What do you think?
Rate this book
Into the Broken Lands
From sci-fi and fantasy master Tanya Huff comes a new epic fantasy saga set in a land of dangers and mysteries
Shattered by mage wars, the Broken Lands will test the bonds of family and friendship, strength and sanity. To save their people, the Heirs of Marsan have no choice but to enter, trusting their lives and the lives of everyone they Protect, to someone who shouldn't exist, who can't be controlled, and who will challenge everything they believe about themselves.
Shattered by mage wars, the Broken Lands will test the bonds of family and friendship, strength and sanity. To save their people, the Heirs of Marsan have no choice but to enter, trusting their lives and the lives of everyone they Protect, to someone who shouldn't exist, who can't be controlled, and who will challenge everything they believe about themselves.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published August 2, 2022
201 people are currently reading
2354 people want to read
About the author
Tanya Huff
150 books2,446 followersTanya Sue Huff is a Canadian fantasy author. Her stories have been published since the late 1980s, including five fantasy series and one science fiction series. One of these, her Blood Books series, featuring detective Vicki Nelson, was adapted for television under the title Blood Ties.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
August 16, 2022
3.0 stars
This is a new epic fantasy series that seems to be flying under the radar. I am always looking for hidden gems so I was eager to check it out.
The novel turned out to be a very standard fantasy novel, following the major tropes of the genre. The characters, prose and worldbuilding were average at best and I found myself wanting more.
I would primarily recommend this one readers who adore traditional fantasy and just can't get enough of it.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review.
This is a new epic fantasy series that seems to be flying under the radar. I am always looking for hidden gems so I was eager to check it out.
The novel turned out to be a very standard fantasy novel, following the major tropes of the genre. The characters, prose and worldbuilding were average at best and I found myself wanting more.
I would primarily recommend this one readers who adore traditional fantasy and just can't get enough of it.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review.
August 8, 2022
Into Broken Lands by Tanya Huff was quite a mixed bag of a read for me. The story was your typical classic fantasy quest that involved a group of characters with diverse personalities going on a perilous journey in order to find a relic that would save their beloved land. The plot's rather simple and straightforward. I loved the world-building, lore and history as those were detailed and had some wonderful descriptions. The use of varying points of view alternating between two time periods to show the parallels between the past and the present was also nice touch in keeping the reader engaged on what was happening.
However, the start of this book was rough and the pacing practically glacial. It was a struggle trying to get through the first few chapters of the book. Add in the fact that the story had one of the most annoying characters that I have read in a while in Lyelee. Her character was a scholar who's deemed rather important from where they came from due to the knowledge that they have. They are considered powerful and they always had the last word. She and her mentor went with the group in order to gain more information about the Mage Lands.
If the point of this book was to make one dislike the study of history and scholars in general through Lyelee, then it did so splendidly. All throughout the book her character has been insufferable, know it all, and utterly devoid of human compassion. Her pursuit of history, of lost knowledge was her main drive and nothing else mattered not even human lives. The setting and some of the creatures has touch of horror in them but that aspect was hard to appreciate due to the annoyance I felt whenever Lyelee was on page.
I was just glad that Ryan, Nonee and Keetin were such interesting, likeable and complex characters in their own right. Their growth and development throughout was wonderful to see. Their interactions with each other as well as the exchanges were enjoyable to read. It was rather fun to see these group slowly learn more about their world and form a deep bond during their journey. Ryan and Nonee were easy to root for as their story arcs were quite satisfying to read.
Overall I'd give this book 3 stars out of 5 stars.
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and I have chosen to publish my fair and honest review.
However, the start of this book was rough and the pacing practically glacial. It was a struggle trying to get through the first few chapters of the book. Add in the fact that the story had one of the most annoying characters that I have read in a while in Lyelee. Her character was a scholar who's deemed rather important from where they came from due to the knowledge that they have. They are considered powerful and they always had the last word. She and her mentor went with the group in order to gain more information about the Mage Lands.
If the point of this book was to make one dislike the study of history and scholars in general through Lyelee, then it did so splendidly. All throughout the book her character has been insufferable, know it all, and utterly devoid of human compassion. Her pursuit of history, of lost knowledge was her main drive and nothing else mattered not even human lives. The setting and some of the creatures has touch of horror in them but that aspect was hard to appreciate due to the annoyance I felt whenever Lyelee was on page.
I was just glad that Ryan, Nonee and Keetin were such interesting, likeable and complex characters in their own right. Their growth and development throughout was wonderful to see. Their interactions with each other as well as the exchanges were enjoyable to read. It was rather fun to see these group slowly learn more about their world and form a deep bond during their journey. Ryan and Nonee were easy to root for as their story arcs were quite satisfying to read.
Overall I'd give this book 3 stars out of 5 stars.
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and I have chosen to publish my fair and honest review.
November 20, 2025
On my blog.
CWs: gore
Galley provided by publisher
I picked up Into the Broken Lands because I knew Tanya Huff would never let me down and, lo and behold!, she did not. This is a character-driven fantasy at its best: the book is about not just the physical journey the characters go through, but their internal journeys too.
Into the Broken Lands follows a plot very much explained by the title alone: a group of travellers enter the Broken Lands, a wild place created as the result of magic, where every step they take risks attack from unknown creatures. They go in search of fuel for the flame, which must be kept burning.
This is a meandering book, really, one that takes a while to progress. It’s one that you just have to sit with and let it take its time. It’s a long book, but it’s an absorbing one. Part of that is because Tanya Huff throws you straight in. You’re given just enough information that you can follow what’s going on, and from there it drip feeds you what else you need to know.
It’s not just the main characters of the present day you get to see, but also the previous trip featuring the current characters’ grandfather and his companions. This helps with not just understanding why they’ve been sent into the Broken Lands by their grandfather, but also gives Nonee in particular space for her backstory. These two threads of the story felt distinct and, in both cases, I was fully engaged with the characters and plot.
Really, the characters are the best part of this book, as they ought to be for something character-driven. They also don’t always grow in the way that you might expect, given general fantasy tropes and that made this book surprising in the best kind of way. In the interests of not spoiling anything, I won’t mention just how they were unexpected, so I guess you’ll just have to read it to find out.
Because really, if you don’t read this one, you’re seriously missing out.
CWs: gore
Galley provided by publisher
I picked up Into the Broken Lands because I knew Tanya Huff would never let me down and, lo and behold!, she did not. This is a character-driven fantasy at its best: the book is about not just the physical journey the characters go through, but their internal journeys too.
Into the Broken Lands follows a plot very much explained by the title alone: a group of travellers enter the Broken Lands, a wild place created as the result of magic, where every step they take risks attack from unknown creatures. They go in search of fuel for the flame, which must be kept burning.
This is a meandering book, really, one that takes a while to progress. It’s one that you just have to sit with and let it take its time. It’s a long book, but it’s an absorbing one. Part of that is because Tanya Huff throws you straight in. You’re given just enough information that you can follow what’s going on, and from there it drip feeds you what else you need to know.
