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The Justice War #1
Sword of Fire
The celebrated DEVERRY series is an epic fantasy rooted in Celtic mythology that intricately interweaves human and elven history over several hundred years.
The bards are the people's voice – and their sword.
All over the kingdom of Deverry, the common people are demanding a change that will wrest power from the landed aristocracy: reform of the corrupt law courts. In the city of Aberwyn, the situation catches fire when the authorities allow the death of a bard from a hunger strike rather than hear the people’s protest.
But things haven’t always been this way.
Alyssa, a student and protégé of the bard who gave his life, discovers evidence that may overthrow the system that keeps her people downtrodden – in an ancient tome hidden far away. Though there are powerful lords who will kill anyone who threatens their privileges, and the road is full of the unknown – dragons, royalty, secrets and more – Alyssa volunteers to make the dangerous journey and bring back the text.
A chance encounter with a rough but handsome stranger, a riot in the streets and Alyssa charges into her mission whether she’s ready or not.
The time has come to burn away injustice.
This first novel of an epic fantasy trilogy introduces new readers to the beloved and bestselling world of Deverry while delighting fans of Kerr. A tale of uprising and empowerment that blends magic, politics, and adventure in an unforgettable setting.
378 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 20, 2020
106 people are currently reading
5232 people want to read
About the author
Katharine Kerr
69 books1,642 followersBorn in Ohio, 1944. Moved to San Francisco Bay Area in 1962 and has lived there ever since. Katharine Kerr has read extensively in the fields of classical archeology, and medieval and dark ages history and literature, and these influences are clear in her work. Her epic Deverry series has won widespread praise and millions of fans around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
November 27, 2022
Rating: 1.5 stars
The only thing amazing about this book (other than its cover) was how many clichés the author could squeeze into 500 pages. That's a little harsh, but let me explain. First we have a female MC who is plain-but-beautiful, not-like-other-girls, and only-a-commoner who knows nothing about the outside world, but don't worry because it's in a cute way (so precious! Must be protected!). Naturally we then have a bad-boy-brooding-but-secretly-a-softie love interest (staring into middle distance; has The Smoulder™) that corrupts our pure, innocent, naive MC. Through sheer coincidence, (and absolutely not because the plot needs them to) these two unlikely allies end up together on Fantasy Quest variant 7 (not to be confused with variant 6, they are very different). On this perilous quest (where the characters' lives are most definitely in danger) our duo find themselves in some frosty mountains, and lo and behold! our heroine gets cold. But fear not! Our brave and dashing man (who is drop dead gorgeous but conveniently single) comes to the rescue! Mustering up all his courage (of which he has much) he gallantly swoops in and warms her in his embrace! But our kind, sensitive man fears violating the lady's good, pious nature, and he pulls back. No! we scream. We have been rooting for this couple since the first chapter they met! (which also happened to be the first time they kissed, but it's not insta love because... uh... it just isn't). But we needn't worry our ship will not sail, because our fair maiden has already been corrupted to the core by this immoral man, so what is one scandalous night upon every other unscrupulous thing she had done with his guidance? *swoons*
Ok, but in all seriousness, Sword of Fire wasn't that bad. I wrote this while I was pushing myself through the last 100 pages and I got a tinsy bit carried away. I am just not the right audience for this. Why is it that whenever I try to diversify my authors (usually by trying to read more fantasy books by women), I always end up with duds?
The only thing amazing about this book (other than its cover) was how many clichés the author could squeeze into 500 pages. That's a little harsh, but let me explain. First we have a female MC who is plain-but-beautiful, not-like-other-girls, and only-a-commoner who knows nothing about the outside world, but don't worry because it's in a cute way (so precious! Must be protected!). Naturally we then have a bad-boy-brooding-but-secretly-a-softie love interest (staring into middle distance; has The Smoulder™) that corrupts our pure, innocent, naive MC. Through sheer coincidence, (and absolutely not because the plot needs them to) these two unlikely allies end up together on Fantasy Quest variant 7 (not to be confused with variant 6, they are very different). On this perilous quest (where the characters' lives are most definitely in danger) our duo find themselves in some frosty mountains, and lo and behold! our heroine gets cold. But fear not! Our brave and dashing man (who is drop dead gorgeous but conveniently single) comes to the rescue! Mustering up all his courage (of which he has much) he gallantly swoops in and warms her in his embrace! But our kind, sensitive man fears violating the lady's good, pious nature, and he pulls back. No! we scream. We have been rooting for this couple since the first chapter they met! (which also happened to be the first time they kissed, but it's not insta love because... uh... it just isn't). But we needn't worry our ship will not sail, because our fair maiden has already been corrupted to the core by this immoral man, so what is one scandalous night upon every other unscrupulous thing she had done with his guidance? *swoons*
Ok, but in all seriousness, Sword of Fire wasn't that bad. I wrote this while I was pushing myself through the last 100 pages and I got a tinsy bit carried away. I am just not the right audience for this. Why is it that whenever I try to diversify my authors (usually by trying to read more fantasy books by women), I always end up with duds?
March 22, 2020
A superstar read
Really enjoyed read this book, a excellent character based epic fantasy and real good start to a brand new series by this author.
I have been reading her Deverry series ever since the first book was published, she’s in my 10 favourite authors of all time and I have missed reading her deverry series.
This set 100s of year in the future.
Recommended to all my Goodreads friends.
Really enjoyed read this book, a excellent character based epic fantasy and real good start to a brand new series by this author.
I have been reading her Deverry series ever since the first book was published, she’s in my 10 favourite authors of all time and I have missed reading her deverry series.
This set 100s of year in the future.
Recommended to all my Goodreads friends.
Read
February 24, 2020I've not read this yet (though I have read many others in the same world, which were great.
I was sent a copy though, and my wife - a huge Katherine Kerr fan - has read it and loved it.
I was sent a copy though, and my wife - a huge Katherine Kerr fan - has read it and loved it.
February 29, 2020
I listened to this and I do confess that I do not know how to spell anything! So I will just not mention places or names for everyone cos yikes. I mean I did read the previous series and did I know how to pronounce things back then. It's like Welsh mixed with something else.
Anyway, you do not have to have read the previous series (15 books!) to get this. That series takes place 300 (and more) years before this. Now the world is closing in on the renaissance and it is such a different world than the previous world.
Alyssa is attending, well let's call it university, and she is studying the law. But law is not really something that is big there. Money can buy justice. At one place a lord is taking his son home to his own court and yeah, I doubt the ruling there would be fair. Alyssa is with a group that wants the commoners to have voices too. And not just the rich and powerful.
