Barbara Campbell (1)
Autore di Bloodstone
Per altri autori con il nome Barbara Campbell, vedi la pagina di disambiguazione.
Serie
Opere di Barbara Campbell
Etichette
Informazioni generali
- Sesso
- female
Utenti
Recensioni
The premise: taken from the author's website, because I'm evil like that: On the bleak northern moors, Darak and his family begin a new life, free from the prejudices of their tribe and the looming threat of the Zherosi. But their past continues to haunt them, and choices made years ago threaten their future as surely as the armies that raze their forests.
As rebellion spreads and the tribes fight for survival, a new force enters the game--Rigat, the youngest son of Darak and Griane. Gifted with magic far greater than Keirith’s, Rigat is the only one who might be able to save his people. Aided by the Trickster, he embarks on a dangerous game of deception that will determine the future of the children of the Oak and Holly--and the fate of the gods they worship.
My Rating
Give It Away: which is a hard rating for me to give. Because I sort of know the author, and I really, really, REALLY like the author. And I'll be honest: I couldn't have written something like this, so I applaud that she was able to write an epic fantasy trilogy with such detail and description and well-realized characters. It's her "first" effort, and as a writer, it's not a stretch at all to say that Campbell's got potential, and I'm really, really, REALLY looking forward to her future books. I want to see what else she's capable of, and based on what I've read so far, I think she's capable of a lot.
That said, the trilogy's final installment didn't satisfy me the way I'd hoped, but I think that's in part due to my own personal bias when it comes to reading fiction. And an important note: Heartwood, the first book, is essentially a stand-alone. You can read the second book, Bloodstone, without reading Heartwood (though you'll miss important character-building stuff), but you cannot, absolutely CANNOT, read the third and final installment, Foxfire, without having read at least Bloodstone.
Should you give the trilogy a shot? Heartwood remains my favorite of the trilogy. I love Campbell's focus on tribal people, as that's not something I've seen often in epic fantasy unless it's to vilify them. And the latter conflict between the tribal people and the Mediterranean-like peoples is also compelling--again, it's something I haven't personally seen all that often in fantasy, so I was happy for something different. And again, Campbell does a great job with setting and world-building. It's just that the trilogy didn't resolve on the emotional note that I wished, and I'm happy to acknowledge that may be more my fault than the author's. If you're interested, I'd say you should start with Heartwood, especially since it can be read as a stand-alone.
Review style: if I'd reviewed this book sooner (sorry folks, I've been distracted), you would've gotten far more in-depth. Instead, you're gonna get something stream-of-conscious that has the POTENTIAL of going in-depth, but may or may not get there. Spoilers? Yes, because it's the end of the trilogy and I want to talk about how that makes me feel. :) So if spoilers don't bother you, feel free to click below to my LJ. As always, comments and discussion are most welcome. :)
REVIEW: Barbara Campbell's FOXFIRE
Happy Reading! :)… (altro)
As rebellion spreads and the tribes fight for survival, a new force enters the game--Rigat, the youngest son of Darak and Griane. Gifted with magic far greater than Keirith’s, Rigat is the only one who might be able to save his people. Aided by the Trickster, he embarks on a dangerous game of deception that will determine the future of the children of the Oak and Holly--and the fate of the gods they worship.
My Rating
Give It Away: which is a hard rating for me to give. Because I sort of know the author, and I really, really, REALLY like the author. And I'll be honest: I couldn't have written something like this, so I applaud that she was able to write an epic fantasy trilogy with such detail and description and well-realized characters. It's her "first" effort, and as a writer, it's not a stretch at all to say that Campbell's got potential, and I'm really, really, REALLY looking forward to her future books. I want to see what else she's capable of, and based on what I've read so far, I think she's capable of a lot.
That said, the trilogy's final installment didn't satisfy me the way I'd hoped, but I think that's in part due to my own personal bias when it comes to reading fiction. And an important note: Heartwood, the first book, is essentially a stand-alone. You can read the second book, Bloodstone, without reading Heartwood (though you'll miss important character-building stuff), but you cannot, absolutely CANNOT, read the third and final installment, Foxfire, without having read at least Bloodstone.
