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Lords of the Sky
Angus Wells carved a place for himself on the shelves of hundreds of thousands of fantasy readers. Now, with Lords Of The Sky , it is clear that he has saved his most sweeping and imaginative tale for an epic more powerful than anything he has written before. For centuries, the Dhar have had to face the Ahn, fierce warriors who would lay claim to Dharbek, the land they call their ancestral home. Now, in fantastic airships powered by magic, the Ahn have begun their greatest campaign yet. In preparation for the coming onslaught, Storymen like Daviot travel the land collecting tales and sharing the history it's their responsibility to safeguard. But Daviot's travels show him the dark side of Dharbek, and inspire him to be a catalyst for change, to overcome doubt and fear, and pursue the one dream that has eluded Dharbek. Using his special gifts for storytelling and world-building, Angus Wells reaches new heights with a story as ambitious as it is broad in scope. Lords Of The Sky has all the action, adventure and magic a fantasy-lover could desire, and tackles social change, prejudice, the value of genuine friendship and the power of enduring love.
688 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 1994
15 people are currently reading
345 people want to read
About the author
Angus Wells
67 books37 followersaka William S. Brady (with John Harvey), J.B. Dancer (with John Harvey), Ian Evans, Charles C Garrett (with Laurence James), Matthew Kirk, Richard Kirk (with Robert Holdstock), James A Muir, Charles R Pike (with Kenneth Bulmer and Terry Harknett), Andrew Quiller (with Kenneth Bulmer and Laurence James), J.D. Sandon (with John Harvey)
Angus Wells (1943 - 2006) was a British writer of genre fiction, including fantasy and westerns.
Angus Wells (1943 - 2006) was a British writer of genre fiction, including fantasy and westerns.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
December 2, 2010
Easily, in my opinion, Angus Wells best book. It is written from a first person PoV. It is fairly typical fantasy, however it seems like he used it as a platform to explore not one, but multiple facets of ethics. I don't want to give anything away, but it touches on how power corrupts, digs into slavery, and also seems to be the lead in to his Exiles Duology. (Not in a typical fashion, there is no carryover of characters or a land, but a concept inherent in both books) This book has never let anyone down that read it on my recommendation, something that always amazes me. It can be a long read for some, but I think very worth it.
August 27, 2008
I SOOOO wish they would make a movie out of this book, I absolutely love it.
April 27, 2023
This ultimately ended up being way longer than it needed to be, I think. Or at the very least I would have cut a lot out from the middle, and made the end feel less rushed. And to think that the author’s note said this was longer before his editor trimmed it down! I wavered between liking and not liking Daviot, mostly because of all his pining. The insta-love plot did not work for me in this, and neither did the way several of the characters changed once the dragons got introduced. It was like everything else went out the window and the only thing that mattered were the dragons by the end. And that still somehow ended up being the most interesting section of the book
March 27, 2008
I would absolutely love to see this book made into a movie... It is very detailed and rich with imagery...
May 29, 2018
Once upon a time, like 20 years ago or something, I got this book from a local library branch, which was kind of a big deal for me back in those days, because I grew up in a backwoods Southern crap-town with equally crappy libraries, of which the patrons were mostly interested in the usual best-sellers or dime-a-dozen romance novels, so there were slim pickin's for anything else. I was probably about 14 when I checked it out, and was already a huge fan of adult fantasy, though, to be fair, nobody really called anything YA back then. You had adult fantasy, or children's books. I wouldn't have been attracted to YA anyway, but...
I digress!!
Anyhow, something happened and I wasn't able to finish the book. I think I made it somewhere around the 180 page mark or so before I took it back to the library. I eventually forgot about it entirely until somewhat recently, when all of a sudden I got a huge urge to read it again, but I couldn't remember the name of it, nor did I recall any reason I'd have put it down without finishing it, since that's pretty rare for me. As a matter of fact, I had some fond feelings of nostalgia connected to the book, so I couldn't figure out why I'd forgotten it.
When I came across it again, I was overjoyed! I was so excited to get back to this book and finish it off and find out what happened.
Oh, but then I started trying to read it...
It didn't take me too long to realize why I had closed it and chucked it back at the library long before the due date. It's because the book bloody sucks.
I didn't give two flips about the characters, and the development was basically non-existent. Oh look, the boy wants to be a war hero. How novel... And the girl? Well, I'll give props in that I haven't come across many stories in which any of the characters are blind, so I'll grant that one. But she's as shallow as a hastily dug grave in the middle of the Northwoods wilds. DULL! Like, a brick has more personality. That they hero falls in insta-love with the heroine for no good reason is completely off-putting. It's so absolutely stupid as to be nauseating.
