Rating: 
Summary: Solid, enjoyable, gritty.
Review: Overall, I liked The Briar King. Interesting new world with some history, some suspense, some novel new ways of looking at things. I didn't fall in love with this book, however. Somehow, it came across as slightly vague. Some of this might be intentional-- exactly what magic is, its basis, its history, even the bad malignant threat to humankind are amorphous. There are concepts of intangibility that are discussed, explained, so you know for sure that its supposed to be insubstantial. Then there is just plain vague. Too many things in this book left me feeling-- what?-- it gave me a feeling of being lost and confused as opposed to mysterious.This is true of many of the characters. They lacked depth. This is forgivable-- there are many characters, and a lot of plotlines that needed to be developed and then brought together for a climax that really does fit the bill and leave one fairly satisfied. How much the editor had to do with this is an interesting question in my mind-- there seemed to be whole scenes missing at times, with a quick transition written to explain events. I think Robert Jordan spends too much time writing words that accomplish nothing. I got the sense sometimes that Keyes' just wanted to get through this book. The book is gritty, and the characters are real, with realistic abilities (except where the supernatural take a direct hand). The bad guys are bad, and supernatural, and I had a difficult time at times when one armored bad guy suddenly pulled lightning from the sky, or this supporting character did something similar without any sense that they were supernatural at all. In a genre where quality writing is sometimes scarce, Keyes' is on my list of to-read. He's not one of my favorites, but I certainly enjoyed and was entertained by this book. I'm hoping that subsequent volumes elaborate somewhat further on the vagueness I mentioned. This book struck me like Tad Williams' Otherworld series. Took about 1400 pages to really start grabbing you. Fortunately, it didn't take me as long to get through the first 500 pages as Otherworld did.
Rating: 
Summary: A nice suprise!
Review: Great character development (comparable to George RR. Martin), original story line as well. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
Rating:
Summary: No one can write fantasy like Greg Keyes.
Review: His first books, The Waterborn and The Blackgod, were simply
incredible--with his background in anthropology, Keyes was able to create half a dozen believable and interesting societies, complete with their own unique cultures and traditions. Moreover, the cultures he created for the books did not resemble medieval Europe in any real way, as most fantasy novels seem to; his influences were more Native American and Central Asian. This gave the books a lovely, exotic flavor, which only served to enhance the excellent characterizations and story. It's his prose, though, that won me over. Keyes' books have style. Dialouge? The man is deadly with it. Long conversations, brief utterances--every word is dripping with wit and intelligence. Descriptions? Few people can weave words the way Keyes can; even casual events are written brilliantly. Metaphor and simile? Using either in fantasy can be dangerous--there's always the chance that the reader will take your metaphor literally--but Keyes uses both absolutely effortlessly. There's a classical, literary feel to his work, something that is very much missing from most modern fantasy. After The Waterborn and The Blackgod, Keyes went on to write a
series of alternate history novels in which Isaac Newton discovers the rules of alchemy and magic rather than the rules of science--it was very well done, and after four books reached a satisfying conclusion, but I liked his pure fantasy better, and I hoped he would eventually get back to it. When I heard that his newest book was--finally--a nice big fat
fantasy novel, I jumped for joy, but then wondered if the setting would be as unique as his first two fantasies. See, readers were complaining that it resembled medieval Europe a little too closely--which, after writing two books that so deftly avoided that overused setting, seemed sacrilegious. Luckily, I had nothing to worry about. The world of The Briar King is a lot like medieval Europe, but only because it's populated by people who came from medieval Europe. Not that the setting matters much, anyway; Keyes' focus has always been on his characters, and every one of them in this book is interesting and developed. His writing, as well, is still top-notch--better than ever, in fact, and the plot is intricately detailed and fablously realized. There's a lot to like about The Briar King--it's deep and involving and horribly addicting. (A word of warning, though: in my experience Keyes books don't usually grab you at the first page--there's a gradual suspense that arouses your interest, but it might not hook you immediately. Stick with it!) My biggest beef with the book would have to be the ending--it ends well, but this is the first book in a four-book series, and the density of the tome is such that you'll probably have to reread it before you tackle the next book when it comes out a few years from now. Well, on the other hand, that might not be such a bad thing.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointment indeed
