Fantasy Books > D Fantasy Books

Advantages: A couple of new ideas
Disadvantages: Not a great deal of depth

Given the recent success of the film version of Matheson's "I Am Legend", it's not a surprise that anything featuring humans fighting vampires should be optioned for a film version. Admittedly, the identity of the enemy is really the only thing the two books have in common, but on reading this one, I can see exactly why the film industry would be interested. Gunn shows us how the vampires first seized control after the break down of civilisation. ...
...the methods they use to keep them and the human populace under control. After this, it's straight into the action, as a group of rebels seek to destroy their local group of vampires, led by Nero. There is little subtlety to their methods, mostly involving the humans destroying and killing as many of the vampires and as much of their possessions as they can. As would be expected, the vampires fight back and the rebel humans have to defend themselves ... Read review

Advantages: Some decent basic ideas
Disadvantages: Very slow paced and quite formal in tone

...is an omnibus volume of the first two parts of this quartet: "A Shadow in Summer" and "A Betrayal in Winter". The world we are introduced to is largely controlled by The Cities of the Khaiem; city states ruled by a controlling family headed by the Khai. The reason for their power is that each has an andat; a magical being created and bound by thought and word, each controlled by the poet who has bound them. These andat are feared by many of the ...
...of the Khaiem from being attacked, as their enemies fear the retribution that could follow, such is their power. In the first part of the quartet, "A Shadow in Summer", the Galts have seen a way to unsettle the city of Saraykhet, by disposing of the poet Heshai. They and the andat, Seedless, have found Heshai's weak point and plan to take advantage of it. However, plans are interrupted by an unlikely group; an elderly overseer along with a trainee ... Read review

Advantages: Good strong characters
Disadvantages: Slow to start

I read this book on holiday and i can safely say it is one fantstic fantasy book this book was slightly slow and hard to follow at the beggining but when you get further on you find yourself reading this book until 11o'clock at night, then you come out of david eddings' fantasy world and realise that for the last eight hours you have been reading a brilliant bookWhen i came out of this trance i thought, time well spent!. fantastic book to start the ... Read review

Advantages: It is the last book in the series
Disadvantages: Doesn't contain any interesting ideas or new concepts

This is the final book in 'The Dreamers' series. The stories are set on a world with several land masses separated by water. One of these land masses is threatened by the presence of The Vlagh, the leader of an insect type life form whose only interest is taking over more land so that there is more food for her people (her children as she is the sole egg-layer) so she can produce more eggs. The Vlagh is able to produce many eggs at a time and is ...
...food gathers or carers. The Land she wishes to take over is protected by four gods, who look after the land for a few thousand years then get sleepy and their realms are taken over by a different four gods who have slept through the intervening period. In the previous three books of the series fighting forces have been raised from the other land masses and are brought to protect this land, we go through the fights in the first three realms under ... Read review

Advantages: Finishes the series nicely
Disadvantages: Leaves it open for the Mallorean

"Enchanters End Game" is the fifth and final book of Eddings' Belgariad series, and it manages to tie up all the loose ends of the story, yet still keep a nice pace to it. There will be the obvious comparisons to Tolkien and to Feist's Magician, and they are warranted - Eddings' Belgariad is a well written story that captures your imagination and keeps you coming back for more. By the time you finished 'Castle of Wizardry', you were icthing for this ...
...all continue onwards towards the climax of the story at the Tomb of the One-Eyed God. There is one moment of disbelief (yes - even in a fantasy book) but overall, a very satisfying read. Unfortunately, I believe Eddings felt that there was additional mileage in these characters and extended this story into the next series, the Mallorean. I dont think he should have bothered as this ends well, and the Mallorean isn't his best work. ... Read review