Not terrible, but a little disappointed with just how “young adult” it felt.
I’m didn’t feel particularly drawn to reading yet another story about teenagers
going on a hero’s journey. Most of the story is driven by a poorly-motivated lack
of communication between all of the main characters, in a way that feels more
befitting of a Harry Potter book.
I did end up getting more drawn in as the book progressed, so I guess I’ll try
and stick with it for a couple more books before I write it off completely.
Things I liked:
World feels very lived in, compared to something like The Lord Of the Rings.
Plenty of slice-of-life vignettes, culture and backstory.
Things I disliked:
It’s hard not to draw comparisons to Tolkien: Band of younglings on a
perilous journey, led by a seemingly all-knowing mage, their mysterious
guardian who happens to be heir to a throne, stalked by a once-friendly wretch
that was corrupted by evil.
It’s hard to make soft magic systems feel believable and internally consistent
without falling down the Harry Potter hole. (There’s an app a spell for that!)
It’s hard to believe why nobody tells anybody anything in this story.