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186th out of 407 books
—
760 voters
Battleaxe (The Wayfarer Redemption #1)
A thousand years ago the Acharites drove the Forbidden from their land. Now, strange sightings along Achar's northern border foreshadow their return. The barbaric tribes of the Ravensbund are pouring south with the tales of fearsome beings who feed on the terror of their prey. Winter has come early, and with it the promise of war. Axis, bastard son of the dead Princess Riv...more
Mass Market Paperback, 674 pages
Published
July 5th 1995
by HarperCollins Voyager
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Within the first 150 pages, this book contains:
- An absurdly terrible prophetic "poem" about non-specific evil that must be defeated by a band of plucky heroes going on a quest.
- An obnoxious heroine who inexplicably has 20th century values in her generically medieval world, who is also amazingly beautiful in that way that only fantasy heroines in terrible books are.
- A douchey hero with an absurd name (to go along with the other absurd names in the book that sound like they were made up by a 4t...more
- An absurdly terrible prophetic "poem" about non-specific evil that must be defeated by a band of plucky heroes going on a quest.
- An obnoxious heroine who inexplicably has 20th century values in her generically medieval world, who is also amazingly beautiful in that way that only fantasy heroines in terrible books are.
- A douchey hero with an absurd name (to go along with the other absurd names in the book that sound like they were made up by a 4t...more
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This is a book by Sara Douglass, who is apparently Australian. It's set in a fantasy world, technology about 1200's. It's about this guy, named Axis, who is the military commander for a religious organization. Of course, the religious organization is trying to keep control over the world by pushing others out, while a big, bad meanie is trying to eat it. The writing is pretty good, the storyline is a bit hack, but the writer keeps you guessing, especially when considering the relationships betwe...more
this book is an adventure from start to finish. Axis the main character is a character in itself. in the begining it talks about the fued between him, his half brother and the rest of the kingdom. it also talks about the destroyer and how he came to be and from where in his mysterious birthing. this book is action packed and very explicit in the language and visual effects. readers under 14 shouldnt read this.
5 likes · like · see review
Sep 19, 2008
Pikapaula
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
masochistic fantasy fans
The cover of this book touts author Sara Douglass as Australia's best fantasy writer. That may be true, but then I weep for the other Australian fantasy writers. This book is weird, but in an embarrassing, not good way - with characters named things like "StarDrifter" and "WolfStar" (capitalization and spacing true to the book!). When it isn't formulaic and derivative, it's just plain psycho, with a dash of overwrought sex scenes thrown in for good measure. Since I was given the first book in th...more
The Aussies know how to write books. This is the second series I've started by an Aussie author, and within the first handful of pages it interested me. I've seen a lot of really negative reviews of this one and I just can't jump on board with them. It's a FANTASY story, of course it's not meant to be based in reality and of course you're going to have cliches. You have a prophecy that alters the life of all, a reluctant, soul-searching and sometimes unwilling hero, a woman torn between two brot...more
I love fantasy & science fiction. They are my favourite genres.
But there's a lot more great stuff out there than these books.
I found her world enthralling and the pace of the novel great, but the characters! Oh Sara Douglass, why must you make them ALL so awful that I cannot sympathise or care about a single one??
I had actually read reviews before I picked up the novel, so I approached the reading of this book with a new mindset - and one I have to say I wasn't particularly enthused to hav...more
But there's a lot more great stuff out there than these books.
I found her world enthralling and the pace of the novel great, but the characters! Oh Sara Douglass, why must you make them ALL so awful that I cannot sympathise or care about a single one??
I had actually read reviews before I picked up the novel, so I approached the reading of this book with a new mindset - and one I have to say I wasn't particularly enthused to hav...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
A thousand years ago the people of Achar drove the Forbidden from their land in the War of the Axe. They pulled down huge swathes of woodland in their fear and now live by the Way of the Plough under the benign guidance of their deity Artor.
Troubling rumours are brewing from the north. Winter has come - and stayed. Icy wraiths are appearing from the mist and killing soldiers at the border stronghold before vanishing. They are believed to be the Forbidden, massing in order to invade Achar and ki...more
Troubling rumours are brewing from the north. Winter has come - and stayed. Icy wraiths are appearing from the mist and killing soldiers at the border stronghold before vanishing. They are believed to be the Forbidden, massing in order to invade Achar and ki...more
i read this book some years ago when i was in high-school and liked it.
so upon finding my old box of books from then i decided to re-read this bad boy.
Wayfarer Redemption is Awesome
and ima tell you why
#1.) the Writing is great, there's just enough description, and non-lacking action to make this a book thats not a arduous task.
#2.)Characters & Creatures are pretty damn good. i loved the icarii and avar. the skraebolds/lings. very original all togethethere was a prophecy.r. the characters alt...more
so upon finding my old box of books from then i decided to re-read this bad boy.
Wayfarer Redemption is Awesome
and ima tell you why
#1.) the Writing is great, there's just enough description, and non-lacking action to make this a book thats not a arduous task.
#2.)Characters & Creatures are pretty damn good. i loved the icarii and avar. the skraebolds/lings. very original all togethethere was a prophecy.r. the characters alt...more
Faraday, daughter of Earl Isend of Skarabost and his wife, Lady Merlion, is betrothed to Duke Borneheld Warlord of Achar and heir to King Priam. Faraday doesnot want Borneheld but his half- brother, Axis, BattleAxe of the Axe-Wielders whom Borneheld hates and loathes like no other. Faraday dreams of Axis yet she must keep her pledge to Borneheld to preserve Axis's life no matter what she feels for Axis. The Prophecy of the Destroyer foretells of events where the lands of Achar must unite all of...more
A friend of mine gave me this series as a Xmas gift a few years back and I was HOOKED. One of the best series I have EVER read. I honestly could not put it down and since then I have desperately latched onto every single book Sara Douglass has written. They are all fantastic but this series is the best. Good versus evil at it's best. The character development is simply wonderful yet it reads like a fast paced thriller. What I also appreciate about this author but particularly in this series, is...more
An epic fantasy classic for a reason. I really enjoyed this one despite the presence of some fantasy tropes that normally make me unable to continue reading for the eyerolls. Yes, there's a prophecy that's cryptic but not so cryptic that you don't know who the bad guys are, yes all of the good guys are incredibly good-looking and morally pure, yes all of the bad guys are irredeemably bad and get up in the morning with new plans to really cement the idea that they're the bad guy. You know what? I...more
From book one I fell in love with this series. Sara Douglass with her magnificent story telling ability draws you into the story. She creates a whole new world, a completely unique story that is like nothing else I have read/seen. All of the books in these series are dauntingly large however I finished them in a matter of days because I become so engrossed in this story. I couldn't put them down, I couldn't sleep without wanting to know what would happen next. The skill seen in Australian fantas...more
Before I start, I will say this: I made a huge, huge error after reading this book. I looked ahead, and the whole plot line got spoiled for me by the blurb of book four. Now, I don't have the motivation to read this series past this, as I know what's going to happen and hate what she does with the second trilogy (books four, five and six). As a result I'm honestly not going to put much effort into this review, as my opinion has been soured. Please don't read into it too much. It was a great book...more
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Ok so I would never have picked up this book if f I had been browsing the shelves. One look at the cover and I’d probably have put it back. Can you blame me? It’s not attractive. The colours are rather dull and washed out. I don’t quite know what those characters are doing.
The thing about The Wayfarer Redemption is that it’s good in a cheesy 80s sort of way. Everyone is remarkably gorgeous, the kind who belong on the catwalk or on the cover of a magazine. Evil is really evil. And good is good. I...more
The thing about The Wayfarer Redemption is that it’s good in a cheesy 80s sort of way. Everyone is remarkably gorgeous, the kind who belong on the catwalk or on the cover of a magazine. Evil is really evil. And good is good. I...more
Initially, I read the first couple of chapters of this book and was bored with it. I didn't pick it up again for several weeks. When I did, it was slow going at first. About 1/3 of the way through it became pretty engaging. I think the overall story line is a bit formula, but the individual scenes are original and thought provoking and that is what draws you on. I still am not in love with the male characters in the book - they just seem so... well, shallow. (Did anyone else out there continuous...more
6/10
Sara Douglass's writing does improve a lot in her later books... which is good because when she wrote the Axis trilogy, her writing was absolutely terrible. Really bad poetry, foreshadowing which is ham-fisted at best, the poor baddies who are hated for no reason other than doesn't like them for some reason, beliefs which change unrealistically fast... should I go on? If I did this would be much longer I think.
