Brotherhood of the Wolf (Runelords #2) 3Stars

 

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 by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: Brotherhood of the Wolf
Series: Runelords #2
Author: David Farland
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 559
Words: 213K
Publish: 1999

Farland has some really neat ideas with this series. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have the same skill at creating fleshed out characters. This felt like reading 500+ pages of a Terry Brooks book. If you’ve ever read Terry Brooks, you’ll know what I mean. If you haven’t, don’t worry about it.

By the end of the book I REALLY wanted to know what happens next, but I didn’t care what happened to ANY of the characters. That’s not a good combination.

The reavers (another species that might be the up and coming species that displaces mankind, as mankind has done to other species) were a great addition and we get some really broad hints at what their end game is. But they are, once again, a generic threat without being “characterized” to my satisfaction. They should have remained beasts and not sentient beings.

I can see why this was as popular as it was at the time of publication. The Wheel of Time series was taking the world by storm but had slowed down to molasses and Farland was putting out these books every year to 18months and he kept the plotting much tighter than Jordan was doing. But my goodness, I can also see why this never became a Fantasy Behemoth.

I was looking ahead and according to Wikipedia, there is a narrative break in the story after book four, when the story moves on to Gaborn’s son (Gaborn is the Earth King). I think I’ll read up through book four and just let things go after that.

I rated this 3stars, but it was skirting the edge of the 2.5, really closely. I also know myself well enough that now that I’ve decided to read through book 4, I will. Call me pigheaded!

★★★☆☆

From the Publisher & Bookstooge

Raj Ahtan, ruler of Indhopal, has used enough forcibles to transform himself into the ultimate warrior: The Sum of All Men. Ahtan seeks to bring all of humanity under his rule-destroying anything and anyone that stood in his path, including many friends and allies of young Prince Gaborn Val Orden. But Gaborn has fulfilled a two-thousand-year-old prophecy, becoming the Earth King-a mythic figure who can unleash the forces of the Earth itself.

And now the struggle continues. Gaborn has managed to drive off Raj Ahtan, but Ahtan is far from defeated. Striking at far-flung cities and fortresses and killing dedicates, Ahtan seeks to draw out the Earth King from his seat of power, to crush him. But as they weaken each other's forces in battle, the armies of an ancient and implacable inhuman enemy issue forth from the very bowels of the Earth.

The Reaver Mage is killed, the rune of destruction of man is destroyed and Raj Ahtan and Gaborn are still enemies. They go their separate ways to deal with the overall Reaver threat. Gaborn has the blessing of the Earth removed from him for Choosing Raj and then allowing him to be attacked.

The Sum of All Men (Runelords #1) 3Stars

 

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 by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: The Sum of All Men
Series: Runelords #1
Author: David Farland
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 517
Words: 194K
Publish: 1998

Grim. That is the word to describe this book (and I suspect, the series). I suspect that is why I gave it 2stars back in ‘08 and never read any more. Now that some time has passed, I wanted to try the series again.

What I noticed this time around, specifically, was the utter lack of hope. Yes, there were embers of hope within individuals, but they were based solely upon their ability to do something about the situation. Considering who they were facing (Raj Ahten was pretty much at god level with all of his endowments), that hope was really wishful thinking and not true hope. There was no prophecy. There was no entity with greater power than anybody in the story. It was very much a “we are on our own and must make do” kind of story. If that appeals to you, then I highly recommend this book.

These books were written when the Wheel of Time had slowed to a crawl. Farland managed to write the first four books within a four year period. Then he slowed down due to life circumstances and as far as I know, the series never got past book 8 and remains unfinished, because Farland died. “He’s ded Jim”. I suspect I will be reading the first tetralogy and call it a day.

Series and authors like Farland and Jordan and Martin should be a serious warning to readers, especially those who think their favorite author is going to live forever (coughSandersoncough. Have you seen that guy? He’s almost 50 and is going to have a heart attack by then if he doesn’t lose a lot of weight. He’ll kill himself and then where will all the fans of his Stormlight Archives be? Up a creek without a paddle, that’s where). This is the reason I am such a fan of trilogies. Tell your story and then be done. The Runelords was originally going to be a trilogy before it bloated up to an 8book unfinished monstrosity.

Now, that there is a mighty lot o’ complaining, yessiree. I do acknowledge that. It mightn’t even make you question why I gave this 3stars and why I would continue with the series. It is because it is an intriguing story. Farland has actually thought out the logical consequences to his magic system, and while it is extremely depressing, it makes total sense. I am looking forward to someone in the story working out yet more shenanigans.

The covers are all by Darryl Sweet, the same guy who did the covers for the Saga of Recluce and the Wheel of Time. Don’t be put off by them, this story is very different from those. Sweet had one mode of drawing and that was it.

★★★☆☆

From Wikipedia

In the universe of The Runelords, there exists a unique magical system which relies on the existence of distinct bodily attributes, such as brawn, grace, and wit. These attributes can be transferred from one individual (or animal) to another in a process known as "giving an endowment". Lords who have taken many endowments become extremely powerful, almost superhuman, and are known as Runelords.

Seeking the hand of the Princess Iome Sylvarresta, Prince Gaborn Val Orden is sidetracked when the Wolf Lord Raj Ahten invades the Kingdom of Heredon, seeking to rule all of Rofehavan.

• The Sum of All Men (2008 Review)