Farseer Trilogy (Series Summary)

An Epic Fantasy Series Review

Author: Robin Hobb
Genre: Epic Fantasy, 13+
Series: Farseer: Books 1-3
Publisher: Spectra
Book Reviews of: Assassin's Apprentice - Royal Assassin - Assassin's Quest

The Farseer Trilogy is a unique blend of traditional fantasy with atypical characters and several very interesting magic systems. It is also one of the best-loved trilogies amongst fantasy fans.

This is the story of Fitz, the bastard son of King-in-Waiting Prince Chivalry. When, at the age of six, Fitz is left at the doorstep of the keep, his embarrassed father immediately abdicates his position as King-in-Waiting and goes off to live in the country. He leaves the boy's care to Burrich, Prince Chivalry's sworn man, and stable master. So begins a young boy's story. This series will be told from the sole POV of Fitz and the reader will literally live this tale through his eyes as he grows up and tries to find his place in the world.

There are many reasons why this series is so well loved. This is emotional, character driven fantasy at its best. You feel Fitz's loneliness, his frustration, his anger, and his guilt. When he succeeds you cheer, when he fails, you sympathize, and when he is just plain stupid, you find yourself yelling at the pages or wishing you could just shake some sense into him. The secondary characters, at times, come across just as well, everybody is flawed in some way, and the line between good and bad is blurred. In addition, it has one of my favorite types of magic systems. I have a soft spot for magic that allows for communication with animals. This is actually a very believable system too; it is not all-inclusive except when the Witted actually bonds with one animal, outside of that they can only sense basic emotions as a rule. Then we have the Skill, which is mind magic that works only humans. Fitz possesses the ability to use both, one openly (Skill is accepted magic) and Wit which is punishable by death if one is caught using it! Fun stuff.

Action/adventure lovers may be disappointed by this series. There are incidences of both but the focus is the development, trials and tribulations of Fitz and his companions. There is plenty of political intrigue, a war against an evil foe, a basic medieval type world and some cool twists and turns. The content is mild by most standards. Love scenes are not explicit, the violence that takes place is not too bad, there is rape but it is not described in detail, there is torture with some detail and as with any war, there is tragedy and death. I personally think it all fell within the boundaries of PG-13.

If you love traditional fantasy settings, emotionally driven characters, well thought out magic systems, dysfunctional families and books that will keep you up far into the night, you will love this series. If you want a closer look at what poor Fitz goes through, I recommend reading the individual reviews. This series sits on my reread shelf, has for many years and will for many years to come!

Read an Interview with Robin Hobb Robin Hobb: Website - Myspace Similar Reads from LibraryThing Available in Kindle and Ebook See individual reviews for more information.

Assassin's Apprentice (The Farseer Trilogy: Book 1)

A Fantasy Series Book Review

By Robin Hobb

Genre: Epic Fantasy, 13+
ISBN: 055357339X
Publisher: Spectra (March 1, 1996)
Mass Market Paperback: 464 pages
Read an Excerpt (Not a direct link, link is on the page.)

Publisher's Blurb:

Young Fitz is the bastard son of the noble Prince Chivalry, raised in the shadow of the royal court by his father's gruff stableman. He is treated like an outcast by all the royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has him secretly tutored in the arts of the assassin. For in Fitz's blood runs the magic Skill--and the darker knowledge of a child raised with the stable hounds and rejected by his family. As barbarous raiders ravage the coasts, Fitz is growing to manhood. Soon he will face his first dangerous, soul-shattering mission. And though some regard him as a threat to the throne, he may just be the key to the survival of the kingdom.

