Customer Reviews

The Sea Devil's Eye (Forgotten Realms: The Threat from the Sea, Book 3)

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

 

 

This books was definetly a great end to a great trilogy. The characters in it were so passionate and real. The way Mel Odom developed all the characters througout the trilogy was great. I haven't read a great war book in awhile and this one definetly had it all. The end was a little toned down though, considering that it was supposed to be the big confrontation between antagonist and protagonist, but still it was a great ending. All in all I would highly recommend this book and the rest of the trilogy if your looking for great sea faring adventure!

The first two (or 3) books were great. Mel Odom took his time with them, but when he got to book 3 he rushed. The war in Seros seemed to fly right by, and the ending was somewhat disappointing.

I won't spoil it for you, but for those of you who have read the AD&D Forgotten Realms Supplement Sea of Fallen Stars, the ending is vastly different then that one gave. Vastly. In fact, i only liked really 4 parts of the book. Who has talked to Jherek throughout the series, what Iakohovas really was, Keros making a cameo (character introduced in Rising Tides), and what happens to Laaqueel. He also put too many battles that didn't make sense, (especially the inclusion of the slaver battle, where it had no need), almost as if TSR said "you have ot have a battle every 8 pages". which is about what this was. Maybe I've been spoiled on writers like Guy Gavriel Kay, but i much prefer well thought out fantasy, instead of hack and slash save the princess fantasy.

This book is the culmination of a wonderful series. This may be the best trilogy since "The Dark Elf Trilogy." This book was definitely more action packed than the previous books but all those things that were pestering you finally are revealed, like who has been speaking to Jherek all these years and why, who Iakhovas is, and more. The Taleweaver's tale comes to an end in dramatic fasion, and I am glad that the ending is different than it was in the module because if it was the same then I would have known the ending and that would have spoiled the book.

I found the pace of the book more along the lines of the first, which I liked (the second book was to slow and little was accomplished). The battle scenes were detailed making them easily pictured in your mind.

The best thing aobut this book is the emotion. You feel the pride in Jherek when he regards his paladin friend and the sadness in his love for a young ships mage. Also handled quite well was Jherek's revival, taking down to his lowest possible point, he was revitalized in magnificent fasion. Truthfully and beyond a doubt this is one of the finest Forgotten Realms series ever. You will not regret reading these books.

All four (one short story book) of the books in this series have been written very well. Congratulations to Mel. With out giving away too much the antagonist was very exciting; I was usually reading just to get to the points about him. Our Hero on the other hand seemed rather undeveloped during the first two novels. The third novel did slightly better. All in all a great book. I will most definitely buy anymore concerning Jherek.

Yes.....this trilogy was a breath of fresh air....wish Salvatore could write this good......as he used to.
If you want to talk boring books (trilogies), it is Salvatore's "The Lone Drow" series....what a chore (sorry for mispelled words). I have the "Transitions" trilogy....scared to start that up. Right now working on the "Baldur's Gate" trilogy?....series?....not sure what you'd call it....'cause they are not connected?...idk. I really like the 1st book sofar. I have all of the FR books (only 3 Dbl Diamond Triangle books....need to put in 1 book), and sofar "The Cleric Quintet", "The Finder's Stone" series, and "The Threat From the Sea".....1st 3 Elminster's (Great).....but they are all very good novels
p.s. ..."Cormyr - A Novel" was unbelievably great.......sorry for babbling on.

Alright, for the last two books I've been reading about Jherek being the chosen one, about the bard being the Taleweaver and the Taker being this big god-like figure who courted a goddess, and tried to take over the world. So I buy the third book and it all seems promising, Jherek is sailing sailing sailing and the bard is swimming swimming swimming. Oh they're travelling, they're fighting, doing a lot of stuff to fill the void between the covers. Jherek is oh so angst ridden about his stupid morals and then he finally becomes a paladin. Good stuff. Then, in the span of like, five pages, the trilogy ends. Jherek turns out to be the chosen one to just show up, pick up a sword and have one little sparring match. And then what does the all powerful Iakhovas do? He turns into a big shark. A big, stupid fish. This big, superpowerful, godlike thing doesn't even have an opposable thumb. So I closed the book and said aloud. Jherek jumps on his back, jabs him with the sword and Iakhovas can't do anything because he's too busy being a big stupid shark. Come on Mel, it all looked so promising... I loved the style of writing and even the whole premise was good, but the ending fell flat.

Among the Forgotten Realms novels, this book is the most predictable book I've read. In the first two books, Jherek is visited by a mysterious voice that keeps saying the same thing. The voice's identity is revealed, but anyone who paid attention to the first two books should know who it is. I had it figured out before reading the first page of this novel. The simmering romance between Jherek and Sabyna happens, though the irritating drama queen of a hero drags it out. It drags to the point that, instead of being happy when the kiss comes, you're just glad it's over and done with. Jherek becomes something more than a sailor, though that should be obvious, too.

Iakhovas' true form has been revealed before, and it's no surprise when he turns into what he turns into. The final 'battle' is only a surprise because of how short it is. Iakhovas has summoned sea creatures such as giant eels and dragon turtles to attack Baldur's gate and Waterdeep. He did these things to gather a series of magical items, which you think would increase his power. Yet, in this book, all he manages to summon is singing kelp.

Pacys has stayed the same through the first two books, and his character doesn't change here. He's still constantly playing music, trying to compose his epic . . . like he's done in every scene since his character was introduced back in book one.

The dwarf, paladin, and pirate captain that showed up in the last book all stay the same, though Azla's 'alignment shift' at the end could be seen coming a mile away.

The only truly interesting character, Laaqueel, has doubted Iakhovas and, to a lesser extent, Sekolah, for a while now. Can you guess what happens in the final battle? Yes, you're probably right. When I picked up this book, my only question concerning this character was if she would live or die.

I would only recommend this book to someone who has a good knowledge of the monsters of Dungeons and Dragons. Otherwise, you may get a bit confused when a few different underwater races show up. I had to stop and think for a moment to remember the definitions of koalinth, merrow, ixixachitals, locathah, and at least three others races, not to mention the undead known as 'drowned ones.'

Random Thoughts:
- Does it seem odd that, for a mage, Sabyna fights with daggers more than she casts spells?
- Remember how, at the end of book two, Laaqueel was full of faith in Iakhovas and Jherek had become darker? Neither attitude carries over to book three.
- In book two, Azla and Sabyna seem jealous of each other, yet this never shows up in book three.
- Bloody Falkane never shows up again, nor does Laaqueel even think about the encounter that happened in book two.
- I feel like if I had an oxygen tank and a harpoon, I could kill the 'Great Whale Bard' just as easily as Iakhovas. For a whale that measured over 400 feet long, the thing just sat there, letting Iakhovas rip it to shreds.
- At the beginning of this book, Jherek makes a promise to a diviner, and at the time, this seems like a major plot point. However, this is never revisited.
- Jherek is still annoyingly polite and full of self pity, whining about his 'ill luck' every chance he gets.
- Did the ending of this book remind you of 'Jaws' at all?
- Why did Laaqueel need to have the exact same kind of divine intervention as Jherek? When she hears the deity she hears, it falls flat because we've heard it before.

If you're looking to get into this series, only do so if you have nothing else to read. Every character is one-dimensional and grows tiresome, the ending is amazingly predictable, and the action in book three doesn't compare to the other two books.

Mel Odom has definately became my fave Forgotten Realms author. This whole story built and built and got me reading faster and faster. Each character was continually developing and learning where they fit within the story. This trilogy was one of the best stories I have read, the only problem I had was the death of the Great Whale Bard especially as I love stories with animals that can communicate with humans. Now go and read The Jewel of Turmish.

I had to give this book a bad review because it was a horrible ending to a trilogy that showed promise. Although book 2 should have been edited and made part of this book. Ok let me gripe about this book. It takes forever to reach the the main battle between the hero and the villian but the fight is over in like 5 seconds. Iakhovas worked all kinds of impressive magics, slayed huge creatures, and completed all kinds of other mystical feats to basically be stabbed once or twice and bam it's over. Horrible ending. Also no closure either. After this climatic battle if one would call it theres a whole 2 pages maybe. Plus I have to gripe about Jhereks mystical weapons. They are stupid. Plain and simple.

Mel Odom sholuld stay away from Novel writing. This book was so boring and the accual main character was the least intresting out of all the other highly boring characters. Two character I accually like Klinatt the Dwarf. My favorite character and the ONLY intresting one who's short fall-flat end left me dissapointed. The Sea Elf Laqueel was the only great character here. Jherek, was so whiny and self-beaten, before I got even half way though book3, I couldn't wait till I was done with him.

On the other hand, here you have Laqueel, who though started off as a villian was the only character that had any true development. I wasn't ever really sure what she was going to do with herself before the end of the story but, I could tell she was changing. I just wish somewhere at the end, Mel would have been smart enough to have her mention to the other characters, now that she had found a new calling, or even to herself. Every character that lives in a book should have complete closure for it's readers.

Mel Odom has failed to keep what I thought was good in Book2 carry over to book3. I found a continuity error in a few places in this book, that he should have kept track of. For example Sabyna asks Glawinn something of how he knew about her brother, when he never even personaly mentioned it to her in the conversasion pages before hand, or ever! Another example.....in the conclusion battle, there was a point where the story had switched from underwater to water surface, with not even letting the reader in on it.

OH and my biggest complaint......I almost forgot. Jherik traveled half-way around the world for the weapon that would help fight Ikhovas in the end. What does he find? What is given to him by the whales? Apperantly the Witchblade from Top Cow Comics because, he is granted possesion of a brazier that can change shape into any weapon he chooses as he wears it on his arms. I honestly, wanted to close the book and never look into it again. It's a witchblade, plain and simple. I'd really like to see Mel Odom deny that. That is what the witchblade does I don't see how anyone could, unless of coarse they havn't been informed that the witchblade does exactly. It changes can shape into any weapon thought up by it's owner.

The only saving point of the book is the above mentioned character, Laqueel, and the fact that it is the last of the trilogy.