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The Bronze Knight #1
The Eyes of God
A young king and his sworn champion embark on an epic quest to save a beautiful princess from a mysterious disease in book 1 of the Bronze Knight fantasy romance seriesAkeela, King of Liiria, was a young and idealistic scholar who was determined to bring peace to his kingdom—a land that had been plagued by war with the neighboring kingdom of Reec for decades. Lukien, the Bronze Knight of Liiria, had been taken in by the royal family when, at fourteen, he saved Akeela's life, but he'd never forgotten the brutal lessons of the streets he'd grown up on. A bond of loyalty stronger than blood linked these two men—but no two souls could be more different. And as Akeela and Lukien entered their enemy's stronghold on a mission of peace, neither man could forsee the turmoil this historic mission would wreak on their lives. For, to seal the peace, King Karis of Reec would bestow upon Akeela the hand of his charming, beautiful, and accomplished daughter Cassandra. But Cassandra hid a terrible secret. She was experiencing the first symptoms of a disease which would threaten her life and cause unimaginable strife for all who loved her. For Akeela and Lukien, the quest for Cassandra's salvation would overwhelm every bond of loyalty, every point of honor, every dream of peace. For only the magical amulets known as the Eyes of God could halt the progress of Cassandra's illness. But the Eyes of God would also open the way to a magical stronghold which could tear their world apart and redefine the very nature of their reality.
808 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2001
62 people are currently reading
2016 people want to read
About the author
John Marco
36 books416 followersHello. Thanks for visiting my author page here on Goodreads. In case you don't know me, I'm John Marco and I'm a fantasy writer. My work includes the Tyrants and Kings trilogy and the books of the Bronze Knight Lukien.
My latest book, THE BLOODY CHORUS is now available at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BRTHJ768
My latest book, THE BLOODY CHORUS is now available at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BRTHJ768
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
November 3, 2021
Hey, I have a booktube channel (youtube for book reviews, etc.), and I include John Marco and his Bronze Knight series in my Top 10 Underrated Books list here. Please subscribe if I earned it!
John Marco took a break from writing for a little while, but is back in the game in April with the next installment in The Bronze Knight series, The Forever Knight. Sadly, part of the reason for that break was because his editor sat on TFK without even reading it for 2 years.
This kind of stuff gets my blood boiling and if you want more thoughts, I wrote a little bit more here.
Marco is a unique fantasy writer in my opinion. He writes adult fantasy, but not gritty or over-sexualized fantasy as is the current trend. He writes quests, but not travelogues. He writes about library apprentices, but not about their destiny for power and glory. He writes a unique tale that's filled with action and thought, that skips over the fluff and gets right to the point. And sometimes I just need to get my head out of the gutter, it's not really all that pleasant a place.
For some reason, many fantasy writers have begun telling a story only to feel the need to go back and fill the reader in on backstory. Suddenly, instead of moving forward, the plot stagnates and a 700 page behemoth is mostly filler.
Not so in The Eyes of God. There is so much that goes on, I was amazed. They travel to and from distant places without any mention of what kinds of dried meat they had for breakfast. Then, they travel back again. There's betrayal, tragedy, hope, madness, it has it all.
But quite possibly my favorite part about Marco's writing is how real his characters are. They are flawed in a very human way that makes them compelling, and at times makes you both love and hate them. It brings the storytelling to a whole new level to understand the motives of the villain and even pity them, to root for the hero and yet despise his or her actions and thoughts.
The Eyes of God is largely about The Bronze Knight, Lukien. He's a character who has it all, looks, swagger, military prowess. He even wins all the tourneys with hardly a second thought. He's also a very flawed character that you root for nonetheless. Because he's good at fighting, he loves war. While he can get almost any woman he wants, he longs for noble women he can't attain because of his low beginnings.
The thing that gets me is that Lukien is a real person. Who doesn't want to belong? And if the only thing you're good at is war, why wouldn't you want wars to continue?
Lukien's best friend is also the king, Akeela. Akeela is a man of learning and peace. He will do anything it takes to not only erect his grand library, but to offer peace to his enemies, even if that means giving some things up. But at the same time, Akeela lacks Lukien's looks and grace with the ladies. Thus sets up the tale that is really just about the characters, one of the ultimate betrayal and constant forward momentum.
Like I said above, there are so many things that happen in this book. Everything is precisely planned and worked to the fullest and most efficient. Besides the characters, and to be honest, because of the characters, Marco sets up and executes some of the best twists I've seen.
Because the characters are so real, they can be "good" one moment and "evil" the next. I'm using those terms in the sense of the typical archetypes, hence the quotation marks. Not unlike ourselves. They can be driven to the point of no turning back and it really makes for some great surprises in where the story goes.
John Marco is an author that I wish more people would read. I hope you give this series a chance or another favorite, The Jackal of Nar. This epic fantasy will have you reading for the characters as it breaks your heart and puts it back together.
4.5 out of 5 Stars (Very Highly Recommended!)
John Marco took a break from writing for a little while, but is back in the game in April with the next installment in The Bronze Knight series, The Forever Knight. Sadly, part of the reason for that break was because his editor sat on TFK without even reading it for 2 years.
This kind of stuff gets my blood boiling and if you want more thoughts, I wrote a little bit more here.
Marco is a unique fantasy writer in my opinion. He writes adult fantasy, but not gritty or over-sexualized fantasy as is the current trend. He writes quests, but not travelogues. He writes about library apprentices, but not about their destiny for power and glory. He writes a unique tale that's filled with action and thought, that skips over the fluff and gets right to the point. And sometimes I just need to get my head out of the gutter, it's not really all that pleasant a place.
For some reason, many fantasy writers have begun telling a story only to feel the need to go back and fill the reader in on backstory. Suddenly, instead of moving forward, the plot stagnates and a 700 page behemoth is mostly filler.
Not so in The Eyes of God. There is so much that goes on, I was amazed. They travel to and from distant places without any mention of what kinds of dried meat they had for breakfast. Then, they travel back again. There's betrayal, tragedy, hope, madness, it has it all.
But quite possibly my favorite part about Marco's writing is how real his characters are. They are flawed in a very human way that makes them compelling, and at times makes you both love and hate them. It brings the storytelling to a whole new level to understand the motives of the villain and even pity them, to root for the hero and yet despise his or her actions and thoughts.
The Eyes of God is largely about The Bronze Knight, Lukien. He's a character who has it all, looks, swagger, military prowess. He even wins all the tourneys with hardly a second thought. He's also a very flawed character that you root for nonetheless. Because he's good at fighting, he loves war. While he can get almost any woman he wants, he longs for noble women he can't attain because of his low beginnings.
