Status
Available
Series
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Publication
New York : Tor, 2008.
Description
The gods of legend rise again on the world of Amyrantha in this tale of court intrigue, human-animal half-breeds, and claims of immortality.
User reviews
LibraryThing member surreality
Plot: There isn't much of it - this is the first volume in a four-part series, and very obviously so. There's a small plot that serves as the narrative framework, some backstory, but the majority of the book deals with character introductions and world building. What plot is there is very
Characters: Despite all the time taken to build the characters, they don't feel finished. There's a lack especially where motivations are concerned - in too many cases you're left wondering why someone is doing what they do. What doesn't work out is the magical human/animal race - again, not enough fleshing out of the whole thing, and they only actually begin to matter in any way towards the end of the book. A little too much deus ex machina.
Style: Less twisted than the Hythrun trilogy by far. The writing is confident, though sometimes the prose gets a little too purple and the dialogues can feel off.
Plus: Suicidal immortals aren't new, but it's done well in this case.
Minus: The worldbuilding isn't communicated well. You're expected to believe a character does something because you're told so, not because you're shown.
Summary: It's a very slow start - the story only begins to get interesting well past the halfway point. Very plainly a setup for the following three books - I wouldn't be surprised if this turns out to be a very long prologue to a regular trilogy.
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predictable. Characters: Despite all the time taken to build the characters, they don't feel finished. There's a lack especially where motivations are concerned - in too many cases you're left wondering why someone is doing what they do. What doesn't work out is the magical human/animal race - again, not enough fleshing out of the whole thing, and they only actually begin to matter in any way towards the end of the book. A little too much deus ex machina.
Style: Less twisted than the Hythrun trilogy by far. The writing is confident, though sometimes the prose gets a little too purple and the dialogues can feel off.
Plus: Suicidal immortals aren't new, but it's done well in this case.
Minus: The worldbuilding isn't communicated well. You're expected to believe a character does something because you're told so, not because you're shown.
Summary: It's a very slow start - the story only begins to get interesting well past the halfway point. Very plainly a setup for the following three books - I wouldn't be surprised if this turns out to be a very long prologue to a regular trilogy.
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LibraryThing member DriderQueen
They say he is immortal, he survived hanging so it must be true? A tale about a man that claim to be immortal, a figure of legend and the woman who tries to make sense of his tale.
I adored the twisted way the author write this book and can't wait to read more. It's not difficult to see immortality
I adored the twisted way the author write this book and can't wait to read more. It's not difficult to see immortality
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and madness being hand in hand with each other. Show Less
LibraryThing member MsPolitix
This is the first book in a series that isn't sure if it's epic fantasy or The Bold and the Beautiful meets Mt Olympus. Love triangles, jealous demigods and angst-riddled crushes abound. This isn't surprising considering the author admits that earlier in her career she was set on writing titles for
My irritation was in part due to the point Surreality makes in the review below with regards to characterization. Many times throughout the series you can't fathom WHY the main character, Arkady, is behaving the way she does - even her inner monologues feel forced. Sure, the world building is a little thin and the plot predictable, but that could have been forgiven if you found yourself caught up in the plight of the characters.
I won’t completely discount Fallon as an author yet. I haven’t read her earlier series and I’m wondering if this quartet was written more for the publisher's marketing machine than the loyal reader. In part my suspicions came from what seems like a rushed production of the book. The editions I have are poorly edited (typos and missing words every second chapter or so) which jolts you out of the story like you've been slapped in the face. I wouldn’t say for a moment that I’m a grammar queen but frequent typos stretch the friendship too far. Admittedly, this may have influenced me to be overly critical where others wouldn’t be so bothered. That all being said, I did buy all four books to see if the series got any better as things progressed. For me, it didn’t.
So, if you enjoy your fantasy a little gritty, with political intrigue, three-dimensional villains, tarnished heroes and plot twists that make you whisper 'aha!’ as you read, then try something else. Fallon is positively fluffy compared to George R R Martin, for example. On the flip side, if you're just looking for something to get you through the public transport commute to work, you could do far worse than the Tide Lords.
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Mills and Boon. Sure it's quite fun to read at times, but at others it's down right irritating. My irritation was in part due to the point Surreality makes in the review below with regards to characterization. Many times throughout the series you can't fathom WHY the main character, Arkady, is behaving the way she does - even her inner monologues feel forced. Sure, the world building is a little thin and the plot predictable, but that could have been forgiven if you found yourself caught up in the plight of the characters.
