Another random reader (and this one without an LJ, even, so sorry for the Anonymous tag)
I don't, as a rule, take the "Best thing since Tolkien" comments seriously, since they are so frequently applied and so rarely borne out. One exception, and probably the most memorable blurb I've read, was from Judith Tarr on Elizabeth Moon's "Deed of Paksenarrion" -- "This is the Fourth Age as it has to have been". I had never read anything by Tarr or Moon when I saw that blurb, and generally tend to steer away from the warrior-woman type books, but that was enough to catch my interest. The longer blurb, which has more explicit comments on both the roots and originality of the story and its specific strengths (solid base in military knowledge, e.g) is also very good.
I remember checking out the book on the strength of that blurb, basically, and starting to read it immediately even though I had book reports due for school. "Paksenarrion" remains one of my favorite fantasy series still -- all thanks to a one-sentence blurb, basically.
on the "Best thing since Tolkien"
I don't, as a rule, take the "Best thing since Tolkien" comments seriously, since they are so frequently applied and so rarely borne out. One exception, and probably the most memorable blurb I've read, was from Judith Tarr on Elizabeth Moon's "Deed of Paksenarrion" -- "This is the Fourth Age as it has to have been". I had never read anything by Tarr or Moon when I saw that blurb, and generally tend to steer away from the warrior-woman type books, but that was enough to catch my interest. The longer blurb, which has more explicit comments on both the roots and originality of the story and its specific strengths (solid base in military knowledge, e.g) is also very good.
I remember checking out the book on the strength of that blurb, basically, and starting to read it immediately even though I had book reports due for school. "Paksenarrion" remains one of my favorite fantasy series still -- all thanks to a one-sentence blurb, basically.
Just thought I'd chime in...
-- yavanna