The world of Athera lives in eternal fog, its skies obscured by the malevolent Mistwraith. Only the combined powers of two half-brothers can challe...
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reviews
Mar 26, 2010
Jon
rated it: 
Great prose, good characters, intriguing plot twists.
In fact, I spent the first part of this book in total confusion. I love maps and Janny's website has a great interactive map of Athera. Before I'd read forty pages, I had minutely scrutinized the online map in total frustration. I could not find the places Janny was referencing!
Eventually, my questions were answered (I should have more patience).
I absolutely loved the first half of this book, riding More...
In fact, I spent the first part of this book in total confusion. I love maps and Janny's website has a great interactive map of Athera. Before I'd read forty pages, I had minutely scrutinized the online map in total frustration. I could not find the places Janny was referencing!
Eventually, my questions were answered (I should have more patience).
I absolutely loved the first half of this book, riding More...
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Dec 01, 2010
Jon
rated it: 
Since I gave away my older Roc MMP edition to spread the 'good news' of Janny's Wars of Light and Shadow series, I took the opportunity in mid-May to purchase the re-released MMP edition while at DemiCom, where I had the privilege of meeting and visiting with Janny Wurts. I felt compelled to complete my collection of the series so that I could re-read Curse of the Mistwraith repeatedly to refresh my memory of the unfolding layers and complexities that comprise Athera.
I highly reco More...
I highly reco More...
Sep 26, 2011
Sandra aka Sleo
rated it:
This may have been one of the best books I've read. It certainly has one of the most complex, intriguing, and intense, brilliant, and enchanting main characters I've come across in a long, long time. I am so glad there are more books because I'm not ready to let go of Arithon.
It took some time for me to get oriented in the complex world that Janny has created. But once I did, it was hang on because the action is exciting and potentially deadly, the evil is truly scary, and the two ha More...
It took some time for me to get oriented in the complex world that Janny has created. But once I did, it was hang on because the action is exciting and potentially deadly, the evil is truly scary, and the two ha More...
5 comments
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(6 people liked it)
Aug 10, 2011
Simone
rated it: 
I'm giving up on this one on page 307 of about 600. It's just not grabbing me. Here are my problems with it:
1. I don't understand the basis for the system of magic being used, because it's never really explained. There are long, LONG passages where you read about WHAT the mages are doing, but have no idea HOW or WHY it is supposed to work. I have no idea if the efforts being made are likely to work or not, and so the descriptions fall pretty flat as far as building dramatic tens More...
1. I don't understand the basis for the system of magic being used, because it's never really explained. There are long, LONG passages where you read about WHAT the mages are doing, but have no idea HOW or WHY it is supposed to work. I have no idea if the efforts being made are likely to work or not, and so the descriptions fall pretty flat as far as building dramatic tens More...
6 comments
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(5 people liked it)
Aug 20, 2009
Ron
rated it:
I give up. It's not often I quit a book, especially after having waded through 400+ pages (and it so highly recommended by readers I trust), but I'm going to be the odd man out on this one.
The farther I got, the less I liked it. I don't care if either prince dies or kills the other. Two-thirds of the way through they (maybe/kinda/sorta) conquered the Mistwraith, and took up trying to be kings. Paradoxically, the initiate enchantress Elaira seemed the best drawn character.
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The farther I got, the less I liked it. I don't care if either prince dies or kills the other. Two-thirds of the way through they (maybe/kinda/sorta) conquered the Mistwraith, and took up trying to be kings. Paradoxically, the initiate enchantress Elaira seemed the best drawn character.
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(6 people liked it)
Dec 18, 2011
Carol
rated it: 
Unfortunately, I did not enjoy Mistwraith at all. I literally was forcing myself to read 50 to 100 pages at a time, before I'd lose interest and set it down again. Had the plot been told in a more linear fashion, with less background and more actual action, I might have enjoyed it more. Unfortunately, it suffered from a disjointed structure and over-abundance of verbage. As in example, within the first twenty-seven pages of the book, we are treated to a "Prologue," written in histor
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(1 person liked it)
Jul 27, 2011
Katy Budget Books
rated it:
Maryann says: The Mistwraith has blanketed the world in dank fog for five centuries. But those who believe the Mad Prophet's words keep faith that a descendant of the long ago banished high kings will come from another world to defeat it. . .
