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Glass Thorns #1
Touchstone
Cayden Silversun is part Elven, part Fae, part human Wizard – and all rebel. His aristocratic mother would have him follow his father to the Royal Court, to make a high-society living off the scraps of kings. But Cade lives and breathes for the theater, and he’s good: very very good. With his company, he’ll enter the highest reaches of society and power, as an honored artist – or die trying. Cade combines the talents of Merlin, Shakespeare, and John Lennon: a wholly charming character in a remarkably original fantasy world created by a mistress of the art.
431 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2012
103 people are currently reading
2307 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Rawn
77 books1,236 followersMelanie Rawn received a BA in history from Scripps College and worked as a teacher and editor before becoming a writer.
She has been nominated for a Locus award on three separate occasions: in 1989 for Dragon Prince (in the first novel category), in 1994 for Skybowl (in the fantasy novel category), and again in 1995 for Ruins of Ambrai (in the fantasy novel category).
She has been nominated for a Locus award on three separate occasions: in 1989 for Dragon Prince (in the first novel category), in 1994 for Skybowl (in the fantasy novel category), and again in 1995 for Ruins of Ambrai (in the fantasy novel category).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
Want to read
February 6, 2012I'd love to read it, but I'm afraid she won't finish it after the Exiles fiasco.
June 20, 2012
I've been a fan of Rawn's for a long time. As in 'I've been waiting for the third Exiles book as long as anybody' type fanboy. And this is Rawn's returning to High Fantasy, which is where she belongs.
And yet....
While Touchstone is engaging, and it's a return to the 'art as magic' trope she and Kate Elliot and Jennifer Roberson used so well in 'Golden Key', and there are true moments that are refreshing and fascinating and great....
And yet.....
It has a very throwback 90s feel to it, and I'm not sure it's in a good way.
All the characters in the book are descended of different races of legend, and the mix you exhibit supposedly indicate what race of ancestors you have. Elves and Fae, Wizard and Human, Troll and Piskie.
And yet.....
I want more. I expected more. I want a reveal and a story that reminds me why I reread 'The Ruins of Ambrai' 3 times back to back. I want the Rawn magic that isn't quite here yet.
Is it better than 85% of what's out there? Yes. But from a writer who blazed the path for GRRMs ruthlessness, and Rothfuss's quality of writing, this isn't what I expected.
Not yet....
But it has a lot of potential.
January 17, 2012
This book is the first in a new series by Rawn called the Glass Thorns. I loved Rawn's Dragon Prince series and was excited to see what she's been up to all these years. Well I was sorely disappointed. I read the first 120 pages of this book and finally just gave up. The beginning is confusing and there is no real goal driving the plot forward.
Cayden Silversun is trying to put together a troupe of players that will rise to the top and eventually end up on the Royal play circuit. He ends up bringing together a group of diverse individuals (both in temperament and race) and starts having some success at creating really awesome plays. Then the group is invited to partake in a contest to see if they can stand up against other troupes.
I don't really even want to spend time writing a review for this book; I was just so disappointed in it. The beginning of the book throws a ton of terms at the reader; each of which is a special part that a member of the troupe needs to perform to make the show a convincing whole. They each use special magical tools that have strange names to do this. I tried to just go with it, but for the first fifty pages or so I had no idea what was going on.
Cayden comes off as a weak character; he is easily swayed and constantly struggling to keep his troupe under control. I found him uninspiring. Some of the other players are equally obnoxious; for example Mieka who is the new member to the troupe is very annoying and likes to drink a lot...but because he is very good at what he does is tolerated by the rest of the troupe. None of the characters jumped out as especially easy to relate to or interesting.
The other big problems are the world and the plot; the characters are a complex mish-mash of different types of Elven heritage, Trolls, and numerous other races that are never very well explained. The plot doesn't have much to drive it which prevents the story from having any urgency. Yes, they want to win this contest...but that is pretty much the only thing driving the plot. Most of the plot deals with the characters internal struggles to balance winning with their own beliefs and principles. So most of the plot is driven by the characters' internal struggle...and I didn't like the characters, so I kind of didn't care about their problems all that much either.
It is an interesting idea for a story and if there had been a little glossary at the front of the book explaining all the foreign terms the whole thing would have been much less painful to read. If the troupe were fighting against some other treachery outside of their own internal struggles it would have made the story more engaging.
I finally put it aside after struggling through the first 120 pages over the course of three days. I still couldn't figure out the point to the story.
Overall I really disliked this book. It was hard to read and pointless. I can't in good conscious recommend this book to any of Rawn's fans; stick with her earlier works.
Cayden Silversun is trying to put together a troupe of players that will rise to the top and eventually end up on the Royal play circuit. He ends up bringing together a group of diverse individuals (both in temperament and race) and starts having some success at creating really awesome plays. Then the group is invited to partake in a contest to see if they can stand up against other troupes.
I don't really even want to spend time writing a review for this book; I was just so disappointed in it. The beginning of the book throws a ton of terms at the reader; each of which is a special part that a member of the troupe needs to perform to make the show a convincing whole. They each use special magical tools that have strange names to do this. I tried to just go with it, but for the first fifty pages or so I had no idea what was going on.
Cayden comes off as a weak character; he is easily swayed and constantly struggling to keep his troupe under control. I found him uninspiring. Some of the other players are equally obnoxious; for example Mieka who is the new member to the troupe is very annoying and likes to drink a lot...but because he is very good at what he does is tolerated by the rest of the troupe. None of the characters jumped out as especially easy to relate to or interesting.
The other big problems are the world and the plot; the characters are a complex mish-mash of different types of Elven heritage, Trolls, and numerous other races that are never very well explained. The plot doesn't have much to drive it which prevents the story from having any urgency. Yes, they want to win this contest...but that is pretty much the only thing driving the plot. Most of the plot deals with the characters internal struggles to balance winning with their own beliefs and principles. So most of the plot is driven by the characters' internal struggle...and I didn't like the characters, so I kind of didn't care about their problems all that much either.
It is an interesting idea for a story and if there had been a little glossary at the front of the book explaining all the foreign terms the whole thing would have been much less painful to read. If the troupe were fighting against some other treachery outside of their own internal struggles it would have made the story more engaging.
I finally put it aside after struggling through the first 120 pages over the course of three days. I still couldn't figure out the point to the story.
Overall I really disliked this book. It was hard to read and pointless. I can't in good conscious recommend this book to any of Rawn's fans; stick with her earlier works.
December 6, 2012
Started off boring and stayed boring for the next thirty pages, at which point I gave up. There was not a single likable character, very little attempt at explaining the workings of this magical theater troupe, and nary a plot in sight. And because Melanie Rawn was my very favorite author once upon a time, and because her first three trilogies changed my life, I prefer to remember her writing as it was rather than spoil it with the way she writes now. Sad, but true.
