Scan barcode
thedearest's review against another edition
3.0
Full review is here: http://galactictidesx.blogspot.ca/2014/03/book-review-crown-of-renewal-paladins.html
Confession: I did not read the Paksenarrion series before getting this book. I'll confess to one more, I read the Paladin's Legacy series after realizing Crown of Renewal is not the beginning of a series but the end of it. I also committed the mortal sin of finishing the Vatta's War series first.
In some ways, that coloured my reading of Crown of Renewal. I was pretty familiar with Elizabeth Moon's writing although it took on an otherworldly style in Paladin's Legacy. And I was able to see the series as part of one cohesive story which helped me understand how it came together. This reminds me of more classic SF/F in that sense, because it most certainly isn't a self-contained story within a serial. If I hadn't read the foreword and all of Paladin's Legacy I would have been completely lost.
In a multiple viewpoint narrative, you run the risk of not liking a character. For me, that was King Kieri, as unpopular as an opinion as that may be. I cared more about what was going on around him than I did for him as a character. Those chapters dragged in contrast with every other viewpoint especially as there was action of course, but also speculation and discovery--in keeping with the classic SF/F. Couldn't bring myself to care but for the people around hi,.
Dorrin Verrakai was probably my favourite character. A mage-lord when most people hate mage-lords, from a family of evil body snatching mage lords that everyone hated? An unmarried female duke? A lord with a mess of an estate that is trying to kill her and too many enemies and talking magical items ? Talk about a hard life. But yet, she handled it with a blend of grace, loyalty and the kind of smarts that makes it evident she is a commander at heart.
In that vein of being told like old-school SFF is that I still don't understand the magic. At all. I have a vague understanding of the taig-sense as an elf-y sort of thing, and old humans and mage lords but there is no magical system to be understood with rules and laws. And sometimes this is infuriating because I want to understand what is and is not possible! But that sense of wonder is captured beautifully.
Many may dislike that it is not a neat ending, but I find it satisfying nonetheless. And there is most certainly room for a sequel.
Overall rating: 3/5.
Full disclosure: I received this book as a Netgalley from Random House - Del Rey Spectra in exchange for an honest review.
Confession: I did not read the Paksenarrion series before getting this book. I'll confess to one more, I read the Paladin's Legacy series after realizing Crown of Renewal is not the beginning of a series but the end of it. I also committed the mortal sin of finishing the Vatta's War series first.
In some ways, that coloured my reading of Crown of Renewal. I was pretty familiar with Elizabeth Moon's writing although it took on an otherworldly style in Paladin's Legacy. And I was able to see the series as part of one cohesive story which helped me understand how it came together. This reminds me of more classic SF/F in that sense, because it most certainly isn't a self-contained story within a serial. If I hadn't read the foreword and all of Paladin's Legacy I would have been completely lost.
In a multiple viewpoint narrative, you run the risk of not liking a character. For me, that was King Kieri, as unpopular as an opinion as that may be. I cared more about what was going on around him than I did for him as a character. Those chapters dragged in contrast with every other viewpoint especially as there was action of course, but also speculation and discovery--in keeping with the classic SF/F. Couldn't bring myself to care but for the people around hi,.
Dorrin Verrakai was probably my favourite character. A mage-lord when most people hate mage-lords, from a family of evil body snatching mage lords that everyone hated? An unmarried female duke? A lord with a mess of an estate that is trying to kill her and too many enemies and talking magical items ? Talk about a hard life. But yet, she handled it with a blend of grace, loyalty and the kind of smarts that makes it evident she is a commander at heart.
In that vein of being told like old-school SFF is that I still don't understand the magic. At all. I have a vague understanding of the taig-sense as an elf-y sort of thing, and old humans and mage lords but there is no magical system to be understood with rules and laws. And sometimes this is infuriating because I want to understand what is and is not possible! But that sense of wonder is captured beautifully.
Many may dislike that it is not a neat ending, but I find it satisfying nonetheless. And there is most certainly room for a sequel.
Overall rating: 3/5.