Arithon, the son of a pirate-king, has been trained to be a Master of Shadows but his hearts desire is to be a bard. Crown-prince Lysaer has been denied the teaching needed to skillfully wield his powers of light, but is schooled in way of politi
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Aug 22, 2010
Mike (the Paladin)
rated it: 
This is a good book, this is a well written book, and I wish I like it better than I do. It is well constructed, it's a well laid out world (worlds?) and the characters are filled out and "fairly" true to themselves.
I can't say that the plot or the characters are particularly original (as some reviewers have)... though to be fair, how many "really" new or original stories and characters are there? Yes, I've seen the the "archetypes". There are the broth More...
I can't say that the plot or the characters are particularly original (as some reviewers have)... though to be fair, how many "really" new or original stories and characters are there? Yes, I've seen the the "archetypes". There are the broth More...
Jul 08, 2010
Derek
rated it:
I've ordered more, but her writing style just doesn't resonate with me for some reason. I think I find her use of adjectives to be overdone. That sentence sounds horrifyingly pompous, and I don't mean that her style is bad or linguistically incorrect; it's just not one that I can read easily and enjoy. I think I find it distracting.
It could also be that I did not particularly like one of the two main characters, and in conjunction with the necessary world-building, this book took More...
It could also be that I did not particularly like one of the two main characters, and in conjunction with the necessary world-building, this book took More...
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(1 person liked it)
Jul 10, 2009
Jim
rated it:
The first book in a sweeping epic, it sets up a complex set of worlds & yet also has a ton of action. If you're looking for something that rivals the Lord of the Rings, I think this is it. If you're looking for a quick easy read, something you can skim through - don't read this book. You'll only get confused. Every word is hand picked & polished to wring out the full meaning.
While the book is a setup to a series, it doesn't end on a cliff hanger, something I appreciate. Actually More...
While the book is a setup to a series, it doesn't end on a cliff hanger, something I appreciate. Actually More...
Mar 02, 2011
Jane
rated it:
I loved the character of Arithon in this novel, however I got really really frustrated with the 'hand of god' type plot changes at convenient moments. Like when the brothers serendipitiously drink water that gives them a 500 year life span, and then when they are each 'miraculously' cursed by the mistwraith, and the fact that both carry a family heritage of a curse in their primary character traits - placed there sorcerously, and then when Arithon conventiently loses his sorcerous power in time
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(1 person liked it)
Jul 14, 2009
Stefan
rated it:
"The Curse of the Mistwraith" took me completely by surprise. Based on (obviously mistaken) assumptions, I expected something completely different - epic fantasy, yes, but nothing even close to the gorgeous prose and astounding depth I found in this novel.
The plot of this story is hard to summarize, partly because there are so many twists and turns that it's almost impossible not to run into spoiler territory very quickly. Two half-brothers, Arithon and Lysaer, are on o More...
The plot of this story is hard to summarize, partly because there are so many twists and turns that it's almost impossible not to run into spoiler territory very quickly. Two half-brothers, Arithon and Lysaer, are on o More...
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(12 people liked it)
Aug 11, 2010
Phoenixfalls
rated it:
If I had read just the last 50 pages of this novel I would have been quite impressed. They are wonderfully moving, reminiscent (in a good way) of the section in The Return of the King after Sauron is defeated but before the hobbits head back to the Shire.
Unfortunately, those last 50 pages are not earned by the 540 pages before. The first 540 pages were really quite bad -- not because Wurts is a poor writer, but because she is a poor storyteller. The sentence-by-sentence writing is ac More...
Unfortunately, those last 50 pages are not earned by the 540 pages before. The first 540 pages were really quite bad -- not because Wurts is a poor writer, but because she is a poor storyteller. The sentence-by-sentence writing is ac More...
