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Sundering the Gods #1
Eve of Snows
"The high-stakes plot, fast pacing, and convincing characters will hook epic fantasy readers on this impressive debut... Great for fans of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, R. Scott Bakker’s Prince of Nothing series." - Booklife Reviews
"Brimming with well-defined details and characters; augmented by bountiful enthusiasm and spirit." - Kirkus Reviews
Five hundred years ago the world shattered, banishing the gods from the Sister Continents and stealing the memories of the mortal peoples in an event known as the Great Forgetting. In 17 days the stars will align, and a religious cabal will summon the gods back to the realms of men.
In the northern tundra priests search the Steaming Lakes, a place tormented by the Wakened Dead. Deep in the mountains, demonic shadows assail priests at a holy shrine. In the south, the clans know something foul is afoot, and dispatch warriors to seek answers, but instead they find horrors.
A young priestess named Eliles stands in the heart of this conspiracy; on her shoulders rest decisions which could prevent a holy war or demonic genocide. Through lies, manipulation, and murder, everyone is on a 17-day march to fulfill or defy prophecy; the world will end or begin anew, come the Eve of Snows.
"Brimming with well-defined details and characters; augmented by bountiful enthusiasm and spirit." - Kirkus Reviews
Five hundred years ago the world shattered, banishing the gods from the Sister Continents and stealing the memories of the mortal peoples in an event known as the Great Forgetting. In 17 days the stars will align, and a religious cabal will summon the gods back to the realms of men.
In the northern tundra priests search the Steaming Lakes, a place tormented by the Wakened Dead. Deep in the mountains, demonic shadows assail priests at a holy shrine. In the south, the clans know something foul is afoot, and dispatch warriors to seek answers, but instead they find horrors.
A young priestess named Eliles stands in the heart of this conspiracy; on her shoulders rest decisions which could prevent a holy war or demonic genocide. Through lies, manipulation, and murder, everyone is on a 17-day march to fulfill or defy prophecy; the world will end or begin anew, come the Eve of Snows.
592 pages, Hardcover
First published June 25, 2018
352 people are currently reading
4987 people want to read
About the author
L. James Rice
13 books411 followersL. James Rice is the #1 International Best Selling Author of the multi-award-winning Epic Fantasy, Eve of Snows, and the Sundering the Gods Saga.
Having lived in his own world for many years, L. James Rice decided he might as well share that world with folks otherwise trapped in reality, and got serious about writing. He has made enough wine to no longer enjoy wine. He has not eaten enough steak or pizza to no longer enjoy steak or pizza, but is working on it. "Challenges are good," he maintains. He is an old English Lit major who also studied screenwriting at UCLA.
Having managed to graduate high school only rarely turning in homework, he moved on to a university to find it even more forgiving of lax study skills. He celebrated with copious amounts of beer. With scant few memories of either educational facility or anything they reputedly taught him, he refuses to confirm or deny their usefulness. Probably because he is wishy-washy, but I'm not sure of that. 98% sure... or maybe only 50%. Hell if I know.
His proudest success in life does, however, harken back to high school. In geometry class a teacher set a remarkable challenge by saying (paraphrased) "In ten years you might forget everything you ever learned in class, but you will not forget..." Taunted by this teacher's arrogance, L. James Rice managed to not only forget what it was he learned, but the name of it too. And for good measure, the name of the teacher. But not the challenge itself. That would've made the exercise of forgetfulness pointless. To pile on insult to injury, he does remember the name of a spell from the video game Wizardry which he played often during this time: Tiltowait. Take that, geometry!
Born and raised in the midwest, US of A, L. James Rice has a lovely wife and two beautiful daughters, the names and birthdays of whom he remembers most of the time. Plus, two dogs, an unknown number of chickens (always in flux with predators and other natural causes), and a gosling he assumes will someday be a goose who lays non-golden eggs... stupid goose anyhow.
