Customer Reviews

Legends 2 : Short Novels by the Masters of Modern Fantasy

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I saw this book in the grocery store and bought it for one reason: I'll read anything that takes place in Pern. McCaffrey's work was disappointing, though. A nice enough little character sketch and some gratuitous "familiar name" dropping, but predictable and short. Goodkind's work was interesting but far too fantastical for my taste, with a too-happy ending. George R.R. Martin, however, gives a great story with "The Hedge Knight." Nicely developed plot, well-delivered. My first exposure to Martin's work, but enough to convince me to buy "A Game of Thrones." Lots of confusing names and a somewhat unrealistic ending, but a great read nonetheless. Set in a pseudo-England, with characters you love or hate but always care about. Very little "fantasy," plenty of human drama. Bravo to Martin for putting some effort into his work. The price of the book was worth it just for this story.

5 Stars for The Hedge Knight! Most of the other stories were ok, but The Hedge Knight was amazing work, up to Martin's standard of excellence - again, perfectly paced story, with good humor, good twists and excellent storytelling. The book is worth buying just for this great tale!

And, if you haven't read A Game of Thrones or A Clash of Kings - it will convince you to! It is said that we find out what happened to the main character in The Hedge Knight in Martin's 3rd book from A Song of Ice and Fire Series, A Storm of Swords.

This version of legends is divided into three parts, if you search for Robert Silverberg you can find it in one volume for about the same price, so that you get all three parts together for about a third of the price
As to the book,I can only review the second part (I made the mistake of ordering legends 2 thinking that it was all 11 stories, but it was really just three.) The three stories that were in it were:Debt of Bones by Terry Goodkind
The Hedge Knight by George R.R. Martin
and Runner of Pern, by Anne McCaffrey
Of the three I read, The Hedge Knight was definitely the best, it has alot of action and the grimly real, but exciting story that only Martin can provide. It is set in the Seven Kingdoms of Martin's excellent series, A Song of Ice and Fire.
Debt of Bones was good, and it showed me what type of a writer Goodkind is,(I haven't read anything by him but that, but it got me interested and I bought the first book in his series, The Sword Of Truth.
Runner of Pern was probably the one I least liked, I knew nothing about Anne McCaffrey, and it was okay, but not nearly as good as The Hedge Knight.
Be sure to buy the edition with all 11 stories, I have just ordered the full edition, Most all of the writers in the 11 stories, I have read before and it is interesting to have a short work to read by them, about a different part of their world. This will also help you get aquainted with writers you havn't read before, see their writing style, and decide if you want to read more of them.

To those of you who have read the previously entered reviews of Legends 1,2, and3 and found them less than satisfactory. You must remember that the Legend series orriginally came out as a hardcover book comprising all three books. Do not judge 2 and 3 compared to 1. they are all the same book just in different parts so as to make it easier to publish in paperback form. All the stories in the Legends series are great back ground stories from our favorite series. Look for the Authors you read and enjoy the ones you haven't read. Who knows you might like their stories too.

All told, an enjoyable read. Terry Goodkind's story lacked his usual depth of character, but that can be expected in a piece roughly one-sixth the length of a typical Goodkind book. Still, a very good story about one of fantasy's most lovable characters. George R.R. Martin hits a grand slam in his story of the Hedge Knight. Great characters, wonderful storyline, lots of action. That story alone has convinced me to read the rest of his work. However, Runner of Pern was an enormous disappoint to me. If you're looking for a Harlequin Romance type of poor-girl-gets-miffed-at-rich-boy-before-falling-for-him schtick, this one is for you. Otherwise, skip it and read more work by Goodkind and Martin.

To those of you who have read the previously entered reviews of Legends 1,2, and3 and found them less than satisfactory. You must remember that the Legend series orriginally came out as a hardcover book comprising all three books. Do not judge 2 and 3 compared to 1. they are all the same book just in different parts so as to make it easier to publish in paperback form. All the stories in the Legends series are great back ground stories from our favorite series. Look for the Authors you read and enjoy the ones you haven't read. Who knows you might like their stories too.

Robert Silverberg (ed.), Legends, vol. 2 (Tor, 1998)

This is water in the desert for fans of fantasy series whose books have a tendency to have a long time between releases. Anne McCaffrey (Pern), George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire), and Terry Goodkind (Sword of Truth) all contribute short novels to this volume in the Legends series, and all are well worth your time.

Goodkind's story, "Debt of Bones," leads off the trilogy, and deals with a time when Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander was much younger than he is in the Sword of Truth novels. Here, he's pitted against Panis Rahl, and must decide whether to put himself, and the fate of the Midlands, in danger in order to fulfill a debt of bones to the daughter of a deceased sorceress. One has come to expect strong storytelling and easy turning of pages from Goodkind, and he does not disappoint here. Martin's story, "The Hedge Knight," follows. Again taking place some time before the events in the Song of Ice and Fire books, "he Hedge Knight" follows the squire of a newly deceased mercenary, who has a desire to make his name in a tournament against some of the biggest names in the business (including a number of Targaryens, who at the time of this story have not yet been banished; in fact, they play a major part in the story, which should be a pleasant surprise to many Ice and Fire fans). Martin's work on this series is always a pleasure, and once again, the is no disappointment to be found here, though one wonders about the loose end to be found.

The biggest surprise of the bunch, to me, was McCaffrey's "Runner of Pern." I've always shied away from the Pern books, for no real reason. This story is a welcome change of pace from the two that precede it; rather than battles, jousting, and the rest, this is a quiet romantic coming-of-age tale that hits just the right spot, like a lemon ice after a boeuf bourguignon. It's convinced me to go back and try the Pern novels, as McCaffrey's style is simple and engaging. Like the others, she keeps the pages turning.

Definitely a worthwhile piece of work. I shouldn't have to sell those who are already enmeshed in the various series covered here, but others will find it a perfect sampling to see if the three titans covered here are to their tastes. I can almost guarantee they will be. ****

All in all, a nice little collection that adds to some of modern fantasty's more popular worlds. Any fan of the individual authors will surely enjoy this, especially as they wait for new books in the respective authors' series.

For those not already immersed in one or more of the series represented here, this tome is worth the price of purchase for Martin's tale alone.

(Donald McCabe doesn't read the books he reviews. Easier to just recommend a book because Terry Goodkind's name is attached to it. That's too bad. You should actually *read* things before telling others to do so)

This book deserves a lot more credit than it was given. The Terry Goodkind story is worth buying even if you don't like the other stories. I highly reccomend this book to any fantasy fan and to anyone who can appreciate a great story.

Took a few tries to find the right paperback with "The Hedge Knight", but this one is correct. Great stories all.