Excellent! Just re-read it for the third time. ( )

In the style of The Canterbury Tales, this is the story of a group of people on a pilgrimage. During their journey, each member of the group tells the story of how and why they came to be traveling on this particular pilgrimage. Unlike the Canterbury Tales, however, these pilgrims are all from different worlds and they're on their way to see the Lord of Pain, the Shrike, who will grant the wish of one of them and kill all the rest. The main plot of the book is that simple: a bunch of rather ordinary seeming people go on a trip. But the individual stories they tell are all very interesting and unexpectedly heart-wrenching. From a preacher's interactions with an unusually simple-minded tribe of indigenous people, to a teacher's desperate plight to save his daughter's life, to a private investigator's emotional attachment to a client who's murder she has been investigating, every single one of these stories touched me in some way. There are sequels to this novel and I will definitely be seeking them out. ( )

When I read the German translation of the book I was disappointed. Maybe I was in the wrong mood, maybe it's the translation's fault, I can't tell for sure anymore. 2 years later the situation has changed completely and I was blown away. There are some parts of the book I like better than others, but the whole concept and the emotional touch of the stories makes this an outstanding read. Highly recommended. ( )

When I read the German translation of the book I was disappointed. Maybe I was in the wrong mood, maybe it's the translation's fault, I can't tell for sure anymore. 2 years later the situation has changed completely and I was blown away. There are some parts of the book I like better than others, but the whole concept and the emotional touch of the stories makes this an outstanding read. Highly recommended. ( )

Pre09:

Epic and plodding.

Characters: Some I liked. Some I didn't. With this many, I think that will always be the case.
Plot: There wasn't one plot. It basically was just a bunch of short stories running simultaneously.
Style: Epic Science Fiction. Too cumbersome for me in the end. If I want short stories I'll read short stories. If I want an epic I'd rather have some consistent characters. ( )