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The Legend of Broken
“A sprawling fantasy saga . . . Caleb Carr boldly goes where he’s never gone before.”— USA Today
Legend meets history in this mesmerizing novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Caleb Carr. Demonstrating the rich storytelling, skillful plotting, and depth of research he showcased in The Alienist, Carr has written a wildly imaginative, genre-bending saga that redefines the boundaries of literature.
Some years ago, a remarkable manuscript long rumored to exist was The Legend of Broken. It tells of a prosperous fortress city where order reigns at the point of a sword—even as scheming factions secretly vie for control of the surrounding kingdom. Meanwhile, outside the city’s granite walls, an industrious tribe of exiles known as the Bane forages for sustenance in the wilds of Davon Wood.
At every turn, the lives of Broken’s defenders and its would-be destroyers Sixt Arnem, the widely respected and honorable head of the kingdom’s powerful army, grapples with his conscience and newfound responsibilities amid rumors of impending war. Lord Baster-kin, master of the Merchants’ Council, struggles to maintain the magnificence of his kingdom even as he pursues vainglorious dreams of power. And Keera, a gifted female tracker of the Bane tribe, embarks on a perilous journey to save her people, enlisting the aid of the notorious and brilliant philosopher Caliphestros. Together, they hope to exact a ruinous revenge on Broken, ushering in a day of reckoning when the mighty walls will be breached forever in a triumph of science over superstition.
Breathtakingly profound and compulsively readable, Caleb Carr’s long-awaited new book is an action-packed, multicharacter epic of a medieval clash of cultures—in which new gods collide with old, science defies all expectation, and virtue comes in many guises. Brimming with adventure and narrative invention, The Legend of Broken is an exhilarating and enthralling masterwork.
Praise for The Legend of Broken
“An excellent and old-fashioned entertainment . . . The Legend of Broken seamlessly blends epic adventure with serious research and asks questions that men and women grappled with in the Dark Ages and still do today.”— The Washington Post
“[A] colossal effort . . . a fantasy epic . . . meant as an allegory, a cautionary tale for our precarious times. To make his points, Carr has summoned a dream team of soldiers, wizards, and tiny forest folk.”— The New York Times Book Review
“Carr keeps the action hurtling along with a steady diet of gruesome murders and political betrayals. And he clearly wants modern readers to see something of their own world in the political corruption and greed that ultimately doom Broken.”— The Boston Globe
Legend meets history in this mesmerizing novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Caleb Carr. Demonstrating the rich storytelling, skillful plotting, and depth of research he showcased in The Alienist, Carr has written a wildly imaginative, genre-bending saga that redefines the boundaries of literature.
Some years ago, a remarkable manuscript long rumored to exist was The Legend of Broken. It tells of a prosperous fortress city where order reigns at the point of a sword—even as scheming factions secretly vie for control of the surrounding kingdom. Meanwhile, outside the city’s granite walls, an industrious tribe of exiles known as the Bane forages for sustenance in the wilds of Davon Wood.
At every turn, the lives of Broken’s defenders and its would-be destroyers Sixt Arnem, the widely respected and honorable head of the kingdom’s powerful army, grapples with his conscience and newfound responsibilities amid rumors of impending war. Lord Baster-kin, master of the Merchants’ Council, struggles to maintain the magnificence of his kingdom even as he pursues vainglorious dreams of power. And Keera, a gifted female tracker of the Bane tribe, embarks on a perilous journey to save her people, enlisting the aid of the notorious and brilliant philosopher Caliphestros. Together, they hope to exact a ruinous revenge on Broken, ushering in a day of reckoning when the mighty walls will be breached forever in a triumph of science over superstition.
Breathtakingly profound and compulsively readable, Caleb Carr’s long-awaited new book is an action-packed, multicharacter epic of a medieval clash of cultures—in which new gods collide with old, science defies all expectation, and virtue comes in many guises. Brimming with adventure and narrative invention, The Legend of Broken is an exhilarating and enthralling masterwork.
Praise for The Legend of Broken
“An excellent and old-fashioned entertainment . . . The Legend of Broken seamlessly blends epic adventure with serious research and asks questions that men and women grappled with in the Dark Ages and still do today.”— The Washington Post
“[A] colossal effort . . . a fantasy epic . . . meant as an allegory, a cautionary tale for our precarious times. To make his points, Carr has summoned a dream team of soldiers, wizards, and tiny forest folk.”— The New York Times Book Review
“Carr keeps the action hurtling along with a steady diet of gruesome murders and political betrayals. And he clearly wants modern readers to see something of their own world in the political corruption and greed that ultimately doom Broken.”— The Boston Globe
653 pages, Hardcover
First published November 27, 2012
208 people are currently reading
1921 people want to read
About the author
Caleb Carr
39 books3,585 followersCaleb Carr was an American novelist and military historian. The son of Lucien Carr, a former UPI editor and a key Beat generation figure, he was born in Manhattan and lived for much of his life on the Lower East Side. He attended Kenyon College and New York University, earning a B.A. in military and diplomatic history. He was a contributing editor of MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History and wrote frequently on military and political affairs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
January 23, 2013
I very much enjoyed Carr's earlier works and was eagerly looking forward to reading his latest book, "The Legend of Broken" as well. As a medievalist (from many years ago) I was immediately drawn to the first several chapters of the book and dove in head first. But unfortunately it wasn't long before my head struck the bottom of the pool, about 1/3 of the way through.
