Darkspell

Deverry Cycle #2

by Katharine Kerr

In this sequel to her first novel, "Daggerspell", the author returns to the extraordinary world of Deverry and to the three enchanting characters whose poignant love transcends the boundaries of time and even death.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Magic, Epic

476 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1987

About the author

Born in Ohio, 1944. Moved to San Francisco Bay Area in 1962 and has lived there ever since. Katharine Kerr has read extensively in the fields of classical archeology, and medieval and dark ages history and literature, and these influences are clear in her work. Her epic Deverry series has won widespread praise and millions of fans around the world.

Reviews

[Metodi Markov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Историите за Девери продължават да интригуват и във втората част от поредицата - "Магия за мрак".

Катрин Кер умело балансира с приключенията и светоизграждането, като превежда читателя през няколко размирни епохи, докато развива и главната си история - тази на Джил, Родри и Невин. Ценя високо това умение, малко писатели го умеят толкова добре.

P.S. Сега усещам, колко всъщност ми липсва поредицата на издателство "Аргус", част от която е и тази книга. Добри превод, корица и оформление, смислен предговор и дори оригинален портрет на авторката заедно с карта на част от Девери, нарисувани от Камо - истинско жанрово бижу, рядкост за българското книгоиздаване!

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read this several times I think, but not for over twenty years. I still really liked it, although I think my favourite part of the book was the portion set in the past. The love story between Prince Mael and Gavra was charming and a nice counterpoint to the tragic story of Gweniver and Ricyn and Dannyn. Of course Nevyn is my favourite character. When I was younger I found the story of Jill and Rhodry more interesting. Now I find them a bit tedious, although I think they become more interesting as the story progresses.

[Shel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just as entertaining a tale as the first book, but I had to knock off a star for the blatant homophobia. Sigh.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darkspell is the second in a multiple-book series, and, much like the book itself does, this review will presume some knowledge of the series' first book, Daggerspell. I'll do my best to skirt around spoilers for Darkspell itself.

Darkspell continues the interlacing episodes of Daggerspell between the centuries-distant past and the "present" of the story in Deverry of the 11th century. The past segments are set in the 8th century this time around.

I'll get the gripes about this particular book in the series out of the way first. A lot of the 11th century sections did nothing for me. It's hard to say if it's just a current frame of mind, or one that will last quite a bit longer, but I don't have a lot of patience for scenes of youthful badasses at battle, or a story's major conflict being between Good and Evil, or the major goal being possession of a magical doodad. The 11th-century sections have all of these elements, such that I was bored through much of the last half of Darkspell.

The presentation of the evil characters, the wielders of dark dweomer, was especially over-the-top. It isn't enough that they wield dark magic--they also drink blood, create zombies, and are major players in the opium trade in Deverry. One of the two central characters on the evil side is a pederast. The two psychically and physically rape a captive to add power to their magic. Whose side are we expected to be on, here, and which side will win the mystical battle at the end? I wonder. While I'm normally happy to see LGBT characters in a novel, their only representative being also representative of capital-E Evil in this book wasn't great, to say the least. It was written in the '80s, but still... but still.

Moving on. In Darkspell's case, and of the book I read previous to this one, it was important to me that the book have a good ending, that the author stick the landing after long patches of flagging interest. I'm happy to say that Darkspell delivered wonderfully. One of the "evil" characters meets the end he has coming, and that end fits both the setting's value of honor, and a motif or theme that is hugely important to the series as a whole.

The 8th century sections were far better for me, overall. At one point, perhaps inspired by my reading of Deverry: Three Tales, I thought to myself that this part of the novel would work just fine on its own, and immediately changed my mind: without the previous tragedies in Daggerspell, and without the ongoing improving hopes of the characters' wyrds in the main body of these novels, this section wouldn't be anywhere near as powerful.