The plot dragged and dragged and draaaaagged. I found myself thinking, "Oh, would you just get ON with it already??" Too wordy. I love it when an author gives enough description to paint a good picture, but this one just won't shut up.
Incidentally, I gave up at what I think was about the same place I did 20-ish years ago. I guess old me couldn't justify the waste of life on finishing this any more than young me could.
There goes that pleasant nostalgia. I sort of wish I'd never found the book again, for all that...
I digress!!
Anyhow, something happened and I wasn't able to finish the book. I think I made it somewhere around the 180 page mark or so before I took it back to the library. I eventually forgot about it entirely until somewhat recently, when all of a sudden I got a huge urge to read it again, but I couldn't remember the name of it, nor did I recall any reason I'd have put it down without finishing it, since that's pretty rare for me. As a matter of fact, I had some fond feelings of nostalgia connected to the book, so I couldn't figure out why I'd forgotten it.
When I came across it again, I was overjoyed! I was so excited to get back to this book and finish it off and find out what happened.
Oh, but then I started trying to read it...
It didn't take me too long to realize why I had closed it and chucked it back at the library long before the due date. It's because the book bloody sucks.
I didn't give two flips about the characters, and the development was basically non-existent. Oh look, the boy wants to be a war hero. How novel... And the girl? Well, I'll give props in that I haven't come across many stories in which any of the characters are blind, so I'll grant that one. But she's as shallow as a hastily dug grave in the middle of the Northwoods wilds. DULL! Like, a brick has more personality. That they hero falls in insta-love with the heroine for no good reason is completely off-putting. It's so absolutely stupid as to be nauseating.
The plot dragged and dragged and draaaaagged. I found myself thinking, "Oh, would you just get ON with it already??" Too wordy. I love it when an author gives enough description to paint a good picture, but this one just won't shut up.
Incidentally, I gave up at what I think was about the same place I did 20-ish years ago. I guess old me couldn't justify the waste of life on finishing this any more than young me could.
There goes that pleasant nostalgia. I sort of wish I'd never found the book again, for all that...
January 13, 2023
Books like this are why I’m thankful for the 90’s and used book stores. The 90’s is just the best of fantasy to me. George Martin, Robert Jordan, Tad Williams, Robin Hobb and now I can add Angus Wells apparently. I went to the book store looking for a specific book (in the hardcover section because who wants paperback?) when I happened to turn around and saw the cover of this book and thought it looked dope and it was only $1.99! Absolutely will take a chance for that.
Lords of the Sky is definitely classic fantasy. There are rarely “oh shiiiiit” twists, clean language and it’s a band of teenagers that are supposed to save the world. Only it’s not “evil” they’re saving it from, they’re saving it from civil war.
There are 3 kinds of people: Dha, Ahn, Changed.
Dha are mainlanders who fought an ancient war to be rid of the “Ahn” and banished them to a faraway island.
The Ahn are obviously pissed off and have spent years preparing for battle to kill them all. They have become great engineers and made flying objects that can transport their very aggressive warriors over seas.
The Changed are a magically created human-animal being. If “Feline” they are quick and agile. If “Canine” then they have heightened senses. If “Bull” they are very strong. Sounds pretty dope? Think again because they are slaves to the Dha people. They wallow in servitude until death or they decide (after old age or buying themselves) that they may cross a north river into another land inhabited by Dragons. That sounds awful but it’s worth it to live in freedom. The catch is that the river has a magical essence to where you can cross it but you can’t come back.
Our main heroes are all aligned with the same dream to meet the dragons and become Dragonriders. They then use their new found power to create peace in the world by basically un-segregating people and suppressing the ancient issues they have.
Super happy with this book and can’t believe it’s not more popular. I will say that the love interest between the 2 main characters was very “Romeo and Juliet” in the sense they have “love at first sight” and will die for each other after knowing each other for 5 minutes. I find that childish and could do without.
Lords of the Sky is definitely classic fantasy. There are rarely “oh shiiiiit” twists, clean language and it’s a band of teenagers that are supposed to save the world. Only it’s not “evil” they’re saving it from, they’re saving it from civil war.
There are 3 kinds of people: Dha, Ahn, Changed.
Dha are mainlanders who fought an ancient war to be rid of the “Ahn” and banished them to a faraway island.
The Ahn are obviously pissed off and have spent years preparing for battle to kill them all. They have become great engineers and made flying objects that can transport their very aggressive warriors over seas.
