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adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A big warning, this does deal with sexual assault and incest, so if that's a big problem for you, best to skip this one.
A very traditional High Fantasy, taking from Celtic and Welsh folklore to build its world and magic system of dweomer. Has more of a focus on fate and reincarnation, where the sins of a past self can haunt your later selves. It skips between the current events with Jill and the past events, which influences the present. It spends a good chunk of time in the past, and felt like a really long prologue rather than it's own book. It was still interesting enough for me to want to keep going.
A very traditional High Fantasy, taking from Celtic and Welsh folklore to build its world and magic system of dweomer. Has more of a focus on fate and reincarnation, where the sins of a past self can haunt your later selves. It skips between the current events with Jill and the past events, which influences the present. It spends a good chunk of time in the past, and felt like a really long prologue rather than it's own book. It was still interesting enough for me to want to keep going.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, War
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Violence, War
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, War
Moderate: Violence
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I would have possibly rated this higher if the ending came through strong, but alas, it did not. The story just kept going and going and going... And I sat there it would, just, stop.
There was little to no sense or direction as to why things happened the way they did in the last 100ish pages. No sense of satisfaction or closure upon finishing the book. If anything, it left our characters in muddy waters, like???
I'm not even going to talk about the disturbing aspect of the story, for the sake of spoilers. Okay no maybe I will. I really hoped Gerro's urges wouldn't carry over in his next life but oh boy. I daresay it only got weirder? As a side note I definitely need therapy after reading the first 643 chapter.
The present day romance felt super rushed to me. I say this as someone who loves a good romance, but like the majority, I'm not keen on insta love. And Rhody... I just didn't understand why he was falling in love with women left and right.
To conclude, I don't think this was my kinda read. It wasn't even horny, but some things did seem to be glorified a bit too much to my liking. Well, actually the prologue does mention the word lust several times so maybe? I'm really not sure. There is something to this book but by far not enough for me to rate it any higher.
There was little to no sense or direction as to why things happened the way they did in the last 100ish pages. No sense of satisfaction or closure upon finishing the book. If anything, it left our characters in muddy waters, like???
I'm not even going to talk about the disturbing aspect of the story, for the sake of spoilers. Okay no maybe I will. I really hoped Gerro's urges wouldn't carry over in his next life but oh boy. I daresay it only got weirder? As a side note I definitely need therapy after reading the first 643 chapter.
The present day romance felt super rushed to me. I say this as someone who loves a good romance, but like the majority, I'm not keen on insta love. And Rhody... I just didn't understand why he was falling in love with women left and right.
To conclude, I don't think this was my kinda read. It wasn't even horny, but some things did seem to be glorified a bit too much to my liking. Well, actually the prologue does mention the word lust several times so maybe? I'm really not sure. There is something to this book but by far not enough for me to rate it any higher.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest
Moderate: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a series that I have fallen head over heels into and do not think that I will emerge any time soon.
the inciting incident is grisly and I would recommend to check for trigger warnings as sensitive have quite a bit changed since this book was written in the 1980ies.
However, I loved the exploration of love and life and fate that made its way then through this first book.
The world is beautifully and skilfully crafted, including language and the details.
What I specifically loved was this story line that started to emerge by some of the characters having the second sight and the wild folk being involved in the tale.
the inciting incident is grisly and I would recommend to check for trigger warnings as sensitive have quite a bit changed since this book was written in the 1980ies.
However, I loved the exploration of love and life and fate that made its way then through this first book.
The world is beautifully and skilfully crafted, including language and the details.
What I specifically loved was this story line that started to emerge by some of the characters having the second sight and the wild folk being involved in the tale.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Sexual violence
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a difficult one. The reincarnation elements are interesting and I think a book with those same themes set at a different time I would enjoy more.
The incest storyline was so unnecessary surely there could have been some other event to bind them all. And to suggest it in other incarnations was so uncomfortable to read.
I already have the second book so I will probably read it but I'm not sure I would otherwise. The women are all just objects which I accept is accurate to the society protrayed but it's hard to read sometimes. It is nice to see the ways women use their power in these circumstances.
There are elements I like and moments where I was intrigued such as Rhys hatred for Rhodry and the trick played. Also the idea of actions being repaid in the next incarnation. Karma essentially.
The incest storyline was so unnecessary surely there could have been some other event to bind them all. And to suggest it in other incarnations was so uncomfortable to read.
I already have the second book so I will probably read it but I'm not sure I would otherwise. The women are all just objects which I accept is accurate to the society protrayed but it's hard to read sometimes. It is nice to see the ways women use their power in these circumstances.
There are elements I like and moments where I was intrigued such as Rhys hatred for Rhodry and the trick played. Also the idea of actions being repaid in the next incarnation. Karma essentially.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Incest
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Incest, Death of parent, War
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It's easy to discount Daggerspell as another Dark Ages fantasy novel, and for some people it might be just that. You've got kings, magic, blood feuds, clans and mercenaries, all twisting together to create a story.
But there's so much more. Daggerspell, the first of the Deverry books, is deceptively simple. It isn't told in a linear fashion, nor does it employ the flashbacks which have become almost required these days. Instead, it uses a Celtic-style storyline, where lives and incarnations cross each others' paths in an effort to reconcile old differences and correct grievances. Hatred or friendship can continue to the next life, and influence the whole country, and - at least for this book - one man has the job of doing his best to untangle the worst knot he helped create.
So yes, there are battles and blood feuds and sorcery (called dweomer), but these just provide the settings for the intricate character storylines.
I love this series, and reread the Deverry and Westlands cycles every couple of years, always finding something new. They stand up well to rereads, as the second or third time around you'll find new meanings in the multiple timelines, and pick up more clues.
But there's so much more. Daggerspell, the first of the Deverry books, is deceptively simple. It isn't told in a linear fashion, nor does it employ the flashbacks which have become almost required these days. Instead, it uses a Celtic-style storyline, where lives and incarnations cross each others' paths in an effort to reconcile old differences and correct grievances. Hatred or friendship can continue to the next life, and influence the whole country, and - at least for this book - one man has the job of doing his best to untangle the worst knot he helped create.
So yes, there are battles and blood feuds and sorcery (called dweomer), but these just provide the settings for the intricate character storylines.
I love this series, and reread the Deverry and Westlands cycles every couple of years, always finding something new. They stand up well to rereads, as the second or third time around you'll find new meanings in the multiple timelines, and pick up more clues.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Incest
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is a charming sword and sorcery epic fantasy fraught with rich world-building, reincarnating characters, and artful magic. This first installment of the extensive Deverry Cycle introduces us to a Celtic myth-inspired world shown to the reader from the perspective of several of the many characters you'll meet along the way--more than once as they're reincarnated in different ages.
Far in the past, a naïve young prince unwittingly ruins and/or ends the lives of his beloved, best friend, and many loved ones while on a quest to study magic. In an attempt to atone, he swears to the gods that he will put it all right. And so centuries later, he finds himself still alive and working to guide the reincarnations of his loved ones to better futures.
I really enjoyed the poetic writing style of Katharine Kerr. She does an excellent job of immediately immersing the reader into the lush culture of the world. This does, unfortunately, include some themes that many will find uncomfortable--namely harsh gender inequality, blasé domestic violence, suicide, and graphic incest. Depictions of the magic used in the story are colorful yet imprecise, formulaic but without specific variables, which is how I prefer magics. The many, many characters in the book are described vividly, but there are so many of them and half of them are reincarnations, it can get a little confusing to recall who is who. I would definitely recommend keeping little notes to help keep things straight. I didn't care for the slower pace of the book. I'm personally very sensitive to pacing and felt that multiple parts of the book were unnecessarily slow--or it felt like the story was ending, but it just kept going.
Overall, I enjoyed this book more than I was expecting, but I'm not sure I enjoyed it enough to continue the saga. If you like the slower pace and meticulous intricacies of epic fantasies, this book may be for you. Just be sure to check the content warnings before diving in!
Far in the past, a naïve young prince unwittingly ruins and/or ends the lives of his beloved, best friend, and many loved ones while on a quest to study magic. In an attempt to atone, he swears to the gods that he will put it all right. And so centuries later, he finds himself still alive and working to guide the reincarnations of his loved ones to better futures.
I really enjoyed the poetic writing style of Katharine Kerr. She does an excellent job of immediately immersing the reader into the lush culture of the world. This does, unfortunately, include some themes that many will find uncomfortable--namely harsh gender inequality, blasé domestic violence, suicide, and graphic incest. Depictions of the magic used in the story are colorful yet imprecise, formulaic but without specific variables, which is how I prefer magics. The many, many characters in the book are described vividly, but there are so many of them and half of them are reincarnations, it can get a little confusing to recall who is who. I would definitely recommend keeping little notes to help keep things straight. I didn't care for the slower pace of the book. I'm personally very sensitive to pacing and felt that multiple parts of the book were unnecessarily slow--or it felt like the story was ending, but it just kept going.
Overall, I enjoyed this book more than I was expecting, but I'm not sure I enjoyed it enough to continue the saga. If you like the slower pace and meticulous intricacies of epic fantasies, this book may be for you. Just be sure to check the content warnings before diving in!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Incest, Sexism
Moderate: Suicide, Violence, War
Book is a a 5, narrator is a 4. Sometimes I wondered if she’d read the pronunciation guide that’s in the print version.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Incest, Suicide, Violence, War