It’s not just the main characters of the present day you get to see, but also the previous trip featuring the current characters’ grandfather and his companions. This helps with not just understanding why they’ve been sent into the Broken Lands by their grandfather, but also gives Nonee in particular space for her backstory. These two threads of the story felt distinct and, in both cases, I was fully engaged with the characters and plot.
Really, the characters are the best part of this book, as they ought to be for something character-driven. They also don’t always grow in the way that you might expect, given general fantasy tropes and that made this book surprising in the best kind of way. In the interests of not spoiling anything, I won’t mention just how they were unexpected, so I guess you’ll just have to read it to find out.
Because really, if you don’t read this one, you’re seriously missing out.
February 21, 2023
Tanya Huff’s fantasy describes two quests for a magical fire that is said to protect the city of Marsanport. One quest takes place years in the past and is led by the High Protector, while in the present, a descendant of that Protector and current heir, Ryan, leads a new party. Both quests must travel through the Broken Lands. These are what remain after several unscrupulous mages came into conflict and their creations were in some cases destroyed, and in others left behind to become even more deadly and bizarre.
Both parties past and present travel with a living weapon, in addition to various warriors. The living weapon, named Uvili, but known as Nonee in Gateway, a gated town bordering the Broken Lands, was created by one of the now dead mages. She is near indestructible, and at the conclusion of the first quest, remained in Gateway.
Huff shows us the perils, swift attacks on, and sudden deaths of members of both quests, and how the second party in the present is relying on a written record of the first party’s travels in the Broken Lands to navigate a less dangerous path to a particular mage tower containing the magical fire.
This time, there are two Scholars along for the long walk through the terrifying Broken Lands, and Ryan is discovering that the written record of the previous quest has some glaring gaps in it, and that the Scholars, whom everyone is taught to venerate in Marsanport, seem to have a different agenda than everyone else. Particularly his Scholar cousin Lyelee, also in line to be High Protector, if he dies. Marsanport residents are taught to revile all mage workings, while the Scholars wish to learn from what they find in the Broken Lands and return with useful knowledge, or possibly workings….Ryan is less and less sure of the Scholars', both with him and back home, motives as the steadily diminishing party makes its way to the tower then begins to head back to Gateway.
This is not a fast-moving story. Instead, it’s a character study of the now quite elderly Protector Garrett and deceased healer Arianna during the first quest, and Ryan and Lyelee on this second. We see how the ever constant dangers test their morale, physical strength and beliefs. Garrett is facing his fears about magecraft, while Arianna is trying to keep everyone alive long enough to return home to Gateway. And trying to get the party to treat Uvili as a person, rahter than an object, especially as it becomes clear that Uvili has opinions and feelings.
Ryan is battling almost crippling self-doubt, having been bullied and abused by his deceased elder brothers. Lyelee is incredibly arrogant, being a Scholar, and convinced she can recover lost knowledge from the Broken Lands that can then be put to use in Marsanport. She also sees things only through an analytical, intellectual lens, and constantly diminishes everything everyone else in the party says or does.
We also see how what each believes about the living weapon Uvili/Nonee and treats her, which of course says more about the person than Nonee herself. Nonee is fascinating, being of generally few words, but not poor intelligence. She’s enormously strong and fast, but also has a depth of feeling most of the humans with her, in the past or present, would not believe.
The book is about power and responsibility for using that power, and I wish it had been harder to see the betrayal coming than it was within the opening pages of the story.
I enjoyed parts of this, but felt my attention flagging as the book went on. It’s not hard to read, and the prose flows well enough, but it was a long book. I’ve read several of Tanya Huff’s other works, and I think I prefer her science fiction series "Confederation" and it’s successor "Peacekeeper".
Both parties past and present travel with a living weapon, in addition to various warriors. The living weapon, named Uvili, but known as Nonee in Gateway, a gated town bordering the Broken Lands, was created by one of the now dead mages. She is near indestructible, and at the conclusion of the first quest, remained in Gateway.
Huff shows us the perils, swift attacks on, and sudden deaths of members of both quests, and how the second party in the present is relying on a written record of the first party’s travels in the Broken Lands to navigate a less dangerous path to a particular mage tower containing the magical fire.
This time, there are two Scholars along for the long walk through the terrifying Broken Lands, and Ryan is discovering that the written record of the previous quest has some glaring gaps in it, and that the Scholars, whom everyone is taught to venerate in Marsanport, seem to have a different agenda than everyone else. Particularly his Scholar cousin Lyelee, also in line to be High Protector, if he dies. Marsanport residents are taught to revile all mage workings, while the Scholars wish to learn from what they find in the Broken Lands and return with useful knowledge, or possibly workings….Ryan is less and less sure of the Scholars', both with him and back home, motives as the steadily diminishing party makes its way to the tower then begins to head back to Gateway.
This is not a fast-moving story. Instead, it’s a character study of the now quite elderly Protector Garrett and deceased healer Arianna during the first quest, and Ryan and Lyelee on this second. We see how the ever constant dangers test their morale, physical strength and beliefs. Garrett is facing his fears about magecraft, while Arianna is trying to keep everyone alive long enough to return home to Gateway. And trying to get the party to treat Uvili as a person, rahter than an object, especially as it becomes clear that Uvili has opinions and feelings.
Ryan is battling almost crippling self-doubt, having been bullied and abused by his deceased elder brothers. Lyelee is incredibly arrogant, being a Scholar, and convinced she can recover lost knowledge from the Broken Lands that can then be put to use in Marsanport. She also sees things only through an analytical, intellectual lens, and constantly diminishes everything everyone else in the party says or does.
We also see how what each believes about the living weapon Uvili/Nonee and treats her, which of course says more about the person than Nonee herself. Nonee is fascinating, being of generally few words, but not poor intelligence. She’s enormously strong and fast, but also has a depth of feeling most of the humans with her, in the past or present, would not believe.
The book is about power and responsibility for using that power, and I wish it had been harder to see the betrayal coming than it was within the opening pages of the story.
I enjoyed parts of this, but felt my attention flagging as the book went on. It’s not hard to read, and the prose flows well enough, but it was a long book. I’ve read several of Tanya Huff’s other works, and I think I prefer her science fiction series "Confederation" and it’s successor "Peacekeeper".
September 4, 2022
Did you expect 2022 to be the Year of Tanya Huff for me? Neither did I! But when Into the Broken Lands became available on NetGalley from DAW, I couldn’t not request it. I picked up some of her earlier secondary-world fantasy (Sing the Four Quarters) from the used bookstore but haven’t read it yet, so my experience with Huff has been limited to her urban-fantasy offerings. So I leaped at this chance to read a different type of fantasy from a Canadian author whose storytelling I enjoy, even if her writing hasn’t always worked for me. I wanted to see what she was like in a different element, and I got my wish.
