<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: An interesting end to a good trilogy
Review:
I just read the whole trilogy. This portion of it takes place almost entirely in Nextdoor, the alternate universe where humans from our world can achieve godhood if the natives believe in them. By the time we get to the events in this book, all the main characters are in place and it's just a matter of marching them to their destinies. Because of that, there isn't as much soul searching and internal challenge and drama as there was in the first two books, except for the characters of Julian and Dosh, one of whom is the sole discordant note among the followers, and the other who has a destiny that's not understood until the end. Both of their stories were very good.
Another aspect of the story that I found interesting was the way the plot develops into a copy of Christ's life, with some things switched about. Examining the differences and the parallels that Duncan chose was intriguing.
Spoilers below...
Regarding the ending which some have complained about, I didn't think it was vague in the least. It was obvious to me what happened (Judas became the Redeemer and vice versa). The true hero and Liberator wasn't the one who survived, but his friend whom he betrayed. I think it will take a re-read for all the implications to sink in. But it does mean the Happy Ending wasn't so happy as it appeared to be.
It was, however, satisfying.
Rating:
Summary: An interesting end to a good trilogy
Review:
I just read the whole trilogy. This portion of it takes place almost entirely in Nextdoor, the alternate universe where humans from our world can achieve godhood if the natives believe in them. By the time we get to the events in this book, all the main characters are in place and it's just a matter of marching them to their destinies. Because of that, there isn't as much soul searching and internal challenge and drama as there was in the first two books, except for the characters of Julian and Dosh, one of whom is the sole discordant note among the followers, and the other who has a destiny that's not understood until the end. Both of their stories were very good.
Another aspect of the story that I found interesting was the way the plot develops into a copy of Christ's life, with some things switched about. Examining the differences and the parallels that Duncan chose was intriguing.
Spoilers below...
Regarding the ending which some have complained about, I didn't think it was vague in the least. It was obvious to me what happened (Judas became the Redeemer and vice versa). The true hero and Liberator wasn't the one who survived, but his friend whom he betrayed. I think it will take a re-read for all the implications to sink in. But it does mean the Happy Ending wasn't so happy as it appeared to be.
It was, however, satisfying.
Rating: 
Summary: Out of gas...
Review: After a terrific first book (Past Imperative), a passable second book (Present Tense), DD phones this one in. An extremely disappointing novel, managing to make the reader become completely indifferent towards his characters. Part of this is the indifference that DD shows himself, disposing and ignoring characters he spent time building up in the previous two novels.
As for the plot itself, it's reminiscent of a classic computer game: Populous (and it's modern recasting: Populous the Beginning. Hero goes around gathering followers, performing some unethical things to gather more followers, has big battle with villain doing the same thing. Interesting, but soulless. To make it even worse, DD tires the reader's patience by taking up hundred of pages to get to a confused ending which makes you yearn for the Planet of the Apes (2001).
Rating:
Summary: A great and unpredictable ending!
Review: Dave Duncan really came up with a winner on this one. It was spellbinding and I couldn't put it down. As the story progresses, the ending seems to become quite predictable, yet the ending is better than you would have thought. I definitely recommend this book, but read the first two in the series first.
Rating: 
Summary: The Great *YAWN*
Review: Duncan has taken a very promising world and premise and bogged it down in a repetitive, cliched, and way, way, too somber a plot. He also shows an annoying habit of introducing too many characters, giving tons of background information about them, allowing readers a peek into their personalities, and then disposing of them (or ignoring them for the rest of the series). Take my advice, read the first two books (or even just the first) and skip this one. Any ending you dream up is bound to be better than this one.