The Changed are a magically created human-animal being. If “Feline” they are quick and agile. If “Canine” then they have heightened senses. If “Bull” they are very strong. Sounds pretty dope? Think again because they are slaves to the Dha people. They wallow in servitude until death or they decide (after old age or buying themselves) that they may cross a north river into another land inhabited by Dragons. That sounds awful but it’s worth it to live in freedom. The catch is that the river has a magical essence to where you can cross it but you can’t come back.
Our main heroes are all aligned with the same dream to meet the dragons and become Dragonriders. They then use their new found power to create peace in the world by basically un-segregating people and suppressing the ancient issues they have.
Super happy with this book and can’t believe it’s not more popular. I will say that the love interest between the 2 main characters was very “Romeo and Juliet” in the sense they have “love at first sight” and will die for each other after knowing each other for 5 minutes. I find that childish and could do without.
August 26, 2023
These book revisits are making me feel old. The first time I read this I loved it, and every time I saw the cover I'd remember the sense of adventure I'd felt.
Angus Wells was probably my favorite fantasy author, and I haven't enjoyed rereading a single one of his books. I don't remember being annoyed by the writing style at all, but I find it grating on revisit. He seems to have this weird aversion to the word 'if,' so instead of "if you get there in time" it's "do you get there in time," only sometimes he slips up and says "if" after all. The vocabulary is pointlessly archaic, with terms ranging from the 1600s through the 1800s and it just comes off as pretentious. I mean, it's a book about magicians and half-humans, with dragons in it.
In spite of the liberal use of the thesaurus, some things were unbearably repetitive. All the good guys are always saying something with a smile, or a grim grin, or a laugh. If you add up all the smiles, grins, and laughs, there's 567 occurrences (yes I was annoyed enough to find an electronic copy and search). That's really close to once per page. I don't know what's up with fantasy authors doing that, David Gemmell did the same thing. It's the literary equivalent of a laugh track. He says the phrase "for all" 108 times, which is just too constant. But you'll see three words for prostitute in a single chapter.
The dialogue comes in overly articulated chunks that simply don't represent how people talk, it doesn't feel natural at all.
The main character is too perfect. You won't see him lose a fight. He's the only character in the entire book who wonders if maybe just maybe slavery is wrong. He's the only character who wonders if maybe just maybe the antagonists have reason to want to return to their homeland.
I saw some reviewers complain about the insta-love, and it's there, but it's not nearly as bad as in his other book "The Guardian." The characters are teenagers when they meet, and there's nothing there that's outside of what hormones do.
It is probably longer than it needs to be, but at least it wasn't ballooned into a trilogy like Godwars.
It's the best book I've read by him, for sure. Unfortunately, it would appear it just isn't my thing anymore. I'd still recommend it to anyone who really enjoys fantasy. It's still better than any of the 10+ book series who all boast 800 pages per volume.
Angus Wells was probably my favorite fantasy author, and I haven't enjoyed rereading a single one of his books. I don't remember being annoyed by the writing style at all, but I find it grating on revisit. He seems to have this weird aversion to the word 'if,' so instead of "if you get there in time" it's "do you get there in time," only sometimes he slips up and says "if" after all. The vocabulary is pointlessly archaic, with terms ranging from the 1600s through the 1800s and it just comes off as pretentious. I mean, it's a book about magicians and half-humans, with dragons in it.
In spite of the liberal use of the thesaurus, some things were unbearably repetitive. All the good guys are always saying something with a smile, or a grim grin, or a laugh. If you add up all the smiles, grins, and laughs, there's 567 occurrences (yes I was annoyed enough to find an electronic copy and search). That's really close to once per page. I don't know what's up with fantasy authors doing that, David Gemmell did the same thing. It's the literary equivalent of a laugh track. He says the phrase "for all" 108 times, which is just too constant. But you'll see three words for prostitute in a single chapter.
The dialogue comes in overly articulated chunks that simply don't represent how people talk, it doesn't feel natural at all.
The main character is too perfect. You won't see him lose a fight. He's the only character in the entire book who wonders if maybe just maybe slavery is wrong. He's the only character who wonders if maybe just maybe the antagonists have reason to want to return to their homeland.
I saw some reviewers complain about the insta-love, and it's there, but it's not nearly as bad as in his other book "The Guardian." The characters are teenagers when they meet, and there's nothing there that's outside of what hormones do.
It is probably longer than it needs to be, but at least it wasn't ballooned into a trilogy like Godwars.
