What do You think about Divided Allegiance (1988)?
This isn't a bad series, it's just so cliched and predictable. The first 40% of the book was boring - there's barely a story line except to link Paks from fight to fight. I nearly stopped reading because there was so little plot. None of the characters have their own personality except Paks - and even she has very little growth. almost all the other characters are practically faceless and meaningless. Paks is such a ridiculous Mary Sue - amazing at everything she does, a special little snowflake. Kind and trusting to all. She gets into impossible situations and amazingly comes out the hero. She's annoyingly and impossibly good. It got to be sickeningly sweet. The training with the Girdsman was interesting, but I didn't care for the ending as it felt so false - since we all know she inst truly in any trouble.The series is really cliched - the good guys are always wearing white, light or shining armor. The bad guys are in black and look angry. The Dwarfs, Elves and Orcs are all completely standard fare and uninteresting. The bad guy is a spider god - I just had to roll my eyes. No new ideas here.I know I've been hard on the book, it isn't terrible, it's just very bland. I can't help but judge all fantasy against the Malazan Book of the Fallen series - it's made it very difficult for me to enjoy books that are of middling quality.
—Emily (BellaGrace)
Paks is smart. Paks is brave. Paks fights for those who need it. Paks fights for good. Paks is a character everyone strives to be but can never attain because she is too near perfect. Perfect soldier. Beautiful friend. The current work her cohort is working on has let her down and she will not stand for it so she leaves the Duke's company on good standing with open orders to return if she wishes, or work on her skills elsewhere as she pleases. Macenion is an idiot who claims to be a half-elf magician but he's really just someone looking out for himself and holds a grudge, stupidly, against his very small bit of elfin heritage. Marshal Cedfer is a cool character, full of life and well of information in the fighting arts. Ambros, a yeoman marshal, is a smart young man, willing to fight for what is right, wise before his years. When Paks journeys to Pan Finir and learns the arts of a Girdsman things become complicated. She meets an elf named Ardhiel, a proud man with a melodious and spell binding voice; and befriends dwarfves, one named Balkon, a funny fellow with a love for rocks. She rises fast in the ranks of juniors but she still has a lot to learn. So when she's offered to become a paladin she can't believe her luck. Her studies are hard but these are the best times in her entire life. So when they journey to find the Luap's holdings things take a dark turn, a turn dark enough that even I began to cry. The torments of Archya is not to be taken lightly and the recuperation is maddening. How could someone so good, so right, become so angry and withdrawn? And then to be healed only to be broken... this book really makes me sad and as I begin the third installment of this series I sincerely hope that Paks regains herself because if she doesn't... I just don't know what I'll do.
—Mariah
Loved, loved, loved. At times I was frustrated because the story was so jumbled, and it seemed like I was seeing just a small thread of the woven tapestry. Then I realized that was Elizabeth Moon's genius. We follow the story as Paks sees it, and she is an uneducated girl with limited experience. We understand what she understands. I was so glad when she gained some knowledge and the story became more broad, but it wouldn't have been the same story if it was told any other way. I would not even start this story unless you have the 3rd book handy. It ends on a real cliffhanger. I can't say enough on how enveloping this story is. Elizabeth Moon creates an entire world of characters and culture. Paks is a fully-formed character that absorbs the reader. Her story brought me to tears. At the same time, Paks world seems familiar and is written in a way that's easy for the reader to understand and follow. The imagery is vivid enough to see in your mind as you read.More than that, Elizabeth Moon is a veteran. She lived through grit and was a woman in the Marines in the 60's. Paks's story seems an echo of that experience. I felt the pain of a wounded soldier like no other news program or fictional story could have done. This was powerfully written, nothing was held back. I would strongly recommend this to any fan of Orson Scott Card, Isaac Asimov, and anyone who knows what an Orc is.
—Tracy