Having lived in his own world for many years, L. James Rice decided he might as well share that world with folks otherwise trapped in reality, and got serious about writing. He has made enough wine to no longer enjoy wine. He has not eaten enough steak or pizza to no longer enjoy steak or pizza, but is working on it. "Challenges are good," he maintains. He is an old English Lit major who also studied screenwriting at UCLA.
Having managed to graduate high school only rarely turning in homework, he moved on to a university to find it even more forgiving of lax study skills. He celebrated with copious amounts of beer. With scant few memories of either educational facility or anything they reputedly taught him, he refuses to confirm or deny their usefulness. Probably because he is wishy-washy, but I'm not sure of that. 98% sure... or maybe only 50%. Hell if I know.
His proudest success in life does, however, harken back to high school. In geometry class a teacher set a remarkable challenge by saying (paraphrased) "In ten years you might forget everything you ever learned in class, but you will not forget..." Taunted by this teacher's arrogance, L. James Rice managed to not only forget what it was he learned, but the name of it too. And for good measure, the name of the teacher. But not the challenge itself. That would've made the exercise of forgetfulness pointless. To pile on insult to injury, he does remember the name of a spell from the video game Wizardry which he played often during this time: Tiltowait. Take that, geometry!
Born and raised in the midwest, US of A, L. James Rice has a lovely wife and two beautiful daughters, the names and birthdays of whom he remembers most of the time. Plus, two dogs, an unknown number of chickens (always in flux with predators and other natural causes), and a gosling he assumes will someday be a goose who lays non-golden eggs... stupid goose anyhow.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
May 10, 2024
An engrossing GrimDark read that kicks off with heart-pounding action and descriptive writing. The world-building is good and subtle without being overwhelming and the characters are intricate with the only problem being that it goes on much later than usual for plot lines to converge and events to properly kick in.
Definitely looking forward to the rest of the trilogy and hoping it gets better. I highly recommend this for all Epic High-Fantasy lovers looking for a unique read with a splash of Grimdark.
Definitely looking forward to the rest of the trilogy and hoping it gets better. I highly recommend this for all Epic High-Fantasy lovers looking for a unique read with a splash of Grimdark.
April 3, 2023
Kinda surprised at this one honestly. Somehow it felt a bit rushed and I don't feel the connection to the characters that I felt like I should have by the end.
That said I do see the average ratings of the series get higher as it progresses.
I'm interested in the world, realize this first book is largely the set dressing and set up and like the gist of everything.
I'm just ready to get into the sundered gods part as it drew me to the book to begin with. Honestly hoping it gets a bit darker as things progress as well.
That said I do see the average ratings of the series get higher as it progresses.
I'm interested in the world, realize this first book is largely the set dressing and set up and like the gist of everything.
I'm just ready to get into the sundered gods part as it drew me to the book to begin with. Honestly hoping it gets a bit darker as things progress as well.
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July 21, 2022
"...what people fear, they often try to destroy."
Eve of Snows by L. James Rice, the first book in the high fantasy series, SUNDERING THE GODS, is my latest SPFBO 8 read.
I really enjoyed myself with this one! Quick note regarding the audiobook: I noticed there were some sections missing in the audiobook when I tried to immersion read one night, so I axed the audio and went with my eBook only going forward, which ironed out one issue I had where I felt there were some disconnects with POV changes...turns out, there was just a chapter or two missing.
Eve of Snows is a tale that takes place in the cold, northern tundra of this fantasy world. L. James Rice did a fantastic job describing the frozen setting, so much so that I often found myself making a cup of coffee to sip while reading in the afternoons. Priests, who are able to perform magic through the prayers they utter, search for answers....one priest in particular, Eilies, seems to have a role in whatever is stirring the horrors that have begun plaguing priests and clans alike. At any rate, there are only 17 short days to fulfill or defy the prophecy which could destroy the world....or begin it anew.
