The Librain……retired

This week’s Reading Roundup post is about the final book in Juliet Marillier’s Bridei Chronicles trilogy, The Well of Shades…

This is the blurb…

“Sent home to Ireland on a secret mission for King Bridei of Fortriu, Faolan must first deliver the news of a brave warrior’s death. Unexpectedly, Bridei’s chief assassin and spy also finds himself facing the demons of his family’s dark past. By the time he tracks down the powerful Christian cleric who may be a threat to Bridei’s pagan kingdom, Faolan has become responsible for a child, a dog and Eile, a troubled, volatile young woman. For Eile, the journey to Fortriu is confronting. Accustomed to a life of deprivation and struggle, she finds herself facing an unfamiliar world, full of new lessons. For her, the hardest challenge of all will be learning to trust. At Bridei’s court in White Hill, disturbing news from the neighbouring kingdom of Circinn prompts the king to call his chieftains to council. But after the disappearance of Bridei’s closest adviser and the tragic death of a young maid, the threat posed by the encroaching influence of Christianity appears to be the least of the dangers at hand . . .”

Once again I really enjoyed Marillier’s writing. I don’t think this trilogy quite matched up to her wonderful Sevenwaters series, but it was still lovely to read. This is my response on Goodreads…

The Well of Shades by Juliet Marillier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really love reading Marillier’s blend of history with fantasy. This book was definitely the best in this absorbing trilogy, centring on the intriguing character of Faolan with sections on other important protagonists. The complex tale was brought together well and it all reached a satisfying conclusion. I did sense that Marillier left a few threads slightly open for another visit to this world. I hope that she does one day!

View all my reviews

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After my long focus on Juliet Marillier’s work I have now moved on to another favourite author. I will write about their work next week, all being well!

Happy Reading!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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I am back! We had a scorchingly hot few days in this part of the UK, which I struggled with because of my multiple health issues. I even found it difficult to concentrate on reading my book! Anyway, it has cooled down quite a lot and so I will catch up today.

I have returned to the lovely writing of Juliet Marillier, this time with her Bridei Chronicles series…

Since my last Reading Roundup post, I have read books one and two of Marillier’s series and am now about halfway through the third. The first book is The Dark Mirror and here is the blurb…

In the mid 6th century the Pictish kingdom in northern Britain is under threat from the Gaels and the Christian faith, which leaves the leaders of the northern realm struggling to maintain their ancient traditions. All hope rests on the shoulders of young Bridei, a little-known son of the royal line, who is seen as the perfect candidate for future kingship. At his remote forest home of Pitnochie, Broichan, a powerful druid, sets about training the boy in the ways of the ancients and in the all-important preparation to be a leader of men. But Broichan has not allowed for the Good Folk, inhabitants of the ancient forests of Fortriu and well-known workers of tricky magic. When Bridei discovers a strange baby girl abandoned on Broichan’s doorstep in the chill of the winter solstice, he takes her into the house. And the druid has to realise that there is one unpredictable power at work that may be too strong for him to control and could become the death of his dreams.

And this was my response on Goodreads…

The Dark Mirror by Juliet Marillier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am really immersed in Marillier’s writing at the moment. Her descriptions of the natural world are beautiful and really enhance the settings of her books. Although this book was not quite as good as some of her other work, particularly the Sevenwaters series, I still enjoyed the story set in Scotland during the time of the Picts. Marillier’s interweaving of historical writing with magic is always interesting and atmospheric. Her characters are well drawn and she must undertake a huge amount of research to get the setting right. I will look forward to this story developing over the series.

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My second read was also the second book in the series: Blade of Fortriu. This is the blurb…

The kingdom of Fortriu has enjoyed five years of peace since Bridei came to the throne. Now the king is preparing for the long-awaited war that he hopes will see the Gaelic invaders driven from the west forever. The princess Ana, a hostage of Fortriu since childhood, is sent north to make a strategic marriage with a chieftain she has never met – and with it gain an ally on whom Bridei’s victory relies. Her escort is led by a man she despises: the enigmatic Faolan, Bridei’s assassin and spy. The expedition is ill-fated, and when Ana arrives at the chieftain Alpin’s stronghold in the mysterious Briar Wood, she is uneasy. This is a place full of secrets. When Ana discovers a prisoner kept within the bleakest of confinement, she is met with a conspiracy of silence. Faolan, tortured by an impossible love, walks a delicate path between loyalty and betrayal. . .

My review is here…

Blade of Fortriu by Juliet Marillier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This second book in the series was really a tale in two halves. The first part was an exciting journey with dangerous episodes and a growing relationship between the two main characters. During the second section the plot and the characters seemed to become far less nuanced, with an almost cartoonish villain and romantic interest. Yet again, I did enjoy the author’s writing in the main.

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I am enjoying the final book in the trilogy so far and will write about it in the next Reading Roundup post.

Happy Reading everyone!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Welcome to this week’s Reading Roundup post. I have now finished the final two books in David Gemmell’s brilliant Rigante series and really enjoyed them. Unfortunately, I am not feeling well today, so this will be a very basic post.

When I decided to read the Rigante series I assumed that I was re-reading all of the four books. I was sure that I must have read them many years ago as I knew that I had enjoyed Gemmell’s work in my younger days. As I read through the first two books I definitely remembered parts of the stories, but when I came to these two final books I realised that they were entirely new to me, which was great because they were such absorbing reads.

