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41st out of 158 books
—
39 voters
Fall of a Kingdom (The Farsala Trilogy #1)
by
Hilari Bell (Goodreads Author)
Ages 12 & up
Who was Sorahb?
Stories are told of a hero who will come to Farsala's aid when the need is greatest. But for thousands of years the prosperous land of Farsala has felt no such need, as it has enjoyed the peace that comes from being both respected and feared.
Now a new enemy approaches Farsala's borders, one that neither fears nor respects its name and legen...more
Who was Sorahb?
Stories are told of a hero who will come to Farsala's aid when the need is greatest. But for thousands of years the prosperous land of Farsala has felt no such need, as it has enjoyed the peace that comes from being both respected and feared.
Now a new enemy approaches Farsala's borders, one that neither fears nor respects its name and legen...more
Paperback, 448 pages
Published
January 6th 2005
by Simon Pulse
(first published October 1st 2003)
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For all this book's good points (and there are many), it still fails because of one thing: I was rooting for the 'bad' guys the whole time.
Bell created a kingdom, Farsala, which has no redeeming qualities. The peasants are treated like shit, their technology is stale, their legal system is so corrupt it has more holes in it than swiss cheese. Every part of every facet of every system they have is flawed.
On the other side, we have the Hrum. More commonly known as the Romans. They have a fair ever...more
Bell created a kingdom, Farsala, which has no redeeming qualities. The peasants are treated like shit, their technology is stale, their legal system is so corrupt it has more holes in it than swiss cheese. Every part of every facet of every system they have is flawed.
On the other side, we have the Hrum. More commonly known as the Romans. They have a fair ever...more
I have to admit that I am a fan of fantasy books that take place in desert settings. I've yet to read one that I don't like, and Fall of a Kingdom is no exception. The book is decent, but I had some issues with it. First, the characters. Soraya is basically a spoiled daddy's girl, until she strikes out on her own and one event makes her completely change. I found her transformation sudden and a bit unbelievable. Jiaan, the illegitamate son of a king is treated very well for his position and is p...more
The Farsala Trilogy is brilliant, well written and captivating. The magic that isn’t really magic is one of the most realistic, creative well crafted interpretations that I have ever come across. Instead of magic it’s more like an affinity, a connection and telekinesis all rolled into one. The “magic” is a skill instead of a craft or revered position. Like riding a bike, painting or dancing it is an essential yet overlooked skill that, though it may need practice, is something that you never rea...more
The vocabulary was a little bit of a hindrance in getting into this book, but once the definitions with their cultural understandings are in place, this book was hard to put down. The biggest benefit -- from a parent's perspective -- a youth could get out of reading this book is an understanding of politics. Hearing the thoughts of a cunning peasant peddler while being taught along with him the ways of a foreign people he has agreed to spy for is the easiest way to comprehend the waxing and wani...more
This book would have been better for me if it had only been told by Jiaan and Kavi. At first I thought that Soraya was going to be the type of tom boy princess everyone likes. It turns out she is the tom boy princess with the mean girl princess attitude. I did not like or feel bad for her at anytime during this book. Even at the end when she gets new of the first battle I couldn't muster any sympathy towards her.