6 comments
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(4 people liked it)
Mar 26, 2010
Chris
rated it:
I had a strange reaction to this book, and I know part of that reaction is due to the fact that I hate, really really hate, the whole cliche elder sibling theme that started in fairy tales. I know it's me, and to be fair, that is part of my reaction.
Wurts does a wonderful job world building, and the idea behind the series is wonderful. The main problem I had, however, was the fact that I felt absolutely no connection to either of the main characters. In fact, I was only really cur More...
Wurts does a wonderful job world building, and the idea behind the series is wonderful. The main problem I had, however, was the fact that I felt absolutely no connection to either of the main characters. In fact, I was only really cur More...
2 comments
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(1 person liked it)
May 23, 2011
Sam
rated it:
Curse of the Mistwraith, where to begin? Most of my feelings about this book have already been summarized by many of the reviews already given, the book was good...but not great. I thought the book opened fantastic and the story really drew me in and I could identify with the both the victim and the perceived villain, then those main characters are suddenly transported to another land to begin the real story. Where I found myself slogging through the next 400ish pages waiting for something of
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Jan 31, 2011
Monica!
rated it:
I'm so sad about this book. I wanted to *love* it -- I mean, look at that cover art! Who wouldn't fall all over themselves for that cover?! Plus, it's book one of... lots? So I was really excited about throwing myself into a new, hefty series.
It's unfortunate, then, that I just *liked* it. Maybe not even enough to tackle the rest of the series. Arithon and Lysaer are great characters, and very realistically well-written, but something about the book (whether the pacing of the p More...
It's unfortunate, then, that I just *liked* it. Maybe not even enough to tackle the rest of the series. Arithon and Lysaer are great characters, and very realistically well-written, but something about the book (whether the pacing of the p More...
Aug 02, 2011
The first half of this book is great, and moves the reader briskly through an intriguing adventure involving two princes caught up in a whirlwind of destiny. Somehow, though, the author loses this wonderful potential right around the middle, just when it gets good, by getting extremely wordy and chaotic with the storytelling. The entire plot gets blurred and starts to fall to pieces right when it should have been strengthened. I lost interest when I felt I should have been captivated and swep
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Jun 11, 2010
Julie
rated it:
This was my second reading of this book and it was harder to get into then I remember from my first read. It might be because I know that this book has a lot of information in it that sets up the whole series. I do like how Janny Wurts doesn't make things black and white with this series. There is no good and evil in the traditional sense but a lot of gray and how the characters handle things is left up to them. I don't feel like the characters are on a set path. I look forward to re-readin
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(2 people liked it)
Oct 06, 2011
Chelsea
rated it:
I like the *idea* behind the book, but I can't quite grasp the world she's cast it in. Like, who are these sorceresses and why do they all have a collective stick up their asses? What's with all the apostrophes? And for the high kings or whatever to have been so important, I feel like their only explanation was couched within the story of the sword.
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I'm on my first rereading. I'm starting to grasp the plot better, and it's starting to become much easier to grasp and follow alo More...
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I'm on my first rereading. I'm starting to grasp the plot better, and it's starting to become much easier to grasp and follow alo More...
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(2 people liked it)
Sep 25, 2011
Matt
rated it:
First off, I would like to say this: this was an extremely hard book to get through. I am not one to give up on a book after starting it no matter how bad it is. That being said, I nearly put this one down numerous times. Between the "woe is me" touchy-feeling behavior from the main characters and the large spans of pages where nothing really happens, I was really bored with this book. I really wanted to like this book more than I did. I like the idea of the main characters having to l
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Aug 28, 2010
Jeanne
rated it:
Reading this book was like eating an artichoke for me. Just as I really like artichokes, I liked the story and the characters, but, getting to the heart of the story took forever. Just like the elusive heart of an artichoke, the story was buried under layers and layers of prose.
Janny Wurts is a master craftsman at arranging words on a page, but to me the words often got in the way of the story's progression. I like to think I possess a pretty good vocabulary yet I found myself seeking More...
