The Sum of All Men

An excellent new take on fantasy! Farland doesn't just recycle Tolkien's/Gygax's creatures, but instead comes up with his own. His take on magic is new and interesting as well. The examination of the moral quandary of taking these endowments from people, even willingly, is cause for pause. Even more of note is the examination of the morality of killing dedicates, who often were unwilling, in order to harm your enemy. This isn't unlike the question of bombing factories with slave workers to stop enemy tank production. The writing style isn't quite as good as Tolkien or Martin, and I couldn't help but imagine cartoon characters in my mind as I read the book. That, of course, might be because it's hard to imagine people more beautiful than beautiful, or running at 100 miles per hour. While I like Lord of the Rings better and suspect there are other series I'll like better, I fully plan on continuing to read the series! While it doesn't feel quite as epic in scope as some other series, I'm just getting started! The map at the front of the book left plenty of space unfilled! I fully recommend it to anyone who is looking for a new fantasy series!

Not a lot of books I go back to read again. I'm glad I did with this one.

David Farland gives each character depth and unique insights that fantasy books sometimes lack.

Runelords is a solid fantasy book, based on a world with a solid magic system that isn't just glazed over the story, but is an integral and riveting part of the whole novel. David Farland is an author who doesn't shy away from making his characters experience the full scope of life, from joy to despair. Even better, he doesn't shy away from killing them off either, and nothing makes a story more interesting then knowing that good won't necessarily always prevail, and not everyone is always safe! The characters are believable and interesting, and the struggles they go through really lead you through the story, right up to the end. Can't wait to delve into the second book of the series today- I would highly recommend this series to anyone looking for a good fantasy read!