This seemed more like a set up book for the future. We got to know the main characte...more
This seemed more like a set up book for the future. We got to know the main characte...more
This is an entertaining book. Basically, the Kingdom of Farsala is under threat of attack. The military commander's political rival convinces the temple to declare that they will win if the commander sacrfices his daughter to the djinn. The story revolves around three teens, a peddler Kavi, Jiann, the commanders illegitimate son, and the daughter,Soraya. Soraya is whisked into hiding, Kavi becomes a spy, and Jiann battles his own feelings of worthlessness while the battle looms in the background...more
It was okay, nothing extraordinary. Nothing popped out at me in the first hundred pages, and nothing noteworthy caught my attention thereafter, either. This world did not have many original ideas and it and thus just blended in with everything else I've read.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the book was Kavi and his point of view on whether or not the deghans ought be overthrown. He was probably the best character in this story - although all the characters, in my opinion, weren't interes...more
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the book was Kavi and his point of view on whether or not the deghans ought be overthrown. He was probably the best character in this story - although all the characters, in my opinion, weren't interes...more
This was kind of a generic YA fantasy book, the first of a trilogy. I'm not sure whether I'll bother reading the others. It wasn't especially enthralling, and it reminded me of a bunch of other ones I've read. Spoiled brat is taken in by barbarian tribe, becomes less spoiled/more determined, blah blah blah. However, there were several cool aspects. 1. One group was clearly the Roman Empire. The other group may have been the Huns? 2. You're not really sure whom to support. In the beginning the pr...more
I actually quite liked this book especially because of the two different story points of Kavi and Jiaan, how one is trying to bring about the fall of the old ways because of personal reason, and one works to maintain them for reasons equally personal. I like the interplay between the characters, as well as the offset between the Hrum and the Deghans, and as a whole the only short fall of the book in my opinion was Soraya. even in the end with her new found surprise, she still acts like a vengefu...more
Fall of a Kingdom was a title I picked up for its cover art. I had the book for about three months before I actually got into the story. I found the story a bit slow in the beginning, but then what story isn't? Once I got to know the characters the story took off I couldn't wait to read what happened next to each of the characters. I loved how Bell wrote each chapter from the view of one of her three main characters, Jiann, Soraya, and Kavi. Honestly the story only gets better and more interesti...more
Once again, I get through a trilogy and think, “This would have been better if it was two volumes instead of three.” I got bogged down in the details during Vol. 2, especially; and since the series also suffers from a measure of the didacticism so common in YA and teen lit, this was nearly enough to make me put it down for good. But, the overall resolution was slightly surprising, not quite inevitable, and fairly awesome. The “point” of the lecturing aspects was that “right” sometimes depends on...more
A 4.5 (half a point docked for language) I don't know why, but I always love a good book on the politics of war. I wouldn't say this was one of the typical fast paced thrillers that I usually read, but it was actually nice to slow the pace down a little and get into some good, complicated plot lines. But that isn't to say that there wasn't a lot of excitement in this book, because there definitely was. I finished this book in one day, and its long, so it must have been good. :) It was hard getti...more
The Farsala Trilogy is an excellent adventure/magic/action series, but most of all it's a great story of war. Not just fighting, but all the intrigue and negotiation and logistics that go along with the fighting.
There are no fantasy creatures in this series - just various groups of people with different talents and motives. The first book, 'Fall of a Kingdom', takes a lot of time to introduce the characters and conflict, before any battle is fought. You have to be patient to reach the hacking a...more
There are no fantasy creatures in this series - just various groups of people with different talents and motives. The first book, 'Fall of a Kingdom', takes a lot of time to introduce the characters and conflict, before any battle is fought. You have to be patient to reach the hacking a...more
Nov 26, 2008
Nia Hastings
added it
Recommends it for:
Young to Middle Teens (13-15 or 16)
Recommended to Nia by:
Myself
Shelves:
read-too-many-times
I loved this. The story was interesting, with enough different facets to keep a reader happy. If not paticularly surprising, the plot had plenty going on to surpress the ease of figuring out what was going to happen. Also, it dealt a little on matters of honor and the right and wrong issue, and how sometimes right and wrong aren't clear, and honor is something you have to make up as you go. A good thing to give young teenagers, who, as long as they can keep up with all the ideas of what is going...more
Nice story, interesting enough to make me want to read the rest of the series. I like the way she writes her characters, where they have a role to play in the story but also some real backstory that motivates them to behave that way. I also enjoyed the book's examination of different ways of wielding power, and of what loyalty means. I'm really curious to see how it turns out in the end!
