palin99999 Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Just finished this one earlier. It took me a while to get into it, because the rural village setting is so familiar, but once Leesha's story got going it drew me in (despite skirting dangerously close to over-familiar there too) and from there on out it was plain sailing. Ditto. Leesha's story was what hooked me even though it was easy to see where her story, and everyone else's, was going. Almost done reading it. Nice flow to the prose. Interesting things transpiring under the plot surface, if I'm not mistaken. Will say more in a week or two, whenever I get around to writing a review of it.The subtext in this novel is what I hope to see more of in The Desert Spear. Hopefully he will move away from the familiar and in to darker territory. I especially liked Arlen slipping into the core while holding on to a coreling and the emergence of a possible holy war with another Deliverer found in Krasia.Things Authors Should Avoid #47: Slipping groan-inducing wordplay into climactic battle scenes.Towards the end of the book there were definitely some bad wordplay going on, but that can be forgiven for a first time writer.Overall I really enjoyed The Warded Man and am eagerly awaiting The Desert Spear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aidan Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 The subtext in this novel is what I hope to see more of in The Desert Spear. Hopefully he will move away from the familiar and in to darker territory. I especially liked Arlen slipping into the core while holding on to a coreling and the emergence of a possible holy war with another Deliverer found in Krasia.I'm about 100 pages into The Desert Spear and already finding it much darker and more uncompromising than The Warded Man. Life in Krasia is not easy, and Brett doesn't hold back with the trials his characters have to face. He's taking the series from the fluffy realm of Terry Brooks and Brandon Sanderson to a more mature place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
palin99999 Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 I'm about 100 pages into The Desert Spear and already finding it much darker and more uncompromising than The Warded Man. Life in Krasia is not easy, and Brett doesn't hold back with the trials his characters have to face. He's taking the series from the fluffy realm of Terry Brooks and Brandon Sanderson to a more mature place.Excellent. That's exactly what I was hoping to hear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renasko Posted April 5, 2010 Share Posted April 5, 2010 Looking through this thread, Larry's the only one touched upon the one thing that bothered me most of all with this book. To quote part of his review:Characterwise, I felt Brett rushed too quickly into a situation involving Leesha, as it seemed to me that he didn't remain as "true" to her developed character as he could have. Going to great pains to show her reluctance to conform to her village's sexual/moral double standards, only to reverse course to bring two characters together was a bit too abrupt for my tastes, although it must be noted that it wasn't simply just two bodies meeting and then crashing together in coition minutes later. Still, a bit more time developing a tension between these characters would have improved the plot and character dynamics.I'm becoming sorely disappointed with how author's in the genre tend to resolve or move character arcs.Authors really need to develop an element of care in their writing when they're carrying out sensitive scenes or character transitions, while dealing with strong themes.Like rape. I mean, what was he playing at? Section IV started terribly. One moment they're enjoying a few drinks and off to their room; the reader is taken out to the middle of nowhere with unfamiliar characters talking in a backhand way about performing wicked deeds. Then, we have the two main characters feeling the after-effects of this. Honestly, should I care?Ugh. What a dick move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edda van Heefmstra Ruston Posted April 5, 2010 Share Posted April 5, 2010 I care, but only because it's what prompted me to not pick up the later books in the series. I didn't buy that particular situation at all, and found it overly simplistic and frustrating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alguien Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 About four chapters into this one, (called the Warded Man in the US for some reason) which I just check out of the library. I really like the premise of the book, the demons (or corelings) coming every night and can only be stopped by mystic wards that must be continuously checked and re-drawn. Though you'd think that someone would have thought of tattooing or scarring their flesh to make themselves invincible. (perhaps that's where the title comes from or there's another reason it can't be done I haven't gotten to yet) The names of villagers bug me a bit, and the characters themselves seems a bit too cookie-cutter fantasy so far. Which is too bad, because the premise provides a ripe opportunity for excellent characters. One could almost hope for some kind of hybrid of The Road and I Am Legend. Too bad it comes off as a bit generic, thus far.Still, fun enough for me to keep reading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WrathOfTinyKittens Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 About four chapters into this one, (called the Warded Man in the US for some reason) which I just check out of the library. I really like the premise of the book, the demons (or corelings) coming every night and can only be stopped by mystic wards that must be continuously checked and re-drawn. Though you'd think that someone would have thought of tattooing or scarring their flesh to make themselves invincible. (perhaps that's where the title comes from or there's another reason it can't be done I haven't gotten to yet) The names of villagers bug me a bit, and the characters themselves seems a bit too cookie-cutter fantasy so far. Which is too bad, because the premise provides a ripe opportunity for excellent characters. One could almost hope for some kind of hybrid of The Road and I Am Legend. Too bad it comes off as a bit generic, thus far.Still, fun enough for me to keep reading.Having read both books, my take is that this is intentional - the book begins in a very stereotypical way for fantasy novels and then moves away from the stereotypes into new waters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedEyedGhost Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 About four chapters into this one, (called the Warded Man in the US for some reason) which I just check out of the library.Question for anybody that has read the UK version of the book - concerning the later part of the book: throughout the text of the is he called the "painted man" or the "warded man"? In the US version he's called the "warded man". Which is too bad, because the premise provides a ripe opportunity for excellent characters. One could almost hope for some kind of hybrid of The Road and I Am Legend. Too bad it comes off as a bit generic, thus far.Still, fun enough for me to keep reading.I found the book (both the first and second actually) to be very difficult to put down, but it does have some flaws - the main characters can be a bit too perfect at times and other issues. At the start of the first book I found it quite jarring when the POV was switched from Arlen to Leesha.Very fun books though, and I'm really looking forward to book three. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alguien Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Finally finished the first book. Good enough. The titular character was kind of awesome in the last part. It was fun, but the characters and their decisions felt juvenile. Not... realistic. Also, I see red fury when any fantasy character mentions "stew" as an example of good cooking. Christ on a cracker. My criticisms... it felt a bit of a veiled dig of Islam at times. Though that culture was, at least, the only ones to fight. Also, so tattoos exist already, since we're told most Messengers use them, yet no one thought to tattoo defensive wards on their body? Ever? That seems pretty oddAnd the whole rape thing is handled very poorly. It just comes out of nowhere. In fact, sex is probably, besides characterization, the author's biggest weakness. Anyway, I'm intrigued enough that I'll probably pick up the second. Very interested to learn just where it is that the Corelings come from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YellowDogJen Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 I recently read The Warded Man and The Desert Spear.They were fast, fun reads. I can't wait for the next book.Highly recommended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhom Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Question for anybody that has read the UK version of the book - concerning the later part of the book: throughout the text of the is he called the "painted man" or the "warded man"? In the US version he's called the "warded man".I found the book (both the first and second actually) to be very difficult to put down, but it does have some flaws - the main characters can be a bit too perfect at times and other issues. At the start of the first book I found it quite jarring when the POV was switched from Arlen to Leesha.Very fun books though, and I'm really looking forward to book three.Thread necro! Just finished the book and had REG's question on my mind. I enjoyed the book well enough and would be starting Desert Spear right now except for Republic of Thieves coming out tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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