An Apprentice to Elves

Iskryne World #3

by Elizabeth Bear, Sarah Monette, Chris Chambers (Reading)

With An Apprentice to Elves, Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear return with the third book in their epic fantasy series, the Iskryne trilogy. The trilogy began with A Companion to Wolves, and continued in The Tempering of Men. This novel picks up the story of Alfgyfa, a young woman who has been raised in the Wolfhall by her father Isolfr, who is the human leader of the queen-wolf Viridechtis' pack, and was the protagonist of the first book. The warrior culture of Iskryne forbids many things to women--and most especially it forbids them bonding to one of the giant telepathic trelwolves. But as her father was no ordinary boy, Alfgyfa is no ordinary girl. Her father has long planned to send his daughter to Tin, a matriarch among the elves who live nearby, to be both apprentice and ambassador, and now she is of age to go. Contains mature themes.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, LGBT, Science Fiction Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Queer, Historical

1 pages, Audio CD

First published October 13, 2015

About the author

What Goodreads really needs is a "currently WRITING" option for its default bookshelves...

Reviews

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com

I thought this book was pretty good. I loved the wolf concept as wolves are my favorite animals. I did not read the first two books prior to this one, I would like to find out the whole story so I can understand it a little bit more. But, this is fine for a stand-alone book, it doesn't continually refer to the past books to make you confused.

So the men bond to wolves but women are forbidden to do this, and to that, they can kiss my arse :)

Alfgyfa is an apprentice to the smith Tin. Tin is finding out that Afgyfa has a telepathic link to a wolf/dog, which is a big no no. Good for you Alfgyfa. I think she is a strong character and I love how she just does what she wants no matter what the rules.

I think this book is very unique in ways that at times left me confused, but like I said before, I might understand it better if I start from book one. The whole idea of being telepathically linked to a wolf is awesome, but it's so much more than that, there is a great deal more involved in this link. The men almost seem wolf like in their behavior, you just have to read it for your self as I'm not the best at explaining these types of things :)

I do have to mention I think the cover is absolutely beautiful. I not sure if this is a trilogy or if it's going to be an ongoing series, but I would like to get them in some kind of boxset if they are, the other titles sounded really good as well.

*I would like to thank NETGALLEY and MACMILLAN/TOR-FORGE for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book for my honest review.*

[Mogsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2016/01/08/b...

It’s no surprise that my interest was piqued as soon as I saw the names on the cover of this book, considering how last year I loved Sarah Monette’s The Goblin Emperor (under her pseudonym Katherine Addison) and earlier this year I greatly enjoyed my first book by Elizabeth Bear. Better yet, I was told that even though An Apprentice to Elves is technically book three of the Iskryne World sequence, it would work perfectly fine as a standalone. I certainly did not need much more convincing.

Indeed, while An Apprentice to Elves builds upon the events from the first two novels, it features a new protagonist, making this a fine place to jump on board. It is also a time of great change in the series’ setting, a world of harsh winters and long weeks of darkness. For generations, these lands have been home to a warrior society whose men distinguish themselves by becoming wolfcarls, fighters who form telepathic bonds with the giant, intelligent beasts called Trellwolves. But now, ships bearing strange visitors who call themselves the Rheans have come to these shores, and they are here to conquer the north for themselves.

The story follows Alfgyfa, a young woman who is sent by her father to the home of the Alfar to apprentice with a mastersmith named Tin. Because of her gender, Alfgyfa is forbidden from bonding with her own Trellwolf, but that doesn’t stop her from making friends with the wild wolves of the forest, much to the exasperation of her mentor. While growing up with the elves, Alfgyfa also learns much about her hosts’ history and culture, like the fact that a split in Alfar society generations ago still causes much political friction and animosity between the factions today. However, peace talks are surrounded by a pall of uncertainty as all eyes turn to the Rhean threat, and no one is quite sure what the war will bring.

First thing that struck me about this book was the world-building. While this story takes place in a fantasy world, it nonetheless draws inspiration from Norse culture and history. We see these influences in the character names, their language, as well as their way of life. The Rheans are also very clearly supposed to be the Romans, invading the north with their war elephants and legions of professional soldiers. The Rhean army’s discipline in battle is unlike anything the cultures of Iskryne have seen before, and from what we know of the power-hungry expansionism ways of the Roman Empire, this spells very bad news for Alfgyfa and her people indeed.

However, all this attention to detail is also a double-edged sword. Monette and Bear certainly do not skimp when it comes to world building, but very often these descriptions can become too much to the point of being overwhelming. While keeping in mind that An Apprentice to Elves doesn’t have a fast-moving plot to begin with, the authors take their time explaining the world and its characters thus bogging down the story even more. As a newcomer to this series, I appreciated the information that was meant to help new readers like me catch up, like how the wolf bond works, or how the different societies in Iskryne are structured. But a huge chunk of the story is also given to establishing Alfar politics, so there are admittedly sections in this book that are heavier and more difficult to read than others.

So if you’re looking for action, I’m afraid this isn’t going to be a book for you, though there are a couple of big and thrilling battle scenes at the end which made me glad I persevered. There’s also political intrigue, but it’s of the more subdued and less suspenseful sort, which inevitably made me think back to The Goblin Emperor which also exuded the same vibes. I definitely sense more than a few similarities between the two books in terms of how their stories made me feel, as well as the somewhat steep learning curve to familiarize myself with all the names and places. If you’ve followed the Iskryne World series all along though, this probably won’t be as much of an issue.

Still, for someone completely new to this series, I feel like I got to experience a great deal. All in all, I’m pretty satisfied with the story, though in a bizarre way, I almost wish there were more books to follow because I feel like I spent most of this one learning the intricacies of the world. Alas, as far as I know, An Apprentice to Elves is the third and final installment of a trilogy, so I am considering going back to read the first two novels.

[Althea Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Sarah Monette, but I have to admit that I wasn't hugely in love with the first two books in this series, co-written with Elizabeth Bear. However, I'm ENORMOUSLY glad that I stuck with the story and picked up "An Apprentice to Elves." I loved this book. However, I have to say that I would recommend it far more vigorously to fans of Monette's excellent The Goblin Emperor (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) (written as Katherine Addison) than fans for the first two books in the series.

In style and tone, this entry into the Iskryne World is a bit of a departure from the first two. While those books very much concentrated on the love between Viking-like men, and their bonded wolves, this story dispenses with the explicit erotic content, and has a far more feminine tone. It also (as I hoped it would, after reading the last one!) finally gives us more than a glimpse into the lives and societies of the enigmatic elves. (Which, while different in the details, did remind me of the goblins in 'The Goblin Emperor.')

