Book Review: The Obsidian Trilogy

Book 1-3, from left to right

I don't think I've ever done a book review... oh wait. I did do one a while back on the Mortal Instruments. I'm usually quite a big fan of fantasy - magic, dragons, knights, wizards... you get the picture. But after quite a while in the fantasy genre, I find myself growing weary of the repetitive, predictable storyline: dark lord appears, hero(es) gain power and raise army to defeat dark lord in an all out battle. The details vary, but the spine of it all is all too familiar. As such, you would understand why this set was quite the risky purchase for me, having bought all three book in the span of two days before I had any idea what the contents were like.

I am pleased, surprisingly enough, to report that it was not a purchase in vain. I found the language used to be reminiscent of Tolkien's detailed narration, describing sufficient detail, drawing you into the lifeblood of the story without being too wordy. I could actually feel myself walking through the busy streets of Armathelieth, and feel the pain Kellen, the protagonist felt. Such work has been few and far between.

The other thing which I really liked about this series is that the authors don't burden you with an entire kingdom of characters and names to remember like the Game of Thrones. Characters are introduced, although initially with no purpose, you will find as you go along, that all their stories intertwine beautifully, reflecting one of this series' themes of the interconnectedness of all existence.

Finally, I find that the idea of evil so far in this series (I've just finished the second book at the time of this review's writing) to utterly refreshing. You do have the horde of evil hatching their evil plots, but you don't see any direct conflict as one would in Harry Potter or the Dragonlance series. Their tendrils weave deep and dark, through the shadows, ever so subtly, keeping you barely aware of their existence and plots, but always guessing as to what their true intentions really are. You would read of battles, but it is never yet with the Endarkened, but with their pawns, keeping the suspense ever high. And even within the block of evil, you have factions vying for power, trying to out plot each other. Never have I read of such truly chaotic evil!

Should you read these books? Unequivocally, yes. I highly recommend them, to those beginning to taste the nectar of fantasy and those jaded by the rigidity of lawful evil. However, I do have to warn that procuring these books were not easy - book 1 and 3 were the only copies left at the bookstore I was at, and book 2 I had to have transported from another branch.