Fortress in the Eye of Time

Rating:
Summary: Slow and irrelevant for the most part...
Review: I really have nothing wrong with this book, but to me it seems as if most of the focus is on how this prince should conduct a war. I think it's way too much of a politically focused viewpoint. The whole story and mystery behind Tristen is very interesting, and going into his mind is quite fun, but when it switches back to Cefwyn and his problems, I just groan because it doesn't seem important at all. There is not enough action in this story, and when I sparely come across it, it is written vaguely. And another thing that just screams vague is when Tristen enters his special "gray place." It is nearly impossible to visualize anything.

I ask myself: is it worth it to read the sequels?

Rating:
Summary: sorcery, royal intrigue, horses, treason, WONDERFUL
Review: i thought this book was wonderful, and today i got very annoyed because someone had borrowed 'fortress of eagles' and 'fortress of owls' from my local library, and i am desperate to read them, which shows you how good this book is. it is about a young man named Tristen who is the Shaping of an old and now dead wizard called Mauryl Gestaurien, and also is the reincarnation of a mighty and feared Sihhe king. after Mauryl dies, Tristen travels a Road and eventually comes to the Zeide where he becomes the king's friend and protector. there is a war, treason, a great evil and all the other things that make a great book. i won't outline the whole plot because that will ruin it for anyone reading this review that have not read the book. for those people, READ THE BOOK! it is one of my alltime favourites, and i recommend it heartily.

Rating:
Summary: wonderful fantasy
Review: I will admit I am a huge fan of C. J. Cherryh. I read this book the day it came out and then re-read it immediately again. I love the way Cherryh uses words. She isn't always as accessible as some other authors, but she always gets wherever she is going and I always find the ride worth the work it takes to get there. I love the fact that she writes books for people who like to think and expects her readers to do so. She is an author whose books I always buy right away, and I re-read her books on a regular basis. This first book of the fortress series has become one of my top 5 fantasy books. I love the way Tristen explores his world and I think the relationship between Tristen and Cefwyn sets up the rest of the series. Ms. Cherryh's rules of magic seem to have an internal consistancy that fit with the development of this world. Her depth in the creation of this world make it a joy to savor. The only other book of hers that seem to have this depth is Cyteen. As I've said I love her work both fantasy and sf.

Rating:
Summary: Long, slow, and boring....at least to me.
Review: I will admit right up front that I did not finish this book. I've gone back and forth on whether or not I should even write a review because of that. Even as short a time ago as this morning, I wasn't going to do it. However, after further review and a little bit of encouragement, I've decided to put my feelings out there and let you be the judge on whether or not it's appropriate.

Fortress in the Eye of Time is the story of Tristen, a man (actually he's a creation of a wizard, called a "Shaping") who is displaced from his home and must fend for himself after his guardian and mentor (the wizard) disappears. He journeys along the road he believes the wizard intended him to take, and winds up in the middle of a lot of court intrigue. Once he gets involved in this, the viewpoint switches back and forth between Tristen and Cefwyn, heir to the throne.

I made it half-way through the book before I had to put it down. Tristen is innocent, a man to be shaped by the events surrounding him, a template to be impressed upon. He also apparently is something else, as memories and skills keep returning to his head unbidden. Ultimately, though, he is a bore. I didn't find him interesting in the slightest. The wide-eyed innocent routine can be done well, but here it bored me to tears. He kept going on about the pigeons and the Owl and the wizard...on and on and on. It got really tiresome.

The first 200 pages of the book are just about Tristen, his creation, and his life with Mauryl, the wizard in question. There are hints of a dark history that Mauryl is part of, and trying to protect Tristen from until he can be groomed to handle things. But mostly it's about Tristen and his life "growing up." It became very tedious. It wouldn't have been so bad if Tristen had been interesting. Instead, though, he whines a lot, he makes mistakes and gets yelled at by Mauryl, worries about what's going to happen if Mauryl goes away, worries about why he keeps making mistakes, etc. Then, when something finally happens and Tristen is forced to go on the road, it gets a little better. There are actually other characters for Tristen to interact with. Unfortunately, this doesn't help much. He's still not interesting.

The first scene with Cefwyn has him dallying with two women before he's interrupted with the news of Tristen's arrival. This scene really jars with the rest of the scenes in the book that I have read, because after it's over, he shows almost no trace of being the type of person who would do this. The scene almost makes him look like a buffoon; a spoiled, royal brat who has nothing better to do then have fun with women and who would rather be doing that than preparing to run the kingdom when his father dies. This doesn't fit the character I know from the rest of the scenes that contain him.