I'm a reader who likes to have at least ONE character that I'm invested in, whether they be a good guy or a bad guy. I hilariously loved a character in this one that I thought was swayed one way and it turned out to be the complete opposite and oh, how I laughed! (Well, until something else happened, but spoilers... I really enjoyed the majority of the characters, actually, whether they be primary or secondary. My favorites really seem to fall into secondary and even tertiary roles now that I think about it. Another I just smiled to myself thinking about was the cousin of one of our main characters. (Though I do believe he'll play a larger role in the next installment in the series!) ((I hope)) On the flip side of this, the Wakened Dead and Shadow Men were properly creepy....but honestly, there were some humans that put them all to shame!
The magic system I really loved - priests performed magic through prayers. However, there were those individuals who could do certain types of magic that was considered "feral", meaning it stemmed from the Vanquished Gods and was punished. I really would have liked more instances explaining/showing the differences and strengths of the two, but I feel like it will get built upon more as the series progresses.
I will absolutely continue the series - I'm too invested in the plot, the little cousin character I love and a desire to learn more of the magic system not to. I think this is a good sized, nicely paced high fantasy story that avid fantasy readers would enjoy, as well as readers who might would like to try a fantasy tale out as a new genre.
Eve of Snows by L. James Rice, the first book in the high fantasy series, SUNDERING THE GODS, is my latest SPFBO 8 read.
I really enjoyed myself with this one! Quick note regarding the audiobook: I noticed there were some sections missing in the audiobook when I tried to immersion read one night, so I axed the audio and went with my eBook only going forward, which ironed out one issue I had where I felt there were some disconnects with POV changes...turns out, there was just a chapter or two missing.
Eve of Snows is a tale that takes place in the cold, northern tundra of this fantasy world. L. James Rice did a fantastic job describing the frozen setting, so much so that I often found myself making a cup of coffee to sip while reading in the afternoons. Priests, who are able to perform magic through the prayers they utter, search for answers....one priest in particular, Eilies, seems to have a role in whatever is stirring the horrors that have begun plaguing priests and clans alike. At any rate, there are only 17 short days to fulfill or defy the prophecy which could destroy the world....or begin it anew.
I'm a reader who likes to have at least ONE character that I'm invested in, whether they be a good guy or a bad guy. I hilariously loved a character in this one that I thought was swayed one way and it turned out to be the complete opposite and oh, how I laughed! (Well, until something else happened, but spoilers... I really enjoyed the majority of the characters, actually, whether they be primary or secondary. My favorites really seem to fall into secondary and even tertiary roles now that I think about it. Another I just smiled to myself thinking about was the cousin of one of our main characters. (Though I do believe he'll play a larger role in the next installment in the series!) ((I hope)) On the flip side of this, the Wakened Dead and Shadow Men were properly creepy....but honestly, there were some humans that put them all to shame!
The magic system I really loved - priests performed magic through prayers. However, there were those individuals who could do certain types of magic that was considered "feral", meaning it stemmed from the Vanquished Gods and was punished. I really would have liked more instances explaining/showing the differences and strengths of the two, but I feel like it will get built upon more as the series progresses.
I will absolutely continue the series - I'm too invested in the plot, the little cousin character I love and a desire to learn more of the magic system not to. I think this is a good sized, nicely paced high fantasy story that avid fantasy readers would enjoy, as well as readers who might would like to try a fantasy tale out as a new genre.
August 23, 2018
Brilliantly written. Character developments are very well done. The dark ambiance of the land brings in an eeriness that adds to the plot (which is also developed nicely). There's a sense that L. James Rice is working on followup books due to the surprising end to book 1.
I highly recommend anyone that enjoys epic fantasies to delve into this read. There's a reason it became the #1 read in both Canada and Great Britain.
I highly recommend anyone that enjoys epic fantasies to delve into this read. There's a reason it became the #1 read in both Canada and Great Britain.
October 25, 2018
**RECEIVED A FREE COPY FOR AN HONEST REVIEW**
Not sure if the book was bogged down in detail or what but it read like stereo instructions. From the start I was so confused. The world building and character development was lackluster to say the least.
The blurb sounded awesome but it was anything but awesome.
Not sure if the book was bogged down in detail or what but it read like stereo instructions. From the start I was so confused. The world building and character development was lackluster to say the least.
