Flights of Fantasy

A Darkness at Sethanon, By Raymond E. Feist

2007-07-06T22:36:00.000-05:00

It’s one year since Arutha returned from his quest and cured Anita of the deadly poison. With one thing or another (new-born twin boys being part of it) he’s almost managed to forget that Murmandamus is still a threat. Almost, because the Mockers tell him that the Nighthawks are back in Krondor, most likely trying to kill him again. For Murmandamus will stop at nothing to kill Arutha, for once he is dead, Murmandamus will be able to carry out his evil plan, free of impediment. And it is an evil plan, for it involves the end of life for every creature living on Midkemia, and the return of an ancient evil that many have thought long destroyed.

Now this is the book that I wanted during Silverthorn. Silverthorn’s more like a prologue than a book. It’s long enough to be a book, but in terms of the series its importance is very minor. I know we all love Anita but she could have died without the plot being seriously impacted, for there was no need to add in another book. But this one definitely deserves its status. A Darkness at Sethanon is certainly a ‘fate of the world’ book, and even ‘fate of the worlds.’ For this evil is so evil, that it threatens every world, and not just Midkemia. I would like to name that evil, and some of you might even be able to guess it, but I won’t spoil it for the rest of you. Lets just say it’s really spiffy.

Feist certainly pulls out the stops on making this book hard to predict. He does things I wouldn’t expect, characters show up in a surprising fashion, and it’s exciting! I will have to go on in a slightly spoilery manner for a bit for the rest of the paragraph, because this is too good to keep silent about. We get to meet Black Guy! We’ve heard about him, and heard about him, and now we get to meet him. He was kind of a strange character before, because we never got to meet him. We only had hearsay, and all of that was bad. He was momentously important to the plot of the first two books, and we never have a scene with him. Interesting, isn’t it? I wasn’t expecting him to show up, but he does, and brings a cool city along with him. And it explodes! We get to have an exploding city! I just wish I could see that on film.

A Darkness at Sethanon is not the best book in the Riftwar Saga, but it is not the worst. I would put it on par with Magician: Apprentice, just below Magician: Master. And as this draws the Riftwar Saga to a close, I would advise all of you to find yourself copies of it to read, for although it has its generic moments, Feist conquers them with good skill and opens up a new world for us to explore. And that’s always good fun.

Silverthorn, By Raymond E. Feist

2007-07-04T17:06:00.000-05:00

A year after the defeat of the Tsurani and the ascension of Lyam to the Kingship, Arutha to Prince of Krondor, and Martin to Duke of Crydee, things are starting to settle down. At least, enough for Arutha to make plans to marry Princess Anita. But life is not as smooth as many think, just ask Jimmy the Hand. As a master thief he sees all kinds of dark plots, not the least of which is the attempted assassination of Arutha, which leads them all into a swirl of intrigue and danger. For on the day of Arutha’s wedding, Jimmy foils another plot to take Arutha’s life, but only by misdirecting the crossbow bolt to hit Anita instead. If it was only the wound, Anita could hope to recover quickly, but there is poison at work which will steal her life unless a cure can be found. The only clue Arutha has is the name of the poison: ‘silverthorn.’ Because of a strong magic laid upon Anita by Pug, she now exists between moments, waiting until Arutha can return to her with the cure.

Oh, you foolish people who thought the Riftwar Saga was over, but no! It has returned again! And brought back with it a most engaging character whom we have seen briefly before, by the name of Jimmy. I don’t think I’ve ever read of a thief as a main character that wasn’t clever, quick, funny, etc. I don’t think authors can write them any other way. Not the least of which reason is the fact that only certain people are attracted to/are good at that profession, and so a stereotype is born. That aside, Jimmy does his part well carrying the plot forward, and lets us in for a great long running joke. ‘Well, you still need a Duke of Krondor.’ You’ll just have to read it to see why that is so good. And though Arutha is the main character and everyone is trying to kill him, he doesn’t seem to accomplish half as much as Jimmy, except nearly getting killed a lot.

Silverthorn doesn’t seem to have much to do with the rest of the Riftwar saga. Except for the fact that it is indeed the same world, same characters, and takes place only one year after the last book ended, I thought the Riftwar with the Tsurani was over. Unless Feist is trying to refer to something else, and in that case…Sadly I don’t think Silverthorn is as good an effort as Magician: Master, despite the fact that I like what goes on in it. A for effort, B for execution. In the sense that it feels like the fate of the world should hang on a plot’s shoulders, but all we’re doing is finding a cure for Anita. Which is a good thing, don’t get me wrong, but the fate of the world is more interesting. It’s fun enough to read, but not much else.

Magician: Master, By Raymond E. Feist

2007-07-03T12:33:00.001-05:00

The war between the people of Midkemia and the Tsurani has been stretching on for over six long years. There have been many casualties on both sides, but the truth is that the Tsurani have more resources and are slowly winning the war. But the Midkemians will not give up without a fight. One man well known for his battle prowess is Tomas, Pug’s old friend. For when he first donned the enchanted armor the dragon gave him, he started transforming into something the world had not seen since the Chaos Wars. A deadly force unfettered by anything except for Tomas’ own humanity and the strivings of those around him. The Valheru were terrible and without mercy: to unleash one once again on the world would be to cause its utter destruction. But for now the evil sleeps restlessly, allowing Tomas to protect that which he cares about. But Tomas is not the only one trying to protect the world; even though Pug has long since been captured by the Tsurani he has not forgotten his home, nor his wish to help end the war. For although he has been a slave for six long years, hiding his magical abilities, the truth will out and soon he must train to control his magic, for the fate of two worlds rests on his abilities.

I love melodramatic summaries. I can’t seem to escape them. So I give in to the inevitable and embrace the horrific corniness of it all. After all, this is fantasy, and that is why I read it.

Tomas was certainly an interesting character in the last book, just starting to come into the dragon’s gift. But I couldn’t really say anything about him, as he didn’t pertain to the plot much in the last book. But he certainly comes out in spades in this one, and I think manages to be more interesting than Pug sometimes. Probably because he’s got more issues and dark personalities are always more intriguing. And the fact that Pug doesn’t seem to do much in this book, other than show us some interesting things about Kelewan, explode things with his magic, and give speeches. Not too many speeches, but he seems to do more talking than anything. He’s changed a lot from the impetuous keep boy, but Tomas has certainly turned out more interesting.

There were some definitely cool scenes to read. The history of Kelewan was very good and very interesting to see take place. The Straits of Darkness was definitely fun, as was finding out about the trio of brothers. Common device with the whole unknown parentage thing, but done well in regards to the end, although ‘civil war!’ was overdone a bit in my opinion. Every three pages near the end was saying, ‘if we do this, civil war will happen!’ A bit much. And Feist continued in his tradition of making the beginning of each chapter a blank statement, but it annoyed me less this time around. Hopefully he’ll grow out of it in time.

All in all a very satisfactory read, with good characters, interesting plot, and magics diverse. I’ll give good marks to it and to Feist for coming up with this world.

Villains by Necessity, By Eve Forward

2007-06-29T16:42:00.000-05:00

I usually don’t like to review books out of order, or to stick in a random book when I’m already reviewing a series, but this was too good to pass up. I randomly picked it up at a library in hopes that it would prove moderately interesting, and I was not disappointed. This book seems to be made for this day and age, when the most interesting characters are those that are not black and white, but dwell in shades of grey. We love the anti-hero, the person who might be termed evil or bad but who has a surprising conscience or instinct to do good once in a while. I admit that I feel the lure of these characters, even though I still love those unconquerable heroes of good who are what they are even in the face of death. But I’m getting farther and farther from my point. And that point is, what happens to your book when all your heroes are villains?

Villains by Necessity takes place in a world where good has already triumphed over evil, triumphed so well that it has banished evil forever. So the world prospers, with peace and harmony and happiness positively brimming everywhere you look. Even the thieves and assassins have all retired to take up the good occupations of farming and shopkeeping. All except for Sam and Arcie. Sam is quite possibly one of the best assassins in the world, especially now that all the rest have retired. Arcie was the Guildmaster for the thieves, before they all retired. Now their professions are obsolete and they are the last of a dying breed, barely able to feed themselves. But soon they find themselves joining a band of fellow villains in order to save the world. Or more properly, to put it back to the way it was. For the world must exist in balance, with good struggling against evil, for in conflict there is life. With the ultimate destruction of evil, good has grown too strong and soon the world and even the entire universe will immolate itself in light. Even though cooperation is foreign to this dark company, sheer self-interest keeps them together. For if they do not cooperate, they will all die, and if there is once thing evil understands, it is self-preservation.

In a complete reversal of the traditional epic sword and sorcery tale, the forces of evil are called upon to save the world. And instead of the armies of evil arraying against them, the well-meaning armies of good try tooth-and-nail to stop them from undoing all their hard work. They already banished evil, and they see no reason to let it back into the world. This upside down story pokes great fun at the traditional fantasy story, while availing itself of the worst of its clichés. But therein lies its humor. Rarely does a book ever make me laugh out loud—not that I don’t think many books are funny, but there it is—but I could not help myself at one point. If you read it, and I hope you will, just beware of the tile with magic ability. Actually the whole sequence around that is marvelous. Our six anti-heroes meet one on one with some of the forces of good in underground tunnels. And according with their characters, they act appropriately. That’s all I’m going to say.

I didn’t really have high hopes when I started this book, I wasn’t expecting anything special. But I found such good tale-weaving that smacked the fantasy genre in its face. We get to look at evil from the inside, and to look at good from the outside. At that distance one can very much look like the other. It is rare that a character will stick with me after I finish reading a book, but Sam is one I don’t think I’ll forget quickly. No book is without faults, but I am going to highly recommend everyone to go out and find this book to read. It is really well suited to this newer trend in fantasy, and well deserves any attention it can get. It would also make a great movie, a kind of Lord of the Rings antithesis that I think would be very popular. A group of villains that must save the world: you can’t get much more ironic than that.

Magician: Apprentice, By Raymond E. Feist

2007-06-28T12:54:00.000-05:00

Pug is a very ordinary boy of the castle of Crydee. His dreams are much like that of the other boys his age: to be chosen as an apprentice to a Master of the keep, and come into manhood. But when the choosing ceremony takes place, something goes horribly wrong. No Master is willing to take him as an apprentice—except for the Duke’s magician, Kulgan. And even though being a magician isn’t quite a proper calling, Pug accepts because he has no other real option. His studies in magic go very slowly, and soon it is apparent that his magic might in fact be different from the only sort of magic practiced in Midkemia. For instead of needing to read a spell off a scroll, Pug can recite it from memory; unheard of in the magical world. But his studies are soon interrupted by a most startling of events. It appears that somewhere in the wilderness surrounding Crydee, an alien race from another world is preparing to invade. They call themselves the Tsurani, and are fierce fighters, rather fighting to the death than be taken alive. Soon this simple boy is finding himself getting swept along with the Duke’s household in an attempt to understand these strange people, and find a way to stop the Tsurani from conquering their world.

Magician: Apprentice is the first book of the Riftwar Saga, and in more ways than one it seems a typical fantasy series. We’ve got elves, dwarves, wizards, simple boys becoming much more than they were, and a thoroughly cliché sounding book. It’s not really, even though some parts made me snort because of how generic they were. Especially the haunted dwarven mine beneath the mountain sequence. Especially that. But the mere fact of the Tsurani make the book more than just a rehashing of the common quest motif. It spins it off into a different direction that is very interesting to read about, especially the fact that the Tsurani have very little metal but make all of their tools and weapons out of coated wood/paper that is almost as strong as steel.

Feist writes an interesting world filled with strange and interesting people and events. The characters are more than simple cutouts, with complex motives and feelings. There is an aura of mystery surround the story that entices you further and further until the book is at an end and you are searching around you for the sequel. Feist is not a perfect writer, he has a few issues with the need to describe everything, and the strange and only slightly annoying habit of starting each chapter with a blank statement like, ‘so and so looked out the window.’ Or, ‘the day was sunny.’ As I said, it’s odd, but only slightly annoying when you notice it. The good of the rest of the book far outweighs the bad of this ‘problem,’ and lets you slip into another world, which is what a good book should do.

The Skies of Pern, By Anne McCaffrey

2007-06-07T10:06:00.000-05:00

Now that the Red Star has been shifted out of its close orbit to Pern, many are wondering what will happen to dragonriders After. After this pass, thread will cease to fall, and dragonriders will not be needed in their former capacity. But the Weyrs realize that this will happen, and so are trying to learn skills that will support them After. But before the end of the Pass, Pern must face a new danger. Thread is not all that falls from the sky, and whether they wish it or not Pern sees dragonriders as responsible for skyward menaces. Dragon flame is useless against a meteorite, but a new ability is emerging in dragonkind, one that Aivas himself predicted they contained, but until now had not revealed itself. Whatever may happen After, dragons and their riders are still responsible for the skies of Pern!

Most of the story focuses on F’lessan, son of Lessa and F’lar, and Tai, green rider out of Monaco weyr. Their mutual interest in astronomy draws them together, and even when disaster strikes they will not leave each other. I admit this book has a place in my heart because I’ve never read a book that had my name as a main character, let alone any character at all. It makes me happy, but I realize that I can’t let my judgment be skewed by such a thing as that. Although, it is nice.

The Skies of Pern is the sad effect of an author running out of ideas for interesting stories in her universe. McCaffrey has made thread not such a menace anymore, and so must desperately search for any idea to carry a story forward. Now, the basic ideas contained in The Skies of Pern are decent ideas, but the climaxes happen too early, and we’re left with at least a hundred pages in which things are still happening, but not as interesting as they were before. This is what happens when you try to stretch a series further than it should go. Not to say I don’t like it, but I know what its issues are.

Like most Pern books, I enjoy reading them for adventure, derring-do, and amazing feats of bravery. The Skies of Pern definitely contains all three, whatever it’s shortcomings as a whole. It is a good book, though perhaps not as good as others that came before.

The Dolphins of Pern, By Anne McCaffrey

2007-05-21T13:56:00.000-05:00

Despite the fact that dolphins came with the original colonists to help them settle Pern, through a series of accidents and misfortunes they were soon forgotten to be intelligent creatures capable of working side by side with human beings. Most sailors would admit to having been saved by shipfish, pushed to shore etc, but talking to them? Never. In the ninth pass of the Red Star around Pern, many old things once thought lost are being discovered, and the humans’ partnership with dolphins is another. After the Masterfisher Alemi and his Holder’s son Readis were caught in a freak southern storm, their skiff overturned and shipfish brought them to shore. After it was over they swore to everyone that the shipfish had talked to them, and fortunately the Aivas machine could corroborate their tale. Thus rebegins the story of man’s partnership with dolphins, which hopefully will last longer than it did the first time.

I’ll start off saying this really isn’t my favorite Pern book. Really, it’s not one of the better ones in terms of writing either. This is a great example of McCaffrey’s failing as a writer, sad as it is to say and harsh as it sounds. Otherwise normal characters just start inexplicably reacting in ways that are not normal, only for the purpose of a plot point for McCaffrey. She needs them to react that way and they do, even if it is not consistent with their character. Like Aramina and Jayge reacting to Readis and the dolphins. Totally irrational and inconsistent with how they should have reacted. Toric, for another example, reacting to the way his plan was thwarted. Just the way he expressed himself was not right, and that bugged me.

My favorite part was when Readis finally ran away from home and had to survive on his own. I’ll admit that I’m a big fan of adventure stories and people surviving in the rough, but even without this bias it’s a better part of the book. No irrational characters, or less, life is more interesting etc, but sadly this is only a short part of the book. The dolphins are cool in and of themselves, but the rest of the book is not enough to inspire much interest. If you want a good story with dolphins, go read the Chronicles of Pern: First Fall. That has a much better story with dolphins. As much as I don’t like to do this, I’m going to say you should give the Dolphins of Pern a miss. It’s just not worth your time.

All the Weyrs of Pern, By Anne McCaffrey

2007-05-19T19:58:00.000-05:00

At the end of the Renegades of Pern, Jaxom, Piemur, and Jancis discovered the Aivas building in Landing, and despite what else was lacking in the abandoned settlement, Aivas more than made up for it. Aivas is the Artificial Intelligence Voice Address System of the settlers, and contains their total knowledge and history. Now Pern finally has access to it’s denied and forgotten past, and maybe even a chance to rid Pern of Thread, once and for all. But that promise will take a lot of work to fulfill, and not all appreciate what Aivas is doing for Pern. Some are just frightened of this ‘talking wall’ because it is strange, others fear it because of the change it brings. But the Weyrs approve of whatever Aivas tells them to do, because he may help them complete their prime purpose: to destroy Thread for all time.

Okay, I’m just going to geek out for a minute. I absolutely love this book! It is most definitely my favorite of all the Pern novels. I thought before that it was pretty much on level with the White Dragon, but after my reread I have to reassess that. All the Weyrs is so much better! It is definitely some of McCaffrey’s best writing work, showing the culmination of her Pern efforts, without being slightly stale as the later books are. But oh! What happiness is held therein. This really combines the best of science fiction and fantasy. I mean, of course it’s science fiction because of all the technology etc, but it borders on fantasy because of the dragons. It’s just great! A well written world always needs a sense of history behind it to back it up, and as we’re discovering Pern’s, it just gets more and more exciting.

Plot spoilers are going to ensue for a bit, just because I can’t not talk about them. Okay, the blowing up of the Red Star is really cool, but talk about a sad ending. I mean, the death of Master Robinton? He’s one of the best characters, aside from Jaxom. Now there’s a character I don’t want to die. But in a way it makes sense, from all that McCaffrey did to lead up to this. Aside from that, dragons in space is one of the funniest ideas if you think about it. It really sounds like a bad B-science fiction movie, one that couldn’t make up it’s mind, ‘Now tune in for Dragons in Space!’ But the talents of dragons make EV walks even safer. All they have to do is hop between. And I think that was a great twist, making Jaxom have to jump back between times to deliver the engines. Makes things much more dramatic.

I’m going to unashamedly proclaim this the peak of McCaffrey’s Pern series. There are other good ones, but this is the best. All the Weyrs of Pern delivers good characters, good plot, all in an exciting package. A happy read for any who pick it up.

The Renegades of Pern, By Anne McCaffrey

2007-05-15T11:40:00.000-05:00

The holdless of Pern are such for many reasons. Some of them were turned out of their holds because they were unproductive. Others were made holdless because of crimes such as stealing, murder etc. Some voluntarily left their holds because of an unjust Lord Holder, and still others are holdless by choice: the traveling traders. All of these people have one thing in common: while being holdless is not an enviable position, during an Interval it is not a terrible life. But during a Pass, with Thread falling everywhere, not having a hold becomes a problem of life and death. Most Holders do not trust the holdless, calling them thieves and worse. Some of them aren’t, and some of them are. One such is Thella, lady of the Telgar bloodline, and sister to the current Lord Larad. She runs away from Telgar Hold because her ambitious spirit will not allow her to be under anyone’s control. So she forms a band of holdless men and steals what they need from other Holds in order to survive. But their raids are done with difficulty, as low flying dragons put a crimp on unseen movement. But Thella hears of a girl in the Igen low caverns who can hear dragons, and such a girl would be very useful to her and her schemes.

There’s really not much else to add, unless to say that Thella discovers some unexpected resistance to her plans and much drama ensues. And to say that while I like younger Jayge as a good character, as soon as we see him down South he really can’t hold my interest anymore. The same with Aramina. She’s more interesting when she’s younger, and not so much when she’s older. I think that’s a failing of McCaffrey, but it’s the failing of every author, really. It’s hard to make characters grow up believably, and change over time. She’s done it before, but not so well with these.

The Renegades of Pern is a very different sort of book than the rest of the Pern novels. It’s a very disjointed tale in a way, as there are more povs than normally appear. There are a lot of stories being told by different people, and we jump back and forth regularly. While this gives the reader a good look at all different sorts of lifestyles, it makes for ungainly reading. Certain parts are interesting and attention grabbing, but the constant switching back and forth makes it hard to stay interested. This book suffers from an overabundance of people and plotlines. In my opinion it’s one of the weaker Pern novels, and definitely isn’t as exciting a read.

Dragonsinger, By Anne McCaffrey

2007-05-13T14:21:00.001-05:00

Menolly has come much further than she would have imagined when she ran away to live in the fire lizard cave. After trying to outrun threadfall, she was taken to Benden Weyr where Masterharper Robinton discovered that she was Petrion’s lost apprentice and convinced her to return with him to the Harper Hall. It wasn’t very hard for him to convince her, for this was Menolly’s dream. But life at the Hall is very different in some ways than she imagined. Unfortunately, people are the same everywhere you go, and suspicions and jealousy are common emotions. Menolly desperately tries to fit in, but with nine fire lizards, that just isn’t possible. Now she is unsure if she really belongs in the Harper Hall, but there doesn’t seem to be anything else she can do, other than run away again.

Dragonsinger, as you may have noticed, is the second book of the Harper Hall trilogy, and continues the story of Menolly of Half Circle Sea hold. All of her dreams seem to have come true, except for some truly nasty people at the Hall who make life miserable for her. Pona is a piece of work, but she’s also really stupid, and you wonder if a person like her could even exist. Character believability is questioned a bit, but she’s fun to hate. We’ve got some new friends as well, namely Piemur who is really quite engaging and funny. I can see him so clearly in my head, and he’s one of the characters who makes me wish this were a movie that I could watch.

Dragonsinger is a very different book than Dragonsong, but in all the right ways. The Harper Hall is very different than the sea hold or Benden Weyr, so life should be different. Menolly seems to mature quickly, while adapting to her new life. It’s odd, while the book is about her, I don’t know if she is a strong enough character to carry it well. I mean, she’s definitely not McCaffrey’s best, but she isn’t her worst. Menolly is just there, while other characters are There! But all in all it’s a fun book, with the Gather scene definitely the best in the book. So much fun to be had, and so much excitement. The visuals I see when I read are so vivid, that I keep coming back and rereading these books. They’re well worth the read, and much shorter if you don’t have the time for a full length novel.

Dragonsong, By Anne McCaffrey

2007-05-12T11:12:00.000-05:00

Now this is a different sort of trilogy for Anne McCaffrey. It has often been referred to as a more young adult take on Pern, but to say that would be to disparage it for all the adults who might enjoy it. Dragonsong is the first of the Harper Hall trilogy, and it follows the life of young Menolly, who we have seen mostly in The White Dragon. We have gotten hints of her past before, but now the fully story is out.

Menolly was born daughter to Yanus Holder of Half-Circle Sea hold. A sea hold is a hard place to live, and requires a serious mind. Yanus supplies all of that, and sometimes more. This is not a good place for Menolly, whose only friend is the old harper Petrion. She loves to sing and play, and has already written music (disparagingly called tunes by her family) but she is looked down upon for this, like it might disgrace the Hold. When Petrion dies she is left alone and is set with the worst tasks to keep her out of the way of the new Harper. Her parents think that she is too old for this music nonsense, and that she should become a productive member of the Hold. But Menolly longs for music, and she cannot last without it. Eventually she realizes that living holdless might be a better existence, even with the danger of Threadfall. But Menolly also has a secret she hasn’t shared with anyone: she has discovered fire lizards down the coast, and she would rather live with them than anyone else.

