Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Penetrating and Enduring, June 14, 2006
L.B. Graham is a skilled wordsmith and creator of a fully dimensional reality with characters that have sensitivity and vulnerability. The tide of action that magnetizes the reader is both external in the ominous environment, and internal in the souls and relationships of the characters. Although the book cover artwork is stylized somewhat like comic book art (yet riveting and effective), the characters have a breadth and depth that bonds them to the reader. As any human being who faces an affront is always confronted internally with the options for revenge and must actively choose to turn the other cheek, just so the Binding of The Blade characters grapple with the options in the challenges they face.
To appreciate the developing crisis and ongoing history of the Kirthanin world, these books should be read sequentially. May God keep the author healthy, safe, and inspired through the fulfillment of the saga, and may Book 4 be completed soon!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Promising author ... good start!, November 9, 2006
This third book in the Binding of the Blade trilogy is roughly on par with the 1st two in the series. The characters are well developed and each chapter has plenty of conflict, adventure, and romance to keep the reader hooked. The style is reminiscent of the earlier works of Stephen Lawhead (that's a good thing). Some of the plot lines are interesting, but they are pretty typical for this genre. Others show flashes of brilliance that leave you with hopes that Graham will grow into a world class author. As a trilogy, the three books are not quite as cohesive as they could be - more like a set of episodes in a series than a unified saga. I expect this is simply a mark of inexperience and not a serious weakness. If you are a fan of sci-fi/fantasy with a positive moral compass, I highly recommend this series. I do recommend reading them in order.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
More excellent Christian fantasy!, July 10, 2006
This novel continues the story began in Beyond the Summerland and Bringer of Storms and continues to expand the threat to Kirthanin. This book picks up where the second book left off, with no large gap of time as was the case between book one and two. The third rise of Malek and his huge hordes is underway and all of Kirthanin must unite again or fall. Allfather's new prophet must call together these races, as Aljeron and other leaders use their best military knowledge to pick the time and place to confront Malek's great army. Aljeron and a handful of men must journey north on an important quest while Caan leads the main army in another direction. Benjiah must grow into his role as his uncles stand by his side. The Great Bear and even the Dragons have a role in this book, and a new, great threat from Malek emerges--and it's not the threat on the cover. The Bringer of Storms and Farimaal, along with a certain betrayer, continue to push the armies of the enemy forward. This book ends with a mysterious person in one place, and the capture of one of the good guys in another. I think I know who the mystery person is, but we'll all have to wait for book four to know for sure. Mr. Graham is fashioning a true Tolkien-like epic with this series and I urge you to give it a try. You won't be sorry. This story should flow into the next book without too much of a time gap either, as the conflict that was pressing, was not fully resolved.
The only slight problem with the book is the same as I mentioned about the first two, which is that some of the dialogue seems too modern at times. Mom and dad, instead of mother and father, and similar things that just didn't feel "medieval" enough. This is a very minor concern, though, and is very subjective. I am definitely looking forward to book four in this great series!
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