The Curse of the Mistwraith
category: fantasy, author:Janny Wurts
book 1 of The Wars of Light and Shadoworiginal copyright 1993,
read in April 2011
Agamedes' opinion: 5 out of 10
In this long-winded and episodic book, Wurts has missed Vonnegut's second rule for writing a good story: "Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for."The book begins with a clear indication that there will be a war of good versus evil. With "evil" being, in fact, a good guy. Then we meet the half-brothers who will represent good and evil. And neither of them is particularly sympathetic.
Okay, I can generate some sympathy for evil-half-brother. Clearly, he's good. Except that he's such a moody, self-centred, trouble-making creep that... who cares. And why waste sympathy on someone who is going to be loathed for an unknown number of very thick books?
Good-half-brother in even worse. He's shiny, clean, pure -- and clearly slated for jealous rages and abuse of power. Super-magician uses his powers for manipulation and deceit. Humourous side-kick has apparently spent 500 years as an apprentice; it's no use hoping that he'll even be anything other than a drunken fool.
There is one girl who appears occasionally. She may turn out to be the designated love interest. Maybe the two half-brothers will fight over her? Who knows. Who cares...