November 15, 2014
First off, I'm a biased reader. I absolutely love Ms. Rawn's Exiles series and I am hoping for the decade-and-a-half wait for The Captal's Tower to be over with at some point in the forseeable future. That being said...
I don't know that this series will stand up to the test of time. My first impression is one of mild disappointment, because the book is a lot of 'they went here and did this, and went there and did that' but lacks a lot of 'this is how they did it'. I don't know if that makes any sense, but I'm trying...I guess I should say, this feels more like a sketch of a novel than an actual finished product. It has some great scenes, and steady character development, but it still ends feeling incomplete.
I truthfully should give this 3 stars, but I'm holding out hope that the next in the series holds up better under scrutiny or that I get a better impression after re-reading it in a few months.
-- Jon
[EDIT 06/28/2014]
I recently picked up the rest of the series, and went back to this one to refresh my memory. After re-reading, I still have to say it doesn't feel like a complete book, but it's a little more coherent the second time through. Still not on a par with Exiles or the two Dragon trilogies, but a damn sight better than the Spellbinder books.
I'll increase my truth-in-advertising to 3.5 stars.
I don't know that this series will stand up to the test of time. My first impression is one of mild disappointment, because the book is a lot of 'they went here and did this, and went there and did that' but lacks a lot of 'this is how they did it'. I don't know if that makes any sense, but I'm trying...I guess I should say, this feels more like a sketch of a novel than an actual finished product. It has some great scenes, and steady character development, but it still ends feeling incomplete.
I truthfully should give this 3 stars, but I'm holding out hope that the next in the series holds up better under scrutiny or that I get a better impression after re-reading it in a few months.
-- Jon
[EDIT 06/28/2014]
I recently picked up the rest of the series, and went back to this one to refresh my memory. After re-reading, I still have to say it doesn't feel like a complete book, but it's a little more coherent the second time through. Still not on a par with Exiles or the two Dragon trilogies, but a damn sight better than the Spellbinder books.
I'll increase my truth-in-advertising to 3.5 stars.
November 8, 2018
This is a book about relationships - specifically, between Mieka and Cayden - set against a fascinating backdrop.
I loved the worldbuilding. Cayden is in magical theatre - as tregetour, he's sort of a playwright. He is in a group with Rafe (the fettler: a bit like a stagehand) and Jeska (the masquer: sort of like the actor). They're missing a glisker - the person who creates illusions and emotions. We start when they're introduced to Mieka, and to their delight, their magic clicks. They form a group (it's actually a mix between a band group and the theatre group), and move on to the Trials (a competition to be the best group), and then sent travelling together.
Unfortunately, while they like and respect each other, there's still sparks between them - mostly due to Cayden's secret . This secret weighs down on Cayden and create barriers between him and Mieka.
Mieka being addicted to Thorn is hinted at as well. This, coupled with Cayden creates friction.
Unfortunately - and this is why I capped the rating at 3 stars - is that all this tension is never satisfactorily resolved within the book. Sure, Cayden makes incremental steps at trusting Mieka, but the book ends with all these emotional issues left unresolved - even as the plot issues (completing the Trials and the ) end.
I did love the worldbuilding - it's subtle. The differences or the ambit of the roles (masquer, fettler, glisker, and tregetour) are never concretely set out; you read and infer from the text. Magical abilities, too, are never clearly defined - we know that being a glisker requires some Elvenblood because the ability required to glisk is inherited from an Elvish ancestor. Cayden has Wizardblood - but it's not clear what this entails. We know that magic was used in the war, though the memory of its impact remains mixed.
I loved the intermarriage between the races - and the way its integrated into the text is great. We get offhanded text references like how a character looks Elven, but with Human teeth. Or how the ears hint at elven ancestory. There's mention that there are no truebreds left - all purebloods.
I do wish the text was clearer about the world. I was also sufficiently disappointed by the lack of plot resolution that I won't be reading on.
I loved the worldbuilding. Cayden is in magical theatre - as tregetour, he's sort of a playwright. He is in a group with Rafe (the fettler: a bit like a stagehand) and Jeska (the masquer: sort of like the actor). They're missing a glisker - the person who creates illusions and emotions. We start when they're introduced to Mieka, and to their delight, their magic clicks. They form a group (it's actually a mix between a band group and the theatre group), and move on to the Trials (a competition to be the best group), and then sent travelling together.
Unfortunately, while they like and respect each other, there's still sparks between them - mostly due to Cayden's secret . This secret weighs down on Cayden and create barriers between him and Mieka.
Mieka being addicted to Thorn is hinted at as well. This, coupled with Cayden creates friction.
Unfortunately - and this is why I capped the rating at 3 stars - is that all this tension is never satisfactorily resolved within the book. Sure, Cayden makes incremental steps at trusting Mieka, but the book ends with all these emotional issues left unresolved - even as the plot issues (completing the Trials and the ) end.
I did love the worldbuilding - it's subtle. The differences or the ambit of the roles (masquer, fettler, glisker, and tregetour) are never concretely set out; you read and infer from the text. Magical abilities, too, are never clearly defined - we know that being a glisker requires some Elvenblood because the ability required to glisk is inherited from an Elvish ancestor. Cayden has Wizardblood - but it's not clear what this entails. We know that magic was used in the war, though the memory of its impact remains mixed.
I loved the intermarriage between the races - and the way its integrated into the text is great. We get offhanded text references like how a character looks Elven, but with Human teeth. Or how the ears hint at elven ancestory. There's mention that there are no truebreds left - all purebloods.
I do wish the text was clearer about the world. I was also sufficiently disappointed by the lack of plot resolution that I won't be reading on.
August 8, 2012
I'm of two minds with this book, on one hand there is absolutely no conflict and no resolution, but on the other hand I absolutely loved the book and the characters. Truthfully, once I finished the book I couldn't stop thinking about what was going to happen next, and I really just want to go back to the world/characters that Melanie Rawn created. However I think that's almost part of the problem, where since nothing really happened I didn't have any sort of ending to the story (Something that I crave). When it comes down to it though, I think that Rawn almost created a new genre of Fantasy, where it's simply a character drama. There is definitely hints of conflict further down the road, but none of it is really present in the book. I mean they are really good friends with their biggest competition, and later in the book a new band/troupe is introduced but their rivalry is pretty stunted. This book was just a drama that happened to take place in a fantasy world, I still would have liked some sort of conflict resolution, but I love the book for what it is. I am anticipating that this is almost just the set-up book, and the sequel will have a lot more things going on.
As for the world building, the races are Tolkien with some other mythological races thrown in, but the big twist is that they can all interbreed, and especially in their kingdom no one is a pure blood. The story takes place around two generations after a horrible war where Magic was used to horrible effects (some of the worst atrocities committed by Cade's grandmother). The magic here is also very interesting, where all of the different races have various specialties, and in this time of peace it has turned into playacting. This was a very original idea, where one guy writes/alters the stories/dialogue and charges the withies (hollow glass tubes/wands), one guy called uses the withies to paint a holographic scene that is real to all of the senses of the crowd, one guy that controls the release of the magic and its effect on the audience, and one guy to playact all of the scenes. Only men are allowed to participate in the theater, and as possibly a consequence there are (Surprisingly for Melanie Rawn) very few strong female characters (really only one), but all of the main male characters really shine.