In a severe case of Aerith and Bob, Ryan is the Heir of Marsan, whether he likes it or not. He has travelled the Mage Road for its requisite twenty-eight days from Marsanport to Gateway, a town built atop ruins. There, he hopes to embark on a quest into the—wait for it—Broken—I said wait for it—into the Broken Lands. With me so far? He’s got your standard group of warriors, rogues, mages (but they’re called scholars because mages got a bad wrap after breaking said lands), and even a tank in the form of Nonee, aka “the weapon.” As Ryan quests for fire—er, fuel for a symbolic fire that burns back in Marsanport—death visits the party because Huff is a mean DM. Oh, and there are flashback chapters to when Ryan’s granduncle, Garrett, did this all sixty years ago.
If my summary sounds tongue-in-cheek, believe me when I say that I enjoyed this book and am teasing it with love simply because it is so easy to tease! I seem to be on a fantasy kick at the moment with a lot of new books that attempt to recreate or pay homage to classic fantasy. As I noted in my recent review of The Oleander Sword , the best of these books do so in a way that improves on diversity and storytelling and makes it the author’s own while preserving the tropes of classic fantasy that make it so addictive to a reader like myself. Huff’s worldbuilding and cultural elements are not as refreshing as Suri’s, but I think she still manages to strike a good balance.
This book feels like a D&D adventure or an old-school quest narrative. The in-and-out structure makes it easy to follow, if a tad linear for my tastes. Huff tries to offset this with a dash of parallelism in the form of the flashbacks to Garrett and Arianna. These offer a contrast to what Ryan’s party experiences in terms of differing setbacks and hardships but mainly serve to establish the throughline of Nonee’s increasing sense of self and agency, which is arguably the most important and interesting part of the book.
Nonee was designed, shaped in the womb by a mage, to be a weapon. She has supernatural strength, endurance, etc. Ever since Ryan’s ancestors fled the Broken Lands and founded Marsanport, she has been with them, a potent reminder of a past filled with now-forbidden magic. Is she a person though? Most of the scholars and nobility who had access to her in Marsanport would have said no. When Ryan arrives in Gateway, where Nonee has lived for the past sixty years, he probably would have said no based on all the stories he was told. But we know better, of course, and Ryan soon learns better, as does much of his party. The question Huff actually wants us to ponder is a little more interesting than the simple affirmation of personhood; she wants us to ask, “Who is Nonee if she isn’t just a weapon?”
As we ponder this, we’re treated to an adventure narrative featuring monsters, traps, and the madness of mages of a bygone era. Huff delivers all of this in her usual expressive style, along with banter and humour among her characters that is familiar to me from her Gale Women and Keeper novels. There’s a little less focus on sex in this book, which I enjoyed, but don’t worry, there’s still some good innuendo and a fair amount of queerness here as well. Huff is very good at writing characters who are believably flawed, people like Ryan who are only trying their best, or Lyelee, corrupted by her thirst for knowledge.
I like how Huff sets up the general antagonism towards magic and mages as a function of the history of this world. It would have been cool to learn more about cultures outside Marsanport, like Shurlia, and their attitudes towards magic—we get tantalizing glimpses, but that’s all. It’s unclear from the marketing whether this book is meant to be standalone or the beginning of a series—to its credit, it can function as either; like so many chameleon novels, however, that makes it somewhat of a letdown as both.
See, I enjoyed this book a great deal—I was always eager to pick it up again after I had put it down—and it lived up to my expectations for it. But it only lived up to my expectations; it never once was in danger of exceeding them. Ryan’s quest is perilous, and at times its intensity becomes engrossing. Yet the resolution is about what I expected to happen. The characters develop roughly along the trajectory I expected them to develop. Nonee’s emotional journey she undergoes as she grieves for Arianna while simultaneously developing a grudging respect and camaraderie for Ryan? Par for the course.
This is a book that does everything it sets out to do with all the exquisite skill that a writer of Huff’s experience and talent can muster. It is a serviceable fantasy novel that scratches my itch for more classic epic fantasy. But it doesn’t swing big, doesn’t take advantage of the potential of the world Huff has created.
Would I read a sequel if one is forthcoming? Yes, absolutely. Huff and the book have both earned that much. Yet I don’t find myself clamouring for such a sequel quite as much as I need from other series. Into the Broken Lands is a fun, fulfilling fantasy adventure—but it just leaves me wanting instead of wanting more.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
In a severe case of Aerith and Bob, Ryan is the Heir of Marsan, whether he likes it or not. He has travelled the Mage Road for its requisite twenty-eight days from Marsanport to Gateway, a town built atop ruins. There, he hopes to embark on a quest into the—wait for it—Broken—I said wait for it—into the Broken Lands. With me so far? He’s got your standard group of warriors, rogues, mages (but they’re called scholars because mages got a bad wrap after breaking said lands), and even a tank in the form of Nonee, aka “the weapon.” As Ryan quests for fire—er, fuel for a symbolic fire that burns back in Marsanport—death visits the party because Huff is a mean DM. Oh, and there are flashback chapters to when Ryan’s granduncle, Garrett, did this all sixty years ago.
If my summary sounds tongue-in-cheek, believe me when I say that I enjoyed this book and am teasing it with love simply because it is so easy to tease! I seem to be on a fantasy kick at the moment with a lot of new books that attempt to recreate or pay homage to classic fantasy. As I noted in my recent review of The Oleander Sword , the best of these books do so in a way that improves on diversity and storytelling and makes it the author’s own while preserving the tropes of classic fantasy that make it so addictive to a reader like myself. Huff’s worldbuilding and cultural elements are not as refreshing as Suri’s, but I think she still manages to strike a good balance.
This book feels like a D&D adventure or an old-school quest narrative. The in-and-out structure makes it easy to follow, if a tad linear for my tastes. Huff tries to offset this with a dash of parallelism in the form of the flashbacks to Garrett and Arianna. These offer a contrast to what Ryan’s party experiences in terms of differing setbacks and hardships but mainly serve to establish the throughline of Nonee’s increasing sense of self and agency, which is arguably the most important and interesting part of the book.
Nonee was designed, shaped in the womb by a mage, to be a weapon. She has supernatural strength, endurance, etc. Ever since Ryan’s ancestors fled the Broken Lands and founded Marsanport, she has been with them, a potent reminder of a past filled with now-forbidden magic. Is she a person though? Most of the scholars and nobility who had access to her in Marsanport would have said no. When Ryan arrives in Gateway, where Nonee has lived for the past sixty years, he probably would have said no based on all the stories he was told. But we know better, of course, and Ryan soon learns better, as does much of his party. The question Huff actually wants us to ponder is a little more interesting than the simple affirmation of personhood; she wants us to ask, “Who is Nonee if she isn’t just a weapon?”
As we ponder this, we’re treated to an adventure narrative featuring monsters, traps, and the madness of mages of a bygone era. Huff delivers all of this in her usual expressive style, along with banter and humour among her characters that is familiar to me from her Gale Women and Keeper novels. There’s a little less focus on sex in this book, which I enjoyed, but don’t worry, there’s still some good innuendo and a fair amount of queerness here as well. Huff is very good at writing characters who are believably flawed, people like Ryan who are only trying their best, or Lyelee, corrupted by her thirst for knowledge.
