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The Moontide Quartet #4
Ascendant's Rite
The last few months of the moontide - when the bridge connecting East and West rises above the sea - has come, and in the West Emperor Constant prepares the final phase of his plan to conquer the East.
For failed mage Alaron and his companion Ramita - widow to the mage who built the Leviathan Bridge - the unthinkable has happened. They have lost the Scytale of Corineus, the key to the Rite of Ascendancy, as well as one of Ramita's infant sons, to the hands of their deadliest enemies.
In Javon, Cera Nesti, the imprisoned queen, has been freed, and plots to take on the overwhelming might of the Rondian Empire. But standing between her and her goal is a band of deadly mercenaries playing a dangerous game of their own.
And in the East, Seth Korion's Lost Legions must navigate treacherous roads to gain safety, bearing secrets that could bring down the Emperor.
The time has come for the Rite of Ascendancy to be performed. New powers must rise to save or damn Urte, and on the mighty Leviathan Bridge itself, all will be decided.
For failed mage Alaron and his companion Ramita - widow to the mage who built the Leviathan Bridge - the unthinkable has happened. They have lost the Scytale of Corineus, the key to the Rite of Ascendancy, as well as one of Ramita's infant sons, to the hands of their deadliest enemies.
In Javon, Cera Nesti, the imprisoned queen, has been freed, and plots to take on the overwhelming might of the Rondian Empire. But standing between her and her goal is a band of deadly mercenaries playing a dangerous game of their own.
And in the East, Seth Korion's Lost Legions must navigate treacherous roads to gain safety, bearing secrets that could bring down the Emperor.
The time has come for the Rite of Ascendancy to be performed. New powers must rise to save or damn Urte, and on the mighty Leviathan Bridge itself, all will be decided.
848 pages, Paperback
First published November 5, 2015
70 people are currently reading
1463 people want to read
About the author
David Hair
47 books536 followersDavid Hair is the author of The Bone Tiki, winner of Best First Novel (Young Adult Fiction section) at the 2010 NZ Post Children's Book Awards. The Bone Tiki and its sequel The Taniwha's Tear are fantasy novels set in New Zealand. David is a New Zealander, who has worked primarily in financial services. He has a degree in History and Classical Studies. He has lived from 2007 to 2010 in New Delhi, India, but usually resides in Wellington, New Zealand. Apart from writing, he is interested in folklore, history, and has a passion for football.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
April 28, 2020
3.5/5 stars
Against all odds, Ascendant’s Rite was a tension-fused and satisfying conclusion for The Moontide Quartet.
It’s safe to say that my feelings for this series are incredibly conflicted. After my disastrous experience with the previous book, I pretty much had minus zero expectation towards this book. Ascendant’s Rite, the final book in The Moontide Quartet by David Hair, however, proved to be quite enjoyable as a concluding installment, and overall it was almost a complete return to the quality displayed in the first two books of the series. Seriously, the myriad of problems I had with I’mhorny War disappeared here. There were no more hundreds of pages of lusty thoughts, overlong detailed sex scenes, cock-hardening, or rape-enjoyment and craving for flowery-nipples. Either the previous book was written by someone else, or readers have complained about the gratuitous sexual content, or maybe Hair has spent all his morbid sexual imaginations on that book; there’s no more of that nonsense. The love and romance in this book felt fitting to include rather than exist for the sake of fanservice, and everything progressed at a steady pace in this action-packed conclusion.
Although the previous installment did leave me feeling disconnected with many characters of the series, I must say that my investment in Ramita, Alaron, Kazim, Elena, and Cera persists once again in Ascendant’s Rite. It’s undeniable that the characters of this quartet have withstood insane mental and physical trials, and I don’t have it in me to miss knowing what happens to these characters. There were also plenty of breathtaking moments in the action scenes as every faction clashed, and the second half of this 800-pages tome was filled with large-scale battles that combined gods, magics, and violence magnificently.
It is unfortunate that despite enjoying many parts of this book, I did have several grievances with this concluding book. The first—and biggest issue—I had with this book is Ramon’s and Seth’s storyline. I haven’t been a fan of their journey since Scarlet Tides and by this stage, after the damages caused in the previous book, I have completely lost interest that reading through their chapters—which were a lot—became very tedious and boring. In my opinion, their story felt too disconnected from all the other main characters; it’s not until the last quarter their stories finally converged with the rest of the cast. The second problem I have with the book is that the magic and the gods felt too out of control and sudden here. Many pivotal moments happened but they seem to come out of nowhere; more valid explanations in how they work were needed because they felt quite deus ex-machina. Finally, there was a lot of superfluous side characters and content with this series. More names, pages, or more installments don’t always mean it’s a better epic fantasy series; I personally think that this series would’ve worked so much better as a trilogy than a quartet. I mean, more than half of the previous book could’ve been cut, I also doubt I’ll miss a lot of enjoyment if I decided skipped ALL of Ramon + Seth’s POV chapters. There’s also the issue that the world of Urte felt way too similar to our Earth; the world-building was basically including and mixing many mythologies and lore of both Western & Eastern cultures without changing their names.
Ascendant’s Rite provides an unpredictable and relatively satisfying ride. There are still some unexplained plotlines but Hair might be leaving them to be resolved in the next quartet that takes place in the same world: The Sunsurge Quartet series. Even though I have enjoyed the first two books in this series, and overall I did had a great time with this one, I doubt I’ll be continuing to the next series. Do note that this series is considerably praised a lot by those who’ve read it. If you’ve read the first two books in the quartet and you enjoyed them, I suggest continuing because there were indeed some amazing moments in this book that fans of the series will definitely enjoy reading.
Series Review:
Mage's Blood: 4/5 stars
Scarlet Tides: 4.5/5 stars
Unholy War: 1/5 stars
Ascendant's Rite: 3.5/5 stars
The Moontide Quartet: 13/20 stars
You can order the book from: Book Depository (Free shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at
Novel Notions
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Devin, Hamad, Joie, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas.
Against all odds, Ascendant’s Rite was a tension-fused and satisfying conclusion for The Moontide Quartet.
“Life is a series of transactions. We all give to receive.”
It’s safe to say that my feelings for this series are incredibly conflicted. After my disastrous experience with the previous book, I pretty much had minus zero expectation towards this book. Ascendant’s Rite, the final book in The Moontide Quartet by David Hair, however, proved to be quite enjoyable as a concluding installment, and overall it was almost a complete return to the quality displayed in the first two books of the series. Seriously, the myriad of problems I had with I’mhorny War disappeared here. There were no more hundreds of pages of lusty thoughts, overlong detailed sex scenes, cock-hardening, or rape-enjoyment and craving for flowery-nipples. Either the previous book was written by someone else, or readers have complained about the gratuitous sexual content, or maybe Hair has spent all his morbid sexual imaginations on that book; there’s no more of that nonsense. The love and romance in this book felt fitting to include rather than exist for the sake of fanservice, and everything progressed at a steady pace in this action-packed conclusion.
“I have experienced much. I know what to expect. And I have a father and a mother who are my models in this: they’ve shown me that love and marriage aren’t all joy. There are reasons of sadness and suffering, there are trials, there are temptations. Sometimes marriage is a dugty and a burden; this is known. But they also showed me, every day, that making the sacrifices that love requires is always worthwhile.”
