Rating: Summary: Not for the timid. Review: Once again, Janny Wurts delivers a satisfying read. Some reviewers have complained about the complex sentence structure and convoluted plot, but those very elements help make the series much more interesting than Eddings-style fluff or Jordan-style scheming. Wurts' style of plotting is quite similar to another great female writer, Dorothy Dunnett.Fugitive Prince leaves many questions unanswered, but this interests rather than frustrates the reader because Wurts leaves enough clues for the reader to play with, trying to solve the puzzle. The reader is left with the feeling that if only he had one more piece of the puzzle, everything would make sense.
Rating: Summary: First half, political, dull, then story really takes off! Review: The first half of this story deals with theroy more than story lines and was extremely dull and unreadable. The latter part of the book begins the essence of the real plot and, as always, gripping and inventive!
Rating: Summary: Otherwise Imaginative, Complex Tale Still Hampered By Prose Review: There is much to recommend this series: an imaginative world and realm of magic, strong and diverse character development, and a complex, multi-layered tale. This book, along with the "Warhost of Vastmark," are improvements upon the first two books in the series, and under normal circumstances I would be tempted to give it a higher scoring. However, the author's dense and often over-wrought language continues to obstruct both the pace and the accessibility of the narrative, through style further convoluting an already complex tale, and often interrupting and intruding upon the rhythm and evolution of the plot. Action is often halted by digressions into unnecessary and over-stated detail, and when a simple explanation or description would suffice, a heavily laden sentence instead is interjected. Though often the author's use of language can be applauded for its vividness of description or singular expression, she turns this strength into a fault, unable to distinguish when language would best serve the story rather than its own internal and stylistic voice. As many other readers have noted the author's propensity to over-work her prose, I think that it must be admitted even by the series' adherents that the use of language here presents an obvious flaw that distances many readers from the tale it is supposed to serve. That said, there continues to exist much merit and interest in this epic that will continue to propel the reader along if they are willing to wade through the author's self-conscious and at times unnecessary verbiage. It is readily apparent that the author takes her work seriously and has ample creative power to render a complex and multi-dimensional tale. And when her writing skills are not distracted by studied considerations of style, she is able to imbue her story with all the emotional and imaginative engagement present in the best fantasy has to offer.
Rating: Summary: Otherwise Imaginative, Complex Tale Still Hampered By Prose Review: There is much to recommend this series: an imaginative world and realm of magic, strong and diverse character development, and a complex, multi-layered tale. This book, along with the "Warhost of Vastmark," are improvements upon the first two books in the series, and under normal circumstances I would be tempted to give it a higher scoring. However, the author's dense and often over-wrought language continues to obstruct both the pace and the accessibility of the narrative, through style further convoluting an already complex tale, and often interrupting and intruding upon the rhythm and evolution of the plot. Action is often halted by digressions into unnecessary and over-stated detail, and when a simple explanation or description would suffice, a heavily laden sentence instead is interjected. Though often the author's use of language can be applauded for its vividness of description or singular expression, she turns this strength into a fault, unable to distinguish when language would best serve the story rather than its own internal and stylistic voice. As many other readers have noted the author's propensity to over-work her prose, I think that it must be admitted even by the series' adherents that the use of language here presents an obvious flaw that distances many readers from the tale it is supposed to serve. That said, there continues to exist much merit and interest in this epic that will continue to propel the reader along if they are willing to wade through the author's self-conscious and at times unnecessary verbiage. It is readily apparent that the author takes her work seriously and has ample creative power to render a complex and multi-dimensional tale. And when her writing skills are not distracted by studied considerations of style, she is able to imbue her story with all the emotional and imaginative engagement present in the best fantasy has to offer.
Rating: Summary: Otherwise Imaginative, Complex Tale Still Hampered By Prose Review: There is much to recommend this series: an imaginative world and realm of magic, strong and diverse character development, and a complex, multi-layered tale. This book, along with the "Warhost of Vastmark," are improvements upon the first two books in the series, and under normal circumstances I would be tempted to give it a higher scoring. However, the author's dense and often over-wrought language continues to obstruct both the pace and the accessibility of the narrative, through style further convoluting an already complex tale, and often interrupting and intruding upon the rhythm and evolution of the plot. Action is often halted by digressions into unnecessary and over-stated detail, and when a simple explanation or description would suffice, a heavily laden sentence instead is interjected. Though often the author's use of language can be applauded for its vividness of description or singular expression, she turns this strength into a fault, unable to distinguish when language would best serve the story rather than its own internal and stylistic voice. As many other readers have noted the author's propensity to over-work her prose, I think that it must be admitted even by the series' adherents that the use of language here presents an obvious flaw that distances many readers from the tale it is supposed to serve. That said, there continues to exist much merit and interest in this epic that will continue to propel the reader along if they are willing to wade through the author's self-conscious and at times unnecessary verbiage. It is readily apparent that the author takes her work seriously and has ample creative power to render a complex and multi-dimensional tale. And when her writing skills are not distracted by studied considerations of style, she is able to imbue her story with all the emotional and imaginative engagement present in the best fantasy has to offer.
Rating: Summary: Dark and dreary Review: This book, and others in this series, typifies the literary 'us against them' theory. The reader who cares to wade through her long, confusing, ill-edited sentences congratulates himself/herself on a hard job well-done and thus more intelligent than those who see the emperor naked and say so. The 'more intelligent' reader is then moved to praise the novel and point to themselves as one of the select few who 'get it', who see the emperor's clothes. They then may feel they are better than those who like to read more accessible stories, which are better written AND better edited. Her books aren't without merit, but I would enjoy them much more, especially this one, if the author would lighten up on her oh, so literary tone or she'll find that only scholars and linguists will be able to read her works in later years.I enjoyed Curse of the Mistwraith quite a bit even though it took a Loooong time to get to the meat of the story. Fugitive Prince is almost irredeemably dreary and at times quite dull. Here's hoping her next one, which seems to be delayed, will live up to to promise the first book in this series offered.
Rating: Summary: Very good series, definetly top of the line fantasy. Review: This series is one of the best in the world. Competes with Wheel of Time, and Sword of Truth for space on my woefully small book shelf. Has great charectors that really change with time. Janny Wurts has me spinning shadows along with Arithion, and wielding the light along with Lysaer. I regret to have to wait for the next book.
Rating: Summary: Excellent Realm to escape to Review: This series of books was outstanding.The characters are very realistic as far as sci-fi goes. There is only one major problem, Waiting for the new releases seems to take years. So how about speeding up the process Janny&Publishers??
Rating: Summary: YUCK Review: Way too ponderous and heavy. I couldn't get to the end fast enough to move on to other more inspiring reading. I was ready to quit the book one third of the way through, but committed to see it end. This was the toughest, darkest piece I've EVER picked up. In no way does this compare to Tolkein, Jordan or Goodkind. This book gets one star only because minus stars are not available.
Rating: Summary: This is definetly the most captivating and thrilling series. Review: When I first saw the book....CURSE OF THE MISTWRAITH, I was in for the full ride. Wurts makes you wonder with her opening...."How bad can this Arithon guy be?" Then she takes your heart on a power trip with admiration, and then love of the misjudged Arithon. Lysaer....you could really learn to hate a guy like him. Sometimes I find myself yelling at him, and consoling Arithon. Even the devious Dakar has won my true affection and admiration. Definetly the very best series I will ever read. My one question,"How fast can you get the GRAND CONSPIRACY, to my door!!"
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