I might add that several elements of The Darkness That Comes Before call to mind those of Paul Kearney's Monarchies of God
I might add that several elements of The Darkness That Comes Before call to mind those of Paul Kearney's Monarchies of God
Daniel T. Jackson pummels, stuns, and enthralls in a debut so good it could've come from the most seasoned pros and legends of Epic Fantasy.
It's a strange story. Very unpredictable. The plot is regularly taking the most improbable of turns. In this tale of great betrayal, the author reveals humanity in all its gory glory.
Despite its brilliance, it would be totally unfair to judge other epic fantasy series using WoT as a yardstick. Here, I'd simply say, "other series have done well, but WoT surpasses them all''
In Shroud of Eternity, Terry Goodkind once again shows that he can consistently churn out first-rate epic fantasy all set in one big world
Chief Daddy 2 has all the proper ingredients, and makings of a modern Nigerian dramatic comedy.
Then there are the themes in the book. Everything needed for a perfect dish of dark, grim fantasy is here. Magic? Check. Betrayal? Aplenty. Violence? You can literally hear the screams of dying men. A flawed hero? There's more than one flawed hero here.
It's a testament to the writer's storytelling and plot-twisting skills that he's able to get his characters into so much trouble and then get them out, all without giving his readers the impression that he's being overly partial.
The fighting is hats off, badass! The descriptions of sex are just as vivid as the gruesome literary pictures of broken skulls, disemboweled soldiers, hamstrung men and women, and decapitated men lying in pools of blood and gore.
The world is amazing. For a small book, the author cleverly does a lot of rather unique world-building. It's not vast Midkemia, truth be told. This one is more straightforward, more streamlined, very different.
One would be forgiven for thinking the story predictable, but the author has an unusual way of churning up the norm and making it look extraordinary.
Meanwhile, Aes Sedai plotting thickens, serving as a perfect backdrop to the eventual facing off of The Dragon Reborn Rand al'Thor and the Forsaken Sammael.