It's the best book I've read by him, for sure. Unfortunately, it would appear it just isn't my thing anymore. I'd still recommend it to anyone who really enjoys fantasy. It's still better than any of the 10+ book series who all boast 800 pages per volume.
June 1, 2018
Trust is like a sword, Daviot; it cuts both ways.
From a r/fantasy I came across this book and was glad I did because it was a wonderful mix of character, magic and got involved with some heavier topics not typically found in these stories.
In the first half of the book each chapter offered a new location, new keep and new people. This allowed the story to stay fresh, but with so many names characters coming in you don’t know if they’re important or to be forgotten by the end of the book. As the story progresses you realize that those people, places and locations may not be relevant now but they mattered to Daviot and are a measure of what was lost in his adventures.
Yesterday is a country of the memory that is no longer quite what you recall.
One narrative choice I enjoyed was that when Daviot tells his stories at keeps only the name of the tale is mentioned and that's it. Pages aren’t devoted to history that’s not essential to the preset. This avoids lengthy chapters but does take away from the world building. I’m in favour of this narrative decision and glad that the focus remains on the present story.
Urt was not my enemy, nor I his: those roles were chosen for us by the past.
As the story unfolds you realize there is tension and racism between Trueman and Changed, and that is only the beginning of social change that is discussed here. Such commentary on prejudice isn't common in fantasy stories but it adds wonderful depth and makes the story so much more than magic battles.
Power corrupts, but its usage can be most enjoyable.
The story plays out similar to how Hobb's wrote the Farseer stories from the Elderlings saga. I felt that there were parallels between the protagonists on their emotional struggles and journeys they went on. There was also an emphasis on friendship, love and the forms it takes and the power of trust.
This book has a lot of positives about it and it had such a unique telling that I will be thinking about it long after I completed it.
From a r/fantasy I came across this book and was glad I did because it was a wonderful mix of character, magic and got involved with some heavier topics not typically found in these stories.
In the first half of the book each chapter offered a new location, new keep and new people. This allowed the story to stay fresh, but with so many names characters coming in you don’t know if they’re important or to be forgotten by the end of the book. As the story progresses you realize that those people, places and locations may not be relevant now but they mattered to Daviot and are a measure of what was lost in his adventures.
Yesterday is a country of the memory that is no longer quite what you recall.
One narrative choice I enjoyed was that when Daviot tells his stories at keeps only the name of the tale is mentioned and that's it. Pages aren’t devoted to history that’s not essential to the preset. This avoids lengthy chapters but does take away from the world building. I’m in favour of this narrative decision and glad that the focus remains on the present story.
Urt was not my enemy, nor I his: those roles were chosen for us by the past.
As the story unfolds you realize there is tension and racism between Trueman and Changed, and that is only the beginning of social change that is discussed here. Such commentary on prejudice isn't common in fantasy stories but it adds wonderful depth and makes the story so much more than magic battles.
Power corrupts, but its usage can be most enjoyable.
The story plays out similar to how Hobb's wrote the Farseer stories from the Elderlings saga. I felt that there were parallels between the protagonists on their emotional struggles and journeys they went on. There was also an emphasis on friendship, love and the forms it takes and the power of trust.
This book has a lot of positives about it and it had such a unique telling that I will be thinking about it long after I completed it.
November 7, 2019
I can't give this book anything less than 5 stars. I first found this book about 20 years ago in a used bookstore. I randomly chose it, mostly because it was one of those few sci-fi/fantasy books that are a standalone. It was my first grown up fantasy book I ever read, and it lead me to love the genre as a whole. After re-reading it now, I'm not sure I ever finished it back then, because I don't remember the ending from before.
But that's not to say the book didn't stick with me. I very clearly remember, and often still think about, the passages about memory and responsibility I guess. If you can't remember the things you've done, should you be held accountable for them? In your mind, you didn't do those things, whatever those things may be. But someone who used to be you did them. So who can be held accountable? It's not an easy question to answer, but it is an easy debate to get into (in my head).
I do wish the ending would have been a little more put together, especially as concerns the other characters that aren't Daviot. But then, he's the Storyman, after all.
Even though I chose this book because it was a stand alone, I now wish there was more. I'll miss Daviot, Rwyan, Urt and Tezdal. And the dragons, too.
But that's not to say the book didn't stick with me. I very clearly remember, and often still think about, the passages about memory and responsibility I guess. If you can't remember the things you've done, should you be held accountable for them? In your mind, you didn't do those things, whatever those things may be. But someone who used to be you did them. So who can be held accountable? It's not an easy question to answer, but it is an easy debate to get into (in my head).
I do wish the ending would have been a little more put together, especially as concerns the other characters that aren't Daviot. But then, he's the Storyman, after all.
Even though I chose this book because it was a stand alone, I now wish there was more. I'll miss Daviot, Rwyan, Urt and Tezdal. And the dragons, too.
Read
October 23, 2025Angus Wells carved a place for himself on the shelves of hundreds of thousands of fantasy readers. Now, with Lords Of The Sky, it is clear that he has saved his most sweeping and imaginative tale for an epic more powerful than anything he has written before. For centuries, the Dhar have had to face the Ahn, fierce warriors who would lay claim to Dharbek, the land they call their ancestral home. Now, in fantastic airships powered by magic, the Ahn have begun their greatest campaign yet. In preparation for the coming onslaught, Storymen like Daviot travel the land collecting tales and sharing the history it's their responsibility to safeguard. But Daviot's travels show him the dark side of Dharbek, and inspire him to be a catalyst for change, to overcome doubt and fear, and pursue the one dream that has eluded Dharbek. Using his special gifts for storytelling and world-building, Angus Wells reaches new heights with a story as ambitious as it is broad in scope. Lords Of The Sky has all the action, adventure and magic a fantasy-lover could desire, and tackles social change, prejudice, the value of genuine friendship and the power of enduring love.
June 5, 2023
Pregevole standalone, che avevo sullo scaffale in attesa da almeno un paio di decenni. Esordisce come romanzo di formazione per assumere man mano sfumature sempre più epiche e guerresche con un toccante epilogo, che probabilmente rileggerò ancora negli anni a venire. Il cambio di punto di vista narrativo risulta un po' sbalestrante, con bruschi passaggi dalla prima alla terza persona, e l'intero worldbuilding risente di una certa semplificazione, con una strutturazione manichea dell'assetto sociale e geopolitico, mentre, d'altro canto, l'autore si dilunga con piatta ripetitività sul lato romance della vicenda e inanella nella parte centrale una serie di situazioni aneddotiche ininfluenti ai fini dell'intreccio generale. Nel complesso l'opera, però, si lascia leggere agilmente e il fatto che sia autoconclusiva per me è un indiscutibile elemento di merito in un'era fatta di saghe fantasy ipertrofiche, di cui non di rado gli stessi autori sembrano perdere il controllo. Fra gli argomenti trattati, non senza qualche ingenuità, lo schiavismo, la discriminazione sociale e il potere della memoria.
July 28, 2019
I really wanted to give this book 4 stars (A-/B+) instead of 3 stars (B), mostly because it is a complex story involving a struggle to bring peace between multiple warring cultures and also a pleasant love story as well. However, I cannot do it because the writing/grammar was weird; Wells frequently changed the perspective from 3rd person to 1st person for no reason I could see; his sorceress, Rwyan, used 1st person, but she only had a few chapters that were her perspective. Daviot, the main character, changed perspective halfway through the book, but we did not get anything from it we wouldn't have gotten if the 3rd person perspective was kept.
Overall a good story that suffers from technical clunkiness.
Overall a good story that suffers from technical clunkiness.
April 25, 2025
Amazing
I first read this when I was a young man and absolutely loved it. I just finished it again a few moments ago, and I really enjoyed my journey through the book. Wells has a beautiful use of language that really pulled me into and cemented the immersion of this world. 10/10 would recommend.
I first read this when I was a young man and absolutely loved it. I just finished it again a few moments ago, and I really enjoyed my journey through the book. Wells has a beautiful use of language that really pulled me into and cemented the immersion of this world. 10/10 would recommend.
December 18, 2024
I made it to the end of part one before I couldn’t make myself read it anymore. Maybe it was just me but the whole book seems very just OK. I started to really dislike our main character when he decided that going whoring was fine and “good exercise.”
December 29, 2018
This book is going to enter my top 5 of all time list!
December 7, 2020
No strong positive or negative feelings. Wouldn't read again. Kinda boring.
March 5, 2021
An immersive experience.
July 1, 2022
1.5 stars. Predictable ending but well written.
