This
review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained
therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to
copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions.
Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot, Booklikes & Librarything by
Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
Title: The Parched Sea
Title: The Parched Sea
Series:
Forgotten Realms: The Harpers #1
Author:
Troy Denning
Rating:
2.5 of 5 Stars
Genre:
Fantasy
Pages:
310
Format:
Digital Edition
Synopsis: |
The Zentarim, followers of the god Cyric, are trying to forge a path through the desert to establish a lock on future trade routes. This “forging” includes the pacification of the tribes of the desert, whether by bribery or coercian, the Zentarim don't particularly care. The tribes must either support the Zentarim or perish tribe by tribe at the hands of the lizard mercenaries hired by the Zentarim.
Into this situation comes Lander, a
relatively new Harper. He has been chosen to oversee the situation
and do what he can to unite the tribes against the Zentarim. He comes
across a lone survivor of one of the tribes, an outcast young woman
named Ruha, who has been outcast for her magical powers. Now it is up
to these 2 to convince children in the guise of tribesmen to confront
a force that only promises riches.
With the help of a god, Ruha and Lander
can do it. But the victories that the Harpers win are not without
cost, as Lander finds out.
My Thoughts: Spoilers |
I've read enough Forgotten Realms books to know when I've hit a good one or a bad one pretty soon from the get go. Unfortunately, this was a typical Troy Denning book, which means it was mediocre pablum, even given the context of the universe he was writing in. So this was not a good book.
The Harpers sub-series is written by
enough various authors that I'm not giving up on it just from the
first book, but I have to say, this does not bode well.
Lander was not a very engaging main
character and when he dies near the end, it was more of a “meh”
moment than anything else. Ruha is more of token “woman” than
anything even while becoming more central to the story than Lander.
For a Harpers novel, they certainly didn't play much of a part. The
little bit I did see of them makes me wonder if I'm going to enjoy
their adventures or not. They seem to be meddlers and instead of
taking direct action, manipulate others to do their work [dirty or
otherwise] for them. While they claim to be proponents of freedom,
etc, they sure don't act like it.
No comments:
Post a Comment