There’s always a sense of loss when a nice series comes to an end. I grow emotionally attached to the characters, their weaknesses and their strengths, and feel sad when I realize I won’t know what’s happening to them after the books end. The longer the series, the greater the loss. It happened with the Wheel of Time series as well as His Dark Materials and now with The Runelords as well.
The Runelords is a special type of series by David Farland. The magic system is special and has a unique emotional impact compared to those found in other works.
Not to spoil the plot here, but this much I can say: In Farland’s world, anyone can give away his or her attributes to another. Special attributes like strength, beauty, grace, stamina, or metabolism. The downside is that the giver loses them completely, and is rendered helpless. So there’s a price attached to giving endowments as they’re called, and the receiver has to live with the guilt of having ruined another’s life. People who give brawn might find their heart doesn’t have anymore strength to beat, and people who give Wit might forget how to breathe.
This series also has a fantastic villain. Perhaps the best villain in any fantasy series I’ve read till now. You so love to hate him! It’s almost too delicious to be true :) . Unlike other fantasy works, the evil here is personal – not some Dark Lord wanting impersonal dominion. Here the evil guy wants you. And it’s not your life that he wants, but everything.
I’ve finished the four books which comprise the “Earth King Series.” The story achieves closure. The next starts a new series called “The Scions of the Earth” which begins around 8 years after the last book. I would read it, if only it was complete – but it’s not. And I like a series to tie up all loose ends. So I’ll go tackle a few classics now instead :)
Read this book if you want to feel sad, happy, or pensive. It’s emotional catharsis!
Nice review :). I have all his books and got them autographed last weekend. But I’ve only read one so far, loved it!
@Alley
Does that include the “Scions of the Earth” series as well? I’m still undecided as to whether or not I want to start reading it since it’s not complete as of now…
Hi Bhagwad
First of all, nice site you have. I just couldn’t pass by without leaving a comment.
I find it kind of odd and you was so stuck with Runelords? It’s a good series but not great, in my opinion. Like Wheel of Time, and I hope you don’t compare those to series
Runelords is for me like being 15 and reading Eragon – Action, Fast, Armageddon, and without anything special, you know what happens and almost how, i miss the depth of the great series.
The great thing about those kind of series is that you can lean back and be entertained.
I think I have read about 100 fantasy series by now, and those who I remember are not always those I love the most, in the reading process, but those I get most emotional involved in – a good example is The Thomas Covenant Chronicles. If you haven’t read them yet, do it! (It’s not the best series i have read, but a very very good example)
I HATED the first 400 pages of the first book, and i don’t know why i did complete it, but I’m great full now. Somehow reading that serie is more than just entertainment. Stephen R. Donaldson binds you in spiderweb and the more you struggle the more you are stuck. And in the end you love to be captured and in chains.
The great series are those where you laugh and cry with the character. It’s those where you are so involved that you ready all the night knowing that you have a job interview tomorrow for your dream job and don’t care! Just completed book 5 in “A song of ice and fire” and in book 3 I did that – Shupid! But somehow worth it
I think the reason I had to write is that I didn’t understand why you compared Runelords with Wheel of Time
Have you read – Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson – Codex Alera by Jim Butcher – Farseer triology by Robin Hobb (inc. Liveship, and Tawny Man) – Deathgate Cycle by Margaret Weis (love book 2) – The Riftwar Series by Raymond E. Feist – The Bartimaeus trilogy by Jonathan Stroud (a bit too much Harry Potter though) – and a lot more
Just some of those, in my opinion, I think are better than Runelords, even though some of them are easy reading like Runelords.
Anyway. Thanks for your opinion and your review! There are all to many people who review book without any substance to their review.
With best regards and lot of reading time
Martin
In reply to Martin
Thanks for the suggestions Martin. I’ve read Mistborn by Sanderson. Didn’t like it though. I’d reviewed it here: http://www.bhagwad.com/blog/2012/book-reviews/book-review-the-mistborn-borntrilogy-by-brandon-sanderson.html/