November 30, 2013
Добрите фентъзита вече са написани. Точка. Всичко хубаво е вече измислено, цялата оригиналност е похабена в предвидими клишета, а най-добрите непознати образци на жанра са останали потънали в нечии издателски бюра. На нас ни остава да се надяваме, че поне процент от всемирната гениалност ще пробие някак и ще ни достигне по силата на линиите на случайността и внимателните преценящи читатели с късмет да работят това, което най-много обичат – да четат и да разказват за книги на правилните хора. Е, преди двадесетина години Бардци са уцелили един страхотен автор като Ангъс Уелс, но за съжаление така и не са продължили с противоречивите му светове на дракони , магове и разказвачи, така близки до хиляди други измислици, но и така далечни, с едно недоловимо различие в погледа на автора, готов да затрие с пищен замах цял един свят, оценим като незаслужаващ съществувание, и да наложи чисто нов порядък, противоречащ на векове ежедневие и възпитани очаквания.
Подходът наистина е от типа с ножа по главата, но твърде често това е единствения правилен начин за нашата раса. Може и да съм още под мрачната сянка на Трудно е да бъдеш бог на Стругацки, но тук намерих много от отговорите на въпроса, какво щеше да бъде, ако нещата се поемаха от хора и същества с наистина твърде много превъзхождащи останалите живини сили, които се използват за промяна, носеща бялото флагче на предполагаемото добро, вместо да заемат ролята на обичайиите тъжни странични наблюдатели, с лица скрити в божествени шепи, морално неспособни да дадат нито благословия, нито анихилация според заслугите. За пръв път срещам доброволното предателство към рода, дълга, живота, ако ще и любовта, с душа така естествено засмукана от нещо далеч по-велико и необяснимо по-дребно от всичко, което обичайно ни се прокламира като нечия загубена или в най-добрия случай почти неспасяема кауза. И на финала ни чака смъртта по онзи тих начин, който оставя след себе си полъх на тленност дори от онзи така далечен свят, който все пак е имал шанса да придобие смисъл, за разлика от нашия собствен.
Имаме дракони , в които никой не вярва; разказвачи, по-близки до клакьори на властта отколкото независими бардове на словото; магьосници – сноби, опиващи се от властта си над необяснимото до чиста лудост; мутанти. изродили се с поколения от домашни животни до еволюционното ниво на чистата съкровена човещина, и общество потънало в еснафщина и ксенофобия, където различието се смазва безусловно и незабавно, независимо от разни хубави думички , вървящи обичайно с цивилизацията като хуманизъм или равноправие. И една класическа история за любовта, само че без ограничения като вярност или раздяла, която се развива през континенти и сезони пълни с магия, в средата на една унищожителна война, изпила умовете на поколения изродили се в символи на защитници и нападатели хорица. Дори и да ви звучи познато, всъщност преживяването е далеч по-ценно и оригинално от всичко четено досега. И затова предполагам , е и малко неразбираемо за тези, които виждат по-замъглено пластовете послания, скрити между редовете. Успех със вглеждането зад периферията.
Подходът наистина е от типа с ножа по главата, но твърде често това е единствения правилен начин за нашата раса. Може и да съм още под мрачната сянка на Трудно е да бъдеш бог на Стругацки, но тук намерих много от отговорите на въпроса, какво щеше да бъде, ако нещата се поемаха от хора и същества с наистина твърде много превъзхождащи останалите живини сили, които се използват за промяна, носеща бялото флагче на предполагаемото добро, вместо да заемат ролята на обичайиите тъжни странични наблюдатели, с лица скрити в божествени шепи, морално неспособни да дадат нито благословия, нито анихилация според заслугите. За пръв път срещам доброволното предателство към рода, дълга, живота, ако ще и любовта, с душа така естествено засмукана от нещо далеч по-велико и необяснимо по-дребно от всичко, което обичайно ни се прокламира като нечия загубена или в най-добрия случай почти неспасяема кауза. И на финала ни чака смъртта по онзи тих начин, който оставя след себе си полъх на тленност дори от онзи така далечен свят, който все пак е имал шанса да придобие смисъл, за разлика от нашия собствен.
Имаме дракони , в които никой не вярва; разказвачи, по-близки до клакьори на властта отколкото независими бардове на словото; магьосници – сноби, опиващи се от властта си над необяснимото до чиста лудост; мутанти. изродили се с поколения от домашни животни до еволюционното ниво на чистата съкровена човещина, и общество потънало в еснафщина и ксенофобия, където различието се смазва безусловно и незабавно, независимо от разни хубави думички , вървящи обичайно с цивилизацията като хуманизъм или равноправие. И една класическа история за любовта, само че без ограничения като вярност или раздяла, която се развива през континенти и сезони пълни с магия, в средата на една унищожителна война, изпила умовете на поколения изродили се в символи на защитници и нападатели хорица. Дори и да ви звучи познато, всъщност преживяването е далеч по-ценно и оригинално от всичко четено досега. И затова предполагам , е и малко неразбираемо за тези, които виждат по-замъглено пластовете послания, скрити между редовете. Успех със вглеждането зад периферията.
July 31, 2015
Really more like 2.75 but I knocked it down because of a few things.
All right the first half was GREAT. I loved the world, the world-building, the class systems, the Changed, the Colleges, all of it. Loved the lore, etc.
However, the insta-love with Rwyan was REALLY distracting, and aside from a really rushed over bit that EXPLAINED rather than SHOWED how much they came to love (and really it felt more like lust) each other I really didn't care for the romance at all.
Especially not later, when it's been TWO YEARS and they're STILL acting like it just happened. Daviot gets forgiven a little bit for that since he literally can't forget it, but Rwyan? Come on.
Plus it felt like after the halfway point that the writer realized there was actually a LOT he should have been talking about before hand in terms of the Sky Lords, the politics of the land, etc. but forgot to because he was too busy have Daviot travel around and repeat the same questions over and over again to pretty much every Changed he met.
So then he tried to cram it all in the space of a chapter or two.
Like when they find out the Lord Protector is dead it felt like there was supposed to be a much larger emotional impact than I got because WE HAD LITERALLY NEVER HEARD OF HIM UNTIL THAT POINT.
After that it just kept slipping downhill for me.
I didn't care about the man dying, and it felt like Daviot was just doing the same thing over and over again until he met Rwyan again.
And while I liked Tedzel well enough it felt like he was a last minute addition and honestly I think he could have been left out entirely and it would have been fine. If anything he felt like a plot device for the writer to make Rwyan look better and also have the excuse to give Sky Lord backstory later on.
So by the end I was incredibly bored and just did not care about the world anymore because all of this last minute stuff was thrown in and it felt like too much information in too little time.
And Daviot actually became LESS interesting once Rwyan entered the scene again.
And what the heck ever happened to Cleton?
So, yeah. First half was fantastic, the last half, not so much.
All right the first half was GREAT. I loved the world, the world-building, the class systems, the Changed, the Colleges, all of it. Loved the lore, etc.
However, the insta-love with Rwyan was REALLY distracting, and aside from a really rushed over bit that EXPLAINED rather than SHOWED how much they came to love (and really it felt more like lust) each other I really didn't care for the romance at all.
Especially not later, when it's been TWO YEARS and they're STILL acting like it just happened. Daviot gets forgiven a little bit for that since he literally can't forget it, but Rwyan? Come on.
Plus it felt like after the halfway point that the writer realized there was actually a LOT he should have been talking about before hand in terms of the Sky Lords, the politics of the land, etc. but forgot to because he was too busy have Daviot travel around and repeat the same questions over and over again to pretty much every Changed he met.
So then he tried to cram it all in the space of a chapter or two.
Like when they find out the Lord Protector is dead it felt like there was supposed to be a much larger emotional impact than I got because WE HAD LITERALLY NEVER HEARD OF HIM UNTIL THAT POINT.
After that it just kept slipping downhill for me.
I didn't care about the man dying, and it felt like Daviot was just doing the same thing over and over again until he met Rwyan again.
And while I liked Tedzel well enough it felt like he was a last minute addition and honestly I think he could have been left out entirely and it would have been fine. If anything he felt like a plot device for the writer to make Rwyan look better and also have the excuse to give Sky Lord backstory later on.
So by the end I was incredibly bored and just did not care about the world anymore because all of this last minute stuff was thrown in and it felt like too much information in too little time.
And Daviot actually became LESS interesting once Rwyan entered the scene again.
And what the heck ever happened to Cleton?
So, yeah. First half was fantastic, the last half, not so much.
June 20, 2015
There were moments of greatness and real creative genius, however I found it difficult to accept that the narrator was trained as a story teller. His account was painfully verbose and dependent on dialog.
I devoted more energy to suspension of disbelief regarding the naivety of the protagonists and the simpletons they interacted with than the more traditional fantasy elements, in part because the traditional fantasy elements were well presented.
The protagonists spent so much time discussing their feelings and secrets, wrestling with their conscience, talking about their loves, and who was mean that I can scarcely believe they would have time left for braiding each others hair much less changing the world.
I found it amusing each time the narrator described someone as taciturn, and was genuinely surprised, and frankly disappointed, that the flibbertigibbet was not silenced by boot or sword.
I would not recommend this book unless your typical fair is middle-school girl drama. I will look for other titles by this author, because while this particular story was not a great fit for me, perhaps others will be...
