Status
Available
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Del Rey (2010), 480 pages
Description
As darkness falls each night, demons known as the corelings rise, and three young survivors of demon attacks risk everything to recover the secrets of the past to defeat the corelings and stop their relentless assault against humans.
User reviews
LibraryThing member saltmanz
This is a hard review for me to write. On the one hand, I want to be highly critical and list off all the things that annoyed me about this book: the stereotypical settings, the overused "farmboy grows up to a special destiny" plot, the prose that, while serviceable, is certainly nothing special.
And yet, for all that, I really enjoyed it. Long after I should have been sleeping, I was up turning page after page. The whole here is certainly more than the sum of its parts; Peter V. Brett has written a gripping and engaging story. The farmboy? This isn't The Belgariad: he grows up and forges his own destiny within 3/4 of the book. The prose? For all its inelegance, it reads quickly and easily.
I'm unsure about the characters; though the three main protagonists are all solidly developed, I never got a real sense of "depth" from any of them; this isn't Donaldson or Erikson, or even Card. Those who demand more from their fantasy might not be satisfied with Brett. The upside is that this is his first published novel, and he can only improve from here.
On the whole though, I enjoyed the book, and am looking forward to future adventures of The Warded Man. Peter V. Brett should have a successful career ahead of him.
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Even the central concept of the demons and wards doesn't strike me as that original, bringing to mind shades of M. Night Shyamalan's The Village.And yet, for all that, I really enjoyed it. Long after I should have been sleeping, I was up turning page after page. The whole here is certainly more than the sum of its parts; Peter V. Brett has written a gripping and engaging story. The farmboy? This isn't The Belgariad: he grows up and forges his own destiny within 3/4 of the book. The prose? For all its inelegance, it reads quickly and easily.
I'm unsure about the characters; though the three main protagonists are all solidly developed, I never got a real sense of "depth" from any of them; this isn't Donaldson or Erikson, or even Card. Those who demand more from their fantasy might not be satisfied with Brett. The upside is that this is his first published novel, and he can only improve from here.
On the whole though, I enjoyed the book, and am looking forward to future adventures of The Warded Man. Peter V. Brett should have a successful career ahead of him.
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LibraryThing member quigui
The Painted Man is set on a world filled with demons that rise every night to hunt and terrorise humans. The only protections humans have against the demons are the sunlight and the defensive wards of old. The offensive wards, the ones that allowed humans to fight back, are long lost, and everyone
But there are some that refuse to cower to the monsters of the night and will fight back, and among those are Arlen, Leesha and Rojer.
Fast paced, and full of action, like a lot of the fantasy written nowadays, it feels a bit like a role playing game, and anyone who has been around them will identify Brett's demons as elementals. The concept of painted wards is nice, and although not done very much in fantasy, is not new either. Being a novel filled with action means that the characters are not developed to their full extent, which is a bit sad, because there is potential for a lot more.
Even so, the characters are likeable enough, both the major ones as some of the supporting cast. Much of the focus is given to Arlen, the Painted Man, which makes sense (the book is named after him, after all), but I felt that Leesha and Rojer were only there because they were meant to meet him, and that most of their actions will always be a result of Arlen's actions or expectations. I would love to see these two characters better explored. There is also the potential love triangle forming, one that I'm not sure which side I rooting for (How can I choose between a tattooed man and a red-head one?) or even if I'm interested enough by it.
There were some things that irked me in this book. One was the characters' fixation with breasts. The allusion to “bosoms” and “paps” was made enough times to make me wonder if breasts have any magical property. Other was the rapid recovery of a raped girl, that only four days after the tragic incident, is ready to a roll in the mud with another man (and one that she hasn't known long).
The different nations on The Painted Man are, like in many fantasy works, inspired on our real world, as well as fantasy clichés, which usually leads to stereotyping. This is specially truth with the Krasians, the desert people. Open Diana Wynne Jones' Tough Guide to Fantasyland, on the Desert Nomads entry, and you'll have a very close description of the Krasians (only Krasians aren't nomads).
The Painted Man is hardly ground-breaking fantasy, but it has nice concepts and the action packed plot means it's an easy and fast read, and enjoyable enough. I will read the next one in the series, because I want to know what happens next, not because I loved this first book.
Also at Spoilers and Nuts
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hides behind warded walls after dark, hoping they will hold through the night.But there are some that refuse to cower to the monsters of the night and will fight back, and among those are Arlen, Leesha and Rojer.
Fast paced, and full of action, like a lot of the fantasy written nowadays, it feels a bit like a role playing game, and anyone who has been around them will identify Brett's demons as elementals. The concept of painted wards is nice, and although not done very much in fantasy, is not new either. Being a novel filled with action means that the characters are not developed to their full extent, which is a bit sad, because there is potential for a lot more.
Even so, the characters are likeable enough, both the major ones as some of the supporting cast. Much of the focus is given to Arlen, the Painted Man, which makes sense (the book is named after him, after all), but I felt that Leesha and Rojer were only there because they were meant to meet him, and that most of their actions will always be a result of Arlen's actions or expectations. I would love to see these two characters better explored. There is also the potential love triangle forming, one that I'm not sure which side I rooting for (How can I choose between a tattooed man and a red-head one?) or even if I'm interested enough by it.
There were some things that irked me in this book. One was the characters' fixation with breasts. The allusion to “bosoms” and “paps” was made enough times to make me wonder if breasts have any magical property. Other was the rapid recovery of a raped girl, that only four days after the tragic incident, is ready to a roll in the mud with another man (and one that she hasn't known long).
The different nations on The Painted Man are, like in many fantasy works, inspired on our real world, as well as fantasy clichés, which usually leads to stereotyping. This is specially truth with the Krasians, the desert people. Open Diana Wynne Jones' Tough Guide to Fantasyland, on the Desert Nomads entry, and you'll have a very close description of the Krasians (only Krasians aren't nomads).
The Painted Man is hardly ground-breaking fantasy, but it has nice concepts and the action packed plot means it's an easy and fast read, and enjoyable enough. I will read the next one in the series, because I want to know what happens next, not because I loved this first book.
Also at Spoilers and Nuts
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LibraryThing member hjjugovic
FINALLY an Early Reviewer book I can recommend! Brett creates interesting, flawed characters that make you keep reading. The writing assumes that the reader is intelligent and can fill in the blanks rather than boring us with every step and every moment of the journey.
I loved that the threat in
I'm not sure whether or not to complain about the lack of detail in developing the setting. I missed it, but on the other hand, if Brett had developed the setting to the extent that he did the characters, we'd have yet another FAT fantasy novel that drags in places. I think the choice of characters over setting was correct and will make this book appeal to more than your classic fantasy readership.
