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Tales of the Lifesong #2
Second Sight
Alternate Cover Edition for ASIN B0046ZS2AK
Tabitha Serannon can perform miracles of healing, yet people are dying in her hands. A prophecy points a crooked finger beyond Eyri and Tabitha must abandon her followers to rescue the source of her power. Every step takes her farther into the terrors of Oldenworld, but she must liberate the essence of life before it is corrupted by chaos.
This is no game: a traitor lurks among the wizards, a ruthless enemy hunts her with whips of wildfire and she could lose her closest friends with one wrong move. On the journey to mastery, whom can she trust? She has only her faith in love and her fading song to guide her.
Tabitha Serannon can perform miracles of healing, yet people are dying in her hands. A prophecy points a crooked finger beyond Eyri and Tabitha must abandon her followers to rescue the source of her power. Every step takes her farther into the terrors of Oldenworld, but she must liberate the essence of life before it is corrupted by chaos.
This is no game: a traitor lurks among the wizards, a ruthless enemy hunts her with whips of wildfire and she could lose her closest friends with one wrong move. On the journey to mastery, whom can she trust? She has only her faith in love and her fading song to guide her.
640 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 18, 2010
22 people are currently reading
421 people want to read
About the author
Greg Hamerton
7 books61 followersI'm an outdoor enthusiast and have been an active paraglider pilot since 1992. I find it essential to get away from the office on the weekends, and you can't get much farther away than high above the ground, looking down at the mountain peak beneath your toes.
My primary school was artistic. We made up stories. We painted things. We acted out Norse Mythology. It was great, and it's probably the reason I'm a writer. I graduated from the University of Cape Town in 1994 (Bachelor of Commerce) but was bored to death by my first accounting job. I worked in the film industry, as a paragliding instructor, and as a photographer. I began writing, and found that I loved it.
I am a dedicated reader of fantasy, and respect the works of Charles de Lint, Stephen Donaldson, Robin Hobb, Robert Jordan and Terry Pratchett.
My primary school was artistic. We made up stories. We painted things. We acted out Norse Mythology. It was great, and it's probably the reason I'm a writer. I graduated from the University of Cape Town in 1994 (Bachelor of Commerce) but was bored to death by my first accounting job. I worked in the film industry, as a paragliding instructor, and as a photographer. I began writing, and found that I loved it.
I am a dedicated reader of fantasy, and respect the works of Charles de Lint, Stephen Donaldson, Robin Hobb, Robert Jordan and Terry Pratchett.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
July 29, 2010
From my FBC review;
"Tabitha Serannon can perform miracles of healing, yet people are dying in her hands. A prophecy points a crooked finger beyond Eyri and Tabitha must abandon her followers to rescue the source of her power. Every step takes her farther into the terrors of Oldenworld, but she must liberate the essence of life before it is corrupted by chaos. This is no game: a traitor lurks among the wizards, a ruthless enemy hunts her with whips of wildfire and she could lose her closest friends with one wrong move. On the journey to mastery, whom can she trust? She has only her faith in love and her fading song to guide her."
Why would you want to read the novel described above? It may be that the description which is of a completely traditional high-magic fantasy in a transformed, unnatural land interests you a lot but since I usually avoid a book with this blurb I will give you some other reasons.
First of all the wonderful prose of Greg Hamerton which you can get a taste of in the excerpt linked above as well as in the one linked in The Riddler's Gift review. "Second Sight" flows beautifully page after page and all the thread transitions are done so well that you do not discern any interruption or hit any narrative wall.
The Oldenworld is vividly described both in its scarred physical nature and in the strange inhabitants, while the "outside" narrations - spatial in the Gyre which is located away "into the stars", time wise in Ametheus story which takes us back to how the Eiry and the Oldenworld got to be - mesh very well with the "here and now" tales.
Tabitha grows a lot in the novel, while The Riddler shown in his natural environment is even more impressive than before, though in many ways the star of the novel is the putative villain, the sorcerer Ametheus whose tale is twistier and stranger than I expected. On the other hand Garyll is mostly a pale reflection of the confident sword master from before, and while that is understandable given what had happened, I still kind of regretted it since Garyll the leader was more interesting than Garyll the follower.
