Sonja P.'s Reviews > First Rider's Call

Since I read Lord of the Rings when I was younger, I have had a soft spot for high fantasy. I admit it-I love the sprawling epics and the magic and the long history and the unwritten rules that most of them seem to follow. However, every now and then, I find my appreciation for genre is completely overwhelmed by the ridiculousness of the enterprise.
Green Rider/First Rider’s Call falls into the latter. I so wanted to like it. Its something sixteen year old me would probably have gobbled up immediately and adored, but over time you begin to tire of the old tropes a little. Okay, so first of all, we have to address the names. Fantasy names are fun and entertaining, and I even love the Glorfindels and Thranduils, but OH MY GOD BRITAIN. Okay, okay, so first the main character is karigan g'ladheon. Oh, you like that Apostrophe? THE MEANINGLESS APOSTROPHE WHERE A VOWEL SHOUD GO? Well, strap in champer damper, because there’s a ton more right ahead. So Karigan gets into a fight at school (fighting the big evil bully naturralllly, who just so happens to be super rich and connected to SUPER EVIL. OH NO), and she gets expelled. So she’s about to go home and she comes across wait-for-it F'ryan coblebay, who was killed in the middle of trying to give A VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE so Karigan has to go in his stead. (Did I mention the King’s name here? King Zachary. You have F’ryan and Hadriax el Fex but nope. Main King’s name is Zachary. YES YES TELL US MORE. The king by the way, seems to follow President fitz’s rules of being a Great Leader. AKA-everyone else is constantly telling you he’s great so he must be SO GREAT AND SPECIAL without any actual proof because who needs that, and of course Karigan is going to have FEELINGS for him. Like seriously. Seriously? BUT THEY MUST BE UNREQUITED. Because of court. And nobles. And stuff. Yes, yes real stuff).
Also, speaking of the special snowflake train, hello Karigan. Karigan is so super duper special. She’s the specialist creature that ever walked on two legs, even though she is constantly being told how to solve all her problems by ghosts and SHE NEVER LISTENS AND EVERYTHING GETS WORSE. Like seriously, a ghost will straight up show up and be like “Yes, go here and do this” and girlfriend is all “Uh I don’t knooooww. So daaarkk and mysterriooouuusss”.
Like don’t get me wrong, its definitely a fully developed world with elf-stand-ins and magic and big walls that Must Not Be Breached, and there’s some fun to be had, but come on man. I just want a little more. The first book was a little more straightforward fun, but the second book felt so much more paint by numbers, AND it didn’t feel like much happened. And Karigan says ridiculous things all the time. Like the people are poor and protesting, but I’m rich but that’s okay because my father earned his money, and the King is good and their concerns are so so invalid and ridiculous. EATING. PSHAW.
I did not mean this to get so ranty. I mean, I enjoyed the adventure, but there was so much eye-rolling, and I just wanted a little more. But if your deal is straightforward fantasy in the vein of Goodkind and Co, then go forth! Go forth you R’ders you!