In general I think people should read more Hilari Bell. I enjoy her books a lot. I'd recommend them to any fan...more
In general I think people should read more Hilari Bell. I enjoy her books a lot. I'd recommend them to any fan...more
At first, I expected this to be a story of redemption. Soraya is a spoiled, rich dehgass who is born into a ruling family. Kavi is the less than truthful peddlar who will do anything to save his life. And finally, Jiaan, the illegitimate half brother of Soraya who is out to prove himself. Luckily, this story surpassed my expectations. Similar to the Knight/Rogue series, Bell switches viewpoints, which can be confusing, but also refreshing. I really liked how this Volume covered the ending of the...more
Flame, originally titled The Fall of a Kingdom, was a slightly disappointing read. At first glance (with its new cover), it seemed fairly promising. Of course, one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, as proved by the original cover art, which makes the book out to be yet another Tolkien rip-off fantasy.
Perhaps my expectations were too high, but Flame was, simply, not very interesting. It was not, thankfully, merely a Tolkien rip-off, but it seemed to be a hash of a few stories most of us have...more
Perhaps my expectations were too high, but Flame was, simply, not very interesting. It was not, thankfully, merely a Tolkien rip-off, but it seemed to be a hash of a few stories most of us have...more
Fall of a Kingdom by Hilari Bell published 2003 genre fiction
Fall of a kingdom is about three people, Kavi, Soraya, and Jiaan, and what they do throughout the story. The book is set in Farsala where there is a nation on the way to conquer them and has conquered 30 countries before Farsala.
The theme of the book that stands out to me is that "nothing is invincible." This is because Throughout the story Kavi is working to overthrow the rulers that he believes are terrible rulers. Everyone who is...more
Fall of a kingdom is about three people, Kavi, Soraya, and Jiaan, and what they do throughout the story. The book is set in Farsala where there is a nation on the way to conquer them and has conquered 30 countries before Farsala.
The theme of the book that stands out to me is that "nothing is invincible." This is because Throughout the story Kavi is working to overthrow the rulers that he believes are terrible rulers. Everyone who is...more
Review originally posted here.
Yay for a fantasy trilogy not set in a pseudo medieval Europe type place! Farsala is an ancient Persian type country about to be smacked down by a Greco-Roman type empire. The Farsalan nobility are haughty and arrogant. Everything in Farsala works to the benefit of the deghans (nobility). If as a peasant you serve a generous deghan so much the better for you. If not your life is misery. The religious system of the country is exploited by and used to benefit the degh...more
Yay for a fantasy trilogy not set in a pseudo medieval Europe type place! Farsala is an ancient Persian type country about to be smacked down by a Greco-Roman type empire. The Farsalan nobility are haughty and arrogant. Everything in Farsala works to the benefit of the deghans (nobility). If as a peasant you serve a generous deghan so much the better for you. If not your life is misery. The religious system of the country is exploited by and used to benefit the degh...more
Have just lost the *second* review of this book, and this one was finished and just getting tweaked, so is most frustrating.
Briefly, I had gone on at length about the major problem I had with this book, which was an anachronistic presentation of the way one of the three main characters reacted to slavery. The kingdom of the title is Farsala (lightly fictionalised and fantasized ancient Persia), and it's a pretty rotten one, unless you're a deghan (noble). Farsala is about to be attacked by the...more
Briefly, I had gone on at length about the major problem I had with this book, which was an anachronistic presentation of the way one of the three main characters reacted to slavery. The kingdom of the title is Farsala (lightly fictionalised and fantasized ancient Persia), and it's a pretty rotten one, unless you're a deghan (noble). Farsala is about to be attacked by the...more
As much as I love Hilari Bell's writing, this book was a disappointment. The story was good, but like most fantasy stories Bell had created a language all her own. The problem was that she didn't explain things well enough. I spent much of the book going back and forth, having to remind myself who was who and what was what. She doesn't take the time to explain what something is before she moves on. Reader's kind of get the general idea what things are, but are never really clear. I don't like ha...more