I like how Huff sets up the general antagonism towards magic and mages as a function of the history of this world. It would have been cool to learn more about cultures outside Marsanport, like Shurlia, and their attitudes towards magic—we get tantalizing glimpses, but that’s all. It’s unclear from the marketing whether this book is meant to be standalone or the beginning of a series—to its credit, it can function as either; like so many chameleon novels, however, that makes it somewhat of a letdown as both.
See, I enjoyed this book a great deal—I was always eager to pick it up again after I had put it down—and it lived up to my expectations for it. But it only lived up to my expectations; it never once was in danger of exceeding them. Ryan’s quest is perilous, and at times its intensity becomes engrossing. Yet the resolution is about what I expected to happen. The characters develop roughly along the trajectory I expected them to develop. Nonee’s emotional journey she undergoes as she grieves for Arianna while simultaneously developing a grudging respect and camaraderie for Ryan? Par for the course.
This is a book that does everything it sets out to do with all the exquisite skill that a writer of Huff’s experience and talent can muster. It is a serviceable fantasy novel that scratches my itch for more classic epic fantasy. But it doesn’t swing big, doesn’t take advantage of the potential of the world Huff has created.
Would I read a sequel if one is forthcoming? Yes, absolutely. Huff and the book have both earned that much. Yet I don’t find myself clamouring for such a sequel quite as much as I need from other series. Into the Broken Lands is a fun, fulfilling fantasy adventure—but it just leaves me wanting instead of wanting more.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
October 19, 2022
Stars: 5 out of 5
I absolutely loved this story! The setting is unique and the characters are memorable. Exactly what I need in a fantasy book.
This story is in fact two stories told parallel to each other. One is about the journey of a young heir to a powerful city, charged with bringing magical fuel out of the Broken Lands to keep the flame going that protects his city. The other one is of his uncle who undertook the same journey over 50 years ago. The common denominator for both stories is Nonnie - the last living weapon created by the mages before they annihilated each other and created the Broken Lands.
It is interesting to follow two similar journeys of two different parties of characters. Their mission is the same. Their destination is the same. They are going into the same lands... but their stories are as different as the Broken Lands themselves.
The Broken Lands, what an intriguing concept! Image a land created by magic, and then scarred by the same magic during a horrible war. There are fixed points in the landscape - places that stay the same, no matter what happens. Everything else is... malleable, mutable, and definitely hostile to outsiders. See, the road between two fixed points can take a day during the first journey and meander for four during the next one. It can cross a lush forest one time and become a murderous swamp other. Landscape, weather, and even time are not set in stone.
This makes both journeys fascinating. Just because Ryan and his crew have the accounts of his uncle's journey, their own adventure takes a different turn. They never cross the same landscape, apart from those fixed points.
And I think that is the point of this book, no pun intended: each team gets their own share of trials, tailored specifically to them, like that dark tunnel in the cave that was the second fixed point. The Broken Lands force them to confront their own fears and insecurities an emerge on the other end changed. Some for the better, some for the worse, but always as a consequence of their own choices.
That's another thing I loved about this book. There isn't a big bad to fight against here. Yes, the mages who created the Broken Lands were horrible beings (I wouldn't even call them human by now), but they are dead. The horrors they left behind stay in the Broken Lands. There isn't immediate danger to the lands around them (apart from some incursions). Our protagonists choose to cross the boundary and travel these lands, so all the horrors they encounter are the consequence of their own choices. You could say that what they find in the Broken Lands is a confrontation with themselves. It's a crucible, in which they either crumble or are mended into a better version of themselves.
And all the characters are memorable, even those you begin to hate by the end of the book. Which is no small feat, considering that we have two distinct groups of around eight people each (even though not all of them make it back out of the Broken Lands). They all felt distinct and "alive", and I mourned those who were left in the Broken Lands along with their surviving companions, because they weren't just numbers, they were people.
Nonnie is the glue that holds his story together. It's amazing to see how much she'd grown between the story journeys - from a weapon that barely spoke and didn't even consider herself as a person, who could have feelings and desires, and who was forced to undertake the trip into the Broken Lands, to someone fully accepted into a community, valued and respected, who chose to accompany this new group because of a promise she'd made to a friend. And she knows that the Broken Lands test people both physically and mentally, so she lets her companions make sometimes stupid choice because she knows they need to go through those trials. Like she lets Ryan find out for himself what his precious fuel really is, and make his own decision about what he wants to do with that knowledge. Just like she let his uncle fifty years ago.
I will definitely check out other books by Tanya Huff because I was impressed with her imagination and storytelling.
PS: I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved this story! The setting is unique and the characters are memorable. Exactly what I need in a fantasy book.
This story is in fact two stories told parallel to each other. One is about the journey of a young heir to a powerful city, charged with bringing magical fuel out of the Broken Lands to keep the flame going that protects his city. The other one is of his uncle who undertook the same journey over 50 years ago. The common denominator for both stories is Nonnie - the last living weapon created by the mages before they annihilated each other and created the Broken Lands.
It is interesting to follow two similar journeys of two different parties of characters. Their mission is the same. Their destination is the same. They are going into the same lands... but their stories are as different as the Broken Lands themselves.
The Broken Lands, what an intriguing concept! Image a land created by magic, and then scarred by the same magic during a horrible war. There are fixed points in the landscape - places that stay the same, no matter what happens. Everything else is... malleable, mutable, and definitely hostile to outsiders. See, the road between two fixed points can take a day during the first journey and meander for four during the next one. It can cross a lush forest one time and become a murderous swamp other. Landscape, weather, and even time are not set in stone.
This makes both journeys fascinating. Just because Ryan and his crew have the accounts of his uncle's journey, their own adventure takes a different turn. They never cross the same landscape, apart from those fixed points.
And I think that is the point of this book, no pun intended: each team gets their own share of trials, tailored specifically to them, like that dark tunnel in the cave that was the second fixed point. The Broken Lands force them to confront their own fears and insecurities an emerge on the other end changed. Some for the better, some for the worse, but always as a consequence of their own choices.
That's another thing I loved about this book. There isn't a big bad to fight against here. Yes, the mages who created the Broken Lands were horrible beings (I wouldn't even call them human by now), but they are dead. The horrors they left behind stay in the Broken Lands. There isn't immediate danger to the lands around them (apart from some incursions). Our protagonists choose to cross the boundary and travel these lands, so all the horrors they encounter are the consequence of their own choices. You could say that what they find in the Broken Lands is a confrontation with themselves. It's a crucible, in which they either crumble or are mended into a better version of themselves.
And all the characters are memorable, even those you begin to hate by the end of the book. Which is no small feat, considering that we have two distinct groups of around eight people each (even though not all of them make it back out of the Broken Lands). They all felt distinct and "alive", and I mourned those who were left in the Broken Lands along with their surviving companions, because they weren't just numbers, they were people.
