Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Publication
New York : Tom Doherty Associates, 2011.
Description
Fantasy. Fiction. HTML: The gods, makers of worlds, seek to create balance�??between matter and energy; and between mortals who strive toward the transcendent, and the natural perils they must tame or overcome. But one of the gods fashions a world filled with hellish creatures far too powerful to allow balance; he is condemned to live for eternity with his most hateful creations in that world's distant Bourne, restrained by a magical veil kept vital by the power of song. Millennia pass, awareness of the hidden danger fades to legend, and both song and veil weaken. And the most remote cities are laid waste by fell, nightmarish troops escaped from the Bourne. Some people dismiss the attacks as mere rumor. Instead of standing against the real threat, they persecute those with the knowledge, magic and power to fight these abominations, denying the inevitability of war and annihilation. And the evil from the Bourne swells.... The troubles of the world seem far from the Hollows where Tahn Junell struggles to remember his lost childhood and to understand words he feels compelled to utter each time he draws his bow. Trouble arrives when two strangers�??an enigmatic man wearing the sigil of the feared Order of Sheason and a beautiful woman of the legendary Far�??come, to take Tahn, his sister and his two best friends on a dangerous, secret journey. Tahn knows neither why nor where they will go. He knows only that terrible forces have been unleashed upon mankind and he has been called to stand up and face that which most daunts him�??his own forgotten secrets and the darkness that would destroy him and his world. One of Library Journal's Best SF/Fantasy Books… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member BryanThomasS
The best epic fantasy I've read all year, although I admit to not reading a lot yet this year. Reminded me how much I love a good epic fantasy. Great magic system. Lots of creativity. Great characterization and pacing. An interesting and complex story and world. Can't wait for more! Recommended.
LibraryThing member chaos012
Have the come from a backwoods village, check.
Have wise old mentor seek out the chosen one, check.
Have an evil god/overlord imprisoned, wanting to break free, check.
Have a generic grunt race, check.
So I check off my epic fantasy checklist. I picked up The Unremembered because it was by a new
The story: after fleeing from a velle, Than Junelle, meets two strangers at the local inn. One is Vendanj one of the Shesason, and Mira of the far. Who were looking for Tahn. So Tahn, his sister Wendra, and his best friend Sutter, as well as well as an inexperienced sodalist Brathen. They will embark on a journey to save the world and also learning about themselves.
The story has some impressive examples of world building. With some good description and some cool concepts. However, this results in the form of padding and just exists to add more pages than necessary, which slows down the pace of the story. On the other hand, pacing dose pick up in the last third
The characters are very engaging and have depth to them. Though can be moments of overdramatic dialog. You feel the relationships between them all, as well as some internal conflicts. Such as Tahn’s struggle to regain his lost childhood past; Vendanj’s willingness to use any means nessary to save the world; Wendra protecting a child she has effectively adoptive on her journey. And few characters solely exist as just a plot device or a means of exposition, and abide by Mark Twain rule #4 “They require that the personages in a tale, both dead and alive, shall exhibit a sufficient excuse for being there.”
And you feel the Tahn’s struggle into manhood or “the change.” as they call it.
With the wheel of time almost finished with the last of the books to go before it’s complete, and if you want the next epic fantasy saga. I woluld highly recommend The Vault of Heaven. It’s defiantly worth rembering.
Have wise old mentor seek out the chosen one, check.
Have an evil god/overlord imprisoned, wanting to break free, check.
Have a generic grunt race, check.
So I check off my epic fantasy checklist. I picked up The Unremembered because it was by a new
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author and the blurb sparked my interest. I’m just going to get this out of the way, as Wheel of Time fan; this borrows a lot from the eye of the world. That having been said, I found this to be an enjoyable book to a new saga.The story: after fleeing from a velle, Than Junelle, meets two strangers at the local inn. One is Vendanj one of the Shesason, and Mira of the far. Who were looking for Tahn. So Tahn, his sister Wendra, and his best friend Sutter, as well as well as an inexperienced sodalist Brathen. They will embark on a journey to save the world and also learning about themselves.
The story has some impressive examples of world building. With some good description and some cool concepts. However, this results in the form of padding and just exists to add more pages than necessary, which slows down the pace of the story. On the other hand, pacing dose pick up in the last third
The characters are very engaging and have depth to them. Though can be moments of overdramatic dialog. You feel the relationships between them all, as well as some internal conflicts. Such as Tahn’s struggle to regain his lost childhood past; Vendanj’s willingness to use any means nessary to save the world; Wendra protecting a child she has effectively adoptive on her journey. And few characters solely exist as just a plot device or a means of exposition, and abide by Mark Twain rule #4 “They require that the personages in a tale, both dead and alive, shall exhibit a sufficient excuse for being there.”
And you feel the Tahn’s struggle into manhood or “the change.” as they call it.
