Customer Reviews

The Quartered Sea

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I think this is the best of her "Quarters" series. Benedikt is a bard who has an inferiority complex because he can only sing one quarter, water - never mind that he is the best who sings water that ever lived. He goes on an expedition to discover new lands, and disaster strikes in the form of a storm. He is stranded in a strange country, and soon finds himself embroiled in a political battle and in danger of his life. Tanya Huff is as good as ever. She puts you in the middle of the story and in the heart of the characters, and you feel and suffer along with the hero.

The main character works as an anti-hero. I didn't like his evident homosexuality--my own views in that regard are not liberal ones. But the story is interesting, the dialog natural, the characterization (usually) somewhat appealing, and the plot flows along smoothly, if slowly here and there. A far better book in this same general style is L.E. Modesitt Jr.'s "The Magic of Recluse." But The Quartered Sea is worth reading, say, when the electricity goes off in your house and you have nothing better to do.

This book was trite, with poor character development. And I could never really care for the main character. I was very disappointed. I enjoyed Sing the Four Quarters for the humour and character. The Fifth Quarter was even better. No Quarter was just okay. But, this book was just awful.

I liked this book, but mostly because Bannon has been my favorite Tanya Huff character ever since I read Fifth Quarter. This story is about a young bard named Benedikt who can only Sing water. He starts as a whiney, immature, self-pittying brat. By the end of the story he has matured and gained confidence in himself. Benedikt is an okay character, but after reading the Quartered Sea, I can't help wondering when Ms. Huff is going to write a book where Bannon is the main character rather than a secondary one.

This book was kind of a let down after the last three books of the series, but it made up for it in drawing up a whole new civilization where your imaginaiton could run wild. Although the plot was carefully thought out, I found the main character to be distinctly childish and continually stuck in a rut of "Oh, woe is me! " This drove me insane. Luckily, but the end of the book, he grew up, as all characters should, leaving me with a bubbling curiosity as to "what happens next?". Despite the boring parts and a character who whines through the whole ordeal (not to mention controlled completely by his sexual needs) I enjoyed the twists the author used to spice up the plot. Still, I hope the next one will make up for the deficiencies of "the quartered sea".

Wow! I loved this book. The hero was very well-drawn: likeable, talented, vulnerable. His trials and triumphs made for a terrific read. The world that Tanya Huff vividly portrays is fascinating. Definitely worth reading.

A wonderful look at another side of Shkoder and the other side of the world. Written with finesse and understanding, Huff continues weaving the pattern of Shkoder and keeping the bards strong.

This book is excellent. I have not read any of her books, but I will now. The story had me crying all the way thru. Benedickt is soooo like an average person with our insecurities and doubts that he is very believable.

This book was good. I liked it better than no quarter, anyway. My favourite part was that Benedikt kept thinking "What would Bannon do?". That made me laugh, and keep saying to myself "What would Bannon do?". Fans of the Quarters books will like this one too, take my word for it. Now, for a sequel, maybe the answer to the question "What *would* Bannon do?"...!

I wasn't expecting this book to be released, so when I saw it on the shelf I was psyched! Having read the previous three books in the series I just hoped that TQS could live up to my expectations. I read this book in one sitting. Ms. Huff has outdone herself again!! The great thing about this book was that even if you hadn't read the others, TQS can easily stand on its own. TQS now has a permanent spot on my shelf and after reading it, it will have a place on yours.