The thing that gets me is that Lukien is a real person. Who doesn't want to belong? And if the only thing you're good at is war, why wouldn't you want wars to continue?
Lukien's best friend is also the king, Akeela. Akeela is a man of learning and peace. He will do anything it takes to not only erect his grand library, but to offer peace to his enemies, even if that means giving some things up. But at the same time, Akeela lacks Lukien's looks and grace with the ladies. Thus sets up the tale that is really just about the characters, one of the ultimate betrayal and constant forward momentum.
Like I said above, there are so many things that happen in this book. Everything is precisely planned and worked to the fullest and most efficient. Besides the characters, and to be honest, because of the characters, Marco sets up and executes some of the best twists I've seen.
Because the characters are so real, they can be "good" one moment and "evil" the next. I'm using those terms in the sense of the typical archetypes, hence the quotation marks. Not unlike ourselves. They can be driven to the point of no turning back and it really makes for some great surprises in where the story goes.
John Marco is an author that I wish more people would read. I hope you give this series a chance or another favorite, The Jackal of Nar. This epic fantasy will have you reading for the characters as it breaks your heart and puts it back together.
4.5 out of 5 Stars (Very Highly Recommended!)
May 23, 2013
This is a great fantasy. Very different from what I expected. Most fantasies are either very adventure based or very politically based. This is very in between. It starts off very political, making a treaty with a warring nation, then spending much time in the castle at home. There is some adventure later on and traveling to new countries, but what I realized most is that this story isn't about its politics or adventure, it's about its characters. That is why this story is so good. Whatever you think the characters might be like, you're wrong. Everything changes as friendships are tested, bonds are made and broken, and alliances are shaky and firm all at once. It doesn't seem to make sense, but it will in the end. You really come to love the characters, even if they are wrong in what they are doing, because we are all human and make mistakes. I think that is what I learned most from this book. We cannot blame each other for our humanity. Bonds of brotherhood go far deeper than that and we all have what it takes to accept that and move on. Will it be heart wrenching? Yes. Is it necessary? Yes. Enough from me, go read this wonderful novel.
August 4, 2015
The first question that I asked myself when I finished this book was "Why did I wait so long to read this?"
Well, with the recent release of The Forever Knight, the fourth installment in the series, I decided that I would read the other three even though the new one is can be read as a stand-alone. I have read several other John Marco books and own all of this series, but for some reason I just never started this one. I don't know why I waited so long. This is a great novel and a wonderful intro into the world of Lukien, The Bronze Knight.
As usual, John's strengths lie in a well-developed and detail-oriented storyline with very strong character development and outstanding military battle scenes. The Eyes of God is no exception and the care that John takes in breathing life into these particular characters is exceptional. The thing that I like most about the majority of his works is that no good character is without flaws and most evil characters are not truly evil, but more misguided or validated in their view of their own motives. I like that there is really not a true black and white except in a few rare cases here and there and that the reader actually can find themselves both feeling sympathy for the antagonists and also occasionally not liking the protagonist too much.
A lot of people have said that they really didn't like Lukien as a man all that much, and I can see that. I however grew to like him quite a bit over the course of this novel (which is a large one, however I felt that it moved along at a fairly swift pace.) I feel for the guy and the mistakes that he has made during his journey that have led to a lot of unfortunate things happening to him and those around him. I look forward to seeing what happens in his subsequent adventures.
Well, with the recent release of The Forever Knight, the fourth installment in the series, I decided that I would read the other three even though the new one is can be read as a stand-alone. I have read several other John Marco books and own all of this series, but for some reason I just never started this one. I don't know why I waited so long. This is a great novel and a wonderful intro into the world of Lukien, The Bronze Knight.
As usual, John's strengths lie in a well-developed and detail-oriented storyline with very strong character development and outstanding military battle scenes. The Eyes of God is no exception and the care that John takes in breathing life into these particular characters is exceptional. The thing that I like most about the majority of his works is that no good character is without flaws and most evil characters are not truly evil, but more misguided or validated in their view of their own motives. I like that there is really not a true black and white except in a few rare cases here and there and that the reader actually can find themselves both feeling sympathy for the antagonists and also occasionally not liking the protagonist too much.
A lot of people have said that they really didn't like Lukien as a man all that much, and I can see that. I however grew to like him quite a bit over the course of this novel (which is a large one, however I felt that it moved along at a fairly swift pace.) I feel for the guy and the mistakes that he has made during his journey that have led to a lot of unfortunate things happening to him and those around him. I look forward to seeing what happens in his subsequent adventures.
July 29, 2013
I've been a fan of John Marco's writing since his first book of the Tyrants and Kings Series - The Jackal of Nar. While the Jackal of Nar and the rest of that series was in-your-face, smash mouth military fantasy, The Eyes of God is something much deeper and more character-oriented. A definite departure for Marco, but one that shows his incredible talent and flexibility for writing deeply personal stories as well as action packed ones. Lukien the Bronze Knight is torn between his love for his king Akeela and also Akeela's soon-to-be queen Cassandra. The story takes many twists and turns as Lukien battles with the inner-turmoil of knowing that he will alienate and possibly lose forever one of the two people who he loves most in the world. But this book isn't just about love and human behavior, not by a long shot. Once the story gets ramped up, there is plenty of action to keep you on the edge of your seat. Not enough credit is given to John Marco as one of the leading writers in fantasy today. While the Sandersons and the Weeks of the world get all of the pub, John Marco simply writes amazing fantasy. Hopefully some day he will get the credit that he deserves, but until then, I will continue to trumpet his talent and continue to read his books.
June 14, 2012
This book is nearly 800 pages. I told myself I'd give it till at least 200 pages, so I could say I gave it a fair shake. However, I'm at page 158, and I've found myself reading passages out loud for their amusement value.
For example:
"Cassandra felt herself flush from the heat of their fires and her growing apprehension. The wine worked on her brain, making it swim. Akeela was beyond those fabulous doors, waiting for her. And she knew that she would not emerge intact, and that a piece of her would be left behind, never to be reclaimed."
Uh, may I share with the author that when a virgin has sex for the first time, she doesn't actually leave any body parts behind, lying amongst the sheets. She's not about to be dismembered. (Although, if she were, this book might have been marginally more interesting.)
Another:
"His touch was warm, like the coming sun. Cassandra felt the stirrings in her body, dreading them yet following their lead. She lowered her head in offering.
"What are we doing?" she asked. "We will be damned for this."
"No. Lukien leaned in closer. "no one will ever know. Not ever."
"Just this once then."
He didn't answer. She was glad he didn't. Once, she knew, could never be enough."
No. Once could be far too much. Enough already!
In addition to this overblown, Harlequin-romance style writing, there are also tons of actual grammatical errors and tons of, let's say, peculiar word choices.
