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 Heirs of Prophecy novel (SPOILERS!)
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Lord Rad
Great Reader

United Kingdom
2080 Posts

Posted - 20 Dec 2002 :  17:07:16  Show Profile  Visit Lord Rad's Homepage Send Lord Rad a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
WARNING: SPOILERS for HEIRS OF PROPHECY (Sembia book 5)

Has anyone read Heirs of Prophecy yet? Im about 3/4 of the way through. Whilst im quite enjoying the book, I feel its quite apart from the other excellent Sembia novels.

Dont get me wrong, the setting and the authors descriptions and writings are excellent, but Larajin seems to get whatever she desires from not one, but TWO deities! Any obstacle is overcome by a simple prayer to the gods...which is always granted. I just feel that its all a bit too easy for her.

Teleport spells which take years to perfect are given to Larajin just because, it seems, she is going against time and is determined to learn it. Then she perfects the art of skinwalking (transforming into a Tressym) on the first attempt whereas her brother took years of preparation!

Im finding myself giving a big sigh and a "on no, surely not, shes not going to be able to suddenly <insert near-impossible feat here> is she?!"

As I said, the author, Lisa Smedman, has painted a great picture of elven life and the Sembian\Cormanthyr conflict, but I feel that the novel is let down slightly by Larajins power and seeming ability to overcome anything thrown at her.

Any views?

Lord Rad

"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"

Edited by - Lord Rad on 20 Dec 2002 17:08:33

Mumadar Ibn Huzal
Master of Realmslore

1338 Posts

Posted - 20 Dec 2002 :  17:17:12  Show Profile Send Mumadar Ibn Huzal a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I agree with you on your perception that the novel feels differently from the rest of the series. I would even go as far as stating that the quality of the novel is not on par with the others.

The scope of the story doesn't fit in with the rest which is much more centered on the city itself. The storyline takes the reader too far away from nitty gritty dealing and scheming of the family and their enemies in the city. Though not Realmshattering / Altering, the HoP novel takes on a little too much in comparisson to the other novels.

Still an enjoyable read, but certainly not the best book in the series so far.
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Lord Rad
Great Reader

United Kingdom
2080 Posts

Posted - 23 Dec 2002 :  23:35:24  Show Profile  Visit Lord Rad's Homepage Send Lord Rad a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Well ive just finished reading this novel about 10 mins ago and it kind of ended abruptly, a sudden conclusion squeezed into a few pages! On the whole the book was ok, as I said before, I loved the setting and the descriptions of the elven lifestyle etc. The book seemed to start at a high and went a little downhill.

I think if the divine intervention hadnt featured so heavily then it would have been a much better story. Due to the very high quality of the previous Sembia novels, I have to say that this doesnt live up to the same standard

On to Sands of the Soul now....

Lord Rad

"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
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