I found that Mari and Fairbolt, who weren't even on-stage all that much, often had more presence than the main characters. Dag and Fawn are interesting, and certainly appear to have the potential to shake up their world, but IMHO they're taking too long (in book terms) to get to that point. I feel that a good half of this book could have better occurred off-stage.
As well, the enemy is intellectually interesting, but not emotionally interesting. There's nothing -- except killing it -- in which the Lakewalkers can actually do anything about a malice. The malices (so far) have no relation to their lives. They're things, not people. (They almost remind me of the Bugs in Starship Troopers.)
On finishing previous Lois books, I've had a feeling of satisfaction. The characters may continue -- in fact I hope they will -- but the narrative has reached a suitable endpoint. Ditto Dorothy Dunnett's books; there may be hanging questions, but the central conflict in each book is resolved at the end of that book, at least for a time. Here the ending is too inconclusive. It reminds me of why I don't like many-volume fantasy bricks.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2007-03-24 05:07 am (UTC)I found that Mari and Fairbolt, who weren't even on-stage all that much, often had more presence than the main characters. Dag and Fawn are interesting, and certainly appear to have the potential to shake up their world, but IMHO they're taking too long (in book terms) to get to that point. I feel that a good half of this book could have better occurred off-stage.
As well, the enemy is intellectually interesting, but not emotionally interesting. There's nothing -- except killing it -- in which the Lakewalkers can actually do anything about a malice. The malices (so far) have no relation to their lives. They're things, not people. (They almost remind me of the Bugs in Starship Troopers.)
On finishing previous Lois books, I've had a feeling of satisfaction. The characters may continue -- in fact I hope they will -- but the narrative has reached a suitable endpoint. Ditto Dorothy Dunnett's books; there may be hanging questions, but the central conflict in each book is resolved at the end of that book, at least for a time. Here the ending is too inconclusive. It reminds me of why I don't like many-volume fantasy bricks.