Should you give the trilogy a shot? Heartwood remains my favorite of the trilogy. I love Campbell's focus on tribal people, as that's not something I've seen often in epic fantasy unless it's to vilify them. And the latter conflict between the tribal people and the Mediterranean-like peoples is also compelling--again, it's something I haven't personally seen all that often in fantasy, so I was happy for something different. And again, Campbell does a great job with setting and world-building. It's just that the trilogy didn't resolve on the emotional note that I wished, and I'm happy to acknowledge that may be more my fault than the author's. If you're interested, I'd say you should start with Heartwood, especially since it can be read as a stand-alone.
Review style: if I'd reviewed this book sooner (sorry folks, I've been distracted), you would've gotten far more in-depth. Instead, you're gonna get something stream-of-conscious that has the POTENTIAL of going in-depth, but may or may not get there. Spoilers? Yes, because it's the end of the trilogy and I want to talk about how that makes me feel. :) So if spoilers don't bother you, feel free to click below to my LJ. As always, comments and discussion are most welcome. :)
REVIEW: Barbara Campbell's FOXFIRE
Happy Reading! :)… (altro)
The premise: yanked from BN.com: New trouble lies ahead for Darak and Griane, now the Memory-Keeper and Healer of their tribe. Keirith, the eldest of their three children, has been apprenticed to the Tree-Father but is dismissed when his master learns that he has been riding the spirits of other living creatures. Convinced that his parents will also view him as an abomination, Keirith flees, only to be captured by slavers. Carried to the heart of a distant civilization, Keirith must confront the truth about himself and his powers, even while Darak, following the kidnappers' trail, must struggle with his darkest fears if he is to have any hope of saving his son.
My Rating
Worth the Cash: yes, I had some personal issues with this book, but it's a solid read. There's characters you understand and really feel for, and the setting description is excellent. The plot may not be, on the surface, the most original story in the world. However, where Campbell goes with it does pack some surprises and punches at the end, which is what really snagged my interest and got me looking forward to book three in the trilogy. And on one hand, I'd say this book could stand alone, as it takes place MANY years after the events of Heartwood and is its own story (and incorporates background information very nicely without info-dumping), but on the other hand, to understand some of the characters and their actions, it might make sense to read Heartwood first, which I personally really enjoyed when I read it back in 2005. I also appreciate that this trilogy has a focus on tribal people instead of the more medieval setting we see in fantasy worlds, and that's part of what really keeps my interest in this trilogy. So if you're interested in character-centric fantasy and capricious gods (namely the Trickster), then give Heartwood a try, and then Bloodstone. :) Or, if you'd rather learn more about the author and her process first, then click here to read the interview I conducted with her for .
Review style: Stream of conscious. There will be spoilers in this review, so if that bothers you, there's no need to click the link below. However, if spoilers don't bother you, then click away! As always, comments and discussion are most welcome. :)
REVIEW: Barbara Campbell's BLOODSTONE
Happy Reading!… (altro)
My Rating
Worth the Cash: yes, I had some personal issues with this book, but it's a solid read. There's characters you understand and really feel for, and the setting description is excellent. The plot may not be, on the surface, the most original story in the world. However, where Campbell goes with it does pack some surprises and punches at the end, which is what really snagged my interest and got me looking forward to book three in the trilogy. And on one hand, I'd say this book could stand alone, as it takes place MANY years after the events of Heartwood and is its own story (and incorporates background information very nicely without info-dumping), but on the other hand, to understand some of the characters and their actions, it might make sense to read Heartwood first, which I personally really enjoyed when I read it back in 2005. I also appreciate that this trilogy has a focus on tribal people instead of the more medieval setting we see in fantasy worlds, and that's part of what really keeps my interest in this trilogy. So if you're interested in character-centric fantasy and capricious gods (namely the Trickster), then give Heartwood a try, and then Bloodstone. :) Or, if you'd rather learn more about the author and her process first, then click here to read the interview I conducted with her for .
Review style: Stream of conscious. There will be spoilers in this review, so if that bothers you, there's no need to click the link below. However, if spoilers don't bother you, then click away! As always, comments and discussion are most welcome. :)
REVIEW: Barbara Campbell's BLOODSTONE
Happy Reading!… (altro)
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Statistiche
- Opere
- 3
- Utenti
- 112
- Popolarità
- #174,306
- Voto
- 3.7
- Recensioni
- 3
- ISBN
- 28
- Lingue
- 1
A competent 'journey' tale - with a likeable hero and a strong heroine.