Nonnie is the glue that holds his story together. It's amazing to see how much she'd grown between the story journeys - from a weapon that barely spoke and didn't even consider herself as a person, who could have feelings and desires, and who was forced to undertake the trip into the Broken Lands, to someone fully accepted into a community, valued and respected, who chose to accompany this new group because of a promise she'd made to a friend. And she knows that the Broken Lands test people both physically and mentally, so she lets her companions make sometimes stupid choice because she knows they need to go through those trials. Like she lets Ryan find out for himself what his precious fuel really is, and make his own decision about what he wants to do with that knowledge. Just like she let his uncle fifty years ago.
I will definitely check out other books by Tanya Huff because I was impressed with her imagination and storytelling.
PS: I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 18, 2022
I am a big Tanya Huff fan but this book was not for me. Long, sloggy, and repetitive, I could barely tell the characters apart and I found the dual timelines frustrating when they never intersected in any meaningful way.
July 15, 2022
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
Just a solid, fantastic read. A character-driven fantasy with themes of acceptance and personal-growth. Fully recommend.
Just a solid, fantastic read. A character-driven fantasy with themes of acceptance and personal-growth. Fully recommend.
March 22, 2023
Not bad, but that one character... seriously should have been killed sooner.🙄
January 6, 2025
Family book club selection. Tanya Huff really took me into a different world that was not inundated with fantasy tropes and tons of romance. For that she automatically got a 3.5 rating. I also love a quest. Whatever the journey, the search for ????? always resonates with me. This quest took me through many different landscapes and magical characters. I really enjoyed Nonee, one of the main characters. The storyline was a bit too long and it was a bit overly complicated. I really liked the first half of the book a lot but the quest did take too long. But then again, that is typical for fantasy novels. The ending was satisfying. This was not my pick but I enjoyed it.
June 23, 2022
Into Broken Lands by Tanya Huff wasn’t all that I was hoping it would- I loved her urban fantasies but it was still an enjoyable read.
I received I copy of this book for a free and unbiased opinion
The book is your classic fantasy quest involving a group of different and unique people, taking a perilous journey to reclaim a substance to keep a flame burning in a city far away. There has been a devasting mage war which has devasted the lands and Ryan, the heir by default after the death of his three older Brothers has to travel to the Broken Lands with a mage-made sentient being to bring back the flame and indirectly prove his right to rule.
The book is told from several points of view over two time periods which works well particularly to show how Nonlee the mage-made weapon become a real woman. Ryan was realistic as the reluctant heir who develops confidence in himself and I loved the hard-as-nails, take no prisoners Captain Yansav.
The story was slow to start with and I did struggle with the first third but I’m glad I stuck with it. This book may look like a bog-standard fantasy quest, there is a deeper story of accepting who you are warts and all, especially when people expect you to be something you had no interest in ever being.
The world-building is detailed with some great descriptions but this is a book without much humour ( something I enjoyed in her previous books).
I received I copy of this book for a free and unbiased opinion
The book is your classic fantasy quest involving a group of different and unique people, taking a perilous journey to reclaim a substance to keep a flame burning in a city far away. There has been a devasting mage war which has devasted the lands and Ryan, the heir by default after the death of his three older Brothers has to travel to the Broken Lands with a mage-made sentient being to bring back the flame and indirectly prove his right to rule.
The book is told from several points of view over two time periods which works well particularly to show how Nonlee the mage-made weapon become a real woman. Ryan was realistic as the reluctant heir who develops confidence in himself and I loved the hard-as-nails, take no prisoners Captain Yansav.
The story was slow to start with and I did struggle with the first third but I’m glad I stuck with it. This book may look like a bog-standard fantasy quest, there is a deeper story of accepting who you are warts and all, especially when people expect you to be something you had no interest in ever being.
The world-building is detailed with some great descriptions but this is a book without much humour ( something I enjoyed in her previous books).
October 8, 2022
4.5 Stars
When I read the last line and closed the book, all I could do was smile. It is that feeling when a book hits you in so many ways. You've journeyed with all of those wonderful characters. You shared their food, their sorrows, their laughter. When you love the ending but also sad that it ended. That was how I felt with this book. At that moment, I was thinking 5 stars all the way. Then I remembered... that wasn't how I felt at the beginning. I struggled with this book at first. I was confused and not quite sure what was going on. There wasn't a lot of explanation and I wasn't really pulled into the story. I almost quit it a couple of times but there was enough there to keep me going. I am so glad I did. Once things started to gel together, it was amazing. Everything about this book was fantastic but the part that drew me to it the most was the characters. I felt something for each and everyone. I wanted to hang out with Keetin, felt a kinship with Servan and wanted to punch Lyelee in the face. So many feels. Highly recommended fantasy.
When I read the last line and closed the book, all I could do was smile. It is that feeling when a book hits you in so many ways. You've journeyed with all of those wonderful characters. You shared their food, their sorrows, their laughter. When you love the ending but also sad that it ended. That was how I felt with this book. At that moment, I was thinking 5 stars all the way. Then I remembered... that wasn't how I felt at the beginning. I struggled with this book at first. I was confused and not quite sure what was going on. There wasn't a lot of explanation and I wasn't really pulled into the story. I almost quit it a couple of times but there was enough there to keep me going. I am so glad I did. Once things started to gel together, it was amazing. Everything about this book was fantastic but the part that drew me to it the most was the characters. I felt something for each and everyone. I wanted to hang out with Keetin, felt a kinship with Servan and wanted to punch Lyelee in the face. So many feels. Highly recommended fantasy.
July 27, 2022
I love Tanya Huff - she originated so much of my love for UF as a genre, her other fantasy books are masterful, but this one just... was harder to love. This book is largely your basic fantasy quest, and admittedly I think what stalled me a bit was it took a while to get into the characters/concept/world, but there wasn't a lot of worldbuilding happening, for a book that spends so much of it's time worldbuilding.
The plot moved pretty slowly, and my general love of Huff as a writer will keep me engaged, but this one was a pretty tough road to the end.
The plot moved pretty slowly, and my general love of Huff as a writer will keep me engaged, but this one was a pretty tough road to the end.
September 10, 2022
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
The big draw of a Tanya Huff book is that it will be character driven: snappy dialogue, plenty of innuendo, and sharp wit. This new fantasy book lives up to the legacy: a somewhat larger group of characters who each have their faults and strengths and must navigate a post apocalyptic landscape in order to bring hope to the people. The varying POVs can be frustrating/a barrier at the beginning but pay off by the middle as the story really picks up.Story: Ryan is the new heir to the Lord Protectorate position - something he came upon only at the unexpected death of his three older brothers. Young, unsure, and inexperienced, he is tasked with traveling to the Broken Lands to retrieve a symbolic flame for his people (and to prove his worth). But the Broken Lands are a hellscape of a land greatly damaged and corrupted by a mage war in the past. Along with his companions, he will have to keep his group alive and survive the horrors that the corrupted magic will throw at him.
