What do you think?
Rate this book
The Steerswoman #4
The Language of Power
A STEERSWOMAN ASKS, AND IS ALWAYS ANSWERED
The steerswoman Rowan has learned much about the master-wizard Slado: how his spells are devastating the distant lands known as the Outskirts, and how they will ultimately threaten even the Inner Lands. But she knows nothing else about him, not even why he is hiding his actions from the other wizards.
He must be found, and stopped.
Now, following the slimmest of clues, Rowan arrives in the city of Donner hoping to learn more about Slado's plans. But when the answers begin coming in faster than the questions can be asked, a strange tale from the past emerges, a tale behind all the secrets of the present...
Fortunate that Rowan has the Outskirter warrior Bel on hand to watch her back. Because there's one sure way to know that the steerswoman is on the right track: Someone will try to kill her.
"The world Kirstein creates is captivating." -- Publisher's Weekly
“If you haven’t read Kirstein’s Steerswoman books I envy you the chance to read them now for the first time.... I think they have a very good claim to be my favorite thing still being written. […] If you like science, and if you like watching someone work out mysteries, and if you like detailed weird alien worlds and human cultures, if really good prose appeals... you’re really in luck.” — Jo Walton, Hugo and Nebula Awards winner, author of Among Others and Farthing.
"[Kirstein] walks the tightrope between fantasy and science fiction with precision and grace... [her] compassion for even minor characters is evident on every page, and her prose is measured and alluring without being overworked." -- Damien Broderick & Paul Di Filippo, in Science Fiction: The 101 Best Novels 1985-2010
"Kirstein's striking portrait of an innovative woman who is scientist, judge, historian, and adventurer makes for a good, thought-provoking read." -- Publisher's Weekly
The steerswoman Rowan has learned much about the master-wizard Slado: how his spells are devastating the distant lands known as the Outskirts, and how they will ultimately threaten even the Inner Lands. But she knows nothing else about him, not even why he is hiding his actions from the other wizards.
He must be found, and stopped.
Now, following the slimmest of clues, Rowan arrives in the city of Donner hoping to learn more about Slado's plans. But when the answers begin coming in faster than the questions can be asked, a strange tale from the past emerges, a tale behind all the secrets of the present...
Fortunate that Rowan has the Outskirter warrior Bel on hand to watch her back. Because there's one sure way to know that the steerswoman is on the right track: Someone will try to kill her.
"The world Kirstein creates is captivating." -- Publisher's Weekly
“If you haven’t read Kirstein’s Steerswoman books I envy you the chance to read them now for the first time.... I think they have a very good claim to be my favorite thing still being written. […] If you like science, and if you like watching someone work out mysteries, and if you like detailed weird alien worlds and human cultures, if really good prose appeals... you’re really in luck.” — Jo Walton, Hugo and Nebula Awards winner, author of Among Others and Farthing.
"[Kirstein] walks the tightrope between fantasy and science fiction with precision and grace... [her] compassion for even minor characters is evident on every page, and her prose is measured and alluring without being overworked." -- Damien Broderick & Paul Di Filippo, in Science Fiction: The 101 Best Novels 1985-2010
"Kirstein's striking portrait of an innovative woman who is scientist, judge, historian, and adventurer makes for a good, thought-provoking read." -- Publisher's Weekly
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2004
54 people are currently reading
535 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
April 3, 2021
So. People. If you like speculative fiction, you need to go purchase these books, preferably new on Kindle so that Rosemary Kirstein is rewarded for her amazing work and can support herself while she continues creating it. Then you need to go tell all your speculative-fiction-loving friends to do the same. This is me doing that now.
Oh, reasons? You want reasons. I already gave you reasons three times in my previous reviews. And once you follow my advice and read these first four installments, you'll share my final reason: we have to follow this course of discovery to its conclusion. The talented Ms. Kirstein has been working on this series since the 80s, balancing a day job for many years (no longer), fighting off breast cancer, and finding her way through the twists and turns of her own creativity when it refuses to follow a clear and manageable path. (About her progress, she blogs things like: "I shall persevere, and overcome the inherent recalcitrance of a book that thought it was one thing, but which turned out to be quite wrong about itself!")
People, I am serious. I will buy a Kindle in celebration when book 5 is published, since it is not destined for print. I, Robin, lover of print, much-vaunted despiser of reading on screens, staunch champion of the brick-and-mortar bookstore, incorrigible defender of using up as much of your living space as may be necessary to store your physical books on accessible, organized, and visually pleasing shelves -- yes, I will buy a Kindle. For this. Because it's the best.
