[.ca] Runelords (ISBN 0765356457)

From Amazon.com:
The Runelords is that rare book that will remind you why you started reading fantasy in the first place. Much of the setting--and even some of the story--is conventional fantasy fare, but David Farland, aside from being a masterful storyteller, has built his world around a complex and thought-provoking social system involving the exchange of "endowments." Attributes such as stamina, grace, and wit are a currency: a vassal may help his lord by endowing him with all of his strength, for instance, and in turn the vassal comes under the lord's care as his "dedicate," too weak to even walk. A Runelord might have hundreds of such endowments, giving him superhuman senses and abilities, but he then must care for the hundreds that he has deprived of strength, or beauty, or sight. Runelords excels because this novel idea is not mere window dressing--Farland uses it to explore fundamental questions of life and morality. The story's hero, the young Runelord Gaborn, struggles to define his role in this "shameful economy" while keeping his commitments to himself, to his people, to the woman he loves, and to the earth itself. We end up asking ourselves the same questions: Should you choose your friends based on insight or virtue? Is it better to be just or good? Competent fantasy lets you escape to adventure in faraway lands, but exceptional fantasy makes sure you have something to think about when you get back. Runelords accomplishes the latter. --Paul Hughes

A clever concept ruined by sloppy narrative and plot.:
"The Runelords" features a clever concept in a stock fantasy tale, but Farland's slapdash writing ruins both. The system of transferable physical endowments seems a brilliant idea, a gimmick rife with ethical dilemmas, but it also leaves gaping plot holes. The major flaw is why good characters accept endowments at all, since the donors are left crippled, but Farland waves this away by having them only use willing donors. The peasants' fawning eagerness to become zombies to empower their lords strains belief. The ethical ramifications of this system could have fueled a deeper work, but Farland rushes ahead with his fantasy plot, only briefly examining ethics in Borenson's guilt. This potentially interesting concept and the trite plot of a prince discovering his divine legacy end up buried, as "The Runelords" is jumbled in every possible aspect. Characters flit from one idea or place to another with no justification except rambling inner monologues. Gaborn escapes from the castle, only to sneak back in. The plot jumps between unrealistic military campaigning and ponderous earth prophecy. Farland's writing stumbles with trite phrases and halting exposition dumps. Gaborn is fleeing the Dedicates' Keep, but then Farland describes the kitchen in numbing detail. The prose constantly blurts things rather than show the characters figuring them out -- Raj Ahten somehow immediately knows that Orden is using a serpent ring. The only memorable skill in the narrative is the vibrant array of spices and scents that permeate the early sections of the book. Unlike most fantasy authors, Farland does try to inject some moral conflict into his characters, but his weak writing can't support the attempt. The justification for Raj Ahten's conquest reads like more ponderous backstory, and the constant inner whining of Gaborn and Iome feels like Farland fumbling for the next turn in the plot rather than plausible character growth. This muddled writing makes "The Runelords" read like a disorganized flight of fancy. Farland adds new concepts seemingly whenever he needs to turn the plot in another direction, like the introduction of vectors just before Iome becomes one, and the serpent ring when Orden needs a weapon. It's hard to believe that this sloppy prose is the pseudonymous work of an author who's sold dozens of novels, Dave Wolverton, but most of those were franchise tie-ins for Star Wars and The Mummy. "The Runelords" adds the interesting endowment concept and an admirable attempt at round characters to a stock fantasy plot, but drowns it all in sloppy writing.

Okay story.........badly told:
Anyone who likes traditonal Fantasy, be it Lord of the Rings, Shannara, or Recluse, will find this book dull. The story is fast paced...but I couldn't get really involved in what the characters were doing. So much is put on describing magic and it's abilities...the characters are not developed as much as they should be. I bought the first two books thinking the series will be good due to other reviews. I will not be reading book two or the others to follow. I WARN you to be careful with this book. You will either enjoy it or hate it.

alright in the begining, but fails quickly:
Typical fantasy fare, though better suited to DAW publishers rather than Tor. I find this world's magic very interesting though. Watch out for this guy. His real name is Dave Wolverton, AKA The Man Who Ruined Star Wars (The Courtship of Princess Leia). He is the reason George Lucas won't do the last three Star Wars movies now. GRRRRRRRR.

Fun fast read:
The Runelords is the first in a series of four books that really are all one volume split into 4. The following books pick up exactly where the earlier books end. No passing of time happens between volumes. In fact, i believe the entire 4 books take up approximately 2 weeks of time. (Which perhaps stretches even fantasy imagination somewhat). To get to an 'endpoint' you need to read all 4. While books 1 thru 3 end in the sense that there are no more pages, the stories do not end in any sense of the word. As many here have noted, the magic system used in these books is a fascinating departure from the norm. Also somewhat unusual to fantasy writing is how the whole concept of good and evil is handeled. It is by no means unique, but is a different approach than you'll find in the typical run of the mill fantasy you get from Jordan et al. I still have some question about how the magic works in certain situations, but Farland does cover most of the bases at some point in the 4 books. If you are puzzeled about it early on, keep reading and chances are it is explained at a later point. The books move along at an incredible rate. The main characters rush from one major scene or event to another with barely a moment to breathe or to really get to know the characters. Overall, expect a very good story line, unique magic system, some very good storytelling, but do not expect major character development or fantastic writing. These are some good books that you'll read quickly, will enjoy a good deal, but it is unlikely that much will stick with you for long after you've read the stories besides the magic system, there just isnt enough development of the characters for you to identify with them for to long.

A comic book:
I try not to be negative, so I'll start with a number of positive things about the book. First: I didn't put it down. The pace and action keep you on the edge of seat, or couch or wherever you read. Second: The story is creative and entertaining. And third (and this is important) the book is well written. I am choosing not to continue to read the books in the series, however. I found that the story is more about the mechanics of the magic system (in which one person may take abilities such as strength and stamina from another) then the characters of the story. Having some experience with RPG games I felt as if the story was as much about the characters stamina, strength and intelligence scores as about their thoughts, development and personalities. Many times the Runelords has an overblown 70's comic book like quality because of the protagonists' heightened abilities. Y'know, like when the Hulk punches Thor and Thor goes all the way through the mountain. To me it made the story ridiculous. This concept makes the people that Farland is writing about as easy to identify with and care about as the gods on Olympus.