Best thumbnail of the week (though I’ve been loving the Rings of Power ones as well) 🤣! I couldn’t agree more about the immersive experience of this book and excellent character work. I’m excited to find out if we share a favorite moment (at least one of them) involving music. Wurts’ prose seems to work for me, especially as someone who loves to visualize descriptions. I’m going to have to get some of my highlighted passages organized for our discussion. Wonderful review, Philip!
There are a lot of things to discuss around the book, very much looking forward to the discussion. One thing that stood out to me about the book (and the whole series) how war is not glorified and leaves the characters scarred as it should be.
Great review Philip! As a longtime fan of this series, it's exciting to see it gain some traction on booktube. I agree with you that this series demands engagement from the reader. The first book was difficult for me to adjust to because it was the first really dense plot and prose series I had read. I did notice as the series progressed the engagement became easier and easier since I was becoming invested in the characters and the story. I'm looking forward to the group discussion.
There is definitely a longer than usual adjustment period to series that are doing a lot on many levels -- Realm of the Elderlings (so far) and Malazan have definitely been that way for me too. The payoff is tremendous, though! Cheers, Jennifer!
Oh man, this sounds so good. I really do want to read it and it’s perfect timing with your read along starting, I just don’t feel ready for another heavy, lengthy series right after finishing Malazan. I’m so excited to see all of the upcoming content for this series!
Excellent review, Phillip. And I agree about her style It's like no other in the fantasy field at the moment. She owns horses, I believe, which only adds to the authenticity of her descriptions of things equine.
Yes, I believe Janny Wurts has horses and knows her way around them. My guess is that few other authors can say that. I've ridden a horse only a few times, and let's just say it was a good thing the horse was smarter than I was!
Janny Wurts is on my radar. So many other things taking up my time but I want to read To Ride Hell's Chasm at least. Until I can do that I'll be satisfied with watching these videos.
I've not read the book or even seen the cover before, but that thumbnail...dang that was good stuff! Thanks for the review, I'll have to check it out on Kindle to see if I enjoy it.
I’m so excited that you have started this journey, and I wait impatiently for your discussion of this book with “the gang”. And if you think that the battle in the first book was something, just wait… What did you think about the map? And the boys arrival on Athera?
I love the map! Of course, I'm a map lover in general, but Athera is epic. I could not have predicted the arrival, but it gains so much resonance at the end of the book, after everything that happens. This is going to be a series where I'll have to pay attention!
So it begins... Very glad that you're so taken with this first book in the series. I personally found it more demanding than Gardens of the Moon! Janny Wurts is an 'in media res' writer, like another one I could mention... It took me longer than with Erikson's introductory novel to really get into it. However, in the final hundred pages or so, everything came together, and from that moment on I was hooked. You're in for quite a ride! Janny Wurts can find words for certain mental processes, emotions, states of mind which most writers would just mention or vaguely evoke. She is terribly precise in everything, from the most abstract to the chillingly concrete. She really is a great writer. After I have finished Assail, I'll pick up Stormed Fortress again to see how that largest arc of the series pans out... Enjoy Ships of Merior! I found that a wonderful and haunting sequel to Mistwraith.
Thanks, Johan! The thoughts you've shared on Wars of Light and Shadow have definitely inspired me to dive in, and I look forward to being able to exchange ideas with you on the series. All the best!
I very much enjoyed the first book in this series, and agree with almost all that you say. She’s an extremely talented writer and capable of doing great things. I’ve read the first five books in the series and then went on hiatus. I just got tired. She’s an extremely talented writer, but I get bogged down in the ponderousness of her prose. And she has some writing tics that annoy me, but I will likely start reading it again at some points (perhaps your discussions will inspire me to). I’m not so sure about her “vast knowledge’ of ancillary subjects. She appears to have that knowledge. But I know a fair bit about music, which she features prominently, and her musical descriptions throw around some buzzwords that make it seem like she is knowledgeable, but they leave me doubting whether she actually knows what she is talking about. I get the same feeling sometimes from her nautical descriptions, though I don’t know enough about sailing to know for sure whether she is faking her knowledge or not. One thing seems clear to me: in her collaboration with Feist in the Empire series, he seems to have brought out almost all the things I like about her writing, while excising the things that have bothered me.
I'm out of my depth when it comes to music and sailing, so I can't say for sure. I also don't know much about horses, but there I think it's safe to say that Janny Wurts knows more than any other author I've read. One thing is true: Most writers of fantasy have to "research" things like sailing, music, and horses, and even then there will be readers such as you -- people who really know music, for example -- who will be able to poke holes in the author's presentation. I hope we will be able to inspire you to pick up book six!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Yeah, I’m aware of that. And I also appreciate authors who take the time to learn some of their subjects. People don’t read Mary Gentle any more. She wrote some excellent books that had authenticity to them in part because she was/is an expert swordswoman. On the other hand, I also appreciate it when someone like Scott Lynch puts a disclaimer at the end of Red Seas Under Red Skies that he doesn’t actually know anything about ships, because he definitely would have fooled me. It’s an interesting topic. One of the things I love about reading is learning stuff, but with fiction that can be extra risky (like learning British history by watching The Tudors).
I'm sure I will. I loved the daughter of the empire trilogy she co-wrote with Raymond E Feist. Really looking forward to getting stuck into a new series.
Thank you for the long awaited review Phillip. I have been waiting to hear your thoughts about it ever since I finished it, and as always you never disappoint. For me it was such a beautiful read and I made a new friendship with the my Kindle Dictionary 😂. The prose was so enchanting but I had a hard time with many new vocab that I didn't know. The world was familiar but different enough to keep me intrigued. I fell in love with Arithone as well. Such a tragic character. I can't wait to watch you discussion with the group and Janny! What amazing content you bring to booktube.thank you.
Thank you, Avi! I appreciate your comments so much, and I hope the upcoming discussions will be helpful and interesting for lots of folks. All the best!
I really appreciate this review. I finished the first book recently - completely agree about Arithon. I struggled with the pacing of the middle section of the book. The scale doesn't feel as grand as Malazan did. But I will continue reading the series because I must know what happens to Arithon. You have given me things to think about & I look forward to the intro discussion.
