A fantasy author I haven't read before. I picked up her book Wayfarer's Redemption, and 150 pages in it is quite good. Has anyone else read her work?
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Sara Douglass
- Thread starter Steerpike
- Start date
BWFoster78
Mythic Scribe
I think I read that series through Sinner before giving up on it. I enjoyed the first book. If I remember correctly, my enjoyment lessened with each book thereafter. It's been too long, however, to give you specifics.
Eventually, I gave up on her completely after literally throwing one of her books across the room upon completion. Don't remember which one, but it wasn't part of this series.
Feo Takahari
Dark Lord
Hey, let's not do these out of order. Douglass isn't up until we get to the D's--we're still on Brett.
So number 27 on my list was Sara Douglass, but here's already a thread about her! I figured instead of making a new thread, let's just continue this one. If Steerpike doesn't mind, I can change the title of the thread so we have consistency with the list I've been doing.
I haven't read anything by her myself, but for some reason when I hear about her name, it rings a bell.
Those who have read her, would you like to share?
Note: Maybe Feo has been waiting to discuss her because of the order?
I haven't read anything by her myself, but for some reason when I hear about her name, it rings a bell.
Those who have read her, would you like to share?
Note: Maybe Feo has been waiting to discuss her because of the order?
Feo Takahari
Dark Lord
I've previously tried to discuss The Wayfarer Redemption in objective terms, but it's pretty dang obvious I didn't like it. This time, I'll discuss it entirely in subjective terms.
I have nothing against real, actual nature worshipers--they seem like decent folk. But there's a certain way nature worshipers in fiction tend to be written, and I find it impossible to empathize with. They embrace the arbitrariness and bloodthirstiness of the natural world, finding it acceptable that some must die so that others may live, and they express no anger when people who've done nothing wrong get killed simply because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. They're like Randites gone Buddhist, and if that doesn't scare the hell out of you, I don't know what will.
I love fantasy Catholics, and I hate how much shit they take. The fantasy Catholic is fierce but honorable, slaying evil and protecting the innocent. They can get a bit bloodthirsty, so they're often doomed antagonists for "persecuting" fantasy nature worshipers, but given that said fantasy nature worshipers tend to be accessories in the deaths of innocents, my sympathies tend to remain with the Catholics.
The Wayfarer Redemption is a story that celebrates fantasy nature worshipers by pitting them against fantasy Catholics. There was only one major Catholic in book 1 who got to remain a Catholic, and once he started listening to a sinister voice in his head, it was pretty obvious he was going to become a villain and then either die or redeem himself by becoming a nature worshiper. Simply put, I didn't feel like any character I could relate to would remain both relatable and alive.
I have nothing against real, actual nature worshipers--they seem like decent folk. But there's a certain way nature worshipers in fiction tend to be written, and I find it impossible to empathize with. They embrace the arbitrariness and bloodthirstiness of the natural world, finding it acceptable that some must die so that others may live, and they express no anger when people who've done nothing wrong get killed simply because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. They're like Randites gone Buddhist, and if that doesn't scare the hell out of you, I don't know what will.
I love fantasy Catholics, and I hate how much shit they take. The fantasy Catholic is fierce but honorable, slaying evil and protecting the innocent. They can get a bit bloodthirsty, so they're often doomed antagonists for "persecuting" fantasy nature worshipers, but given that said fantasy nature worshipers tend to be accessories in the deaths of innocents, my sympathies tend to remain with the Catholics.
The Wayfarer Redemption is a story that celebrates fantasy nature worshipers by pitting them against fantasy Catholics. There was only one major Catholic in book 1 who got to remain a Catholic, and once he started listening to a sinister voice in his head, it was pretty obvious he was going to become a villain and then either die or redeem himself by becoming a nature worshiper. Simply put, I didn't feel like any character I could relate to would remain both relatable and alive.
MystagogueI didn't care for the fact that that main character's family kept it all in the family. What i mean is, that it mentioned that cousins would marry their cousins ,and grandparents would mate with their grand children. If you've read the whole series you would understand what i mean. Every time i got to the parts where the main characters father was obsessed with trying to get into his granddaughter's pants, i felt uncomfortable having to slog through that incest subplot, that didn't really help to move the story forward at all. If she would have cut that plot line out, it would have made the series more enjoyable to read.