The dust cover does a great job of explaining what the book is about so I'll not bother with a synopsis, only stating that this book is completely unlike any of his prior works. This book is over 1,000 pages long and of that, roughly 300 pages are footnotes.
At first I did not mind turning the pages to the back of the book to better understand every subtlety Carr crafted into his work. But it became tiresome, to be blunt.
I have to applaud the author on his attention to background, research and the pure diligence of the work. He has successfully created a fictional kingdom in the middle of our own historical timeline which fits seamlessly; every detail is meticulously created so as to be completely reasonable; from the archaic roots of High German surnames to the explicit descriptions of certain mystic rites. I was amazed by his attention to detail across the board.
But therein lies the problem.
At some point, the book is no longer about character, plot, twists, reveals or revelations. It starts to read like some archaic travelogue written by Marco Polo or the mythic Prester John. In short, it stopped being a novel and became an artificial pseudo-historical treatise. But it stopped being interesting shortly thereafter. As a reader I want a reward or payoff of some kind when I invest my time in a book. I never got that sense of accomplishment while reading it. Not a "WOW" at the end, as much as a sigh of relief.
I could not help but get the feeling that the author was so concerned with maintaining the illusion of faux historical accuracy (paradoxical, I know, but true regardless) and writing in a particular style, that the story was drowned by the attention to detail.
I suspect the author spent a considerable amount of time researching the details of this book and it certainly showed. I just wish he'd spent an equal effort at making the story and characters as compelling as the background and premise of the setting.
The dust cover does a great job of explaining what the book is about so I'll not bother with a synopsis, only stating that this book is completely unlike any of his prior works. This book is over 1,000 pages long and of that, roughly 300 pages are footnotes.
At first I did not mind turning the pages to the back of the book to better understand every subtlety Carr crafted into his work. But it became tiresome, to be blunt.
I have to applaud the author on his attention to background, research and the pure diligence of the work. He has successfully created a fictional kingdom in the middle of our own historical timeline which fits seamlessly; every detail is meticulously created so as to be completely reasonable; from the archaic roots of High German surnames to the explicit descriptions of certain mystic rites. I was amazed by his attention to detail across the board.
But therein lies the problem.
At some point, the book is no longer about character, plot, twists, reveals or revelations. It starts to read like some archaic travelogue written by Marco Polo or the mythic Prester John. In short, it stopped being a novel and became an artificial pseudo-historical treatise. But it stopped being interesting shortly thereafter. As a reader I want a reward or payoff of some kind when I invest my time in a book. I never got that sense of accomplishment while reading it. Not a "WOW" at the end, as much as a sigh of relief.
I could not help but get the feeling that the author was so concerned with maintaining the illusion of faux historical accuracy (paradoxical, I know, but true regardless) and writing in a particular style, that the story was drowned by the attention to detail.
I suspect the author spent a considerable amount of time researching the details of this book and it certainly showed. I just wish he'd spent an equal effort at making the story and characters as compelling as the background and premise of the setting.
February 3, 2013
A military historian at his finest...
"Because war is not a thing separate from the mind, like the hammer or the blade... It is an expression of the mind, one used to achieve a certain object, yes, but one that bespeaks the nature of the collective mind of that people." - part three, chapter 7 (p 523, hardcover)
The first two words that came to mind after finishing this novel were: magnum opus.
Our anonymous narrator plunks us down in Germany, between the fifth and eighth centuries, amidst a conflict between the small statured Bane and the Tall - as they are known by the Bane - of Broken at the base of a mountain by the same name. Both races are afflicted by plague and disease that both believes the other started purposefully. A battle between both races therefore ensues; the Broken army lead by a brooding, but no less experienced military leader, Sixt Arnem (a bad-ass name, by the way) meets with the Bane under the guidance of a legless “sorcerer” by the name of Caliphestros (another bad-ass name) and lead in some small part by three foragers - Veloc, a Bane historian, his intrepid tracker sister, Keera, and their childhood friend and smelly comic-relief, Heldo-Bah. What happens after the two meet under the canopy of Davon Wood is, in a word, awesome.
For those who could not read past page 100, you’ve done yourself a disservice. Even if the sentences, at times, are arduous and verbose, there is a story in there. I personally enjoyed the vast, sweeping prose, but at the same time, I disliked the fact so much could be left out story-wise. But ah! That’s where the endnotes come in handy. Admittedly, my copy is flagged with Post-It notes and colorful little labels, so that I might go back and figure out what the hell that certain phrase or word meant. Good thing I did, despite Mr Carr’s suggestion of not reading the endnotes unless one really wanted to. Well, sir, I really wanted to, and I’m glad I did.
I did greatly enjoy this tale and appreciated the research involved, and certainly the time - thirty years, my goodness! - in crafting such an epic tome.
"Because war is not a thing separate from the mind, like the hammer or the blade... It is an expression of the mind, one used to achieve a certain object, yes, but one that bespeaks the nature of the collective mind of that people." - part three, chapter 7 (p 523, hardcover)
The first two words that came to mind after finishing this novel were: magnum opus.