Although the previous installment did leave me feeling disconnected with many characters of the series, I must say that my investment in Ramita, Alaron, Kazim, Elena, and Cera persists once again in Ascendant’s Rite. It’s undeniable that the characters of this quartet have withstood insane mental and physical trials, and I don’t have it in me to miss knowing what happens to these characters. There were also plenty of breathtaking moments in the action scenes as every faction clashed, and the second half of this 800-pages tome was filled with large-scale battles that combined gods, magics, and violence magnificently.
“My defence is that conflict cannot be resolved without contact. Understanding cannot be reached without interaction. It is an imperfect answer, that naively assumes that some on both sides desire peace and fellowship. But that naivete has never been disappointed in the long term. Despite the prevalence of war, the majority crave peace. Among that majority there is a sub-group who are prepared to give their lives for the sake of that peace, and they are the true heroes of any conflict.”
It is unfortunate that despite enjoying many parts of this book, I did have several grievances with this concluding book. The first—and biggest issue—I had with this book is Ramon’s and Seth’s storyline. I haven’t been a fan of their journey since Scarlet Tides and by this stage, after the damages caused in the previous book, I have completely lost interest that reading through their chapters—which were a lot—became very tedious and boring. In my opinion, their story felt too disconnected from all the other main characters; it’s not until the last quarter their stories finally converged with the rest of the cast. The second problem I have with the book is that the magic and the gods felt too out of control and sudden here. Many pivotal moments happened but they seem to come out of nowhere; more valid explanations in how they work were needed because they felt quite deus ex-machina. Finally, there was a lot of superfluous side characters and content with this series. More names, pages, or more installments don’t always mean it’s a better epic fantasy series; I personally think that this series would’ve worked so much better as a trilogy than a quartet. I mean, more than half of the previous book could’ve been cut, I also doubt I’ll miss a lot of enjoyment if I decided skipped ALL of Ramon + Seth’s POV chapters. There’s also the issue that the world of Urte felt way too similar to our Earth; the world-building was basically including and mixing many mythologies and lore of both Western & Eastern cultures without changing their names.
“We should never condemn an entire race – or a religion – as evil. Such generalisations are clearly wrong. It is individual deeds that we must judge, in the context they are made. It is a harder path, stripped of the simplicity that princes and priests love.”
Ascendant’s Rite provides an unpredictable and relatively satisfying ride. There are still some unexplained plotlines but Hair might be leaving them to be resolved in the next quartet that takes place in the same world: The Sunsurge Quartet series. Even though I have enjoyed the first two books in this series, and overall I did had a great time with this one, I doubt I’ll be continuing to the next series. Do note that this series is considerably praised a lot by those who’ve read it. If you’ve read the first two books in the quartet and you enjoyed them, I suggest continuing because there were indeed some amazing moments in this book that fans of the series will definitely enjoy reading.
Series Review:
Mage's Blood: 4/5 stars
Scarlet Tides: 4.5/5 stars
Unholy War: 1/5 stars
Ascendant's Rite: 3.5/5 stars
The Moontide Quartet: 13/20 stars
You can order the book from: Book Depository (Free shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at
Novel Notions
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Devin, Hamad, Joie, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas.
February 17, 2016
So, this is the final book in the Moontide Quartet and I have to say I am both happy and sad to reach the end of this series. It's not often that I manage to get through a whole series as quickly as I did with this series (as I don't often marathon series back to back) but I read one of these a month for four months and really enjoyed all of them. I was hoping that this would be a great ending to the series, but I didn't know exactly how things would play out, and I was unsure if all my favourite characters would make it, let alone be in a position I wanted for them. I definitely couldn't have predicted the ending of this book, but I will say it's a very conclusive, good ending. There's a LOT of untapped potential for the world still (which is why I am so happy that David Hair has announced another Quartet called the Sunsurge Quartet which will be happening very soon and set after the events of this series) but the plotlines for this story are nearly all wrapped up nicely and there's only a few more minor things left for the reader to unravel or guess at.
This story contains many of the characters I have already mentioned in my previous reviews for this series and so I won't go over them all again here, but suffice to say that Ramita is my favourite character for various reasons (basically I relate to her and she's a bit of a badass) and her storyline gripped me the most throughout this whole book.
I do also like the characters of; Alaron, Ramon, Cera, Elena, and Gyle a lot, and each of them have their own [rather major] parts to play within this series (alongside a whole host of others that would take too long to mention).
I think the characterisation of this book really focused mostly on the last few sections of this, with some good moments popped between a lot of the conflict, but as book #3 was so character focused this approach worked well for me.
The general plot of this is hard to describe other than a lot of people are looking for a magical artefact called the Scytale of Corineus, and there's a LOT of different armies, people and groups hunting for it and fighting for it. To say any more than that would spoil a lot of the story, which I don't want to do, but honestly I really enjoyed this and even thought there are a lot of battle scenes and crusade moments, it still kept me very engaged.
If you followed my goodreads updates for this then you will see that I raced through the majority of this in just a day (although I had read small sections up to the 15% marker before then). The reason I had to race through this was partially due to uni constraints, but also partially due to the fact that it was just so good and I couldn't once predict how everything would turn out.
There are so many things which are great about this series. We have a whole host of colourful, well-imagined characters who capture your hearts and minds. They are all diverse and from different lives, religions, sexes and countries. This gives them all unique preferences and stances on the various topics which are covered in the pages of these books.
Besides this we also have different influences on the world-building and magic systems. The magic is very complex with a lot to learn and a lot to take in, but it's also pretty wonderful. The blend of West and East makes this a relatable yet foreign book with some cool parallels to our world, but it's equally quite a unique one in many ways such as the event of the Moontide, a low-tide which bridge the gap between two great continents for two years in every 12.
We get to see topics such as sexuality and relationships thoroughly discussed and examined. There are people within the book who question both sides of both arguments, and the topics are well handled. We see a variety of good and bad relationships, from friendships, lovers and husbands and wives over the course of the four books and I think this too helped to flesh out the world and convince me of these characters and their actions.
The pacing of this story is great overall. Although it is a long series (as most fantasy series are) and it has many pages to get through it never felt like a slog to me. I was always enjoying finding out more and seeing what our characters would do next.
Basically I think David Hair is my new second-favourite author (following only in Robin Hobb's footsteps) for this series alone, and I know anything I see him release in the future I will be buying (especially the Sunsurge Quartet). I would highly, highly recommend this series to anyone who is on the lookout for a new epic fantasy series, as it's one of the best I've encountered since Game of Thrones for the level of intricacy and excitement and character attachment. A well-deserved 5*s overall from me :) :) :)
This story contains many of the characters I have already mentioned in my previous reviews for this series and so I won't go over them all again here, but suffice to say that Ramita is my favourite character for various reasons (basically I relate to her and she's a bit of a badass) and her storyline gripped me the most throughout this whole book.
I do also like the characters of; Alaron, Ramon, Cera, Elena, and Gyle a lot, and each of them have their own [rather major] parts to play within this series (alongside a whole host of others that would take too long to mention).