Touchstone also features probably the most interesting style of foresight/prophecy/premonition, where the main character has sleeping and waking dreams (else-whens) where he sees the future as it will happen if nothing changes. The interesting thing is that the main character can change these futures, but he never knows if what it's changed to will be better or worse than the original future. So basically, if Cade sees a future he doesn't like he then does something to change it (for example making sure to give their theater troupe a different name to prevent them from breaking up) to fit a possible future he hopes to see. This results in the only ending we get, as it's revealed that what he's changed has resulted in the beginning of a very horrible future.
As for the writing, it has a great flow to it, and I had couldn't stop reading it until I finished the chapter. There is incredible imagery, but she does have the tendency to skip parts of the story to apparently speed it up. There was also something really strange where Rawn is writing in the viewpoint of Cade, but around halfway through the book it randomly switches to his best friend Mieka. I was fine with this, but I found the change a little striking, and actually seeing into the mind of the other character took some of the mystery out of him. The viewpoint also transfers back to Cade again very abruptly in the last few chapters of the book. I'm fine with changing viewpoints, I mean two of my favorite series are the Wheel of Time and A Song of Ice and Fire where the viewpoint changes every chapter, but I've never read a book where the viewpoint changes as it does here.
Overall, I absolutely loved the book, and would definitely recommend it. I am now anxiously awaiting the sequel due out early next year, but hopefully it's a little longer and has a little more conflict.
As for the world building, the races are Tolkien with some other mythological races thrown in, but the big twist is that they can all interbreed, and especially in their kingdom no one is a pure blood. The story takes place around two generations after a horrible war where Magic was used to horrible effects (some of the worst atrocities committed by Cade's grandmother). The magic here is also very interesting, where all of the different races have various specialties, and in this time of peace it has turned into playacting. This was a very original idea, where one guy writes/alters the stories/dialogue and charges the withies (hollow glass tubes/wands), one guy called uses the withies to paint a holographic scene that is real to all of the senses of the crowd, one guy that controls the release of the magic and its effect on the audience, and one guy to playact all of the scenes. Only men are allowed to participate in the theater, and as possibly a consequence there are (Surprisingly for Melanie Rawn) very few strong female characters (really only one), but all of the main male characters really shine.
Touchstone also features probably the most interesting style of foresight/prophecy/premonition, where the main character has sleeping and waking dreams (else-whens) where he sees the future as it will happen if nothing changes. The interesting thing is that the main character can change these futures, but he never knows if what it's changed to will be better or worse than the original future. So basically, if Cade sees a future he doesn't like he then does something to change it (for example making sure to give their theater troupe a different name to prevent them from breaking up) to fit a possible future he hopes to see. This results in the only ending we get, as it's revealed that what he's changed has resulted in the beginning of a very horrible future.
As for the writing, it has a great flow to it, and I had couldn't stop reading it until I finished the chapter. There is incredible imagery, but she does have the tendency to skip parts of the story to apparently speed it up. There was also something really strange where Rawn is writing in the viewpoint of Cade, but around halfway through the book it randomly switches to his best friend Mieka. I was fine with this, but I found the change a little striking, and actually seeing into the mind of the other character took some of the mystery out of him. The viewpoint also transfers back to Cade again very abruptly in the last few chapters of the book. I'm fine with changing viewpoints, I mean two of my favorite series are the Wheel of Time and A Song of Ice and Fire where the viewpoint changes every chapter, but I've never read a book where the viewpoint changes as it does here.
Overall, I absolutely loved the book, and would definitely recommend it. I am now anxiously awaiting the sequel due out early next year, but hopefully it's a little longer and has a little more conflict.
March 25, 2012
This book was the worst one I've read in a long time. The story opens with a giant info dump, it's basically like getting a history lesson of the town/theater culture from a professor who assumes you already know all the info so he doesn't need to be clear about it. From there, the story moves at a snail's pace without anything very interesting or unexpected happening. I can't believe this is the same author who wrote some of my favorite books because this one was painful to read, incredibly slow and the writing was choppy and felt forced. So disappointed.
October 1, 2015
Fantastic book, really makes you want to read more.
December 20, 2021
Cayden Silversun is a tregetour - part magician, part playwright, who infuses his magic into wands that his troupe can then use to perform plays. He's also got Fae ancestry, which gives him a power of foresight - a power he can't control. He has to fight to keep his troupe - Touchstone - together, while also fighting with himself about what futures he can change and what he must leave alone.
This is primarily a story about a group of young men finding sex, drugs and rock'n'roll, and that's a story that has never really touched me. A group of arrogant young men who think they're going to live forever arguing about their art, while bedding a succession of nameless women and getting high. No thanks.
I didn't particularly care for Cade, nor for the other major protagonist, Mieka, the "glisker" of the group, who uses the magic that Cade provides to create the backdrops and effects for the plays. While seventeen or eighteen isn't that young, I mostly just thought of these people as children and their squabbles as they fight for a place on their nation's theatrical grand tour, as profoundly boring.
The other two members of Touchstone, Jeska and Rafe get very little in the way of character development: the former is poor, good looking and sleeps with as many women as he can; the latter has a childhood sweetheart that he's determined to marry when they make enough money on the tour. I imagine that they will get more development later in the series, but for the moment, they're just rough sketches.
The central idea of Cade's prophetic visions and his internal turmoil on whether he should tell the people involved has the potential to be interesting, but he just sticks to this idea that people have the right not to be affected by him, even when it's obviously bad for them, and I've got little time for that these days.
The book spends the first half or so with Cade as the PoV character, and then suddenly switches to Mieka. I'm not sure if this was to let us see how frustrating that Cade could be without the benefit of being in his head to get his point of view, or if the author just didn't want to spend time there, but it was an odd shift. And then it shifts back to Cade just before the end of the book, again without explanation.
The book ends on a cliffhanger, but I don't care enough about these characters to find out how it's resolved. I'm afraid that I'll not be following Touchstone's future career with any interest.
This is primarily a story about a group of young men finding sex, drugs and rock'n'roll, and that's a story that has never really touched me. A group of arrogant young men who think they're going to live forever arguing about their art, while bedding a succession of nameless women and getting high. No thanks.
I didn't particularly care for Cade, nor for the other major protagonist, Mieka, the "glisker" of the group, who uses the magic that Cade provides to create the backdrops and effects for the plays. While seventeen or eighteen isn't that young, I mostly just thought of these people as children and their squabbles as they fight for a place on their nation's theatrical grand tour, as profoundly boring.
