Rating: 
Summary: This looks to be another addictively excellent series.
Review: I'm not going to compare this with Jordan's wacking great epics that requires a whole book shelve to itself. This book was great. The book gets straight into the action without giving a long, and often pointless, introduction. The author spends little time trying to explain everything about the environment and culture and people, because he knows that you'll get the gist as the book goes on. To think that only four or five days were crammed into this books makes one appreciate that a day can be a very long time. The magic in this book was pretty impressive and seems as if it is going to get better and better. This is a rich book that is more than just magic, war and singing war songs. The characters are real and the main character makes a change from the usual kitchen boy whose unleashes bolts of lightning by accident one day and then becomes master of the universe. Prince Gaborn has admirable qualities that make him wiser than his years, but he is still a bit naive at points. Raj Ahten, the arch-enemy, seems to have awesome powers at hand, if any of you have seen or read Dune, you will get an idea of his awesome potential.I wish David Farland all the best for the series.
Rating:
Summary: This looks to be another addictively excellent series.
Review: I'm not going to compare this with Jordan's wacking great epics that requires a whole book shelve for itself. This book was great. The book gets straight into the action without give a long, and often pointless, introduction. The author spends little time trying to explain everything about the environment and culture and people, because he knows that you'll get the gist. To think that only four or five days were cramped into this books makes one appreciate that a day can be a long time. The magic in this book was pretty impressive and seems as if it is going to get better and better. This is a rich book that is more than just magic, war and singing war songs. The characters are real and the main character makes a change from the usual kitchen boy whose unleashes bolts of lightning by accident one day and then becomes master of the universe. Prince Gaborn has admirable qualities that make him wiser than his years, but he is still a bit naive at points. I wish David Farland all the best for the series.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best Fantasy books I've read
Review: Finally a great fantasy book with an original magic system thats interesting. I read this book in 2 days while I was supposed to be studying for finals. I couldn't put it down. I can't recommend this book highly enough. All you Jordanites looking for something to occupy your time until Path of Daggers, pick this book up. You wont be dissappointed.
Rating:
Summary: A TERRIFIC fantasy epic !
Review: I was able to read an advanced copy of "Runelords" by David Farland (Thanks Al!) and was extremely impressed. "Runelords" shows all of the elements of a great fantasy novel, combining action and adventure with a well thought-out system of magic. Farland keeps the story moving at a quick pace as he develops realistic and often moving characters. Though the setting and characters are different, "Runelords" has the same 'feel' and flare of style that I found in Robert Jordan's "Wheel of time" series. I highly recomend this book, and look forward to the sequel. Give "Runelords" a try- I think you will be in for a pleasant journey.
Rating: 
Summary: decent
Review: I enjoyed the book (an advance reading copy) and look forward to the sequel, BUT... it is a very "busy" book. The author keeps introducing new things and doesn't give you a chance to catch up. I would rather go a little more slowly in an epic and have some time to enjoy the scenery and get to know the characters but entire new groups of characters seems to be introduced every second page. David Farland does show great promise though and I'd certainly recommend the book to anyone who enjoys fantasy.
Rating: 
Summary: Over-inflated story, underdeveloped characters.
Review: I think publishers are confusing "epic" with "wordy". After getting over the Runelords magical gimmick, the transfer of abilities from one individual to another, there really isn't much else here in the way of fantasy. Giants comprise the biggest, no pun intended, unearthly role but in a world where it seems every other human has the strength and stamina of 10, who needs them? The forcibles concept just doesn't hold water. Why would anyone give up his or her life so someone else could defend that life? It's equivalent to saying, "I want to live so badly, I'll kill myself". One person defends thousands? Wouldn't it be better to have thousands defend thousands? Talk about putting all your eggs in one basket. It all seems more of a hindrance than help. I would think someone with the cumulative sight of two thousand men could see right through his own eyelids. Thousands of endowments of wit from conflicting sources would lead to insanity, not clarity. Raj Ahten gets fooled on a regular basis. He's not even smart enough to use his endowments properly. The love story is weak. Gaborn and Iome seem to fall in love for no apparent reason other than they mutually decides they will. There is precious little feeling behind the main characters. The secondary characters are thin and stereotyped (the wizard, the warrior, the traitor) even for a stereotyped genre. I will not be picking up any future books in this series. It's not a horrible book, only lack-luster. Want well-thought fantasy? Stick with Harry Potter.
Rating:
Summary: A clever concept ruined by sloppy narrative and plot.
Review: "The Runelords" features a clever concept in a stock fantasy tale, but Farland's slapdash writing ruins both. The system of transferable physical endowments seems a brilliant idea, a gimmick rife with ethical dilemmas, but it also leaves gaping plot holes. The major flaw is why good characters accept endowments at all, since the donors are left crippled, but Farland waves this away by having them only use willing donors. The peasants' fawning eagerness to become zombies to empower their lords strains belief. The ethical ramifications of this system could have fueled a deeper work, but Farland rushes ahead with his fantasy plot, only briefly examining ethics in Borenson's guilt. This potentially interesting concept and the trite plot of a prince discovering his divine legacy end up buried, as "The Runelords" is jumbled in every possible aspect. Characters flit from one idea or place to another with no justification except rambling inner monologues. Gaborn escapes from the castle, only to sneak back in. The plot jumps between unrealistic military campaigning and ponderous earth prophecy. Farland's writing stumbles with trite phrases and halting exposition dumps. Gaborn is fleeing the Dedicates' Keep, but then Farland describes the kitchen in numbing detail. The prose constantly blurts things rather than show the characters figuring them out -- Raj Ahten somehow immediately knows that Orden is using a serpent ring. The only memorable skill in the narrative is the vibrant array of spices and scents that permeate the early sections of the book. Unlike most fantasy authors, Farland does try to inject some moral conflict into his characters, but his weak writing can't support the attempt. The justification for Raj Ahten's conquest reads like more ponderous backstory, and the constant inner whining of Gaborn and Iome feels like Farland fumbling for the next turn in the plot rather than plausible character growth. This muddled writing makes "The Runelords" read like a disorganized flight of fancy. Farland adds new concepts seemingly whenever he needs to turn the plot in another direction, like the introduction of vectors just before Iome becomes one, and the serpent ring when Orden needs a weapon. It's hard to believe that this sloppy prose is the pseudonymous work of an author who's sold dozens of novels, Dave Wolverton, but most of those were franchise tie-ins for Star Wars and The Mummy. "The Runelords" adds the interesting endowment concept and an admirable attempt at round characters to a stock fantasy plot, but drowns it all in sloppy writing.
Rating: 
Summary: Very Interesting Book, Lots of Promise!
Review: The author has come up with an extremely unique, and quite fascinating way to handle magic ("endowments") in this novel. That premise alone kept me reading and reading. What's most interesting, however, is that although described throughout the novel as the "villian" Rah Ahten (ROTTEN--how clever!) you get the sense he may be more like the villains of the George R.R. Martin novels; in other words, not clearly evil and bad. The battle scenes are incredibly written, and remind me a lot of some of the Salvatore "Ice Wind Dale" books. I've move onto Brotherhood of the Wolf--Book 2, and the series continues to keep my interest. I will say, however, that if you really want to read an awesome and exciting page turner get your hands on David B. Coe's Rules of Ascension.
Rating:
Summary: Some original ideas mixed with some cliches...
Review: Decent reading, but not in the realm of Martin or Tolkien. Good way to pass time while waiting for "A Feast for Crows". ;)
Positives
1> Original magical system (endowments)
2> Reasonable plot and character development
3> Solid writing style with good pacing
Negatives
1> Plot is derivitory - great evil threatens the planet, one hero emerges to save everyone, etc...
2> While parts of this series are very original, Farland also seems to borrow from the work of others. Earthpower? Donaldson with Thomas Covenant. Worm of the World? Herbert with Dune (and Donaldson). Reavers? Sounds like Feists creatures in Magician.
Overall, IMO it's worth a read.
Rating:
Summary: It alright, but it doesn't match up to the most of the genre
Review: Its good, its new and its fresh. This is a solid fantasy book. It has the tradtional good vs. bad king kind of battle. It seemed that all the peoples of his new and fresh world is modeled after one of our own world.
Reasons to read this
You like traditional fantasy
Your looking for something new
It is fresh and original
New sort of "power" called endowments, in which one person gains strength, beauty, speed, etc, by draining it from another person.
Reasons not to read this
You don't like fantasy.
It does have some traditional touch, but it also is original, its your call here.
The plot line needs revision, it's a bit of a handicap to the book.
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