Rating: 
Summary: Different, But Flawed
Review: Prince of Shadow is the opening salvo in a fantasy series that draws more from legends of the Orient than Europe, which is in and of itself refreshing. The plot, however, remains fairly typical with a foundling prince who is returned to the world stage by a series of mysterious, powerful mentors. Along the way, as all recent fantasy heroes do (see, e.g., Jordan's Rand al'Thor or Deborah Chester's Dain), he throws temper tantrums, engages in self-destructive behavior, and does a lot of whining and moping. Sadly, standard fare in modern fantasy novels.Still, I greatly enjoyed reading Prince of Shadows. I began reading it reluctantly but quickly found myself drawn in. Once picked up, it is difficult to put down and one can't help but root for a happy ending. Of course, there is no ending as it is currently against the law to tell a fantasy story in anything less than three books. Since this series is called "Seven Brothers" it's fair to assume that readers will have to slog through seven volumes to learn whether hero Llesho prevails in the end.
Rating:
Summary: Different, But Flawed
Review: Prince of Shadow is the opening salvo in a fantasy series that draws more from legends of the Orient than Europe, which is in and of itself refreshing. The plot, however, remains fairly typical with a foundling prince who is returned to the world stage by a series of mysterious, powerful mentors. Along the way, as all recent fantasy heroes do (see, e.g., Jordan's Rand al'Thor or Deborah Chester's Dain), he throws temper tantrums, engages in self-destructive behavior, and does a lot of whining and moping. Sadly, standard fare in modern fantasy novels. Still, I greatly enjoyed reading Prince of Shadows. I began reading it reluctantly but quickly found myself drawn in. Once picked up, it is difficult to put down and one can't help but root for a happy ending. Of course, there is no ending as it is currently against the law to tell a fantasy story in anything less than three books. Since this series is called "Seven Brothers" it's fair to assume that readers will have to slog through seven volumes to learn whether hero Llesho prevails in the end.
Rating: 
Summary: The start of a wonderfully human and exotic fantasy series
Review: The Prince of Shadow immerses the reader in a rich and magical world infused with the atmosphere of Eastern legend and culture. It is a world of magic and great evil, and a young slave stands as its focal point. Llesho has spent the last eight of his fifteen years as a pearl diver, having been sold into slavery at the age of seven. Believing himself to be the only surviving member of his family, he has held the secret of his past identity close to his heart. He is the seventh son of the king of Thebin, a spiritually rich land high in the mountains that stands at the gates of heaven itself. The Harn, a brutal people, invaded the kingdom, killed the king and queen, and sold Llesho into a life of slavery. Only one man knows Llesho's story, and that is Lleck, a former minister of Thebin who made his way to Pearl Island and secretly continued the education of his former charge. As this novel opens, Lleck dies, but his spirit informs Llesho of his destiny - his six brothers are all still alive, and Llesho must find them and go on to restore the kingdom of Thebin.
Llesho, a young slave trapped on an island, is a long way from restoring the land his father once ruled. He asks to be trained as a gladiator, seeing that as his only chance of getting off the island and beginning the search for his brothers. As he trains to be a fighter, he learns many new things about himself, awakening royal training he had forgotten all about after having accepted the fact he was doomed to be a slave for the rest of his life. He develops strong bonds with a couple of his masters, men who seem to know more about him than they are letting on, but he also acquires a dangerous enemy in the form of Master Markko, a witch who seeks to exploit and eventually kill Llesho for reasons of his own.
In time, Llesho makes his way to the heart of the empire of Shan, but not before encountering a few other steadfast and loyal allies and staring death in the face several times as Markko, now a warlord of sorts whose power base is growing quickly, pursues him. His small circle of friends do all they can to protect him, but Llesho's survival comes to depend largely on the timely assistance of healers and the magical protection of dragons and highly placed witches. He suffers a number of physical and emotional burdens along the road to Shan, oftentimes quailing at the prospect of his ever rescuing his beloved kingdom from the bloody grip of the Harn. By the time he reaches Shan, home of the Celestial Emperor whom Llesho's friends hope to enlist in his rightful cause, the slave child has transformed into the prince he was born to be. The sight of the slave market brings his past horrors fully back to life, but he finds comfort in the hope that the first of his missing brothers will soon be found in that very city. By the end of the novel, the cast of heroic characters is redefined, as a number of revelations come to light about the true identities of his friends and allies.