The blurb sounded awesome but it was anything but awesome.
December 13, 2022
The Eve of Snows approaches. A dark prophecy beginning with shadows, horrors & demonic powers. Doom for humankind. For the Gods return. This was creepy! Lots of powerful themes & great characters.
Eerie & awesome!
Eerie & awesome!
January 23, 2019
Eve of Snows brings you to a world of piety, honor, and deceit. The author introduces you to a host of interesting characters throughout the first several chapters before revealing how the strings of fate tie them together.
Inside you will find rich details of settings such as religious catacombs, great clan halls, and unforgiving mountain paths. The characters central to the story are given unique personalities you might find yourself relating to, or despising in other cases.
I found the worldbuilding, character development, and descriptions throughout the book to be excellent (though in a couple places I was left wishing for more). I especially enjoyed the systems of magic and religion which I found to be rather unique in my experience with fantasy universes. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more works from L. James Rice.
Inside you will find rich details of settings such as religious catacombs, great clan halls, and unforgiving mountain paths. The characters central to the story are given unique personalities you might find yourself relating to, or despising in other cases.
I found the worldbuilding, character development, and descriptions throughout the book to be excellent (though in a couple places I was left wishing for more). I especially enjoyed the systems of magic and religion which I found to be rather unique in my experience with fantasy universes. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more works from L. James Rice.
January 23, 2020
I'm very sorry to say that for me, this book did not live up to the hype.
Between the exceptionally high praise from major publications and winning the EFF Reader's Choice Awards, I was expecting a very satisfying, entertaining experience that just might pull the heartstrings.
What I got instead is... complicated.
Now, this was my first exposure to narrator Maximillian Breed and I have to admit that he was fantastic. He has an array of excellent voices with great vocal inflections and excellent tempo throughout. It's always very clear who's speaking and how much tension is in any given scene.
As is my wont, I will forego a summary of the plot. I'm sure there are plenty of other reviews that will do this.
The story opened with an exciting scene that had me on the edge of my seat waiting for more. It really was a great start.
And then it just sort of... stagnated.
There are so many shifts in point of view that happen so quickly, I really couldn't develop a connection with any of these characters. There are several who seem interesting, I just didn't have the time to connect with any of them. By my (possibly incorrect) count, there are around ten point of view characters, some of which have only one or two chapters from their perspective (which is something I really dislike. Barring rare cases where there is no other way to present vital details, if they are important enough to be a point of view character, they should be so throughout at least a major section of the book).
For a 15-hour audiobook, ten POV characters is a LOT. It means that each character only gets a limited amount of "screen time" for lack of a better term.
Which is, I believe, most (if not all) of why I felt myself unable to connect with any of them.
It was almost like watching "The Witcher" TV show, in that there are so many things happening in so many different places that don't appear to have any bearing on any other character that after a while it becomes difficult to care who's doing what.
In the end, I'm fascinated by Soulennius mostly because he is an enigma, though there are some strong hints as to who or what he might be that I find very intriguing. But none of the other characters grabbed me at all.
The world building, such as it is, seems well crafted. There are some really interesting things going on, even if there is a VERY strong resemblance to pre-cataclysm Dragonlance.
The magic system is only superficially investigated, but again seems well thought out and interesting, though its lack of any apparent cost to its wielders feels a bit unrealistic to me.
Now, the writing itself is exceptionally good. I didn't spot any errors or typos, and other irritants I typically call out are largely absent. My only real critiques are (as above) the lack of real depth to the characters and there is a romance subplot that comes completely out of nowhere and I can't for the life of me fathom why it's there. It doesn't seem to serve any purpose and there isn't nearly enough explanation for it.
Anyone who's been following my reviews for any length of time will be aware, however, that I am absolutely an opponent of love-at-first-sight and other forms of "insta-love." The whole concept of it irritates me to no end.
Expressions of lust and desire I have no issue with, but it's made very clear that it's more than just that.
Now, the ending
I'll be honest, I found the ending more than a little disconcerting.
