The Word and the Void Omnibus
3 journalers for this copy...
Well I did start reading this, but too many things kept jumping up when I was reading it and it kept being pushed to the bottom of my reading pile. I've had it for a while now and it still feels brand new, which is a shame, so someone needs to read this poor book so it can feel like it is fulfilling its purpose in life.
Pounced on this book at tonight's meetup, while the Cheat Book was doing the rounds. I read the first volume of this trilogy years ago, and have a copy of the third volume somewhere (no, not the Cheat Book, nobody's allowed to read that one!), but have been having trouble finding the second volume. So it's great to find them all in one place!
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I finally started reading this rather heavy tome, inspired by the fact that I've promised it to kzel once I've read it, but I've decided to avoid Terry Brooks overload by tackling it one book at a time.
Running with the Demon
I actually read this book (or at least, another copy of it) years ago, but I thought I should re-read it before starting on the other two books, just to remind myself of the story. I'm glad I did, not only because I'd forgotten a lot more of it than I'd thought, but also because it's a good book. Not a great work of literature of course, but it is a gripping story, well written and with some imaginative ideas. Brooks is one of those authors who doesn't quite hit the mark in every book (I found his Shannara series tedious, for example), but when he does, the result is worth reading.
I just hope he keeps up the standard for the next two books...
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Running with the Demon
I actually read this book (or at least, another copy of it) years ago, but I thought I should re-read it before starting on the other two books, just to remind myself of the story. I'm glad I did, not only because I'd forgotten a lot more of it than I'd thought, but also because it's a good book. Not a great work of literature of course, but it is a gripping story, well written and with some imaginative ideas. Brooks is one of those authors who doesn't quite hit the mark in every book (I found his Shannara series tedious, for example), but when he does, the result is worth reading.
I just hope he keeps up the standard for the next two books...
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A Knight of the Word
Phew! No drop in standard for the sequel. I did work out who the demon was almost as soon as that character was introduced, but that didn't detract too badly from the story, because I wasn't entirely certain I was right, and there were enough twists and clues to keep me second-guessing myself right up to the end.
I was also a bit disappointed at first by the length of time that had elapsed between the first and second books - it's hard to believe that Nest would have had an entirely uneventful rest of her childhood, and I wanted to know how the events of the first book affected her - but as the story progressed most of what had happened in the intervening years was covered anyway.
On to book three...
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Phew! No drop in standard for the sequel. I did work out who the demon was almost as soon as that character was introduced, but that didn't detract too badly from the story, because I wasn't entirely certain I was right, and there were enough twists and clues to keep me second-guessing myself right up to the end.
I was also a bit disappointed at first by the length of time that had elapsed between the first and second books - it's hard to believe that Nest would have had an entirely uneventful rest of her childhood, and I wanted to know how the events of the first book affected her - but as the story progressed most of what had happened in the intervening years was covered anyway.
On to book three...
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Angel Fire East
Again, several years have elapsed between this book and the last, but I knew to expect it this time, and it was definitely necessary to the story for all the characters to have aged a little. Unfortunately there were again a few events in the intervening years which are mentioned but not explained, which was a bit annoying - if they were important enough to mention at all, surely they were worth elaborating on? Otherwise, a reasonably satisfying conclusion to the series, and suitably large-scale for a final episode.
I was going to send this book to kzel when I'd finished it, but it weighs over 1 kg, and I've found the three books in small individual volumes which only weigh half as much in total, so I think I'll send them instead.
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Again, several years have elapsed between this book and the last, but I knew to expect it this time, and it was definitely necessary to the story for all the characters to have aged a little. Unfortunately there were again a few events in the intervening years which are mentioned but not explained, which was a bit annoying - if they were important enough to mention at all, surely they were worth elaborating on? Otherwise, a reasonably satisfying conclusion to the series, and suitably large-scale for a final episode.
I was going to send this book to kzel when I'd finished it, but it weighs over 1 kg, and I've found the three books in small individual volumes which only weigh half as much in total, so I think I'll send them instead.
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Journal Entry 6 by natecull from Christchurch, Canterbury New Zealand on Saturday, September 2, 2006
This got given to me a while back. Just read Running With The Demon. Kind of intriguing, but wow, doorstop. I skimmed it pretty fast and don't think I missed anything - fortunately it's padded like one of those generic TV dramas that you can watch on fast-forward and still catch all the beats. I have to read Angel Fire East just so I know what that blasted cheat book is about and may need to grit my teeth to get it done. Have so many books in my to-read queue that I just have to grind a few out.
Read A Knight of the Word today. It was more gripping than the first one for some reason; being set in Seattle rather than Ye Happy Olde Midwest Americana Towne (on July 4 no less) made it feel less kitschy. Reminds me of Stephen King at his best - The Stand, The Shining (not the movie), Dark Tower - but with better-drawn characters. I like the general mechanics of his magic system: semi-predictive far future dreams that change to reflect present reality, magic as a limited resource, shapeshifting demons, plus Nest's magic as a sort of wild-card. The apocalyptic fall-of-civilisation thing also works well with the late-90s / 00s cultural vibe. Very similar to a fun little 1990s TV pilot called 'Crossworlds' with Rutger Hauer which sadly never got picked up as a series.
Only one to go...
Only one to go...
And finally finished Angel Fire East. Yay!
There's not actually that much *story* in these books, I find. And what 'twists' exist, are pretty easy to spot. Hmm. For supposedly an epic good-vs-evil confrontation, AFE doesn't really achieve or settle much. It does fill pages, I suppose, and not completely unentertainly. But. Hmm. For a finale, I did expect more in the way of actual revelations.
And that title. It still grates on me. It really wants to be a military technothriller.
("Red Storm is rising, sir, but we've lost Angel Fire East... also Firefox, Black Hawk and Watership are down.")
Time to set this one free at last.
There's not actually that much *story* in these books, I find. And what 'twists' exist, are pretty easy to spot. Hmm. For supposedly an epic good-vs-evil confrontation, AFE doesn't really achieve or settle much. It does fill pages, I suppose, and not completely unentertainly. But. Hmm. For a finale, I did expect more in the way of actual revelations.
And that title. It still grates on me. It really wants to be a military technothriller.
("Red Storm is rising, sir, but we've lost Angel Fire East... also Firefox, Black Hawk and Watership are down.")
Time to set this one free at last.