I think the characterisation of this book really focused mostly on the last few sections of this, with some good moments popped between a lot of the conflict, but as book #3 was so character focused this approach worked well for me.
The general plot of this is hard to describe other than a lot of people are looking for a magical artefact called the Scytale of Corineus, and there's a LOT of different armies, people and groups hunting for it and fighting for it. To say any more than that would spoil a lot of the story, which I don't want to do, but honestly I really enjoyed this and even thought there are a lot of battle scenes and crusade moments, it still kept me very engaged.
If you followed my goodreads updates for this then you will see that I raced through the majority of this in just a day (although I had read small sections up to the 15% marker before then). The reason I had to race through this was partially due to uni constraints, but also partially due to the fact that it was just so good and I couldn't once predict how everything would turn out.
There are so many things which are great about this series. We have a whole host of colourful, well-imagined characters who capture your hearts and minds. They are all diverse and from different lives, religions, sexes and countries. This gives them all unique preferences and stances on the various topics which are covered in the pages of these books.
Besides this we also have different influences on the world-building and magic systems. The magic is very complex with a lot to learn and a lot to take in, but it's also pretty wonderful. The blend of West and East makes this a relatable yet foreign book with some cool parallels to our world, but it's equally quite a unique one in many ways such as the event of the Moontide, a low-tide which bridge the gap between two great continents for two years in every 12.
We get to see topics such as sexuality and relationships thoroughly discussed and examined. There are people within the book who question both sides of both arguments, and the topics are well handled. We see a variety of good and bad relationships, from friendships, lovers and husbands and wives over the course of the four books and I think this too helped to flesh out the world and convince me of these characters and their actions.
The pacing of this story is great overall. Although it is a long series (as most fantasy series are) and it has many pages to get through it never felt like a slog to me. I was always enjoying finding out more and seeing what our characters would do next.
Basically I think David Hair is my new second-favourite author (following only in Robin Hobb's footsteps) for this series alone, and I know anything I see him release in the future I will be buying (especially the Sunsurge Quartet). I would highly, highly recommend this series to anyone who is on the lookout for a new epic fantasy series, as it's one of the best I've encountered since Game of Thrones for the level of intricacy and excitement and character attachment. A well-deserved 5*s overall from me :) :) :)
June 14, 2020
“We don’t make small plans. We are here to change the world.”
The final book in the Moontide Quartet is bad, but not terrible. A very predictable mix of morbid and cheesy. I am very happy to part ways with this series and I do not plan to return to Mr Hair in a foreseeable future.
After the calamity of the previous book, my impression was that nothing short of defibrillation is able to save this series. The story grew out of proportions as the Author kept adding new motifs, ideas and arcs into what had originally been a modest but balanced triangle of stories. Like a tumbler lost in his own act, Mr Hair kept adding new balls and replacing the old ones with fakes to the point when his performance became a fraud of cocky ineptitude.
How to get rid of this exuberance that has nothing to do with welcome richness and everything to do with indigestible overdose? It is not an easy feat when things keep multiplying and nothing wants to come together. But must needs and so Mr Hair tries within the tight confines of his rather modest abilities.
It means good news: people finally start dying!
Although it is sad when you need to kill your protagonists because this is the only way to finalise a plot line , I welcomed this development. All these deaths undoubtedly meant to mean something but since they usually follow a terrible character devolution, they normally render what was before with a shine of ludicrousness and bring a sense of relief that we will not have to deal with this protagonist ever again. Disclaimer: The above concerns only those characters I was not explicitly expecting to be eliminated (and I expected most, to be honest, the useless crowd that they’ve become).
I admit to skimming Cera/Guvron frolics. That arc has been killed in the last book and no amount of resuscitation could help. So was Cym’s I didn’t have enough palms so perform a proper facepalm. I would need to look like an octopus and it still would not be enough! The whole placing human souls in animals coupled with the Souldrinker act lost rationale even though in the previous book it looked like it is going to usurp the whole design. If you add 20 spoons of sugar to your morning coffee you’d get the gist of what Elena and Kazim line has become. There are also some new appearances but I am at a loss as to why to even give separate voice to some tertiary characters? To provide a rationale to their imbecile actions I assume. Sadly, it makes them even more pathetic and exposes how much the author struggles to bring everything together.
Faced with this, I latched to the motley collection that makes up the Lost Legions. Surprisingly, Seth Korion gained where others suffered and clearly outshines most of the hitherto primary protagonists. I was relieved to conclude that Ramon has also been spared and retained consistency .
Ramita’s and Alaron’s line is the only one that still interested me aside from the Lost Legions adventures. Alaron is a failed mage with dangerous ideals, Ramita is a widow and an heiress to an even more dangerous legacy but they have a wholesomeness to them that was a welcome change when contrasted with the overall degeneracy of the series. However, even here the Author is cheating on us by handing the antagonists incredible powers through a backdoor that he conveniently creates for the sake of sudden need, potholes be damned. In general, some of the ascendancy business sounds awfully modern when we read how different parts of the brain need to be stimulated. Equally, the technology behind the Ordo Construo inventions sounds like they were devised in CERN rather than in Middle Ages-like fantasy.
The worst thing is that we do not get all the answers and while Mr Hair kept morphing the characters until there is NOTHING of the original in them (Sabele!), he does it only to abandon them without explanation! Unless the explanation is: I plan to write another dreadful series about them.
Good luck with that. Not with me.
Also in the series:
1. Mage’s Blood ★★★★☆
2. The Scarlet Tides ★★★★☆
3. Unholy War ★☆☆☆☆
The final book in the Moontide Quartet is bad, but not terrible. A very predictable mix of morbid and cheesy. I am very happy to part ways with this series and I do not plan to return to Mr Hair in a foreseeable future.
After the calamity of the previous book, my impression was that nothing short of defibrillation is able to save this series. The story grew out of proportions as the Author kept adding new motifs, ideas and arcs into what had originally been a modest but balanced triangle of stories. Like a tumbler lost in his own act, Mr Hair kept adding new balls and replacing the old ones with fakes to the point when his performance became a fraud of cocky ineptitude.
How to get rid of this exuberance that has nothing to do with welcome richness and everything to do with indigestible overdose? It is not an easy feat when things keep multiplying and nothing wants to come together. But must needs and so Mr Hair tries within the tight confines of his rather modest abilities.
It means good news: people finally start dying!
Although it is sad when you need to kill your protagonists because this is the only way to finalise a plot line , I welcomed this development. All these deaths undoubtedly meant to mean something but since they usually follow a terrible character devolution, they normally render what was before with a shine of ludicrousness and bring a sense of relief that we will not have to deal with this protagonist ever again. Disclaimer: The above concerns only those characters I was not explicitly expecting to be eliminated (and I expected most, to be honest, the useless crowd that they’ve become).
