Alanna Morland
Auteur de Leopard Lord
A propos de l'auteur
Séries
Œuvres de Alanna Morland
Oeuvres associées
Étiqueté
Partage des connaissances
- Nom canonique
- Morland, Alanna
- Sexe
- female
Membres
Critiques
Prix et récompenses
Vous aimerez peut-être aussi
Auteurs associés
Statistiques
- Œuvres
- 2
- Aussi par
- 1
- Membres
- 180
- Popularité
- #119,865
- Évaluation
- 3.6
- Critiques
- 2
- ISBN
- 3
What’s particularly funny is that I’ve been reading an old blog of “fantasy rants” by someone called limyaael, in which long reading – and writing – of the genre lets loose on the classic blunders – some even worse than going up against a Sicilian when death is on the line. The rants I’ve read so far have involved use of language – English and constructed; treatment of horses; treatment of battles; basically, for the most part, all carrying the motto “don’t write it if you don’t know anything about it”. (Like, for example, don’t have a battalion of Elves loosing arrows in a rainstorm. Just sayin’.) I expected Shackle and Sword to ring every single one of the off-notes discussed in this blog …
It didn’t touch a single one, as far as I could see. The slavery of the main character, Farris, was handled realistically but not explicitly; a lot of the worst of the life he lives under the worst masters happens offstage, only hinted at – and what we are shown is sobering. He is, I grant you, a bit prodigious as a fighter and horseman – but the former can be put down to his half-blood heritage. I liked that aspect; the way he is treated by the fae to whom he is related through his long-vanished father was a very pleasant surprise. The latter above, the horsemanship, is also easily enough explained, and doesn’t insult willing suspension of disbelief. Best of all, Farris doesn’t magically turn into a shining hero at any point in the story. He’s bitter and vengeful, but sensible and loyal; he shows himself in several situations to be not as bad as he might have been, and not as good as he might be. He’s a pretty solid, believable character, in a pretty solid, believable setting.
I liked it. I really liked it. I still dislike the cover, and I’m not fond of the title (which comes from a ballad referenced several times in the text), and wouldn’t have wanted to read it in public with those (I don’t on the whole do bodice-rippers) – but I did read it in one three-hour sitting on Saturday, and it raised a tear at the death of a character. It was a very, very pleasant surprise.… (plus d'informations)