That reminds me I have a signed copy of one of the Mistwraith books. I need to bump it up on my TBR. It has been sitting in my library for a few years now.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy It's a PhilipChase trademark! 😅 I really need to pay homage to some of the great female fantasy authors by reading their books ..It's long overdue and Janny is right at the top of that list! I never would have heard of her if it wasn't for you so full credit 🙏🏼
Looks like another trip to Otherland coming up. Well, I'm on sick leave, and autumn is coming up, so I should be able to wedge this one into my TBR list.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy They have to order it. After my experience with ordering the Long Price Quartet, that doesn't bode well. Wish me luck that it gets here before my next phase of chemotherapy in two weeks!
Thanks, Mark! Aside from the fact that I find her writing engaging, I also appreciate that Janny Wurts is an author who, like you, does a lot to help out other authors.
Sounds like you are embarking upon another amazing and impactful reading journey with this series! I loved hearing your thoughts on this book, so glad you had a good time with it! Just from reading To Ride Hell's Chasm, I could already tell that Wurts is excellent at character work, so I am not surprised that the same is true here. Great review, Philip!! Also, this thumbnail might be one of my favourites so far, hahah.
Thank you, Esmay! In the annals of silly thumbnails by yours truly, this one is a personal highlight for me too. Ha ha! I do expect Wars of Light and Shadow to be a tremendous journey, and if you ever embark on it, I hope you will enjoy it.
Really makes me want to start the series right NOW, unfortunately there is so many books I have yet to read. I will certainly be looking forward to watching the discussions either once they come out or I might save them for when I'll eventually get to reading the books myself. Really cool you managed to get Janny Wurts on board, always nice to have the authors perspective and experience as well! All the best!
@@hobbitholebooks832 I just recently made a re-read TBR, thinking about a video. Not including my ongoing Malazan re-read, just that list, just re-reads, had over 60 books on it. 😬 The last thing I need is another beautiful 11 book series. 😅
@@hobbitholebooks832 I love re-reading the books I love. I’ve read Lord of the Rings somewhere around 10 times. 😜 Most other series I really love I’ve read at least twice.
@@hobbitholebooks832 Fan made LotR audio books? Never heard of them. I’ve heard that Andy Serkis’ narration is exceptional, but I don’t really do audio books…
I have so many books to get to, but this IS high on my list, I promise! I love to hear your thoughts on books; I think we share a lot of thoughts, habits, and frames of mind when it comes to how we approach stories. Can’t wait to read this book!
I loved listening to you talk about this first book, especially its very compelling themes, elegant prose and carefully researched details, these are usually elements I look for in my novels, and so you basically sold me this author's work! I can't wait to get to this series. I'm not sure when I'll be able to read this one, probably next year if I'm being realistic, but still very excited to watch your discussion with the author herself and other members of the Booktube community! ☺️
Sounds like a banger Philip. I do have thsi series on my radar, someday I’ll read it. I do wanna check out To Ride on Hell’s Chasm next year, I watched your discussion on that and it sounds like a great intro to Janny Wurtz as well.
I will be starting this series this week because of this video and your panel discussion with Janny Wurts. You mentioned Arithon is one of your favorite characters, maybe in your next DDF you can discuss your favorite characters of all time so far.
That’s an excellent idea for a video and/or DDF episode, Heidi - thank you! I hope you’ll get a lot out of Wars of Light and Shadow, which I hope to resume reading in a month or two.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I've heard that so was pretty thrilled at the find. All are first edition paperbacks in good condition. I'm ready and excited for the read-along Philip!
Don't know how it took me so long to watch this review! I really enjoyed book 1, and reading book 2 (same copy you showed) I'm absolutely loving it! Can't wait for the live shows! Absolutely agree on her prose, very unique especially in descriptions, and Arithon is also absolutely a favorite for me.
Thank you for shining more light (no pun intended) on this amazing series. It is my all time favourite and the themes are still and will always be relevant. I envy you that you get to read it for the first time, but luckily it is one of those epics that reward you immensely on re-reads as well. :)
I can already see that this is a series that will definitely reward rereads. There are layers and layers of exploration of themes - a truly rich style of storytelling and incredibly immersive. Cheers, Claudia!
Great video Phillip! I’m extremely interested in reading this series. I have other readalong commitments right now so I probably won’t get to it until later next year or so but Janny Wurts sounds like a great author. The books to seem a bit difficult to find, so I’ll start trying to collect them. Hope you have a good day!
Thanks, Drew! The physical books are indeed hard to track down. A lot of folks have had to settle for ebooks, unfortunately. I hope you'll be able to find copies!
Great review, Philip! Can't wait for the big discussion and to see other reviews forthcoming! :) Loved the insights about how immersive it is and how you feel you're *there*. It's a great one for that, where you crack the book open and start reading and then whoosh, you just fall right in and you're there. It's fantastic! One question though, where'd you get that spiffing shirt you're wearing?
That t-shirt, and most of the t-shirts I wear, is from Nepal! I'm glad the review resonated with you, and I'm excited for the first group chat, which looks likely to be on October 2. That is when we'll also ask people to participate in the giveaway. All the best!
I read this book on August. I found it excellent. I enjoyed a lot the distinct, challenging prose of Wurts. I found very interesting the dynamics between the two brothers. Admittedly, Arithon is at the moment more appealing to me. But the parts I loved more were the atmosphere and the cosiness. The rich setting has that strong old school dark fantasy feeling that I love. Manipulative sorcerers and enchantresses, old wizard towers with dusted libraries, ancient ruins, cloaks and taverns, tall cold mountains and rainy forests. All familiar but so distinctly and beautifully used. I started reading it out of a whim but I am now commited and plan to try reading the whole series
Beautiful description of the book here! I too am on Team Arithon at the moment, but I’m ready for Janny Wurts to surprise me in the future. I’m glad you intend to continue in the series!
Amazing review Philip! I am only 3 books in, but I can only concur with you that WOLAS is on the same level as Malazan, etc. as being iconic, and one of the most praise-worthy fantasy series ever.
Thanks for giving this fantastic series publicity. I’ve been reading it from the 1990s and am eager for the final book. It’s a major epic beyond anything I have read including greats like lord of the ring, Malazan book of the fallen and wheel of time.