At the age of six, a young boy is dropped off at Buckkeep. With no knowledge of his own name the child is given the title of Fitz, meaning simply "bastard." The King sees him as a tool, his father sees him as a mistake, his half brother Regal sees him as a threat, his other half brother treats him with absentminded kindness while his father's stableman, who is given the job of raising Fitz, sees him as an obligation to the master he worships. This is the world where young Fitz has to learn to survive, a world where he is by turns, ignored, barely tolerated, or openly hated. This existence will continue until one day King Shrewd will see something that nobody else has considered. Give a lonely boy a touch of affection, a recognition of his existence, a place as the "king's man" and you will not only have a loyal servant for life but get rid of a potential threat in the process. So begins Fitz's training as a royal assassin and leads to his training in "Skill" the ability to touch, and sometimes influence, other minds. In addition, this young boy must endeavor to hide his other magical talent, one that allows him to communicate and in some instances, bond with animals. While "Skill" is an accepted form of magic, "Wit" or the ability to commune with animals is not. It is claimed that one who does this too often will become a beast himself. Therefore, life for poor Fitz is nothing but one trial after another. Assassin's Apprentice is his story.

No traditional fantasy collection would be complete without the works of Robin Hobb. Considered by most to be one of the best fantasy writers out here, I quite agree. Now the book is not perfect, nor is it terribly original by today's standards. It takes place in your typical medieval type world, there is a serious magical threat to the kingdom, and there are hints that the protagonist is the key to all of their troubles. It is however, a shadow of better things to come. Back when this was originally published, it went against several traditions. First, it was character driven in a world filled with traditional quest driven fantasy. For another it was written entirely in first person, something that is not widely accepted, even today. This gave Robin Hobb an opportunity to really play on the reader's emotions. By seeing Fitz's world through Fitz's eyes, you get a real feel for just how lonely this boy was, and how hard he had to fight for a few morsels of acceptance. It sucks you in and rarely lets you back up for air.

Aside from being character driven, which is my favorite type of fantasy, this series has a soft spot in my heart for another reason. I am a true animal lover and if I have a fantasy related dream, aside from waving a wand and my house is clean, it is being able to communicate with animals. It does not matter if it is a dragon, unicorn, or griffin, it could be as commonplace as a dog, cat, or horse, either way, I would love to be able to have a mental bond with one of my favorite critters. Assassin's Apprentice fulfills that dream for me adding a fun factor to my enjoyment of the story. Now, the results of Fitz's Wit abilities are sometimes tragic but if anything that just adds an aura of realism to the tale, this is not a happy story by any means, but it is a poignant one.

Fast-paced for the most part, coming of age told first hand, political intrigue, adventure, well thought out magic systems and an interesting, if not terribly original, world, this book is a classic. While not a YA book, it is very YA readable. No love scenes, atleast not yet, violence but nothing overly graphic, more tragic then anything else, and no objectionable language. I would have no problem handing this book to a YA reader with every expectation that they will enjoy it. It has a solid ending too but you know there is alot of this tale yet to come. Classic, easy read, great for both the reread shelf and to curl up with on a rainy day. Highly recommended for fantasy lovers from YA to adult.

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Shelfari Rating 4+/5 Librarything Rating 4.21/5 Amazon Rating 4+ out of 5 stars (352 Customer Reviews) What Should I Read Next?

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Royal Assassin (Farseer Trilogy: Book 2)

A Fantasy Series Book Review

By Robin Hobb

Genre: Epic Fantasy, 13+
ISBN: 0553573411
Publisher: Spectra (February 3, 1997)
Mass Market Paperback: 675 pages
Read an Excerpt

Publisher's Blurb:

Young Fitz, the illegitimate son of the noble Prince Chivalry, is ignored by all royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has had him tutored him in the dark arts of the assassin. He has barely survived his first, soul-shattering mission, and returns to the court where he is thrown headfirst into the tumult of royal life. With the King near death, and Fitz's only ally off on a seemingly hopeless quest, the throne itself is threatened. Meanwhile, the treacherous Red Ship Raiders have renewed their attacks on the Six Duchies, slaughtering the inhabitants of entire seaside towns. In this time of great peril, it soon becomes clear that the fate of the kingdom may rest in Fitz's hands--and his role in its salvation may require the ultimate sacrifice.

