The Initiate Brother
Was there a period in which fantasy writers somehow lost knowledge of how to write a complete book that's also part of a series? I'm sure it's coincidence, but after reading a trilogy that didn't hit any approaching a real narrative climax until the third book, now I get a two book series in which the first ends on a cliffhanger and... yeah, doesn't have any real climax. Things happen, but everything is obvious building toward later events.
On the whole, The Initiate Brother, was a perfectly fine read. It comes across as excellent inspiration for a Legend of Five Rings game, or something along those lines - Oriental fantasy with low-grade supernatural elements so far. It generally has (what seems to me) the right flavor, with lots of political elements and personal ambitions hidden behind fascades.
Perhaps my least favorite character, however, is Brother Shuyun - the title character. His entire purpose in the book seems to boil down to two main points. First, the narrative and other characters can go on and on about how special he is, even among his order, which is clearly setting him up to be a major player in events that... haven't come by the end of the novel. Second, he contributes here and there by making leaps of logic that others dont. If other characters had been allowed to make those intuitive leaps and fill in for a few scenes, Shujun would have been completely unnecessary.
I think I'm also a little bit put off by how he's Mister Special with abilities beyond most monks even at an early age, yet he's also showing hints of future romantic entanglement, questioning the order rather easily, shows an easy-going side pretty early on, and generally projects that sense that he'll do what is "right" (to the author's and probably reader's morality) at the expense of all his teachings of what's proper. Basically, he's a little too perfect a good guy for my taste at the moment.
Lord Shonto, on the other hand, is a character I like a great deal. Bright and brave, but not flawless. He comes across as the sort of lord one can truly respect in the setting.
But we'll see how things develop in book two...
On the whole, The Initiate Brother, was a perfectly fine read. It comes across as excellent inspiration for a Legend of Five Rings game, or something along those lines - Oriental fantasy with low-grade supernatural elements so far. It generally has (what seems to me) the right flavor, with lots of political elements and personal ambitions hidden behind fascades.
Perhaps my least favorite character, however, is Brother Shuyun - the title character. His entire purpose in the book seems to boil down to two main points. First, the narrative and other characters can go on and on about how special he is, even among his order, which is clearly setting him up to be a major player in events that... haven't come by the end of the novel. Second, he contributes here and there by making leaps of logic that others dont. If other characters had been allowed to make those intuitive leaps and fill in for a few scenes, Shujun would have been completely unnecessary.
I think I'm also a little bit put off by how he's Mister Special with abilities beyond most monks even at an early age, yet he's also showing hints of future romantic entanglement, questioning the order rather easily, shows an easy-going side pretty early on, and generally projects that sense that he'll do what is "right" (to the author's and probably reader's morality) at the expense of all his teachings of what's proper. Basically, he's a little too perfect a good guy for my taste at the moment.
Lord Shonto, on the other hand, is a character I like a great deal. Bright and brave, but not flawless. He comes across as the sort of lord one can truly respect in the setting.
But we'll see how things develop in book two...
Lord Shonto rocks, yes. I really, really like him, and how he's set up. Shuyun, however, is also another character I like, for different reasons. I think Shonto is more in line with what Mark appreciates in a character, while Shuyun is closer to what I like in a character -- someone with a strong moral drive, and doesn't really flounder in it. There's something to be said, sometimes, about a character who is willing to refuse to bend or break.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Shuyun comes across very much like one of your characters. ;) SW Deveron, Naga, Adam - the youthful prodigy who is "naive" to the ways of the world. Though, honestly, I can't say that I see Shuyun's resolve that you seem to focus on from the first book. The closest thing he gets to a test of his beliefs is second-hand information of a ranting nun going on about false teachings, and his response to that is to start to question rather than to stand by what he's been taught. I get the sense that he'll act morally "right," but he doesn't really prove it. Yet, at least.
ReplyDeleteI read this book! I remember not liking this book. >.> I don't recall much else.
ReplyDeleteHuh. I suppose I would have guessed otherwise.
ReplyDelete