Totally flat - a potentially interesting story rendered dull by the author's failure to show rather than tell. ( )

Engaging story and characters. ( )

I really wish that I could go back to the first time I read this book and write a review, but that was before I wrote reviews. Now I've read it so many times I don't even know where to begin or what to write. This book is the only one that rivals Harry Potter with the number of times that I've read it, so I highly suggest that you read it. ( )

Princess Torina's father conquers the peaceful kingdom of Bellandra and takes with him two presents for her: a seer crystal and the Bellandran prince to be her slave. Torina immediately frees the prince, Landen, who becomes her friend and archery-tutor. When the chief adviser murders the king and tries to marry Torina, Torina's skill with the seer crystal and Landen's loyalty keep her relatively safe. Torina and Landen flee the kingdom on opposite trajectories: Landen becomes the leader of a sort of state-sponsored band of Merry Men, while Torina makes a quiet life for herself in the country. Eventually, prompted by their consciences, both Torina and Landen independently seek to help the High King against treachery and invasion. In so doing they not only save many kingdoms, but they also find each other once more.

A sweet tale, but I was frustrated by how resistant Landen and Torina were to revealing their true identities. Long after they should have told the High King who they were, each of them remained obstinately silent; a good portion of the Vesputo's plots would have been prevented if either (or both!) of them had revealed themselves. The book is plagued with annoyances like that, and by a distressing choice to repeatedly skip over very interesting sections of Torina and Landen's lives with just a quick summary. Landen leads an entire band of former thieves that once tried to kill him in gladiatorial games! That should get us at least a paragraph or two, instead of a quick mention of it! Anyway, it's overall a fine adventure with a nice anti-war message, and it was a good enough yarn that I read it in a single evening rather than put it down. ( )

Great book. Seems like most dislikes have rated it derivative. Could be, I didn't think so, and more importantly. It had story that kept moving. A lot happens in this short book. I found it very rewarding.

Worth a try. ( )