Once again, you live the story from within the mind of Fitz. You feel his frustration as he stands by helplessly while his friends, his mentors and his kingdom all fall apart. Not only that, but every time he attempts to make a move on his own, it turns out to be a bad idea. Fitz is not the only one feeling the strain, there are several great women in this tale who who have problems of their own. Queen Kettricken, Lady Patience, Lacey, and Molly all appear to be the ones with the most backbone, and yet, even they are frustrated at every turn. Actually, frustration would be the word that describes this story best. All of the "good" people are relatively helpless and all of the "bad" people hold the winning hands. There is treachery and betrayal around every corner, the spies are in turn being spied upon, the assassins are being stalked by other assassins, no secret is safe, and everybody has at least one secret. The one with the most secrets of them all is Fool. He (or is it she?) adds a deeper element of mystery and intrigue to the story. Combined, it all makes for a wild emotional ride.

My feelings for Fitz can be easily summed up by one phrase, "poor Fitz." This guy has very little going for him. He has one magical talent he must hide and another he cannot master. He has been abandoned by the man who raised him, his beloved King is dying, and he can not even do the job he was trained for, because only his king can command him, and the king is not even in command of himself most of the time. Besides that, I just want to shake Fitz at times, how can anybody be so stupid when it comes to women? Well, I guess Fitz even has an excuse there; he had no mother, no sisters, and no real female influences growing up, so in reality, how could he not be ignorant about women? You watch as Fitz and Prince Verity mishandle their individual love interests and the funny thing is, Fitz can clearly see what his Prince is doing wrong, and yet can not see what he is doing to his own relationship. I wanted to just shake them both! That should tell you just how deeply the reader connects with the characters in this story.

Now if you are not an emotional type person, this book may end up frustrating you. There is some action, a few fights, some intrigue, some mystery and definitely a lot of tension but the main focus is on the characters; how they feel, how they think, and how they react. Each character is distinct and well written. Every single one of them is flawed in some way, some more then others. Even the "bad" guy, Prince Regal, has understandable motives. You spend the entire journey into this story wishing that the right hand had a glimmer of what the left hand was doing, and then maybe, just maybe, something, anything would get resolved. It is like watching a movie where you yell at the screen "Look out! Behind you!" knowing the person will not turn around in time. I loved every minute of it. Folks who do not want to read a story that is about people struggling to do what is right, against overwhelming odds, and for the most part failing, are going to hate it. It is just that kind of book. The only complaint that I have personally is the prefaces. They are written by what is obviously a very old Fitz (meaning you know he will not die.) I hate those; they take a bit of the fun out of things because you know, in the back of your mind, that his life at least is not ever in true danger. I much prefer chapter prefaces to be "written" by a secondary, unimportant character. Not a huge deal, but one that annoys me.

For a middle book, it is not bad. The pacing is a bit uneven. There are periods of fast action and there are periods given over to internal struggles with little physical action. There are questions that are answered, and there are questions that seem to get less attention then they deserve. Of course, those are the questions you will likely see answered in book three. Low-key characters reveal hidden strengths, main characters learn valuable lessons and some of the "bad" people get their due. Again, this is a character driven fantasy, the characters are the focus more so then the events. The content is mild, a few mild love scenes, mild language, moderate violence, some torture, and a few murders. Nothing exceeding PG-13. There is a cliffhanger ending and a rather dramatic one at that. Not a huge deal since all three books are readily available so you can go straight to book three and continue the story. Highly recommended for fantasy lovers who enjoy emotional, character driven fantasy!

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Assassin's Quest (Farseer Trilogy: Book 3)

A Fantasy Series Book Review

By Robin Hobb

Genre: Epic Fantasy, 13+
ISBN: 0553565699
Publisher: Spectra (January 5, 1998)
Mass Market Paperback: 757 pages
Read an Excerpt

Publisher's Blurb:

King Shrewd is dead at the hands of his son Regal. As is Fitz--or so his enemies and friends believe. But with the help of his allies and his beast magic, he emerges from the grave, deeply scarred in body and soul. The kingdom also teeters toward ruin: Regal has plundered and abandoned the capital, while the rightful heir, Prince Verity, is lost to his mad quest--perhaps to death. Only Verity's return--or the heir his princess carries--can save the Six Duchies.