My only quibble is that the prose could be more exciting/original. Plot, pacing, character and concept are all excellent, but I would have liked a bit more word-smithing and creative use of language.
I will be reading the next book.
I loved that the threat in
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the book plays on two basic fears: the fear of the dark (when the demons come) and the fear that They are killing us off faster than we can reproduce (very much like Battlestar Galactice in a fantasy setting). I also really enjoyed the use of wards (runes with magical properties) and the struggle of humanity to reclaim BOTH their scientific and magical heritage rather than a focus on "Magic is evil - we need SCIENCE" or vice versa. Finally, multiple POV was well-executed.I'm not sure whether or not to complain about the lack of detail in developing the setting. I missed it, but on the other hand, if Brett had developed the setting to the extent that he did the characters, we'd have yet another FAT fantasy novel that drags in places. I think the choice of characters over setting was correct and will make this book appeal to more than your classic fantasy readership.
My only quibble is that the prose could be more exciting/original. Plot, pacing, character and concept are all excellent, but I would have liked a bit more word-smithing and creative use of language.
I will be reading the next book.
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LibraryThing member elbakerone
Peter V. Brett brings a fresh fantasy story to life in his debut novel The Warded Man. Set in a world where strange varieties of demons rise from the ground every night to wreak havoc on dwindling populations of humans, hope for survival comes from the magical powers of wards. The runes offer
Arlen, however, is a young boy who dreams of fighting back against the demons. As he grows older and dares to travel far from home, he discovers ancient secrets about wards that change his life. Entering the story alongside him are Leesha, a girl trained in the arts of healing and Rojer, a musician with a powerful talent and a troubled past.
Brett weaves a magnificent tale in this novel and his character driven story is filled with high action, twists and turns, and captivating relationships. His world of demons and wards is expertly crafted and unique. The Warded Man is the first book in what looks to be an excellent series!
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protection from the demons and whole villages of men and women hide behind their defenses every night.Arlen, however, is a young boy who dreams of fighting back against the demons. As he grows older and dares to travel far from home, he discovers ancient secrets about wards that change his life. Entering the story alongside him are Leesha, a girl trained in the arts of healing and Rojer, a musician with a powerful talent and a troubled past.
Brett weaves a magnificent tale in this novel and his character driven story is filled with high action, twists and turns, and captivating relationships. His world of demons and wards is expertly crafted and unique. The Warded Man is the first book in what looks to be an excellent series!
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LibraryThing member rbtwinky
I found The Warded Man terribly engrossing, to the point that I couldn't put it down. Its characters are authentic, with quirks and flaws and personal motivations. Even better, the characters grow and drive the story through that growth. To me, that is what makes a good book.
There are areas where
The content of the novel was disappointing. I understand that it is the first in a potentially long series, however, even Robert Jordan's novels have a story arc. This book was entirely exposition. I loved it, but felt cheated when it was over. It was a great set up, with marvelous, enjoyable characters, who made some tough decisions, but it didn't go anywhere.
On the technical side, Brett frequently skips large portions of time, jumping the reader right into the action where it matters. We weren't bored with the details of a two-week trek through the desert. Brett didn't even tell us it happened, he just showed the character at the end of the trek and we were clever enough to figure it out. I found it a little off-putting at first, but came to enjoy it heartily.
Overall it was a fun romp with fantastic characters in a fresh, if not deep, environment and a disappointing ending (mostly in that it ended). I will definitely pick up Brett's next installment.
There are areas where
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Brett's initial offering falls flat. The world building is hollow. Thesa's free cities are two-dimensional replications of one another with a change of resource and populace height, while Krasia is torn straight out of the Middle East. His world is imaginative, but is not well depicted. Our first thorough description of a demon comes quite far into the book, well past the point where a visual reader would have already devised their own image of a demon. He painstakingly breathes life into his characters, leaving them to act out against a flat background.The content of the novel was disappointing. I understand that it is the first in a potentially long series, however, even Robert Jordan's novels have a story arc. This book was entirely exposition. I loved it, but felt cheated when it was over. It was a great set up, with marvelous, enjoyable characters, who made some tough decisions, but it didn't go anywhere.
On the technical side, Brett frequently skips large portions of time, jumping the reader right into the action where it matters. We weren't bored with the details of a two-week trek through the desert. Brett didn't even tell us it happened, he just showed the character at the end of the trek and we were clever enough to figure it out. I found it a little off-putting at first, but came to enjoy it heartily.
Overall it was a fun romp with fantastic characters in a fresh, if not deep, environment and a disappointing ending (mostly in that it ended). I will definitely pick up Brett's next installment.
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LibraryThing member kgodey
The Warded Man is the first in a planned five book fantasy series, The Demon Cycle, of which only two are out. It's set in a world where there are demons called corelings that come out at night to destroy and plunder human civilisation. The only things that keep them away are wards - writings of
We follow three characters - Arlen, Leesha and Rojer, from various points in their childhood to maturity. They have very different lives, but they all eventually embark on a journey.
The world is pretty interesting - the frequent coreling attacks have reduced humans from a state of advanced technology to the dark ages. There are small hamlets everywhere, but also a few Free Cities, all with very different cultures. Very few people travel, since it's hard to ward yourself when you're not in a shelter.
This book had too much incidental sex-related plots for my taste - almost every encounter between a man and a woman has some sexual overtones, no matter what their ages or age differences are. Leesha is so beautiful that every man who looks at her wants to rape her (except the good guys, who are just attracted to her.) There's a lot of incest, rape and general lasciviousness. I know that A Song of Ice and Fire is currently quite popular, but I'm not really a fan of such gritty stories.
Aside from that, the book is pretty decent. The world is the most interesting part, I really liked reading about the history. There are a bunch of likable characters, although no one stands out as particularly special. I found most of them to be extreme in one way or another.
I'm going to give the next book, The Desert Spear, a shot, but I'm not that excited. Hopefully I'm proven wrong.
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power. If a ward is improperly set or happens to rub off, the demons break through immediately.We follow three characters - Arlen, Leesha and Rojer, from various points in their childhood to maturity. They have very different lives, but they all eventually embark on a journey.
The world is pretty interesting - the frequent coreling attacks have reduced humans from a state of advanced technology to the dark ages. There are small hamlets everywhere, but also a few Free Cities, all with very different cultures. Very few people travel, since it's hard to ward yourself when you're not in a shelter.