Rating: 
Summary: An interesting trilogy
Review: I'm writing this review based on the whole trilogy not just this one book. This is one of those trilogies where it makes you read it again and again. Many things happen between the lines. He writes from one person's perspective to another. At first it seemed unusual and hard to follow (mainly book 2). The first book was different, it brought me in. It really holds it's own with it's (not-so-originality) going to another alternate reality/planet. The story is VERY tight. In order to grasp EVERYTHING that's going on, you really have to pay attention to detail when he switched to another point of view, whethere it's Dosh, Smedley, Exeter, Alice or Eleal! Alice was the last to enter...and she's along for the ride...just like Alice in Wonderland wondering what to make of it all as the conspiring polical mess of human pawns creates the "Great Game" of Nextdoor. Book 2, was the most BORING book of Duncan's I have ever read. WWI over and over and over and Captain Smedley's emotions...Edward speaking in past tense of his story on Nextdoor, as it fills the gaps from the end of the first book...ugh. I almost wanted to read the Simarillion....REALLY. Well, after a year hiatus from the books I started reading where I left off. Like pushing and old flat tire up a steep hill....I finished Book 2...and I really liked Present Tense by the end of the book! I started reading Future Indefinite...why couldn't his second book read this well!?!? Everything starts falling into place...everyone is on Nextdoor... it's the religious experience for all on that world. I think it ends quickly, because it took him most of book 3 for us to finally understand the 5 and all the other personalities of the Strangers and interactions with each other that could have been explained better or more in Present Tense. The last book has been a blast to read! Truly a trilogy you'd need to read a second or third time to understand it all and see everything you didn't before. Another "read-me-again" trilogy from Dave Duncan like his first King's Blades trilogy, but for the Great Game...I can only read this ONCE. Only 3 stars for this rough read, but very tight story.
Rating: 
Summary: What ending?
Review: This book is the truly excellent conclusion to an original and generally very readable series. The first two books, "Past Imperative" and "Present Tense" are very good though slightly patchy - the plot is uneven enough in places to make them less than compulsive reading, but this book is enough to make the entire series a classic, a must-read for any fan of the genre. In "Future Indefinite", Edward Exeter sets out to deliberately fulfil the prophecies of the Filoby testament and 'bring death to Death'. His progress through the land and the prophecy as an increasingly (and deliberately) messianic figure (with some surprising overtones of the gospels) is among the most evocative and compelling of Duncan's writing. The central dilemna of the character is maintained with absolute consistency throughout (namely, how to defeat Zath without performing even worse deeds to acquire more mana), but despite the absolute internal logic of the text, Duncan somehow manages to spring a totally surprising but eminently satisfying ending (which is obvious in retrospect, but impossible to anticipate). Basically, read this book now. Read the first two books in the series (they're worth reading in their own right, but essential as a prelude to this masterpiece), but be prepared for something special with this book. Fantasy at its best.
Rating:
Summary: How Could You?
Review: This book started out very well. It was well written and packed with action, very well paced. HOWEVER, two elements ultimately marred my enjoyment of this work. 1. The character developement. I may be the only person with this thought, but somehow, it seems as if somewhere between book two and book three we are missing a great deal of storyline. SOMETHING happened to provoke a major chage in his main character, but we get no transition period. He is one person in book two and a COMPLETELY different individual in book three, one to whom we as readers have little access. Yes it makes the story very unpredictable, but it also makes it very hard to care about the main character. Also his annoying tendency to bring in new characters, give us background, flesh them out and then discard or ignore them makes little sense. 2. The ENDING! OH my God what happened? The climax is MAYBE one page! I was so upset by this! It was unpredictable, I'll give you that but it was also bereft of all hope and ended the book on a severe down note. Once the major event occurred, it was impossible for me to be buoyed by any bones he threw to those who wanted a more hopeful palatable ending. I really did throw this book away after I read it, that's how much it upset me. It ruined an otherwise enjoyable series for me.
Rating:
Summary: Mocking the Belief of Millions
Review: This is the book that made me swear off Dave Duncan forever.
The first book, while slow from time to time, held a great deal of promise, and I was looking forward to seeing the interaction between those of our world, those of Nextdoor, and those from other worlds which were said to also connect to Nextdoor -- only that never happened.
Instead of being given a rousing, epic tale of power, sacrifice, and triumph, we're given an unabashed and cynical debasement of Christ's procession and death. I kept thinking, as I was reading it, that he would sort of richochet away from it: that he would only touch on the matter briefly and move on. But he didn't. He mocked it, and millions of believers, right through to the final paragraphs. I was stunned, and I was appalled.
I have read a great many books from Dave Duncan, and thought him a reasonably good writer, but I will not be buying another book from this author.
<< 1 >>
| 