The main plot itself is relatively predictable but the strength of the novel does not lie there. The ending is very satisfactory and quite complete, though of course there is enough space for more Tales of the Lifesong. Overall Second Sight (strong A) is as good a traditional high magic fantasy as it gets and I hope the author will continue to use his superb writing style to enchant us with more stories.
"Tabitha Serannon can perform miracles of healing, yet people are dying in her hands. A prophecy points a crooked finger beyond Eyri and Tabitha must abandon her followers to rescue the source of her power. Every step takes her farther into the terrors of Oldenworld, but she must liberate the essence of life before it is corrupted by chaos. This is no game: a traitor lurks among the wizards, a ruthless enemy hunts her with whips of wildfire and she could lose her closest friends with one wrong move. On the journey to mastery, whom can she trust? She has only her faith in love and her fading song to guide her."
Why would you want to read the novel described above? It may be that the description which is of a completely traditional high-magic fantasy in a transformed, unnatural land interests you a lot but since I usually avoid a book with this blurb I will give you some other reasons.
First of all the wonderful prose of Greg Hamerton which you can get a taste of in the excerpt linked above as well as in the one linked in The Riddler's Gift review. "Second Sight" flows beautifully page after page and all the thread transitions are done so well that you do not discern any interruption or hit any narrative wall.
The Oldenworld is vividly described both in its scarred physical nature and in the strange inhabitants, while the "outside" narrations - spatial in the Gyre which is located away "into the stars", time wise in Ametheus story which takes us back to how the Eiry and the Oldenworld got to be - mesh very well with the "here and now" tales.
Tabitha grows a lot in the novel, while The Riddler shown in his natural environment is even more impressive than before, though in many ways the star of the novel is the putative villain, the sorcerer Ametheus whose tale is twistier and stranger than I expected. On the other hand Garyll is mostly a pale reflection of the confident sword master from before, and while that is understandable given what had happened, I still kind of regretted it since Garyll the leader was more interesting than Garyll the follower.
The main plot itself is relatively predictable but the strength of the novel does not lie there. The ending is very satisfactory and quite complete, though of course there is enough space for more Tales of the Lifesong. Overall Second Sight (strong A) is as good a traditional high magic fantasy as it gets and I hope the author will continue to use his superb writing style to enchant us with more stories.
July 26, 2010
The second novel of the Lifesong series and oh my god it was awesome, far exceeding the first in almost every aspect. This time the story begins in Eyri, following the epic battle that was the climax to Riddler’s Gift, with Tabitha using her powers to heal those who have been injured and in doing so the people of Eyri have elevated her to a god-like stature, practically worshipping the ground she walks on and piling more and more pressure on her to heal and save everyone. In comparison to this Glavenor is no longer the man and soldier he once was and he now spends his time hiding as one of Tabitha’s assistants.
While life in Eryi tries to rebuild itself, the Chaos that rules Oldenworld grows and spreads and the power of He Who Shall Not Be Named continues to grow while the Gyre try and recover themselves from their earlier battle. However there is a traitor in their midst’s who convinces the young (and very naïve and arrogant) Prince Bevn to steal his father’s crown, leave Eryi and make an alliance with the Sorcerer. In doing so he condemns his father to madness and pulls Tabitha into Oldenworld on the hunt for the Kingsrim. And so begins the epic adventure that takes Tabitha into the midst of Chaos where she has to save not only herself, her friends, Eyri and Oldenworld but also Ethea, the Goddess of Life and of the Lifesong, the source of Tabitha’s power.
This book continues the promise of the epic fantasy laid down by Riddler’s Gift and follows the story with all the dry wit, humour, tenderness, magic, mystery and mayhem (actually there’s a hell of a lot more mayhem in this one, unsurprisingly considering where they’re travelling through) found in the first tale. Once again Hamerton’s writing pulls you deep into the story so you feel everything as they experience it, every victory and defeat, every moment of honesty and kindness, treachery and deceit, love and hate and most of all every moment of battle between Order and Chaos and of course the power of the Lifesong. Hamerton has definitely created a world and story to rival Tolkien’s LOTR (although this will always be the original and the best of the fantasy world) in all aspects of story-telling, character creation, other world creation and sheer epic-ness (not a real word, I know, nothing else would do). The only question left is...when oh when is the third instalment, so subtly alluded to by Twardy, going to be out?