Okay, maybe not my best summary, but it’s hard to give just enough of the story without giving it all away. It’s really more interesting than I’m making it sound. It is also awkward to place the story chronologically, because the Harper Hall trilogy begins somewhere in the middle of Dragonquest, and ends somewhere in The White Dragon. Makes it hard to put in order on my bookshelf. But really all Dragonsong is, is a scaled down version of a normal Pern book. It’s smaller, yes, but in no way is McCaffrey’s writing style changed or lessened. I don’t know how to explain it other than that: just a smaller Pern book. Just as good a book, for Menolly is an engaging character, and you come to care for her. At least I do. She’s a very sympathetic character, and her fire lizards are quite the treat. All nine of them.

The White Dragon, By Anne McCaffrey

2007-05-12T08:51:00.000-05:00

As the third book in the Dragonriders of Pern trilogy, The White Dragon really is the best of the three. And while the character of Jaxom has been revealed since book one, this book is entirely about him and Ruth, the dragon he inadvertently impressed in Dragonquest. And in an odd way, I almost think the entire trilogy is about Jaxom. I mean, a lot happened that didn’t concern him, but the trilogy started with his birth (while F’lar and Fax dueled) and follows his life in a vague sort of way until The White Dragon, where it’s all about him. And I have to say, straight up, that I think Jaxom is the best of McCaffrey’s writing, both as a character and the way he is written. I could never sympathize with Lessa, F’nor was a good character, and Robinton is an amazing man, but Jaxom just takes it to a whole new level. I’m always more interested when he’s around, and the stories involved with him are always better. Not to mention the fact that McCaffrey is getting better at writing by the time she gets to White Dragon. But for the plot summary, after the introductory remarks:

Jaxom is the son of Fax the usurper and Gemma, born after his mother had died, and destined to become Lord Holder of Ruatha after he is old enough. Lytol (former dragonrider) is his guardian, and he has worked hard to bring Ruatha back to its former prosperity. In fact, Lytol has done an amazing job, which makes life even harder for Jaxom. The teenage years are mostly known for their angst and the feeling that nothing fits right, and Jaxom has this in spades. He’s too young to be confirmed as Lord Holder of Ruatha and unwilling to kick Lytol out unceremoniously, and he’s also not allowed to fly Ruth in a fighting wing because of the danger, on top of the normal angsty teenage feelings. He’s not allowed to be anything fully, and that eats at him. Now, this is the point where most people would stop reading this review and ask why they would want to read just one more teenage angsty book. And they’d be right, if this weren’t a book about Pern. I don’t believe that Jaxom ever gets truly annoying in expressing his feelings, which may or may not be realistic, but I could do without realism if I don’t have to sit through that. Furthermore, this is also an adventure story, with action and fun things galore that I can’t describe because that would ruin the plot. Let me just say that I think Jaxom is a stellar character in a stellar book.

I’m also slightly biased about this book, because this was the first McCaffrey book I ever read, so it has some slight sentimental value to me. But really, it is one of her better books in my opinion. The only ones to match it are The Masterharper of Pern and All the Weyrs of Pern. In my opinion. But Jaxom storylines always seem better written than other storylines, and this is a book of and about Jaxom. And it just keeps getting better and better as the book goes along. There’s a great kickoff of fun right after the firehead fever, but I have to stop there. I’ll just close this off with the remark that I love this book, and I hope that other people would read it and love it as much as me.

Dragonquest, By Anne McCaffrey

2007-05-10T17:50:00.001-05:00

Dragonquest is the second book of the Dragonriders of Pern trilogy. It continues the story of the planet Pern and its perennial fight against Thread. In Dragonflight, Lessa went back in time four hundred years to bring forward the six Weyrs of Pern that disappeared long ago. She now has cause to regret that brave act, as the Oldtimers are having trouble adjusting to all the changes that have occurred in 400 years. They are stirring up the resentment of the Lord Holders, Craftsmen, and commoners alike. Only Benden Weyr is looked upon with favor anymore. But F’lar is not in a position to demand anything of the other Weyrs, although he might wish to. Their narrow-mindedness and parochial attitudes are hurting Pern, and it is Pern F’lar is sworn to protect. The Oldtimers are making that difficult, and soon the task itself seems impossible when Thread starts falling out of pattern. F’lar must once again unite Pern despite the troubles that plague it, for if they do not unite, the planet will be ravaged so severely by Thread no one will survive.

The Oldtimers seemed like the answer to Pern’s problems, but now they’re causing more trouble than they’re worth. I just love how F’lar solves the problems that arise. I mean, I’d like to detail them all but that would spoil it for so many people. Let me just say that it is really cool and fun all the time. Lots of knife fights, the resurgence of fire lizards, and we get to see more of F’nor. F’nor is a wonderful man, and seeing him in love is also similarly wonderful. We meet Brekke, gold rider of Wirenth, who shows a lovely different side to being a rider. There are some truly detestable characters, as well as some very misguided ones. Lord Meron of Nabol (I don’t even want to use his title) and Kylara of Southern Weyr are quite the pair, quite the despicable pair.

It’s funny, I’m writing about the book and I keep remembering neat things that happen, and I’m realizing that so much happens in this book, more so in some ways than Dragonflight. Much more happens, and all of it is exciting with that flavor which is unmistakably McCaffrey. In this strange and unknown world where dragons live and bravery is called for every day, we lose a part of ourselves that is afraid and we long to be just as strong and decisive as these characters we read about. That to me is the mark of a good author: that the book will make me wish to be more than myself, more than ordinary. I won’t call McCaffrey the most talented of writers, but I will say she is quite good at what she does, in crafting interesting worlds and people to populate them.

Dragonflight, by Anne McCaffrey

2007-04-28T22:02:00.000-05:00

It is right before the ninth Pass of the Red Star around Pern, and the world is unprepared. Not only is there only one Weyr left out of six, but most Pernese don’t even believe in Thread anymore, and most Lords think that the dragonriders are parasites and anachronistic. But every day the Red Star grows closer, and some people are starting to take notice. Like Lessa, last of the proud line of Ruatha. Forced into hiding as a child to escape Fax’s murder of her entire family, she has lived only to regain her Hold. Fax’s conquest of Ruatha is a profitless one to him, and Lessa has worked hard that it might be so. But after years of waiting all is coming to fruition. With her powers she incites Fax into a duel with young F’lar, dragonrider of Benden Weyr. This starts a chain of events that Lessa could never have predicted, eventually leading her to become the Queen rider of Benden Weyr after impressing Ramoth. But when the Weyr should be preparing for the next incursion of Thread, it just sinks further and further into decay. For Thread is coming, and Benden Weyr is unprepared, for how can one Weyr do the work of six that once protected Pern? Lessa must solve this riddle before it is too late, for time is running out.

What a dramatic summary. It’s kind of hard not to, sometimes. But that is the basic gist of the plot. It’s rather hard to like Lessa. Yes she is a strong female character, written in a time when there weren’t many, but she’s not very likable. She’s headstrong, spiteful, sometimes childish, and definitely self-centered. She also displays McCaffrey’s weaknesses as a writer, namely that her motivations and emotions aren’t always understandable. She acts or feels a certain way, but the reader never really finds out why she does. You just have to accept the fact that she does, even when it doesn’t make sense. That gets frustrating after a while. But I will defend F’lar and F’nor as some great characters. I like them much more than Lessa. Strong dedicated men worthy of their time. And Robinton! I love reading about him. A Character in all senses of the word.

Oh what fun! I just love dragons. The descriptions of flying, and between, and fighting Thread are just marvelous. The world of Pern is so wonderfully complex, and yet not ridiculously hard to understand. It is different enough to tantalize the imagination, but similar enough in structure. It harkens back a bit to medieval times (which most fantasies like to do) with Lords and Ladies, which gives it a bit of charm. It’s funny that we all love reading books like that, because most all of us would hate to live in a place like that. Unless you’re the top dog, you have no power and life is harsh. But the ideal is what makes it great to imagine.

The Masterharper of Pern, By Anne McCaffrey

2007-04-21T17:33:00.000-05:00

Robinton is born into the Harper Hall to Mastersinger Merelan and Mastercomposer Petrion. Both are brilliant and very much in love, but the addition of Robinton to the family strains their relationship. Petrion is very jealous of Merelan: her voice, time, and presence. The Hall has put up with Petrion’s eccentricities for a long time since he’s the most brilliant and talented composer of the century, but sad to say he’s not much of a father, only noticing his son when he does something wrong. But in a way this is all for the best, because Merelan notices that Robinton is not only very talented musically, he could also be classified as genius. At three years old he has perfect pitch and is already composing variations of music on a pipe. If Petrion were to realize too soon that his son were musically talented, it’s quite possible that he would push Robinton too fast and make him lose his love of music. But this is not to be, as the Masterharper of the Hall is a wise man who helps protect Robinton until he is old enough, for Pern will have need of him before long. The end of the interval is approaching, and the Harper Hall is falling into disfavor just like the Dragonriders. The Hall will need a strong personality to revitalize Pern and prepare for threadfall.

Very rarely do we get to see a character grow up, and the accompanying changes that occur. Most of the time we only see a section of a character’s life, and not most of it. Not that we see all of Robinton’s life, but we get to see a fair segment. I think it’s easier to write about brilliant children, because they are more often like adults in their reactions, which is easier to write about. Many times authors attempt to write from a child’s perspective and suddenly the child seems to be 20 years old. But McCaffrey manages to get past that by focusing on other pov’s until Robinton is old enough to carry the story, and making him a genius capable of a more mature personality.

For those who have been long time fans of Pern, The Masterharper of Pern is quite delightful, for Robinton appears many times later in the series, but this is a book of his own that explains his past and family. Robinton is such a character that he absolutely deserves his own book, and it’s great to read. It might not be the best of McCaffrey, but it is certainly one of her better.

Nerilka’s Story, By Anne McCaffrey

2007-04-07T22:34:00.000-05:00

Nerilka’s Story is almost an aberration in the world of Pern. It is the only book who’s sole purpose is to retell another story from a different perspective. So it’s not really a story in its own right, in a manner of speaking. It follows most of the same story as Moreta, only from Nerilka’s pov. So some things are different, but many conversations and events are just retold word for word the same.

Following tradition, however, I will give a short summary to pique your interest. Nerilka is one of the eldest daughters of the ‘Fort Hold Horde.’ Her younger sisters and her parents go to the Ruatha Gather, leaving Nerilka behind. Nerilka longs to see Ruatha and its new Lord Holder Alessan. Years ago Nerilka was fostered in another family who had a daughter named Suriana. For years they were the best of friends, and eventually Suriana married the young Alessan who was not yet Lord Holder. But there was a tragic accident and Suriana died, leaving both Nerilka and Alessan desolate. Ever since then Nerilka has felt drawn to Ruatha, and when her parents balk her wishes to go to the Gather she is terribly unhappy. But in a way it is all for the best that she did not go to the Gather, as she would likely have died there with her mother and sisters. But Nerilka will not sit idly by while people are sick and dying within her reach. Rebelling against her father’s unjust commands, Lady Nerilka leaves Fort Hold and becomes Rill, an ordinary person. As Rill she can nurse the sick, help the healers, and maybe even find her way to Ruatha.

So, we have Nerilka’s side of the story about the Great Plague. It’s interesting as far as it goes, and we get to see a little ways beyond the end of Moreta. But all in all it’s really not as interesting, as most will have already read the original story in Moreta. A lot of it repeats that book, as I said before, with little new information. You can give it a miss if you like, or if you just love to read about Pern, you don’t have to. But many other books in the series are more worthwhile to read if you can only read a few.

Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern, By Anne McCaffrey

2007-04-06T22:59:00.000-05:00

The end of the sixth pass of the Red Star is soon approaching, and all the world is waiting expectantly. Moreta, Weyrwoman of Fort Weyr, realizes that it is just under eight years till thread will cease to fall, and that life will dramatically change after that. But in the meanwhile, there is a Gather at Ruatha Hold to attend, and races to watch. Her enthusiasm for the runner races are usually looked down upon, but she finds an unexpected ally in the new Lord Holder of Ruatha, Alessan. Both enjoy the other’s company: Moreta, because he is as runner mad as she: Alessan, because Moreta is an interesting woman and being with her he can escape marriage prospects. Both enjoy the Gather immensely, but bad news is gathering in the wind. There had also been another Gather that day in Ista Hold, where a strange feline from the Southern Continent was displayed. But the gawkers and onlookers would pay an unexpected price: the feline was a carrier for a sickness that quickly spread through Hold, Weyr, and Crafthall. Masterhealer Capiam declares a quarantine for the entire continent, in hopes to halt the spread of this virulent sickness. But many have already been exposed, and with the two Gathers, many dragonriders went to both. And as the sickness ravages Pern, a worry almost as great is present: if the dragonriders all fall ill, who will protect Pern from Thread?

That was a rather long summary, but I kind of like it. This is a sad time in Pern’s history, with lots of tragedy and unhappiness. Moreta is really a character to identify with, and that is a good thing as she carries the book. One great thing is that we get to see dragon healing after Threadfall. That’s never been gone into in depth much, and it’s fun to watch. Moreta is also very different from other Queen riders that we see later on. In great contrast to Lessa, Moreta is much more easygoing, and her relationship to her dragon is very different. Ramoth is very broody and jealous, while Orlith is understanding and patient. It’s nice to see differences.

This book also corrected some of the faults of Dragonseye. There were many less povs to worry about, and the story climaxed at the appropriate time. As an entire book it is better, although tragedies are never quite wonderful. But for all it’s sadness, I cannot label it as a depressing book. Maybe that’s just me, but it is not entirely without happiness. There’s a lighter feel to it that more depressing books lack. But the chance to slip into the world of Pern is still a delight, made even more so by the complex society which inhabits it, as well as it’s fantastic inhabitants: the dragons!

Dragonseye, By Anne McCaffrey

2007-04-05T22:35:00.000-05:00

Moving on in Pernese history, we have come to the time right before the second Pass of the Red Star. Man and Dragon-kind are busy preparing for this second incursion, grateful for the forethought of their ancestors. Holds are being made ready and holders are being trained for groundcrews all over Pern, except for in Bitra. Lord Holder Chalkin refuses to believe that Thread will fall again: moreover he refuses to spend good marks on training his people, or even preparing his hold for Thread. The other Lord Holders and even the dragonriders cannot convince him of the necessity for preparation, and meanwhile he is mistreating his people abominably. There is talk of impeachment, but there must be a unanimous vote of all the Lord Holders, and depriving a hold of it’s leader is not to be done lightly in the best of times. But this is not the best of times, and as Threadfall approaches, Chalkin’s own holders become more and more desperate for protection, and he becomes more and more unwilling to supply it.

That’s really not the whole story. There’s a lot of little sub-plots and stories running around. I like them a lot, but I think they detract from the overall story. My problem is that there is no real climax: rather there are several. As soon as one ends, another won’t be far behind in ending, so that there seem to be at least three or four endings in this book. It would have been a truly amazing book if they had all coincided, but the tension is wasted as it is bled off little by little.

I love the story about Iantine and Debera, though. Iantine just seems so real, and that is his greatest asset as a character. I wish more of the book could have been about him, although he was in there quite a lot already. He was just more interesting than many others, and it’s a poor author that doesn’t take advantage of that. Dragonseye is also great for those of us who have already read most of the Pern books. It is a bridge between the early technological years, and the later Pernese culture that is so distinctive and interesting. We see some traditions as they begin, and others as they advance further. The beginning of teaching ballads, for one, as well as the finger and eye stones to alert the planet to a Pass.

But what are also the strengths of the book are its weaknesses, as I mentioned before. The multiplicity of the plot, as well as the many different characters both added and subtracted to the story as a whole. All connected very well together, but it is a mistake for an author to divide their attention too much when writing. Readers like only a few central characters to watch avidly, with some peripheries to flesh things out. Dragonseye is satisfactory in its dealings with characters and storylines, but lacking the direction that could have made it great.

The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall, By Anne McCaffrey

2007-04-04T10:04:00.000-05:00

The plot for this one is a bit hard to lay out, mostly because it is a collection of short stories about the early days of Pern. They fill in some of the gaps that some readers always wondered about, and are just plain fun at other times. We get to see the EEC survey team take the first look at Pern, Jim Tillek pilot an oddball flotilla of ships away from Landing after the Volcanoes blew, Red Hanrahan start a new Hold, and the beginning of Benden Weyr. There’s another story also included, but I’ll just leave that one up for a surprise. As is, there’s an embarrassment of story riches to look through and linger over.

I personally loved to have more time with Jim Tillek. Or should I say, any time. We’ve never gotten a good look at the Captain before, and now we see him in his element: the sea! It’s a crazy ride from Landing to Fort Hold, what with tropical storms, the Western Current, and threadfall. But with the sea-savvy of Tillek, and the abundant help of the dolphins, impossible tasks are done, and history is made! At least, it should have been, if anyone had ever remembered to record it for later times. This particular story might be my favorite of them all, for many reasons. Tillek’s awesome, the dolphins are great, and there’s a love story. Come on, you know you like it too.

I’m not going to give a description for every story, but I am going to give a piece of advice. You can read this in chronological order like I am, or you can wait till later to read this book. It really doesn’t matter at all, but if you wait till later, some of these stories feel like they have more significance because of the way they connect to later times. It just depends on how you like it. Oh, and another warning that I should have given last time: McCaffrey likes sex. It’ll be in mostly all of her books. She’s not as graphic as some writers, but it is present and prevalent. Just a word to the wise if you’re going out to recommend these books to people. I like the books a lot, the sex I could do without. Some people mind it more than others.

Dragonsdawn, By Anne McCaffrey

2007-03-26T13:51:00.000-05:00

I would like to give a brief introduction to this series before I start on the specific review for this book. I think that would be slightly helpful for those of you who have no prior experience with the Dragonriders of Pern. For so the series is called. Anne McCaffrey originally wrote a trilogy of books, Dragonflight, Dragonquest, and the White Dragon. The world is named Pern, and the Dragonriders and their dragons protect Pern from the deadly Thread that falls from the Red Star. If the Thread were to fall unchallenged onto the ground, all organic matter would be consumed and humans would have no chance of survival. From this original trilogy many books have expanded in either directions, chronologically speaking. Dragonsdawn is a book that occurs a couple thousand years before the trilogy, and is the story of humans landing on Pern, and discovering the menace and disaster of Thread. Even though it was written after the original trilogy, I’m slightly obsessive with reading books in chronological order: not necessarily in the order they were written.

Earth has long been colonizing other planets, and along the way has come across some very unfriendly alien species as well as some friendly ones. But three spaceships full of colonists are leaving occupied space for the planet Pern, in hopes of finding some peace and a place to forget tragedies. This is a strictly one way trip: the ships do not have the fuel to make it back to Earth. But the colonists are hardy types with good strong leaders whom everyone trusts to lead them through difficult times. Or I should say, most everyone. There are some who do not plan on staying on Pern forever, but the authorities know who they are and are keeping a strict eye on them. Life proceeds fairly well for eight years after landing, until disaster strikes. What looks like a harmless rain squall turns out to be a deadly thread-like spore that devours all organic material it touches. Many lives are lost and many are badly injured in this first Threadfall, but the colonists refuse to lay down and die. The colony asks Kit Ping—a talented geneticist—to redesign Pern’s native dragonets into full size fighting flaming dragons. They would be a renewable resource to combat Thread and protect the inhabitants of Pern. But it takes time for Kit Ping to design the proper DNA, and it takes time for the species to grow. Everyone wonders whether it will take too much time, and whether there will eventually be anything left to protect.

Okay, that was a really long summary. It could have been longer, especially if I got into all the different characters that weave in and out of Dragonsdawn. I didn’t. But I’d like to mention the names of my favorites, because I feel like it would be an injustice to the books not to. I love Admiral Benden and Emily Boll, the colony leaders. All they really want is to retire in peace and quiet and forget the trials they endured, but duty calls when the colony is threatened and they rise to answer. Sorka and Sean are just priceless. We get to see them grow up and I always love that. (as a funny note, when I first read this I didn’t know that the name Sean was pronounced Shawn instead of Seen. It took me a bit to get used to calling him a nearly different name) They’re the first people to discover the dragonets (or fire-lizards) and I love the fact that they’re Irish. I just like imagining accents.

This hasn’t really been much of a review so far, just mostly information spewed at you. Succinctly I’d just like to say that this is not the best of the Pern books. I like it because it tells the beginning of the story, but it is not the most interesting or the best written. In all seriousness, there are many places you can come into this series without having read the previous books. Some of them are nearly stand alones that don’t require previous knowledge. Some of them belong to a continuous set, but you can jump in almost anytime. The way I got started in my Pern kick, was when I read The White Dragon. That book happens to be the third in a trilogy inside the larger Pern series. But I read it, liked it, and understood it enough to want to know more about Pern. I’ll be review the entire Pern series, mostly, and if one book doesn’t appeal to you, wait to see if another will. You can jump in then and ignore the rest.

Master of the Five Magics, By Lyndon Hardy

2007-03-18T12:25:00.000-05:00

I find it very shocking that no one has ever pointed this book out to me before. The only reason I ever read it was because I was looking through my Dad’s capacious book pile and it looked interesting enough to read. So I have and I am shocked that I haven’t heard about it anywhere else. It’s an interesting read, making use of many classic ideas but in many different ways: my favorite.

Alodar is a journeyman Thaumaturge, trapped in the castle of Iron Fist. The castle is under siege by the Baron Bandor who rebelled against the Queen Vandora, the fairest lady in the land. All in the castle try to outdo themselves in acts of intelligence and bravery to win her hand, and no less does Alodar. But although she is beautiful beyond belief, Alodar wishes for her hand only to regain his family name and honor, and to be recognized for his full worth. As only a journeyman in his looked-down-upon craft, his dream seems impossible. But using his small knowledge he enables the Queen to escape from Iron Fist as it is overrun, but another man gains the credit for it, as well as the reward of being named her suitor. Alodar is despondent, but hopes anew to raise his chances for her hand. His search will lead him through the five disciplines of magic (thaumaturgy, alchemy, magic, sorcery, and wizardry), and each time he almost succeeds another man takes his place. But Alodar will not give up, for he has the heart and will that is unmatched by any man alive, and he will succeed where others fail.

I find it very sad that no one has ever heard of this book. It’s well written, the characters are great, and I can see the world take shape around me as I read. Alodar is such a great character: he is truly stubborn even in the face of defeat. Few men are like him in real life, but he is very believable. He’s got a bit of an ego, and every time someone does not recognize his worth it just spurs him on to greater deeds. But that is so real. Alodar also shows some growth by the end of the book: at the beginning he’s so touchy and angry. By the end he’s learned a bit of steadiness and patience and how to bide his time.

But the book isn’t perfect. Sometimes Alodar makes a leap in judgment or emotion, and you’re left wondering where that came from. Hardy does this once in a while, and I wish he could have corrected that. There’s also some gaps in the story that I wish were filled, but that’s just me as the greedy reader speaking. I would have loved to see a bit more training with Cedric the warmaster, but that’s probably because I love to see people learning how to fight. It happens often enough in fantasy books, but I don’t really tire of it. But really, more people need to read this book. They’ll be in for a good time in a great world. The divisions in magic are really great, harking back to antiquity when people believed in alchemy etc. A world where all of it is true and where it never fell into disuse. I don’t quite know where you’ll find it, you can check your libraries, but I really advise that you do. I give good marks to Master of the Five Magics.

Freedom’s Ransom, By Anne McCaffrey

2007-03-16T10:28:00.001-05:00

The Eosi are dead, and Botany, Earth, and all other human colonized planets are free to do what they will. But there is one hitch: the merchants of Barevi refuse to bring back all the stolen goods to Earth. All these items are vital to get Earth back up and running, but the Barevian merchants are notoriously tightfisted. So the colonists of Botany take it upon themselves to ransom back Earth’s property using judicious amounts of their own property. Zainal, Kris, and a few others set out to Barevi with gold, copper, coffee, and a dentist. But more problems will arise than they expect: most notably, the peacekeeper of the Barevian marketplace is an old enemy of Zainal’s, possibly even the Catteni who allowed him to be shipped to Botany. He will stop at nothing to discredit, bankrupt, and humiliate Zainal and the ones closest to him.

Have we switched genres again when I wasn’t looking? Because I could swear we started out as an adventure novel. Then we switched to Space epic. And now we’ve switched again to, I believe, well, I don’t really know what to call it. An epilogue, really. Most stories like to end when the supreme evil man/people are defeated and the universe is all wonderful again. For some reason we have been brought back for an encore. Don’t get me wrong, this is a good book, but I just wish McCaffrey could make up her mind. It’s a great storyline, but it has no real bearing on anything. It’s not that exciting. You can’t make a thriller out of a shopping trip, it just doesn’t work. Maybe if there was another story mixed up with it: then it would work. We’ve been to Barevi to buy things before, and that was okay. It was interesting, brief, and just dandy. I don’t think it was a good idea to write a whole book about it, though.

We do get to see Earth, in its declined and impoverished state. That’s fun, especially driving around, getting coffee, and seeing Africa. But it’s just not enough. Freedom’s Ransom is really a corollary novel; just an epilogue. As much as it’s not bad to read and handles itself well…that doesn’t make up for the lack of excitement and energy that was part of the series before. I really don’t know what McCaffrey was thinking.

Freedom’s Challenge, By Anne McCaffrey

2007-03-13T17:38:00.000-05:00

Botany has finally been visited by the Farmers, and the Farmers are protecting Botany from the Eosi. But with all their power, they do not condone species injury, and they will not destroy the Eosi themselves. But their impervious Bubble surrounds Botany, protecting it while the colonists make their next moves. For they will not tolerate the Eosi any longer. Not only have they destroyed planets, but they have started to destroy the minds of the people of Earth as well. Renowned scientists, politicians, newscasters—all mind-wiped by the Eosi and rescued to Botany. But the Eosi have a weakness, and Botany will find it. It is only a matter of time, but time is a precious thing.

Apart from my really cliché last sentence, this is a decently accurate summary of the book. Of course, I forgot to mention the Catteni resistance, and the friends that Zainal brings to Botany. Oops. I mentioned it. But that’s kind of fun too. I didn’t really get very attached to them: it’s hard to get attached to people who only show up for one book in which we already have loved and well established characters. Especially when they don’t do or say very much. There was also a second visit to Catten, and a rescuing of Zainal’s two sons. They had been mistreated by their relatives because of Zainal’s defection, but no more. They now live on Botany. But within the second trip to Catten is a slightly amusing, slightly annoying thing that McCaffrey did. Kris gets pretty drunk trying to cope with the doubled gravity, and Chuck also gets massively drunk by another Catteni trying to get him to give away trading secrets. It’s an amusing scene when Chuck gets back to the KDL. What happens next I won’t really say, some of you can probably guess it. But I will say that you probably won’t guess what McCaffrey does pull: that makes it almost bearable. But not quite.

I do enjoy reading these books. They’ve got some great plot, interesting people, and the first one was really good. I’ve got a thing with finishing series even if the later books aren’t that great. You should hear me talk about Jordan. The main reason I like these books is because I like Freedom’s Landing, and then I had to finish the series. I don’t like how Kris turns out in the later books, and the quality has definitely gone downhill. But I have to complete the story. Even if it’s bad, I have to know what happens next. I guess it’s the eternal hope that what comes next is not as bad as what went before. Call me the optimist, but I do love reading series. Even slightly bad ones.

Freedom’s Choice, By Anne McCaffrey

2007-03-12T15:14:00.000-05:00

Much has happened on the planet of Botany since the first unwilling colonists were dropped. There is the makings of a true civilization, as well as resistance to their true enemies, the Eosi. But the ever present question of the Farmers (as they are so dubbed) troubles the colonists. Who are these absent landlords? How complex is their technological skill if they can run an entire planet entirely by machine? Are they friendly to their new tenants, or will they be hostile? But this is pushed to the back of the colonist’s minds as other problems come to the fore. The Catteni are speeding up drops, increasing the population rapidly. Apparently Earth is putting up quite a resistance. But Zainal’s presence on Botany attracts the attentions of some High Emassi, who apparently want him for some duty that he is now anxious to avoid. But all this confusion can be put the colonist’s advantage, for with a higher technology level they can aspire to capturing some Catteni ships, and perhaps eventually win freedom for them all.

Despite all the changes to the scene on Botany, we still get to deal with our familiar friends and characters. Zainal is still at the fore, along with Kris, Mitford, and others. Mere subsistence is not enough, and when you dream big, who knows what will happen? But there are some large differences to the storyline. No longer is it just an adventure story—that phase is over. That saddens me, because that is what made the first book so much fun to read. It’s almost like she’s changing the type of series that it was, from a sci/fi adventure, to a sci/fi epic/drama. Very different in both the way characters are presented, and the story. I find myself not liking Kris as much as I did. In Freedom’s Landing she was a pretty self-reliant person who occasionally annoyed me with her personality, but now she’s worse than ever. Ever since she really got involved with Zainal her whole personality is different. She’s more worrisome, more jealous, more touchy. I just don’t like the direction Anne McCaffrey took with her.

I don’t think that Freedom’s Choice was as good as Freedom’s Landing. Maybe it’s the way some of the characters have changed, or the way the story has changed, but it is very different than the first book. It’s not bad, but it feels like a nasty switch to pull on a reader. I enjoy reading about the ingenuity of the colonists, and their exploits on and offworld, etc. But I wish…ah, well. I’m just grateful it’s a good book and a fun read, still.

Freedom’s Landing, By Anne McCaffrey

2007-03-12T10:28:00.000-05:00

Earth has been conquered by the space-faring race Catteni. One day without warning the Catteni swooped down on earth, destroyed any resistance, and took away most of the population in 10 major cities. Kris Bjornsen was captured in Denver as she was going to classes, and taken to the spaceport/slave trading planet of Barevi where she is sold. Not one to wait around with futile wishes of freedom, Kris manages to steal a flitter and escape to the jungle where searchers would never find her. One day she sees another flitter crash in the jungle, it’s occupant jumping out right before it goes up in flames. Hoping to help rescue another slave from under Catteni noses, Kris investigates the survivor. Her shock is very great when she discovers that the crash landed man is, in fact, no ‘man’ at all. He is a Catteni, hunted by his own race for killing a patrol leader. If he survives until the next day, he is free. But before that day is over, both he and Kris are caught up in a riot in the city, gassed, and taken to an unsettled planet where they are dropped with only rudimentary supplies. This disparate group of aliens and humans must now work together to survive this strange world, and from the looks of things, that will not be easy. For who would trust a Catteni, even if he’d been dropped with the rest of them?

This is pretty much a clear cut adventure story. Add a dangerous/unknown world, few known supplies, different sorts of people, and it all equals an entertaining read. Kris is a strong character with her own ideas about how she should, and can, live. Mitford, an ex-sergeant, takes control of the dropped group of people and gets them to work together to survive. He’s great fun, and a great guy. We all wish that the government was run by people like him: it never is, except here in fiction. But he’s the type of guy that gets things done, can give good orders, and is not afraid of stepping down if no one wants him in charge anymore. But a real piece of work is Zainal, the Catteni. He doesn’t know much English at the beginning, so communicating is a bit difficult. His main usefulness is the bits of information he can remember about the planet they are on. Most people just want to kill him ‘cause he’s a Catteni, but Mitford sees the benefit in keeping him alive.

I love adventure. You’ve probably figured that out about me. It doesn’t really matter whether it’s science fiction or fantasy, or even some of the classics like Swiss Family Robinson, or The Mysterious Island. Science fiction can just give you your basic adventure with prettier trimmings. Freedom’s Landing is a strong book with good plot and well written characters. It’s a good read, and like most McCaffrey books can be understood and enjoyed by young adults as well as adults. My only cautionary about it is the sex. The idea pops up a lot, but there is definitely one mildly graphic scene. It’s easy enough to skip over when you know it’s there, but I’m warning you that it is there. Basically the book is written so that many ages of people can understand it, but only those of certain maturities should read it. In my humble opinion. But if what you’ve just read about it tickles your fancy, find it and pick it up! You’re in for a fun read.

Polgara the Sorceress, By David and Leigh Eddings

2007-03-02T16:58:00.001-05:00

Polgara the Sorceress is what can be termed the companion novel to Belgarath the Socerer, and belongs in the same universe as the Belgariad and the Mallorean. Belgarath the Sorcerer told the story of Belgarath’s life up until Garion’s birth. Written from Belgarath’s pov, it focuses on some parts of the story more than others, and some parts of the millennia it leaves out entirely. This is because Belgarath could not be everywhere at once, and sometimes even he did not know the whole story. So this is Polgara’s version of what happened oh so long ago, and many countries away.

Polgara was basically nagged until she wrote her perspective on what happened, and it shows in the beginning of the book. She was a very reluctant author…until she read her father’s version and the blatant gaps convinced her that something had to be done. So she started writing her version, filled with many snipes at her father for things he had done wrong/mistakenly. Ah, daughterly love. In my opinion Pol’s story is almost more fascinating than Belgarath’s, because throughout the Belgariad and Mallorean we hear a lot of the story from his point of view already. All we know about Pol is that she agreed to shepard the Rivan line until the appointed time. So most of this is new news.

Surprisingly, Poledra plays a bigger role in history than we thought. She never really left, as is shown by her frequent chats with Pol. We get to see a bit more of Beldaran, Pol’s sister, but sadly not too much more. She’s really not a very interesting character, aside from being idiotically in love with Riva. Now that’s a funny scene. But she never does anything interesting, and the real tragedy would have been to force her to participate in the rest of the story. Aside from that, we see life from Pol’s point of view. The many years keeping Arendia from flying apart, the formation of the modern nation of Sendaria, the keeping of the Rivan line, and a very interesting visit to Yar Nadrak. So much fun. And it’s pretty much all new stuff, because she’s never told her story before. Even Belgarath never touched on it too much.

Thankfully Polgara the Sorceress is very different from most of Eddings’ books. I mean, it’s all about the same time period, but it’s all new. We’re not repeating everything again in the same way that we have been for 11 books. Not that there aren’t small inconsistencies in the story, but…it’s a good read despite them. I give high marks for Polgara the Sorceress, and label it one of his better reads.

Belgarath the Sorcerer, By David Eddings

2007-02-25T16:48:00.000-05:00

This is an odd sort of book, in that you could read it before or after the other books in the Belgariad universe. I mean, technically it comes after the Mallorean, but most of the book is concerned with being a prequel. It’s Belgarath’s life (in short: we don’t have all the time in the world) and mission to make sure the prophecies would meet, and that his would win. Doing so meant many many long years just making sure people married and had babies. And then making sure those people didn’t kill each other. We finally see the entire story of Poledra and the roots of Belgarath’s and Polgara’s enmity and love. We meet a lot of sorcerers that aren’t around anymore, and see more about those we know and love already. Beldin as always is priceless.

It’s written in a sort of semi-narrative style (it’s supposed to be Belgarath writing/dictating) full of Eddings-isms and bits of humor. Once in a while Belgarath stops his narration to ‘go off’ and search around his home for something that he remembered, or just to do something else for a while. I personally loved his short statements about what he studied in the years when nothing happened. He discovered the meaning of mountains, why stars fall, and studied grass for forty years or something like that. But he declines to give explanations for all of this, saying correctly that this would make the book much longer than it already is.

Although I enjoy it immensely, sometimes I think I see inconsistencies with the rest of the series. I can’t quite name them, but while I was reading I could swear that someone else did that, or weren’t they there when that happened, etc. I blame it on Eddings deciding on revisionist history: he wanted to change it to make this a cooler book. I can understand, but little things like that make my teeth itch. I hate inconsistencies. I hate them.

But all in all it was quite entertaining and enlightening. We get to see Belgarath’s checkered past, the start of it all, and the long years spent desperately trying to figure everything out. It reminds me just a tiny bit of the War of the Rings in the Silmarillion. Not in any way shape or form as detailed or well written, but in the sense of revealing previously unknown chunks of history that we haven’t heard about much before. So please don’t scream and shout that I think Eddings is on par with Tolkien. I like both, but please don’t put words in my mouth. Tolkien is just better (sorry Eddings). But for what I need right now, Eddings certainly does the trick. It’s an easy read, entertaining, witty, and nicely written enough. I seem to say that a lot, but it doesn’t stop being true just because I’m repetitive.

The Seeress of Kell, By David Eddings

2007-02-23T13:58:00.000-05:00

Drumroll please…the final book of the Mallorean! The conclusion! The answer to most if not all of your questions! The company travels to Kell for the final revelation of the prophecy: the discovery of the location of the Place Which is No More. It happens to be the mountains of Korim that sank into the ocean when Torak cracked the earth, but a final journey to Perivor will reveal to them the exact location. And as an added surprise, the Seer Cyradis will be traveling with them. And at this ultimate location an ultimate decision will be made: the Seers of Kell are going to pick the new God of Angarak. If Cyradis chooses wrong…no one wants to live in such a world. Not even Torak himself wanted that.

Is it safe to say that most of you will be able to figure out the end of this book without reading it? Most likely. But if you skip this book, you will miss untold fun. Perivor, for instance. A long lost ship of Mimbrate Arends shipwrecked there once, married the local populace, and continued in their long traditions of hitting each other with big sticks and using flowery language. Seriously, you don’t want to miss this part. Zakath has turned into a tolerably nice person, leading to a wonderful discussion between him and Garion about the war that might have happened between them. It might have actually been in the last book, but it was still great. ‘You know that war we were going to fight? Do you mind if I just don’t show up?’ ‘I can always start without you. You can stop by once in a while to see how it’s going.’ Priceless. And Cyradis herself is quite pleasant.

My biggest complaint about this series is that one, it repeats itself after a while. I swear we repeated even all the jokes twice. Two, that so many characters start to pile up that we lose track of some of them, even if they’re in the same group. They just drop out of the picture for chapters and chapters. If you’ve got that many characters, it’s usually a sign that you need less.

But as a final conclusion of the Mallorean I will urge all of you to try to pick it up. It’s fun, it’s decent writing, good characters, many laughs, and easily appreciable by many people. If you don’t like it, then I apologize but thank you for trying.

Sorceress of Darshiva, By David Eddings

2007-02-21T23:38:00.000-05:00

After a somewhat fruitless trip to Ashaba, the ancient house of Torak, the company is again hard on the heels of Zandramas. But on top of trying to rescue Garion’s son, Belgarath must get his hands on a copy of the Ashabine oracles: even the one at Ashaba was corrupted and piecemeal. Both of these needs lead them to the Melcene islands, and seat of the ancient Melcene empire. (coincidentally which is very much like the British empire, only without their mistakes.) But even this trail will lead them to another trail, and Garion is getting very tired of chasing and being chased all over Mallorea. There is nothing else to do, however. Cyradis will not let either the child of the Dark, or the child of the Light arrive too soon at the Place Which is no More. And there is the small matter of Zakath to resolve…

Okay, at this point I’m getting just a little annoyed at Eddings for all this runaround. Not so much as it not being fun to read about, but trying to summarize and remember all the places they’ve been and are going to is really hard. It’s like he said, ‘I need another book. What new place can I send them to with some new task that they have to solve? And what new person will they meet there?’ Most of it really is quite pointless. Running here and there—gah! But strangely enough Eddings tries to provide his own answer to this question within the books themselves. If the prophecies they are following would state exactly where they needed to go and at what time, there would be such a crowd of people there that what needed to take place could never happen. Now, that’s a bit pat and convenient for Eddings. It gives him too much play room with his books, and let him add at least one or two that could have been shortened.

Can we say yay for Zakath, though? He’s really fun, even if he’s the second king that Garion’s given advice to, and brought out of his ‘life is terrible when you’re a king’ doldrums. (Eddings also pulled this in the Tamuli, but we won’t mention that because that’s another series). Even the witty repartee starts to pall after a while, because sometimes it seems like it repeats itself. And that is never good for witty repartee.

It’s not like this book isn’t any worse than the rest of the Mallorean, it’s just that it’s no better. And all the tricks that Eddings pulls is starting to get a bit old by this point. But the ending, oh, it is a wonderful ending. Quite a good ending. You should read it to get to the ending, because it is such fun. And for those of you who have read it, I hope you remember what I’m talking about. (small hint, it involves Durnik being special) That really won’t give anything away, but I hope it makes you want to read it. Evil me.

Demon Lord of Karanda, By David Eddings

2007-02-20T11:01:00.000-05:00

The company has been captured by Mallorean soldiers, apparently betrayed by Toth and his mistress Cyradis. They are being taken to ‘Zakath, Emperor of boundless Mallorea. There they must try to convince him that he cannot keep them forever and go against the work of the prophecy. For even Zakath has some part to play, struggle as he will to deny it. But there is an even larger problem abroad in Mallorea than just Zandramas: someone is calling up demons, and perhaps even a Demon Lord. If Zakath does not give up his fruitless war with the Murgos, he will lose Mallorea. For demons may be called upon occasionally without major harm, but they always break loose in time. And that is one thing there is not much of.

It gets harder and harder to summarize the plots, because they get so complicated and scattered. There are so many pieces that are so interesting, but I can’t tell you all of them. It really isn’t possible. But since I’m hoping now that you who are reading this review might have read the Mallorean before, I’m going to risk a plot spoiler. Because I really want to talk about this. I do think Eddings was terribly clever to make Urgit Silk’s brother. I mean, the laugh is definitely worth it, and what it does to the plot. Now Zakath has no real reason to attack the Murgos, and this forces him to reevaluate his life. Not always an easy task, especially for an emperor. But he’s helped along by Garion and company, most notably when Garion blows a hole in the wall. A very big hole. Hah.

But Feldegast! Now there’s a character. The accent is quite lovely, especially as it annoys Belgarath so much. We keep running into Vella and Yarblek, it must be for important reasons, or for something later on. They’re a funny bunch anyway. The hilarity that ensues, and yet the seriousness of these books are quite the mix. I enjoy it greatly. Someday I wish I could write with even half the wit of Eddings. I’m quite envious.

King of the Murgos, By David Eddings

2007-02-19T23:49:00.000-05:00

After destroying the Bear cult at Rheon, Garion was visited by the seer Cyradis. She gave him certain instructions about where he should go, and who he should take with him. This means that Garion must again travel through the swamps of Nyissa, where the politics of the lands have again mixed with Angarak politics. But they seem to be gaining on the trail of his son, which is the only thing keeping both Garion and Ce’Nedra sane. But mishaps and complications are ever occurring, for when they impersonate Nyissan slave traders, they get taken to Kahsha, the headquarters of the Dagashi where they are instructed to take a message to King Urgit of the Murgos. This leads them down a surprising path, and reveals more of Silk’s past dealings with the royal family of Murgos. But Belgarath’s understanding of the Dark Prophecy is mounting, and it does not look good. For if Zandramas reaches the Sardion first, Garion will have to kill his own son.

And Lo! The plot thickens! That is basically the point of this book: in book one we had exposition, and now, the climax is rising. Does it sound like I’ve been doing too much English homework? Well you’re right. But the comparison applies. We meet new characters…some of them are new anyway. I mean, we’ve met Sadi before in the Belgariad, but he only had a minor role to play then. He soon becomes very fun to read in the Eddings tradition of writing serious/witty characters. And Urgit, oh, there is fun untapped before. But I can’t tell you anything, except to say…well, nothing. I can’t say anything. And that is frustrating, but I really don’t want to spoil anything. And even saying that is spoiling it, but moving on.

King of the Murgos is a much more exciting book than Guardians of the West. We’ve got plot movement, new characters, interesting happenings, etc. It moves along a lot more, without the tediousness of ‘explaining.’ I think Eddings often has a slow start to a series, because he has the need to explain everything about characters and how they think about things. I don’t mind it too much as it only takes up about half of the first book, but it can drag for some people. But we are past that, and getting into the thick of things. Sadly we’ve seen it all before, but it’s still interesting if you keep an open mind. And it gets kind of fun to try to match the plot twists with the Belgariad. Because you can do that, and Eddings actually admits that you can in a very clever speech Belgarath gives. But that’s all I’ll say for now, except that I hope you’re still with me and intend to read this series.

Guardians of the West, By David Eddings

2007-02-16T23:52:00.000-05:00

Thus proceeds book one of the Mallorean, companion series to the Belgariad. Many years pass after Garion defeats Torak. The boy Errand goes to live with Polgara and Durnik in the Vale. Garion and Ce’Nedra have various marital problems but eventually work them out and they have a son, Geran. But life is not all easy, for there are hints that the prophecy might not be over and done with, and an attempt was made on Ce’Nedra’s life when she was pregnant with Geran. The Bear cult is again becoming a nuisance to the Alorn kingdoms, and will eventually perpetrate a horrendous kidnapping. Garion now finds himself on another quest: but this time he does not quest for the Orb, but for his own son.

Okay, we now get to the parts where a lot of people stop liking Eddings. It’s understandable, really it is. Most people stop liking him when they see that all he does is recycle plotlines. And sadly that is mostly what the Mallorean is: recycled plotline. But since it wasn’t that original a plotline to begin with, I think it should disappoint less people than it does. I do confess, though, that even I have stopped liking his books after the fifth reuse of the same plotline. It does wear on one, after a while. And I have been saying the same plotline, I mean specifically the plotline of brave man on a quest for an object/person on orders from a prophecy in order to save the world. And he’s got lots of friends with him. But really, do we read these books for the overall plot?

Not much seems to happen in Guardians of the West. It’s mostly plot exposition and character development, which is pretty fun. We see what people do with their free time; mostly having children. But Silk is on his way to becoming the richest man in the world (not surprising to many) and is as delightful a character as ever. I am still somewhat indifferent to the character of Ce’Nedra since if I met her in real life I don’t think I’d like her that much. Doesn’t really endear me to characters if I don’t like them. Errand seems to be playing a larger role than might have been expected. Now that he’s grown up and actually can say more words that ‘errand,’ he’s quite likable. Still the oddest little boy I’ve ever seen, but he’s quite cute. And the way he has with Horse…you’ll just have to read it. Seeing Hettar that discomforted is quite amusing. But I won’t spoil it for you. I’ll just wrap up the review saying that I expect to be entertained by the Mallorean, and enjoy every minute of it.

Enchanter’s End Game, By David Eddings

2007-02-11T23:48:00.000-05:00

It’s the end! It’s the last book of the Belgariad! Are you sad that the story will be over? Are you sad that the characters are going away now? Those last two questions actually answer the reason I keep reading these books. After a while I do start to miss them. But onto the plot summary:

Garion and Belgarath and Silk snuck out of Riva in an attempt to avert war and confront Torak on their own terms. Garion realized that he would have to fight Torak no matter what, so involving armies would be a terrible waste. But Ce’Nedra discovered that unless armies are formed, gathering up all the loose Angaraks, Garion might not make it to Cthol Mishrak. So all events have been set in motion that have been predetermined almost since the beginning of time. The two prophecies will soon collide and Garion and Torak must fight to decide the victor. But there are other parts of the prophecy that no one understands, and no one will understand until after they happened. And that is the most unsettling part of all, for if the prophecy on the side of good is to win, Polgara must resist the tremendous will of a god: if she fails she will become his bride.

