The reviewer appreciates Martin's departure from typical fantasy tropes, but finds the book lacking in wonder, ideals, and heroism. They criticize the replacement of these elements with a darker, more cynical tone. The reviewer also notes that the book's complexity and depth are commendable, but not enough to fully engage them.
The reviewer acknowledges that Martin's approach to fantasy is different from the usual archetypal stories of heroes, villains, and profound loves. They appreciate the attempt to move away from cliches, but feel that the book falls short in terms of wonder, ideals, and heroism. The reviewer criticizes the replacement of these elements with a darker, more cynical tone, which they find less engaging. They also note that the book's complexity and depth are commendable, but not enough to fully capture their interest. Overall, the reviewer finds the book to be a mixed bag, with some interesting aspects but also significant drawbacks.
Quick quotes
There are plenty of fantasy authors who claim to be doing something different with the genre.
Perhaps it was this abundance of cliche romances that drove Martin to aim for something different.
Like the post-Moore comics of the nineties, fantasy has already borne witness to a backlash against the upright,