An absolutely interesting novel and trilogy. The Bartimaeus Trilogy has remarkably alike feeling to it than there is in Susanna Clarke's novel Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel. The atmosphere is something I would call delicious. There is some very interesting darkness in them, some very interesting conflicts. The Amulet of Samarkand introduces us into the parallel world of our own, into the history not so unlike than the reality we think we know. I certainly like the feeling of the book which has shadows that go somehow even deeper than the grimy veins of humanity that George R. R. Martin brings us. The Amulet of Samarkand is maybe a softer version Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel, but it definitely reaches a deep variety of shadows that make so many of the fantasy novels look far too bright in comparison.

All is relative. If I were asked my opinion based on the fact what kind of books I truly enjoy to read nowadays the answer would be: 'Nothing like this, really.' However sometimes I have to think back to when I was just beginning to find the world of books. Back then this sort of book would have been quite a good. It truly depends on how one looks into things: what it comes to true high fantasy capable to swallow you completely - this is not THE book. BUT it is quite nice book for the lot somewhere between childhood and being called young adults. It's for the ones swinging back and fort trying to decide if they could have a peek into fantasy literature but do not have stomach for the full scale of it. Put it together with its sequels and they make a nice set of low fantasy for younger population. This is why I think it's worth of three stars: if I were younger it would deserve more, if I judged it by my present standards it would deserve less - so this is a nice middle point. Like the whole book, it's somewhere in the middle.

It's a shame Twilight series has become so overly popular among young teenage population because this has lead to the fact that ever even admitting having read the book or discussing about it is something to classify being somewhat... well those of you who are not in love with Edward presumably understand. What I'm saying is that the series has become a synonym for sugary teenage love story. This is shame because those people can't see the quite audible fantasy behind the scene of 'the love story of millennia'. Putting aside the romance and the very questionable horror (which I don't seem to find at all) Twilight series has good ingredients for good or at least passable low fantasy: It has quite enough required fantasy elements and epic battle and a whole lot of psychological analysis (more or less adequate) and philosophy of life. And this is the point I enjoy most in the series - it's unbelievably fun to argue with the book concerning points in a view of life with what I disagree with. Truly it shouldn't be that popular and I wish I had read it long before they made the mistake of making a movie of the book and thus ruining it completely.

Rides a Dread Legion represents the class of the very readable and quite entertaining fantasy book even though it isn't anyhow a real masterpiece. Or maybe it should be expressed that on the background there is a hint of a skilled author who just isn't writing his prime work at the moment. What this means is that with worse writing skills this book would belong to a much lower class. There is something very generic in this book, but however it has some interesting notions concerning philosophy of life. Not bad if you wish to spend some of your spare time with a book that has somewhat the ability to grab hold of the reader and delight to the extend that doesn't steal your night's sleep.

The Sword of Shannara truly was one of the biggest dissapointments for a good while. A piece of warning to all who appriciate completed style of writing and deep analysis of human mind and relationship AND fresh and new ideas concerning fantasy genre: If you already have read The Lord of the Rings (as you should have) then beware! In The Sword of Shannara you will find the most precise copy of all the skeletal components of the Lord of the Rings right from the wise Gandalf and brave Aragorn up to safe haven of Rivendell. Al this created with a style hardly to be called a style at all. While The Lord of the Rings is not the psychological analysis in a way todays most celebrated fantasy books are it is a jewell when it comes to skill to combine the story line itself and the archaic writing style. And this is where The Sword of Shannara fails totally: it uses the shortened form used in the Lord of the rings but all the while fails to understand the utter importance of Tolkiens unique style. The best that can be said about The Sword of Shannara is that it has a small piece of adventure flavour to it, although this is accompliced through the proves of The Lord of the Rings and not on its own.

Against all prejudicies concerning sequels to finished series The Prodigal Mage is able to catch up with where The Awakened Mage (Innocence Lost) ended. A notable achievement in itself, without the mention of a tormenting blub which leads the reader in a "merry" waiting and turns out to be (as could be guessed)quite different from the expectations. AND never to forget Karen Miller's apparent knack of nasty turnings sending shivers down your spine.

The Wise Man\'s Fear adds to Kvothe\'s story an interesting new layer. While Patrick Rothfuss continues his earlier path with wicked wit and humor he brings to the story quite new facets earlier only to be hinted at. In the second part the story grows into a tale of young man and while the first book was relatively innocent the second part doesn\'t fail to show us the oncoming world of adults. And as a main course we are introduced into quite a different kind of story than we began to read. It\'s interesting how Rothfuss manages to turn the whole story line into a much darker path with only a one sentence and still preserve the surface layer of wicked charm and uncanny cleverness and merriment with the undercurrent of darkness. Once again he is a painter of words. And not to forget the one precious detail - it\'s simply delightful to found Pat having transfered his love for chemistry glassware to Kvothe (as you may have noticed if you have read his blog which by the way is a piece of humor and art on its own). Simply one cannot be disappointed - how could you when you read the story that runs as easily as you breath.