She meets Cavan, a silver dagger (Kerr certainly has a thing for those) and they set on a journey for justice. On her side she has a fellow scholar and Lady. But Lords (Gwerbet?) never give up power that easily.
There are elves, Westfolk, magic called Dweomer, even if people do not believe in it anymore. Politics, a bit of romance and just that lovely feeling of being somewhere you used to love.
I enjoyed it and the narration was great. I did not have to wonder about spelling something in my head, lol. I also really like Ruth's narration, she is spot on for this tale. Her voice just fits!
But yes I kept wondering if those I had loved before had been reincarnated in some small roles or not. Awww good times.
Anyway, you do not have to have read the previous series (15 books!) to get this. That series takes place 300 (and more) years before this. Now the world is closing in on the renaissance and it is such a different world than the previous world.
Alyssa is attending, well let's call it university, and she is studying the law. But law is not really something that is big there. Money can buy justice. At one place a lord is taking his son home to his own court and yeah, I doubt the ruling there would be fair. Alyssa is with a group that wants the commoners to have voices too. And not just the rich and powerful.
She meets Cavan, a silver dagger (Kerr certainly has a thing for those) and they set on a journey for justice. On her side she has a fellow scholar and Lady. But Lords (Gwerbet?) never give up power that easily.
There are elves, Westfolk, magic called Dweomer, even if people do not believe in it anymore. Politics, a bit of romance and just that lovely feeling of being somewhere you used to love.
I enjoyed it and the narration was great. I did not have to wonder about spelling something in my head, lol. I also really like Ruth's narration, she is spot on for this tale. Her voice just fits!
But yes I kept wondering if those I had loved before had been reincarnated in some small roles or not. Awww good times.
March 7, 2020
Review coming soon
Old comments
I screamed when I found out this was coming out.
The books about Deverry shaped so much of my Fantasy writing today and I felt the same emptiness after finishing the last one (back in 2011) as I felt after I finished the last Harry Potter book. Now February cannot come soon enough.
Old comments
I screamed when I found out this was coming out.
The books about Deverry shaped so much of my Fantasy writing today and I felt the same emptiness after finishing the last one (back in 2011) as I felt after I finished the last Harry Potter book. Now February cannot come soon enough.
dnf
March 2, 2020im really not enjoying this (the dialogue is so stilted and it's super confusing) but maybe im just an idiot so ill give it back to work and if the other girls like it, i'll give it another shot
December 16, 2019
First a bit of a disclaimer: I've been completely in love with the Deverry series since I first discovered it in seventh grade (way back when it was only about half finished), so my five star rating is probably a bit inflated. It's still the main fantasy series I hold up as an example of my favorite fantasies. I never expected to see more from this universe after the primary series was wrapped up several years back, but I was thrilled to find out that this new book was coming.
"Sword of Fire" starts off about three hundred years after the primary action in the Deverry books (although long time readers will of course know that the series jumped in and out of historical periods constantly). From the start it's obvious that Kerr has thought about what these centuries would have done to the social and political development of Deverry. At this point in their history they seem to be getting ready to leave the Middle Ages (to use a real world analogy) and inch closer to the Renaissance. After centuries of unquestioned feudal rule, the people are starting to demand legal checks on the nobles and codified protections for the commoners. It's a good set up for a new trilogy. The Deverry series has always been as much about the development of the people and realms as it is about particular characters, and this is a reasonable progression from what we already knew.
The cast of characters here is entirely new, barring a couple of cameos and historical mentions. Alyssa is a commoner, studying at the women's college in Aberwyn. Dovina is another scholar at the college, who also happens to be the Gwerbret's (the noble who rules the city) daughter, and Cavan is our obligatory silver dagger (a very particular group of mercenaries extensively chronicled in the previous series). All three main characters are likable, and also very different from most of the central characters of the earlier series. Those who have read Deverry will remember that the series relied heavily on reincarnation, and revisiting characters over many lives. There is no mention of this here, and "Sword of Fire" takes place entirely in one linear timeline. Of course I did find myself constantly analyzing the characters and trying to figure out if any of them could be people we already knew.
I think that this book will serve as a good entry point for readers who are interested in Kerr's Deverry books but wary about starting a fifteen book series. Of course it's hard for me to really see how a totally new reader would react to this book since I am already so familiar with the world. For old time readers, this book feels like a new Deverry installment and I'm thrilled that we'll be getting more. For new readers, welcome to Deverry, I hope this prompts some of you to go pick up the original series.
"Sword of Fire" starts off about three hundred years after the primary action in the Deverry books (although long time readers will of course know that the series jumped in and out of historical periods constantly). From the start it's obvious that Kerr has thought about what these centuries would have done to the social and political development of Deverry. At this point in their history they seem to be getting ready to leave the Middle Ages (to use a real world analogy) and inch closer to the Renaissance. After centuries of unquestioned feudal rule, the people are starting to demand legal checks on the nobles and codified protections for the commoners. It's a good set up for a new trilogy. The Deverry series has always been as much about the development of the people and realms as it is about particular characters, and this is a reasonable progression from what we already knew.
The cast of characters here is entirely new, barring a couple of cameos and historical mentions. Alyssa is a commoner, studying at the women's college in Aberwyn. Dovina is another scholar at the college, who also happens to be the Gwerbret's (the noble who rules the city) daughter, and Cavan is our obligatory silver dagger (a very particular group of mercenaries extensively chronicled in the previous series). All three main characters are likable, and also very different from most of the central characters of the earlier series. Those who have read Deverry will remember that the series relied heavily on reincarnation, and revisiting characters over many lives. There is no mention of this here, and "Sword of Fire" takes place entirely in one linear timeline. Of course I did find myself constantly analyzing the characters and trying to figure out if any of them could be people we already knew.
I think that this book will serve as a good entry point for readers who are interested in Kerr's Deverry books but wary about starting a fifteen book series. Of course it's hard for me to really see how a totally new reader would react to this book since I am already so familiar with the world. For old time readers, this book feels like a new Deverry installment and I'm thrilled that we'll be getting more. For new readers, welcome to Deverry, I hope this prompts some of you to go pick up the original series.
February 18, 2020
SYNOPSIS
In the Kingdom of Deverry, bards are highly regarded as the voice of the commoner. When one of the most well-regarded bards is allowed to starve himself in an attempt to force change, the people are on the verge of revolt.
Alyssa and Dovina are two ladies of the court who side with the commoners. They have come up with a plan to retrieve an ancient text that highlights traditional law that would turn current political theory on its head.
