Rating: Summary: I got through it Review: 2 stars for me equates to fair, I felt like this world was a little bit two dimensional. I had no interest in what happened to the characters, and athough there were enough original elements to keep the story interesting. I thought that Jack could've done more with so many pages of content. It didn't feel like the story progressed, as much as it felt that the resolution was being delayed. The obstacles were just kind of there. I was never surprised when something went wrong. I felt that for such an original world it really didn't have that much majesty, much of the really interesting elements were aluded to in passing rather than focused on to enhance the tapestry of the world he was creating. Even Jack's desciption of our world felt somewhat unreal, and if that was his intention then he was very effective. However, it will keep you interested enough that you can't help but finish it. You will want to know how the story finally resolves. The ending was somewhat interesting, and I may read other Chalker novels in the future, if I could be directed to a more well-rounded piece of literature. Perhaps "The Changewinds" would appeal to fans of Simon R. Green?
Rating: Summary: Amazing Review: Being the first Chalker book I read, I was quite impressed with it. It's quite tough to put into words. It is a literary masterpiece in line with Bridge on the River Kwai or Ben Hur. The epic scale is extraordinary. Highly recommended.
Rating: Summary: Chalker Worlds Review: Coming from a person who's read every single Jack L. Chalker series I would have to declare this one one of his best. Mr Chalker uses all his aquired writing skills to make the characters realistic, their reactions realistic, and the world trully come alive. When I read the book first it was in 3 parts and that gave it real flair. When you are done with one it is almost compulsory to read the next. The book is increrdibly hard and painful to put down when done with. And the resolution is incredibly pleasing, finally a book that ties all ends up and satisfies the reader. So this is a book both for the Chalker fan and also for those not familiar with his style for this book exemplifies it perfectly...
Rating: Summary: Chalker Worlds Review: Coming from a person who's read every single Jack L. Chalker series I would have to declare this one one of his best. Mr Chalker uses all his aquired writing skills to make the characters realistic, their reactions realistic, and the world trully come alive. When I read the book first it was in 3 parts and that gave it real flair. When you are done with one it is almost compulsory to read the next. The book is increrdibly hard and painful to put down when done with. And the resolution is incredibly pleasing, finally a book that ties all ends up and satisfies the reader. So this is a book both for the Chalker fan and also for those not familiar with his style for this book exemplifies it perfectly...
Rating: Summary: Not the Usual Chalker Review: Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed this book. However, it didn't have the usual kick that Chalker always has that makes his books so enjoyable. But that alone didn't take it down from a five star rating. What got it demoted was the fact that I couldn't get into caring about the main characters. All the characters that I liked either died or there was not enough of.
Rating: Summary: A unique and delightful book even fantasy-haters will love! Review: I am not exactly a fan of Jack L. Chalker, or at least I wasn't before I read The Changewinds. In fact I didn't even know who he was before I read it. But now I realize that I had been missing out on one of the more unique fantasy minds of our time. Chalker created a unique and enchanting world, which challenges the laws of physics and Probability, filled it with more races and lands than no one person should be allowed to concieve, and gave it a political situation that many people in this world have first-hand experience with. He then plopped two ordinary teenage women into it, mumbled something about one of them being important into their ears, and left them to their own devices.
Or so it would seem. By the end we learn that even the infinity of Probability can be predicted and tampered with.
Through the eyes of Charley and Sam, we, the lucky readers, discover the beauty and variety (and cruelty) that is Chalker's world of Akhlar. There are no illusions here, save those the inhabitants create. Cruelty, kindness, pity, jealousy, compassion, love and hate, good and evil are all present and accounted for. As are the bureaucracy and the underworld. Sure, there are fantastical creatures and magic and sorcerers and kings and queens and those sorts of things, but it is tempered with a reality and a believability that I have never seen anywhere else. As is most often times not the case, I can see myself in this world, because Chalker leaves nothing out of it.
And this is not a book about the setting, either. Chalker's plotline is twisting and complex, yet manages to keep the reader's attention even when it seems there's not really all that much going on. The introduction of new characters, the resurfacing of those thought dead or vanished, and the continuous metamorphosis of the two protagonists are enough to rivet even those who think fantasy is bunk to their seats.
The main characters themselves go through enormous changes, both of body and mind. They are possessed by demons, taken control of by numerous wizards and evil people of all types, and had their memories wiped clean at least twice that I can remember. Through all of this they are transformed from two ordinary teenagers into strong, self-assured women who are able to do the tasks that they were brought into Ahklar for in the first place.
There are two distinct types of fantasy novels nowadays -- those who follow in the footsteps of previous works and those who forge their own paths. I have never read anything so unique as this book, and I have never been so riveted to a certain plotline as I was when I read it. Chalker is creative and witty even in the mundane aspects of his world, and helps us to rekindle a little of our own inner imagination as he takes us on a whirlwind (or is that changewind?) tour of his world.
Rating: Summary: Well Worth Picking Up Review: I remember reading the "Changewinds" saga in three books several years back. I've never forgotten the story. The adventures of two young women in alternate universes makes for a compelling read. There are some contovesial elements including sexual identity and the very brutal treatment the girls endure during their journey. But, I do recommend the book. It's one of the few novels I remember describing in detail to a friend
Rating: Summary: A New Viewpoint For Me Review: I was only 11 when I first read this book, and I read it in the unitary format, so it was a real challenge for my mind to read. However, once I was about halfway I realized that I just couldn't put it down until I had read the entire thing. This was the first book by Chalker I have ever read, so I think it speaks highly of him as an author and it gave me an entirely new look on my life and the world. The way Chalker presents his worlds is not like anything I have ever read, and it paints such a vivid picture of his world and its problems that it deserves a five-star rating.
Rating: Summary: A New Viewpoint For Me Review: I was only 11 when I first read this book, and I read it in the unitary format, so it was a real challenge for my mind to read. However, once I was about halfway I realized that I just couldn't put it down until I had read the entire thing. This was the first book by Chalker I have ever read, so I think it speaks highly of him as an author and it gave me an entirely new look on my life and the world. The way Chalker presents his worlds is not like anything I have ever read, and it paints such a vivid picture of his world and its problems that it deserves a five-star rating.
Rating: Summary: Damn fine read Review: One of the best story lines I've ever read. Read the entire trilogy three times since they were first released. Too bad you can't get them in hardback set.
|