I can across your channel while looking for something new to read. I have read a majority of the books that you have reviewed. I really enjoyed your reviews. I have found them to be informative. Growing up on sci/fi and fantasy I am always looking for something new to read. I really enjoyed your Dark Tower reviews. I read that series every 18 months to two years. Along with some of the books by Robert A. Heinlein, and Philip K. Dick.
Really fantastic series. Loved it for 20+ years now - a few months back I finally had a chance to find copies of Fugitive Prince and the next few books in the series at a used bookstore and consumed all of them.
Unfortunately I don't quite find myself taken with this one yet.... but willing to be persuaded. I'm really looking forward to your overall discussion especially, I'd love to get the thousand foot view of the whole series. Don't worry though, there's definitely some promise in book one and I'll be continuing on
I'm glad there's enough there for you to continue, Zan. For me, it's similar to what happened with Realm of the Elderlings and Malazan (hence my comparison) -- there was an initial adjustment period due to the complexity of what I was encountering, and then things started to click, and I never looked back.
Somehow I haven't read any of this even though I've read and enjoyed some other of her works before, including the co-written. I'll be putting it on the radar!
I used that emoticon a few times when highlighting passages in the Curse of the Mistwraith ebook though Philip’s review is more than worthy of it as well. 💖
Well, im reading To Ride Hell's Chasm right now, I'm only 70 or so pages in but i can already tell I'm going to love it, I'm now more inclined to start WoL&S in 2024. Not saying I'll read it all in 2024 you never know but i do love taking taking my time with a series. My initial readthrough of Malazan Book of the Fallen took me around two years, Dresden Files around a year and a half and Realm of the Eldering will take multiple years (i read Farseer 2 years ago and am yet to restart Liveship 😅)
Nothing wrong with taking your time on a massive series. I’m delighted to hear you’re enjoying To Ride Hell’s Chasm! I have a discussion about it on my channel with Johanna, Blaise, and Janny Wurts herself. It’s a livestream, I think (so under “Live”). Cheers!
I've not heard of Janny Wurts until you and professor fireball began to discuss her, and this review definitely sparks my interest. Especially since I'd like to read more older fantasy. Most fantasy I've read recently are from post-2000s. So I've got Curse of Mistwraith on my TBR. Also, nice looking thumbnail pic. Was that from your college days? Lol
Hi 👋 I’m going to give this series another chance..... the more videos I’m watching more intriguing... I give it time for to me get used to her writing.. I know it’s dense read..... I guess as reader I’m changing as reader...... thank you!! 👋😊
"Readers will likely find themselves thinking of the tale even while not reading the book and certainly long after finishing it" - I completely agree! This has been my experience with To Ride Hell's Chasm and The Cycle of Fire as well. Great review - I'm looking forward to the readalong discussions :)
I'm really looking forward to Curse of the Mistwraith. I'm a bit behind with my reading unfortunately because I had to set my books aside for a couple of weeks. Turns out reading while I'm sickly isn't something I can do. I am still working through To Ride Hell's Chasm and enjoying it. I am a fan of Wurts prose and character work.
I read the first 5 paperback books of this series in 7th grade. Time to revisit! And yes, my parents were the type of people who gave me these books as a teenager. Weird lol
Hey Philip, great review! I have Curse of the Mistwraith ready to go, once I'm finished with Realm of the Elderlings (although the mere thought of being finished with that world saddens me, I'm currently in book one of the Fitz and the Fool trilogy and am torn between wanting to find out what happens and savouring every drop to its fullest). I've heard that the wars of light and shadow is an excellent, albeit tough read. A few months back I read to Ride Hells Chasm and absolutely loved it. On a difficulty to understand scale, with Malazan being my own personal 10, I'd rank TRHC a 5. Where would Mistwraith fall?
If you enjoyed To Ride Hell’s Chasm, I think it’s safe to say you’d also enjoy Curse of the Mistwraith. The prose feels very similar. That said, since it’s a long series, Wurts is doing a lot more over the long haul in Wars of Light and Shadow. I hope you’ll love it!
A lot of people seem to struggle with the prose, with some giving up and others growing used to it or even coming to admire it. There’s just more going on than usual, and I find it brilliantly rich. If you give it a try, I’ll be curious to hear your thoughts, Ben!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy It's definitely one then that I should be prepared to settle into and give over my full and undivided attention -- I may not want those kinds of denser reads all the time, but on occasion that could be just what the doctor ordered!
This series has been on my TBR for half a decade now. With the final book releasing soon, and you hosting a read-along, it would be great to start a read and discuss with people who are willing to give this series a go. Is there a schedule for the read-along?
We will release the schedule during our preliminary chat with Janny Wurts, A.P. Canavan, Jimmy, and Johanna. That preliminary chat looks likely to happen on October 2, and it might be a livestream. Thanks so much for your interest!
Sounds very interesting. This is one of my priorities for next year. Would you say Wurts's style is similar to Hobb's? A lot of what you said can be equally applied to Hobb.
Wurts' style is similar in some ways to Hobb's in that they both take time to build their world and characters, thus creating deep investment, but each is also very distinctive. I would describe Wurts' prose as being a little more formal -- it has gravitas and can be incredibly beautiful. They are both masters of the craft.
I remember when I'd originally thought the Wars of Light and Shadow would be a trilogy. (I made a similar mistake with the Wheel of Time and Song of Ice and Fire, and just like those I couldn't figure out how it would work) ..I never imagined it would take around twenty years to get to the end.. I'm hoping the final book in the series turns out as Janny Wurts intended, AND that we also get that sequel to the Cycle of Fire ('Starhope') that she'd mentioned years ago (Been a Wurts fan since Stormwarden came out. I always wanted to see how things turned out for Anskiere and the gang) .
I have a good feeling that Janny Wurts is going to make book eleven exactly as she intends. I’m so looking forward to the rest of this series! Cheers, Han!
*Me before watching this video*: Wow, I'm almost caught up on Dresden, I hope a booktuber I greatly respect doesn't influence me to pick up another long series. *Me after watching the video*: Me and my big mouth...
