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Customer Review
Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2018
Roan: The Tales of Conor Archer by E.R. Barr, reminds me of the writings of Christopher Moore. However the book does lack the dry, sarcastic humor of Moore’s work, but what it lacks in those it make up for it in very in depth world building and character development.
As well as it seem to have a good bit in common with an old role playing game I know, “Changeling: The Dreaming” by White Wolf which I believe became Wizards of the Coast and if I am not mistaken I believe are out of business now. But my point is that the narrative here is a well crafted story and the research and melding of Native American and Celtic/Irish myth, legend and tradition are well crafted to say the least.
I personally would categorize this in the young adult section, but the story has plenty of engagement for older readers as well.
I am also sure that at least in some part this will be compared to the “Stephenie Meyer Twilight” series. While there maybe some parallels here the only place I can see one is the only well written aspect of that series and that is the character Jacob has some things in common with the way this story unfolds. I do not mean the content but rather how Connor is written and explained. If you know anything about the Jacob character from the Twilight series, the character was not meant to go beyond the first novel. However, that character grew and grew for Myers, and from my study of Native American lore on “Skinwalkers” I mainly concentrate on the “Old Man Coyote” mythos. But, that tends to branch out into others and I have to say that Myers either tapped into or stumbled across something profound with that character. But you can see Connor has that same human quality, if not dare I say American with his melding of two cultures very seamlessly. So I would say there is at least a dash Neil Gaiman for good measure.
As well as it seem to have a good bit in common with an old role playing game I know, “Changeling: The Dreaming” by White Wolf which I believe became Wizards of the Coast and if I am not mistaken I believe are out of business now. But my point is that the narrative here is a well crafted story and the research and melding of Native American and Celtic/Irish myth, legend and tradition are well crafted to say the least.
I personally would categorize this in the young adult section, but the story has plenty of engagement for older readers as well.
I am also sure that at least in some part this will be compared to the “Stephenie Meyer Twilight” series. While there maybe some parallels here the only place I can see one is the only well written aspect of that series and that is the character Jacob has some things in common with the way this story unfolds. I do not mean the content but rather how Connor is written and explained. If you know anything about the Jacob character from the Twilight series, the character was not meant to go beyond the first novel. However, that character grew and grew for Myers, and from my study of Native American lore on “Skinwalkers” I mainly concentrate on the “Old Man Coyote” mythos. But, that tends to branch out into others and I have to say that Myers either tapped into or stumbled across something profound with that character. But you can see Connor has that same human quality, if not dare I say American with his melding of two cultures very seamlessly. So I would say there is at least a dash Neil Gaiman for good measure.