But Fitz will not wait. Driven by loss and bitter memories, he undertakes a quest: to kill Regal. The journey casts him into deep waters, as he discovers wild currents of magic within him--currents that will either drown him or make him something more than he was....

This book starts slow then ends really fast. Fitz is his lovable conflicted self. This poor guy is pulled in 12 different directions, all at once. It is a wonder that he retains any sanity. However, this is what makes this book, and the ones preceding it, so popular. Robin Hobb has created in Fitz a very real person and by keeping the POV squarely in his head, you get to live the story through his eyes. This means you get to experience every ounce of angst, conflict, quilt, indecision, and recrimination this poor guy goes through. This story goes beyond being character driven; it is better described as emotionally character driven.

Action/adventure lovers will find some of this here, but mainly in the final chapters. Most of this story is spent either watching Fitz come to terms with his return from death, or it is taken up by the extensive journeying he does. This makes things plod along a bit but the true journey he takes is one of Fitz the boy becoming Fitz the man. Tension is provided by the fact that he is in constant danger from Regal and his Skill users. At no time is Fitz ever truly safe, including within his own mind. It makes for a dark and depressing tale.

There are other fascinating storylines outside of Fitz himself. There are some surprises about Fool, the Elderlings, the origin of the Red Ships, and a mystery character in the form of Kettle. Kettle is an old woman with alot of secrets, and she holds on to them tightly. You will learn more about the magic systems too, both Wit and Skill. The ending is a bit rushed, or atleast it felt so to me, but it leaves things all tied up, while leaving them open enough for a sequel. It is not an "and they lived happily ever after" ending either. It is bittersweet and in some ways, very tragic, but if it was otherwise, it would not be true to the story or Robin Hobb's writing style.

A definite page-turner, one that will make you force yourself not to skip ahead and keep you up nights. You develop so much of an emotional connection to this story that you just HAVE to know what is going to happen to Fitz and his companions next. The whole storyline involving the Elderlings is fascinating too. I found it to be unique and unexpected. Actually, the whole series is like that, full of unexpected wonders.

Content is not over the top, there is mention of sex and rape, but not in detail, there is torture, murder and battles, but not overly gory and not very often. If you love flawed heroes who never quite get their due, understandable but still easy to hate villains and a story which tugs at your heart, this series comes highly recommended!

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Night Angel Trilogy (Series Summary)

An Epic Fantasy Series Review

Author: Brent Weeks
Genre: Sword and Sorcery, Epic Fantasy, Adult
Series: Night Angel Trilogy
Publisher: Orbit
Book Reviews of: The Way of the Shadows - Shadow's Edge - Beyond the Shadows

This series is about assassins, prostitutes, thieves and an insane king. It is about rape, murder, betrayal, and dark magic. This series is also about the power of love, friendship, trust and loyalty and how even those things can be found in the darkest underbelly of a society. It is about impossible choices where the line between right and wrong is blurred and no choice is without painful consequences. Basically, it is about people and their incredible ability to persevere against impossible odds.

Brent Weeks has certainly put his name on the SFF map with this stunning debut trilogy. Even if he never writes another series with the same impact as this one, I would not hesitate to say these books will be read and reread for generations. The Night Angel Trilogy is a stellar example of character driven fantasy. Every character, whether main or secondary, shines with a life of their own. Like any character driven story, you will be sucked into these people's lives and your emotions will be plucked like harp strings. If it was only for the great characters, this series would stand out, but there is more. The plot twists are delightful. Brent Weeks does not hesitate to kill off key characters and by doing so, keeps the tension high. However, that is not the only vehicle he uses to provide surprises. He excels at the sudden revelation that comes seemingly out of nowhere, and yet, you realize afterwards that there were hints and when you add all the clues together, it all makes perfect sense. I loved every minute of it.