I'm glad you're enjoying it so far! Yes, it's a shame that the hardcovers are not more widely available. I sent a tweet to Harper Collins to ask them to reprint the series.
Yes, the writing style is similar. I actually had an easier time immersing myself in Curse of the Mistwraith, but I think that was because I was used to Janny Wurts' writing from having read To Ride Hell's Chasm. There was an adjustment period, but the payoff was tremendous, and now I see so much to admire about her prose.
This series has been on my TBR since 2017. I will buy the series Where would the discussion of the read along happening, I might join a month late but would love to hear your thoughts
I found the prose very hard. For me the language lacked "flow" and the experience became "stochastic", for lack of a better word. English is not my mother tongue, but I probably read about 30 english books a year. I cant pin down what was difficult with the prose, but Malazan feels easy in comparison. A bit of a letdown since I really looked forward to reading it after reading the empire series.
The prose is definitely more formal and, in a certain way, stylized than what you'll find in most modern fantasy. I find it to be majestic and beautiful at times, and it helps me to feel I'm in another world. It probably would take many readers a some adjusting to get used to it, but, for me, the payoff is tremendous. All the best!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I guess I will file it, and pick it up on a later stage. Thanks for the Review, had to hear your view to fill out my comprehention
I'll be posting an announcement later today, but the first discussion (non-spoiler) will be next Sunday at 11:30 AM Eastern Time. Janny Wurts will be taking part. Thanks for your interest!
I am fairly sure that October 2 will be the day we have our preliminary, non-spoiler chat as a group. I'll be making an announcement when I'm completely certain. Cheers!
Really enjoyed this review. Looking forward to the group discussion. 😊 Spoiler below: I really liked Arithon too. Found Elaira intriguing. Not a fan of Lysaer or Dakar. The last 100ish pages - yikes.
I just heard someone else praising this series, which I had never heard of before. The Amazon listing quotes a brutal Kirkus review: "no signs of genuine talent, gnarled writing, a farrago of plot elements, and ideas no better than mediocre retreads." Ouch. After watching your review, however, I suspect the Kirkus review is a farrago of nonsense. Thanks!
That does sound like an especially mean-spirited review. Wurts’ prose is incredibly rich, much more so than you’ll find in most fantasy today, so it can be challenging in a good way. If you try her work, I hope you’ll enjoy it!
I’ve attempted to read this one a few times over the years but always stopped after a few chapters. I did not find it engaging and i could not figure out what was going on.
Sorry to hear that, Kakashi! There is a bigger adjustment period, I think, to Janny Wurts' writing than to that of most modern fantasy writers due to the complexity of what she's doing, including in her prose. It took me a little longer than normal to settle in when I read my first book by her, but I'm delighted with the payoff.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Yes it was her prose that made me decide to not continue with the series. It felt a bit too much. Complicated writing for a simple plot.
@@KakashiHatake-ou7mp it's definitely not for everyone. The reason I like Wurts (and controversial writer Ayn Rand as well) is because she writes the way I think. I feel at home in long winded descriptions lol 😁
Best thumbnail of the week (though I’ve been loving the Rings of Power ones as well) 🤣! I couldn’t agree more about the immersive experience of this book and excellent character work. I’m excited to find out if we share a favorite moment (at least one of them) involving music. Wurts’ prose seems to work for me, especially as someone who loves to visualize descriptions. I’m going to have to get some of my highlighted passages organized for our discussion. Wonderful review, Philip!
I'm excited for the conversations to begin! It's going to be a long and magical journey reading this series with you, Jimmy, and A.P.
Sounds SO GOOD!!! I'll be watching for sure!
Yay! Thanks, Penny!
I have this on my shelf I guess I need to move it up my TBR! Excited for another readalong on the channel!
Awesome! I hope you'll love the series!
There are a lot of things to discuss around the book, very much looking forward to the discussion. One thing that stood out to me about the book (and the whole series) how war is not glorified and leaves the characters scarred as it should be.
I don't think I've ever read a book that gets across the horror of war more effectively, and this is just the first book in the series!
Great review Philip! As a longtime fan of this series, it's exciting to see it gain some traction on booktube. I agree with you that this series demands engagement from the reader. The first book was difficult for me to adjust to because it was the first really dense plot and prose series I had read. I did notice as the series progressed the engagement became easier and easier since I was becoming invested in the characters and the story. I'm looking forward to the group discussion.
There is definitely a longer than usual adjustment period to series that are doing a lot on many levels -- Realm of the Elderlings (so far) and Malazan have definitely been that way for me too. The payoff is tremendous, though! Cheers, Jennifer!
Oh man, this sounds so good. I really do want to read it and it’s perfect timing with your read along starting, I just don’t feel ready for another heavy, lengthy series right after finishing Malazan. I’m so excited to see all of the upcoming content for this series!
It's definitely a big one, and I hope you will feel its call one of these days, Thomas!
Excellent review, Phillip. And I agree about her style It's like no other in the fantasy field at the moment. She owns horses, I believe, which only adds to the authenticity of her descriptions of things equine.
Yes, I believe Janny Wurts has horses and knows her way around them. My guess is that few other authors can say that. I've ridden a horse only a few times, and let's just say it was a good thing the horse was smarter than I was!
Janny Wurts is on my radar. So many other things taking up my time but I want to read To Ride Hell's Chasm at least. Until I can do that I'll be satisfied with watching these videos.
To Ride Hell's Chasm was my first book by Janny Wurts, and I think it gives a good sense of her style.
I've not read the book or even seen the cover before, but that thumbnail...dang that was good stuff! Thanks for the review, I'll have to check it out on Kindle to see if I enjoy it.
Thanks, Adam! I'm probably enjoying myself a little too much with the thumbnails . . . 😁
I’m so excited that you have started this journey, and I wait impatiently for your discussion of this book with “the gang”. And if you think that the battle in the first book was something, just wait…
What did you think about the map? And the boys arrival on Athera?
I love the map! Of course, I'm a map lover in general, but Athera is epic. I could not have predicted the arrival, but it gains so much resonance at the end of the book, after everything that happens. This is going to be a series where I'll have to pay attention!
