Heather
You read a book and hope the end payoff will be worth it. This book, with its 1000 pages, did not disappoint with that payoff. I really enjoyed it. Can not wait to start Words of Radiance.
Even though it's grimdark, it still has heart. I absolutely loved this book for its interesting characters and wit. It's been awhile since I've given a book 5 stars without hesitation.
So interesting and different. I loved it.
Merged review:
So interesting and different. I loved it.
This one is hard for me to rate. The story is epic. I had emotional reactions to the characters. And I wanted to know what happens in the end. My only real issue was the length. 1300 pages is the longest I've ever read. There were a few times I wanted to call it quits and Google what happened in the end. But I stuck with it. The action sequences were great.
So good! I haven't cared for, yelled at or teared up over characters this much in awhile...I imagine it only gets better from here.
Rating a thriller is difficult for me in the sense that I'm not rating it the same way I do other books. Most thrillers are not literary masterpieces. I don't read them for that. With that being said, this thriller is fours stars “for a thriller”. I don't read that many, but it kept me turning pages and surprised me a few times. I started this awhile ago and read the first 50 pages. I put it down for a couple months. I picked it up 2 days ago and finished it.
If your looking for a quick thriller with a creepy backdrop, check it out.
This is a tough one to review. I had a hard time getting through it. It should have been right up my alley with all the fantasy elements. I just found there to be too many characters to keep track of, and the duel storylines made it difficult for me to care about them. I usually enjoy a complex story, but only if it's necessary to the story.
I, of course, purchased books 2 and 3 before reading the first. The only thing that might get me to read book 2 is curiosity. Maybe with the first book setting the stage, the second will lead to a more focused storyline.
Imaginative art, original story, and characters that are fantastic and fantastical...really loved it.
DNF. Read about 100 pages. I liked the writing style, but did not care about the characters or what happened to them. Too long of a book to keep going.
3.5. I don't know if it's because of my expectations going in, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. It was a fun read, and I loved the flawed heroes. I also enjoyed the descriptions of the monsters they come across. I just wasn't too eager to want to keep reading. Maybe going into Blood Rose with the lower expectations will make it a 4 or 5 star read.
I am having a hard time rating this one. While I appreciate where King is trying to take us, there are times I think I need some sort of “stimulant” to figure what the hell is going on. I know some have said, including King himself, that this first book in the series was not his best work. I already bought the whole series, so I will definitely be continuing to book 2...hopefully I will not be as lost as I was in the first.
It was a little too long, with a little too much filler. But the story and characters were still fantastic. Two more to go...
Rag tag group with heists, some humor, battles, and most importantly, dragons. It's different from your typical epic fantasy, and I had fun reading it.
I picked up this book for the 80s references and the campiness of the cover and premise. It delivered on both fronts. If you're looking for the next Great American Novel, this isn't the one for you. Also, allowed me to reminisce the great adventures of myself and my best girlfriends growing up...with a little exorcism on the side.