The Wayfarer Redemption: book one
(aka BattleAxe)(category: fantasy)
book 1 of Wayfarer Redemption by
Sara Douglass
published by Tor / Tom Doherty, original copyright 1995Nick read a library book, in April 2010
(and before, several years ago?)
Nick's rating: 7 out of 10
Nick's opinion:
The cover of this book says that, "Sara Douglass is the best and most exciting writer of commercial fantasy fiction to emerge from Australia." Commercial fantasy fiction? I wonder what that means?! Anyway... Douglass is Australian and she writes a good fantasy novel.
I know that I've read this book before. Just can't remember when. Not from a library, either... perhaps I have a copy, somewhere in the house? I remember most of the incidents. I also remember that I was confused, that first time. This time, though, I read more carefully -- occasionally checking back, to the Prologue or to the central Prophecy -- and it all makes sense.
Not that the entire plot is sensible! Who are these people who appear in the 54th of 58 chapters -- just in time to get the good guys home on time? On the other hand... One of the strengths of this book is the gradual introduction of characters. As an example of bad introduction of characters, The Edge of the World throws a dozen characters at the reader, in the first dozen chapters, with each character having their own, apparently unrelated adventures. In Wayfarer, Douglass starts with a small number of characters and gives us time to get to know them. Those characters meet a few others, we get to know and follow those others. By the end of the book we are following a relatively small number of characters -- and we know how each of them relates to the main plot.
Mind you, the story's point of view does change regularly -- often, several times within a single scene.
Most of the characters are overdrawn. The hero is truly heroic and all the soldiers are willing to follow him to their deaths. As the villain attempts to belittle the hero, the villain laughs an evil laugh which, even to himself, sounds forced. The heroine is madly in love with the hero -- so in love that she marries the villain in order to save the hero's life. Ah! true love!
This is a straightforward book. By the end of the book, all the sensible people know that the hero will save the world (after several more books of love and battles, anyway). Good guys turning bad are clearly flagged; mysterious strangers point to characters and tell us that this person will soon be a major character. Straightforward, good versus evil, swords (and axes) and sorcery. An enjoyable book and a lot of fun.
For an independent and thoughtful review of your processes & documents, |
No comments:
Post a Comment