The Belgariad is over. I am guessing that it won’t take much for some of you to guess how the story ends. But even though you probably were able to predict most of the major and minor plot threads of this story, I hope I’ve been able to convince you that these books are still worth reading. Yes, the ideas are cliché and predictable, yes you’ve read them before, but it is how Eddings writes that makes it worth it. The characters are absolutely lovable. The words themselves are quite fun. I’ve mentioned before that Eddings has such a delightful dry wit: this alone makes the books worth reading. He has so many wonderfully funny lines said by many wonderfully funny characters. It makes you wish that all people could be this witty and clever: life would be so much better.

By this point you’ve hopefully decided whether or not you’ll read these books: I hope you decide yes. Not just for the boost it’ll give my ego if you read them ‘cause I said to, but for the hopefully good experience you’ll have reading them. I can’t promise you you’ll like them. That would be very silly of me. But you could at least try?

Castle of Wizardry, By David Eddings

2007-02-08T23:36:00.000-05:00

Rak Cthol is falling to pieces as a result of the tumultuous battle of Belgarath and Ctuchik. The Orb has been recovered along with it’s curious thief: a very small innocent boy. The company barely manages to escape being caught by Murgos and killed in cave-ins, but they make it to the bottom of the city and rescue the Marag woman who was trapped there. They now have to travel very quickly to make it to Riva by Erastide: unbeknownst to Garion he has an important appearance to make. For his part in this story is not yet finished, as much as he might want it to be. And Ce’Nedra also has a role to play, much to the dismay of her and Garion both.

The chase has ended, and more storyplots reign! New things are happening that have been built up to for the past three books that we finally get to see. I will now descend into specifics, because they are too much fun to skip over. You may scroll down to the next paragraph if you don’t want to find out. Most of us should have probably figured out that Garion was the last descendant of Riva a long time ago. Book one should have given it away pretty well, but finally Garion realizes it. I mean, even though he might have heard at one point that the line of Riva was marked with a silver circle on one palm he still hadn’t figured it out. Maybe Polgara kept close watch on him to make sure he never learned that. Maybe. But Garion is King of Riva and totally clueless about what to do. No wonder he runs away with Belgarath and Silk, even if it’s to eventually confront Torak in single combat. Choose the lesser of two evils, Garion. Ruling a kingdom, or fighting single handedly with a god. Smart boy. But Ce’Nedra! She finally stops being quite as annoying as she was, and starts to realize that she is not the center of the world. Maturity is good for her, and makes me dislike her less.

Now that I have spent most of my review in spoilerific descriptions, I will attempt to close up with something generic and yet profound. Eddings has truly crafted a very good series. It is well written, interesting, funny, clever, and just a bit cliché. But if we look around that last point it’s really not all bad. Beside the fact that a somewhat normal person could see the plot coming from miles away, it’s often the exact journey the story takes that makes it a worthwhile book to read. I mean, hey, we can’t always have everything. An unforeseeable good plot combined with superb writing and good characters is very hard to find. Not many books fit that description. So I am perfectly content with a book that might be slightly predictable yet a true joy to read. So that is why I am still reading the Belgariad. Hint hint: you should start.

Magician’s Gambit, By David Eddings

2007-02-07T21:49:00.000-05:00

Having left treacherous Nyissa a little the worse for wear, the company must now leave the trail of the Orb and make all speed to the Vale. The god Aldur has called them so they must obey, but the Orb has also switched hands and will be staying in one place until they can come to claim it. Belgarion continues discovering the extent of his newfound powers, making both great advances and great mistakes. After receiving instructions in the Vale, the company must travel to Rak Cthol to regain the Orb once and for all in a tumultuous battle between Ctuchik and Belgarath.

Finally we stop this running here and there to regain the Orb from the evil men. I am so glad that Eddings stopped the chase before it could further pall on the readers. As it is, it stopped in the nick of time. Two to three books I can take. After three it gets ridiculous.

Ce’Nedra really isn’t my favorite character. I’ve never liked spoiled self-centered people in real life: there is no reason why I should start to like them in books. I just have never found those character traits very endearing, and I don’t know why others would. She’s improved a bit since the last book, but arrogance is a thing I cannot stand for prolonged time. I just get the overwhelming urge to smack her.

Now Relg is quite a character. What an odd person! I just keep trying to envision him with his almost deformedly bulky shoulders, short stature, pale face, and scarves around his head. And his insane need to pray every hour with much beating of the ground and his body. It reminds me of the Old Testament, where there are lists and lists of sins, but no mercy offered except in strict terms. Relg needs to get to the New Testament where he would discover that gods forgive and not everything need be punished with death. But that’s just how I see it.

I feel bad just repeating everything I’ve said before about plot, characters, humor, and good writing, but really—it stays mostly the same. The quality doesn’t dip or fall, the first book is just as entertaining as the third, and I find myself laughing just as much as I did before, even though this is not my first read through. I grow to love the characters and their disparate personalities and that is what makes the books truly enjoyable to read.

The big 50! Queen of Sorcery, By David Eddings

2007-02-06T20:28:00.000-05:00

After the council in Cherek, Belgarath and company travel to pick up the trail of the Orb again. Their path leads them through warring Arendia where they pick up two other companions: Lelldorin, a fiery Asturian patriot, and Mandorallen, a Mimbrate knight who truly knows no fear. After sorting out a few potential wars, the company travels through Tolnedra to inform the Emperor of what is going on. Around this time Garion discovers an interesting fact about himself which plunges him into despair, worry, and anger. But try as he might it will not go away, and soon he realizes that he needs it. For Belgarath has told him who killed his parents, and Garion wants revenge. For who else could it be but his old friend Asharak the Murgo. And he knows their paths will cross again someday. But for now they must travel through Nyissa in search of the Orb, and the Queen of that land is as dangerous and sneaky as the snakes that they honor.

Important information is learned, important people are met, and some important events happen. But on the whole not too much seems to happen in Queen of Sorcery. We have a few more adventures, and a few more laughs, but the plot does not advance very far. I’m not saying that this book is complete filler, but in a larger sense not too much goes on. They are no closer to finding the Orb than ever, and the lead of Zedar even seems to have grown. Long drawn out chases can do that to a series, because even though for plot’s sake they can’t catch the bad guys yet it seems to take forever and nothing seems to happen for books and books. This can be a problem if it goes on too long, but Eddings has only had us chasing the bad guys for two books yet, so we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.

But really spiffy things do happen in Queen of Sorcery. Garion starts to do cool things, and grow up a bit. He still has the strange occasional childish sulk not quite fitting his age, but he no longer seems to be 12. Mandorallen is quite the piece of work and he fits in very well with Silk and Barak. The humor continues unabated with much mirth and laughing from me while I read: I can’t pass up good dry wit and sarcasm. I can’t. I do look forward to more happening in the next few books, because endless chases never really do well in a series.

Pawn of Prophecy, by David Eddings

2007-02-05T13:41:00.001-05:00

Garion is a simple farmboy living on a simple farm in simplistic Sendaria. The only remarkable thing about this farm is that Garion’s Aunt Pol is the best cook for miles in any direction. So you can expect that his life was never very complicated. Until one day when the old storyteller (who had been in and out of Faldor’s farm ever since Garion could remember) showed up and took Garion on a trip that would forever change his life. Somehow Mister Wolf (the storyteller) and his Aunt Pol knew each other in a way that didn’t relate to Faldor’s farm. And they seemed to know everyone and everyone seemed to know them. Only no one appeared to know them like Garion did. Slowly Garion begins to realize that Mister Wolf and his Aunt Pol are much more than they seem, and more than he wants to realize. For if his ‘Aunt Pol’ really isn’t his aunt, then who is she? And who is he? And who is this man they are chasing, and what has he stolen that could put the entire world on the brink of war?

The plot that I just related to you will seem very familiar. In fact, it will seem cliché. So cliché in fact that you will not want to read this book because you already know what is going to happen. I am here to tell you that that would be a great mistake. Yes, the plot is slightly predictable, but only because every single author in the world has capitalized upon it. David Eddings was one of the first authors to write about the Quest, and inevitably many authors after him used many of his ideas. He was really the forerunner of all these knockoffs, but to those that have read the knockoffs he seems to be stealing their ideas. I won’t mention names or books (because that wouldn’t be quite fair) but I will tell you that Eddings wrote the Belgariad beginning sometime before 1982. That will give you a date to check who’s copying whom. But aside from that, there are many good reasons to read Pawn of Prophecy.

One good reason is the characters. Eddings has a light dry wit that works its way through the book and makes it delightful to read. The interactions between characters consists of funny remarks, repartees, and truly odd and wonderful scenes. I will quote one line for you now that you will not understand the context of (and I won’t explain) but it will give you a good feel for the writing. ‘One could, however, spend only so much time in the company of a dead pig without becoming depressed’ (208). I know that this will mean nothing to most of you, but to me this is worth a very long laugh. I just like his writing style and what he does with his characters.

Another reason is the world itself and the history behind it. I know that everyone has different standards for worldbuilding, but I am always happy when I see a world that breathes history. It gives a continuity to the world that you would expect if it’s been around for thousands and thousands of years. The believability goes up.

But for all of this Eddings is not perfect. He has a bit of a hard time writing believable younger characters. Garion himself is full of contradictions. He sometimes shows maturity for a man much older than 14, but he often behaves like a 10 or 12 year old. I know that most authors find it difficult to portray young kids, but Edding really didn’t grasp the knack of it. It gets a bit better as we go, but only mostly because Garion gets older and Eddings starts to write him more sensibly.

Pawn of Prophecy is entirely worth reading, as is the rest of the Belgariad. I recommend it for highschoolers, (and possibly younger if they feel up to reading it, the language isn’t too difficult) and certainly older. Don’t pass it up because of the clichés. You’ll miss an entertaining book.

First Rider’s Call, by Kristen Britain

2007-02-03T13:15:00.000-05:00

At the end of the first book, Karigan G’ladheon believed that she was done with being a green rider. She went home with her father to Corsa to continue on her path to becoming a merchant. Yet she cannot seem to settle back in. Hoof beats are always sounding in her dreams, she can’t seem to like wearing anything other than green, and she keeps feeling a pull to be riding away from everything. But somehow she resists the call, until one night when it becomes too strong to resist. For Sacordia needs her, and even the spirit of the first rider, Lil Ambriodhe, won’t rest quietly until Karigan takes her necessary place. For the cracks in the wall surrounding Kammorhane Vale have spread, splitting a section of the wall. Ancient evil is stirring there, and it remembers a past so long ago that it is relegated to myths and legends. But this past will overtake the present, unless Karigan discovers and uses all the powers she possesses. For although she is a reluctant hero, she loves Sacordia and all its people and will do anything to keep them safe.

Kristen Britain keeps introducing new and wonderful ideas to her Green Rider books. In the first, we see some of the spirits of the dead, notably F’ryan Cobblebay. In First Rider’s Call, the spirits of the dead no longer rest as quietly as they once did, and they still long to protect Sacordia. Lil realizes that she might be breaking some rules in doing what she is, but she cannot help it any more than Karigan. For they share the same brooch, and the same spirit is in each of them. Karigan is more connected to the First Rider than she knows, but she discovers how much very quickly.

I love the surges of magic and what it does to the kingdom, I love Lil and her sense of humor, and I love the time sequences. I dare not say more than that, but I can’t bear not to mention them. First Rider’s Call lives up to Green Rider and more. It is more polished, tighter writing, and the plot is just as thrilling. I love adventure. Get ready to ride!

Green Rider, by Kristen Britain

2007-01-23T20:33:00.000-05:00

When Karigan G’ladheon runs away from school in Selium, all she is worried about is getting to Corsa before her father finds out she was suspended. She’s not exactly worried about him finding out, she just wants to explain to him what really happened before he reads the Dean’s letter. But along the way her plans take a strange turn. She comes upon a Green Rider (a messenger of the King) and while he is dying he makes her swear to take the message he is bearing to the king. Unsure of what is really going on, Karigan swears to take the message to Sacor City. With his last breath the Rider tells her to ‘beware the shadow man.’ Karigan now faces more trouble than she ever expected when she ran away from school. Forces of evil seem to be gathering in Sacordia, and most of them are after her and the message she carries. It seems impossible that she will ever make it to Sacor City, but the horse of the messenger and the brooch she carries are more than they seem, and it is no bad thing that they are. Karigan did not know what she was getting herself into, but she soon finds out. Oh she finds out very quickly.

Kristen Britain is a relatively new author. As such she’s got some rough edges in her writing and places that could be improved, but that only really matters to nitpickers like me. It is so easy to get swept up in the world she creates that it is just better to enjoy the ride. That was not an intentional pun, but it’s funny anyway. Green Rider is full of interesting characters, thrilling adventures, beautiful sights: all great elements of a classic fantasy novel. Karigan is a spunky girl who is very easy to relate to. She is neither of the ‘great hero’ or ‘poor farmgirl’ mold. She is neither supernaturally quick nor annoying slow to understand what is going on. She feels very real. It is a difficult balance for authors to make, but it is delightful to see.

If I were to explain Green Rider in vague readerly terms, I would say that it is a semi-light book. So many dark and serious events happen that it cannot be a ‘light’ book, but the writing and overall tone of the book cannot be described as ‘dark.’ When I think of it I get happy feelings, but that means nothing really. It just means that I like the book. There are no really terrible scenes in it that should be kept from the eyes of younger teens, and I am very grateful for the sex that does not take place. Call me old fashioned but I do not see the need for very graphic descriptions of sex in a book that would be just as good/better without them. If you don’t need it, don’t have it. And graphic sex is rarely ever needed. I find Green Rider a very refreshing and enjoyable read, and I can imagine it as a light spring rain. Kristen Britain is certainly an author worth keeping an eye on, and I certainly will.

Trickster’s Queen, By Tamora Pierce

2007-01-20T14:35:00.001-05:00

Alianne of Pirate’s Swoop has had an interesting year. After being kidnapped by pirates in the spring, she was sold as slave in the Copper Isles to the family Balitang. The former god of the Isles made her a deal: if she could keep the children of the family alive for the summer, he would send her home in an instant. Aly kept her part of the deal, but instead of allowing herself to be sent home, she decided to stay with the family in an attempt to put one of the girls on the throne. Rebellion has been smoldering in the hearts of the common people for three hundred years, and Aly is about to help shape that into an unstoppable force. Using her skills as a spymaster, Aly helps coordinate one of the biggest coups in history. She also must make many important and deadly decisions. The way to the throne is not clear of other claimants: namely a three year old king, and also the younger brother of the girl she wants to put on the throne.

I’ll admit straight up that this book flabbergasted me. It hit me between the eyes with something I failed to notice and made me feel very very stupid. I love it when books can pull that off. Of course, I didn’t feel all that great about it later when I was chastising myself for not picking up on it. All you need to do to make me feel unobservant and horrible is to tell me that you noticed this plot twist before it happened. ‘Cause I didn’t and I’m usually good at that sort of thing. Sadly though, I will not tell you what that twist was. I won’t even hint, because that would totally ruin the best moment in the book.

And as for that moment being the best part of the book, I am not joking. There was so much not right about Trickster’s Queen that the full list would take forever. Namely, there was no Nawat, Aly’s pov’s were annoying, much of the plot was predictable, and it wasn’t written all that well. The whole Nawat thing really made me mad because Nawat was the reason book one was sooo good. Then she ups and makes him disappear for the whole book nearly, leaving us just with Aly. I mean, I like Aly, but she needs others around her to make things interesting. She can’t quite carry a book. This was the biggest mistake that Pierce could make: to not flesh out Aly like she needed to, and to let her loose before it was time. And Aly kept making silly comments like she was glad she didn’t have to protect the Balitangs anymore, all she had to do was find information. Isn’t finding information the thing that will keep them alive and well? Doesn’t she want to protect them even if it isn’t technically her job? That statement was just so confusing I wish it didn’t exist.

Trickster’s Queen was a very disappointing book on the whole, with a few parts that were interesting. I believe it needed a lot more work before it should have been published, but at the same time I still enjoy reading it. Go figure, I’m just a contradiction. But if you like her other books, I say to just stick with those. You won’t be disappointed.

Trickster’s Choice, by Tamora Pierce

2007-01-14T20:11:00.000-05:00

Alianne of Pirate’s Swoop is the daughter of Alanna the Lioness and George Cooper. In many ways however, she takes after her father. She loves the world of spies and intrigue that he taught her, but both her father and mother flatly refuse to let her use her talents. When Alanna comes back home to rest for a while, Aly slips away to avoid arguing with her mother day in and day out. She promises herself that this is just a quick jaunt and that she’ll be back before her mother leaves. But even though pirate raiding season has not arrived, someone forgot to tell a band of pirates that. They capture Aly and sell her as a slave in the city of Rajmuat in the Copper Isles. She finds herself working for a very unusual family, but pushing her curiosity to the side, Aly makes plans to escape. While escaping isn’t a huge problem for a girl of Aly’s talents, she finds herself deciding to stay. For a god has just poked his nose into Aly’s life and made her a wager she can’t refuse. And everyone knows that once a god has taken interest in you, they never leave you alone.

The plot of Trickster’s Choice is certainly clever enough, and Pierce’s writing is at a decent level, but the book does not thrill as much as others that she has written. The character of Aly is not as well written as others, and that takes its toll on the story. While the plot is certainly good, the way it resolves itself is not always to satisfaction. Aly is supposed to be this amazingly wonderful spy who can do no wrong: but she does time and time again. I can accept a few mistakes from her: no one is perfect. But the amount of slip ups in her cover story and actions make me want to scream. If she is supposed to be so wonderfully good, why can’t she even stay ‘in character?’ And her mess ups never seem to amount to anything, which they should. I would have settled for less slips, and more consistency.

The character of Nawat though, was a wonderful move. He is the type of character Pierce excels at writing, but never seems to reuse. He is funny, strange, nice, and fits wonderfully in the story. This reformed crow in human shape sees life differently than everyone else, and his outlook is quite cute. He also keeps the story from bogging down under the weight of seriousness, without feeling like he is the gag trick Pierce pulls out when she needs it. He truly makes the story better: without him Trickster’s Choice would not be half as good.

On the whole I can say that Trickster’s Choice is a decent book, but not as good as the Protector of the Small quartet. The writing isn’t quite as good, and Pierce did not adequately form the character of Aly before turning her loose in a book. This book is good for the young teen level as are all the others of Pierce’s oeuvre. I like to read it, but I try not to expect too much from it.

Knight, by Tamora Pierce

2007-01-13T22:42:00.000-05:00

When Keladry entered the Chamber of the Ordeal, she had a very different experience than most. Not only did the Chamber make her relive her worst fears and memories, it also set her a task. An evil mage is working for Scanra, creating the evil killing machines that decimate the Tortallan armies. The mage is using death magic, and the Chamber informs Kel that this cannot be. The Chamber tells Kel that her path will cross with the mage’s at some point, and then she must kill him. Kel finds this singularly unhelpful, for the Chamber cannot name when or where. But Kel cannot just ride off to Scanra alone. Against her will she is put in charge of a refugee camp on the Scanran border, where the children and others she is guarding are perfect fodder for the killing machines. Kel cannot stand to just sit there, but she is duty bound to protect these people. But it is not just duty, for she would protect them all with her life, and Gods help those who get in her way.

Angst can either be a really boring emotion, or really great plot device. Kel needs desperately to kill Blayce, but she is stuck in a position where she cannot. With all her heart she wants to protect the refugees, but that is made nearly impossible by the lack of resources. She is torn so badly by two confliction duties: her duty to the Crown, and the charge the Chamber laid on her. Fortunately, Kel’s angst makes for a great book. In no way is it boring, and I think it is my favorite of the series. Out of all the books in the Protector of the Small, I could just read this book without having to read the others. The quality of writing is such that it could be a marvelous stand alone book: it is my everlasting happiness that it is not a stand alone because I enjoy the others so much. But my slightly muddled point is that Knight is a fantastic book. It’s also slightly longer than the others, but that just makes for more good reading.

We get introduced to a new character, and it was a good move on Pierce’s part. Tobe is a wonderful character who plays a good part in the book. He is not the sort of ‘last minute introduction character that has no point and is very one dimensional.’ He is a great character in his own right, with a wonderful sense of humor and true devotion to Kel. Kel is becoming a busy girl, and she now needs someone to look after her. Tobe plays a needed part without stealing the show from the other characters. Knight is just so well balanced and well written that I am running out of things to say. They wouldn’t be enough and I’d just sound silly. So if you haven’t started reading this series yet, you really should rethink how you’re spending your time. Because you are seriously missing out on some first class books.

Squire, by Tamora Pierce

2007-01-12T16:37:00.000-05:00

Squire is the third book of the Protector of the Small quartet. Kel is no longer a page, but she does not feel fully a squire. No knight has yet chosen her to be his personal squire, and Kel feels that as The Girl no knight will want her. She knows that her private dream of having the Lioness as her knight-master is highly unlikely: Alanna must stay away from her until Kel achieves her knighthood so that people won’t accuse her of magicking Kel to success. As a complete shock and surprise, however, Lord Raoul the Commander of the King’s Own asks her to be his squire. Over her years as a page he has had opportunities to observe her, and with the Grand Progress coming up he will have need of her knowledge of the Yamanis. Kel is ecstatic to accept him as her knight-master, even after she learns that the Lioness asked Neal to be her squire. Kel must work hard in the King’s Own: harder than most squires. But she loves to work and be needed, and combat is a skill she loves to employ. Along with working on her fighting skills, Kel tests herself against the Chamber of the Ordeal in an effort to fight her fears.

I think that Kel’s time with the King’s Own is some of the best of the series so far. The writing and the action are so vivid and the characters are so real. With Scanra on the rise the kingdom of Tortall receives little rest, and Kel gets almost none. But she is so happy during her time as a squire, and that makes all the difference. During her page years she was teased and tricked and generally tortured. But she is accepted as a squire, and Lord Raoul treats her fairly and well. Kel finally gets to be who she is with very little obstruction. Not that life is all peaches and cream, but it is on the whole better. That makes me so happy for her, and makes me enjoy the book all the more. I’m breathless during the war scenes because I can see it all happening in my head. I laugh when Raoul jokes around, and am glad that Kel could get this measure of happiness. It must be a sign of mental instability that I invest so much in characters in books, but I just feel happy.

As with the other books in the series, Squire continues the tradition of wonderful humor. Raoul has this wonderful line that I’m surprised has never appeared anywhere else because it is so funny. “When people tell me a knight’s job is all glory, I laugh and laugh and laugh. Sometimes I can stop laughing before they edge away and talk about soothing drinks.” There is a realism in the job of knighthood that is rarely addressed elsewhere. This statement takes all the preconceived notions of what a knight’s job is, and turns them on it’s head. I like that. I like it when authors can be original while using the old ideas. And I just love that quote. And so many others that are too numerous to name, but I wish I could. I guess I’ll just have to settle for telling you to read the book. That way you’ll catch them all.

