The Left Hand of God
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
There's been so much hype around this book that I began to wonder how it could possibly live up to it. Truth be told, I almost didn't want to read it simply because the hype almost guaranteed it'd be awful.
I was wrong. It wasn't awful. Okay, it wasn't great. The plot is somewhat predictable and doesn't really do anything new with the fantasy tropes we're all used to. There are some moments that beggar belief, and a number of occasions that see you actually rolling your eyes. By all rights, this should be another generic fantasy novel that you should walk past on your way to picking up something else.
But the annoying thing is that Hoffman can actually write quite well. The content may be nothing spectacular, but his style is actually quite gripping. I put the book down thinking of Hollyoaks. The characters are unbelievable, the plots have a frosty relationship with reality, and it might even be bad for your brain cells. But watch it for more than two minutes and you start getting sucked in. Comparing Hoffman's work to Hollyoaks is a little insulting, but the analogy stands. This is light entertainment, a little fluff you can read without straining your frontal lobes, and it's fun.
And I'll be buying more Hoffman. So he must be doing something right.
I was wrong. It wasn't awful. Okay, it wasn't great. The plot is somewhat predictable and doesn't really do anything new with the fantasy tropes we're all used to. There are some moments that beggar belief, and a number of occasions that see you actually rolling your eyes. By all rights, this should be another generic fantasy novel that you should walk past on your way to picking up something else.
But the annoying thing is that Hoffman can actually write quite well. The content may be nothing spectacular, but his style is actually quite gripping. I put the book down thinking of Hollyoaks. The characters are unbelievable, the plots have a frosty relationship with reality, and it might even be bad for your brain cells. But watch it for more than two minutes and you start getting sucked in. Comparing Hoffman's work to Hollyoaks is a little insulting, but the analogy stands. This is light entertainment, a little fluff you can read without straining your frontal lobes, and it's fun.
And I'll be buying more Hoffman. So he must be doing something right.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
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The competent, easy-flowing prose makes this book an accessible read, but in the end I thought it didn't add up to much. It is a fantasy (although with no magic) set in an alternative version of history in an unspecified part of Europe and a time resembling the 15th Century. It follows the adventures of three boys escaping from a hideously repressive Sanctuary, and their subsequent adventures. Some - but by no means all - of the narrative is quite gripping and there are some decent action set pieces, but I'm afraid I felt that there was a rather off-the-peg feel about the whole book, making sure the usual hooks were all covered. The hideously brutal Redeemers, the aristocratic and sneering Materazzi, the beautiful princess...it just seemed a bit by-numbers.
Similarly, the targets for satire - sneering aristocrats, brutal and hypocritical religious zealots, vacuous and self-regarding bimbos, and so on - are worthy subjects but were all so grotesquely exaggerated that it took much of the sting out of it. Also, the style is often gently ironic which simply doesn't fit the story it is telling.
I don't want to be too critical because it's by no means dreadful. It's perfectly readable but I can't give it four stars.
Similarly, the targets for satire - sneering aristocrats, brutal and hypocritical religious zealots, vacuous and self-regarding bimbos, and so on - are worthy subjects but were all so grotesquely exaggerated that it took much of the sting out of it. Also, the style is often gently ironic which simply doesn't fit the story it is telling.
I don't want to be too critical because it's by no means dreadful. It's perfectly readable but I can't give it four stars.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Had I read the reviews on here first, I'm sure I wouldn't have bothered with it so I'm very glad I didn't!
It isn't without its flaws - personally I found it off-putting to see so many names borrowed seemingly at random from the real world and thrown together - but the plot and particularly the characterisation are far better than many reviewers are giving credit for, and in Thomas Cale we have an intriguing main protagonist.
I don't want to give the ending away so I won't go into any detail, but in response to those saying the final battle was an anti-climax, in this instance surely it made more sense that way given the expectations of the participants? That's a very vague comment but I don't want to ruin it for anyone - if you haven't done so, give it a read, I'm sure you won't regret it...
It isn't without its flaws - personally I found it off-putting to see so many names borrowed seemingly at random from the real world and thrown together - but the plot and particularly the characterisation are far better than many reviewers are giving credit for, and in Thomas Cale we have an intriguing main protagonist.
I don't want to give the ending away so I won't go into any detail, but in response to those saying the final battle was an anti-climax, in this instance surely it made more sense that way given the expectations of the participants? That's a very vague comment but I don't want to ruin it for anyone - if you haven't done so, give it a read, I'm sure you won't regret it...
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Surprisingly good so far!
I picked up the second book in this series as I liked to cover and the sound of it from the blurb, when I got home realized this was the first so I ordered it and began reading... Read more
Published 19 days ago by Kitty
Flawed
I feel there's a very good book trying to get out of this a-little-bit-average book. The idea of a religion that seems both familiar and alien is interesting, and so, potentially,... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Reader
Well worth a read.
Like others have said a gripping start. Full of promise that did fade but still worth a read. Don't ever read these type of books but may read the follow up. Read more
Published 2 months ago by 9TAILEDFOX
The Left Hand of God
I never read fantasy boks but I picked this one up almost by accident. I thoroughly enjoyed it and love the way Paul Hoffman distorts the religions/cultures into a nightmarish but... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mrs. D. E. Quinlan
funny, violent, brilliant
This was one of the most thrilling, violent and wonderfully written books i have read in a long time. Read more
Published 3 months ago by bennyben80
What the left hand was meant to wipe
I was browsing in a bookshop when I came upon this. I'd never heard of it, but the cover was resplendent with glittering reviews. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Where Is Belgium?
Enjoyable fantasy debut
There seems to be a new rising star in the fantasy genre every other day, so I was slightly skeptical about the reviews.
The book is very enjoyable, a great read. Read more
The book is very enjoyable, a great read. Read more
Published 4 months ago by joevascotia
It was good until...
Overall I really quite enjoyed this book. The main characters were engaging, the plot was well developed and it was well crafted as a story. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Xun-ling
Potentially a great new author .... but .....
The left hand of God is an enjoyable read and worthy of your money *but* the trouble is when you are fairly well read you can see this book really struggles for original idea's. Read more
Published 4 months ago by A. Cresswell
unoriginal with no real character depth
I'm giving 2 stars because i have read worse books.
There isn't really any depth or feelings for any of the characters in the book. Read more
There isn't really any depth or feelings for any of the characters in the book. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Knud Wharton Hammerich
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