The Interminables
(probably #1 of ...)
by Paige Orwin
fantasy
copyright 2016
read in January 2018
rated 6/10: read to pass the time
"... this wild debut about Time and War teaming up to battle the evils of eternal peace." That, from the front cover. I couldn't have said it better myself. But there is more...
It's a fascinating world. Logically inconsistent -- deliberately, it's a result of the Wizard War. Yet there is enough logic to make me accept that no, the problems could not be solved simply by one character waving a wand and saying the magic word.
The story is fantasy, the setting is fantasy, the plot is driven by the main characters. In fact, the bulk of the plot follows the characters and relationship of two people. The main driver -- for each of them -- is guilt. It's well done, I enjoyed the developing situation.
Yet there is very little else that happens. The main characters spend so much time on guilt and relationships that there is little time for anything else. It's well done -- but not what I wanted in a book. My bias. You may like to up the rating if you prefer characters to action.
And then... the action at the end: is typically over the top.
In the build-up, a lot of words are spent describing the potential damage of the final "solution". Fair enough. Except that I was expecting... hoping... that an alternative would be found. Could the author find no compromise other than the destruction of "eternal peace"?
Actually, it is possible that an alternative was found... It's possible that there will be peace... once the terms of the ceasefire are agreed. It depends on how I read some very small hints. It also depends on what comes next...
... Because there is the distinct impression that this is just book one. It's an interesting world, good characters, I think that they can support a few more books.
Still. If peace really was destroyed then I would like that to be made clearer... rather, I wish that an alternative had been found. And if an alternative is about to be implemented -- I wish that it had been clearly stated in this book.
It's fun, easy enough to read, very imaginative. It needs a better -- clearer or alternative -- ending.
Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
... Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved
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"You're only young once but you can stay immature forever" … per Ginger Meggs
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