Our anonymous narrator plunks us down in Germany, between the fifth and eighth centuries, amidst a conflict between the small statured Bane and the Tall - as they are known by the Bane - of Broken at the base of a mountain by the same name. Both races are afflicted by plague and disease that both believes the other started purposefully. A battle between both races therefore ensues; the Broken army lead by a brooding, but no less experienced military leader, Sixt Arnem (a bad-ass name, by the way) meets with the Bane under the guidance of a legless “sorcerer” by the name of Caliphestros (another bad-ass name) and lead in some small part by three foragers - Veloc, a Bane historian, his intrepid tracker sister, Keera, and their childhood friend and smelly comic-relief, Heldo-Bah. What happens after the two meet under the canopy of Davon Wood is, in a word, awesome.
For those who could not read past page 100, you’ve done yourself a disservice. Even if the sentences, at times, are arduous and verbose, there is a story in there. I personally enjoyed the vast, sweeping prose, but at the same time, I disliked the fact so much could be left out story-wise. But ah! That’s where the endnotes come in handy. Admittedly, my copy is flagged with Post-It notes and colorful little labels, so that I might go back and figure out what the hell that certain phrase or word meant. Good thing I did, despite Mr Carr’s suggestion of not reading the endnotes unless one really wanted to. Well, sir, I really wanted to, and I’m glad I did.
I did greatly enjoy this tale and appreciated the research involved, and certainly the time - thirty years, my goodness! - in crafting such an epic tome.
March 21, 2013
This book is a pretty good fantasy novel populated with characters typically found in fantasy-lit: melancholic warriors, small forest people, cave-dwelling mystics, an occasional enchanted animal or bird. It's a shame that the author decided to weigh it down with make believe documentation from "one of our major universities" where the "Broken Manuscript" (i.e. this book) was found. BOGUS! I'm convinced there is no manuscript. I guess there are no rules for fantasy, so pretending it's all based on a found manuscript is part of the fantasy.
This is a big story that requires a big book (737 pages). Incredibly 77 pages are dedicated to meticulous notes that elaborate, explain and expand on terms and expressions contained in the main text. Many of these notes refer to Gibbon's (Edward Gibbon, author of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire) manuscript which again I am convinced is a completely fictitious source. But the contents of the notes themselves are mostly factual as best I can tell. This conflation of fact and fiction is disorienting to a skeptical reader such as me. I know I would be a happier person if I could simply get lost in the fantasy and believe everything in this book.
As a whole, I don't believe this book contains sufficient historical material to qualify it as "historical fiction." However, there is much historical material referenced in the book. One character in the books recounts that he knew and traveled with Saint Boniface (c. 7th century A.D.). There's also reference to the Christian religion coming out of Rome. But it is interesting to note that the author has selected a time (heart of the dark ages) and place (central Germany) about which few historical records have survived. What has come from that time and era are tales of magic and fairy tales; perfect material upon which the base this book.
The author takes time to poke fun at writers of written history. The following quotation is from a character in the book who is explaining why oral history is so much more accurate than written history:
There are plenty of moral, political and economic lessons contained in the book that are thinly veiled warnings to our modern times. One example is social unrest caused by rich people buying food from distant lands at cheap prices instead of locally grown food. Another example is a banished wizard who ends up using his knowledge of science to develop weapons of war to defeat those who banished him. In general religion is made to look foolish, and those respectful of science and hard work prevail.
This is a big story that requires a big book (737 pages). Incredibly 77 pages are dedicated to meticulous notes that elaborate, explain and expand on terms and expressions contained in the main text. Many of these notes refer to Gibbon's (Edward Gibbon, author of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire) manuscript which again I am convinced is a completely fictitious source. But the contents of the notes themselves are mostly factual as best I can tell. This conflation of fact and fiction is disorienting to a skeptical reader such as me. I know I would be a happier person if I could simply get lost in the fantasy and believe everything in this book.
As a whole, I don't believe this book contains sufficient historical material to qualify it as "historical fiction." However, there is much historical material referenced in the book. One character in the books recounts that he knew and traveled with Saint Boniface (c. 7th century A.D.). There's also reference to the Christian religion coming out of Rome. But it is interesting to note that the author has selected a time (heart of the dark ages) and place (central Germany) about which few historical records have survived. What has come from that time and era are tales of magic and fairy tales; perfect material upon which the base this book.
The author takes time to poke fun at writers of written history. The following quotation is from a character in the book who is explaining why oral history is so much more accurate than written history:
“What else should a true historian do, my lord? Were history to be recorded in books, why ... How should we know who put it there? Or where it originated, and what part is fact, what legend, and what mere myth? Only spoken knowledge, handed down through the generation from wise man to pupil, over and over, can offer us such integrity--should any of our number speak lies, his fellows will likely catch him at it, whereas the lies of a man who writes books will long outlive him, with no one left to tell of his deceptions!”Ah, so true, Calab Carr being the prime example!
There are plenty of moral, political and economic lessons contained in the book that are thinly veiled warnings to our modern times. One example is social unrest caused by rich people buying food from distant lands at cheap prices instead of locally grown food. Another example is a banished wizard who ends up using his knowledge of science to develop weapons of war to defeat those who banished him. In general religion is made to look foolish, and those respectful of science and hard work prevail.