You might have noticed that I labeled this series both epic, and sword and sorcery. I think both classifications apply. There is a big battle of good verses evil, (the generally accepted definition of epic fantasy) but it comes later in the series. The first book reads like classic sword and sorcery, man and his magical sword going around killing those who need killing, no real goal in mind other then to become the best at what he does (in this case it is assassin.) Later on, the plot thickens and the greater evil force emerges. So while it is still man and sword striving to be the "best", righting wrongs, killing them that needs killing, it also becomes much larger in scope. Soon it becomes saving the world instead of protecting or avenging his friends. Hence the reason why I call it both. If I am wrong, well, you have my permission to ignore me attempting to think outside the box!

This series has only one weakness (after all, nothing is perfect) and that is in its world building. It is not bad really; I found it to be just enough, but world-building lovers might decide otherwise. Personally, give me engrossing characters and I barely pay the world any attention anyway. (My apologies to those authors who put spectacular amounts of work into their world building, it is not completely lost on me, honest.) There may have also been a bare minimum of vague "cause the prophecy says so" moments but those are few and far between. For the most part, it was more like "oh! Now that extremely vague line of prophecy makes perfect sense and in a way I could have never guessed!"

One more word of warning. This is a very dark, violent and at times, very sad world. You will find alot of profanity, rape, child abuse, pain, and suffering. It is also a very real world; Brent Weeks does not skimp when it comes to the darker sides of human nature. In my opinion, it makes this book better but if these sorts of things offend you, I suggest avoiding this series. I also suggest (note I said suggest) that this is not an appropriate series for younger teens. There are acts of violence against children that will (and should) make you very uncomfortable, if not horrified. That being said, I would like to further commend Brent Weeks for how well he handled this material. He walked a very fine line between real and disgusting and I felt that he succeeded admirably. Does not mean I would hand the book to a 13 year old, but if you are not too squeamish, the events that that place will engineer horrified sympathy instead of shocked disgust.

If you like your fantasy real, dark, character driven and face paced, you cannot go wrong with this series. The magic system is well done, the characters are exceptional, and the twists and turns are delightful. As an added bonus, each book can stand on its own (provided you read the previous one first.) To make this less confusing, you can put down book one and never read another in the series yet be completely satisfied with the ending. Book 2 relies heavily on events that take place in book one, but again, upon completion of book two, you will feel that the story, as told in the book, is complete. The books do not have traditional cliffhanger endings. Instead, Brent Weeks uses a "hook." He presents you with a final revelation that makes you wonder if there is more to the story then you thought and while you do not feel like you "have" to read the next book to find out, you sure want to!

Highly recommended! If you want a bit more detail about the books, I suggest reading the individual book reviews. This is definitely an author I look forward to seeing more from.

Read an Interview with Brent Weeks Brent Weeks: Website Similar Reads from LibraryThing Available in Kindle and Ebook See individual reviews for more information.

The Way of the Shadows (Night Angel Trilogy: Book 1)

A Fantasy Series Book Review

By Brent Weeks

Genre: Sword and Sorcery, Epic Fantasy, Adult
ISBN: 0316033677
Publisher: Orbit; (October 1, 2008)
Mass Market Paperback: 688 pages
Read an Excerpt

Publisher's Blurb:

The perfect killer has no friends. Only targets.

For Durzo Blint, assassination is an art. And he is the city’s most accomplished artist, his talents required from alleyway to courtly boudoir.

For Azoth, survival is precarious. Something you never take for granted. As a guild rat, he’s grown up in the slums, and learned the hard way to judge people quickly - and to take risks. Risks like apprenticing himself to Durzo Blint.

But to be accepted, Azoth must turn his back on his old life and embrace a new identity and name. As Kylar Stern, he must learn to navigate the assassins’ world of dangerous politics and strange magics - and cultivate a flair for death

Azoth is always afraid. As an orphan living in the Warrens, survival depends on belonging to a guild (think gang) and the guild leaders are cruel, amoral, and abusive. They think nothing of using beatings, mutilation, rape, and sodomy to maintain control. However, Azoth has a plan. After seeing Durzo Blint, the city's foremost wetboy (magic wielding assassin) in action, he decides that he must apprentice to the only fearless man he has ever seen, regardless of the cost.

