book review-- Masques, by Patricia Briggs

[indigo_rose99]

Patricia Briggs just re-released her first book, Masques. I read the original through interlibrary loan, as a rare copy on ebay ran for $100. She rewrote it for the new release and I have to say that the story I previously enjoyed was... better.

The original story was an adventure fantasy, with a small romantic element. She enhanced the characters, made them more reachable, and played up the romance.

I recommend it. I am looking forward to the release of the sequel early next month.

Posted via m.livejournal.com.

Comments

[reedrover]

I never read the original, bought the re-release, got within 30 pages of the end, and dropped it for lack of interest. It's running around in my car somewhere. I'm confident that I'll finish it eventually. I just don't care enough about the plot to care about the ending. I like the characters well enough, but it's obvious to me, a Briggs fan, that her writing skills have far outgrown that book. It's like trying to read Spirit Ring (Bujold) after reading Curse of Chalion.

[indigo-rose99.livejournal.com]

*laugh* I DID read Spirit Ring after Curse of Chalion, and it (SR) was utterly forgettable.

I guess I always felt that the original Masques was somehow unfinished. The start of a story, but lacking something. *shrug* I felt like the new version lived up to its potential better. And perhaps I feel this way because my other reading options are not even in the same league. Even early Briggs is so much better than the trash I'm skimming and immediately forgetting... I need new authors!

[reedrover]

Have you done the Cast in --- series yet? The first one is obviously a first try, but they get really good with the second one, Cast in Courtlight.

[indigo-rose99.livejournal.com]

Yep, read all of them. Right genre, too.

Now if I could just convince my brain to switch genres, I have this tremendous stack of other books. *sigh* But I am stuck on this one until the switch happens naturally...

[texpenguin.livejournal.com]

Jasper Fforde, Chris Moore, Terry Pratchett, Robert Rankin, if you want a light-hearted, sarcastic, witty change of pace. Easy reading, but enjoyable stories with engaging characters (and I do mean 'characters'!)