Page, by Tamora Pierce

2007-01-11T15:18:00.000-05:00

Despite all odds Keladry of Mindelan managed to make it past her first year as a page, and with the authorization of Lord Wyldon she is back at the Palace for her second year. But despite the fact that she is no longer on probation, many people still wish that she would leave. Some of them are still trying to make her and her friends lives miserable until she does. In the midst of this Kel hires as a maid the niece of her palace servant. Lalasa is a nice girl, but she is very timid and Kel finds it hard to live with her. And though pages are not allowed to keep pets, Kel finds herself adopted by a scrappy mutt who refuses to stay away. As Kel moves on from year to year, she leans to face many difficulties: she must face those who hate her with no reason, she must face the fact that she will become a woman, and above all she must face her fear of heights.

What a relief that this second book of the Protector of the Small is every bit as good as the first. When you have a leading character like Kel it is hard to go wrong. Her drive and her personality make for such interesting reading. I have just realized what aspect of Pierce’s writing that makes these books so good. Not only are they good for a younger audience, but I believe older people could enjoy them as well. This is because the characters are not simplistic and one dimensional. Not all characters are cookie cutter good and evil. Lord Wyldon often seems like Kel’s adversary, but he is not an evil or nasty man. Joren and his cronies are the truly nasty ones, just as Kel and her friends are the ‘good people.’ But this range of characters gives the story depth and meaning. It feels more realistic because there are people like that in real life. There are people who seem like adversaries but who are only doing what they know they must do. Of course, it only really works when they are willing to admit their mistakes and recant, but we can’t have everything. Kel’s maturity sets a great standard for those who read about her, without feeling like they are being preached at. I just feel an overwhelming wish for emulation.

When I read this story, I find myself wishing that more people could appreciate it. It is often hard to make many people read a simple book, but in the media of film an audience is quite larger. I believe that these books have great potential for film, and the problems of transforming this book into a screenplay could be solved. This charming book deserves a chance to be seen and appreciated for the enjoyment it brings. We need more heroes in our society, and Kel is a first class one.

First Test, by Tamora Pierce

2007-01-10T22:55:00.000-05:00

This is the first book in the Protector of the Small quartet. It details the journey and efforts of Keladry of Mindelan to become the first known girl page in the Kingdom of Tortall. Ten years ago the King decreed that any noble girl could become a knight if she so desired. No one has taken him up on that offer, until Keladry. She has spent most of her life in the Yamani Islands where she learned many things, not the least of which is fighting skill. But hers is not an easy task: the training master convinces the King to put her on probation for a year until deciding if she can stay to become a knight. Very few of the boys in the palace wish for her to succeed and they try to make her leave by using every dirty trick imaginable. But Keladry is made of stern stuff and she refuses to back down from her goal, even when it is nearly unattainable.

Fortunately, Kel does make some friends in the Palace. First and foremost is Neal, one of the oldest pages in history. Originally he trained to become a healer at the university, but he decided to continue the tradition of knighthood in his family. He has a wonderful sense of humor that totally lightens the book and makes it less grim than it could have been. He is a staunch friend, although given to dramatics, and is always ready with a jest. That usually gets him into trouble with the training master, but that’s Neal. He wouldn’t be Neal if he wasn’t getting into trouble in some way.

Kel is very different than Alanna. One might almost expect them to be alike, but delightfully they are not. I happen to prefer Kel to Alanna, and you might call it a matter of taste. Kel seems more real: she is just as stubborn as Alanna, but she has more spunk, more spirit. Alanna was just a fireball with a temper. Kel will do whatever it takes, putting up with a lot more dirty tricks than most could ever. She is bright and clever and I must admit that I envy her. I envy her strong will and her determination. I definitely don’t have a temper to speak of, but I doubt I would last half as well as she did under that type of torment. I know she is just a character written in a book, but I wish there were more characters that made me feel like this because then maybe I’d do something about it. I’d do whatever I needed and what I most wanted, but overall I’d hopefully become someone better and nobler. Books are the key to many things—insomuch as we allow them to be.

Lioness Rampant, by Tamora Pierce

2007-01-06T15:18:00.001-05:00

Alanna is off on a quest. But she is not on just any old sort of quest; she is on a quest for the Dominion Jewel. Stories abound about the fabled Jewel: how it can make or break a country, build up tyrants, form peaceful nations, and serve a sorcerer in incredible ways. For the glory of Tortall Alanna seeks this Jewel, as well as to prove to everyone that she won her knighthood justly and fairly. Her path takes her through war-torn Sarain to the Roof of the World. For companions she has Coram, Liam Ironarm the Shang Dragon, Princess Thayet of Sarain, and Thayet’s companion Buri. They travel into legend as they hope to gain this wondrous Jewel. Alanna hopes to gain it quickly, for she senses that there is trouble back in Tortall, and the Jewel could save them all. What she does not know is that her old enemy, Duke Roger is alive, for why should she believe in dreams? Or nightmares.

I have to say right off that this is a much better book than most of the series. It is also slightly longer but I don’t know if that makes all that much of a difference. The plot is better and more relevant to the overall story. Many varied ideas are brought together, and many plotlines are wrapped up. Unfortunately—in my point of view—Alanna keeps making silly choices about things. Namely, the Shang Dragon. What is it with her and sleeping with so many men? I mean, does she feel the need to make up for time lost when she was pretending to be a boy? It really makes no sense because even at the beginning of their relationship they admit to each other that it probably won’t work out. I know, I know, not everyone is coldly sensible like me, but this just screams idiocy to me. She left George on good terms so I don’t see why she is so eager to jump into bed with some other guy. I just don’t get it.

Aside from that minor bothering point, this is the most exciting book in the Lioness series. The climax is truly climactic, and always has me on the edge of my seat no matter how many times I’ve read it. It is just so exciting that I really can’t reveal anything about it except to say that it is sad and wonderful. Also, since this is the last book of the quartet, I feel given over to some reflective thoughts on how the series has developed. There is a definite change in Alanna that is hard to describe, but from the first book to this one her character feels different. I would almost label it as maturity but that wouldn’t quite cover it. She’s got just as much of a temper but she feels older and harder. The change from child to adult was well made, because there is so much of a difference. I give kudos to Pierce for developing this well, for it can be the hardest task of an author to allow their characters to develop and change.

I seem to be writing a slightly longer review than normal, but wrapping up a series always takes a bit more time. I must applaud Pierce for her originality in writing this series, while at the same time wishing her writing skills had been better developed. The Lioness quartet has the possibility to disappoint readers as much as thrill them with ingenuity. It depends on who you are, and what you look for in a book. Over all, I do say that I like to reread this series, no matter what faults I find in it. I like to stick with what interests me, and this certainly does that.

The Woman Who Rides Like a Man, by Tamora Pierce

2007-01-05T11:05:00.000-05:00

Alanna has left Corus after attaining her knighthood and foiling Duke Roger’s plot to gain the throne. Hating the cold of winter, she decides to go through the Great Southern Desert. Unfortunately, life never works out very smoothly and she finds herself first battling for her life against desert hillmen, and then becoming a Bazhir herself! Coram is less than pleased about this turn of events, but he is even less pleased when he goes away for a while only to return to find Alanna shaman of their tribe and teaching three Bazhir how to be shamans. But the real surprise is when Jonathan shows up with Sir Myles, and then asks her to marry him! Alanna went away from court to escape complications, but they followed her. And even though she loves Jonathan, what about George? And what would marrying Jon do to all that she has worked so hard to gain?

I just want to say hallelujah for Alanna coming to her senses just a little bit. I know this could really spoil half the story, but I’m too happy about it. She finally realizes that George is the better man! And he is, which makes it wonderful. But that is basically the high point of the book for me, because the rest of the story just seems like filler. If I had to describe this book with regards to the rest of the series, I would call it a filler book. It has no great bearing on the previous plots, and it doesn’t really move us that far except for a few minor things. Which are important, don’t get me wrong, but they aren’t enough. This is not my favorite book in the Lioness series, but I still keep reading it. Go figure.

I am really coming to the realization that the Lioness series really isn’t that greatly written. I’m shocked I never really saw this before, but I never really was looking. This continues to puzzle me, because I am having a hard time disliking these books, even though their quality isn’t stellar. The adventures and plot twists must really do it for me, because I love the story itself. The story is so much fun to read, and the characters so interesting that it almost makes up for the not-so-grand writing. I still want to recommend this series, and this book also, but I wonder now how much I would recommend it. I’d rather recommend some of her other works that are better written, but this series has it’s own charm that I do like. What a quandary, and a muddle. I really don’t know what this review is going to make you think about this book, or even the author. Just don’t judge her on this series: she has many better.

In the Hand of the Goddess, by Tamora Pierce

2007-01-03T20:20:00.000-05:00

Alanna is now squire to Prince Jonathan: even after he found out she was a girl at the Black City he still wanted her to be his squire. Her secret is still safe, but living this lie keeps hurting Alanna as she wishes more and more to tell her friends. Life is even more complicated now than it ever was. Alanna is learning what love really is, and that is never an easy lesson. It is made even harder by Duke Roger’s machinations and plots for the throne. But even Alanna is having a difficult time putting together evidence to expose Roger. The test for her knighthood is coming up. If she succeeds, she will be the first woman knight in over a hundred years. But succeeding means that she will soon reveal to her friends who she really is, and maybe leave them forever.

This is not my favorite book in the Lioness quartet. I think Alanna makes some silly choices that definitely make no sense. For instance, learning to love people does not immediately translate to having sex. Really. It doesn’t. So how come Alanna seems to think so? George is standing there waiting to lover her forever and always with no conditions, and she decides to sleep with Jonathan. And then she doesn’t want to speak with Jonathan about love, because even though they are sharing a bed doesn’t mean they love each other. For a woman with precious little time hanging out with women and being one herself, she seems to fit right in with the sillier ones I know. I just can’t understand her decision, and that annoys me. I don’t like stupid decisions, and this one really blows my mind.

But I do like reading this series, which might seem like a mystery to you because I’m bashing it so badly. I like Alanna—when she isn’t making silly decisions. She is fun to read, and Pierce’s ideas and characterizations are still decent. This book just will not go down as my favorite. As a whole, I can take this series and like it—if I forget about the parts that bug me. But I love to read about Alanna fencing and doing magic. And how could I forget! I love Faithful. Now that is a great character for all that he hasn’t had much page time yet. I have a soft spot for cats, although I am a dog person, and a cat like Faithful is just perfect. Especially cause he talks. There are better books in the world than this, but I would not count it time wasted that you read this one.

Alanna: The First Adventure, by Tamora Pierce

2007-01-02T22:49:00.000-05:00

This is the start of a new series for Tamora Pierce. It is set in the country of Tortall, a pseudo medieval world, but with magic. The writing is simplistic enough for young ages: middle school is an appropriate level. But even though I am long past middle school, I still enjoy it when I happen to reread the Song of the Lioness Quartet.

Alanna and her twin brother Thom both wish to be in each other’s shoes. Alanna is a girl who would love to become a Knight of Tortall, and Thom is a boy who would love to become a Sorcerer. Both have the magical Gift, but Alanna is to be sent to a convent for young noble girls, and Thom is to go to the palace to become a knight. At the convent Thom could learn magic, and at the palace Alanna could become a knight. So they start a scheme which would likely to take years to untangle. Alanna would pretend to be Thom’s younger brother ‘Alan’ and start her page’s training. Thom would go to the convent (not pretending to be a girl, they take young boys too) and eventually become a Sorcerer. But life is not easy, no matter where you are, even when you think you have attained your dream. Alanna must face many challenges to become a knight, not the least of which is learning to accept who she is, and what she will become.

Do you like adventure? I like adventure. Do you like some good female heroes? (ordinarily called heroines but I like the term female hero: sounds less…silly). I certainly do. And it always is an entertaining time when females masquerade as men: there are so many opportunities for irony that are absolutely delicious. (as a side note it’s kind of like watching Superman movies when you know Clark Kent is Superman but everyone else doesn’t). Alanna is a little fireball who just happens to be a small girl who wants to be a knight. There have been female knights before, but that was a long time ago, and the practice is not generally acceptable. I for one would never have attempted something like that, but then again I am not Alanna.

It’s kind of funny that Alanna has such a temper, because you think it would get her into more trouble pretending to be something she’s not. But it doesn’t, and maybe it even helps in some way. I do not think that this is Pierce’s strongest book in terms of writing; there are a few contradictions that could have been sorted out better. But they are relatively minor and only bother perfectionists like me. The picture of this young Alanna struggling to be what she wants to be is very thrilling. Books like this make me wish I could become a knight—bookworm/couch potato that I am. I long to learn to sword fight and do hand to hand combat: it just seems so cool! But I usually just settle for another reread, because swords are hard to find.

Shatterglass, by Tamora Pierce

2007-01-02T21:59:00.001-05:00

Tris and Niko have ended up in the city of Tharios, capital of the city-state of Tharios. While exploring the many glass blowing shops, Tris sees a journeyman create a living glass dragon. Kethlun Warder is shocked when Tris tells him that he must look after his creation. Accusing her of making it, he denies that he has any magic and tries to destroy the dragon. Very angry, Tris takes the dragon with her back to Niko, where he informs her that now she must either teach Keth or find a teacher for him. In Keth’s seach for an appropriate teacher, he accidentally creates a glass globe covered in lightening that slowly clears to show an image of murder. Keth discovers he has the ability to make globes that show people where a murder will take place, something that the city’s lawforce desperately needs to catch a murderer who has been killing street performers. Tris is the only teacher available that can teach Keth to control the lightening aspect of his magic, but he is much older than her and does not like to listen. He has many friends among the street performers, and he knows that this Ghost who is killing them must be stopped. But he is new to his magic, and scared of lightening. Tris has a lot of work ahead of her.

I may have to eat my words a bit about Briar being the best character, because in my mind, Tris is pretty much on par. I forget that sometimes, but she really is. I guess it is because I identify with her: she is the real Cinderella story: all of the children are, but her especially. Made fun of because of her appearance and actions, her love of reading; all of these things have been part of my life. Being the nerd/geek of a place is never easy, and all of us that fit the category read books because of the need for a story in which the underdog triumphs and does truly amazing things. I don’t personally have problems with my family (for which I am truly grateful), and I don’t sprout lightening when I’m angry, but I feel a connection with Tris. I like how she does not change very much: she is still a little overweight, grumpy, and not very polite always. She is who she is, and becoming a mage did not change her into a glamorous figure. She is Tris.

Shatterglass really provides a look at how powerful Tris really is, and what a problem it still is. She cannot really find a steady job: as a responsible weather mage she cannot guarantee fair weather all the time if the earth would suffer, and battle magic is not her career of choice. She has yet to really find a place in the world, so for now she just travels with Niko. But she loves to be useful, and as of yet she is not very. This is why she begs Niko to let her scry the winds, and this lets in a really cool part of the book. I cannot imagine how Tamora Pierce keeps thinking up these ideas, but I praise her brilliance. New ideas, as well as sound plots, are the lifeblood of good authors. As long as Pierce keeps delivering this, she will remain one of my favorite authors.

Cold Fire, by Tamora Pierce

2006-12-31T14:05:00.000-05:00

Daja and Frostpine have traveled north to the city of Kugisko in Namorn. They stay the winter in the house of the Bacanors, whom Frostpine knew a long time ago. While they stay, Frostpine does magework for the local magistrate, and Daja discovers that the twin daughters of the Bacanors have ambient magic: Nia with carpentry, and Jory with cooking. Now she must find teachers for them and in the meanwhile teach them meditation. Daja has also made a friend in Ben Ladrudun: local firefighter and son of a merchant family. After his wife and children died in a fire, he devoted himself to stopping fires and studied with Pawel Godsforge, a legendary mage. Daja admires his bravery and wishes she could help him. Fires start popping up all around the city, and it is soon discovered that it is no accident: they were set. But by whom? Who would want to set fires in a city mostly made of wood, and for what purpose? Daja wishes she knew, for to her it seems a personal attack on Ben Ladrudun, and Daja will not have anyone hurting her friends.

This is a very clever and surprising book. There is danger and sadness and betrayal all mixed together. The plot is exciting and gives a fast paced read. It is difficult to grow up a normal child, let alone a child with an extraordinary gift that can cause her to be singled out and shunned. Usually this would apply to Tris more, but in Cold Fire we see that it happens to Daja as well. Fire is a smith’s friend, and Daja usually treats it pretty casually. But most people are not used to seeing a young girl holding fire, or walking through a burning building and coming out unscathed. I don’t quite understand why the common people in the novel react so strongly to such magic: magic surrounds them daily as well as mages. One more incredible thing should almost seem commonplace. Some people have talents in different places: why are they so frightened? I’d think that people in the real world would be more frightened than the people in Daja’s world by such a display of magic, but it seems that is not the case. But human nature being what it is, maybe it should not be so surprising.

I find it quite amusing how Frostpine hates the cold. There is a wonderful conversation in which Daja explains why he took the name Frostpine when he hates the cold that much. Apparently he liked the way Frostpine sounded, and thought it would be a pretty tree, not considering how cold ‘cold’ really was. It is the little bits of cleverness in Pierce’s writing that makes me keep coming back to read and reread her books. The writing is as lively as the characters, and just as comforting. For some reason when I read her books I think of Christmas time and fresh baked cookies. Maybe it is that feel of excitement that both events bring to me: I get that feel when I read her books. And sometimes that is exactly what I need.

Street Mage, by Tamora Pierce

2006-12-31T00:09:00.000-05:00

Briar and his teacher Rosethorn have traveled to the city of Chammur, helping farmers restore their fields, and temples stock up on medicines. In the Golden House marketplace Briar sees a young girl polishing stones who appears to be putting magic into them. When he asks her about her magic, the girl quickly runs away and disappears. Briar soon finds out that her name is Evvy, and that he must teach her if he cannot discover another teacher for her. But finding Evvy and making her take lessons is another matter: she is as wild as Briar once was. But Briar is clever in the ways of street people, and he manages to make her promise to take lessons with him until he can find her a proper teacher. But the only other stone mage in the area is Jebulun Stoneslicer: pompous, fat, and completely unwilling to teach Evvy. However, there is another person interested in Evvy other than Briar: a gang keeps trying to snatch her to maker her work for them. And behind all of this is a bored wealthy woman who foolishly decides to go against Briar and chance the consequences of angering a truly powerful mage.

Chammur is just a stop on the way for Briar and Rosethorn, but they soon find enough to occupy themselves. Between discovering a mage and avoiding gang wars, Briar has a lot on his plate. Street Mage shows us the many ways that Briar has changed and matured from his ‘street rat’ days, and also the many ways in which he has not. There is a struggle within Briar: he is torn between the thief that he was, and the Mage that he is now. The points of view are so different that he often has trouble reconciling them. This struggle makes Briar’s povs so interesting to read. His is a complex character that is totally believable. He cannot stop being who he was, but he has come so far that it is no longer who he is. I like this, and it is part of the reason why Briar is my favorite character.

In Street Mage we see Briar get truly angry, which is something that he hasn’t done before. Or else before now he hasn’t had the power to back him up. But this passage is truly great and thoroughly enjoyable to read, as is most of the book. Briar has a great wit and cleverness: I wish more characters were like him. Playful, yet serious. Witty, yet strongly loyal. Tough, yet caring. A character of contradictions, and that always makes for good reading. At least it does for me, and I hope it would for you.

Magic Steps, by Tamora Pierce

2006-12-29T22:53:00.000-05:00

Daja, Briar, and Tris have all left Winding Circle to travel the world with their teachers. But Sandry has stayed behind in Summersea to look after her Uncle who nearly died from a heart attack. But in no way does Sandry miss out in any excitement that might be found by traveling. Looking after Vedris is a full time job; especially since he does not like to stay abed and rest. Keeping him resting is even more difficult after murderers start killing the Rokat family one by one and hanging their heads in public places. And to top it all off, Sandry discovers a young man who has dance magic, and doesn’t know it. She is now obligated to teach him and keep him out of trouble. Pasco is certainly a handful, the murders keep going on, and Vedris has to keep looking for the murderers. Sandry longs for her housemates, but they are half a world away and she must deal with her own problems now.

This is the first book in the Circle Opens quartet. The Circle Opens quartet deals with the children (now that they are all accredited mages) having to take on students once they have discovered them. As was said above, this book deals with Sandry and her student Pasco. We get to see more of Sandry in this book than in her previous book in the Circle of Magic quartet. We are introduced to a great character in Yasmin, and I wish we could see her more.

I have a few things to quibble about, but they are mostly minor. Number one, is that Sandry is only 14, but sometimes it seems like she should be 4 years older at least. I know that in most books the main characters (if they are children) rarely act their age. But even though she was forced to grow up quickly, I don’t know if it is quite possible for a 14 year old to have the same maturity level as a responsible 18 year old (exceptions not withstanding). My second issue contains a bit of plot spoiler that some might not want to read if they are interested in reading the book for themselves. Just skip to the below paragraph. I liked the character of Wulfric Snaptrap, and he was certainly useful. But I have issues when authors introduce a character and kill him in the same book. Especially whey you can tell that they want you to empathize and feel sorry that they are dead. I have trouble doing this if the character hasn’t been around long enough or done enough to get me attached to them. When they die, I have a hard time caring as much as the author wishes I would. All this happened in the case of Wulfric, and I wish it didn’t.

On the whole, Magic Steps is just as good as the rest of the previous series. It’s sad that we don’t see all the children together, but even on their own they are quite formidable. Tamora Pierce never allows the plot to flag, or our attentions to waver. She keeps our interest steady by introducing new ideas intermixed with old. I do think that Sandry might be a weaker character than the others, but that does not seriously effect Pierce’s writing. This book is good for a light read, and it certainly is a quick one. It is perfect for lovers of the first series, so I suggest you go out and pick it up at your local library.

Circle of Magic: Briar’s Book, by Tamora Pierce

2006-12-27T15:18:00.000-05:00

When Rosethorn and Briar visit the Mire in Summersea to bring medicine to the poor, they discover something much more serious than a shortage of chilblain salve. A plague is starting, and it is one that has never been seen before. One of the symptoms is blue spots covering the infected bodies. Briar and Rosethorn are put under quarantine after they try to help a street rat whom Briar befriended. Briar longs to be back at Discipline, and Rosethorn hates being under quarantine. She needs to be back at Winding Circle, trying to find a cure. But they are stuck where they are, as more and more sick people are brought in from all parts of the city. Briar’s friend is taking a turn for the worse, and there is no cure that can help her. Both Briar and Rosethorn wish to be where they can be of use, and that doesn’t seem to be happening where they are. But they cannot go home, and all they can do is wait.

Okay, many really really cool things happen in this book. The children are very strong in their magics by this point, and this leads them to do some monstrously huge thing that is indescribably wonderful. But I can’t tell you what that is. It would spoil so much. All I will say is that this is my favorite book in this series, and not only because Briar is my favorite character. The ending of this book amazes me as it tugs on my heart. Many kudos go to Tamora Pierce for thinking up this ending, because it knocks everything else out of the water. Hands down the best book in the series in terms of writing and wonderfulness. There is no option this time: you really should read this book. And all the others just so you know all that is going on. J I love it when an author makes the end of the series so good that you can tell people to read the series just so they can get to the end. Pick this series up: it’ll take you all of a week to finish. Oooh, scary week! Oh, no! Or you can read it faster. Your choice.

