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A review by lynmars79
Crown of Renewal by Elizabeth Moon
3.0
I'm a little ambivalent, having just finished this a couple hours ago. I may need to go back and reread the rest of the Paladin's Legacy series to get a better sense of things.
It felt a bit rushed; I kept wondering how Moon was going to tie up some loose ends, and some of them were adequately tied, while others were intentionally left dangling for possible future stories (Prince Camwyn's story, for instance) while others simply weren't satisfying.
As much as I liked Kieri Phelan in the original Deed, he's best used sparingly, I think; he's almost "too good" and through the series he's been ramping up in magic powers; I don't think there's anyone in the setting who comes close to his level now (except of course Dragon). He's flat and uninteresting (and so is Arian by this book), and I never really felt he was in danger--nor his son, in what should have been a very tense scene and the climax of Kieri's story. It was too quick, for one, and it felt like Kieri's power was just too overwhelming to make his old enemy much a threat. And then after sensing no danger there is a sudden random fight that exists to pull a deathbed confession from a secondary character.
I still feel like there are a few too many Reasonable Authority Figures--all the major leaders except Alured are pure-hearted good guys who get along with all the heroic characters also of pure heart. People only don't get along when one of them is, or is affected by, evil.
That said, I LOVED the description of Sprucewind and his healing of Arianya; it was unique and vivid and I may have to recommend the chapter to friends who play druids and shaman in various RPGs. There were times I DID fear for the Marshal-General, and the scene in Hoorlow did feel emotional and scary (but again, it all turned out just fine for the heroes thanks to literal divine intervention--which was sorely needed in this particilar arc, and had been working up so felt more earned than in other parts).
I still enjoyed anything having to do with Arvid, and seeing the long way he's come since Paks first met him in Brewersbridge has been quite the ride. I think there's plenty open for his (and little Arvid's) story to go on as well.
I liked most things with Arcolin; after the too-quick treatment of his courtship and marriage in the previous novel, seeing his relationship with Calla and Jamis was lovely. Also seeing his struggle to be a Lord Prince of gnomes as well as Duke and mercenary captain is handled well; he has a lot on his plate.
I felt for Aris, Mikeli, and Camwyn, and there is definitely more story to tell there. I did have to grin at the last words Mikeli gets in this novel and particular series; despite everything he's dealt with, the young king has not lost his wry humor.
I feel like I missed something in Alured's chapter, and it takes forever (especially with the overlapping timelines, it's unclear how much time does pass) for him to confront Dorrin at the end--and then it's over and done very quickly. As usual, I do love anything having to do with Dorrin, and wish we'd spent more time with her. I am a bit irate that though she's clearly described as an older woman--past 50 and with more grey hair than dark now--the woman on the covers is at least 20 years younger in appearance. Her arc picks up the lion's share at the end of the novel, getting all the interesting descriptions and time, and is left open for more later in a way that feels utterly true to the series--and the setting--as a whole.
In the end, I think there were perhaps one or two too many point of view characters and story arcs in the series, like it's trying to be A Song of Ice and Fire in style (though definitely NOT in tone!) and that doesn't quite work the whole way through. Still, I love most of the characters and was glad to see so many old friends from the Deed of Paksenarrion and what came next for them; the paladin was a flashpoint, changing her world, and we see many of the effects in this series.
It felt a bit rushed; I kept wondering how Moon was going to tie up some loose ends, and some of them were adequately tied, while others were intentionally left dangling for possible future stories (Prince Camwyn's story, for instance) while others simply weren't satisfying.
As much as I liked Kieri Phelan in the original Deed, he's best used sparingly, I think; he's almost "too good" and through the series he's been ramping up in magic powers; I don't think there's anyone in the setting who comes close to his level now (except of course Dragon). He's flat and uninteresting (and so is Arian by this book), and I never really felt he was in danger--nor his son, in what should have been a very tense scene and the climax of Kieri's story. It was too quick, for one, and it felt like Kieri's power was just too overwhelming to make his old enemy much a threat. And then after sensing no danger there is a sudden random fight that exists to pull a deathbed confession from a secondary character.
I still feel like there are a few too many Reasonable Authority Figures--all the major leaders except Alured are pure-hearted good guys who get along with all the heroic characters also of pure heart. People only don't get along when one of them is, or is affected by, evil.
That said, I LOVED the description of Sprucewind and his healing of Arianya; it was unique and vivid and I may have to recommend the chapter to friends who play druids and shaman in various RPGs. There were times I DID fear for the Marshal-General, and the scene in Hoorlow did feel emotional and scary (but again, it all turned out just fine for the heroes thanks to literal divine intervention--which was sorely needed in this particilar arc, and had been working up so felt more earned than in other parts).
I still enjoyed anything having to do with Arvid, and seeing the long way he's come since Paks first met him in Brewersbridge has been quite the ride. I think there's plenty open for his (and little Arvid's) story to go on as well.
I liked most things with Arcolin; after the too-quick treatment of his courtship and marriage in the previous novel, seeing his relationship with Calla and Jamis was lovely. Also seeing his struggle to be a Lord Prince of gnomes as well as Duke and mercenary captain is handled well; he has a lot on his plate.
I felt for Aris, Mikeli, and Camwyn, and there is definitely more story to tell there. I did have to grin at the last words Mikeli gets in this novel and particular series; despite everything he's dealt with, the young king has not lost his wry humor.
I feel like I missed something in Alured's chapter, and it takes forever (especially with the overlapping timelines, it's unclear how much time does pass) for him to confront Dorrin at the end--and then it's over and done very quickly. As usual, I do love anything having to do with Dorrin, and wish we'd spent more time with her. I am a bit irate that though she's clearly described as an older woman--past 50 and with more grey hair than dark now--the woman on the covers is at least 20 years younger in appearance. Her arc picks up the lion's share at the end of the novel, getting all the interesting descriptions and time, and is left open for more later in a way that feels utterly true to the series--and the setting--as a whole.
In the end, I think there were perhaps one or two too many point of view characters and story arcs in the series, like it's trying to be A Song of Ice and Fire in style (though definitely NOT in tone!) and that doesn't quite work the whole way through. Still, I love most of the characters and was glad to see so many old friends from the Deed of Paksenarrion and what came next for them; the paladin was a flashpoint, changing her world, and we see many of the effects in this series.