The POV alternates between individuals in Ryan's present-day group and a similar expedition in the past by his ancestor. The events of the past will greatly echo a lot of what Ryan's group will encounter in their journey so there is a payoff for the past. As well, it will shape a legacy for one of Ryan's group in particular.
This is a book that you take your time with and really enjoy. It doesn't have the outright humor of e.g., the Confederation Series but it also has a larger cast of characters who are each interesting and nuanced in their way. Although we were not given an indication if the story will continue after this book, I do feel that there is more than enough here to continue this into an engrossing series. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
September 20, 2023
3.75
Ottimo standalone, ma non per tutti. Le prime 100 pagine sono veramente lente e si prendono il proprio tempo per preparare il lettore a un doppio viaggio: quello presente e quello passato. Oltre a presentare i personaggi.
Ma la caratterizzazione è ottima e anche dove i protagonisti sembrano inizialmente banali, non si riveleranno così.
Garret e Ryan sono due leader molto diversi tra loro, con un'idea di leadership del tutto opposta, ma entrambi mostrano tutti i lati del loro carattere e le loro insicurezze.
Arianna for president, mia idola indiscussa.
Nonee un cuore, leggere i suoi pov mi ha scaldato proprio l'anima e la morale che la riguarda è talmente attuale e ben fatta che è stata proprio un piacere averla conosciuta.
Lylee odiosa, ma caratterizzata benissimo, pensavo che il suo pov fosse inutile E INVECE.
Ottimo standalone, ma non per tutti. Le prime 100 pagine sono veramente lente e si prendono il proprio tempo per preparare il lettore a un doppio viaggio: quello presente e quello passato. Oltre a presentare i personaggi.
Ma la caratterizzazione è ottima e anche dove i protagonisti sembrano inizialmente banali, non si riveleranno così.
Garret e Ryan sono due leader molto diversi tra loro, con un'idea di leadership del tutto opposta, ma entrambi mostrano tutti i lati del loro carattere e le loro insicurezze.
Arianna for president, mia idola indiscussa.
Nonee un cuore, leggere i suoi pov mi ha scaldato proprio l'anima e la morale che la riguarda è talmente attuale e ben fatta che è stata proprio un piacere averla conosciuta.
Lylee odiosa, ma caratterizzata benissimo, pensavo che il suo pov fosse inutile E INVECE.
August 31, 2022
Unusual epic fantasy about an excursion into lands destroyed by the Mage Wars three generations ago. The Broken Lands are ever-shifting, and deadly in many unforeseen ways. Navigating it would be impossible without the last surviving mage-crafted weapon, a large stone person who initially has no name. The bulk of the story is told in the "present," with flashbacks to an earlier expedition led by this leader's grandfather.
Well-crafted, with well-rounded characters and a lot of genuine surprises.
Content warning for body horror.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Well-crafted, with well-rounded characters and a lot of genuine surprises.
Content warning for body horror.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 1, 2024
3.5⭐️ roundup | This book presents many names and information, making it challenging to follow at times. I enjoyed the "now" and "then" POV chapters, which added depth to the narrative. However, the story often felt like an endless dream where many things happen without the excitement I hoped for, causing my interest to wane occasionally. There was always buildup but never the satisfying action to accompany it.
Advertised as an epic fantasy, it turned out to be a light, classic fantasy with familiar tropes and characters that felt flat. The highlight for me was the lore and learning about the purpose of the Scholars sent into the Broken Lands. Overall, the world-building, character development, and plot were all average—I wanted more but only got just enough. It's unfortunate because I really enjoyed it towards the end!
Advertised as an epic fantasy, it turned out to be a light, classic fantasy with familiar tropes and characters that felt flat. The highlight for me was the lore and learning about the purpose of the Scholars sent into the Broken Lands. Overall, the world-building, character development, and plot were all average—I wanted more but only got just enough. It's unfortunate because I really enjoyed it towards the end!
November 8, 2022
This book was better than I thought it would be. The story didn't drag as much as other fantasy books do and the characters were pretty interesting. I actually kind of liked when the story switched back and forth between Garrett and Ryan's timeline
July 29, 2022
The plot is fairly simple, it’s literally the main group arrive at this place called Gateway, which is a town that sits on the border of the Broken Lands, and is where the weapon lives, and they then move off into the lands to face the horrors there. It’s well paced, it’s not quite what I’d call a slow story, but it takes most of the book for them to reach their goal, and then they have to make their way back again, so it’s not the most fast paced book in that sense, the journey does take some time, but plenty of things do happen to make the book engaging and feel fast paced. Whilst we’re mostly following the main character Ryan, who is the new Heir to the Lord Protector of the land, but we also get flashback chapters to his great uncle when he made the journey at Ryan’s age, alongside a Gateway healer named Arianna, who accompanies them. I liked that we see both journeys alongside one another, with the chapters flowing together really nicely, you don’t ever get repeats of a section of the journey, and the things that happen in Garrett’s tale become relevant and meaningful to the company in present day, I really liked how that was done, it helped the story keep moving whilst also giving an insight into the past.
Loved the worldbuilding and how things are slowly revealed and explored over the course of the book. The idea of the mages and all the strange and dangerous things they did to people, animals, and how their magic affected the very land they lived in was super interesting to see, it was almost like radiation after a nuclear bomb, except the bomb was too much magic. In the city that Ryan and the others come from, mage craft is very much banned and seen as evil, but in Gateway they have a different attitude towards magic as a whole, and I liked seeing these people form the city be the outsiders in a small, close knit community. There are also the Scholars in the city, and there’s the idea that Scholars are basically untouchable, for the Lord Protector, or anyone else to question or go against the scholars is a dangerous move, which makes for some interesting conflict between Ryan, and the two scholars who are on the trip into the Broken Lands to study them. Over the course of the book I like how we see the scholars arrogance, and you get a sense that the scholars are much more devious and dangerous than you might think.
Ryan is a really interesting main character. He’s the Heir to the Lord Protector, but only because his three older brothers died recently in an accident. He feels really out of his depth, he doesn’t feel respected by those around him, and he doesn’t feel he deserves respect, his task into the Broken Lands feels like a way for him to prove himself to others, as well as to himself.
The living weapon, Nonee is a really interesting character to see. I love how integrated into the Gateway village she is, and how all the children absolutely adore her, it really makes you as the reader trust her very quickly, and she seems super sweet, contrasting with the fact that shes a living weapon created by magecraft. I like how observant she is, and what we learn about the other characters from her point of view.
.
Overall a great read, not the most mind-blowing thing Ive ever read, but it’s a very interesting slow burn as you follow these characters and slowly begin to understand the world they live in, and see their relationships with one another form and develop over the course of the book. Ryan as a main character is an easy one to root for, and his arc over the course of the book was very satisfying. The pacing between the current day and the flashbacks was done amazingly well, it was very seamless, and it added a whole new layer to the story.