Anyway, this is the blurb for Ravenheart…

Eight hundred years have passed since King Connavar of the Rigante and his bastard son, Bane, the invading army of Stone. In that time, Connavar has become a legend, and the Rigante have lost the freedom so many gave their lives to preserve. A conquered people, they live and die under the iron rule of the Varlish, their culture all but destroyed.

One woman remains who follows the ancient paths once trod by the Rigante. She is the Wyrd of Wishing Tree Wood, and she alone knows the nature of the evil soon to be unleashed on a doomed and unsuspecting world.

“In a perilous land, facing an uncertain destiny, she pins her initial hopes on two men: Jaim Grymauch, the giant Rigante fighter, a man haunted by his failure to save the friend he loved from betrayal, and Kaelin Ring, a youth whose deadly talents will earn him the enmity of all Varlish. One will become the Ravenheart, an outlaw leader whose daring exploits will inspire the Rigante. The other will forge a legend and light the fires of rebellion.

The Wyrd knows that ultimately all hopes will rest on a third man. Of the bloodline of Connavar the King, he will need to overcome generations of fear and hatred if he is to achieve his destiny. For he is a Varlish nobleman, and – worse – the son of the Rigante’s greatest enemy . . .”

And this is the blurb for Stormrider…

“One glorious spark, one moment of Rigante rebellion has ignited a revolution and forged a legend. In the mountains of the north, the outlaw leader known as Ravenheart waits, knowing the forces of the blackhearted Moidart will come, led by the brutal ruler’s only son, Stormrider. Unaware that the fate of the world lies in their hands, sworn enemies Ravenheart and Stormrider will be forced to unite—and face the vengeance of an ancient evil.

For immense armies of darkness are advancing on the highlanders, and it seems as if nothing will stop them. They crush their victims with ease, until only a few thousand men stand before them, with no help in sight. But these are not ordinary men they face. They are clansmen, and more than that, they are Rigante. . . .”

As I am feeling so weak today, I have been unable to write reviews on Goodreads. Let me just say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading these two books and, in fact, the whole series. Everything was also rounded off nicely in the final chapters. If anyone wants to read some insightful comments, there are plenty on Goodreads.

Happy Reading!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Wednesday means it’s time to write about the books I have been reading in the previous week. I finished Juliet Marillier’s Sevenwaters series, reading the last two books. Here they are…

Seer of Sevenwaters and Flame of Sevenwaters are books five and six of the series and the latter rounds off the tale with a satisfying ending.

This is the blurb for Seer of Sevenwaters!

“Sibeal has always known that she is destined for a spiritual life, and is committed to it with all her heart. The only thing left for her to do before she enters the nemetons is to spend the summer visiting her sisters, Muirrin and Clodagh, on the northern island of Inis Eala.

But Sibeal has barely set foot on the island before a freak storm out at sea sinks a ship before her eyes. In spite of frantic efforts, only three survivors are fished alive from the water, and one of them, a man Sibeal names Ardal, clings to life by the merest thread.

Sibeal befriends Ardal as he begins to regain his health. But it becomes clear there is something unusual about the three shipwrecked strangers. Why won’t the beautiful Svala speak? And what is it that the gravely ill Ardal can’t remember – or won’t tell?

When a visiting warrior is found dead at the bottom of a cliff, and an attempt is made on Ardal’s life, Sibeal finds herself a pawn in a deadly game. The truth will be far more astonishing than she could ever have believed – and the consequences for Sibeal are unimaginable.”

Here is my response on Goodreads…

Seer of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Although not quite as good as the first three books in the series, I still really enjoyed reading this one. Once again, Marillier’s writing of character and setting is excellent and the magical elements are also well done. The plot engaged me right until the end, although there were slow sections. Definitely a worthy addition to a great series.

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I went straight on to read the last book in the series: Flame of Sevenwaters. Here is the blurb…

“When Maeve, twenty year old daughter of Lord Sean of Sevenwaters, accompanies a skittish horse back to Erin, she must confront her demons. For Maeve carries the legacy of a childhood fire in her crippled hands. She has lived with her aunt in Britain for ten years, developing a special gift for gentling difficult animals. 

Maeve arrives home to find Sevenwaters in turmoil. The forest surrounding her father’s keep also has uncanny inhabitants, including a community of Fair Folk. Now the fey prince Mac Dara has become desperate to see his only son return to the Otherworld to rule after him. To force Sean’s hand, Mac Dara has made innocent travellers on the Sevenwaters border disappear, and now their bodies are appearing one by one in bizarre circumstances. Mac Dara’s malign activities must be stopped. But how? What human army can defeat a force with magic at its fingertips? 

Maeve’s gift with animals earns her respect at Sevenwaters. She bonds with her enigmatic small brother, Finbar, his druid tutor Luachan, and two stray dogs. When Maeve discovers the body of one of the missing men, she and Finbar are drawn into a journey where the stakes are high: they may bring about the end of Mac Dara’s reign, or suffer a hideous death. For Maeve, success may lead to a future she has not dared to believe possible.”

I wrote the following review on Goodreads…

Flame of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think that this is the weakest of all the books in the series. The main character is unappealing and the response to her disabilities is very unlikely given the apparent historical period of the book. The ending rather too neatly finishes the whole series with a quite ridiculous romantic turn. All of that being said, I did enjoy a lot of the book and the return of some previous characters and am glad that I finished the series. I will definitely read more by Marillier in the future.

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Now I am going to move on to a completely different kind of writer, although still in the Fantasy genre. All will become clear in next week’s Reading Roundup.

Until then I wish you Happy Reading!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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