So it begins... Very glad that you're so taken with this first book in the series. I personally found it more demanding than Gardens of the Moon! Janny Wurts is an 'in media res' writer, like another one I could mention... It took me longer than with Erikson's introductory novel to really get into it. However, in the final hundred pages or so, everything came together, and from that moment on I was hooked.
You're in for quite a ride! Janny Wurts can find words for certain mental processes, emotions, states of mind which most writers would just mention or vaguely evoke. She is terribly precise in everything, from the most abstract to the chillingly concrete. She really is a great writer. After I have finished Assail, I'll pick up Stormed Fortress again to see how that largest arc of the series pans out... Enjoy Ships of Merior! I found that a wonderful and haunting sequel to Mistwraith.
Thanks, Johan! The thoughts you've shared on Wars of Light and Shadow have definitely inspired me to dive in, and I look forward to being able to exchange ideas with you on the series. All the best!
I very much enjoyed the first book in this series, and agree with almost all that you say. She’s an extremely talented writer and capable of doing great things. I’ve read the first five books in the series and then went on hiatus. I just got tired. She’s an extremely talented writer, but I get bogged down in the ponderousness of her prose. And she has some writing tics that annoy me, but I will likely start reading it again at some points (perhaps your discussions will inspire me to).
I’m not so sure about her “vast knowledge’ of ancillary subjects. She appears to have that knowledge. But I know a fair bit about music, which she features prominently, and her musical descriptions throw around some buzzwords that make it seem like she is knowledgeable, but they leave me doubting whether she actually knows what she is talking about. I get the same feeling sometimes from her nautical descriptions, though I don’t know enough about sailing to know for sure whether she is faking her knowledge or not.
One thing seems clear to me: in her collaboration with Feist in the Empire series, he seems to have brought out almost all the things I like about her writing, while excising the things that have bothered me.
I'm out of my depth when it comes to music and sailing, so I can't say for sure. I also don't know much about horses, but there I think it's safe to say that Janny Wurts knows more than any other author I've read. One thing is true: Most writers of fantasy have to "research" things like sailing, music, and horses, and even then there will be readers such as you -- people who really know music, for example -- who will be able to poke holes in the author's presentation. I hope we will be able to inspire you to pick up book six!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Yeah, I’m aware of that. And I also appreciate authors who take the time to learn some of their subjects. People don’t read Mary Gentle any more. She wrote some excellent books that had authenticity to them in part because she was/is an expert swordswoman. On the other hand, I also appreciate it when someone like Scott Lynch puts a disclaimer at the end of Red Seas Under Red Skies that he doesn’t actually know anything about ships, because he definitely would have fooled me. It’s an interesting topic. One of the things I love about reading is learning stuff, but with fiction that can be extra risky (like learning British history by watching The Tudors).
@@duffypratt I’ll have to look up Mary Gentle - thanks!
Thank you for this review Philip. This sounds like a great series. I probably won’t be able to join the readalong, but I’ll get to it eventually.
Once you do get to it, Chas, I will be eager to hear your thoughts!
What a coincidence, just bought this.
Should arrive in the post in a day or two
I hope you'll enjoy it, Dean!
I'm sure I will.
I loved the daughter of the empire trilogy she co-wrote with Raymond E Feist.
Really looking forward to getting stuck into a new series.
Yaay. I was waiting for this
We have arrived!
Free give away --- hah! Tempter!
Looking very much forward to your discussions!😊
Hee hee! 😈It will be great to have you there, Angela!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy You'll not be able to keep me away from the comment section, Philip!😁
@@DoUnicornsRead Yay! 😊
Thank you for the long awaited review Phillip. I have been waiting to hear your thoughts about it ever since I finished it, and as always you never disappoint. For me it was such a beautiful read and I made a new friendship with the my Kindle Dictionary 😂. The prose was so enchanting but I had a hard time with many new vocab that I didn't know. The world was familiar but different enough to keep me intrigued. I fell in love with Arithone as well. Such a tragic character. I can't wait to watch you discussion with the group and Janny! What amazing content you bring to booktube.thank you.
Thank you, Avi! I appreciate your comments so much, and I hope the upcoming discussions will be helpful and interesting for lots of folks. All the best!
I really appreciate this review. I finished the first book recently - completely agree about Arithon. I struggled with the pacing of the middle section of the book. The scale doesn't feel as grand as Malazan did. But I will continue reading the series because I must know what happens to Arithon. You have given me things to think about & I look forward to the intro discussion.
Thanks, Stewart! I’m glad you enjoyed the read overall!
That reminds me I have a signed copy of one of the Mistwraith books. I need to bump it up on my TBR. It has been sitting in my library for a few years now.
She's also a formidible artist.
She’s amazingly creative! I hope you’ll enjoy Curse of the Mistwraith!
It looks like you WERE in the book Phillip 😅 I love seeing your face on everyone's art! I'm beyond excited to start reading her. Thanks for this one 🎉
@@arabellawillow Ha ha! Those poor book covers . . . I hope you’ll love Janny Wurts’ storytelling!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy It's a PhilipChase trademark! 😅 I really need to pay homage to some of the great female fantasy authors by reading their books ..It's long overdue and Janny is right at the top of that list! I never would have heard of her if it wasn't for you so full credit 🙏🏼
Looks like another trip to Otherland coming up. Well, I'm on sick leave, and autumn is coming up, so I should be able to wedge this one into my TBR list.
I hope you'll enjoy it, Gerd, and my very best wishes for your health!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy They have to order it. After my experience with ordering the Long Price Quartet, that doesn't bode well. Wish me luck that it gets here before my next phase of chemotherapy in two weeks!
@@gerdforster883 May it reach you swiftly, and may the chemotherapy go as well as possible.
An interesting review - I'm glad you enjoyed the book.
Thanks, Mark! Aside from the fact that I find her writing engaging, I also appreciate that Janny Wurts is an author who, like you, does a lot to help out other authors.
Sounds like you are embarking upon another amazing and impactful reading journey with this series! I loved hearing your thoughts on this book, so glad you had a good time with it! Just from reading To Ride Hell's Chasm, I could already tell that Wurts is excellent at character work, so I am not surprised that the same is true here.
Great review, Philip!!
