[Rob B]

Let the discussions...BEGIN!!!!!!!!

[Mears]

I have enjoyed this book from the moment I picked it up. The characters grew on me very quickly. The plot develops steadily with the information being revealed adding to your knowledge without allowing you to predict too much . I haven't finished it yet I have about a hundred pages to go. I like the plot mechanisms and the character development.

[Eldanuumea]

I am very enthralled with this book, with this writer, in fact. I've finished the Coil, but don't want to give anything away...this is the first time I participate in the book club...is it normally expected for most folks to have finished the book?

What I do want to say at this point is that I cared about several of the characters very early on, and if a writer wants to hook me, that's the way to do it.
One of the things I found interesting was the great detail about the mixing and production of the various pigments for the illuminations. The whole scribe thing was fascinating to me.

[nicba]

I finished the book a month or so ago, and liked it very much too. It was my first book by J.V. Jones, bought on an impulse without having too great expectations. But I was positively surprised and shall definitely read more of her work in the future.

I don't know the rules of this discussion, but I'll try not to give too much away in case not all of you have read the whole book yet. This bookclub thing must be a somwhat new addition to the SFF forums... I don't remember it being here the last time i frequented this place. But it's a good idea.

On of the things I really liked about the book was the very vivid and detalied description of Tessa's tinitus. And especially the way it became a part of the larger story, and the way it conrtrasted her growth in the rest of the book, and her new self towards the end.

Like Thomas Covenant, the sickness added an extra layer to the main character. But unlike Covenant, Tessa was very quick to accept her entry into the new fantasy world, along with her sudden healing. The book just stated "she new it was real..." or something like that. That, probably, was one of the weakest spots of the book. At least it was the only weak spot I remember just now :)

Regards

Nicolai

[Lani]

I finished the book a week ago or so and I found it pretty good too. The tinnitus thing made me think of Thomas Covenant as well. Actually, I found it much nicer the way Jones handled her character. Tess did not believe she healed immediately, but after she was a couple of times in situations where tinnitus would have shown itself and it didn't, I think it was natural for her to believe it is gone especially since her life changed in so many ways then why not this too? Maybe she got used to it a little to quickly, but I find it way more pleasant than the way Covenant handled his illness. Plus, it didn't take Tess too long to find out that Deveric controlled her tinnitus in order to affect her life.
I thought this was a pretty good book. I've read The Book of Words series before and I was pleasantly surprised that Jones is not one of those authors who do all their books in the same pattern. I enjoyed all the books I've read by her, but they were not the same. I think she has a really nice way to show characters and though her plot is not especially intricate, I found the story interesting.
I also think the way Jones handled magic was very interesting and unlike typical wand shaking and curse shouting. I found the idea quite unique and the characters seemed pretty well suited for their role. I really think characters is the strongest point of Jones' writing.
I was wondering how you would classify this novel. It has some points taken from so-called high fantasy and there are some indicators that it would fall into 'swords and sorcery' or heroic fantasy category. What do you think?

[Gilliam]

I last read this book several years ago and for me it was JV Jones best novel at the time and still is. One of my enduring memories of this book is the scene with Snowy near the end of the book and the subsequent events. Overall I believe that JV Jones successfully weaved a number of different issues into a very good story.

[Eldanuumea]

I generally like the way Jones handles the romantic element of her plot. As I said to a friend earlier, she chooses the high ground rather than becoming tawdry. I find that a little written skillfully goes much farther than a lot done in cliched poor taste.

Ravis is an entrancing hero, just the kind I prefer.....dark and dangerous, full of surprises.

[Aoide]

Originally posted by Eldanuumea
I generally like the way Jones handles the romantic element of her plot. As I said to a friend earlier, she chooses the high ground rather than becoming tawdry. I find that a little written skillfully goes much farther than a lot done in cliched poor taste.

I definitely enjoyed the subtle way that she handled the romantic element. I thought about this quite a bit as I was reading the book. I am new to the fantasy genre and I wondered how this came across to the male readers of the book. I have read some of the discussions on this board about the differences between male and female authors, but haven't read enough different authors to really form an opinion yet. I wonder if the way she handled it resonanted with me because she is a woman or because it was skillfully done (which it was) and it doesn't really matter that she's a woman. I'll have to come back to that question for myself after I have added more items on my "Books that I've Read" list.

By the way... I'm so glad that I found this Book Club and this whole forum for that matter. I was looking for somewhere to get recommendations on what I should read next and my internet search led me here. I'm so grateful... although it is a little overwhelming. I now have pages of recommendations that I've written down! Pages... and pages... Good thing I got a bookstore gift card for Christmas. :)

[Lani]

I really enjoyed the romance part of the book as well. Somehow I feel though that it was targeted more towards the women audience and Jones knows how to make it because she is a woman herself and in a way she understands how to make a scene interesting for a woman. Though on the other hand I read some male authors who could handle the romantic part of the story just as well, so I would think its Jones' talent that made it this well rather than gender though that helps too.

[Eldanuumea]

Shalimar and Lani, your posts are intriguing because they echo a comment from a male friend; when I asked for his reaction to a particular scene, he said I especially liked it because I was a woman. But he also liked it, just thought it was written more from the feminine point of view.
I was wondering about the ease with which Tessa adjusted to being in a totally alien place and time. Would it really be that possible to so immediately become part of a different world?

Shalimar, I too will miss these two weeks of luxurious reading time, and I know what you mean about having a new list of great books to find.