The primary character here is Alfgyfa, a daughter of a leader of the wolfthreat, who has been fostered out to the elves in an introductory attempt to build peace and understanding between the two societies. Her efforts to get along in a situation which is foreign to her, and the difficulties - but also the ambitions, the loyalties and loves - that she develops, are all beautifully done.

A prominent secondary character is Fargrimr - a sworn-son: born female, but living in the role of a man in order to inherit. In this position he has risen to a position of leadership, and has won the respect of his brothers. However, the invading Rheans (Romans) have a different cultural perspective on the matter.

Fargrimr must attempt to negotiate with the Rheans (who themselves are split by traitors), and meanwhile Alfgyfa finds herself in a unique position with the possibility of forming a bridge of peace between her father's people and the two groups of elves, who have been split by a bitter feud for centuries.

My only complaint is that the big 'showdown' at the end felt rushed, with some issues that could easily have filled another full book being wrapped up - I thought - prematurely. I still hope that the authors will consider more stories set in this world.

Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor for the opportunity to read. As always, my opinions are solely my own.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

All I'm saying is I would read 3 more books about these dweebs

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

"When they try to shame you, you wear their scorn like ribbons."

The harsh world of the North has seen and defeated many enemies, from the bitter winters to the fierce Trells and their reality-bending stone-molding. Aided by the tunnel-dwelling alfar, the men of the north have withstood all. But the legion of Rhean men who have arrived on their shores are a challenge they've never encountered: disciplined, determined, and willing to throw all the resources of their empire behind their goal of conquering the North.

Apprentice to Elves is a slow-moving, richly painted novel that takes place within a mythical world that draws inspiration from Norse and Roman history. The story itself is an interesting clash of cultures; we have humans attempting to bond with the tradition-driven alfar, svartálfar against aettrynalfar, and Northmen against Rhean. The story is told from the perspective of several proto-Norse, including Alfgyfa, the eponymous girl sent to apprentice with the elves. However, we also get the perspectives of Alfgyfa's alf master, as well as a Brythonic ex-slave who escaped capture by the Rheans. I loved the cultures explored within the novel, and I loved the way that the authors mixed Norse words in casually with the descriptions and conversations. However, I'd love to see a glossary. Normally, I hate glossaries, but for this book, it would have been invaluable, as the Norse and proto-Norse words and names thrown around are clearly meaningful in ways not captured by the storyline. I found out after reading this that it is part of a series, and while I was initially somewhat bewildered by all the unfamiliar terms, I quickly adjusted, and I think the book can definitely be read as a standalone.

My favourite part, without a doubt, was the wolves. The novel's North is inhabited by the massive, hyperintelligent trellwolves, and some of them form special bonds with humans. A chosen few of the men living in the wolfheall are wolfcarls, each partnering a trellwolf in a deep, even telepathic bond. I utterly adored the trellwolves. The authors absolutely get dogs, both their moods and their body language, and by extension, their wolf characters are vibrant, real, and utterly adorable.

If you read this, don't expect the epic battles that might be suggested from the beautiful cover. (For all that, the ending is glorious.) Instead, the book delves into the difficult politics of alf versus alf and man versus man, of the role of women in society, and the complexities of society on the edge of wilderness. Alfgyfa is torn between two cultures, and uncomfortable in both. Given more agency in the matriarchal society of the alfar than she could ever find in the wolfheall, she still longs for the male-only role of a wolfsprechend. Yet as the conflict against the Rheans slowly develops, Alfgyfa seeks to use her unique role to save both communities she loves. The novel is a fascinating exploration of feminism, culture, and identity.

~~I received a copy of this ebook through Netgalley from the publisher, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, in exchange for my honest review. Quotes were taken from an advanced reader copy and while they may not reflect the final phrasing, I believe they speak to the spirit of the novel as a whole.~~

[Liviania · Rating 4 out of 5]

AN APPRENTICE TO ELVES is being billed as the conclusion of the Iskryne trilogy. I'd hoped for more books in this series, but this is a good note to go out on. The Iskryne books are inspired by Viking history, with elves, trolls, and companion wolves thrown in. The first book detailed the world and the battle with the trolls, and the second book bought in a new human threat - the Rheans, who are basically Romans.

Once more, the book is told by new narrators. AN APPRENTICE TO ELVES alternates between Alfgyfa (the daughter of the first narrator, Isolfr), Otter (a former slave rescued in the second book), Fargrimr (a sworn son who is the jarl of the heall closest to the Rhean invasion), and Tin (an elf smith who brokered the alliance between humans and elves with Isolfr). This helps expand the world and showcase more lifestyles of the people within it. It is the first book with female narrators, so many of the points of view were much needed. I did feel like the Rheans delaying their invasion for more than a decade was mostly so that Alfgyfa could become old enough to narrate.

But overall, I enjoy the way the Iskryne trilogy has grown and changed since the first book. The first book, A COMPANION TO WOLVES, felt like a commentary on Pern and how the dragon relationships worked. Over THE TEMPERING OF MEN and AN APPRENTICE TO ELVES, it has become its own series, with complex relations between and within species. I loved that this book was not all war, but also an examination of how the two groups of elves broke apart and a fierce drive to bind men and elves closer together before their alliance crumbles without an external threat.

AN APPRENTICE TO ELVES is not a fast-paced novel. It ends with several big battles, a thrilling finish that had me racing to the conclusion. But that is not the pace of most of the novel. This is a series interested in ferreting out details of the characters and their place. As I said, I'm sad that this will only be a trilogy because I feel like there is so much of the Iskryne to explore. If this is where it ends, though, I'll be satisfied.

I think you can read AN APPRENTICE TO ELVES on its own, but you'll miss many worldbuilding details and some of the characters' histories if you do.

[Wealhtheow · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book series exists in an alternate past, in which men of a Nordic land psychically bond with huge, fierce wolves in order to fight the trolls that erupt from the ground and slaughter those before them. The troll queen was killed in A Companion to Wolves, thus defeating the trolls once and for all, and in The Tempering of Men the wolfcarls had to figure out what their place was without the threat of trolls. Their answer soon came: at the very least, they were needed to repel the invasion of men from the South. Just as the Iskyrnes are this world's equivalent of Vikings, the Rhean are the Romans. Like the Romans, the Rhean invasion is organized, canny, and seemingly endlessly supplied with men. The Iskyrne forces have no chance of defeating them, only of making invasion too costly to be worthwhile. And even that may take more than they have.