The characters are flat and stereotypical. Nothing very interesting has yet happened in the plot. I even find the librarian character offensive, and turning me against a librarian is hard to do - I love librarians on principle. Did I even mention the magical 'midget'? Sigh.
I leave you with one more quote:
"But it's dreadful to be clever," she thought. It was like a revelation suddenly, as clear as any of the moonbeams. To be clever was to be a bitch... Akeela wasn't clever. He was moral, and moral men were never clever. It was why they were better than everyone else..."
Ooooookay. On to the next book!
For example:
"Cassandra felt herself flush from the heat of their fires and her growing apprehension. The wine worked on her brain, making it swim. Akeela was beyond those fabulous doors, waiting for her. And she knew that she would not emerge intact, and that a piece of her would be left behind, never to be reclaimed."
Uh, may I share with the author that when a virgin has sex for the first time, she doesn't actually leave any body parts behind, lying amongst the sheets. She's not about to be dismembered. (Although, if she were, this book might have been marginally more interesting.)
Another:
"His touch was warm, like the coming sun. Cassandra felt the stirrings in her body, dreading them yet following their lead. She lowered her head in offering.
"What are we doing?" she asked. "We will be damned for this."
"No. Lukien leaned in closer. "no one will ever know. Not ever."
"Just this once then."
He didn't answer. She was glad he didn't. Once, she knew, could never be enough."
No. Once could be far too much. Enough already!
In addition to this overblown, Harlequin-romance style writing, there are also tons of actual grammatical errors and tons of, let's say, peculiar word choices.
The characters are flat and stereotypical. Nothing very interesting has yet happened in the plot. I even find the librarian character offensive, and turning me against a librarian is hard to do - I love librarians on principle. Did I even mention the magical 'midget'? Sigh.
I leave you with one more quote:
"But it's dreadful to be clever," she thought. It was like a revelation suddenly, as clear as any of the moonbeams. To be clever was to be a bitch... Akeela wasn't clever. He was moral, and moral men were never clever. It was why they were better than everyone else..."
Ooooookay. On to the next book!
November 8, 2012
Oh my gosh is the book a piece of crap! I was intrigued by this book so I thought I would give it a shot. Its starts out really well, with me turning page after page to see what happens next. Well at about 130 to 150 pages in its starts to get real bad, real quick. This book starts to read like it is some teen fantasy romance novel rather than a regular fantasy novel. The dialogue just gets horrendous, and the romance just nauseating. It's got this love triangle that will remind you a lot of another story with a good king whose wife cheats on him with one of his best and most trusted knights. Sound familiar yet?
This fantasy world Marco has created is just plain boring and unimaginative. Even the creatures that he came up with makes you feel like he just pulled it out of his ass and threw it on paper. No imagination whatsoever.
There is just so much coincidence in this book that I can't even get past it. Oh no the queen is dying of cancer....wait there is this librarian who studies this mythical far away culture and they have a possible cure. Yay, lets go on a quest! Oh but wait these amulets might be cursed....who cares we need to save the queen. Oh this place is very far away and could be dangerous....oh never mind that lets get a guide and go along an established trade route and get there in 5 days. Hooray!!!!
Enough already. I can watch movies and read books and turn off my brain for a while but I do have my limits. On to something else.
This fantasy world Marco has created is just plain boring and unimaginative. Even the creatures that he came up with makes you feel like he just pulled it out of his ass and threw it on paper. No imagination whatsoever.
There is just so much coincidence in this book that I can't even get past it. Oh no the queen is dying of cancer....wait there is this librarian who studies this mythical far away culture and they have a possible cure. Yay, lets go on a quest! Oh but wait these amulets might be cursed....who cares we need to save the queen. Oh this place is very far away and could be dangerous....oh never mind that lets get a guide and go along an established trade route and get there in 5 days. Hooray!!!!
Enough already. I can watch movies and read books and turn off my brain for a while but I do have my limits. On to something else.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2023
DNF, circa pg 250. I tried to give it a chance, but the whiny MCs & their cheesy love-triangle-fulcrum turned me off.
This started out intriguing, if somewhat stilted + basic, but as it progressed I simply lost interest. The characters are annoying, but not annoying enough to be entertaining, or even likable in their creepitude. They’re just…flat. Their story is…flat. And the prose is…flat. “Blandly inoffensive” is the description in another review, & I can’t think of a better one. But in the interest of fairness I scanned ahead to see if the plot picked up enough steam to make it worth the effort. Nope. Lots of death happens, & more whining, & that’s about it.
Standard DNF 2-star. I’m not opposed to tragedy & darkness in epic fantasy, but boring, depressing, & bland isn’t a combo that tickles my fancy. 😶
This started out intriguing, if somewhat stilted + basic, but as it progressed I simply lost interest. The characters are annoying, but not annoying enough to be entertaining, or even likable in their creepitude. They’re just…flat. Their story is…flat. And the prose is…flat. “Blandly inoffensive” is the description in another review, & I can’t think of a better one. But in the interest of fairness I scanned ahead to see if the plot picked up enough steam to make it worth the effort. Nope. Lots of death happens, & more whining, & that’s about it.
Standard DNF 2-star. I’m not opposed to tragedy & darkness in epic fantasy, but boring, depressing, & bland isn’t a combo that tickles my fancy. 😶
June 13, 2012
THE EYES OF GOD moves far faster than any book with 779 pages should. I finished it and still had time to read a couple of other books and write 1,500 words in one day. When I started it I had no clue it would suck me in so completely.
John Marco begins not with turmoil, but with peace. Newly crowned King of Liiria Akeela the Good wants to end the war with neighboring country Reec. His mission succeeds and he leaves betrothed to Cassandra, the king's daughter. She waits while he prepares their wedding, protected by his foster brother Lukien (the Bronze Knight), whose prowess on the battlefield doesn't endear him to the Reecians.
This part takes a little of work to get through. Cassandra gains the love of both men simply by being beautiful. I don't think it's her personality because she's rather selfish - more concerned with being a ruler than being a good ruler. She hides the fact she's horribly ill since it might jeopardize her chances of becoming queen FOR GOOD REASON. Lukien is a little bit Sue-ish, with his good looks and athletic skill. This part is also the classic Arthurian triangle, which wasn't a good escape for someone writing a paper on de Troyes creation of the Arthurian triangle and how it compares/contrasts with two of his other non-fin'amours poems. (No seriously, I called it Courtly Love and Chrétien de Troyes: Lancelot in Contrast to Yvain and Perceval. I'm a total Arthur geek.)
