Customer Reviews

Wizard of the Winds (Tales of the Timuras)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The main attraction this book held for me was the fact that it is not "european" fantasy. Instead, the backdrop offers us a middle eastern flair, and in my mind this made all the difference in the world because other than that, the book really is your standard fantasy fair. The characters are two dimensional, the plot is a little above average, but still never really takes off, and the demons are unconvincing.

If you are looking for a great read, great literature, or anything that will move you, move on. If you are looking for something that is a little different to pass the time in between your series favorites, then this may be worth a shot. (One bonus is that even though it is part of a series, this book works perfectly fine as a stand alone. Therefore, if you do not like it enough to move on, then you have not lost anything.)

Everything about the book was superb in nature except the author's idea of what a demon should be. The idea of demons having a human-like society was too strange to me. They lived in houses and castles. None of his demons had wings, and they did not have tails, or leathery skin (it looks likes a goats head with fur on the cover). Sorry it was just hard to follow the whole concept without thinking it as comical. Otherwise everything about this book was excellent and his unique demons were an original idea. Originality should always be appreciated.

Timur Safar (the protagonist) begins out as a naive, trusting young man who graudually matures into his fated station in life. His relationship with a childhood friend, Protarus, is the main focus of this tale. When demons invade their land and threaten the sanctity of Protarus's reign, Safar must come in and aid his long time friend. However, time has distanced the two as well as destiny. This story for me was heartbreaking, maybe it was the music in the background of my room, or the late hour in which I stayed up to finish the book, but I think that it was the touching reality in which Cole described the most painful separation of people who care. This is a must read:)

It was the strangest thing, reading this book. Not once while I was reading did I see any relationships or characterizations that made sense beyond the cookie-cutter definitions accorded to fictional characters.

Characters were friends because they (and the book) declared it to be so. Not once did I see any reasoning or backing for any of it.

Romantic relationships were lust-driven and still considered to be love, true love, without any backing of plausible interactions that would indicate a relationship in the works. More like, "I say I am in love, and therefore I am."

A character was pushed to action because someone felt it was his destiny, not because the character felt particularly inclined to do anything.

Utterly bizarre. Everyone remained 2 dimensional.

Other than the mindless of acceptance of how things should be in a fantasy novel, the book isn't so bad. Still, not good.

You'll probably keep reading because you want to find out what happens, but what is the point of reading a book whose prologue tells you what end the book is leading to?

Allan Cole does a marvelous job at creating a fantasy world that is fascinating and filled with wonders. The plotline keeps you interested, the characters are believable (although tremendously un-PC at times) and most of all it is just a tale well told

A stranger on a lone hill, the bad guy right? Not exactly. A awesomly written story of love, betarayel, and death. Cole writes a riviting novel which I highly recomend to fantesy lovers!

I read this book and I truley enjoyed it, I thought the idea of Demons not being from the pits of hell, winged/chaotic was a good idea and the fact that they thought of humans as disgusting made me think Cole did a great job with this idea, this is a great book, I have read the entire trilogy and this is the best of all 3 to me

This is the beginning of a truly lovely series. The minute I finished reading it, I was champing at the bit to read the second. The characters are beautifully developed, almost Shakespearean in scope, and the world, based as it is on the ancient Persian empire of Tamerlaine, is rich, magical, and completely engrossing. Fantasy of the highest order.

I was originally attracted to this book by the cover. The art work is terrific. I'm a big fan of good fantasy and lately I haven't found anything really worth reading until I came upon Allan Coles's "Wizard of the Winds". I feel that the idea of the demons having an almost human like existance is what I like about the book the most. I'm tired of the stories that have the standard formula demon's, evil spawn, monster's, whatever, and your standard good guys. The characters are very believable and the dialog and narrative are superb. Very enjoyable!!!

I was very disappointed int this book. I look forward to non-european based fantasy, but this book didn't deliver. The demons were pretty one dimensional as villains, the plot predictable and forced and the payoff at the end wasn't worth the bother