Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #307581 in Books
• Published on: 2002-08-09
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 608 pages

Synopsis
A landmark publication in the world of Fantasy writing In a world where creatures of legend haunt the lands of men, and to be caught outside after dark means almost certain death, the inhabitants of Isse Tower are amazed when a mute, starving foundling is discovered outside their gates. With no recollection of her name or past, the girl soon realizes that her only hope of happiness lies in distant Caermalor, where a wise woman might be able to restore her memories. To get there, Imrhien must survive a wilderness of endless danger. Lost and pursued by unhuman wights, Imrhien is saved by Thorn, a mysterious, handsome ranger who becomes her protector-and the object of her hopeless love. But unknown to them, a dark force summons the Unseelie, and malignant hordes amass in the night.

Customer Reviews

HEEEEEELLLLPPPPP!!!!!!
The only reason this got a star, is because you cannot submit a review without at least that. Amazon really should look into an option of negative star rating. If you like long lists, and unnecessary discriptions of everything (and I do mean everything) this is the book for you. As for me, I think this should be used as a replacement for community service for offenders, as I can almost guarantee there would be no repeat offending if they were threatened with the rest of this series. I was stupid enough and stubborn enough to keep going and read the entire series. Its sort of like the old joke about banging your head against a wall for an hour; its really painful while you are doing it but it is so so good when you finally stop. I felt I needed to warn anyone else who was thinking of banging their head against this particular wall, DON'T DO IT!

Awww, the synopsis gave the surprise away...
For me there was a rather large twist a short ways in and the synopsis gave it away... No surprise for readers >:(

...That she was in fact a girl was a surprise to me. I did not see it coming... possibly because I was eleven at the time.

It is rather hard to get into... but if you are a fan of tolkien and the like, it will be right up your alley.

It is wonderful, touching and enjoyable. the sequals are also brilliant in their own rght but neither can match up to the first book.

Disappointing & Confusing
Take a large amount of folklore (wights, waterhorsese, will o the wisps), add most of an obscure dictionary, an amount of bad poetry and way too many minor characters, squish them all into one book with a sprinkling of inspiration and you get The Ill-Made Mute. I did enjoy the opening scenes and the main character's bewilderment about who or what they might be, and what this place they find themselves in is, but when the bewilderment of the reader continues at about page 150 and I've read enough description consisting of lists and have only a vague idea of what this world is and what we're about its time to call a halt.

This was terrible, far too ambitious a project, badly constructed and epic in the "tedious, needs an editor" sort of way. A lot of the ideas were good but when you find yourself skimming past flying ships and winged horses to find the storyline and waiting for things to slot into place, its not a good sign. I didn't actually finish this and was very glad I only borrowed it from the library.