Daniel Abraham

This book felt like a prologue for the entire series. I think the upcoming books will be a little more fast and intersting. Not that i dont like this book but i felt like this is very slow and sometimes boring.

The story focus mostly on the character building and establishing the plot. Eventhough i like character growth and story depth, i would have gave this 5 stars if it was a little more fast.

Given that i should certainly mention the characters here. Such a wonderful characters Abraham has introduced here. I was really disturbed on Geder's decisions and Cithrin's calculations.

I hope Marcus and Dawson storyline will get more traction on the next books as the plot is getting started.… (more)

Three and a half stars.

I cut my reading teeth on fantasy and science fiction. A regular at the local library, I had gone through their “SF/F” offerings by early teens (which is how I came to read The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant) and relied on my babysitting money and the local Waldenbooks for more current fare. The scarcity of material meant I re-read books I owned many, many times. As a result, when I encounter something that feels new in fantasy, that has a fresh take or inspired writing, I tend to gush (in case you are wondering, both N.K. Jemisin’s The Killing Moon and Frances Hardinger’s Fly By Night were dazzling takes on the genre). I was intrigued with the positive buzz about Abraham’s epic fantasy The Dragon’s Path and had it on my radar for some time. Unfortunately, it felt surprisingly familiar.

This feels like a self-conscious book. You know; the kind of book that clearly started with a Big Idea instead of a great story. Abraham has both writing experience and Notable Writing Connections around him, and The Dragon’s Path feels like a genre idea in search of storytelling finesse. In fact, in an afterward interview, Abraham mentions that this book was his foray into a full-length Epic Fantasy. Had it been less self-conscious, or integrated better, or maybe had I just been generally new to the fantasy reading experience, I might have enjoyed it more.

There are four viewpoints in the story along with a fifth character who appears in the prologue and final act. Two viewpoints in the story intertwine early on: Marcus, a former elite soldier turned mercenary, and Cithrin, a half-blood orphan ward of a banking house. Then there are the separate stories of Geder, minor noble and sometime scholar, and Dawson, childhood friend of the king and a highly ranked Baron. They mostly start in the city of Vanai, Marcus trying to get free of likely conscription and Cithrin sent out with a wagon from the banker’s house in the last caravan to leave the city. Geder is experiencing his first campaign and discovering it isn’t nearly as awe-inspiring as the written stories. Dawson is scheming against another Baron in an attempt to spur the king to action. Marcus and Dawson are both experienced while Cithrin and Geder are naive and undergoing journeys of self-discovery. Overall, I enjoyed the characterization. While certainly genre typical, they feel rounded enough to be enjoyable. I was interested in Cithrin’s maturation, and the way the traveling troupe took her under their wing. Marcus was admirable but predictable as the heroic archetype (complete with dead wife and child), and Geder the bumbling youth that gets his chance at power.

A few reviewers make a point of remarking on the uniqueness of Cithrin’s role as female financier and the role of economics in the story, but I confess, I was strongly reminded of Silk in David Eddings’ The Belgariad series and his frequent lectures and demonstrations of the economics of trade and the psychology behind business strategies. Quite honestly, it felt familiar–although still enjoyable. While I respect the idea that Abraham wanted the perspective of the individual as he explores the path to war, changing from four different story lines presents a world-building challenge that doesn’t ever quite resolve. There are the Free Cities, each with their own political history; the Severed Throne, it’s rival and their political intrigue; and thirteen different races. I got the sense that certain events were supposed to be significant, but I rather lacked the context to understand why. Dawson’s plot line with complicated scheming meant to oppose other factions was particularly challenging to follow.

One aspect that sets Abraham apart are are moments of lovely writing:

“It was an evil that the city would weather, as it had before, and no one expected the disaster would come to them in particular. The soul of the city could be summarized with a shrug.”

“‘Good,’ Lerer Palliako said. He was hardly more than a shadow against a shadow, except that the starlight caught his eyes. ‘That’s my good boy.’”

A reviewer I admire mentions that it is one of the few books she re-read, and felt like a re-read was worth it for the extra understanding, once the reader has the general world-sense. I don’t doubt that. The trouble is, I’m no longer a 12 year old limited to the small fantasy section of the local library and my local bookstore. I can barely find time to re-read the few books I feel were excellent the first time around. I have no doubt that a re-read will give me more insight into the dynamics between the races, and the politics behind the Severed Throne–I’m just not sure I care. But I think Abraham will have a great epic for a new generation of fantasy readers to cut their teeth on.

also at http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2014/06/08/the-dragons-path-by-daniel-abraham/… (more)

Some readers pose the question as “the dagger OR the coin?” in terms of which will win the day and bring peace, but the series is The Dagger AND the Coin. Both military force and bankers’ gold and paper were needed, along with some rather adroit play-acting and, oh yes, an arrogant dragon.

The author created strong, interesting, surpassing female characters in Cithrin and Clara, both of whom make incredible journeys, both figuratively and literally, from the beginning of the series to the conclusion. Isadau and Pyk are key secondary female characters.

Marcus and Geder frequently skirted the edge of becoming caricatures of themselves, but the author generally managed to avoid pushing them over that edge. Kit (who should have had his own POV chapters) and Yardem were two of my favorite male characters, along with Vincen Cole. But every character, no matter how minor, seemed well-crafted and real.

The author has a wonderful way with words. He is a gifted storyteller with a very original story to tell. This book wraps up the series nicely but with a few loose ends that could be picked up again in the weaving of a new tale.… (more)

I finished Book 2, [b:The King's Blood|12759057|The King's Blood (The Dagger and the Coin, #2)|Daniel Abraham|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1356495172l/12759057._SY75_.jpg|17901316], and gave it a 10/10. The story is getting so much more complex and the characters have more depth now, too.

I think Geder is truly a monster, easily manipulated by Basrahip the priest and by his own insecurities, commanding & committing atrocities. But then he’s suddenly a more sympathetic character with his obsession with books and research, his relationship with Aster, and his delusions about his relationship with Cithrin.

The death of Dawson, while it certainly fit the story, was still sad for me—he was one of my favorite characters. I think Clara’s story is about to become more interesting, though!

Marcus being “thrown into a ditch” by Yardem took me by surprise, but it facilitated him accompanying Master Kit on his quest, so that worked out. And Cithrin is maturing into a smart, even more resourceful young women & banker.

I have a feeling the complexities are just starting to grow!… (more)