But then it gets to the good stuff. Lukien seeks the Eyes of God (two amulets) to save Cassandra, but to do so he must harm a peaceful civilization. Back in Liiria knowledge of Cassandra's affair drives Akeela mad. He's an idealist, unable to deal with the realities of the world, even when the consequences of his actions are reasonably explained to him. (At first I thought Baron Glass would have a small role, and I was glad he continued showing up. He's a very interesting man. I'm very happy that the blurbs of the next novels indicate he plays a large part in them as well.)
The novel covers a decent span of time. In the first part the characters mostly make choices. In the second two, the consequences of those choices are realized. Even Cassandra becomes bearable after the time-skip. (She does have plenty of time to think about her actions.)
THE EYES OF GOD opens with a tale of forbidden love, but quickly ups the ante with political intrigue, battles, magic, and a mad king. It's highly entertaining and moves along smoothly. Marco sets up a number of mysteries in the first part and answers them at a decent pace instead of leaving all answers for the very end. There's also an excellent climax, with possible redemption and a high-stakes battle. If you can get through Cassandra's POV at the start you'll be rewarded.
John Marco begins not with turmoil, but with peace. Newly crowned King of Liiria Akeela the Good wants to end the war with neighboring country Reec. His mission succeeds and he leaves betrothed to Cassandra, the king's daughter. She waits while he prepares their wedding, protected by his foster brother Lukien (the Bronze Knight), whose prowess on the battlefield doesn't endear him to the Reecians.
This part takes a little of work to get through. Cassandra gains the love of both men simply by being beautiful. I don't think it's her personality because she's rather selfish - more concerned with being a ruler than being a good ruler. She hides the fact she's horribly ill since it might jeopardize her chances of becoming queen FOR GOOD REASON. Lukien is a little bit Sue-ish, with his good looks and athletic skill. This part is also the classic Arthurian triangle, which wasn't a good escape for someone writing a paper on de Troyes creation of the Arthurian triangle and how it compares/contrasts with two of his other non-fin'amours poems. (No seriously, I called it Courtly Love and Chrétien de Troyes: Lancelot in Contrast to Yvain and Perceval. I'm a total Arthur geek.)
But then it gets to the good stuff. Lukien seeks the Eyes of God (two amulets) to save Cassandra, but to do so he must harm a peaceful civilization. Back in Liiria knowledge of Cassandra's affair drives Akeela mad. He's an idealist, unable to deal with the realities of the world, even when the consequences of his actions are reasonably explained to him. (At first I thought Baron Glass would have a small role, and I was glad he continued showing up. He's a very interesting man. I'm very happy that the blurbs of the next novels indicate he plays a large part in them as well.)
The novel covers a decent span of time. In the first part the characters mostly make choices. In the second two, the consequences of those choices are realized. Even Cassandra becomes bearable after the time-skip. (She does have plenty of time to think about her actions.)
THE EYES OF GOD opens with a tale of forbidden love, but quickly ups the ante with political intrigue, battles, magic, and a mad king. It's highly entertaining and moves along smoothly. Marco sets up a number of mysteries in the first part and answers them at a decent pace instead of leaving all answers for the very end. There's also an excellent climax, with possible redemption and a high-stakes battle. If you can get through Cassandra's POV at the start you'll be rewarded.
February 10, 2023
Very happy with this book and I can not believe how underrated it is!
For some reason it is very hard to talk about this book without giving spoilers but I’ll give it a shot.
The story follows Lukien, The Bronze Knight, who is basically King Akeela’s bodyguard. They have been best friends since they were kids.
Akeela wants to be known as a good king who seeks peace among a war torn nation. He also wants to create a library where everyone, including the paupers, can come educate themselves.
One way he creates peace is by marrying Princess Cassandra who is the most beautiful woman in the land. But Lukien also wants a piece of the Cassandra pie and is fighting his urges of betrayal.
Cassandra also has an illness that is killing her and the only way to save her is for Lukien to find 1 of 2 amulets called The Eyes of God.
Marco’s story is a very basic fantasy that I think is absolutely perfect for fantasy newbies but I think anyone can enjoy him.
If I had never read fantasy before I would give this 5 stars but after reading Martin, Jordan, Hobb, etc, I’ll have to bring it down a star. He doesn’t have the complexity of Martin or Jordan, the in depth lore of Tolkien, or the action packed writing style of John Gwynne, but his characters are so enjoyable to read about. I’d put him on a tier or two below Robin Hobb as far character development. There is betrayal, death, love and love lost. He really shows that choices have consequences and some consequences can be heartbreaking.
He also includes a people called Inhumans that are people with disabilities that are saved by The Witch and blessed with powers that I thought was very unique and I am super interested in the rest of the series and will be reading anything else he’s written.
For some reason it is very hard to talk about this book without giving spoilers but I’ll give it a shot.
The story follows Lukien, The Bronze Knight, who is basically King Akeela’s bodyguard. They have been best friends since they were kids.
Akeela wants to be known as a good king who seeks peace among a war torn nation. He also wants to create a library where everyone, including the paupers, can come educate themselves.
One way he creates peace is by marrying Princess Cassandra who is the most beautiful woman in the land. But Lukien also wants a piece of the Cassandra pie and is fighting his urges of betrayal.
Cassandra also has an illness that is killing her and the only way to save her is for Lukien to find 1 of 2 amulets called The Eyes of God.
Marco’s story is a very basic fantasy that I think is absolutely perfect for fantasy newbies but I think anyone can enjoy him.
If I had never read fantasy before I would give this 5 stars but after reading Martin, Jordan, Hobb, etc, I’ll have to bring it down a star. He doesn’t have the complexity of Martin or Jordan, the in depth lore of Tolkien, or the action packed writing style of John Gwynne, but his characters are so enjoyable to read about. I’d put him on a tier or two below Robin Hobb as far character development. There is betrayal, death, love and love lost. He really shows that choices have consequences and some consequences can be heartbreaking.
He also includes a people called Inhumans that are people with disabilities that are saved by The Witch and blessed with powers that I thought was very unique and I am super interested in the rest of the series and will be reading anything else he’s written.
September 29, 2024
And Done! I love John Marcos writing and the way he tells stories. This is a slowburn with a heavy dose of romance and heroism. Not a story for everyone but if you have patience with it the story will reward you. Will be reading book 2 soon!
July 30, 2011
John Marco gives us a very basic fantasy with Eyes of God. There's kingdoms and Good Kings and Bad Kings and Valiant Knights and caricature Middle Easterners and beautiful princesses and all that jazz. Then he deconstructs it all for us and things start getting interesting.
That is usually the first paragraph of a very good review. There's a problem. This isn't a very good review. This is actually a very bad review, for me. The problem? No follow through.
We start out with the Valiant Knight doing some things that aren't so Valiant, the Good King finding out that the world isn't very good, the scary mysterious person is a good guy, ghosts aren't so bad, it all starts great for an interesting twisting drama of political intrigue and trope deconstructions.
But then... things just start turning back to regular old fantasy tropes. A new, run of the mill villain manages to take the reins mid-book, and there's a quest and there's a growing-up story shoved in there for good measure.
This book had me throwing up my hands in frustration. After such a good beginning it had everything that I hate in a book. There's a quest. There's a peaceful people that really have no reason to be a peaceful people. Character's personalities fluctuate to fit the plot. And my major pet peeve, we're introduced to characters that don't matter. Now, I understand that this is the first of a series, but I don't need to spend a few chapters getting invested in a character that there's no conflict with until the next book. Her role could have been minimized.
Long story short, this book is very mediocre and considering how many great books there are out or coming out in the next few months, it really doesn't make sense to pick this up. I won't be picking up the next book in the series.
Check out my other reviews at my blog
That is usually the first paragraph of a very good review. There's a problem. This isn't a very good review. This is actually a very bad review, for me. The problem? No follow through.
We start out with the Valiant Knight doing some things that aren't so Valiant, the Good King finding out that the world isn't very good, the scary mysterious person is a good guy, ghosts aren't so bad, it all starts great for an interesting twisting drama of political intrigue and trope deconstructions.
But then... things just start turning back to regular old fantasy tropes. A new, run of the mill villain manages to take the reins mid-book, and there's a quest and there's a growing-up story shoved in there for good measure.
This book had me throwing up my hands in frustration. After such a good beginning it had everything that I hate in a book. There's a quest. There's a peaceful people that really have no reason to be a peaceful people. Character's personalities fluctuate to fit the plot. And my major pet peeve, we're introduced to characters that don't matter. Now, I understand that this is the first of a series, but I don't need to spend a few chapters getting invested in a character that there's no conflict with until the next book. Her role could have been minimized.
Long story short, this book is very mediocre and considering how many great books there are out or coming out in the next few months, it really doesn't make sense to pick this up. I won't be picking up the next book in the series.
Check out my other reviews at my blog
February 13, 2015
Finally finished! I don't think that this was a bad book, by any stretch, but I do feel like John Marco is more of a plot author than a character author. There were definitely times that a character would make a decision that felt wrong for them, and you could tell it was so that the plot would go the way it was supposed to. Not my preferred style, but still not terrible. Akeela was definitely my favorite character, and I always felt like his descent into madness was too abrupt.
Relationships also suffer because of this focus on plot over character. For a story where love is a main motivator, I never got behind any of the romance. It felt contrived, based on bad decisions (and physical attraction, something I don't have a lot of patience for on the best of days).
Still, there were certainly some good seeds here. If the book could just convince me of the emotions that are supposed to be behind it, this could really be a great read. And I could certainly see where the author was doing good things and trying to make the emotions work. He's just not there yet. But he could be, so I will definitely keep reading.
Relationships also suffer because of this focus on plot over character. For a story where love is a main motivator, I never got behind any of the romance. It felt contrived, based on bad decisions (and physical attraction, something I don't have a lot of patience for on the best of days).
Still, there were certainly some good seeds here. If the book could just convince me of the emotions that are supposed to be behind it, this could really be a great read. And I could certainly see where the author was doing good things and trying to make the emotions work. He's just not there yet. But he could be, so I will definitely keep reading.
February 24, 2016
Originally chose this trilogy because of the cover art on the third book 'Sword of Angels'. Decided to give it a try, and was not sorry. Nor was I prepared for just how much I would become fully invested in such well-drawn characters. It's a terribly tragic, brutally hopeful story.
I've actually just completed my second read-through of this first book, and was awake until about 2 a.m. one night reading the first half without realising time had stopped. As this never happens, even with some of my favourite novels, you can well imagine how compelling this particular story and characters are.
As I was reading it again, comparisons to Stephen Lawhead's 'Song of Albion' and George Martin's 'Game of Thrones' books came to mind -- both of which are among favourites, although Martin's is a great deal darker and more elaborate (which I don't find necessarily to be a good thing in every case).
Good fantasy is extremely hard to find, but you can't go wrong with John Marco.
I've actually just completed my second read-through of this first book, and was awake until about 2 a.m. one night reading the first half without realising time had stopped. As this never happens, even with some of my favourite novels, you can well imagine how compelling this particular story and characters are.
As I was reading it again, comparisons to Stephen Lawhead's 'Song of Albion' and George Martin's 'Game of Thrones' books came to mind -- both of which are among favourites, although Martin's is a great deal darker and more elaborate (which I don't find necessarily to be a good thing in every case).
Good fantasy is extremely hard to find, but you can't go wrong with John Marco.
January 24, 2016
I'm giving this book 5 stars, and yet I'm also giving up on this book a third of the way through. I loved the writing, and the characters and the culture, but the story is all about the messes people make for themselves, and it just...makes me flinch so hard I can't keep up with it. It is not graphic or gory, just the intensely human faults that lead me to stop watching some movies because I can envision all too well what it would feel like to be in their shoes. My failure to finish this book is entirely my own failure and no fault of either the book or the author. Well worth the read if you're made of sterner stuff than I.
***
Okay, so I went back, skipped a few chapters, and kept going. And finished it. A good read, ripe with the follies of man and the pain it brings. Definitely worth the read, but could have been better served by being a bit shorter..
***
Okay, so I went back, skipped a few chapters, and kept going. And finished it. A good read, ripe with the follies of man and the pain it brings. Definitely worth the read, but could have been better served by being a bit shorter..
February 11, 2016
Wow...how come this is not way more popular? Very refreshing. I would definitely recommend this to everybody who enjoys great fantasy. Just go out and get this book!
Read
October 18, 2018Personal Response:
I believe this book was really well written, and it captured my attention throughout the entire book. I also like how there were different sections in the book, each section on a different part of Lukien’s life. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Plot Summary:
King Akeela is to be wed to Cassandra as a peace offering between two warring nations. Lukien, however, falls in love with Cassandra as well, and they have an affair. Cassandra falls sick, and Akeela sends Lukien away to find a magical amulet to save her life. Akeela then finds out about Lukien and Cassanda’s affair, and once Lukien returns with the amulet, he is banished from the kingdom. Gilwyn is able to see Cassandra, so he goes to find Lukien so he can rescue her from her captivity. He finds Lukien in the care of Jazana Carr in Norvor, and convinces him and Baron Glass to come back and rescue Cassandra. Cassandra is rescued, but falls victim to the curse of the amulet, and she dies in Lukien’s arms. Akeela, driven mad by Cassandra’s death, pursues Lukien to kill him. He makes it to a neighboring city to where Lukien is hiding, and Akeela slaughters all of them. Lukien rides out to give himself over to Akeela, so he can end the madness. Akeela sees reason in the end, but General Trager murders Akeela so he can take over. Trager rides on Grimhold, the stronghold where Lukien and many others are hiding, in order to kill them all. Lukien challenges Trager to a one on one fight to save lives and Trager accepts. Lukien kills Trager, but takes a bad wound to the back that will kill him. He is made the protector of Grimhold, and given an amulet to save his life, and he will live out his unnaturally long life protecting the innocent.