I admit to skimming Cera/Guvron frolics. That arc has been killed in the last book and no amount of resuscitation could help. So was Cym’s I didn’t have enough palms so perform a proper facepalm. I would need to look like an octopus and it still would not be enough! The whole placing human souls in animals coupled with the Souldrinker act lost rationale even though in the previous book it looked like it is going to usurp the whole design. If you add 20 spoons of sugar to your morning coffee you’d get the gist of what Elena and Kazim line has become. There are also some new appearances but I am at a loss as to why to even give separate voice to some tertiary characters? To provide a rationale to their imbecile actions I assume. Sadly, it makes them even more pathetic and exposes how much the author struggles to bring everything together.
Faced with this, I latched to the motley collection that makes up the Lost Legions. Surprisingly, Seth Korion gained where others suffered and clearly outshines most of the hitherto primary protagonists. I was relieved to conclude that Ramon has also been spared and retained consistency .
Ramita’s and Alaron’s line is the only one that still interested me aside from the Lost Legions adventures. Alaron is a failed mage with dangerous ideals, Ramita is a widow and an heiress to an even more dangerous legacy but they have a wholesomeness to them that was a welcome change when contrasted with the overall degeneracy of the series. However, even here the Author is cheating on us by handing the antagonists incredible powers through a backdoor that he conveniently creates for the sake of sudden need, potholes be damned. In general, some of the ascendancy business sounds awfully modern when we read how different parts of the brain need to be stimulated. Equally, the technology behind the Ordo Construo inventions sounds like they were devised in CERN rather than in Middle Ages-like fantasy.
The worst thing is that we do not get all the answers and while Mr Hair kept morphing the characters until there is NOTHING of the original in them (Sabele!), he does it only to abandon them without explanation! Unless the explanation is: I plan to write another dreadful series about them.
Good luck with that. Not with me.
Also in the series:
1. Mage’s Blood ★★★★☆
2. The Scarlet Tides ★★★★☆
3. Unholy War ★☆☆☆☆
May 15, 2020
*** 4.44 ***
This Epic Fantasy - Alternative History with Magic series did a whole a lot of things wrong. However, it did a whole lot of more things very, very right! We had so much happening in this last book of the Quartet, that going into the plot is impossible and stupid of me to even attempt, so I am not going to do that. I will say, that up to about half way we finally got rid of most of the more annoying characters and were left with the ones who mattered and everyone got into the nitty gritty of the story. Past the half way point, this book is absolutely awesome! So if the first half was flirting with a 3 star rating, the second half was a 5stars +! I read it in two days and a night, having slept all day today just so I can recover. It was worth it!
I would recommend this series to all Fantasy fans who also enjoy political intrigue and a whole lots of battles and fights, written just the way such adrenaline producing scenes should be written!!! Yes, there is some romance, and compared to the previous 3 books, this one did much better, but as always, it is almost impossible to get good romance in a really good Fantasy book - the Universe seems to say we just can't have everything we might desire in the same place 😉! Guys, you all have to give this series a try!
Now I wish you all happy reading and may you always find what you need in the pages of a good book! ❤️
This Epic Fantasy - Alternative History with Magic series did a whole a lot of things wrong. However, it did a whole lot of more things very, very right! We had so much happening in this last book of the Quartet, that going into the plot is impossible and stupid of me to even attempt, so I am not going to do that. I will say, that up to about half way we finally got rid of most of the more annoying characters and were left with the ones who mattered and everyone got into the nitty gritty of the story. Past the half way point, this book is absolutely awesome! So if the first half was flirting with a 3 star rating, the second half was a 5stars +! I read it in two days and a night, having slept all day today just so I can recover. It was worth it!
I would recommend this series to all Fantasy fans who also enjoy political intrigue and a whole lots of battles and fights, written just the way such adrenaline producing scenes should be written!!! Yes, there is some romance, and compared to the previous 3 books, this one did much better, but as always, it is almost impossible to get good romance in a really good Fantasy book - the Universe seems to say we just can't have everything we might desire in the same place 😉! Guys, you all have to give this series a try!
Now I wish you all happy reading and may you always find what you need in the pages of a good book! ❤️
January 4, 2018
Boom, baby! I haven't read a more satisfying ending to a series since Riyria! This last installment of The Moontide Quartet does it's very best to wrap each thread of the mammoth storyline into an interestingly lovely package that leaves you wanting more. Not only that but it's coherent the entire way through. I'm talking to you Mr. Anthony Ryan. The promises from the first three books were paid in full.
Though I've never cared much for the world building of this series (being much too closely modeled on Earth) everything else about this book and series was delightful. Well rounded characters whom go through interesting character archs, a very wide ranged magic system and well plotted storyline that propels you quickly through four books.
If this series isn't on your radar yet you may want to get your equipment fixed.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Though I've never cared much for the world building of this series (being much too closely modeled on Earth) everything else about this book and series was delightful. Well rounded characters whom go through interesting character archs, a very wide ranged magic system and well plotted storyline that propels you quickly through four books.
If this series isn't on your radar yet you may want to get your equipment fixed.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
April 2, 2018
Very good ending - I am itching to start the new series right away!
March 27, 2019
Edit - on rereading it sometime in 2018 I really loved this book and I definitely changed my opinion from the more lukewarm one on the first read
Original review:
Loved the first three volumes of this series a lot but volume 4 left me somewhat cold (browsed it when it came in 2015 to see the ending but didn't have the inclination to read its 700 pages or so then); now that the next book in the series (a new quartet starting with Empress of the Fall and having new main characters but with action immediately following the conclusion of this one) came and seemed interesting I decided to try and read this one and I actually managed that as it was generally readable and on occasion reminded me of the excitement of the early books; still not as good as the others as the authors raises the stakes and prepares things to fit in perfectly for the ending so the book reads kind of like an artificial construct to a large extent - I also generally am much less excited about series ending books as they rarely bring surprises (this for example brings pretty much none as opposed to volumes 2 and 3 especially which had lots of cool twists), so the good but not great feeling comes down partly to intrinsic factors (and the desire of the author to tie things up neatly which is something I started disliking more and more recently), partly to the "things that were fresh 1000 pages in the series are not anymore 2000 pages in), partly to my moving more and more away from pure genre as after a number of similar books, all start becoming fairly predictable
still worth reading for closure and hopefully the new series will bring the excitement back again for me
Original review:
Loved the first three volumes of this series a lot but volume 4 left me somewhat cold (browsed it when it came in 2015 to see the ending but didn't have the inclination to read its 700 pages or so then); now that the next book in the series (a new quartet starting with Empress of the Fall and having new main characters but with action immediately following the conclusion of this one) came and seemed interesting I decided to try and read this one and I actually managed that as it was generally readable and on occasion reminded me of the excitement of the early books; still not as good as the others as the authors raises the stakes and prepares things to fit in perfectly for the ending so the book reads kind of like an artificial construct to a large extent - I also generally am much less excited about series ending books as they rarely bring surprises (this for example brings pretty much none as opposed to volumes 2 and 3 especially which had lots of cool twists), so the good but not great feeling comes down partly to intrinsic factors (and the desire of the author to tie things up neatly which is something I started disliking more and more recently), partly to the "things that were fresh 1000 pages in the series are not anymore 2000 pages in), partly to my moving more and more away from pure genre as after a number of similar books, all start becoming fairly predictable
still worth reading for closure and hopefully the new series will bring the excitement back again for me
April 28, 2017
Great ending to a good series. Good for readers who like a historical fiction aspect to their fantasy, political intrigue, social and religious conflicts, good magic system, lots of mysticism, myths brought to life, quests and a clear demarcation of the good guys and the bad guys.
July 10, 2018
A very satisfying ending to a strong series that I enjoyed immensely and am a little disappointed that the journey is over.
November 21, 2015
Having just finished the book, I can really only say one word: wow. I was dying with anticipation for the book, and after finally getting it all but consumed it. I was reading it every chance I got and often staying up too late to do so; in fact, it only took me three days to read the whole thing. I have to say that is a huge testament to what David Hair has created here. I started this series with mixed feelings, slugging through the first half of the first book before things picked up, and then it comes to the point where I literally don't even want to put the book down (I sat reading for an hour in a fast food restaurant because I was so close to finishing it!).
The plot-lines themselves end nicely for the most part, though there were a few certain scenes that felt a little anticlimatic, but were still very entertaining and heartwrenching in themselves. And the plot-lines that didn't wrap up make a great starting point for introducing old characters into Hair's next series: Sunsurge. Some things are easy to see coming, but others take you by storm, often dragging you along headfirst with the characters.
Overall, most of the viewpoints I thoroughly enjoyed, with only a few boring me. But, honestly, even those have improved so much since the first book that I was starting to look forward to them. I also must say that Hair revealing the entire plan to the reader but still having characters make certain decisions makes the book tear a reader's heartstrings, since they know things the characters do not.
Overall, my only regret is that this series isn't more widely known. While the similarity between real-world cultures is off-putting at first, this series as a whole, and particularly this book, manages to overcome that and be an excellent addition to the fantasy world: one I wish more people would know about. I definitely recommend this series, and this book, to everyone.
The plot-lines themselves end nicely for the most part, though there were a few certain scenes that felt a little anticlimatic, but were still very entertaining and heartwrenching in themselves. And the plot-lines that didn't wrap up make a great starting point for introducing old characters into Hair's next series: Sunsurge. Some things are easy to see coming, but others take you by storm, often dragging you along headfirst with the characters.
Overall, most of the viewpoints I thoroughly enjoyed, with only a few boring me. But, honestly, even those have improved so much since the first book that I was starting to look forward to them. I also must say that Hair revealing the entire plan to the reader but still having characters make certain decisions makes the book tear a reader's heartstrings, since they know things the characters do not.
Overall, my only regret is that this series isn't more widely known. While the similarity between real-world cultures is off-putting at first, this series as a whole, and particularly this book, manages to overcome that and be an excellent addition to the fantasy world: one I wish more people would know about. I definitely recommend this series, and this book, to everyone.
February 15, 2017
I liked the first half of the book much better than the end.
I didn't like the fact that everybody was always trying to become Ascendant as if that would make you invincible, but then we see Ascendant guys dying continuosly by normal surprise attacks.
Also I didn't like once again all the Javonesi part of the story and in the end it didn't matter much for the rest of the plot. I could have easily skipped all Cera and Elena chapters and I wouldn't have lost much.
I didn't like the fact that everybody was always trying to become Ascendant as if that would make you invincible, but then we see Ascendant guys dying continuosly by normal surprise attacks.
Also I didn't like once again all the Javonesi part of the story and in the end it didn't matter much for the rest of the plot. I could have easily skipped all Cera and Elena chapters and I wouldn't have lost much.
May 13, 2020
Finally!
I have been waiting for this author to deliver a more cosistently good book from beginning to the end. And he finally delivered with the last book of the series. The things that I disliked from the first three books were still present. Especially fortunately, the cringe-worthy and awkward sex scenes were few and far in between. Instead, we got battles after battles after battles and even last-minute political maneuverings from a few characters. Furthermore, the twists and turns continued to be rather unpredictable, as each of the pov character maneuvered to converge into each other. Furthermore, Cera and Elena most notably, whose developments were extremely disappointing, redeemed themselves in my opinion. They were back on their game: fearless, determined, courageous and decisive, despite having to cling to a miraculous solution to get them out of their dire predicament at the end.
Overall, I thought this was the best book of the series. While I can not say I truly enjoyed the series as a whole (I've written the elements that were ... let's just say deficient and frustrating to me, although for a more colorful description, you should check out Petrik's scathing review of the third book here), I could say the series ended in a more positive note for me. While, I will not claim that this is one of the best epic fantasy series out there, I will say to be patient and to ignore certain parts of the series if you want to truly enjoy it.
4/5 for this book
3.25/5 for the whole series
I have been waiting for this author to deliver a more cosistently good book from beginning to the end. And he finally delivered with the last book of the series. The things that I disliked from the first three books were still present. Especially fortunately, the cringe-worthy and awkward sex scenes were few and far in between. Instead, we got battles after battles after battles and even last-minute political maneuverings from a few characters. Furthermore, the twists and turns continued to be rather unpredictable, as each of the pov character maneuvered to converge into each other. Furthermore, Cera and Elena most notably, whose developments were extremely disappointing, redeemed themselves in my opinion. They were back on their game: fearless, determined, courageous and decisive, despite having to cling to a miraculous solution to get them out of their dire predicament at the end.
Overall, I thought this was the best book of the series. While I can not say I truly enjoyed the series as a whole (I've written the elements that were ... let's just say deficient and frustrating to me, although for a more colorful description, you should check out Petrik's scathing review of the third book here), I could say the series ended in a more positive note for me. While, I will not claim that this is one of the best epic fantasy series out there, I will say to be patient and to ignore certain parts of the series if you want to truly enjoy it.
4/5 for this book
3.25/5 for the whole series
November 25, 2015
I loved this book. I would recommend this to those who are looking to read a good fantasy series. Different Cultures, War torn kingdoms, fight for control of thrones, Magical battles, plus a lot of realism - everything that I love put together in one package.
All the books in this series are excellent. The ending was apt - it sure is not a fairy tale ending - but a blend of reality and clever plots.
Thanks David Hair for this saga. Waiting for the next one.
All the books in this series are excellent. The ending was apt - it sure is not a fairy tale ending - but a blend of reality and clever plots.
Thanks David Hair for this saga. Waiting for the next one.
September 15, 2021
https://undertheradarsffbooks.com/202...
We have come to the finale volume in The Moontide Quartet where love, betrayals, war, and the need to ascend is what we have in store. The climax is on the horizon where both continents might hang in the balance. The rites may have been lost to the enemy, but the Queen of Evil has returned and she is looking to correct the misdeeds of the past and it ends with bloodshed. This will be a spoiler free review but I will be touching upon events from the previous books.
The war for Antiopia is coming to its climax as the Leviathan Bridge will soon return to the sea once again. In Javon, the once imprisoned Cera Nesti now resides over the throne until her brother comes of age. Cera will be leading the rebellion against the Rondian Empire but she will do so without the full trust of her people due to her past actions. She will have to muster all her courage and tenasity and channel it into the battle effort in order to come out on top.
The Scytale of Cornieus has fallen into the enemies hands and now their is nothing to stop Seeress Huriya and Inquisitor Malevorn from destroying the continent of Antiopia. The only hope resides with our two heroes: Ramita and Alaron. Ramita, now has given birth to her twin children and is now the most powerful mage on Urte. As she has ascended, Alaron is training with the Zain monks and has discovered the secret of the Queen of Evil and what really took place many years ago. The Rite of Ascendancy will need to be performed and the final showdown will come on the Leviathan Bridge itself.
What else could I possible say about this series except that the worldbuilding and character development are spectacular. When you throw on top of that an intricate and unique magic system, you have an epic saga unlike anything I have read in many years. The Moontide Quartet has something for every type of reader and the twists just keep on coming until the very end. What makes David Hairs writing so great is his attention to detail and scope of the world our characters reside in. We have multiple battles taking place across the continent and each one flows with a purpose in connecting to the bigger plot. The history and lore of this world will also knock you off of your feet with the constant reliving, tweaks, and revelations done regarding the same scene from the past that your perception from Book 1 will be forever changed. It takes a great author to pull this off and David Hair is definitely in that class.
Thus brings to an end to one of my all time favorite series but with plenty of meat on the bone for future works. In fact, a sequel series titled the Sunsurge Quartet has been finished and released for the community to enjoy. I am not long from starting on that sequel series myself as I can not get enough of this world. The only question left to be decide is who else is going to join me on this journey?
Cheers!
We have come to the finale volume in The Moontide Quartet where love, betrayals, war, and the need to ascend is what we have in store. The climax is on the horizon where both continents might hang in the balance. The rites may have been lost to the enemy, but the Queen of Evil has returned and she is looking to correct the misdeeds of the past and it ends with bloodshed. This will be a spoiler free review but I will be touching upon events from the previous books.
The war for Antiopia is coming to its climax as the Leviathan Bridge will soon return to the sea once again. In Javon, the once imprisoned Cera Nesti now resides over the throne until her brother comes of age. Cera will be leading the rebellion against the Rondian Empire but she will do so without the full trust of her people due to her past actions. She will have to muster all her courage and tenasity and channel it into the battle effort in order to come out on top.
The Scytale of Cornieus has fallen into the enemies hands and now their is nothing to stop Seeress Huriya and Inquisitor Malevorn from destroying the continent of Antiopia. The only hope resides with our two heroes: Ramita and Alaron. Ramita, now has given birth to her twin children and is now the most powerful mage on Urte. As she has ascended, Alaron is training with the Zain monks and has discovered the secret of the Queen of Evil and what really took place many years ago. The Rite of Ascendancy will need to be performed and the final showdown will come on the Leviathan Bridge itself.
What else could I possible say about this series except that the worldbuilding and character development are spectacular. When you throw on top of that an intricate and unique magic system, you have an epic saga unlike anything I have read in many years. The Moontide Quartet has something for every type of reader and the twists just keep on coming until the very end. What makes David Hairs writing so great is his attention to detail and scope of the world our characters reside in. We have multiple battles taking place across the continent and each one flows with a purpose in connecting to the bigger plot. The history and lore of this world will also knock you off of your feet with the constant reliving, tweaks, and revelations done regarding the same scene from the past that your perception from Book 1 will be forever changed. It takes a great author to pull this off and David Hair is definitely in that class.
Thus brings to an end to one of my all time favorite series but with plenty of meat on the bone for future works. In fact, a sequel series titled the Sunsurge Quartet has been finished and released for the community to enjoy. I am not long from starting on that sequel series myself as I can not get enough of this world. The only question left to be decide is who else is going to join me on this journey?
Cheers!
January 14, 2016
A strong finish to a fantastic series. If you liked the previous books, fear not, you will be satisfied with the conclusion. It is nonstop action from all your favorite characters. As with the previous books, I was impressed at how much material was covered. So many series tend to slow down a lot in the later books because the multiple points of view, not so with Mooontide. A few of the plot twists are fairly easy to anticipate, but then every so often the reader is blindsided along with the characters. I have no idea why this series has gotten so little attention compared to so many recent epic fantasy series. I think of the Moontide Quartet a bit like the much more satisfying mirror image of the Raven's Shadow books (Moontide gets progressively better while Raven's Shadow gets steadily worse). I'm sad for the end of the series but am excited about reading Hair's next work. He seems to be nearly as productive as Sanderson when it comes to pages/year which is quite a feat. I feel like I have seen way too many inferior series compared to Sanderson's work but I would make the case that Moontide is a sort of R-rated Mistborn or Stormlight. A complex magical system with believable protagonists that you can really root for inhabiting a rich and well fleshed out world. What more could a person ask for?
April 2, 2017
Mesmerized! Read straight through the night and finished at 0730 today. Drawn into the world; cried for the losses; celebrated the victories; loved the characters.
So glad I did not know about this series until it was complete. My addictive reading style is not known for patience between releases. As much as I loved this series, I am not sure I can start the Sunsurge Quartet. I am a greedy reader and I want it all at once. Although I have requested my library to purchase the book.
Interesting note: I took a 4-hour break from reading to take girls from my troop to a My Promise, My Faith event. This event identified how the tenets of Islam correspond to the values of the Girl Scout law. The mosque had also invited Judaism and Christianity speakers to the event so it was really a 3 for 1 deal for the girls. This peaceful coming together of different ethnics and religions is exactly the hope this book series represents.
So glad I did not know about this series until it was complete. My addictive reading style is not known for patience between releases. As much as I loved this series, I am not sure I can start the Sunsurge Quartet. I am a greedy reader and I want it all at once. Although I have requested my library to purchase the book.
Interesting note: I took a 4-hour break from reading to take girls from my troop to a My Promise, My Faith event. This event identified how the tenets of Islam correspond to the values of the Girl Scout law. The mosque had also invited Judaism and Christianity speakers to the event so it was really a 3 for 1 deal for the girls. This peaceful coming together of different ethnics and religions is exactly the hope this book series represents.
July 31, 2019
This is excellent. The amount of punishment (physical and mental) each character is taking is mind staggering. Constant changing alliances, constant pressure on fortitude and morals. Constant anguish and pain. And death.
The plot excellent. The characters well-thought out and very diverse. The story is paced perfectly and with just the right amount of pathos. Amazing quartet.
"There is only one rule in the eternal struggle for dominance: win by any means."
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
EDIT: I like that the women are so different but so strong and while love is sometimes portrayed as the trope of it conquers all, both men and women do it best together on equal terms.
The plot excellent. The characters well-thought out and very diverse. The story is paced perfectly and with just the right amount of pathos. Amazing quartet.
"There is only one rule in the eternal struggle for dominance: win by any means."
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
EDIT: I like that the women are so different but so strong and while love is sometimes portrayed as the trope of it conquers all, both men and women do it best together on equal terms.
January 6, 2020
Such an awesome, epic series. With all the fighting, shifting of powers and deaths in this series, it’s no surprise that we leave this book with the world slightly more optimistic, but still unsure and chaotic.
I loved all the character development and growth experienced by all throughout this series, and the peaks into the futures of all our favourites we get at the end, which can be hit or miss for me.
Definitely an underrated series, if a bit dark
I loved all the character development and growth experienced by all throughout this series, and the peaks into the futures of all our favourites we get at the end, which can be hit or miss for me.
Definitely an underrated series, if a bit dark
March 21, 2017
Am delighted to hear there 'll be another quarter called sunsurge quarter occur after the events of moontide quarter......can't wait
January 24, 2022
Absolutely one of my favorite series last year. Such elaborate schemes, tactics and personality development; amazing!
February 12, 2020
Great finish to a good series.
For my reviews for all the previous books, I have given a three-star rating. That was because while I felt like the storytelling was great, the characters were deeply fleshed out and the plot was amazingly complex the book was let down by a couple of small problems. The biggest of those were typos. All four books, even this last one, were riddled with them. I'd say I probably noticed one every two chapters. But I kept reading anyway because the story was that good.
So for this last book, I could do the same again and give it a slightly lower rating for that reason but, to be honest, that wouldn't be fair. This author has written a brilliant, vivid story -its well worth reading and even though he has an amazingly complex plot with multiple main characters he still managed to tie everything up nicely, in the end, except for one small mystery which he obviously left deliberately to tempt readers into following the next quartet which occurs in the same world immediately after the end of the first.
I can't give you a synopsis of the plot for this series as it was just far too involved but I will say read it. It was great.
A well deserved four stars
Adam:)
For my reviews for all the previous books, I have given a three-star rating. That was because while I felt like the storytelling was great, the characters were deeply fleshed out and the plot was amazingly complex the book was let down by a couple of small problems. The biggest of those were typos. All four books, even this last one, were riddled with them. I'd say I probably noticed one every two chapters. But I kept reading anyway because the story was that good.
So for this last book, I could do the same again and give it a slightly lower rating for that reason but, to be honest, that wouldn't be fair. This author has written a brilliant, vivid story -its well worth reading and even though he has an amazingly complex plot with multiple main characters he still managed to tie everything up nicely, in the end, except for one small mystery which he obviously left deliberately to tempt readers into following the next quartet which occurs in the same world immediately after the end of the first.
I can't give you a synopsis of the plot for this series as it was just far too involved but I will say read it. It was great.
A well deserved four stars
Adam:)
August 14, 2022
This is a general review for the entire series.
I don’t know why this series gets more love. It has everything that a good epic fantasy has that I like. A large cast of interesting characters with believable motivations that grow and change throughout the book. Some are evil, others are good and heroic and others are in that grey space. One character reminds me of Littlefinger from Game of Thrones. Another reminds me of Roo from Feist’s Serpentwar Saga.
There are battles, romance, interesting and unique magic system, politics, a magic schooling/training like Hogwarts and even currency/economics maneuvering.
The author is not afraid to kill off major characters. There was a few plot twists that I did not see happening.
While the the author uses the historical Crusades as inspiration, he does illustrate the religion, race and political differences and how neither faction is right or wrong. Both sides had heroes and both sides committed atrocities. Some fought each other, and others fell in love with each other despite of those differences.
It was well done!
I don’t know why this series gets more love. It has everything that a good epic fantasy has that I like. A large cast of interesting characters with believable motivations that grow and change throughout the book. Some are evil, others are good and heroic and others are in that grey space. One character reminds me of Littlefinger from Game of Thrones. Another reminds me of Roo from Feist’s Serpentwar Saga.
There are battles, romance, interesting and unique magic system, politics, a magic schooling/training like Hogwarts and even currency/economics maneuvering.
The author is not afraid to kill off major characters. There was a few plot twists that I did not see happening.
While the the author uses the historical Crusades as inspiration, he does illustrate the religion, race and political differences and how neither faction is right or wrong. Both sides had heroes and both sides committed atrocities. Some fought each other, and others fell in love with each other despite of those differences.
It was well done!
January 16, 2016
I liked this book a lot. That being said, I felt like the ending was a bit forced and some threads were left untied - what happened to hessaz and co.?
Ultimately a great book, a great series, and I see potential for a sequel??
Ultimately a great book, a great series, and I see potential for a sequel??
March 10, 2016
‘Well, I’ve heard worse,’ she drawled. ‘Once a group of mage-knights decided they wanted to be “The Glorious Knights of the Temple of Golden Redemption” and call each other “Exalted Paladin”. I had to kill them.’
August 11, 2020
“We should never condemn an entire race or religion as evil. Such generalizations are clearly wrong. It is individual deeds that we clearly must judge, in the context they are made.”
A sufficient end to an amazing series. Loved it from start to finish. A nonstop action from my fave characters. It is gratifying to have Seth Korion standup to his father. Turned out, he didn’t have to be just like him. The Moontide Quartet are heavy on political views, racism, slavery and gender equality mixed with incredible magical powers. Superbly done by David Hair.
A sufficient end to an amazing series. Loved it from start to finish. A nonstop action from my fave characters. It is gratifying to have Seth Korion standup to his father. Turned out, he didn’t have to be just like him. The Moontide Quartet are heavy on political views, racism, slavery and gender equality mixed with incredible magical powers. Superbly done by David Hair.
November 21, 2017
Una serie di quattro romanzi che hanno avuto sia un discreto successo di critica che di apprezzamento da parte dei lettori. David Hair è uno scrittore neozelandese già conosciuto per due serie di romanzi fantasy young adult: Aoteoaroa e The Return of Ravana, basati si mitologie neozelandesi ed indiane. La quadrologia The Moontide Quartet è la sua prima opera per adulti. Io l'ho notato proprio per i molti giudizi positivi che ha ricevuto su Goodreads, con recensioni razionali e ragionate, per cui ho incominciato a leggere il primo volume, e sono poi arrivato alla fine della serie, che però non è ancora la fine della storia.
Il world bilding non è certo dei più originali: un mondo, Urte, in cui due grossi continenti sono separati da un tratto di mare ampio ma non ampissimo, che però il movimento mareale causato da due lune, di cui una molto grande e l'altra in orbita fortemente ellittica, rendono molto agitato e intraversabile, e quindi si tratta inizialmente di due mondi praticamente indipendenti, con quello più a nord-ovest, Yuros, una specie di copia della nostra Europa e quello più a sud-est, Antiopia, una copia della costa mediterranea dell'Africa, i paesi arabi e l'oriente fino all'India.
L'assonanza dei nomi usati con quelli reali del nostro mondo è abbastanza esplicita, così come l'aspetto e la cultura generale degli abitanti delle varie nazioni di Urte, rapportate ad un nostro periodo storico che copre l'intero medioevo. Il lettore potrà sicuramente divertirsi a trovare gli innumerevoli legami tra il mondo inventato e quello reale, alcuni espliciti e altri più nascosti, ma sicuramente non potrà passare inosservato che l'Impero precedente che aveva controllato il continente di Yuros aveva come origine la nazione di Rimoni, che fa rima con Romani, ed infatti i suoi abitanti parlano sostanzialmente italiano, che Hair usa spesso nei suoi dialoghi. E la nazione che ha costruito l'impero successivo sembra molto di stirpe germanica. C'è poi da osservare che la nazione di Yuros più a est, che nella geografia di Urte corrisponde alla più vicina al continente di Antiopia, parla la stessa lingua di Rimoni, cioè l'italiano, ma è anche governata da famigliori che gestiscono tutte le attività illegali... cioè una specie Mafia. Sicuramente una visione del mondo molto particolare...
