Random NOT over-descriptive Review 2- Lord of the Flowers

I figure that if I write these, I shouldn't spoil things after all. Regardless, here goes.

No, this is not a video game. It is a book. Yes, I read books. No, not everything I read essentially amounts to pony porn. Inner dialogue aside, there are two kinds of craziness in a piece of fantastical literature that aren't simply pulled out of the writer's ass for the sake of complete and utter randomness. The first is a fun, wacky adventure filled with awesome characters, floating islands, demons riding giant bats holding laser guns, climactic sexual metaphors (no, I'm not just making this stuff up), and other equally bizarre, but entertaining and compelling, plot elements.

War of the Flowers... is not that kind of crazy.

Honestly, I don't even know if I LIKED the book. I simply cannot decide whether it was good, or horrible. I mean, when I choose a book with fantastical creatures on the front, I get it under the assumption that it won't spend the first 100 pages dicking around in the real world while some guy's mom dies of Pancreatic Cancer. You do not do that, Tad Williams. Do you hear me, Will? DO YOU HEAR ME!?

Yeah... I really really didn't like that part. But, beyond that, it was good. I mean, it was depressing, but it was good. I mean, plot twists sometimes felt like they just existed for the sake of existing, but it was good. There was a lot of randomness that was explained away just by saying, "MAGIC, BITCH!", but it was good.The writing was well-done. I was intrigued. Those plot twists that existed for the sake of existing were unexpected twists all the same.

Mild (and I mean REALLY mild) spoilers incoming.

Even after the climax was over, the depressing atmosphere continued. Once everything seems to clear up, you shout "Yay! Everything's all right now." Then you learn something sad, and go "Yay!" with slightly less enthusiasm. Then you learn something else. Then something else. Then another thing, and another, and another, until you're saying "Yay," in a robotic monotone, just hoping to hold on to the last few vestiges of positivity that you can. And hell, if you asked me who won, who succeeded in accomplishing their goals, who failed, did the bad guys win, did the good guys win, I wouldn't have an answer. I really wouldn't.

War of the Flowers was a strange book. I don't know who won. I don't know who the real good guys were. I don't know if I enjoyed it. So, if you enjoy weird and random philosophy, I suggest you read it. If not, don't pick it up.

Now, to steal a line from a guy on this site who is way more popular than me.

SLTheThird out.