Post by hynreck on Feb 26, 2014 17:45:27 GMT
Two down, one to go in the Chadda Darkmane trilogy.
I’ve been trying to find time to write this Demonstealer review since forever, but time keeps eluding me, or work kept me busy, keeping my motivation well buried. Whatever works against you, you know. Still, I’m going to give this a try now, and I only hope my memory hasn’t been clouded by the passage of time or the much better entertainment that came after (like watching Dredd with Karl Urban, that was a fun movie). My best bet is that mostly I’ll be stuck with impressions rather than precise examples, but impressions do matter in the end, as often they make the difference between something – this book – sitting on the shelf forever or being picked up again in a few years.
I’ll give it to you straight: I thought that, overall, Demonstealer was a better book than The Trolltooth Wars. On nearly all aspects. Doesn’t mean that it was a good book, but it certainly didn’t grate me as much as the last one. It was more cohesive, with a simpler straightforward story and nearly no loose ends (none that I could find or remember). The writing seemed also better, flowing more fluidly, sometimes full of unnecessary wording that bordered on poetry, true, (well, maybe back then it was just silly elf talk) with some awkward descriptions revealing details that weren’t properly thought-out, but overall better all the same. Still, there were quite a few flaws, so let’s get down and boogie.
While the story might be more streamlined and cohesive, with mainly only one thread to follow, it is also overall weaker than Trolltooth Wars. It’s good that we only get characters and situations that are relevant to the story, but the lack of complications, surprises and such does not do a great job at keeping one interested. In fact, I believe this is the biggest flaw of this book: a mediocre story that doesn’t keep you entertained. It took me forever reading this simple book, what – 200 or so pages? – because I couldn’t care less. It’s not that there was nothing interesting, there was. For instance, the 4 demonic aids are creepy enough and intriguing on their own, and some battle or confrontations are (nearly) gripping. I’m thinking of the attack by some kind of undead wolf/dog in the basement of a house, the subsequent attack in the sewer or Chadda Darkmane getting his ass served by one of the demons (so was Gan, but who would expect anything else?) before being saved by the Caarth. But generally speaking? Snooze-inducing.
At this point it must be said that, since the death of TUFFF (if you don’t know, no need to bother), there’s been an overly long delay between the writing of the first section of this review with the now following section. If my writing style now feels different, it is most likely because my body’s been hijacked by one of those village pod people from the Navy. Of course, if I were possessed, this is just the kind of thing I would say or write to keep you off track. Wink wink, nudge nudge. Was that useless padding? Wink wink, nudge nudge.
Back on that track, then… What was left to talk about? Details I guess, illustrations, then I’ll wrap this up. I suspect this second section will be dramatically shorter.
On second thought, I shall not be writing about the illustrations. They are really, really good. They’re from Russ Nicholson, you know?
I was writing earlier about some awkward descriptions and some not-so-well thought-out moments… Here’s one example I’ll remember all my life (and related examples): the long trudge through the sewers. Every fans of Lone Wolf reading this book (Demonstealer, silly, keep up) will be reminded of the long sewer chase scene in Shadow on the Sand, right? I know I was. Remember when Lone Wolf cuts himself up? It was on the leg if I remember well. Well, he immediately contracts Limbdeath (I think that’s what it is in English, if not, sorry), and it’s a nasty disease.
Well of course he immediately contracts a terrible disease; he’s only wading through a thick sludge of piss and shit and Naar knows what else, of course he gets diseased!! You would too, if something similar happened to you in your city/town sewer system. I bet it would happen to you anyway even if you did not cut yourself up, as unequipped with protective gears as you are. I mean, those are filthy places, everybody knows that. Right?
Right?? Well, apparently, Mr. Gascoigne didn’t know that. Or it slipped his mind. Or he blatantly ignored the facts. Or had other beliefs/theories of his own. Whichever reason I choose makes me facedesk hard enough to have Xel’lotath printed on my forehead. And you know I had to hit the shift key to get that.
The sorcerous baddy helping the 4 demonic aids (ok, so I forgot all their names, it’s been a while) gets cut up on his calf or something by Chadda earlier before the sewers. Then goes through the sewers, limping, and later, on the surface of Somewhere, Titan, tries to perform some healing magic to close the wound but rather unsuccessfully, and I’m thinking: finally! Some side-effect of walking in the sewers with an open wound, at long last! But is it because of this that he, the man with a name I can’t remember, can’t heal himself? Nope. It is because of the entropic effect of being close to the demonic aids, which null his healing powers. Back in the sewers? He contracted nothing. Those are clean sewers.
Chadda and Gan, you ask? Bruised and battered, they wade through the same sewer system. They even have a big fight with some great aquatic monstrosity down there, with scratches and all. Do they contract anything? Nope. Cause those are some really clean sewers down there! It is mentioned that after they exit, they take the time to wash off the filth. So I guess it’s okay to go swim in the sewers with bruises and cuts, as long as you wash up well after. Don’t forget behind your ears!
See, those are little details, but they are little details that take me right out of the story. And while I ponder and wonder when the hell are the main characters going to get sick, 50 or so pages have gone by. And when finally I conclude that the characters are effectively disease-proof and I should pay more attention to what else is going on in the story, too late, it’s over. Or real close, anyway.
And so I will conclude this review too. It’s not much and I realize there’s probably tons of stuff I should have written about, probably missing on stuff I told myself (while reading the book last year, you know) would be really good to include in this review, well, time has had a piece of this story. So sorry. Beside, this review was a bitch to birth, so I’m just happy I can close the lid on that.
