Shadow Play / Tad Williams

Shadow Play

(Shadowmatch #2)

by Tad Williams

fantasy

copyright 2007

started in January 2021

rated 5/10: readable but only if there's nothing else

I find myself wishing more and more for a book with a beginning, an end and a plot to connect the two. I have less and less interest in a continuing saga which gets... nowhere.

There's a prelude, where we meet two central characters as children. The young prince stole something, father (the king) had the servants beaten in an attempt to find the object. So I already dislike this royal family and have no objection when chapter one reveals that they have been overthrown.

Chapter one follows the princess. Her faithful advisor tells her, Shut up, do as I tell you, I won't explain anything. This is the author's way of avoiding explanations.

Chapter two follows the prince. His faithful advisor attempts to protect him. The prince says, Do as I say, I don't know why I say it, I appear to be following the commands of a porcupine. (Really.) This is the author's way of building "suspense" -- not telling the reader what is going on.

Chapter three... follows yet another character. No, I've never heard of this character. I check the list of characters at the back of the book. Oh, so this "person?" is a "Funderling", and husband to yet another unknown character.

Nothing interesting so far.

I stop reading.

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18dec21: Again, I start to read this book.

Okay, it's book two so lots will be missing. Strange... I'm sure I remember the ruling family being overthrown. Is it in this book but later? Did I give up -- this second time -- even sooner than the first? Because I do give up. Again.

This time, I skip to the end -- just to see if the princess reappears. She does. So does the prince, so both major characters do reach the end of the book. Oh, and I meet a whole tribe of those Funderlings. Wait... does that mean that they were unexplained for the bulk of the book?

And then the prince collapses... yes... to be continued.

To be fair, a lot of my current dislike of this book is due to it being just one of a series. What I read did not encourage me to read more... perhaps the book does improve.

I am -- right now -- actively *dis*interested in continuing sagas. What little I read does not encourage me to change my attitude.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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I'd rather be super rich than completely stupid... Ginger Meggs

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