Setting: This book takes place around and in Grimhold, as well as in Akeela’s Castle. The time appears to be in the past, because all of the battles are fought on horseback with swords. The fortress of Grimhold affects the setting because Trager would have to siege it, and that would take a long time to do.
Characterization:
King Akeela in the beginning of the book is known as Akeela the Good. He never considered war in any circumstance, but near the middle of the book, he gets violent. He destroys the council, and kicks all of the council members out so he can steal their money for his library. He does revert back to Akeela the Good in the end of the book before he dies.
Trager started the book off as a member of the military in the shadow of Lukien. So when he sees Cassandra having an affair with Lukien, he immediately goes to the King to get Lukien banished. He is still jealous after Lukien leaves however, so he kills Akeela in the end of the book for siding with Lukien. He is proved wrong about being better than Lukien when Lukien kills him in the end of the book.
Thematic Connection:
The theme of this book is that people can change. This is shown in the book by Akeela when he changes into a strict king, who is very harsh in getting what he wants. In the end of the book however, he changes back and is going to let Lukien go free when Trager kills him. Lukien changes throughout the book by being loyal to his king, to then having an affair with his wife, to joining the rebels in another country. He then came back to fix his wrongs, and saves the people of Grimhold.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to anyone around high school age who loves reading books about the surreal. This book has some gory scenes, but I feel that high schoolers can handle the level in this book. I also believe this book has plenty of action and down time to keep anyone interested.
I believe this book was really well written, and it captured my attention throughout the entire book. I also like how there were different sections in the book, each section on a different part of Lukien’s life. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Plot Summary:
King Akeela is to be wed to Cassandra as a peace offering between two warring nations. Lukien, however, falls in love with Cassandra as well, and they have an affair. Cassandra falls sick, and Akeela sends Lukien away to find a magical amulet to save her life. Akeela then finds out about Lukien and Cassanda’s affair, and once Lukien returns with the amulet, he is banished from the kingdom. Gilwyn is able to see Cassandra, so he goes to find Lukien so he can rescue her from her captivity. He finds Lukien in the care of Jazana Carr in Norvor, and convinces him and Baron Glass to come back and rescue Cassandra. Cassandra is rescued, but falls victim to the curse of the amulet, and she dies in Lukien’s arms. Akeela, driven mad by Cassandra’s death, pursues Lukien to kill him. He makes it to a neighboring city to where Lukien is hiding, and Akeela slaughters all of them. Lukien rides out to give himself over to Akeela, so he can end the madness. Akeela sees reason in the end, but General Trager murders Akeela so he can take over. Trager rides on Grimhold, the stronghold where Lukien and many others are hiding, in order to kill them all. Lukien challenges Trager to a one on one fight to save lives and Trager accepts. Lukien kills Trager, but takes a bad wound to the back that will kill him. He is made the protector of Grimhold, and given an amulet to save his life, and he will live out his unnaturally long life protecting the innocent.
Setting: This book takes place around and in Grimhold, as well as in Akeela’s Castle. The time appears to be in the past, because all of the battles are fought on horseback with swords. The fortress of Grimhold affects the setting because Trager would have to siege it, and that would take a long time to do.
Characterization:
King Akeela in the beginning of the book is known as Akeela the Good. He never considered war in any circumstance, but near the middle of the book, he gets violent. He destroys the council, and kicks all of the council members out so he can steal their money for his library. He does revert back to Akeela the Good in the end of the book before he dies.
Trager started the book off as a member of the military in the shadow of Lukien. So when he sees Cassandra having an affair with Lukien, he immediately goes to the King to get Lukien banished. He is still jealous after Lukien leaves however, so he kills Akeela in the end of the book for siding with Lukien. He is proved wrong about being better than Lukien when Lukien kills him in the end of the book.
Thematic Connection:
The theme of this book is that people can change. This is shown in the book by Akeela when he changes into a strict king, who is very harsh in getting what he wants. In the end of the book however, he changes back and is going to let Lukien go free when Trager kills him. Lukien changes throughout the book by being loyal to his king, to then having an affair with his wife, to joining the rebels in another country. He then came back to fix his wrongs, and saves the people of Grimhold.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to anyone around high school age who loves reading books about the surreal. This book has some gory scenes, but I feel that high schoolers can handle the level in this book. I also believe this book has plenty of action and down time to keep anyone interested.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2019
Fantasy as old-fashioned tragedy. Everyone has their flaw, and many of our principals have a fistful of bad choices to go along with it. Even so, this is a story about redemption. Sin. Love. Hate. Where bitterness and forgiveness are both more powerful than sorcery, and both our good and evil choices and intents will lead us into terrible places.
There are some stylistic flaws here and there, but the plot really moves despite its massive length, and the chracters are three-dimensional. Read the story of Lukien the Bronze Knight, King Akeela the Good, Queen Cassandra, Will Trager, Minikin, Kahan Kadar, Baron Glass, and Gilwyn Toms. Read, and remember how you have loved, and hated. Remember that bitterness will devour you, but forgiveness will set you free. Read, and remember that nothing we do is free of consequence.
Highly recommended.
There are some stylistic flaws here and there, but the plot really moves despite its massive length, and the chracters are three-dimensional. Read the story of Lukien the Bronze Knight, King Akeela the Good, Queen Cassandra, Will Trager, Minikin, Kahan Kadar, Baron Glass, and Gilwyn Toms. Read, and remember how you have loved, and hated. Remember that bitterness will devour you, but forgiveness will set you free. Read, and remember that nothing we do is free of consequence.
Highly recommended.
February 25, 2025
I can appreciate the effort that goes into writing a story this expansive and detailed….idk I just felt like (especially at the end) there was So Much going on. It felt like a new character was being introduced every other page, with very little intention. Also I thought the big reveal with the Devil’s Armor was going to be a kind of chekov’s gun situation only for it to never be brought up again 😐 also! I call bs on Lukien being all hunky-dory regarding his non-consensual immortality at the end. Like if I nearly died in a battle with my mortal enemy bc everyone else I loved was dead and then I was forcibly brought back from the brink of death and elected eternal protector via a magic necklace….girl I would be presseddddd I would not be happy. But hey I get it, the author needed to tie the ending up with a little bow. Not my cup of tea 🤷🏼♀️
July 27, 2010
In this, i will comment on the entire Lukien trilogy, rather then just book one. I will try my best to leave out any spoilers.