Circle of Magic: Daja’s Book, by Tamora Pierce

2006-12-27T10:57:00.000-05:00

The Duke of Emelan invited the children and their teachers to come with him on an inspection of an ailing Gold Ridge Valley: there has been drought for three years in a row, and now fires are running wild across the plains. The Duke wants to help all that he can, but his treasury is stretched thin fixing damage from the earthquake and the pirate attacks. The children follow their teachers around the area, and soon discover that their magics have mixed to such an extent that Briar is displaying lightning ability, Sandry melts a wire thread, and Daja shows a new affinity for plants. When Daja has a moment of inattention in the forge, she accidentally creates a living vine of iron. Some Traders in the area are reluctant to associate with a trangshi, but they cannot resist the chance to buy the vine from her. The fires in the area are continuing to be a problem, and the children’s magics are running wild. Why is life never peaceful?

Tamora Pierce never allows her characters to grow simplistic or boring. There is always some new aspect of them that she brings to light that compliments the rest of their character that we know. And then we wonder if we haven’t known that about them all along. Daja loves her new family, but being a Trader was more than a way of life: it was life itself. The smells, the sights, and the family that was lost. So when Traders show up at Gold Ridge, the struggle she goes through is truly heartrending. Wanting to be a Trader again, but hurt that they declared her trangshi and won’t associate with her. These are not simple emotions, and they make for a great character.

Daja’s Book is just as interesting and thrilling as all the other Circle of Magic books. We see the people we love, but they are growing all the time into characters that we love even more. I truly wish I could meet these people, because they seem like real people who should exist so the world would be a better place. Briar, Rosethorn, Lark, Tris, Sandry, Niko…I know I shouldn’t get so attached to characters in books, but it’s hard to help it. I wish month passes were allowed to fantasy worlds. What a vacation that would be.

Circle of Magic: Tris’s Book, by Tamora Pierce

2006-12-26T12:09:00.000-05:00

The earthquake that devastated Summersea is long past, but the effects will still be felt for a long time. Many people are still injured, and the defenses around the area were damaged in the quake. Sandry, Tris, Briar, and Daja are still living at Discipline and discovering just what they can do. Their magics seem to be stronger after Sandry wound them together to survive the earthquake, and they are very close. They will need all of their magic and friendship when pirates start sniffing around Summersea and Tris starts to realize how strong her magic is, especially when she’s mad.

That little snippet up there doesn’t really do the book justice, but it gives you a general idea of what is going on. All of the children continue to work on their magic and the practical aspects that go along with it. Since their magic is worked through particular items, their magic will only be as good as their skills in making that item in the first place. But most of this has to stop when pirates blow up the watchtowers around Summersea, break all the scrying glasses in the Hub, and try to break into Winding Circle. They carry a new weapon: the boomstone. Unlike regular catapult stones, this explodes when it hits something, spraying fire everywhere. Modern audiences will recognize this as gunpowder.

This book develops a lot of Tris’s character, and shows us just what she can do with her magic when she wants to. Tris has had a hard life, being passed from one place to the next because no one wanted her. Only at Discipline is she welcomed, and maybe even loved. I enjoy Tris as a character. She’s smart, but cranky and touchy. She is nice, but very prickly. Sugar and sweetness are not words that describe Trisana Chandler. But she can be loyal and strong and very caring of her friends. I believe she is a very realistic character, one I am willing to believe in and accept. This is very important for a fantasy story: many improbable things are set in front of the audience. If they can’t believe in the characters that drive the plot, the story is lost.

As with the first book, Tris’s book is an easy read, but it does deal with some semi-serious issues. Love, loss, and hatred are not light topics. But it is a perfect book for young teens who want a wide range of things: adventure, magic, good people, and just the right reading level. I do say that older people will enjoy them: I still do, anyway. So don’t rule them out because you think they’re too young for you. Relax, and grow younger.

Circle of Magic: Sandry’s Book, by Tamora Pierce

2006-12-24T12:26:00.000-05:00

Four children of very different backgrounds have been brought to Winding Circle Temple. Sandry is a noble, Briar is a thief, Tris is from a merchant family, and Daja is a Trader. Each of them has had a hard life so far: Sandry’s parent’s died in the plague in Hatar, and she was locked in a cellar without a light for days: Briar grew up in a rough district of Sotat and has always been a thief: Tris’s parents left her at a temple, believing she was demon possessed, and no one has ever loved her or taken care of her: Daja was cast out of the Trader community after the ship she was on sank, and she was the only survivor. A mage named Niklaren Goldeye found each of them and brought them to Winding Circle. They don’t really know why they’re there, but Winding Circle is a place of magic, and magic is about to enter their lives forever.

Each of the Circle of Magic books (there are four) are told mostly from the point of view of one person. It will switch back and forth a bit, especially in this first one because we are just getting to know all the characters. Sandry’s book is told marginally from her perspective, and some of the story is about her specifically. But we have a lot to learn about all the characters, and it is worth it. All of them are so different, yet they manage to live together and even become friends.

This is a lighter read, more for young adults. The plot is decently tight with good characters and interesting ideas. My personal favorite character is Briar, but no character is better written than the others. They are short books that are good for enjoyment and fun. I would put this on the higher end of fluff, approaching real substance. Tamora Pierce is a good writer, who knows exactly how to write for her audience.

Talking to Dragons, by Patricia C. Wrede

2006-12-22T21:16:00.000-05:00

Daystar and his mother Cimorene have always lived on the edge of the Enchanted Forest. Lots of odd things happen to them, and they meet lots of odd people: mostly princes and third sons and the like. But the day the wizard showed up was quite a different day. For one, he blasted their door apart. Two, Daystar’s mother melted him. Three, she went into the forest, gave Daystar the magic sword she came back with, and then sent him into the forest with strict instructions not to come back until he knew why she sent him away. A very confusing day, to say the least. His time in the forest is made even more interesting when everyone keeps recognizing the sword he’s carrying but refusing to tell him anything about it, and some are trying to kill him. Never did Daystar ever imagine that life would ever turn out like this.

This is the fourth and final book of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. Daystar is the son of Cimorene and Mendanbar, kept in ignorance of his parentage so that he may one day free his father from imprisonment. Cimorene has raised him the best she could, emphasizing politeness and courtesy. In fact, Daystar turns out so polite and courteous that he’s almost boring. There is not as much zest in his character as some of the others, and since the story is from his pov, it is not quite as interesting as the other books. Daystar’s virtues are the story’s downfall. I’m not saying that this was a bad book: in no way! But it lacked the spark that characterized the other books and made them so good in comparison. As a conclusion to the series it does not quite do its job at being fulfilling and satisfying. It is still a good book; enjoyable, fun, clever. But I enjoyed reading the others more.

Calling on Dragons, by Patricia C. Wrede

2006-12-21T13:21:00.000-05:00

It comes as a surprise to no one in the Enchanted Forest that the Wizards are up to trouble again. And this time they’ve really outdone themselves. Somehow they managed to sneak into the palace and steal Mendanbar’s sword. Now they are able to suck up magic in the forest again, and when the sword begins to leak magic, they’ll suck it up from it too. Mendanbar cannot leave the forest, so Cimorene, Morwen, Kazul, and Telemain mount an expedition to regain the sword. Tagging along are two of Morwen’s cats, and a six foot floating blue donkey, who used to be a normal sized white rabbit. An odd bunch, to be sure, but they have to succeed, or the entire Enchanted Forest will be destroyed by the wizards.

It was great to read the story from Morwen’s point of view. She is so practical and sensible, yet funny. And her cats are an absolute hoot. Such personalities: just like cats really act, and probably for many of the same reasons. Wrede is such a clever author, introducing new ideas and odd characters every book so the story never gets too common place, but also keeping some old ideas that we need to see. The characters change, but not too much, and the story is as lively as ever. You wonder whatever possessed her to create a character like Killer (the former rabbit), but if you roll with the punches it doesn’t really matter.

Sometimes I wonder why adult books can’t be more like this. But I know that most adults wouldn’t like the sense of the ridiculous that comes along. I appreciate serious stories myself, but it seems to me that young adult/children’s writers don’t get enough credit for their masterpieces. Their plotlines are cooler and tidier than some adult authors, their characters are just as interesting, their writing as good, yet the acclaim is not theirs. But I give thanks to them, because without them, I might not have started to read so much fantasy. I proclaim this to be ‘Appreciate Children’s Authors Day.’ Go out and hug one if you can find them.

Searching for Dragons, by Patricia C. Wrede

2006-12-21T12:54:00.000-05:00

Mendanbar is the King of the Enchanted forest. Since he’s the king of a magical land, he needs all the magic and wits he can muster to face the challenges that come his way. Recently, it appears that dragons from the Mountains of Morning have been burning patches of the forest. Taking advice from the witch Morwen, Mendanbar straps on his magic sword and goes to visit King Kazul of the Dragons to find out what is going on. But when he reaches her cave, the only one there is Princess Cimorene (or more accurately, Kazul’s Chief Cook and Librarian). Cimorene reveals to Mendanbar that Kazul has gone missing, and that she intends to try to find her. Mendanbar feels he is duty bound to go with Cimorene to protect her, but neither is completely happy about this arrangement. Along the way they’ll have to deal with faulty magic carpets, rock snakes and wizards. Just another typical day for the King of the Enchanted Forest!

In Searching for Dragons the pov is switched from Cimorene to Mendanbar. But since we’ve already seen how her mind works, there is no trouble in simulating her thoughts for ourselves. I wish I could meet these people in real life: they must be so much fun to be around. Clever and brave, funny and smart: hmm, it might get annoying after a while. But it never does in the book: we are taken on one adventure after another, holding on for dear life. The plot twists and squirms, new characters pop up, old ones reappear, and there is a wonderful happy ending. I don’t think I’m spoiling much by telling you that.

Its is a rare occurrence to find a children’s book that has neither shallow nor two-dimensional characters. It is also a delight, which makes reading one such book particularly wonderful. Albeit the characters are simplified: this is a children’s tale. There aren’t as many blurring of the lines between good characters and bad, but in itself that can be refreshing. For those of us who started reading fantasy as children, there is a sort of nostalgic feeling one gets when reading such a story. It makes us feel like children again, full of intent wonder. I appreciate that feeling from time to time, so I especially appreciate books that can evoke that emotion in me. Pick up the Enchanted Forest Quartet and prepare to enjoy yourself.

Dealing with Dragons, by Patricia C. Wrede

2006-12-20T17:02:00.000-05:00

Princess Cimorene is a very different sort of princess. All of her sisters turned out just fine: they’re all blue eyed blondes without a brain between them. But somehow Cimorene turned out tall, dark haired, and very very stubborn. Bored out of her mind learning princessly duties such as etiquette, dancing, and embroidery, Cimorene learns fencing, cooking, magic, juggling, latin, and economics. Each set of lessons is stopped by her parents when they find out, so she never gets to study anything truly interesting. In horror she discovers her parents have arranged a marriage between herself and Prince Therandil—a singularly boring prince who is coincidentally not too bright. Taking advice from a helpful frog, Cimorene runs away to become a princess for the dragon Kazul. Here she is needed for her former oddities: Kazul loves cherries jubilee, needs her latin library catalogued, and her treasure sorted. But all these pesky knights keep showing up to rescue her, and the wizards are definitely becoming a problem. What’s a girl to do? If she’s Cimorene, you can be sure she’ll do something!

In this, the first book of the Enchanted Forest series, Patricia Wrede takes the classic fairy tales and rearranges them into a singularly different story. All the old clichés are there: princesses, dragons, knights in shiny (or not-so-shiny) armor, magic, wizards etc. But the way Wrede uses these classic ideas truly reinvents the fairy tale. Cimorene, for example, is no fainting damsel in distress. At last she’s found a place where she can be extremely happy, and all these bothersome knights keep trying to take her away. This book is just thoroughly enjoyable, with a highly entertaining writing style. Completely strange ideas are juxtaposed for comic effect: and it makes perfect sense.

I first read these books when I was in sixth grade. They have never gotten old, or boring, or just not funny. They are a children’s to young adult series, but that only means that more people can enjoy them at the same time. I doubt if I would have ever noticed this if I had not read them back to back, but Patricia Wrede and Piers Anthony seem to share a bit of the same writing style. Wrede is a bit more serious (but not much), and there are certain similarities in their style. If you enjoy one, it is quite possible you will enjoy the other. I give it a big smile rating, and you should too.

Hood, by Stephen Lawhead

2006-12-19T21:29:00.000-05:00

Lawhead has pulled off a great retelling of the Arthurian legends, yet it remains to be seen if he can do it again for Robin Hood. Hood is the first book of the Raven King trilogy. It starts off the legends of Robin Hood with some familiar characters and some new places and ideas. The Robin Hood character is named ‘Bran,’ and his loyal friend is named Iwan. Instead of the story being set in the typical Sherwood forest near Nottingham, this retelling is set in Wales at a time when it was still surrounded by a massive forest that was very easy to get lost in. In details like this, when Lawhead makes the story his own, the book reads the best and is the most interesting. Sadly, it is when he brings in most of the classic Robin Hood elements that the writing stumbles.

Near the beginning of the book, there is a scene in which two characters meet and nickname each other little John and Friar Tuck. For some reason this felt very clumsy to me, as if Lawhead was trying too hard to identify his story with the typical legends. If it had happened later in the book it would have felt better, but the placing of it seemed poor. I also had an issue with his portrayal of Bran at the beginning of the book. He was such a stereotypical character that I could map out half the story as well as his personal developments. (I mean this in a different way than already ‘knowing’ what the story was going to contain, seeing as it is a retelling of Robin Hood.) The plot seemed laid out before me in big bold letters saying, ‘This is what will be.’ I think this is a death wish for any book, unless the author is going to turn convention on its head.

All this said, Lawhead has managed to turn out another good book. It may not read as smoothly as I prefer, but as the book warms up he shows his particular genius with writing. He has a flair that can be quite realistic and yet mysterious at the same time. The story has the ability to sweep you away to a long ago time when magic never seemed far away, and freedom was a thing worth dying for. The sweetness of life mixed with the pain: a bitter drink that makes you appreciate everything more.

I have high hopes for the next book in this series: maybe Lawhead will manage to avoid the pitfalls he stumbled into in Hood. I know he has the ability to write characters that can knock your socks off, and I hope he manages to apply that to the rest of the Raven King trilogy.

Golem in the Gears, by Piers Anthony

2006-12-10T20:05:00.000-05:00

Grundy the Golem has a few problems. 1. He’s small. 2. He’s got a loud mouth. 3. He’s insecure. 4. He’s small. And Xanth just doesn’t make females in his size. But when Grundy discovers Sorceress Ivy trying to teach her young brother Dolph how to fly in order to find Stanly Steamer, he decides it is time to go consult the Good Magician. Typically, the Good Magician gives a nonsensical answer that seems to have nothing to do with the question asked, ‘Ride the monster under the bed to the Ivory tower.’ I mean, what kind of answer is that to the question, ‘where is Stanley?’ But Grundy decides to try the advice and so sets off on a quest. For such a little man, crossing all of Xanth is no picnic, especially when he opens his big mouth.

Here is another Xanth book that deals with the meaning of true love. What is it, how do you find it, and is it worth it. Usually the answer to the last question is yes. Grundy falls in love with Rapunzel who was stuck in the Ivory tower, but he knows that she will never be able to love him back. It’s great to see things from Grundy’s view, because before all we’ve ever seen/heard of him is his big mouth: which isn’t exactly great for forming deep characterizations. He really is a small man, with a man’s feelings and ideas. His mouth just doesn’t let most of that through. But when we’re in his head, we see it all.

You know, it gets hard to make astute observations for books such as these. I mean, they’re great fun and all, but I feel like the quality of my reviews have gone downhill a little. I’m not discussing intriguing aspects or great characterizations, because it’s hard to do that for fluff. I hope you’ll forgive me for this long segue from ‘serious’ reviewing. I’ll try to keep on top of things hereafter.

Crewel Lye, by Piers Anthony

2006-12-07T19:28:00.000-05:00

Jordan the Barbarian has been dead for 400 years. He believes that he can live again, for his magical talent is healing: no matter how severe the injury, it can heal with time. The only problem is that he does not know where his bones are, so he’s out of luck. But Princess Ivy is bored, so Jordan may just get lucky. For Ivy has a Magician class talent and she is very willing to exert it on his behalf. Jordan believes that if he watches the magic tapestry he may be able to remember his life, and possibly discover where his bones are. So ensues the tale of Jordan’s life, which was ended because of a crewel lye.

Who likes adventure? (ooh, pick me, pick me!) Who likes barbarians? (ooh, they’re my favorite people!) Then this is the book for you!

On a more serious note, this book does contain a lot about barbarians. Not of the Mundane variety, however. Jordan the Barbarian has a very useful magic talent: accelerated healing. Even if he’s got an arm chopped off he’ll be full functional in a day or so. I mean, talk about helpful. It actually gets difficult to count how many times Jordan dies. It makes you wonder if he’d be any more careful if he knew he couldn’t regenerate.

Crewel Lye has definitely got some really great funny moments. Jordan keeps referencing the Barbarian Publicity department, and somehow that always got a hoot out of me. Jordan is a dumb barbarian, but he is not as dumb as everyone thinks, because the Barbarian Publicity department likes to keep a proper image. I kid you not. It is for this reason that I continue to read Xanth books, campy and corny as they are. Once in a while Anthony comes up with a truly wonderful inventive idea that he pulls off in the strangest fashion. You will not find high-jinks like this short of Douglas Adams. If you’ve got a spare moment, pick it up. This type of book is described as (in the words of the Gorgon actually about Castle Roogna) ‘a good cheap historical novel…it has lots of sex and sorcery and a really stupid barbarian hero.’ Enjoy the read.

Dragon on a Pedestal, by Piers Anthony

2006-12-04T21:31:00.000-05:00

The land of Xanth is once more threatened by a great danger. The Gap forget spell was weakened by the time of No Magic, and it has begun to break up into little forget whorls. They are invisible and nearly impossible to detect, and the people who walk through them forget everything. The Gap Dragon is also on the loose, having remembered a secret exit to the Gap. When the Good Magician Humphrey is harvesting some water from the fountain of Youth the Gap Dragon comes upon him, and both the Magician and the Dragon are youthened when the water splashes on them both. This accident couldn’t have happened at a more inconvenient time, for Dor and Irene’s daughter Ivy is lost in the jungles of Xanth, and the Good Magician cannot help them locate her. Irene is in great distress for her daughter, for she has had a premonition that her daughter is headed straight into the worst danger of all.

Yes, I did not mention the ‘worst danger of all.’ It’s called ‘suspense,’ even though leaving something like that out is really annoying. I like to give better previews than what is on the back cover of a book, but I still like to draw it out a bit. Heehee. I do really want to tell you what the ‘worst danger of all’ is. I had a hard time leaving it out. It’s so fun!

On to the real review: basically, apply all that I’ve said about all the other Xanth books to this one. Wow, that was a really short review. It is sad but true. This book isn’t one of Anthony’s best in terms of interesting themes etc. which seems to distinguish his good books from his bad (at least in my opinion). I mean, it is the fun romp and adventure we always get with all the terrible and funny puns etc. It just does not have anything to distinguish it from the common mass. As will all the Xanth books, you can expect fun and adventure and fluff: but not too much thinking. This is their curse, and their blessing. As always, they are good for a light read and I do recommend them for that.

Night Mare, by Piers Anthony

2006-11-28T23:28:00.000-05:00

When Night Mare Imbrium accepted Chem’s soul to carry her out of the void, she stepped onto a path that no one but the Good Magician could possibly have predicted. The Night Stallion releases her from nightmare duty and sends her out to become a day mare with a warning for Chameleon: ‘Beware the Horseman.’ Imbri herself encounters this Horseman accidentally, is captured, and realizes that he is leading an invasion of Mundanes into Xanth. Imbri manages to escape with the aid of the Day Horse, the Horseman’s former stallion who had also escaped. She rides to Castle Roogna with her warning, and is caught up in events to repulse this latest Wave of Mundanes. But when King Trent shows signs of defeating the Wave, his mind is ensorcelled. This starts a chain of Kings who all try to defeat the Mundanes, and all are soon ensorcelled. Imbri is running her tail off trying to help where she can, but eventually it will be up to her to ‘break the chain.’

I love how Piers Anthony connects all of his books together. We learn about Mare Imbri in the previous novel, and now she has her own book. We learned about Smash in Castle Roogna, he reappears in Centaur Aisle, and gets his own book later. I like the interconnectedness of the characters, because if there is an interesting character, it is likely that eventually we will be spending more time with them.

But this is a slight downfall, because Anthony cannot seem to kill off characters. There will always be a happy ending, and the main characters will never die: even of old age. I believe we start to see this in Night Mare, and this idea certainly continues on throughout the books. But that is the nature of Xanth, and some of the charm of the novels.

In Night Mare we do meet some new characters, like Imbri and the Horseman, but it is mostly like a reunion for the previous casts of the books. We get to see everyone all over again, doing what they do best, and what we love them for. It certainly is enjoyable, because I like to learn what has happened to them in the interim between books, and see their talents come into play again. Despite all of this, Night Mare definitely has hints of the repetitiveness that dogs some of Piers Anthony’s work, but it is an enjoyable romp just the same.

Ogre, Ogre, by Piers Anthony

2006-11-27T10:53:00.000-05:00

Smash the ogre has gone to visit the Good Magician Humphrey to get an answer to his question. But his problem is that he doesn’t even know what his question is. But Humphrey still provides him with an answer: travel to the Ancestral Ogres to find what you seek. And in lieu of a year’s service Smash must travel with and protect Tandy, the daughter of the nymph Jewel and the soldier Crombie. Tandy had also asked a question of the Good Magician, and her answer is to travel with Smash to find what she is seeking. Neither Smash nor Tandy is particularly happy about this arrangement, but they set off to cross Xanth. Tandy has been raised in the caverns below Xanth her entire life, so she knows nothing of the dangers of aboveground Xanth. But Smash is ample protection for her: nothing wants to bother a full grown ogre. Along the way, Smash falls prey to an Eye Queue vine, and is cursed with smartness: the one thing an ogre cannot stand. But he is stuck with it until the vine comes off, and meanwhile Tandy keeps recruiting other females to join them. Not that Smash minds overmuch: they are all very nice. But soon Smash is traveling with seven females he cannot eat, and he is still cursed with an intelligence he cannot be rid of. And all for wanting the answer to a question!

Ogre, Ogre is truly a good book. Aside from the exciting adventures normal to Xanth novels, Ogre, Ogre has a wonderfully complex personal side. Smash is no ordinary ogre, and Tandy is a wonderfully spunky girl. At the risk of giving a lot away, I’m going to say that this book deals with love, real love (and not the ‘chase that nymph’ sort). Love that will do anything to keep the other from being hurt: love that will give anything up, even the love itself, if it will benefit the other. The kind of love that everyone needs, and few of us get. There is a maturity in this book that few other Xanth novels approach. The only other Xanth novel that compares is Castle Roogna. I do admit to enjoying the light/fun attitude of all the other books, but this is a very nice change in pace, and almost more enjoyable. Read this one, even if you feel like skipping the others. It’s worth it.

