While this book was readable, I do take a few issues with it. 1) I have a hard time endorsing a hero or main character who has no perceivable flaws and really appears to just have everything handed to him on a silver platter. 2) this is a children's book, which does make some of it's faults excusable when you consider it's intended audience (ages 9-12) but some of the language and situations (a brothel, really?) make this book completely innapropriate for children in my opinion... It is rare to find those situations in even YA series, where they would begin to become acceptable, but I personally do not believe in introducing the notions to children.3) the timeline is confusing. Even though it is stated that only a day has passed between one event and the next, the language implies weeks in a number of situations. 4) I question if this book has even seen an editor. On a few occasions, certain characters were called by the wrong name...It is an interesting concept, and if more attention was paid to detail by both author and editor it could be a good series...There is potential. Just needs to dedication to see it through. I am going to try reading the 2nd book, but if it doesn't get better I'm calling it quits. I don't recall ever having read, seen, or heard a work in any medium with characters quite so blatantly one dimensional. Pretty sure each character got one bit in binary and the only one who really changed did so in a painfully predictable way. Rice is also generous enough to tack on impressively generic plot devices and names ("The Destiny Sword" which only the chosen one can lift... ) This is followed, of course, by my personal pet peeve. Deus ex machina can come in a great many forms. I will offer in Rice's favor, that the forms used here were somewhat varied, at least, but the fact remains, reliance on deus ex tends to make for a poor read, I find. Finally, and perhaps the most egregious problem, the characters, their thought processes, responses, and motivations all blasted my suspension of disbelief. Fantasy happens to be the genre I spend the most time reading. Suspension of disbelief is a must for this genre. But one of the things that most easily separates a good fantasy author from a bad one (or in this case, a seemingly awful one) is that a good fantasy author puts as small a burden as possible on his/her reader when it comes to suspension of disbelief. You want to create a new and unfamiliar world? Fine. You want to include fantastic creatures? Great! A new magic system? Of course, why not? All good things. Queue spoilers!!! On the other hand, when you tell me that an assassination attempt on one of the king's sons seems to be a less important consideration in the main character's mind than the size of the boar they killed on the hunt...well, now I have a problem. For another example, we look again to the main character. This is boy who has always dreamed forever more than anything (...yada yada...) to be a squire and serve his king and country. He learns of an assassination plot on the king (yes, through deus ex, but it's already been brought to everyone's attention that the kid has unusual abilities). Now, is the obvious first thought to walk the 20 feet back to the door of the magically gifted king's adviser, who would likely believe him??? No, that would be silly. How about telling your best friend, the king's son when you immediately return to the barracks you share and talk with him? No, also not the greatest idea. Fine, what would make more sense then? Oh, I see, taking a day trip with the knight you serve, not telling him (who you've saved with your magical powers) about the threat, then hoping you manage to return in time to save the king by telling him not to drink. Don't explain that you can corroborate the story based on other predictions you've had. Don't request that he believe you as a boon in exchange for your service, which he's greatly appreciated so far. Just say you had a dream and cross your fingers. This thought process only makes sense in one context that I can see. Along with an equally unlikely response from the king, it manages to end the book the way the author wanted to end it. Perhaps I'm being unfair, and I freely admit to not being a student of a formal form of human psychology. But for me, if you want to have a character make an unlikely decision periodically, OK, but understand that it may stand out. If you want to have characters make unlikely decisions on a regular basis, that's fine too. Just understand that I will not be reading the rest of your books. Almost a shame, as I'd like to rate the rest of the books one star as well as a warning to other readers...
Do You like book La Senda De Los Héroes (2000)?
I don't recall ever having read, seen, or heard a work in any medium with characters quite so blatantly one dimensional. Pretty sure each character got one bit in binary and the only one who really changed did so in a painfully predictable way. Rice is also generous enough to tack on impressively generic plot devices and names ("The Destiny Sword" which only the chosen one can lift... ) This is followed, of course, by my personal pet peeve. Deus ex machina can come in a great many forms. I will offer in Rice's favor, that the forms used here were somewhat varied, at least, but the fact remains, reliance on deus ex tends to make for a poor read, I find. Finally, and perhaps the most egregious problem, the characters, their thought processes, responses, and motivations all blasted my suspension of disbelief. Fantasy happens to be the genre I spend the most time reading. Suspension of disbelief is a must for this genre. But one of the things that most easily separates a good fantasy author from a bad one (or in this case, a seemingly awful one) is that a good fantasy author puts as small a burden as possible on his/her reader when it comes to suspension of disbelief. You want to create a new and unfamiliar world? Fine. You want to include fantastic creatures? Great! A new magic system? Of course, why not? All good things. Queue spoilers!!! On the other hand, when you tell me that an assassination attempt on one of the king's sons seems to be a less important consideration in the main character's mind than the size of the boar they killed on the hunt...well, now I have a problem. For another example, we look again to the main character. This is boy who has always dreamed forever more than anything (...yada yada...) to be a squire and serve his king and country. He learns of an assassination plot on the king (yes, through deus ex, but it's already been brought to everyone's attention that the kid has unusual abilities). Now, is the obvious first thought to walk the 20 feet back to the door of the magically gifted king's adviser, who would likely believe him??? No, that would be silly. How about telling your best friend, the king's son when you immediately return to the barracks you share and talk with him? No, also not the greatest idea. Fine, what would make more sense then? Oh, I see, taking a day trip with the knight you serve, not telling him (who you've saved with your magical powers) about the threat, then hoping you manage to return in time to save the king by telling him not to drink. Don't explain that you can corroborate the story based on other predictions you've had. Don't request that he believe you as a boon in exchange for your service, which he's greatly appreciated so far. Just say you had a dream and cross your fingers. This thought process only makes sense in one context that I can see. Along with an equally unlikely response from the king, it manages to end the book the way the author wanted to end it. Perhaps I'm being unfair, and I freely admit to not being a student of a formal form of human psychology. But for me, if you want to have a character make an unlikely decision periodically, OK, but understand that it may stand out. If you want to have characters make unlikely decisions on a regular basis, that's fine too. Just understand that I will not be reading the rest of your books. Almost a shame, as I'd like to rate the rest of the books one star as well as a warning to other readers...
—angel
I decided to read this book because it was free to download from the Google Play bookshop. I did not know what I was getting into but looking back, I may have wanted to change to another book. It's not that this book is terrible - the characters are okay, the writing is ... partly, okay and it makes you pass time while reading it. This is not, however, a book I would recommend for anyone who values high quality reading. The plot doesn't surprise you, in fact, towards the end of the book I was more annoyed than anything about how predictable it was. In addition, there isn't really really an ending; it stops in a cliffhanger. I felt as if the author ran out of ideas for the ending of the book as it is rushed and all of her ideas are forced into the last remaining pages still left. I am left to wonder why anyone would continue reading this series.
—suuuuuuuzie
Good book, but did not realize it was up to number 12 in the series. Oh what am I to do ?
—fito
I like it. So many questions that I want answered. So on to the next book in the series
—danadler
