posted
Just finished Darkwalker on Moonshae by Douglas Niles
Darkwalker on Moonshae is one of the first novels (if not the first) that was written in the Forgotten Realms setting.
It scored well on Amazon.com and I’ve read a few other FR books and most have been very good… if not great. I think ‘Darkwalker’ has this nostalgic/first written thing going for it because it was not as good as advertised. Putting expectations and comparisons aside though, the book is competent.
The plot is fairly standard fantasy fair. Powerful lost sword is mentioned by a wandering bard. About 100 pages later you know what the lackadaisical prince is going to stumble upon. Of course he’s going to need it to fight the ‘Darkwalker’.
The book also suffers from generalities in general. For instance most of the battle scenes are described like this… “The good guys rode their white horses through the bad guys on their black horses. Blood flew and warriors on both sides fell to enemy lances. The heavily outnumbered white horses turned and rode away while the bad guys followed.”
This causes the book to be too impersonal even though it is almost 400 pages long. I know I said the book is competent and I’m coming off pretty harsh here, but those are about the only things wrong with it.
Even through the generalities the characters are likable when they are supposed to be and the bad guys are despicable. Also some of the visuals and fantasy ideas are endearing.
Final Grade: Strong B
-------------------- Something Filthy!
From: NOVA by way of NOIN | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Worlds of Amano An artbook of Japanese fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano.
Men of Tomorrow "Geeks, gangsters and the birth of the comic book" by Eisner winner Gerard Jones.
From: Somewhere in the Multiverse | Registered: Apr 2006
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Dain: [bMen of Tomorrow "Geeks, gangsters and the birth of the comic book" by Eisner winner Gerard Jones.
I started that a while ago! (It was a gift from Joe-Boy when I visited him in Australia. ) It's really interesting and I've definitely enjoyed it. I haven't had the chance to finish it yet, though, so don't tell me how it ends!
I'm stuck reading Introduction to Latin America History at the moment because, even though I'm a senior, I put off taking a few of my intro classes. It's so boring it should be a crime to inflict it upon poor unsuspecting students. As is, though, I will have to suffer through since my midterm's tomorrow.
-------------------- Abin: You know what to do with a Cali sandwich? No but neither do Cobie and CJ! CJ: Yeah, we do. She's smiling, isn't she?
Context... who needs it?
From: Sunny Cali-- er, Planet Earth? | Registered: Jun 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Oh, don't worry about it. I have no idea how it ends. I've read only 20 pages so far. And it IS interesting. I like the narration. It's laid back and comfortable like talking with a friend who *knows* stuff, like funny and obscure stories, anecdotes, an incredible amount of details and trivia etc. I love this kind of book!
From: Somewhere in the Multiverse | Registered: Apr 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
I finished the Great Gatsby and Fahrenheit 451 while on long trip I just took.
Started Lord of the Flies. Yes I am rereading my high school reading cause I forgot most of the details cause it's been many many years AND I wasn't paying too much attention the first time around.
From: Tampa | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
Eryk Davis Ester
Created from the Cosmic Legends of the Universe!
posted
There was a time at which I could quote passages from Lord of the Flies from memory. It was really the book that made me take reading novels seriously back in high school. I haven't read it in ages, though. I suspect I wouldn't be that impressed by it, now.
From: Liberty City | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Eryk Davis Ester: There was a time at which I could quote passages from Lord of the Flies from memory. It was really the book that made me take reading novels seriously back in high school. I haven't read it in ages, though. I suspect I wouldn't be that impressed by it, now.
I don't know EDE. Lots of those old high school books I've been rereading are impressing me. The Great Gatsby and Fahrenheit 451 did.
Fahrenheit 451 had some spots I thought were a bit...juvenille? Not sure. But a good portion of it is great social commentary. I did not care for the ending though.
From: Tampa | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm reading "Retained by the People: The 'silent' Ninth Amendment and the constitutional rights Americans don't know they have"
-------------------- Five billion years from now the Sun will go nova and obliterate the Earth. Don't sweat the small stuff!
From: Boston | Registered: Aug 2003
| IP: Logged |
I started out as a big fan of the Drizzt series by Salvatore. The first six books tell an exceptional story of exceptional characters. The books start losing focus after that (so slowly that you don't even realize it's happening). He follows Artemis and Jarlaxle around for a few books, and Wulfgar for a book and a half, and when Drizzt is in the books, he gets very little "face" time.
The Orc King starts to reverse that trend. Not entirely though as Salvatore takes time in this book to wrap up some dangling threads of characters more minor than Drizzt. I enjoyed this book very much... not enough to group it with the first six of the series, but I'd put it in the top echelon of the next tier in the overall series.
LotF: Inferno was a very quick read. I started it at 5pm on Saturday and finished by 12 noon Sunday. I slept in that time too... I mean the book wasn't a "I-can't-stop-reading-this-yet" type of book. And I'm certainly not a fast reader, but this book went by lickety split for me. Other than that... solid book. Somethings caught me by surprise (which is very hard for a Star Wars book to do at this point) and some things left me a little flat. I'm not sure I've bought into Darth Caedus' altruistic motivations for turning to the dark side. It just seems thin to me and I think I would have appreciated a smarter, more kill them with kindness approach than the lets make him evil just for the sake of him being evil.
posted
I have to say I didn't really love the Lord of the Flies the first time around (in high school), but I also didn't give many novels a chance back then. I owe it to myself to check out Farenheit 451 too, b/c I know for certain I hardly gave it a chance. This was when I not only had discovered girls, but became aware that they had discovered me. My priorities had changed
I always loved Great Gatsby though.
I hated Catcher in the Rye back then. Probably still would.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
| IP: Logged |
Hyperpath: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic | Subscribe To Topic
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
) It's really interesting and I've definitely enjoyed it. I haven't had the chance to finish it yet, though, so don't tell me how it ends! ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
And it IS interesting. I like the narration. It's laid back and comfortable like talking with a friend who *knows* stuff, like funny and obscure stories, anecdotes, an incredible amount of details and trivia etc.