Orbit made a brilliant marketing move when they decided to release all three books in this trilogy over a three-month period. For me it was like a dream come true. As a rule, I much prefer waiting until a series is complete before I read it. That way the immersion is complete and I enjoy it immensely. Of course, it may also backfire as readers expect the author to continue turning out series at the same rate, but only time will tell if that happens.

As a first book in a series, Brent Weeks did a great job. He created my favorite thing, interesting and flawed characters. There are two main characters, Azoth and Durzo Blint. There are also a dozen or so secondary characters that are so well written and so important to the story, it feels wrong to label them as secondary. Technically, Durzo Blint is a secondary character too, but he definitely does not come across that way to me. The world building is the weakest part of this book. The entire story takes place in one city, but the Warrens were the only place I got a true picture of. Not a big deal, at least not for me, I am all about characters anyway. The magic system is intriguing, not sure exactly what the rules are (I like magic with rules) but I got the impression that we will see more about that in later books. This is how it should be, the first book in a trilogy is all about setting the stage, introducing the characters, the world, the magic systems, and the story, if you cover everything in perfect detail, there would be no reason to read the rest of the books!

This is a fast read. There are plenty of twists, lots of intrigue and tons of character development. It is also a very harsh story. Brent Weeks does not hold back on the reality factor. Child abuse, rape, murder, mutilation, betrayal, and profanity are all portrayed with just the right amount of detail. By that I mean it is graphic, uncomfortable at times, but not to the point of being disgusting. Brent Weeks walks a very fine line with this and succeeds in not crossing it. Still, if you are sensitive to this sort of thing, be forewarned.

Another thing that Brent Weeks is not afraid to do is kill off key characters. This adds yet another level of reality and tension to the story by making the outcomes of various conflicts uncertain. The last thing that really impressed me has to do with the mental conflicts. Azoth turned Kylar Stern struggles throughout the book to become what he believes his master is, an uncaring, unemotional, cold-blooded killer, and discovers some surprising truths along the way, not only about himself, but about the people he has dealings with. Some of these revelations will not come as any surprise to the reader, but others will shock you every bit as much as they do Kylar. This shows that Brent Weeks is able to connect with the reader on an emotional level, another of my marks of a good author.

This is a standalone with just enough loose ends to make me hunger for book two. The main plotlines are tied up, some in very surprising ways, while leaving enough of the story open to make you want to keep exploring both the characters and this new world. This review does not begin to touch on the many and varied characters there are to enjoy, like Doll Girl, Kylar's one major, and possibly fatal, weakness, Momma K, leader of the city's underworld, the insane king, the seer Dorian and his companions, Kylar's heroic and noble friend Logan, the list goes on. You will just have to go out and buy the book and read about them yourself! Highly recommended for adult readers who like their fantasy to be character driven, fast paced, full of intrigue, surprising plot twists, and dark magic.

In Their Own Words: Brent Weeks on THE WAY OF SHADOWS
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Shelfari Rating 4/5 Librarything Rating 4.08/5 Amazon Rating 4+ out of 5 stars (28 Customer Reviews) What Should I Read Next?

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Shadow's Edge (Night Angel Trilogy: Book 2)

A Fantasy Series Book Review

By Brent Weeks

Genre: Sword and Sorcery, Epic Fantasy, Adult
ISBN: 0316033650
Publisher: Orbit; (November 1, 2008)
Mass Market Paperback: 656 pages
Read an Excerpt

Publisher's Blurb:

Warning - if you have not read The Way of Shadows, the following description contains spoilers. Click here and highlight to view.

Kylar Stern has rejected the assassin’s life.

The Godking’s successful coup has left Kylar’s master, Durzo, and his best friend, Logan, dead. He is starting over: new city, new friends, and new profession. But when he learns that Logan might actually be alive and in hiding, Kylar is faced with an agonizing choice: will he give up the way of shadows forever and live in peace with his new family, or will he risk everything by taking on the ultimate hit?

