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sonofthunder's review against another edition
4.0
Book 2 of the trilogy! This one continued to delight. Luke again got into all kinds of trouble, but the plot moves inexorably on and it becomes kind of a quest/travel novel, which I was most ok with. The characters deepen a bit (even Luke, who I continued to struggle to understand...but in a good way - it felt that the author was letting him develop naturally instead of forcing him into a heroic mold unrealistically) and the story continues to be most interesting.
edgeworth's review against another edition
4.0
This is the second book in John Christopher’s “Sword of the Spirits” trilogy, and I enjoyed it quite a bit more than the first. Luke Perry (yeah, yeah, it was written in the ‘70s) has been permitted to return to Winchester, the city of his birth, by the new Prince and his half-brother, Peter. While the Seers are continuing their man-behind-the-curtain machinations to restore science and knowledge to the world, Luke is content to be back at home, but soon goes off on another adventure. A peddler from foreign lands has arrived in Winchester, claiming to have crossed the volcanic wasteland to the north, and offers to return with an embassy to the “land of the Wilsh.” Luke, as Peter’s brother, is sent along with the group as an emissary.
While The Prince in Waiting was fairly pedestrian fantasy/post-apocalyptic story offering castles, battles and political struggles, Beyond the Burning Lands features the mystery of new lands, cultural intrigue and even some monsters, and was a much more entertaining ride. I also found Christopher’s tell-don’t-show writing style more tolerable in this one, as it actually makes a lot more sense for Luke to be evaluating his feelings behind a poker face as he acts as an emissary in a strange and foreign country. On the whole, this was a quick, easy young adult novel that I enjoyed quite a bit more than its predecessor. I’m glad I stuck with this trilogy and I look forward to its eponymous conclusion, The Sword of the Spirits.
While The Prince in Waiting was fairly pedestrian fantasy/post-apocalyptic story offering castles, battles and political struggles, Beyond the Burning Lands features the mystery of new lands, cultural intrigue and even some monsters, and was a much more entertaining ride. I also found Christopher’s tell-don’t-show writing style more tolerable in this one, as it actually makes a lot more sense for Luke to be evaluating his feelings behind a poker face as he acts as an emissary in a strange and foreign country. On the whole, this was a quick, easy young adult novel that I enjoyed quite a bit more than its predecessor. I’m glad I stuck with this trilogy and I look forward to its eponymous conclusion, The Sword of the Spirits.
traveller1's review
5.0
The second installment of "The Sword of the Sprits" trilogy. Unlike some series, the quality of writing of each is the same, and the story continues uninterrupted from the earlier to the third and last novel. There is an introduction, which recapitulates, but it would be far better for any new reader to begin with the first novel.
At the opening of the novel, we find Luke, our protagonist, in exile, living with the High Seers, underground, in their secret HQ. This is disappointing to both him and them. He is a man of action, and they have a plan for him—the restoration of science and technology.
At the opening of the novel, we find Luke, our protagonist, in exile, living with the High Seers, underground, in their secret HQ. This is disappointing to both him and them. He is a man of action, and they have a plan for him—the restoration of science and technology.
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