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amdame1's review
3.0
Book 1 in the Saga of Kings series.
Centuries ago, there were 13 stones in a crown that would make one immortal. The stones have been scattered over the ages, but now there are three people in a desperate search for the stones - some with good intentions and some with evil intentions.
Lots of characters to track and a somewhat convoluted storyline make this a book for higher level readers, preferably with a strong background in fantasy fiction.
Centuries ago, there were 13 stones in a crown that would make one immortal. The stones have been scattered over the ages, but now there are three people in a desperate search for the stones - some with good intentions and some with evil intentions.
Lots of characters to track and a somewhat convoluted storyline make this a book for higher level readers, preferably with a strong background in fantasy fiction.
discipleofhoid's review
3.0
This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This was a decent book. I only had two major complaints. The characterization seemed a little flat. There is a very sharp distinction between the good and bad/evil characters. The "Good" characters seem unrealistic in their devotion and goodness while the "Evil" characters seem to simply enjoy evilness.
My other issue with this book is that it is being marketed as epic fantasy similar to Lord of the Rings or The Song of Fire and Ice. This is not that kind of epic fantasy. I would compare this more to [b:The Memory of Earth|92956|The Memory of Earth (Homecoming, #1)|Orson Scott Card|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1390186790s/92956.jpg|4092] by [a:Orson Scott Card|589|Orson Scott Card|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/authors/1294099952p2/589.jpg] or [b:Dragon Wing|28481|Dragon Wing (The Death Gate Cycle, #1)|Margaret Weis|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1403168128s/28481.jpg|1611445] by [a:Margaret Weis|869|Margaret Weis|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/authors/1371065031p2/869.jpg] than any epic fantasy I have read. This book does not have the depth and complexity of world building that I expect in my epic fantasy. Also 544 pages seems a bit light for an epic fantasy novel.
Those two points aside I enjoyed reading the book and will probably read any future books in the series. The descriptions of the locations and battles drew me in and I found the plot compelling.
This was a decent book. I only had two major complaints. The characterization seemed a little flat. There is a very sharp distinction between the good and bad/evil characters. The "Good" characters seem unrealistic in their devotion and goodness while the "Evil" characters seem to simply enjoy evilness.
My other issue with this book is that it is being marketed as epic fantasy similar to Lord of the Rings or The Song of Fire and Ice. This is not that kind of epic fantasy. I would compare this more to [b:The Memory of Earth|92956|The Memory of Earth (Homecoming, #1)|Orson Scott Card|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1390186790s/92956.jpg|4092] by [a:Orson Scott Card|589|Orson Scott Card|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/authors/1294099952p2/589.jpg] or [b:Dragon Wing|28481|Dragon Wing (The Death Gate Cycle, #1)|Margaret Weis|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1403168128s/28481.jpg|1611445] by [a:Margaret Weis|869|Margaret Weis|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/authors/1371065031p2/869.jpg] than any epic fantasy I have read. This book does not have the depth and complexity of world building that I expect in my epic fantasy. Also 544 pages seems a bit light for an epic fantasy novel.
Those two points aside I enjoyed reading the book and will probably read any future books in the series. The descriptions of the locations and battles drew me in and I found the plot compelling.
biblioholicbeth's review
2.0
Three males, each without a lineage. Each potentially the one destined to fulfill a prophecy, none knowing the part they may yet play. In this book - the first in a series - we learn about each of them and what drives them forward towards a destiny that may not necessarily be the one they believe.
First - this is a LONG book. A door-stopper. Should you choose to read it, you might want to go for an e-book, if you read them.
As for the book itself, I almost stopped reading by page 11. At that point, it felt like the author couldn't decide on what to write, so he just threw in EVERYTHING. Dragons? Check. Orphan? Check. Creepy old crone? Double-check. Epic quest? Check, check, check. It was as if there was a yellow pad with a handwritten checklist nearby, and as each thing was thrown in, a box got marked off. But - I persevered. By page 31, we had yet another mysterious orphan (I didn't realize at the time that we would end up with 3 mysterious orphans), delivered in the dead of night. And the overly florid language was driving my crazy. What could be said in 5 words instead took 3 sentences. EVERYTHING has major descriptives. Again, I persevered. And finally, after way longer than it feels like it should have taken, I completed this epic. And...it was ok.
The characters are extremely thoroughly described. By the end of the book, any reader will be able to picture each major character (and many minor ones) in exquisite detail, and will know their motives (and motivations) back to front. There is no lack there - other than the fact that the majority of all the characters who may have something to do in book two when it arrives are male. Diversity is not this book's strong point.
The story? Well, it seemed to ebb and flow. The religious system in the story reminded me more of Christianity than anything else, and occasionally I wondered if there was a hidden motive in there for that. The language, as I mentioned, seemed sometimes overdone, to the point of shrinking the book if the editing had been a bit better. There are a lot of things that seem to be a bit convenient - mysterious voices can only compensate for so much, yet here they seem to be working overtime. However, by the time I got to the end, I started to feel more interested in what was going to happen - only to find out that NOTHING was. That's right - there is no real ending. It's all one big build-up for the next book. Very disappointing to put that much effort into reading, only to figure out that none of these characters I had followed for so long were able to get any closure on *anything*.
I doubt I would read the second book, but...maybe. If I did, I would either get it in e-book on sale, or borrow it from the library. Even after 535 pages, I'm not invested enough to make the monetary investment for another one.
First - this is a LONG book. A door-stopper. Should you choose to read it, you might want to go for an e-book, if you read them.
As for the book itself, I almost stopped reading by page 11. At that point, it felt like the author couldn't decide on what to write, so he just threw in EVERYTHING. Dragons? Check. Orphan? Check. Creepy old crone? Double-check. Epic quest? Check, check, check. It was as if there was a yellow pad with a handwritten checklist nearby, and as each thing was thrown in, a box got marked off. But - I persevered. By page 31, we had yet another mysterious orphan (I didn't realize at the time that we would end up with 3 mysterious orphans), delivered in the dead of night. And the overly florid language was driving my crazy. What could be said in 5 words instead took 3 sentences. EVERYTHING has major descriptives. Again, I persevered. And finally, after way longer than it feels like it should have taken, I completed this epic. And...it was ok.
The characters are extremely thoroughly described. By the end of the book, any reader will be able to picture each major character (and many minor ones) in exquisite detail, and will know their motives (and motivations) back to front. There is no lack there - other than the fact that the majority of all the characters who may have something to do in book two when it arrives are male. Diversity is not this book's strong point.
The story? Well, it seemed to ebb and flow. The religious system in the story reminded me more of Christianity than anything else, and occasionally I wondered if there was a hidden motive in there for that. The language, as I mentioned, seemed sometimes overdone, to the point of shrinking the book if the editing had been a bit better. There are a lot of things that seem to be a bit convenient - mysterious voices can only compensate for so much, yet here they seem to be working overtime. However, by the time I got to the end, I started to feel more interested in what was going to happen - only to find out that NOTHING was. That's right - there is no real ending. It's all one big build-up for the next book. Very disappointing to put that much effort into reading, only to figure out that none of these characters I had followed for so long were able to get any closure on *anything*.
I doubt I would read the second book, but...maybe. If I did, I would either get it in e-book on sale, or borrow it from the library. Even after 535 pages, I'm not invested enough to make the monetary investment for another one.
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