While life in Eryi tries to rebuild itself, the Chaos that rules Oldenworld grows and spreads and the power of He Who Shall Not Be Named continues to grow while the Gyre try and recover themselves from their earlier battle. However there is a traitor in their midst’s who convinces the young (and very naïve and arrogant) Prince Bevn to steal his father’s crown, leave Eryi and make an alliance with the Sorcerer. In doing so he condemns his father to madness and pulls Tabitha into Oldenworld on the hunt for the Kingsrim. And so begins the epic adventure that takes Tabitha into the midst of Chaos where she has to save not only herself, her friends, Eyri and Oldenworld but also Ethea, the Goddess of Life and of the Lifesong, the source of Tabitha’s power.
This book continues the promise of the epic fantasy laid down by Riddler’s Gift and follows the story with all the dry wit, humour, tenderness, magic, mystery and mayhem (actually there’s a hell of a lot more mayhem in this one, unsurprisingly considering where they’re travelling through) found in the first tale. Once again Hamerton’s writing pulls you deep into the story so you feel everything as they experience it, every victory and defeat, every moment of honesty and kindness, treachery and deceit, love and hate and most of all every moment of battle between Order and Chaos and of course the power of the Lifesong. Hamerton has definitely created a world and story to rival Tolkien’s LOTR (although this will always be the original and the best of the fantasy world) in all aspects of story-telling, character creation, other world creation and sheer epic-ness (not a real word, I know, nothing else would do). The only question left is...when oh when is the third instalment, so subtly alluded to by Twardy, going to be out?
August 26, 2010
To me the tale of the life song is more than just a story. It is a vivid path that Greg takes us on in his exploration of how life and magic work, that forces us to broaden our insight and our awareness of our surroundings, of time and of life itself.
To demonstrate this I would like to share two quotes. The first is from Second Sight - "she could appreciate the rhythm and harmonic resonance of life. It formed a single song: the lifesong." " The lifesong was like a fluid beneath a sponge; it soaked reality with vitality."
The second is from Dr. Bruce Lipton, talking on the biology of belief - "all organisms vibrate, and all the vibrations collectively come together in a holistic understanding, to create a symphonic sound in a sense, that all life is this beautiful music going on."
The fact that two completely unconnected people, working in vastly different fields, come up with such similar descriptions, is astounding to me, and gives it all a definite "ring" of truth.
The second tale of the lifesong is a fast, furious and complex adventure and it challenges your imagination. So be challenged, open your mind and read it. I truly enjoyed it.
To demonstrate this I would like to share two quotes. The first is from Second Sight - "she could appreciate the rhythm and harmonic resonance of life. It formed a single song: the lifesong." " The lifesong was like a fluid beneath a sponge; it soaked reality with vitality."
The second is from Dr. Bruce Lipton, talking on the biology of belief - "all organisms vibrate, and all the vibrations collectively come together in a holistic understanding, to create a symphonic sound in a sense, that all life is this beautiful music going on."
The fact that two completely unconnected people, working in vastly different fields, come up with such similar descriptions, is astounding to me, and gives it all a definite "ring" of truth.
The second tale of the lifesong is a fast, furious and complex adventure and it challenges your imagination. So be challenged, open your mind and read it. I truly enjoyed it.
November 22, 2010
Greg Hamerton takes on the epic concept of "good vs evil" in a big way in his novel, Second Sight, the second novel in his series Tale of the Lifesong. This novel is beautifully written, a little on the "flowery prose" side at times for me. However I know others enjoy that, so its not necessarily a bad thing. I simply prefer a more "simply" written book. Second Sight contained some of the most amazing world building, and the chararacters were compelling as well. Tabitha was inspiring and I laughed and cried with her throughout her journey. The "bad guys" were simply heinous!! You know that the characters are great when you have to sit the book down in anger from time to time! There was so much going on, and I was so fully invested, that I'm almost at a loss as to what may be a spoiler for someone just coming into the series. Every detail is relevant to the storyline.
