The Copper Crown: A Novel of the Keltiad

Rating:
Summary: A worthy sequel to "The Silver Branch"
Review: The sequel to Kennealy's "The Silver Branch" is another excellent example of mythic fantasy. The already memorable characters take on even greater appeal as they mature, chronologically and in many other ways. This novel leaves one exactly midway in the climactic war which the trilogy covers. An even better book than its predecessor, it carries on the good work of "The Silver Branch", and sets the stage for "The Throne of Scone". Another great buy.

Rating:
Summary: Insights on the Keltiad (no summarizing, no spoilers)
Review: This book is highly creative and original, and especially engaging if you are already familiar with the Celtic civilization (the real one of history). When Kennealy builds her setting she does it inventively and expansively. I especially liked the blurring between magic and technology, leaving both entertwined and barely separate. Her scenes are beautifully described, as I think Kennealy is quite good at describing physical things. (When describing abstract things, she got a bit unclear, but not badly so). Don't read this book if you don't like deciphering foreign names(give 'Sanchoniathon' a try). While there is a handy pronunciation guide, the Gaelic-based names do not at all sound like what they look like. Another slight deterrent is the huge host of characters. This confusion is conveniently compensated by decent character guide, but there were times when there were so many characters I got lost. Also, the complexity of the plot is a bit daunting, but very interesting once untangled. This is not a book for skimming. Read it only if you feel like and are able to concentrate and remember. Kennealy also has a very distracting (at least to me) habit when she switches scenes: a spurt of dialogue or action that has no meaning at first, then attains meaning when she finally backs up and adds context with the past participle--leaving you slightly confused until she clarifies with a "So-and-so had arrived some moments before..." There is also an element of transparency to the text and lack of true depth, but that was curiously not a discouraging factor at all. The characters have an odd habit of laughing at anything unexpected, unusual, wierd, grave, emotional, tense or threatening. So the "unexpected laugh" became quite expected, to my slight annoyance. It wasn't so bad that the language was stilted, flavored highly by wordy old english, but it was stilted inconsistenly, which was what got to me. The characters where not as highly/deeply developed as I'd like them to be, but still realistic, entertaining and diverse. But these faults are all very tiny indeed compared to the message of the story. Overall, the book was highly enjoyable. While I was not very swept emotionally, the scope of the book itself is breathtaking and powerful. Aeron (the protagonist) is an admirable and more than adequate main character. If I had to describe the book in one word, I'd choose "Engaging". This book's most commendable aspect is its appeal to wide audiences: historical fiction, fantasy, scifi, and technological buffs alike. Overall, a very good read, and very recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Superb story, spellbinding writing style!
Review: This book, the first I'd read by Ms. Morrison, so captured me with her lyrical writing style and fascinating weaving of the story line, I found myself transported to Keltia and reluctant to come back to Earth. Perhaps the most wondrously told tale I've read since becoming a fantasy "junkie," so enchanting that after I read both The Copper Crown and The Throne of Scone (equally wonderful), I read them both again!

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely wonderful!
Review: What a joy it is to see women portrayed in sci-fi/fantasy in terms other than buxom princesses or evil sorceresses! PKM is without a doubt, one of the best writers of the genre to come along in a long time, male or female. This was the first book I read by her, and quickly scooped up anything else I could find. I hope the other books in the series are due soon! Way to go, PKM!

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely wonderful!
Review: What a joy it is to see women portrayed in sci-fi/fantasy in terms other than buxom princesses or evil sorceresses! PKM is without a doubt, one of the best writers of the genre to come along in a long time, male or female. This was the first book I read by her, and quickly scooped up anything else I could find. I hope the other books in the series are due soon! Way to go, PKM!

Rating:
Summary: A good start - or middle..
Review: While this is the first published of the Aeron series, it's really the second in terms of chronology, after The Silver Branch. This book deals with the discovery of Keltia by Earth - several thousand years after the Kelts fled Terra to seek their own path on other worlds. The reunion of Kelt and Terran has some major political fallout, and fantasy myth and ancient culture is woven well with Science Fiction. A very good read.

Rating:
Summary: A good start - or middle..
Review: While this is the first published of the Aeron series, it's really the second in terms of chronology, after The Silver Branch. This book deals with the discovery of Keltia by Earth - several thousand years after the Kelts fled Terra to seek their own path on other worlds. The reunion of Kelt and Terran has some major political fallout, and fantasy myth and ancient culture is woven well with Science Fiction. A very good read.