Customer Reviews

Scholar of Decay (Ravenloft Books)

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

 

 

Being a huge fan of RL novels, I bought SoD along with several other books from the series I didn't have simply for that reason: I didn't own it. Scoping out an almost fanatical website for reviews from all over, I came to the conclusion that many people believed this book to be incredibly good.

They are right!

SoD starts out with a plotline that seems, at first, run-of-the-mill: a (Borcan) man's wife is kidnapped/endangered, and he must save her. However, even though the back of the book tells you the real story, the transition from Borca to Richemulot and the current situation is amazing. I couldn't put the back down, as it drew me in, making me want to know what happened.

The terrifying Renier sisters- who defined villain in this book, IMNSHO -and their clan provided the perfect foil to the protagonist- Aurek Nuiken -and his brother, Dmitri. The sub-plots and intrigue are finely added until one has the perfect example of what an RL book would look like as a tapestry, then begins to resolve each one with deliciously wicked conclusions.

In a world where Good fails more often than not, I expected an ending like I had seen in other novels where Evil is the driving force. But the way it all came out blew me away. I highly recommend this book, which may just be the best book in the series (that I've read).

As one reader states below, this is quite possibly the best written book I have ever read. It is not my favourite, but then, I only have 1 favourite. This book is exciting, if however, you like only action, this book may not be for you. This book attempts to be exciting by not only action, but intrigue and mystery. Tanya Huff did an superb job of characterization, and the ending is quite possibly the best ending in any book I've read. And no, I didn't just read this book, I've read about 15 books since, so this isn't some obsession with a great book I just read. It's an obsession with a great book that stuck with me.

I was surprised by how good this book was. I opened it expecting nothing special (I enjoy the Ravenloft books, but some of them are only average fantasy). This one caught me from the beginning and kept me reading all the way to the end. The only reason I didn't give it a 10 is because, by the end of the book, I cared enough about the characters to want the book to end all sweetness and light. I knew it couldn't, but I was still a little disappointed. Don't get me wrong; I did like the ending. This book persuaded me to keep reading Ravenloft.

This is an awesome book that really tells the story of a not-so powerful man. Not that the main character doesn't have a lot of strengths, though. Most Ravenloft books key in on the dark lords, this one keys in on a learned individual who has to use his wits to keep himself (and his brother) alive. Very entertaining with an EXCELLENT ending.

I have read most of the Ravenloft books and enjoyed most. I've read other Tanya Huff books that I would give a 5 star rating. I felt the "how can he/she be that stupid" about various characters during the length of this novel. It will only serve to take up space with in my Ravenloft collection.. Just as Mordenheim does. I wont go into details about the books weaknesses because the positive reviews remind me that opinions are so different that some might actually enjoy this book and I'd hate to spoil a read for anyone. Also, it makes me uncomfortable gunning down anyone that was willing to contribute to the literary world.

Scholar of Decay by Tanya Huff sixth book in the recently re-released, and repackaged, Ravenloft the Covenant series. These books were originally published back in the middle nineties, but are now being released in trade paperback with new covers. Before the re-release of these I had read some of them, now I am happy that I will be able to read more of them. If you have never read a Ravenloft novel before, the easiest way to describe them is Dark Fantasy. Or, some may even say fantasy with a sadistic twist. In Ravenloft novels, readers will find many familiar fantasy elements but they will also find darker elements as well.

The main plot of this book centers around the scholar researching a spell to help his wife. The situation of his wife and how she is in the predicament she is in is well explained and provides a good catalyst for the story. There is also a myriad of subplots present as well. There is the relationship between the two brothers Aurek and Dmitri. There is the relationship between a pair of twin sisters and the rest of their family. Actually, in regards to the plot of this book there is so much stuff going on it is almost impossible to list it all here ad not spoil elements of the book itself. The plot is very well laid out and has a very natural flow to it. Ms. Huff quite obviously had a plan she wanted to accomplish with this story, and in my opinion she accomplishes quite a bit and created a very interesting story.

The characters in this book are very well written and add depth to the story. Each character's individual motivations are laid out for the reader to understand, as well as each character's actions are directly influenced by their past and their motivations. It's nice to see characters acting in a certain way not simply because the story says they need to. There are many memorable characters in this novel such as Aurek, Dmitri, Louise, Jacqueline, and too many more to name in this simple review. Even with all the characters, and plots, present in this book I never once felt like I didn't know where a character was or what was going on. That is a credit to Ms. Huff's ability to not only keep me entertained, but to keep me informed as well.

The only criticism I have with this book is there are a couple times during the book where there are dramatic point of view shifts with no break between the shift and the previous paragraph. These shifts actually jarred me out of the story and forced me to reread several sections to make sure I truly didn't miss anything.

In the grand scheme of things though, I really did enjoy this novel. It was a fast paced, solidly written fantasy book. It's not a book that requires the reader invest a great deal of thought into. Instead, the way the novel is written it allows the reader to be taken along for the ride.

Fans of dark fantasy or horror fantasy will no doubt find elements in this novel that they will appreciate. Even fans of traditional fantasy will find things within the pages of this book to enjoy. This is not an epic adventure/story, so if that is what you are looking for you may want to look somewhere else. However, if you are looking for a self-contained story with no books to read before or after, give this novel a shot. I can easily see myself recommending this novel to the right people.

If you like twist's, you will like this book. It does not have a lot of action but the action in it was good. I would recomend this book to anyone who likes ware beasts.

I purchased this book simply because it was written by Tanya Huff. I was sorely disappointed, as it remains true to the world of Ravenloft(I would assume, although I admit to not having read any others) at the cost of Ms. Huff's usual engaging characterization and INTERESTING plot developments. While from someone else, I might consider this an average read, I can only class it as below the norm for a writer who typically lures you in from page one and keeps you enthralled and entertained to the very last. I am glad that subsequent publications have restored my faltering faith