Rating: 
Summary: Perfection is within your grasp
Review: I have to admit reading Sean Russell's first novel because of the cover art. Michael Whelan, the illustrator, sure earns his fees. But once I got into the book, I could barely stop. Set in a country that is a smooth blend of Japan and China, Russell invites us into the lives of several extremely interesting characters.Probably the most central character is the Lord Shonto. Most people we meet along the way, are either his confederates or his enemies. The title character however, is the one who draws us more deeply into the story. Brother Shuyun is fresh out of the temple and has been selected to serve the Lord Shonto in place of his previous Botahist Monk. This humble, quite and mysterious monk is not only adept at the arts taught in the temple but is deemed by his teachers to have a special purpose. The suspense is delightful as Shuyun slowly comes into his own under the moral guidance of the great lord and his talented and beautiful daughter. This is a book of details and yet it doesn't get bogged down by them. I love reading about the intricacies of a board game called "Gii", obviously styled on "Go." The court politics, philosophy of gardens, strategies of war and teachings of the Botohara are all captivating. Even the bad guys are fleshed out sympathetically. This book, along with its sequel "Gatherer of Clouds," is a masterwork and is bound to stand up over time as a fantasy classic.
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Read
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book and still find my thought patterns influenced by it. Russell's characters are deep and set against the backdrop of a rich culture.
Rating: 
Summary: it was an excellent book, but...
Review: I thought the book was great!! The only beef I had with this book was that the author did not spend enough time in this book concentrated on Shuyun, the young Bohatist monk. He calls the book "The Initiate Brother" and you would think that he would have the main character be the monk. Instead he makes Lord Shonto, a powerful and charismatic war leader, the main character. Don't get me wrong, Lord Shonto is a very good character, but in my opinion the whole plot and story of this book would have been better if Mr. Russell concentrated more on the development of Shuyun. All in all, I would recommend this book to Russell fans and anybody who likes fantasy.
Rating:
Summary: it was an excellent book, but...
Review: I thought the book was great!! The only beef I had with this book was that the author did not spend enough time in this book concentrated on Shuyun, the young Bohatist monk. He calls the book "The Initiate Brother" and you would think that he would have the main character be the monk. Instead he makes Lord Shonto, a powerful and charismatic war leader, the main character. Don't get me wrong, Lord Shonto is a very good character, but in my opinion the whole plot and story of this book would have been better if Mr. Russell concentrated more on the development of Shuyun. All in all, I would recommend this book to Russell fans and anybody who likes fantasy.
Rating:
Summary: it was an excellent book, but...
Review: I thought the book was great!! The only beef I had with this book was that the author did not spend enough time in this book concentrated on Shuyun, the young Bohatist monk. He calls the book "The Initiate Brother" and you would think that he would have the main character be the monk. Instead he makes Lord Shonto, a powerful and charismatic war leader, the main character. Don't get me wrong, Lord Shonto is a very good character, but in my opinion the whole plot and story of this book would have been better if Mr. Russell concentrated more on the development of Shuyun. All in all, I would recommend this book to Russell fans and anybody who likes fantasy.
Rating:
Summary: An engaging Oriental-influenced fantasy
Review: I was pleasantly surprised when I read this book and its sequel, Gatherer of Clouds. Both are novels full of intrigue, politics, war, and religion, a mix reminiscent of Frank Herbert's Dune saga. In fact, at first I thought they might be a clone of the Dune books set in an Oriental fantasy realm, but they soon took on a life of their own. A fascinating read from cover to cover, with vital characters who you'll grow to love. I hope Russell will write another duology set in Wa, especially now that he's reached success with his other novels.
Rating:
Summary: Great, Great, Great!
Review: I was walking in a bookstore looking for R. A. Salvatore books when, I stumbled on to this one. The cover made me want to read it very badly. After reading seven Salvatore novels in a row, it was an intresting and wonderful treat to read a book with such a rich plot and intricate story. I would recomend this book to anyone who enjoys either fantacy fiction or 'almost' historical fiction.
Rating:
Summary: FANTASTIC
Review: If I could could have chosen one book out of the literally thousands I have read to outshine the drab pack of dragon and wizard fantasy wan-a-be writer hacks. This would be the author and title to choose...wait, I can choose!! and did! This book is one of the best Fantasy/history novels of all time (in my opinion) a must read. and once you start you are a fan for life. read all his books they all carry the same refreshing style intrigue and action that I have come to expect and enjoy!!
Rating:
Summary: Breaking Molds in Fine Style
Review: If there is one criticism to be levelled at Tolkien, it is that his Lord of the Rings books were so wonderful that they spawned scores of annoying imitators. Sean Russell did not fall into this trap. He created an unique (for this genre) society based upon Asian, especially Chinese, themes. His charcters, which in another setting might be Tolkienish, here are incredibly refreshing. His plot is as epic as can be. Also, THIS BOOK AND ITS SEQUEL ARE NOT FORMULAIC! The jaded conclusion that my many years of Sci-fi readership led me to expect, did not occur. I cannot reccomend this book highly enough.
Rating:
Summary: Meticulous plotting. An obvious fictional world.
Review: In "The Initiate Brother" Sean Russell has built a world that is every bit as intricate and well planned as either of Kate Elliott's major worlds ("Crown of Stars" and "Sword of Heaven"). It isn't as intense as, or flow like, Elliott's "Crown of Stars" but is at least the equal of her "Sword of Heaven". Where Russell excels over Elliott is in the writing of human relationships. His are far more developed, having a feel of reality that few other authors can match. The story is set, kind of, in China, but has elements of mediaeval Chinese and Japanese societies. Clearly an invented world that only bears resemblance to those two Asian cultures and not intended to be an exact representation of either. Russell has filled the book, cover to cover with POV shifts. It happens at least once per scene. While they're very noticeable. they don't detract from the story much, though it would have been helpful if Russell had divided the scenes. The book suffers from a plaque of exposition. In places this info dumps are large. This is one of my pet peeves, but to have them worked into the story would have made the book at least twice its current length. Working in all that info in a more acceptable manner would have slowed an already slow story, so having it is a trade off I can live with. There is absolutely no ending, not even anything that could be twisted into seeming one. It isn't a cliff hanger, since the book could have ended at any point after page 200 and left all the same questions unanswered. The story simply stops, cut off in mid telling. There's only one reason for this; money. As a reader this appalls me, as a writer I'm screaming, "You go!". Overall I'd say this is one of the most interesting pieces of fiction I've ever picked up. It isn't one of the more exciting pieces, or the most inspiring, but it gives a fascinating look into medieval Asian mind-sets and traditions. I think the ending could have been handled better, but I'm eager to get my hands on the concluding book to this story, "Gatherer of Winds".
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