I think Hamerton is certainly a strong new voice in epic fantasy. I would recommend this to anyone that wants to be utterly swept away into a story of epic proportions. I was quite honestly blown away by this book and cannot wait to see what new and amazing things come from this author.
I think Hamerton is certainly a strong new voice in epic fantasy. I would recommend this to anyone that wants to be utterly swept away into a story of epic proportions. I was quite honestly blown away by this book and cannot wait to see what new and amazing things come from this author.
July 25, 2011
Greg Hamerton takes on the epic concept of "good vs evil" in a big way in his novel, Second Sight, the second novel in his series Tale of the Lifesong. This novel is beautifully written, a little on the "flowery prose" side at times for me. However I know others enjoy that, so its not necessarily a bad thing. I simply prefer a more "simply" written book. Second Sight contained some of the most amazing world building, and the chararacters were compelling as well. Tabitha was inspiring and I laughed and cried with her throughout her journey. The "bad guys" were simply heinous!! You know that the characters are great when you have to sit the book down in anger from time to time! There was so much going on, and I was so fully invested, that I'm almost at a loss as to what may be a spoiler for someone just coming into the series. Every detail is relevant to the storyline.
I think Hamerton is certainly a strong new voice in epic fantasy. I would recommend this to anyone that wants to be utterly swept away into a story of epic proportions. I was quite honestly blown away by this book and cannot wait to see what new and amazing things come from this author.
I think Hamerton is certainly a strong new voice in epic fantasy. I would recommend this to anyone that wants to be utterly swept away into a story of epic proportions. I was quite honestly blown away by this book and cannot wait to see what new and amazing things come from this author.
August 4, 2012
This book made me sad. After such a promising beginning, which was beautifully done, it just fizzled. The author had a good idea and a good plot, but it failed of execution because the characters were insufficiently developed. This is a great pity, because this book could have been so much better with a bit more work on the characters upfront; as it is, they were flat and one-dimensional and I couldn't bring myself to care about them.
Of course character development hasn't the importance in a romance such as this as it has in a true novel - but at the very least the hero, Tabitha Serannon, needed a lot more depth, and the waste of the opportunity to create a truly memorable Grendel-like character in Ametheus is almost criminal.
Altogether a great disappointment, BUT not the kind of disappointment that makes one give up on the writer for all time; I think Mr Hamerton has a lot of ability and failed only in this one, unfortunately crucial, aspect.
Of course character development hasn't the importance in a romance such as this as it has in a true novel - but at the very least the hero, Tabitha Serannon, needed a lot more depth, and the waste of the opportunity to create a truly memorable Grendel-like character in Ametheus is almost criminal.
Altogether a great disappointment, BUT not the kind of disappointment that makes one give up on the writer for all time; I think Mr Hamerton has a lot of ability and failed only in this one, unfortunately crucial, aspect.
November 22, 2014
I might write a review later.
Or I might not.
I'm too puzzled right now to order my thoughts. I was kind of disappointed with the last chapters (hence the 3 stars). Not much of action. It was more talk, talk and talk, technical explanations on magic, on Order, on Chaos...There was too few of major characters like Ashley or Garryll (what was it that happened to him anyway ? Change and back ? Uh ?...yes, yes, I got the symbolism. Still...).
I liked this read but at the same time, I am glad it is over.
Or I might not.
I'm too puzzled right now to order my thoughts. I was kind of disappointed with the last chapters (hence the 3 stars). Not much of action. It was more talk, talk and talk, technical explanations on magic, on Order, on Chaos...There was too few of major characters like Ashley or Garryll (what was it that happened to him anyway ? Change and back ? Uh ?...yes, yes, I got the symbolism. Still...).
I liked this read but at the same time, I am glad it is over.
August 21, 2010
I really enjoyed this novel.it reminds me a lot of the novels by Katherine Kurtz-Deryni books.I'd like to read the first one too.It was a great read and easily read.The book was extremely well written and engrossing!!!
September 13, 2010
Brilliant! You get quite desperate for the characters at times! Great read. Hope we don't have to wait another 3 years for the next installment.
