Customer Reviews

Master of Whitestorm

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

 

 

So often is the case in mondern fantasy that authors utilize the serial format and I think that the writing suffers because of that. I am more impressed if an author can write a single book of however many pages, and have it be good, and stand alone, than I would be if that same author wrote an 8 book series that accomplished as much in that span of time as the single book did.

This is the case with this book. It isn't often that I read stand alone books, I read so fast that they always leave me looking for more anyway, and so it is usually easier for me to read a series where I know there are going to be more books. This book was a wonderful exception to my rule though.

This was such a great book because of the characters. They were fantasy characters and performed tasks that the average man could not. And it wasn't becaues of magic necessarily in this book, but the will finding a way.

It turns out that the main character is a legacy of some mighty wizard; but he spurns this heritage is forges out into the world on his own bereft of any use of magic. Any accomplishment he does is his own, and this is what makes this a great book. His character is driven and does impossible tasks, but it is not impossible to fall in love and deeply admire this character because of his deeds and his will.

The setting was unique, but I think the shining moment for this author was in creating and developing her character of Korendir.

Read this book. I know it is an older book, and I know that it didn't recieve rave reviews when it came out like a robert jordan, or a terry goodkind, but this author is a very good one and proven, just give this book a chance. You will like it.

As mentioned by the other reviewers, Wurts has done an excellent job at telling a rich, character-driven, complex story in one book. Some other modern fantasy authors should take note of this!

The one thing that none of the other reviewers commented on was Wurts' phenomenal use of Beowulf as his source for this book. He has taken the heroic epic and woven it into a superb study of what drives a man like Beowulf to be the best.

I love the characters that Wurts builds because they are always flawed. The obsession and drive that the main character feels are tangible and as you come to know his past it makes more and more sense. The story if exciting and has enough adventure to keep you interested. She deftly walks the line between spending too much time in trivial details and giving you a clear understanding of what Magic is. Great read and if you are a Wurts fan it's a must!

A Master of a tale. I was completely drawn into the story, being hauled head over heals from the first page. Frankly, this book is perfect. Mrs Wurts grabs the reader by the throat and squeezes. Korendir is an unforgetable character, his will and persistence appaudable. I read this book, over a 1000 pages, in one memorable sitting, I totally forgot about the outside world. Never, in all my years as an avid reader have I been so absorbed and fasinated about one book. I read it 3 times, it was so good. Expertly written, with almost touchable details and talk about character development! Janny Wurts, I believe, is the best Fantasy Adventure writer on God's green Earth and is still highly under-rated. In Lamens term, THE MASTER OF WHITESTORM is the BEST BOOK I'VE EVER READ!! NO EXZAGERATION. I hope more people disvover this magnificent writer. **********.... stars.

Move aside Terry Brooks, Janny Wurts is here! I plan to buy all of her books and read THE MASTER OF WHITESTORM AGAIN!

sincerely, Nian Blanchard

A Master of a tale. I was completely drawn into the story, being hauled head over heals from the first page. Frankly, this book is perfect. Mrs Wurts grabs the reader by the throat and squeezes. Korendir is an unforgetable character, his will and persistence appaudable. I read this book, over a 1000 pages, in one memorable sitting, I totally forgot about the outside world. Never, in all my years as an avid reader have I been so absorbed and fasinated about ONE (thats right there is no volume 2)book. I read it 3 times, it was so good. Expertly written, with almost touchable details and man, talk about character development! Korendir will take his firm hold in your mind long after the book is finished. Janny Wurts, I believe, is one of the best Fantasy Adventure writer on God's green Earth and is still highly under-rated. In Laymans term, THE MASTER OF WHITESTORM is the BEST BOOK I'VE EVER READ!! NO EXZAGERATION. I hope more people disvover this magnificent writer. **********.... stars.

I plan to buy all of her books and read THE MASTER OF WHITESTORM AGAIN!

...

Master of Whitestorm had to be the best stand alone book I have ever read, Wurts just packs so much adventure into one book and every mistical adventure has its ups and downs for Korender. As the story comes to a close this book left me looking for another to try and match the detail and amazing feats Korender had to over come. Now a year later I had to read it again realizing i have not found a better stand alone book since I first read it.

This stand alone book is mostly about one man who has had some big trouble in his life. Big enough that he is a galley slave doomed to a (short) life? of drudgery. He manages to escape with one other man and then he sets out to fulfill his dream of being "safe". Well, "safety" requires a lot of money, something which escaped slaves have a shortage of, so he goes into incredibly dangerous adventures one right after the other, so that he can raise the cash to build and outfit the "worlds strongest and safest" fortress. He succeeds, and along the way picks up a nice wife who assists him in his adventures.

Not counting the last chapter, I would rate this very well-written book a "9" if I could, but in Amazon's 5-star rating system, that make this good but less-than-perfect book a "4", but the ending, while well-done, doesn't end in the way, that I really enjoy for books to end, that is, with a "happy ending", so for me, that lowers this book to a 6-7 which equals 3-stars. Don't get me wrong the book has a good ending, just not a "happy" ending.