Full disclosure: I received this book as a Netgalley from Random House - Del Rey Spectra in exchange for an honest review.
thiefofcamorr's review against another edition
4.0
Some chapter endings seemed rather sudden, but otherwise...
redheadedjen1's review against another edition
3.0
I thought it wrapped things up a little too nicely in a nice bow but it can still go on with some of the ribbon ends. I would love to see more of Camwynn and Dorrin.
morgandhu's review against another edition
5.0
Moon's "Paksworld" fantasy novels have been among my favourites ever since I first read Sheepfarmer's Daughter. When she returns yo this world for the Paladin's Legacy series, of which this is the last volume, I was so excited, and ther series has lived up tp my expectations. Loose ends, apparent inconsistencies and questions from all the previous books have been resolved, and the ending leaves one feeling that all is going to be well in the lands of Aare and Aarenis. And.... Dorrin Verrekai was one of my best loved characters, next to Paks herself - and her destiny left my eyes wet with joy for the character.
fastasashark's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
tigerb99's review
2.0
I read it to complete the series but...
it's my feeling that the author wrote five books when it should have been three. There are too many characters, too many subplots -- and a great majority of them don't move the story forward. Yes, I feel bad Aris is missing his friend, but I don't need a whole chapter on raising horses. What are those horse nomads doing over there? Why do we care about them? I just feel like the book is padded waaay out.
However, I have a mysterious fondness for Gird's Cow.
it's my feeling that the author wrote five books when it should have been three. There are too many characters, too many subplots -- and a great majority of them don't move the story forward. Yes, I feel bad Aris is missing his friend, but I don't need a whole chapter on raising horses. What are those horse nomads doing over there? Why do we care about them? I just feel like the book is padded waaay out.
However, I have a mysterious fondness for Gird's Cow.
lynmars79's review
3.0
I'm a little ambivalent, having just finished this a couple hours ago. I may need to go back and reread the rest of the Paladin's Legacy series to get a better sense of things.
It felt a bit rushed; I kept wondering how Moon was going to tie up some loose ends, and some of them were adequately tied, while others were intentionally left dangling for possible future stories (Prince Camwyn's story, for instance) while others simply weren't satisfying.
As much as I liked Kieri Phelan in the original Deed, he's best used sparingly, I think; he's almost "too good" and through the series he's been ramping up in magic powers; I don't think there's anyone in the setting who comes close to his level now (except of course Dragon). He's flat and uninteresting (and so is Arian by this book), and I never really felt he was in danger--nor his son, in what should have been a very tense scene and the climax of Kieri's story. It was too quick, for one, and it felt like Kieri's power was just too overwhelming to make his old enemy much a threat. And then after sensing no danger there is a sudden random fight that exists to pull a deathbed confession from a secondary character.
I still feel like there are a few too many Reasonable Authority Figures--all the major leaders except Alured are pure-hearted good guys who get along with all the heroic characters also of pure heart. People only don't get along when one of them is, or is affected by, evil.
That said, I LOVED the description of Sprucewind and his healing of Arianya; it was unique and vivid and I may have to recommend the chapter to friends who play druids and shaman in various RPGs. There were times I DID fear for the Marshal-General, and the scene in Hoorlow did feel emotional and scary (but again, it all turned out just fine for the heroes thanks to literal divine intervention--which was sorely needed in this particilar arc, and had been working up so felt more earned than in other parts).
I still enjoyed anything having to do with Arvid, and seeing the long way he's come since Paks first met him in Brewersbridge has been quite the ride. I think there's plenty open for his (and little Arvid's) story to go on as well.
I liked most things with Arcolin; after the too-quick treatment of his courtship and marriage in the previous novel, seeing his relationship with Calla and Jamis was lovely. Also seeing his struggle to be a Lord Prince of gnomes as well as Duke and mercenary captain is handled well; he has a lot on his plate.
I felt for Aris, Mikeli, and Camwyn, and there is definitely more story to tell there. I did have to grin at the last words Mikeli gets in this novel and particular series; despite everything he's dealt with, the young king has not lost his wry humor.
