Review: An epic swashbuckling delight
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 19, 2011
I knew I was going to like this book as soon as I read the first page and the funny image I gained in my head of Block.The author has taken great pains to create the world inside his book, which is rich in description as he paints his canvas very fully, so you can visualise the landscape and literally taste the coffee. The characters are individually drawn, have their own issues, sense and ethics, and they develop as the book unfolds. The plot is interesting and there are enough threads to keep you guessing. There is a broad range of personalities and creatures here - from humans to monsters and mages to dragons and demons.The first quarter of the book is slower, building up the setting and background, and getting to know the various characters. It gives the novel an epic feel. Readers who like novels that plunge into the action immediately could find themselves a little impatient with the slow beginning and background building, but they should stick with it - when the action gets going it really gets going. They are in for a treat. The momentum builds up at the end of the first quarter and by the halfway point it's rocketing - it really gets going, pulling the characters and plot threads together. The fight scenes are pretty awesome, and there is also a lot of humour and some comic characters. By the end you really want to dive into the second book.In picking a favourite character, I'm a bit stuck because I had many, which is unusual. It was good to read a book too with such strong female characters as Tilda and Nesha-Tari.A swashbuckling delight, I would thoroughly recommend this book as a cracking read. Brilliant. If the second book is half as good as the first then this promises to be a thrilling and fascinating series. I've downloaded the second one already!