy trope he could think of: the commoner-turned-hero (Eragon), the powerful villain (Galbatorix), the quest (Vengeance), the romantic interest (Arya), elves etc. I could go on and on but I think I will stop here. One aspect of Eragon that kept throwing me off was its linear nature. Eragon's plot is predictable to say the least and is an almost exact copy of Star Wars. If you approach this book expecting a work worthy of some of the great names like J.R.R. Tolkien, you will be disappointed. However, if you want a quick read, nothing too intelligent, then this is the book for you.

Score

Plot (5): 3 (Interesting plot but it is too predictable)
Magic System (5): 3 (Interesting magic system with the ancient language)
Writing (5): 2.5 (Can be amateurish)
Ideas (5): 1 (Ideas in this book seem to only be clichés)
Characterization (5): 3.5 (You will develop connections with some of the characters)
Overall (5): 2.5 (A light read for those new to the fantasy genre)

Closing Comments: Christopher Paolini deserves much of the attention he has gained, especially considering his young age. This is definitely a book worth at least one read. Give it a try, you might like it. I believe he will improve and look forward to his future works.

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Welcome

2010-01-10T21:58:00.005-05:00

Welcome everyone to the Fantasy Books Review Blog. From now on I will be posting reviews for every book that I read. I will try to post at least one review a week. Feel free to leave comments with tips and suggestions that will help me improve this website. Remember I do this for fun and for the benefit of people who want to read good fantasy books. This blog will improve as time passes and I learn more about what the community wants. Once again I welcome and thank all of you for visiting my blog.