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Karavans #1
Karavans
A NEW JOURNEY DAWNS
Audrun and her husband Davyd, along with the others of the land of Sancorra, have been left homeless because of the brutal Hecari. Consulting diviners, they learn that their newest child must be born in the peaceful province of Atalanda. They must now travel close to the sinister woodlands of Alisanos, where darkness awaits. Joining a karavan for safety, the family moves ever closer to the dangerous, mystical forest. And, as they are all about to discover, Alisanos is moving ever closer to them.
Audrun and her husband Davyd, along with the others of the land of Sancorra, have been left homeless because of the brutal Hecari. Consulting diviners, they learn that their newest child must be born in the peaceful province of Atalanda. They must now travel close to the sinister woodlands of Alisanos, where darkness awaits. Joining a karavan for safety, the family moves ever closer to the dangerous, mystical forest. And, as they are all about to discover, Alisanos is moving ever closer to them.
441 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
29 people are currently reading
745 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Roberson
123 books807 followersOver a 40-year career (so far), Jennifer Roberson has published four fantasy series, including the Sword-Dancer Saga, Chronicles of the Cheysuli, the Karavans universe, and urban fantasy series Blood & Bone. Other novels include historicals LADY OF THE GLEN, plus two Robin Hood novels, LADY OF THE FOREST, and LADY OF SHERWOOD.
New novels are percolating in her always-active imagination.
Hobbies include showing dogs, and creating mosaic and resin artwork and jewelry. She lives in Arizona with a collection of cats and Cardigan Welsh Corgis.
New novels are percolating in her always-active imagination.
Hobbies include showing dogs, and creating mosaic and resin artwork and jewelry. She lives in Arizona with a collection of cats and Cardigan Welsh Corgis.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
February 10, 2021
Reading so many bad reviews I thought it would be really bad. It's not as bad after all. The writing is good. It's way more readable than many other fantasies. It's also a bit slow. To a regular fantasy reader it may just have had too many tropes, but to a fresh reader, it will feel good to read.
September 19, 2012
Aaaand we're back to The Stupid.
This book is extremely slow with no payoff. Densely detailed without any depth and crammed full of characters who take several chapters to sort out from one another only to discover the five-or-six "main" characters all have their own storyline you have to follow even though none of the characters have more than one dimension or are at all interestingly drawn. Most of the people who inhabit this book are painfully dumb. There is not one example of critical thinking or clear communication in the entriety of this novel. I'm not saying I want everyone to act in a rational manner that would be even more unrealistic and silly as the way this is done. But to have ALL the characters totally lack an ability to think beyond themselves? Even for a minute? Feh. Maddening, I tell you.
There is a great deal of dirvitive sourceing and throughly warmed-over cliche involved with this book, with the expected tropes of the genre shoved up the tailpipe. One of my favorites is the They're Like Totally Not Elves trope. Georgous non-human-but-human-looking creatures who are directly connected to nature, use magic, and live forever? Sounds nothing like elves. Go on about your business. The author's take on the Dark Scary Woods trope is pretty good. I liked it a lot. What was it doing in this book, where almost everything else went wrong?
I wanted to enjoy this because the fantasy-gypsy genre is one of my favorites. I am totally sold-out to the romantic ideal of the gypsy caravan and the romanticized ideas that exsit about a life lived on the road and the lifestyle that goes with it. I'm a fan of the fantasy genre in general. I live giving new writers a try. I even liked the cover art. But it fell flat and became more irritating than it was worth.
And maybe that's part of the problem. It's me. I'm the wrong reader for this. I did like some things about this book: I liked the Dark Scary Woods. I liked the teenaged girl character (Ellica? Something like that? I'm too lazy to look it up.) was written as an actual teenaged gril and not insta-heroine like some writers tend to fall into. I liked the impending and ever-presant sense of doom that the author managed to hang over the whole novel, either through threats of demons or Hecari or the forest or whatever. But maybe I'm expecting too much from books. After a string of bad book choces, I'm starting to dislike myself more than I'm disliking the books. I'm really awful.
This book is extremely slow with no payoff. Densely detailed without any depth and crammed full of characters who take several chapters to sort out from one another only to discover the five-or-six "main" characters all have their own storyline you have to follow even though none of the characters have more than one dimension or are at all interestingly drawn. Most of the people who inhabit this book are painfully dumb. There is not one example of critical thinking or clear communication in the entriety of this novel. I'm not saying I want everyone to act in a rational manner that would be even more unrealistic and silly as the way this is done. But to have ALL the characters totally lack an ability to think beyond themselves? Even for a minute? Feh. Maddening, I tell you.