Review: I read the Waterborn by the same author, which was surprisingly original, though had various problems that I attributed to a first-time author. I picked this book up with great hope -- obviously, Keyes should have gotten better since his first series. That was not the case. For Keyes, experience has bred only laziness and bad writing. The reader from Chicago has already written an excellent review. I agree with him in most things. My additional comments: (1) The author loves his world and wants to tell us about the neat things he has invented. He does that in the most clunky and amateurish way possible. Lying bleeding in a trench, do you discuss the fine points of the history of a country? Also, some characters are there just to tell us said neat stuff about the world. "Hi, you just rescued me, I study arcane stuff, let me tell you about it." Ok, it is neat, but why should we care? (2) Throwing in lots of concepts, strange dialects, place names within the first 50 pages was distracting, when I had no sense of the characters. Also, new characters got introduced, we stayed with them for 5 pages and heard more neat stuff about the world, and then moved on to some other character. I was never much of a fan of shifting viewpoints, even GRRMartin's, but he at least made us care about the characters. (3) Some of his imagery was inventive. But he was trying too hard. Striking imagery has its place, but if everything is flowery, it loses its punch and becomes distracting.
Rating:
Summary: Worth Reading for fantasy fans, but not yet a great series
Review: I think previous reviews taken as a whole represent this book well. It does start slowly and have a few improbabilities here and there. And yet, as I kept reading I found myself interested in the characters. It is true that the story lines of the main characters are separate and it can be a bit disturbing to jump from one story line to another, but this is a technique used by most writers from Jordan to King. A number of main characters die along the way but a few are left and so it seems likely they will meet up in a future book. This is a good start on a new series and worth reading if you are a big fantasy fan. It is not as good as the work by Robin Hobb or George R. R. Martin or early Jordan but worth a read. If your budget is limited, don't spring for the hardcover. When the paper comes out you will have a nice read waiting for you. If you have the bucks and buy lots of fantasy books and gobble them down like an addict, this is more worth your money than any of the recent Feist books and better than the run of the mill old DelRay fantasy paperbacks from twenty years ago. Let's hope he keeps up with the series!
Rating:
Summary: A worthy reading but ...
Review: It can't be given 5 stars because if they go to Martin , they can't go to Keyes .
I will not comment on the positive sides already mentioned (realistic world , well crafted characters , interesting plot , masterful rythm) but will evoke instead one , in my opinion important flaw that had me hesitating to rate it 3 stars . The internal consistency of a fantasy work is a major requirement .
It is not because the set up in a fantastic world allows events that couldn't take place in the everyday's life that the characters could be allowed to act in an unbelievable way .
Their acts must not only seem natural but must be consistent with the world they live in .
The reader steps willingly in the story only at that condition and that is that condition that sets apart and makes the success of Martin , Erikson and some others . Without revealing much of the plot , I would mention 2 important events where the acts of the characters are unbelievable and spoil much of the reading pleasure . First the thugs and traitors in the coven .
There is a group of monks who torture and abuse the novices , going in several cases as far as to murder them .
It has been happening for several years and about every monk is aware of it .
There is only one logical and consistent explanation .
The fratrex , head of the coven , is equally aware of it (hey , could anybody happen not to notice that novices systematically finish up beaten , badly bleeding and in some cases breaking their necks by falling in wells ?) .
Then either he's a vilain himself or the monks are only overzealous misled souls and the fratrex lets them act in that somewhat harsh way because he believes that a little hardship in the beginning is good to put the novices in the desirable frame of mind (well ... also murder ?) .
But no , this group of monks are true vilains and the fratrex is aware of nothing .
He even gets murdered himself .
Unbelievable . Second Robert versus William
The King William and the reader are aware that Robert the king's brother is not of , let's say , "usual" morality .
