|
| Lara: Book One Of The World Of Hetar (World of Hetar) | 
 enlarge | Author: Bertrice Small
Publisher: HQN Books
Category: Book
List Price: $7.99
Buy Used: $0.50
You Save: $7.49 (94%)
New (6) Used (26) from $0.50
Avg. Customer Rating:  50 reviews
Sales Rank: 335119
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 544
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 6.5 x 4.1 x 1.8
ISBN: 0373771541
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780373771547
ASIN: 0373771541
Publication Date: May 1, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: With pride from Motor City. All books guaranteed. Best Service, best prices.
|
| Customer Reviews:
 Not going to win any awards... October 21, 2008
Lara has been sold into slavery by her father. For most young women in the world of Hetar, this is a disaster that brings about nothing but fear and sorrow. For Lara however it is but the very beginning of her adventure.
Half human, half faerie, Lara is stunningly beautiful and willful as well. Her faerie protector guides her in finding her destiny which involves a series of great adventures and great lovers. Finally reaching the Outlands, Lara comes to realize her destiny is to aid the people she finds there in their war against her homeland Hatar. But when the battle comes will she be ready to face her fears?
Ok, I searched my mind long and hard to find a word that would describe "Lara." The only word I can come up with that would seem to fit would be: kitsch.
The plot of "Lara" is pretty simple, and it is very obvious that it is Small's first leap from romance novels into fantasy novels. The writing as I said before can only be described as kitsch. It is obvious that Small is a non confrontational person. Everything comes so easy to Lara. She's beautiful, so everyone wants to sleep with her. She has a natural skill with weapons, she super smart, she has magic to help her when her brains can't, the list goes on and on and the main character has no faults.
Not only was the fact that the main character has no faults sort of sickening, I also wanted to barf when all of the obstacles in Lara's way bowed down to her. She had to only fight in one battle at the very end where her side one a total victory slaying all of the adversary and only taking about 20 deaths on the "good" side, and none of them significant in the least to the plotline.
Small's writing style leaves something to be desired as well. Take a line from page 405 where she is describing a battle.
"...soon the battlefield ran red with blood, and it was difficult not to slip or fall..."
Huh? In the heat of battle when she could have swords clashing, men screaming, heroics going on all around she decides to say that it's hard to stand up? The dialogue between the characters is also rather on the pathetic side. It reminded me of "The Boxcar Children." Do you remember that book? You read it when you were maybe like 8 and the characters said: "Good!" to everything and didn't speak like normal people would? At times Small got almost Shakespearian on the reader and added in a lot of `nays' and `ayes' and `thous.' It was quite tedious at times.
Now that I'm done destroying this book, I do have to admit that despite this large laundry list of problems with the plot, characters, dialogue, etc...I actually kind of liked "Lara." Despite all its shortcomings "Lara" did keep me entertained. I'm not running out to get the sequel as the ending is in no way a cliffhanger, but I'll put it on my book swapping list and if I have a bunch of credits built up when it comes along I'd consider getting it and reading it.
I'm giving this book an exceptionally generous 3 stars. "Lara" is not going to win any awards anytime soon, but the theme can appeal to those who enjoy romance stories with a touch of fantasy, and is easy enough to read and get through quickly. A good starter book for those new to fantasy...just don't have super-high expectations going in.
 New world - same great writing! May 4, 2008
Enjoyed the new world that Bertrice Small has created for her fans - she really knows how to make us stay up all day/night to finish her story!!!!!
FAERY February 3, 2008
GREAT BOOK FOR FAERY LOVERS......UNDERSTANDS FAERY, COMPELLS TO READ BOOK FROM BEGINNING TO END INSTANTLY....
Something New and Exciting January 16, 2008
Small Gives us a New Place called Hetar that is exciting and different and truly intrigues you into wanting to explore the place. The heroine Lara is gracious and beautiful but has an unusal perspective on her life. Lara's dire fate in the midst of a culture of Roman or English Classes, causes Lara's Father to strive to take his family to the next higher Class, like reaching Knighthood. This in turn leads to Lara's sacrifice and fasinating fate...that takes her to her true love. Fantasy and Romance meet and it is a must read. This series may well be as timeless as the Skye O'Malley series so don't miss it. Small is the only Historical Romance Writer I know of who has so successfully shown she is just as good in a different type of romance writing montage that is this vivid and picturesque.
Lara June 12, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Great book. Of course it Beatrice Small, and I love everything she writes. I couldn't wait to read the next two and I'm anxiously awaiting book 4. If you've never read Beatrice Small, I recommend you start with the Skye O'Malley books. You will love everything this author writes.
|
|
|
Visit our Pictures of Scotland
| |
|