La recensione completa dell'intera serie in:
http://www.webalice.it/michele.castel...
Il world bilding non è certo dei più originali: un mondo, Urte, in cui due grossi continenti sono separati da un tratto di mare ampio ma non ampissimo, che però il movimento mareale causato da due lune, di cui una molto grande e l'altra in orbita fortemente ellittica, rendono molto agitato e intraversabile, e quindi si tratta inizialmente di due mondi praticamente indipendenti, con quello più a nord-ovest, Yuros, una specie di copia della nostra Europa e quello più a sud-est, Antiopia, una copia della costa mediterranea dell'Africa, i paesi arabi e l'oriente fino all'India.
L'assonanza dei nomi usati con quelli reali del nostro mondo è abbastanza esplicita, così come l'aspetto e la cultura generale degli abitanti delle varie nazioni di Urte, rapportate ad un nostro periodo storico che copre l'intero medioevo. Il lettore potrà sicuramente divertirsi a trovare gli innumerevoli legami tra il mondo inventato e quello reale, alcuni espliciti e altri più nascosti, ma sicuramente non potrà passare inosservato che l'Impero precedente che aveva controllato il continente di Yuros aveva come origine la nazione di Rimoni, che fa rima con Romani, ed infatti i suoi abitanti parlano sostanzialmente italiano, che Hair usa spesso nei suoi dialoghi. E la nazione che ha costruito l'impero successivo sembra molto di stirpe germanica. C'è poi da osservare che la nazione di Yuros più a est, che nella geografia di Urte corrisponde alla più vicina al continente di Antiopia, parla la stessa lingua di Rimoni, cioè l'italiano, ma è anche governata da famigliori che gestiscono tutte le attività illegali... cioè una specie Mafia. Sicuramente una visione del mondo molto particolare...
La recensione completa dell'intera serie in:
http://www.webalice.it/michele.castel...
November 23, 2018
Thank god that is over with. What started as a relatively enjoyable series with a few issues became a boring and turgid waste of my time. The ending managed to save it from being a complete write off but I am happy to have got this out of the way.
I almost dnf’d this book. No, I was actually about to launch it across the room in frustration. It was around the time Cera managed to wangle her way into becoming interim dictator (I don’t think that’s what Hair called it but that’s what I took away from the chapter) and I thought “I can’t do this anymore.” I was two thirds of the way through so I just decided to plough on and finish it, skim reading the parts that fucked me off.
Turns out, that was quite a lot of the book.
Ascendant’s Rite has the same problems as Unholy War. It is too long, very dull in places and doesn’t have enough plot to justify the large page count. Yes, I like good word building, magic and character development but by the final book of the series the plot should be the main consideration. There was simply too much padding in an already long series. If you took out all the superfluous parts of those two books, this could have been a trilogy.
Cera continued to be my most hated character, which was a massive problem since she seemed to be Hair’s favourite. I hated everything she did because most of it was completely self serving and the rest was because she was just such a good person. Get fucked. I disliked Huriya and Malevorn throughout the series too but I was meant to dislike them.
Most of the storylines bored me. The only two I really cared about at the end were Alaron and Ramita’s and Ramon and Seth’s. I still liked Elena and Kazim as characters but they spent most of the book tainted by Cera. Cym’s storyline was utterly pathetic. How Hair turned a strong willed woman into “I can’t live without my man” is actually beyond belief and was only done in order to facilitate her utterly shit end and, unfortunately, that is the thing that sticks out most with me in this book.
What started as a promising series turned really bad, really quick. It was filled with too much padding and things that didn’t matter, the characters seemed to change personalities just to serve the plot and the lack of consistently good story telling was incredibly irritating. The end was a vast improvement on the rest of the book but fifty pages are not enough to save the bloated mess this became.
I almost dnf’d this book. No, I was actually about to launch it across the room in frustration. It was around the time Cera managed to wangle her way into becoming interim dictator (I don’t think that’s what Hair called it but that’s what I took away from the chapter) and I thought “I can’t do this anymore.” I was two thirds of the way through so I just decided to plough on and finish it, skim reading the parts that fucked me off.
Turns out, that was quite a lot of the book.
Ascendant’s Rite has the same problems as Unholy War. It is too long, very dull in places and doesn’t have enough plot to justify the large page count. Yes, I like good word building, magic and character development but by the final book of the series the plot should be the main consideration. There was simply too much padding in an already long series. If you took out all the superfluous parts of those two books, this could have been a trilogy.
Cera continued to be my most hated character, which was a massive problem since she seemed to be Hair’s favourite. I hated everything she did because most of it was completely self serving and the rest was because she was just such a good person. Get fucked. I disliked Huriya and Malevorn throughout the series too but I was meant to dislike them.
Most of the storylines bored me. The only two I really cared about at the end were Alaron and Ramita’s and Ramon and Seth’s. I still liked Elena and Kazim as characters but they spent most of the book tainted by Cera. Cym’s storyline was utterly pathetic. How Hair turned a strong willed woman into “I can’t live without my man” is actually beyond belief and was only done in order to facilitate her utterly shit end and, unfortunately, that is the thing that sticks out most with me in this book.
What started as a promising series turned really bad, really quick. It was filled with too much padding and things that didn’t matter, the characters seemed to change personalities just to serve the plot and the lack of consistently good story telling was incredibly irritating. The end was a vast improvement on the rest of the book but fifty pages are not enough to save the bloated mess this became.
October 17, 2016
Nice wrap to series. It got ugly, some people had to die, some people didn't get what they wanted, some wrongs were made right, and it's wide open for a new series. The characters were not spared real consequences for their actions. I really liked that. It's how adult fiction works -- characters get hurt. Thank you Mr. Hair for not making me wait forever for this book to come out. None of that GRRM crap. Not sure who selects the narrator on audio book but he was perfect. He pulled those characters off the page and gave them humanity.
I truly appreciate how seamlessly Mr. Hair transitioned between the books. It's a large cast of characters that I am pretty sure I will remember for a long time -- ESPECIALLY RAMEDA!!!
Not sure who should play which character but this series is destined for a movie or mini-series. Good stuff.
I truly appreciate how seamlessly Mr. Hair transitioned between the books. It's a large cast of characters that I am pretty sure I will remember for a long time -- ESPECIALLY RAMEDA!!!
Not sure who should play which character but this series is destined for a movie or mini-series. Good stuff.
October 5, 2016
This was the only book of the series I did on Audiobook and I really did not enjoy it as much as I did the first three books. So perhaps that was a big part of why. I still felt like there was some disappointment here. First, the character of Cym just became pretty unlikable. I had higher hopes for her in books two and three. Second, (spoiler alert), the whole Cera Nesti plotline just didn't really matter in the end...felt like there was a ton of time spent there and in the end it wasn't applicable.
Overall, the series was great, but this was definitely the worst of the books. I'd read future David Hair books though.
Overall, the series was great, but this was definitely the worst of the books. I'd read future David Hair books though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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