Rating: 
Summary: A great first novel priming the reader for the sequels.
Review: This book is fairly fast moving with enough twists and turns to make it engrossing. You can put it down but your mind stays with it, wondering what's coming next. I found it a little confusing about some of the names of the players and places. A family tree and a more detailed map would have cleared this up. There were hints of adventures to come that could involve the depths of the oceans and the sky above. A good touch of romance without the raunchy details that are sometimes added for "flavor". You had better keep your eyes on this young man as he shows great promise of things to come. I won't say "Look out Isaac Asimov" but I think he would have enjoyed this story. Thanks Anselm.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book! I compare it to Lord of The Rings
Review: This book starts off in a crisp detailed world in Aquasilva. I compare this book in magnitude to Lord of The Rings. It was this good in my opinion. I enjoyed its great story of power, and magic. Truly a masterpiece!
Rating:
Summary: Great Book! I compare it to Lord of The Rings
Review: This book starts off in a crisp detailed world in Aquasilva. I compare this book in magnitude to Lord of The Rings. It was this good in my opinion. I enjoyed its great story of power, and magic. Truly a masterpiece!
Rating:
Summary: Audley is Excellent!
Review: This is an excellent book,with believabl and likeable characters and a thrilling and intriugung plot.
Rating: 
Summary: This book was written by a...
Review: Upon encountering a poorly written book, we frequently respond by labeling it juvenile and immature, and suggesting that we have a six-year-old waiting at home who could do better. Lately the publishing companies have dsicovered a possibly brilliant way to preempt this insult. They hire children to write books. "Heresy", by Anselm Audley, was written by a teenager. Moreover, it looks like it was written by a teenager. And I do not mean that as a compliment.
When I myself was an acned adolescent, I began working on a big epic fantasy. That project now languishes unpublished in my parents' attic, unfinished and unpublished because it contained no real plot. I was, at the time, more interested in world-building than in telling a story. In "Heresy", Anselm Audley has poured his heart into the details. You'll learn about which countries produce which goods and export them to where, and which religious sects believe what, and which cities have what forms of government. But as for anything actually happening to catch your attention, forget it.
Young Cathon is an orphan boy who, guess what, proves to be the long lost heir to the throne and possessor of whopping magical powers to boot. Arrayed against him we have a cliche band of evil priests, as well as some nasty traders of some sort from a "great house". Characterization flops totally, with Cathan showing barely any personality, and the villains failing to even reach the level comic book stereotype. Particuarly noxious is Cathan's relationship with a cycle of interchangable love interests, each more smashingly beautiful than the last. Times change, but teenage boys' sexual fantasies remain quite predictable.
Ever heard of space-fillers? The term gets redefined here. "The garden was specially designed to collect water below the soil and funnel off excess down the storm drains, thus ensuring the extra weight didn't bring the building down every time it rained." Even accepting the dubious proposition that drainage makes good fiction, I think we could have divined the purpose of the funnel without being told. After many hundred pages of this, Anselm tacks on a very hasty ending that totally doesn't fit with the rest of the book. And for writing skill, the lest said the better. Subordinate clause piles on top of ungainly subordinate clause, and Audley's abuse of the semicolon borders on criminal.
So to conclude, "Heresy" is yet another overhyped, underperforming wannabe in the fantasy field, a further insult to our intelligence from publishing companies that are leaking credibility faster than Donald Rumsfield. For real fantasy entertainment, may I suggest Memeory, Sorrow, and Thorn by Tad Williams or perhaps "The High House" by James Stoddard. These authors actually built their worlds around a story rather than the other way around. And they are, not coincidentally, adults.
Rating:
Summary: Heresy - a disappointing debut from such a hyped author
Review: We've heard all the media blurb - teenage guy writes novel, pockets a mini-mountain of cash, what a guy, etc...
But does the book measure up? This is the question that screams for an answer.
In short, no it does not, not in the slightest.
Now, this is just my personal opinion, so please if you completely disagree and want to tear my hair out, I would advise you not to continue reading this. Importantly, Heresy is not terrible. In fact, there are many positive elements in the novel that are genuinely encouraging.
But this does not get Mr Audley out of jail, nor does the fact that he is only nineteen. Sure, he is young, but the publishers should have thought about that before they published the book. With regards to the novel itself...it just doesn't make the grade. The concept is original in portrayal, but not in the nitty-gritty of the plot workings. Young boy sees danger, young boy tries to save homeland, etc with all the trappings that come with a young hero.
The world of Aquasilva itself is reasonably interesting, but confused. Take for example, the fact that weapons such as swords and crossbows are still in use, yet there are submarines that have 'flame lances' and torpedoes. Come again?
The prose itself is stiff, unnatural and often downright annoying, with Audley struggling to create memorable or even realistic relationships between characters. Detail is all to often lacking and many characters are introduced but left half undeveloped. Some elements of the novel are a little too 'fortunate', such as the fact that Cathan - the main protagonist - needs to undertake a desperate mission, and oh, he just happens to be a competant mage. Overall, there are just too many times when attempting to turn the page is more stressful than Cathan's own journey. This isn't a terrible book, and there are small signs that perhaps Audley is better judged on his next offering.
But there - for me at least - is the unmistakeable sign that the publishers are trying to sell the book on the basis of the author's age, which is not the way to go about things. Maybe 'Inquisition' - the next title - will show better things to come, but 'Heresy' unfortunately falls flat on its face.
Rating: 
Summary: A good read
Review: While its not on par with Lord of the Rings or the Deed of Paksanarion this book is honestly a decent read. After having read Gene Wolfe's novels for a bit this book has kept me wanting to turn page after page. While, I would agree with a lot of the reviews on here (basically the plot is a bit wishy washy) if you are looking for a decent series to read this one is well worth the money and your time. I am looking forward to reading the rest of it!
Rating: 
Summary: This book need some proof-reading
Review: While the story is halfway decent, this book really is in desperate need of some proof-reading to make sure that dates and facts match. The dialogue is wooden I can't imagine anyone ever speaking in the manner in which the characters of this novel speak.
|
