Scan barcode
wordnerdy's review
4.0
https://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2022/02/2022-book-30.html
This was a really satisfying conclusion to the first chunk of books in the Deverry series (there are four different series set in this world, plus one just starting up). Great characters, interesting action, no flashbacks to past lives (I have enjoyed those in earlier books but it was becoming a lot to keep track of) so things flowed a little better. And I really liked the way Jill's story wrapped up. I didn’t know if I’d keep going but I definitely plan to start the next book. A-.
This was a really satisfying conclusion to the first chunk of books in the Deverry series (there are four different series set in this world, plus one just starting up). Great characters, interesting action, no flashbacks to past lives (I have enjoyed those in earlier books but it was becoming a lot to keep track of) so things flowed a little better. And I really liked the way Jill's story wrapped up. I didn’t know if I’d keep going but I definitely plan to start the next book. A-.
figmentlady's review
5.0
Katherine Kerr is one of the greatest fantasy writers of all time. This series is one of my favorites.
redheadreading's review against another edition
3.0
I would give this more of a 3.5 than a 3 stars. I really enjoyed the first two books but was very disappointed in the third, so there was a year or so gap between finishing that and picking this up. Whilst I did enjoy this one much more than the third, I feel like the series got a bit weaker as it went on. For example, the concluding portion of this book felt rather anti-climactic, I was expecting more of a 'show down' to happen after a four book build up, but found it a little rushed instead. There are definitely aspects that I liked, one of which being Jill. I enjoyed where she ends up as a character but find my enjoyment of her spoiled slightly by some of the events of book 3 (which pissed me off no end). Whilst I am not entirely satisfied with the micro-story, I have other Kerr books to read so am looking forward to continuing on with the macro-story and seeing how it unfolds in other cycles!
lordsith77's review
5.0
Another amazing chapter in this series. Again, I found myself laughing, crying, and cheering aloud.
quietbookbird's review
4.0
Perfect. This story went exactly the way I wanted it to. As much as I liked the other books, the past lives confused me too much, and I always felt that Jill was overshadowed (probably on purpose). In this story, she finally gets the chance to begin exploring the dweamor, and to really be herself. We get a good cast of characters in this story- Rhodda and Salamander in particular shined bright. I hope to see more from them in the coming books.
My only complaint is Perryn- yes, his crimes toward Jill may have been only semi-conscious, but it just seems so, so wrong that he gets a happy ending. He didn't suffer enough.
My only complaint is Perryn- yes, his crimes toward Jill may have been only semi-conscious, but it just seems so, so wrong that he gets a happy ending. He didn't suffer enough.
nekokat's review against another edition
1.0
It's hard to overstate how disappointing this book was. Long. Dull. Uninspired. Anticlimactic. A pale, passionless shadow of the way the series started out.
I'm glad all the loose ends got tied up and the story all sorted itself out, but boy was it a slog to get here. Unlike the others, this book takes place in a single time period, which makes it even more obvious that Kerr has given up on the one truly original and interesting aspect of Daggerspell -- the reincarnation and Wyrd.
Minus the interesting echoes of past lives, we're down to your basic fantasy novel, and a mediocre one at that. The plot is repetitious and meandering, the characters are kind of dumb, the bad guys are a complete joke, and 300+ pages of tension and plotting lead up to a complete non-event of a final showdown.
For others who have read the first three and want to read this one just to see how it all pans out:Rhodry is un-exiled and appointed the heir, but has meantime gotten himself kidnapped and sold into slavery in Bardek. Jill and Salamander go chasing after him, eventually finding him and disposing of the bad guys, who turn out to be incompetent cowards who can't match Nevyn's power. They take Rhodry back to Deverry, where Jill predictably realizes she wants/needs to study dweomer more than she wants to be trapped into the courtly life of a queen. After some agonizing, she leaves Rhodry and goes off to become Nevyn's apprentice. This decision made, she almost immediately remembers all the details of her former life, and tells Nevyn she (Brangwen) forgives him. There, now I've spared you the hours of your life you would've wasted on this book.
I'm glad all the loose ends got tied up and the story all sorted itself out, but boy was it a slog to get here. Unlike the others, this book takes place in a single time period, which makes it even more obvious that Kerr has given up on the one truly original and interesting aspect of Daggerspell -- the reincarnation and Wyrd.
Minus the interesting echoes of past lives, we're down to your basic fantasy novel, and a mediocre one at that. The plot is repetitious and meandering, the characters are kind of dumb, the bad guys are a complete joke, and 300+ pages of tension and plotting lead up to a complete non-event of a final showdown.
For others who have read the first three and want to read this one just to see how it all pans out:
mal_eficent's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
While I still enjoy reading about the characters and the politics between all the Deverry factions, I’ll admit that the discussions about the dweomer and all the fate of the nation stuff has really started to bore me and I’m glad the series has ended.
Partly it’s because the book straight up grinds to a halt. The plot points established in the previous book can’t continue again until all the characters get to the right place - and when they do, the dramatic climax falls short because Kerr is just too practical a writer. Everyone acts as they should, and it all gets resolved properly, so the drama is all sucked out of it.
That said, while practical the ending was very satisfying. All the plot points and wyrds were so neatly tied up that everything just felt right. Was it happy? Not for everyone. But it was right.
For that reason more than anything (though I did enjoy the last quarter a lot more than the rest, which is making me biased) I’m bumping my rating up to a 4 star. It’s just too well crafted to give anything less.
If you enjoy classic fantasy, this is a series that will not disappoint with how its character arcs end, but I think if you’re looking for an uplifting or happy ending for these characters this is not the series for you.
Partly it’s because the book straight up grinds to a halt. The plot points established in the previous book can’t continue again until all the characters get to the right place - and when they do, the dramatic climax falls short because Kerr is just too practical a writer. Everyone acts as they should, and it all gets resolved properly, so the drama is all sucked out of it.
That said, while practical the ending was very satisfying. All the plot points and wyrds were so neatly tied up that everything just felt right. Was it happy? Not for everyone. But it was right.
For that reason more than anything (though I did enjoy the last quarter a lot more than the rest, which is making me biased) I’m bumping my rating up to a 4 star. It’s just too well crafted to give anything less.
If you enjoy classic fantasy, this is a series that will not disappoint with how its character arcs end, but I think if you’re looking for an uplifting or happy ending for these characters this is not the series for you.