June 28, 2012
It was with no small amount of trepidation that I continued reading the story of the adventures of Tabitha Serannon and her friends/adversaries, which was begun so wonderfully by Greg Hamerton in 'The Riddler's Gift'. My history with fantasy series' has, for the most part, been spotty at best, and I really didn't want to taint the wonderful experience of my time with Riddler's Gift by consuming a sub-par sequel. Ultimately, after dabbling with a couple of other titles in my library, I took a deep breath and dove into 'Second Sight', which is the next volume in the Tales of the Lifesong.
In short, I need not have worried.
If reading The Riddler's Gift is comparable to enjoying an amazing, detailed work of art in an art gallery somewhere, then reading Second Sight would be the equivalent of stepping outside the art gallery and enjoying/contemplating the stars.
The vast bulk of The Riddler's Gift takes place within the confines of a relatively small, protected kingdom called Eyri, which is squirreled away within the much larger realm known by the (rather unoriginal) name of Oldenworld. Eyri was protected under a shield-dome of magic and hidden from the rest of the world so that it could be kept safe from the ravages of a fascinating, multi-layered sorcerer-villain named Ametheus, who is every bit as powerful as the Gyre of Wizards that oppose him. The eight members of the Gyre combine their might endlessly in an effort to thwart Ametheus, and part of their plan has been to keep Eyri safe and hidden, so that a ninth Wizard could be produced there, in order to help the balance of power against Ametheus to sway in their favor. If they can defeat him once and for all, the world could be saved from his unbridled chaos and destruction.
So once the long-awaited ninth wizard appeared (Tabitha, the Lifesinger), the next step was to get her out of the protected environment of Eyri and convince her to join the Gyre in their struggle against Ametheus, out in the real world.
Thus, Second Sight sees Tabitha and a handful of other Eyrians leave Eyri and embark on an epic journey across Oldenworld to face unfathomable challenges and obstacles, en route to a final face-off against not only Ametheus, but against the God that created him to begin with.
Second Sight works on many levels. It has a fascinating cast of characters, both major and minor. It has interesting, varied environments. It has plenty of action and suspense, with near-perfect pacing. But to me, most importantly, it dealt with huge issues, both temporal and eternal, mortal and divine, in a way that not only didn't distract from the story-telling, but greatly enhanced it.
Tabitha is in over head her, swept along by forces far greater than her, trying not only to get her mind around her unique gifts, but also to understand the gifts/abilities of the other wizards, and those of her enemy Ametheus as well, all while attempting the impossible task of finding and freeing a captured God.
The Riddler is one enigmatic member of the Gyre of Wizards, who is tasked with helping Tabitha mature faster than is likely possible, due to the pressing needs produced by the dire world circumstances, all while keeping her from being mishandled by the rest of the well-intentioned members of the Gyre, and trying to unravel what could be a betrayal-in-progress within the Gyre itself.
Ashley decided on whim to tag along with Tabitha as she made her exodus from Eyri out into Oldenworld, and quickly finds himself separated, alone in a crazy, dangerous world, with only his wits and his unique gift to help him survive... and ultimately thrive.
Ametheus is a demi-god of sorts, the product of a union between a human and the Destroyer. He has three very distinct personality facets, represented as three brothers trapped within the same body. His unrestrained goal is to destroy all magic and bring total chaos on the world. Initially presented as pure evil and chaos, the layers are slowly pulled back until, as a reader, you begin to wonder if you could be rooting for the wrong team after all...
That is the tip of the iceberg. I could elaborate on other characters, such as the spoiled Prince Bevn, seductive shadowcaster Gabrielle, the duplicitous Black Saladon, conflicted former Swordsmaster Garyll Glavenor, the other members of the Gyre... but those words would be wasted at this point, confusing the point I'm trying (ever-so-amateurishly) to make.
There are grand issues tackled in these pages, transcending the basic story. Issues dealing with the balance between chaos and order (and the pitfalls of allowing either to dominate unchecked); issues dealing with understanding and correctly employing power(s); issues dealing with the benefits and pitfalls of both mortality and immortality; issues of courage and fear, apathy and ambition, violence and love/life. One the one hand, it's a straight-up classic fantasy epic. On the other hand, it is so much more. I suppose what a reader brings into the reading will determine which hand dominates the experience.
