Michael Smith > Recent Status Updates

I see this book compared to John Gwynne a lot. Whilst I get that, as both are newish releases with a classic fantasy feel, I also think it sells Cahill short to imply this is perfect for Gwynne fans. Why? Because I personally didn't connect with Gwynne's writing at all. I found it flat, uninspired and soulless. This book, however, is really captivating me! I feel like a child reading Tad Williams for the first time!

This is showing signs of becoming one of my top ten trilogies of all time. Oh, Terry Brooks, you right fantasy, action and adventure with such a magic touch, it's like you write simply for me.

Michael J Sullivan is just great. I love his work so much, and this book might be the best of his I've read yet.

I felt love for this book from the second I started. Let know one say instalove isn't real!

I've got to be honest, I'm finding this really pedestrian, flat and boring. I'm not even 20% in, but it's painfully boring, the writing is bland, the characters are all lifeless, can't tell one from the other. I'm trying to enjoy it, to not ve so critical. But Tad Williams, Raymond E Feist, David Gemmell or Robin Hobb this is not. Its not close. How is this revered by so many? I hope to find out.

Bland. Basic. Vanilla. Read it all before.

...but I find myself turning the pages and slowly sinking in...

But if you tell me this is an all time great whilst bemoaning how dated classic eighties fantasy is, I will slap the shit out of you. This is enjoyable though, but it reads like something popular from 1988. I'm not sure why we hate on Terry Brooks these days for being a "rip off" but praise this instead.

Oh this is a complex tale, I'm just so fascinated and enthralled! The pieces are coming together beautifully.

Every time I start a new section, I miss the previous setting and the characters. But then after five/six pages I'm obsessed with the new bunch. This book is just the gift that keeps on giving.