Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Kimberly Reviews Elantris

Book Title: Elantris

Author: Brandon Sanderson

How I got my hands on it: It was on sale at B&N

Why I read it: I’d heard a lot of good things about Sanderson’s works, so I thought I’d give it a try. And it was on sale.

Rating: 4.5 stars

The city of Elantris was once the most beautiful in the world. Inhabited by a godlike populace and home to innumerable wonders, it attracted people from far and wide. But then something happened. The magic that powered Elantris suddenly disappeared. The once-radiant Elantrians became leprous creatures, and the city fell into shadow.

Ten years after the Punishment, Elantris is a ghost town, a "land of sludge, insanity, and eternal perdition," inhabited by those few who become afflicted with the Shaod, a dread disease that blackens the skin, stops the heart, and suspends those ill-fated souls in a state of nightmarish half death. Raoden, the beloved crown prince of Arelon, contracts the ailment just as he prepares for his wedding to Princess Sarene of Teod. He is secretly whisked away to Elantris, where King Iadon informs his people that his son has died of an "unexpected disease." Sarene arrives shortly thereafter, finding a kingdom on the verge of collapse. In the shadow of the ghostly city, Sarene vows to do what she can to stop the religious and political upheaval. Raoden, meanwhile, uncovers the jaw-dropping secrets of Elantris.

First off, don’t read this during finals! I was foolish enough to make that mistake. This is a book that you will want to have plenty of time to read.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked this book up, it sounded interesting but I didn’t like the cover. (I know, I know. I’m the worst cover shopper.)

I was drawn into the book from the first page. It was completely different than any other fantasy novel I'd read before. The characters were vivid and intriguing, I immediately felt an attachment to them- and a hatred for the evil characters. The descriptions of everything about their world were so detailed and vivid that I could picture perfectly everything the characters were seeing and experiencing.

I can usually figure out how a book will end, or at least have an idea of what will happen. This book kept me guessing constantly. Each time something new happened I was even more intrigued. The characters are fantastic. I get tired of “certain” novels that have lead characters that are weak and uninteresting. Elantris is filled with amazing characters that you will love.

I really enjoyed this book, and I’ll probably read it again. I didn’t give it 5 stars because I felt that the pacing was a bit off, the ending could have been a bit more detailed.

I would suggest this to anyone who enjoys fantasy. You might enjoy it even if you don't like fantasy!

I’ve also heard that his other novels are even better. I plan on reading Mistborn sometime in the near future.

11 comments:

  1. This sounds really good! I do hate the cover, though...I'm a bad cover shopper too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would have passed this one right by if I saw the cover and hadn't read your review! I can't help but be drawn to books by their cover!! I don't read much fantasy but this honestly sounds interesting!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great review! Read this one a while ago and loved it :) Raoden and Sarene are such great characters, they actually have an opinion of their own and stand for what they believe in.
    Don't care much for the cover either, but luckily the story is better ;)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hm, the cover doesn't really bother me that much. It doesn't grab me either, but I don't hate it. This sounds great; I might have to check it out once I stop having tons of books to read. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Tahleen--That sounds like a major problem..have TONS of books to read! :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I read Sanderson's Warbreaker earlier this year and loved it! I had a similar issue to what other people mentioned in that had I been browsing on cover alone I don't think I would have picked it up, but it was lent to me by a friend and I'm really glad I read it. He's a very talented writer and I look forward to checking out more of his books in the future as well!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Elantris is great! You should definitely check out his other books, Warbreaker and the Mistborn books are really awesome too.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I don't know much about what makes a fantasy cover bad (but I am all up on the romance genre bad covers). To me, this looks like most fantasy novels i've passed in the library. Granted, I have not read too many. I guess what I mean is the cover isn't really allowing it to jump out to people who may be not super in to fantasy.

    But i don't even know what I am talking about now, to be honest. If it's a good book, I'll add it to my TBR. I need to read more fantasy and it seems like this isn't a series? (wonderful!)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Yay, so many people that have read Sanderson's books! Makes me happy.

    And I'm glad that I've inspired some of you to read it!

    Julie- Yes, it is a stand alone!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I absolutely LOVE Brandon Sanderson's books. And keep in mind this is his first book. The Mistborn Trilogy is amazing as well. (I kind of like Mistborn a little more - but both are amazing) I also read Warbreaker, his latest stand-alone novel he put out last year. Now I am waiting on Way of Kings, due out next week. He has an amazing take on his magic systems and wonderful writing style. So glad you enjoyed this book!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I've been wanting to read Mistborn and this book sounds great too. Sanderson is someone I keep hearing about and will have to try. Thanks for the review!

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts with Thumbnails