Circle of the Moon

Sisters of the Raven #2

by Barbara Hambly

Faced with an attempt by the land chiefs to oust the King, and with the efforts of her own family to re-enslave her, Raeshaldis must play a deadly guessing-game while an even more terrible threat awaits.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction Fantasy, Sci Fi Fantasy, Feminism

544 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 22, 2005

About the author

aka Barbara Hamilton

Ranging from fantasy to historical fiction, Barbara Hambly has a masterful way of spinning a story. Her twisty plots involve memorable characters, lavish descriptions, scads of novel words, and interesting devices. Her work spans the Star Wars universe, antebellum New Orleans, and various fantasy worlds, sometimes linked with our own.


"I always wanted to be a writer but everyone kept telling me it was impossible to break into the field or make money. I've proven them wrong on both counts."
-Barbara Hambly

Reviews

[Erin (PT) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is based on my latest re-read, but this is a book I've read several times before (though not in a few years) and Hambly is one of my most favorite authors. So salt accordingly.

In my younger days, I mainly clustered tightly around a small ring of trusted authors, devouring new books as they came out (not nearly fast enough) and re-reading old, beloved books in the between-time. For whatever reason, these days, I've spread my reach much further and try legions more new (to me) authors than I ever have in the past...but I'm still the same picky reader I've always been, and so I read a lot more books by 'other' authors, I don't enjoy the majority of them.

Re-reading Hambly is like a long, hot, relaxing bath after an interminable, stressful day.

I love her characters, the slow, methodical but rich way she constructs her plots, the functional yet descriptively beautiful prose. As with the previous volume, I'm not totally sanguine about how Hambly posits an Asian pastiche culture but populates it with pretty much all Caucasian (presenting) MCs, but it doesn't bother me enough to interfere with my enjoyment.

I was surprised at how unfinished the story felt on this most recent reading, though. Not because Hambly doesn't bring the interior mysteries of the story to a full and satisfying close--she does--but because the larger story arcs: the change in the nature of magic, the drought in the lakelands, the monsters and creatures no longer restrained by dying or dead spells, the issue of the teyn, are still so open-ended and unresolved. I don't need a story to wrap every plot line in a neat bow, but I can't help but think that Hambly had a lot more to say about this world and perhaps didn't get the chance to, because of the state of the publishing world.

I guess I can only hope that Hambly is motivated to write about them some day in her Further Adventures on her website.

[Ruth Lanton · Rating 4 out of 5]

It feels like there should be more books in this series. The ending doesn't feel completely satisfying.

[William Leight · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Circle of the Moon” is the sequel to “Sisters of the Raven”, set in a world in which the nature of magic has recently changed: the main aspect of this change being that men can no longer do magic, which is now solely the province of women. This was a lot to absorb for the extremely patriarchal society of that book, but in “Circle of the Moon” a certain grudging acceptance has set in. It would be an exaggeration to say that things have really changed, but at least Raeshaldis’s grandfather no longer has direct power over her (though the same is not true for her mother or sisters). Instead, the main demonstration of patriarchal domination comes from Foxfire’s exploitation by her father (the king’s uncle) and grandmother (who is even fiercer than her father) who still see her as a tool, only now of a different kind. But for the most part the threat posed to the raven sisters, as the women who can do magic are known, by the patriarchy has been eclipsed by more immediate perils. For one thing, there’s the question of water. The central place of mages in the Yellow City is owed to their ability to magically summon the rains: if the female mages can’t figure out how to do that, the city and its environs will rapidly revert to desert. Then there are political considerations: King Oryn -- who is, unusually, a good king despite being fat and dandified -- has been very helpful to the raven sisters, partly because he’s a forward-thinking type and partly because one of them is the love of his life, but the ongoing upheavals have made his position somewhat precarious. Thanks in large part to his uncle’s intrigues, Oryn will have to undergo an ordeal to prove that he has the gods’ favor for his kingship. Said favor is demonstrated by having him pass unharmed through a gauntlet of crocodiles and poisonous snakes, and then drink poison: his survival demonstrates that the gods are on his side, although in the past the king’s mages always helped the gods out by casting spells to keep the crocodiles quiescent, make the poison harmless, etc. Unfortunately the raven sisters have had no luck whatsoever in making these spells work. Most consequential of all, though, are the Lovecraftian horrors — of the subtler color-out-of-space variety, very well done — who are escaping into the world now that the ancient spells that once held them in check are starting to fade. Given that Raeshaldis and co. had no idea that such things even existed, they are handicapped in fighting back against them. Finally, there’s the mystery magic-user who doesn’t seem to want to, or possibly can’t, come forward, even though the handful of raven sisters can use all the help they can get: the ongoing search for her (or any other magic workers) takes up any energy they have left. If all these issues don't quite add up to something as interesting as the smothering patriarchy of the prior book, the fact that there are so many means that Hambly has no difficulty in keeping the tension high throughout, as the plot leaps from one crisis to the next, escalating the stakes each time. The only moments of respite come from Raeshaldis’s budding romance with one of Oryn’s guards and her spirit travels to the quasi-Polynesian society on the other side of the world, a tropical paradise of gender equality and political liberty that seems quite out of place in a Hambly novel. Cleverly, Hambly lets Raeshaldis resolve the Lovecraftian horrors herself but leaves saving the king for a twist that pushes us back to considering the nature of the society of the Yellow City. (The rains, alas, are left for the next book, should Hambly ever write one.) If it's not quite as good as "Sisters of the Raven", "Circle of the Moon" is still quite enjoyable, and definitely recommended to Hambly fans.

[Heather McComas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth the wait

I believe I would have enjoyed this book a bit more if I could have found it on Audible or the national library service. Having someone else read this book versus having my voiceover software on my iPhone reading it I think would have been a lot better! Unfortunately, I could only find it on Kendall. This book definitely had you on the edge of your seat, but in the end the sisters of the Ravens defeated the demons! Yay! Goes to show you that women can be heroes to!

[Ann Stoudt]

Faced with an attempt by the land chiefs to oust the King, and with the efforts of her own family to re-enslave her, Raeshaldis must play a deadly guessing-game while an even more terrible threat awaits.

[Rain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid well-written fantasy, with a satisfying feel-good ending. My favourite "character" Pontifer Pig, will haunt me for awhile.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Might be my new favorite by Hambly.

[Alana Bleness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another banger.

[sabisteb aka callisto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dieser Band spielt 6 Monate nach Band 1.
Was passiert, wenn in einer patriarchalen Welt, in welcher Männer Frauen nach Blumen benennen und ihnen neue Namen geben, wie es ihnen passt oder sie einfach verkaufen, wenn in dieser Welt der männlichen Macht und der männlichen Magier, diese Magier plötzlich ihre Fähigkeiten verlieren?!
Und als wenn das nicht genug wäre, nun entwickeln die ehemals machtlosen Frauen und Wesen, die über Generationen versklavt wurden magische Fähigkeiten und müssen sich überlegen, wie sie mit dieser neuen Macht umgehen.
Zu all diesen Umwältzungen kommt noch, dass eine unbekannte Rabenschwester Reashaldis im Traum kontaktiert und die Stadt von Traumschatten bedroht wird, welche die Menschen in den Wahnsinn treiben.
Zu allem Übel soll der König sich dann auch noch einmal den tödlichen Prüfung der Inthronisation stellen (und seine Untertanen wetten darauf, dass er es nicht schaff.
Barbara Hamblys Stil ist sehr elegant und der Übersetzer ist wirklich gut.

[Unwisely · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was obviously on a Barbara Hambly kick. Sometimes when I read several books in a row by an author, I like the books but I'm ready to put that author away for a while (Charles de Lint is one that leaps to mind for this). Apparently three Hambly's in a row didn't trip that response.

This one is apparently not the first book she's set in the universe, but I was unfamiliar with it. Luckily, missing the first book didn't hinder my enjoyment o the story. (I should mention that it has a fairly heavy dose of second wave feminism, which just amused me but could be off-putting.) Also, the part of the world it's set in is vaguely arabic, and after all her descriptions I was forced to go out of delicious middle eastern food. (Darn.)

Overall a pleasant diversion.

[Wealhtheow · Rating 3 out of 5]

The sequel to Sisters of the Raven is very similar and concerns the same characters as the first. Whole villages are abruptly killing themselves, and Oryn, Summerchild and Raeshaldis try to determine why. A strange green mist, broken glass and otherwordly voices are their only clues. Meanwhile, King Oryn has to somehow survive a series of ordeals in order to remain king—but the spells that formerly made the crocodiles turn aside and poison harmless are no longer working. It’s an exciting book, but again, I wish Hambly had winnowed it down a bit.

[George Heintzelman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt this one was better than its sequel, but still basically just a workmanlike piece of authorship. I felt many of the plot beats were either too predictable or irrelevant. Still, the setting remains intriguing, if occasionally questionable at times ( why, for example, are there caravans in the desert if there is no one on the other side of the desert to trade with?). The core premise I find very solid, though, and the characterization is generally good (though a few of the men I find a bit simplistically mustache-twirling for my taste).

[Charity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book set in the changing world where magic has begun to fade from men and appear among women. Further intrigues try to control the transfer of power and new information comes to light about the nature of power itself. I really like how this book is set in an arid climate with what I would imagine an Arabic culture to be like. It gives a very exotic feel to the reading experience and yet the characters are very approachable. New friends.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite up to the standard of Sisters of the Raven, but still an excellent exploration of a fantasy world that feels extremely real. Do not read if you have an aversion to feminism.

***

Update: I'd write pretty much the same review again.

[Cindywho · Rating 3 out of 5]

-A continuation of Sisters of the Raven. I guessed one of the mysteries, but not the other one, though it was staring me in the face. It sucked me in and I enjoyed it, but the characters had so many bad days, it was a relief to finish. (April 06, 2007)

[DeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again Hambly was able to breathe new life into standard topics. The is the second of 2 books in this set and it picked-up a little farther in the future from the ending of the first book which was nice. This story was a little less smooth than the first book but still a wonderful read!

[Brigid · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was better than the first one, and seemed like standard, reliable Hambly if you like her style.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not to bad. I'm wondering if there is another in the series since most people tend to write in trilogies instead of duologies.

[Vonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Female Magic culture, another great Hambly book

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. Because it was recommended to me, I had high hopes, and I wasn't as impressed with it as I anticipated.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Circle of the Moon by Barbara Hambly (2005)

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a long time to get into this book. Once I did, I enjoyed it. I would like to read the 'Sisters of the Raven' book that goes with it.

[Helen Fleischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

sequel even better than Sisters of the Raven

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually liked this more than the first book since it focused on mostly one character. Maybe it's just because it's finally hot outside, but the desert setting was even more interesting.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quicker read than the first book. I liked it better.

[Hess · Rating 2 out of 5]

too long...way too long

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED! I soooo want another!

[Ellenw · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love this world Hambly has built but I think she's done with it. This is a satisfactory ending even if I personally am left wanting more.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this one was better than the first. However, I do not understand the need for the romance between Jethan and Shaldis. It seemed very forced and I could see it coming from book one.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good sequel to the first book, made me wonder if there will be more in the series...