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The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
I’m a major Tolkien fan and think his writing is the best fantasy has to offer, thus I don’t frequently compare other books to his (at least not in a positive way.) purely because a solid comparison is rarely available. In comparison to the rich imagination he sparked with his words, every great work of fantasy has felt a little bit shallow. Nothing compares. Nothing rivals it.
With this, I will make an attempt at a comparison. I would venture to agree with Laura Eve’s blurb that this book is a “female successor to The Lord of the Rings” since it is a gracefully written tale that is replete with rich history and mythology in its wonderfully enormous scale. It is magnificent in every way. Girl strength is the main focus here! I suggest this book to readers who love deliberately paced, female-driven fantasy novels like those by Chris Wooding, Tad Williams, and Robin Hobb.
What, therefore, makes this book so great and what sets it apart from the countless other superb fantasy books available today? This checks all the boxes for me, and I have no doubt that many other people will agree. In addition to having real characters—by which I mean individuals that are so skillfully written that they practically spring off the page as they struggle with their inner struggles and self-doubt—we also have a planet with a rich history. And the protagonists are motivated by it in their efforts to uphold the standards set by their forefathers. They strive to be more admirable, better individuals. I adored this nonstop journey because it gave the impression that the world was old and that we had just seen a small portion of its lengthy history. There is so much more here and room for so many more tales. And it’s a pretty good sign indeed if I finish a book this size wanting more.
The tension of The Nameless One’s potential comeback drives the plot. If the eastern and western kingdoms can’t set aside their differences and work together to defeat the enormous threat, a great dragon will threaten to destroy the planet and all in it. The two sides’ unification is a major theme of the book, and various individuals have various suggestions for how to accomplish it, from assassination to straightforward diplomacy. It’s a vivid tale of witchcraft and romance, political intrigue and dragons, deceit and love, and it surprised me right up to the very end.
I should also briefly remark that I didn’t enjoy the author’s The Bone Season trilogy. I didn’t like it since it was too young adult for me, but I obviously did. So, regardless of what you thought of Samantha Shannon’s past writing, I truly do recommend that other readers give this a shot. This is really different, and I’m not hesitating to claim that it’ll be one of the most popular fantasy books published this year. Don’t pass it up; it’s amazing.
The Review
The Priory of the Orange Tree
9 Score
This book was so worth the 4 year wait. I remember when Samantha Shannon was talking about writing something that was not of The Bone Season world. It wasn't until she finally announced that it was a book that was going to involve dragons, forbidden magic, and romance where I was finally like I need this in my life. Now 4 years later I can finally say that Priory of the Orange Tree was everything I needed in a Epic Fantasy and more.
PROS
- Finally, a One-Volume Epic Fantasy!
- Well worth the FOUR YEAR WAIT!
- Best Book in a LONG time.
- 800+ pages and not once was I bored.
CONS
- Disappointed.
- Long, boring, lifeless.
- Too much of an unnecessary love story.
- Couldn't make it past the first 3 chapters.
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