I would like to begin by saying although this is not the best trilogy i have ever read, i still enjoyed reading all three novels. John Marco begins his series with a typical fantasy setting; a Medieval England type world with kings, queens, castles, knights, and all the rest. Lukien, the main character throughout is very interesting, likable, and an excellent knight who undergoes many hardships throughout the series (again, very typical of a fantasy series). However, as the novels progress, characters are taken across the world into desert lands where warriors ride large lizards. There is a mountain city filled with peculiar people whose application of magic is rather unique to this series. Although some parts drag on far too long, Marco isn't afraid to throw in a handful of very novel ideas and characters.
Although the entire trilogy is quite entertaining i would have changed a few things if i had the chance. Marco probably should have allotted a larger amount of the plot time to Lukien's journey rather then some of the other...well...less exciting characters. A greater proportion of the story could have been spent describing the Inhumans, as their magic and powers could have contributed greatly to the plot. Lastly, and certainly most important to me was the quick ending. It left me wondering what happened to a few of the characters after the final struggles and overall came to a close far to easily and predictably.
All in all, if your tired of the traditional fantasy story, you should definitely give John Marco's Lukien trilogy a chance.
I would like to begin by saying although this is not the best trilogy i have ever read, i still enjoyed reading all three novels. John Marco begins his series with a typical fantasy setting; a Medieval England type world with kings, queens, castles, knights, and all the rest. Lukien, the main character throughout is very interesting, likable, and an excellent knight who undergoes many hardships throughout the series (again, very typical of a fantasy series). However, as the novels progress, characters are taken across the world into desert lands where warriors ride large lizards. There is a mountain city filled with peculiar people whose application of magic is rather unique to this series. Although some parts drag on far too long, Marco isn't afraid to throw in a handful of very novel ideas and characters.
Although the entire trilogy is quite entertaining i would have changed a few things if i had the chance. Marco probably should have allotted a larger amount of the plot time to Lukien's journey rather then some of the other...well...less exciting characters. A greater proportion of the story could have been spent describing the Inhumans, as their magic and powers could have contributed greatly to the plot. Lastly, and certainly most important to me was the quick ending. It left me wondering what happened to a few of the characters after the final struggles and overall came to a close far to easily and predictably.
All in all, if your tired of the traditional fantasy story, you should definitely give John Marco's Lukien trilogy a chance.
April 28, 2023
I only finished John Marco's The Eyes of God out of sheer obstinacy, because it has a fault that maybe other people don't see as a fault. I hate reading or watching stories about people I dislike or people I think are stupid, and The Eyes of God is full of them. It's no fun for me to watch characters being hung by their own stupidity, deceit, selfishness, and sneaking around, as they are here, because I care so little that I don't even have an investment in seeing them get some kind of comeuppance. The characters consistently make stupid decisions, which may lead to disasters that create drama but also leave me wanting them to just die already and stop screwing up.
There's also a section in which Cassandra thinks of the reasons why she has an affair with her husband's best friend in which she uses cringe-worthy phrases like "inferno of love" to excuse herself, and I couldn't decide if the author chose these as terms a callow, stupid, self-involved young girl might use or if he thought they were valid on their own. Since I haven't seen anything from Marco before, I don't trust him enough to know that he's trying for Cassandra's voice, even if the sections are in tight third-person POV.
This book has plenty of rave reviews quoted on its cover and inside--including one from Tad Williams--and you'd think I'd know by now from experience that I'll probably hate the book.
There's also a section in which Cassandra thinks of the reasons why she has an affair with her husband's best friend in which she uses cringe-worthy phrases like "inferno of love" to excuse herself, and I couldn't decide if the author chose these as terms a callow, stupid, self-involved young girl might use or if he thought they were valid on their own. Since I haven't seen anything from Marco before, I don't trust him enough to know that he's trying for Cassandra's voice, even if the sections are in tight third-person POV.
This book has plenty of rave reviews quoted on its cover and inside--including one from Tad Williams--and you'd think I'd know by now from experience that I'll probably hate the book.
December 1, 2011
Great fantasy book with some faults. Mainly grammar and punctuation, but that's common with DAW and TOR and I don't blame the author.(even Terry Goodkind can't seem to hire a competent copy editor)
This is epic fantasy for the fan who mostly enjoys a good story. The Eyes of God is filled with extremely interesting and likable protagonists who eventually become lovable and antagonists that have enough of an interesting formation for the reader to sympathize with instead of just hate.
This first volume was low on action, in fact, it was almost nonexistent through most of the book. But character depth, suspense and short chapters give the almost 800 page book the feel of a 400 pager. There are also no wizards and no traditional "fantasy-by-numbers" magic. Though, elements of the supernatural play more than a key role.
The book has a satisfying ending, which is good, but I expected the first volume of an epic trilogy to end on some sort of major cliffhanger, which it did not. So I wasn't clamoring to pick up the next volume. But from the look of things, the second volume, The Devil's Armor, will answer some key questions and take on an exciting adventure of its own. So I plan to do so eventually.
Overall, I say read this.
This is epic fantasy for the fan who mostly enjoys a good story. The Eyes of God is filled with extremely interesting and likable protagonists who eventually become lovable and antagonists that have enough of an interesting formation for the reader to sympathize with instead of just hate.
This first volume was low on action, in fact, it was almost nonexistent through most of the book. But character depth, suspense and short chapters give the almost 800 page book the feel of a 400 pager. There are also no wizards and no traditional "fantasy-by-numbers" magic. Though, elements of the supernatural play more than a key role.
The book has a satisfying ending, which is good, but I expected the first volume of an epic trilogy to end on some sort of major cliffhanger, which it did not. So I wasn't clamoring to pick up the next volume. But from the look of things, the second volume, The Devil's Armor, will answer some key questions and take on an exciting adventure of its own. So I plan to do so eventually.
Overall, I say read this.
June 13, 2013
Ok, I made it half way through. over 300 pages I think. The book started out very intruiging. I was enjoying the intentional paralells to Arthur, Lancelot and Guinevere. My favorite part that I was hoping to see more of was the mysterious little old woman who shows up to rescue threatened or abandoned children from terrible fates. very cool sub plot that was honestly about the only thing that kept me reading as far as i got.
The characters are just flat and predictable. the plot gets old quickly. the plot twists are way too covenient and unrealsistic. I was planning to finish it but then the author randomly starts throwing in new characters who aren't important at all to the plot and are very uninteresting with long, uneccesary dialogues.
I really wanted to like this book. I tried, really!. But there just isn't enough background for anything, the characters, the kingdoms, the politics, the geography, the motivations of people, anything. I know that's probably what some people enjoy about this book, not getting bogged down in details, but apparently i need those details.
The characters are just flat and predictable. the plot gets old quickly. the plot twists are way too covenient and unrealsistic. I was planning to finish it but then the author randomly starts throwing in new characters who aren't important at all to the plot and are very uninteresting with long, uneccesary dialogues.
I really wanted to like this book. I tried, really!. But there just isn't enough background for anything, the characters, the kingdoms, the politics, the geography, the motivations of people, anything. I know that's probably what some people enjoy about this book, not getting bogged down in details, but apparently i need those details.
July 31, 2018
Akeela is a good king come to an enemy land to make peace. He brings along Lukien, his best knight. The king of the enemy land offers his daughter Cassandra to Akeela in order to bring together the two lands. Akeela accepts, then leaves his knight with his fiancee for a few weeks while he makes wedding preparations in his kingdom.
As you might expect, this isn't a good idea.
I made it 150 pages into The Eyes of God and was quite impressed with how John Marco was able to make the pages fly. There's a quick pace, snappy dialogue, and enough going on to be interesting...at first.
As the novel kept going I got more and more bored with the two-dimensional characters, uninteresting fantasy world, and the listless plot where I didn't see where it was going and didn't particularly care because none of the characters are worth investing in enough to struggle to the point where the plot makes itself apparent.
I commend the style, but this is an otherwise very flat, boring book.
As you might expect, this isn't a good idea.
I made it 150 pages into The Eyes of God and was quite impressed with how John Marco was able to make the pages fly. There's a quick pace, snappy dialogue, and enough going on to be interesting...at first.
As the novel kept going I got more and more bored with the two-dimensional characters, uninteresting fantasy world, and the listless plot where I didn't see where it was going and didn't particularly care because none of the characters are worth investing in enough to struggle to the point where the plot makes itself apparent.
I commend the style, but this is an otherwise very flat, boring book.
February 17, 2012
I really liked this book a lot, but it took me a long time to read because I upgraded from a regular non-smartphone to an iPhone shortly after I began reading it. Therefore all of the time that I normally would have spent reading (on break at work, on the toilet) instead was spent playing Angry Birds and Words with Friends and writing *hilarious* tweets.
I liked the characters, and how the "good" characters are flawed and do awful things and how the "bad" characters are sympathetic and have redeeming qualities, and the evolution of good to bad and from bad to worse that you see develop in some of the characters. The only downside for me was the desert culture that was an unimaginative ripoff of the Muslims. But I can get over that, this book was well-written and I am looking forward to reading the sequels.
I liked the characters, and how the "good" characters are flawed and do awful things and how the "bad" characters are sympathetic and have redeeming qualities, and the evolution of good to bad and from bad to worse that you see develop in some of the characters. The only downside for me was the desert culture that was an unimaginative ripoff of the Muslims. But I can get over that, this book was well-written and I am looking forward to reading the sequels.
June 14, 2013
The Eyes of God is a sprawling, medieval fantasy novel. The seed for the next book (The Devil's Armor) is planted well in the first, and I hope more of the good than the bad from the first book carries over.
The Eyes of God consists of three parts. (And before that, a beautiful cover — one of its very best features.) The first is basically a rehashing of Camelot's love triangle. The book does open very well indeed with excellent, fresh introductions of the scholarly King Akeela the Good; his handsome champion, Lukien the Bronze Knight; and his new bride, Cassandra, the beautiful seal on a peace treaty. However, even with the twist of Cassandra's mysterious illness and Lukien's quest to heal her, the first part fails to escape Camelot's shadow — it simply starts too squarely within it. Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
The Eyes of God consists of three parts. (And before that, a beautiful cover — one of its very best features.) The first is basically a rehashing of Camelot's love triangle. The book does open very well indeed with excellent, fresh introductions of the scholarly King Akeela the Good; his handsome champion, Lukien the Bronze Knight; and his new bride, Cassandra, the beautiful seal on a peace treaty. However, even with the twist of Cassandra's mysterious illness and Lukien's quest to heal her, the first part fails to escape Camelot's shadow — it simply starts too squarely within it. Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
December 22, 2021
I only finished this because it was recommended by a family member who thought I would enjoy it based on its similarities to Pillars of the Earth which I had recommended to them. I fail to see these similarities.
The characters of this novel all lack depth and everyone’s emotions, motivations and decisions are simple and extreme without any subtleties.
There are so many spelling mistakes, awkward word choices and plot holes that make the book laughable. The author clearly had trouble keeping the characters straight as there are times the same character discovers the same thing multiple times, and times when a character uses information they couldn’t know as a basis for a decision or action.
The book is filled with sexist and ableist language and the treatment and characterization of women and people with disabilities is horrible.
The characters of this novel all lack depth and everyone’s emotions, motivations and decisions are simple and extreme without any subtleties.
There are so many spelling mistakes, awkward word choices and plot holes that make the book laughable. The author clearly had trouble keeping the characters straight as there are times the same character discovers the same thing multiple times, and times when a character uses information they couldn’t know as a basis for a decision or action.
The book is filled with sexist and ableist language and the treatment and characterization of women and people with disabilities is horrible.
October 25, 2016
This book was a trial. I've liked the author's previous works and really wanted to like this one. The fault probably resides with me. Lately I've been reading lighter material: more meat and gristle. The Eyes of God is a wordy, hefty tome. My main beef with it was the length and pace. The book is broken into three parts. The first part introduces us to the characters, their grievances with each other, and the love triangle that ensues. The second part takes us almost twenty years into the future with a different main character who helps reunite the love triangle with disastrous results. Finally, the third part explains even more depth about the story and involves a final showdown for the Eyes of God. It just didn't hold my interest. I do not recommend this book.
April 5, 2014
This book was like two books in one - The first half was terrible, with an awkward love-triangle development and poor writing that I battled through simply because I'm stubborn, and the second half was suddenly much more interesting once the magic system was introduced and the action ramped up. The writing is still terrible though, with plenty of editing misses - Such as the king's chambers having no doorway, but when a fight takes place they close the doors, or riding into town while the sun is still up, and suddenly needing candles and lamps to light their way. Weird. I will likely not read the rest of the series, when there is so much better out there...
March 10, 2010
Very much enjoyed the John Marco trilogy. A fantasy trilogy, similar in style to Tad Williams and George R.R. Martin. The characters are multi-faceted in ways that make them easy to relate to; the heroes have flaws and the villains have good streaks. The trilogy ultimately follows The Bronze Knight, Lukien, and where his decisions lead him. There's princesses and bravery, and sometimes the wrong people die; people try to do what's right and fail, good people become corrupted, and evil people display an unexpected courage.
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