I really liked the pov characters in this. Alfgyfa is the daughter of Isolfr (main character of A Companion to Wolves) who has been fostered with the svartalfar (the sun-hating, tunnel-dwelling, long-limbed, metal-smithing creatures who fill the roles of both elves and dwarves in this series). I loved how physically strong, capable, and casually confident she was; after years of living among the matriarchal elves, it doesn't even occur to her to feel threatened or less than the men of the human world. She's also prone to brave but foolhardy feats of kindness, which alternately hinder and help the ongoing alliance-weaving between elves, Iskyrne humans, and wolves. Tin, her smith master and foster mother, gets occasional chapters. Another pov comes from Fargrimr, the doughty sworn-son and jarl whose keep is threatened by the Rheans. There was something tremendously appealing about this character who was born a girl, has no special powers at all, and yet stands shoulder-to-shoulder with his fellow warriors and no one thinks anything odd about it. And lastly, Otter (the prickly, fearful ex-slave from a foreign land that was conquered by the Rhean) tells the story from the pov of those far from the war's front, who are nevertheless constantly aware of the ongoing threat.

I enjoyed each of these characters and their slightly different tales, but I felt the story was a little unequally balanced. Alfgyfa and Tin's trials and tribulations trying to get the Iskyrnes and various elf societies to partially understand and ally with each other take up much of the first half of the novel, and then fall away almost to nothing by the end. Also, although I thought Otter was a well-drawn character and I liked seeing her take on the wolfhealls (which are as foreign to her as they are to the reader), I'm not sure her pov added much to the overall plot. It adds a lot of local color and detail, as through her eyes we see how food is made and stored and the other inner workings of a hall, but it meant we got less information about the elf negotiations and Rhean war, both of which could have used a little filling out.

My other problem with this book was that there are a huge number of characters, all of whom I'm supposed to remember from previous books, and frankly I didn't even remember who Isolfr's wolfjarls were until halfway through, let alone whose wolf is whose or what personalities each character has. Outside of the pov characters, very few humans get much in the way of characterization--mostly we see them from the outside. Isolfr's scarred face and pale braids are described numerous times, but everyone else's looks remain a mystery to me, and most characters' personalities, as well. Way more attention is paid to how herbs are harvested than differences in character. And I want both kinds of information!

That said, the ending is absolutely epic, in a way that those old famous sagas are. Once the battle between Iskyrne and Rhean was finally joined, I couldn't tear my eyes off the page. I'd love to read more in this universe, which is a fascinatingly well-thought out twist on an era I already find interesting.

[Jacqie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I haven't read the first two books in this trilogy. Since the first two books take place (I believe) about 15 years before this one, and since this book certainly ended on a note that feels like there could be more to come, I hope that instead of a trilogy there will instead be two duologies. There's certainly a lot more to say about this world and its societies.

The cultures we see are fantasy-Norse and fantasy-Roman, along with two Elvish societies. What I probably loved most about the book was the immersive nature of my experience with it. I'm a sucker for well-thought out, well-researched worlds that are alternates of cultures I'm interested in, and the Wolfcarl culture rang all my bells. I learned about the fighting men and how they trained, but I also learned a lot about how women ran the hall, stored supplies, and were generally the backbone that held their culture upright. From what I understand, the first two books in the series focused more on men. This book was exclusively from women's point of view.

Alfgifa was sent to the Svartalfar to train as a smith, but also to forge diplomatic ties between the Wolfcarls and the elves. She grew up in cramped tunnels, surrounded by people who looked very different than her, and had to learn an entirely different mindset in order to succeed in this new culture. Her struggles and successes were fascinating. Tin, her Svartalf mentor smith,was the second point of view. From her, we learn more about the inner lives of the Svartalfar, as well as their underlying concerns about how to live with other cultures in the face of threat and how to begin re-approachment with their estranged kindred, the other elven society. Finally, we get Otter, a former British slave of the Romans who is now the chatelaine of one of the wolf halls. Otter is very fearful of what the Roman culture will do to her new home. She also has a very hard time feeling safe to form new relationships. She understands how to manage the large household and we get a bit about the logistics behind running the settlement.

So, three very different women whose viewpoints give us a lot of information about this world. This information is given seamlessly and naturally, and kept me reading on, because it was all in service of the story. I felt the worry about whether or not there would be enough food for everyone. I knew that if one pair of boots got wet, there might not be a back-up pair. The Wolfcarls were recovering from a war that happened more than a decade ago, and their society was having to change because of the differences between peace time and war time.

My only complaint is that after all this set-up, the actual conflict is rushed through and some very important diplomatic scenes happen entirely offstage. Maybe there was a page count to stick to, but in that case maybe some of the build-up could have been sacrificed to help the climax.

The characters felt fleshed out and real, and the book made me cry a couple of times- it's not like me to have that strong of an emotional response to any book! I want to go back and read the first two books in the series, and I really hope that there may be more to come.

[Beth Coughlin Coughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

GoodReads won't seem to let me write a review (perhaps because it is before the release date) but let me just say ... the book is worth the wait.

Binge read it yesterday - quick paced, would work as a stand alone although knowledge of the world that gave life to the book helps because of the pace. Really enjoyed that the subtle integration of inner character landscape with the twisting roller coaster of the external events.

As a third book in the trilogy, character are re-sketched, in case you are starting with this book, but then some you get to place a hand on their shoulder and shadow throughout the book as they grapple with the intricacies of invasion and alliances. This book is raw and realistic in its' approach to the pitfalls of everything from societal roles and expectations to the challenges of adult children and coming of age.

In some ways, you could almost consider this an alternate history if wild canines were telepathic instead of just social - the relationship is nuanced from both the author's experience with our own companion animals with just enough behavioral wolf/dog brain science to make those of us familiar with it happy to see is skillfully woven into fiction.

Time to go feed my wolves....

[Fantasy Literature · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Apprentice to Elves, the third installment of the ISKRYNE series, is a book that depends on its thick world-building. Elizabeth Bear and Sarah Monette have created realistic cultures that take some cues from Norse and Roman history and dramatized a cultural conflict between them, at the same time as developing relationships and characters rooted in these cultures. Most of the narrative is set in the Northlands, an icy forested domain whose natural defenses are harsh enough to help the Northmen stay safe. But a new enemy, the fiercely disciplined Rhean, invades from the south, hoping to colonize the Northlands and bring the Northmen under their rule. ... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...