Janny Wurts is a master craftsman at arranging words on a page, but to me the words often got in the way of the story's progression. I like to think I possess a pretty good vocabulary yet I found myself seeking More...
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Aug 18, 2009
Libby
rated it:
Simply put, I loved this book. From the intriguing Prologue, to the turbulent climax, to the cautiously peaceful denouement, I loved this book. It was a reading experience and I am looking forward to continuing with the rest of this powerful series.
The main characters, half-brothers Lysaer and Arithon, are a living embodiment of Light and Dark in all its permutations: each always in contrast but both absolutely necessary to the other. Born on the splinter world of Dascen Elur and More...
The main characters, half-brothers Lysaer and Arithon, are a living embodiment of Light and Dark in all its permutations: each always in contrast but both absolutely necessary to the other. Born on the splinter world of Dascen Elur and More...
Jul 12, 2009
Chris
rated it:
This is a fantasy epic that is truly 'epic'. It has a bit of everything, and a lot of some things. It is not an easy/quick 'summer' read. It takes concentration, patience, and quite a bit of faith to become completely absorbed and brought along to the book's climax (actually the second one). And at that point, it scores a winning run...
This is certainly one that will inspire two things: first, that I get ahold of the rest of the series and dive into them, and second, that in time I g More...
This is certainly one that will inspire two things: first, that I get ahold of the rest of the series and dive into them, and second, that in time I g More...
Dec 29, 2010
Second time reading it, my general impressions seem to match the first time. Curse of the Mistwraith is the first book of an epic fantasy series (currently planned at 11 lengthy volumes; 8 of which are currently published). The tale centers on the conflict between a pair of half brothers, polar opposites in most ways. Interestingly, it opens with a deeper look at how the common history may not accurately reflect the truth. To the commoner in the tale, the battle is one of good vs. evil. To the r
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Aug 22, 2010
Alvin
rated it:
This book is first of a successful fantasy series by Janny Wurts. I learned later that the author has done her own cover art (!). The story is very compelling, the characters are very interesting, and the scope is quite vast. Janny Wurts is a very strong writer, but there were times that the author may have flexed her skills a little too much - some passages would have been as effective with less words - but overall, the book was a great read.
Feb 06, 2012
Court
rated it:
Well, I put this on my "read" shelf, but I only read about a third before I lost interest. I'm not sure why the author felt it necessary to hide the forward movement of the plot and thought processes of the characters amid scholar-level vocabulary. I'm grateful that my Kindle has that built-in dictionary, because it proved necessary several times per page. Some of the words weren't even included in the Kindle's dictionary, so I had to skip over them. In truth, I found myself skipping s
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Apr 07, 2009
Knight1
rated it:
One of the best books I have ever read. You can see elements of Wurts style and use of magic in subsequent author's works who have been more commercially promoted in the US. A creative, imaginative, descriptive, and multi-layered story with subtle hints of what's to come in future volumes. You feel like you have been planted into the middle of the story as you can see and feel what the characters are experiencing, and you really want to know what happens next! A reissue of the COTM starting i
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(2 people liked it)
Jul 03, 2009
Tracy
rated it:
I have had this book for many years, since it's original American release. The story that begins in this volume has incredible depth. There is magic, there is music, there is love and friendship and companionship; finally, there is deep-seated, curse-induced hatred and war(well, closer to a genocidal campaign). This book, indeed, the series as a whole, is not an "easy" read. It is complex and challenging and worth every second that is spent reading.
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(4 people liked it)
Sep 26, 2011
Bleys
rated it:
I love the fact that Janny Wurts gave the plot a LOT of wonderful twists and turns that will get you perked up all the time. At first, I admit that I was a little bit confused on how this ended up with that (no, I won't spoil it for you guys, LOL). However, towards the end I can not bring myself to stop reading. Highly recommended.
Jan 21, 2012
Suzie
rated it:
I couldn't finish this book. Though the story premise is interesting, I found the writing substandard. The author head-hops to the point where I often couldn't tell whose POV she was using or who was saying or thinking what and the interlude chapters were more confusing than enlightening.