There is a great deal of dirvitive sourceing and throughly warmed-over cliche involved with this book, with the expected tropes of the genre shoved up the tailpipe. One of my favorites is the They're Like Totally Not Elves trope. Georgous non-human-but-human-looking creatures who are directly connected to nature, use magic, and live forever? Sounds nothing like elves. Go on about your business. The author's take on the Dark Scary Woods trope is pretty good. I liked it a lot. What was it doing in this book, where almost everything else went wrong?
I wanted to enjoy this because the fantasy-gypsy genre is one of my favorites. I am totally sold-out to the romantic ideal of the gypsy caravan and the romanticized ideas that exsit about a life lived on the road and the lifestyle that goes with it. I'm a fan of the fantasy genre in general. I live giving new writers a try. I even liked the cover art. But it fell flat and became more irritating than it was worth.
And maybe that's part of the problem. It's me. I'm the wrong reader for this. I did like some things about this book: I liked the Dark Scary Woods. I liked the teenaged girl character (Ellica? Something like that? I'm too lazy to look it up.) was written as an actual teenaged gril and not insta-heroine like some writers tend to fall into. I liked the impending and ever-presant sense of doom that the author managed to hang over the whole novel, either through threats of demons or Hecari or the forest or whatever. But maybe I'm expecting too much from books. After a string of bad book choces, I'm starting to dislike myself more than I'm disliking the books. I'm really awful.
January 13, 2013
The good:
- I liked the idea of the wandering evil wood, the races (demons, Shoia, etc)
- the setting is not based on medieval Europe, for once, which is nice.
- Rhuan must be the biggest wish-fulfillment character since Edward Cullen...he can talk to trees and animals, is good with the kids, likes humans, looks good, is pretty fit, has a mysterious past, a more mysterious quest, and that certain vulnerable quality. Hell, I'd go for him if he was real...
- I liked the characters, the family, Ilona, Bethid...not Brodhi. But we're not supposed to.
The bad:
-Rhuan must be the biggest wish-fulfillment character since Edward Cullen. And the author is totally in love with him, which is not good. Other characters in this book want some air too.
-The inconsistency of description. On the one hand the author seems to have a hair and lantern fetish, repeating these descriptions over and over. On the other, the karavan is, except for Ilona, the family, Jorda and the guides, a completely faceless mass. How many wagons are there? 20? 50? 70? We'll never know. They're not important enough.
-The forced secrecy of Brodhi and Rhuan's background and quest, and their accompanying demons. Would it have hurt not to be blatantly obfuscating and telling us what the hell is going on before the last 20 pages of the book (when we've pretty much figured it out anyway)? I don't think my opinion on any of them would have changed if I had known from the beginning.
-the gods: are they real? Are the diviners inspired by the gods, or just charlatans, with the odd exception? A bit more mythology would have been nice.
The ugly:
- dioscuri. That word. I do not think it means what you think it means...the dioscuri (lit: sons of Zeus) are Castor and Pollux from classical mythology. It is not a general description of demi-gods, and does not imply the choice about mortality/immortality. If you want to imply something like that, invent a word, instead of stealing one that has a very precise meaning, and not that one. This world has nothing in common with classical mythology.
All in all, readable but sometimes a bit infuriating. I like the characters and setting enough to consider reading the next volumes too, though. But not immediately.
- I liked the idea of the wandering evil wood, the races (demons, Shoia, etc)
- the setting is not based on medieval Europe, for once, which is nice.
- Rhuan must be the biggest wish-fulfillment character since Edward Cullen...he can talk to trees and animals, is good with the kids, likes humans, looks good, is pretty fit, has a mysterious past, a more mysterious quest, and that certain vulnerable quality. Hell, I'd go for him if he was real...
- I liked the characters, the family, Ilona, Bethid...not Brodhi. But we're not supposed to.
The bad:
-Rhuan must be the biggest wish-fulfillment character since Edward Cullen. And the author is totally in love with him, which is not good. Other characters in this book want some air too.
-The inconsistency of description. On the one hand the author seems to have a hair and lantern fetish, repeating these descriptions over and over. On the other, the karavan is, except for Ilona, the family, Jorda and the guides, a completely faceless mass. How many wagons are there? 20? 50? 70? We'll never know. They're not important enough.
-The forced secrecy of Brodhi and Rhuan's background and quest, and their accompanying demons. Would it have hurt not to be blatantly obfuscating and telling us what the hell is going on before the last 20 pages of the book (when we've pretty much figured it out anyway)? I don't think my opinion on any of them would have changed if I had known from the beginning.