I devoted more energy to suspension of disbelief regarding the naivety of the protagonists and the simpletons they interacted with than the more traditional fantasy elements, in part because the traditional fantasy elements were well presented.
The protagonists spent so much time discussing their feelings and secrets, wrestling with their conscience, talking about their loves, and who was mean that I can scarcely believe they would have time left for braiding each others hair much less changing the world.
I found it amusing each time the narrator described someone as taciturn, and was genuinely surprised, and frankly disappointed, that the flibbertigibbet was not silenced by boot or sword.
I would not recommend this book unless your typical fair is middle-school girl drama. I will look for other titles by this author, because while this particular story was not a great fit for me, perhaps others will be...
April 11, 2015
Warning:
I take pride in reading books and I have spent quite some time diving into this other world, but all things considered, I can at best only be thought of as an amateur. This review comes from a casual reader.
Read this way back when I was 10 or eleven, and re-read it twice already. Pushed me to read more of the genre. Dare I say fantasy-fiction starter kit? Casuals will not be blown away; this begs to be read.
First POV perspective mostly throughout the book. Dives right into the main conflict that will be explored later on, but a bit of slow start after the initial push. A lot of world-building within one book, a lot of thinking done too. Might have to switch off your grasp of reality at times. This a fantasy setting after all.
Ending wrapped up beautifully especially when considering how this is first POV. Left me wanting so much more for so much longer.
I take pride in reading books and I have spent quite some time diving into this other world, but all things considered, I can at best only be thought of as an amateur. This review comes from a casual reader.
Read this way back when I was 10 or eleven, and re-read it twice already. Pushed me to read more of the genre. Dare I say fantasy-fiction starter kit? Casuals will not be blown away; this begs to be read.
First POV perspective mostly throughout the book. Dives right into the main conflict that will be explored later on, but a bit of slow start after the initial push. A lot of world-building within one book, a lot of thinking done too. Might have to switch off your grasp of reality at times. This a fantasy setting after all.
Ending wrapped up beautifully especially when considering how this is first POV. Left me wanting so much more for so much longer.
November 13, 2015
An enjoyable read with an interesting storyline and writing style (which fit the main character very well), but the pacing was somewhat awkward. To explain (some spoilers): most of the book had a very slow, gradual pacing but the very end and a few other portions were paced comparatively rapidly, which was rather jarring. Another small issue I had with the book was the seeming lack of agency in the characters themselves. Most of their journeys felt meandering and directionless. They lacked agency over their fates and progression until the very end, at which point they had more control over these things than literally any other character in that world, which was again a bit jarring. Otherwise a good story, definitely worth reading besides these issues. And, of course, I loved the dragons in the story.
March 5, 2016
So, I received this book as a birthday present from one of my very best friends. She had introduced me to so many of my favorite books I was excited to start this one. After reading it once, I hated it! I couldn't believe that my friend had made such a huge mistake in book browsing though so I gave it another try. After reading it again I STILL disliked it, but maybe didn't hate it any more. I still own it, it WAS a gift, and have tried to read it a third time but all to no avail. I just don't care for this book.
October 19, 2009
This is a book worth reading because the contents is perfectly balanced(quest,love,magic,secrets,treachery,combat)and intriguing.You quickly get absorbed in the action and little by little reveal a hidden empire of mutant-slaves some of which come up to be mankinds helpers side by side with the newly reborn dragons.Can mutants be and act more humane than human beings? The whole action leaves with a feeling of freedom's greatness and love's might in an inordinary imaginary world.
January 14, 2021
I really enjoy the first 90% of this book. The characters and world are very vivid and the author really brings them to life. I only struggle with the ending. Too graphic, too violent and almost like a different novel. The characters remain true to how they are written but the style and plot are really different and I find them less enjoyable. When I re-read I always dive into the book but always struggle to finish.
October 23, 2013
This is one of the rare books where the writing takes you from beginning to end. It's like reading your favorite song that puts you in the best mood and leaves you feeling satisfied and relaxed. I've read this several times just to get back into that mood. This is Angus Wells at his best!
August 4, 2014
Stock standard heroic fantasy: swords, sorcery, legends, enemies... You know how it goes. It was presented well enough, with a dragging part in the last third while our protagonists stalled. But whatever. Entertaining enough to finish, enough interesting ideas to keep it afloat.
September 3, 2007
I quite frequently read the epilogue of this book aloud to myself because I love it that much.
December 1, 2009
Guter Fantasy mit erfrischen depressiven Noten. Trägt ein bischen dick auf, aber nach der Assassins-Trilogie ist man einiges gewöhnt.
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