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kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
Fourth in the Nine Kingdoms fantasy series and revolving around Gair of Ceangail's dead children. The couple focus is on Sarah and Ruith of Ceangail.
My Take
I swear, I am so confused over which book actually starts this series. I'm not sure if it matters, for the first four or five books, if you read them in order.
A Tapestry of Spells is a bit soap opera-ish with its fairy tale style, and it and Sarah and Ruith's quest pulls me right in.
Sarah's burn is a plot voucher that must be resolved while those pages from Gair's books are plot coupons that must be recovered. It's Ruith who knows what to do with them, but it's Sarah who can find them, forcing them into a partnership as they track Daniel's journey.
It's quite the antagonistic partnership with each doing their best to hide the truth of themselves. One in which friendship slowly grows, as they travel, gathering broken mages, and suffering through rogues, cheats, and thieves.
Kurland teases us with what must have happened to that ten-year-old Ruith, as Ruith remembers that fateful day at the well, although I am confused as to why Ruith felt he had to hide out in this little house on the mountain for the past twenty years.
It's a grown up fairytale with lots of action and plenty of characters with a reasonable pace. It's the prose that frustrated me sometimes with its combination of the normal and the flowery.
The Story
Sarah may not have inherited her mother's abilities, but she has certainly been planning for a disappearance. One that isn't thwarted by the loss of everything she'd planned for her journey, for Daniel's actions force her to take to the road.
It may not be the road Sarah had planned, and it certainly isn't Ruith's choice. For he is determined to not become his father
The Characters
Sarah of Doire is a weaver and is considered the village witch. Castân is Sarah's faithful chestnut steed. At the very start, at least. Ned Crodh is a nervous boy whom Sarah inherited when her mother, Seleg, the witchwoman, died. Daniel is Sarah's evil brother.
Ruithneadh "Ruith" is the youngest son of the evil Prince Gair of Ceangail, who was unpredictable in temper and going mad. An extremely evil mage who had been so very full of himself. Osag will be Ruith's horse.
When Gair was 1,000 years old, he married Sarait of Torr Dòrainn, an elven princess. Ruith had had five older brothers who included Keir, Gille, and Eglach and one sister, Mhorghain, who had been but six that fateful day. Seanagarra had been his beautiful childhood home.
The wizardess Eulasaid of Camanaë lives near Gilean and is Ruith's grandmother. Sgath, the son of Ghèillear, is Ruith's paternal grandfather with a lovely Folly on a lake; Taigh-mòr is the big house. Sile of Torr Dòrainn is Ruith's maternal grandfather.
Master Franciscus is a brewer of fine ale.
Master Oban of Bruaih is the expensive mage. Seirceil of Coibhneas, the youngest son of a nobleman from Meith, is a decent, kind mage. The pretentious Connail of Iomadh was actually born of Peirigleach of Ainneamh and a tavern wench. Urchaid of an exhausting number of places is a dark horse.
Doire is...
...a village in the county of Shettlestoune. Lady Dorcas Higgleton, the alderman's wife, has a fat purse. Prunella is her plain, shy daughter. Lord Higgleton is thrilled with the results.
The Kingdom of Neroche
Miach is the kingdom's archmage and a bird shifter. Adhémar is Miach's older brother and the king. Queen Deşdhemar had been their mother and the archmage before she died rescuing Miach. I think Anghmar was their father??
The Kingdom of Ainneamh is...
...an elven one.
Lord Doílain, the eldest son and one of Gair's bastard sons, now lives at Gair's old keep of Ceangail with many of his bastard brothers, who include Táir and Amitán.
Lothar of Wychweald, Droch of Saothair, Wehr of Wrekin, and Gair are evil mages.
Treun of Angesand didn't allow Alan of Gilean to get away with his theft for long. Uachdaran of Léige had had a spell of concealment.
There are a slew of magics in Kurland's world, including Fadaire; Olc; Camanaë, which is best for healing; and, Wexham, which is favored by the rulers of Neroche.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a graphic with the blues of a mountainous region with low-lying cloud. In the middle is a golden castle of stone with turrets and towers blanketed in snow. Ruith is in the foreground in a green hooded cape, mail on his shoulders and arms, a sword in one hand and his bow in the other with a quiver of arrows on his back. At the very top is an info blurb in a pale blue with the author's name below but above Ruith's head in white outlined in a deep gray with a slight shadow effect. The title, in a pale orange also outlined in grey using a stylized serif font, crosses Ruith's legs. In very tiny black print, is the series information on the left and below the title.
The title refers to Sarah's skills, for she can weave one heck of A Tapestry of Spells.
My Take
I swear, I am so confused over which book actually starts this series. I'm not sure if it matters, for the first four or five books, if you read them in order.
A Tapestry of Spells is a bit soap opera-ish with its fairy tale style, and it and Sarah and Ruith's quest pulls me right in.
Sarah's burn is a plot voucher that must be resolved while those pages from Gair's books are plot coupons that must be recovered. It's Ruith who knows what to do with them, but it's Sarah who can find them, forcing them into a partnership as they track Daniel's journey.