This book had too much incidental sex-related plots for my taste - almost every encounter between a man and a woman has some sexual overtones, no matter what their ages or age differences are. Leesha is so beautiful that every man who looks at her wants to rape her (except the good guys, who are just attracted to her.) There's a lot of incest, rape and general lasciviousness. I know that A Song of Ice and Fire is currently quite popular, but I'm not really a fan of such gritty stories.
Aside from that, the book is pretty decent. The world is the most interesting part, I really liked reading about the history. There are a bunch of likable characters, although no one stands out as particularly special. I found most of them to be extreme in one way or another.
I'm going to give the next book, The Desert Spear, a shot, but I'm not that excited. Hopefully I'm proven wrong.
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LibraryThing member raistlinsshadow
On a craft level, the characters were not realistically aged—I couldn't believe that ten-, thirteen-, and three-year-olds would realistically act the way they were portrayed through the first part of the book, and in the final part, they were almost aged incorrectly and corrected by a quick slip
This was quite obviously written in at least two parts because the characterization in the final part was a very strong (and needless) juxtaposition to what the characters should have been, and then soon after they returned to the way that I would have expected them to be written. I then read the interview with the author in the back of the book in which he explained that one of the later scenes had been written much earlier than the rest of the book, which explains it.
The plot was the saving grace of the book, as the initial and later development of the characters frustrated me. Brett does a good job with expanding the plot in order to make the readers care about the characters and the related action in the book, but I would have liked a bit more smoothness in the different time periods in the book; in Arlen's case in particular, I felt like there needed to be more explanation as to what he was doing in the gaps that the book didn't cover later in the novel.
More description of the setting, the corelings, and the characters (big points on this one—I only know how what Arlen looks like at the very end of the book, and have no idea about the other two main characters!) would be excellent. In fact, there were numerous points throughout that I was wanting Brett to slow down, describe more, give more background, and was disappointed when he didn't deliver and was eager to get on to the next action sequence. The writing style itself was very hurried and felt much more like a "have to get this down on the page before I forget it" kind of thing than anything that was refined. Sentences were choppy and dialogue was unrealistic. Though I'm not the kind of person who demands that every book has to have each sentence carefully and marvelously crafted as if it were the finest work of art ever created, a sentence or several sprinkled throughout the book that makes me sit back and think, "That was a gorgeous sentence!" wouldn't be remiss.
In spite of all of that, the book kept me reading until the end. The sequel will have to be something special for me to want to read it because I'm honestly not sure how much more material he has to continue the trilogy, but Warded Man was a decent read. Advice to the author? Slow down and remember your readers can't read your mind.
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by the author. However, they still weren't believable for their age even fourteen years later—Arlen seemed to have been written as a thirty-something, which he wasn't, and Leesha seemed to be much, much younger than he was when she was supposed to be older than he.This was quite obviously written in at least two parts because the characterization in the final part was a very strong (and needless) juxtaposition to what the characters should have been, and then soon after they returned to the way that I would have expected them to be written. I then read the interview with the author in the back of the book in which he explained that one of the later scenes had been written much earlier than the rest of the book, which explains it.
The plot was the saving grace of the book, as the initial and later development of the characters frustrated me. Brett does a good job with expanding the plot in order to make the readers care about the characters and the related action in the book, but I would have liked a bit more smoothness in the different time periods in the book; in Arlen's case in particular, I felt like there needed to be more explanation as to what he was doing in the gaps that the book didn't cover later in the novel.
More description of the setting, the corelings, and the characters (big points on this one—I only know how what Arlen looks like at the very end of the book, and have no idea about the other two main characters!) would be excellent. In fact, there were numerous points throughout that I was wanting Brett to slow down, describe more, give more background, and was disappointed when he didn't deliver and was eager to get on to the next action sequence. The writing style itself was very hurried and felt much more like a "have to get this down on the page before I forget it" kind of thing than anything that was refined. Sentences were choppy and dialogue was unrealistic. Though I'm not the kind of person who demands that every book has to have each sentence carefully and marvelously crafted as if it were the finest work of art ever created, a sentence or several sprinkled throughout the book that makes me sit back and think, "That was a gorgeous sentence!" wouldn't be remiss.
In spite of all of that, the book kept me reading until the end. The sequel will have to be something special for me to want to read it because I'm honestly not sure how much more material he has to continue the trilogy, but Warded Man was a decent read. Advice to the author? Slow down and remember your readers can't read your mind.
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LibraryThing member merigreenleaf
This book was honestly amazing. While I love fantasy stories, I'll admit that a lot of the time they can formulaic, overdone, or childish. Not so with this book! “The Warded Man” is unique, intelligent, and never gets boring or feels like it is dragging along. The characters are developed,
The only slightly negative feedback I can give about this book is that I would have loved to hear more about the characters in those time gaps, but that's not so much negative as the book being so good that I wanted to read more! Hands down, this is the best book- fantasy or otherwise- that I have read in a very long time. I will heartily recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, and probably even to those who don't; it's that good! I'm going to be anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.
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well-rounded, and believable, the plot and world are unique and creative (all too uncommon in the fantasy genre!), and the pacing of the story is great. Some stories can get tedious or feel like something is missing when they span over a decade in one book, but Brett did a great job keeping the pace and making it so the reader wasn't left confused or feeling like something was missing with those gaps. Marking the start of each chapter with the year certainly helped with that, and I also liked the little icon representing each character that appears at the start of the chapters. The only slightly negative feedback I can give about this book is that I would have loved to hear more about the characters in those time gaps, but that's not so much negative as the book being so good that I wanted to read more! Hands down, this is the best book- fantasy or otherwise- that I have read in a very long time. I will heartily recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, and probably even to those who don't; it's that good! I'm going to be anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.
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LibraryThing member thepogoman
I was initially drawn to "The Warded Man" by Peter V. Brett as I tend to prefer non-traditional fantasy (e.g. not high sword-and-sorcery); the premise of Brett's story was appealing: nightly demon attacks that make the people slaves to their fear, ward (symbol, rune) magic that holds them at
Brett did not disappoint. This is well-thought out and well-written story with flawed heroes that come to life and leap off of the page. Usually I read a book a bit at a time over several days, but this one drew me in as no other has in a long time. It was thoroughly engrossing and a pleasure to read. I could not put it down and finished it in less than a day.
"The Warded Man" is a stunning debut for Brett, and I cannot wait to see what comes next. This is one of the best fantasy books I have ever read. If you are at all a fan of the genre, I wholeheartedly recommend that you read this book. I would even go so far as to say that it is worth buying in hardcover and not waiting until the paperback is released. If you are not normally a fan of fantasy, try it anyway! I do not think you will be disappointed!
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bay.Brett did not disappoint. This is well-thought out and well-written story with flawed heroes that come to life and leap off of the page. Usually I read a book a bit at a time over several days, but this one drew me in as no other has in a long time. It was thoroughly engrossing and a pleasure to read. I could not put it down and finished it in less than a day.
"The Warded Man" is a stunning debut for Brett, and I cannot wait to see what comes next. This is one of the best fantasy books I have ever read. If you are at all a fan of the genre, I wholeheartedly recommend that you read this book. I would even go so far as to say that it is worth buying in hardcover and not waiting until the paperback is released. If you are not normally a fan of fantasy, try it anyway! I do not think you will be disappointed!
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LibraryThing member miss_twilight
I picked up this book Sunday night. I read a couple of chapters that evening. I woke later than night, continued to read, and was done with the book by the next afternoon.
I am sorry that I waited so long to read it but impatient because now I'll have to wait a while for the next installment!
The
What I didn't like was having Arlen be our main viewpoint for the majority of the tale only to have him disappear for many years and then reappear, but not from the main viewpoint anymore.
Perhaps we will get some of the inbetween years in one of the other books.
I liked Leesha but she was less developed than Arlen. Her character was not as believable, being extraordinarily beautiful and super smart, yet completely naive and innocent.
In the same vein, I didn't care too much about Rojer. Perhaps because I have no experience with ACOA, he just didn't resonate with me.
That being said, it was still a very good read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy.
I am sorry that I waited so long to read it but impatient because now I'll have to wait a while for the next installment!
The
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world was engaging and I was drawn into it quickly. The main character real and likable. I loved the descriptions, herb lore, wards, ruins, names -- very nicely done. What I didn't like was having Arlen be our main viewpoint for the majority of the tale only to have him disappear for many years and then reappear, but not from the main viewpoint anymore.
Perhaps we will get some of the inbetween years in one of the other books.
I liked Leesha but she was less developed than Arlen. Her character was not as believable, being extraordinarily beautiful and super smart, yet completely naive and innocent.
In the same vein, I didn't care too much about Rojer. Perhaps because I have no experience with ACOA, he just didn't resonate with me.
That being said, it was still a very good read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy.
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LibraryThing member renkellym
I completely fell in love with The Warded Man. It’s so brilliantly crafted; all three perspectives were written wonderfully and believably, and the story was fast-paced yet developed fully. I loved each of the perspectives the same— I couldn’t pick a favorite!
I did notice the underlying,
The Warded Man is definitely up there on my favorites list, especially for the epic fantasy genre. Peter V. Brett, you killed it! (in the most positive sense of the word!)
I did notice the underlying,
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ahem, religious critique in there, and it made me love the book even more. If you be satirizin’, I be likin’ it. Let thy opinion by heard (through the subtext of your epic fantasy novel!)!The Warded Man is definitely up there on my favorites list, especially for the epic fantasy genre. Peter V. Brett, you killed it! (in the most positive sense of the word!)
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LibraryThing member reading_fox
Debuet novel and start of (another) major epic fantasy series, but pretty good all the same. Not exactly novel, but interesting enough, and well told. It is slow in places as the world is described through three characters getting to grips with life, this takes fully two thirds of the book, before
The setting is basically medieval fantasy (with demons and wards but no other magic or creatures) this is supposedly in a future after a time of Science - although no remnants of such a culture are left. In alternating sections we follow three children as they grow up in villages surrounding the major cities on the continent. Life in the villages is far from easy at the best of times. Being unable to go out at night because of the hordes of ravening demons that rise from the 'core' doesn't make it easier. Only strong, precise, wards can keep the villagers safe, and such wards are easily obscured by mud and dust, so tragedies are frequent. The eldest and most powerful wards that enabled humans to fight back (successfully) against the demons, have been lost long ago. This leaves the pitiful villages (and arrogant but equally vulnerable townsmen) cowering behind their defenses for the entirety of their lives. The early parts of the book remind quite strongly of CJ Cherryh's Rusalka, dreary lives and the chance to escape being better than anything, until you;ve experience the anything...
The latter stages of the book as the characters meet up is less convincing, a few people undergo quite dramatic shifts of previously strongly held opinions. There doesn't seem to be sufficient explanation (although there is some) or motivation for such about faces. The fight scenes seem to work quite well, although there is the usual inability of attackers to hit an obvious target, and the defenders get luckier than they deserve. I didn't feel the tension was that high and whilst entertaining, this is no page turner to keep you reading through the demon haunted night.
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they all meet up (who'd have guessed hey?) and a final calamitous battle takes place whereby they save the day - again predictable enough plotting, but well executed.The setting is basically medieval fantasy (with demons and wards but no other magic or creatures) this is supposedly in a future after a time of Science - although no remnants of such a culture are left. In alternating sections we follow three children as they grow up in villages surrounding the major cities on the continent. Life in the villages is far from easy at the best of times. Being unable to go out at night because of the hordes of ravening demons that rise from the 'core' doesn't make it easier. Only strong, precise, wards can keep the villagers safe, and such wards are easily obscured by mud and dust, so tragedies are frequent. The eldest and most powerful wards that enabled humans to fight back (successfully) against the demons, have been lost long ago. This leaves the pitiful villages (and arrogant but equally vulnerable townsmen) cowering behind their defenses for the entirety of their lives. The early parts of the book remind quite strongly of CJ Cherryh's Rusalka, dreary lives and the chance to escape being better than anything, until you;ve experience the anything...
The latter stages of the book as the characters meet up is less convincing, a few people undergo quite dramatic shifts of previously strongly held opinions. There doesn't seem to be sufficient explanation (although there is some) or motivation for such about faces. The fight scenes seem to work quite well, although there is the usual inability of attackers to hit an obvious target, and the defenders get luckier than they deserve. I didn't feel the tension was that high and whilst entertaining, this is no page turner to keep you reading through the demon haunted night.
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LibraryThing member Narilka
Each night corelings rise, demons from the underworld with supernatural powers and a hatred of human kind. It has been so for hundreds of years with humans slowly losing the battle of attrition with the demons even as they hide behind the relative safety of their wards. In the small hamlet of
The Warded Man is the first book in the Demon Cycle. Brett does a great job of giving just enough world building without bogging the story down. Both magic and science have had their turns in history and it feels like humanity has entered a new, possibly final, dark ages where old knowledge needs to be rediscovered. The various demon types are described to make each unique and still leaving them a little mysterious. The pacing of the story is near perfect. The pages flew by.