As each traverses the Kindgom to fulfill their end of the pact in hopes of enacting new (old) laws that favor a more just judicial system, they find the journey is more than they bargained for. The road is dangerous, and the courts are fraught with corruption. Despite the perilous nature of the voyage, Alyssa and Dovina will do whatever it takes to bring a sense of fairness to Deverry.
REVIEW
The Sword of Fire is a typical political, military fantasy filled to brim with court talk, backstabbing, and alliance-making. I would almost classify a large portion of the book as adventure fantasy, as our two main protagonists each go on a journey to complete their plan to bring change to the unfair justice system of Deverry.
Except, I cannot go so far as to say the story is full of adventure. The Sword of Fire is a decent story, well-written and intriguing at times but underwhelming at others. The book starts out quite promising, as Alyssa and Dovina are heart-broken over the loss of their friend, who also happens to be a popular bard in their town. Dovina approaches her father about the matter – he is their gwerbretian, or governor-type ruler – who tells her there is nothing he can do, as he abides by traditional law on the matter. Alyssa and Dovina hear a rumor about an ancient text that speaks of a different justice system, and they decide to find it and bring it to Dovina’s father in hopes of changing his mind. What could be more “traditional” than an ancient text?
As they begin their separate journeys, they must navigate areas of the Kingdom with which they are unfamiliar – and courts where customs differ. There is a lot of intrigue to carry this story for a while. And that it did. As I read and continued to read, I hung on to that hope until about 2/3 of the way through the book when I realized not much was really happening. Where are the ebbs and flows that keep a story interesting? As I continued to wait for a climax, I came to the conclusion that none was coming. The book started at one point on the scale and never crescendoed. I expected it to evolve into something more, but it never did. It just plateaued. The whole book felt like a prologue to me, which I conjure that is what the author was going for – to use this book to set up the rest of the trilogy.
Overall, I liked this book. The story was interesting, I was invested in the characters, and setting appealed to me. I just wish there was more to it, in the end. I did not know until researching to write this review that is a piece of a bigger world of Deverry novels. I would definitely like to return to this universe to see what else it has in store.
I recommend The Sword of Fire to those who are interesting in slow-building military fantasy.
In the Kingdom of Deverry, bards are highly regarded as the voice of the commoner. When one of the most well-regarded bards is allowed to starve himself in an attempt to force change, the people are on the verge of revolt.
Alyssa and Dovina are two ladies of the court who side with the commoners. They have come up with a plan to retrieve an ancient text that highlights traditional law that would turn current political theory on its head.
As each traverses the Kindgom to fulfill their end of the pact in hopes of enacting new (old) laws that favor a more just judicial system, they find the journey is more than they bargained for. The road is dangerous, and the courts are fraught with corruption. Despite the perilous nature of the voyage, Alyssa and Dovina will do whatever it takes to bring a sense of fairness to Deverry.
REVIEW
The Sword of Fire is a typical political, military fantasy filled to brim with court talk, backstabbing, and alliance-making. I would almost classify a large portion of the book as adventure fantasy, as our two main protagonists each go on a journey to complete their plan to bring change to the unfair justice system of Deverry.
Except, I cannot go so far as to say the story is full of adventure. The Sword of Fire is a decent story, well-written and intriguing at times but underwhelming at others. The book starts out quite promising, as Alyssa and Dovina are heart-broken over the loss of their friend, who also happens to be a popular bard in their town. Dovina approaches her father about the matter – he is their gwerbretian, or governor-type ruler – who tells her there is nothing he can do, as he abides by traditional law on the matter. Alyssa and Dovina hear a rumor about an ancient text that speaks of a different justice system, and they decide to find it and bring it to Dovina’s father in hopes of changing his mind. What could be more “traditional” than an ancient text?
As they begin their separate journeys, they must navigate areas of the Kingdom with which they are unfamiliar – and courts where customs differ. There is a lot of intrigue to carry this story for a while. And that it did. As I read and continued to read, I hung on to that hope until about 2/3 of the way through the book when I realized not much was really happening. Where are the ebbs and flows that keep a story interesting? As I continued to wait for a climax, I came to the conclusion that none was coming. The book started at one point on the scale and never crescendoed. I expected it to evolve into something more, but it never did. It just plateaued. The whole book felt like a prologue to me, which I conjure that is what the author was going for – to use this book to set up the rest of the trilogy.
Overall, I liked this book. The story was interesting, I was invested in the characters, and setting appealed to me. I just wish there was more to it, in the end. I did not know until researching to write this review that is a piece of a bigger world of Deverry novels. I would definitely like to return to this universe to see what else it has in store.
I recommend The Sword of Fire to those who are interesting in slow-building military fantasy.
February 24, 2020
This is not an unbiased review. I adore the Deverry books and this new one is a welcome return to the world. In an amazing change for a fantasy novel progress, both social, technological and economical, has been made since we last visited. These are the logical extensions of events already chronicled by the author (I am assuming that this is also penned by Cadda Cerrmor although she is uncredited in this book). Canals and coaches have made their appearance, literacy and some education (even for women!) has progressed although the nobility and their war bands still run the kingdom. Hardly anyone believes the old stories about the dweomer or dwimmer as the modern Deverrians call it.
A mixed group of bards, scholars and priests want to make the justice system fairer, but they risk dragging the whole kingdom into another damaging civil war as the old guard fight to preserve their 'traditional' ways. Various other groups such as the Westfolk and the Bardekians also have their own interest in the struggle.
Due to the long lives of some of the non human characters we meet familiar faces. Kov and Marnmara are still lord and lady of Haen Marn. Valandario, Maelabar and Ebany make an appearance for the Westfolk and Devaberial and Carramaena are mentioned. Devar the dragon has a cameo and we will apparently meet the dragons again in subsequent books. The map of Rinbaladelan that Evandar left with Rhodda appears on the wall of her college, Lady Rhodda's Hall. The humans appear in re-incarnated forms (spoilers follow):
We see Jill / Hild in Cerrmor; Nevyn is in Haen Marn as the gardener; Marka and her fortune telling tiles reappear; Aderyn has been reborn as a full Elf this time although it doesn't look like he has married the former Loddlaen yet or fathered Evandar as per the end of the last sequence; it is strongly hinted that Merryn is Cullyn of Cerrmor; and the Prince Regent may well be Rhodri Maelwaedd reincarnated although I'm willing to be wrong on that one.
A mixed group of bards, scholars and priests want to make the justice system fairer, but they risk dragging the whole kingdom into another damaging civil war as the old guard fight to preserve their 'traditional' ways. Various other groups such as the Westfolk and the Bardekians also have their own interest in the struggle.