I realize that the odds are high that I am simply the perfect target audience for this particular book/series, a happy case of literary serendipity whereby the perfect reader and the perfect book find each other in the midst of the vast sea of options out there. Your reading experience may end up being different than mine, for any number of reasons, especially now that I've propped this series up on a pedestal as I have. So be it. All I can do in this case is present my honest opinion, unmotivated by anything beyond my desire to share something wonderful with those that give my opinion of such things at least a modicum of weight.
Summary: 5/5 A thorough "win." A grand adventure, with memorable characters and events, resolving itself brilliantly. A massive amount of "food for thought" included, for those that like to eat while they read. Not perfect, per se, but perfect for me. As much as I enjoyed The Riddler's Gift, I enjoyed Second Sight yet more and more.
In short, I need not have worried.
If reading The Riddler's Gift is comparable to enjoying an amazing, detailed work of art in an art gallery somewhere, then reading Second Sight would be the equivalent of stepping outside the art gallery and enjoying/contemplating the stars.
The vast bulk of The Riddler's Gift takes place within the confines of a relatively small, protected kingdom called Eyri, which is squirreled away within the much larger realm known by the (rather unoriginal) name of Oldenworld. Eyri was protected under a shield-dome of magic and hidden from the rest of the world so that it could be kept safe from the ravages of a fascinating, multi-layered sorcerer-villain named Ametheus, who is every bit as powerful as the Gyre of Wizards that oppose him. The eight members of the Gyre combine their might endlessly in an effort to thwart Ametheus, and part of their plan has been to keep Eyri safe and hidden, so that a ninth Wizard could be produced there, in order to help the balance of power against Ametheus to sway in their favor. If they can defeat him once and for all, the world could be saved from his unbridled chaos and destruction.
So once the long-awaited ninth wizard appeared (Tabitha, the Lifesinger), the next step was to get her out of the protected environment of Eyri and convince her to join the Gyre in their struggle against Ametheus, out in the real world.
Thus, Second Sight sees Tabitha and a handful of other Eyrians leave Eyri and embark on an epic journey across Oldenworld to face unfathomable challenges and obstacles, en route to a final face-off against not only Ametheus, but against the God that created him to begin with.
Second Sight works on many levels. It has a fascinating cast of characters, both major and minor. It has interesting, varied environments. It has plenty of action and suspense, with near-perfect pacing. But to me, most importantly, it dealt with huge issues, both temporal and eternal, mortal and divine, in a way that not only didn't distract from the story-telling, but greatly enhanced it.
Tabitha is in over head her, swept along by forces far greater than her, trying not only to get her mind around her unique gifts, but also to understand the gifts/abilities of the other wizards, and those of her enemy Ametheus as well, all while attempting the impossible task of finding and freeing a captured God.
The Riddler is one enigmatic member of the Gyre of Wizards, who is tasked with helping Tabitha mature faster than is likely possible, due to the pressing needs produced by the dire world circumstances, all while keeping her from being mishandled by the rest of the well-intentioned members of the Gyre, and trying to unravel what could be a betrayal-in-progress within the Gyre itself.
Ashley decided on whim to tag along with Tabitha as she made her exodus from Eyri out into Oldenworld, and quickly finds himself separated, alone in a crazy, dangerous world, with only his wits and his unique gift to help him survive... and ultimately thrive.
Ametheus is a demi-god of sorts, the product of a union between a human and the Destroyer. He has three very distinct personality facets, represented as three brothers trapped within the same body. His unrestrained goal is to destroy all magic and bring total chaos on the world. Initially presented as pure evil and chaos, the layers are slowly pulled back until, as a reader, you begin to wonder if you could be rooting for the wrong team after all...
That is the tip of the iceberg. I could elaborate on other characters, such as the spoiled Prince Bevn, seductive shadowcaster Gabrielle, the duplicitous Black Saladon, conflicted former Swordsmaster Garyll Glavenor, the other members of the Gyre... but those words would be wasted at this point, confusing the point I'm trying (ever-so-amateurishly) to make.
