Review: Fantastic Tapestry
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 19, 2013
I found the universe, the setting, the author weaved his story in to be on a vast canvas that allowed for multiple points of view from characters from different races and factions. This is a real strength of this book as the effects of what happens to one group is seen by others in a different light. It is like a global experience today, where something happening in one country might not affect the day to day in another, but it has impact to certain characters who have an interest there.I also loved the fact that these characters have families. That its also a generational backdrop, where the different life spans could mean one long lived character gets to interact with multiple generations of a family line they have known or what were historical events to some were events that the long lived had experienced first hand or lived through from a distance. Families aren't just used as something broken in a heroes past or directly threatened to motivate in the present or future. In some cases they just are there to add to the dimensions of the characters which is something a lot of authors don't include. Families in a lot of stories are there just to have been lost or be threatened. Here they are part of life, although given the growing threats, they too are threatened by not so much directly.There are plans and plots that will take a while to see develop, others that are resolved by the end of the book, with the author's talent of tension escalating at a pace that isn't too fast, and he knows when to level out and resolve some issues, while letting others continue.And then there are learning the cultures as the story unfolds. Its never done as a dry data dump, but mentioned along the way so one picks up tidbits here and there that makes the aliens different rather than some ability or outward appearance. This is also shown in the various romances or married lives of the characters. Its delightful to see what indicates interest between two alien adults, what their culture considers romantic and how it factors into the overall plots, if only the concern that naturally comes with a loved one in danger.Its a great picture the author paints in very broad strokes at times, subtle strokes at others. I know at the completion of book one, I immediately dove into book two to continue to read this grand story on an epic backdrop.