Loved the worldbuilding and how things are slowly revealed and explored over the course of the book. The idea of the mages and all the strange and dangerous things they did to people, animals, and how their magic affected the very land they lived in was super interesting to see, it was almost like radiation after a nuclear bomb, except the bomb was too much magic. In the city that Ryan and the others come from, mage craft is very much banned and seen as evil, but in Gateway they have a different attitude towards magic as a whole, and I liked seeing these people form the city be the outsiders in a small, close knit community. There are also the Scholars in the city, and there’s the idea that Scholars are basically untouchable, for the Lord Protector, or anyone else to question or go against the scholars is a dangerous move, which makes for some interesting conflict between Ryan, and the two scholars who are on the trip into the Broken Lands to study them. Over the course of the book I like how we see the scholars arrogance, and you get a sense that the scholars are much more devious and dangerous than you might think.
Ryan is a really interesting main character. He’s the Heir to the Lord Protector, but only because his three older brothers died recently in an accident. He feels really out of his depth, he doesn’t feel respected by those around him, and he doesn’t feel he deserves respect, his task into the Broken Lands feels like a way for him to prove himself to others, as well as to himself.
The living weapon, Nonee is a really interesting character to see. I love how integrated into the Gateway village she is, and how all the children absolutely adore her, it really makes you as the reader trust her very quickly, and she seems super sweet, contrasting with the fact that shes a living weapon created by magecraft. I like how observant she is, and what we learn about the other characters from her point of view.
.
Overall a great read, not the most mind-blowing thing Ive ever read, but it’s a very interesting slow burn as you follow these characters and slowly begin to understand the world they live in, and see their relationships with one another form and develop over the course of the book. Ryan as a main character is an easy one to root for, and his arc over the course of the book was very satisfying. The pacing between the current day and the flashbacks was done amazingly well, it was very seamless, and it added a whole new layer to the story.
August 8, 2022
I’ve been a long time fan of Tanya Huff and was beyond excited to see she had a new book out. In this novel, which is written from the viewpoints of five characters and two different time periods, she illustrates just why she is considered a master storyteller. Even with the complexity of the various points of view and timelines, she never misses a step, drawing the reader in, creating engaging characters and a story that is intriguing and thought provoking.
Part of what makes the characters so engaging and for some, endearing, is the view into what they are thinking and feeling. Both heirs show a depth of character and caring that is easy to empathize with. The scholars, one the heir’s cousin, are perfect examples of how easy it is to see only knowledge as important, divorced from those that knowledge would help. The book also develops themes on the implications of magic and its use as well as abuse of power. That abuse of power dives into more than just magic, commenting on censorship and how lack of true information can guide a society into making the same mistakes as the past. Nonni or the weapon is unique, intriguing, and while the idea of how she is created is truly abhorrent, the character is interesting and caring.
With the unique spoon on magic, mage wars, and the consequences of power plus endearing characters, this novel is intriguing and thought provoking. It is what true fans of fantasy or science fiction long for, a book that questions, makes you consider the answers and think through what the novel is trying to say. The theme of censorship and abuse of power is especially compelling in today’s society and if you like books that make you think, I found this one compelling and masterful.
Part of what makes the characters so engaging and for some, endearing, is the view into what they are thinking and feeling. Both heirs show a depth of character and caring that is easy to empathize with. The scholars, one the heir’s cousin, are perfect examples of how easy it is to see only knowledge as important, divorced from those that knowledge would help. The book also develops themes on the implications of magic and its use as well as abuse of power. That abuse of power dives into more than just magic, commenting on censorship and how lack of true information can guide a society into making the same mistakes as the past. Nonni or the weapon is unique, intriguing, and while the idea of how she is created is truly abhorrent, the character is interesting and caring.
With the unique spoon on magic, mage wars, and the consequences of power plus endearing characters, this novel is intriguing and thought provoking. It is what true fans of fantasy or science fiction long for, a book that questions, makes you consider the answers and think through what the novel is trying to say. The theme of censorship and abuse of power is especially compelling in today’s society and if you like books that make you think, I found this one compelling and masterful.
Read
May 7, 2023DNF
I read 143 pages out of 452, roughly one third of the book, before I stopped. I can say what I disliked - disliked enough to DNF - even if can't rate this novel.
Small stuff
1. On some occasions, the author uses the local lingo phonetically - so everything the local people are saying needs to be deciphered. On the page, it looks gibberish, incomprehensible. I disdain such technique. If the POV character understands what the others are saying, fine. The reader should understand it too. The author should mention the strong accent but use regular English in writing. If, on the other hand, the POV character doesn't understand, because of the accent, that is fine too. The reader doesn't need to know either. In both cases, it is not necessary to mangle printed words.
2. Too many characters with names were introduced too quickly in the beginning. It was confusing. Even horses were named, and I wondered who was a horse and who a person until I learned who was who.
Big stuff
Despite the small things above, I would've read on, if the second part of the novel wasn't so dark and gritty. Too many battles. Too much pain. I didn't read it but I skimmed and read some pages. What I glimpsed disturbed and distressed me. I didn't want to dive into the story details, didn't want to upset myself any more than I had to. Besides, I really didn't like the world the author had created. It is too depressing, too hopeless.
And the characters cinched my decision to DNF. First, there was this abominable princess, the villain of the novel, given voice and POV. Argh! Actually, both scholars were yucky. Scholarship, a quest for knowledge, in my view, is supposed to be a positive feature, not this arrogant disregard for everyone's lives and happiness for the sake of a few scraps of data. Maybe I don't know academia very well.
Besides, I didn't truly like any of the characters, although most of them were depicted as good people. Just not good enough for me to invest a few more days in their harrowing adventures.
So DNF.
I read 143 pages out of 452, roughly one third of the book, before I stopped. I can say what I disliked - disliked enough to DNF - even if can't rate this novel.
Small stuff
1. On some occasions, the author uses the local lingo phonetically - so everything the local people are saying needs to be deciphered. On the page, it looks gibberish, incomprehensible. I disdain such technique. If the POV character understands what the others are saying, fine. The reader should understand it too. The author should mention the strong accent but use regular English in writing. If, on the other hand, the POV character doesn't understand, because of the accent, that is fine too. The reader doesn't need to know either. In both cases, it is not necessary to mangle printed words.
2. Too many characters with names were introduced too quickly in the beginning. It was confusing. Even horses were named, and I wondered who was a horse and who a person until I learned who was who.
Big stuff
Despite the small things above, I would've read on, if the second part of the novel wasn't so dark and gritty. Too many battles. Too much pain. I didn't read it but I skimmed and read some pages. What I glimpsed disturbed and distressed me. I didn't want to dive into the story details, didn't want to upset myself any more than I had to. Besides, I really didn't like the world the author had created. It is too depressing, too hopeless.
And the characters cinched my decision to DNF. First, there was this abominable princess, the villain of the novel, given voice and POV. Argh! Actually, both scholars were yucky. Scholarship, a quest for knowledge, in my view, is supposed to be a positive feature, not this arrogant disregard for everyone's lives and happiness for the sake of a few scraps of data. Maybe I don't know academia very well.
