Customer Reviews

Revenge of the Elves (Gemquest)

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When it comes to writing fantasy, Gary A. Wassner is pure genius. In his latest book of the "GEM QUEST" series "THE REVENGE OF THE ELVES", he takes you places you never dreamed possible. His extraodinary storytelling is so mesmerizing you actually are transported into the pages of the book for an unforgettable journey. Wassner is truly a gifted writer, thankfully he has decided to share his endless imagination with the world.

The Revenge of the Elves, by Gary Wassner

Imagine hundreds of threads going into a loom. Multiple strand braids are created, separated, rebraided, the web is formed. Colors are blended, fade, and are recreated, exposing a secret pattern, one this loom was not designed to create. From a distance, this is GemQuest.

Wassner continues in his style of smaller teams of three or four characters being sent on seperate quests, usually teaming characters of different races (Dwarf, Elf and Human) together, to help their races better understand each other. This allows a lot (and I mean a lot) to be happening at once within the ensemble cast, but it also makes it hard to remember who is up to what, with who, and on their way to which city, so pay attention! I'm looking forward to the "GemQuest Companion", not to mention the prequel about Odelot.

The writing and dialogue in this volume is smoother and faster than in previous books. Gone are the passages that begin with characters realizing the enemy is just over the next hill, and they must get away now or die, just to start in on 3 or 4 pages of philosophical conversation (didn't the bad guys show up a few paragraphs ago?), only to barely escape with their lives. Also, the rules of noble politeness have been lifted. People are impatient and testy, they know the time for action has come, and they can't bear to sit idly by. It's actually nice to see this human side of everyone, instead of all the sugar coated greetings, formal "epic" talk, and teary goodbyes of the previous volumes.

For most of the book, the focus is off the twins, and on the adventures of other characters, such as Caroline and Dalloway who are on their way to find the well at Odelot, Colton Dar Agonthea's creation of his creepy golem army, The three Elven brother kings who decide to send troops to Tamarand against Colton, just to name a few. Robyn Dar Tamarand will have to choose who to aid - The Heir Davmiran, his family and home city which will soon be under attack by Colton, or Promanthea, his bonded Lalas, who stands just outside his home city?

It stands to reason the Revenge of the Elves involves their battle ready and highly disciplined troops heading to Tamarand to destroy Coltons soulless army. And it does involve exactly that. when the Revenge does come, it is subtle, brutal, and lethal. By the time I saw it coming, it had nearly already happened. Something like this changes your view of an author, when he allows beloved characters to be so easily taken advantage of.

Briefly seen in previous volumes, other Chosen make more of an appearance. Through them, we hear their conversations with their Lalas, along with the confusion of being shut out and possibly betrayed. We learn the Lalas die at the time of their own choosing. They do not get sick, and nothing kills them, but when a Lalas dies, it's chosen soon follows, for this is the way. The roots of the great trees hold the earth together, if they all die, so does the earth. Who in their right mind would ever contemplate breaking the bond between a chosen and it's bondmate, nearly it's personal deity? This "breaking of the bond" is a theme throughout the novel, and I'm sure will become even more important as other secrets reveal themselves.

In this complicated puzzle, the hidden peices must come together from the corners of the earth. Only when the peices are in place can the true quest for The First begin. and it is so easy to assume The First is the first Lalas, because what else could it be? Wassner plays on the trust of his reader. Pay close attention to the details, Wassner is telling you everything you need to know to see the truth, knowing you have probably already chosen what to believe. Choice lies at the heart of GemQuest. the Choice to do what you want, or what you must. Choose to stay on the path you have been on, or to choose a new way of survival.

I suggest this series to readers of any age who are a fan of Tolken, Robert Jordan, and other epic fantasy series. You will not be dissapointed. Earlier volumes have ended on a cliffhanger, and it was nice to get some closure at the end of this one. Although I was certainly left needing to know what was going to happen next,many questions had been answered to my satisfaction. Regardless if Wassner does what I think he's going to do, this series is going to pack one hell of a punch. Even if my guess is completely off base, Wassner has proven, and continues to prove his mettle.

I love this series. It's destined to become a classic of fantasy, and instills enough new (often arboreal) life into the rather tired 'epic fantasy quest' genre to keep things very interesting.

The characters are lush - as is the land itself - as well as complex, and (more notably in this outing) conflicted (though often noble of spirit, if not blood).

Mr. Wassner is a philosopher-poet, and it shows. In earlier books, he deftly weaves (no joke intended, if you know the subject matter) in and out of characters and places, and builds tension well.

Some of the changes in this book are quite welcome (as an earlier reviewer noted, his waxes philosophical a bit less frequently and thoroughly in this outing); characters start to face real moral and personal dilemmas, and it's harder for them to do 'the right thing', or even to know what that is.

But the new characters introduced in this fourth book are introduced much less smoothly; many of the cliffhanging chapter endings done so well in the first three books seem to be forced and/or out-of-place, building us up for a dramatic reveal that too often doesn't really happen, isn't really all that dramatic or noteworthy, or is possibly even a bit anti-climactic.

I'm not sure if it's the writing or the editing that's gotten sloppier, but it certainly seems to be one of the two; there's a fair amount of typos, errors, redundant thoughts/phrases/conversations/meanderings.

Of the four books out now, this is the weakest. It feels like the author is floundering about a bit, unsure how to resume and continue the grand story he's told so deftly thus far; or perhaps he's simply unable to connect to his world and characters on as deep a level as he did previously.

To be fair, I'm only halfway through this book, so things may improve.

I *do* feel that I am completely justified in writing this review before finishing, and here's why: the previous three books grabbed me *immediately*, and kept me hooked. I fell in love, and stayed in love. Everything about the books was perfect, grand, wonderful. They were a reading experience like few others. I cannot say the same about this book. I can't help but note some of the clumsiness, and it keeps messing with my suspension of disbelief. I feel more like a detached observer than an active participant, which I could not - at any point - say about the first three books.

It's not at all a bad book, not by any stretch of the imagination; but neither is it the great work that the first three books were. I only hope the fifth and final book sees a return to the care, the love, the use of superior thread to complete the weaving of the cloth that is the world of Gemquest. I'm sure Gary's been hounded to death, by fans and his publisher, to finish the fifth book. It's supposed to be coming out shortly, but I hope they aren't rushing it.

This series deserves a finish as strong as it's start, and if that takes five more years, I can wait. Perhaps that's the highest praise of all.

Gary's ability to carry you away is amazing, his gripping battle scenes and vivid character descriptions keep you wanting more. You will not be disappointed with this book.