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The Runelords #2
Brotherhood of the Wolf
The epic struggle begun in THE SUM OF ALL MEN continues in BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF.
Gaborn has managed to drive off Raj Ahten, but Ahten is far from defeated. Striking at far-flung cities and fortresses and killing dedicates, Ahten seeks to draw out the Earth King from his seat of power, in order to crush him. But as they weaken each other's forces in battle, the armies of an ancient and implacable enemy issue forth from the very bowels of the Earth. . .
Gaborn has managed to drive off Raj Ahten, but Ahten is far from defeated. Striking at far-flung cities and fortresses and killing dedicates, Ahten seeks to draw out the Earth King from his seat of power, in order to crush him. But as they weaken each other's forces in battle, the armies of an ancient and implacable enemy issue forth from the very bowels of the Earth. . .
688 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
180 people are currently reading
2904 people want to read
About the author
David Farland
155 books1,199 followersDavid Farland is the author of the bestselling Runelords series, including Chaosbound, The Wyrmling Horde and Worldbinder. He also writes science-fiction as David Wolverton. He won the 1987 Writers of the Future contest, and has been nominated for a Nebula Award and a Hugo Award. Farland also works as a video game designer, and has taught writing seminars around the U.S. and Canada. He lives in Saint George, Utah. He passed away on January 14, 2022.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidf...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidf...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 198 reviews
September 23, 2019
In a perfect world, I believe these novels should have been published as novellas. The end of book 2 is actually the end of "book" 8 and as far as I can tell, all of the Runelords Saga is one long story. I'm guessing, of course, but it feels very focused and quite epic.
It kinda has to be. The tale of the Sum of All Men and the Earth King deserves no less. Some strategies, much more along the way of consolidating or losing power, this particular book culminates in a massive uprising of monstrous Reavers that threaten both sides and all of humanity.
The epic battle is just that: epic. Very enjoyable. Massive. Bloody. :)
That being said, I now appreciate just how much I love Peter V. Brett's Demon Cycle. There's a lot of similarities between these. But if you like the Demon Cycle, I'm pretty sure you'd love Farland's Runelords. With all that entails.
My only problem is with the direction of the plot at the end. Am I happy that it had to go this way? Not really. I mean, it may turn out pretty awesome, but hamstringing the Earth King made me a little pissed.
Fortunately, I'm pretty gung-ho about learning how these books will rectify that. :)
It kinda has to be. The tale of the Sum of All Men and the Earth King deserves no less. Some strategies, much more along the way of consolidating or losing power, this particular book culminates in a massive uprising of monstrous Reavers that threaten both sides and all of humanity.
The epic battle is just that: epic. Very enjoyable. Massive. Bloody. :)
That being said, I now appreciate just how much I love Peter V. Brett's Demon Cycle. There's a lot of similarities between these. But if you like the Demon Cycle, I'm pretty sure you'd love Farland's Runelords. With all that entails.
My only problem is with the direction of the plot at the end. Am I happy that it had to go this way? Not really. I mean, it may turn out pretty awesome, but hamstringing the Earth King made me a little pissed.
Fortunately, I'm pretty gung-ho about learning how these books will rectify that. :)
June 28, 2021
The second volume in the Runelord's saga picks up where the first left off, and like the first volume, the events chronicled take place in less than a week. The Runelords finished up with the king of Indhopal-- Raj Ahtan-- fleeing a battleground due to a ruse by Prince Gaborn and friends. Because of the time of the year, it was assumed by the folks in Rofehavan that he would return to his nation; that notion was quickly dispelled...
This series definitely has taken some unexpected turns. In The Runelords, I thought the premise was going to be about a power struggle between nations, interesting given the strange magic of 'endowments', which allows kings and knights to be incredibly augmented with the 'wit', 'brawn', 'stamina' and so forth of other people, making them superhuman in a way. Farland spend a lot of time there in describing the magic system and the implications. Yet, at the end of The Runelords, we had Gaborn crowned as the new Earth King by the spirits/wrights. Like in times of yore, when reavers threatened humanity, a mighty Earth King arose and finally banished the reavers to the underground. It seems that they have (for reasons unknown) decided to end their banishment and all of humanity is at risk.
The BotW firmly moves the series into epic territory as the reavers make their first move. Yet, Gaborn is still plagued on many fronts-- Raj Ahtan refuses to bow to the new Earth King and many kings in his own land refuse also, creating serious political divisions, and these divisions may ultimately serve to lead to humanity's downfall. Can Gaborn and friends overcome the threat posed by Raj and other traitorous kings to save humanity? Will they be forced to war among themselves, ignoring the larger threat posed by the reavers?
Farland introduces several new characters here and while Gaborn is still the main protagonist, clearly Farland is moving away from him as other leads start to shine. My favorite is young Averan, a 9 y.o. 'skyrider' (rides on giant winged lizards as a messager) 'crash lands' when she sees the 'green lady' fall from the sky and land rather horribly. Yet, she seems to be ok. She obviously is the missing Wylde the earth wizard created in the last volume, but she is as a clueless child. Averan takes her under her wing, assisted by Roland, a former Dedicate (and father to Borenson, formerly Gaborn's bodyguard) and an old Knight who they meet along the way. Borenson himself was sent on a mission to Raj's harem to get his wife to plead the Earth King's case for alliance to Raj himself...
Again, like the first, a sprawling novel with interesting characters, and Farland again perhaps tries to pack a little too much in here. While it might sacrifice a little nuance, a few hundred pages could be loped off with no real ill impact to the story, or the characters. So, I still find myself intrigued by the series so far and plan on reading the next one, but a little frustrated with the pacing and not-so-meaningful subplots that keep popping up like weeds in a garden. 3.5 stars!
This series definitely has taken some unexpected turns. In The Runelords, I thought the premise was going to be about a power struggle between nations, interesting given the strange magic of 'endowments', which allows kings and knights to be incredibly augmented with the 'wit', 'brawn', 'stamina' and so forth of other people, making them superhuman in a way. Farland spend a lot of time there in describing the magic system and the implications. Yet, at the end of The Runelords, we had Gaborn crowned as the new Earth King by the spirits/wrights. Like in times of yore, when reavers threatened humanity, a mighty Earth King arose and finally banished the reavers to the underground. It seems that they have (for reasons unknown) decided to end their banishment and all of humanity is at risk.
The BotW firmly moves the series into epic territory as the reavers make their first move. Yet, Gaborn is still plagued on many fronts-- Raj Ahtan refuses to bow to the new Earth King and many kings in his own land refuse also, creating serious political divisions, and these divisions may ultimately serve to lead to humanity's downfall. Can Gaborn and friends overcome the threat posed by Raj and other traitorous kings to save humanity? Will they be forced to war among themselves, ignoring the larger threat posed by the reavers?