I am not going to discuss the story itself here. There are other reviews out here if you want that type of information. The reason I am not going to do this is that it would be nearly impossible without giving spoilers that might ruin your enjoyment of book one. Instead, I am just going to stick to what I liked (or did not like) about the book.

Brent Weeks does what so many authors fail to do; he produces a middle book that does not read like one. He does this in two ways, first by making each book easily capable of standing on its own, and by keeping the pace at a breakneck speed. I was worried at first. The very beginning of this book does plod along a bit as Kylar attempts build a new life for himself and those who are dependent on him. I should not have, after a couple of those delightful plot twists Brent Weeks is so good at writing, the story takes off and never really slows back down.

Again, even though the world is expanded, this book's only weakness is its lackluster world building, and again, I could care less. This series so far has proven to be one of the best examples of character driven fantasy I have ever read. The characters are always changing, growing, and developing as their situations call for it. The only character that remains static is the evil Godking, and that is to be expected. Even so, you will learn some surprising insights into the Godking's life and personality so while he himself doesn't develop, the reader's knowledge of him does, and plan to be surprised at the things you will learn!

Aside from incredible characterization, Brent Weeks is also a master of the "big surprise." You already know that he does not hesitate when it comes to killing off key characters, which means you can never be sure exactly what will happen, but he also loves to take everything you "think" you know and turning it on its head. Some of his "revelations" made me laugh out loud, not because they were funny but because they delighted me. In addition, the ending, oh my heavens, what a bombshell! I love the way he made this book complete in itself, and yet ended it on a note that makes it imperative that you read book three. Sound confusing? Well you will just have to read it and see for yourself!

If there were book ratings, this book would likely be considered "R" rated. Not surprising, after all the story centers on assassins, whores, murderers, war and dark magic. Profanity, cannibalism, sexual content, graphic violence, rape, torture, and the like are commonplace. They also fit with the story adding a sense of realism to the dark world Brent Weeks has created. Of course, it is not all bad. There are also shining moments of self-revelation, self-sacrifice, loyalty, trust, and devotion. I also want to note that while each book can stand on its own, I do not suggest reading them out of order. This book does depend heavily on the events that took place in The Way of the Shadows. The stand-alone qualities refer to being able (though I do not know why you would want to) to put down each book after reading it, completely satisfied with how the ending ties everything up. This book, just like the first, gets a highly recommended vote from me!

In Their Own Words: Brent Weeks on SHADOW’S EDGE
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Beyond the Shadows (Night Angel Trilogy: Book 3)

A Fantasy Series Book Review

By Brent Weeks

Genre: Sword and Sorcery, Epic Fantasy, Adult
ISBN: 0316033669
Publisher: Orbit; (December 1, 2008)
Mass Market Paperback: 720 pages

Publisher's Blurb:

Warning - if you have not read The Way of Shadows, the following description contains spoilers. Click here and highlight to view.

The perfect killer has no conscience, just objectives.

Logan Gyre is king of Cenaria, a country under siege, with a threadbare army and little hope. He has one chance — a desperate gamble, but one that could destroy his kingdom.

In the north, the new Godking has a plan. If it comes to fruition, no one will have the power to stop him.

Kylar Stern has no choice. To save his friends - and perhaps his enemies - he must accomplish the impossible: assassinate a goddess.

Wow! I am almost speechless. I did not believe that the series could possibly get any better. I was wrong. The depth of emotions this story explores - and evokes - is incredible. The weave of the story is a work of art. Yes, I am gushing, I admit it, I am blown away.

As I did in the previous review of book two, I am not going to describe the story. This is for two reasons. One, the story is so complex, it defies simple explanation and two, there is very little in this story that is predictable so I run the very real risk of giving something away, and I refuse to take that risk. The blurb does a better job then I could anyway and even it provides spoilers. See my problem? So instead, here are my impressions.

Every hint, every misdirection, every barely noticed event comes together in ways that make perfect sense, but surprise you nonetheless. Brent Weeks forces his characters to make impossible, painful decisions at every turn. The type of multilayered decisions where no matter what, somebody will suffer the consequences and often that somebody is the person they love most. The type of decisions where the right one is rarely the obvious choice and even self-sacrifice is not always the right path to take. Add to this mix characters you truly care about, and you have an emotional character driven story that grabs you and does not let you go right up to the last page.