However, it's somehow addictive despite the many faults (just born intelligent bab...more
Sara Douglass's writing does improve a lot in her later books... which is good because when she wrote the Axis trilogy, her writing was absolutely terrible. Really bad poetry, foreshadowing which is ham-fisted at best, the poor baddies who are hated for no reason other than doesn't like them for some reason, beliefs which change unrealistically fast... should I go on? If I did this would be much longer I think.
However, it's somehow addictive despite the many faults (just born intelligent bab...more
The plot and storyline were good. I just couldn't deal with the writing style. Perhaps I am too spoiled with 3rd person limited, but to be inside more than one person's head at a time was really throwing me off and distracting me from the story itself. In fact, at one point I stopped reading and spent an hour ranting in my private blog about how thrown off I was at the time. This is why it only got 3 stars. Had it been in 3rd limited, I probably would have given it 4.
That being said, the storyl...more
That being said, the storyl...more
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It's not often that I will pick up a book by an author I've heard nothing about, whether from a friend or review, but selecting Sara Douglass's "Wayfarer Redemption" from the library last week was a very lucky pick. Her world is rich with interesting peoples; full of mystery and subterfuge.
It's a slightly different kind of love story, although that is most definitely not the driving force behind the tale. Her characters inspire strong emotions from the reader, both good and bad, and she certainl...more
It's a slightly different kind of love story, although that is most definitely not the driving force behind the tale. Her characters inspire strong emotions from the reader, both good and bad, and she certainl...more
I really enjoyed the opening of this book, which was very original and gripping, but then as it played out over the course of the novel, the story ended up falling into the dual trap of following the established tropes of fantasy fiction and trying too hard and self-consciously not to. If Douglass hadn't sought to cram as many unusual and original pseudo-mythic and folkloric elements into the narrative and instead had just focused on developing the central story and relationship, this would have...more
I was introduced to this book in Year 12. All the seniors had to do a book report and for one term we chose the book we wanted to do from a list and were then divided up into classes depending on the book we chose. 'BattleAxe' as it is called here in Australia, was the only fantasy genre book on the list. So of course, it was the only choice for me.
From the horrible birthing scene at the beginning of the book, I was hooked. I have loved reading this book. I loved the Icarri ( I hope I have spelt...more
From the horrible birthing scene at the beginning of the book, I was hooked. I have loved reading this book. I loved the Icarri ( I hope I have spelt...more
Sans pour autant se détacher du style de la fantasy classique, l'auteur nous conte un monde original où les héros ont à faire avec les "Proscrits", créatures maudites par l'ordre religieux du Sénéchal. Axis, bâtard princier est le chef incontesté du bras armé de cet ordre mais il doit faire face à une Prophétie millénaire qui manipule le destin du monde d'Achar.
Intrigue, action, aventure mais aussi amour, rien n'est épargné au lecteur, condamné à lire d'une traite ce livre magnifique et passionn...more
Intrigue, action, aventure mais aussi amour, rien n'est épargné au lecteur, condamné à lire d'une traite ce livre magnifique et passionn...more
I had a thought
There was once an ending in a book that made me so mad, I refused to read anymore in the series.
I couldn't remember the book until I saw this on my recommendation shelf.
The book was pretty good, it had adventure, romance, all the elements of a good fantasy story. However, I remember of having the feeling of wanting to throw it against the wall when I finished. Maybe just maybe, I would reread it, but I would have to find the copy I own first.
If you want a really good book by the...more
There was once an ending in a book that made me so mad, I refused to read anymore in the series.
I couldn't remember the book until I saw this on my recommendation shelf.
The book was pretty good, it had adventure, romance, all the elements of a good fantasy story. However, I remember of having the feeling of wanting to throw it against the wall when I finished. Maybe just maybe, I would reread it, but I would have to find the copy I own first.