WARNING
*****
*****
SPOILERS AHEAD
*****
*****
STOP NOW AND GO READ THE BOOK IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANYTHING SPOILED FOR YOU
*****
*****
STILL WITH ME?
*****
*****
OKAY
*****
*****
While I absolutely agree that the heroes don't always have to win, and in this case it makes sense that they would not win the day (at least, not entirely), the way that it all comes about just smacks of nonsense to me. The fact that any of them even survive seems highly unrealistic, considering the circumstances and the opposition.
My complaint though, really, is that this doesn't feel like the ending to a book. It feels like a very bleak mid-point climax.
And if I'm being honest, the book would probably have been much more satisfying if that had been the case. I think if this was the middle rather than the end, then I might have gotten to know the characters well enough to care by the end. But as it is, I just don't.
Needless to say, I will not be continuing this series.
Between the exceptionally high praise from major publications and winning the EFF Reader's Choice Awards, I was expecting a very satisfying, entertaining experience that just might pull the heartstrings.
What I got instead is... complicated.
Now, this was my first exposure to narrator Maximillian Breed and I have to admit that he was fantastic. He has an array of excellent voices with great vocal inflections and excellent tempo throughout. It's always very clear who's speaking and how much tension is in any given scene.
As is my wont, I will forego a summary of the plot. I'm sure there are plenty of other reviews that will do this.
The story opened with an exciting scene that had me on the edge of my seat waiting for more. It really was a great start.
And then it just sort of... stagnated.
There are so many shifts in point of view that happen so quickly, I really couldn't develop a connection with any of these characters. There are several who seem interesting, I just didn't have the time to connect with any of them. By my (possibly incorrect) count, there are around ten point of view characters, some of which have only one or two chapters from their perspective (which is something I really dislike. Barring rare cases where there is no other way to present vital details, if they are important enough to be a point of view character, they should be so throughout at least a major section of the book).
For a 15-hour audiobook, ten POV characters is a LOT. It means that each character only gets a limited amount of "screen time" for lack of a better term.
Which is, I believe, most (if not all) of why I felt myself unable to connect with any of them.
It was almost like watching "The Witcher" TV show, in that there are so many things happening in so many different places that don't appear to have any bearing on any other character that after a while it becomes difficult to care who's doing what.
In the end, I'm fascinated by Soulennius mostly because he is an enigma, though there are some strong hints as to who or what he might be that I find very intriguing. But none of the other characters grabbed me at all.
The world building, such as it is, seems well crafted. There are some really interesting things going on, even if there is a VERY strong resemblance to pre-cataclysm Dragonlance.
The magic system is only superficially investigated, but again seems well thought out and interesting, though its lack of any apparent cost to its wielders feels a bit unrealistic to me.
Now, the writing itself is exceptionally good. I didn't spot any errors or typos, and other irritants I typically call out are largely absent. My only real critiques are (as above) the lack of real depth to the characters and there is a romance subplot that comes completely out of nowhere and I can't for the life of me fathom why it's there. It doesn't seem to serve any purpose and there isn't nearly enough explanation for it.
Anyone who's been following my reviews for any length of time will be aware, however, that I am absolutely an opponent of love-at-first-sight and other forms of "insta-love." The whole concept of it irritates me to no end.
Expressions of lust and desire I have no issue with, but it's made very clear that it's more than just that.
Now, the ending
I'll be honest, I found the ending more than a little disconcerting.
WARNING
*****
*****
SPOILERS AHEAD
*****
*****
STOP NOW AND GO READ THE BOOK IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANYTHING SPOILED FOR YOU
*****
*****
STILL WITH ME?
*****
*****
OKAY
*****
*****
While I absolutely agree that the heroes don't always have to win, and in this case it makes sense that they would not win the day (at least, not entirely), the way that it all comes about just smacks of nonsense to me. The fact that any of them even survive seems highly unrealistic, considering the circumstances and the opposition.
My complaint though, really, is that this doesn't feel like the ending to a book. It feels like a very bleak mid-point climax.