Farland introduces several new characters here and while Gaborn is still the main protagonist, clearly Farland is moving away from him as other leads start to shine. My favorite is young Averan, a 9 y.o. 'skyrider' (rides on giant winged lizards as a messager) 'crash lands' when she sees the 'green lady' fall from the sky and land rather horribly. Yet, she seems to be ok. She obviously is the missing Wylde the earth wizard created in the last volume, but she is as a clueless child. Averan takes her under her wing, assisted by Roland, a former Dedicate (and father to Borenson, formerly Gaborn's bodyguard) and an old Knight who they meet along the way. Borenson himself was sent on a mission to Raj's harem to get his wife to plead the Earth King's case for alliance to Raj himself...
Again, like the first, a sprawling novel with interesting characters, and Farland again perhaps tries to pack a little too much in here. While it might sacrifice a little nuance, a few hundred pages could be loped off with no real ill impact to the story, or the characters. So, I still find myself intrigued by the series so far and plan on reading the next one, but a little frustrated with the pacing and not-so-meaningful subplots that keep popping up like weeds in a garden. 3.5 stars!
January 23, 2020
Well, not as good as the first one but still pretty good. I dropped it to 3 as I think this one stretched the story out a bit...too much book for the plot so to speak.
That said as we go forward the novel does finally catch up to the story telling and we follow our heroes on as they try to survive against one blood thirsty power mad king ( Raj Ahten) who wants to be the one to save human-kind, and is willing to wipe out the rest of humanity if they won't help him or let him be the said hero AND the Reavers who are now ready to (again) take a shot at wiping out (and of course eating) humans.
Attitudes are (of necessity) changing about receiving attributes from animals (specifically dogs). All in all, things don't look real good.
I can recommend it, though it does drag a bit and (in my humble opinion of course) is a bit over long.
That said as we go forward the novel does finally catch up to the story telling and we follow our heroes on as they try to survive against one blood thirsty power mad king ( Raj Ahten) who wants to be the one to save human-kind, and is willing to wipe out the rest of humanity if they won't help him or let him be the said hero AND the Reavers who are now ready to (again) take a shot at wiping out (and of course eating) humans.
Attitudes are (of necessity) changing about receiving attributes from animals (specifically dogs). All in all, things don't look real good.
I can recommend it, though it does drag a bit and (in my humble opinion of course) is a bit over long.
May 5, 2019
Finally finished this book earlier this year.. What I do like about the book is how uncoventional it continues to be in terms of its approach to the fantasy genre.
A runelord is able to take attributes from another like stamina, voice, beauty, etc... to increase hi/her own abilities. It is a neat concept and I think later there will be a fine line between heroes/villians.
My favorite line from the whole book came from Baron Poll page 283 " I can still eat rocks for breakfast and crap sand for a week after".
I definitely enjoyed the read more the second time around.
The Reavers Farland writes are downright Lovecraftian in description and scope and pose the major threat throughout the novel.
A runelord is able to take attributes from another like stamina, voice, beauty, etc... to increase hi/her own abilities. It is a neat concept and I think later there will be a fine line between heroes/villians.
My favorite line from the whole book came from Baron Poll page 283 " I can still eat rocks for breakfast and crap sand for a week after".
I definitely enjoyed the read more the second time around.
The Reavers Farland writes are downright Lovecraftian in description and scope and pose the major threat throughout the novel.
January 11, 2008
Book two is still one of the better fantasy series out there because it struggles to avoid the cliches of the genre. It still fails. It also violates a few other rules of writing, for example:
Rule #38a: If your book goes over 500 pages and your name is not Leo Tolstoy, make it smaller.
Rule #38b: If your trilogy goes over 3 books, make it smaller.
Rule #48: If you are a really good writer, than you are permitted to bring _at_most_ a single character back from the dead in a series (c.f. J.R.R.Tolkien). Bringing back two in a single book is just pathetic.
Rule #97: If your monsters can barely be slain by the greatest of warriors, don't forgot a hundred pages later and make them vulnerable to random peasant attacks.
Rule #38a: If your book goes over 500 pages and your name is not Leo Tolstoy, make it smaller.
Rule #38b: If your trilogy goes over 3 books, make it smaller.
Rule #48: If you are a really good writer, than you are permitted to bring _at_most_ a single character back from the dead in a series (c.f. J.R.R.Tolkien). Bringing back two in a single book is just pathetic.
Rule #97: If your monsters can barely be slain by the greatest of warriors, don't forgot a hundred pages later and make them vulnerable to random peasant attacks.
May 25, 2014
Raj Ahtan has fled from Gaborn Val Orden, the prophesied and ascendant Earth King. Tricked on the field of battle by a ruse, Ahtan is far from vanquished. Bolstered by the strength, speed, stamina, charisma, and beauty of thousands of men, he moves to strike at where Gaborn is weakest, to tear down the kingdoms of Rofehaven from within. But while Ahtan works to lure Gaborn into a trap, Gaborn realizes a greater enemy is threatening, and designs a plan that he hopes will ally Ahtan with him against this foe.
Taking place over the course of just a few days, Brotherhood of the Wolf picks up right where The Sum of All Men left off without breaking stride. Gaborn is grappling with the ramifications of becoming the Earth King, as well as his marriage to Iome Sylvarresta, the daughter of the late King Jas Laren Sylvarresta. Determined not to use forcibles to increase his strength and power, Gaborn finds himself at an immediate disadvantage to Ahtan's super human abilities, not to mention vulnerable to any who does not share his qualms.
It is an ongoing source of dissonance for Gaborn: he sees the slavery and debilitation caused when ever one man gives his abilities to another, but is faced with an enemy that is prepared to end not just humanity but all life on the earth. Should he accept the endowments of other men to become strong enough for the coming battle, or should he rely on his new found abilities as the Earth King? With the selection by the Earth, though, comes responsibility above those of other men, and Gaborn must weigh the future of all men as he makes his decisions.
With how short a time as passes during the novel, events unfold at a breakneck pace. If only Farland would move his text as fast. Not atypical for an epic fantasy, Brotherhood clocks in at nearly 700 pages. Frequently I found myself wondering if a few of those pages weren't unnecessary to the story.
The result is that Farland develops his characters more than might otherwise be possible in such a short period of time. The length of the novel lends itself to more viewpoints than a shorter story might allow, and shows the reader a broader vision of the events unfolding. While the story never drags--per se--a faster paced story might have spent less time with each view point.
If The Sum of All Men was intended to introduce the main protagonist and antagonist of The Runelords series, then Brotherhood feels like a pulling back of the curtain. The threat to Rofehaven and the entire world is far greater than anything introduced in The Sum of All Men, and Farland takes advantage of the opportunity to hint at the scope of his series by introducing side plots, new abilities to what initially appeared to be small characters, and expanding his system of magic beyond the initial forcibles/endowments magic introduced in the first book.
