El M

I’m a very harsh judge of fantasy books and tv shows. I didn’t think much of Eragon (just the word Dragon with an E) or Sanderson but I’ve been reading Tolkien since I was 9 years old. Jordan, Martin, Moorcock, Beagle, Weiss and Hickman.Those were the authors I grew up reading. I’m a harsh judge of the genre because I have such a deep respect for it. Which is why I don’t just mindlessly get excited over dragons and bad dialogue. I’m also not impressed by incredibly complex worlds with little cohesion. I was simply looking for something new to watch. I only meant to watch the preview because frankly I’m busy writing my own fantasy story. The main character looked like one of the characters in my own story. But instead of the preview playing it just started playing the show. I had something in my hand so I just let it play. Fully expecting it to be horribly written with poorly developed plot points.I was online shopping while the main characters got into their strides. It was the Sepulcher scene that won me over! The second the knock came at the door I was fully invested! I closed my laptop which is something I rarely do anymore. I found myself on a journey with them! Everything the character’s felt I was feeling. A few times I found myself warning the characters out loud! The dialogue is worlds better than anything I’ve seen in the fantasy genre on screen in years. The plot points make sense. If you’ve been consuming the fantasy genre as I have in the past 20 years or so with disappointment and a longing for a return to stories with a well built foundation. This is your show! Both the original Dutch author and the screenwriters have an understanding of the foundations of the British Literary tradition and it shows! The supporting characters are a joy to watch. They have the familiar feeling of Rand and Mat. Also mixed with a little Merry and Pippin. Up to now most attempts at including a diverse cast in a genre that formerly only catered to the status quo has been a failure in my opinion. This show has finally broken through the layers of sludge to reveal a gem hidden underneath! What are you waiting for ? Turn off the lights, get your popcorn and head to the Sepulcher to start your journey as a knight!