Also, this thumbnail might be one of my favourites so far, hahah.
Thank you, Esmay! In the annals of silly thumbnails by yours truly, this one is a personal highlight for me too. Ha ha! I do expect Wars of Light and Shadow to be a tremendous journey, and if you ever embark on it, I hope you will enjoy it.
Really makes me want to start the series right NOW, unfortunately there is so many books I have yet to read. I will certainly be looking forward to watching the discussions either once they come out or I might save them for when I'll eventually get to reading the books myself. Really cool you managed to get Janny Wurts on board, always nice to have the authors perspective and experience as well! All the best!
It is so much fun to get the author involved in chats -- I find it incredibly enriching. Cheers!
Could you do me a favour Phil? Stop talking about things that have to go on my TBR. It’s long enough already. 😆
@@hobbitholebooks832 I just recently made a re-read TBR, thinking about a video. Not including my ongoing Malazan re-read, just that list, just re-reads, had over 60 books on it. 😬 The last thing I need is another beautiful 11 book series. 😅
@@hobbitholebooks832 I love re-reading the books I love. I’ve read Lord of the Rings somewhere around 10 times. 😜 Most other series I really love I’ve read at least twice.
I will not rest until your TBR is hopelessly long! Mwuhahahaha!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Hmmm, are you looking to be more than one person’s nemesis? 🤔
@@hobbitholebooks832 Fan made LotR audio books? Never heard of them. I’ve heard that Andy Serkis’ narration is exceptional, but I don’t really do audio books…
I have so many books to get to, but this IS high on my list, I promise! I love to hear your thoughts on books; I think we share a lot of thoughts, habits, and frames of mind when it comes to how we approach stories. Can’t wait to read this book!
Thanks, Branej. I have a feeling this will become a very important series for me, and I hope you'll come to love it too.
I loved listening to you talk about this first book, especially its very compelling themes, elegant prose and carefully researched details, these are usually elements I look for in my novels, and so you basically sold me this author's work! I can't wait to get to this series. I'm not sure when I'll be able to read this one, probably next year if I'm being realistic, but still very excited to watch your discussion with the author herself and other members of the Booktube community! ☺️
Thank you! I hope you that, when you get to it, you'll enjoy Wars of Light and Shadow tremendously!
Sounds like a banger Philip. I do have thsi series on my radar, someday I’ll read it. I do wanna check out To Ride on Hell’s Chasm next year, I watched your discussion on that and it sounds like a great intro to Janny Wurtz as well.
To Ride Hell’s Chasm is indeed a great into to Janny Wurts’ writing. I hope you’ll enjoy it, Marco!
I will be starting this series this week because of this video and your panel discussion with Janny Wurts. You mentioned Arithon is one of your favorite characters, maybe in your next DDF you can discuss your favorite characters of all time so far.
That’s an excellent idea for a video and/or DDF episode, Heidi - thank you! I hope you’ll get a lot out of Wars of Light and Shadow, which I hope to resume reading in a month or two.
Very good. Timely too, as I just recently picked up the first six books of the series at a local used bookstore for cheap!
Nice score, especially since physical copies of the series are hard to come by!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I've heard that so was pretty thrilled at the find. All are first edition paperbacks in good condition. I'm ready and excited for the read-along Philip!
Don't know how it took me so long to watch this review! I really enjoyed book 1, and reading book 2 (same copy you showed) I'm absolutely loving it! Can't wait for the live shows! Absolutely agree on her prose, very unique especially in descriptions, and Arithon is also absolutely a favorite for me.
That’s fabulous to hear, Niko! Since I have high respect for your taste and literary insights, I’m confident I’ll experience book 2 similarly. Cheers!
Thank you for shining more light (no pun intended) on this amazing series. It is my all time favourite and the themes are still and will always be relevant. I envy you that you get to read it for the first time, but luckily it is one of those epics that reward you immensely on re-reads as well. :)
I can already see that this is a series that will definitely reward rereads. There are layers and layers of exploration of themes - a truly rich style of storytelling and incredibly immersive. Cheers, Claudia!
Hello PC. Good review. I was thinking of starting the series in January 2023. I hear nothing but good things.
There are many good things to report so far! I hope you'll love the series once you start.
Great video Phillip! I’m extremely interested in reading this series. I have other readalong commitments right now so I probably won’t get to it until later next year or so but Janny Wurts sounds like a great author. The books to seem a bit difficult to find, so I’ll start trying to collect them. Hope you have a good day!
Thanks, Drew! The physical books are indeed hard to track down. A lot of folks have had to settle for ebooks, unfortunately. I hope you'll be able to find copies!
Great review, Philip! Can't wait for the big discussion and to see other reviews forthcoming! :) Loved the insights about how immersive it is and how you feel you're *there*. It's a great one for that, where you crack the book open and start reading and then whoosh, you just fall right in and you're there. It's fantastic!
One question though, where'd you get that spiffing shirt you're wearing?
That t-shirt, and most of the t-shirts I wear, is from Nepal! I'm glad the review resonated with you, and I'm excited for the first group chat, which looks likely to be on October 2. That is when we'll also ask people to participate in the giveaway. All the best!
I read this book on August. I found it excellent. I enjoyed a lot the distinct, challenging prose of Wurts. I found very interesting the dynamics between the two brothers. Admittedly, Arithon is at the moment more appealing to me.
But the parts I loved more were the atmosphere and the cosiness. The rich setting has that strong old school dark fantasy feeling that I love. Manipulative sorcerers and enchantresses, old wizard towers with dusted libraries, ancient ruins, cloaks and taverns, tall cold mountains and rainy forests. All familiar but so distinctly and beautifully used.
I started reading it out of a whim but I am now commited and plan to try reading the whole series
Beautiful description of the book here! I too am on Team Arithon at the moment, but I’m ready for Janny Wurts to surprise me in the future. I’m glad you intend to continue in the series!
Amazing review Philip! I am only 3 books in, but I can only concur with you that WOLAS is on the same level as Malazan, etc. as being iconic, and one of the most praise-worthy fantasy series ever.
Thanks, P.L.! I’m truly excited to read WOLAS, not least for the hours and hours of both entertainment and analysis it will provide. All the best!