And if I'm being honest, the book would probably have been much more satisfying if that had been the case. I think if this was the middle rather than the end, then I might have gotten to know the characters well enough to care by the end. But as it is, I just don't.
Needless to say, I will not be continuing this series.
November 30, 2018
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. The story was engaging and the world building was great. There was just enough detail for the reader to understand the world of the characters while also alluding to a much larger and complex world yet to be described. The book left off on a huge cliff hanger and I look forward to the next book in the series.
August 26, 2018
Already looking forward to book 2
Lovely surprise reading this as it gripped me from the first chapters and looking forward to book 2. Keen to find out more about Tokodin though...
Would definitely recommend as a reading to people who enjoy great world-building!
Lovely surprise reading this as it gripped me from the first chapters and looking forward to book 2. Keen to find out more about Tokodin though...
Would definitely recommend as a reading to people who enjoy great world-building!
October 10, 2019
Loved it. Action. Adventure. Unknown creatures that must be stopped. The best part is the main characters and that they have no idea what is going on. The beginning takes awhile to sort out but the action parts are rather exciting and you get attached to the characters. Oh and Solinious is the man! Looking forward to reading the next novella and 2 books in the series.
October 19, 2019
Grim swords and sorcery creeping horrors. A plot that twists about hard enough to read and reread passages. Some small part of that is confusing dialogue, but the rest is seeing old facts in new light. Good read. Grim setting.
May 5, 2020
Loved it loved it loved it. Eve of Snows is book 1 of Sundering the Gods series and it was a great book. I have no doubt the other books in the series will be great too. This is a voluntary review. Great job L. James Rice. This book is available on Amazon.
November 22, 2020
Powerful gods who can bestow amazing powers, priests who serve them (but not always with honourable intentions), humans with magic powers, demons and other races. The Eve of Snow approaches and very bad omens happen. Soon, the world is under threat and a small group of heroes must save the day.
Great epic fantasy with many twists. It ends on a cliffhanger.
Great epic fantasy with many twists. It ends on a cliffhanger.
February 26, 2019
Amazing book! Amazing author loved the character development and style of writing ! His sense on imagination and description is like no other
April 7, 2020
Very talented writer ... interesting and captivating... kept my interest and I loved this book !!’ Very good !
June 20, 2019
WONDERFUL READ
It is a rare privilege to pick up a book and be hooked until the last page. I love this book.
It is a rare privilege to pick up a book and be hooked until the last page. I love this book.
November 10, 2018
L. James Rice brings together an original story and characters in a Game of Thrones style of writing. The story begins with many characters all living their seperate lives, and as the story goes on, the characters meet and develop. There is no specific main character, so feel free to enjoy whichever suits your fancy because there is equal page time among them all.
The book was a slow start, but it does get better. The description is overkill at points, and it creates confusion with characters and plot. Many character have nicknames, and at times their names and nicknames we used interchangeably and it became difficult to discern which character was which. The story was so original and enjoyed the creativity behind the plot, it was just difficult to follow sometimes with so many different characters.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC of this title for my honest review.
The book was a slow start, but it does get better. The description is overkill at points, and it creates confusion with characters and plot. Many character have nicknames, and at times their names and nicknames we used interchangeably and it became difficult to discern which character was which. The story was so original and enjoyed the creativity behind the plot, it was just difficult to follow sometimes with so many different characters.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC of this title for my honest review.
March 26, 2020
Awesome book, helluva a read, but don't expect the author to hold your hand and explain everything. I read this book the first time just chugging along for fun and had a great ride, but it also raised questions and made me think...
I've now gone back and reread Eve book in preparation for the next book's release, and I must admit I think I missed a few hints and clues along the way that only make sense after reading the subsequent books. There are little details that slither by, and having seen some of the future, it raises some major questions! LOL.
If you like literary books that make you think about the plot and story and are worthy of a reread, this series is for you. I'm just killing time until the next book.
I've now gone back and reread Eve book in preparation for the next book's release, and I must admit I think I missed a few hints and clues along the way that only make sense after reading the subsequent books. There are little details that slither by, and having seen some of the future, it raises some major questions! LOL.