Besides, I didn't truly like any of the characters, although most of them were depicted as good people. Just not good enough for me to invest a few more days in their harrowing adventures.
So DNF.
August 13, 2023
I’ve been a fan of Tanya Huff’s work since I first stumbled onto the Vicki Nelson series, which I liked, but didn’t love (I generally dislike books about vampires). I’ve read almost everything Ms Huff published. The Confederation series is the strongest, and my personal favorite. The plot, characters, humor, science, alien species—I’d gone back and reread the series at least twice by now. And I keep hoping for more books, more stories from that world. The Keeper’s Chronicles is another series I adore. The Fire’s Stone is my favorite stand-alone novel, closely followed by The Silvered.
But Into the Broken Lands… I’ve started this book at least three times. First time, I couldn’t get past the first 10 pages. Second time, I got through the first chapter. And during my last attempt, I’ve made it through the 4th chapter. And that’s it. I don’t know what is it about this book that just fails to hold my attention. I forget names and who these characters are… and I go back to remind myself. I’ll probably try again later, much later, and see if 4th time would get me through the whole book.
But Into the Broken Lands… I’ve started this book at least three times. First time, I couldn’t get past the first 10 pages. Second time, I got through the first chapter. And during my last attempt, I’ve made it through the 4th chapter. And that’s it. I don’t know what is it about this book that just fails to hold my attention. I forget names and who these characters are… and I go back to remind myself. I’ll probably try again later, much later, and see if 4th time would get me through the whole book.
March 11, 2024
I hate giving this a bad review. I had high hopes. This book is described as an “environmental fantasy” with a character-driven narrative. My kind of book. It started strong. The characters were interesting and introduced well. The story unfolded nicely until they actually went into the Broken Lands. Then the whole story just stalled. I did not expect this to be an action-packed adventure. But I did expect a character-driven narrative to involve tension, suspense, and resolution via character development. They was none. The characters went nowhere. I didn’t get to know them or care for any of them except MAYBE Ryan. Also, for “environmental” fantasy, the role of the landscape was underwhelming. In a novel where atmosphere is meant to serve as almost another character, it’s shockingly bland. The character get randomly attacked by magical things and Nonnee keeps repeating that nothing is safe. This gets old really, really fast. The lands themselves did not evoke the sense of terror or unease of any kind. Overall, a very mediocre fantasy with not much to recommend it.
December 19, 2022
Nope. Sorry Tanya but i kinda expected more from you than this plodding bore fest that goes nowhere very slowly. Fifty pages in AAAAAAAND nothing is happening at a glacial pace.
Bored.
Very BORED.
No interesting characters, no action, very little reason to stay interested.
The most interesting event so far has been a horse biting someone but other than that . . .boring.
Won't finish and quite dissapointed because normally Tanya is a good solid writer with good characters . . . . for heavens sake, she created Torin Kerr.
Bored.
Very BORED.
No interesting characters, no action, very little reason to stay interested.
The most interesting event so far has been a horse biting someone but other than that . . .boring.
Won't finish and quite dissapointed because normally Tanya is a good solid writer with good characters . . . . for heavens sake, she created Torin Kerr.
May 23, 2023
DNF at like chapter 4
This is too many POVs to follow and I already hate most of the characters. Even the most dedicated researcher should be excited to have a bath after 28 days on the road and I refuse to believe that everyone blindly assumes that one guy’s report on the situation 63 years ago is 100% accurate in the present day because no one is that dumb. After the third person said something along the lines of, “wow I can’t believe they have running water here, lord protector never mentioned that in his diary this is impossible???” I couldn’t do it anymore.
This is too many POVs to follow and I already hate most of the characters. Even the most dedicated researcher should be excited to have a bath after 28 days on the road and I refuse to believe that everyone blindly assumes that one guy’s report on the situation 63 years ago is 100% accurate in the present day because no one is that dumb. After the third person said something along the lines of, “wow I can’t believe they have running water here, lord protector never mentioned that in his diary this is impossible???” I couldn’t do it anymore.
August 9, 2022
I did not understand the need for dual storylines - it was repetitive, got boring fast, and the two did not seem to tie together in any meaningful way. It was a slog to finish.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2022
I would describe this one as let’s all go through a post apocalyptic hell scape for a thing we don’t actually really truly need! Sounds like a grand idea. What could possibly go wrong? This time. Because we did this a couple generations ago too and it wasn’t awesome that time either. Maybe…. A lesson can be learned here?
I enjoyed it but while I have always enjoyed this author and I do like this be it isn’t my favorite book by her. It’s very much about the setting and what’s happening to the feckless fools who’ve volunteered for this mission more than most of the characters. Three of the characters stood out to me, the princeling, the younger scholar and “the weapon”. The solidiers were pretty forgettable as was the older scholar. I tend to love character driven stories better myself. If you find setting driven stories fun this is a good read.
I enjoyed it but while I have always enjoyed this author and I do like this be it isn’t my favorite book by her. It’s very much about the setting and what’s happening to the feckless fools who’ve volunteered for this mission more than most of the characters. Three of the characters stood out to me, the princeling, the younger scholar and “the weapon”. The solidiers were pretty forgettable as was the older scholar. I tend to love character driven stories better myself. If you find setting driven stories fun this is a good read.
May 14, 2023
Excellent and lingered long after I finished reading it
There are layers of complexity in this story of magic which are conveyed to you in a simple language. Time and it’s passage, human frailty and courage but also greed and ignorance. There are so many other aspects that Tanya Huff has put into this work that stir the imagination and I am left with questions but that is okay. The characters will stay with me for a while and the world she has created with resonate even longer.
There are layers of complexity in this story of magic which are conveyed to you in a simple language. Time and it’s passage, human frailty and courage but also greed and ignorance. There are so many other aspects that Tanya Huff has put into this work that stir the imagination and I am left with questions but that is okay. The characters will stay with me for a while and the world she has created with resonate even longer.
September 5, 2022
Interesting character-driven fantasy in a sort of magical post-apocalyptic landscape that explores themes of humanity, free will, knowledge vs wisdom, and the crushing weight of legacy.
On it one hand it feels a little unfinished, but in the other I appreciate that Huff doesn't spoon-feed us answers but leads us to them.
On it one hand it feels a little unfinished, but in the other I appreciate that Huff doesn't spoon-feed us answers but leads us to them.
September 30, 2022
i really liked it so it gets 4 stars instead of my usual 3.
it was long and brutal yet beautiful and sad and i loved the journey. it was quite a journey too.
as much as i loved the characters, i truly hope this is a standalone. if tayna does revisit this world, i hope errybody in this book is dead. well except uvili.
it was long and brutal yet beautiful and sad and i loved the journey. it was quite a journey too.
as much as i loved the characters, i truly hope this is a standalone. if tayna does revisit this world, i hope errybody in this book is dead. well except uvili.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews