SusieBlu Posted September 30, 2012 Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 I picked up David Hair's debute book Mage's blood. It is the first book in a quartet weighing in at 671 pages. It is feels like a standard epic story with classic tropes. World Building so far that are important to the plot so far:A raising merchant class threatening the declining aristocracy. There are a lot of historical parallels: a religious conflict between (at best described as) Christian and Muslim faiths. Obviously call different and not exactly like the two religion but close enough that is really obvious. Social structures mirror late Roman Empire and Islamic Caliph, social interaction and class structures are motivated by this. Characters: Some character development nothing deep (only in the first couple of chapters so I expect more upcoming) and several POVs. I am hoping he doesn't try to be like GRRM. I personally don't need nineteen character POVs in a story. It is a fantasy epic so of course Magic. Unfortunately, I see nothing new. The social order that had developed around the magic users is similar to what Jim Butcher did in is Codex Alera. Hair has defined it the system early on which is cool but okay again nothing ground breaking.Early thoughts: Hoping it gets better. There was some foreshadowing that makes me want to keep reading and me hoping that it isn't a collections for historical events retold in a different world with magic and fantasy tropes. A positive: If you like maps you get three. Try everything once. If it kills you don't do it again.Paleo- So Easy A Caveman Can Do It Link to comment
illuminatus Posted September 30, 2012 Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 Yay for maps!Honestly doesn't sound that appealing. Maybe like some books it just takes a little time to ramp up and really step up to it's own.The parallels to Late Roman Empire and, I'm assuming, the Turkish Caliphate?! is pretty cool but could easily lead the story into the direction of a fantasy retelling of the fall of the Byzantium Empire [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]Level 1 Human RangerSTR: 2|DEX: 2|STA: 2|CON: 3|WIS: 4|CHA: 2|It's a TRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment
SusieBlu Posted October 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2012 One other world building point. Some time in the last fifty years a land bridge was built connecting the two contenients and the two empires. This land build only appears every twelve years. The last two Moontides (the name of the series) the European like people launched crusades to establish forts and to basically prevent the merchants from getting richer from the exotic goods that they bring across the land bridge. Again a huge political game with a lot of real history parallels that are all being lumped into the same time period of about 50 years. Well give the author this he does lay out all this information as character background using it to explain character motives rather than a history lessson info dump. Try everything once. If it kills you don't do it again.Paleo- So Easy A Caveman Can Do It Link to comment
Lefeux Posted October 1, 2012 Report Share Posted October 1, 2012 Try this one http://www.amazon.com/The-Black-Prism-Lightbringer-ebook/dp/B003JTHY76/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1349077942&sr=8-5&keywords=brent+weeksGreat story. Book 2 of 4 just came out. I am trying to fight the urge to buy book 2 as I have 1Q84 still to read for the book club. [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Level 2 Elven Ranger STR - 7.2 Dex - 2 Sta - 7 Con - 4 Wis - 3 CHA - 4 "Do or Do Not. There is no try." "Why do we fall sir? So we might learn to pick ourselves up ." Round 2 - Faster, Stronger, Leaner and more Pious? Lefeux's Ranger Conquest Workout Log Link to comment
SusieBlu Posted October 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2012 I was going to post a review of Black Prism and the second book once I get it. Brent Weeks is, IMO, great at epic fantasy and not relaying on tropes to create his worlds. Black Prism is great because you have the political conflict but the main conflicts are internal to the characters. I love his magic system and I going to use it in some future RPG (don't know which one but it will be used). Plus Weeks Night Angel Trilogy is awesome. I recommand anyone that has read it pick up the novella too. So thanks for the suggestion. (I honestly picked up Mage's Blood because it was sitting next to Black Prism and the book store didn't have the second book in English.) Try everything once. If it kills you don't do it again.Paleo- So Easy A Caveman Can Do It Link to comment
Lefeux Posted October 1, 2012 Report Share Posted October 1, 2012 Yeah I do a lot of my shopping on iTunes - the insta delivery is nice out here in Afghanistan. If you haven't read the Nightangle trilogy its awesome. I have a couple others that looks intriguing and ill post comments on them when I get back to my room. [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Level 2 Elven Ranger STR - 7.2 Dex - 2 Sta - 7 Con - 4 Wis - 3 CHA - 4 "Do or Do Not. There is no try." "Why do we fall sir? So we might learn to pick ourselves up ." Round 2 - Faster, Stronger, Leaner and more Pious? Lefeux's Ranger Conquest Workout Log Link to comment
SusieBlu Posted October 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2012 Yeah I do a lot of my shopping on iTunes - the insta delivery is nice out here in Afghanistan. If you haven't read the Nightangle trilogy its awesome. I have a couple others that looks intriguing and ill post comments on them when I get back to my room.I have a nook and I download a lot of books but I also collect books (which isn't good when you have to deal with a weight limit every three years) so I am wanting to get Blinding Knife in paperback. Try everything once. If it kills you don't do it again.Paleo- So Easy A Caveman Can Do It Link to comment
SusieBlu Posted October 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 2/3 into the book. Needless to say the books gets better. Once all the POVs are introduced, thankfully there are not a lot and surprisingly there are all connected right away, the story it quite compelling. The characters and their motivations are deep and interesting. I really feel like I am invested in all of them. I do still have a problem with the world building because most of it is the real world and real history called by a different name. Meh, I think it is a cope out but David Hair is making up for it with the plot.Conclusion so far: worth reading in between GRRM and Pat Rothfuss. Try everything once. If it kills you don't do it again.Paleo- So Easy A Caveman Can Do It Link to comment
illuminatus Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 Might have to check it out, lord knows I won't be online as much so I'll need something to do [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]Level 1 Human RangerSTR: 2|DEX: 2|STA: 2|CON: 3|WIS: 4|CHA: 2|It's a TRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.