Each character is introduced in a way that builds upon what we already know of the world and doesn't distract from the others. They all have flaws. Arlen is angry and that anger gets the better of him at times. Leesha is headstrong and willful. Rojer is insecure. It's these flaws that make them feel real, giving them challenges to overcome and lets them grow. Each character is also likeable. I was cheering all three of them on the whole way.
It's a great start to a series and definitely worth a read.
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Tibbet's Brook young Arlen watches helplessly as his mother is torn apart by demons while his father does nothing. In Cutter's Hollow Leesha has been promised to the handsomest boy in the village. When the village begins to recover after a particularly vicious coreling attack Leesha comes to realize there may be more to the world than marrying a man and making his babies. In Riverbridge young Rojer helps his family run the inn. During a coreling attack that wipes out half the town, Rojer's family sacrifices themselves so their young son may live. With hope for mankind's future fading, the three survivors will attempt the impossible, going beyond the safety of the wards in a quest to gain knowledge so humans can make a stand against the night.The Warded Man is the first book in the Demon Cycle. Brett does a great job of giving just enough world building without bogging the story down. Both magic and science have had their turns in history and it feels like humanity has entered a new, possibly final, dark ages where old knowledge needs to be rediscovered. The various demon types are described to make each unique and still leaving them a little mysterious. The pacing of the story is near perfect. The pages flew by.
Each character is introduced in a way that builds upon what we already know of the world and doesn't distract from the others. They all have flaws. Arlen is angry and that anger gets the better of him at times. Leesha is headstrong and willful. Rojer is insecure. It's these flaws that make them feel real, giving them challenges to overcome and lets them grow. Each character is also likeable. I was cheering all three of them on the whole way.
It's a great start to a series and definitely worth a read.
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LibraryThing member NineLarks
I don't know how this book was rated so highly, maybe people see something that I'm not reading. But I thoroughly disliked this book. I read 250 pages into the book, skimmed through the second half, and then decided it was worth any more of my time.
It has potential, yes. The concept of demons at
They were all just so stupid, so unrealistic. I hated everyone. I don't think there was a single character that I liked.
The parents and adults were always worthless. Cowards or bitter liars and hypocrites. The main protagonists were always so self righteously obnoxious in how right they were. Arlen kept calling his dad a coward. And while, yeah, it's true, it was so fake. Arlen has been with his dad since he was little. And then all of a sudden he comes to the realization that his dad is a coward for doing the same things he's always done. What? There was no change that made Arlen realize those points. Nothing to imply that Arlen would not agree at least a little with his parents's opinions. It was all just too clear cut. Arlen was right. His dad is a coward. Everyone is a coward for not fighting back. Arghhh are you serious?! I hate one dimensional characters. There was absolutely no sympathy for the father. And when the main character is always "right", I feel like its a cop- out. Nobody can be always right. And it makes for an annoyingly perfect character.
Same with that girl Leesha. Her mom is a crazy whore and hypocrite that hates her. Her father is a wimp. Leesha is always in the right. Boring. And what is this characterization of female characters? Is every girl a whore or something? And does sexuality define every girl? Apparently so in this book.
And where is the freaking plot? I kept looking for it, but there was just so much character background I just stopped caring.
I wanted to learn about wards or clever plots. Not about how these characters were always right against other stupid villagers.
One star. I can't even finish this book.
It has potential, yes. The concept of demons at
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night and wards to stop the carnage is fascinating. Not new, but still lots of potential. The rise of humanity against an oppressor. Also not new, but there is a lot you can do with it. So none of my problems were with the premise. I just could not freaking stand the characters! They were all just so stupid, so unrealistic. I hated everyone. I don't think there was a single character that I liked.
The parents and adults were always worthless. Cowards or bitter liars and hypocrites. The main protagonists were always so self righteously obnoxious in how right they were. Arlen kept calling his dad a coward. And while, yeah, it's true, it was so fake. Arlen has been with his dad since he was little. And then all of a sudden he comes to the realization that his dad is a coward for doing the same things he's always done. What? There was no change that made Arlen realize those points. Nothing to imply that Arlen would not agree at least a little with his parents's opinions. It was all just too clear cut. Arlen was right. His dad is a coward. Everyone is a coward for not fighting back. Arghhh are you serious?! I hate one dimensional characters. There was absolutely no sympathy for the father. And when the main character is always "right", I feel like its a cop- out. Nobody can be always right. And it makes for an annoyingly perfect character.
Same with that girl Leesha. Her mom is a crazy whore and hypocrite that hates her. Her father is a wimp. Leesha is always in the right. Boring. And what is this characterization of female characters? Is every girl a whore or something? And does sexuality define every girl? Apparently so in this book.
And where is the freaking plot? I kept looking for it, but there was just so much character background I just stopped caring.
I wanted to learn about wards or clever plots. Not about how these characters were always right against other stupid villagers.
One star. I can't even finish this book.
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LibraryThing member Amanda.Richards
Wow! Loved it! I won this book through the Goodreads Giveaways and didn't have time to read it immediately so it sat on my book shelf for a few months.
Fast forward and I finally have time to read it. I am sitting home bored and rummage through my over flowing shelves of books and come across this
The story of how the Warded Man came to be and how he is now fighting this evil called the Corelings was fantastically laid out. The world building was intriguing as was the style of writing. The author definitely captured my imagination and had me hunting for the next book in the series (Although it will be a while before I get a chance to read it as I have made a New Years Resolution to myself to read all the unread books on my shelf before I can buy any new books...).
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to anyone. Great read!
Fast forward and I finally have time to read it. I am sitting home bored and rummage through my over flowing shelves of books and come across this
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book. I thumb through it and think "this'll do". I sit down to read for an hour or two and end up reading late into the night. If I hadn't been in the middle of trying to accomplish 8 things at once this would have been a one day read.The story of how the Warded Man came to be and how he is now fighting this evil called the Corelings was fantastically laid out. The world building was intriguing as was the style of writing. The author definitely captured my imagination and had me hunting for the next book in the series (Although it will be a while before I get a chance to read it as I have made a New Years Resolution to myself to read all the unread books on my shelf before I can buy any new books...).
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to anyone. Great read!
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LibraryThing member samaside
Title: The Warded Man
Original Title: The Painted Man
Series: The Demon Cycle #1
Author: Peter V. Brett
Release Date: January 1, 2008
Publisher: Random House
Source: LibraryThing
Genre(s): Fantsy
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Review Spoilers: Moderate throughout; High at the end
This should have been a four star
So, that said.
I thought the Warded Man was a pretty great book over all. Brett creates a phenomenal fantasy world plagued nightly by demons who can only be kept at bay by intricate wards on their homes, stables, and cities. Being caught out at night means certain death as an infinite number of these nightmarish creatures stalk the countrysides. There are other rules to how the 'corelings' as they are called can and cannot move within the world. But the key factor is that humankind is helpless to stop them. They can only pray the wards hold fast each and every night and cower in their own beds.
This is the world that Arlen, Leesha, and Rojer have inherited.
The book splits it's time between these three main characters. It covers a very wide range of time, picking up when each of the characters is a child and bringing them into adulthood. Arlen is a small town boy whose family is torn apart by his father's own fear and cowardice - also corelings. He travels to the far cities, somehow surviving the road at night with his own wards drawn into the dirt. There he is taken in by a messenger who he met before and learns the ways of the world and wards, always imagining a world where people can fight back. Arlen is our true epic hero and his transformation is really the key to the whole story.
Leesha and Rojer, then, are there to add an added dimension to the world and their lives will eventually find these two irrevocably linked to Arlen, the Warded Man. Leesha is the daughter of small town papermaker and his insufferable wife. After a devastating betrayal she apprentices to a healer in town who gives her life real purpose. She's a strong female character, the sort you may not always find in fantasy novels. Rojer, on the other hand, is a coreling orphan taken in by the jongleur who saved him. He trains in the same trade as his master and surrogate father despite a crippled hand and eventually learns that he, too, has some unexplainable ability to take the fight to the corelings.
As compelling of characters as Leesha and Rojer were in the book they were very much secondary characters. I think in future books their stories may be more compelling and impactful than they were this time around. As it was, in the Warded Man they offered a sort of break to Arlen's story which for a while takes a very large break. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the intentional vagueness of how Arlen truly became the man he became or his history on the road as a man. It didn't hurt the story at all but it did feel very cliche. Granted, Arlen is a largely cliche figure. A main character destined to be an epic hero who has an inherent skill at wards that even he cannot explain? It's one of those too-good-to-be-true sort of backgrounds but hey. Cliches are cliches because they work and it doesn't make Arlen any less of a great lead character.
I really liked Arlen. Moreso than Leesha - whose story was not nearly as interesting - or Rojer - who even accepted himself that he was likely no more than a sidekick in anything.
Mostly, though, I just liked the setting. It was a very interesting world. The mythology and rules behind how demonkind worked were well throughtout and at no point did I feel like I didn't understand how things worked. I mean, clearly I don't understand how magic works or the wards necessarily worked. But the world itself was so finely pieced together and Brett makes it so believable that none of that matters. You understand it because he understands it, because the characters understand it. There is a striking reality to it all.
I will say that I'm not sure how I feel about the religious element that seems to be going on. It makes sense that the people would attribute some sort of religious explanation to the rise of the corelings. Similarly it makes since that epic stories from eons past of a man who could fight back against the demons would turn that figure into a Christ-like persona. But ultimately I think we're looking at a clash between the decidedly 'Middle Eastern' styled city and region and the native region of Arlen, Leesha, and Rojer. And that just seems tired to me. I'm not really looking forward to that progression.
But we'll see how it plays out. I'm very interested to read the next book in the series - and the next one. And the next two or three. Right now Good Reads is telling me there are five books planned with estimated releases so there's a lot of plot to be developed a lot more to happen with the characters. And probably plenty of additional characters to come, too, since everyone wants to be G.R.R. Martin these days.
Final Thoughts:
So, before I tell you my problem with this book let me conclude with: Read it. It's a great story. It's a fantastic example of world building. And the characters are pretty likable. (I love Arlen but I go back and forth on how I feel about the choices he's made.) This is a great series and I think fans of the Game of Thrones television series may particularly enjoy it because it's not nearly as dense of a read as the GOT books. Less sex, though. Way less sex.
Which actually kind of brings me to my problem with this book.
Spoilers, yo. Be warned.
Leesha. Let's talk about Leesha. Throughout the book she's this really strong, independent female character. I mean, she starts out naive about things and learns very quickly that as a woman it's about trusting yourself and taking power where you can. She does a fanastic job of it, too. The healer she apprentices with teaches her all about the female body, sex, and such. Which she later uses to keep a messenger from forcing himself upon her while traveling the road. Yay, no rape! Rape never serves a real purpose except to force a female character into a vulnerable position. So Leesha goes on being a HBIC, right? So great.
Except then, later in the book, she gets raped on the road while traveling home. No purpose to it at all. It's just thrown in as something that happened and she's sort of catatonic for a while. And then, suddenly, this woman who has been a virgin for going on like thirty years or something just throws herself at 'the Warded Man' when he comes by and rescues them? First we have a rape that served no narrative purpose other than, "Lol, you're a vulnerable woman now!" and then she turns into something she's not and never has been.
That bothered me.
It really bothered me.
It negatively impacted the way I looked at the book entirely. And I'm not really saying this because I'm a woman and that's why it upsets me. It's just cheap storytelling. I mean, if there were any narrative purpose at all then I probably wouldn't be this hard on the author. It's because you don't take a strong woman and make that her only way to be vulnerable and insecure. There are plenty of ways to make three dimensional characters. The author failed in that regard and it really makes me question reading the second book only because I already feel like he's not going to handle the whole thing any better as we go along.
But I guess we'll see when I get to the Desert Spear.
Original Title: The Painted Man
Series: The Demon Cycle #1
Author: Peter V. Brett
Release Date: January 1, 2008
Publisher: Random House
Source: LibraryThing
Genre(s): Fantsy
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Review Spoilers: Moderate throughout; High at the end
This should have been a four star
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book. It's arguably still a three-point-five star book but since we only use solid stars here at Nerdophiles it's going to be a three. And the problem is that I can't even tell you why I had to rate it down instead of rounding up without spoiling a part of the book. So if you're reading this and don't want to get spoiled, don't read until the end. I've seen lots of people rate this book highly - which is great because it deserves it - but I don't know why people are overlooking this particular thing.So, that said.
I thought the Warded Man was a pretty great book over all. Brett creates a phenomenal fantasy world plagued nightly by demons who can only be kept at bay by intricate wards on their homes, stables, and cities. Being caught out at night means certain death as an infinite number of these nightmarish creatures stalk the countrysides. There are other rules to how the 'corelings' as they are called can and cannot move within the world. But the key factor is that humankind is helpless to stop them. They can only pray the wards hold fast each and every night and cower in their own beds.
This is the world that Arlen, Leesha, and Rojer have inherited.
