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The Legend Of Broken (2012)

by Caleb Carr(Favorite Author)

3.1 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

1400062837 (ISBN13: 9781400062836)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Random House

review 1: I went back and forth between loving this story and being irritated by it.This was a library book that I picked up on impulse. My library allows 6 renewal periods of 3 weeks each. I had just renewed this book for the final time and I had not read it. So, I decided to at least read a few pages before I returned it to the library unread. It started off badly, and I was going to read about 30 pages and then abandon it. Then I recalled that I had read other works by Caleb Carr -- (The Alienist was excellent. A CSI/Sherlock Holmes type crime novel based at the turn of the 20th Century featuring New York City Police Commissioner Teddy Roosevelt.) -- and his writing was quite good and his stories were unique. Then, I got completely wrapped up in the story! Basically a fantasy abo... moreut an isolated walled kingdom set in northern Germany at about the 13th Century.Then, at about page 200, I was lost in the story, having a great time with wonderful characters...That's when the author decided to stop the story and start a whole new story!WHAT???I was pissed!THEN -- the next 50 or so pages turned out to be one of the most beautiful stories within a story that I have read in a very long time! A story of a broken old man who is cast out and forced to live in a cave. And is rescued and returned to health by someone that is only referred to as 'she'. Who 'she' turns out to be just blew me away!The problem with this book is that there is so much of it that is not necessary. It is 700 pages, and should only be about 400. The author tries to craft this book as an ancient text uncovered in a museum or some such. The back of the book is about 100 pages of notes that I never bothered to read because I didn't care to. There was some sort of an argument at the end of the book between virtually all of the 'good guys' that I didn't quite understand, but by then I didn't feel like going back and rereading and looking for something that I might have missed. I will read more works by this author, Caleb Carr, however. He is gifted and sometimes he "goes outside the lines"I like that. Four stars! But, it could have been five stars, or it could have been three stars.
review 2: Fellow readers, please know the delay on this review of Caleb Carr's The Legend of Broken was a byproduct of holiday travel and sharing with friends and family, not a reflection on the story quality. In fact, Carr, a military historian, has created a rich and magnificently crafter tale that centers around Broken, a seventh century Germanic empire, in which devotion is given and enforced to a golden God-King, Kafra. Carr's ability to weave a masterful story is well-known from his previous novels, especially The Alienist (which I haven't read). That talent, while in an utterly different genre, is not wasted here. The story of Broken is both mesmerizing and compelling, while presenting historical facts as well (some readers think these tedious, but not me). The combination makes for an intense and enchanting adventure. less

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