The Stone Dance Of The Chameleon is required reading for any aspiring fantasy novelist. It's just as detailed and well-imagined as anything Tolkien ever wrote, but it couldn't be more different. Ditching magic and the English countryside completely, it presents a world full of wonders and horrors that also serves as a mirror of our own world.
It's a shame, though, that the actual storyline is not particularly original or interesting and that the books are rather overwritten. This could have been a shorter, leaner and better story. By far the most problematic element is its protagonist, though: Carnelian is a well-meaning guy, but for very large parts of the syory, he is weak and spineless. With a more proactive protagonist, this story might have been much more enjoyable.
If you're looking for some amazing worlbuilding, then by all means check out The Stone Dance Of The Chameleon. But be warned: the journey can be a slog at times.
Easy to admire, hard to love
The Stone Dance Of The Chameleon is required reading for any aspiring fantasy novelist. It's just as detailed and well-imagined as anything Tolkien ever wrote, but it couldn't be more different. Ditching magic and the English countryside completely, it presents a world full of wonders and horrors that also serves as a mirror of our own world.
It's a shame, though, that the actual storyline is not particularly original or interesting and that the books are rather overwritten. This could have been a shorter, leaner and better story. By far the most problematic element is its protagonist, though: Carnelian is a well-meaning guy, but for very large parts of the syory, he is weak and spineless. With a more proactive protagonist, this story might have been much more enjoyable.
If you're looking for some amazing worlbuilding, then by all means check out The Stone Dance Of The Chameleon. But be warned: the journey can be a slog at times.