Thanks for giving this fantastic series publicity. I’ve been reading it from the 1990s and am eager for the final book. It’s a major epic beyond anything I have read including greats like lord of the ring, Malazan book of the fallen and wheel of time.
I’m excited to get further in the series. At this point, I’m confident it will join my favorites!
I can across your channel while looking for something new to read. I have read a majority of the books that you have reviewed. I really enjoyed your reviews. I have found them to be informative. Growing up on sci/fi and fantasy I am always looking for something new to read. I really enjoyed your Dark Tower reviews. I read that series every 18 months to two years. Along with some of the books by Robert A. Heinlein, and Philip K. Dick.
Thank you! I’m very glad you’ve been enjoying the reviews. It helps me a lot to know that some people get some pleasure from them.
Really fantastic series. Loved it for 20+ years now - a few months back I finally had a chance to find copies of Fugitive Prince and the next few books in the series at a used bookstore and consumed all of them.
Congratulations on the excellent find, Michael!
Unfortunately I don't quite find myself taken with this one yet.... but willing to be persuaded. I'm really looking forward to your overall discussion especially, I'd love to get the thousand foot view of the whole series. Don't worry though, there's definitely some promise in book one and I'll be continuing on
I'm glad there's enough there for you to continue, Zan. For me, it's similar to what happened with Realm of the Elderlings and Malazan (hence my comparison) -- there was an initial adjustment period due to the complexity of what I was encountering, and then things started to click, and I never looked back.
Somehow I haven't read any of this even though I've read and enjoyed some other of her works before, including the co-written. I'll be putting it on the radar!
If you end up giving Wars of Light and Shadow a try, I hope you’ll enjoy the series, Violet!
great review phillip! I am still having some issues getting through the book. I'm still at the halfway point!
My best wishes to you for getting through the rest - the last 100 pages are a roller coaster!
💖💖💖💖
I used that emoticon a few times when highlighting passages in the Curse of the Mistwraith ebook though Philip’s review is more than worthy of it as well. 💖
@@Johanna_reads nice ^^
Thank you!
Nicely done!
Thanks so much!
Well, im reading To Ride Hell's Chasm right now, I'm only 70 or so pages in but i can already tell I'm going to love it, I'm now more inclined to start WoL&S in 2024.
Not saying I'll read it all in 2024 you never know but i do love taking taking my time with a series. My initial readthrough of Malazan Book of the Fallen took me around two years, Dresden Files around a year and a half and Realm of the Eldering will take multiple years (i read Farseer 2 years ago and am yet to restart Liveship 😅)
Nothing wrong with taking your time on a massive series. I’m delighted to hear you’re enjoying To Ride Hell’s Chasm! I have a discussion about it on my channel with Johanna, Blaise, and Janny Wurts herself. It’s a livestream, I think (so under “Live”). Cheers!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Well, I got impatient and started Curse of the Mistwraith last night 😅 and am in love with it already
@@thatsci-firogue Fantastic! 😊
This just went on my tbr. I think I'll jump this one up as soon as I read the Lions of Al-Rassan.
And I’ve got to read more GGK myself, including Lions. I hope you’ll enjoy Curse of the Mistwraith!
This is great, i was planning to start the series. I will be joining read along!!
Awesome! You are most welcome!
I've not heard of Janny Wurts until you and professor fireball began to discuss her, and this review definitely sparks my interest. Especially since I'd like to read more older fantasy. Most fantasy I've read recently are from post-2000s. So I've got Curse of Mistwraith on my TBR.
Also, nice looking thumbnail pic. Was that from your college days? Lol
Ha ha! Yes, I actually did have long hair in college, but my beard was not as good as it is now. 😁Cheers, Anthony!
Hi 👋 I’m going to give this series another chance..... the more videos I’m watching more intriguing... I give it time for to me get used to her writing.. I know it’s dense read..... I guess as reader I’m changing as reader...... thank you!! 👋😊
My pleasure, Safina, and my very best wishes to you for the read!
"Readers will likely find themselves thinking of the tale even while not reading the book and certainly long after finishing it" - I completely agree! This has been my experience with To Ride Hell's Chasm and The Cycle of Fire as well. Great review - I'm looking forward to the readalong discussions :)
Thank you! It will be exciting to see where this series goes. My very best to you!
I'm really looking forward to Curse of the Mistwraith. I'm a bit behind with my reading unfortunately because I had to set my books aside for a couple of weeks. Turns out reading while I'm sickly isn't something I can do. I am still working through To Ride Hell's Chasm and enjoying it. I am a fan of Wurts prose and character work.
I’m glad you’re enjoying her writing so far, Stacy, and my very best wishes to you for your health!
I read the first 5 paperback books of this series in 7th grade. Time to revisit!
And yes, my parents were the type of people who gave me these books as a teenager. Weird lol
Wise and cool parents, it sounds like to me! I hope you’ll enjoy the reread.
Hey Philip, great review! I have Curse of the Mistwraith ready to go, once I'm finished with Realm of the Elderlings (although the mere thought of being finished with that world saddens me, I'm currently in book one of the Fitz and the Fool trilogy and am torn between wanting to find out what happens and savouring every drop to its fullest).
I've heard that the wars of light and shadow is an excellent, albeit tough read. A few months back I read to Ride Hells Chasm and absolutely loved it. On a difficulty to understand scale, with Malazan being my own personal 10, I'd rank TRHC a 5. Where would Mistwraith fall?
If you enjoyed To Ride Hell’s Chasm, I think it’s safe to say you’d also enjoy Curse of the Mistwraith. The prose feels very similar. That said, since it’s a long series, Wurts is doing a lot more over the long haul in Wars of Light and Shadow. I hope you’ll love it!
Well I got Curse of the Mistwraith and The Ships of Merior all ready to go.
Awesome! I hope you'll get a lot out of the read!
You have me very intrigued to try it!
A lot of people seem to struggle with the prose, with some giving up and others growing used to it or even coming to admire it. There’s just more going on than usual, and I find it brilliantly rich. If you give it a try, I’ll be curious to hear your thoughts, Ben!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy It's definitely one then that I should be prepared to settle into and give over my full and undivided attention -- I may not want those kinds of denser reads all the time, but on occasion that could be just what the doctor ordered!
