ambyr

As the scale of these books get larger, unfortunately, they work less and less well for me as an adult reader. I have an easier time suspending disbelief for kids on a quest than kids at war. I still like the characters a lot (though Connor's angst, which I remember finding very moving as a young reader, now makes me roll my eyes), but the action doesn't work for me. I don't have a reliable sense of scale for the world; it seems like some characters make journeys in days that it takes other characters weeks. And everyone's strategies seem kind of wonky. I can buy that the kids aren't great tacticians, but it'd be nice if the villain was a little more competent.

Oh, well. Still glad I reread it, and I'd still recommend it to a kid looking for a solid fantasy adventure.