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juushikaTitle: Shadowbridge (Shadowbridge Book One)
Author: Gregory Frost
Published: New York: Ballantine Books, 2008
Rating: 4 of 5
Page Count: 255
Total Page Count: 64,233
Text Number: 184
Read For: personal enjoyment, recommended by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
calico_reaction, checked out from the library
Short review: In a world where inhabitants live on bridges which span wide oceans and replace cities and continents, sixteen-year-old Leodora travels from city to city to build her reputation as a master puppeteer and storyteller. But Leodora is haunted by the mystery of her father, who was once a great puppeteer, and touched by the gods whose presence portends marvelous and terrible events to come. Shadowbridge is the first half of a duology, and it sets up the story, introducing Leodora and her traveling companions and the fantastic, imaginative world of Shadowbridge. These factors are both intriguing, but as the first half of a complete story the book suffers from a lack of direction and cliffhanger ending. I plan to continue right on to the sequel, Lord Tophet, and I enjoyed and recommend this book.
Although they are published as two separate volumes, Shadowbridge is really just the first half of a longer book. It introduces the concepts and begins the story, and does a good job of both. What shines most is the setting: Shadowbridge is a world of endless bridges rising over open seas, where spans of the bridge make up cities and the spans connect into large spirals which replace continents. Men, monsters, and gods populate the bridges, living in complex and divers societies. It is a vibrant and magical setting, unlike anything else I've seen before, and it immediately captures the imagination. Leodora and her companions are a bit pale in comparison, although they too hold the reader's interest: Leodora is willful and brave and her storytelling opens the novel up to a number of stories within stories.
These stories within stories are something of a mixed blessing, however. They introduce new aspects and mythology of both Leodora and Shadowbridge, but they crowd out their framework—Leodora's underlying journey across the spans—leaving it too long undeveloped. The reader is never quite sure how the stories will connect or which are important, and without this frame of reference the plot feels uncertain and slow. It gains momentum as it goes along, and it is readable and engaging throughout, but it never dedicates enough time to Leodora's current journey. The end of the book changes dramatically, overshadowing the arrival of malicious, otherworldly powers and ending in a sharp cliffhanger—which is less of a problem now that the sequel is out, but begs the question: why was this book released in two volumes in the first place?
Shadowbridge has its faults, and as the first half of a story it is unfinished without the sequel, Lord Tophet. Nonetheless, it is a promising and intriguing beginning. The unique setting fascinates me, and Leodora and her stories is a worthy vehicle for exploring it. Frost's writing style suits the vivid grandeur and intricate detail of the setting. I have Lord Tophet waiting, and plan to continue on with it directly. I recommend Shadowbridge—fantasy readers and fans of unique fantasy worlds will enjoy it, and it certainly deserves a wider audience. However, as each slim (250 page) volume retails at $14, these may be good books to borrow rather than buy.
Review posted here on Amazon.com.
Author: Gregory Frost
Published: New York: Ballantine Books, 2008
Rating: 4 of 5
Page Count: 255
Total Page Count: 64,233
Text Number: 184
Read For: personal enjoyment, recommended by
calico_reaction, checked out from the libraryShort review: In a world where inhabitants live on bridges which span wide oceans and replace cities and continents, sixteen-year-old Leodora travels from city to city to build her reputation as a master puppeteer and storyteller. But Leodora is haunted by the mystery of her father, who was once a great puppeteer, and touched by the gods whose presence portends marvelous and terrible events to come. Shadowbridge is the first half of a duology, and it sets up the story, introducing Leodora and her traveling companions and the fantastic, imaginative world of Shadowbridge. These factors are both intriguing, but as the first half of a complete story the book suffers from a lack of direction and cliffhanger ending. I plan to continue right on to the sequel, Lord Tophet, and I enjoyed and recommend this book.
Although they are published as two separate volumes, Shadowbridge is really just the first half of a longer book. It introduces the concepts and begins the story, and does a good job of both. What shines most is the setting: Shadowbridge is a world of endless bridges rising over open seas, where spans of the bridge make up cities and the spans connect into large spirals which replace continents. Men, monsters, and gods populate the bridges, living in complex and divers societies. It is a vibrant and magical setting, unlike anything else I've seen before, and it immediately captures the imagination. Leodora and her companions are a bit pale in comparison, although they too hold the reader's interest: Leodora is willful and brave and her storytelling opens the novel up to a number of stories within stories.
These stories within stories are something of a mixed blessing, however. They introduce new aspects and mythology of both Leodora and Shadowbridge, but they crowd out their framework—Leodora's underlying journey across the spans—leaving it too long undeveloped. The reader is never quite sure how the stories will connect or which are important, and without this frame of reference the plot feels uncertain and slow. It gains momentum as it goes along, and it is readable and engaging throughout, but it never dedicates enough time to Leodora's current journey. The end of the book changes dramatically, overshadowing the arrival of malicious, otherworldly powers and ending in a sharp cliffhanger—which is less of a problem now that the sequel is out, but begs the question: why was this book released in two volumes in the first place?
Shadowbridge has its faults, and as the first half of a story it is unfinished without the sequel, Lord Tophet. Nonetheless, it is a promising and intriguing beginning. The unique setting fascinates me, and Leodora and her stories is a worthy vehicle for exploring it. Frost's writing style suits the vivid grandeur and intricate detail of the setting. I have Lord Tophet waiting, and plan to continue on with it directly. I recommend Shadowbridge—fantasy readers and fans of unique fantasy worlds will enjoy it, and it certainly deserves a wider audience. However, as each slim (250 page) volume retails at $14, these may be good books to borrow rather than buy.
Review posted here on Amazon.com.