Oh, reasons? You want reasons. I already gave you reasons three times in my previous reviews. And once you follow my advice and read these first four installments, you'll share my final reason: we have to follow this course of discovery to its conclusion. The talented Ms. Kirstein has been working on this series since the 80s, balancing a day job for many years (no longer), fighting off breast cancer, and finding her way through the twists and turns of her own creativity when it refuses to follow a clear and manageable path. (About her progress, she blogs things like: "I shall persevere, and overcome the inherent recalcitrance of a book that thought it was one thing, but which turned out to be quite wrong about itself!")
People, I am serious. I will buy a Kindle in celebration when book 5 is published, since it is not destined for print. I, Robin, lover of print, much-vaunted despiser of reading on screens, staunch champion of the brick-and-mortar bookstore, incorrigible defender of using up as much of your living space as may be necessary to store your physical books on accessible, organized, and visually pleasing shelves -- yes, I will buy a Kindle. For this. Because it's the best.
March 2, 2009
Impossibly, incandescently good. More barbarian action! More Scientifick Adventuring! More UNIX geeks with grenades! Wait, pretend I didn't say that.
UNFORTUNATELY, it's the last book currently available in the series, so now I get to grind my teeth and wait for the next one. I'd say something about wishing Kirstein would hurry up, but frankly the results of her current process are so perfect that I'm loathe to even suggest messing with it.
UNFORTUNATELY, it's the last book currently available in the series, so now I get to grind my teeth and wait for the next one. I'd say something about wishing Kirstein would hurry up, but frankly the results of her current process are so perfect that I'm loathe to even suggest messing with it.
January 25, 2024
No review. Saving my comments for the thread in the SFFBC group.
March 25, 2021
I just.....continue to be blown away by how amazing Kirstein's books are. From the expertly layered, slowly unfolding mysteries to the sharply drawn characters, and the tightly plotted suspense, this was once again just excellent.
I can't wait for the next book to come out!
I can't wait for the next book to come out!
June 6, 2018
The one where Rowan reunites with Bel and Will, tracking wizards through the past while confronting them in the present.
These books continue to be not like anything else I have ever read. In particular the author is doing some perfectly amazing things with point of view as we see the exercise of wizardly power, which might be quite familiar to us, through the eyes of someone to whom it's not familiar at all, so that its strangeness is revealed to us.
These books also continue to be the best portrayal I've ever seen of what it's like to know things and learn things. That's a big part of the pleasure of reading them.
As the world of the common people and the world of the wizards come closer together, you can sort of work backwards to try to see how they might have been separated and what might have been the intentions of the very first wizard and the very first steerswoman, but we don't have enough information to fully reconstruct what happened and whether it was what they intended or not.
On a smaller level, it's such a pleasure to see our familiar characters get a little older. The first dragon scene here is a fascinating bookend to the dragon battle that begins the series. I appreciate the fact that we're no longer looking at a world where everybody is straight. I always love the realism of her preindustrial world, the way that in the background of Great Events someone is carrying a lot of boxes and water is being moved from place to place and it actually makes a difference what the season is.
The author has my best wishes for books 5 and 6.
These books continue to be not like anything else I have ever read. In particular the author is doing some perfectly amazing things with point of view as we see the exercise of wizardly power, which might be quite familiar to us, through the eyes of someone to whom it's not familiar at all, so that its strangeness is revealed to us.
These books also continue to be the best portrayal I've ever seen of what it's like to know things and learn things. That's a big part of the pleasure of reading them.
As the world of the common people and the world of the wizards come closer together, you can sort of work backwards to try to see how they might have been separated and what might have been the intentions of the very first wizard and the very first steerswoman, but we don't have enough information to fully reconstruct what happened and whether it was what they intended or not.
On a smaller level, it's such a pleasure to see our familiar characters get a little older. The first dragon scene here is a fascinating bookend to the dragon battle that begins the series. I appreciate the fact that we're no longer looking at a world where everybody is straight. I always love the realism of her preindustrial world, the way that in the background of Great Events someone is carrying a lot of boxes and water is being moved from place to place and it actually makes a difference what the season is.
The author has my best wishes for books 5 and 6.
October 5, 2021
Strong 4.5
This is my favorite so far: I barked out surprised laughter (startling cats), I cried, and I have become *deeply* attached to these characters. I cannot wait for there to be more of these books.
Gosh, this was good.
This is my favorite so far: I barked out surprised laughter (startling cats), I cried, and I have become *deeply* attached to these characters. I cannot wait for there to be more of these books.
Gosh, this was good.
August 2, 2015
An unfinished series whose last book was published in 2004? Why didn't anyone warn me!
*Update* The author is currently working on 2 more books!!
*Update* The author is currently working on 2 more books!!
December 3, 2021
I really enjoyed all four books in this series, the worldbuilding is fantastic the characters are really engaging and in this book all three of the main characters from book one are reunited. The only complaint I have is that it's December 18 years later that this book was published and we haven't gotten another book in the series. I want to see what happens to these characters and world.
This book has a note that the author is working on books five and six, but I don't know if that was in the 2003 edition or the later released ebook that I'm reading.
This book has a note that the author is working on books five and six, but I don't know if that was in the 2003 edition or the later released ebook that I'm reading.
October 17, 2024
Reread October 2024:
I tore through the whole series on a re-read and now sit bereft that there are no more Steerswoman books to read. I hope that Rosemary Kirstein finds the opportunity to continue with the series (preferably SOON).
Original review:
This series is just so, so good. The perfect blend of rational inquiry and human feelings. Maybe in a couple years we’ll get book 5.
I tore through the whole series on a re-read and now sit bereft that there are no more Steerswoman books to read. I hope that Rosemary Kirstein finds the opportunity to continue with the series (preferably SOON).
Original review:
This series is just so, so good. The perfect blend of rational inquiry and human feelings. Maybe in a couple years we’ll get book 5.
January 4, 2018
Noooooo I DIDNT WANT IT TO END.
You guys, this series. I’ve so far recommended it to at least 6 people, and I’m not slowing down. I’m bummed there’s no true culmination, but I can only figure that it’ll just give me an opportunity to reread the series before the next comes out.
SOON.
For an actual reflection on the content of the series, see Robin.
You guys, this series. I’ve so far recommended it to at least 6 people, and I’m not slowing down. I’m bummed there’s no true culmination, but I can only figure that it’ll just give me an opportunity to reread the series before the next comes out.
SOON.
For an actual reflection on the content of the series, see Robin.
March 22, 2021
This will certainly be percolating through my brain in however long the wait is for the next book. Like before, however many questions are answered lead to more questions by the end of the book. Like before, details and encounters in past books come into play, making the world feel real and complicated and genuine.
For the first time, Slado, the mysterious, shadowy figure behind so much of the previous books, is brought more into focus, as Rowan and Bell focus on piercing together what they can about him. Uncovering his past footsteps.
Sometimes small almost throwaway seeming comments seem significant, especially to the larger puzzle of the origins of people existing on this world, which I think is more a reader pondering and not something Rowan is aware of at all. The ability for Kirstein to have these two connected but separate mysteries, that are different for Rowan and the reader while intimately intertwined.
The questions now seem to be: Kieran, the most senior Wizard in his day, saw something in the stars that profoundly affected him, to cause an overnight change in his view of life. At some point during Slado's apprenticeship Kieran showed him what he had discovered and it caused Slado to choose to kill Kieran and destroy the Guidestar that saw it, so make sure no one else could find or see it again and lead to him actively beginning to kill the human populations.
It was also something so important that Kieran wanted to share it with the Steerswomen so everyone would have the knowledge.
The images are in Rowan hands but like us, we lack the right context to understand the answer that seems to be in her hands. Now the house in Donner is destroyed, the only two places that can provide answers is Farside, which seems to be on the other side of the planet and where it is that Slado is now operating from.
It's as satisfying a place to pause as is possible for now, not exactly hanging on a cliffhanger, so the wait begins.
I'm sure that the more I think about it and later reread it, the more details, hints and clues will be waiting to be discovered. This series is superb world building, character and study of human beings. Even with the wait for whenever the next book comes, what's been created so far is well worth investing the time to enjoy.
For the first time, Slado, the mysterious, shadowy figure behind so much of the previous books, is brought more into focus, as Rowan and Bell focus on piercing together what they can about him. Uncovering his past footsteps.
Sometimes small almost throwaway seeming comments seem significant, especially to the larger puzzle of the origins of people existing on this world, which I think is more a reader pondering and not something Rowan is aware of at all. The ability for Kirstein to have these two connected but separate mysteries, that are different for Rowan and the reader while intimately intertwined.
The questions now seem to be: Kieran, the most senior Wizard in his day, saw something in the stars that profoundly affected him, to cause an overnight change in his view of life. At some point during Slado's apprenticeship Kieran showed him what he had discovered and it caused Slado to choose to kill Kieran and destroy the Guidestar that saw it, so make sure no one else could find or see it again and lead to him actively beginning to kill the human populations.
It was also something so important that Kieran wanted to share it with the Steerswomen so everyone would have the knowledge.
The images are in Rowan hands but like us, we lack the right context to understand the answer that seems to be in her hands. Now the house in Donner is destroyed, the only two places that can provide answers is Farside, which seems to be on the other side of the planet and where it is that Slado is now operating from.
It's as satisfying a place to pause as is possible for now, not exactly hanging on a cliffhanger, so the wait begins.
I'm sure that the more I think about it and later reread it, the more details, hints and clues will be waiting to be discovered. This series is superb world building, character and study of human beings. Even with the wait for whenever the next book comes, what's been created so far is well worth investing the time to enjoy.
May 3, 2023
Love the Steerswoman series. Easily in my top 5 all time SF/fantasy series. This entry did more to move the plot forward than the previous couple entries--basically by confirming a lot of what we already could glean from previous books but also by giving hints about the full extent of the wizards' world.
July 7, 2025
Endlich geht es wieder im Plot voran. Außerdem gab es eine sehr gute Szene mit unsichtbaren Drachen. Die angekündigten Folgebände sind aber noch nicht geschrieben, und wenn sie eines Tages doch noch erscheinen, werde ich längst alles bisher Erzählte vergessen haben.
September 2, 2014
This is book four of a series about the Steerswoman, Rowan. This amazing series might have one or two more books, if and when they get published. This fourth book is similar to the previous books in the series. We follow Rowan in her search to uncover the mysteries with the wizards and the guidestars.
Rowan comes to Donner and does what Steerswomen do. She questions people who might have known the wizard at the time 4 decades earlier when the guidestar was brought down. She finds the Donner connection to Slado, the head wizard she suspects of being the lead enemy.
Again, I admire the descriptive detail of the author in the day-to-day lives of the characters. When a town is visited in the books, you know what the town looks like, and especially what it feels like in that town.
When people are threatened with danger and death, you know why they die and why they live. I love the way the characters are real in this book, like the scenery. Each person we are introduced to has a back story and motivations. Even the villains have reasons for why they do things. This kind of writing is not what we are used to. There are world famous rich authors who are cranking out books, and getting huge movie deals, with no idea how to represent realistic characters or story world.
There is one major aspect of the book that would be a spoiler if this were book one. If you have not read the three previous books, skip this paragraph of my review, This aspect I was not aware of when I first picked up the first book to read, Steerswoman. I was not sure I wanted to continue reading that first book. I don't often read fantasy books. The series has 'wizards', 'dragons' and 'magic.' Someone reviewing the first book revealed the huge spoiler that actually the books are not fantasy. Rowan and the characters in the books think magic exists, but actually when they investigate, in the proper way, they find understandable explanations for all marvelous events. I think this series would be useful in schools to teach students about scientific thinking and methodology.
I only have two reservations about this book. First, the description of the search for the dragons was very long, running over many pages. Second, this book ends with a great need for a sequel. I approached the last pages of the book dreading the ending without a next book to pick up. I will buy the next book, as soon as it comes out. Many mysteries in the series are revealed in this book, but the tension in the long term story has not been resolved.
Who will appreciate this book and series? Unfortunately, the universe of readers who will like this type of writing may be limited. Probably readers have to have experienced enough in their lives to appreciate descriptions of real events in a fictional book. The plot is not driven by action and violence. Occasionally violence and action happens. Those incidents occur because someone makes a mistake, miscalculation or coincidences happen. Readers have to enjoy reading for the sake of character development, not for action alone.
I think this is one of the most interesting series ever written and hope new people can discover it. Enjoy! ( )
Rowan comes to Donner and does what Steerswomen do. She questions people who might have known the wizard at the time 4 decades earlier when the guidestar was brought down. She finds the Donner connection to Slado, the head wizard she suspects of being the lead enemy.
Again, I admire the descriptive detail of the author in the day-to-day lives of the characters. When a town is visited in the books, you know what the town looks like, and especially what it feels like in that town.
When people are threatened with danger and death, you know why they die and why they live. I love the way the characters are real in this book, like the scenery. Each person we are introduced to has a back story and motivations. Even the villains have reasons for why they do things. This kind of writing is not what we are used to. There are world famous rich authors who are cranking out books, and getting huge movie deals, with no idea how to represent realistic characters or story world.
There is one major aspect of the book that would be a spoiler if this were book one. If you have not read the three previous books, skip this paragraph of my review, This aspect I was not aware of when I first picked up the first book to read, Steerswoman. I was not sure I wanted to continue reading that first book. I don't often read fantasy books. The series has 'wizards', 'dragons' and 'magic.' Someone reviewing the first book revealed the huge spoiler that actually the books are not fantasy. Rowan and the characters in the books think magic exists, but actually when they investigate, in the proper way, they find understandable explanations for all marvelous events. I think this series would be useful in schools to teach students about scientific thinking and methodology.
I only have two reservations about this book. First, the description of the search for the dragons was very long, running over many pages. Second, this book ends with a great need for a sequel. I approached the last pages of the book dreading the ending without a next book to pick up. I will buy the next book, as soon as it comes out. Many mysteries in the series are revealed in this book, but the tension in the long term story has not been resolved.
Who will appreciate this book and series? Unfortunately, the universe of readers who will like this type of writing may be limited. Probably readers have to have experienced enough in their lives to appreciate descriptions of real events in a fictional book. The plot is not driven by action and violence. Occasionally violence and action happens. Those incidents occur because someone makes a mistake, miscalculation or coincidences happen. Readers have to enjoy reading for the sake of character development, not for action alone.
I think this is one of the most interesting series ever written and hope new people can discover it. Enjoy! ( )
January 22, 2023
I can not wait for more books!! Good luck to Rosemary
December 2, 2021
As expected, The Language of Power was just as entertaining as the previous books in the series.
I have my own blog now, so please do give it a visit if you're interested in my other reviews :)
──────────────────
It's the end of the available road for me when it comes to the Steerswoman series. But, I'll easily say that Rosemary Kirstein earned herself one more lifelong fan for her phenomenal series.
I don't believe that there is anything yet to be said about the brilliant intricacy and attention to detail that's seen in this series, that I haven't said previously. Which, in turn, makes the new areas (technically anyway) we've reached with the cast here even more praise worthy. The Lost Steersman expanded the world even further and gave the first of the needed focuses on Slado as an end game of sorts. In earnest, I mean. And in the Language of Power, that focus, is the main objective without any divergence whatsoever.
This is where the series really shines in my humble opinion. I've previously said that, as a fantasy, this is the perfect one for me. For the main reason that, the characters don't forget they're in a world worth discovering. The Language of Power shows that once again, with Rowan's arrival in a new place and her quest of discovery starting anew. Learning about the history of this town, making theories, getting to know the locals, mingling, meeting old friends and trying to get to the bottom of things.
One of my favourite parts of any book is getting to learn more about the world in it. To that end, getting to hear the stories the towns people have, how things were vs how they are now amongst so many others was very fun. It also expanded on the orders of Steerswomen and Wizards in the series. Since the very beginning, conflict between them was always a main plot point in the series. But even then, I do believe that the new angle of "public perception" and "public allegiances" being brought in here, made it even more interesting.
It's easy to write off wizards as horrible and the like, now that we actually know more about them. But, there are always outliers to any rule. Just like I've seen last time with the Steerswoman Mira, who's unlike any other Steerswoman I've seen before her. This time was no different, so adding that new angle to the conflict, made me curious to see more about it.
Especially since, moving forward, Rowan is going to be dealing with magic in much bigger ways than before.
Magic as a whole is the only no-Steerswomen zone in the series. Therefore, seeing the more science-y take on it, in the previous books, with mentions of devices and ways of apparent thought processes, makes it easy for me to build my own mental rule-book of how it works. The fantastic thing in this book however, is that many of the thoughts I already had are either fully confirmed or heavily alluded to. While of course, creating even more ideas to be had because of the new pieces of information.
Having characters like Rowan and Bel as the leads here, makes me appreciate it even more. Both of them brings something to the series, and with the added "help" this time along, makes them all incredibly competent in a world that needs all the fighting chances it's got, against someone like Slado. I didn't expect that "help" to be very honest, but still thought it was a nice full circle of an addition to have this far into the series.
The relationships and friendships between the characters, especially Rowan and Bel, were appreciated from page 1, and this time was no different.
It's incredible on almost all fronts, and easily amongst my top favourite series of all time. Which, once again, makes me really sad that I don't have more to read. Although, there are nice surprises like these that clearly show there's more to come. To that end, it's a great thing that Patience is my superpower, as this series is more than worthy to wait for.
I have my own blog now, so please do give it a visit if you're interested in my other reviews :)
──────────────────
It's the end of the available road for me when it comes to the Steerswoman series. But, I'll easily say that Rosemary Kirstein earned herself one more lifelong fan for her phenomenal series.
I don't believe that there is anything yet to be said about the brilliant intricacy and attention to detail that's seen in this series, that I haven't said previously. Which, in turn, makes the new areas (technically anyway) we've reached with the cast here even more praise worthy. The Lost Steersman expanded the world even further and gave the first of the needed focuses on Slado as an end game of sorts. In earnest, I mean. And in the Language of Power, that focus, is the main objective without any divergence whatsoever.
This is where the series really shines in my humble opinion. I've previously said that, as a fantasy, this is the perfect one for me. For the main reason that, the characters don't forget they're in a world worth discovering. The Language of Power shows that once again, with Rowan's arrival in a new place and her quest of discovery starting anew. Learning about the history of this town, making theories, getting to know the locals, mingling, meeting old friends and trying to get to the bottom of things.
One of my favourite parts of any book is getting to learn more about the world in it. To that end, getting to hear the stories the towns people have, how things were vs how they are now amongst so many others was very fun. It also expanded on the orders of Steerswomen and Wizards in the series. Since the very beginning, conflict between them was always a main plot point in the series. But even then, I do believe that the new angle of "public perception" and "public allegiances" being brought in here, made it even more interesting.
It's easy to write off wizards as horrible and the like, now that we actually know more about them. But, there are always outliers to any rule. Just like I've seen last time with the Steerswoman Mira, who's unlike any other Steerswoman I've seen before her. This time was no different, so adding that new angle to the conflict, made me curious to see more about it.
Especially since, moving forward, Rowan is going to be dealing with magic in much bigger ways than before.
Magic as a whole is the only no-Steerswomen zone in the series. Therefore, seeing the more science-y take on it, in the previous books, with mentions of devices and ways of apparent thought processes, makes it easy for me to build my own mental rule-book of how it works. The fantastic thing in this book however, is that many of the thoughts I already had are either fully confirmed or heavily alluded to. While of course, creating even more ideas to be had because of the new pieces of information.
Having characters like Rowan and Bel as the leads here, makes me appreciate it even more. Both of them brings something to the series, and with the added "help" this time along, makes them all incredibly competent in a world that needs all the fighting chances it's got, against someone like Slado. I didn't expect that "help" to be very honest, but still thought it was a nice full circle of an addition to have this far into the series.
The relationships and friendships between the characters, especially Rowan and Bel, were appreciated from page 1, and this time was no different.
It's incredible on almost all fronts, and easily amongst my top favourite series of all time. Which, once again, makes me really sad that I don't have more to read. Although, there are nice surprises like these that clearly show there's more to come. To that end, it's a great thing that Patience is my superpower, as this series is more than worthy to wait for.
May 15, 2023
Well, I gave book three five stars in part as a series achievement, but I think I have to rebound a bit for this one. This is something of a step back for the series. There's too much sideways movement and too much is unresolved, and sadly there hasn't been a follow-up. All the sequels have stretches of getting mired in details, as I imagine Rosemary Kirstein discovers aspects of this world herself and wants to thoroughly explore them. The writing and worldbuilding have been so strong it's been worth the journey, but here, it just felt distracted and less interesting.
Still, there's a rewarding payoff for knowing these characters so well, and learning a lot more about this unique take on magic (clearly filed under "sufficiently advanced technology"). If you're going to read any books in the series, you'll want to read all of them.
Kirstein has been quoted as saying books five and six were in progress. But the reality is that book four is nearing its 20th birthday, and she's spent plenty of that intervening time and mental bandwidth beating cancer. If this is all the series will ever be, I'm still glad to have read it. Wishing her good health, and hope to be surprised by more of this series one day.
Still, there's a rewarding payoff for knowing these characters so well, and learning a lot more about this unique take on magic (clearly filed under "sufficiently advanced technology"). If you're going to read any books in the series, you'll want to read all of them.
Kirstein has been quoted as saying books five and six were in progress. But the reality is that book four is nearing its 20th birthday, and she's spent plenty of that intervening time and mental bandwidth beating cancer. If this is all the series will ever be, I'm still glad to have read it. Wishing her good health, and hope to be surprised by more of this series one day.
September 4, 2023
This series is a definitely 5 star read. Warning: damn it IT ISN'T FINISHED ARGH. But okay, okay. Books 5 and 6 are in progress and the author has a blog and is posting occasionally. Okay. It's fine. It's fiiiine.
And, also, these 4 books? are really really good and worth reading. The journey from first to fourth book is really great, with 3 and 4 being the ones that absolutely sucked me in whole.
I also think reading the series with no idea of where it ends up, for me, was part of the joy. Also, personally - this series helped me get back into reading reading, which I haven't been able to sustain for years now. (there's a reason most of my reads are audio - and I'll keep doing audio - but I think I'm better able to switch back and forth now. Which is nice).
Anyway. The Steerswoman. Highly recommend.
And, also, these 4 books? are really really good and worth reading. The journey from first to fourth book is really great, with 3 and 4 being the ones that absolutely sucked me in whole.
I also think reading the series with no idea of where it ends up, for me, was part of the joy. Also, personally - this series helped me get back into reading reading, which I haven't been able to sustain for years now. (there's a reason most of my reads are audio - and I'll keep doing audio - but I think I'm better able to switch back and forth now. Which is nice).
Anyway. The Steerswoman. Highly recommend.
January 13, 2024
So many answers in this volume, both expected and un-, and so many new questions, very appropriate to the themes of the books I suppose.
I really love the *healthy* anti-elitism, anti-meritocracy of this volume in particular (though it is not new! it was there in the other books). Populism can be very wise and hopeful or very obnoxious and defeating, and this is the good stuff.
Some really beautiful bits about nature in this volume, also.
CN:
I really love the *healthy* anti-elitism, anti-meritocracy of this volume in particular (though it is not new! it was there in the other books). Populism can be very wise and hopeful or very obnoxious and defeating, and this is the good stuff.
Some really beautiful bits about nature in this volume, also.
CN:
March 3, 2023
This series is criminally underrated. Kirstein is a wonderful writer: her characters are interesting, relatable, and well-developed; her plots are just the right amount of complicated to keep you guessing; the world she has built, at once fantasy and sci-fi, is unlike anything else I have read in the genre (except maybe Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky).
This book came out in 2014, yet we still don't have a resolution to the series. I am deeply hopeful that Kirstein will choose to finish it (so much so that I even went and creeped on her blog to see whether there was any indication of further installation), especially because that will merit a re-read. Definitely one of my all time favourite series. If you haven't read it yet, you should.
This book came out in 2014, yet we still don't have a resolution to the series. I am deeply hopeful that Kirstein will choose to finish it (so much so that I even went and creeped on her blog to see whether there was any indication of further installation), especially because that will merit a re-read. Definitely one of my all time favourite series. If you haven't read it yet, you should.
October 20, 2024
this series remains very very very good, and definitely one of the best examples of genre-splicing fantasy with [redacted for spoilers]. rowan and bel are just such good protagonists/carriers of the story—they have distinct, unique voices, the ways they approach the world and its problems are so grounded and true. and the secondary cast is so alive in every book, in every place they go. so much focus on community, and friendship, and the mundanity of life being rich and compelling and worthwhile.
however, i shouldn’t have read this book as quickly as i did, because there’s been no word on when the next books are being published. hmnnnnnng. hopefully soon
however, i shouldn’t have read this book as quickly as i did, because there’s been no word on when the next books are being published. hmnnnnnng. hopefully soon
April 17, 2020
Another solid volume in the series, but unfortunately, it does not wrap up much and it looks to be the last one Kirstein wrote. Rowan, our Steerswoman, is back in a big city looking for clues to the rogue 'wizard' that is destroying the outskirts and the people therein. She hooks up with Bel again, and tries to find some information about what happened 50 or so years ago to the last wizard stationed in town. Fun read, but it leaves you wanting more.
July 22, 2024
Another absolutely gripping read, which leaves me very disappointed that there are no more. Kirstein gets better at her craft with each volume. I’m really impressed that the story almost gets more interesting the more of its puzzle-premise gets revealed; it no longer feels like a gimmick (of the kind where the reveal has all the power) but more like a really rich thought experiment, which would be compelling on re-read also. Unfortunately… I also don’t feel like I can wholeheartedly recommend the four existing books as standalones. Each one has its own interesting arc and set of characters/settings, but the really exciting overall plot is definitely prominent and definitely left hanging. I hope Kirstein does publish more, because I know I’ll enjoy re-reading these then.
June 21, 2025
In questo quarto libro, c'è più indagine nella civiltà
Interessante come si muove una steerwoman, e come gli elementi scifi si intrecciano nel fantasy
Rowan è molto intelligente e ho trovato una ottima cosa che comunque concetti astratti come l'elettricità siano difficili da comprendere per lei e che sappia dire "non lo so", "non capisco", "aiutami a capire"
L'azione è i colpi di scena sono inseriti bene in questa indagine continua.
Voglio sapere cosa succede!
Interessante come si muove una steerwoman, e come gli elementi scifi si intrecciano nel fantasy
Rowan è molto intelligente e ho trovato una ottima cosa che comunque concetti astratti come l'elettricità siano difficili da comprendere per lei e che sappia dire "non lo so", "non capisco", "aiutami a capire"
L'azione è i colpi di scena sono inseriti bene in questa indagine continua.
Voglio sapere cosa succede!
June 7, 2025
Guter leider derzeit letzter verfügbarer Teil der Serie über Rowan, die nach Donner zurückgekehrt ist, um mehr über den Absturz herauszufinden. Dabei trifft sie unerwartet alte Freunde und überlebt brenzlige Situationen, und lernt auch ein bisschen Magie.
September 26, 2024
The story barrels along and gets more and more intriguing. The next sequels haven't been written yet - I'm eagerly awaiting them!
June 4, 2022
I swear to all that's unholy that I cannot believe writing is not Rosemary Kirstein's full-time job. I think I may have hit the end of the road of her published works. If that's the case, I'm going to be very, very sad.
July 9, 2024
I read this in 2016 at someone's suggestion, though I'm afraid I don't remember who it was. At the time, the suggestion was that book 4 would be a good place to start the series. I remember really enjoying the book, too, but shortly after, my child was born prematurely and I never got back to finishing the series. Well, I just read them in order, including re-reading book 4, and it's so much better with the background info! In the previous books, the author does sometimes have a habit of lingering too long pace-wise, but book 4 doesn't have that problem (except perhaps the dragon excursion). Knowing the background of books 2 and 3 in particular really changes my perspective on book 4.
Kirstein has resumed working on books 5 and 6. Let's hope we will soon seen book 5 in print!
Kirstein has resumed working on books 5 and 6. Let's hope we will soon seen book 5 in print!
May 13, 2022
I’m glad that I finally read this one, after more than 15 years since I read the others. I have enough of a sense of what the wizards are now, but I wish there was more to it. The ending left unanswered questions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2016
Arrrgggh! Where's book 5??? Okay, people, you all have to go out and buy these books, because Kirstein needs to eat while she writes. (And from what I gather, her publisher dropped the series so she's self-publishing now.) (And they're really cheap on Kindle! She could charge three, no, five times as much and I'd buy them without blinking, they're that good.)
There is so much going on in this series: most writers would take one of the threads she's working with and make a whole series about it, but Kirstein wants to cover everything spec fic can cover: (Slightly spoilery for the first three books because even telling you categories can spoil some of the surprise) And I love all of these things, and she has such cool ideas that I want to follow all of them and I'm desperately curious to see how they're all going to come together in a Big Picture.
The trouble is she's doing it so slowly! (And I don't just mean that it's been 12 years since this book was published; if she writes slowly, so be it: she writes well.)(Also, I think she's had ill health to deal with.) All of the marvelous mysteries of the series are unfolding at the pace Rowan discovers and understands them, which is necessarily slow, because Rowan finds the pieces one at a time and she's gradually building up enough context to understand them. We the readers already have the context, so we understand the pieces as soon as she finds them, but in order to find the pieces she has to get to know an entire community, and that takes an entire novel.
And I love the slow build-up, the character development, the relationships formed, the humor of every-day life. I love watching Rowan's mind work; I love it when Rowan's mind keeps getting blown and she has to reassemble her entire world-view. I love the way the other characters' minds work, and the way Rowan keeps enlisting people to her side even though she's not very socially skilled, because she tells the truth, and people respond to the truth. And I love that all the science, all the knowledge Rowan uncovers, is inextricably tied to the human stories around it. There are facts, and then there is the meaning of facts, and the meaning is always constructed by humans, for humans.
As in the previous books, there are a lot of little investigations and preparations, building up context both scientific and human, leading up to a big reveal; and I don't think it's too spoilery to say the big reveal isn't nearly revealing enough! We still don't know what Slado is up to!
So we need book five.
There is so much going on in this series: most writers would take one of the threads she's working with and make a whole series about it, but Kirstein wants to cover everything spec fic can cover: (Slightly spoilery for the first three books because even telling you categories can spoil some of the surprise) And I love all of these things, and she has such cool ideas that I want to follow all of them and I'm desperately curious to see how they're all going to come together in a Big Picture.
The trouble is she's doing it so slowly! (And I don't just mean that it's been 12 years since this book was published; if she writes slowly, so be it: she writes well.)(Also, I think she's had ill health to deal with.) All of the marvelous mysteries of the series are unfolding at the pace Rowan discovers and understands them, which is necessarily slow, because Rowan finds the pieces one at a time and she's gradually building up enough context to understand them. We the readers already have the context, so we understand the pieces as soon as she finds them, but in order to find the pieces she has to get to know an entire community, and that takes an entire novel.
And I love the slow build-up, the character development, the relationships formed, the humor of every-day life. I love watching Rowan's mind work; I love it when Rowan's mind keeps getting blown and she has to reassemble her entire world-view. I love the way the other characters' minds work, and the way Rowan keeps enlisting people to her side even though she's not very socially skilled, because she tells the truth, and people respond to the truth. And I love that all the science, all the knowledge Rowan uncovers, is inextricably tied to the human stories around it. There are facts, and then there is the meaning of facts, and the meaning is always constructed by humans, for humans.
As in the previous books, there are a lot of little investigations and preparations, building up context both scientific and human, leading up to a big reveal; and I don't think it's too spoilery to say the big reveal isn't nearly revealing enough! We still don't know what Slado is up to!
So we need book five.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews