Rating: Summary: Weis/Hickman on the run as always Review: Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis must have lived in another time and space before they came to earth to write books for us. They bring yet more characters alive in this new series, characters that make us want to live the storyline. I have to say that I had to get used to the plot, but it came along nicely. This book is worth every penny to buy, second to read, and thought to spare.
Rating: Summary: A tale that differs from the norm. Review: Upon talking to some other people who read fantasy, I found out that their general view on Weis and Hickman is usually one of apathy, or worse yet, contempt. Most of these people prefer books like the Wheel of Time series, which is fine, even though I think that that particular series has become nauseatingly boring. I've been reading Weis/Hickman books for a long time now, and while they certainly arent the best of the lot, they're a lot better than most: I certainly like them more than Jordan. This particular book is probably among the best they've written. A strange, thoughtful tale, the book is a reasonably gripping read, that traverses vast periods of time within a few pages. (17 years to be exact: compare that to Jordan's crawling behemoth, that moves a few days in the space of a thousand pages.) The action itself takes place in a much shorter period of time though, which is just as well I suppose. I wont bother with detailing the plot, except to say that it's above average and well-detailed. The book has a tangible sense of sadness to it, a wistfulness that is lacking in most fantasies. The characters are well portrayed: Joram is convincing as the unloved, bitter young man, Simkin is one of the more amusing characters in fantasy, and Bishop Vanya's amoral approach to manipulation hits close to home. But the real triumph of the book (and indeed the series) is Saryon. In my opinion, he is simply one of the best characters to have ever appeared in a fantasy. So much of fantasy is carried on the shoulders of testosterone-laden heroes, 'great' warriors who never make mistakes and rarely regret their actions. Even if they do show some semblance of sorrow and regret, it's as convincing as a fish putting on a bicycle show. Saryon is a bitter, twisted, tortured man, who, above all else, is a simple, gentle soul caught up in a world that has started to go very wrong for him. The loss of his faith, his yielding to temptation, and his spiral into darkness caused by the burdens that he bears are immaculately described, and are very believable. He is a metaphor for a darkness within all our souls, a darkness different from greed and evil, but one just as devastating: the terrible malady of weakness. I have to take my hat off to the authors: they really created something special with Saryon. Unfortunately, things go downhill from here. The second book is almost as good, but the third is almost overwhelmingly dissapointing. I'll leave you to find out what happens of course, (if you ever get that far), but suffice it to say that I nearly threw down my copy about a 100 pages into it. In short: horrible third book aside, this is an unfairly underlooked series. Pick it up, if you have the chance.
Rating: Summary: One of the best books i've ever read Review: What can i say, this book and the other two (there are three books), are one of the best (of better, 3) of the best books i've ever read in my life. It's gets you from the beginning, you get the sensation you are in other world, and you will be able to dream with the caracters. If you want to do something smart, buy the 3 books.
Rating: Summary: Very good series .. Review: What can I say?? This is the book that got me hooked into reading Fantasy and Sci-Fic. Making magic a everyday reality and than throwing a person who can not use it as an aberation...what more is there to know.. Read and let your imagination fly through a very well put together series from the writers of Dragon Lance Books.
Rating: Summary: One of my favorite trilogies Review: When a friend introduced me to this trilogy, I was skeptical. I had read very little sci-fi and what I had read I found boring, but I instantly fell in love with Merilon, and especially with Simkin, the loveable trickster. I will, I think, forever be in love with Simkin. I highly recommend this series.
Rating: Summary: Very detailed! Review: When I first saw the Darksword books, I dismissed them as boring because there didn't appear to be anything supernatural about it (no dragons, unicorns, etc.). Later though, I overheard a conversation on the bus about how good it was, so I gave the Darksword Trilogy a try. A month later, I was finished with all three Trilogy books. Wow! The character's personalities are so detailed that I swear I could picture them standing right next to me! The third book got a little strange, but the storyline overall is very solid. It took a lot of effort to put down the book because I always wanted to find out what happened next. It's also by the "Dynamic Dual," Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, so ...start reading! :)
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