February 6, 2017
One of the weirdest books I've ever read. Not because of the story - a straightforward medieval clash between hobbits and a citadel with a wizard saving the day (hmmm.....), but the tension between what the author was most interested in and what the reader is most interested in. To be fair, that tension is mostly in if the reader is tempted to read the voluminous endnotes. Don't read the endnotes - don't pick fights with the author...
The reader does not pick up a 700 page densely written book with the picture of a white panther on the cover in front of a stony prominence ("Broken") expecting to get a lecture on the proto-Germanic origins of the word "thud." Or on the shortcomings of Gibbon and Burke in not noticing the obscure etymology of words that the author has made up. All this kind of crap is in the endnotes. Avoid them. Almost every one of the endnotes is a case of authorial "Look at me!! This is me being clever!! Did you get that? Here it is again, yup, I'm Clever!"
And, poor reader of this review, you may be asking why it is a four star book in my opinion? Because he left that crap in the endnotes, Thank God! The stuff before the endnotes is about the best written fantasy you could hope for. Yes, it gets a little long in the tooth, and the military focus is a bit, well, military, but the characters, plot and reveals are pretty dang good. It took me more than two weeks to read it (with the flu intervening), but I was only complaining about the endnotes of which I masochistically read every single one of. Endnotes: Car wreck - stare - impossible not to. The rest of the book - cliffhanger - stare - what the heck is happening next!
The reader does not pick up a 700 page densely written book with the picture of a white panther on the cover in front of a stony prominence ("Broken") expecting to get a lecture on the proto-Germanic origins of the word "thud." Or on the shortcomings of Gibbon and Burke in not noticing the obscure etymology of words that the author has made up. All this kind of crap is in the endnotes. Avoid them. Almost every one of the endnotes is a case of authorial "Look at me!! This is me being clever!! Did you get that? Here it is again, yup, I'm Clever!"
And, poor reader of this review, you may be asking why it is a four star book in my opinion? Because he left that crap in the endnotes, Thank God! The stuff before the endnotes is about the best written fantasy you could hope for. Yes, it gets a little long in the tooth, and the military focus is a bit, well, military, but the characters, plot and reveals are pretty dang good. It took me more than two weeks to read it (with the flu intervening), but I was only complaining about the endnotes of which I masochistically read every single one of. Endnotes: Car wreck - stare - impossible not to. The rest of the book - cliffhanger - stare - what the heck is happening next!
December 25, 2012
Little history exists about Northern Germany in the period from 500-800 AD so Caleb Carr writes a novel about a fortress city named Broken, run by a religious sect and the merchants. Less than desirable people are banished to the forest. When both are threatened by a virulent disease, military leaders have to ignore orders and work together to save both people. The writing is ponderous, in old English, making reading the book a chore, but there are some excellent characters with strong moral compasses, from Keera the tracker to Sixt Arnem the rising military leader to the fearsome panther of the Davon Wood.
December 29, 2012
I am clearly not afraid of a thousand page plus end note tome... But. We are lucky enough to live in a time where being fans of genre fiction does not relegate us to stories about morally simple characters doing implausibly convenient (slash lucky) things to win the day. And while the premise of this book is killer, that makes the follow through that much more disappointing. I LOVED that my ebook had hypertext links to the end notes (is someone working at similarly integrating maps and other appendices?). That being said, the level of detail and research (the linguistic stuff is really fun) was poorly served by black and white characters and deus ex machina -type plot twists (conveniently the only person in medieval Europe to know about all of this technology is right here, living in the woods!). It wasn't compelling enough to even consider the second novel. For the number of pages and the amount that actually happened, we deserved at least twice as much story.
January 13, 2013
I have greatly enjoyed this book, even in all of its' complexity. The place of this 'legend' in history is readily captured. It is a study of the evolution of a particular culture: individuals, social structure, economics, philosophy, and religion; all are embedded in a compelling story.
There is nothing new under the sun, to borrow a phrase. In addition, no culture is free from the influence of other cultures. There is human response and reaction that are the building blocks of an evolutionary process. Moreover, it is a study of the place of war, as a part of human and cultural process.
It will provide you with some food for thought, grounded in history.
There is nothing new under the sun, to borrow a phrase. In addition, no culture is free from the influence of other cultures. There is human response and reaction that are the building blocks of an evolutionary process. Moreover, it is a study of the place of war, as a part of human and cultural process.
It will provide you with some food for thought, grounded in history.
May 2, 2013
I'm a horrible person. See my friend goes to his school's library and searches though the new book section and pick this up for me.
And I can't reach page 100. Carr's writing in terms of style is great. I still want to read the Alienist, but this. I mean honestly, why not simply write a AD&D manuel and be done. The conceit wears thing because (1) he goes overboard and (2) other authors have done it better - think Mary Gentle and A Secret History.
And I can't reach page 100. Carr's writing in terms of style is great. I still want to read the Alienist, but this. I mean honestly, why not simply write a AD&D manuel and be done. The conceit wears thing because (1) he goes overboard and (2) other authors have done it better - think Mary Gentle and A Secret History.