It's quite the antagonistic partnership with each doing their best to hide the truth of themselves. One in which friendship slowly grows, as they travel, gathering broken mages, and suffering through rogues, cheats, and thieves.
It's a fantastical world with its magic and dreams."'Didn't we just have this conversation?'
'I didn't like the ending of it.'"
"Perhaps we'll eventually collect enough injured mages to make up a single, whole mage..."That Sarah, lol, she's a character and such a contrast with her evil brother. I love how determined she is at the start with her well-laid plans and then picks herself up even as she vacillates over her brother's plans.
Kurland teases us with what must have happened to that ten-year-old Ruith, as Ruith remembers that fateful day at the well, although I am confused as to why Ruith felt he had to hide out in this little house on the mountain for the past twenty years.
It's a grown up fairytale with lots of action and plenty of characters with a reasonable pace. It's the prose that frustrated me sometimes with its combination of the normal and the flowery.
The Story
Sarah may not have inherited her mother's abilities, but she has certainly been planning for a disappearance. One that isn't thwarted by the loss of everything she'd planned for her journey, for Daniel's actions force her to take to the road.
It may not be the road Sarah had planned, and it certainly isn't Ruith's choice. For he is determined to not become his father
The Characters
Sarah of Doire is a weaver and is considered the village witch. Castân is Sarah's faithful chestnut steed. At the very start, at least. Ned Crodh is a nervous boy whom Sarah inherited when her mother, Seleg, the witchwoman, died. Daniel is Sarah's evil brother.
Ruithneadh "Ruith" is the youngest son of the evil Prince Gair of Ceangail, who was unpredictable in temper and going mad. An extremely evil mage who had been so very full of himself. Osag will be Ruith's horse.
When Gair was 1,000 years old, he married Sarait of Torr Dòrainn, an elven princess. Ruith had had five older brothers who included Keir, Gille, and Eglach and one sister, Mhorghain, who had been but six that fateful day. Seanagarra had been his beautiful childhood home.
The wizardess Eulasaid of Camanaë lives near Gilean and is Ruith's grandmother. Sgath, the son of Ghèillear, is Ruith's paternal grandfather with a lovely Folly on a lake; Taigh-mòr is the big house. Sile of Torr Dòrainn is Ruith's maternal grandfather.
Master Franciscus is a brewer of fine ale.
Master Oban of Bruaih is the expensive mage. Seirceil of Coibhneas, the youngest son of a nobleman from Meith, is a decent, kind mage. The pretentious Connail of Iomadh was actually born of Peirigleach of Ainneamh and a tavern wench. Urchaid of an exhausting number of places is a dark horse.
Doire is...
...a village in the county of Shettlestoune. Lady Dorcas Higgleton, the alderman's wife, has a fat purse. Prunella is her plain, shy daughter. Lord Higgleton is thrilled with the results.
The Kingdom of Neroche
Miach is the kingdom's archmage and a bird shifter. Adhémar is Miach's older brother and the king. Queen Deşdhemar had been their mother and the archmage before she died rescuing Miach. I think Anghmar was their father??
The Kingdom of Ainneamh is...
...an elven one.
Lord Doílain, the eldest son and one of Gair's bastard sons, now lives at Gair's old keep of Ceangail with many of his bastard brothers, who include Táir and Amitán.
Lothar of Wychweald, Droch of Saothair, Wehr of Wrekin, and Gair are evil mages.
Treun of Angesand didn't allow Alan of Gilean to get away with his theft for long. Uachdaran of Léige had had a spell of concealment.
There are a slew of magics in Kurland's world, including Fadaire; Olc; Camanaë, which is best for healing; and, Wexham, which is favored by the rulers of Neroche.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a graphic with the blues of a mountainous region with low-lying cloud. In the middle is a golden castle of stone with turrets and towers blanketed in snow. Ruith is in the foreground in a green hooded cape, mail on his shoulders and arms, a sword in one hand and his bow in the other with a quiver of arrows on his back. At the very top is an info blurb in a pale blue with the author's name below but above Ruith's head in white outlined in a deep gray with a slight shadow effect. The title, in a pale orange also outlined in grey using a stylized serif font, crosses Ruith's legs. In very tiny black print, is the series information on the left and below the title.
The title refers to Sarah's skills, for she can weave one heck of A Tapestry of Spells.
felinity's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. This book isn't a continuation of the previous story (Morgan and Miach), but instead follows Ruith, Morgan's brother. For some reason the connection with the characters just wasn't there, leaving an artificial distance between me and the story. It's like the difference between watching a play and watching a movie: Book 1 was a play, this was not.
readbyashleyd's review against another edition
4.0
I was slightly disappointed when I started this and realized it wasn't a continuation of the third book and that there was not even a glimpse of Miach or Morgan. But I quickly began to enjoy this story and these characters just as much as the first three books and their characters. I was initially confused and thought this was about the same brother featured in the first books but after going back and realizing this is a different brother, I was so intrigued! It really adds a whole new spoke on the wheel of this series and I cannot wait to see where it leads! I also really loved how the timelines of this book and the first three were so closely intertwined and both groups narrowly missed each other multiple times. And now I'm dying to read the next book to see how it all plays out!
