Fantasy Books > R Fantasy Books

Advantages: its got death
Disadvantages: its a bit weird

Death takes a holiday! This is Terry Pratchett in fine form as usual. Death goes missing (well, kind of) and The Discworld is left to cope without him there to collect the dead. Basically we follow Windle Poons as he approaches death and how he copes with his afterlife and near death (or not very near death as the case may be) experience. We get to learn more about the undead (or the differently alive as Terry puts it) and we also get to see how ...
...going to die and be replaced by a new Death who is rather less user friendly than the Death we have come to know and love. With nothing dying theres lots of life pouring into the Discworld & it has to go somewhere. Swearwords come to life, Snowglobes develop a lifecycle which eventually becomes a Shopping Mall. The book is one of the stranger ones, it has lots of funny moments as well though. It's a book with an good if somewhat unusal resolution ... Read review

Advantages: The true finale to the Serpentwar Saga
Disadvantages: There's nothing else to write about Midkemia without upsetting the fans

The third book of Feist's Serpentwar Saga, continues directly on from Rise of a Merchant Prince, with the Kingdom of the Isles preparing for the invasion of the Emerald Queen's Army. By this time Rupert Avery has become the richest man in the Kingdom, assisted by James, the Duke of Krondor, so that he can use the money to prop up the Kingdom during this war. The head of the army is Owen Greylock, and Erik von Darkmoor has become the second in command, ...
...the extreme) as the invasion force makes it's way across the sea. During a scouting operation, Pug discovers the true nature of the Emerald Queen, and is injured during the confrontation, his life saved by the Spellweavers of Elvander. The invading army reaches Krondor and battle is joined once more, with the valiant defenders fighting against overwhelming odds again. Of course we know from the very beginning that the defenders will prevail but ... Read review

Advantages: One moving passage.
Disadvantages: Too much commerce, not enough fantasy.

...others in these two series. Rise of a Merchant Prince, sadly, in my opinion, is not. Those of you who have read the following: Magician Silverthorn A Darkness at Sethanon Prince of the Blood The King's Buccaneer Shadow of a Dark Queen should read this book. It lets you into some of the secrets of Rupert Avery, sees him and Erik back in the condemned cell for a night, and goes into Avery's business dealings at some length and in some detail. ...
...greedy father, takes us through a couple of wild romps with Jimmy and Dash, grandsons of Prince James, formerly Jimmy the Hand, juvenile criminal of Krondor, who brighten up the narrative somewhat, and dwells in not great enough length on a cursed mission led by Calis the half-elf to wipe out the Pantathian Serpent Priests, the irrepressible and courageous Bobby de Loungville, whose valour and loyalty would bring tears to the eyes of a lump of rock, ... Read review

Advantages: A wondeful concluision to the trilogy
Disadvantages: Must read the first two books to understand this one

I found this book an enthralling end to the soldier son trilogy, following the experiences of Nevare after being forced to leave Gettys town and the Gernian way of life to take his destined place amongst the Specks. Seeking guidance from Olkea, his Speck partner, and Lisana, tree woman whom he loves deeply. Nevare can not quite let go of the life he has always known and the people he loves in Gernia, resulting in an ever present inner battle between ...
...magic bids regardless of the consequences, and his Gernian self desperate to keep safe those that love him including his cousin Epiny who understands what is happening to him, and Amzil who showed him kindness where others shunned him because of his size. There are many twists and turns to the tale keeping the reader keen and eager to find out what happens next. ... Read review

Advantages: Decent writing style, easy to read
Disadvantages: Odd mix of storybook characters, just not as good as it could have been

...the present day. In Running with the Demon, John Ross crosses paths with Nest Freemark while chasing a demon. It’s what he does, you know. The demon is a rather nasty creature, but it seemed to me that for the most part it was a rather petty, small-scale kind of an evilness. The demon can appear in human form, but more often makes itself ‘blend in’, become so familiar looking that people don’t really notice it. From this ...
...people, pushing them towards doing ‘naughty’ things. Oh, all right. Things do get a little more evil than that. Causing little old ladies to have heart attacks in church, for instance. Or trying to set free a very scary creature of pure destruction, trapped for centuries in a massive oak tree. And… taunting Nest. For some reason, the demon - and John Ross, for that matter - seem very interested in little Nest Freemark. Will she ... Read review