eBook Forest Mage (The Soldier Son Trilogy, Book 2) ePub

Mori

OK, it took me a little while to get to the end of this series but the journey (while mildly uncomfortable) leads to a conclusion that is profound and touching. I was amazed at the talent displayed here, because it seems the author is treading such a fine line most of the time. There are certain times in the book when you know that if it had been written differently, it would have been offensive and/or uncomfortable to an utterly extreme level. But the artistry behind the way Robin herds your brain into thinking about something a certain way is plainly astounding. It's an intelligent book, and it requires a certain appreciation for the writing that I think might escape some, but for others it is well worth the read.

Xangeo

I can't say that I'm really surprised by all the negative reviews for FOREST MAGE, but I would like to challenge the majority opinion here, and defend the quality of this story. I do hope that the negative reviews don't discourage potential readers from reading these emotionally-charged stories from one of the best epic fantasy authors of all.

Most of the negative reviews here have focused on these books (and this one in particular) being depressing, boring, or overly-long, and while I certainly see their points, I have to contest all three points. First of all, the fact that Hobb has the power to cause actual feelings of depression in her readers testifies to the emotional intensity of the story and the connectedness readers feel with Nevare. I mean, no matter how bleak Conan the Barbarian's life gets, you don't start feeling sorry for him to the point of being actually sad. There's no emotional attachment there! Nevare's story is absolutely brutal, unfair, sad, and frustrating. And it has incredible emotional impact on readers precisely because Navare as a character is intimately knowable, believable, and sympathetic. It simply demonstrates the talent of the author that she can craft such fleshed-out and like-able characters. And despite the obese, depressed, whore-visiting Nevare not being exactly the typical fantasy hero or easy-to-love, it is his very imperfections and self-doubt that drive the reader up the wall with frustration (and sometimes down the drain with depression). Any story that has such emotional power ranks as well-worth the read to me.

As for being boring, keep in mind that this isn't your typical hack-and-slash, fire-and-lightening, orcs-vs-dwarves fantasy. This is a carefully set up study of our vulnerability and helplessness to fate, as well as our resilience in the face of incredible hardship. And while there might not be many sword fights with between elves and orcs, or midnight flights from Ring Wraiths, there is still lots of more subtle action here. A marked increase in the amount magic in FOREST MAGE (compared with Shaman's Crossing) is also evident here, with a greater involvement of the Specks, and Nevare's growing understanding of his own power. I suspect that many of the people that complain of this book lacking action are the same that complained of the first being too mundane. In some ways, it is the very mundane-ness and Navare's inaction that make the few moments of true excitement all that much more powerful.

And, while this book is certainly long, I don't think it can be consider TOO long by any means. Every chapter chronicles some new and important event that continues to shape Nevare into who he must become, and the descriptive style of Hobb's is what makes her worlds so intimately knowable. If you can allow yourself to enjoy the detail of the tastes and textures of food for Nevare (that in itself is some of that subtle action), and really get emotionally invested in Neavare's future, I think you'll thoroughly enjoy this captivating story (for all 700+ pages). Personally, I can't wait to read the concluding volume, and will keep my expectation sky-high for Hobb. Highly Recommended!

Slowly writer

Robin's stories have a lot of depth and detail in the characters and the story. In The Forest Mage you are really getting to see how the 'Magic' is 'transforming' the main character physically and mentally. Is he willing and in control and being his real self or is it all beyond him. Is the saying "Fear Thy Self" really true? In this book you start learning more about other people who are not what they seemed to be.
People are not so primitive as they seemed and those who were so self assured are very afraid!

Granirad

Having read all the books from Hobbs' Farseer universe I finally bought the soldier son trilogy. Readers of the previous books will feel comfortable with the writing style and pace of the soldier son series. However, the story was a little too weird for me... no spoilers but there are some scenes that felt a bit too strange and hard to relate to. The main character was hard to truly love, maybe intentionally to enhance his dual natures but I found it stressful...
As always, I loved the world building and Hobbs description of food in all her books always make me hungry after reading. Overall, i found it a decent filler whilst waiting for Assassins Quest.

Shistus

I feel like you could skip this entire book because nothing happens. I still haven't read the 3rd one because I'm just bored with the whole series. I love Robin Hobb's writing, definitely, and the Forest Mage is full of beautiful descriptive language that really makes you see the scenes, and you really understand Nevare...but the thing is, I guess I am used to fantasy where the hero accepts the strange magic dumped into his life sooner. Seriously - you don't spend 2 whole books with Frodo refusing to believe the Ring is magical, or Rand al'Thor wandering in the forest refusing to believe any of this has anything to do with him. I am annoyed by how reluctant Nevare is to accept that magic is real. So yeah, I think you could skip this book & just go to the third one because nothing important happens. Just read the Wiki instead.

Mavegelv

I don't know if this trilogy would be considered my favorite of Ms. Hobb's, but it certainly is readable. The plague that wiped out so many characters in the first book is fairly a horrible thing of the past, but its results and the fear of it are still spreading through horrible ways. Nevare is forced to enlist at a military spot at the far end of the King's Road, so close to the forest of the Specks who spread the disease.

Hobb has an imaginative story here that seems to have more of a message than any of her other books, though I don't how well it would be appreciated. The story mostly deals with the situation of Nevare with fairly little other plot, but having finished the trilogy before reviewing this I feel it was a fairly decent set-up.

It's not her best series, but any fan of Hobb willing to consider what this book offers should not be disappointed.