King's Dragon (Crown of Stars #1) Book

I'm usually much too lazy to give reviews, but I felt obliged to write one for this series because I believe Elliott's writing is somewhat under-appreciated. Among the plethora of epic fantasy series that came out over the last 30 years, the Crown of Stars is relatively unknown, so I wanted to make it easier for people to decide whether to start on this 7-book series or not with no spoilers attached.

Language style: I guess it's comparable to George RR Martin's ASOIAF, not as intricate as that of Guy Gavriel Kay but more subtle than that of Robert Jordan or Brandon Sanderson. Personally I don't care much about the level of language used as long as the story gets across and I think people will have no problem with Elliot's writing itself.

World building: some people find too much effort is spent here but I disagree, being somewhat of a history buff. Elliot's rendition of an early-medieval society feels rich, alive and realistic. It is obvious that the author did a ton of research throughout the series. What's more commendable is how she blends it all seamlessly with a religion that is gender-equal. Even if you don't care much for history, the parallels and anti-parallels between Elliot's and the real world is quite obvious so most people should be able to appreciate it.

Characters: another strong point, I found that the characters behaved consistently with well explored motivations. Though at times, a couple of antagonists are a bit too arrogant and presumptuous to feel entirely real, the justification here being their faith and noble birth, though it may just be me being a modern-day atheist. Some people point out that it's hard to connect with the protagonists in this series and it's partially justified. Keep in mind though that this is a 7-book series with a main story that spans better part of a decade and Elliot has kept character development mostly to a slow pace, which feels realistic for me but frustrating to many. And unlike in ASOIAF or Wheel of Time where some protagonists gain great political/military power over the course of the series, the harsh realities of the feudal society is painfully reflected in the Crown of Stars.

Pacing: I think this is the main reason for the lukewarm reception of this series. There are lots of well depicted maneuvering both politically and on the battlefield, but when compared to many other fantasy series these days it feels just a bit too far in between. Many people complain, especially in the middle of the series, that the story crawls gradually forward at a snail's pace (a common problem with epic fantasies really). So it comes down to whether you appreciate the character interactions sufficiently in the meantime to overcome the frustration. For me it was never a problem because first of all, I do not expect speedy resolution from an epic fantasy, and second, by that time I was too firmly attached to the fates of Liath, Sanglant, and Alain not to continue. So if you have problems finishing books like Crossroads of Twilight or A Feast for Crows then I would not recommend this series to you.

Crown of Stars cannot compete with The Wheel of Time for its sheer scope, nor can it compete with ASOIAF for the depth of its political intrigue, and it certainly cannot compete with LotR for the amount of heroic action. Nevertheless, by incorporating all these classical elements of a good epic fantasy into her own creatively imagined and well realized world, Kate Elliot gave us a complete fantasy series that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.