The book splits it's time between these three main characters. It covers a very wide range of time, picking up when each of the characters is a child and bringing them into adulthood. Arlen is a small town boy whose family is torn apart by his father's own fear and cowardice - also corelings. He travels to the far cities, somehow surviving the road at night with his own wards drawn into the dirt. There he is taken in by a messenger who he met before and learns the ways of the world and wards, always imagining a world where people can fight back. Arlen is our true epic hero and his transformation is really the key to the whole story.
Leesha and Rojer, then, are there to add an added dimension to the world and their lives will eventually find these two irrevocably linked to Arlen, the Warded Man. Leesha is the daughter of small town papermaker and his insufferable wife. After a devastating betrayal she apprentices to a healer in town who gives her life real purpose. She's a strong female character, the sort you may not always find in fantasy novels. Rojer, on the other hand, is a coreling orphan taken in by the jongleur who saved him. He trains in the same trade as his master and surrogate father despite a crippled hand and eventually learns that he, too, has some unexplainable ability to take the fight to the corelings.
As compelling of characters as Leesha and Rojer were in the book they were very much secondary characters. I think in future books their stories may be more compelling and impactful than they were this time around. As it was, in the Warded Man they offered a sort of break to Arlen's story which for a while takes a very large break. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the intentional vagueness of how Arlen truly became the man he became or his history on the road as a man. It didn't hurt the story at all but it did feel very cliche. Granted, Arlen is a largely cliche figure. A main character destined to be an epic hero who has an inherent skill at wards that even he cannot explain? It's one of those too-good-to-be-true sort of backgrounds but hey. Cliches are cliches because they work and it doesn't make Arlen any less of a great lead character.
I really liked Arlen. Moreso than Leesha - whose story was not nearly as interesting - or Rojer - who even accepted himself that he was likely no more than a sidekick in anything.
Mostly, though, I just liked the setting. It was a very interesting world. The mythology and rules behind how demonkind worked were well throughtout and at no point did I feel like I didn't understand how things worked. I mean, clearly I don't understand how magic works or the wards necessarily worked. But the world itself was so finely pieced together and Brett makes it so believable that none of that matters. You understand it because he understands it, because the characters understand it. There is a striking reality to it all.
I will say that I'm not sure how I feel about the religious element that seems to be going on. It makes sense that the people would attribute some sort of religious explanation to the rise of the corelings. Similarly it makes since that epic stories from eons past of a man who could fight back against the demons would turn that figure into a Christ-like persona. But ultimately I think we're looking at a clash between the decidedly 'Middle Eastern' styled city and region and the native region of Arlen, Leesha, and Rojer. And that just seems tired to me. I'm not really looking forward to that progression.
But we'll see how it plays out. I'm very interested to read the next book in the series - and the next one. And the next two or three. Right now Good Reads is telling me there are five books planned with estimated releases so there's a lot of plot to be developed a lot more to happen with the characters. And probably plenty of additional characters to come, too, since everyone wants to be G.R.R. Martin these days.
Final Thoughts:
So, before I tell you my problem with this book let me conclude with: Read it. It's a great story. It's a fantastic example of world building. And the characters are pretty likable. (I love Arlen but I go back and forth on how I feel about the choices he's made.) This is a great series and I think fans of the Game of Thrones television series may particularly enjoy it because it's not nearly as dense of a read as the GOT books. Less sex, though. Way less sex.
Which actually kind of brings me to my problem with this book.
Spoilers, yo. Be warned.
Leesha. Let's talk about Leesha. Throughout the book she's this really strong, independent female character. I mean, she starts out naive about things and learns very quickly that as a woman it's about trusting yourself and taking power where you can. She does a fanastic job of it, too. The healer she apprentices with teaches her all about the female body, sex, and such. Which she later uses to keep a messenger from forcing himself upon her while traveling the road. Yay, no rape! Rape never serves a real purpose except to force a female character into a vulnerable position. So Leesha goes on being a HBIC, right? So great.
Except then, later in the book, she gets raped on the road while traveling home. No purpose to it at all. It's just thrown in as something that happened and she's sort of catatonic for a while. And then, suddenly, this woman who has been a virgin for going on like thirty years or something just throws herself at 'the Warded Man' when he comes by and rescues them? First we have a rape that served no narrative purpose other than, "Lol, you're a vulnerable woman now!" and then she turns into something she's not and never has been.
That bothered me.
It really bothered me.
It negatively impacted the way I looked at the book entirely. And I'm not really saying this because I'm a woman and that's why it upsets me. It's just cheap storytelling. I mean, if there were any narrative purpose at all then I probably wouldn't be this hard on the author. It's because you don't take a strong woman and make that her only way to be vulnerable and insecure. There are plenty of ways to make three dimensional characters. The author failed in that regard and it really makes me question reading the second book only because I already feel like he's not going to handle the whole thing any better as we go along.
But I guess we'll see when I get to the Desert Spear.
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LibraryThing member davedonelson
I confess: most fantasy bores me. The conventions are usually overworked at the expense of character development, the action bogs down in tiresome descriptions, and most plots consist of marching the combatants from one place to another through magic neverlands. None of these flaws exist in Peter
Still, I suspect there is enough fantasy for most fans of the genre. The post-apocalyptic world is detailed enough for belief yet hazy enough in its outlines for the reader's imagination to lay whatever map on it they like. The demons are finely drawn and the magic powers, the "wards," are useful without tipping too far over into deus-ex-machina territory.
The real strength of the book, though, is the characters and the very real-world issues they face. Arlen struggles to define heroism throughout the book after watching his father cower while his mother is killed in the beginning. Leesha must deal with an over-bearing mother and a loudly-ticking biological clock while searching for true love amid the chaos of the world she inhabits. Rojer grows up mildly crippled and psychically scarred, a seeker of self respect and belief in his own fortitude. When the three finally meet, the meld is a good one that produces many answers while raising several new questions for the next book in the series.
Kudos for an author who produced an entertaining, literate debut.
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Brett's fine debut novel. What draws five stars from me is the book's clean portrait of believable characters dealing with situations that have less to do with mystic malarkey than with the perils of the human condition. Strip away the fantasy elements, and you'd have an early Cormac McCarthy novel with a laconic, flawed hero, a desperately-seeking heroine, and a coming-of-age orphan trying to overcome his physical and psychological tormentors.Still, I suspect there is enough fantasy for most fans of the genre. The post-apocalyptic world is detailed enough for belief yet hazy enough in its outlines for the reader's imagination to lay whatever map on it they like. The demons are finely drawn and the magic powers, the "wards," are useful without tipping too far over into deus-ex-machina territory.
