Lord Foul's Bane is talked about by many as a classic. I'm not so sure that it is. I had this book reccomended to me many years ago when I was still in high school. If I had read it then I think I would have liked it better. However, it took 12 or so years to finally pick it up... and I have matured well beyond any of the lessons that it is trying to teach. The main theme is expressed by setting the main character's (Thomas Convanent) "grey" morality, because he comes from the real world, filled with hate, disease and lies, against the backdrop of a rather clear-cut balck and white fantasy world. Hmmm, not that original but not bad, for high school. Anyway, if this book no longer had the power to teach me, did it entertain? Yes, but not greatly in comparison to many many other books that I have read. The world is good, but not outstanding. The characters are decent, but not amazing. The storytelling works, but it certainly didn't blow me away. And you know, while I understand that self-pity/selfishness were part of the theme of the book, it really made me dislike Thomas Covanent. All in all, a very underwhelming book. It's an easy read, and maybe I wouldn't judge it so harshly if it weren't called a classic. But a book should deserve the label, and I don't think this one does.
Lord Foul's Bane is talked about by many as a classic. I'm not so sure that it is. I had this book reccomended to me many years ago when I was still in high school. If I had read it then I think I would have liked it better. However, it took 12 or so years to finally pick it up... and I have matured well beyond any of the lessons that it is trying to teach. The main theme is expressed by setting the main character's (Thomas Convanent) "grey" morality, because he comes from the real world, filled with hate, disease and lies, against the backdrop of a rather clear-cut balck and white fantasy world. Hmmm, not that original but not bad, for high school. Anyway, if this book no longer had the power to teach me, did it entertain? Yes, but not greatly in comparison to many many other books that I have read. The world is good, but not outstanding. The characters are decent, but not amazing. The storytelling works, but it certainly didn't blow me away. And you know, while I understand that self-pity/selfishness were part of the theme of the book, it really made me dislike Thomas Covanent. All in all, a very underwhelming book. It's an easy read, and maybe I wouldn't judge it so harshly if it weren't called a classic. But a book should deserve the label, and I don't think this one does.