The Desert Spear by Peter V. Brett

[jurble]

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RapeIsTheNewDeadParents

Anyway, I'll pick this up once finals are over.

[ljkeane]

I finished this a couple of days ago. I thought it was a decent book although it was certainly setting the scene for the next book.

On the subject of the depiction of rape in the book I'd agree that it wasn't the strongest part of the book and it's probably overdone, on the other hand I wouldn't say that it's covered in the somewhat distasteful manner that you see in some other series.

[AprilFool]

If you enjoyed the first book you will like this one as well. In fact I liked it a bit more, and really feel like this series is going to take off. Give it a try.

[Mexal]

If you enjoyed the first book you will like this one as well. In fact I liked it a bit more, and really feel like this series is going to take off. Give it a try.

It had its moments of brilliance (first 200 pages) but it felt too much like a middle book (which isn't so bad given that it probably is). Just wish more happened.

[aidan]

It had its moments of brilliance (first 200 pages) but it felt too much like a middle book (which isn't so bad given that it probably is). Just wish more happened.

It's the second of five.

Otherwise, I agree with you.

[palin99999]

Just finished it today and really liked it. As with The Painted Man Brett's prose made the chapters fly by. As for the pace, yes it was slow in spots, but I don't mind because I'm extremely interested to see what happens in the next book.

While I really enjoyed Leesha's chapters in the first book, I found that her chapters in The Desert Spear were tiresome. Her motivations always baffled me and her inner monologue grew annoying at times.

However, that's just a minor quibble and I'm really excited for book 3 with some of the revelations at the very end of The Desert Spear.

[Sariel]

I for one would like to see an arab based civilization that is not a vicious, fanatic villain. In the Painted Man, when the protagonist took the spear to city in the desert I immediately thought that it was obvious where this was going and that the evil muslimz!!1 would betray him.

[Werthead]

I for one would like to see an arab based civilization that is not a vicious, fanatic villain. In the Painted Man, when the protagonist took the spear to city in the desert I immediately thought that it was obvious where this was going and that the evil muslimz!!1 would betray him.

That sequence works much better with the full context in Book 2, although I suspect other areas in a similar vein will likely infuriate you even more.

[Sariel]

I've read the second book too. Still annoyed all told.

The thing is, I quite enjoy his prose, and the setting is also very interesting, but I just can't get beyond how stupidly predictable it gets at times. The Evil Muslims especially.

[Garlan the Gallant]

Seriously, I am about 7/8ths through this book and the amount of *rape card* used is ridiculous. Theres the raping in the Fort. Jadir is raped and then forgives his raper who becomes his bodyguard (and i would imagine that its not just so easy to stick a spear in someone's nether region, its not some gaping hole). The raper of Jadir also rapes Abban's wife and children and he gets revenge by telling him to put up a tent? Leesha is almost raped in the last book and is raped after that, but in this book she is about to bed and forgive her almost raper but at the last second doest. Reena's father rapes everyone and she is the only one with a realistic reaction by stabbing him to death and being nonrepentive. Still she heals a little too fast by the way of Arlen's magic stick. And then there was Wonda almost getting raped by the Krasians....and Leesha begs for their lives. WTH is with all this rape? Brett needs to get his stuff together as this was very Goodkind of him.

I was annoyed with the book at some parts (basically nothing happens in this book *middle book syndrome*) though at times it was a fun read. Also, there was barely any chapters with Arlen (who is by far the best written character in the series). Don't get me wrong, I'll definitely pick up book three, I'm just hoping this isnt a major dissapointment.

OH, and I get that he stuck in the whole idea of fallen earth like civilization in the ancient past, but when Arlen mentioned "molecules" and understood what they were....that really pissed me off. I can deal with the "chemics" test done by Leesha, but knowledge of what molecules are is kinda ridiculous in this series.

Again, one last point, I remember Brett saying that he wasn't going to include swords, but to my mind a machete is a sword. It doesnt become something its not because you give it another name.

Best part of this book (at least so far) were the 20 pages or so of the Hollow people clashing with the Krasian culture - right up to the point where Jardir falls instantly in love with Leesha and visa versa (basically). THAT is my biggest pet peeve in a book, instant Titantic scale love. /rant

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Machete isn't a sword. It's more comparable to a cleaver. It's a tool, it has uses outside of killing. Not that you see many magical cleavers, mind you, but we can hope.