[Lynn Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://lynns-books.com/2015/10/13/an-...
An Apprentice to Elves is a beautifully written story that takes us to the land of the North – a harsh place to survive not only because of the fearsome winters but also because of attacks from invaders and trolls. The latest threat posed is from the Rheans – a relentless invader with endless resources and ruthless determination. This is book No.3 of the Iskryne Trilogy. My original review appears over at The Speculative Herald and this is a condensed version. I haven’t read the first two books but feel this reads well as a standalone. I would also mention that not having read the previous books this may include spoilers.

At the start we are introduced to Alfgyfa who has been sent by her father to become an apprentice to a Mastersmith of the Alfar named Tin. I think both Tin and Alfgyfa’s father have a vision for a more peaceful understanding and Alfgyfa’s apprenticeship is a gesture in that direction..

The story is based in an imaginary world that draws on Norse myth and Roman history We have men, elves and wolves. The Trellwolves are enormous, intelligent beasts with the ability to share a telepathic link with certain men (the men who form such bonds are then known as wolfcarls). We have the race of elves, two groups, the svartalfar and the aettrynalfar who share an old enmity towards each other. We also have the Rheans, who bear a strong resemblance to the Romans. The Rheans would ‘supposedly’ come in peace to trade. In truth they would then exercise such control over the people they conquer until the dominated race became indistinguishable from the Rheans themselves. Understandably, the men of the North are not too keen to bend their knee and pay tribute or to lose their own sense of identity.

In terms of story there is the threat of war and the steps needed by the men of the North to prevent defeat and we also follow in the footsteps of Alfgyfa and watch her development. Alfgyfa is headstrong. She longs for the bond with a wolf that the men from her home enjoy. Such a bond is forbidden to females but Alfgyfa is determined to follow her own heart, even if this leads to problems along the way.

If you’re expecting a fast paced story with battles and swordplay then you could be in for a surprise as this isn’t what you’ll find here. This story is rich in detail and slowly builds up the personalities of all the main characters, including the wolves, and sets the scene of their daily lives. I enjoyed the attention to detail, it paints a vivid picture which I found fascinating. I particularly enjoyed the information about the wolves and their behaviour which made me want to laugh out loud. As I said, this probably isn’t for everyone as it is definitely a slow burner but I enjoyed the finer detail.

In terms of characters. Alfgyfa wasn’t my favourite – odd as she is the main character – and I did have a degree of sympathy for her situation. Having lived almost half her life in one home and half in another – and never having been truly accepted in the latter – she’s now like a fish out of water belonging to neither place. I liked that she decided her own path and stood by her actions and also that she was determined to help her people survive. My favourites, however, were Tin, a matriarch and master of the Alfa. Patient and intelligent and able to look at the bigger picture. I liked her sense of right and wrong and that she was determined to help Alfgyfa choose the best path.. The other character that stood out for me was Otter, a former Rhean slave, she makes a really intriguing addition to the overall dynamic.

Criticisms? Considering the detail displayed throughout the book the ending felt a little rushed and maybe too easily sewn up. Also, some of the names are, at first, difficult to read and stop you in your tracks and I have no doubt I was reading them wrong in my head.

Otherwise, I enjoyed this. It’s a very detailed exploration of an unusual world full of strange creatures told by a young woman who is determined to prove herself.

Also, I simply have to raise the matter of the beautiful cover. Just look at it.

I received a copy courtesy of the publishers through Netgalley for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

When AN APPRENTICE TO ELVES showed up in my mailbox (it was sent to me by the publisher) and I saw Elizabeth Bear and Sarah Monette’s names on the cover I totally squeed.

Until I discovered it was book 3 in the Iskryne series–how had I not heard of Bear’s new stuff? I loved her Eternal Sky series (start with RANGE OF GHOSTS); I read Monette’s MELUSINE and was meh about the story but not her writing craft, which is pretty amazing. I stomped around grumpily for a bit, but decided to dig in anyway without even looking up the first two books. Turns out you can read this book on its own.

Set in an alternate Norse/Germanic wintery island in the north, the men of Iskryne can bond with the local telepathic wolves, with whom they defend the populace from trolls and wyverns. But a new threat is creeping its way into the land: the Rheans (alternate Romans) are intent on conquest, and have the resources to do it.

Alfgyfa, the daughter of the hero in the first two books, Isolfr, has been sent to apprentice to the alf, a dwarf-like race who dwell in the mountains. She will learn metalsmithing with her father’s friend Tin. Over the next seven years she grows into a young woman, is trained in smithing, and learns how to wield the weapons she can create. But she misses her father’s wolfheall, her friends, and especially the wolves that were an integral part of her life. Women are forbidden bonding to wolves, but she can still hear them, and one day while in the alf underground city, hears a young wolf trapped in the unused caverns. When she saves him, she discovers the female Greensmoke, the alpha of the wild pack, and thus begins their tentative friendship.

Meanwhile, Otter, a former Rhean slave and now the woman who manages Isolfr’s wolfheall, witnesses as the men prepare for war. Fargrimr is the lord of Siglufjordhur, which is currently under occupation by the Rheans. He, along with his household, built a temporary heall to keep an eye on the Rheans as they slowly turn their foothold into an invasion.

It is through these PoVs (along with Tin and a few secondary characters) that we watch the story unfold, for AN APPRENTICE TO ELVES isn’t only about Alfgyfa, but about the rich world Bear and Monette have created. The alf culture is a stark contrast to the humans. The climate affects the war. The wolves play an integral part of their lives. In Otter’s storyline especially we get to see the day-to-day life, what it takes to feed people in a harsh climate.

Bear and Monette are pros at this point, so the story moves forward quickly, the pacing excellent–even if it feels like they jump around during the war at the end. But we don’t need to know about every battle and its details (if you really want details you should be reading Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon Chronicles starting with THE LAST KINGDOM–that guy can write battles like nobody’s business and they’re awesome). Even the little things we learn from page one and throughout the book build up to the exciting events that lead to the climax, they weave the story elements together so well. I rarely found myself confused or lost, despite not having read the first two books. The naming conventions took about half the book to get used to, and Fargrimr was in particular a character that threw me off, but they are things that don’t take away from the story, more like add to its foreignness.

The authors tell us a story of loyalty, friendship, fortitude, and love. I may not read the first two books because of what those stories contain (sexual content is typical for Monette’s stuff, and I am not interested in M/M stories personally), but APPRENTICE was worth my time.