I know this isn't the first fantasy series about an unfortunate young man who is really a prince destined to recover everything his family fought and died for, but it is a gripping read nonetheless. The exotic locale and the introduction of gods and magical creatures into the action keep the tale fresh and exciting, and the human element is very strong as well. I found Llesho's relationship with a very special bear extraordinarily touching. Benjamin has peopled his fantasy world with really wonderful characters, and I am anxious to continue the story of Llesho in future volumes of the Seven Brothers series.
Rating:
Summary: & 1/2 stars. A very good debut.
Review: The Prince of Shadow is Mr. Benjamin's debut novel, and it's a good one. I finished the book in 2 days, and by the end of it, was enjoying it a lot. The plot itself is ripe with potential and could yield lots of wonderful things. Mr. Benjamin's writing and story telling is above average. I only say this because, at times, it seems he's too eager to get from one part of the story to another, and merely glosses over events and situations that would have more impact and consequence if he took a bit more time in telling/showing them. Not that he must mire his story in wordiness, but if events are supposed to be important, then give them their due: love, torture, death, protection, betrayal, etc. Llesho's character, in the beginning, comes across very wooden and unsympathetic, and at times erratic and inconsistent in his protrayal. But by the end of the novel, I grew to like the character and did hope that he would succeed in his endeavor. Llesho's young and naive to the ways of the world and politics. Sometimes, this comes across as stupidity, arrogance and ambivalence. While these are not traits that I want in a "hero," these are believable traits for a 16 year-old. While I did come to like the main character, the "arch nemesis" fell flat for me. There wasn't much in the story to build up the mystique of the enemy. I do hope that will change in the next book, that he'll develop an enemy that I will want to hate. Among some of the other characters that Mr. Benjamin creates, some were more memorable than others: Master Den, the laundry washer, whom I hope to see and learn more of; Mara, the healer; General Shou; Master Jaks and Bixei. All in all, despite some mis-steps, The Prince of Shadow promises to be very fulfilling a story. I look forward to reading the next book.
Rating:
Summary: Good book. Can't wait for the next one!
Review: This book sort of sneaks up on you. The set up is pretty standard fantasy stuff, though with an Asian feel. Llesho, the poor slave who always seemed a little different, is really a lost prince of a conquered realm. His mentor dies, telling him that he must find his brothers, who have also been sold into slavery, and take back his kingdom. There is a strong ensemble cast of supporting heroes, all of whom have their own motives. The humble laundry man with a mysterious past, the former assassin, Llesho's two young compatriots, even an overprotective bear. While they mostly seem a little familiar, they are still very effective. In the villain, we see the classic evil magician's rise to power. He is all the more frightening here because his motives too are unclear. One of the real outstanding things about this book is the way Benjamin develops a sense of place. This is a large world with a range of fully developed cultures. We are not overwhelmed with long historical surveys or anything, but there is a sense of a living world with people and politics and religion. The book itself is excellent. As a set up, it is even better. The ending has a twist or two that really raises the stakes for the rest of the series. I can't wait for the next one to come out.
Rating:
Summary: Refreshing Setting...
Review: This book was so good, I actually had to remind myself that I had to put it down just so I could get some sleep. I was drawn in from the very beginning by the setting and the myriad of interesting characters. After reading so many books set in Medieval Europe settings, I found it very refreshing to to actually read a book set in a Medieval Asia setting. It was very good; I look forward to reading the other books in the series.
Rating:
Summary: Refreshing Setting...
Review: This book was so good, I actually had to remind myself that I had to put it down just so I could get some sleep. I was drawn in from the very beginning by the setting and the myriad of interesting characters. After reading so many books set in Medieval Europe settings, I found it very refreshing to to actually read a book set in a Medieval Asia setting. It was very good; I look forward to reading the other books in the series.
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put this down ...
Review: This is one of those books that you don't want to put down - you've just got to find out what happens next! There's plenty of adventure and intrigue, battles and magic, with more than a few surprises along the way. And Benjamin's book is filled with interesting, likable, enigmatic and sometimes tortured characters (Master Den is my favorite). You care about them and want to know more about them as the book goes on. I'm glad the story isn't over: I'm getting started on the next in the series right away!
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