The real strength of the book, though, is the characters and the very real-world issues they face. Arlen struggles to define heroism throughout the book after watching his father cower while his mother is killed in the beginning. Leesha must deal with an over-bearing mother and a loudly-ticking biological clock while searching for true love amid the chaos of the world she inhabits. Rojer grows up mildly crippled and psychically scarred, a seeker of self respect and belief in his own fortitude. When the three finally meet, the meld is a good one that produces many answers while raising several new questions for the next book in the series.
Kudos for an author who produced an entertaining, literate debut.
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LibraryThing member Isamoor
Jun10:
Plot: Very solid. Wasn't really a traditional 'plot', it was more: Dump people into hell. See how they live.
Characters: Arlen was the most bad-ass character since Caine from Heroes Die. That alone says a lot. And the other characters rounded it out nicely. Even the support staff was well
Style: Unique. He would let time slip forward wantonly, and yet never wrote 'Years passed...' or anything like that. The action scenes were great. The violence surprising gruesome. Really, I liked his style.
Plot: Very solid. Wasn't really a traditional 'plot', it was more: Dump people into hell. See how they live.
Characters: Arlen was the most bad-ass character since Caine from Heroes Die. That alone says a lot. And the other characters rounded it out nicely. Even the support staff was well
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done.Style: Unique. He would let time slip forward wantonly, and yet never wrote 'Years passed...' or anything like that. The action scenes were great. The violence surprising gruesome. Really, I liked his style.
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LibraryThing member mirya
Upon receiving my copy of The Warded Man, I was a little wary and skeptical that the author could live up to the likes of Robert Jordan or Terry Brooks. Indeed, the beginning of the novel is methodically slow, although that is to be expected when an author begins what may become an epic story.
The
Once I got past the beginning of the book, I was eager to finish and see where the story led. I will be picking up book two and most likely the rest of the books in the series when they are published.
The
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subject matter is unique (demons rising from the core of the earth every night?). Brett took his time introducing the characters, however; the characters are well thought out and seem realistic and believable.Once I got past the beginning of the book, I was eager to finish and see where the story led. I will be picking up book two and most likely the rest of the books in the series when they are published.
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LibraryThing member tcgardner
I am usually a little leery of debut novels. The books are good but the whole package needs some work. Peter Brett needs no polish. I loved this book.
Mankind has been beaten down. Man hides in his hovels at night and cringes in fear of the demons. Slowly mankind is dying. Arlen does not understand
A man who hates demons and kills them at every opportunity. But, is his distaste for cowardly humans just as powerful? Can a man live by himself and just live with hatred? Does man need companionship, love, strength from those around him?
A truly excellent first book from Peter Brett. I cannot wait for the next book in this series.
A must buy. Highly recommended.
Mankind has been beaten down. Man hides in his hovels at night and cringes in fear of the demons. Slowly mankind is dying. Arlen does not understand
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why man does not fight back. He determines that he is not going to be a coward. This is his first step towards becoming the Warded Man. A man who takes the fight to the demons. Through years of training and discovery, he turns his own body into a weapon against the dark tide of demondium.A man who hates demons and kills them at every opportunity. But, is his distaste for cowardly humans just as powerful? Can a man live by himself and just live with hatred? Does man need companionship, love, strength from those around him?
A truly excellent first book from Peter Brett. I cannot wait for the next book in this series.
A must buy. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member jprutter
The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett is the story of world held siege by demons. Each night, with the setting of the sun, these demons (or corelings) rise from the ground and attack anything alive. The people who inhabit this world hide behind runes, magical symbols which ward the demons off. Legends
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speak of a great warrior who led the armies of man against the corelings and defeated them for awhile. Brett’s book follows the story arcs of three people: Arlen, Leesha, and Rojer. While trying to pursue their chosen vocations each find it necessary to confront the corelings in their own way. Brett’s book, at first glance, may seem to follow the worn footsteps of many a farm-boy who is the only one who can save the world. However, as each of the characters confronts their own personal challenges, and occasionally is found lacking, they lift this story out of the expected rut. Brett’s world is an engaging place full of imperfect people trying to do what is best for themselves. As the story progresses, not only do the main characters develop into persons with rich backgrounds and motivations, but so does Brett develop the mythos and motivations of the corelings. This is an engaging story and a truly promising first effort. I highly recommend this book to fantasy fans, especially those who enjoyed The Name of The Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. Show Less
LibraryThing member Wickedmick
I thought this was a good book. It was an easy read and I finished it in two days. The story jumps ahead years at a time in places and for that reason it is hard to follow sometimes. I would have liked the author to go into depth more about the main characters and thier journey to where they got at
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the end of book one. It seems at times when you are reading that you missed a couple of hundred of pages. When the warded man becomes who he is it is pretty awsome, but I would have really enjoyed reading about how he became who he is and reading about the journey that he did to get there. even with all that it still is a great read and such a fresh approach on the fantasy scene with new ideas. In my mind this would be a great book for teens getting into the fantasy arena. Show Less
LibraryThing member sarjah
This book is different from any fantasy novel I've ever read. never have I read about a plight so desperate and immediate as the situation between the humans and the demons in the Warded Man. The heroes in this tale are not perfect either which always makes for a better story. Brett is good at
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capturing the emotion of the moment and really pulls the reader into the story, for me, that means I read the book in about 3 days cause I couldn't put it down. Show Less
LibraryThing member Ed_Gosney
When I read the back of the review copy I received, I figured this was going to be an enjoyable read, but never realized at the time just what a page-turner this would end up being. I've read a decent amount of fantasy literature, and I've never come across a similar concept as this one, with the
The viewpoint characters were all well-chosen, and the end of the book certainly makes you thirst for more. I look forward to the next one in the series.
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rising of the demons at night, and only special wards could hold them back. This did remind me somewhat of a few things from some of the Shannara books by Terry Brooks, but it is still most definitely it's own story. The viewpoint characters were all well-chosen, and the end of the book certainly makes you thirst for more. I look forward to the next one in the series.
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LibraryThing member triciacedars
I received this book through the Early Reviewers program. I loved it. This is the third book I was able to get thru the program and really it's the only one I would recommend with no reservations. I will be looking out for the sequels. The characters are well developed and even the corelings are
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well developed as the enemy. I ended up staying up too late on a few nights to read "just the next chapter". I see the different covers and title. For the publisher interested in opinions the title Warded Man is much more interesting than "Painted Man". Either cover attracts. Show Less
Awards
Locus Award (Nominee — First Novel — 2009)
RUSA CODES Reading List (Shortlist — Fantasy — 2010)
Locus Recommended Reading (First Novel — 2008)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2008
Physical description
6.8 inches
ISBN
0345518705 / 9780345518705