Recommended Age: 15+
Language: A handful of instances
Violence: Mostly at the end, but not particularly gruesome
Sex: Minor references and some teenage crushing

Find this and other reviews at Elitistbookreviews.com

[Viking Jam · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://koeur.wordpress.com/2015/08/1...

Publisher: Tor

Publishing Date: October 2015

ISBN: 9780765324719

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 4.0/5

Publisher Description: The warrior culture of Iskryne forbids many things to women—and most especially it forbids them bonding to one of the giant telepathic trelwolves. But as her father was no ordinary boy, Alfgyfa is no ordinary girl. Her father has long planned to send his daughter to Tin, a matriarch among the elves who live nearby, to be both apprentice and ambassador, and now she is of age to go.

Review: Say “Alfgyfa” 20 times. Roll it around in your mind-mouth. Now do it over 500 times. One of the joys of reading is the seamless ease at which we can move through the chapters without contorting our minds to make sense of contrived and overly ornate names and places. In this novel you may have a hard time with the elaborate naming convention.

This novel was really good. Where the novel excels is in the world building. The evolving life and culture of a myriad of beings draws you into an intricate world. The Aettrynalf stone shapers was an inventive interlude and somehow proximal to where Alfie grew up. The Rhean threat and the subsequent buildup was well patterned to an evolving story line. Additionally the writing is superb and the characters evolve to suit the story line.

“So why you no give 5 stars!” The novel gets a bit mired in the social structures of the various cultures and the war is not rendered in enough detail to be believable.

[Cissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am sorry this is the end of the trilogy, because I liked it even more than the previous 2 books. The POV characters gripped me more than the ones in the previous books... and I don't think that was entirely because they are all biologically female; I think it provided a broader look into the society as a whole.

Two of the women are exceptional: Alfgyfa because of her inborn talents (including being able to communicate with the trellwolves), and her rearing as an apprentice to the svartalfar with their skills at smithing; Fargrimr because although biologically female he is a "sworn-son" and thus culturally male.

And then there are the more "ordinary", culturally-approved females- who are wildly different! Otter depicts a way of being a woman that fits with our own cultural expectations, while Tin fits her svartalfar cultural expectations that are wildly different from those of the human folk- to the point that to her, Fargrimr is the only biological human female who makes sense.

It's a fascinating and well-thought-out interplay of cultures who share some things, but are baffled by others.

And then there are the fabulous trellwolves!

You could probably read this one without reading the previous 2, though they do add depth and context. Still, I think this one is the best. I hope the authors revisit this culture at some point.

[Susanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third in a series of fantasy novels set in an alternate Nordic past, and another marvel of detailed wold-building. I find these irresistible! This one focuses on the daughter of Isolfr (hero of the first two tales), a magnificent woman who has the skill and muscle to become a metal-worker/stonecutter under the tutelage of elves, and who manages to forge alliances that may save her world. These require me to pay close attention in order to follow the tale, but reward me with the authors' startlingly creative twists on sex roles and gender. A wonderful read! (Did all the squidgy outrage over the sexuality in "A Companion to Wolves" cause the authors to scale that back here, I wonder? Too bad if that's the case: this one is certainly more circumspect but I miss the sharp bite and tang of the first.)

[Juushika · Rating 4 out of 5]

At long last, war with Rhean comes. The second most interesting thing in A Companion to Wolves (the first is its interrogation of the companion animal trope) is the issue of gender--a society more diverse and, perhaps, enlightened than its real-world equivalent, but profoundly affected by sexism, with a narrative that confronts that issue. Here, all the PoV characters are directly impacted by sexism, and it's a change that centralizes the issue. It interacts with worldbuilding but also with multiple character arcs; The Tempering of Men depended on the central romance for its near-only emotional investment, but they're abundant in this book. Earlier sections drag, the end is rushed, and it doesn't live up to ridiculous id-indulgences of first book--but this is the sort intellectual/emotional engagement that I came looking for, and it's a satisfying end to things.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Going for 3 even though it crept up to 4 stars at the end there. The heartbreak came thick and fast suddenly. But then it all ended pretty abruptly.

I did like the new POVs a lot but every time there are new povs and not the old ones I feel further from the story. Loads of plot about characters I care about was relayed second hand and/or from a distance. So yeah, it just wasn't as satisfying a read as it could have been.

[Stephanie]

I AM SO READY

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good series ender. I really liked the idea of the sworn son (very gender-bendy that, in a series full of weird sexualities). The elves are well-done--not to mention the wyrd of the Rheans.

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: For the diehard fantasy fan, this novel has a richly detailed world and complex characters.

Opening Sentence: Even as a grown woman of fifteen, Alfgyfa never stopped thinking about the wolves she had encountered as a child.

The Review:

An Apprentice to Elves is the third novel in The Iskryne series by Elizabeth Bear and Sarah Monette. This is definitely a series/novel for the die-hard fantasy novel fan. An Apprentice to Elves can be read as a standalone novel. I didn’t read the first two novels but the last one mainly focuses on the main characters’ daughter, Alfgyfa and her journey as she is torn between two worlds, those of regular humans and the svartalfar (elves).

Alfgyfa is human but she isn’t quite just a regular plain human, she can communicate with wolves just like her father. As a child she was sent to live with the svartalfar to apprentice as a blacksmith. It was done as a political move by her father because he knew that the elves needed to see a human grow up and hopefully the elves may offer to help to the Northmen (Alfgyfa’s fellow countrymen) when they go to war with the Rheans (southern invaders).

An Apprentice to Elves does not just focus on Alfgyfa. The novel also follows several other characters, Otter, Tin and Fargrimr and how the impending war effects each of their lives. Otter was once a Rhean slave. She knows their tactics and tries to help the Northmen with what is coming. Otter has made a better life for herself since she was rescued and hopes that she will never return to Rhean control ever again. Tin is the elf master blacksmith that is training Alfgyfa. She knows what it means to have a human in her home and hopes that the other elves will understand why an alliance can help them all. Fargrimr is a plain ‘ol human in charge of a settlement. His brother can speak to wolves. It is Fargrimr who mainly has to deal with the Rheans.

I absolutely loved the fantasy world that was set up in An Apprentice to Elves. I enjoyed the complexity between the humans who could communicate with wolves and those who couldn’t. Also, for the elves, the svartalfar whom are metal working elves to the excommunicated aettrynalfar elves whom could shape stone. I really liked the in depth detail about the everyday lives of all and how they each have adapted to the cold environment that they live. The Northmen are very similar to the Vikings.

