Fantasy Book Club Series discussion

This folder is used to discuss the following chapters:


REVELATIONS BY MOONLIGHT
DRONDIL FIELDS
TRIALS
RESCUERS
CORONATION DAY

Hmm...Interesting that no one else has posted about the end of Book 1 here, so I suppose I'll have a go.

My experience of The Crown Conspiracy was tepid at best. The writing was fine. But some of the writing mechanics weren't so much there for me. I guess I wanted more characterization from the outset, more that would draw me into sympathy with the characters. I do love Hadrian from the very first scene. But Royce is very distant. It felt like the author was purposefully being coy with Royce, playing on the mystery of the character. But I'm not drawn in by mystery. Made him feel like a very shallow character (even though I know he's not, in later books). And his scene with Gwen didn't succeed in humanizing him for me.

Also, I may be a prude, but does anyone else find it disconcerting that their love interests are whores??

I find it funny that so many people complain about the Old English from Esra. I bumped on that too. But I think, whether or not it's done right, people are going to bump on it because talking like that just sounds funny and weird!

I kinda liked the idea of the slap-stick, silly ending. Felt comic-bookish or, as Sullivan was probably aiming for, like a great ending to a TV show episode (True Blood anyone?) that just makes you desperate to watch the next one.

I also enjoyed Alric's growth over the course of the book. And loved the Pickering boys (more in Avempartha).

I like the Pickerings, they are in some great scenes in Avempartha.

I really enjoyed the scene with the dwarf and the tower. He's spent so long working on his clever trap that he's just giddy to explain it to Royce, which ends up helping Royce figure out a way to beat it.

Helen wrote: "I like the Pickerings, they are in some great scenes in Avempartha."

I do as well - and anytime that Hadrian fights Mauvin - both of the scenes in Thef of Swords (once at Drondil fields, the other in Dhalgren) were GREAT!

I love Mauvin's "cockiness" because it's not done without being deserving - and he has humor and a glint in his eye and isn't an a** about it.

Katie wrote: "I really enjoyed the scene with the dwarf and the tower. He's spent so long working on his clever trap that he's just giddy to explain it to Royce, which ends up helping Royce figure out a way to ..."

Yeah that was good - I particularly liked the description of it being like wanting to watch a sand castle washed away. I've done that more than a few times myself.