There are grand issues tackled in these pages, transcending the basic story. Issues dealing with the balance between chaos and order (and the pitfalls of allowing either to dominate unchecked); issues dealing with understanding and correctly employing power(s); issues dealing with the benefits and pitfalls of both mortality and immortality; issues of courage and fear, apathy and ambition, violence and love/life. One the one hand, it's a straight-up classic fantasy epic. On the other hand, it is so much more. I suppose what a reader brings into the reading will determine which hand dominates the experience.
I realize that the odds are high that I am simply the perfect target audience for this particular book/series, a happy case of literary serendipity whereby the perfect reader and the perfect book find each other in the midst of the vast sea of options out there. Your reading experience may end up being different than mine, for any number of reasons, especially now that I've propped this series up on a pedestal as I have. So be it. All I can do in this case is present my honest opinion, unmotivated by anything beyond my desire to share something wonderful with those that give my opinion of such things at least a modicum of weight.
Summary: 5/5 A thorough "win." A grand adventure, with memorable characters and events, resolving itself brilliantly. A massive amount of "food for thought" included, for those that like to eat while they read. Not perfect, per se, but perfect for me. As much as I enjoyed The Riddler's Gift, I enjoyed Second Sight yet more and more.
September 13, 2010
I hadn't read Greg's first book of this series The Riddler's Gift so I decided to read this first. These books aren't normally something I would read, a little meatier going than my normal preference but I really enjoyed them. I will defetly read the next book in this series. I don't think it has made me want to read more sci fi but more Greg Hamerton.
Second Sight carries on from the battle in The Riddler's Gift starting in a place called Eryi, which is trying to rebuild itself after the battle. Tabitha Serannon, is trying to heal the injured with her gift. Chaos is building in the Oldenworld, where Tabitha is dragged into. Can she save herself?
Greg has a talent to bring his characters to life and his writing is beautiful. Although this book is part of a series, it can be read as stand alone although I am glad I read the first installment.
If you like heavy fantasy like Lord of the Rings you will love this book, and if you haven't read much in this genre I would recommend you give it a go.
Second Sight carries on from the battle in The Riddler's Gift starting in a place called Eryi, which is trying to rebuild itself after the battle. Tabitha Serannon, is trying to heal the injured with her gift. Chaos is building in the Oldenworld, where Tabitha is dragged into. Can she save herself?
Greg has a talent to bring his characters to life and his writing is beautiful. Although this book is part of a series, it can be read as stand alone although I am glad I read the first installment.
If you like heavy fantasy like Lord of the Rings you will love this book, and if you haven't read much in this genre I would recommend you give it a go.
December 16, 2012
I had read The Riddler's Gift a while back. This sequel starts pretty much where the last book left off, and concludes the story, There are some loose ends, such as the shadowcaster Kirjath Arkell cohabiting another body (this thread is dropped as soon as our heroes leave Eyri and face bigger challenges). Nevertheless the story is complete enough even if no further sequels are written.
There were a few details I did not like: some of the Gyre wizards' magic seemed more like science fiction tropes: for instance the augmented-reality contact lenses. I feel the author could have done more with this. While reading the first book I was hoping that the magic would turn out to be some kind of ubiquitous high tech: I was suspecting that the motes and sprites were some kind of smart matter. This turned out not to be the case. The magic system is vaguely sciencey-sounding with its talk of axes and coordinates, but that's all.
Anyway, these books are enjoyable, light reads.
There were a few details I did not like: some of the Gyre wizards' magic seemed more like science fiction tropes: for instance the augmented-reality contact lenses. I feel the author could have done more with this. While reading the first book I was hoping that the magic would turn out to be some kind of ubiquitous high tech: I was suspecting that the motes and sprites were some kind of smart matter. This turned out not to be the case. The magic system is vaguely sciencey-sounding with its talk of axes and coordinates, but that's all.
Anyway, these books are enjoyable, light reads.
October 4, 2013
Wow - this book is amazing. It took me a long time to read it, I think partly because it needed to be absorbed a little bit after some scenes. I love the characters in this book. They have depth and humanity. Tabitha overcomes so many things to reach the end of the story. She gets separated from her friends, finds new ones in unexpected places, and discovers so much about her own abilities and powers. The Wizards of the Gyre all have unique aspects that could be a blessing or a curse. Ametheus is one of the most complex characters I have run across in my reading. Greg Hamerton brought the story to life with his ability to illustrate with words the amazing world he has created.