The other two members of Touchstone, Jeska and Rafe get very little in the way of character development: the former is poor, good looking and sleeps with as many women as he can; the latter has a childhood sweetheart that he's determined to marry when they make enough money on the tour. I imagine that they will get more development later in the series, but for the moment, they're just rough sketches.
The central idea of Cade's prophetic visions and his internal turmoil on whether he should tell the people involved has the potential to be interesting, but he just sticks to this idea that people have the right not to be affected by him, even when it's obviously bad for them, and I've got little time for that these days.
The book spends the first half or so with Cade as the PoV character, and then suddenly switches to Mieka. I'm not sure if this was to let us see how frustrating that Cade could be without the benefit of being in his head to get his point of view, or if the author just didn't want to spend time there, but it was an odd shift. And then it shifts back to Cade just before the end of the book, again without explanation.
The book ends on a cliffhanger, but I don't care enough about these characters to find out how it's resolved. I'm afraid that I'll not be following Touchstone's future career with any interest.
April 12, 2017
What a bizarre book to try to review.
On the one hand, it was... off. Something was just /off./ The worldbuilding is so intense but so many things are never explained, even obliquely. For example, what /exactly/ is the difference between a glisker and a fettler? What is different from the magic that a tregetour has for enchanting the withies, and the magic that a glisker has? The masquer position is definitely the easiest to understand, but how does the magic for a masquer's persona change work exactly? I want to KNOW these things, not just have vague ideas I suss out from little throwaway lines. Along those lines, I'm not totally sure how the Trials and the Circuits work - that could just be because I'm not familiar with sports, because it sounds a lot how some sports (seem to) work. What are the differences between, say, Trolls and Goblins? Between Fae and Pikseys and Elfkind? Between Wizards and Humans? WHY did I have to learn that "Gallybanks" is the colloquialism for Gallantrybanks, the capital, by reading the index at the back of the books?
These are all valid issues.
HOWEVER.
I FREAKING LOVED THIS, even at the same time that I was frustrated and bewildered!
This is a book that just feels FULL UP with forethought and careful setting-up. Nothing is explained outright because nothing in our "real world" would be explained. Info-dumps so common in fantasy novels like this are few and far between. It's immersive, it leaves you floundering to put yourself in this brand new place with brand new rules, and I LOVED IT.
The characters are fun - mostly stock, but with some interesting spins on old classics. Cade and Mieka are obviously the standouts, though I really loved Blye and Rafe, too. (Jeska's just... too promiscuous, or, if not too promiscuous, promiscuity is his only character trait, and it got exhausting.) I love the Cade/Mieka relationship though, judging by reviews of the later Glass Thorn books, it looks like I'm in for the longest slow-burn relationship of all time.
The ins and outs of the theatre are fascinating. I want to attend one of these playlets. I also want Cade to start writing his own drama, dangit.
I'm fascinated by all the plotlines that are running through this story. None of them are "oh no, the world's in danger, Cade is seeing visions of apocalypse!" It's "oh no, Cade is seeing visions of his friends in terrible situations!" It's a much more intimate story, and though I know it'll probably ramp up in the later books, I really enjoy this focused, friendship-based angst. It's good stuff.
I wasn't really expecting magical drug abuse; the fact that the entire series is named after the method for injecting people with magical drugs makes me a little wary. I don't know how Rawn will continue to deal with it, so fingers crossed for a good resolution, but... yeah. We'll see.
This book was slow and tedious and sometimes the characters had reactions, did things, said things that just came out of nowhere and were then resolved too quickly. Was I skeptical? Yes. Do I remain skeptical? Yes. Did I enjoy this story? YES. Am I going to get the next book from the library? YES I'M GETTING ALL OF THEM. I NEED TO KNOW MIEKA'S GOING TO BE OKAY.
On the one hand, it was... off. Something was just /off./ The worldbuilding is so intense but so many things are never explained, even obliquely. For example, what /exactly/ is the difference between a glisker and a fettler? What is different from the magic that a tregetour has for enchanting the withies, and the magic that a glisker has? The masquer position is definitely the easiest to understand, but how does the magic for a masquer's persona change work exactly? I want to KNOW these things, not just have vague ideas I suss out from little throwaway lines. Along those lines, I'm not totally sure how the Trials and the Circuits work - that could just be because I'm not familiar with sports, because it sounds a lot how some sports (seem to) work. What are the differences between, say, Trolls and Goblins? Between Fae and Pikseys and Elfkind? Between Wizards and Humans? WHY did I have to learn that "Gallybanks" is the colloquialism for Gallantrybanks, the capital, by reading the index at the back of the books?
These are all valid issues.
HOWEVER.
I FREAKING LOVED THIS, even at the same time that I was frustrated and bewildered!
This is a book that just feels FULL UP with forethought and careful setting-up. Nothing is explained outright because nothing in our "real world" would be explained. Info-dumps so common in fantasy novels like this are few and far between. It's immersive, it leaves you floundering to put yourself in this brand new place with brand new rules, and I LOVED IT.
The characters are fun - mostly stock, but with some interesting spins on old classics. Cade and Mieka are obviously the standouts, though I really loved Blye and Rafe, too. (Jeska's just... too promiscuous, or, if not too promiscuous, promiscuity is his only character trait, and it got exhausting.) I love the Cade/Mieka relationship though, judging by reviews of the later Glass Thorn books, it looks like I'm in for the longest slow-burn relationship of all time.
The ins and outs of the theatre are fascinating. I want to attend one of these playlets. I also want Cade to start writing his own drama, dangit.
I'm fascinated by all the plotlines that are running through this story. None of them are "oh no, the world's in danger, Cade is seeing visions of apocalypse!" It's "oh no, Cade is seeing visions of his friends in terrible situations!" It's a much more intimate story, and though I know it'll probably ramp up in the later books, I really enjoy this focused, friendship-based angst. It's good stuff.
I wasn't really expecting magical drug abuse; the fact that the entire series is named after the method for injecting people with magical drugs makes me a little wary. I don't know how Rawn will continue to deal with it, so fingers crossed for a good resolution, but... yeah. We'll see.
This book was slow and tedious and sometimes the characters had reactions, did things, said things that just came out of nowhere and were then resolved too quickly. Was I skeptical? Yes. Do I remain skeptical? Yes. Did I enjoy this story? YES. Am I going to get the next book from the library? YES I'M GETTING ALL OF THEM. I NEED TO KNOW MIEKA'S GOING TO BE OKAY.
November 1, 2013
Cayden has enough wizarding power to do anything he wants in life, but his only love is the theater. After his troupe finally finds the perfect fourth member of their group--the rambunctious Meika, who is as sweet as he is wild--they're finally ready to take on the world. Despite rivalries, intra-group conflicts, and drug problems, they rapidly gain renown as innovators and artists. But Cayden has one more gift that he keeps secret: he dreams possible futures. Some he is able to avert, others he makes come true, but he's never sure what choice will lead to which future. And after dreaming night after night of Meika caught in a magically abusive relationship, Cayden is torn about interfering, which may just make things worse.
I quite liked this alternate world, which is a bit like Renaissance Europe. Women aren't allowed to hold memberships in some guilds, or attend the theater, which provides some of the tension in the first half of the book. But unlike our world, everyone in this country has some mix of magical blood and magic is used in the day to day. Wizarding magic was used just a few generations ago in a cataclysmic war, and the repercussions of that can be seen throughout society, from the restrictions on Cayden's magic to the innkeeper who won't serve elf-blooded Meika.
The story lacks a real plot; minor struggles come and go, but there's no big triumph or climax. This book seems to be setting up future plots: the bloodthirsty princess, the power-hungry Archduke, greater freedom for women, and the seductress enslaving Meika. I wish Rawn had spent less time summarizing everyone's genealogical backgrounds and the various villages the troupe performs in, and had used at least one of these plots in this book. And two, I wish Cayden's decision to I have no patience for plots created because characters refuse to talk to each other.
Nevertheless, I intend to read the next book, not least because I hope Cayden and Meika get together.
I quite liked this alternate world, which is a bit like Renaissance Europe. Women aren't allowed to hold memberships in some guilds, or attend the theater, which provides some of the tension in the first half of the book. But unlike our world, everyone in this country has some mix of magical blood and magic is used in the day to day. Wizarding magic was used just a few generations ago in a cataclysmic war, and the repercussions of that can be seen throughout society, from the restrictions on Cayden's magic to the innkeeper who won't serve elf-blooded Meika.
The story lacks a real plot; minor struggles come and go, but there's no big triumph or climax. This book seems to be setting up future plots: the bloodthirsty princess, the power-hungry Archduke, greater freedom for women, and the seductress enslaving Meika. I wish Rawn had spent less time summarizing everyone's genealogical backgrounds and the various villages the troupe performs in, and had used at least one of these plots in this book. And two, I wish Cayden's decision to I have no patience for plots created because characters refuse to talk to each other.
Nevertheless, I intend to read the next book, not least because I hope Cayden and Meika get together.
February 10, 2013
Rawn drops her reader into a world, not explaining how things work in it. Sometimes when authors do this it's a bit unsettling, especially if there are many new concepts for the reader to learn and Rawn has created quite a few. That being said, the world and it's inhabitants are fascinating. One of the things I love about the book is that it's a fantasy and the characters don't have to try to save the world; they aren't heroes, they're theater performers. I also love that her characters act like real people, other than the fact that the actually wield magic; their relationships, their friendships work as they do in the real world. Sometimes you want to throttle someone you really like because they act like they have no common sense, and that's how Rawn's behave.
February 25, 2012
This book was the subject of my first ever "Fifty Page Fridays" post on Far Beyond Reality.
July 14, 2022
GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY
i really can’t explain why i like this book so much. the main characters are interesting but not overly so, most of them don’t really develop throughout the book. there’s no overarching conflict or resolution and the ending is foreboding.
i love how the magic system isn’t super technical. i love the implications of magical theater—so cool, why hasn’t anyone done it before? i can relate to the constant obsession over everything that cade has. i think meika is an interesting character. i like the magical races and what mixing them means for people. it’s a nice little fantasy book with mostly relational and interpersonal conflict. relatively low stakes.
it’s not earth shattering fantasy, and i probably wouldn’t recommend it to anyone as a touchstone (see what i did there?) of the fantasy genre. but i really like it.
i think probably 4.5 stars would be more accurate.
i really can’t explain why i like this book so much. the main characters are interesting but not overly so, most of them don’t really develop throughout the book. there’s no overarching conflict or resolution and the ending is foreboding.
i love how the magic system isn’t super technical. i love the implications of magical theater—so cool, why hasn’t anyone done it before? i can relate to the constant obsession over everything that cade has. i think meika is an interesting character. i like the magical races and what mixing them means for people. it’s a nice little fantasy book with mostly relational and interpersonal conflict. relatively low stakes.
it’s not earth shattering fantasy, and i probably wouldn’t recommend it to anyone as a touchstone (see what i did there?) of the fantasy genre. but i really like it.
i think probably 4.5 stars would be more accurate.
January 31, 2018
A clear reminder of the difference between young adult fantasy and FANTASY. The plot moves forward but is deeply involved in the type of life ambiguity that drives all people. The group of actors- creating amazing scenes by working together to shape and store magic- search for their path to greatness while haunted by Callent's "elsewhen" dreams. His visions may or may not show the future but their haunting clarity and the terrible fates that he sees for his bandmates lead in ever twisting paths where the prize of stardom might be their demise. I wish there were more female characters involved as always. The magical system is well realized, the setting is inviting without being derivative, and the somewhat slow pace invited you to sink into the characters rather than speed from plot point to plot point.
April 12, 2012
REVIEW PART ONE: LANGUAGE AND STYLE
Rawn (who has been around for quite a while, yes I know) writes beautifully. I have no complaints at all about that aspect of the book.
REVIEW PART TWO: CHARACTERS & CHARACTERIZATION
The characters here are lively, interesting - and rather dramatic, as befits a group of traveling players. Even the two players that are obvious "types" are well-drawn enough to not detract from things. The secondary characters also show some economizing in places (the Prince who's a notorious rake, the eccentric family, etc.), but again the story skims along fast and brightly enough that it's barely noticeable. Especially since the POV sticks closely with two of the players.
REVIEW PART THREE: WORLDBUILDING
The story is set in a country that has a wildly mixed population - people have ancestry that can include any of Human, Troll, Elf, Fae, and several others. There is a monarchy. There was a generation-ago civil war and residual related hostilities. Information about all of this is provided in clumps, not all of them wonderfully paced, but it's never easy to work that kind of material into a narrative. Also, the characters are refreshingly aware of how unfair the laws and customs of their society are toward women ... perhaps because they particularly disadvantage a friend of theirs, but still. They even talk about it and at one point the main protagonist makes a public complaint. Nice.
REVIEW PART FOUR: PLOT, PACING, RELATED ISSUES
And here's where it all falls apart for me. The beginning was baffling, because it took me far too many pages to figure out that the POV character was in this tavern because his little troupe was performing there. But that's not the main thing, and I forgave the book almost immediately because of the quality of the writing.
No, the main thing is that the narrative follows the troupe through its triumphal competition debut and subsequent tour. There are character developments. There are hints, and then outright warnings, that someone is going to appear who will mess things up badly for one of the characters. Toward the end of the book, it's clear that the villain has appeared - somewhere in the background.
And the climax? The final, concluding moment, the payoff, the crashing chord that ties everything together at the end?
The POV character decides to Do Something About The Villain.
IN THE NEXT BOOK.
Yes, it's a Volume 1 in which lots of incidents and business occur - and some great character development and worldbuilding stuff, truly - but apparently what the plot was REALLY about was this guy screwing himself up to dare to try meddling with things.
For this conclusionless conclusion, I put off various bits of work I needed to do and gave myself a headache?!? Insert swear words here.
This book goes back to the public library, and I doubt I'll bother with Volume 2. Grrr.
Rawn (who has been around for quite a while, yes I know) writes beautifully. I have no complaints at all about that aspect of the book.
REVIEW PART TWO: CHARACTERS & CHARACTERIZATION
The characters here are lively, interesting - and rather dramatic, as befits a group of traveling players. Even the two players that are obvious "types" are well-drawn enough to not detract from things. The secondary characters also show some economizing in places (the Prince who's a notorious rake, the eccentric family, etc.), but again the story skims along fast and brightly enough that it's barely noticeable. Especially since the POV sticks closely with two of the players.
REVIEW PART THREE: WORLDBUILDING
The story is set in a country that has a wildly mixed population - people have ancestry that can include any of Human, Troll, Elf, Fae, and several others. There is a monarchy. There was a generation-ago civil war and residual related hostilities. Information about all of this is provided in clumps, not all of them wonderfully paced, but it's never easy to work that kind of material into a narrative. Also, the characters are refreshingly aware of how unfair the laws and customs of their society are toward women ... perhaps because they particularly disadvantage a friend of theirs, but still. They even talk about it and at one point the main protagonist makes a public complaint. Nice.
REVIEW PART FOUR: PLOT, PACING, RELATED ISSUES
And here's where it all falls apart for me. The beginning was baffling, because it took me far too many pages to figure out that the POV character was in this tavern because his little troupe was performing there. But that's not the main thing, and I forgave the book almost immediately because of the quality of the writing.
No, the main thing is that the narrative follows the troupe through its triumphal competition debut and subsequent tour. There are character developments. There are hints, and then outright warnings, that someone is going to appear who will mess things up badly for one of the characters. Toward the end of the book, it's clear that the villain has appeared - somewhere in the background.
And the climax? The final, concluding moment, the payoff, the crashing chord that ties everything together at the end?
The POV character decides to Do Something About The Villain.
IN THE NEXT BOOK.
Yes, it's a Volume 1 in which lots of incidents and business occur - and some great character development and worldbuilding stuff, truly - but apparently what the plot was REALLY about was this guy screwing himself up to dare to try meddling with things.
For this conclusionless conclusion, I put off various bits of work I needed to do and gave myself a headache?!? Insert swear words here.
This book goes back to the public library, and I doubt I'll bother with Volume 2. Grrr.
August 15, 2014
I have to be upfront, from 50% to the end I simply skimmed to the end.
It's tough when you fall out of love with an author you have loved for so many years. Melanie Rawn was one of my heroes of the 90s. Her books had everything that I love about fantasy: political intrigue, interesting magic systems, cool world-building and a variety of interesting characters. I highly recommend the Dragon Prince and Dragon Star trilogies. And ugh, the quality of her Exiles books. She only wrote two books and then gave up on writing for a long time, and people who read them still mourn that she didn't continue.
I was so excited when she went back to writing. I just didn't expect...this.
Touchstone is the first book of her Glass Thorn series and has no world-building, characters that I don't give a damn about and feel like I never get to know them, maybe an interesting magic system, but I don't really know and...was there a plot? If so, I might have missed it.
Touchstone is a troupe of players who use magic to create plays. The four people in the troupe all have job descriptions like fettler, glisker, tregedour or something, and you never get any explanation whatsoever what they do. Cayden seems to be the main character, and for all that I know, he and the elfish glisker Mieka are in love. Cayden has prophetic dreams, and they involve some lady keen on Mieka and that's terrible, and that's pretty much everything that happens in this book.
There's also some kind of contest, and I am sure if there had been any exposition in this book at all I might even have cared about it.
The writing shows hints of former loveliness, but you know, I miss it when you held your breath during a Rawn book because there would inevitably be a moment of pandemonium that totally shook up the plot. There was a plot! How I miss these days.
I am not sure if I will be strong enough to pick up The Captal's Tower when it comes out if this is Melanie Rawn today. I mourn now.
It's tough when you fall out of love with an author you have loved for so many years. Melanie Rawn was one of my heroes of the 90s. Her books had everything that I love about fantasy: political intrigue, interesting magic systems, cool world-building and a variety of interesting characters. I highly recommend the Dragon Prince and Dragon Star trilogies. And ugh, the quality of her Exiles books. She only wrote two books and then gave up on writing for a long time, and people who read them still mourn that she didn't continue.
I was so excited when she went back to writing. I just didn't expect...this.
Touchstone is the first book of her Glass Thorn series and has no world-building, characters that I don't give a damn about and feel like I never get to know them, maybe an interesting magic system, but I don't really know and...was there a plot? If so, I might have missed it.
Touchstone is a troupe of players who use magic to create plays. The four people in the troupe all have job descriptions like fettler, glisker, tregedour or something, and you never get any explanation whatsoever what they do. Cayden seems to be the main character, and for all that I know, he and the elfish glisker Mieka are in love. Cayden has prophetic dreams, and they involve some lady keen on Mieka and that's terrible, and that's pretty much everything that happens in this book.
There's also some kind of contest, and I am sure if there had been any exposition in this book at all I might even have cared about it.
The writing shows hints of former loveliness, but you know, I miss it when you held your breath during a Rawn book because there would inevitably be a moment of pandemonium that totally shook up the plot. There was a plot! How I miss these days.
I am not sure if I will be strong enough to pick up The Captal's Tower when it comes out if this is Melanie Rawn today. I mourn now.
March 12, 2012
'Touchstone' is a book with a lot of potential. A rich and inventive world, a cast of interesting and well-drawn characters, an original concept to weave magic into the words...the only missing ingredient is a crucial one. 'Touchstone' is a novel missing a story.
In 'Touchstone,' Melanie Rawn crafts a world where magic is used for entertainment, where four men combine their talents to create works of wonder for their audience. Women are not allowed to participate or even watch the performances, an issue which will likely come up in the future, though it does little in this book. The four men take on the roles of tregetour (writer and director), fettler (who controls the flow of magic during the performance), masquer (who acts all the parts) and glisker (who uses the tregetour's magic to craft the live show). It's a complex, original idea at play here, and Rawn works it into her world well, with hints of history sprinkled throughout.
As the book opens, magician Cayden Silversun (Cade for short) is looking for a new glisker for his troupe, and lucks into finding one in the form of the flamboyant elf Mieka. They quickly form a bond and create a reputation for impressive talent, and soon they are a star on the rise. It's a fun, if predictable, tale, propelled by Rawn's talent for building bustling worlds and compelling characters that are easy on the imagination.
And there are hints of a story to come. Portents of a dark future from Cade's prognosticating dreams, hints of drug abuse and more with careless Mieka, suggestions of a troubled past that may well come calling again. There's potential for a great story here, but so far it is mostly potential, mostly not realized.
