Your source for romantic fantasy on the web
|
|
Patricia Briggs
|
Jess: "Raven's Shadow" was my first Patricia Briggs book (she has written a few others previously, all on my to read list), and I was pleasantly surprised. The romance in this story is completely different- the two main characters get married out of convenience, and then later fall in love. They have to face hardships on their own, and then they grow to realize how much they truly need each other. I loved how Brigg's paced her novel, with calm periods in all the right places, and the action runs smoothly (something that most authors can never seem to get right). At first I thought that this was a single book with no sequel (which made me a little sad, I loved these characters and felt they could go farther in the story), so I was excited when I found out about "Raven's Strike." If you're looking for something different yet satisfying, try this series. Also try: Trudi Canavan's "Black Magician Trilogy, or Alexander's "Changer of Days." 5/17/05 Raven's Strike update: What an absolutely terrific and satisfying sequel. "Strike" doesn't miss a beat since the last book. If its been a while since you read "Shadow," reread it before you pick this up, just to help with any confusion. Briggs' storytelling is impeccable, as usual, and fans of the previous book won't be disappointed. If you've been waiting for the sequel to try this series, have no fear: as a whole this series is amazing. 6/24/05
Jess: I picked up this series expecting not to be disappointed at all. Naturally, I wasn't. I got even more than I expected. After reading "Raven's Shadow," I knew that Patricia Briggs had something different to offer, and this series just cements that. Wardwick is simply cool. He's not your average sword-toting hero. Everyone thinks he's stupid, which he's not, and he uses that to the fullest extreme. He's almost sadistic, except he's really a nice guy. There's just something about his character that made me keep reading, and enjoyed him the whole time. Although Wardwick is the shining light in this series, there are many other things that make these books a must read. Its a really good story, first of all. The second is far darker than the first, but not too dark to make it unrealistic. Both are quick reads, but that does not mean they are lacking something an 800 page book has. Briggs cuts out all the useless information that so many authors feel the need to stick in their books today, and she's better for it. If you're jaded with regular fantasy, or just need something good to read, check this series out. 6/23/05
Jess: First off, I was a little surprised that "Demons" did not have the same characters as "Dragon." It is kind of a sequel (same place, later time), but oh well. Other than that, these books were great, as always. You might think, "Uggh, the stories sound this same, why should I read it?" If you read the back of the book, its true, they sound similar, but when you read them they are really completely different (well, except for the butt-kicking heroine part). Just like Briggs' previous books, there is romance, but its never focused on. The magic that she creates isn't incredibly unique, but you'd never think it while reading this book. For some reason Briggs' always seems fresh and exciting. These books are quick, fun reads and I recommend them to anyone. 8/1/01 |
©2005 www.rfbookreviews.com
