Review; Across the Face of the World

From a tiny snowbound village, five men and women are about to embark on a journey that will change their lives -and the destiny of their world. For two thousand years, since he was cast out from Dona Mihst, the fabled Undying Man has been plotting his revenge on the Most High. The Destroyer's plans of vengeance are nearing fruition-and he will allow nothing to stand in his way. But one man has escaped from the Destroyer's prison, and even though the Lords of Fear ride in pursuit, he will bring word to his people. It will be up to his sons, Hal and Leith, together with a small group of villagers, to warn their world of the coming war. (Description taken from Amazon.com)

Until this book was recommended for me to review, I had never before heard of this author or this book--and I was glad I did.

Across the Face of the World had a Tolkienish feel to it in matters of plot, description and imagination, but all to a lesser degree. The characters were defined, but I felt that the author could have spent a little less time describing their often tedious journeys and a little more putting in more conflict and character development. I never completely cared for any of the characters--but then, I'm not an emotional person. :)

The surrounding lands that come into effect, however, were magnificent. Traditions, culture, countries, and lands were all imagined in great detail, which partially made up for the lack of character development.

The plot could've been more original as well (but then, there are few plots that are entirely original). I feel it was pulled off well, though, and it definitely picked up near the end. However, though I compared it to LOTR, it did not quite have the 'epic' feel that LOTR does. Hopefully that will improve with the next book.

All in all, it was a good book. I ended up buying the second, which I have yet to read as I just finished reading LOTR for the sixth time. However, the low price DID have something to do with that--and the fact that it wasn't available at the library. :)

Rated 8.1 out of 10. Good enough to look for at the library--you might even want to buy it. It's a cent plus shipping used on Amazon. :)