Cullyn's previous incarnation, Dannyn, was my favorite character in this section. He's my favorite in the 11th century, and you don't see much of him in the "present," and that could have something to do with Dannyn's appeal for me, but there's also his loyalty to his brother. It's a redemptive streak that prevails even when he is driven to do something unforgivable. (That act is also a point of similarity or resonance with an evil character mentioned previously, in kind if not in degree.) Mael, a new character introduced during this sequence, was another favorite, with a quiet arc and nice ending of his own. Rhodry and Jill go through a cycle here, too, of course, and I'll leave you to discover how that plays out.

It takes a lot, and I mean a lot, for me to say I love a series, for my internal critic to sit down and shut up for a minute and let me just enjoy something without its interference. Daggerspell completely broke down these defenses, and while Darkspell didn't have quite the same impact, whether due to its being a second book or to the failings I perceive in it, Deverry's marvelous braid of present and past; of background detail, character and theme; of tragedy and hope, takes me as close as I'll ever get to declaring love. Occasional prickly disagreement and all.

[Penelope Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read after several years away and it's held up really well. Again, I get irritated when the change of storyline happens but one quickly gets sucked into the new storyline and cranky when you have abandon that one later on.

The pseudo-celtic setting is well constructed and unlike many tales, does not stay totally static over the 400 years the story tells.

Reading with fresh eyes, there is a little homophobia creeping through but that might be the era of books and trying to anticipate the moral outlook of an essentially medieval setting. (Gender politics also suffers from this but not too badly - there are multiple female characters with agency and brains which is not always true of fantasy from the 80s.)

But I accidentally stayed up well past bedtime on a re-read which seems a pretty good endorsement.

[imyril is not really here any more · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brilliant flashback introducing the Civil Wars and exploring new exciting ways a soul can complicate their Wyrd; another eruption of dweomer into Jill and Rhodry’s lives as they face their first summer on the long road; and Rhodry’s Elvish connection has a gift that may shed light on his mysterious destiny... one day.

More excellent world building and a solid adventure, but in 2020 it’s impossible to give Darkspell a pass for its homophobia and fat shaming so I’m docking a star.

Note: I read the original edition, not the revised edition, but from what I understand that doesn’t necessarily address the things that bother me the most. Honestly, sometimes no rep is better than bad rep.

TW: m/m rape, homophobia, fat shaming, suicide

Full review

[Sotiris Karaiskos · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the second book of the series, the author follows the same path, continuing the main story, telling us also one more, from an earlier life of the protagonists. This continuation of the story is interesting as we watch the couple of our heroes in the difficult life they have chosen, which inevitably brings many obstacles to their relationship. But all of this is forgotten when they inadvertently become part of another round of the magical confrontation between good and evil, which shows that the game has become terribly cruel, something that makes me realize that they can no longer hide.

Nice chapter, the story from a previous life, however, is really excellent and very moving, despite the fact that its main theme is war. You see, her heroine is a very interesting character, a warrior so dedicated to her task that she forgets any joy of life. This, however, does not prevent her from having strong emotions; she simply drives them all into battle and gives the author an opportunity to describe these situations in an almost erotic way, using her authorial virtues.

The combination of these stories produces a beautiful result, with many thoughts on the inevitability of fate, the cruelty of war, and once again on the passionate and irrational decisions that lead us to destruction. A very nice book that shows even more fully the author's ability to create and exploit her characters in the best way.

Στο δεύτερο βιβλίο της σειράς συγγραφέας ακολουθεί τον ίδιο δρόμο, συνεχίζοντας την κύρια ιστορία λέγοντας μας επίσης μία ακόμα, από μία προηγούμενη ζωή των πρωταγωνιστών της. Αυτή η συνέχεια της ιστορίας είναι ενδιαφέρουσα καθώς παρακολουθούμε το ζευγάρι των ηρώων μας στη δύσκολη ζωή που επέλεξαν, η οποία αναπόφευκτα φέρνει πολλά εμπόδια στη σχέση τους. Όλα αυτά, όμως, ξεχνιούνται όταν άθελά τους γίνονται μέρος από άλλον έναν γύρο της μαγικής αντιπαράθεσης ανάμεσα στο καλό και στο κακό, που δείχνει ότι το παιχνίδι έχει γίνει τρομακτικά σκληρό, κάτι μου τους κάνει να καταλάβουν ότι δεν μπορούν άλλο να κρύβονται.

Ωραίο αυτό το κεφάλαιο, η ιστορία από μία προηγούμενη ζωή, όμως, είναι πραγματικά εξαιρετική και πολύ συγκινητική, παρά το γεγονός ότι το κύριο θέμα της είναι ο πόλεμος. Βλέπετε, η ηρωίδα της είναι ένας πολύ ενδιαφέρων χαρακτήρας, μία πολεμίστρια τόσο αφιερωμένη στο καθήκον της που ξεχνάει οποιαδήποτε χαρά της ζωής. Αυτό, όμως, δεν την εμποδίζει να έχει έντονα συναισθήματα, απλά τα διοχετεύει όλα στη μάχη και αυτό δίνει την ευκαιρία στη συγγραφέα να περιγραφεί αυτές τις καταστάσεις με έναν τρόπο σχεδόν ερωτικό, χρησιμοποιώντας τις συγγραφικές της αρετές.

Ο συνδυασμός αυτών των ιστοριών δημιουργεί ένα ωραίο αποτέλεσμα, με πολλές σκέψεις για το αναπόφευκτο της μοίρας, την σκληρότητα του πολέμου και για ακόμα μία φορά για τις παθιασμένες και παράλογες αποφάσεις που μας οδηγούν στην καταστροφή. Ένα πάρα πολύ ωραίο βιβλίο που δείχνει ακόμα πιο πλήρως την ικανότητα της συγγραφέως να δημιουργεί και να εκμεταλλεύεται τους χαρακτήρες της με τον καλύτερο τρόπο.

[Peat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a huge amount to say. I love the setting, I love the characters. I even love the strange mish-mash Deverry accent.

If I have a criticism, its the plot is a little disjointed. It feels more like a series of vignettes than something with a beginning, a middle and an ending - and if there is a plot, its actually the bad guys', with the main characters just riding along for giggles. I like vignettes, so I'm okay, but cohesive plot demanders beware.

One point - I've seen a lot of other reviews talking about the homophobia. Well, they've got a point, but I don't think the book itself is homophobic. Depicting a homophobic society? Yes, but I don't think they're shown to be right. Maybe not shown to be wrong either, mind. Are there homosexual predators? Yes. But - and here's the rub for me - the whole damn series is about the messes caused by dysfunctional sexuality. Katherine Kerr goes to that well time and time again. As such to me, its not saying "All homosexuals are this", any more than its saying "All close knit families are incestuous". But YMMV.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great older series although this book has a few potential trigger spots in it. Nothing too explicit or bad in my opinion but it's worth noting for others.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75*

Decent read. Some things are a little meh. There is an underlying story arc which runs through until the end of the series, and possibly into the next, and that is getting tired. Some LGBT issues but this includes non-con triggers/abuse. Although not explicit, the idea is distasteful, which is probably what the author wants. Some people are to be disliked/hated etc.

[Lise Forfang Grimnes]

Ga den opp halvveis. Sorry.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Again, trying to get some thoughts down before subsequent books bury them!

This was, all in all, a fine tale, and our view of the world of Deverry is expanded as the story of Jill and Roderick and Nevin and the rest continues while simultaneously we're given the stories of some of the past lives these souls have lived between the fateful first mingling of these lives told in the first book and the story of their present entanglement.

I can't say exactly why, but this volume didn't grab me as much as the first one did. It felt a little more dated. Another reviewer here on Goodreads noted a sense of homophobia in the book, and I don't know if that is fair, exactly, but something of Kerr's treatment of the cycle of male-on-male rape and sexual abuse portrayed in the stories of the dark sorcerors in this book certainly felt off to a modern sensibility. At least, to this one. It's hard to put my finger on, but somehow it felt like it was the homosexual relationship that was marked as abhorrent, rather than the rape and coercion. But I'm not at all convinced that this is a fair reading, and it may just be an artifact of its time.

Also--and Kerr actually spent very little time on it--I was mildly annoyed by the early "let me recap what happened in the last book within the story itself" but of writing that just isn't done any more--writers nowadays either trust their readers to have read and remembered (or to figure out enough of it from context) or offer a separate and clearly-optional "what has come before" chapter, so it just felt awkward to have prior events recapped this way. But, as I said, she made mercifully short work of the recap.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Även om huvudstoryn är långsam blir historien bra med alla smågrenar som sträcker sig ut och vävs samman med huvudstoryn. Bra karaktärer som berör och fina miljöskildringar gör boken mycket bra!

[Lianne Pheno · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5
https://delivreenlivres.home.blog/202...

Encore meilleur que le premier, j’ai dévoré ce tome en deux jours. Moins décousu temporellement parlant (en dehors d’un passage), les événements se concentrent petit à petit et l’intrigue principale deviennent plus clairs.

Pour rappel cette série nous raconte l’histoire d’un jeune prince qui, parce qu’il n’arrivait pas à se décider suivant deux choix de vie opposés et incompatibles, a entraîné avec lui une partie de sa famille et plein d’autres personnes plus ou moins liées à lui et aux événements.
Leur histoire c’est terminée en tragédie.

Dans ce monde il existe un Destin pour chaque personne, et à cause du prince ceux autour de lui n’ont pas pu remplir le leur.
Alors celui ci, devenu un grand mage, a été maudit : il ne pourra pas mourir tant qu’il n’aura pas redressé le destin de toutes les personnes qu’il a chamboulé.

L’intrigue principale de la série se déroule environ 400 ans après les événements tragiques.
Il faut savoir aussi que les gens se réincarnent, et leur karma antérieur joue sur la façon dont la vie va les favoriser ou pas dans leurs vies futures. Et toujours à cause des événements du début, ils se retrouvent donc entraînés vers le bas malgré tout les efforts du prince qui c’est lui même renommé en Persaunn (car il n’est plus personne).

Incessamment, Persaunn va tout faire pour faire remonter la pente à ces personnes, génération après génération, essai après essai. La fatalité fait très souvent finir leur vie en tragédie digne d’un Shakespeare.

Même des personnes indirectement touchées par l’erreur de départ se retrouvent aussi dans la boucle. On en suis d’ailleurs deux pendant une bonne partie du roman, jusqu’à ce que leur histoire se retrouve liée avec celle du présent de l’intrigue principale.

Je pense d’ailleurs que la seule difficultés de la série est justement le coté temporalité. Par exemple dans ce tome on commence sur les personnages principaux (4ième ré-incarnation depuis le début), et d’un chapitre sur l’autre on passe sur d’autres, des nouveaux, toujours liés à l’intrigue mais de plus loin et on suit ceux ci sur une 20ène d’année.

Ce n’est qu’à la fin que ce passage se lie temporellement à l’histoire qu’on suivait au début. L’intrigue secondaire commençait 20 ans avant, sans qu’aucune indication temporelle ne nous ai été donné durant tout le long passage.

Dans le premier tome déjà il y avait pas mal de moments où on pouvait se perdre sur le même sujet. Mais heureusement sur ce tome ci c’est bien moins marqué. On n’a vraiment que ce passage la qui pose problème, tout le reste se suit sans souci.

Ce tome annonce pas mal de changements dans les personnages. Ceux ci évoluent bien avec le temps. J’aime bien surtout Jill qui commence petit à petit à ne plus avoir peur de la magie. Et aussi la façon dont Rhodry (son compagnon) la traite, jamais comme une petit fleur fragile mais comme une guerrière adulte qui sait ce qu’elle fait, ce qui est un bon point pour un livre de fantasy écrit dans les années 80.

J’ai aussi apprécié le fait qu’on ai moins de moments choquants dans ce tome, parce que le précédent en était rempli. Ça n’en reste pas moins tragique à certains moment mais maintenant que le lecteur sait dans quoi il est embarqué je pense que l’autrice c’est moins sentie obligé de nous rappeler les conséquences terribles des erreurs de Persaunn.

Dans l’ensemble j’ai passé une fois encore un bon moment dans ce tome, il est moins décousu donc se tient un peu plus dans l’ensemble. On commence à voir ou tout ça va mener ce qui est aussi une bonne chose.

J’ai hâte de lire la suite !

[Elizabeth Allen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really loved Daggerspell. It had that classic fantasy feel that I love, and Katherine Kerr's unique approach to character dialogue supported the world she has imagined with distinction. I finished the first book full with energy to see the four book arc through to completion, so the fact that I’m now questioning whether I’ll even pick up the third book deserves a post-mortem.

It’s a shame really, because the Darkspell opens with another of Kerr’s signature cycles, and I actually thought that Gweniver’s story was her best yet. I felt that it added more dynamism than we typically see from Brangwen’s reincarnations, and showed us something different from the usual ‘Gerraent ruins everyone’s fun again’. It was simply Deverry at its very best and made devouring 150 pages feel effortless.

But then Jill & Rhodry’s story comes back into focus, and it was like putting on glasses at the end of a date only to realise you’ve been with a bridge troll the entire time. It was slow, with conflict that felt pointless. The character writing was poor, making Rhodry seem like a whiny brat and an ill-fit for Jill’s affection, which as a consequence feels far more contrived than it ever previously did. But worst of all, there’s this unpleasant undercurrent of homophobia that permeates throughout the back third of the book, leaving me feeling completely disconnected from the narrative.

It's as if nothing was accomplished except having the central focus of the series be betrayed by ugly character writing and problematic theming. I don’t know how the series is meant to recover from that, because even if the next book avoids the pitfalls that Darkspell fell into, these plot beats can never truly be undone. Unfortunately, this was just one of those momentum killing books, and I would not be surprised if I never read Dawnspell.

[Eva Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The las time I read this series was twenty years ago, when I was in my early teens. I remember the evil wizard’s ritual making an impression on me, I did not remember the blatant homophobia. I’m happy to say that both I and the times have changed, and I see from other reviews here on Goodreads that a revised edition has been published. I hope that means that Kerr has also changed her views on homosexuals.

Except from this, I find Deverry to still be a really good series! I enjoy seeing how both characters and the world they live in get fleshed out in this second book, and I like that we get to follow both our old friends, and to know new and interesting ones. I was especially looking forward to reading about Gweniver, as I remember liking this story a lot the first time I read it. Turns out aging has changed my perspective somewhat, and this time around I find myself agreeing more with Nevyn. My 13 years old self would be appalled!

One thing though; I wonder if Kerr had ever tried mead when she wrote this. Because it’s super sweet, and usually you’d just sip a little glass of it after dinner as a dessert and here her characters are quaffing it down like thin American beer, and for breakfast! I guarantee the sweetness would make them nauseous before the alcohol set in!

[Adam Moorhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

REREAD - 29th October 2024

I love these books and find the structure and format of them incredibly unique and engrossing. You see, there are no chapters in this series. Each section is separated into timelines, and one novel can consist of 2 or 3 different stories that are all connected by reincarnations of a specific group of characters and the one constant being the character, Nevyn, who is immortal, walking the ages trying to put right a mistake he made in his youth.

Darkspell has the best micro story I've read so far in the series. It was so incredible ill remember it forever and was the main reason for my reread. The main overarching storyline sees Gill and Rhodry come to possess a powerful stone that practitioners of the dark dewormer are desperate to get hold of. Once they realise who has the stone, they try to hunt down our delightful duo to perform their evil deeds. There's only one thing standing in the way of these evil characters and that's the master of the aethyr!
Can Nevyn save the day?

Love this series and can't wait to start book 3 in the coming weeks.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was quite difficult to read for two reasons. Firstly, the formatting was off and I'd be flung out of the story by sentences that didn't make sense only to realize that a letter was wrong (rite becoming lite, some pure random words thrown in that made no sense e.g. ro instead of to). Secondly, the dialogue didn't feel natural to me, it felt like modern upper-class English which didn't match the setting. I did love the Welsh sounding words, given I'm Welsh.

Rhodry came across as a sword-wielding loon at times which was hard given he's a main character. As usual Nevyn was interesting.

2.5 rounded up

[Suz · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was interminable for about 85% of the book. I am not amused with the timeline jumping to show the reincarnations of the characters. The last 10 to 15% of the book made significant head way in opening up the long arc and the world, but for me it was too little too late.

I may return to this series at some point just to see if it improves in subsequent books. It's much loved by a lot of people. But I'm not very motivated for it right now.

***********
How can there not be any audiobooks of this on Goodreads?

[Mark Redman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darkspell by Katharine Kerr is part of the Deverry cycle. The immediate standout is Kerr's world-building. Rich in lore and well-realised characters. The novel's strength lies in Kerr's ability to weave together multiple timelines and perspectives, creating interconnected stories and characters. However, the reincarnation theme adds a layer of complexity and it is not always obvious who has had a past life and been reincarnated in the present storyline. We also become witnesses to the enduring consequences of past actions in the characters' present lives and it is interesting to see this play out.

The characters in Darkspell are well-developed, each with their own struggles and growth arcs. Kerr excels in portraying the human experience within a fantastical setting, making the emotional journey of the characters relatable and compelling. Magic is a central element, and Kerr's depiction of it is both imaginative and grounded. The intricate system of dweomer (magic) adds depth to the plot, and its ties to the characters' destinies which contribute to the overall sense of mystery and interconnectedness.

While the plot can be intricate, Kerr's writing style ensures clarity, guiding you through the complex web of events. The pacing is well-balanced, offering a mix of action sequences and moments of introspection. Darkspell successfully maintains depth, exploring concepts of fate, free will, and the enduring consequences of choices. Kerr's exploration of these philosophical elements elevates the book beyond a traditional fantasy narrative. An excellent series and one that is worth your time.

[Barry Mulvany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is shaping up to be an excellent series. This follows the format of the previous book, the present day timeline and then a series of flashbacks to the reincarnations of our main characters from a previous timeline. I enjoyed the flashbacks in this book quite a lot. Our main characters, apart from Nevyn actually didn't get a lot of screen time but focused on the raging civil war and the birth of a certain prominent family. Gweniver (Jill) was the only other 'main' character to feature prominantly, and her story was suitably tragic and tied up their wyrd's perhaps even more.

Back in the present Rhodry is dealing with the aftermath of the previous book and adapting to life on the road whereas Jill is again finding herself involved in workings of dweomer and facing her affinity to it. Interestingly enough we also have a lot of POV's from a dark dweomer practitioner and those are good to read if quite dark and disturbing in places. They were a quite mysterious presence in the first book but are shown in much more detail here and it has been done very well. Sometimes knowing the motivations of the bad guys can be disappointing but not in this case, quite the opposite in fact.

The prose again works well, there is a definite feel of legend to these books and I'm still loving the Celtic world she has created. There are more definite hints that these people fled our world somehow as there are references to Romans and Cicero, though they are spelled differently which would make sense. A great book and very much looking forward to the third.

[Erin Middleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️ this world is incredibly intriguing, and I love how it explores human interaction through its magic source. There are some long parts that are dry and difficult to get through but there are also parts that are thrilling and fast paced.

My biggest issue is that the characters are not differentiated enough. The whole book is based in reincarnation- I wish each iteration of the souls were distinctively different as it feels like we are reading the same characters and lives over and over again.

[Bodosika Bodosika · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting.

[Tsipi Erann · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

[Shaitarn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to come.

[Brita · Rating 3 out of 5]

fortfarande spännande att läsa men den var nog lite bättre när jag läste den första gången.

[Aisha Leela]

DNF

[Thomas Erickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written continuation of the deverry series. I love seeing Kerr's writing as she matures and continues to experiment with custom language and the politics in the world.

[Nerine Dorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

We continue our journey with Nevyn as he comes up against the sinister Old One – a dark dweomer master who has sent his operatives into Deverry to steal a magical jewel and sow dissent. Of course Jill and Rhodry soon find themselves entangled in the plot, and Katherine Kerr also takes us on a secondary journey to examine more of our central characters’ past lives, and how these influence current events.