If you like literary books that make you think about the plot and story and are worthy of a reread, this series is for you. I'm just killing time until the next book.
December 23, 2018
This story is dense.
Ripe with details about a large cast of characters.
The story really picks up 300 pages in and left on somewhat huge cliffhanger.
Ripe with details about a large cast of characters.
The story really picks up 300 pages in and left on somewhat huge cliffhanger.
January 5, 2020
Spellbinding
Once one gets into this story, it is difficult to put it down. Got to carry on with the rest of this saga, now.
Once one gets into this story, it is difficult to put it down. Got to carry on with the rest of this saga, now.
December 4, 2023
Dense fantasy, packed with layers and lots of characters
This novel was good to read in that it’s been a very long time since I’ve read such an involved fantasy story. However, I struggled to really like any of the characters. Some have potential to be great protagonists, but they only have a POV chapter every once in a while, so it’s easy for a reader to lose a vested interest in their well-being. I was frustrated by two of the priestesses having “M” names; it was too easy to get them mixed up for a few paragraphs of their POV chapters.
The layers of conspiracy and the vacillating alliances of the characters makes it tricky to determine who is good or evil or who is being impersonated. There are a lot of characters who are killed. And their deaths are gory, miserable affairs, but without too much detail.
Some of the scenes in the book are lovingly crafted with moody atmosphere and vivid imagery. Some scenes are sketched in with very little visual imagery but with a lot of auditory detail.
The relationships between characters as their plot lines converge are definitely interesting, but the personal romances are more hinted at than explored.
The chapter openings, with the rambling writing of a “mad hatter” like character are very cryptic, not easy to wade through, and I wish they’d been shorter.
The bestowing of magical gifts came about a little too easily for the characters, and not all of their gifts got much time on the page or much use in this book. The one gift that is used needed a little more build-up before it was fired off. A little less alliteration would be good, too.
I wanted to know more about the creatures and needed more details about their individual appearances and mannerisms. They all tended to “look the same.”
There is alcohol consumption, profanity, lots of violent deaths, peril, and a few kisses. The author has an excellent vocabulary, but commas are frequently erroneously placed or missing. There are a few typos, and one short section has multiple mistakes. Otherwise, the story is immersive and has numerous tense scenes to keep the pages turning.
This novel was good to read in that it’s been a very long time since I’ve read such an involved fantasy story. However, I struggled to really like any of the characters. Some have potential to be great protagonists, but they only have a POV chapter every once in a while, so it’s easy for a reader to lose a vested interest in their well-being. I was frustrated by two of the priestesses having “M” names; it was too easy to get them mixed up for a few paragraphs of their POV chapters.
The layers of conspiracy and the vacillating alliances of the characters makes it tricky to determine who is good or evil or who is being impersonated. There are a lot of characters who are killed. And their deaths are gory, miserable affairs, but without too much detail.
Some of the scenes in the book are lovingly crafted with moody atmosphere and vivid imagery. Some scenes are sketched in with very little visual imagery but with a lot of auditory detail.
The relationships between characters as their plot lines converge are definitely interesting, but the personal romances are more hinted at than explored.
The chapter openings, with the rambling writing of a “mad hatter” like character are very cryptic, not easy to wade through, and I wish they’d been shorter.
The bestowing of magical gifts came about a little too easily for the characters, and not all of their gifts got much time on the page or much use in this book. The one gift that is used needed a little more build-up before it was fired off. A little less alliteration would be good, too.
I wanted to know more about the creatures and needed more details about their individual appearances and mannerisms. They all tended to “look the same.”
There is alcohol consumption, profanity, lots of violent deaths, peril, and a few kisses. The author has an excellent vocabulary, but commas are frequently erroneously placed or missing. There are a few typos, and one short section has multiple mistakes. Otherwise, the story is immersive and has numerous tense scenes to keep the pages turning.
