The Soul Weaver

The Bridge of D'Arnath #3

by Carol Berg

The evil Lords of Zhev'Na kept Gerick captive for months. Although his parents rescued him, he remains tormented by his experience-and mistrusted even by those who love him. Accused of treason, Gerick flees and takes refuge in a magical realm full of outcasts, where he will discover how to use his own magical talent-soul weaving-to save his people from Zhev'Na.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Adult, Science Fiction

469 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 2005

About the author

Carol Berg is the author of the epic fantasy
The Books of the Rai-kirah, The Bridge of D'Arnath Quartet, the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award winning Lighthouse Duet - Flesh and Spirit and Breath and Bone - the standalone novel Song of the Beast , and the three novels of the Collegia Magica.

Berg holds a degree in mathematics from Rice University, and a degree in computer science from the University of Colorado. Before writing full-time, she worked as a software engineer. She lives in Colorado at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, and is the mother of three mostly grown sons.

Reviews

[Choko · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** 4.35 ***

I think this one was my favorite of the series so far. The storytelling is great as always and we get to go to a whole new world with some very imaginative and endearing creatures 😊! We get the usual intrigue and jostling for power, but most importantly, we get some really good friendships and deeper understanding of the way this multi-world system works.

I am really enjoying this series and looking forward to the fourth and last book in it😀👍

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I swear this series gets better and better with each book.
RTC

[Nirkatze · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably my third or fourth reread, but first with audio. I really like all the narrators and how each does a different POV, but I do wish they had coordinated a bit more on the accents and cadences of each character. When they intersect, there are some rather large differences, and not just across gender lines.

The third entry in the story continues to tug on heartstrings in big ways. Karon's actions feel like such a huge betrayal, and Seri is taken off the board for much of the story, leaving Gerick and staunch Paolo to figure things out alone. I love Paolo. Best. Friend. Ever. I really love the new world of the Bounded, and how it makes a place for people who are different, or need something to become whole, and how so much of the book recognizes that injuries can be more than physical.

[Jon]

Adding to my BookMooch inventory 2/25/2021: http://bookmooch.com/m/inventory/jonmoss

Condition Notes: Good to fair condition; purchased entire series (shrink wrapped) from a used book store. Would prefer NOT to break up this set. If you request all four books, I will smooch you back one point.

[Kathryn Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book started a bit strangely, and it took me a while to get into it. But, when I did, I really enjoyed it. I especially liked Gerick's character growth.

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

So what this series boils down to, in the end, is the redemptive power of love. But Berg's story is so original and interesting that the theme does not feel tired nor cliche-ridden at all.

Each book in the series has had unexpected plot twists, which Berg handles skillfully enough that they never feel like deus ex machina, nor were they obvious ones that could be seen from several chapters beforehand. Throughout the three books, there were always several avenues the characters could take to accomplish the final resolution.

The only obvious problem with the third novel was Karon's sending of Radele to protect Seri and Gerick. I saw his treachery coming from a mile away, so Karon certainly should have. Or rather, Berg left herself no other way for Gerick to get into trouble, so it was obvious Radele was pulling the strings. Yet, even here, Berg manages to surprise us because we have no idea exactly how Radele manages his traps until the end.

Of course good triumphs over evil. But the good people have to go through some hellacious crap, so the happy ending doesn't feel forced. In fact, I was cheering for the protags who had all had so much to overcome. *SPOILERS AHEAD*Seri is 41 years old when she finally has her family and her inheritance restored to her. In the sixteen years previous to that, she has endured seeing her husband tortured and executed for sorcery, believed her son was dead for ten years before finding him again,lived life as an impoverished outcast as punishment for marrying a sorcerer, lost family, friends, wealth and social position; and, finally, was able to use her intelligence and stubbornness in solving the puzzles put in her way after D'Nathiel's strange entry into her life. *END SPOILERS* I don't mind books with happy endings when the characters truly earned them, where they had a major hand in bringing their worlds and their personal lives to peace.