Have I gushed enough? Oh but I am not done. I have not touched on the ending. Brent Weeks surpassed himself with a spectacular ending that while bittersweet, still leaves you feeling really good about how things turned out. He also ends things with another of his well-written hooks. I do not think we have seen the last of this world or its characters. I for one am very happy about this, I hope he does return to this story one day, and I know I will be one of the first in line at the bookstore if he does.

I kind of worry when I gush over a series. I am afraid I will lose creditability with anybody who reads it and does not think as highly of it as I do. After all, we are all different and some people may be offended by the violence, sex, and profanity, while others may find the weakness in the world building to be a major factor. However, I love character driven stories with plenty of emotional tension, lots of action and loads of surprises. Yep, that would be this series to a tee! Highly recommended and definitely going on my reread shelf.

In Their Own Words: Brent Weeks on BEYOND THE SHADOWS
Series Summary
Other books in the series
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Shelfari Rating 4+/5 Librarything Rating 4.3/5 Amazon Rating 5 out of 5 stars (7 Customer Reviews) What Should I Read Next?

Kindle: Beyond the Shadows Ebook: Ereadable Buy Book: B&N - Powells Amazon: US Canada UK

Mistborn Trilogy (Series Summary)

An Epic Fantasy Series Review

Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Epic Fantasy, Science Fantasy, Heroes, 16+
Series: Mistborn Trilogy
Publisher: Tor Fantasy
Book Reviews of: Mistborn: The Final Empire - The Well of Ascension - The Hero of Ages

There are three main characters in this adventure. Vin is a child of the streets, abandoned by her brother, fighting to survive as a member of a brutal street gang. Elend is a prince, privileged, spoiled, rebellious, he is a scholar with lots of book sense but little practical experience. Kelsier is a thief, assassin, rebel, magic wielder, and eternal optimist; he is determined to destroy the oppressive and evil Lord Ruler. These three unlikely heroes must join together to bring down a government that has ruled and oppressed for 1000 years and somehow kill a "God" in the process.

Brandon Sanderson said about Mistborn that he had two main goals, to explore the premise of what would happen if evil actually won and to create a unique magic system. He succeeded in both. He also said that the main theme was "never give up" and for the most part, he succeeded in that too. The world he creates is suitably dark and depressing. The various creatures and races are just as unique as his well-developed magic systems and the characters are varied and well fleshed out.

I really enjoyed this series. It was a refreshing change from traditional Epic Fantasy. Sanderson does a masterful job of plotting this story out. He gives hints constantly, and then gives answers that only lead to more questions. He uses brief chapter prefaces to deliver back-story, which only heightens your curiosity. He also explores issues like trust, faith, and loyalty and explores the fine line between good and evil. The result is a deep story that will keep you thirsty for answers and turning pages long into the night.

I liked the characters, strangely, I liked the secondary characters more then the mains. There was not anything wrong with the main characters, I just personally identified more with some of the secondaries. All of the characters are well developed with individual personalities and voices and then grow, which is one of the things I look for in really good characters. The magic systems are a joy. There are three distinct systems, all based on using metals in various ways. You will not see spells or incantations, Sanderson's magic systems are truly different and loosely science based. The worldbuilding is equally well done. The world he creates is just what I would expect from a world ruled by evil forces, only with a few surprises thrown it.

I highly recommend this series to anyone who wants to read an Epic Fantasy that is different and very satisfying. The story is so deep that different readers are going to come away from it with different impressions. The characters or the magic systems will enthrall some, others will love the physiological and philosophical elements - as I did- or will enjoy the adventure and mystery. For more information (but not too much!), I suggest reading the individual reviews.

Read an Interview with Brandon Sanderson Brandon Sanderson: Website - Live Journal - Facebook Similar Reads from LibraryThing Available in Kindle and Ebook See individual reviews for more information.