tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post4978835583903844822..comments2024-03-28T12:40:14.627+00:00Comments on MOODY WRITING: Chapter One: Magician by Raymond E. Feistmooderinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-87854517510636118032014-07-26T22:35:31.363+01:002014-07-26T22:35:31.363+01:00If I could make a suggestion, I would offer Assass...If I could make a suggestion, I would offer Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb. It's also fantasy and largely popular. Robin continues to write in that universe in over a dozen other novels. I've always found them to be an excellent example to study. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03335112322566167865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-66815948381298991652011-12-10T08:58:19.277+00:002011-12-10T08:58:19.277+00:00@stina-i think it makes a differnece if the thing ...@stina-i think it makes a differnece if the thing you mention is relevant to the story. If it isn't it probably shouldn't be in there, doesn't really matter what it is.<br /><br />thanks.mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-91399006841975369672011-12-10T00:16:55.356+00:002011-12-10T00:16:55.356+00:00The book I'm querying starts with a reference ...The book I'm querying starts with a reference to the weather, but that hasn't stopped agents from requesting it. But the weather is juxtaposed against something that's about to happen. :D<br /><br />Great analysis. (Well, I'm assuming it is since I've never read the book).Stinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11415189347501942340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-67123775357221853532011-12-09T19:10:19.286+00:002011-12-09T19:10:19.286+00:00@Lee - I agree. Here in England we love talking ab...@Lee - I agree. Here in England we love talking about the weather.mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-46387672009898742622011-12-09T16:02:46.099+00:002011-12-09T16:02:46.099+00:00Never read this and probably won't since it...Never read this and probably won't since it's not about theatrical stage magicians--now that I might read. Sounds like a lot of stuff going on from the start to engage the reader. <br /><br />Personally, I like an opening that sets the scene with weather conditions. <br /><br /><br />Lee<br />A to Z stories starting 12/12 and the official A to Z Badge is now revealed<br /><a href="http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/" rel="nofollow">Blogging from A to Z</a>Arlee Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11663942782929929334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-24596261948187805492011-12-09T11:41:45.921+00:002011-12-09T11:41:45.921+00:00@Donna-I think it's a special book, and possib...@Donna-I think it's a special book, and possibly the sequels suffer by comparison. They're fine if you want to spend more time in that world, but the stories are much more predictable.<br /><br />I would have liked to have analysed a more recent fantasy book, but i couldn't really find one that suited my purposes. Mind you I haven't really been an avid reader of fantasy for some time so maybe I'm just not aware of what's out there.mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-20897861613302831772011-12-09T11:26:37.195+00:002011-12-09T11:26:37.195+00:00@Ciara-I think most fantasy writers who create a w...@Ciara-I think most fantasy writers who create a world that proves to be popular get stuck in that world, or a variation of that world. It's undertsandable, not easy to come up with such a fully developed creation, but they do seem to run out of things to say about it.mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-68387249795063777462011-12-09T04:54:01.571+00:002011-12-09T04:54:01.571+00:00Terrible! Oh boo-hoo; I read them all, several ti...Terrible! Oh boo-hoo; I read them all, several times, and enjoyed them over and over . I adored all the characters in both Rift War Saga’s; but I can agree that the Empire series was possibly more intriguing in pure storyline. The characters and world building is what truly captivated me. The same with the worlds of Terry Brooks. <br /><br />I too enjoyed how he tied the Shannara history into the Void series. Granted, the Shannara series did start getting a bit stale. Do you remember Magic Kingdom! For Sale? That series gave me such a love for Paladins.<br /><br />And David Eddings did write a couple other novels after The Mallorean that continues - or should I say explains - Belgarath’s and Polgara’s beginnings. Good books, but. He has another set of books - four in the series - that explores earth elementals. I only read two before I lost track of the series; not as good as first series, but the immortals are interesting . .<br /><br />And of course I’ve gotten off track from the original post - sorry Moody. It’s just, so few people read the older fantasies . .<br /><br />I liked your assessment of how the first chapter isn’t spectactular by today’s action-focused readers, but it does draw the reader in with subtle character building and a desire to read a little further to see what happens next.<br /><br />Thanks for reviewing an old favorite of mine.<br /><br />.........dholedolorahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08715849844092553699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-25533338365187097242011-12-08T22:14:03.646+00:002011-12-08T22:14:03.646+00:00I enjoyed Magician but it's not one of my favo...I enjoyed Magician but it's not one of my favourites. I found it a bit slow. And really, Pug? What kind of name is that for the protagonist! I enjoyed the Empire series Raymond E Feist co-authored with Janny Wurts much more. <br /><br />Have you ever noticed that Raymond E Feist opens every chapter with a 2-5 word sentence then opens a new paragraph? At least he does in his later books, and he has in Chapter 1 of the Magician. It's been a while since I read it though. <br /><br />I still enjoy the Shannara books. I like the direction Brooks has taken the story by linking the Knight and the Void series. <br /><br />David Eddings, alas, also took a turn for the worse with the Redemption of Athalus. Everything after that was a regurgiattion of his early books with new names. You could literally, in some cases, point to characters and designate a character name from earlier series.Ciara Ballintynehttp://ciaraballintyne.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-11952230422573576352011-12-08T21:25:12.944+00:002011-12-08T21:25:12.944+00:00@Michael - it's amazing what you can get away ...@Michael - it's amazing what you can get away with once you have an audience and you've engendered enough goodwill from a great first book. The next couple aren't too bad, although nowhere near the class of the first, but after that the drop off on quality is astonishing. <br /><br />I think its called The Dune Effect.mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061937348591302555.post-5625725899757903302011-12-08T21:08:37.275+00:002011-12-08T21:08:37.275+00:00I loved Magician back in the day. I was going to r...I loved Magician back in the day. I was going to return to the world at some point (the last book I read was a Darkness at Sethanon some twenty years ago), and I am dismayed that you say that they all are terrible. Really? How do they keep getting published? Oy... I'm discovering this with Terry Brooks as well. The Shannara books have jumped the shark and need to be put down. They just aren't fun anymore. David Eddings had it right. He wrote ten books in the Belgariad and Malorian...he told his story...and never went back. The tale was done. Too bad he's dead /sniff.<br /><br />For the record, those were his best books. His others just seemed like he was trying to reuse the same story for money. Maybe we all have one or two good stories in us. I dunno...Stephen King sure seems to have quite a few.Michael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.com