If you want a really good book by the...more
Mixed bag, but "meh" overall. Too pro-pagan and anti-Catholic for my tastes. A bit preachy and conflicting at times.
The one odd thing that I really liked about this book was one of the main character's personal strength to not commit adultery. Considering that the main hero is a product of adultery, I thought this was going to be a "pro-love anti-marriage" book (as if the two are mutually exclusive, lawl) but it's not completely. Also, the main villain was born because someone failed to have an...more
The one odd thing that I really liked about this book was one of the main character's personal strength to not commit adultery. Considering that the main hero is a product of adultery, I thought this was going to be a "pro-love anti-marriage" book (as if the two are mutually exclusive, lawl) but it's not completely. Also, the main villain was born because someone failed to have an...more
Ok, I liked it. That's why I read the whole thing. But I'm scared to read the rest of this series because 1. It's freaking long and 2. it is starting to bug me a little, and I feel like it will only get worse. Reading other's reviews hasn't helped my doubts on this one. I think I know that the Prophecy will all work out in the end, so I don't feel REALLY compelled to slog through the rest of the books to get there. Although it would be nice seeing Borneheld get what's coming to him.
At this point...more
At this point...more
A few thoughts on this book - and I'm taking into account that it's the first of a series.
There were aspects of the story I really enjoyed. The author did a great job of creating her world and defining the tensions between the factions. The three main stories were interesting, some more than others, but I wasn't disappointed at each shift in the tale.
That said, the thing that bugged me most about this book are the names. Yes, I can understand where she came from when creating the names, but real...more
There were aspects of the story I really enjoyed. The author did a great job of creating her world and defining the tensions between the factions. The three main stories were interesting, some more than others, but I wasn't disappointed at each shift in the tale.
That said, the thing that bugged me most about this book are the names. Yes, I can understand where she came from when creating the names, but real...more
i nominally stuck it through the rest of the book. if i'm being honest, the last 200 pages involved a lot of skimming. i didn't care about the characters, the names of people, places and things were awful. Axis, the BattleAxe of the Axe-Wielders? Come on. and Gorkentown. who could take that seriously. also, it relied to heavily on the common tropes of fantasy novels. it's weird, though. wheel of time also relies heavily on classic tropes, but i live breathe, and would die for wheel of time. the...more
This was the first book I read by this author and it gripped me from beginning to end. Her mythology was interesting and the characters came alive on the page. Axis, the Battleaxe of the title, is a fascinating character and develops incredibly over the three novels that make up the trilogy.
There is a strong supporting cast of characters and in discussing the trilogy with friends, I find that we all have our particular favourites depending on our own proclivities. Mine is and probably always wi...more
There is a strong supporting cast of characters and in discussing the trilogy with friends, I find that we all have our particular favourites depending on our own proclivities. Mine is and probably always wi...more
The Wayfarer Redemption by Sara Douglass is one of the better fantasy books I've read. This is an epic tale in every sense of the word. The characters are complex and well-thought out, while the plot builds in layers revealing a complex tapestry of plots and sub plots that will leave the reader racing through its pages to find out what will happen next.
Often enough you cannot accurately judge a book by its cover, but in the case of The Wayfarer Redemption, I found myself constantly stopping in...more
Often enough you cannot accurately judge a book by its cover, but in the case of The Wayfarer Redemption, I found myself constantly stopping in...more
I confess, I was drawn to this book based solely on the cover being hot. And, of course, I read the first few pages to make sure that the writing wasn't terrible before buying. SO glad that the cover caught my eye because I could *not* stop reading this one. The writing quality is good, which is quite important to me. The characters were all well developed. And it was easy to get drawn into their world. I had no idea where the story was going to take me. Truly a great fantasy book & series (...more
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Douglass was born in Penola, South Australia. She attended Annesley College, in Wayville, a suburb of Adelaide. She studied for her BA while working as a Registered Nurse, and later completed her PhD in early modern English History. She became a lecturer in medieval history at La Trobe University, Bendigo. While there she completed her first novel, BattleAxe, which launched her as a popular fantas...more
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