I didn’t read the first two novels in this series so I did struggle with the terms at first. I didn’t quite understand the differences between wolfcarls, wolfheofodmenn, heal, konungur, trellwolves, wolfsprechend, karl, jarl and so forth. Most of these terms were not explained so I was left trying to figure out what they meant. By the end of the novel I did have a good idea of what everything meant. I didn’t get a chance to read the beginning of the novel again but I think I would be able to understand what was happening knowing now what I didn’t know then. This was a very slow read for me because of all the strange words.

There is a feminine message to An Apprentice to Elves. Alfgyfa often thinks about how different it is to be female as a human as opposed to being a female elf. Human females are often just for childbearing and housework while female elves are revered and in charge. They even get to do what they want like blacksmithing. A human female blacksmith would just be looked upon in disgust like the female elf is respected. There is also a deeper story with Fargrimr, which I’m sure is explained in one of the previous novels, but for this one, I was left in the dark so Fargrimr was very complex and left me wanting to know exactly what is up with “his” story.

If this novel is the final one in the trilogy, it does have an ending. I just felt it wrapped it up quickly. I like to have a little more closure in the final book.

Overall, An Apprentice to Elves is a well-rounded fantasy novel. The characters were quite complex and interesting. I really wanted to know their stories. An Apprentice to Elves is definitely a novel for those who really love fantasy novels because of the language (including the way characters talk and the titles) and the third person alternating views.

Notable Scene:

“Take Alfgyfa back to the Iskryne with you when you go.”

Tin looked at him crookedly. She hadn’t mentioned Alfgyfa’s apprentice difficulties to him. She wondered if Alfgyfa had. “She’s not happy there.”

“She’s not happy here, either. “ Isolfr said bleakly. “And she’s safer with you.”

“About that, I assure you, she does not care.”

He grinned, obviously proud. Humans were all mad. “She was always a wild creature. But if she stays here, the best she can hope for . . . the best she can hope for is to stay at the heal and take Thorlot’s place, but it’s far more likely she’ll get in trouble with with one of the tithe-boys the way her mother got in trouble with me. And then, it’s not that the heal wouldn’t support her and her child, but I fear . . .” He held his clenched fist out in front of him, then opened it, as if throwing all Alfgyfa’s potential to the wind.

“She loves the smithing,” Tin said, reaching up to pat him on the shoulder. “If you had meant to choose for her, you chose well.”

FTC Advisory: Tor/Macmillan provided me with a copy of An Apprentice to Elves. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[Elan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to pref­ace this review with a caveat, whereby I am fully aware that read­ing only the final book in a tril­ogy can be a risky affair. In truth, I wasn’t even aware that Sarah Mon­ette and Eliz­a­beth Bear’s An Appren­tice to Elves was part of a tril­ogy until I was about halfway through the prologue.

It’s risky for two reasons:

1. You might not get char­ac­ter moti­va­tion, inten­sity of risks and threats, or lore that was bet­ter defined in the other books. You might think the char­ac­ters over­re­act to things as a result. Unde­fined ter­mi­nol­ogy might knock you out of the story as you scratch your heard, try­ing to define a made-up word.
2. In the (likely) event you enjoy the book, you might not enjoy read­ing the first two, hav­ing already spoiled the ending.

I place myself more in the sec­ond camp than the first, though I did get a bit lost in the sea of unfa­mil­iar words in the first third of the novel. That issue, how­ever, had absolutely no effect on my enjoy­ing of An Appren­tice to Elves. Once I became famil­iar with the ter­mi­nol­ogy, I was able to fully immerse myself in Mon­ette and Bear’s world.

I loved it.

A Viking-but-not island is besieged by a Roman-but-not army. And lest you think these cul­tures harken­ing back to real-world ana­logues is a point against the book, I’d like to tell you I loved it. And I have yet to men­tion the two fac­tions of elves that make up the rest of the cul­tural tapes­try of the story.

The cul­tures are rich, the world deep and well-formed, and the plot thick. Sev­eral lay­ers (which I assume were intro­duced in the ear­lier nov­els) coa­lesce beau­ti­fully through­out the book, neatly fore­shad­owed where appro­pri­ate, fan­tas­ti­cally sur­pris­ing where oth­er­wise. It’s a spec­tac­u­larly struc­tured thing.

Alf­gyfa, a young human girl, has been liv­ing with the Svar­tal­far, a species of small­ish dark elves who live in caves beneath a moun­tain, as an appren­tice black­smith. Being the only one of her kind (obvi­ously) is prob­lem­atic for her in many ways.

Otter is an escaped slave who is liv­ing with the Viking-not-Vikings, and learn­ing to trust and love again, albeit slowly. She trusts the wolves (I for­got to men­tion these Vikings-not-vikings can com­mune with Wolves), and has taken the tra­di­tions of these Norse-esque halls into herself.

Here’s where hop­ping in late to this par­tic­u­lar party threw me. I wasn’t sure about how the sto­ries were related, even tan­gen­tially, and I was get­ting lost reg­u­larly with char­ac­ter and place names. It took me some time to fig­ure out who was human, who was wolf, where they were, and whether or not any­one knew any­one else. But in time, to my great sat­is­fac­tion, I fig­ured it out.

In truth, this isn’t a book I want to sum­ma­rize for you, dear reader, because I don’t think I’d do it jus­tice. It is a very good book, and I urge you to read it (and highly rec­om­mend pick­ing up the first two in the series before you do so.)

What I came share with you, friends, is how won­der­ful the writ­ing is. I found myself reg­u­larly re-reading whole para­graphs and pages for the sheer enjoy­ment of it. I was blown away by Mon­ette and Bear’s delib­er­ate writ­ing deci­sions, their incred­i­bly evoca­tive turns of phrase, and the clar­ity with which they were able to con­vey sub­tle notes of char­ac­ter through third-person nar­ra­tion. It’s a book that took me con­sid­er­ably longer to read than I thought it would, because I was learn­ing so much as I read it, as an enthralled reader and admir­ing writer.

It is a mar­velous read, and I am thrilled to learn that both Sarah Mon­ette and Eliz­a­beth Bear are quite pro­lific, Mon­ette hav­ing writ­ten The Gob­lin Emperor, a book about which I’ve heard so many times I feel a mag­netic pull to it when I’m in the vicin­ity of a book­store. (I’ll be pick­ing it up very soon.) Bear’s cat­a­logue is impres­sive, to say the least.