November 6, 2019
I read several reviews before jumping into this book, and I can see where some readers had an issue getting started. I felt I was thrown into the world without a parachute, but then I realized I was pretty much in the same situation as the characters... in fact, very much like one character who lacks memories. The pacing, the writing, the story... it's all different while just familiar enough that once I got into it I got lost in the words and world. The author has a distinctive voice, to get into the grammatical weeds, Rice ditches a lot of determiners, and this sometimes takes a bit of getting used to, but it lends a unique tone and rhythm to the work.
If there's one author's writing style I would compare Rice to, it is Joe Abercrombie.
If there's one author's writing style I would compare Rice to, it is Joe Abercrombie.
January 6, 2019
I have to admit, it took me a while to get into this book. This was more due to my preferences rather than the book however. I generally struggle getting into a book with multiple POVs. I am glad I stuck with the book, and I am looking forward to seeing the Story unfold. I was left with a lot of questions and hope to find the answers in the following books. The character development and world building in this book was fairly well done. Although the relationship between Elilse and Irvin seemed a bit rushed, overall I enjoyed watching their interaction. I think my favorite part was the connection between Solineus and the girls. His entire storyline intrigued me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2021
I picked this up when if first came out in 2018 and was glad to finally make it happen. I enjoyed the main characters and always love a good quest. It started a bit slow as the world building was a bit overly complicated and bogged down the story a bit and I did not get much the excerpts from the Tomes of the Touched at the start of each chapter, again taking away form the action. Once the characters were on their way to search for the Sliver of the Star, I as on board with the fun. I will probably pick up the next book but not in a rush.
October 3, 2019
I finished this one a bit back and hopped straight into the novella (awkwardly book 1.5 in the series) and am into book 2 now. After letting it kick around in my head for a while... I hate to call things too early, but if this writer maintains what he's got going like he has so far, and if the series nails its ending, this author might end up in my top 10 for Epic Fantasy.
No spoilers, but... the interesting part here is that we have a bunch of POV characters, and not a single danged one knows what's going on! And we're left to find it out with them as they fight their way through events. And the author doesn't spend much time explaining every little detail because the characters have more to worry about.
I tend to read several books at once, but not so here. I got sucked straight out of the other books I'm reading and won't look at another until I finish.
No spoilers, but... the interesting part here is that we have a bunch of POV characters, and not a single danged one knows what's going on! And we're left to find it out with them as they fight their way through events. And the author doesn't spend much time explaining every little detail because the characters have more to worry about.
I tend to read several books at once, but not so here. I got sucked straight out of the other books I'm reading and won't look at another until I finish.
August 7, 2024
Unfortunately, this just did not click for me, which was due primarily to the writing style that I found challenging, especially the first half of the book, and distracting due to the phrasing of a lot of the sentences.
There is quite an interesting story lurking in the pages of this book, with some engaging characters, if only you can cope with how it is structured, which was not to my taste, so i will not be continuing with the series.
There is quite an interesting story lurking in the pages of this book, with some engaging characters, if only you can cope with how it is structured, which was not to my taste, so i will not be continuing with the series.
July 8, 2018
It has everything I want in a fantasy novel. There are strong and sympathetic characters. The writing is good, enough complexity in the sentences to keep the brain interested but without any purple. And there are short, medium and epic narrative arcs all proceeding together.
October 23, 2018
Engaging
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Good character development that stays on character. The story is complex yet fairly easy to follow. I have become close to the main characters and want to know more about them. I look forward to the next installment
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Good character development that stays on character. The story is complex yet fairly easy to follow. I have become close to the main characters and want to know more about them. I look forward to the next installment
March 12, 2022
A Song lite
Multiple plot lines, each chapter a different POV, numerous characters with confusing names, swords and magic, dead walkers. Sound familiar? A somewhat confusing read, trying to keep the characters straight but the second half was worth the struggle.
Multiple plot lines, each chapter a different POV, numerous characters with confusing names, swords and magic, dead walkers. Sound familiar? A somewhat confusing read, trying to keep the characters straight but the second half was worth the struggle.
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