This trilogy came highly recommended by Tamora Pierce, who is one of my all-time favorite authors, and my brother, who I almost always listen to in the area of books. Tamora Pierce has listed this book on one of her recommended reading lists (and yes, I do stalk those when I'm bored). I was a little hesitant when I read the excerpt because, while I do love fantasy, I don't always enjoy worlds where the author makes up half of the worlds and the culture is just so out there. With all the 'Time's...more
Fall of a Kingdom is about three people: Soraya, Jiaan, and Kavi who fight to save Farsala from the relentless march of the Hrums. The priests of Azura demand Soraya to be sacrificed so that the djinn of war does not turn against the Farsalaians in their war against the Hrum. They are now fighting in Senar, the country to the west to Farsala. Soraya is sent to the badland, a range of mountains that drop into the desert, as a sacrifice. As she is sent with Jiaan to the badlands, they encounter a...more
Brilliant! Fall of a Kingdom is one of the most entertaining and thrilling books that I've read for a long time. Kept me hungry for more, and I'm glad the author didn't disappoint. However, there are certain aspects in the book that need tweaking, such as proper character development and more insight into the characters' minds; it seems that the characters are a bit contradictory. Plus, there are certain aspects in her story that had me confused, especially the deghan arrangement. No matter. H...more
I think I would have liked this more if I had not just finished reading Michael and Fisk. I was coming off a high of a fun, sparkling relationship, and there was no such relationship in this book. My impression was that the main characters would be saving the world together, but they spent hardly any time in each other's company. I enjoyed the world-building, but I have come to enjoy Hilari Bell's characters and wanted to see more interaction between them.
I love low fantasy, I love deserts, and I love Hilari Bell, so picking up this book was a natural step, years ago when I first did it.
I think the characters are what stuck with me the most. They are well-developed, sympathetic, clever, and interesting.
This series is more or less my judgment point for fantasy novels: if it entertains me at least as much as this one did, I consider it worthwhile. If not, it's probably a waste of time.
I think the characters are what stuck with me the most. They are well-developed, sympathetic, clever, and interesting.
This series is more or less my judgment point for fantasy novels: if it entertains me at least as much as this one did, I consider it worthwhile. If not, it's probably a waste of time.
This book has almost 3 different stories in 1. Different points of view from Jiaan, Soraya and Kavi. On the cover its says adventure, majic, rebellion. The adventure starts on page 300 when Jiaan sees some enemys. The only majic is when Soraya to talk to water and fire. The only rebellion is when Kavi gets kidnappedand forced into being a spy. My point is that the book is based around 3 points of veiw that arent very interesting. The desert setting is usually great for fantasy, but not this book...more
I love this series!
And I'm adding re-reads to this year's reading challenge -- just to make sure I'll be able to re-read some of my favorites.
Definitely, this series is one of my favorites. What I love most about it is precisely what some people hate about it -- that our "heroes" are not always right. It's really interesting to see the conflicts that develop when the "bad" side has so much good to offer. And I love how Hilari Bell incorporates the ancient Persian myths! I also love her depiction...more
And I'm adding re-reads to this year's reading challenge -- just to make sure I'll be able to re-read some of my favorites.
Definitely, this series is one of my favorites. What I love most about it is precisely what some people hate about it -- that our "heroes" are not always right. It's really interesting to see the conflicts that develop when the "bad" side has so much good to offer. And I love how Hilari Bell incorporates the ancient Persian myths! I also love her depiction...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I love this trilogy. It's full of action, battle tactics, wit, suspense, humor, and most of all, humanity. I do admit, it can take a while to get interesting, but once it does, it never stops. I found myself laughing, sniffling, and resisting the urge to slap the characters all within a few pages. With each book, it felt like I was greeting old friends. It's such a breath of fresh air.
(I dare you to not like Kavi)
(I dare you to not like Kavi)
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| depth | 2 | 10 | Jun 12, 2011 12:18pm |
As far as writing is concerned, I call myself the poster child for persistence. Songs of Power, the first novel I sold, was the 5th novel I'd written. When it sold I was working on novel #13. The next to sell, Navohar, was #12, and the next, A Matter of Profit, was #9. The Goblin Wood was #6, and the first Sorahb book, Flame (later renamed Farsala: Fall of a Kingdom), will be #15. You get the pict...more
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