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Unquestionably the slowest, least appealing book in the series to date, yet even this slog won't deter me. I'm gonna finish this series, may the Light have mercy upon me.

I rather enjoyed this book, though I found myself thinking of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore a bit more than I'd expected to. I know it's a shared universe and all, but Lois Clary (the protagonist from this book) felt a little too much like Clay Jannon (the protagonist from Mr. Penumbra) to suit me; maybe R.S. just has a taste for that type of hero, I dunno.



That said, it was a fun little romp, with just enough fantasy to make the mundane feel a little bit magical.

I've been reading Leigh Butler's WOT Reread while reading these books, and it's added a lot of interesting insights to the experience. Happily, it hasn't lessened my appreciation of any of the books thus far. :)

It's been a fun reread so far. If I remember correctly, this is the last of the 'episodic' books in the series, and the last time the Emond's Fielders feel more like country folk swept away by Fate than the quasi-demigods they're becoming. When I first read these books, I was in my early teens, and my interest in the series waned as the characters got more powerful and less relatable. I'm all grown up now, though, so I'm looking forward to better appreciating the series.

As much as I love The Eye of the World, for all the great things it does, I have to admit that The Great Hunt is superior. There are so many excellent, excellent scenes in this book, and it sharpens the reader's understanding that the first book isn't a fluke, it's not just a great book in a vacuum, it's the start of a wonderfully complex and expansive world.

This was an excellent read, a summary I'm starting to think will apply to Mary Roach's books more and more as I work through her bibliography. :)