Picking up a thick novel is always a risky endeavor. The time investment is long, and the pay-off may be a long time in coming. In the end, Farland provides, however, delivering a denouement that satisfies his promises, if not perfectly, at least satisfactorily. It's a worthy successor to The Sum of All Men and continuation of The Runelords' series. I ran into Farland at the Salt Lake FanXperience in April and picked up Wizardborn from him there. I look forward to following where he takes Gaborn, Iome, Ahtan, and the rest of his growing cast next.
Taking place over the course of just a few days, Brotherhood of the Wolf picks up right where The Sum of All Men left off without breaking stride. Gaborn is grappling with the ramifications of becoming the Earth King, as well as his marriage to Iome Sylvarresta, the daughter of the late King Jas Laren Sylvarresta. Determined not to use forcibles to increase his strength and power, Gaborn finds himself at an immediate disadvantage to Ahtan's super human abilities, not to mention vulnerable to any who does not share his qualms.
It is an ongoing source of dissonance for Gaborn: he sees the slavery and debilitation caused when ever one man gives his abilities to another, but is faced with an enemy that is prepared to end not just humanity but all life on the earth. Should he accept the endowments of other men to become strong enough for the coming battle, or should he rely on his new found abilities as the Earth King? With the selection by the Earth, though, comes responsibility above those of other men, and Gaborn must weigh the future of all men as he makes his decisions.
With how short a time as passes during the novel, events unfold at a breakneck pace. If only Farland would move his text as fast. Not atypical for an epic fantasy, Brotherhood clocks in at nearly 700 pages. Frequently I found myself wondering if a few of those pages weren't unnecessary to the story.
The result is that Farland develops his characters more than might otherwise be possible in such a short period of time. The length of the novel lends itself to more viewpoints than a shorter story might allow, and shows the reader a broader vision of the events unfolding. While the story never drags--per se--a faster paced story might have spent less time with each view point.
If The Sum of All Men was intended to introduce the main protagonist and antagonist of The Runelords series, then Brotherhood feels like a pulling back of the curtain. The threat to Rofehaven and the entire world is far greater than anything introduced in The Sum of All Men, and Farland takes advantage of the opportunity to hint at the scope of his series by introducing side plots, new abilities to what initially appeared to be small characters, and expanding his system of magic beyond the initial forcibles/endowments magic introduced in the first book.
Picking up a thick novel is always a risky endeavor. The time investment is long, and the pay-off may be a long time in coming. In the end, Farland provides, however, delivering a denouement that satisfies his promises, if not perfectly, at least satisfactorily. It's a worthy successor to The Sum of All Men and continuation of The Runelords' series. I ran into Farland at the Salt Lake FanXperience in April and picked up Wizardborn from him there. I look forward to following where he takes Gaborn, Iome, Ahtan, and the rest of his growing cast next.
May 6, 2025
The nobles wage war and little people suffer, as always. Why are we doing any of this or why should the reader care about any of it? The reason continues to elude me also in this novel. But I'm assured the "stakes are higher than ever" and even though the "good" have some modest success, it cannot be too thorough, since the Author needs to drag these antagonists onwards for yet another 2 books.
March 14, 2021
Raj Ahtan has two plans: To become the Sum of All Men and to conquer the northern kingdoms. The same northern kingdoms who continue to send Knights Equitable to assassinate and eliminate his family and his life. His first battles have seen the death of kings and the destruction of the land. But now, there is a new Earth King. A king that has not been seen in the life of any man now living. And, while that same Earth King must stop Ahtan, a new threat to not only the north but to humanity itself is starting to stretch its clawed hands across the land and the Earth needs its King...its Guardian...and its Champion to save the world, a world that is changing as old prejudices fall away to embrace new demands that will reshape what is considered right and just.
David Farland (the pen name for author Dave Wolverton) continues his magnum opus in this, the second book of The RUNELORDS Saga. His world building takes a step up as he spreads his hands across the expanding world that acts as not only the background to his story but also as a major character and force. Farland continues to develop and refine the unique magic system that he has created that touches lives on both the givers and the receivers side of the equation.
David Farland (the pen name for author Dave Wolverton) continues his magnum opus in this, the second book of The RUNELORDS Saga. His world building takes a step up as he spreads his hands across the expanding world that acts as not only the background to his story but also as a major character and force. Farland continues to develop and refine the unique magic system that he has created that touches lives on both the givers and the receivers side of the equation.
December 23, 2025
4.5 Stars★★★★✯ - a crazy sequel that is as truly epic as it is exciting; it'd be an all-time favorite if it wasn't also uncomfortably unsettling and off-putting in unexpected ways
What a crazy nd also, truly original, epic this has turned into! Regardless of my distastes that I will expound upon, David Farland KNEW how to write epic fantasy in that same vein Brandon Sanderson flourishes in: the plot is gripping, the characters are usually serviceable but have deeper moments, the magic system continues to impress, and the ending is a showstopper. I was truly intrigued, interested, and invested the entire length of this one.
And yet it is off-putting at times. Not in the traditional "dark" way that fantasy leans at times (though that definitely comes up, but is actually quite fitting), but Brotherhood of the Wolf is just unsettling at times that just hits quite unexpectedly. I'm not sure how to explain it but it'll be interactions and the emotional reasoning that sometimes say poorly or a bit of magic that is just so strange that it'll feel unsettling. It isn't a ton, but it does take place enough to throw me out of the story once in a while.
But, I'm also happy to report that the majority of this book is just a thrilling epic fantasy with two main threats that weave together splendidly. The dynamics explored with the enemy of my enemy is my friend is pretty spectacular considering this series likes to keep to most of the classic fantasy tropes. The magic system and sheer adventure of it all is what I really enjoy about epic fantasy that I rarely find blended as I like.
I'm eager more than ever to see what's in store for Gaborn, Iome, Myrrima, Borenson, Roland, Averran, and Binnesman in Wizardborn.
What a crazy nd also, truly original, epic this has turned into! Regardless of my distastes that I will expound upon, David Farland KNEW how to write epic fantasy in that same vein Brandon Sanderson flourishes in: the plot is gripping, the characters are usually serviceable but have deeper moments, the magic system continues to impress, and the ending is a showstopper. I was truly intrigued, interested, and invested the entire length of this one.
And yet it is off-putting at times. Not in the traditional "dark" way that fantasy leans at times (though that definitely comes up, but is actually quite fitting), but Brotherhood of the Wolf is just unsettling at times that just hits quite unexpectedly. I'm not sure how to explain it but it'll be interactions and the emotional reasoning that sometimes say poorly or a bit of magic that is just so strange that it'll feel unsettling. It isn't a ton, but it does take place enough to throw me out of the story once in a while.
But, I'm also happy to report that the majority of this book is just a thrilling epic fantasy with two main threats that weave together splendidly. The dynamics explored with the enemy of my enemy is my friend is pretty spectacular considering this series likes to keep to most of the classic fantasy tropes. The magic system and sheer adventure of it all is what I really enjoy about epic fantasy that I rarely find blended as I like.
