Book Review: Transformation by Carol Berg
Aug. 9th, 2008 01:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
juushikaTitle: Transformation
Author: Carol Berg
Published: New York: Roc, 2000
Rating: 4 of 5
Page Count: 439
Total Page Count: 60,899
Text Number: 175
Read For: personal enjoyment, checked out from the library
Short review: Seyonne was once a magician charged with guarding humanity from demonic possession, but now he is slave to Prince Aleksander, the selfish, ill-tempered heir to the throne which murdered Seyonne's people. But when demons attempt to infiltrate the palace, Seyonne discovers that Aleksander is contains the potential to change the world—if he is aided by a guide such as the magician that Seyonne once was. Transformation is delicately plotted and peopled with realistic characters, but it also moves slowly and has some unbelievable twists. This is the sort of book that is good but not quite great. I enjoyed it, but I don't have any desire to read the rest of the series. Moderately recommended.
Transformation has delicate detail which makes for a clever plot and realistic characters, and these aspects are a joy to read. The plot slowly builds and reveals, and its interconnected aspects tie it up in a clever, satisfying whole. The book is rich with prophecy and magic, placing the story on a grand scale which will appeal to many fantasy fans. At its heart, however, this is the story of Aleksander and Seyonne's personal growth—and Berg writes it beautifully. Careful detail and realistic characterization bring the characters to life, and they are some of the best I've ever seen: they have strong personalities but retain realistic complexity, and the slow, thoughtful pace of their growth and change is wholly convincing. Aleksander in particular—a intelligent, valiant leader trapped within a selfish, cruel personality—is wonderfully written. With this intelligent plot and brilliant characterization, Transformation is, on the whole, compelling and enjoyable, and it's careful developments will keep the reader intrigued until the end.
Unfortunately, not all of the book is quite so good: the plot's complexity results in slow pacing, and, despite the careful plot, some aspects and twists are unbelievable. It takes a good 150 pages just to arrive at the book's premise—so while the pace never drags, it's too slow to grab the reader's avid interest. And sometimes, all the slow pacing and careful plotting is for not: some characters and a few plot points, especially in the final third of the book, are just unbelievable. Characters change alliances with unbelievable frequency; demons are evil—no wait, they're chaotic neutral—no wait, they're evil again; finally, the conclusion is an unrealistic landfall of just desserts. These aspects all seem out of place in an otherwise strong book. On their own, each of these little weaknesses is annoying but no big deal; taken together, they're just annoying enough to detract from the overall book by muddying the otherwise careful construction.
Transformation is a thoughtful and intelligent novel, but it has too many weaknesses: it's good, but it never quite manages to be great. I enjoyed it more than I expected (especially since I'm not a fan of trade paperback fantasy novels), and I loved Aleksander and Seyonne's characters and growth, but this book never grabbed me and I have no desire to read the sequels. (Luckily, with a satisfying climax and complete conclusion, the book stands alone.) I recommend it moderately: it's an interesting concept and Berg has great talent for complex plot and realistic characters, but the novel doesn't stand out and it's not particularly memorable.
Review posted here on Amazon.com.
Author: Carol Berg
Published: New York: Roc, 2000
Rating: 4 of 5
Page Count: 439
Total Page Count: 60,899
Text Number: 175
Read For: personal enjoyment, checked out from the library
Short review: Seyonne was once a magician charged with guarding humanity from demonic possession, but now he is slave to Prince Aleksander, the selfish, ill-tempered heir to the throne which murdered Seyonne's people. But when demons attempt to infiltrate the palace, Seyonne discovers that Aleksander is contains the potential to change the world—if he is aided by a guide such as the magician that Seyonne once was. Transformation is delicately plotted and peopled with realistic characters, but it also moves slowly and has some unbelievable twists. This is the sort of book that is good but not quite great. I enjoyed it, but I don't have any desire to read the rest of the series. Moderately recommended.
Transformation has delicate detail which makes for a clever plot and realistic characters, and these aspects are a joy to read. The plot slowly builds and reveals, and its interconnected aspects tie it up in a clever, satisfying whole. The book is rich with prophecy and magic, placing the story on a grand scale which will appeal to many fantasy fans. At its heart, however, this is the story of Aleksander and Seyonne's personal growth—and Berg writes it beautifully. Careful detail and realistic characterization bring the characters to life, and they are some of the best I've ever seen: they have strong personalities but retain realistic complexity, and the slow, thoughtful pace of their growth and change is wholly convincing. Aleksander in particular—a intelligent, valiant leader trapped within a selfish, cruel personality—is wonderfully written. With this intelligent plot and brilliant characterization, Transformation is, on the whole, compelling and enjoyable, and it's careful developments will keep the reader intrigued until the end.
Unfortunately, not all of the book is quite so good: the plot's complexity results in slow pacing, and, despite the careful plot, some aspects and twists are unbelievable. It takes a good 150 pages just to arrive at the book's premise—so while the pace never drags, it's too slow to grab the reader's avid interest. And sometimes, all the slow pacing and careful plotting is for not: some characters and a few plot points, especially in the final third of the book, are just unbelievable. Characters change alliances with unbelievable frequency; demons are evil—no wait, they're chaotic neutral—no wait, they're evil again; finally, the conclusion is an unrealistic landfall of just desserts. These aspects all seem out of place in an otherwise strong book. On their own, each of these little weaknesses is annoying but no big deal; taken together, they're just annoying enough to detract from the overall book by muddying the otherwise careful construction.
Transformation is a thoughtful and intelligent novel, but it has too many weaknesses: it's good, but it never quite manages to be great. I enjoyed it more than I expected (especially since I'm not a fan of trade paperback fantasy novels), and I loved Aleksander and Seyonne's characters and growth, but this book never grabbed me and I have no desire to read the sequels. (Luckily, with a satisfying climax and complete conclusion, the book stands alone.) I recommend it moderately: it's an interesting concept and Berg has great talent for complex plot and realistic characters, but the novel doesn't stand out and it's not particularly memorable.
Review posted here on Amazon.com.
