The High Lord

Best book I have heard in a long time

When I started out reading this trilogy,I thought the book 1 was good,a little slow at times,but we need time to let her build the characters and let us get to know them,by book 2 we knew them all and were able to enjoy the story and let it wrap itself around us,by the end of book 3 I felt as if I was there with the characters,and when someone died I felt like I lost a friend,Bravo Ms. Canavan,I have not enjoyed a book this much in a LONG time,and I look forward to more of your work.

4 sur 4 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

Amazingly narrated but the story ended poorly.

I was dying to read this book after the huge cliffhanger in the second book. The first and middle parts of this book were absolutely awesome; I was completely glued to this story. Unfortunately the ending absolutely sucked in the most sucky of sucky ways.

I listened to this on audiobook and the narrator did an amazing job. I highly recommend listening to this series on audiobook.

This is one of those books that is tough to review without spoilers; so I will put a spoiler header in here further down.

The first part of the story focuses on Sonea as she deals with being Akkarin’s apprentice. Akkarin reveals some truths to Sonea in very convincing ways. This leads Sonea down a difficult path along Akkarin’s side.

The story is well written and flows nicely. I loved the characters as well. The story really focuses on Akkarin and Sonea; although Dorian, Robin, and others still play a big role in the story as well. Akkarin is the best character in this series so I was excited to have him feature so much in this story.

Things end up coming together nicely and I loved how all the factions of the city (commoners, dwells, thieves, and mages) had to band together to face a larger fault.

Now for the spoilers….

-----------BIG SPOILERS START-------------------------
I loved how Sonea stuck up for her beliefs and what she thought was right. The fact that she stands steadfastly by Akkarin’s side for the sake of the kingdom and her own believes showed amazing strength and also showed how much she had matured as a character and magician. Even when Akkarin wants to take the fall by himself and leave Sonea out of it, Sonea refuses to make things easy for herself and the Guild and instead does what is right.

Sonea and Akkarin falling in love and becoming a couple was perfect. They complement each other so well; neither one will let the other falter and they both temper each other when either start to go down a path that’s too dark. I loved that they had started thinking about ways to change the future of Imardin and improve it for future generations. I was so looking forward to seeing Sonea and Akkarin come back and help the city improve and really put energy into taking care of the city they loved so much.

So...well screw that! said Canavan...I have a better idea let’s f%^&% kill Akkarin right at the end of the battle. Because you know neither Sonea nor Akkarin has suffered enough personally throughout this series. They only both lost all their friends and their home trying to save this stupid city, so right when they get to the pinnacle of victory let’s kill off the best character in this book.

As if that’s not enough let’s take this awesome, beautiful, and strong new person Sonea has become (despite all her previous trials and tortures) and crush the emotional fight out of her once and for all. Nope, no happiness for this girl. In fact let’s pour salt in the wound and make her pregnant too! That way she can be a perpetually sad woman, who is shadow of herself and continues to be ostracized by the guild for not only being Black Magician left but for being pregnant with a potentially powerful child as well.

I don’t get it, why take a great story and give it this awful and contrived ending that does nothing but destroy the best characters in the book. So depressing and sad and anti-climatic.
-------------BIG SPOILERS END-----------------

Overall this was a great series and this book definitely wraps it up...but not nicely. The majority of the book is fantastic and engaging, the world and characters are amazing. The ending sucks big time and kind of made me sad I read this series at all. I don’t plan on reading anymore of Canavan’s books because the ending to this series angered me big time.

2 sur 2 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

Wonderful book

Where does The High Lord rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The whole Black Magician's trilogy was a wonderful group of books. At the end of the series, it made me long for more. I found that Miss Trudi wrote another series with Sonea as a main character. I am interested in reading that. I am currently enjoying Terry Goodkind's "Sword of Truth" series.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Never underestimate someone with humble beginnings.

2 sur 2 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

Good story, thirsty narrator!

Overall I liked the story, but the narrator's constant sipping/swallowing was very disruptive for me.

2 sur 2 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

SPOILER

Which scene was your favorite?

the whole invasion and how the Theives help defend the city leading up to the final battle

Any additional comments?

Everything you think of up to this book changes. The High Lord turns into the hero and helps save the City, everyones misunderstanding of the High Lord comes out and they praise him in the end.

1 sur 1 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

Weakest ending ever.

First two, very good. This one, mostly good. Ending, absolute my-publisher-needs-something, I've-already-made-enough-money, stopped-caring-last-week trash. Now I know where the Hunger Games burnout got their inspiration. Utter waste of money

Nostalgic

Narrator performance was completely different from how I read it as a child, but it was interesting to hear it in a different style. He has an impressive range of voices and accents. My only qualm is that the voices he used for certain characters were inconsistent throughout the series.

great trilogy

this Trilogy was really good I enjoyed every minute of it the ending of the high Lord could have been a little less sad but overall I enjoyed them very much

just ok. not worth money.

the first books biggest conflict was a fight between the main character and a boy in school. book two, same exact thing except she learns black magic. third book. tiny little fight at the end lacking all detail and imagination. I wouldn't recommend.

great author

this is the second time listeningvto this series. I love Trudi Canavan and the narrator is great as well.