I'm eager more than ever to see what's in store for Gaborn, Iome, Myrrima, Borenson, Roland, Averran, and Binnesman in Wizardborn.
December 11, 2011
A very entertaining read. Starts off kind of slow and contains many fantasy cliches. That being said, it is also action packed and has a very unique feel to it as well.
Farland has trouble giving life to the main characters, I feel like they really don't have any consistent personality and are very boring. There are a lot of side-characters that are really personable and you come to really enjoy, however they are also lumped in with even MORE side characters who you vaguely get to know but are just killed off for shock value it seems (Re: That serving girl in "The sum of all men")
In addition, Brotherhood of the Wolf suffers from being a second child kind of in the way of "Empire Strikes Back", where it is not at all a stand alone novel. Not only does it have a lot of recapping and exposition but many of the storylines are unfinished at the end of the book.
I would say it is a good read for anyone picking up the book, but just start without any expectations.
Farland has trouble giving life to the main characters, I feel like they really don't have any consistent personality and are very boring. There are a lot of side-characters that are really personable and you come to really enjoy, however they are also lumped in with even MORE side characters who you vaguely get to know but are just killed off for shock value it seems (Re: That serving girl in "The sum of all men")
In addition, Brotherhood of the Wolf suffers from being a second child kind of in the way of "Empire Strikes Back", where it is not at all a stand alone novel. Not only does it have a lot of recapping and exposition but many of the storylines are unfinished at the end of the book.
I would say it is a good read for anyone picking up the book, but just start without any expectations.
March 13, 2019
I read an accurate description about this series on a site talking about an upcoming Runelords movie and this quote pretty much sums it up: "Some have called it the "crack cocaine" of heroic fantasy, combining the world creation and artistic sensibilities of Lord of the Rings with the heart-pounding action and sense of wonder of the Matrix". I loved the random green woman that falls from the sky in this book.
Update: So this time around I could barely remember much of the book from when I first read it and I'm glad that I'm revisiting this series to finish it up this time. I'd forgotten all about Averyn and Spring (green woman who falls from the sky). Excellent book and I love the author's attention to detail.
Update: So this time around I could barely remember much of the book from when I first read it and I'm glad that I'm revisiting this series to finish it up this time. I'd forgotten all about Averyn and Spring (green woman who falls from the sky). Excellent book and I love the author's attention to detail.
July 8, 2010
This was a nice follow-on to the first book of Runelords series.
I was engaged and intrigued the whole book.
The only criticism I have is the "sudden" change of heart for Iome about the dogs. I wanted a bit more explanation and more of her reasoning. But, perhaps it was there and I read through the book too quickly to catch it.
I am excited to read the next book in the series though (I have it and almost changed its order in my "to read" stack, but I wanted to go to a different genre first in preparation for my own next story).
I was engaged and intrigued the whole book.
The only criticism I have is the "sudden" change of heart for Iome about the dogs. I wanted a bit more explanation and more of her reasoning. But, perhaps it was there and I read through the book too quickly to catch it.
I am excited to read the next book in the series though (I have it and almost changed its order in my "to read" stack, but I wanted to go to a different genre first in preparation for my own next story).
October 30, 2012
The last 3 pages were stupid...
I want to smack Gaborn's wife.
I think the very fact that you say something to the effect of I will save the people and then manage to get a force warrior killed haveing pulled about 80 people out when your husband said just the night before 1 force warrior = 400 people is kind of a defeat but it never crosses the stupid girls mind.
Also Rah Ahten is a pathetic little whiny girl.
I want to smack Gaborn's wife.
I think the very fact that you say something to the effect of I will save the people and then manage to get a force warrior killed haveing pulled about 80 people out when your husband said just the night before 1 force warrior = 400 people is kind of a defeat but it never crosses the stupid girls mind.
Also Rah Ahten is a pathetic little whiny girl.
June 30, 2010
The second book in the Runelords series. Like its predecessor, a well-above-average fantasy tale. The characters are interesting and generally not one-dimensional. The plot is well developed, though the tale is likely almost endless.
May 26, 2011
i found it surprising that so many 'slammed' this book as one of the worst in the series, i found it thoroughly entertaining... a 'proper' follow up in the series (leading you into the answers that you question while reading, not losing pace nor going off on superfluous tangents).
January 9, 2023
Another great fantasy novel. Very much so building upon book 1, but also expanding and doing its own thing marvelously. This world continues to be super cool, and extremely disturbing, I can’t wait to continue with book 3 next month. I’ll have a full review up on the channel in the coming weeks.
October 8, 2024
Still into this, ready for round 3 👌👌
**notes with spoilers**
—These people demanding to be one of the Earth Kings own, but refusing to listen to dire warnings of danger transmitted directly into their heads baffle me. I almost threw a fit when Queen herself ignored her husbands words to hide. She, by her very presence put more people in peril than if she had simply hid herself. He says “hide” and she’s like “should probs just run around until it’s too late then find the shittiest place to hide after I’ve already been spotted.”
—Omg. And because of her, the monster that was finally sealed had to be set free since the idiot queen got herself sealed in with it.
—I’m sorry. It’s good and all that they “care” so much for their subjects, but they lack any authority or sense. The fact that peasants who pled for their protection are able to look the “queen” in her eye and basically tell her to go fuck herself is a problem, and her pleading with them was painful. You can’t help people that won’t help themselves, and with all their borrowed wit, they don’t seem able to grasp this. They literally put them in more danger by attempting to lead to such a place of weakness smh.
— Myrrima is way too good for Borenson. He shouldn’t have gotten married at all if he was so in feelings that he cant spare her time, basic communication, or affection. Now he’s about to be a eunuch because he’s in love with Raj’s wife, leaving Myrrima a virgin and forever childless
—Heck ya. Gabron just came to the exact realization I’d mentioned, almost word for word 🙏 do not help those who do not help themselves! Good man
**notes with spoilers**
—These people demanding to be one of the Earth Kings own, but refusing to listen to dire warnings of danger transmitted directly into their heads baffle me. I almost threw a fit when Queen herself ignored her husbands words to hide. She, by her very presence put more people in peril than if she had simply hid herself. He says “hide” and she’s like “should probs just run around until it’s too late then find the shittiest place to hide after I’ve already been spotted.”
—Omg. And because of her, the monster that was finally sealed had to be set free since the idiot queen got herself sealed in with it.
—I’m sorry. It’s good and all that they “care” so much for their subjects, but they lack any authority or sense. The fact that peasants who pled for their protection are able to look the “queen” in her eye and basically tell her to go fuck herself is a problem, and her pleading with them was painful. You can’t help people that won’t help themselves, and with all their borrowed wit, they don’t seem able to grasp this. They literally put them in more danger by attempting to lead to such a place of weakness smh.