The template of the warrior-maiden seems to be cast for Jill, only in her past life we get to know her as a priestess in service of the Moon Goddess’s dark phase. Events unfold that have definitive repercussions much later, as the souls bound by a shared wyrd seem fated to re-enact certain patterns until they’ve worked out their issues. Of course the outcomes are never quite the same, but there is always an undercurrent of tragedy.

New characters include Rhodry’s father, who is one of the Elcyion Lacar, or elvish folk, and also Rhodry’s half-brother, Salamander. We are also introduced to the mysterious McGuffin – a magical ring (surprise, surprise) – that is supposed to be Rhodry’s birthright, though we are yet to discover the full circumstances that suggest Rhodry will be playing a more important role in Saving The Day.

Apart from the retrieval of the magical jewel of the West (that’s quite chatty too, thanks to its imbued spirits) that the dark dweomer practitioner Alystyr (shades of Crowley, perhaps?) and his two bumbling acolytes attempt to steal for the Old One, and which Jill, Rhodry and Nevyn then intercept, there really isn’t much else that happens in book #2.

Granted, the world-building and characterisation, as well as magical system, is what keeps me turning the pages. I find that this time round I am a bit annoyed with the good/light vs. bad/dark dweomer divisions. Also, the stereotyping of protagonist vs. antagonist in that the evil is portrayed as physically repulsive and some degenerate (and queer, for that matter) was not to my taste. But I must point out that I feel fantasy has evolved over the years to take a less dualistic approach, or at least in my experiences as a reader when showing a preference for protagonists that are not necessarily squeaky clean or particularly nice (um, hello Jorgy-boy a la Mark Lawrence).

Villains have, in my opinion, become more ambiguous in their negative and positive traits when it comes to fantasy literature. This is a good thing, because in my opinion, it’s closer to reality, but it must also be kept in mind that I feel Kerr’s earlier writing slips into an era when hard lines between good/evil were still the norm.

Yet, these issues considered, this remains an enjoyable story that has stood the test of time, especially since many of the details have remained foggy from the first time that I read this novel when I was a teen.

[Dani · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly I feel a little bad giving this book such a low rating. Not because I actually have a higher opinion of it but because a lot of people appeared to really like it and I'm obviously missing something....

I read the revised version before anyone asks.

It's slow. I still can't get drawn into the way that Kerr writes, the looking in from the outside sort of feel that it has really draws me out of the moment. Most of the time I pick up the book to read it I find myself fading off and almost falling asleep. I, personally, consider that a bad sign.

There was one past flash back in this book and while it was pretty cool I kept waiting for something MORE to happen and it never seemed to. The bad guys who practice the dark arts... I'm not too sure why they are so dangerous. They haven't really done much except murder some people, but a lot of people seem to murder in these books. So maybe I'm missing something that makes these guys so scary. The man rape? Is that supposed to make them seem MORE evil to me? Because there's also sort of a lot of rape that's been happening since the beginning.

In fact I sort of expected Gwen to get raped in this one but she never did which left me a bit.... disappointed? I don't know. It seemed like it would've made for a more interesting story instead of the one Kerr actually wrote. There would've been a lot of facing your own demons and dealing with the reality of what happened and I would've liked to see how a past Jill would've handled that situation.

I feel bad for giving it such a low rating but it was just.... Boring. It was Boring.

I don't like the writing style, I don't like Rhodry (and seriously he just sort of realizes he can do things as it helps the story, could we have one character who's out of it and has no idea and is clueless?), and I don't like the way people talk! It feels so fabricated. Its this awkward way of speaking that has no flow and I just feel so disconnected from this book.

Sigh.

oh and I forgot to add: The battles are so impractical in this book. Always on horseback? Really?? It would never work. Yes horses are wonderful but there's no way they could've maneuvered in battle the way she describes. This also means every solider has a horse which is not cost effective at all!! They would need as many horses in the kingdom as they have humans. And who pays for and trains all these horses? Where do the replacements come from? How does every enemy have the same amount of horses? Someone just needs to have an army on foot and they could easily wipe out these horse riding idiots.