Finished this book...and yeah, the almost rape was quite a bit much. I actually thought the worst one was the three(?) random guys in the inn going after Reena like they were just going to throw her on top of the table and everyone was going to be cool with that.

[Renasko]

Thanks for that post, Garlan the Gallant. That fucks me right off, but yeah. Thanks. I still don't know if I'm going to skip this or not. I'm strongly tempted to, but there were elements of the first book that I found pretty interesting, so...argh. Drop the crazy, Brett, and let me be a fan.

[Garlan the Gallant]

Finished the book....he used the concept of molecules and the word molecules a second time....wtf :tantrum:

And yes, as the above person said, there is one last attempted rape scene.

[jurble]

In the middle of this book: holy shit, what's with all the rape? I mean, I can read Bakker without batting an eye, but like, this rape is gratuitous. Maybe because it's people? I dunno. I mean there's some people-on-people rape in Bakker, but it's not as bad because

Conphas' raping that Kianene girl while looking at his own reflection is pretty, uh, weird. And then Conphas getting ass-raped by Cnaiur is hilarious.

so yeah. Too much rape.

[WrathOfTinyKittens]

Finished this one the other day.

Personally, I thought it was great. The development of the characters was good, and I really enjoyed the hint that there's a chance that Arlen and Jardir can work together to destroy the demons (although of course that's probably unlikely, given the title of the next book, but still).

As far as the Evil Muslim culture goes, I think it's well drawn and there are definitely motivations for the culture to act in that way, but yeah, it's a bit stereotypical. If it had been the Milnese with that culture, I doubt we'd have a problem, because the culture works, but the Islam references were a bit too unsubtle.

The rape... ah, the rape. I think it was overused. However, it didn't really hamper my enjoyment of the book. I think that Leesha's reaction to Jardir and to the Warded Man himself are both believable in the aftermath of rape, but Jardir's is absolutely not (well, except for beating the hell out of the guy). Jardir's rape was also totally unnecessary for the plot. I think it actually would have been more effective and more resonant if Hasik had pushed Jardir into a demon pit, as Jardir would later do to Arlen - that would have been much better, IMO.

Overall though, I'd give it a good 3.5 or 4 stars. Great prose, good story (if dragging a bit at times) and a good lead-in to whatever comes next.

[jurble]

OH, and I get that he stuck in the whole idea of fallen earth like civilization in the ancient past, but when Arlen mentioned "molecules" and understood what they were....that really pissed me off. I can deal with the "chemics" test done by Leesha, but knowledge of what molecules are is kinda ridiculous in this series.

Except they have books from that old period - there's some continuity. It's not unreasonable that the knowledge of molecules still exists. Think of the Aes Sedai in WoT, there's probably some old books sitting in the White Tower that tell how to make awesome laser-guns, but it's useless to them because they don't know how to make the tools to make the tools to make the tools to make the tools to make a laser-gun. A book like that wouldn't tell you how because it assumes a certain level of knowledge already.

edit: Book done, I must say

the fights with the demon princes were pretty intense, had me hooked completely

[Darkness]

I enjoyed it a lot but

The way it ended just like that, I felt like there should have been more to the story.

Even with that I cannot wait for book 3.

[WrathOfTinyKittens]

I enjoyed it a lot but

The way it ended just like that, I felt like there should have been more to the story.

Even with that I cannot wait for book 3.

Hold on - is this not a spoiler thread? Should I spoiler my previous entry?

In reply to you -

I disagree to some extent. Yeah it was strange that the Daylight War was set up as the conflict and then the climax had nothing to do with it, but I feel like the destruction of the demon princes was an excellent climax and stopping point.

[Darkness]

Hold on - is this not a spoiler thread? Should I spoiler my previous entry?

In reply to you -

I disagree to some extent. Yeah it was strange that the Daylight War was set up as the conflict and then the climax had nothing to do with it, but I feel like the destruction of the demon princes was an excellent climax and stopping point.

I don't disagree with the that bit, it was great then just stop. I cannot wait for the next book though.

[aidan]

Hold on - is this not a spoiler thread? Should I spoiler my previous entry?

In reply to you -

I disagree to some extent. Yeah it was strange that the Daylight War was set up as the conflict and then the climax had nothing to do with it, but I feel like the destruction of the demon princes was an excellent climax and stopping point.

It seemed like the Demon Princes were in the story solely to provide a climax, rather than to drive the plot along. The climax of the novel should have been

between Arlen and Jardir, the principal characters in the novel.