With the wheel of time almost finished with the last of the books to go before it’s complete, and if you want the next epic fantasy saga. I woluld highly recommend The Vault of Heaven. It’s defiantly worth rembering.
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LibraryThing member RickeleBello
Not one of the best fantasy books that I have read but a good story line. Mostly my problem was the writing style, I found it rather boring and dragged on.
LibraryThing member DanielAlgara
Alright, so despite my better judgement I'm giving this book a try. I try not to read new authors whom I know too much about concerning their religion or politics, mostly out of fairness to the author. I start looking for philosophical flaws and I find it taxing, but I'm giving it a go even though
Couldn't do it. I'm not going to rate it since I got through so little, but the writing is just too bad and Mr. Orullian insists on describing EVERYTHING. I don't want to hear about the third shake of the MC's piss. Get on with it.
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dude's a Mormon. I'll try to be objective, but...Couldn't do it. I'm not going to rate it since I got through so little, but the writing is just too bad and Mr. Orullian insists on describing EVERYTHING. I don't want to hear about the third shake of the MC's piss. Get on with it.
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LibraryThing member GSB68
This started out like a total rip off of the Eye of the World by Robert Jordan. Now I feel like Mr. Orullian is like the main character from Finding forester who used the start of his mentors story to create something of his own. I'm very much enjoying it now.
Now that I'm finished it does feel like
Now that I'm finished it does feel like
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there was too much borrowed as far as the plot goes but writing is good and the characters are interesting. Hopefully this moves off in its own direction in future volumes. Show Less
LibraryThing member stefferoo
This review is for the “Author’s Definitive Edition” of The Unremembered. What does this verbiage spell for the book, exactly? According to an interview I found, author Peter Orullian made a ton of changes for this re-issue, many of which were not just limited to minor adjustments like adding
I’ve not read the original, so I can’t really speak to whether or not the Author’s Definitive Edition met its goals, but finding out all that information did make me curious about this book. It’s so rare that an author gets a chance to do this, and I wanted to see the end result.
The Unremembered opens with a god condemned by the rest of the pantheon for creating a world filled with terrifying creatures, upsetting the divine balance. As punishment, he is sent to live for eternity with his abominations in the Bourne. Thousands of years later, the focus shifts to the perspective of a villager named Tahn who encounters nightmarish creatures around his home and the lands of the Hollows. Mysterious strangers arrive in town, and one of them – an old man named Vendanj – warns Tahn of great danger. A tear between the realms has resulted in the evil things from the Quiet entering the world, putting everything in peril.
Together with his sister Wendra and his friend Sutter, Tahn sets off on a quest with Vendanj and the old man’s other companions, the Sodalist Braethen and the beautiful-but-deadly warrior Mira. Tahn has no idea where this quest will take him, but he is all too aware that the world is depending on him and his group to stop the darkness from swallowing up everything he knows and loves.
The Hero’s Journey immediately comes to mind. The Unremembered is exactly that, pulling in the familiar tropes in the genre for this traditional quest narrative. This makes it a tough book to review. On the one hand, many of the themes can be recognized as the conventional and rehashed ideas from well-known fantasy classics, and though I wouldn’t exactly describe the story as generic, I can’t exactly call it original either. On the other hand though, there’s a certain charm and appeal to reading a book that harkens back to the days of old-school fantasy, almost like slipping on a worn but comfortable and much-loved sweater. As with all books in general, I suspect how you feel about this one will entirely depend on the sort of mood you’re in.
Still, that’s not to say Peter Orullian brings nothing to the genre. I find his world and characters intriguing, and whether or not this has to do with the changes he made in this edition, I liked his writing style and found it flowed very smoothly. His world-building is deep and very detailed, and his characters – while playing a bit to clichés – are people you can relate to. After all, archetypes such as The Hero are popular because they resonate with us. Tahn is likeable in that role, and his companions also play out their respective parts nicely. Orullian fleshes out his characters and gives them individual traits that make them memorable, even if they are present in a derivative capacity.
Is The Unremembered perfect? No, but I still enjoyed reading it. It’s well-paced, probably much improved from the original version is my guess. Some scenes carry a lot of weight, and in these the author does a fantastic job with the atmosphere, highlighting tough choices and the consequences of making them. Sometimes, it can get very poignant and emotional in keeping tensions high and the reader hooked on every word. As well, at a certain point in the book, the story diverges into two different threads, which threw some variation into the mix.
Ultimately, I don’t know if I would recommend this book to everyone, but I imagine there will be fantasy readers who will enjoy it. If you’re looking for something wildly fresh and original, this probably won’t be it. But if you’re feeling nostalgic for some traditional epic fantasy reminiscent of The Wheel of Time or The Lord of the Rings, then it’s quite possible that this could work for you. Personally I thought this was a decent read, and I felt invested enough that I will most likely read the sequel.
