Rating: 
Summary: Intricate Fantasy Novel
Review: This book weaves an amazing web, tracking more than threedifferent lives that find each other in their own journeys. As it is said in the book, "The woven thread touches many other threads on its journey through the loom." This story tells of Cyan Dag, a knight on a quest to save his king, of Thane Ysse, a man set out to win back his kingdom, and of Sel, a selkie who wishes to find herself again. As these characters and many more set out to instigate magic in a land that has lost its way, they have nothing left to loose.
Rating: 
Summary: Intriguing, engaging fantasy
Review: This is a beautiful fantasy, weaving the stories of a woman in a tower, a knight searching for a way to free her, and another young man, attempting to free his country from outside domination. As usual, Patricia McKillip's prose is exquisite and lyrical, her characters interesting and well-drawn. The plot, however, was a trifle hard to follow, especially with the shifting perspectives and the plethora of towers, but, overall, a very nice read.
Rating:
Summary: elegant, subtle and complex
Review: This is my first book by Patricia McKillip, and I was very pleased. I read some reviewer who called this book "luxurious", and I would definitely agree. Like all luxuries, it isn't essential, but my what a nice read it is nonetheless. If you have exhausted all the essential fantasy reading, like Tolkien, George R. R. Martin, and others, this is a good place to take a breather. If you haven't read anything else by the author, the first thing you need to do is have a look at the cover. Now, be informed that the book reads in a similar manner. Lots of details, lots of color. Somewhere in there is the story, and you have to just let the story emerge, because it will. No, you don't know all the answers, you don't have an omnipotent point of view, but be comforted that the elegant twists of plot near the end will resolve whatever it is that confused you in an earlier chapter. And details are important here.
Speaking of the story, its chock full of knights and damsels, of magical creatures and enchanted realms. Not a lot of romance here, nor a great deal of swashbuckling action, just good nebulous, lush reading. Very post-modern, very well done. I'll read more of her stuff, and I would suggest that any lover of good fantasy should do the same.
If Tolkien is an epic Beethoven sonata, then this is a sumptuous Rachmaninov prelude. As in piano music, enjoy them both for what they are.
Rating:
Summary: elegant, subtle and complex
Review: This is my first book by Patricia McKillip, and I was very pleased. I read some reviewer who called this book "luxurious", and I would definitely agree. Like all luxuries, it isn't essential, but my what a nice read it is nonetheless. If you have exhausted all the essential fantasy reading, like Tolkien, George R. R. Martin, and others, this is a good place to take a breather. If you haven't read anything else by the author, the first thing you need to do is have a look at the cover. Now, be informed that the book reads in a similar manner. Lots of details, lots of color. Somewhere in there is the story, and you have to just let the story emerge, because it will. No, you don't know all the answers, you don't have an omnipotent point of view, but be comforted that the elegant twists of plot near the end will resolve whatever it is that confused you in an earlier chapter. And details are important here.
Speaking of the story, its chock full of knights and damsels, of magical creatures and enchanted realms. Not a lot of romance here, nor a great deal of swashbuckling action, just good nebulous, lush reading. Very post-modern, very well done. I'll read more of her stuff, and I would suggest that any lover of good fantasy should do the same.
If Tolkien is an epic Beethoven sonata, then this is a sumptuous Rachmaninov prelude. As in piano music, enjoy them both for what they are.
Rating:
Summary: elegant, subtle and complex
Review: This is my first book by Patricia McKillip, and I was very pleased. I read some reviewer who called this book "luxurious", and I would definitely agree. Like all luxuries, it isn't essential, but my what a nice read it is nonetheless. If you have exhausted all the essential fantasy reading, like Tolkien, George R. R. Martin, and others, this is a good place to take a breather. If you haven't read anything else by the author, the first thing you need to do is have a look at the cover. Now, be informed that the book reads in a similar manner. Lots of details, lots of color. Somewhere in there is the story, and you have to just let the story emerge, because it will. No, you don't know all the answers, you don't have an omnipotent point of view, but be comforted that the elegant twists of plot near the end will resolve whatever it is that confused you in an earlier chapter. And details are important here.
Speaking of the story, its chock full of knights and damsels, of magical creatures and enchanted realms. Not a lot of romance here, nor a great deal of swashbuckling action, just good nebulous, lush reading. Very post-modern, very well done. I'll read more of her stuff, and I would suggest that any lover of good fantasy should do the same.
If Tolkien is an epic Beethoven sonata, then this is a sumptuous Rachmaninov prelude. As in piano music, enjoy them both for what they are.
Rating:
Summary: OK, so I'm not the #1 reviewer, but I'm with Harriet..
Review: What a great story! Truly enjoyable, funny, heart wrenching, aggravating.. Quite a twist on the "damsel in distress", "knight in shining armor, dragon slayer" theme. Often very tongue-in-cheek. Read also Song for the Basilisk, Book of Atrix Wolfe. And, of course, the Riddlemaster..
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