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wealhtheow's review
3.0
Rudy, now a sorcerer in training, and Gil, who searches for the truth using very modern methods of scholarship, try to beat back the rising tides of the Dark. I'm still annoyed by Rudy and his giiiiiirlfriend Queen Minalde, and I've read the romance between Gil and Ingold before, in Hambly's Windrose Chronicles (different names, same damn characters). I could barely get through the first two novels in this trilogy, but the third book is far better. I adored reading the medieval response to Gil's scientific method, and her feminist ways of thought (that what people wore ages ago could be a clue to their culture, for instance) clashed repeatedly with the fantasy world's resistance.
As readable as it was, however, I am very disappointed by the end of the trilogy. After all sorts of battles and hardship and political and physical fighting, Ingold simply performs a spell and sends the Dark away. Why he didn't do that in the first place, I'll never know. Perhaps he was too busy turning white with strain and smiling grimly at Gil.
As readable as it was, however, I am very disappointed by the end of the trilogy. After all sorts of battles and hardship and political and physical fighting, Ingold simply performs a spell and sends the Dark away. Why he didn't do that in the first place, I'll never know. Perhaps he was too busy turning white with strain and smiling grimly at Gil.
amia's review
5.0
Thoroughly enjoyed the entire trilogy but this was the best of the three. I don't give hints but it is so different from anything I have read before with awesome characters that I either loved or hated as if I were there. If you like fantasy you will love this set.
therewithal's review
4.0
I really like how Barbara Hambly writes wizards. Before I started reading her books, I'd been reading a lot of fantasy without magic or with other kinds of magic and I'd forgotten how much I like them.
I also think she's quite good at evil forces that are actually creepy.
She seems to have a thing about younger-warrior-woman/older-wizard relationships, which I can get behind except for the age difference part (e.g., in this series I liked both Gil and Ingold a lot, but them ending up as a couple weirded me out because their dynamic was too parent/child and he was old enough to be her grandfather).
I also think she's quite good at evil forces that are actually creepy.
She seems to have a thing about younger-warrior-woman/older-wizard relationships, which I can get behind except for the age difference part (e.g., in this series I liked both Gil and Ingold a lot, but them ending up as a couple weirded me out because their dynamic was too parent/child and he was old enough to be her grandfather).
jameseckman's review
4.0
An end to a most excellent trilogy, it's been so long since I've read it, it was like reading a new work. In the finale Gil, makes use of her scholarship to determine the real ways of the Dark and the hopeless battle is joined. The plot twists and turns in a most satisfactory and surprising manner. I recommend it for lovers of high fantasy.
She has also written good books in other genre; see [b:A Free Man of Color|176263|A Free Man of Color (Benjamin January, #1)|Barbara Hambly|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1373150055l/176263._SY75_.jpg|1050658] or [b:Those Who Hunt the Night|176261|Those Who Hunt the Night (James Asher #1)|Barbara Hambly|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387735262l/176261._SY75_.jpg|1229981].
She has also written good books in other genre; see [b:A Free Man of Color|176263|A Free Man of Color (Benjamin January, #1)|Barbara Hambly|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1373150055l/176263._SY75_.jpg|1050658] or [b:Those Who Hunt the Night|176261|Those Who Hunt the Night (James Asher #1)|Barbara Hambly|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387735262l/176261._SY75_.jpg|1229981].
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