Post by Shire Hobbit on Oct 11, 2003 15:54:17 GMT -5
I often hear from other readers that they don't know where to start reading Robert Stanek. If you're a new Robert Stanek reader (and an adult), your best bet is Keeper Martin's Tale.
Keeper Martin's Tale is great fantasy reading. Its fast paced, well plotted and full of interesting characters.
One of the best reviews that I've seen of the book says it all:
WHY READ RUIN MIST CHRONICLES:
1. THIS ISN'T YOUNG CHILD GROWS TO GOOD GUY BEATS DARK LORD AND MARRIES BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS. In the typical fantasy, that's what happens and all the good guys live while defeating hords of enemies. I may be exaggerating a bit BUT you get the idea. After reading this type of story over and over that plot cliche gets old.
2. YOU ARE TIRED OF HEROES WHO WALK ON WATER AND CAN'T DIE EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE IN CONSTANT DANGER. Hey in real life, heroes die and magic DOESN'T bring them back either. So why do all the heroes live forever? Heroes in real life have failings/bad habbits and so do Stanek's characters.
3. MYSTERY AND INTRIGUE. You are tired of the entrenched lines of good guys and bad guys with stupid villains. You are tired of ONE SIDED bad guys who are PURE EVIL. Life isn't that way, often the nicest people are the worst and the people who seem bad are really good. You want a bit of mystery in your fantasy and Robert Stanek definitely DELIVERS!
4. MULTIPLE VIEWPOINTS. Hey, what one person thinks is bad may be quite the contrary to another. So why shouldn't it be this way in fantasy? If characters have different backgrounds, religions and beliefs they may see good and evil in very different ways. Robert has even created an alternate reality for his alternate reality.
5. LEGENDS OF YORE. Why should the best characters be the ones that are in the here and now? Why can't some of the best characters be in the past? History and legends give the story texture and make it real and exciting!
6. PLOTS & LAYERS Books that end tidily with all plotlines carefully tidied up aren't very realistic, so why do most fantasy books end this way? Real life doesn't end when the fireman saves the child from the burning building--it only begins. RUIN MIST has many plots and subplots, and lots of layers that make it a wildly interesting place to visit. And best of all, you don't always get closure at the end of every book. Some stories are resolved. Some are evolving.
7. CHARACTERIZATION. No matter how rich the fantasy setting, its the characters that we ultimately fall in love with. But in most fantasies characters follow specific archetypes that are easy to read. It like there's this big dividing line between the good guys and the bad guys. Stanek's characters aren't like that, they're gritty, deep, dark and we learn many different things that help us see characters in new/different light.
8. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. I could go on and on but in the end, you'll have to make the decision. I believe it is worthwhile.
Keeper Martin's Tale is great fantasy reading. Its fast paced, well plotted and full of interesting characters.
One of the best reviews that I've seen of the book says it all:
WHY READ RUIN MIST CHRONICLES:
1. THIS ISN'T YOUNG CHILD GROWS TO GOOD GUY BEATS DARK LORD AND MARRIES BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS. In the typical fantasy, that's what happens and all the good guys live while defeating hords of enemies. I may be exaggerating a bit BUT you get the idea. After reading this type of story over and over that plot cliche gets old.
2. YOU ARE TIRED OF HEROES WHO WALK ON WATER AND CAN'T DIE EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE IN CONSTANT DANGER. Hey in real life, heroes die and magic DOESN'T bring them back either. So why do all the heroes live forever? Heroes in real life have failings/bad habbits and so do Stanek's characters.
3. MYSTERY AND INTRIGUE. You are tired of the entrenched lines of good guys and bad guys with stupid villains. You are tired of ONE SIDED bad guys who are PURE EVIL. Life isn't that way, often the nicest people are the worst and the people who seem bad are really good. You want a bit of mystery in your fantasy and Robert Stanek definitely DELIVERS!
4. MULTIPLE VIEWPOINTS. Hey, what one person thinks is bad may be quite the contrary to another. So why shouldn't it be this way in fantasy? If characters have different backgrounds, religions and beliefs they may see good and evil in very different ways. Robert has even created an alternate reality for his alternate reality.
5. LEGENDS OF YORE. Why should the best characters be the ones that are in the here and now? Why can't some of the best characters be in the past? History and legends give the story texture and make it real and exciting!
6. PLOTS & LAYERS Books that end tidily with all plotlines carefully tidied up aren't very realistic, so why do most fantasy books end this way? Real life doesn't end when the fireman saves the child from the burning building--it only begins. RUIN MIST has many plots and subplots, and lots of layers that make it a wildly interesting place to visit. And best of all, you don't always get closure at the end of every book. Some stories are resolved. Some are evolving.
7. CHARACTERIZATION. No matter how rich the fantasy setting, its the characters that we ultimately fall in love with. But in most fantasies characters follow specific archetypes that are easy to read. It like there's this big dividing line between the good guys and the bad guys. Stanek's characters aren't like that, they're gritty, deep, dark and we learn many different things that help us see characters in new/different light.
8. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. I could go on and on but in the end, you'll have to make the decision. I believe it is worthwhile.