Once Tristen meets Cefwyn, the viewpoint switches between the two characters. It takes another 50-75 pages for anything further to really happen. Instead, a lot of history is imparted, a lot of intrigue among the nobles is hinted at or discussed, and Tristen misses his pigeons some more.

As this goes on it gets more and more tedious to get through the writing. I have no trouble with authors who use language well. Cherryh is one of those authors. The text is very dense, but very well-utilized. However, I do mind having to work through the text when I don't feel like I'm being rewarded for it with an interesting story. Unfortunately, in this book, that's how I felt.

I reached page 372 before I gave up. Something was finally starting to happen, but 1) I don't think I should have to read almost half of a book before something interesting happens; and 2) I found that, even with what happens at this point, I was caring less and less. I had no vested interest in either of the two main characters, and this event where I stopped introduces a few new characters who I also didn't have any interest in. I decided I had books to read that I was more looking forward to.

I give the book one star. However, I fully realize that this is a personal taste, even more so than a review usually is. I have tried to read five of Cherryh's books, and I've made it through three of them. Of those three, I only really liked one of them. She's a three-time Hugo award winner, and she has a very big following among SF fans. I just don't think her style fits with what I enjoy reading. I've noticed, reading the SF newsgroup, that she does tend to attract strong opinions either way, with few "well, it's not bad" reactions.

My suggestion is to pick up this one up at the library and test it out (or a bookstore that lets you read a bit of a book before you buy). You may very well think this is a 5-star book. Or, you may be like me and find it completely uninteresting.

Rating:
Summary: Huh?
Review: I'm sorry, I usually agree with the critics, but they were just dead wrong about this book! The only thing "wrong" with it was that Tristen's scenes could get a little bit tedious, but other than that I found I was unable to put it down for a moment and read the whole thing in one day :o)

Rating:
Summary: Huh?
Review: I'm sorry, I usually agree with the critics, but they were just dead wrong about this book! The only thing "wrong" with it was that Tristen's scenes could get a little bit tedious, but other than that I found I was unable to put it down for a moment and read the whole thing in one day :o)

Rating:
Summary: Mindblowing!
Review: If you want a book that will keep you up all night reading, this is the one to get! Intrigue, suspense, magic and action rolled into one. It makes you want to climb into the story and actually get to meet these people. The characters are brought to life with the small reminders of how people really are.

Tristen is so innocent, while his Shaper, Mauryl, is so wise. Or is he? Everything you thought you knew about magic is about to be thrown on its ear. Where Man and Magic were never truly meant to exist together.

Reading this book will make you think twice about the assumptions you make, and is well worth the time.

Rating:
Summary: An absolutely excellent fantasy book.
Review: In the crumbling tower of Ynefel, Mauryl Gestaurien, the last of the great wizards creates a Shaping, a man named Tristen to undertake Mauryl's task. But, Mauryl's Shaping is flawed, not knowing who he is or what his powers are. When his enemy defeats Mauryl, Tristen goes out into the world to find out who and what he is. Arriving in Amefel, Tristen is brought to the attention of Cefwyn, a prince, and heir to the whole kingdom of Ylesuin. Cefwyn and his advisors quickly grasp that Tristen can be either a great blessing or a terrible danger.

This book is well written, and exciting to read. I found the ending rather abrupt, but that is a very minor complaint. This book is a fascinating variant on the old sword-and-sorcerer theme, and I recommend it whole-heartedly.

Rating:
Summary: Well worth the effort
Review: Many fantasy books today seem to follow the same story. This book from the beginning grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go. The detail is sometimes bogging-down, but waiting to see each Unfolding that Tristen experiences, and seeing how they all come together in the end-- that is this book, this experience. This book may not be a roller coaster, but instead it is a journey down the Road. If you haven't yet, start your journey today. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Rating:
Summary: A different diversion for fantasy fans
Review: Normally, I breeze through books at a whipped up pace. I can get through King and Goodkind in (max) a weekend. But this book took me almost a MONTH to read. Not because it was bad, but because I read literally every single word. No trite, hack writing here! Every sentence seemed artfully and specifically crafted. The imagery spawned by the writing was remarkable. I lived in the world every time I opened the book, and got sucked into the story in the first two pages. It truly was like no other book I've ever read. Not necessarily better or worse. Simply different. I'd have rated it higher, but for the ending, which seemed too short, convenient, and contrived for the suspense and anticipation leading up to it. For anyone who favors fantasy, I'd recommend this book as an enjoyable diversion from the pile of clones out there.