Centaur Isle, by Piers Anthony

2006-11-25T15:10:00.000-05:00

King Trent needs a vacation. Actually, he wants to go to Mundania to settle a trade agreement, but he’s telling everyone he needs a vacation. King Trent’s only planning on being gone for a week, so he puts Dor on the throne as temporary King. The week passes, and Dor manages not to destroy the kingdom or fight too much with Irene. But when the anticipated day arrives, King Trent and Queen Iris do not appear. Dor must go on pretending that nothing is wrong, while knowing that something awful must have happened to them. But Kings are not allowed to go haring off, so all Dor can do is wait. But Irene is adamant that he must go to Mundania and rescue her parents. So they put together a traveling party and go off to southern Xanth to find something that will help them find King Trent. And Dor tries to make sense of King Trent’s parting words, that ‘honesty is always the best policy.’

Here we are, back for another wild adventure in Xanth. Only along with bad puns, now we must deal with sum truly aweful spelling. But all in good fun, as is the norm. Anthony gives us some good character development between Queen Iris and Irene. The trip into Mundania is good for many laughs, as are most Xanth novels. I say that fun reads are definitely necessary once in a while.

Castle Roogna, by Piers Anthony

2006-11-21T23:27:00.000-05:00

Dor has many problems: his parents are always away on business for the King, the other boys pick on him for having a ‘dumb’ talent and for being so small, Irene (daughter of King Trent and Sorcerer Iris) would love for him to die, the fact that one day he will be king, and Millie the former ghost is looking decidedly too interesting for him to want her to be just his nursemaid any more. But King Trent is a wise man, and knows that what Dor needs is a self-confidence booster and a little life experience. So he has the Good Magician Humphrey send him back in time a few hundred years to the Fourth Wave of barbarian invasions in Xanth. Now Dor is in a man’s body, but it only seems to be multiplying his problems. He finds himself caught up in a struggle between two Magicians of the time: Magican Roogna, and Magician Murphy. Both of them want to be King, but they can’t decide who should take the position. Murphy’s talent is making things go wrong, and Roogna’s talent is transfiguring an object into something similar. To peacefully decide who should be King, Roogna is building a castle, and Murphy is trying to stop him. If Roogna can finish the castle before the year is out despite Murphy’s talent for making things go wrong, he will be King. If Murphy can stop Roogna, he will be King. But Murphy’s talent is certainly operating overtime, because the goblins and Harpys are about to start a war together, and most inconveniently, they have chosen Castle Roogna as the battleground. Dor is caught up in the middle, trying desperately to make the right decisions that everyone must make if they are truly to become a man.

Like all Xanth books, Castle Roogna must not be taken seriously. It is a book meant for fun and laughter and terrible puns. The different characters are always enjoyable to me, because they are so varied and odd in their own rights. The journey that Dor takes to become a man is really interesting and funny, even though absolutely no 12 year old would ever make those sorts of decisions. Hey, I suspended my disbelief and enjoyed myself.

I seriously wish that Jumper could come back as a character, but that is impossible given his nature and his life span. The idea of a giant spider is not pleasant to me (who is seriously arachnaphobic) but I love reading his parts and seeing how he guides Dor to make good decisions. I must say that sometimes it is nice just to relax and read a thoroughly entertaining book.

The Source of Magic, by Piers Anthony

2006-11-12T18:57:00.000-05:00

We come back to the magic land of Xanth one year after the first adventure. The land is at peace, Trent has been a good solid king, and Bink and Chameleon are married and expecting a child. But even though life seems to be better than ever, Bink cannot get comfortable. He starts to long for the ‘good old days’ when he was free to adventure and roam (conveniently forgetting that it was not really all that fun when it first happened). King Trent orders him to resume his search for the source of magic, a task they had discussed doing, but had never put into effect. For companions Bink takes along Chester the Centaur and Crombie the palace guard who has been conveniently transformed into a griffin. But as is the norm for the land of Xanth, all is not as it seems, for someone appears to be trying to kill Bink, and where are all these moles coming from?

Okay, this wasn’t my best synopsis ever, but it’s hard to describe these books in short. The plot just likes to twist around a bit. The Source of Magic is definitely better, in my opinion, than A Spell for Chameleon. The writing was better, the ideas were just as good, and the adventure satisfyingly fun. We see more of the Good Magician Humphrey, who condescends to come on the quest with his crazy arsenal of magical bottles. We travel all around and under Xanth seeing strange sights, and meeting strange people. The puns are just as bad as ever, but in their own way they really make the story interesting and different.

My favorite new characters are definitely Grundy the Golem, and Crunch the Ogre. Somehow the idea of a vegetarian ogre is just really funny to me. The story is witty and decently well written: Anthony seems to be coming into his talent a bit more. The interplay of strange magic and interesting characters is just so refreshingly fun and simple, compared to all the complicated stories out there. Sometimes it’s just necessary to relax and read a simple story. On this merit, I would definitely recommend The Source of Magic.

A Spell For Chameleon, by Piers Anthony

2006-11-10T15:12:00.000-05:00

Xanth is a wonderful land full of magic, mythical animals, and really bad puns. (don’t get me wrong, I like the puns. But they are pretty ‘bad’ at times) To live in the land of Xanth, you must be able to demonstrate your magical talent by your 25th birthday, or you are exiled. For most people, this is not a problem as their talent usually surfaces when they are very young. But it is a problem for Bink because as far as he can tell, he has no talent. While others his age are making magical swords appear in the air, clouds of poison gas, and beautiful holograms, Bink is labeled as the ‘spell-less wonder.’ Coming from a long line of Magician caliber ancestors, this is very painful. A few weeks before his 25th birthday, Bink goes on a journey to see the Good Magician Humphrey, who will answer any question in return for a year of service. But the jungles of Xanth are full of danger: dragons and harpys and nicklepedes are some of the more common dangers. For Xanth is a land of magic and nothing is as it seems, for illusion often appears more real than reality.

This is just a quick synopsis of the book, because much more actually happens, but that would be telling. I’ll just say that the plot is sufficiently convoluted to please most avid readers, even if the writing at times is a bit lower than could be hoped for. The world of Xanth is vivid and delightful and very different than most magical worlds. There is danger and excitement and oh so much fun. Shoes grow on trees, along with blankets, bread, pies, and many other things we ‘Mundanians’ have to make ourselves. The different characters are lively and funny in their own special ways. It is great fun watching the role of magic in this very different society.

But A Spell For Chameleon is not all perfect. The writing level is not very high: it would read better to a younger teen who might not have such set ideas about character believability and consistency. There is a tendency for characters to make noble speeches about the world and how it should be, which can get slightly monotonous after a while. Also, the way sex is handled in the story is very adolescent. Nothing is extremely descriptive, but there is a sense of the attractive ‘forbidden’ that is normal in younger people. Not that I think adults handle sex any better, but young teens just have a sense that certain actions are wrong, and that makes the idea of doing them all the more exciting.

All in all A Spell For Chameleon is a fun read, not too heavy, but worth reading for the laugh and novelty factor. I haven’t ever read another book quite like it.

If I could ask Piers Anthony one question about A Spell for Chameleon, it would be: Did you come up with Xanth’s name by hearing your name slurred together as pierZANTHony?

Avalon, by Stephen Lawhead

2006-11-07T21:29:00.000-05:00

When Llyonesse shall rise again, and the Thamesis reverse its flow…These triumphant words herald the return of King Arthur in the hour of Britain’s greatest need. Many years have passed since they were written, and the world is not as it once was. It is ‘current day,’ or sometime in the 20th or 21st century. British citizens are tired of a long succession of randy profligate kings, and moves have been made to abolish the British monarchy. The Prime Minister is cultivating dreams of being the first President of England and will do anything to throw down the monarchy. But Merlin has not been idle all of these years, and he will never see the monarchy dissolved no matter what happens. He has only been waiting for the best time to raise up his King and the time has now come. Now he only has to inform the lucky man.

James A. Stuart has lived a very normal life, so this comes as a great shock and surprise to him when he hears he is the last eligible heir to the throne of England. As you may imagine this is very hard for him to swallow. But in various ways he is finally convinced of the fact, and then he discovers he believes in the necessity for a King to rule over Britain. For it is not about power and money: it is about being an example to the people and reminding them of their better selves that lie sleeping. That is why there must be a King, for no one can do the same job, or be such an example. The reason the citizenry were so disappointed with their failed kings, is because they had been expecting something better. You cannot be disappointed with something you never hoped for. So in their hearts, the people of Britain really want a King; they just want a good one. Ahh, but evil does not sleep, and Morgian is ever at the ready to tear down what Merlin tries to build. And this is a terribly delicate structure: James Arthur Stuart cannot go out and win his kingship with a strong arm, he must woo the public and the media. But the media is every fickle, and a bad report often spreads faster than good opinions. It is never easy to try to be a King, and James certainly has his work cut out for him: and what on earth is he going to do about Jenny?

Avalon is a thoroughly delightful book. It is a culmination of all the Arthurian legends, which have so much to bring to bear in this enthralling end of the Pendragon Cycle. In this time of darkness, Arthur returns, bringing light and hope as he once did before. It is exciting to try to find the parallels to the previous books, because there are many. Some old characters seem to show up in new guises, and some events seem like the long awaited conclusion to their predecessors in books 1-5. I enjoyed all of it greatly and immensely, because it was written so cleverly with such attention to detail as to make your heart dance. In all the previous books Arthur had been described as coming fully alive in battle: in Avalon, the battle that this Arthur takes part in is the battle of words. The shift is from the ancient need to protect and win with the strength of one’s arm, to be replaced in the modern day by the need to express yourself well in words. The change in Arthur reflects that.

It is with great sadness that I close this review: I have enjoyed so much reading these books that I hate to see them end. I recommend all of them most highly to anyone who asks. Stephen Lawhead has a rare gift for writing which is not normally seen. He builds such characters and such worlds that make reality seem dim and dull. But reading Lawhead makes me want to change the way I live, just to capture a bit of the beauty he creates when he puts pen to paper.

Normally I only like to ask one question at the end of a review, but I have two that would love to get asked, and I can’t decide between them. So, if there were two questions that I could ask Stephen Lawhead about Avalon, they would be: 1.)Did Morgian really die in Arthur, or was it a trick of hers and so she was now alive in Avalon? and 2.) You have a very Christian centered view on life and religion and it shows in the Pendragon Cycle. How does it square with most Christian theology to have the idea of reincarnation nearly essential to the plot of Avalon?

Grail, by Stephen Lawhead

2006-11-05T16:30:00.000-05:00

This is the fifth book in the Pendragon Cycle, and sadly the second to last book. Grail picks up right where Pendragon left off. Arthur is hale and whole due to the miraculous intervention of the Grail cup. He decides that he must build a shrine to house the Grail so that pilgrims and those in need can come and be healed. For Arthur, this truly is the start of the Kingdom of Summer, and his happiness and zeal knows no bounds. Everyone is caught up and dragged along in Arthur’s fervor and joy. But even thought the Vandali have been conquered and subdued, evil still walks the land, and its name is Morgian. Bitter and hateful as ever, Morgian will give anything to bring down Arthur and Merlin. But not only does she want them to die, she wishes them to taste defeat, despair, betrayal, and ultimately die hopeless and cursing their God. For she is clever as she is beautiful, and as deeply evil as the sun is bright.

I am always impressed anew with Lawhead’s writing ability whenever I read his books. He can master the heights of happiness, and the depths of despair. He is not afraid to hurt his characters, for they live in a real world which death is a part of, and evil is always present. He makes you care for his characters, and then he causes terrible events to happen in which they are tested beyond all endurance. I do not even want to hint what terrible things happen in Grail, for although they are bitter to swallow the idea behind them is worthwhile and true. Now that sounds kind of strange and semi-mystical, but Lawhead is not always as much concerned with a happy ending as a good ending.

Grail is a good book. It is horrifying, sad, and bitter but it is also beautiful. It is not easy to read because of all the terrible occurrences, but great beauty is more easily seen in the midst of pain. It is not always a pleasant book, but it is worthwhile. I cannot seem to find much to say about it other than generals, but I hope what I have told you gives you the true sense of what the book is filled with.

If I could ask Stephen Lawhead one question about Grail, it would be: Who built that first Grail Chapel in the midst of Llyonesse?

Pendragon, by Stephen Lawhead

2006-11-01T22:34:00.000-05:00

Pendragon is the fourth book of the Pendragon Cycle, and it is in this book that we finally see much of Arthur. The last book was unsatisfying to me because I was expecting to see Arthur as a young child, and becoming High King of Britain. But now we have that chance, and Lawhead succeeds marvelously in showing us a remarkable man. We see some of the early life of Arthur, and how Merlin is instrumental in keeping him alive until he can claim his kingship. We see Arthur gathering his cymbrogi and the roots of some Arthurian legends. We travel to Ireland and meet a few great characters, including Conaire, a boasting cocky Irish king. Gwenhwyvar is a priceless Queen for Arthur, not at all the mild meek female in distress. She is a warrior princess of a noble line, proud to fight side by side with her husband (and sometimes against him).

The Vandali invade Ireland when Arthur is visiting his wife’s home, and he must band together with the feisty Irish kings in hopes of defeating the barbarians. For if (and it is only a matter of time) the Vandali turn to Britain, he has not much hope that he can defeat them. And another danger has come to threaten Britain in this terrible hour: plague, the yellow ravager, is striking indiscriminately across Britain. Not only are warriors dying, but the innocent as well.

Okay, I’m going to say this straight out: I think this is a great book. It’s just so much fun! Arthur is almost unbelievable as a real human being, but the wonderful part is that he seems so real. He’s big, blond and intelligent. He’s strong, but gentle. He forgives faults easily in others, and rarely holds a grudge. He is an absolute terror in battle, but he is also an able commander, capable of seeing beyond ‘this battle,’ and onto the next. There is a wonderful line that I must quote for you all, because it is so amazing. Gwenhywvar asked Merlin what kind of fighter her husband was, and if the stories were true. Merlin replies, ‘“The Lord of Hosts formed Arthur for himself alone,” I told her. “When he rides into battle, it is a prayer.” “And when he fights?” asked Gwenhwyvar, delighted with my acclaim of her husband. “Lady, when Arthur fights it is a song of praise to the God that made him. Watch him now. You will see a rare and holy sight.”’

This is the character of Arthur, a man to make other men follow, a man strong enough to offer peace, but also a man who is only his true self on the battlefield. But Arthur cannot be described as brave, or courageous, because to be brave you must feel fear. You must overcome it to be courageous. Arthur feels no fear on the battlefield. There are no words to describe what he feels, because he is such a singular man none could ever match him. This is who Arthur is. This is the man Lawhead reveals to us all, the man we have waited three books to fully see.

The anticipation built up to this point has been tremendous. Even in Arthur we did not truly see enough of him to be satisfied. We see the beginning and the end of the story, but none of what we really want. But in Pendragon, ahhh. We see Arthur, and we love him. We fear for him when he takes risks, because to lose him would be horrible to contemplate. Yet at the same time, we know the end of the story. We know how it will all end eventually. But at this moment, he is wonderfully, gloriously alive.

You can be in no doubt at how much I love this book. I guess I have not given a really unbiased view of this book: even worse than most of my others. I just liked it so much, and there was very very little wrong with. It is very easy to guess that I highly recommend reading it, but only read it in conjunction with the other three books. As much as Arthur was not my favorite, it is necessary to read the books that come before to fully understand these characters.

If I could ask Stephen Lawhead one question about this book, it would be: How did you form the character of Arthur, and how did you conceive him to be the way he is?

Arthur, by Stephen Lawhead

2006-10-23T14:13:00.000-05:00

In this, the third book of the Pendragon Cycle, we finally see some of the reign of Arthur. The book begins with Arthur pulling the sword out of the stone—a familiar story. But he is not immediately proclaimed High King: the other kings have lived too long with their own ambition to allow a young upstart on the throne of Britain. But Merlin manages to wring from them one concession: that they name Arthur Dux Britanniarum, the Duke of Britain, and make him leader of a warband. From this small beginning Arthur must win his kingdom and keep it safe—not only from the invading barbarians, but from the petty kings who would rather make war on each other than live in peace.

Sadly, Arthur was not all I hoped it would be. In a way, the book skips around a lot. Lawhead introduces three different POV’s in the telling of the story, which is not always satisfactory. The first point of view is from Pelleas, the devoted servant of Merlin. I was so used to seeing things from Merlin’s eyes, that I often would forget that Pelleas was telling the tale, not Merlin. The second POV is Bedwyr. I liked his view, because he would say the funniest things that kept the story interesting. The third was an entirely new character named Aneirin. His story starts with him as a young boy becoming Merlin’s assistant. His view is my least favorite, because I did not care for him at all. He was not one of the characters that I had grown to love—he seemed like such a random last minute addition and I couldn’t get into him.

The main issue with the different POV’s is that there are gaps of time between each character’s story. For large chunks of Arthur’s reign, I know of nothing that happened. The first fifteen years of his life are a blank to me, and myriad times in between when the narrators were not around him. I wanted to know more about Arthur, and yet I only got to see sundry glimpses of him as a child and during his reign. It seems to end all too soon, for like all Arthurian tales it ends in sorrow and hope. For there is a prophecy that Arthur will one day return, but he cannot return unless he has gone away. By the end of the book, we know the end of the tale, but it is the middle we are lacking, and that is what I wish to read.

Arthur is not without its good parts. There are many battle scenes, and Lawhead makes each and every one of them exciting and unique. Bedwyr is an enjoyable narrator, and he is often close to Arthur and the main pulse of what is going on. His description of the barbarian feast is absolutely priceless. Interesting events happen, and Lawhead is certainly being as good a writer as ever. Certain parts of the story could not have been told the way they were without the different narrators, but I wish it wasn’t necessary. So far, I think this is the weakest book in the Pendragon cycle.

If I could ask Lawhead one question about Arthur, it would be: What really happened to Arthur and the island of Avallon, and where did they go?

Merlin, by Stephen Lawhead

2006-10-21T10:55:00.000-05:00

In this second book of the Pendragon Cycle, we watch the life of young Merlin as he discovers who he really is, and what he is meant to do. Merlin grows up in Yns Avallach, one of the last remnants of Atlantean culture. When he is old enough, he spends his summers with his Grandfather Elphin, learning to be a warrior and a just king. Merlin grows, knowing that he is different and must one day save Britain from ruin. He experiences great joy, and even more terrible sorrow. For even though Merlin is more than a man, he is no less of one either. There are many things on earth that are too powerful for a single man to overcome, or to endure. His faith in God is tested to the utmost, but it also saves him to continue the work that only he can do. Soon, the child that is to be High King over all Britain will be born, and the Kingdom of Summer will reign. But only if Merlin can find him.

As with many of the Arthurian legends, most people have heard stories about the life of Merlin. Some say that his mother was a mortal, and his father was no man. Some say that he turned Uther Pendragon into a likeness of Gorlas, so he could sleep with Ygerna. Merlin has forever been a mystery, and a wonder. Stephen Lawhead does not veil that sense of mystery or wonder, but we are allowed to glimpse beyond it into the mind of a remarkable man. For he is a man, and men make mistakes and must suffer for them: the world is not perfect. I came to care greatly for Merlin, and it hurt all the more when life went badly for him. Lawhead does not give all his characters happy endings: he knows that they joy in life is more powerful when we also experience the sorrow.

As with Taliesin, Merlin is full of Christianity: it is an integral part of Merlin’s life and how he sees the world. But his is not a perfect faith: God will allow events to happen that are nearly unbearable, and Merlin cannot take it. It is a much more realistic take on faith than is seen in most books.

One problem with reading Merlin, is that sometimes it jumps around. The time is slightly fluid at points, and it makes for a confusing reading. The ending of a story might be told first, and then it is revealed what went before it. This can be an effective tool of writing, but it did not always work in Merlin. There are jumps in the plot that aggravated me, because I wanted to know what went on in between. But if you keep reading, the blank spaces are filled, and comprehension will come.

As much as I love the character of Merlin, somehow I felt more attached to Taliesin. Not to say that Merlin is not likable, but there was something about the character of Taliesin that is nearly indescribable. A power and a beauty, a steadfastness and a love that is hard to match. Merlin is more of an ordinary man, for all of his talents.

I really did like this book. It could exasperate me and annoy me, but the charm of the tale would not let me go. The story starts to come on more familiar ground: we see Vortigern and his tower that will not be built; Uther and his insane love for Ygerna; and we get a glimpse of Arthur who will one day be High King of all Britain, and ruler of the Kingdom of Summer. Lawhead builds up such expectation for the rule of Arthur: it has been two books already and only at the end of the second do we even see Arthur. It will mean more to us that Arthur will gain the throne, because we have waited so long to see it happen. In this, we might feel some of the impatience of Merlin himself, who had to wait many many years and manipulate many events so that it might take place. Lawhead is a clever author, and a good one, in my estimation.

If I could ask Stephen Lawhead one question about Merlin, it would be: We learn a lot about the Atlanteans and their extended lifetime: how long is their normal lifespan compared to a normal human’s? Or Merlin’s?

Taliesin, by Stephen Lawhead

2006-10-17T11:59:00.000-05:00

A good percentage people in the world have at least heard of—if not read—the Arthurian myths. From childhood we hear stories about the round table, the grail, and the fabled knights of Camelot. Most famous for their telling of the Arthurian legends are Sir Thomas Mallory and his La Morte De Arthur, and T.H. White and his Once and Future King. Sadly I have not yet read Mallory’s work, but I have read T.H. White and his enchanting story. Most of the tales are full of chivalry and shining knights on white horses holding their fair lady’s token. Most of us will be familiar with this picture: we come to expect it when reading about Arthur and his knights.

There have been many newer revisions of the old legend, including Mary Stewarts’ Hollow Hills, Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Mists of Avalon, and a very funny/cute but clever series by a children’s author Gerald Morris. All of them have a decidedly different take, but all are decidedly interesting. Stephen Lawhead has joined the ranks of authors that have looked into the Arthur myths, and revealed to us their grand vision. And (dare I say it) he has done so with considerable talent and writing skill.

Taliesin is the first book in Stephen Lawhead’s Pendragon Cycle. This is where Lawhead takes his first step away from the normally traveled path of Arthurian stories: instead of beginning with Merlin discovering the young Arthur who is destined to be king, Lawhead begins the story in Atlantis. The wonderful city of Atlantis, yes, but also the doomed city as we all know. We see the royal family doing what royal families do, and we meet the young princess Charis. The time is the end of the Roman empire, and the barbarians are starting to raid Britain. All that is there to keep them back are a few Roman legions, and the native Celts. From this point on we are taken on a longer journey than suspected: we start with Merlin’s grandparents. And while this seems very unnecessary, the cleverness of Lawhead is making itself known. When you understand someone’s grandparents, you will better understand their parents. And when you understand their parents, you will understand where they get their ideas and motivations much better than if you just started with them. Back to the story—Prince Elphin is a very unlucky young man. Anything he does seems to be cursed and it is always somehow his fault. His father King Gwyddno sends him to the fishery to take the salmon, and hopefully improve his luck. When Elphin arrives, there is no salmon and he appears to be just as cursed as ever. But in the weir there is one thing: a small sealskin bag with a child inside. Elphin takes this child and names him ‘Taliesin of the radiant brow.’ The story follows the lives of Taliesin and Charis, and how they intertwine.

Because of the nature of Lawhead’s epically scaled series, we hear no more than vague hints during the first book of Arthur himself. Arthur does not show up until much later in the series: for all that this is ‘his’ story. I say this to warn you not to be disappointed: there is, however, enough in the story to satisfy even without Arthur. Another point of interest is Lawhead’s use of Christianity. Most Arthurian legends are entwined with Christianity and grail lore: it would not be the same without them. But while Lawhead includes Christianity in the story, it does not take over the story, nor does it overwhelm the druidic realities of the time. Lawhead is a Christian author, but he does not call fire and damnation down on ‘pagan’ religions. He has a subtle touch when introducing themes of Christianity, and has written (I believe) the best way to live out a Christian faith without being judgmental or wishy-washy. As I stated before, I say this to make readers aware of what is in the book before they read it.

Taliesin is full of beauty, joy, excitement, and sadness. Lawhead can write beauty to take your breath away, or sorrow to make you weep. His description of the bull-dances are some of the most exciting passages I have read. (For some reason, the energy in them reminded me of the battle room sequences in Ender’s Game). I grew very attached to the characters, and was very loath to see the book end.

I did find it hard to start the book: the first time I read the opening chapter, it did not interest me greatly. This is the weakness of Taliesin, for if you keep reading, you will soon be hooked. But it is just that first bit…persevere, I say. It is worth it. There are some small ambiguities strewn here and there which can puzzle and detract from reading, but on the whole they are small and not too noticeable.

I heartily enjoy this book and gladly recommend it.

If I could ask Stephen Lawhead one question, it would be: how did you conceive melding the Atlantean and Arthurian myths?

Empyrion: The Siege of Dome, by Stephen Lawhead

2006-10-10T10:43:00.000-05:00

In this second book of the Empyrion duology, Orion Treet has returned to Dome to do what he can to stop the annihilation of the Fieri. He must find allies and avoid being captured: but he is alone, for his friends chose to remain with the idyllic Fieri. Finding enemies at every turn, and some friends where he did not suspect, Treet must survive in hopes of saving the Fieri; for there is nothing less at stake than the fate of an entire race.

In this book we learn more about the gentle Fieri, and we see the growth of the main characters Treet, Pizzle, and Yarden. We finally see the rumored Dhogs, who turn out to be very crafty characters. We don’t see much of Crocker, who has fled to the northern Blue Forest because of the turmoil in his mind. What happens to Crocker is so terrible to me, because I liked him, and to see him as what he becomes is awful. But that is a major point of Lawhead: bad things happen to good people, and not everything happens perfectly.

That idea is really fascinating to me: you don’t see it very often. Everyone loves happy endings where the guy gets the girl and all the world is well. But there is something to be said for the bittersweet ending where not all ends well. We come to know the depths of joy and sorrow, and to appreciate each all the more.

The themes of rebirth and redemption are very present through The Siege of Dome, as they were through The Search for Fierra. At this point in his writing, though, Lawhead does not yet have the subtlety in his writing that marks his later books. This delicate touch gently introduces ideas and themes without the reader noticing they are there. But every author has to start somewhere, and the Empyrion duology is a good starting point.

As with the first book, the writing is a little choppy, the characters not quite fleshed out well, and some questions left unanswered. I had hoped while reading the first one that some of my questions would be answered in the second novel, but they were not. While this detracts slightly from my opinion of the book, I still greatly enjoyed reading it. Whatever issues it has, it is still a fascinating book full of fascinating people and ideas.

My question for Lawhead about this series would be: Is the Red Death somehow related to the mist the travelers pass through in the desert?

Empyrion: The Search for Fierra, by Stephen Lawhead

2006-10-05T23:20:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I wonder why I enjoy reading fantasy/science fiction so much. Most of it is terribly predictable: the same plots are rehashed again and again using even more unpronounceable names and varied strange cultures. Most of us will recognize such stereotypical plots such as: young farmboy discovers he has to save the world, picks up a sage wizard, a man with bulging muscles, and a hot chick. And then saves the world. Or another: a varied cast is in a city with evil baddies ruling over some good people. They escape to a faraway settlement of good people, where they discover they have to return to said bad place and save the world. We all recognize these ideas: we’ve read them before. But what is it that makes us keep coming back? Or at least myself—I can’t speak for all of you. I really don’t know for the most part—but those unpronounceable names are kind of funny after a while.

I have officially decided (there is a need for me to be official with just myself) that I keep coming back for the way in which the old plot is reused. What variations on it is the author going to use this time? What kind of unpronounceable names are they going to come up with? What clever repartee is the main character going to spout when he’s in a tough spot? Mostly for these reasons I keep coming back to fantasy/science fiction. It is certainly very exciting when an author comes up with a new version of the old plot, a new twist in the innumerable twists.

A rough sketch of The Search for Fierra's plot would be thus: A colony is started on the world of Empyrion, but contact is soon lost. Orion Treet is sent with a few others to discover what has happened to the colony, and record its history. When they arrive via wormhole, they discover a situation entirely different than the one they were prepared for. Nearly 3000 years has passed for the colony, when only 5-10 should have. Treet and his fellows are caught in a deadly political struggle as they seek to discover what has happened to them, and to the colony.

All in all this is not a stellar book. The action is a bit choppy, the characters not really fleshed out enough, and the ever-present stereotypical plot is there to lead the way. But. Lawhead creates a convincingly complex society that could have evolved over 3000 years, and keeps the plot interesting in small ways throughout the book. There is an absolutely hilarious reference to Frank Herbert’s Dune that had me rolling on the floor for a good minute or two, and Lawhead has a writing style that delights in being cleverly odd.

This book is not as well written as some of his later works, namely his Albion trilogy, and his Arthurian saga. The characters don’t act consistently the way they should, which always throws a book a bit out of whack for me. The flow of the book is a bit choppy, but Lawhead keeps it interesting and worthwhile to keep reading. Definitely a good book to read, but not one to expect too much from.

Exile's Valor, by Mercedes Lackey

2006-10-01T12:50:00.000-05:00

Exile’s Valor is the sequel to Exile’s Honor, and continues the story of Alberich Herald of Valdemar. The book opens not long after Exile’s Honor concluded. Selenay is torn apart from the loss of her father, and beset by nobles who are forcing her to marry. But after Selenay manages to evade her nobles’ attempts to marry her off, she finds herself falling in love with the handsome Prince Kerathenalen of Rethwellan. Meanwhile, Alberich is finding hints in the lower city that someone does not want Selenay on the throne, and is trying (unsuccessfully) to forment discontent. When an accident in the salle leads him into further mysteries, Alberich believes that all of these events are related, but his evidence is slim and Selenay is in love for the first time in her life. He is forced to play a waiting game, and hopes he can discover all he needs to know before time runs out.

Okay, okay. A very dramatic description I know. ‘Before time runs out’ is an overused phrase when describing books, but in this case it is accurate. But unlike as it is described above, Alberich is not entirely alone in his assumptions: he is supported by the Queen’s Own Herald Talamir, and Herald Chronicler Myste. While we were introduced to Alberich’s nightly spying job in Exile’s Honor, Exile’s Valor fleshes it out and makes it quite interesting. This book is full of complications, intricate plots, fascinating developments, and really good writing.

Exile’s Valor is a better written story than its predecessor. Maybe it’s just because we know the characters and want to find out what is going on, but I found myself sucked into the story a lot faster than in Exile’s Honor. It held my attention a lot better, and I like it a lot better. I loved to read about the Ice Festival, and the start of the mad sport Hurlee. Lackey comes up with new ideas to delight your mind, and this sequel novel is a definite success in my eyes.

Again, this book is around the same level as the previous: not for young children, but more in the range of young adult to adult. Sex is a bigger thing in this book than the last, and certain parts are more explicit. Just be aware.

If I could ask Mercedes Lackey one question about this book, it would be: When did you first know that Alberich and Myste should get together?

Editor’s Eye:

There is one thing wrong in my edition at least: in the beginning of the book Adain(a bardic trainee) and Mical(a Heraldic trainee) broke a mirror in the salle. When they first go down to the city, Adain is described as riding a Companion, and Mical a sorrel gelding. Clearly it’s some sort of error, because later on Mical is definitely riding a Companion. I’ve skimmed past this before, but it caught my eye this time, and confused me, because I knew that Mical was a Heraldic trainee. I don’t know if the error came in the printing, or before. Anyone else notice this?

Reader’s View:

Who can not love Alberich and Myste together? I think they are sooo much fun. Definitely a good move to write that in. I love Myste as a character, because sometime I feel that if I ever had a chance to be a Herald, I’d be more like Myste than Alberich. Hurlee is definitely a mix between hockey and polo. A very amusing mix.

Exile's Honor, by Mercedes Lackey

2006-09-29T19:22:00.000-05:00

Alberich is a Captain of the Sunsguard of Karse. A precarious position to hold at best, and Alberich is not so lucky. Accused of having ‘witch powers’ Alberich is sentenced to death by fire. At the last moment he is rescued by his mount, who is not just a horse, but one of the Companions of Valdemar, named Kantor. Alberich is then brought to the land of Valdemar, the very people he has been taught his whole life to fear and hate. There he is given a chance to become one of the Heralds of Valdemar, a semi-military order that protects and serves the inhabitants. Faced with a choice he cannot refuse, and a people he longs to trust, Alberich must decide what to do without violating his honor or hurting the people of Karse whom he swore to protect.

Alberich is thrown into a situation that few could face: he is reft of his homeland, forced to learn a language that goes against all his logic, and told that his direst enemies are no worse than the average man. Thrown off all known ground Alberich must reconcile what he knows to be truth, with the new truths he is discovering.

I find Alberich to be a very likable character. He character is deep enough to carry the story well: which is good because the story is mainly about his journey rediscovering what it means to be himself. He is gruff, and yet cares too much: which makes him act all the tougher to not be hurt. Alberich is also a religious man, devoted to his country’s god, Vkandis Sunlord. This many faceted character is a delight to get to know, and understand.

What is greatly interesting to me, is that the Karsite religion seems to be heavily based on Christianity. What is even more interesting, is the portrayal of the religion as a whole. The Sunpriests are almost entirely corrupt and venal: corrupting true doctrine and obsessed with keeping power through means of terrorizing the common folk. This seems to be the common ‘negative’ portrayal of Christianity that pervades many books. But Lackey does not stop there—she actually gives the whole picture. The priests are corrupt, but the religion is shown in a very positive light. Alberich himself is sincerely committed to his god, and the way his religion should be. In a modern world where Christianity is most often portrayed as the root of all evils, it is nice to see a bit of variety.

Exile’s Honor is (as I would categorize it) a ‘lighter’ read. Mercedes Lackey’s writing style is not as ‘heavy’ as say, Robert Jordan or Tolkien. But I would qualify it as thoroughly enjoyable, as are many of her other works. Easy enough of a read for younger audiences, and appropriate enough material for them as well.

I actually had a hard time first getting into Exile’s Honor. I don’t know what it was, but it took at least two or three tries. It didn’t quite capture me at the beginning as I usually like to be, but the story improves as it goes. I just got more and more intrigued by the characters and their world. I had never read any other of Lackey’s Valdemaran books, but I can definitely say you don’t need to have to enjoy Exile’s Honor. It explains what you need to know, and I think it is a good starting point if you want to get into Valdemar.

If I could ask Mercedes Lackey one question about Exile’s Honor, it would be: Did you know anyone like Alberich, or did he write himself?

Editor’s Eye: The one annoying thing about this book, is that sometimes Lackey makes a false idea for someone to believe, just so she can introduce a right one. And then, of course, the character has an entire switch of mind, because this idea is the right one. Not that I’m arguing, but that just doesn’t always feel right to me.

Reader’s View: I like Alberich. I like his sense of humor. And that he acts like he doesn’t have one. I wish I could see him fight: I imagine a really gritty overwhelming form of fighting, like an avalanche. Just so fast and so strong and so clever, yet not so much of an art form as some books make it. I would almost imagine him bludgeoning someone, but that isn’t quite right. Not a pretty style, but a highly effective one: not that much finesse, but practical. Very much like Alberich himself. And I think Karsite is based on German.

Rose Daughter, by Robin McKinley

2006-09-24T15:52:00.000-05:00

Rose Daughter is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast (does it seem like I’m repeating myself here?). But unlike her previous book Beauty, which would on the surface appear to be the same story, Rose Daughter is a very different tale.

The story starts much the same, and develops much the same, but it is not the same. In Beauty there is an air of hope that pervades the book. The family makes an easy transition to the country, and they have to struggle for very little. They still have friends who help them, and never do they lack in good cheer. But in Rose Daughter despair is a very familiar feeling. It is a darker book, and a sadder one. The feeling is one of change, and not always for the better. Things get much worse before appearing to get better, and even then catastrophe strikes when the Beast appears and demands that Beauty come to him.

But for all of it’s melancholy, it resounds more deeply within me. I feel the anguish as their known life evaporates, and I take more pride as they adapt to their new one. The greater the downs, the more joyful the ups. For it seems that those who have experienced more sorrow, better appreciate the joy that comes after.

The book has its halting moments: there are several times where I had to reread a passage to make sure of its meaning, and in some places the plot happens so quickly it almost does not seem to happen, because it is over and done with. These parts are always distracting to a reader, because they throw you out of the story, and you must try to fit yourself back in.

But Robin McKinley’s undeniable charm in writing makes it worthwhile to continue reading, and I am always a sucker for the happy ending.

My one question for McKinley about the book is this: How did Beauty at the end make the sorcerous army disappear, and why did the old greenwitch refer to her as having magic?

Editor’s Eye: (spoilers contained)

I mentioned before about halting points in the novel, and in several places this is true. At one point Jeweltongue is talking to Lionheart about the terrible dinner she went to in Longchance, and how she attracted the attention of the Squire’s eldest son. It is inferred that Jeweltongue says many clever things, but we never find out just what she said, and we never find out what she said to reject his advances.

Another halting moment is at the end of the book when the Beast brings Beauty back to Rose Cottage. There is a long moment where we do not know that the Beast is still in his ‘beastly’ form. For a while it is never clearly stated that he keeps his shape, and I had to reread that passage a few times to clearly understand what happened. I wish that would have been made clearer, because then I wouldn’t have minded that he stayed the Beast.

Reader’s Review: (spoilers contained)

I just have a bunch of questions about this book. Where did the mother come from, and why was she searching for something, and what made her leave Rose Cottage? Why was the old Greenwitch there to comfort Beauty when she cried the first night of the dream? Where did the dream come from, and why was it important that she have it? It seemed like a machination of Strix, but how would his curse know to send it to Beauty? And why was it important that she walk down the dark hallway at the end? I love the story, but there are so many questions that are unsolved.

Feel free to comment below.

Beauty, by Robin McKinley

2006-09-22T17:57:00.000-05:00

Most of the plot of this story can be summed up by saying: this is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Already you know how it ends. There is no need for me to conceal or explain what happens in this story, because you’ve all heard, read, or watched it before. I will say this for Robin McKinley, though. She makes an interesting beginning that is not typical to the rest of the well-known story.

Beauty lives in the city with her two older sisters, Hope and Grace, and their father. Her father is a wealthy merchant-trader who is suddenly overwhelmed by a streak of bad luck and must close his business and try to pay off what debts he can. The family moves to a small country village in an attempt to start their life over in a simpler fashion. Here is where the story starts to regain it’s traditional footing. Their father gets lost in a winter storm, and ends up at an enchanted castle. He is looked after by invisible servants for a night and on the next day he prepares to leave. But he makes a fatal mistake when he picks a rose to bring back to his daughter Beauty, and then the Beast appears. As the reader, you know what is going to happen. Falderol, fiddledeedee, eventually there is a happy ending. How could it not end that way?

But summarizing the plot like this takes away the charm and sweetness that Robin McKinley imbues the story with. ‘Beauty’ is actually the nickname for the youngest girl. Her real name is Honour, but when she was a child she had difficulty understanding the concept of honour so she said in disgust, ‘I’d rather be Beauty.’ This nickname sticks, but when she grows up she is on the nearer side to plain, than to beautiful. But by now everyone knows her as Beauty and she is too proud to mention how the nickname pinches.

McKinley’s story-telling is not perfect, however. When Beauty gets to the castle she is waited upon by two invisible maids whom she can sometimes hear. They are an interesting addition to the plot and they provide some necessary exposition, but I feel they are a weaker side to McKinley’s better writing skills. They play up the ‘terrible curse,’ and ‘impossible cure,’ and by the end when Beauty discovers all she had to do was fall in love to break the spell, all their dire warnings seem anticlimactic and somewhat silly. Unfortunately, they don’t do much for the story itself.

I must admit I love retellings of fairy tales. It’s like hearing the story again as if for the first time. Some characters never really change, like the Beast, but you love them for what they are. If the Beast was anything but a mixture of terrifying, gruff, and yet tender, we would not believe he was the Beast.

Robin McKinley rewrites Beauty and the Beast in a truly masterful way. She keeps all the characters and the storylines that made us love the story in the first place, but she renews our sense of wonder in this wholly different and fascinating world.

The one question I would ask Robin McKinley about Beauty, is how did everyone know to come to the castle at the end.

Editor’s Eye

My respect for Robin McKinley is truly growing in leaps and bounds. In Deerskin she amazed me with a controversial writing technique, and in Beauty I now discover that half the story is one intricate wordplay! (a slight exaggeration, but somewhat true)

I mentioned earlier that ‘Beauty’s’ given name is ‘Honour.’ When I started rereading this book I felt a hunch that whenever the word honour was mentioned there was something more attached to it than just word choice. I believe I made a correct assumption, as I hope to show you.

When Beauty’s father is confronted by the Beast for the first time, he says that he has suffered much misfortune already. The Beast replies, ‘Your misfortunes seem to have robbed you of your sense of honour…’ It is my belief that most of the time when the word honour is used, it really refers to Beauty. Yes, the father has suffered much misfortune, and this latest one is about to rob him of his ‘Honour.’ His daughter.

Another time honour is mentioned, it is again by the Beast. He is talking to Beauty and he says, ‘No, you need say nothing. I am a Beast, and a Beast has no honour.’ That is correct, the Beast does not have ‘Honour’ yet. Beauty has not yet fallen in love with him.

A third time that I believe honour is mentioned significantly, is by Beauty herself. She is speaking to the Beast and says, ‘It is very ungrateful of me—and dishonourable.’ Dis-Honourable, not very honourable, unlike her normal character. Which is Honour.

Now I’m not saying that every time honour is mentioned is perfectly significant, but a good portion of the time the word honour has more significance than would be assumed. I believe this was a terribly clever thing to do, and I think Robin McKinley is clever enough to have put it in there on purpose.

Reader’s View: (spoilers are in this section)

A couple things bugged me because they were never followed up on: the first Rose petal that falls and turns gold. Why does it do this? We never find out: there is never a reason given. Why does Beauty suddenly grow and turn pretty? And why does her father feel revitalized after spending one night there? I think the reason we are supposed to assume for this is magic, but it isn’t well explained. And what are the dimensions of the evil curse on the Beast’s family? It had to wait for a ne’er do well, buy why?

Feel free to comment.

Deerskin, by Robin McKinley

2006-09-20T14:24:00.000-05:00

Deerskin is the heartbreaking story of the princess Lissla Lissar who grows up under the shadow of her two great parents. Her parents are so in love with each other and her mother is so beautiful that most of the realm forgets that there even is a princess. When her mother dies of a disease for which there is no cure, her father is maddened with grief and never fully recovers. Growing up, Lissar’s only true friend is a fleet hound named Ash. On her 17th birthday a ball is given in her honor and it is there that everyone notices that she is the exact image of her mother. I don’t really want to say anything more about the plot because from this point on tragedy strikes and you’ll just have to read it for yourself.

Deerskin is not an easy book to read. In fact, Robin McKinley spends most of her time trying to make you uncomfortable. And it works. Most of McKinley’s books are pleasant fantasies that are exciting and interesting to read. Her Damarian books are great adventure novels, her two retellings of Beauty and the Beast are beautiful but somewhat sad at the same time, and her other novels are much the same. So when I first picked up Deerskin, I was unprepared for what I read.

This novel is about terrible tragic things and how humans cope. Most of Robin McKinley’s novels are aimed at young adults, but Deerskin demands a more mature audience. I’m not going to name an age, but this book is not for the extremely innocent or the immature. The innocent it will horrify and the immature…you can guess.

I like this book. For all that it is an uneasy read, it is a good book. It does not stay tragic, and there are happy parts. Lissar is a great interesting character, and no one who reads this book can not love Ash.

As an interesting note to those who have read Robin McKinley’s Damarian novels, Deerskin is set in the same ‘universe’ as them. It is in a terribly far away future from their point of view, but I believe they are connected. There is a comment about Aerin and Maur for the closely-reading to discover.

There are many questions I could ask Robin McKinley about this book. But out of all the questions I could ask, if I could ask one it would be to ask how Damar turned into this very different land.

Editor’s Eye:

Many times Robin McKinley makes vague comments about how things are ‘not right.’ The annoying part about these comments is that she never answers them. The characters are feeling things that the reader cannot participate in because those feelings are never described. The reader is left with trying to figure out the blank parts without any idea of what should go in them. This is a very unsatisfying way to read, and almost makes Deerskin a terrible novel. Almost. But I believe I have discovered a rationale for these unsatisfying comments. The question is, why do authors have characters make certain comments? So the reader will know how to feel. The comments McKinley leaves unfulfilled do actually tell the reader something important. They do not let the reader mentally know what is going on, but the accumulative affect of all these unfinished statements is that of feeling uneasy, curious, unhappy, and on edge. Which I believe is the overall feeling the reader is supposed to get out of the book itself based on the content. So by not finishing certain comments, McKinley is actually enhancing her story, instead of detracting from it. Of course I could be making up straw houses, but this explanation is curiously satisfying: if I believe that McKinley is a clever enough writer to do something this intelligent. Otherwise she is just a bad writer and this is a bad book.

My View: (small reminder, spoilers contained in this section)

The first time I read this book, I was almost appalled. I was so not prepared for what happened, and it came as a major shock. I mean, she gets raped by her own father! She gets pregnant! Its hard enough to hear about things like this in real life let alone read about them in what is supposed to be my relaxation time.

I definitely love the deerskin dress. It’s a magical dress that doesn’t get dirty, what’s not to like?

Anyone have a clue why the painting of Lissar’s mother is so magical/creepy? It has something to do with the apple of sorrow that her father destroyed, but I can’t quite understand how that fits in with the painting. This is my one unsatisfactory thing about the book. What’s with the painting? Feel free to add comments.

Under Construction

2006-09-16T21:53:00.000-05:00

It seems almost silly to write out a list of goals, but then again, why should it be? If you're reading this first post, you should be (or at least I hope you are) wondering what on earth this blog is about. Reasonable question.

Reasonable answer: My plan (or hope, maybe a fool's hope at that) is to review nearly every book I read and post it here. Oops. I think I just lost some people when I mentioned reviewing books. But as the name of this blog suggests, I will be reviewing mostly fantasy. Maybe some sci-fi mixed in here and there, and perhaps other books I'm reading at the moment. I'll give an official review first off, which will hopefully be as unbiased as possible. The second part will be my personal thoughts and notes and favorite scenes: very informal. It'll be my opinion about things, and no one has to agree: it's just my point of view. :) The third part of the review (I think I just heard the sound of frantic clicking of readers getting away from the crazy blog with a three part review) will be a section with an eye to editing. While I read books I often come across sections that confuse me, or I wish had been better explained, or really have no point at all. Most of those comments will go in the Editor's Eye.

Those few brave souls that are still reading: I commend you. I salute your fortitude and bravery. Thanks bunches: I hope you come back.