Shakespeare said, " All the world's a stage, the people merely players." In 'Touchstone' we have the stage set and the players at the ready, in search of the story they are to tell.
In 'Touchstone,' Melanie Rawn crafts a world where magic is used for entertainment, where four men combine their talents to create works of wonder for their audience. Women are not allowed to participate or even watch the performances, an issue which will likely come up in the future, though it does little in this book. The four men take on the roles of tregetour (writer and director), fettler (who controls the flow of magic during the performance), masquer (who acts all the parts) and glisker (who uses the tregetour's magic to craft the live show). It's a complex, original idea at play here, and Rawn works it into her world well, with hints of history sprinkled throughout.
As the book opens, magician Cayden Silversun (Cade for short) is looking for a new glisker for his troupe, and lucks into finding one in the form of the flamboyant elf Mieka. They quickly form a bond and create a reputation for impressive talent, and soon they are a star on the rise. It's a fun, if predictable, tale, propelled by Rawn's talent for building bustling worlds and compelling characters that are easy on the imagination.
And there are hints of a story to come. Portents of a dark future from Cade's prognosticating dreams, hints of drug abuse and more with careless Mieka, suggestions of a troubled past that may well come calling again. There's potential for a great story here, but so far it is mostly potential, mostly not realized.
Shakespeare said, " All the world's a stage, the people merely players." In 'Touchstone' we have the stage set and the players at the ready, in search of the story they are to tell.
April 12, 2018
...despite the enjoyable aspects of this novel, there are some parts of it that do not sit well with me at all: specifically, certain aspects of the worldbuilding. While the concept and the characters are a great joy to read about, the world itself does not do it any favours. The pseudo-European setting, as well as the mind-boggling number of fantasy races, some of which do not make a lot of sense (how can a Wizard be considered a separate race entirely from Human?), are not particularly interesting, and add very little to the story beyond explaining why certain characters are good at certain things and bad at others.
I am also not entirely pleased with the near-absence of any strong plot in this novel. To be sure, there are very strong hints of what the next book might be about, but that’s for the next book, not this one. While the travels and travails of Cade and the rest of Touchstone make for pleasant-enough reading, it does not have sufficient heft to carry a book on its own. A part of me thinks that this book could have been half as long and still been fun to read; if it were not for my interest in the characters, I think I might have set this aside halfway through and not given it a second though.
Full review here: https://wp.me/p21txV-Fr
September 9, 2013
I love Melanie Rawn's works - always have. She was one of the first female fantasy writers I found, and she hooked me in with word one. I thought I had read everything of hers, so I was VERY happily surprised to stumble upon the Touchstone series. I ordered it, and eagerly started reading it the second it arrived.
Unfortunately, I found myself disappointed by book's end. Don't get me wrong - it was very well written, and the idea of the various races intermingling blood lines with no two people having the same primary lineage / make up is incredibly intriguing. The problem I had with this novel is that I was never sure which "problem" I was supposed to be worrying about solving. Was it Cade and his struggle with his Elsewhens? Cade and his almost but not quite romantic relationship with Mieka? Was I supposed to be trying to figure out who was attempting to sabotage Blye's glassworks? Or was it Touchstone's struggle through the Winter circuit? Or just maybe I was supposed to be stressing about the political angst and shenanigans going on behind the scenes. I have read more than plenty of books with multiple story arcs, and have had no difficulties in getting drawn in and worrying along with the multiple characters; here, though, there was never enough oomph in the story to help guide me along - and so I found myself skimming on top of the action, rather than diving in as I normally do.
There is already a second book out (Elsewhen); rather than rushing out to add it to my collection, I have simply marked it as part of my Wish List, and will get to it when the other new volume selection is slow.
Unfortunately, I found myself disappointed by book's end. Don't get me wrong - it was very well written, and the idea of the various races intermingling blood lines with no two people having the same primary lineage / make up is incredibly intriguing. The problem I had with this novel is that I was never sure which "problem" I was supposed to be worrying about solving. Was it Cade and his struggle with his Elsewhens? Cade and his almost but not quite romantic relationship with Mieka? Was I supposed to be trying to figure out who was attempting to sabotage Blye's glassworks? Or was it Touchstone's struggle through the Winter circuit? Or just maybe I was supposed to be stressing about the political angst and shenanigans going on behind the scenes. I have read more than plenty of books with multiple story arcs, and have had no difficulties in getting drawn in and worrying along with the multiple characters; here, though, there was never enough oomph in the story to help guide me along - and so I found myself skimming on top of the action, rather than diving in as I normally do.
There is already a second book out (Elsewhen); rather than rushing out to add it to my collection, I have simply marked it as part of my Wish List, and will get to it when the other new volume selection is slow.
December 12, 2013
Touchstone tells the story of the traveling theater-ish group of the same name. They get together and go through some trials but mostly successes. The main action is between group founder Cayden and group newbie Meika. Cayden likes order and Meika is crazy, but Meika's talent is the one thing really taking Touchstone to the next level. Cayden can also see the future so he's constantly trying to change the things he sees in his dreams.
If that synopsis seems confusing it's because the novel is confusing. When I call what they do theater it's the closest equivalent I can come up with. The learning curve on Touchstone is really steep. For the first third of the book I was lost. When I finally got the concept the magical set up was interesting. The sad thing is that there is no real pay off after learning the system. The novel turns out to be a docu-drama about the group. It's a bit like reading a book about the early days of the Beatles. By the end there was still no real bad guy or plot set up. Fine for most novels but not for traditional fantasy.
I can't really explain why, but Touchstone feels dated. The writing style is reminiscent of the fantasy written in the 90s. Considering that I think things have changed for the better it didn't help me to like the book.
If that synopsis seems confusing it's because the novel is confusing. When I call what they do theater it's the closest equivalent I can come up with. The learning curve on Touchstone is really steep. For the first third of the book I was lost. When I finally got the concept the magical set up was interesting. The sad thing is that there is no real pay off after learning the system. The novel turns out to be a docu-drama about the group. It's a bit like reading a book about the early days of the Beatles. By the end there was still no real bad guy or plot set up. Fine for most novels but not for traditional fantasy.
I can't really explain why, but Touchstone feels dated. The writing style is reminiscent of the fantasy written in the 90s. Considering that I think things have changed for the better it didn't help me to like the book.
May 31, 2012
I received an advanced copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway. I did not want this book to end. I'm way overdue on this review because I was delaying getting to the end of it! Anyway, here's what I loved about it. "Touchstone" centers around a group of young men with magical abilities, in a completely original setting and storyline. It was really refreshing to read a new take on magic and how Elves, Wizards, and other races thrown in the mix, use it. These guys perform plays using their magic to create atmosphere, multiple characters played by one person, affect the audience's emotions, and sometimes expand beyond the boundaries of the stage. That's a really simplified version of the premise of this story. The rest of the details surround their careers and adventures along the way, including the very personal histories of what it means to them to be part of this entertainment industry. Melanie Rawn has set up a lot of details on which she can build future stories, so I sincerely hope there is more in the works for this unique world and these characters. Highly recommend checking this one out if you enjoy fantasy!
