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It was with equal measures of excitement and reticence that I sat down to read the last volume of The Darkwar saga. Indeed, Flight of the Nighthawks was a return to form for Raymond E. Feist, whose latest series (The Riftwar Legacy and Conclave of Shadows) were uninspired works. Sadly, Into a Dark Realm turned out to be one of the most disappointing books ever written by the author, a lackluster effort if ever there was one.Time was, I used to be a huge Feist fan. So I want nothing more than to see him produce the sort of ripping yarns on which is fame and success are based. Flight of the Nighthawks did generate some lofty expectations among readers, and I for one was really excited. And yet, the sequel all but destroyed them. Still, there was a silver lining, for Feist set the stage for a promising final installment. Unfortunately, though my own expectations were far from high, Wrath of a Mad God failed to live up to the potential displayed by the opening chapter of this trilogy.
A pity, since all the ingredients appeared to be in place for one great fantasy adventure. Pug, Nakor and their companions are still trying to make sense of the Dasati universe, and what they'll discover will make them realize that there is much more at stake than what they ever envisioned. Miranda finds herself a prisoner of Leso Varen, and she must find a way to warn the Great Ones and the aristocracy of Kelewan of the threat they now face. Back in Midkemia, Kaspar and his men make a startling discovery, something that might change everything.
The premise underlying this novel is one of Feist's most ambitious storylines. The main problem plaguing Wrath of a Mad God lies in the execution, which is decidedly flat in several portions of the tale. The threat of destruction of three different worlds is never truly portayed in a believable manner. Feist has had a problem with writing scenes and plotlines of epic proportions in the past, and I feel that he was unable to capture the emotional impact associated with such an all-encompassing menace. The heroic vibe throughout this one has a YA feel that prevented me to get into the story. Most characters don't react in credible fashion, and at times I thought I was reading a Forgotten Realms sword and sorcery tale. Their actions and dialogues don't ring true, and the implausibility of it all never lets the reader feel how dire the situation really is.
One of the biggest shortcomings of Wrath of a Mad God is the fact that Feist is incapable to convey his ideas and concepts through the narratives. As was the case in Into a Dark Realm, we are forced to read through heaps of dialogues in which the characters explain what is occurring, etc. There is a lot of internal musing by many of the characters, especially from Miranda, which becomes annoying because it breaks the rhythm of the novel.
Much to my relief, things take a turn for the better late in the book. A few unexpected surprises toward the end help elevate this one above its predecessor, which was a blessing. Yet the ending is terribly rushed and prevents us from enjoying it to the fullest. I found that extremely weird, considering that many of the plotlines have been building up for over two volumes as well as the better part of this third installment. But their culmination is over in the blink of an eye.
Once more, Feist demonstrates that he doesn't fear killing major characters. Though I should have known better, what with the death of characters such as Jimmy the Hand and Arutha in past books, I must admit that I never expected the death of such a long time player. . .
Although everything is rushed, Feist brings this one to a somewhat satisfying end. But 2/3of this novel nevertheless suffers from uneven pacing and occasionally poor execution. Characterization, an aspect in which Feist habitually excels, is more or less subpar throughout. Even if the last hundred pages or so saved this one for me, Wrath of a Mad God is still a far cry from the Riftwar and Serpentwar books.
Has Feist lost his touch? I get the feeling that -- like Eddings, Salvatore, Brooks, Weis and Hickman, etc -- Raymond E. Feist's best years might be behind him. Which is a shame if that's the case, because at his best Feist could compete with virtually any SFF authors out there.
The final verdict: 7/10
9 commentaires:
Now I want to win the book so I don't have to buy it.
Your review clearly describes how disappointing this book was and yet he still got 7/10 ????? You must have topped him up with a few pity points for old time's sake.
I've clearly been desappointed with Apprentice and Magician, but still, I also enjoyed a couple of his shortstories.
A Serpentwar book is actually waiting in my library for me to give that author another try.
Nadine
(Rivages Maudits)
I was going to say what Ed said. I'd hate to see what a 6/10 looks like!
7/10 sounds fair if you enjoy the world in which the novel takes place and the author's body of work in general to appreciate even a sub-standard novel by him; maybe if it was a different author's first time novel, you would have automatically scored it even lower?
Curious. What is a YA vibe? That's a serious question, and not the beginning of flameage. I'm just not sure I understand what you're getting at and would really like a little expansion, if you've got time.
Thanks!
Di
This one was well on its way toward a 6/10, but things picked up enough toward the end to make the novel a not-so-bad read.
My expectations for Feist are such that I figure I'm a bit harsher with his books' shortcomings than other readers would be.
Wrath of a Mad God is not bad the way Talon of the Silver Hawk and King of Foxes sucked, but by no stretch of the imagination is it as good as works like Prince of the Blood and The King's Buccaneer.
7/10 sounds about right to me!
Di Francis: I spoke of a YA vibe because of the fact that many portions read like sword and sorcery adventures, in which the good guys are plunging into untold danger as if they were on their way to a picnic. Kind of makes it hard to convey the emotional impact associated with the death of millions when when you have a bunch of heroes acting thus...
Sounds similar to Eddings in his prime, actually. But then, I'd consider his entire body of work to be YA by today's standards.
Yea he does kill of main chacters, i like his style for it more like a history and you see things progress. Also in the book rage of a demon king when Pug meets the death godess she tells him he will wtch every one he loves and then he will die in vain. So every one f the chacters EVEN Thomas must die by the end of the books the last book is ?magicans end? where every one Pug has loved is dead then he dies
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