This series has been on my TBR for half a decade now. With the final book releasing soon, and you hosting a read-along, it would be great to start a read and discuss with people who are willing to give this series a go.
Is there a schedule for the read-along?
We will release the schedule during our preliminary chat with Janny Wurts, A.P. Canavan, Jimmy, and Johanna. That preliminary chat looks likely to happen on October 2, and it might be a livestream. Thanks so much for your interest!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Thanks for responding!
Shall be looking out for the preliminary chat video and the read-along schedule.
Sounds very interesting. This is one of my priorities for next year. Would you say Wurts's style is similar to Hobb's? A lot of what you said can be equally applied to Hobb.
Wurts' style is similar in some ways to Hobb's in that they both take time to build their world and characters, thus creating deep investment, but each is also very distinctive. I would describe Wurts' prose as being a little more formal -- it has gravitas and can be incredibly beautiful. They are both masters of the craft.
I remember when I'd originally thought the Wars of Light and Shadow would be a trilogy. (I made a similar mistake with the Wheel of Time and Song of Ice and Fire, and just like those I couldn't figure out how it would work) ..I never imagined it would take around twenty years to get to the end..
I'm hoping the final book in the series turns out as Janny Wurts intended, AND that we also get that sequel to the Cycle of Fire ('Starhope') that she'd mentioned years ago (Been a Wurts fan since Stormwarden came out. I always wanted to see how things turned out for Anskiere and the gang) .
I have a good feeling that Janny Wurts is going to make book eleven exactly as she intends. I’m so looking forward to the rest of this series! Cheers, Han!
*Me before watching this video*:
Wow, I'm almost caught up on Dresden, I hope a booktuber I greatly respect doesn't influence me to pick up another long series.
*Me after watching the video*:
Me and my big mouth...
Ha ha ha! My apologies!
Finished it last night... and I'm already a chapter into Ships of Merior 😅
That’s an excellent sign! Happy reading!
Still only about half way through but I am enjoying it. Jealous of that cover, I have a copy of the paperback with the more modern covers.
I'm glad you're enjoying it so far! Yes, it's a shame that the hardcovers are not more widely available. I sent a tweet to Harper Collins to ask them to reprint the series.
Man, I gotta try Janny.
I hope you’ll enjoy her writing, Theo!
My copy of To ride hell's chasm arrived recently. Looking forward to reading it. Is the writing style similar?
Yes, the writing style is similar. I actually had an easier time immersing myself in Curse of the Mistwraith, but I think that was because I was used to Janny Wurts' writing from having read To Ride Hell's Chasm. There was an adjustment period, but the payoff was tremendous, and now I see so much to admire about her prose.
This series has been on my TBR since 2017. I will buy the series
Where would the discussion of the read along happening, I might join a month late but would love to hear your thoughts
You are most welcome to join the read along anytime that works for you, Ash. All the best!
Hi 👋 for me reading Janny wurts book was really hard for me to understand sorry .... thank you for the video! 🎥🎬
Thank you for watching, Safina, and I'm sorry the read was difficult. All the best!
I found the prose very hard. For me the language lacked "flow" and the experience became "stochastic", for lack of a better word. English is not my mother tongue, but I probably read about 30 english books a year. I cant pin down what was difficult with the prose, but Malazan feels easy in comparison. A bit of a letdown since I really looked forward to reading it after reading the empire series.
The prose is definitely more formal and, in a certain way, stylized than what you'll find in most modern fantasy. I find it to be majestic and beautiful at times, and it helps me to feel I'm in another world. It probably would take many readers a some adjusting to get used to it, but, for me, the payoff is tremendous. All the best!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I guess I will file it, and pick it up on a later stage. Thanks for the Review, had to hear your view to fill out my comprehention
Has the discussion been posted yet? Sounds really interesting!
I'll be posting an announcement later today, but the first discussion (non-spoiler) will be next Sunday at 11:30 AM Eastern Time. Janny Wurts will be taking part. Thanks for your interest!
When will we be graced by discussions with your nemesis and potentially others about this series?
I am fairly sure that October 2 will be the day we have our preliminary, non-spoiler chat as a group. I'll be making an announcement when I'm completely certain. Cheers!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I'm looking forward to it
Light and Shadow? What about Darkness? Can't have shadow without Kurald Galain.
You know, that's a fair point, Jeroen!
Really enjoyed this review.
Looking forward to the group discussion. 😊
Spoiler below:
I really liked Arithon too. Found Elaira intriguing. Not a fan of Lysaer or Dakar.
The last 100ish pages - yikes.
No doubt about those last 100 pages. No punches pulled, and I'm fairly sure I've never felt so awful during a battle scene. Cheers, Paromita!
I just heard someone else praising this series, which I had never heard of before. The Amazon listing quotes a brutal Kirkus review: "no signs of genuine talent, gnarled writing, a farrago of plot elements, and ideas no better than mediocre retreads." Ouch. After watching your review, however, I suspect the Kirkus review is a farrago of nonsense. Thanks!
That does sound like an especially mean-spirited review. Wurts’ prose is incredibly rich, much more so than you’ll find in most fantasy today, so it can be challenging in a good way. If you try her work, I hope you’ll enjoy it!
I’ve attempted to read this one a few times over the years but always stopped after a few chapters. I did not find it engaging and i could not figure out what was going on.
Sorry to hear that, but the truth is that not all stories are going to click for everyone. It sounds like you gave it a fair shot, though!
I really wanted to like this book so I could watch the read along discussions. But I just didn't like this book at all
Sorry to hear that, Kakashi! There is a bigger adjustment period, I think, to Janny Wurts' writing than to that of most modern fantasy writers due to the complexity of what she's doing, including in her prose. It took me a little longer than normal to settle in when I read my first book by her, but I'm delighted with the payoff.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Yes it was her prose that made me decide to not continue with the series. It felt a bit too much. Complicated writing for a simple plot.
@@KakashiHatake-ou7mp it's definitely not for everyone. The reason I like Wurts (and controversial writer Ayn Rand as well) is because she writes the way I think. I feel at home in long winded descriptions lol 😁