Customer Reviews

Initiate Brother, Book 1

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am a big fan of Sean Russell but do not buy this book! Why? It's simple. The sequel,"The Gatherer of Clouds" is no longer in print.And if you wish to buy it used you will have to pay a lot for a damaged book plus shipping and handling.Just thought I would warn you(the book itself is pretty good).

The world is rich and well-designed, the characters are strongly portrayed, and the plot is intricate and satisfying. What more can you ask? If you order this book, order the sequel at the same time, because it's all really one long story.

The only drawback: the book may be considered slow-paced by some, because of the detail of the portrayals and the intricate interweaving of several seperate plot lines. There are many characters to follow. All plot lines DO make sense and come together in the end, so it's a worthwhile effort.

A well-researched and smoothly flowing read that will surround you with an almost palpable universe. With its Gatherer of Clouds sequel, some of the most enjoyable and satisfying reading you can discover.

I have to admit reading Sean Russell's first novel because of the cover art. Michael Whelan, the illustrator, sure earns his fees. But once I got into the book, I could barely stop. Set in a country that is a smooth blend of Japan and China, Russell invites us into the lives of several extremely interesting characters.

Probably the most central character is the Lord Shonto. Most people we meet along the way, are either his confederates or his enemies. The title character however, is the one who draws us more deeply into the story. Brother Shuyun is fresh out of the temple and has been selected to serve the Lord Shonto in place of his previous Botahist Monk. This humble, quite and mysterious monk is not only adept at the arts taught in the temple but is deemed by his teachers to have a special purpose. The suspense is delightful as Shuyun slowly comes into his own under the moral guidance of the great lord and his talented and beautiful daughter.

This is a book of details and yet it doesn't get bogged down by them. I love reading about the intricacies of a board game called "Gii", obviously styled on "Go." The court politics, philosophy of gardens, strategies of war and teachings of the Botohara are all captivating. Even the bad guys are fleshed out sympathetically. This book, along with its sequel "Gatherer of Clouds," is a masterwork and is bound to stand up over time as a fantasy classic.

I thought the book was great!! The only beef I had with this book was that the author did not spend enough time in this book concentrated on Shuyun, the young Bohatist monk. He calls the book "The Initiate Brother" and you would think that he would have the main character be the monk. Instead he makes Lord Shonto, a powerful and charismatic war leader, the main character. Don't get me wrong, Lord Shonto is a very good character, but in my opinion the whole plot and story of this book would have been better if Mr. Russell concentrated more on the development of Shuyun. All in all, I would recommend this book to Russell fans and anybody who likes fantasy.

This two volume story is elegant, moving, and fun. The monk, Shuyun, comes to be spiritual advisor to the Shonto family. From there, we have intrigue with the emperor, a barbarian invasion, complex politics, wild battles, and an elegant fictionalized China, complete with lovely poetry. Buy both volumes at once, and throw away the remote control.

In "The Initiate Brother" Sean Russell has built a world that is every bit as intricate and well planned as either of Kate Elliott's major worlds ("Crown of Stars" and "Sword of Heaven"). It isn't as intense as, or flow like, Elliott's "Crown of Stars" but is at least the equal of her "Sword of Heaven". Where Russell excels over Elliott is in the writing of human relationships. His are far more developed, having a feel of reality that few other authors can match.

The story is set, kind of, in China, but has elements of mediaeval Chinese and Japanese societies. Clearly an invented world that only bears resemblance to those two Asian cultures and not intended to be an exact representation of either.

Russell has filled the book, cover to cover with POV shifts. It happens at least once per scene. While they're very noticeable. they don't detract from the story much, though it would have been helpful if Russell had divided the scenes.

The book suffers from a plaque of exposition. In places this info dumps are large. This is one of my pet peeves, but to have them worked into the story would have made the book at least twice its current length. Working in all that info in a more acceptable manner would have slowed an already slow story, so having it is a trade off I can live with.

There is absolutely no ending, not even anything that could be twisted into seeming one. It isn't a cliff hanger, since the book could have ended at any point after page 200 and left all the same questions unanswered. The story simply stops, cut off in mid telling. There's only one reason for this; money. As a reader this appalls me, as a writer I'm screaming, "You go!".

Overall I'd say this is one of the most interesting pieces of fiction I've ever picked up. It isn't one of the more exciting pieces, or the most inspiring, but it gives a fascinating look into medieval Asian mind-sets and traditions. I think the ending could have been handled better, but I'm eager to get my hands on the concluding book to this story, "Gatherer of Winds".

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and still find my thought patterns influenced by it. Russell's characters are deep and set against the backdrop of a rich culture.

Contrary to a previous reviewer, I believe that Sean Russell is an expert at giving characters dimension. At no point in the book are you truly convinced you know exactly who is good or bad, especially if you read both books in the series, even if there are a few obviously good or bad characters. Also, he is able to weave several storylines together in a way that makes one wonder which story is more important. His treatment of the historical setting is marvelous -- I think the synopsis sells him short, for he never really introduces magic; instead, he relies on historical beliefs to base his 'mystical powers' on, staying close enough to history to be recognizable but adding his own flair to keep it interesting. His characters are also an excellent mixture of medieval Chinese and modern, almost American, people. Definitely pick this book up, along with Gatherer of Clouds.

I had no problem with the use of "Asian-like" elements in this story. It was a distinct flavor throughout the story, but the empire of Wa is its own place. At the start I was a bit discouraged by the focus on the court intrigues and soap-opera elements of the story, but these elements, combined with the extraordinarily vivid imagery and consistently mounting tension, proved to be irresistible for me. As I have heard others say, my only real complaint is that I finished the book long after the bookstores have all closed and I absolutely MUST get to the sequel "Gatherer of Clouds" as soon as possible! A wonderful tale of adventure and drama!