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an excerpt or fixing a typo here and there, though there was certainly some of that involved too. In fact, there are significant differences between this and the original (but Orullian also assures that those who read the latter will be able to transition into the sequel just fine), like about fifteen thousand words added in, but even more cut out. So, unlike a lot of Author’s Editions, this new version is actually substantially shorter than the original. It’s all supposed to make a stronger book – trimming the fat, bolstering what needed to be bolstered, fixing the pace, improving character development, etc.I’ve not read the original, so I can’t really speak to whether or not the Author’s Definitive Edition met its goals, but finding out all that information did make me curious about this book. It’s so rare that an author gets a chance to do this, and I wanted to see the end result.
The Unremembered opens with a god condemned by the rest of the pantheon for creating a world filled with terrifying creatures, upsetting the divine balance. As punishment, he is sent to live for eternity with his abominations in the Bourne. Thousands of years later, the focus shifts to the perspective of a villager named Tahn who encounters nightmarish creatures around his home and the lands of the Hollows. Mysterious strangers arrive in town, and one of them – an old man named Vendanj – warns Tahn of great danger. A tear between the realms has resulted in the evil things from the Quiet entering the world, putting everything in peril.
Together with his sister Wendra and his friend Sutter, Tahn sets off on a quest with Vendanj and the old man’s other companions, the Sodalist Braethen and the beautiful-but-deadly warrior Mira. Tahn has no idea where this quest will take him, but he is all too aware that the world is depending on him and his group to stop the darkness from swallowing up everything he knows and loves.
The Hero’s Journey immediately comes to mind. The Unremembered is exactly that, pulling in the familiar tropes in the genre for this traditional quest narrative. This makes it a tough book to review. On the one hand, many of the themes can be recognized as the conventional and rehashed ideas from well-known fantasy classics, and though I wouldn’t exactly describe the story as generic, I can’t exactly call it original either. On the other hand though, there’s a certain charm and appeal to reading a book that harkens back to the days of old-school fantasy, almost like slipping on a worn but comfortable and much-loved sweater. As with all books in general, I suspect how you feel about this one will entirely depend on the sort of mood you’re in.
Still, that’s not to say Peter Orullian brings nothing to the genre. I find his world and characters intriguing, and whether or not this has to do with the changes he made in this edition, I liked his writing style and found it flowed very smoothly. His world-building is deep and very detailed, and his characters – while playing a bit to clichés – are people you can relate to. After all, archetypes such as The Hero are popular because they resonate with us. Tahn is likeable in that role, and his companions also play out their respective parts nicely. Orullian fleshes out his characters and gives them individual traits that make them memorable, even if they are present in a derivative capacity.
Is The Unremembered perfect? No, but I still enjoyed reading it. It’s well-paced, probably much improved from the original version is my guess. Some scenes carry a lot of weight, and in these the author does a fantastic job with the atmosphere, highlighting tough choices and the consequences of making them. Sometimes, it can get very poignant and emotional in keeping tensions high and the reader hooked on every word. As well, at a certain point in the book, the story diverges into two different threads, which threw some variation into the mix.
Ultimately, I don’t know if I would recommend this book to everyone, but I imagine there will be fantasy readers who will enjoy it. If you’re looking for something wildly fresh and original, this probably won’t be it. But if you’re feeling nostalgic for some traditional epic fantasy reminiscent of The Wheel of Time or The Lord of the Rings, then it’s quite possible that this could work for you. Personally I thought this was a decent read, and I felt invested enough that I will most likely read the sequel.
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LibraryThing member Vinbert
I like the characters, but there is so much left untold, I felt like I was reading a Book 3 in a 6 book series. Some of it ends up being explained, but the great majority of it does not. I finished this in the hopes of ends being tied up, but it seems that just more loose ends appear. I understand
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setting up for a series, but you have to have some sense of completeness within a volume, or people are going to get frustrated and walk away. That's what I'm contemplating right now. I already have the second book, but am undecided as to whether to read it or not. Great potential, currently unrealized. Show Less
LibraryThing member Vinbert
I like the characters, but there is so much left untold, I felt like I was reading a Book 3 in a 6 book series. Some of it ends up being explained, but the great majority of it does not. I finished this in the hopes of ends being tied up, but it seems that just more loose ends appear. I understand
Show More
setting up for a series, but you have to have some sense of completeness within a volume, or people are going to get frustrated and walk away. That's what I'm contemplating right now. I already have the second book, but am undecided as to whether to read it or not. Great potential, currently unrealized. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kiddboyblue
There were many things I enjoyed about this fantasy novel, but more things I did not enjoy.