But already Martin has shown that the duties of a ruler and the state reason may lead to acts that the ethics disapprove .
It is hard if not impossible to be a King having a resposibility to the whole kingdom and to be a saint at the same time .
The reader accepts that .
The consequence however is that the reader requires that every act that goes AGAINST the kingdom , good or evil , be strongly questioned and opposed by the King .
Here Robert , strangely appointed prime minister by the King who should know better , pulls off an extremely elaborated plot whose EVERY aspect presents fatal consequences to the kingdom .
Besides the whole plot relies on the assumption that the King will swallow the dozen of lies served to him by his brother and will not try to check them before acting (like f.ex did the supposed kidnapper of his sister really meet Robert at the place and time he said ?) .
It is also worth mentioning that the King has at his disposal an ancient oracle that answers all his questions although in the usual twisted oracle's way .
But no , the Kings gives free to torture one of his most faithfull and powerfull allies , exposes the kingdom to deadly risk for apparently no gain and even if he thinks that the man is innocent , never tries to check Robert's stories let alone puts him under observation .
Unbelievable .
Rating:
Summary: Best fantasy novel
Review: This is such a captivating novel! My patience can barely stand the suspense while waiting for the sequel. I was so angry when I turned the last page... The book was finished but the story wasn't! Keyes is a master of language using beautiful imagery. He describes his characters and locations with only a few well crafted words, maybe describing only a few features or details, but in such manner that the entire picture immediately comes to live. His plots are well thought out yet so very surprising and alluring.
I can really hardly wait to find out about Anne's fate and the rest of this amazing saga. Anyone know when it's due?
Rating: 
Summary: This book was a BIG disappointment
Review: With so much high praise from both critics and fellow writers, I expected good things from "The Briar King." I usually don't consider myself to be a harsh critic, but this was one of the worst fantasy books I've ever read. The fantasy world Mr. Keyes created was had great potential - what makes this book unbearable is the storytelling. The prologue is just kinda silly, but forgivable. The characters have been fighting side-by-side for years but suddenly start discussing a full history of themselves for no reason other than to fill the reader in. Mr. Keyes then spends the next hundred pages setting up multiple, nearly independent story lines for different characters, and I end up not knowing or caring much about any of them. As I read more chapters on each of them, I was eventually able to overcome this problem, but by then the story was making less and less sense. One character has his long unrequited lover suddenly appear and save his life, and it's the first time the reader has even heard of her. This same warrior's long time greatest nemesis, who you've also never heard of, then appears in the middle of the nowhere in the wilderness to kill him. The "ugly" princess has no less than two young men fall in love with her at first sight. A half a page after vowing not to discuss it, a noblewoman reveals her greatest, darkest secret (which you never had any inkling of until that moment), and then that's the end of her. The main traitor unveils his entire plan in a Scooby-Doo like fashion before killing his greatest prey. The young rogue character is introduced half way into the book in a chapter blatantly lifted from any number of opening scenes in the 2nd act of a bad Shakespeare play, with the rogue bettering the noble in both wit and steel. I could go on but it only gets more ridiculous. The writing style itself is sometimes quiet good, but then other times the descriptions leave you scratching your head, rereading a page half a dozen times and still not understanding what is happening (the decent into the hidden valley and a big battle near the end being among the worst). He also poorly uses supposed-to-be-suspenseful cliffhangers that end being meaningless and are resolved 3 chapters later in less than half a page. His world had potential, and sometimes his choice of words and phrases are inspired (I could see how fellow writers would read some of these and think "I wish I'd thought of that phrase"), but reading this was like watching a bad, tedious B-Movie or soap opera. Its problems were so obvious, and many of the characters so indifferent, it wasn't any fun to read.
Rating:
Summary: exellent
Review: this book is really good and i only put it down to eat its superb and cant wait for the next installment
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: "...and that's all I have to say about that." The recommendation of Robin Hobb should be adhered to as well... If you haven't started the latest works... get it... have a great summer.
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