— Myrrima is way too good for Borenson. He shouldn’t have gotten married at all if he was so in feelings that he cant spare her time, basic communication, or affection. Now he’s about to be a eunuch because he’s in love with Raj’s wife, leaving Myrrima a virgin and forever childless
—Heck ya. Gabron just came to the exact realization I’d mentioned, almost word for word 🙏 do not help those who do not help themselves! Good man
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2022
Like walking into a movie halfway thru.
The second volume of Farland's Runelords series begins IMMEDIATELY after the first one ended without so much of a "previously on..." The result is that I found myself rather lost until about halfway through. While I recall that the magical conceit is that people can gift their abilities (brawn, glamour, wit, etc) to their lords to make them more powerful, the particular conflicts or characters remained utterly opaque.
Overall, I liked elements of Brotherhood of the Wolf (as I did with the last novel). One of my critiques of the last novel was that the endowment system didn't address simply breeding herds of animals to take on their abilities. This novel specifically accounts for that which was refreshing but noting that the more animal endowments one takes, the more animalistic/feral one becomes.
There's a good army led by the resurrected Earth King Gaborn and the bad army led by the vaguely middle-eastern Raj Ahtan. There's a LOT of high fantasy warring back and forth that's capably written but none of the characters are compelling. Eventually a third force enters the battle in the form of demonic "Reavers" led by a Fell Made. This forces the good and bad armies to sort of team up but not really as they have to battle this new threat.
The Reaver threat helps the novel by giving a bit more nuance to the conflict between Gaborn and Raj Ahtan. Unfortunately, the ancillary characters (including several POV characters) bleed together so much that the book frequently descends into a Battle of Proper Nouns.
I still intend to finish the series (and now without so much of a gap between books) so hopefully the new Reaver threat (and less high fantasy bloat as subsequent novels are half as long) will help.
The second volume of Farland's Runelords series begins IMMEDIATELY after the first one ended without so much of a "previously on..." The result is that I found myself rather lost until about halfway through. While I recall that the magical conceit is that people can gift their abilities (brawn, glamour, wit, etc) to their lords to make them more powerful, the particular conflicts or characters remained utterly opaque.
Overall, I liked elements of Brotherhood of the Wolf (as I did with the last novel). One of my critiques of the last novel was that the endowment system didn't address simply breeding herds of animals to take on their abilities. This novel specifically accounts for that which was refreshing but noting that the more animal endowments one takes, the more animalistic/feral one becomes.
There's a good army led by the resurrected Earth King Gaborn and the bad army led by the vaguely middle-eastern Raj Ahtan. There's a LOT of high fantasy warring back and forth that's capably written but none of the characters are compelling. Eventually a third force enters the battle in the form of demonic "Reavers" led by a Fell Made. This forces the good and bad armies to sort of team up but not really as they have to battle this new threat.
The Reaver threat helps the novel by giving a bit more nuance to the conflict between Gaborn and Raj Ahtan. Unfortunately, the ancillary characters (including several POV characters) bleed together so much that the book frequently descends into a Battle of Proper Nouns.
I still intend to finish the series (and now without so much of a gap between books) so hopefully the new Reaver threat (and less high fantasy bloat as subsequent novels are half as long) will help.
June 9, 2023
Another brilliant adventure in The Runelords series, damn that was fantastic. Brotherhood of the Wolf is the second instalment of the David Farland epic series.
This book has it all. It's so fast-paced and full of heated conflict, with lots of bloodthirsty battles and significant events that change the course of the future for our favourite characters. This is a tale that will have you glued from start to finish.
Amidst all the action, magic, and interesting characters, and the power-play between good and evil, this book will remind you why you started reading fantasy in the first place. David Farland's worldbuilding and plot are absolutely excellent. The magic system is like no other I've read before, and it's just so damn intriguing and interesting.
In Brotherhood of the Wolf, Gaborn, now the Earth King has managed to drive off Raj Ahten, but the Wolf Lord is far from defeated. After all the destruction and murder Raj Ahten caused in book one. Raj Ahten seeks to draw out the Earth King from his seat of power in order to crush him.
An ancient enemy has resurfaced in their thousands from the shadows, throwing a new twist into the story. Reavers are a massive species of subterranean creatures that bear no resemblance to any surface-dwelling creature. Reavers are somewhat like insects, communicating through scents and having various "castes" that perform different functions within their "hives."
All men and enemy must band together if they are to have any chance of beating this force of evil.
This fantastic, amazing book is a must-read for any fan of fantasy, sword, and sorcery and those who enjoy epic old-style of fantasy, now for book three.
Very highly recommend.
This book has it all. It's so fast-paced and full of heated conflict, with lots of bloodthirsty battles and significant events that change the course of the future for our favourite characters. This is a tale that will have you glued from start to finish.
Amidst all the action, magic, and interesting characters, and the power-play between good and evil, this book will remind you why you started reading fantasy in the first place. David Farland's worldbuilding and plot are absolutely excellent. The magic system is like no other I've read before, and it's just so damn intriguing and interesting.
In Brotherhood of the Wolf, Gaborn, now the Earth King has managed to drive off Raj Ahten, but the Wolf Lord is far from defeated. After all the destruction and murder Raj Ahten caused in book one. Raj Ahten seeks to draw out the Earth King from his seat of power in order to crush him.
An ancient enemy has resurfaced in their thousands from the shadows, throwing a new twist into the story. Reavers are a massive species of subterranean creatures that bear no resemblance to any surface-dwelling creature. Reavers are somewhat like insects, communicating through scents and having various "castes" that perform different functions within their "hives."
All men and enemy must band together if they are to have any chance of beating this force of evil.
This fantastic, amazing book is a must-read for any fan of fantasy, sword, and sorcery and those who enjoy epic old-style of fantasy, now for book three.
Very highly recommend.
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June 18, 2021After a not so great 1st part, a second rather boring despite the fact that subplots are thrown from everywhere. I leave it somewhere in the middle ...
May 25, 2021
This was a great second edition to the series. The magic has real consequences and the villain from the fist book while still a villain is not the biggest problem facing the world. It is the end of days and only a few can survive and the earth king is chosen to decide who can live. Working with the enemy to save the world if the world can be saved.
December 29, 2016
Farland continues to impress with this second volume in the Runelords Saga (now up to eight volumes). By expanding the scope to include more story-lines, BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF has a more epic feel than its predecessor, and while some readers have found it slower, I actually enjoyed it more than The Sum of All Men. With the continued development of the characters and setting, and the addition of some great new elements to the story, this book seems to be where the series really takes off. Like THE SUM OF ALL MEN, this one takes place over only a four day period, but even though I would think that such restrictions would detract from the story, Farland pulls it off masterfully here. Very impressive, him being able to give this story such an epic feel with such a limited time-frame.
BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF picks up the day after the close of the previous book, with Gaborn trying to decide how to deal with Raj Ahten's continued threat. We learn that Gaborn and Iome, and Borensen and Myrimma have quickly gotten hitched, and much of the world seems to be gathering at Sylvarresta to pay homage to the newly christened Earth King. The sense of celebration is short lived as a new threat is introduced in the Darkling Glory, a sort of elemental hunter summoned by Raj Ahten's flameweavers, presumably to seek out and destroy Gaborn. From there, the story branches out into a number of very interesting side stories that introduce some excellent new characters. A Wing Rider named Averen is among the first to witness the invasion by the Reavers, and is charged with a quest to deliver the news to the authorities. Her character promises to become one of the main focal points for the rest of the series as she finds herself helping/being helped by the elemental wylde summoned by Binnesman in book 1. Also of key importance in this book is Raj Ahten's most favored concubine, Saffira, who has been endowed with thousands of women's glamour and voice, and sets out to convince Raj Ahten to end the war by seeking peace with the Earth King. Remarkably well-developed for a secondary character, Saffira is one of my favorite parts of this book. Eventually all of the story-lines come together for an epic battle that takes up about a quarter of the book as the forces of man meet an unstoppable-seeming hoard of reavers (which turn out to be every bit as big and bad as they were sold as being). An awesome and devastating battle, this clash serves to demonstrate the talent of Farland and makes me eager to read more of the series.
There are many great aspects about these books, but what stands out the most is the uniqueness of the setting. Obviously, the endowment system stands out as original, but I also like the elemental magics, which give the elements themselves personalities and desires. You can take it literally when the Earth speaks to a character here. Also, the continued proliferation of strange and well-envisioned creatures makes this book stand out from other epic fantasies. Not just frowth giants, flameweavers, and ferrin; but draaks, reavers, glories, and world-worms populate these pages. I hope Farland can keep up the originality in the rest of the series. He's got a really good thing going here, and I look forward to reading more of it! Highly recommended.
BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF picks up the day after the close of the previous book, with Gaborn trying to decide how to deal with Raj Ahten's continued threat. We learn that Gaborn and Iome, and Borensen and Myrimma have quickly gotten hitched, and much of the world seems to be gathering at Sylvarresta to pay homage to the newly christened Earth King. The sense of celebration is short lived as a new threat is introduced in the Darkling Glory, a sort of elemental hunter summoned by Raj Ahten's flameweavers, presumably to seek out and destroy Gaborn. From there, the story branches out into a number of very interesting side stories that introduce some excellent new characters. A Wing Rider named Averen is among the first to witness the invasion by the Reavers, and is charged with a quest to deliver the news to the authorities. Her character promises to become one of the main focal points for the rest of the series as she finds herself helping/being helped by the elemental wylde summoned by Binnesman in book 1. Also of key importance in this book is Raj Ahten's most favored concubine, Saffira, who has been endowed with thousands of women's glamour and voice, and sets out to convince Raj Ahten to end the war by seeking peace with the Earth King. Remarkably well-developed for a secondary character, Saffira is one of my favorite parts of this book. Eventually all of the story-lines come together for an epic battle that takes up about a quarter of the book as the forces of man meet an unstoppable-seeming hoard of reavers (which turn out to be every bit as big and bad as they were sold as being). An awesome and devastating battle, this clash serves to demonstrate the talent of Farland and makes me eager to read more of the series.
There are many great aspects about these books, but what stands out the most is the uniqueness of the setting. Obviously, the endowment system stands out as original, but I also like the elemental magics, which give the elements themselves personalities and desires. You can take it literally when the Earth speaks to a character here. Also, the continued proliferation of strange and well-envisioned creatures makes this book stand out from other epic fantasies. Not just frowth giants, flameweavers, and ferrin; but draaks, reavers, glories, and world-worms populate these pages. I hope Farland can keep up the originality in the rest of the series. He's got a really good thing going here, and I look forward to reading more of it! Highly recommended.
March 6, 2017
I find the Earth King's idealistic naivete very frustrating. That being said, I find this world unique, rich and totally unputdown-able:-)
January 20, 2013
A spectacular sequel that promises much to come, for a truly ambitious series of outstanding scope!
Brotherhood of the Wolf is the second installment within the magnificent Runelords series, which exceeds all expectations with its complexity of plot and depth. Exquisite storytelling that is so absorbing and compelling, David Farland puts the ‘epic’ in fantasy with his remarkable and totally original creation. Detailed, realistic and cleverly crafted the scope of world-building is just astonishing as to amaze whilst the character-study is fascinating. This stunning book is a delight to behold and kept me awake for hours reading into the early hours of the morning, not able to tear my gaze away from the pages that had enchanted me. This page-turner is a book that you will find extremely hard to put down, with such profound intensity and electric tension as to have you rooted to the spot!
Wolf Lord against the Earth King: the epic struggle begun in ‘The sum of all men’ continues…
Gaborn has managed to drive off Raj Ahten, but the Wolf Lord is far from defeated. Striking at far-flung cities and fortresses and killing dedicates, Ahten seeks to draw out the Earth King from his seat of power, in order to crush him. But Gaborn is about to discover that his enemy is far from the brutal conqueror he imagined him to be. It seems that Raj Ahten has a very good reason for what he does – indeed, they may well be on the same side.
Still, an alliance seems unlikely and as they weaken each other’s forces in battle, the armies of an ancient and implacable enemy issue forth from the very bowels of the Earth.
Just when you think you know the enemy and have grasped the plot, then David Farland incorporates another unexpected twist in the tale that shocks and intrigues you! It is not the enemies that we can see but what lurks in the shadows; those who are more powerful and deadly than you could have ever imagined will come forth…Fast-paced and full of heated conflict, bloodthirsty battles and significant events that change the course of the future this is a tale like no other and of such mighty magnitude as to astonish. This rare sweeping fantasy classic is so impressive and like nothing else you will encounter within this genre, hence I highly recommend it as an engrossing read! Amidst the bloodstained action, the interesting characters and the power-play between good and evil, this book will remind you why you started reading fantasy in the first place.
This fantastic, amazing book is a must-read for any fan of fantasy, sword and sorcery and those who enjoy the ‘old-style’ of fantasy (such as works by authors like Robin Hobb, Tolkien and Raymond E Feist and not forgetting Kate Elliot whose style is similar). A book to loose yourself within and one that will leave you wanting to read on and find out what happens next in book 3…
Brotherhood of the Wolf is the second installment within the magnificent Runelords series, which exceeds all expectations with its complexity of plot and depth. Exquisite storytelling that is so absorbing and compelling, David Farland puts the ‘epic’ in fantasy with his remarkable and totally original creation. Detailed, realistic and cleverly crafted the scope of world-building is just astonishing as to amaze whilst the character-study is fascinating. This stunning book is a delight to behold and kept me awake for hours reading into the early hours of the morning, not able to tear my gaze away from the pages that had enchanted me. This page-turner is a book that you will find extremely hard to put down, with such profound intensity and electric tension as to have you rooted to the spot!
Wolf Lord against the Earth King: the epic struggle begun in ‘The sum of all men’ continues…
Gaborn has managed to drive off Raj Ahten, but the Wolf Lord is far from defeated. Striking at far-flung cities and fortresses and killing dedicates, Ahten seeks to draw out the Earth King from his seat of power, in order to crush him. But Gaborn is about to discover that his enemy is far from the brutal conqueror he imagined him to be. It seems that Raj Ahten has a very good reason for what he does – indeed, they may well be on the same side.
Still, an alliance seems unlikely and as they weaken each other’s forces in battle, the armies of an ancient and implacable enemy issue forth from the very bowels of the Earth.
Just when you think you know the enemy and have grasped the plot, then David Farland incorporates another unexpected twist in the tale that shocks and intrigues you! It is not the enemies that we can see but what lurks in the shadows; those who are more powerful and deadly than you could have ever imagined will come forth…Fast-paced and full of heated conflict, bloodthirsty battles and significant events that change the course of the future this is a tale like no other and of such mighty magnitude as to astonish. This rare sweeping fantasy classic is so impressive and like nothing else you will encounter within this genre, hence I highly recommend it as an engrossing read! Amidst the bloodstained action, the interesting characters and the power-play between good and evil, this book will remind you why you started reading fantasy in the first place.
This fantastic, amazing book is a must-read for any fan of fantasy, sword and sorcery and those who enjoy the ‘old-style’ of fantasy (such as works by authors like Robin Hobb, Tolkien and Raymond E Feist and not forgetting Kate Elliot whose style is similar). A book to loose yourself within and one that will leave you wanting to read on and find out what happens next in book 3…
July 3, 2021
I have many thoughts about this book. Some of them are really good, and yet some of them aren't. David Farland has created a compelling universe, but has made many decisions that just agrivate me.
The first thing that I can say about this book is that it continues the characters well. Gaborn, Iome, Myrimma, Borenson, and Raj Ahten are all great carryovers from the first book. Many of the new additions, such as Erin Connal and Prince Celinor were interesting as well. Roland Borenson started interesting, but I found his plot to be fairly boring. The same can be said of Averan's plot, although I know that both she and Roland have more story in the future books, so I'm hopeful that I'll like them more then.
The book starts out strong, but is fairly boring until the final battle. Because of the weird maps and the huge distance covered, it was hard to track the movements of all the characters. When cities are named(that weren't on the map), it was hard to find them interesting or even picture them. However, the end battle was epic, much like the first book. There were some things that I think could have been resolved here, but hopefully they will be resolved in book two.
Gaborn and Iome's relationship is great, and Myrimma and Borenson's relationship was the most compelling in the book(they're the ones whom I was eager to find out what happened to, which led to a slight bit of anger and frustration in the end) and was also the most tragic. The surprise relationship in the book was Celinor and Erin Connal's. While I don't condone the lifestyle design of the people of Fleeds, I did find them interesting and they definitely had an element of comic relief to them.
Raj Ahten is just a dispicable character. I didn't like him in the first book, and I don't like him here. That's a good villain, I guess, but I still hate him!
The pacing in the book was probably it's biggest flaw. The beginning was strong and the end was strong, but the middle dragged on for just too long. This book could have seriously been cut by about 150-200 pages and it would have been fine. I think that at this point, Farland was hoping his series would be as epic as Game of Thrones or Wheel of Time, and it wasn't until after this book that he realized the need to cut down a lot.
Overall, this is a pretty good book, but does have its flaws. Its not as good as it's predecessor, but is worth reading and I do intend to read the next book. 7.5 out of 10!
The first thing that I can say about this book is that it continues the characters well. Gaborn, Iome, Myrimma, Borenson, and Raj Ahten are all great carryovers from the first book. Many of the new additions, such as Erin Connal and Prince Celinor were interesting as well. Roland Borenson started interesting, but I found his plot to be fairly boring. The same can be said of Averan's plot, although I know that both she and Roland have more story in the future books, so I'm hopeful that I'll like them more then.
The book starts out strong, but is fairly boring until the final battle. Because of the weird maps and the huge distance covered, it was hard to track the movements of all the characters. When cities are named(that weren't on the map), it was hard to find them interesting or even picture them. However, the end battle was epic, much like the first book. There were some things that I think could have been resolved here, but hopefully they will be resolved in book two.
Gaborn and Iome's relationship is great, and Myrimma and Borenson's relationship was the most compelling in the book(they're the ones whom I was eager to find out what happened to, which led to a slight bit of anger and frustration in the end) and was also the most tragic. The surprise relationship in the book was Celinor and Erin Connal's. While I don't condone the lifestyle design of the people of Fleeds, I did find them interesting and they definitely had an element of comic relief to them.
Raj Ahten is just a dispicable character. I didn't like him in the first book, and I don't like him here. That's a good villain, I guess, but I still hate him!
The pacing in the book was probably it's biggest flaw. The beginning was strong and the end was strong, but the middle dragged on for just too long. This book could have seriously been cut by about 150-200 pages and it would have been fine. I think that at this point, Farland was hoping his series would be as epic as Game of Thrones or Wheel of Time, and it wasn't until after this book that he realized the need to cut down a lot.
Overall, this is a pretty good book, but does have its flaws. Its not as good as it's predecessor, but is worth reading and I do intend to read the next book. 7.5 out of 10!
March 28, 2015
4.5 stars.
Gaborn Val Orden, now the Earth King, must decide how to confront the ongoing threat of Raj Ahten, who seeks to become the Sum of All Men and rule the lands of the north. Ahten, however, has lost his valuable stash of blood-metal forcibles and, believing they have been taken south, attempts to goad Gaborn into a confrontation in the southern kingdom of Mystarria. But there is an even greater menace on the horizon--the Reavers. And to face their vicious hordes, we learn why the Earth has anointed a king after so many centuries.
David Farland's second novel in the acclaimed fantasy series The Runelords is chock-full of intrigue, dangerous monsters, epic battles, and the now familiar magic system of taking endowments from the willing. Though somewhat longer than volume one, I found its pace faster and more rewarding.
Brotherhood of the Wolf isn't a perfect novel, but it's definitely a compelling read. It's as good as anything GRRM has written, yet thankfully lacks all the excesses that Game of Thrones is known for. A few cringe-worthy moments keep this tale firmly planted in adult territory (namely Borenson's fate), but Farland doesn't beat us over the head with sickening or pornographic detail.
There are a couple of scenes that felt rushed, or perhaps dumped into the novel for no other purpose than to maintain continuity. And, as with volume one, the maps are not adequate, and even contradict the text. But it's easy to ignore the small things when rest of the story is so fun. Can't wait to read volume three, Wizardborn.
Gaborn Val Orden, now the Earth King, must decide how to confront the ongoing threat of Raj Ahten, who seeks to become the Sum of All Men and rule the lands of the north. Ahten, however, has lost his valuable stash of blood-metal forcibles and, believing they have been taken south, attempts to goad Gaborn into a confrontation in the southern kingdom of Mystarria. But there is an even greater menace on the horizon--the Reavers. And to face their vicious hordes, we learn why the Earth has anointed a king after so many centuries.
David Farland's second novel in the acclaimed fantasy series The Runelords is chock-full of intrigue, dangerous monsters, epic battles, and the now familiar magic system of taking endowments from the willing. Though somewhat longer than volume one, I found its pace faster and more rewarding.
Brotherhood of the Wolf isn't a perfect novel, but it's definitely a compelling read. It's as good as anything GRRM has written, yet thankfully lacks all the excesses that Game of Thrones is known for. A few cringe-worthy moments keep this tale firmly planted in adult territory (namely Borenson's fate), but Farland doesn't beat us over the head with sickening or pornographic detail.
There are a couple of scenes that felt rushed, or perhaps dumped into the novel for no other purpose than to maintain continuity. And, as with volume one, the maps are not adequate, and even contradict the text. But it's easy to ignore the small things when rest of the story is so fun. Can't wait to read volume three, Wizardborn.
August 18, 2010
The more I think about this book, the less sure I am that I liked it. All that talk of eating reavers and drinking blood just makes me feel a little bit ill. And it just took so long for everything to happen. I can't believe the entire book took place over the course of about a week. I didn't really like the way that Farland organized the book. I always had to backtrack whenever I got to a new character, and that is not only annoying, but also a bit confusing.
However, because I am such an avid reader, I am determined to stick the series out to the end. (At least the first four books, anyway.) Every series has to has a transition book—I'm hoping that this book was it. Everyone is still trying to figure out what the heck they are doing. That is why I wish time would go by a little bit faster. It would be nice if weeks would go by in just a few paragraphs. It just seems a bit unrealistic that worlds could change so vastly in a week. The series starts with just rumors of the legendary reavers, but a week later they are attacking by the thousands. And Gaborn needs to accept that he can't save everyone. He's starting to get on my nerves.
Let me just say that this book left much to be desired. But I still have high hopes for the next book.
However, because I am such an avid reader, I am determined to stick the series out to the end. (At least the first four books, anyway.) Every series has to has a transition book—I'm hoping that this book was it. Everyone is still trying to figure out what the heck they are doing. That is why I wish time would go by a little bit faster. It would be nice if weeks would go by in just a few paragraphs. It just seems a bit unrealistic that worlds could change so vastly in a week. The series starts with just rumors of the legendary reavers, but a week later they are attacking by the thousands. And Gaborn needs to accept that he can't save everyone. He's starting to get on my nerves.
Let me just say that this book left much to be desired. But I still have high hopes for the next book.
May 19, 2020
The Second book In Runelords Series. Actual rating 3.75 ⭐️.
Farland creates amazing characters which I’ve grew to really care for. The charecters spend a great deal of time reflecting, thinking and decide. They grow emotionally from The Sum of All Men. The magic system is interesting and makes you struggle with the mortality of it.
Brotherhood of The Wolf does not suffer from second book Syndrome, the plot still hold its own, the battles are amazing and the plot points are good.
I say good, not great, because everyone is moving but in truth little actually happens until the very end.
This is classic fantasy, so don’t go in expecting a reinvention of the wheel. The author has recreated some familar tropes in a unique way, however you’ll recognize plenty of familiar fantasy tropes.
Another two minor issues. One I didn’t feel that there was any conclusion in this book. I understand it’s part of a series but I would loved a small finality at least. Two, it seemed like a alot pages were spent in a span of few days. I would’ve expected a 700 page book to cover more time.
Overall it was a fun read. If you enjoy classic fantasy adventures and quests that are more charecter focused than fast paced, you may enjoy this. I Will be definitely reading the rest of the series
Farland creates amazing characters which I’ve grew to really care for. The charecters spend a great deal of time reflecting, thinking and decide. They grow emotionally from The Sum of All Men. The magic system is interesting and makes you struggle with the mortality of it.
Brotherhood of The Wolf does not suffer from second book Syndrome, the plot still hold its own, the battles are amazing and the plot points are good.
I say good, not great, because everyone is moving but in truth little actually happens until the very end.
This is classic fantasy, so don’t go in expecting a reinvention of the wheel. The author has recreated some familar tropes in a unique way, however you’ll recognize plenty of familiar fantasy tropes.
Another two minor issues. One I didn’t feel that there was any conclusion in this book. I understand it’s part of a series but I would loved a small finality at least. Two, it seemed like a alot pages were spent in a span of few days. I would’ve expected a 700 page book to cover more time.
Overall it was a fun read. If you enjoy classic fantasy adventures and quests that are more charecter focused than fast paced, you may enjoy this. I Will be definitely reading the rest of the series
September 7, 2010
This book tired me a little. It is a compeling story, about caring characters, but it suffers from the typical illness of epic fantasy: nothing happens for 500 pages, until the bombastic, epic battle climax. Truly, this novel could be a couple of hundred pages leaner.
Those are my only complaints, though. As a sequel to «The sum of all men», this volume lives up to its task. David Farland delivers a satisfying story and cleverly brings forth a host of new characters, and he gives life to each and everyone of those — to the point of their stories getting more interesting than the main characters at points.
Again Farland infuses so much life, emotion, and drama to the saga of the runelords that the reader can easily catch himself fearing, loving and even weeping for his heroes. That's epic fantasy at its best.
I liked the first volume of the series better, though, so I'm giving «The brotherhood of the wolf» three and not four stars. Let's see if the third volume, «Wizardborn», keeps the pace or turns it up a notch. One could only hope.
Those are my only complaints, though. As a sequel to «The sum of all men», this volume lives up to its task. David Farland delivers a satisfying story and cleverly brings forth a host of new characters, and he gives life to each and everyone of those — to the point of their stories getting more interesting than the main characters at points.
Again Farland infuses so much life, emotion, and drama to the saga of the runelords that the reader can easily catch himself fearing, loving and even weeping for his heroes. That's epic fantasy at its best.
I liked the first volume of the series better, though, so I'm giving «The brotherhood of the wolf» three and not four stars. Let's see if the third volume, «Wizardborn», keeps the pace or turns it up a notch. One could only hope.
January 23, 2020
This is one of those fantasy books that's super frustrating. The story is interesting and I like the universe. The type of magic is new and is a unique take on classism and environmentalism. I like the use of runes and earth air fire water magic. There are a bunch of great female characters... But then they're also sexually threatened harassed and attacked, and one of the women is naked all the time and is a sort of newborn blank slate (which would be fine, is great even when she's in the company of a little girl character, if there weren't so many asshole leering dudes describing her body) . Most of the characters are men and it would barely pass the Bechdel test. Characters promote problematic wartime ideas about masculinity. And of course, the enemy is a brown dude from a place meant to sound like India. There are just too many gross boring tropes. I don't plan to continue with this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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