March 21, 2013
I'd like to give this 2.5 stars. It was a great universe that Carr created and a fairy interesting story, but I found the storytelling to be disappointing. Told in second person present tense by an undefined mystic (I think) with a secondary and ultimately non-additive character who apparently found the memoir that is the text. The storyteller/storytelling became a significant element of the reading experience which I found, over time, to be cumbersome and unnecessarily tiring. Copious notes at the back provided scholarly commentary on the text, but while at times it was interesting, it felt more like the author was showing off. Or maybe there was so much more that he wanted to say but couldn't fit it into the confines of the story -- which is, by the way, why we have editors: to protect the author (and the reader) from himself; to try to ensure that only the best story gets told in the best way, even if that means trimming away lots of decorative dead wood.
All that aside, the references people make to George RR Martin's Song of Fire and Ice series (another author/series in need of a good editor and deadwood trimming) are due to the epic nature of the story, the multiple interweaving characters and story lines, though while Martin has many independent arcs running longitudinally, we know Carr's characters will ultimately all arrive together somewhere -- and we are unsurprised when they do.
In the end, it was an OK read but I don't see myself trying Carr again for awhile.
All that aside, the references people make to George RR Martin's Song of Fire and Ice series (another author/series in need of a good editor and deadwood trimming) are due to the epic nature of the story, the multiple interweaving characters and story lines, though while Martin has many independent arcs running longitudinally, we know Carr's characters will ultimately all arrive together somewhere -- and we are unsurprised when they do.
In the end, it was an OK read but I don't see myself trying Carr again for awhile.
June 17, 2014
I really wanted to like this book. I enjoy Caleb Carr as a novelist and I respect him as an historian. I thought he might be hitting his sweet spot with epic fantasy -- he gets to use his tremendous historical knowledge and apply it in a world of his own making, right? But man, this book is awful. His editor should be fired for letting something like this go to print. The diction is phony, the characterization is cliche to the point of absurdity, the plot is ridiculously predictable. I forced myself to read the first hundred pages because I paid money for this thing, but I'll only finish it if every other book on earth disappears. And the internet. And magazines. And cereal boxes.
March 30, 2013
3.5 stars. I so wanted to give this 4 stars as it was such a labor of love for the author. there were too many loose ends and keera and Isadora Arnhem were two insufferably virtuous characters. I wanted to know so much more about the grand layzin and alandra but possibly will if there is a sequel. does not compare to the brilliance of the alienist though.
May 10, 2020
¿1.5?
Flagrante caso de '¡Aleluya! Por fin se acaba este tostón, y no he muerto en el intento"... Pero casi.
Si es que, ¿qué se puede esperar cuando las notas al texto ocupan más de 100 páginas? Y las otras 770 son un exceso innecesario para contar lo que se cuenta; que mucha vuelta y revuelta, para al final toparnos con un final casi abrupto y sin duda anticlimático.
Y todo ese afán de hacer pasar la historia por Historia, con notas de Gibbon y todo... Doble tostón.
Y, a ver, reconozco que me planteé las dos estrellas como puntuación, porque me consta que Carr no es mal escritor y, efectivamente, no es que esta novela esté mal escrita. Pero lo dicho, es una pesadilla de lectura, en su verborrea, por más que tenga destellos de amenidad ocasional y algunos buenos personajes.
Así que lo dicho: esfuerzo grande el completar esta lectura. Mejor hubiera hecho este hombre en limitarse a algo menos engolado y sin ínfulas academicistas, e ir directo al grano, con acción y personajes.
Flagrante caso de '¡Aleluya! Por fin se acaba este tostón, y no he muerto en el intento"... Pero casi.
Si es que, ¿qué se puede esperar cuando las notas al texto ocupan más de 100 páginas? Y las otras 770 son un exceso innecesario para contar lo que se cuenta; que mucha vuelta y revuelta, para al final toparnos con un final casi abrupto y sin duda anticlimático.
Y todo ese afán de hacer pasar la historia por Historia, con notas de Gibbon y todo... Doble tostón.
Y, a ver, reconozco que me planteé las dos estrellas como puntuación, porque me consta que Carr no es mal escritor y, efectivamente, no es que esta novela esté mal escrita. Pero lo dicho, es una pesadilla de lectura, en su verborrea, por más que tenga destellos de amenidad ocasional y algunos buenos personajes.
Así que lo dicho: esfuerzo grande el completar esta lectura. Mejor hubiera hecho este hombre en limitarse a algo menos engolado y sin ínfulas academicistas, e ir directo al grano, con acción y personajes.
September 29, 2020
Novela de 2,5 que tarda mucho en arrancar pero que se mantiene en pie por los personajes tan bien construidos y las posibilidades que explora. Hace tiempo que no leía fantasía y no he salido mal de esta nueva toma de contacto.
October 10, 2013
I was surprised to see how many people did not like (and actually hated) this book, but my theory is that this is such a departure from Caleb Carr's other books that perhaps those disliking this one a. did not get what they expected, and/or b. just don't like this genre. I found this book to be very enjoyable and well-written. Many felt that the book was too convoluted, and the characters too hard to keep straight. I sympathize with this problem in books, but did not find it to be the case with this book. Many gave up after one or two hundred pages out of boredom - wow, I found the beginning to be very enticing. I enjoyed the characters (and they were a diverse bunch) and found the story to be an interesting blend of fantasy and history. Interesting because the fantasy was not typical fantasy and the history is apparently questionable as well. WIth respect to fantasy - while there is some mysticism, much is explained by science and the lack of knowledge at the time of the book's setting. Even the legendary white panther - while having a "fantastic" relationship with a human character - is not presented as deeply magical - i.e, the panther does not talk or juggle or do anything much more than have a deep connection with the world of humans around it.
THe story explores a legendary kingdom with a world of exiles living around it in the forest. The two groups present differing views on just about everything including religion, nature, and war.
This is an epic book to be sure, but not a tough one to read. It turns out that I put this book down part way through due to reading materials for a course and after reading many books in the interim, picked it up and finished it. I was able to quickly recall the characters and events and enjoyed the remainder of the book. I think I will re-read this one some day and with my second read through, will explore the many in-depth foot notes that I did not spend much time on the first time around.
My favorite characters were Heldo-Bah (a disrespectful, acerbic, harsh-appearing, clever character who does not temper his behavior by considering the impact of his words and actions on others), and the White Panther who, through only animal behaviors displayed fierce loyalty and unwavering maternal instincts.
This book is rich, deep, and very involved. It is apparent that much time and effort went into its creation.
Now, I am on a mission to find out whether or not this supposed lost text of Edward Gibbons is true, or entirely made up as well. The story is presented as a yarn spun off of the remnants of truth discovered in a lost text, so, I want to know whether or not this was also fictitious. It does not, however, change my enjoyment of the story. I suspect every element of Broken is fictitious - even the reported legend, but it is presented in such a way that while reading it, it becomes very plausible history - and isn't that a desirable outcome while reading such a book?
THe story explores a legendary kingdom with a world of exiles living around it in the forest. The two groups present differing views on just about everything including religion, nature, and war.
This is an epic book to be sure, but not a tough one to read. It turns out that I put this book down part way through due to reading materials for a course and after reading many books in the interim, picked it up and finished it. I was able to quickly recall the characters and events and enjoyed the remainder of the book. I think I will re-read this one some day and with my second read through, will explore the many in-depth foot notes that I did not spend much time on the first time around.
My favorite characters were Heldo-Bah (a disrespectful, acerbic, harsh-appearing, clever character who does not temper his behavior by considering the impact of his words and actions on others), and the White Panther who, through only animal behaviors displayed fierce loyalty and unwavering maternal instincts.
This book is rich, deep, and very involved. It is apparent that much time and effort went into its creation.
Now, I am on a mission to find out whether or not this supposed lost text of Edward Gibbons is true, or entirely made up as well. The story is presented as a yarn spun off of the remnants of truth discovered in a lost text, so, I want to know whether or not this was also fictitious. It does not, however, change my enjoyment of the story. I suspect every element of Broken is fictitious - even the reported legend, but it is presented in such a way that while reading it, it becomes very plausible history - and isn't that a desirable outcome while reading such a book?
September 28, 2013
This book is a monumental achievement. Unlike The Lord of the Rings an Game of Thrones, Which take place in realms that are not our own, this one takes place in our past. There are no supernatural beings, sorcery or witchcraft. Some of the animals herein have powers of communication with humans that we don't see nowadays.
The legendary Kingdom of Broken existed in North Central Germany from the Fifth through the Eighth centuries. A large manuscript describing it was found in the papers of the eminent historian Edward Gibbon. This document was only mentioned in a few unpublished letters between Gibbon and Edmund Burke. Burke advised Gibbon that the Broken document should remain unpublished.
The main text including the Gibbon-Burke letters encompasses 651 pages, the very detailed footnotes another 82 pages. I read the footnotes first because they are full of etymological, linguistic, historical and pseodu-historical information which help to set Broken into its proper milieu.
Caleb Carr is primarily a military historian, but I didn't previously know about his linguistic interests, having previously read only his detective novels "The Alienist" and "Angel of Darkness" set in New York City in 1896 and 1897 respectively, when Teddy Roosevelt was police commissioner of New York.
Like The Legend of Broken they are about the nature of evil. One of the most evil characters I've ever encountered is in here, Merchant Lord Rendulic Baster-kin. His is the worst kind of evil because he is 'a good man' doing what he thinks is the best for his city and kingdom. Of course he's got it all wrong. He's trying to perpetuate a regime which is one of the cruelest and most corrupt I've ever encountered in fact or fiction. In some respects Broken is in advance of the civilizations that surround it during the so-called Dark Ages. In others totally barbaric.
The legendary Kingdom of Broken existed in North Central Germany from the Fifth through the Eighth centuries. A large manuscript describing it was found in the papers of the eminent historian Edward Gibbon. This document was only mentioned in a few unpublished letters between Gibbon and Edmund Burke. Burke advised Gibbon that the Broken document should remain unpublished.
The main text including the Gibbon-Burke letters encompasses 651 pages, the very detailed footnotes another 82 pages. I read the footnotes first because they are full of etymological, linguistic, historical and pseodu-historical information which help to set Broken into its proper milieu.
Caleb Carr is primarily a military historian, but I didn't previously know about his linguistic interests, having previously read only his detective novels "The Alienist" and "Angel of Darkness" set in New York City in 1896 and 1897 respectively, when Teddy Roosevelt was police commissioner of New York.
Like The Legend of Broken they are about the nature of evil. One of the most evil characters I've ever encountered is in here, Merchant Lord Rendulic Baster-kin. His is the worst kind of evil because he is 'a good man' doing what he thinks is the best for his city and kingdom. Of course he's got it all wrong. He's trying to perpetuate a regime which is one of the cruelest and most corrupt I've ever encountered in fact or fiction. In some respects Broken is in advance of the civilizations that surround it during the so-called Dark Ages. In others totally barbaric.
August 25, 2013
To properly enjoy this book, the first thing you must do is NOT think of this as a book by Caleb Carr, author of 'The Alienist' (one of the best novels in the past few decades). Think of Caleb Carr instead as an author with a fantastic attention to historical detail and a great command of the English language.'The Legend of Broken' cannot, and should not, be compared to 'The Alienist. Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed 'the Legend of Broken'. It is a rousing tale of adventure and intrigue, filled with characters who are painstakingly developed. There is action, suspense, conspiracy, heartbreak and humor. Once you get into the story (which, admittedly, isn't easy), it becomes difficult to put down. In fact, I found the last hundred pages or so (which I was very anxious to finish) to feel almost rushed and ultimately somewhat incomplete. I must say that the author's device of claiming that this is a recently discovered long-lost text, translated and last seen in the late eighteenth century, actually detracts from the narrative. Much as Mr. Carr may like it to, 'The Legend of Broken' does not read like a text translated from old German in 1790. This is actually a plus, but it does somewhat detract from the possibility that the story might be true (which it certainly could be). If you enjoyed Micheal Crichton's 'Eaters of the Dead', then this will not disappoint, for it is along the same lines of a historically possible, but entirely fictional, adventure story. Highly recommended.
February 19, 2013
The plot is pretty huge, and I don’t want to give away too much of it, so now I will commence gushing about all the things I loved about this book. First, there are tons of thinking characters in this book – men, women, soldiers, servants, good guys, bad guys, short, tall, crippled, healthy. Next, nature plays a big, big role as these folks lived very close to it. In fact, spoiled grain leads to one of the overwhelming illnesses. Also, the ‘wizards’ are able to converse with wildlife. Caliphestros himself would simply tell you it is science and learning and patience that allows him to use birds to send messages and to communicate with Stasi, the beautiful white panther of Davenwood. There is also plenty of humor to break up the serious tone of treachery and deceit – most of it from the Bane Hildebrant. Next, you can tell Carr did some research, pulling in elements from a long ago and all but forgotten Roman Empire, medical knowledge available at the time, military hierarchy and formations. These aspects gave the tale that feeling that maybe, just maybe, this really did happen so long ago. All in all, a most excellent read.
December 14, 2013
This book was really a struggle to get through.
The writing is intelligent and very well done. However, the immense background information and world-building quickly becomes tedious. Every new word introduced has a giant long history of footnotes at the back of the book (which comprises a ridiculous amount of the book itself).
You truly have to sift through the tremendous amount of strange words, history, and backstory to get to the actual reason you read the book- the characters and plot. The first half of the book follows along pretty well, although with a few random character jumps when new people are introduced. The second half of the book introduces intricate plot details as well as some random new things that kind of show up out of nowhere to win the day (deus ex machina?) that nothing was talked about in the first half of the book.
Overall, the book would have been enjoyable if it had been less about 200 total pages and another 25 pages of footnotes- but after this I don't plan on picking up any more of Carr's books.
The writing is intelligent and very well done. However, the immense background information and world-building quickly becomes tedious. Every new word introduced has a giant long history of footnotes at the back of the book (which comprises a ridiculous amount of the book itself).
You truly have to sift through the tremendous amount of strange words, history, and backstory to get to the actual reason you read the book- the characters and plot. The first half of the book follows along pretty well, although with a few random character jumps when new people are introduced. The second half of the book introduces intricate plot details as well as some random new things that kind of show up out of nowhere to win the day (deus ex machina?) that nothing was talked about in the first half of the book.
Overall, the book would have been enjoyable if it had been less about 200 total pages and another 25 pages of footnotes- but after this I don't plan on picking up any more of Carr's books.
January 22, 2014
Fellow readers, please know the delay on this review of Caleb Carr's The Legend of Broken was a byproduct of holiday travel and sharing with friends and family, not a reflection on the story quality. In fact, Carr, a military historian, has created a rich and magnificently crafter tale that centers around Broken, a seventh century Germanic empire, in which devotion is given and enforced to a golden God-King, Kafra. Carr's ability to weave a masterful story is well-known from his previous novels, especially The Alienist (which I haven't read). That talent, while in an utterly different genre, is not wasted here. The story of Broken is both mesmerizing and compelling, while presenting historical facts as well (some readers think these tedious, but not me). The combination makes for an intense and enchanting adventure.
January 24, 2013
My feelings about this book are as deeply mixed as its reviews. On the one hand, the characters and setting are fascinating, and the story is engaging and compelling. On the other hand, reading this book is a slog! It is over-long and the prose is bombastic. I'm willing to put up with all this for a genuine, OMG-this-is-a-masterpiece, but TLoB doesn't qualify. Structurally, the lost manuscript wheeze doesn't add to the book and the endnotes, while occasionally interesting, were mostly a time sink and felt like an indulgence on Carr's part. Carr says he spent all of his adult lifetime writing this book -- I expect better from the author of the Alienist.