After all, there’s still Shadowmaster, who’s been left in a similar limbo and who, surprisingly enough, probably doesn’t deserve it.
I’ve been trying to find time to write this Demonstealer review since forever, but time keeps eluding me, or work kept me busy, keeping my motivation well buried. Whatever works against you, you know. Still, I’m going to give this a try now, and I only hope my memory hasn’t been clouded by the passage of time or the much better entertainment that came after (like watching Dredd with Karl Urban, that was a fun movie). My best bet is that mostly I’ll be stuck with impressions rather than precise examples, but impressions do matter in the end, as often they make the difference between something – this book – sitting on the shelf forever or being picked up again in a few years.
I’ll give it to you straight: I thought that, overall, Demonstealer was a better book than The Trolltooth Wars. On nearly all aspects. Doesn’t mean that it was a good book, but it certainly didn’t grate me as much as the last one. It was more cohesive, with a simpler straightforward story and nearly no loose ends (none that I could find or remember). The writing seemed also better, flowing more fluidly, sometimes full of unnecessary wording that bordered on poetry, true, (well, maybe back then it was just silly elf talk) with some awkward descriptions revealing details that weren’t properly thought-out, but overall better all the same. Still, there were quite a few flaws, so let’s get down and boogie.
While the story might be more streamlined and cohesive, with mainly only one thread to follow, it is also overall weaker than Trolltooth Wars. It’s good that we only get characters and situations that are relevant to the story, but the lack of complications, surprises and such does not do a great job at keeping one interested. In fact, I believe this is the biggest flaw of this book: a mediocre story that doesn’t keep you entertained. It took me forever reading this simple book, what – 200 or so pages? – because I couldn’t care less. It’s not that there was nothing interesting, there was. For instance, the 4 demonic aids are creepy enough and intriguing on their own, and some battle or confrontations are (nearly) gripping. I’m thinking of the attack by some kind of undead wolf/dog in the basement of a house, the subsequent attack in the sewer or Chadda Darkmane getting his ass served by one of the demons (so was Gan, but who would expect anything else?) before being saved by the Caarth. But generally speaking? Snooze-inducing.
At this point it must be said that, since the death of TUFFF (if you don’t know, no need to bother), there’s been an overly long delay between the writing of the first section of this review with the now following section. If my writing style now feels different, it is most likely because my body’s been hijacked by one of those village pod people from the Navy. Of course, if I were possessed, this is just the kind of thing I would say or write to keep you off track. Wink wink, nudge nudge. Was that useless padding? Wink wink, nudge nudge.
Back on that track, then… What was left to talk about? Details I guess, illustrations, then I’ll wrap this up. I suspect this second section will be dramatically shorter.
On second thought, I shall not be writing about the illustrations. They are really, really good. They’re from Russ Nicholson, you know?
I was writing earlier about some awkward descriptions and some not-so-well thought-out moments… Here’s one example I’ll remember all my life (and related examples): the long trudge through the sewers. Every fans of Lone Wolf reading this book (Demonstealer, silly, keep up) will be reminded of the long sewer chase scene in Shadow on the Sand, right? I know I was. Remember when Lone Wolf cuts himself up? It was on the leg if I remember well. Well, he immediately contracts Limbdeath (I think that’s what it is in English, if not, sorry), and it’s a nasty disease.
Well of course he immediately contracts a terrible disease; he’s only wading through a thick sludge of piss and shit and Naar knows what else, of course he gets diseased!! You would too, if something similar happened to you in your city/town sewer system. I bet it would happen to you anyway even if you did not cut yourself up, as unequipped with protective gears as you are. I mean, those are filthy places, everybody knows that. Right?
Right?? Well, apparently, Mr. Gascoigne didn’t know that. Or it slipped his mind. Or he blatantly ignored the facts. Or had other beliefs/theories of his own. Whichever reason I choose makes me facedesk hard enough to have Xel’lotath printed on my forehead. And you know I had to hit the shift key to get that.
The sorcerous baddy helping the 4 demonic aids (ok, so I forgot all their names, it’s been a while) gets cut up on his calf or something by Chadda earlier before the sewers. Then goes through the sewers, limping, and later, on the surface of Somewhere, Titan, tries to perform some healing magic to close the wound but rather unsuccessfully, and I’m thinking: finally! Some side-effect of walking in the sewers with an open wound, at long last! But is it because of this that he, the man with a name I can’t remember, can’t heal himself? Nope. It is because of the entropic effect of being close to the demonic aids, which null his healing powers. Back in the sewers? He contracted nothing. Those are clean sewers.
Chadda and Gan, you ask? Bruised and battered, they wade through the same sewer system. They even have a big fight with some great aquatic monstrosity down there, with scratches and all. Do they contract anything? Nope. Cause those are some really clean sewers down there! It is mentioned that after they exit, they take the time to wash off the filth. So I guess it’s okay to go swim in the sewers with bruises and cuts, as long as you wash up well after. Don’t forget behind your ears!
See, those are little details, but they are little details that take me right out of the story. And while I ponder and wonder when the hell are the main characters going to get sick, 50 or so pages have gone by. And when finally I conclude that the characters are effectively disease-proof and I should pay more attention to what else is going on in the story, too late, it’s over. Or real close, anyway.
And so I will conclude this review too. It’s not much and I realize there’s probably tons of stuff I should have written about, probably missing on stuff I told myself (while reading the book last year, you know) would be really good to include in this review, well, time has had a piece of this story. So sorry. Beside, this review was a bitch to birth, so I’m just happy I can close the lid on that.
After all, there’s still Shadowmaster, who’s been left in a similar limbo and who, surprisingly enough, probably doesn’t deserve it.