There is a fine line, I find with fantasy novels, between getting into the action too soon and getting into it too late. This novel got into it way too soon, and then never seemed to let up. It felt
Because of literally jumping into the action from the first page, it left very little room for me to care about the characters. It also made it very unrealistic. The old fantasy way of a random no one being plucked from obscurity to go on an epic quest, just doesn't work the same as it used to.
I think Orullian did a great job of world building, and clearly has a well thought out and detailed history of his world that plays beautifully in the book. And the overall story got me very invested about halfway through the book, making me want to continue.
Still, it all fell a little short for me. Most definitely not a top tier fantasy book for me, but entertaining enough.
There is a fine line, I find with fantasy novels, between getting into the action too soon and getting into it too late. This novel got into it way too soon, and then never seemed to let up. It felt
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claustrophobic, like every chapter had to have something epic happen. There were very few "breathing" chapters that focused more on story, plot, character development, etc. It was just action scene after action scene. Because of literally jumping into the action from the first page, it left very little room for me to care about the characters. It also made it very unrealistic. The old fantasy way of a random no one being plucked from obscurity to go on an epic quest, just doesn't work the same as it used to.
I think Orullian did a great job of world building, and clearly has a well thought out and detailed history of his world that plays beautifully in the book. And the overall story got me very invested about halfway through the book, making me want to continue.
Still, it all fell a little short for me. Most definitely not a top tier fantasy book for me, but entertaining enough.
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LibraryThing member ladyoflorien
Fast paced, highly entertaining read!
LibraryThing member grouchygrammarian
I tried to muscle through b/c i do think there is merit in this book, but was ultimately unsuccessful. I think Orullian has talent but the structure was terribly disruptive. He split the stort into a number of threads then was insistent on ending every chapter in a cliffhanger. At some point i
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couldnt keep track of what was happening in each storyline as the connective threads were cut each time something was happening. Really killed momentum. Did the editors think we wouldnt keep reading unless there was a cliffhanger? This isnt tv, please writers, STOP treating your narratives like there are commercial breaks and week-long waits until the next episode. Tell a full story in a scene/chapter. Show Less
LibraryThing member KittyCunningham
Epic fantasy with many characters and many story lines at once. Great for people who miss the Wheel of Time.
LibraryThing member lyrrael
I'm honestly not much of a fan of quest fiction. You know -- Robert Jordan, J.R.R. Tolkien, Goodkind to some degree -- the kind where a guy gets an Epic Quest, leaves his small village, travels across the country experiencing trials and travails and usually getting chased in the process. It's a
I honestly loved the writing, and it held me a lot longer than most quest fiction normally does -- I doubt I made it halfway through Eye of the World, and the only reasons I made it all the way through Lord of the Rings as a teenager were that I was running out of fantasy in the school library and the three books managed to finish every single one of my reading requirements for the year at once. It was a little darker and held a little bit more of the character-driven fantasy that I enjoy than most quest fiction does.
But it was kind of generic. I mean, it's been done before. All of it. The kids in the weird area that nobody lives in picked up and taken with no explanation across the country, being chased by creatures only out of legend.... I mean, you could hit plot point by plot point Jordan or Tolkien.
When I got halfway done with the book, I shut the covers, closed my eyes, and thought about it. Where were we going? What was going to happen next in the book? Is there any foreshadowing that would give me a clue or mysteries that I needed answered? And all I could see was the abyss yawning open in front of me.
It's an interesting book, but I just didn't give a shit. I've put it down and left it down with only the regret of a book unfinished, not with unanswered questions or a burning need to know what's next. And I think that's a little sad.
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standard story structure. And that's what this is. Standard.I honestly loved the writing, and it held me a lot longer than most quest fiction normally does -- I doubt I made it halfway through Eye of the World, and the only reasons I made it all the way through Lord of the Rings as a teenager were that I was running out of fantasy in the school library and the three books managed to finish every single one of my reading requirements for the year at once. It was a little darker and held a little bit more of the character-driven fantasy that I enjoy than most quest fiction does.
But it was kind of generic. I mean, it's been done before. All of it. The kids in the weird area that nobody lives in picked up and taken with no explanation across the country, being chased by creatures only out of legend.... I mean, you could hit plot point by plot point Jordan or Tolkien.
When I got halfway done with the book, I shut the covers, closed my eyes, and thought about it. Where were we going? What was going to happen next in the book? Is there any foreshadowing that would give me a clue or mysteries that I needed answered? And all I could see was the abyss yawning open in front of me.
It's an interesting book, but I just didn't give a shit. I've put it down and left it down with only the regret of a book unfinished, not with unanswered questions or a burning need to know what's next. And I think that's a little sad.
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Subjects
Awards
David Gemmell Legend Award (Shortlist — 2012)
Language
Original publication date
2011-04-12 [2011]
ISBN
1429960868 / 9781429960861
Other editions
The unremembered by Peter Vance Orullian (Paper Book)