March 5, 2013
I have thoroughly enjoyed other of Caleb Carr's novels, and was pleased when I saw this one on the shelf in the library. The set up for the story seemed interesting enough, but I decided to quit reading after 285 pages. Enough is enough! I don't think I would ever get to page 651 much less read the notes which are at the back of the book and in even smaller type. I don't know if Carr was writing this book as some type of allegory or as a metaphor of current society's ills. It certainly wasn't written to entertain and hold my interest as his other books have. Caleb Carr, please don't go down this route in your next book.
March 28, 2015
I know this book got mixed reviews, in fact several reviewer truly hated it, but I like, Elizabeth Hand in the Washington Post, found this book fascinating and engrossing. It is an interesting study of mis-guided, organized religion vs science and the understanding of the natural world. I would have liked a cleared picture of the rulers of Broken but that was the only short-coming i found. The characters, especially the Bain foragers, Baster-kin and the Arnems were will drawn.....
March 5, 2013
I hate abandoning a book after I've already invested the time to read over 200 pages, but I just couldn't find anything to make me want to pick up this book again. To say this book is verbose is an understatement. I found the only way to get through some of it was to skim. And I never skim. Then just as the story would start to move along and get mildly interesting, it would come to a screeching halt. Like an amusement park ride that keeps stopping to let on more passengers.
July 14, 2013
I listened to all 27 disks of this novel--there are 30 disks in all, but the last ones are "scholarly notes" added by Carr to lend verisimilitude to the story. This is the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, or any other power for that matter, with some fantasy thrown in. It was very interesting and thought provoking in parts, but loooong!
January 1, 2018
I love Caleb Carr, but not because of books like this. Although this story had a lot of promise, it wandered quite a bit, and failed to explain some of the basics of the world he built. I give it an enthusiastic "Meh."
Want to read
January 11, 2013I may come back to this one. I could not get into it at all.
April 12, 2013
Overwritten and tedious. There's a good story in there somewhere.
November 30, 2013
I have read two of his books and they have been on my favorite lists for many years. So when I saw this title I inmediatly grabbed it, to be dissapointed and bored . Extremely long and too slow.
March 1, 2022
It's as if Caleb is writing with a Mont Blanc and all other authors are using crayons.
May 24, 2024
This sounds strange, awful and so bad it's good, if you can handle tediously almost-fascinating hard core oddbeat fantasy.
Basically if you think Frank Herbert is an intestinal blockage on the toilet, or drowing in an ocean of honey before losing consciousness
maybe this isn't much more unpleasant....
.......
I love Jim Leckbrand's review on here!
the best part
The reader does not pick up a 700 page densely written book with the picture of a white panther on the cover in front of a stony prominence (Broken) expecting to get a lecture on the proto-Germanic origins of the word thud. Or on the shortcomings of Gibbon and Burke in not noticing the obscure etymology of words that the author has made up. All this kind of crap is in the endnotes. Avoid them.
.........
The Wild Amazone
Broke" is an epic tale that weaves military tactics, mystery, ancient traditions, conflicting religious and political views, vengence, and justice into an epic tale that does not make a judgment on anything - but rather, takes the reader on an journey to an area of 8th century Germany that made be believe it could have actually existed.
In my teenage years I read a lot of science fiction/fantasy, including the works of Katherine Kurtz, Larry Niven and Jerry Pornelle - "Lucifer's Hammer" is still one of the most compelling books I've read - as well as Robert Heinlien and others. What Mr. Carr has written takes its place as a truly remarkable fantasy land that I could clearly see in my mind.
The first 200 pages are a bit slow and requires patience, as Mr. Carr introduces the major characters of the book and then takes these seemingly unrelated groups and brings them together. Once all of these characters are brought together, the best analogy I can give is that of what the current Doctor Who series does - threads are set in place through out an entire season - and Moffett & Co. then wrap them up into one interrelated bow with plenty of action to boot.
Mr. Carr accomplishes the same thing and the remaining 400+ pages become a very quick read of intrigue and military chess moves, science and mystery. There are moments of remarkable writing, especially the introduction of the Old Man and the Warrior Queen - that brought me to tears with the sheer depth of the writing. There is a reunion of mother and daughter near the end of the story - that for any mother who thought they had lost a child forever that is emotionally touching and gratifying.
Mr. Carr has created an immense universe that stands alone but that I hope he will return to some day, as these characters have now become part of my world, and I hope to visit them again soon.
Camilla Hayes
//////
I really enjoyed the structure and language used to tell the story but it could not make up for the incompleteness of the story. As the story and the characters grew more complex, and I couldn't stop reading, I began to wonder how the author was going to end the story in one book.
Well, it ended in a rush with a lot of the story subplots not resolved and the characters just standing there. The ending was rushed and ended with an incomplete thud.
Given that the author had worked on this particular book for over twenty years I expected more.
The story is harsh, dark, and not for the squeamish but it is also full of sub-plots and intrigue that deserved a better ending.
A
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