Full disclosure: I LOVED this book! Perhaps it didn’t have the grandeur of The Lord of the Rings or the wit of Harry Potter, but what The Way of Shadows lacked in those things, it made up for in action and intrigue.
Without a doubt, the plot of The Way of Shadows had more twists, turns, and surprises than any fantasy novel that I have read recently or that I can even think of. Weeks’ story leaps forward at a rapid pace and he doesn’t slow down enough for you to figure out what’s really going on.
As a result, I sprinted through this novel. I couldn’t put it down. Usually, I’ll read in bed until I drift off each night, but, instead, The Way of Shadows kept me awake and reading for hours. Considering my sleeping habits, that’s a testament to just how engrossing and exciting this novel is.
Another thing I loved was the characters. Azoth is a great protagonist. You can relate to him, but he’s still dangerous and excitement just happens around him. I also though the supporting characters were strong and well written, especially Durzo, Momma K, Logan, Elene, Count Drake, and Jarl.
I’ve read a lot of great books this year and this was really as enjoyable as any. As I mentioned, maybe it won’t go down as high art, but it was a hell of a ride and I loved every second of it.
Just two days ago, we got the sweet new Hobbit trailer and now today the new Prometheus trailer is unveiled. Looks like 2012 is shaping up to be a good year for movies. I just hope the apocalypse doesn’t ruin it for us!
From what I understand, Prometheus is a prequel to Alien and is the first Alien movie directed by Ridley Scott since the original. Personally, I’ve always felt that Alien is by far the best in the series, although many people really liked James Cameron’s Aliens.
Aliens is a cool action flick with sweet, venom-spewing monsters, but Alien is the ultimate sci-fi thriller. The entire film is creepy and haunting even though there is only the one alien on the ship. I really feel that it is an amazing film and I would rank it among my favorite sci-fi movies.
The Hobbit was the first fantasy novel that I read (which wasn’t until college) and, since then, I’ve devoured as many fantasy novels as possible, but I still consider The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings to be my favorites. The characters and world is so imaginative and wonderful…I just love it.
The entire reason that I even read The Hobbit to begin with was because of Peter Jackson’s film adaptations of The Lord of the Rings. I was engrossed by the movies and they inspired me to read the novels. Now, I love the novels AND the films. The films are not perfect in all of the details, but they do a wonderful job conveying the major themes and imagery of the novels.
Jackson’s adaptation of The Hobbit won’t hit theaters for a year, but the first official trailer has been released and it looks amazing. If the movie ends up being half as good as it looks, I will be thrilled. Enjoy!
The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks