Against the Light by Dave Duncan

Against the Light by Dave Duncan

This book is: mediocre.
Other elements: cliches.
Read it: if you’re bored and it’s already in your hand.
Overall rating: 4.5/10

Dave Duncan has written some splendid novels. This is not one of them.

The characters are flat incarnations of cliches and plot is no better (hate-mongering new church persecuting followers of old, Goddess-centered, magical faith). The daughter is beautiful, the sons are brave, and the evil characters are irredeemable. None of the characters, good or evil, are individual or dynamic enough to be endearing.  I finished this book less than 10 minutes ago and I’d be hard-pressed to tell you even one of the character’s names.

I didn’t love or hate anything about this book. I never laughed, gasped, or cried. I also never worried, rejoiced, feared, or emoted much at all.

There are definitely worse books out there than this one, but I’m afraid that’s the best thing I can say about it. If you have nothing better to do and this is the only book you have, you might as well read it for a while.

You’d be better off reading the King’s Blades series instead, and then you’ll see how good Dave Duncan can be when he’s on his game.