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ejkimberley's review
3.0
A book which spends a great deal of time setting up its eventual confrontation, culmination and resolution, and a book which consequently feels as if its first 500 pages exist largely for the sake of its final 10, for better or for worse.
Kay is clearly very interested in the world he's developing, and his enthusiasm for and interest in the investigation of the lives of common people in the time and place he's drawing on may be infection. But his willingness to put so much work into his research compels one to ask whether placing the story in an alternate universe, with every so slightly modified names, is strictly necessary.
I have no complaints, as an Anglo-Saxonist, regarding his research and the way he presents it. I only question the necessity of obscuring that information behind altered spellings and titles and terms.
This is a very solid work of historical fiction, with a supernatural element. And yet it doesn't seem willing to admit that historical fiction (supernatural notwithstanding) is what it is.
Given how much work Kay puts into recreating this world, and how much time the reader will spend exporing it, I regret Kay's conventional inclination to hide behind fictionalised names and identities. It's clear he's interested in the realities which lie behind it. The reader cannot help but be equally so. Any attempt to alienate the reader from that reality seems at cross-purposes with the larger intentions of the work.
Kay is clearly very interested in the world he's developing, and his enthusiasm for and interest in the investigation of the lives of common people in the time and place he's drawing on may be infection. But his willingness to put so much work into his research compels one to ask whether placing the story in an alternate universe, with every so slightly modified names, is strictly necessary.
I have no complaints, as an Anglo-Saxonist, regarding his research and the way he presents it. I only question the necessity of obscuring that information behind altered spellings and titles and terms.
This is a very solid work of historical fiction, with a supernatural element. And yet it doesn't seem willing to admit that historical fiction (supernatural notwithstanding) is what it is.
Given how much work Kay puts into recreating this world, and how much time the reader will spend exporing it, I regret Kay's conventional inclination to hide behind fictionalised names and identities. It's clear he's interested in the realities which lie behind it. The reader cannot help but be equally so. Any attempt to alienate the reader from that reality seems at cross-purposes with the larger intentions of the work.
dyslexzak's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I found it a little tricky to keep track of all the names at first.
I enjoyed the low magic setting.
I enjoyed the low magic setting.
thomouser's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
timinbc's review
4.0
Not quite a good as some of his others, but still very good.
I was occasionally snatched away from being lost in his magical world by stylistic things.
First, Kay seems to be obsessed with the blood-eagle thing. It comes up over and over, far more than needed.
Second, and this is true of most fantasy, every arrow shot in the book seems to kill its target instantly. Every one of them can shoot individual peas out of a pod at 100 paces.
Third, while I have no problem with sentence fragments and the occasional "whole lives can turn on small moments like this" or "that turned out to be a bad decision", they seemed to come up too often -- even allowing for the comfortable feeling Kay gives that you're sitting around a fire with him and a few friends and he's telling you a story.
There are a LOT of characters, and a lot of plot threads, but by golly he ties them all together at the end with a flair, including a couple of "huh, didn't see THAT coming" to balance the more predictable outcomes that the plot demanded.
Still a very good book, and I'm ready for Children of Earth and Sky now.
I was occasionally snatched away from being lost in his magical world by stylistic things.
First, Kay seems to be obsessed with the blood-eagle thing. It comes up over and over, far more than needed.
Second, and this is true of most fantasy, every arrow shot in the book seems to kill its target instantly. Every one of them can shoot individual peas out of a pod at 100 paces.
Third, while I have no problem with sentence fragments and the occasional "whole lives can turn on small moments like this" or "that turned out to be a bad decision", they seemed to come up too often -- even allowing for the comfortable feeling Kay gives that you're sitting around a fire with him and a few friends and he's telling you a story.
There are a LOT of characters, and a lot of plot threads, but by golly he ties them all together at the end with a flair, including a couple of "huh, didn't see THAT coming" to balance the more predictable outcomes that the plot demanded.
Still a very good book, and I'm ready for Children of Earth and Sky now.
davidjags's review against another edition
Couldn't maintain interest with all the changing characters and vignette.
winnifred's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
tbeaumont223's review
4.0
I loved this book. He can be a hit and miss author, but when he is good, he is great!
kcrouth's review against another edition
1.0
I freakin' give up on this one. There are too many other books that I want to read for me to waste any more time on this one. Following the plot and the characters is like some sort of twisted puzzle or whodunnit mystery. As a result, after 232 pages, i couldn't care less about any of the characters nor about how this convoluted story will end. The first book that i read by this author was "Under Heaven" and it was excellent in every way that this book is found wanting. It was excellent! Unfortunately, other books i've read by Kay are not as compelling. This is the third i've read and I'm done with him.
Additionally, as a result of this book, i've implemented an overdue personal policy of NOT finishing a book unless it has won me in the first 25%. If i am not completely into the story by 1/4 of the way through, I'll spend the remaining 75% on another book that I want to read. Life is to freaking short.
Additionally, as a result of this book, i've implemented an overdue personal policy of NOT finishing a book unless it has won me in the first 25%. If i am not completely into the story by 1/4 of the way through, I'll spend the remaining 75% on another book that I want to read. Life is to freaking short.
mrbear's review against another edition
3.0
This book was honestly pretty disappointing. the characters weren't compelling, and it tried a bit too hard to be deep and full of Earth Shattering Moments. Not even close to the quality of the Lions of Al-Rassan or a Song for Arbonne.
dromwald's review
4.0
Another great read from a master story-teller. This one, influenced by Alfred the Great and the Anglo Saxon kingdoms and Wales during the dark ages was particularly interesting for me as I currently live in a part of what was once Wessex and spent much of my childhood in the valleys of Wales. There is also a supernatural element in the book surrounding the pre-christian deities supposedly worshiped in those times which, though should be taken as pure fantasy, caused a tingle in my memories. Anyone who has spent a windy Halloween night on Badbury Rings or sat near the King's Barrows near Stonehenge at dusk will appreciate there was a reason why our superstitious ancestors felt the ancient forests that surrounded them held more than a little of the fey about them.