This is the second book in this setting, following a lot of the characters from the first book "The Riddler's Gift". I would recommend them to anyone who likes high fantasy with lots of adventure, sorcery and a creative setting.
This is the second book in this setting, following a lot of the characters from the first book "The Riddler's Gift". I would recommend them to anyone who likes high fantasy with lots of adventure, sorcery and a creative setting.
June 17, 2012
Hmmm, well I am about 40% through and not a lot of action going on. But I think the 2nd part will probably have lots of it. It is a fairly good storyline. Different from what I have read. Enjoyed the 1st book of the series, The Riddler's Gift: First Tale of the Lifesong.
I am a fan of the heroes of the book, especially Twardy and Tabitha. For me, I have to become completely absorbed by the heroes of the books. However, the bad evil character of the book Ametheus has been very interestingly written by Greg Hamerton. Although you know it is not what you should feel, at times you have a sympathy for the character and what has lead him to his path of utter destruction.
My downside so far is the tale of Bevn. I know it is probably an important arc of the story but it is tedious.
I am a fan of the heroes of the book, especially Twardy and Tabitha. For me, I have to become completely absorbed by the heroes of the books. However, the bad evil character of the book Ametheus has been very interestingly written by Greg Hamerton. Although you know it is not what you should feel, at times you have a sympathy for the character and what has lead him to his path of utter destruction.
My downside so far is the tale of Bevn. I know it is probably an important arc of the story but it is tedious.
February 21, 2019
Imagination well done. I read The Riddler's Gift and Second Sight to get the full breadth of the saga. Very well crafted tales that may lead you to a little confusion, but either rereading passages or reading on tends to clear the story. Well crafted plots and characters evolve at a slow but entertaining pace. They both took me a while to finish, and both endings almost being anti-climatic, but what a fun read!
November 21, 2025
The first book was really good. I have tried on several occasions to get through this one but after a chapter or two it just gets too laborious. The story drags... With limited revelations. Some day I hope to get through it as there is something there to unearth but damn hard to get to. I persevered and the pace picked up quite nicely after halfway. I did hope for more at the end but I am glad I finished it.
November 14, 2010
This novel twists and turns through a world of enchantment and danger as the heroine, Tabitha Serannon, must decifer riddles and travel to unknown places in order to recover the kingsrim and save her king.
May 7, 2012
It was harder for me to get into the second book in the series. It seemed to drag for me (some of that was external factors preventing me from really sitting down and reading in large chunks). Also, the Bevn character really got to me. I know he's supposed to be whiny and he definitely succeeded.
August 31, 2012
IMO, this book and the author is on the level of the much praised works by Brent Weeks or Brandon Sanderson. I can't understand why neither of the books aren't on the bestseller lists.
This is epic Fantasy in its highest form and kudos to you Mr. Hamerton.
This is epic Fantasy in its highest form and kudos to you Mr. Hamerton.
December 25, 2014
Wow. First off, this book was amazing. a fantastic value, it was a really long book! second, wow, I really enjoyed the story! Amazing characters, in depth story, just.. really good book.
also, next time I play dnd, I want to play a bard!
also, next time I play dnd, I want to play a bard!
April 8, 2011
For me at times the story was too divided. Too many people in too many places. Really didn't care what was going on with Bevn. I'm hoping for a third book in the series.
September 30, 2011
Not as good as the first one but I liked it.
Want to read
April 29, 2012I really wanted to like this book. The plot is well thought out, but I found myself dreading picking the book up. Depressing and too wordy. I may try again, but switching to a different book for now
July 6, 2012
More of the same. He tied up the loose ends from the first book and didn't leave too many in this one. I hope he finds away to return to this world again.
May 25, 2013
I enjoyed the first book more. Not to say that this was poorly written by comparison, I just preferred the way the previous book ended as opposed to this one.
December 27, 2013
Not really much of a fantasy reader, but this one was definitely a good read.
August 19, 2014
Slow
Slow
I read this book as soon as I finished the first one book, hard to follow at times and keep my interest
Slow
I read this book as soon as I finished the first one book, hard to follow at times and keep my interest
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews