The Gold Falcon

Deverry Cycle #12

by Katharine Kerr

Book twelve of the celebrated Deverry series, an epic fantasy rooted in Celtic mythology that intricately interweaves human and elven history over several hundred years.
The powerful dweomermaster Nevyn has been reincarnated, but young Neb knows nothing of his previous life. Orphaned following a cholera epidemic, Neb and his younger brother arrive at the desolate farm of their last living relative and soon learn that a worse plague lurks beyond the western border of Deverry.
The savage Horsekin tribes, spurred on by their new goddess, Alshandra, are raiding the villages and taking slaves as the first step in their plans to destroy both the nomadic Westfolk and the Deverrian farmers. Neb finds love and danger as he and his soulmate Branna are drawn inexorably into a war for the survival of the kingdom itself.
Although they have powerful allies in the Westfolk dweomermasters Dallandra and Salamander, they are also facing mighty enemies, enemies that they have fought before in the past lives that they no longer remember…
Intricately interweaving human and elvish history over several hundred years, Katharine Kerr's enthralling and moving tale of extraordinary characters living their many lives through exceptional times is epic fantasy on truly a grand scale.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Dragons, High Fantasy, Magic, Ebooks

517 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2006

About the author

Born in Ohio, 1944. Moved to San Francisco Bay Area in 1962 and has lived there ever since. Katharine Kerr has read extensively in the fields of classical archeology, and medieval and dark ages history and literature, and these influences are clear in her work. Her epic Deverry series has won widespread praise and millions of fans around the world.

Reviews

[Benjamin Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neb is a refugee of a cholera epidemic but manages to find work as a scribe in a small village led by Tieryn Cadryc. He also meets the dweomermaster (master magician) Salamander, as well as Brenna, a lovely lass who becomes his soulmate. The story takes place after most of the rest of the series so it is no surprise that both Neb and Brenna, as well as other major characters, are reincarnations of previous characters in the series. This idea of reincarnation of past lives is the hallmark of the entire series and is a wonderful story-telling technique. This is especially true this time around as we find out that former dweomermasters are prone to flashes of memories of their past lives, leading to all sorts of mischief and intrigue. Add to that the vast tapestry of the previous novels, well-fleshed-out characters (including members of the Deverrian clans as well as the elven nomads known as the Westfolk), the savage Horsekin providing a growing threat, and a dragon or two, and we have the makings of an awesome story.

This book begins the final quartet of the larger Deverry Cycle so it can be considered book 1 of the quartet or book 12 of the larger series. I definitely urge readers to start at the beginning with Daggerspell or risk missing huge amounts of story depth in this one. Regardless, I enjoyed it a lot even though it stayed with the same time era all through the book, with the same characters. Most of the novels in the series jump around in the timeline and while that can make them a bit more difficult to follow, it is something that Ms. Kerr pulls off extremely well and is a hallmark of the series. I also really enjoyed the developing romance between Neb and Brenna, especially given their past lives and relationships.

Even though this is the first of a four-book set, the story does resolve most of its plots. Some key questions remain, of course and I felt the book sets up the next ones very well. Looking forward to jumping in once again into one of my favorite fantasy settings.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beginning of the end! :(

This book starts the last quartet, which could *technically* be read on their own without having read the other books, but you really don't get the effect of who these characters are and why you should be so happy about seeing them all again. Also, a lot of the old stories really set up this one, so it's best to just go along your merry way and start at Book 1 if you want to be happy in your life.

Also, some of the incarnation chart at the back of the book could be considered spoilers, since some of the characters haven't been revealed as who they were in their past lives yet, and some were only guessed at and not confirmed. So if you have already read the series then go ahead and refresh your memory. But if not, then wait until you've completed the last cycle before you check that table.

[Brita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Osäker på om jag har läst den här boken förut. Det kändes inte som om jag hade gjort det.
Nåväl, det är den sista i serien som är översatt till svenska. Vill man fortsätta läsa får det bli på engelska. Eftersom det var några cliffhangers så vill ju i alla fall jag det så det blir till att beställa boken på biblioteket.
Denna boken utspelar sig i en nyare tid vilket innebär mestadels nya personer i persongalleriet. Tackochlov finns det kvar en del sen tidigare, mer eller mindre... Jag har ju min favorit, avslöjar inte vem här och nu...

[Marjolein · Rating 4 out of 5]

This installment felt like a new start. Branna and Neb are the old familiar souls, but because both of them are reborn, it felt new and fresh and I really liked that.

[Pyrosil · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5 Stars

Although arguably the best book in the Deverry Cycle so far, mainly due to easily being one of the least flawed sequels in the series and using previously established things/characters better, I wouldn't call this book much more than "fine". But if Katherine Kerr's overly vague, character "quantity over quality" writing-style/story choice was improved, and the pacing generally improved, this could definitely be a pretty good series. I was debating between rating this a 3/5 or 2/5, but since Goodreads has such a limited rating system, I suppose I'll just give it a 2/5.

I will say, however, that things like character's direct thoughts generally being in italics for the FIRST time in this entire damn series makes it easier to read, and is a welcome change, one that I thought should have been done in the 1st book, not waiting until the 12th to even start this, but there you are...

Another first-time for this series (although it sounds very basic, lol), is the consistent use of border symbols the entire time to clearly mark when a scene ends/transitions to another character's "viewpoint"... even though this series is told by the viewpoint of some near-omnipotent narrator who somehow knows various character thoughts, but it ALSO kind of tries to tell it from different character's viewpoints at the same time part of the time...? Anyways, there are MUCH better fantasy authors out there, and Katherine Kerr's Deverry Cycle thus far (and I highly doubt this will suddenly change with books #13+) is not worth your time, unless you REALLY want to read a Celtic fantasy series largely about reincarnation, and are willing to overlook its flaws... in that case, go nuts, and you will probably enjoy it, or maybe even love it.

I could go back and write proper reviews for the previous books in this series, but at this point, why should I bother, especially considering almost all the books continue to repeat most of the same mistakes with minimal improvement...? There's not even THAT much new to talk about, besides plot and lore-specific things, which you have with ALL fantasy series, or books of any kind...

So, there you have it. Perhaps Kerr has learned from her mistakes in the first 12 books of the Deverry Cycle, and perhaps her other books ARE better; but, really...? I don't care enough to invest any more effort into reading her works, besides finishing the Deverry Cycle that I've already invested so much time into. Hopefully the last few books in the series continually improve...

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2022/0...

The fourth subseries in the larger Deverry Cycle starts off fifty years after the previous book, and of course some of our longer-lived characters are still going strong, while others have been reincarnated and are getting to know each other, are relearning their skills, etc (I was very invested in all of that, and in how their souls have actually learned from the past!). Of course now there's a weird cult infiltrating things, leading to yet more war, and there’s some dragon drama, so it’s not all scribing and romantic plotting. Looks like there’s gonna be a major and long war in the follow up books, but I remain much more interested in the sorcery half of swords-and-sorcery. A/A-.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feeling very much like all the different threads and loops are coming together and we can see the beginning and the end coming full circle... Very enjoyable. I think one of things I particularly liked was the lack of any need to return to the past and dredge up tales from past lives to shed light on current events or provide pathos. For the first time we are presented with a more traditional story without any time jumps... which while having become a standard in Kerr's series, have at times felt like they were getting a little in the way of the main action.

I also particularly appreciated the character balance, the focus on Salamander, but also switching from place and character to character and place where needed for the greater story, and less following of one particular soul.

[Gordon · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK I'll be honest I struggled a wee bit with this one at times and struggle to put my finger on why exactly. At times the story seemed to bog itself down after the dramatic events in the last books.

Still it does move the story along I like Ebany being more central but thought that skipping his rehabilitation was a mistake that earlier books would not have made especially given the focus on his madness

Of course I'm keen to see where the Rori arc ends up and I love the dragons being very central at times.

[Aleksandra Janusz]

- Kup mnóstwo książek na taniej książce, w tym dwa pierwsze tomy cyklu fantasy
- W połowie pierwszego tomu zorientuj się, że to jest pierwszy tom czwartego podcyklu szesnastotomowego cyklu z przyległościami
- Ponieważ rzecz jest wciągająca, zacznij cykl od początku
Brak profitu?

Los, ponowne wcielenia, elfy, Celtowie, magia, badassy płci obojga, star crossed lovers, bohaterowie durni jak diabli, ale po ludzku. Dziwię się, że ten cykl się nie ukazał u nas w latach 90. Chyba tego potrzebowałam. Zaraz będzie pensja.

[Kes · Rating 2 out of 5]

We finally see Nevyn and Jill again - in their reborn bodies, and finally getting together. Salamandar's sane again, and I enjoyed how briefly yet comprehensively the narrative skimmed over the intervening years: the return of his mind, the loss of his first family, and the fate of Zando. It's nice to see Salamandar taking a larger role. The brief return of the undine - sane, this time - to speak to Jill feels appropriate.

[Dik Verhoef · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book starts the last quartet, which could *technically* be read on their own without having read the other books, but you really don't get the effect of who these characters are and why you should be so happy about seeing them all again. Also, a lot of the old stories really set up this one, so it's best to just go along your merry way and start at Book 1 if you want to be happy in your life.

[Mykayla Deschamp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katherine was one of the first fantasy authors I read that was not a man! And, in high school, I read every single one of hers I could get my hands on. And our library had quite a few!

I am only giving this four stars because… Let’s be honest! The genre has evolved quite a lot since these books were published. But I think it is a good classic to go back and read if you love the genre where it is now.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the beginning of this new cycle immensely. I love Branna and Neb. They are delightful. The story is intriguing and it is so much fun to see Dallandra again. As well as to see Branna and Neb develop and begin to find themselves.

The mystery of Rhodry -- Rory. So intriguing. And to see the birth of fanaticism. I am excited to see where this goes.

[Patrickderaaff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Het verhaal rond de secte die de valse godin Alshandra vereert is op zich goed, maar wat het verhaal pas echt interessant maakt is dat zowel Nevyn als Jill gereïncarneerd zijn en we als lezer getuige zijn van hoe beiden hun vorige levens en talent voor dweomer langzaam maar zeker herinneren. Kerr is zoals altijd weer goed in vorm.

[Dion Cassidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah we have some oldies come back Neb and Branna.

Rori is still a dragon with an unhealed wound, Salamander is sane kind of.

Dallandra is still around and this time more a teacher.

Horsekin are still out and about.

Gerran is back and finally gets his rewards.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh I loved the ending...certainly this series is like the linking of lace...I'm glad we're seeing Nevyn reborn with Branna and that Branna is remembering Rhodry, and also herself as Jill. Stunning, five star ending to the novel thank you Ms Kerr xxx

[Catu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay it's been long enough that I can say....I DNF'd 😭 I LOVED loved loved this series so much but honestly I just couldn't care less about Neb and Branna. I miss the earlier generations so much and would super recommend the first like 10-11 books to anyone. I truly was completely immersed and captivated but yeah, lost me at the end. Maybe one day I'll return, who knows!

[Andrew Meltzer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this to be an enjoyable read and sets up into the next novel. May explore this series a little more.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first Deverry book I read, but I don't think that held me back. Charming characters and familiar fantasy settings. I enjoyed this enough to immediately start the next one!

[Daniel Chitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this one, cool siege and good set up for whats to come with the Horsekin war

[Janyce Lingo]

Reading now

[Libbet · Rating 4 out of 5]

2017 reread

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

With this book Katharine Kerr is starting a new phase in the Deverry story. We move on fifty years or so from the climactic ending of The Fire Dragon, and times have changed. The Horsekin have started marauding the Deverry border, killing the men and enslaving the women. There is a fragile alliance between the Deverry folk, the Rhiddaer and the West Folk (Kerr's version of elves). And Alshandra's repute as a goddess is growing, Raena now considered a martyr to the cause.

Our main dweomer workers that hold the book together here are Dallandra and Salamander, who has fought hard to retrieve his sanity. The latter rescues two young lads from the slaughter of their village by Horsekin, and takes them to the sanctuary of Tieryn Cadryc's dun. Neb, the older of the two, is a very familiar soul to Salamander - finally the soul of Nevyn has been reborn. In the same Dun he discovers the reborn soul of Cullyn (now called Gerran) and Jill (now called Branna), and realises that important times are coming.

This book fits well into the overall sequence of Deverry novels, but on its own is not *that* entertaining, since it is mostly setting up future events. It was interesting enough seeing Neb and Branna be drawn to each other, and to discover their potential dweomer power. It was also frustrating and heartbreaking to hear about Rhodry's current plight (as the dragon Rori). Mostly we are being given hints as the extent of the doom that awaits if the Horsekin cannot be stopped.

Kerr writes fantastically well about the medieval life of Deverry. Every little detail reinforces the fact that she has enormous skill at world building, such as hearing about each gwerbret's hall having an honour side (for the nobles) and a riders side (for the common born). We hear about the women having to make marriages for the sake of bloodlines and needing to be above reproach so that no one can doubt the parentage of the heirs to come.

Equally, she gives us a completely different culture when we ride with the West Folk on the plainlands - here, the women have much more freedom and there is a casual approach to leadership. The marked difference between the two people is emphasised well by Kerr.

I did enjoy this book, but it took a good fifty pages before I relaxed into the new characters - especially with Nevyn and Jill carrying different names and essentially being fresh to the story. In some respects it is great having familiar characters turn up again in the Deverry novel - it lends the books a feeling of comfort - but in other respects it can be hard to invest in the new character as much as you did in the old. I like Neb, but I liked Nevyn more; on the other hand I far prefer Branna to Jill, so I guess it runs both ways!