March 30, 2013
Most Fantasy today is either Urban Fantasy with Elves, Trolls and other assorted monsters traipsing through the modern day world; or High Fantasy wherby Kingdoms are threatened by evildoers of many stripes or other rival kingdoms in mutiple volume series of varying complexity.
Touchstone is a different thing entirely- an old school fantasy whereby the antagonists are not world threatening conundrums but rather our own failings doubts and weaknesses.
Touchstone deals with an artistic theater troupe that uses magic to sculpt and create their performances. The group's struggles to come together and take the world by storm and then deal with the consequences of said fame are marvelously played out here. This is my first Melanie Rawn book and she is a master of making plot and story based solely in the characters. Despite having any largely wrought antagonists, the story flows naturally like a mighty river and you become easily enmeshed in the characters lives. A wonderful book and I cannot wait to get my hands on Book Two.
* A small somewhat anal retentive note: the series is not known as Touchstone only the book. The true title of the series is the Glass Thorns.
Touchstone is a different thing entirely- an old school fantasy whereby the antagonists are not world threatening conundrums but rather our own failings doubts and weaknesses.
Touchstone deals with an artistic theater troupe that uses magic to sculpt and create their performances. The group's struggles to come together and take the world by storm and then deal with the consequences of said fame are marvelously played out here. This is my first Melanie Rawn book and she is a master of making plot and story based solely in the characters. Despite having any largely wrought antagonists, the story flows naturally like a mighty river and you become easily enmeshed in the characters lives. A wonderful book and I cannot wait to get my hands on Book Two.
* A small somewhat anal retentive note: the series is not known as Touchstone only the book. The true title of the series is the Glass Thorns.
May 22, 2014
Touchstone is a behind the scenes look at theatrical production powered not by animation but magic. Touchstone is a theatre group struggling for success and identity.
Ms. Rawn has done a masterful job in presenting an eclectic cast of characters. She provides insights to their personalities and how they became the people they are. Allusions to societal ills such as discrimination, poverty, perversion are made without being done with a heavy hand.
Blye is a perfect illustration of the "glass" ceiling facing even contemporary women. The author does a good job drawing parallels with real life in spite of the fantasy format.
This is the first book in a trilogy, I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
I recommend the book.
Ms. Rawn has done a masterful job in presenting an eclectic cast of characters. She provides insights to their personalities and how they became the people they are. Allusions to societal ills such as discrimination, poverty, perversion are made without being done with a heavy hand.
Blye is a perfect illustration of the "glass" ceiling facing even contemporary women. The author does a good job drawing parallels with real life in spite of the fantasy format.
This is the first book in a trilogy, I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
I recommend the book.
July 18, 2017
Touchstone is not at all what you expect when you pick up a fantasy novel. There are no farm boys who turn out to be long lost heirs to the throne or evil sorcerers trying to take over the world. The world building is excellent, and exactly what you would expect of a fantasy novel but with a plot that would be more at home in a fiction novel.
I think some of the mixed reviews for this book come from confused expectations. This book is nothing like the others written by Melanie Rawn, and if farm boys and kingdoms in conflict are your cup of tea, well this book may not be. If you are looking for an interesting story that is well written and different from the rest then Touchstone might be right up your alley.
I think some of the mixed reviews for this book come from confused expectations. This book is nothing like the others written by Melanie Rawn, and if farm boys and kingdoms in conflict are your cup of tea, well this book may not be. If you are looking for an interesting story that is well written and different from the rest then Touchstone might be right up your alley.
September 29, 2014
A tale about a magical theater troupe sounded so good I couldn't pass it up.
The story starts with friends Cayden, Rafcadion and Jeschenar holding tryouts for the all important fourth member who will fit into their troupe. The extremely self confindent Mieka joins them and with him their dreams of becoming the best could possibly be fulfulled. Cayden leads the troupe as their storyteller/writer and through his dreams of the future tries to keep his friends safe.
I really loved this story. It was fun and engaging with great characters that I want to know more about. I look forward to the next book.
The story starts with friends Cayden, Rafcadion and Jeschenar holding tryouts for the all important fourth member who will fit into their troupe. The extremely self confindent Mieka joins them and with him their dreams of becoming the best could possibly be fulfulled. Cayden leads the troupe as their storyteller/writer and through his dreams of the future tries to keep his friends safe.
I really loved this story. It was fun and engaging with great characters that I want to know more about. I look forward to the next book.
June 2, 2013
Wonderful, amazingly intricate word images glisten on the digital page. I find Cade's character to be as deeply complex as the intricacies that delighted me in The Star Scroll.. much like Rohan & his bride.
Please, give this book a chance. Convince the publisher to take this series & run with it right to the bank. Her last series was killed by the publishing house due to lackluster sales.. as if any books for adults could compete with the sales of Harry Potter & Twilight during the worst economy since the Great Depression..
I can not wait to get to deeper clarity with the supporting cast in the books to come. Brava milady brava!!
Please, give this book a chance. Convince the publisher to take this series & run with it right to the bank. Her last series was killed by the publishing house due to lackluster sales.. as if any books for adults could compete with the sales of Harry Potter & Twilight during the worst economy since the Great Depression..
I can not wait to get to deeper clarity with the supporting cast in the books to come. Brava milady brava!!
August 4, 2012
Touchstone tells the story of a rock band theater troupe in an Elizabethan era-type fantasy world. And like a rock band's story, we get to see the rise and crash & burn. I kept hearing "That Thing You Do" in my head while I was reading this. When Touchstone gets a new drummer, I mean glisker, real magic starts. If you've read any books or seen any movies about rock bands, you know what to expect -- sex, drugs, personality conflicts/creative differences.
Touchstone stands out from the usual fantasy book because of its rock band parallel, but also because the people are a mix of fantasy races. This book was heading for 4 stars until the end, which I saw coming (hello, Yoko!).
Touchstone stands out from the usual fantasy book because of its rock band parallel, but also because the people are a mix of fantasy races. This book was heading for 4 stars until the end, which I saw coming (hello, Yoko!).
June 26, 2013
An unusual tale about theatre and acting, except the players use magic to create the scenes and the setting and the smells and disguising the one actor as different characters. The book is so well written with astounding descriptions and one of the best fantasy books I have ever read.
It paints a picture of a long ago world, where the characters face the struggles of being a woman and not allowed to own her own business entirely, where you're the son of a lady and expected to grow up to become an important member of the court but having a dream to be a player, and having no support from family. Painting this situations with a realness and emotion you can feel through the words.
It paints a picture of a long ago world, where the characters face the struggles of being a woman and not allowed to own her own business entirely, where you're the son of a lady and expected to grow up to become an important member of the court but having a dream to be a player, and having no support from family. Painting this situations with a realness and emotion you can feel through the words.
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