I think you've missed some of the maturing of understanding of what the "dark elves" are - there's a lot of nuance in the later books around the elven races in particular, where the early series the characters had much simpler, black-and-white understandings of them.
For someone who has been active on the listserve for...well, I think I can measure it in decades now...there were aspects of ME that I'd seen mentioned on the list, and were familiar. For a reader who hadn't seen it, there would be less of that. And yes, there was a bit of "let's get nostalgic for a few old characters and make reference to them" - but it was done in an interesting way that worked well, I felt. And yes, we knew or suspected how things would end, if only from the title - but again, it was accomplished in a manner that was good reading. I'd agree that I personally prefer many of Ray's earlier works to his later works, for a variety of reasons (when I discovered them and the age at which I read them might be as big a part of that as the books themselves), but frankly this one was right up there. It was an excellent conclusion book. Even the obligatory "the story so far" section near the beginning was done in a way that just worked, and didn't feel artificial. That is, I think, exactly what I expected. On Wed, Jun 12, 2013 at 8:11 AM, Jeff Goodhall <[email protected]> wrote: > And the Dark Elf's should not have been so nice, or maybe helped out, made > the world safe THEN killed everyone :) > > > On 12 June 2013 17:07, Jeff Goodhall <[email protected]> wrote: > >> for sure , just felt compared to PoB or Serpant war, he didnt seem what >> he was in M.E. >> >> >> On 12 June 2013 16:51, Scott Burchfield <[email protected]>wrote: >> >>> I'm wonder if we did read the same book. Nakor a robot, he was anything >>> but. He was animated and full of joy and wonder. >>> >>> We all have our opinions though. >>> On Jun 12, 2013 10:26 AM, "Jeff Goodhall" <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Spolier >>>> ' @ >>>> @~ >>>> @ >>>> @ >>>> @ >>>> @ >>>> @ >>>> @ >>>> @ >>>> @ >>>> @ >>>> @ >>>> >>>> I have been part of this list on\off since 1999(ish) Basically at the >>>> time I read Magician. I have every hard back all the way up to Conclave of >>>> Shadows. >>>> >>>> After conclave I stopped paying i didn't see the value I simply >>>> borrowed the books from friends when I had nothing else to read. I went >>>> from pre-ordering R.E.Fs work to not caring much. >>>> >>>> I have recently finished M.E ( I have read all the other books >>>> including short stories) and it was a let down for me, but not a surprise. >>>> >>>> To sum up the book it just seemed like name dropping constantly and I >>>> think a lot of pandering to readers and uninspired. >>>> >>>> I am glad the series is finished as I hope now R.E.F can find something >>>> new and inspiring and maybe recapture the old magic that made all his books >>>> before Conclave soooooooo good! >>>> >>>> For me the books before Conclave made me feel the writer really cared >>>> about everything. My personal Favs being the Whole Empire series, Sethanon >>>> and Honoured Enemy. >>>> >>>> Please please please don't do a book about Magnus! Do something new, >>>> maybe even a different world! OR a prequel to magician! :) >>>> >>>> Also! Nakor...........what happend to his personality, he was like a >>>> robot all the way through M.E! Did the god of tricks take his personality >>>> when he died the first time?! >>>> >>>> Thanks >>>> >>>> >> >