To recap, a decent enough entry into the Deverry sequence, but certainly not a standalone novel and mostly set up future events. Slightly disappointing after the brilliance of The Fire Dragon.

[Penelope Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again she's staying in the same era all book which is okay but I think not the strength of the Deverry novels. Plus, I think her natural length for an arc is about half a book - The Gold Falcon feels elongated. But it moves the narrative along, gives us some insight into the result of dweomer masters when they are reborn (though perhaps inconsistent with earlier books where they are improbably absent) but it's competent and a quick read. Not the place to start however.

Also I miss Rhodry.

[Jenny Clifford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series has followed me since I was about 12 years old, and I decided to read all of the books again now that I'm over 40. The books are still just as good as when I first picked them up. This is a really epic fantasy series, where both the world and the magic are completely unique. The way we get to follow the same souls through hundreds of years is mindboggling, and the characters are so very good and well written.
This is the first book without the real precense of Jill, but it is wonderful to see all the new reincarnations. The horsekin are amazing again, and it feels like we're bearing up for more war.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

It has been 16 years since I first picked up the first Deverry novel, DaggerSpell, and here in am, 16 years later, about to finish the fifteenth and final one.

Has the journey been worth it? Yes. Was the wait too long? Yes.

I would not recommend anyone starts reading the Deverry cycle unless they intend to read them all, as the macroscopic story is at least as important as the microscopic ones, and as such I am reviewing the books as a set.

I almost give them 4 stars (excellent) but in the end I am not enjoying them quite as much as I did in my early 20's and so I settled on 3 stars (good). As fantasy novels go the concepts and the writing are really excellent but for me the last couple of books haven't been as enjoyable as the early ones and it's a lot to expect people to read fifteen novels. That said I don't regret a single minute of the time I spent in Deverry. I even used to own a 'deverry' domain and use the handle of 'Rhodry' when t'internet was young.

Highly recommended IF you have the stomach for a lot of reading.

[Kathi · Rating 4 out of 5]

9/10

This book truly feels like the set-up for a huge climax to the series, and while there are important developments, much of the action felt like arranging pieces on the game board. This is the first book in the Deverry Cycle that takes place entirely in one time period. I thought the reincarnations of Nevyn as Neb and Brangwen/Jill as Branna were a little heavy-handed, but I suppose there was no other way to do it.

I enjoyed the book and love the interweaving of various races and cultures, the mix of battle, dweomer, romance, and religion. Arzosah continues to be one of my favorite characters ever.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

*First Reads Review*

When I first began reading this, I was a bit worried that it was the first of sub-series of books. I was pleasantly surprised that, like Terry Brooks, Katharine Kerr has made it so that each grouping can be read independently of the others. She has created a new world for one to come and visit. It is quite developed, though I kept thinking of questions about the world and its history. Perhaps had I read the earlier I would have those answers(something I plan to rectify in the future). Still, I found it quite a wonderful diversion. I do wish the story went more in depth with some of the characters and situations. Several times the story jumped ahead an indeterminate amount of time.
My favorite part of the story was the ending though. Katharine Kerr wrote a perfect cliff-hanger ending.

Overall the Gold Falcon is a good addition to any fantasy lover's library.

[Fantasy Literature · Rating 3 out of 5]

With The Gold Falcon, Katharine Kerr is starting a new phase in the DEVERRY series. We move on fifty years or so from the climactic ending of The Fire Dragon, and times have changed. The Horsekin have started marauding the Deverry border, killing the men and enslaving the women. There is a fragile alliance between the Deverry folk, the Rhiddaer, and the West Folk (Kerr's version of elves). And Alshandra's repute as a goddess is growing, Raena now considered a martyr to the cause.

Our main dweomer workers who hold the book together here are Dallandra and Salamander, who has fought hard to retrieve his sanity. The latter rescues two young lads from the slaughter of their village by Horsekin, and takes them to the sanctuary of Tieryn Cadryc's dun. Neb, the older of the two, is a... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

At last, I've taken a plunge into the final cycle of the Deverry chronicles. And it didn't disappoint. All the major characters are back, either because they're still alive or because they have been reincarnated, which is the case of two of the main characters: Neb and Branna (Nevyn and Jill).

It's been so long since I read the previous 11 books in these epic series that I have forgotten a lot of the details, and I got frustrated at times because of it, wishing I had it all fresh in my mind. Although, to be honest, Kerr has created a world so complex and elaborate that even if I'd read them recently, I'd still have a hard time remembering everything. Alas, it's this complexity that makes this tale so rewarding to read; it makes it feel real, along with the author's talent for writing.

It also makes me despair for I doubt I will ever be able to write something so rich and vast.