Fallen Light
Benjamin A. Sorensen
Another lovely fantasy novel. I have read works by this author before so I knew what style of writing to expect when I agreed to provide a review. That being said, Sorensen’s style has not changed much since the last book I read but this story is definitely original and set apart from his other work.
Fallen Light feels old fashioned since it is definitely a sword and magic type of story. Even the narration feels like it’s from a different time period and it worked very well with the setting and pacing of the book.
The story revolves around the protagonist, Mordinion, whose name sounds more like a kingdom than a person. His journey is detailed, in a set of very crafty and descriptive words, as he finds himself in many obstacles, battles, and emotional upsets throughout the tale. The clutch of the story would be the magic and the fighting, which are all worded and written very well, but it is not the strongpoint. I’d say there is far more entertainment in the cast of strong characters and Mordinion’s growth than there is in the usage of magic and good old sword fighting.
I think I liked Mordinion beyond the general, he’s-the-main-character-so-I-have-to-like-him, I thought he was not always a realistic person but the kind of gritty strength demonstrated in his personality and actions made him someone who was easy to root for and make an emotional connection to. Mordinion lost people he liked and loved throughout the book; I found his reaction and display of emotion and strength to be some of the most page-turning points in the book. Maybe I’m a sucker for sad deaths but I don’t think it’s farfetched to say that Sorensen has a way with pulling on the heartstrings at the right moments.
Fallen Light isn’t too long for fantasy but it is wordy. That is not a complaint to say that it dragged on or had spots of boredom, but a way of highlighting the unique narration and style of writing adopted by this author. The detail and description is very vivid—especially when it comes to character descriptions. I could picture each cast member’s face as much as their personality. And the world-building and background information was relayed in a way that didn’t confuse me but provided somewhat of a sub-story to what was happening and why.
My only complaint would actually be the blurb for the story. I did enjoy the book from beginning to end but I don’t think I would have looked twice at the book if I had not been familiar with the author and knew that I’d be picking up a good read without hesitation. I only say this because I do think the book is good and that the cover is nice but the blurb is not on par with the enjoyment I had in reading the story. This has no effect on my rating, just a side note.
I would recommend this book to readers of all ages but especially fans of fantasy, magic, sword fighting, and Christian readers. If you’ve ever read anything by Sorensen, this will easily become your favorite of the bunch.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*