I feel like I missed something in Alured's chapter, and it takes forever (especially with the overlapping timelines, it's unclear how much time does pass) for him to confront Dorrin at the end--and then it's over and done very quickly. As usual, I do love anything having to do with Dorrin, and wish we'd spent more time with her. I am a bit irate that though she's clearly described as an older woman--past 50 and with more grey hair than dark now--the woman on the covers is at least 20 years younger in appearance. Her arc picks up the lion's share at the end of the novel, getting all the interesting descriptions and time, and is left open for more later in a way that feels utterly true to the series--and the setting--as a whole.
In the end, I think there were perhaps one or two too many point of view characters and story arcs in the series, like it's trying to be A Song of Ice and Fire in style (though definitely NOT in tone!) and that doesn't quite work the whole way through. Still, I love most of the characters and was glad to see so many old friends from the Deed of Paksenarrion and what came next for them; the paladin was a flashpoint, changing her world, and we see many of the effects in this series.
It felt a bit rushed; I kept wondering how Moon was going to tie up some loose ends, and some of them were adequately tied, while others were intentionally left dangling for possible future stories (Prince Camwyn's story, for instance) while others simply weren't satisfying.
As much as I liked Kieri Phelan in the original Deed, he's best used sparingly, I think; he's almost "too good" and through the series he's been ramping up in magic powers; I don't think there's anyone in the setting who comes close to his level now (except of course Dragon). He's flat and uninteresting (and so is Arian by this book), and I never really felt he was in danger--nor his son, in what should have been a very tense scene and the climax of Kieri's story. It was too quick, for one, and it felt like Kieri's power was just too overwhelming to make his old enemy much a threat. And then after sensing no danger there is a sudden random fight that exists to pull a deathbed confession from a secondary character.
I still feel like there are a few too many Reasonable Authority Figures--all the major leaders except Alured are pure-hearted good guys who get along with all the heroic characters also of pure heart. People only don't get along when one of them is, or is affected by, evil.
That said, I LOVED the description of Sprucewind and his healing of Arianya; it was unique and vivid and I may have to recommend the chapter to friends who play druids and shaman in various RPGs. There were times I DID fear for the Marshal-General, and the scene in Hoorlow did feel emotional and scary (but again, it all turned out just fine for the heroes thanks to literal divine intervention--which was sorely needed in this particilar arc, and had been working up so felt more earned than in other parts).
I still enjoyed anything having to do with Arvid, and seeing the long way he's come since Paks first met him in Brewersbridge has been quite the ride. I think there's plenty open for his (and little Arvid's) story to go on as well.
I liked most things with Arcolin; after the too-quick treatment of his courtship and marriage in the previous novel, seeing his relationship with Calla and Jamis was lovely. Also seeing his struggle to be a Lord Prince of gnomes as well as Duke and mercenary captain is handled well; he has a lot on his plate.
I felt for Aris, Mikeli, and Camwyn, and there is definitely more story to tell there. I did have to grin at the last words Mikeli gets in this novel and particular series; despite everything he's dealt with, the young king has not lost his wry humor.
I feel like I missed something in Alured's chapter, and it takes forever (especially with the overlapping timelines, it's unclear how much time does pass) for him to confront Dorrin at the end--and then it's over and done very quickly. As usual, I do love anything having to do with Dorrin, and wish we'd spent more time with her. I am a bit irate that though she's clearly described as an older woman--past 50 and with more grey hair than dark now--the woman on the covers is at least 20 years younger in appearance. Her arc picks up the lion's share at the end of the novel, getting all the interesting descriptions and time, and is left open for more later in a way that feels utterly true to the series--and the setting--as a whole.
In the end, I think there were perhaps one or two too many point of view characters and story arcs in the series, like it's trying to be A Song of Ice and Fire in style (though definitely NOT in tone!) and that doesn't quite work the whole way through. Still, I love most of the characters and was glad to see so many old friends from the Deed of Paksenarrion and what came next for them; the paladin was a flashpoint, changing her world, and we see many of the effects in this series.
More...