- This topic has 6 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated March 21, 2013 at 2:54 am by
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Setting my goal to 25 books this year. I pushed hard last year, and I think it meant I read more than concentrated on getting my own work done. So I’ll pull it back to an average of 2 a month, which should be feasible granting one book and one audio a month. Let’s see how it goes.
Actually started this one last year, and finished it this year. Very interesting world for a Fantasy novel. As Bear described it (I saw her perform a reading from it last February at Boskone) the setting is inspired by a psuedo Medieval Central Asia (Mongolian influenced) rather than one set in a pseudo-Medieval Europe. And that gives it a different feel than your typical second world Fantasy. Bear’s almost always a win for me, so if you like Bear, you’ll enjoy it, and if you want something that’s not exactly run of the mill in Fantasy, you might like this as well. I enjoyed it on both counts.
This was on my list last year, both because I love everything I’ve read by her and because the way she described it for Scalzi’s Big Idea was captivating. I second the recommendation!
Wow.
By all things holy, this book has a single chapter that is longer and more complex than some novels. And it works. To what degree this particular book is RJ’s words, versus Sanderson’s, seems to me impossible to distinguish.
I have at times been known to compare wrting to a gymnasts vault. No matter how good you start off, no matter how impressive you twirl in the air, you have got to stick the landing. This nailed it.
Um. If you are a fantasy fan, you should read this. But the writing alone makes it worth reading. This is one of those stories with layers. And I think it’s handled quite well. I totally get why people have been chomping at the bit for the next book, and the next. I am very curious to see where he takes this. For a first novel, this is quite strong.
This was an audiobook. And long, like a long Russian novel. Probably because it IS a long Russian novel. For something written in 1866, in Russia, I was shocked at how modern and similar it felt. There were parts in it that harkened of a crime/detective novel, which despite the clue in the TITLE of ths story, I wasn’t acctually expecting. That is to say, sure, I new there was going to be a crime. Just wasn’t expecting to realy watch him plot and commit the crime. And I certainly was not expecting the dective Porfiry to act a lot like you’d expect a current day detective on a case to act to try and trip up and track down a criminal and get him to confess.
I’m glad I made my way through it for the quite intriguing parts, but not sure if this is one I’ll go back to. Some bits felt drawn out and I would prefer not to sit through another 23+ hours just for the interesting parts. On the other hand, reading this pointed out my weakness in Russian history, something I feel a need to correct.
The reader, Charlton Griffin did a bang up job. Looking on Audible, I see he’s done almost 200 works, and I can see why. Crisp, clear, and he lends a lot with performing excellent and distinct voices for characters such that you really know who is speaking without even tags from in the text. Would probably pick up more books with him as a reader if the opportunity presents. (IE more sales!)
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