I've only been so-so on the Liveship Traders trilogy. I thought this third book was building up to be something epic but not only did the ending leaveI've only been so-so on the Liveship Traders trilogy. I thought this third book was building up to be something epic but not only did the ending leave me flat, rape is used as a plot device. AGAIN. I'm not going to spoiler this review, I think it's important for people to know this going into it. Althea is brutally raped and no one believes her. She spends the last two hundred pages of the book cowering in the corner because of this rape. We had a whole goddamn trilogy to get on her side, to want her ship back, to care about her quest, and then LOL NOPE we're just gonna rape her and make sure she's with a strong man at the end! YAY! Even better, let's give her rapist a hero's death! YAY AGAIN! EVERYONE LOVES HIM! What's a little bit of rape to a pirate amirite.
So yeah, that colored my enjoyment of, well, everything.
There are a lot of points of view in this book, but we know the characters well by now and it was never confusing. What was confusing was the vast amount of storylines that ended up not mattering. Reyn especially in this book, who I really wanted to like even though his whole character arc is MALTA I LOVE YOUUUU, has a storyline that doesn't matter. Why was he even there? It happened several times where there would be pages of dialogue/discussion, an agreement would be made, and then something would happen that negated all of that anyway, so like, what was the point? Once, fine, but it happened enough times that I noticed it and it just made the whole book feel kind of like a waste of time.
The ending battle disappointed me. Thinking back on the Farseer Trilogy, there were few battles we were actually present for. Much of it was the small battles between people. When all the threads finally come together here for a big last battle, I was working myself up to be excited at the epicness (despite said rape from earlier). But it fell flat for me. The battle didn't really work.
I'm going to keep reading the series. And I hope there is 1000% less rape than there was in this trilogy....more
Ah yes, I remember now why I found this series so frustrating. The bad guy is bumbling and obvious - there is no subtlety here. We are told he is bad,Ah yes, I remember now why I found this series so frustrating. The bad guy is bumbling and obvious - there is no subtlety here. We are told he is bad, shown he is bad, told he is bad again, read a conversation where someone is like, "But I'm just not sure if he's bad, and anyway it would be treason to say he was bad," shown he is bad. Again. Have another conversation where it would be treason to say he was bad. And then finally, the climax! Where guess what! Turns out...HE WAS BAD!!! Truly a shocking turn of events! Who could have foreseen this!?
I have a weakness for origin stories. The first stumbling steps into power before they are actually powerful. Because of that, I usually like the first book or movie of a series first. I love the setup and getting to know a new world. By the time the second book comes around, we know their weaknesses and their strengths and it is never as interesting. So the first 600 pages of this book were annoying to me, especially with the above "is he bad, yes he's bad, but let's show you again" refrain. However, the climax was AWESOME. I even got close to crying a couple of times.
I am hoping to continue with my momentum here and read the whole series - all 15 books of it. We'll see if that actually happens....more
I'm sorry, we're just not going to see everyone from the North again, Jewel and her man servant/sorcerer I can't remember his name, Celleriant, her coI'm sorry, we're just not going to see everyone from the North again, Jewel and her man servant/sorcerer I can't remember his name, Celleriant, her cool mount? Where's Margret? Where's the Tor Arkosa? You're going to make me go to Google and find out there's another EIGHT BOOK SERIES and MAYBE I'll get some closure?
Hell no.
The ending was incredibly disappointing. We've been building up for this big battle for 6 books, it happened mostly off-screen and quickly, and all the allies we spent those 6 books gathering didn't even show up. I did gasp out loud at one reveal (Anya), but then she just waltzes off stage and there's no closure there either.
I honestly love this world and the characters in it, but no thank you ever again....more
This is a reread from a few years ago. I thought it was just so-so at the time, but I'm upping my review by a star this time around. I can't tell if iThis is a reread from a few years ago. I thought it was just so-so at the time, but I'm upping my review by a star this time around. I can't tell if it is because I knew bad things were going to happen so I was better prepared, if I have matured, or if my taste in fantasy has changed, but I felt more willing to be along for the ride than last time. Perhaps a combination of all three. People change a lot in a decade.
Animals play a large role in the story and the magic of this world and animals are heartbreaking in a way humans are not. I don't even consider myself a dog person and the end of this book had me weeping and clinging to the nearest fuzzy object - my cat who puts up with aggressive cuddles.
As far as I understand it, the series that is set in this world has drawn to a close. This time I think I might continue on and try to read all of the books to their conclusion....more
Short and beautiful for it. Upon finishing I immediately went back to the beginning because a number of concepts are introduced with no context, but oShort and beautiful for it. Upon finishing I immediately went back to the beginning because a number of concepts are introduced with no context, but once you read the book you know enough to understand them. Didn't realize it was the beginning of a series...interesting choice to have series of books that are incredibly short (Thinking of Seanan McGuire's Wayward Children series in particular). Interestingly, they are both published by tor.com. Something they are pushing for? I don't have anything against short books but I wonder if it bugs anyone to pay full price for a book you'll read in a short afternoon....more
I think I’ll let this series lie. It is much more “young adult” than “fantasy,” which is fine, but not for me. There was a lot of writing hugely whichI think I’ll let this series lie. It is much more “young adult” than “fantasy,” which is fine, but not for me. There was a lot of writing hugely which is the best way I can come up with explaining it. I didn’t write down any quotes because I was listening to the audiobook, but Goodreads has some quotes that are good examples:
“And then I am going to rattle the stars”
“Rowan looked into her eyes, into the very core of her.”
“All she knew was that whatever and whoever climbed out of that abyss of despair and grief would not be the same person who had plummeted in.”
“A final shadow lifted from her heart.”
"It is a monster dwelling under my skin. For the past ten years, I have worked every day, every hour, to keep that monster locked up.”
I started gritting my teeth every time this happened. If I had to read about feeling shattered at the bottom of the world one more time I probably would have abandoned the whole thing. Unfortunately, the audiobook narrator exacerbated this. She wasn’t my favorite.
It tried to be badass, conniving, and political, but only succeeded in coming across as immature. It was like watching a PG-13 version of a story that should have been R. Although, there was one death that surprised me – I really thought the heroes would swoop in for the rescue, and they didn’t. So I liked that part....more
I first read this maybe 10-15 years ago and I remember loving it at the time. I've matured since then, as have my taste in books, and I am much more aI first read this maybe 10-15 years ago and I remember loving it at the time. I've matured since then, as have my taste in books, and I am much more able to point at things and know exactly why I dislike them. Which is to say - this book did not hold up on a re-read. Everyone was constantly posturing in a really annoying way. Everyone thought they were right. The politics were asinine. None of the battles made any sense and the demons absolutely should have won.
To top it all off, the audiobook narrator was just...awful....more
I absolutely hated the epilogue and almost took it down to 4 stars. But I loved the rest of the book so I guess I'll keep it at 5, begrudgingly.
BeautiI absolutely hated the epilogue and almost took it down to 4 stars. But I loved the rest of the book so I guess I'll keep it at 5, begrudgingly.
Beautiful and evocative. I think this is going to be a love it or hate it kind of book. Lots of politics, lots of names to keep straight, but I cared immensely about every character we are introduced to and found myself weepy as I raced towards the end. He had an amazing way of making you care about every side of this war, all these nations and faiths battling each other and you kind of want all of them to win because they all have people you care about.
In fact I am rather upset that not all of them could win. So BOO at the ending and double big BOO to the epilogue. I'm usually all for a death to give a character meaning, but in this case I'm pissed he couldn't figure out a way to keep everyone alive. The winking reveal in the epilogue pissed me off....more
I am unclear how many times I have read this book. It is something like 5 or 6. The last time was in January 2012 in preparation for tJanuary 24, 2020
I am unclear how many times I have read this book. It is something like 5 or 6. The last time was in January 2012 in preparation for the release of book 14, A Memory of Light, in January 2013. That was almost exactly 8 years ago, by far the longest break I have taken in between re-reads. I still remember the anticipation of that year, forcing myself to only one book a month so I would be finished just in time for the release of the last novel. Even at the time, I expected to never anticipate anything so much as the box on my doorstep the day book 14 was released. I went to see Brandon Sanderson and Harriet McDougal at Powell's a few weeks later and I cried while she read the opening paragraph of A Memory of Light and the entire audience solemnly intoned "but it was a beginning."
How has this series affected my life? I can never be sure. I am not even sure how much I like fantasy anymore, the cornerstone of my adolescence. I seem to be disappointed by it more often than impressed. Then again, I have matured, and so have my tastes. It needs to be darn good fantasy to get me hot and bothered nowadays.
I picked up this book again because of the TV series, coming out...this year? Next year? There is no release date. I have been following every announcement with avid anticipation. There have been casting announcements, a picture from the set, a listing of the episode names we know so far, and endless speculation. I devour it all, and usually get a little emotional while I do. This series is intertwined with something primal within me, and I cannot explain it.
There were several parts that made me smile wistfully or brought tears to my eyes (I cry really easily, ok? I am crying while I write this, in fact). Since this is the first time I am rereading since the entire series was released, I am looking for clues for things I know will come later, such as (view spoiler)[ every interaction between Moiraine and Thom, because that took me completely by surprise(hide spoiler)].
The Ogier's ears had perked up happily. "Ah! Yes. Manetheren." The tufts went down again. "There was a very fine grove there. Your pain sings in my heart, Rand al'Thor. We could not come in time."
Ok, you got me. That made me cry too.
This I foretell. This is the last time I will read this book. Once translated to the screen, the words will lose their magic. I used to read The Lord of the Rings on a yearly basis until the movies came out, but recently when I tried to read them, something had been lost. It was full of someone else's vision and I could no longer see my own. I will miss the Randland in my head, but it will gain elsewhere. There will be more people reading it. More fans who discover it. More people with eyes glistening at the parts that speak to them.
I will sheathe the sword. The price is worth the gain.
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January 30, 2012
The Wheel of Time is an amazing fantasy series, and any fantasy fan worth their salt must read it. I do not think it is worth it if you are only so-so on fantasy. It is simply too complicated, and you really need to care about the world Jordan has created for us in order to get any joy from this series. Yes, it does start off copying Tolkein, but Jordan takes it and makes it his own. This series wouldn't be so popular if it didn't hold up on its own.
It is not perfect. There are a number of oft-repeated phrases that I can never hear again without shuddering a little ("smooths her skirts," "wool head," "crosses her arms beneath her breasts" just to name a few). None of this makes it anything less than it is, which is EPIC fantasy....more
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