Customer Reviews

The Elf Queen & The King (Ruin Mist Tales, Book 1)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This book introduces us to the mysterious world of Ruin Mist. I'll be the first to admit that I am late in joining the Ruin Mist craze. My son wanted to read it, so we read it together, and I was pleasantly surprised!

It's the story of a great change coming to a magical world and those that have a part in that change. Vilmos is a young boy. He lives a somewhat normal life with his "mother" and "father", until his dreams become more than figments of his imagination. With the help of a mysterious benefactor, Vilmos gets away just before he is found out for what he really is (a wizard-to-be). It is also the story of a princess, who is heartbroken, and the journey she undertakes that changes her life and helps her come to terms with the loss of her mother.

Robert Stanek put together a true masterpiece. Not only did the book set the stage for the following books, but it allowed the reader to feel like they were right there within the story. This is one well written book, as it has a little bit of everything. There's well-developed characters, mystery, suspense, conflict of good vs. evil, and more. This was a truly good book and a pleasure to read. This book should be enjoyed by readers of all ages!

I bought this book because of the Amazon.com recommendations. This book showed up as a recommendation on the pages of two different authors whose work I really enjoy. I am suffering buyers remorse. The customer reviews did not indicate the necessity of reading the other books in the series. Big omission. This book has too many characters, refering to too many past events. I can't find a hook to get even slightly interested in any of them. If you are new to Robert Stanek's books, I sure wouldn't recommend starting here.

I enjoy children's books very much - especially fantasy. I am always on the lookout for a nice, long series. The writing does not need to be complex as long as the plot is eventful. If there are interesting characters, that is a bonus.

I thought I would be polite and pass on reviewing this book - but without exaggeration, this was the worst thing I have ever read! Altough the book is aimed for the 9-12 year old age group, it could actually put new or reluctant readers off reading entirely.

The author needs to attend some writer's workshops and would benefit from a more actively involved editor. To add insult to injury the book physically fell apart before I could finish it.

Nevertheless, I read Book I to the bitter end. In the hopes that the author had improved, I also began to read The Kingdoms of the Elves of the Reaches Book I. Imagine my dismay to discover it was basically the same book with the same plot (and the same book binding faults).

The plotting is incoherent, the characterization is inconsistent and the overall impact is dismal. The author seems to have relied heavily on both dictionary and thesaurus without gaining benefit from either. Characters "flush palely." Events occurring a millenium in the past are described as having happened 1,000 years "hence." Princess Adrina and her horse take a tumble and eyes roll "wantonly." (I am not sure whether they were hers or the horse's - either way it was the wrong word.)

The only section that resonates with any depth or truth is the segment in which the magician Xith instructs his apprentice Vilmos in how to defend himself from attack. This section is disturbing because it portrays an inarticulate, physically abusive instructor as an admirable adult role model. Xith's bombardment of Vilmos with rocks while exhorting him to protect himself sounded like a particularly nasty method of instruction. Evem though Vilmos eventually succeeds, the teaching methods include physical pain and his being "goaded by Xith's perky smirk."

For an addictive series with a balance of interesting characters I would suggest instead Garth Nix' Tower series. For adventurous plotting - Tad Williams.

I ordered this book because it sounded interesting. But when I went to read it I found out how wrong I was. It is horrible. In fact, I'm amazed it got published at all.
The writing it too complex and the narration is seriously wanting. He never tells you what is going on even thought the characters seem to know exactly what's happening. He uses twenty-three words in one sentence when three would suffice. None of the characters are likable. And, to top it all off, the book rationalizes child abuse. Vilmos's father beats him because he loves him? That's horrible and inaccurate.

Please don't waste your time reading this book like I did. If you want to read something worth while try Garth Nix's Seventh Tower Series or his new Keys to the Kingdom series. Try Harry Potter (if you haven't already) or The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings if you want a wonderful fantasy epic.

If you enjoyed Tolkein's Lord of the Rings, get set to enter a world just as intriguing! Mr. Stanek has written a great book, a worthy beginning to an epic fantasy series. What makes this book so special is Stanek's ability to make us care about each and every character! The story is complex and fascinating, the author juggles the complex tale with spectacular skill, never allowing us to forget that what really matters is what we feel about the people involved. The political intrigue adds depth to already great plot lines. If you like to get so wrapped up in a book that you can't wait to get home to read more, this is the series you need to get into. Every time you think you've figured out what the next turn of fate will be, Stanek pulls the rug out from under and makes you say wow. This is some of the finest writing I've found in the last decade, but to really understand you have to try to put together the pieces of the parallel history offered in this book and the next one. Remember this is only the beginning, things get deeper, better from here. Final note if you haven't read The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches books (1,2,3) you may want to start there first.

good very good in fact it's so good that you'l love and treauser this book for a long time if not forever my goodness it's a very interesting book i love it!
the world is rich and delighting make more...
the charecters are super the story is great I could tell so many good things about this book...
but I won't because it will ruin your fun heh heh heh ha ha ha ha this review is telling you about all robert staneks great book. movie must make, action figures must make, kings mate the game must make, tv show must make now! thank you this review was made possible and brought to you by someone triying to help you with your life!

If you've read any of Eddings books, or any other fantasy writer for that matter... you've read this book. This follows the typical fantasy novel recipe - good vs. evil, the simple farm boy, the princess, blah blah blah. I've read it all before.

These books appear to the self-published, because no book this badly edited would ever get between covers at a real publishing house. There are writing errors of every description, and besides errors, simply bad writing enough to last any reader for the rest of his or her life.

I too thought these books would be good since they popped up at Amazon based on my preferences. Reading the reviews, I see that many are by children. I respect their opinions, but I know that if they continue reading, their taste will improve and they will soon wonder what they ever saw in these books.

The reviews by adults make me wonder if the author has a phalanx of friends who review his books for him, because no one who has read any recognized fantasy author could ever put him in the same category, on the same shelf, or even in the same universe of discourse.

I read these books several years ago to my children, and was deeply sorry. I thought I would be nice and not review, but since they keep popping up in the "fantasy" realm of Amazon, I thought I should tell the truth.

Save your money, or spend it on a real book.

I have been reading the Ruin Mist Tales series since the first book came out and this is my favorite series ever. However, it's not for everyone. Stanek makes his books, and the chapters, fairly short. Some people don't like brevity in writing, I do, I hate long-winded books and books that are bogged down with too much description and I believe that Robert Stanek is the best author I have ever read. Read the series in order, starting from the first book, and it will make a lot more sense and be much more enjoyable reading. I've gone back and read all of them over again at least twice.

What a breath of fresh air after all the cardboard cut-out fantasies I've read in the past. It is an incredible saga set in a world of myths and legends. Jumping from one character to another, seeing life through their eyes and getting to know their motives is an amazing, amazing treat for fantasy readers. At first you think that the actions of one character are good or bad, but then when you get inside their head you find out that their way of thinking is justified to THAT character and it all depends upon your point of view, and you get many great points of view.

Did I say this novel is original? NO other book I have EVER read captured my imagination the way "Elf Queen and the King" did mine. It is very compelling and so well thought out you wonder sometmes if you aren't reading an account of something that actually happened rather than fiction. Read this novel. Enjoy this novel. Go to book two.