ireadthebooks's review against another edition
3.0
Lynn Kurland returns to the world of the Nine Kingdoms in this spin-off series. Sarah of Doire is a likeable new heroine, independent and ambitious, but oppressed by her brother, Daniel. Daniel manages to get his hands on half a page of Gair of Ceangall's book, containing a spell Gair created to strip magic away from other mages, thereby increasing his own formidable power. Daniel sets out with the spell, intent on stealing magic and becoming the most powerful magician the world has ever known. Feeling a sense of responsibility, Sarah seeks out the aid of a reclusive magician to help her stop Daniel. When she finally meets the recluse face to face, he's not the old wizened magic worker she supposed him to be: Ruith is young, handsome, and only wishes to be left alone. Sarah's persistence wins him over, and he agrees to help her. But Ruith has secrets of his own: he is one of Gair's children, presumed dead and in hiding, and he knows that the spell Daniel possesses has the power to undo the world.
This was quite a good story. I liked both Ruith and Sarah, and the ragtag collection of traveling companions they collected along the way. Ruith is very much like Miach was in the original series. He is kind, gentle, incredibly powerful, and finds himself undone by a woman! Although this is typical for a book in the romance genre, and the romance holds few surprises, I still enjoyed the series. Kurland's worldbuilding is excellent, and only gets richer as we continue to see more of the Nine Kingdoms.
The only thing that's not entirely clear in this second series is how the timeline compares to the Morgan/Miach series. (This is perhaps because I didn't read the Morgan/Miach series again before I reread this book. If I had, I might've been able to piece it together better.) Ruith keeps thinking about how they're going to have to go to the well, and I kept thinking, "Didn't Morgan and Miach take care of that in the last book of their series? They must not have done that yet." The timeline becomes slightly clearer in the next book, though, so all in all, this didn't bother me too badly once I got my hands on Spellweaver.
3 stars! The book was well done, and I enjoyed it, but I prefer Morgan and Miach to Sarah and Ruith.
This was quite a good story. I liked both Ruith and Sarah, and the ragtag collection of traveling companions they collected along the way. Ruith is very much like Miach was in the original series. He is kind, gentle, incredibly powerful, and finds himself undone by a woman! Although this is typical for a book in the romance genre, and the romance holds few surprises, I still enjoyed the series. Kurland's worldbuilding is excellent, and only gets richer as we continue to see more of the Nine Kingdoms.
The only thing that's not entirely clear in this second series is how the timeline compares to the Morgan/Miach series. (This is perhaps because I didn't read the Morgan/Miach series again before I reread this book. If I had, I might've been able to piece it together better.) Ruith keeps thinking about how they're going to have to go to the well, and I kept thinking, "Didn't Morgan and Miach take care of that in the last book of their series? They must not have done that yet." The timeline becomes slightly clearer in the next book, though, so all in all, this didn't bother me too badly once I got my hands on Spellweaver.
3 stars! The book was well done, and I enjoyed it, but I prefer Morgan and Miach to Sarah and Ruith.
lostinabookbrb's review against another edition
3.0
Girl who hates magic, dude who has magic...
There are a lot of similarities to the relationship between Sarah/Ruith and Morgan/Miach.
I, however, am a sucker for romance and fantasy. So, I don't mind this series at all. It is a bit repetitive and the start of this book was a bit clumsy. Otherwise, I'd recommend it to those who like long series and romance in their fantasy.
There are a lot of similarities to the relationship between Sarah/Ruith and Morgan/Miach.
I, however, am a sucker for romance and fantasy. So, I don't mind this series at all. It is a bit repetitive and the start of this book was a bit clumsy. Otherwise, I'd recommend it to those who like long series and romance in their fantasy.
pixieghoul6's review against another edition
4.0
It took me a quite some time to pick up the first book in the second trilogy. The first 3 books are are one of my top favorites in series. This book did not disappoint. It takes place roughly around the same time and they are mentioned briefly. I enjoyed it enough that I ended up ordering it from 2 different places (by the time I realized it both had shipped).
carlalaureano's review against another edition
3.0
This was a nice light read. As always, Kurland's characters are likeable, if not always original. Once you've read a number of her books, they begin to feel a bit like carbon copies of one another. I would call it mediocre but for a smattering of beautifully visualized and written scenes that made it completely worthwhile to read. I'm always left with the feeling that Kurland is capable of so much more.
hannahecarey's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
5.0
I loved the first “trilogy” in this series and I am super happy that the start of the second trilogy totally delivered for me! I connected with Sarah a bit better than I did Morgan and Ruith was just as swoon worthy as Miach in my book. This was a nicely paced start to the beginning of Sarah and Ruith’s story and after the cliff hangar at the end, I am super intrigued to see where things go from here. As always, I love the pairings in Lynn Kurland’s books and there is just enough magic + romance to make these books super satisfying reads.
hessionsreadingworld's review against another edition
5.0
#57- Love this series. Only thing I don’t get is why no one asks who Sarah’s Father is, ever, in this book.