There are times when, as an aspir­ing author, I feel the books I read push my writ­ing in unex­pected direc­tions. Read­ing Knaus­gaard had that effect on me. An Appren­tice to Elves had that effect on me too. I know I won’t be able to pro­duce sen­tences and para­graphs as ele­gant as Mon­ette and Bear’s on a first pass, but I think that, per­haps, with atten­tion to detail and a rig­or­ous rewrit­ing prac­tice, I can get there some day.

[Lindsay · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't think I've ever been this disappointed in a book before. I loved the first book (and have read it multiple times) and thought the second book was okay. But instead of getting good again, this book sunk to dismal levels. I truly didn't like anything about this book. Here are the most major of my issues with it:

More than a decade has passed since the last book. What have the Rheans been doing all this time? If you want to conquer a people, you don't sit and twiddle your thumbs while they gather their forces to kick you out. I'm guessing the authors were set on having Alfgyfa be a main character, so they had to wait for her to grow up. Which leads to my next point.

Alygyfa is boring. I realize the need for a Strong Woman narrator, because who doesn't like a Strong Woman, but she is such a typical Look-At-Me-I-Am-So-Grown-Up Strong Woman coming to Save The Day that I had to roll my eyes. I have read a dozen of this exact same character, and she was unnecessary to this story; the narrative should've started right where the second book left off instead of starting with Alfgyfa with the alfar. Also...

The alfar were pointless and unnecessary to this story. I expected them to come to the rescue of the Northmen, or at least impart some fantastic bit of knowledge that would help conquer the Rheans. I don't want to spoil too much, but if you're expecting big things of them, lower your expectations. They could have been left out of this story entirely, and the plot wouldn't have suffered. You know what shouldn't have been left out?

Sex. Where did it go? It is an integral part of life among the wolves, and that paired with romance among the wolfcarls made this series a fascinating (and sometimes blush-inducing) idea. But suddenly the sex is gone, the romance is downplayed, characters are static, and we're left with a plot-driven, uninspired war novel. Why abandon the characters we love and their interconnected relationships in favor of plot and worldbuilding? And on that note...

The worldbuilding really got out of hand. I felt like 80% of this book was about showing us how cool the Iskryne world is. Look, Iskryne has alfar! Look, Iskryne has a Strong Woman! And look at Fargrimr, who is a sworn-son-- Iskryne transgender people, too! And look (in great detail!) at how cold it is, and what they eat, and how the troll caves were built, and what everyone wears, etc. Look (or do as I did and skim), because we have at least ten pages of description for every one page of action!

And if it wasn't worldbuilding bogging down the pace, it was backstory. Instead of letting relationships develop, the authors just told us how they had developed in the past and expected us to take their word for it. Isolfr and his father don't get along. How do we know? Do they have tense interactions? Do they badmouth each other? Are negotiations caught up on their differing worldviews? Nope, the authors just tell us they don't get along. Does it actually matter in the context of the story? Nope. You know what else doesn't matter?

The ending. I mean, let's be serious. Could the Northmen really have lost? Was the outcome ever truly in doubt? Would all the main characters have been butchered by the conquering Rheans and their lifestyle obliterated? Is there actually a point to this book or a reason to bother reading it?

Nope.

[Charty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was suprised by how much I was going to miss this universe when I closed the last page in the book. Every book in the trilogy has has a slightly different theme or overarching narrative, while doing an excellent job of expanding the characters and the world they inhabit. Perhaps this book resonanted the most for me because it was very female-centered, and Alfgyfa, while not the sole main character, makes a fascinating entry point for the reader, that draws them into her world and concerns.

Apprenticed by her father Isolfr to the Elves, she's spent seven years living with a different species, learning to become a Smith and cement the uneasy alliance between the humans and Elves. Alfgyfa has had her share of struggles and is excited by the chance to go back to the Wolf hall and reacquint herself with her father's Sister's wolves, but all is not well in the Iskryne.

The story follows a number of threads, mostly involving the various women, who take on important roles and illustrate how this, in many ways male-dominated patriarchy is subtly changing in an effort to continue their marginal existance. We have Alfgyfa, trying to become the first human Mastersmith of the Elves, we see Tin, the Mother and Mastersmith trying to move her very entrenched people into new alliances with both humans and an Elvish off-shoot sect, considered heretics, Otter, a former slave rescued in the previous book is learning to hope again, against her past experiences, that this fragile life she's made in the North will last. It's also a book about Fargrimr, a "sworn-son" i.e. a woman who takes on the mantle of a man in order to be the leader of his keep, and who vows revenge on the Rheans for destroying her home and family.

We see the inevitable clash of civilizations come to a climatic final battle, which felt over slightly too quickly. Monette and Bear are obviously not terribly interested in the battles and war for their own sake, only for how it brings changes to their characters' lives within the story. Which is not to say the battle scenes are not nuanced or affecting, just that they aren't the true focus of the tale. Despite the inevitable heartache, the book ends on a mostly upbeat note. All of the cares and changes faced by our friends in their land have not been solved, but they have made a good start on forging something new out of their challenges. I only wish we would get to see those new beginnings bear fruit because I think there are plenty more stories to tell about the people and places of the Iskryne, but perhaps its best to go out on top.

[Lianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was approved an ARC of this book by the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This review was originally posted at eclectictales.com: http://www.eclectictales.com/blog/201...

The worldbuilding of this novel was definitely a highlight whilst reading, it was very interesting and rich with cultural detail, the groups’ way of living, their social structure, etc. I can see a lot of Viking and Nordic influences in the society, especially with the naming system. As the book blurb mentions, the culture forbits women to bond with wolves which main character Alfgyfa quells about but it doesn’t stop her from pursuing her desire to be amongst the wolves. She’s pretty tenacious and refuses to sit back and be denied something she wants.

Having said that, it was a rather slow and dry experience for me to read. I was almost halfway through the novel and I still couldn’t really see where the plot was heading. Yes, there was talk of war, but I didn’t feel the pressing nature of the conflict, no sense that danger was right around the corner and that everyone and everything was going to be affected by it. I felt there was too much show and not enough tell–or dialogue in the first half–to really get a sense of the characters and be compelled by their situation.

Overall, An Apprentice to Elves was an interesting if rather slow read. I don’t know if it would have helped to have read the first two novels; I didn’t feel completely lost reading it as the narrative did set up a very good explanation to Alfgyfa’s world and the people she is surrounded with. I felt it could’ve used more immediate tension to keep my attention and empathy on the story and the characters’ plights, but the worldbuilding was fantastic and definitely a highlight.