Due to the long lives of some of the non human characters we meet familiar faces. Kov and Marnmara are still lord and lady of Haen Marn. Valandario, Maelabar and Ebany make an appearance for the Westfolk and Devaberial and Carramaena are mentioned. Devar the dragon has a cameo and we will apparently meet the dragons again in subsequent books. The map of Rinbaladelan that Evandar left with Rhodda appears on the wall of her college, Lady Rhodda's Hall. The humans appear in re-incarnated forms (spoilers follow):
We see Jill / Hild in Cerrmor; Nevyn is in Haen Marn as the gardener; Marka and her fortune telling tiles reappear; Aderyn has been reborn as a full Elf this time although it doesn't look like he has married the former Loddlaen yet or fathered Evandar as per the end of the last sequence; it is strongly hinted that Merryn is Cullyn of Cerrmor; and the Prince Regent may well be Rhodri Maelwaedd reincarnated although I'm willing to be wrong on that one.
June 6, 2021
An interesting, and slightly different, return to Deverry. Equal parts romance, legal drama, and intrigue set in Deverry's Celtic fantasy world. I think the book was very enjoyable, if not what I expected from Kerr, and that it works well as a stand-alone as a set-up for coming books.
I grew to like the characters well enough, even if the MCs are the weakest link in the story -- as such I pretty much shrugged away the romance plotlines and focused on the world. What I very much appreciate the legal trappings of Deverry, in the clash of tradition vs. rule of law. And it doesn't cut corners and try to do too much with too little, clearly making the changes, and lack of it, work in the internal world, without particularly vilifying anyone in the process. It's more antagonists than villains on the greater societal level, and those individuals that in their greed, selfishness, and entitlement hurt others than any designated villain of the series. Something that I appreciate in balanced low-fantasy.
It reminds me very much of Gladstone's Craft series, where law and good argumentation are used as weapons more than violence, even if death and violence are a clear part of the story and serve to complicate matters rather than solve.
I grew to like the characters well enough, even if the MCs are the weakest link in the story -- as such I pretty much shrugged away the romance plotlines and focused on the world. What I very much appreciate the legal trappings of Deverry, in the clash of tradition vs. rule of law. And it doesn't cut corners and try to do too much with too little, clearly making the changes, and lack of it, work in the internal world, without particularly vilifying anyone in the process. It's more antagonists than villains on the greater societal level, and those individuals that in their greed, selfishness, and entitlement hurt others than any designated villain of the series. Something that I appreciate in balanced low-fantasy.
It reminds me very much of Gladstone's Craft series, where law and good argumentation are used as weapons more than violence, even if death and violence are a clear part of the story and serve to complicate matters rather than solve.
December 25, 2020
I really enjoyed the politics in this.
People fighting for the right to a fair and just legal system.
However, I did find the character development was some what lacking and the relationships felt a tad too rushed for my preference.
It is an interesting world with dragons and magic mentioned but not at the fore front of the plot.
I believe this is the start of a series within a series, I will be interested to see where it goes next as it wrapped up pretty well if a bit anticlimactic.
Disclaimer - I haven't read any of this authors other works where she has created a 15 book long series that is set in the same world.
People fighting for the right to a fair and just legal system.
However, I did find the character development was some what lacking and the relationships felt a tad too rushed for my preference.
It is an interesting world with dragons and magic mentioned but not at the fore front of the plot.
I believe this is the start of a series within a series, I will be interested to see where it goes next as it wrapped up pretty well if a bit anticlimactic.
Disclaimer - I haven't read any of this authors other works where she has created a 15 book long series that is set in the same world.
July 21, 2020
Volgens de flap een instappunt als je de eerdere boeken uit deze cyclus nog niet hebt gelezen. Voor mij vooral heel veel giswerk en deduceren. Kostte mij zo veel moeite dat het plezier er wel vanaf was. Niet echt een instappunt dus, vast heel leuk als je de rest van de cyclus al hebt gelezen of in ieder geval bekend bent met de gebruikte termen. Voor instappers waren een landkaartje, stambomen en/of glossarium meer dan welkom geweest.
March 2, 2020
I just love these books. It’s been years since the last Deverry book so I had forgotten how simple the writing is without much complexity to the plot. When I started reading I was wondering if I would still be interested since I’ve been very impatient with books lately. But once again it got under my skin and I became attached to the characters and was charmed once again. So far no idea who is a reincarnated soul from the past ( this takes place a few hundred years later and past history is forgotten ) but one of them had a deja vu and we know what that means!
May 10, 2022
I liked the set up of this - the much more grounded take on a rebellion, the admittance that a fantasy setting very rarely treats its common folk kindly, the squabble between different political powers. But its characters felt oddly bland to me, almost too agreeable, and things almost always went a little too smoothly, creating very little suspense. I like this world (I've already read twelve of the Deverry books, all the ones that were translated to swedish) but I feel that the earlier books' focus on more tragic tales held my interest far longer. Hmm. All in all, a good book, but alas, for me, not a great one.
February 4, 2020
unfortunately this book wasn't for me.
Want to read
January 30, 2020does anyone know if i can read this without reading the other 15 books before?
June 26, 2021
It has been fun to return to Deverry once again! You don't need to have read the other series to enjoy this one as it's set 300 years later and follows its own narrative arc. That said, there are lots of little tidbits and appearances that will make you smile if you have read the others!
One thing I really liked about this was the increased number of women. Don't get me wrong, there have been some fantastic female characters in the original series and the cast grew as it went on, but I loved getting to see the legacy of Lady Rhodda's learning and to see women scholars playing such an active role in the narrative. I got a bit irked by Cavan's continuous viewing of Alyssa as Not Like Other Girls. I think the presence of all the other strong women in this book is clearly challenging his viewpoint and showing that it's his own bias, but it was still a bit annoying to repeat so often.
I also appreciate that this book is doing a lot of very different things to the original Deverry series. Where that series is concerned with the recurring lives, ramifications playing out over generations, and suchlike, Sword of Fire has a plot that is founded among disputes. Challenging the unfairness of the legal courts is the crux that the plot centres around, but that in itself spirals out to reveal a myriad of feuds and tensions that have built over time and are beginning to form into something more serious. I appreciated this new focus, even if I wasn't always particularly invested in it.
Another niggle I have with the series is that by now I feel fairly overfamiliar with some of the character archetypes that Katharine Kerr is obviously drawn to. Cavan was once a nobleman but due to his impulsive temper and the betrayal of a family member he is stripped of his rank and forced to become a silver dagger. So far, remarkably similar to Rhodry! For me, some of the strongest characters are those who are slightly more on the sidelines of the narrative like the Rhommardda.
On the whole, I will always enjoy Kerr's Deverry series because I relish having a heavily Celticised fantasy world to sink my teeth into. This particular installment has not dazzled as strongly as some of her others, but I am interested enough that I will likely continue it as the rest of the trilogy is published. After all, I'm 16 books deep at this point!
One thing I really liked about this was the increased number of women. Don't get me wrong, there have been some fantastic female characters in the original series and the cast grew as it went on, but I loved getting to see the legacy of Lady Rhodda's learning and to see women scholars playing such an active role in the narrative. I got a bit irked by Cavan's continuous viewing of Alyssa as Not Like Other Girls. I think the presence of all the other strong women in this book is clearly challenging his viewpoint and showing that it's his own bias, but it was still a bit annoying to repeat so often.
I also appreciate that this book is doing a lot of very different things to the original Deverry series. Where that series is concerned with the recurring lives, ramifications playing out over generations, and suchlike, Sword of Fire has a plot that is founded among disputes. Challenging the unfairness of the legal courts is the crux that the plot centres around, but that in itself spirals out to reveal a myriad of feuds and tensions that have built over time and are beginning to form into something more serious. I appreciated this new focus, even if I wasn't always particularly invested in it.
Another niggle I have with the series is that by now I feel fairly overfamiliar with some of the character archetypes that Katharine Kerr is obviously drawn to. Cavan was once a nobleman but due to his impulsive temper and the betrayal of a family member he is stripped of his rank and forced to become a silver dagger. So far, remarkably similar to Rhodry! For me, some of the strongest characters are those who are slightly more on the sidelines of the narrative like the Rhommardda.
On the whole, I will always enjoy Kerr's Deverry series because I relish having a heavily Celticised fantasy world to sink my teeth into. This particular installment has not dazzled as strongly as some of her others, but I am interested enough that I will likely continue it as the rest of the trilogy is published. After all, I'm 16 books deep at this point!
May 3, 2020
I've never read any of Kerr's other Deverry books, but honestly I still very much enjoyed this one. In these increasingly uncertain times I've been looking to fiction that brings me comfort, and this one is pretty comforting. It's not terribly fast paced, or plot driven, but what is there is enough to keep my interest. It basically revolves around a lady going to get a book to prove a court case against some unscrupulous vassal lords. Overall it was fun, but I will say there were some odd moments, like when the main male character questions being around dark skinned people, or some of the romantic stuff. I was surprised by how much I liked Ladoic though and his relationship with his daughter Dovina. Actually, I probably would have liked this book even more if it was just about Dovina. They end up getting the book, bringing it back and winning a victory of sorts, but it's not very high stakes and there is plenty of time for dragons, water monsters and spirits. I will definitely be reading the next in this series and might even dive back into her catalog of previous works.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2020
Time-skip sequels (though really, this is an all-new series) in fantasy are very interesting to me, especially when the author has thought through the implications of technological, political, and economic development. Luckily, from the earlier books in the Deverry Cycle, Katharine Kerr has spent a lot of time thinking about Deverrian society changes over time (the earlier series, after all, took place across 600 or so years). For new readers, the past will provide a rich history, with the new characters being quite complete in themselves and not needing the details of the earlier books to inform them. For old fans, we can take great joy in the references to events we read from the perspective of the participants.
Deverrian society is changing, with the middle class expanding and book-learnin' starting to become more important. The story focuses mostly on a group of noble and middle-class women who start setting some reforms into action, while the old rivalries of noblemen and royalty still endanger the common-born who are in their way. I am very curious as to how this series will progress, and very happy to reacquaint myself with the world of Deverry.
Deverrian society is changing, with the middle class expanding and book-learnin' starting to become more important. The story focuses mostly on a group of noble and middle-class women who start setting some reforms into action, while the old rivalries of noblemen and royalty still endanger the common-born who are in their way. I am very curious as to how this series will progress, and very happy to reacquaint myself with the world of Deverry.
April 7, 2020
A wonderful return to Deverry
In only a few words, Deverry and its rich cast of characters, are once more brought to life.
A wonderful new addition.
Nothing else ever quite matches up to these novels. Bring on the next book.
In only a few words, Deverry and its rich cast of characters, are once more brought to life.
A wonderful new addition.
Nothing else ever quite matches up to these novels. Bring on the next book.
August 26, 2025
Its always a dnf, when I try to pick it up to read this book, have tried several times now
May 17, 2020
3.5 ⭐️
June 21, 2021
I wanted to like this better but unfortunately, I didn't. It feels like very little happens for the majority of the book. There's a lot of travelling but hardly anything of import happening. It did get better towards the end when the plot and the court intrigue pick up. I had a hard time with the names - this is the first I've read of the Deverry books - but I found them very interesting.
Alyssa's romance plotline was very rushed and felt like it was only there to serve as a plot device. Her love interest is one of the blandest characters I've encountered in a book so far and I felt very little chemistry between the two. I'm don't really care to read about him at all. Thankfully, Dovina fared much better.
The name of the novel is alluded to but barely touched upon in this book. It is hinted at, but it looks to be of more importance in the coming books so it strikes me as an odd choice for this one.
I would also have really liked some more information regarding the people's history and their ways. I understand there are several books set in this world prior, but a little blurb would've been nice.
I still enjoyed Dovina's plotline, and I look forward to reading more of it as the series continues. And I understand the author was trying to set the scene for something bigger, so hopefully, I like the next one better. Better than an ok read so 2.5 stars.
Alyssa's romance plotline was very rushed and felt like it was only there to serve as a plot device. Her love interest is one of the blandest characters I've encountered in a book so far and I felt very little chemistry between the two. I'm don't really care to read about him at all. Thankfully, Dovina fared much better.
The name of the novel is alluded to but barely touched upon in this book. It is hinted at, but it looks to be of more importance in the coming books so it strikes me as an odd choice for this one.
I would also have really liked some more information regarding the people's history and their ways. I understand there are several books set in this world prior, but a little blurb would've been nice.
I still enjoyed Dovina's plotline, and I look forward to reading more of it as the series continues. And I understand the author was trying to set the scene for something bigger, so hopefully, I like the next one better. Better than an ok read so 2.5 stars.
February 18, 2020
Originally posted at www.archeddoorway.com
I have been a fan of Katharine Kerr’s books since I first discovered my love of reading science fiction and fantasy, and while I like all of her books, The Deverry Cycle will always be my favorite series of hers. Since it’s been over 10 years since The Silver Mage released I thought we had seen the end of The Deverry Cycle, so I was pretty excited to find out we were getting a new book this year. I started reading Sword Of Fire the moment I got home from work the day I received my copy in the mail a few weeks ago and don’t think I stopped reading it for more than five minutes until I was finished with it.
Usually, when it’s been this long between releases from one of my favorite authors, I’m always a little bit worried the new book won’t be as good as its predecessors, but I honestly wasn’t worried about this one at all. Sword Of Fire was everything you’d expect in a new Deverry Cycle book and so much more. Katharine Kerr has always been a fantastic author and I feel like she really upped her game with this book and went back to the roots of what makes the Deverry Cycle such a great series.
One of the great things about this book is that even though it’s the 16th book in the series, it takes place around 300 years after the first four acts of the Deverry Cycle and acts as a great place for new readers to jump into the story with, or for us veterans to dive back into the series. It’s been way too long since I’ve read any of the rest of the books in the series and I had no problem at all jumping right in and enjoy it without any sort of refresher. I’m so glad that the author wasn’t done with the Deverry Cycle like many of us thought she was and I can’t wait to see where she takes us with the rest of the books in this series!
I only finished reading Sword Of Fire a couple of days ago and I’m already thinking of buying the audiobook just so I can sit down and enjoy it all over again before jumping into a complete reread of the series. I think anyone who is a fan of Katharine Kerr’s books or of fantasy in general will enjoy this book and I can’t recommend it to people enough!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have been a fan of Katharine Kerr’s books since I first discovered my love of reading science fiction and fantasy, and while I like all of her books, The Deverry Cycle will always be my favorite series of hers. Since it’s been over 10 years since The Silver Mage released I thought we had seen the end of The Deverry Cycle, so I was pretty excited to find out we were getting a new book this year. I started reading Sword Of Fire the moment I got home from work the day I received my copy in the mail a few weeks ago and don’t think I stopped reading it for more than five minutes until I was finished with it.
Usually, when it’s been this long between releases from one of my favorite authors, I’m always a little bit worried the new book won’t be as good as its predecessors, but I honestly wasn’t worried about this one at all. Sword Of Fire was everything you’d expect in a new Deverry Cycle book and so much more. Katharine Kerr has always been a fantastic author and I feel like she really upped her game with this book and went back to the roots of what makes the Deverry Cycle such a great series.
One of the great things about this book is that even though it’s the 16th book in the series, it takes place around 300 years after the first four acts of the Deverry Cycle and acts as a great place for new readers to jump into the story with, or for us veterans to dive back into the series. It’s been way too long since I’ve read any of the rest of the books in the series and I had no problem at all jumping right in and enjoy it without any sort of refresher. I’m so glad that the author wasn’t done with the Deverry Cycle like many of us thought she was and I can’t wait to see where she takes us with the rest of the books in this series!
I only finished reading Sword Of Fire a couple of days ago and I’m already thinking of buying the audiobook just so I can sit down and enjoy it all over again before jumping into a complete reread of the series. I think anyone who is a fan of Katharine Kerr’s books or of fantasy in general will enjoy this book and I can’t recommend it to people enough!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 13, 2020
I wanted to like this book more than I did. I got to the point where I was tired of the superior attitude of the female characters who were carefully manipulating all the male characters without damaging fragile male egos. All of this to arrange the presentation of an old book that would then cause the male authority to realize they hadn't been following tradition after all. I did like the colorful world the author created, and some of the characters were initially interesting, but fell a bit into stereotypes.
December 18, 2024
This was a strange one. I was a big fan of Katherine Kerr’s Deverry series – for most of its run. But it was a long run, and I did grow weary. As long-running fantasy series go, it must have the record (or be close to it). Starting in 1986, there were four books (published in the UK as Daggerspell, Darkspell, Dawnspell and Dragonspell). At this point, I was in. Her celtic-influenced world-building, lightly-used magic, her use of a non-linear narrative centring around the idea of reincarnated characters was original and compelling. The early main character was Nevyn, who was (in the year 643 of the books) an aspiring magician called Galrion. An early mistake meant that he messed up the lives of two other people: Brangwen and Blaen. He then makes a rash vow: that he will not rest until he sets things right. Over the next 400 years, as Brangwen and Blain live through different incarnations, Galrion, now called Nevyn (“No-one”) travels around the Kingdom trying to make amends. The “present day” of the books (the 1060s) features a young lass called Jill and a young hothead called Rhodry, who has taken to the Long Road as a Silver Dagger: a mercenary-for-hire who has been forced to leave his old life behind because of some shameful episode.
There then followed four more novels, set in the Westlands, and featuring what are basically Elves, in Kerr’s hands presented as a nomadic, tent-dwelling people whose culture centres around horses – and magic, of course. For reasons, Jill and Rhodry find themselves adopted by the Elves. So between 1991 and 1994 we got A Time of Exile, A Time of Omens, A Time of War, and A Time of Justice.
At this point, I was still in, but perhaps hoping for an ending quite soon. The next phase of novels introduced the dragons (in fantasy, the dragons should always arrive slowly). Is it significant that there was a bit of a gap? The author herself took a bit of a rest. Starting in 1997, we got The Red Wyvern, The Black Raven, and The Fire Dragon.
That's eleven books. I think it was at this point that I was more out than in. I don’t know how many words this is up to, but I think we’re looking at well over 4000 trade paperback pages. But there were more, and it became, for me, a bit of a slog. Between 2006 and 2009, we got The Gold Falcon, The Spirit Stone, The Shadow Isle, and The Silver Mage.
I think I caught up on the last one after a considerable delay. I couldn’t tell you much about the last seven books.
All that was 15 years ago, and I would occasionally look her up. She’s a good writer. Her non-series science fiction novel Snare is one of my favourites, and I would love to have seen more like it. Then, the other day, I was looking for a palate cleanser between Hilary Mantel audiobooks. I’m planning to listen to the last volume (The Mirror and the Light, read by Ben Miles) on the Christmas trip to France and back, but I needed something to be going on with, especially in this week of scant podcasts. And there it was, in front of me, a thing I didn’t know existed.
Sword of Fire seems to represent a new beginning for the Deverry series. Time has moved on several hundred years, and we’re now in what might be termed Deverry’s Early Modern period. Interesting! I’ve not seen a fantasy writer do this before. If you read around the subject a bit, you will come across the common criticism of the genre, that it reinforces ideas about hierarchy, monarchy, aristocracy etc. While Game of Thrones might offer a scabrous portrayal of kings and princes, you don’t get much of an idea of the lives of ordinary folk, and there are certainly no trade unions or attempts to democratise the society. You have to be of this blood to ride a dragon, etc.
But in Early Modern Deverry, we see that there is progress, and there is change. Sword of Fire is supposedly the first in a series called The Justice War, and there’s your theme. We have gas lamps on the street, we have lawyers as well as priests, and we have colleges — including one for women.
All of this is very interesting. And the main plot concerns the attempts by a group of allies – women and bards, among them – to establish a different kind of legal proceeding, one not overseen by a Gwerbret or Lord. Kerr manages to avoid this getting too dry by having conflict between different interests blow up into good old fashioned skullduggery and fighting, and obviously some of the characters have to go on a road trip to retrieve a book written by Nevyn himself.
All of that is enjoyable, as are the familiar rhythms of Kerr’s prose, her language choices and the way people speak. It was pleasant to be immersed in this familiar-but-changed world.
On the other hand, a lot of the pleasures of the original series have been stripped away. The narrative is linear. No flashbacks to earlier incarnations – just hints that people might have lived different lives before. It’s a very simplified return to Deverry.
And there’s another concern. This appeared in 2020, right on the cusp of the pandemic. There appear to have been no further volumes. This novel ends with the promise of at least one more book… and the author turned 80 this year.
There then followed four more novels, set in the Westlands, and featuring what are basically Elves, in Kerr’s hands presented as a nomadic, tent-dwelling people whose culture centres around horses – and magic, of course. For reasons, Jill and Rhodry find themselves adopted by the Elves. So between 1991 and 1994 we got A Time of Exile, A Time of Omens, A Time of War, and A Time of Justice.
At this point, I was still in, but perhaps hoping for an ending quite soon. The next phase of novels introduced the dragons (in fantasy, the dragons should always arrive slowly). Is it significant that there was a bit of a gap? The author herself took a bit of a rest. Starting in 1997, we got The Red Wyvern, The Black Raven, and The Fire Dragon.
That's eleven books. I think it was at this point that I was more out than in. I don’t know how many words this is up to, but I think we’re looking at well over 4000 trade paperback pages. But there were more, and it became, for me, a bit of a slog. Between 2006 and 2009, we got The Gold Falcon, The Spirit Stone, The Shadow Isle, and The Silver Mage.
I think I caught up on the last one after a considerable delay. I couldn’t tell you much about the last seven books.
All that was 15 years ago, and I would occasionally look her up. She’s a good writer. Her non-series science fiction novel Snare is one of my favourites, and I would love to have seen more like it. Then, the other day, I was looking for a palate cleanser between Hilary Mantel audiobooks. I’m planning to listen to the last volume (The Mirror and the Light, read by Ben Miles) on the Christmas trip to France and back, but I needed something to be going on with, especially in this week of scant podcasts. And there it was, in front of me, a thing I didn’t know existed.
Sword of Fire seems to represent a new beginning for the Deverry series. Time has moved on several hundred years, and we’re now in what might be termed Deverry’s Early Modern period. Interesting! I’ve not seen a fantasy writer do this before. If you read around the subject a bit, you will come across the common criticism of the genre, that it reinforces ideas about hierarchy, monarchy, aristocracy etc. While Game of Thrones might offer a scabrous portrayal of kings and princes, you don’t get much of an idea of the lives of ordinary folk, and there are certainly no trade unions or attempts to democratise the society. You have to be of this blood to ride a dragon, etc.
But in Early Modern Deverry, we see that there is progress, and there is change. Sword of Fire is supposedly the first in a series called The Justice War, and there’s your theme. We have gas lamps on the street, we have lawyers as well as priests, and we have colleges — including one for women.
All of this is very interesting. And the main plot concerns the attempts by a group of allies – women and bards, among them – to establish a different kind of legal proceeding, one not overseen by a Gwerbret or Lord. Kerr manages to avoid this getting too dry by having conflict between different interests blow up into good old fashioned skullduggery and fighting, and obviously some of the characters have to go on a road trip to retrieve a book written by Nevyn himself.
All of that is enjoyable, as are the familiar rhythms of Kerr’s prose, her language choices and the way people speak. It was pleasant to be immersed in this familiar-but-changed world.
On the other hand, a lot of the pleasures of the original series have been stripped away. The narrative is linear. No flashbacks to earlier incarnations – just hints that people might have lived different lives before. It’s a very simplified return to Deverry.
And there’s another concern. This appeared in 2020, right on the cusp of the pandemic. There appear to have been no further volumes. This novel ends with the promise of at least one more book… and the author turned 80 this year.
Read
April 3, 2021I’ve been a long time reader of Katherine Kerr, having been introduced to her work in college. I love fantasy but I also love history. What made her work especially intriguing to me was her ability to weave elements of fantasy into alternative history set in a world similar to Wales and Britain. Her ability to create a unique world developed with realism and emotional stories was much appreciated when I was younger and when I heard of this new novel, I wondered if they would hold the same magic for me as they’d done when I was young. I was so happy to see that her work has all that same brilliance and talent that I remembered.
In Sword of Fire, the story revolves around the bards and people wanting a less corrupt justice system. In order to do so, Kerr uses the character of Alyssa, a student at the local scholars' collegium and Lady Dovina, the gwerbret's own daughter as the primary point of view characters. Both women are written as strong characters, each unique in their own way but each integral to the development of the story. This novel is political in nature but Katherine Kerr’s skills as a writer uses the characters to develop empathy and to drive the story. While those politics are the main thrust of the plot, it is the lives of the characters that touch me as a reader and keep me reading.
In addition to vibrant characters, with realistic backgrounds, I love the Celtic elements of the novel. Katherine Kerr has retained her ability to imbue those Celtic overtones into her fantasy novels. Along with bards and warriors,we also have elves, magic, and dragons. That unique worldbuilding makes for a beautiful and compelling story.
The setting is unique, the characters are strong, the action driving the plot, and the story emotionally satisfying. While you would think that you’d need to read the other novels to understand the newest novel, I found that Katherine Kerr does such an excellent job of worldbuilding, that you won’t find yourself missing any of the details. While I recommend reading the other books, you won’t need to to enjoy this narrative.
If you love unusual fantasy, well written plots, realistic characters, and a fresh take on magic, I think readers will love this novel. It compares with any of the great fantasy novels of the last ten years, with female characters that are independent and brave, and intriguing political maneuverings. I loved reading Sword of Fire, loved the characters and can’t wait for further novels from Katherine Kerr.
In Sword of Fire, the story revolves around the bards and people wanting a less corrupt justice system. In order to do so, Kerr uses the character of Alyssa, a student at the local scholars' collegium and Lady Dovina, the gwerbret's own daughter as the primary point of view characters. Both women are written as strong characters, each unique in their own way but each integral to the development of the story. This novel is political in nature but Katherine Kerr’s skills as a writer uses the characters to develop empathy and to drive the story. While those politics are the main thrust of the plot, it is the lives of the characters that touch me as a reader and keep me reading.
In addition to vibrant characters, with realistic backgrounds, I love the Celtic elements of the novel. Katherine Kerr has retained her ability to imbue those Celtic overtones into her fantasy novels. Along with bards and warriors,we also have elves, magic, and dragons. That unique worldbuilding makes for a beautiful and compelling story.
The setting is unique, the characters are strong, the action driving the plot, and the story emotionally satisfying. While you would think that you’d need to read the other novels to understand the newest novel, I found that Katherine Kerr does such an excellent job of worldbuilding, that you won’t find yourself missing any of the details. While I recommend reading the other books, you won’t need to to enjoy this narrative.
If you love unusual fantasy, well written plots, realistic characters, and a fresh take on magic, I think readers will love this novel. It compares with any of the great fantasy novels of the last ten years, with female characters that are independent and brave, and intriguing political maneuverings. I loved reading Sword of Fire, loved the characters and can’t wait for further novels from Katherine Kerr.
January 12, 2021
When you love a series, one of the biggest joys is seeing it end well. It’s bittersweet, knowing they’ll be no more. But that is exponentially better than seeing it outstay its welcome, fading away into something that diminishes the whole.
So when that a series ends, but then the author decides to revisit the world, I’m always wary. As much as I want there to be more books in the series, will they add to the brilliance of the original, or dilute it?
With Sword of Fire, Kerr manages to hit all the same notes I loved about the Deverry books, but is missing that uniqueness of the original series.
What Kerr has done right is not try to bring us back to the world we knew before as it was. Sword of Fire kicks off 400 or so years after the originals wrapped up, showing us a world that has moved on while still being recognisable. It’s no longer the very Celtic, Anglo-Saxon style of before, and feels as if it has moved more towards a medieval/Tudor atmosphere to me.
One of the points of the original series was reincarnation, and seeing each soul live different lives in different time periods. And I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who went into this book wanting to know which characters were reincarnations of who, and ended up disappointed that this was not forthcoming. This bugged me at the start. Having lost that connection from the original books, seeing how each reincarnation reflected the last, it didn’t feel the same.
But by the end, I’m glad Kerr took this route. It allows the story to start anew, a clean break from what came before. And I actually started to enjoy trying to work it out through context. When one character demonstrated a certain combat style, or when another laughed in a certain way, I had the flash of joy from realising who they were.
And I’m fairly confident there were a couple of characters and references that were from the previous books that I missed, simply because it’s been so long since I read them.
But what detracts from this book is the linear timeline.
What always drew me to the Deverry series was the twisting, intertwined, Celtic Knot of its timeline. The way each character’s lives were influenced by their actions and decision in previous incarnations. The way we learnt bits of history to reveal truths about the more recent timelines. The way truths about certain characters were kept hidden until they became relevant to the story, so.
But Sword of Fire doesn’t have this. It’s one lifetime, one story, told in a simple, linear fashion. And it’s not a particularly twisting or surprising plot. But without the hook of the way the Deverry books were one series told across many timelines, it just felt - to me - to be a little too generic fantasy.
This isn’t helped but the fact that we don’t focus on any characters who use Dwoemer this time. Or dwimmer as it’s now known. It exists, but only on the periphery of the main character’s experiences.
Again, I can see that this was a deliberate decision to differentiate this story from the previous ones. And it’s also clear that it will be brought in more in future books of this new trilogy. But it’s one more thing missing that used to make the series stand out. The literal “magic” from before is missing.
So overall, I’m glad Kerr is visiting Deverry again. This isn’t a bad book in any sense, but it just lacks a certain uniqueness and magic that the previous books held. What I suspect it that it’s setting up a lot to come in the next book, so I’m excited to see where Kerr takes this.
In the meantime, I might think about making time to reread the originals.
So when that a series ends, but then the author decides to revisit the world, I’m always wary. As much as I want there to be more books in the series, will they add to the brilliance of the original, or dilute it?
With Sword of Fire, Kerr manages to hit all the same notes I loved about the Deverry books, but is missing that uniqueness of the original series.
What Kerr has done right is not try to bring us back to the world we knew before as it was. Sword of Fire kicks off 400 or so years after the originals wrapped up, showing us a world that has moved on while still being recognisable. It’s no longer the very Celtic, Anglo-Saxon style of before, and feels as if it has moved more towards a medieval/Tudor atmosphere to me.
One of the points of the original series was reincarnation, and seeing each soul live different lives in different time periods. And I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who went into this book wanting to know which characters were reincarnations of who, and ended up disappointed that this was not forthcoming. This bugged me at the start. Having lost that connection from the original books, seeing how each reincarnation reflected the last, it didn’t feel the same.
But by the end, I’m glad Kerr took this route. It allows the story to start anew, a clean break from what came before. And I actually started to enjoy trying to work it out through context. When one character demonstrated a certain combat style, or when another laughed in a certain way, I had the flash of joy from realising who they were.
And I’m fairly confident there were a couple of characters and references that were from the previous books that I missed, simply because it’s been so long since I read them.
But what detracts from this book is the linear timeline.
What always drew me to the Deverry series was the twisting, intertwined, Celtic Knot of its timeline. The way each character’s lives were influenced by their actions and decision in previous incarnations. The way we learnt bits of history to reveal truths about the more recent timelines. The way truths about certain characters were kept hidden until they became relevant to the story, so.
But Sword of Fire doesn’t have this. It’s one lifetime, one story, told in a simple, linear fashion. And it’s not a particularly twisting or surprising plot. But without the hook of the way the Deverry books were one series told across many timelines, it just felt - to me - to be a little too generic fantasy.
This isn’t helped but the fact that we don’t focus on any characters who use Dwoemer this time. Or dwimmer as it’s now known. It exists, but only on the periphery of the main character’s experiences.
Again, I can see that this was a deliberate decision to differentiate this story from the previous ones. And it’s also clear that it will be brought in more in future books of this new trilogy. But it’s one more thing missing that used to make the series stand out. The literal “magic” from before is missing.
So overall, I’m glad Kerr is visiting Deverry again. This isn’t a bad book in any sense, but it just lacks a certain uniqueness and magic that the previous books held. What I suspect it that it’s setting up a lot to come in the next book, so I’m excited to see where Kerr takes this.
In the meantime, I might think about making time to reread the originals.
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