Post by Taika of Narfell on Jan 6, 2007 5:19:43 GMT 1
It has happened again. Nevyn felt odd and realised he was near tears. Come now, Ms. Kerr, we know the man is old and that he hasn't gotten emotionally involved in many things over the years, but this turn of phrase does not remain interesting.
That said I did enjoy the book. The flashback this time was about the origins of the High King of Deverry and what kind of hand Nevyn and his dweomer fellows played in that bit, and that story takes almost half of the book. Not only that, mind you, but it introduced two new characters of the past whose incarnations play a part in the present.
The character gallery is getting a tad confusing, I must say I'm quite confused at times about who's who. Also because some names are repeated, which is only natural of course, there will always be more than one person with a certain name, and Kerr is not making up a new name for every single character, once in a while she uses a name we've heard before, and it adds to the realism. Sadly, it also adds to a rather realistic kind of confusion. Though, admittedly it can also have something to do with me having read these books rather quickly. I may miss things now and then.
What's to say about Dawnspell? The plot thickens, that's what. Still following Jill and Rhodry on the road we see the kind of action that can be expected when you're a mercenary. It has unusual consequences, though, since things happen that have yet to be explained - I'm hoping very much that Kerr will gather all the loose ends in the final book. Jill falls for a ruse that brings her away from Rhodry and all the while others are plotting for Rhodry to be removed from the things going on in Deverry. Things become very complicated and this fairy tale is growing mighty dark. We seem to only find more questions and seldom a solution to anything at all, really.
This flashback business is peculiar. I'm not sure if I like it or not. On one hand it's interesting enough as it imparts a part of the kingdom's history, and some knowledge of the souls that inhabit the people we follow in the present, but on the other hand it seems to be a replacement for true character development in the characters in the present. And that's not really a good change. The characters in the present have grown a little, but they did most of their growing in the first book, and it wasn't all that much, really. They've now been described more thoroughly but still many of them seem flat. Perhaps some of the time spent in the past would have been better spent in the present.
Regardless, it was still an enjoyable read and I will surely read the fourth book. I cannot leave an epic without its end.
That said I did enjoy the book. The flashback this time was about the origins of the High King of Deverry and what kind of hand Nevyn and his dweomer fellows played in that bit, and that story takes almost half of the book. Not only that, mind you, but it introduced two new characters of the past whose incarnations play a part in the present.
The character gallery is getting a tad confusing, I must say I'm quite confused at times about who's who. Also because some names are repeated, which is only natural of course, there will always be more than one person with a certain name, and Kerr is not making up a new name for every single character, once in a while she uses a name we've heard before, and it adds to the realism. Sadly, it also adds to a rather realistic kind of confusion. Though, admittedly it can also have something to do with me having read these books rather quickly. I may miss things now and then.
What's to say about Dawnspell? The plot thickens, that's what. Still following Jill and Rhodry on the road we see the kind of action that can be expected when you're a mercenary. It has unusual consequences, though, since things happen that have yet to be explained - I'm hoping very much that Kerr will gather all the loose ends in the final book. Jill falls for a ruse that brings her away from Rhodry and all the while others are plotting for Rhodry to be removed from the things going on in Deverry. Things become very complicated and this fairy tale is growing mighty dark. We seem to only find more questions and seldom a solution to anything at all, really.
This flashback business is peculiar. I'm not sure if I like it or not. On one hand it's interesting enough as it imparts a part of the kingdom's history, and some knowledge of the souls that inhabit the people we follow in the present, but on the other hand it seems to be a replacement for true character development in the characters in the present. And that's not really a good change. The characters in the present have grown a little, but they did most of their growing in the first book, and it wasn't all that much, really. They've now been described more thoroughly but still many of them seem flat. Perhaps some of the time spent in the past would have been better spent in the present.
Regardless, it was still an enjoyable read and I will surely read the fourth book. I cannot leave an epic without its end.