The Tamir Trilogy Book 1
2001, September

Who recommends:
Who discommends: JW

I've been feeling better (finally) and managed to read THE BONE DOLL'S TIWN by Lynn Flewelling. Unfortunately, it was a big disappointment; not because it was bad but because it is only the first chapter in what is obviously intended to be a longer novel. This really pisses me off, since no where on the cover does it indicate that it's only part 1 of a series, and her previous books, though a series, were more or less complete in themselves. That kind of series I like. This one, where the story just stops, with no feeling of conclusion or completion, leaves me feeling completely unsatisfied.

I'm feeling really discouraged. So many fantasy novels are written this way that I often feel like I'm going to have to give up on the genre. Or at the very least stop my habit of auto-buying authors that I've enjoyed in the past and instead wait for reviews to find out if the book is worth buying or only an unfinished work ... Doesn't ANYONE know how to structure a book or a series anymore? It's not impossible to write a trilogy -- or even a longer series -- and still have each book have it's own structure, rhythm, and conclusion.

P.S. This one gets traded in at the UBS and Flewelling is no longer on my buy list ... probably not on my read list. The book was okay so far as it went, but certainly not good enough to warrant buying future installments which may or may not be forthcoming!--JW (16 Oct 01)