All in all, a very satisfying read, complex enough plotting and characterizations that I was not bored or insulted (I hate it when a writer treats me like I'm stupid), yet something I could read at night without having to twist my brain into a pretzel. "It's not Tolstoy" is definitely not an insult in this case.

I still hate how Berg names her places and characters, as if nobody would take them or her seriously unless the names were as bizarre and a'p'o's't'r'p'he-laden as possible. But that's the quibble of a geek who has a good idea what Mark Twain would have thought of Berg's pretentiousness. The multiple POV storytelling got annoying at times because the only distinctive voice was Paulo's; Gerick's was somewhat more like that of a sixteen-year-old, but the only way Berg seemed able to distinguish Karon's voice from Seri's was to give Karon some bizarre syntax or have him use words like "beauteous." He'd lived in Seri's world for a long time, so it didn't work for me. I have little patience for phony poetic diction.

ETA: I didn't know there was a fourth book. I'm anxious to pick up Gerick's story.

[Martijn · Rating 5 out of 5]

another nice story, actually. Funny, I usually don't differ from the Goodreads rating by this much.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got addicted to this book and read most of it in two days. I really enjoyed the Bounded and Gerick's struggles. I'm not impressed by what was done with Karon in this novel and thought Sari became a bit superheroic, but Gerick's coming of age was a beautiful core to the story, soul weaving an awesome concept, and Roxanne was fun too. The elaborate plots within plots... It all worked for me despite the fact I struggled a bit with the previous books in the series. I almost didn't get to this point, but I was interested in the possibilities with Gerick and I feel like they've really paid off.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars, really. I'd have liked to see more substantial setup for the eventual revelation about who is pulling the strings and how, because it seemed more told to us than organic-feeling, but aside from that, GERICK. Gerick is an utterly amazing character and I love him dearly. His relationship to the Bounded, how every aspect of the world reflects something about who he is and how he sees himself... it's a beautiful, stunning story.

[NekroRider · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

As much as I've been loving these books, I can't help but feel unsatisfied with the way this book and Guardians ended. Things feel like they resolve too easily and with explanations that don't feel fully satisfying for me. The rest of the book makes up for it, but just wish the final conclusions of these two middle books didn't end seemingly miraculously

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional finale to the series. Imaginative story well written and the audio performances were masterful.

[Kathi · Rating 3 out of 5]

7/10
The last third of this book saved it from being an even lower rating.

[Pepijn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it. My only problem is that sometimes the story jumped ahead and would explain later what happend.

[Kirsten Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really annoyed because I already wrote this review and it didn't save, and now I've lost my train of thought.

Anyway.

I really liked this book. I especially enjoyed the part with Gerick and the Bounded world. But seriously. How many times can you kill a character and then bring them back? It's getting to the point where I just don't care when Karon dies, because I know he's going to come back again. When Seri was supposedly mourning both her husband and her son, there was no emotional connection for me because I knew they were coming back. And maybe she felt that way too, because really, if she believed they were both dead for good she didn't seem to be grieving all that much.

That bothered me more than a little, but it didn't spoil the book for me. I probably would have given it 5 stars if the ending hadn't disappointed me, but the rest was really good.

[Mike Salzman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read reviews that proclaim this book to be "a speed bump on the way to" the fourth book. I agree. Completely.

The first half was actually fairly interesting and had almost an Alice in Wonderland quality. Gerick once again runs off and finds himself in a completely different world.

The second half is horrid. The pacing is bad, the characters make completely nonsensical choices and experience odd mood changes, the plot is confusing and poorly explained, and the climax is... wait, what climax? That's it? 1000 years fighting the Zhid and the Lords and that's it?

I'll read the last book in the series, if only because the reviews favor it, but I will never pick this book up again (and I'm known for re-reading series and books many many times).

[DeAnna Knippling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Third book in a non-favorite series by a favorite author. This time, clever battles with effective, and clever (unfortunately) wins. After establishing a fantasy world and a word that the fantasy world considers a fantasy world (a second-order fantasy world that, although clever, feels flimsy anyway) in the first two books, the author creates a third world that feels like it ought not be left out in the rain...then, after dwelling on this world for a good deal of the book, comes up with a clever explanation of why the world was so annoying to read. The clever explanation doesn't make the world any less annoying to read, though.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Carol Berg ha il pregio di farti affezionare tantissimo ai personaggi di cui scrive, il suo lato debole invece è la trama. Questo libro inizia davvero bene e la trama ti cattura da subito, poi a metà precipita inesorabilmente con la descrizione del nuovo mondo e dei suoi personaggi (certe cose mi hanno ricordato la storia infinita), verrebbe la voglia di abbandonarlo per non riprenderlo più, poi la trama torna a decollare, il libro ti ricattura e ti spinge a leggerlo fino alla fine senza più fermarti!

[Mary Soon Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third book of the Bridge D'Arnath fantasy quartet. Despite much grim subject matter, I found it a comfortable and enjoyable read, the main characters familiar companions by now. (Paolo is my favorite.) Although I anticipated the essence of the ending, I still appreciated it. At times the pacing felt slow, especially during the lengthy section in the Bounded and also when reiterating the convoluted plot of the earlier books.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carol Berg is just a fantastic writer! What I liked most was that the book was intelligent in a way few fantasy books are. Every character and every moment was important: leading up to the climax. The language was also quite beautiful. I had to look up many words that I didn't know. Carol Berg is one of my favorite authors and I would recommend anything that she has written.

[Anastasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok, but to me fell short of the 2nd book in the series, "Guardians of the Keep," which I had really liked. Here, the villain as revealed at the end was too cartoonish and unbelievable. I couldn't decide if the book moved too quickly or too slowly. On the other hand, Carol Berg is still one of the best fantasy writers today, and I read the book in one sitting (it was a Saturday).

[Brenton · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was hard to put this book down! The pacing was quite different from the prior two books in the series, and did a good job of keeping the tension going. I didn't always buy some of the characterization - some of Gerrick's growth was too sudden and neatly packaged with a bow - and I would have preferred more focus on Seri, since she's probably the strongest character. Great read overall!

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoriughly enjoyed this 3rd book in this series by Carol Berg. She does a wonderful job of world-building. Her characters are very well written. Some parts of this book almost made me cry.They were so beautifully written, they made me feel the emotions of the characters in the story. There is one more book in this series and I am looking forward to reading it.

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the book was good. it seemed a slow pace compared to the other books. Carol Berg did an excellent job with the plot and mixing things up, I enjoyed the turn of events, but the flip flopping of the point of views too often in my opinion is what slowed the story down. The book was good and the reader can connect with the characters.

[Joey O'Donnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably my least favorite Berg book so far (as this series has been my least favorite, overall). The general conflict was okayish, but the cosmology of things bumped it up for me. Another interesting world is presented here in the Bounded (which I won't go into so as to avoid spoilers). Hoping the last volume ties things together well.

[David Phipps · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one didn't hold my attention as well as the first two books. I was not a fan of a strange world introduced here and the rules for soul weaving are confusing to me. I'm also growing tired of people dying but not really dying. One more book left in this series. I can't remember it at all but I'll give it a go and hope I like it better.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been sucked into this series from the beginning. I'll admit, though, that this novel did not capture me the same way either Of the first two did. At least not at the beginning. By the middle, however, I was intrigued. By the end, I was once again enthralled with the worlds of Gondai and Avonar. Berg really has a gift for developing rich, colorful, believable characters.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easily my least favorite (so far) of the 4 books in this series, it made healthy strides toward redemption in the end. Still it was not quite enough to recover from the seemingly pointless first two thirds of the novel.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mostly disappointing. I felt the concept of a Soul Weaver was intreging yet in the end he did almost nothing with this fantastic gift. Seemed like a very poor connection to the first book and really the main character wasn't nearly likeable enough.

[Char · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this. As always with the Carol Berg books, I think they are starting slowly for the first few chapters, and suddenly can't put the book down. Loved the audio narration on the Audible version, too.

[Odetoemma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly, this third installment of the The Bridge of D'Arnath started out as strong as the first two books but loses its way near the end. Too many leaps of logic and too convoluted to make much sense. Rats.