[Aldi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably closer to a 2 in terms of plot, which I found dragged a bit in places - it picked up a lot in the final third or so, but it felt like there was a lot of pointless meandering through the beginning and middle bits. I LOVED the focus on the women, though - loved Otter, loved Alfgyfa, loved Thorlot so much that I was sad there wasn't more of her, and Tin was as ever a delight. And the wolves - as always, so much love for the wolves.

There were some absolutely devastating parts as well. Fucking Romans, they ruin everything. (Even if they're called something else).

As with the middle book, though, I did miss previous POV characters a lot, awesome as the new ones were. To me, Isolfr left such a lasting impression in the first book that he'll always be the strongest character to me and the subsequent books weaker for the absence of his POV. (I missed more Skjaldwulf and Vethulf, too, for somewhat less noble reasons, lol.) I kinda think this series could be stronger if it had gradually expanded into additional POVs but kept the old ones - it's such a rich world and it could have supported an expansion of the cast instead of just complete replacement from book to book. It would have been great to experience previous POV characters growing up/older first-hand in addition to getting to know new ones. (And there's something weird about having one book with an all-male cast, one mostly-male and one mostly-female. A little more even mix wouldn't have gone amiss.)

On the whole, though, a very engaging read, despite my nitpicks. I love this world.

[Brian Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

For all that this is a novel about war between Romans and the Norse, with death, politics, and ancient enmities ... this felt like somehow lighthearted. Life in the North is idyllic ... the jarls presented are democratic and everybody works together. The girl who is the titular "Apprentice to Elves" has a somewhat uncomfortable life living as the only human in a city of svartalves, but it's a mild discomfort, of not being able to fully speak the elven language or fully stand up in the short rooms; she's being trained as an apprentice blacksmith and likes the craft and has fellow apprentices and foster-family for fellowship.

Similarly, when war comes (in the form of a "Roman" (here, Rheans) invasion, they're not painted as an evil empire, but rather an ambitious, meritocratic one that knows how to settle and advance. Battles in the book tend to be somewhat sharp and clear -- nothing like Game of Thrones where the pressures of war and ambition cause every action to ripple out and divide the sides.

So, it's a book I enjoyed, particularly at this time of year when it's cold outside; but it's a book that also at spots felt rather pat.

[Kris Sellgren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear complete their fantasy trilogy about a near-equivalent to Viking era Scandinvia where some male warriors telepathically bond with wolves and trolls are over-running human lands. An Apprentice to Elves soars as it explores this world from the female point of view. Trolls have been driven out, tentative truces have been made between humans and elves, but the Rheans (read Romans) are invading. We see the story from the perspective of a human woman and an elf woman who have embraced their societal roles (the first a housewife, the second a Master Smith), and of two human women who have not (one becomes a "sworn man" and warrior leader, the other an apprentice to the Master Smith elf who can telepathically speak to wolves). The apprentice feels torn between human and elf worlds, between her love of both wolves and metal-smithing. All these worlds are rich in detail and a delight to explore, with vivid characterization.

[Jamie Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I liked this okay, but I’m just not very interested in the elves of this world. I preferred the scenes with the wolves and wolfcarls. I do like the conflict with the invading “Rhean” army (the Romans), and I especially liked the scenes from Otter’s point of view.

I love the Northmen names so much that I didn’t mind not being able to keep the characters straight. Go ahead, throw me konigenwolf and wolfsprechend; konungur and godheofodman; and let me root for people named Hreithulfr and Sokkolfr and Skaldwulf and Fargrimr.

It’s odd that this book is so chaste. The first book has strong elements of M/M erotica, including some disturbing semi-consensual scenes, but the sex lives of the wolfcarls receded into the background in the second book and aren’t even mentioned in this one. People who read this and backtrack to the first novel might well be shocked.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so glad I read this series. I assumed, based on the first book's cover, that it would be fluffy--but that wasn't the case at all. This series is a well-written fantasy adventure as well as an exploration of gender. And if you think that sounds preachy, it's not (the authors are merely posing questions, not shrieking answers), and if you think that sounds dull, it's not (you can read the stories as a fantasy tale of vikings, elfs, bonded wolves, and romans and nothing deeper).

I especially enjoyed this last volume because I appreciated the shifting points of view.

[A Reader's Heaven · Rating 3 out of 5]

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear return with the third book in their Iskryne trilogy, An Apprentice to Elves. The trilogy began with A Companion to Wolves, and continued in The Tempering of Men. This novel picks up the story of Alfgyfa, a young woman who has been raised in the Wolfhall by her father Isolfr, who is the human leader of the queen-wolf Viridechtis' pack, and was the protagonist of the first book.
The warrior culture of Iskryne forbids many things to women-and most especially it forbids them bonding to one of the giant telepathic trellwolves. But as her father was no ordinary boy, Alfgyfa is no ordinary girl. Her father has long planned to send his daughter to Tin, a matriarch among the elves who live nearby, to be both apprentice and ambassador, and now she is of age to go.

*2.5 stars*

This is the third book in the Iskryne World series. While it is extremely important to read the first two books to follow the narrative and character developments and motivations, this isn't the worst "Book 3" to read on its own. Certainly not a standalone, but it is possible to read - and understand - this book without necessarily reading the first 2.

Now to review - this is hard. The first two books were really strong in both world-building and characters. I really did get immersed in "A Companion to Wolves" - it stood out for me as something quite unique and irresistible. The following book, The Tempering of Men, wasn't AS revolutionary for me but still told a fantastic story.

And that brings us to this one...

The world-building is still there. I love the descriptions, the history, the cultures - all of that works so wonderfully well. But where this one fails to deliver is in the characters. And when there as sooooooo many of them, all with Norse/Middle English names that are very hard to keep straight (certainly that was the case for me), they have to be really good characters to stand out from each other. And they just don't. The "hero" of the story, Alfgyfa, was just so dull that I really had no concern for what happened to her. It felt like "Let's create a really strong female MC...what should we make her do?...Dunno...." I know that sounds harsh but she just didn't come across very well as a main character.

Other letdowns for this story were the pacing (very hard to keep momentum up when every few pages we stop to describe something else in the world for a few pages...); the political intrigue between the races never seemed to be fully realised - I think the balance was out between world-building, characters, plot and pacing.

While I may have only given this a 2.5 star rating, I am still going to recommend this series to people as I think it was very good as a whole and maybe, just maybe, I may be alone in being disappointed in the ending...


Paul
ARH