I won’t completely discount Fallon as an author yet. I haven’t read her earlier series and I’m wondering if this quartet was written more for the publisher's marketing machine than the loyal reader. In part my suspicions came from what seems like a rushed production of the book. The editions I have are poorly edited (typos and missing words every second chapter or so) which jolts you out of the story like you've been slapped in the face. I wouldn’t say for a moment that I’m a grammar queen but frequent typos stretch the friendship too far. Admittedly, this may have influenced me to be overly critical where others wouldn’t be so bothered. That all being said, I did buy all four books to see if the series got any better as things progressed. For me, it didn’t.
So, if you enjoy your fantasy a little gritty, with political intrigue, three-dimensional villains, tarnished heroes and plot twists that make you whisper 'aha!’ as you read, then try something else. Fallon is positively fluffy compared to George R R Martin, for example. On the flip side, if you're just looking for something to get you through the public transport commute to work, you could do far worse than the Tide Lords.
Show Less
LibraryThing member TraceyLea
I read this book a couple of years ago and REALLY enjoyed it and. It was the first time, in a long time, I had actually being really intrigued and looking forward to seeing how this unpredictable storyline played out.
Being somewhat of a classicist/historian and having a strong belief in the value
I also like the political intrigue in this book. A real high fantasy. The characters have depth and vitality right from the beginning. They are flawed, which makes them interesting. I enjoyed this book as much as I enjoyed Game of Thrones and Battleaxe.
I have reviewed this book at 4/5 stars. It was a great day’s entertainment and I was hanging out for the next book. In fact I think I may have even ventured out to get it the next day.
Being somewhat of a classicist/historian and having a strong belief in the value
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of science as truth, the main character of this novel has resonated with me. I couldn’t help but think about how I would react if someone I had met, on several occasions, ended up being immortal.I also like the political intrigue in this book. A real high fantasy. The characters have depth and vitality right from the beginning. They are flawed, which makes them interesting. I enjoyed this book as much as I enjoyed Game of Thrones and Battleaxe.
I have reviewed this book at 4/5 stars. It was a great day’s entertainment and I was hanging out for the next book. In fact I think I may have even ventured out to get it the next day.
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LibraryThing member Tiffmeister
Well, sadly I finished the first book in this series. Mostly because I enjoyed it until the end. I really didn't want it to end. I did guess some of the twists, but some of them I didn't see coming, too much.
Her main character, the Duchess, does quite well in defining herself through the book. Or
I liked this one as much as her other books. I really like the way her writing pulls you through the story. You can't put this one down if you like Romance Novels. It is a blend of a good romance and a fantasy book. I've already placed the next in the series on order. Hope it comes soon.
Her main character, the Duchess, does quite well in defining herself through the book. Or
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rather, it's trying to define herself as an academic, and prove herself, in a world filled with men thinking woman are good just for babies. But factor into this the fact that magic is real, and the man she is questioning isn't insane, but in fact a Tide Lord able to manipulate magic like a demigod. Well, it is a mixture of myth turned real. Even if the myth is made-up for a made-up planet/world.I liked this one as much as her other books. I really like the way her writing pulls you through the story. You can't put this one down if you like Romance Novels. It is a blend of a good romance and a fantasy book. I've already placed the next in the series on order. Hope it comes soon.
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LibraryThing member ashooles
Great story. Well written and well told and it had me wanting to read more. Some parts I found dragged just a little, but all in all, amazing!
LibraryThing member salimbol
Very readable Australian fantasy that's not afraid to handle some tricky themes, and with a few clever plot twists - though I saw plenty others coming a mile off, and the characterisation's a little too facile at times for my taste. Having said that, I definitely want to read the next book in the
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series :-). Show Less
LibraryThing member elucubrare
Despite this not being great, it’s mediocre in a highly entertaining way. The setting is a fairly standard fantasy blend of the middle ages in technology and the 18th century in the social realm. The characters are pretty good, though, and there are some really spectacular revelations. Like many
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books that are first in a series, it doesn’t have too much of an overarching plot, which I find to be a fault: even if something is the first book of many, it should have a satisfying plot arc and conclusion. Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
2007 (copyright)
Physical description
512 p.; 25 cm
ISBN
9780765316820
Local notes
Similar in this library
Pages
512