- Hardcover: 368 pages
- Publisher: Avon Books (July 2000)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0380973359
- ISBN-13: 978-0380973354
- Product Dimensions: 21.1 x 13.7 x 3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,644,296 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Wheel of the Infinite
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Product Description
Synopsis
In Duvalpore, where the Wheel of the Infinite must be remade every century or reality will suffer, the Wheel's guardians cannot cope with the damages that appear, and only the outcast Maskelle and Rian the swordsman can find the source of the problem.
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First Sentence
Maskelle had been asking the Ancestors to stop the rain three days running now and, as usual, they weren't listening. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Maskelle had been asking the Ancestors to stop the rain three days running now and, as usual, they weren't listening. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
"Wheel of the Infinite" lacks the tension and pace of Well's earlier "Death of the Necromancer," as well as some of the latter work's tighter plotting. On the plus side, the world created here is in some ways far more authentic, without the obvious borrowings that plagued the previous book. Though the setting is obviously an alternate world that bears a loose resemblance to imaginings of ancient Southeast Asia, Wells has re-contextualized the land and culture to where they exist not simply as a dull and derivative reflection, but have a vibrancy and life all their own.
Unfortunately the same can not entirely be said for either her characters or the magical elements upon which so much of the story depends. As with an earlier reviewer (See US reviews), I agree that many of the characters remain attenuated, both in their own development and their relationship with each other. Questions arise that remain unanswered and many of the secondary characters seem to play walk-on roles that are never fully resolved, especially in the case of Raith and Rastim's participation near the end of the book. In the case of the latter, towards the conclusion Wells seems to be reaching for a fuller expression of Rastim's personality that comes too late and remains too abbreviated to become fully convincing. Revelations are dropped regarding various characters--Raith and the Adversary in particular--that beg expansion yet are never taken further. And, the magical elements which form so much of the narrative and are supposed to provide both suspense and an explanation for the events around which the plot is suspended really often accomplish neither, remaining only partially illumined, towards the end often more muddled than clear, with a conclusion that left me somewhat unsatisfied and seemed to require that I simply accept events as they took place, regardless of a lack of basis or substantiation. While there was much that intrigued me about the sorcerous cosmology of Well's world, its often ad hoc presentation kept me at a distance and never fully dispelled my disbelief.
Though I have had problems with both books that I've read by this author, there is little question of her potential talent, or her ability to imaginatively and vividly create worlds, as well as suspense, as was evidenced in "Death of the Necromancer." I will continue to read her work as I expect with time her stories will only further improve, and I admire her attempts to rework her fantasy from an often inventive and fresh approach. Nonetheless, this book offers only a mild diversion, and I would recommend, if interested, that you wait for the mass-market version before purchase.
Format:Hardcover
I liked this book so much, I've bought it in both paperback and hardcover. A great story set in a convincing Asian inspired world, populated with realistically quirky characters and gods.
Recommended for the fresh writing, amazing worldbuilding and engrossing plot.
Recommended for the fresh writing, amazing worldbuilding and engrossing plot.
Format:Mass Market Paperback
The main characters are likeable and believable, they are given the standard back-story with some dark events but nothing clichéd or over done.
The plot is ok with a good pace and a few small twists and it has an interesting twist on magic.
The ending is ok although it has a couple of plot holes but they are only small ones.
It's not a special book but it is a decent one.
The plot is ok with a good pace and a few small twists and it has an interesting twist on magic.
The ending is ok although it has a couple of plot holes but they are only small ones.
It's not a special book but it is a decent one.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Dissapointing
This was my first experience of Martha Wells' work, and unfortunately, I was left quite dissapointed. Read more
Published on 1 Feb 2009 by xenofan
Inventive & Exciting Fantasy
This book, to me, is what all new writers of fantasy should be trying to aim for. Not content with pseudo-Tolkien euro-centric fantasy settings and characters that simply... Read more
Published on 30 Jan 2007 by WebElf
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