-the gods: are they real? Are the diviners inspired by the gods, or just charlatans, with the odd exception? A bit more mythology would have been nice.
The ugly:
- dioscuri. That word. I do not think it means what you think it means...the dioscuri (lit: sons of Zeus) are Castor and Pollux from classical mythology. It is not a general description of demi-gods, and does not imply the choice about mortality/immortality. If you want to imply something like that, invent a word, instead of stealing one that has a very precise meaning, and not that one. This world has nothing in common with classical mythology.
All in all, readable but sometimes a bit infuriating. I like the characters and setting enough to consider reading the next volumes too, though. But not immediately.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2017
Okay, I loved this book right from the beginning.
Jennifer Roberson is wonderful inventor...of characters....of worlds...of magic.
Any book that transports me to that world, is a good book. By the end of this first in a series, I felt even the weather as if I was there.
She reveals only as much as you need to know, as if you are another character who does not have 100% of the information.
I love that it keeps you wondering and sometimes thinking you know.
Ha...yes we are still learning about the characters and this new world,
and no, Alisanos is not completely revealed. This I know in my heart.
Jennifer Roberson is wonderful inventor...of characters....of worlds...of magic.
Any book that transports me to that world, is a good book. By the end of this first in a series, I felt even the weather as if I was there.
She reveals only as much as you need to know, as if you are another character who does not have 100% of the information.
I love that it keeps you wondering and sometimes thinking you know.
Ha...yes we are still learning about the characters and this new world,
and no, Alisanos is not completely revealed. This I know in my heart.
December 5, 2014
As a long-time fan and re-reader of both the Tiger&Del series and the Cheysuli books, I had pretty high expectations of the new Karavans series. As such, it took me a long time to get into this book. It is very, very different- and it forced me to let go of any preconceived notions or expectations, and take this book on it's own merits.
Rather than focusing on a character or two, it has a huge ensemble cast of characters, none of whom are given their own limelight to really grow and flourish. This took a little getting used to. Some of the names are too similar for that many characters. Also, because none of them really stand out in growth or personality, it becomes more about the story they are being used to tell rather than being character driven. Most definitely a different experience for me, as a Roberson fan.
However, setting aside what I thought it might be, I was able to accept and enjoy- though it was easily 3/4s of the way through this book before it really grabbed me and wouldn't let go. I plowed through as a fan of the author, not as someone who was really involved in the tale or the characters. It wasn't until their world shifted- though there were many, many foreshadowings that predicted it- that I truly became absorbed. It did happen! ...just late.
Overall, it wasn't a bad book, just not what I had expected. It wasn't as character driven, and it was almost as if the story was too big for the little book that held it. One gets the feeling of just touching on points here and there, rather than being shown the whole story. It is an oddly disappointing feeling. Still, the last 50 pages or so were enough to make me pick up book 2.
Rather than focusing on a character or two, it has a huge ensemble cast of characters, none of whom are given their own limelight to really grow and flourish. This took a little getting used to. Some of the names are too similar for that many characters. Also, because none of them really stand out in growth or personality, it becomes more about the story they are being used to tell rather than being character driven. Most definitely a different experience for me, as a Roberson fan.
However, setting aside what I thought it might be, I was able to accept and enjoy- though it was easily 3/4s of the way through this book before it really grabbed me and wouldn't let go. I plowed through as a fan of the author, not as someone who was really involved in the tale or the characters. It wasn't until their world shifted- though there were many, many foreshadowings that predicted it- that I truly became absorbed. It did happen! ...just late.
Overall, it wasn't a bad book, just not what I had expected. It wasn't as character driven, and it was almost as if the story was too big for the little book that held it. One gets the feeling of just touching on points here and there, rather than being shown the whole story. It is an oddly disappointing feeling. Still, the last 50 pages or so were enough to make me pick up book 2.
July 24, 2008
The concept of the 'Black Forest' is an old one. Oh, don't go there, people who go in don't come out. The woods are haunted. It eats foolish boys and girls who stray to close. There are monsters there. All of the above are true of Alisanos, the nightmare forest in Karavans.
But what happens when the forest can move?
Worse yet - what if it were alive insofar as having intellect and intent?
Alisanos is a place that eats people and spits out monsters. Those who go into the Deepwood do not come back human any longer. Some come back with hideous deformities, some come out with inscrutable madness. All change within its borders, save for the denizens of such a place, the inscrutable dark terrors of Alisanos.
The cast of the story are introduced in this novel, and it sets up for the next book, Deepwood. The characters are pretty memorable, as per Roberson's want, but the societies and environment (Particularly Alisanos) again are what make the book in my opinion.
If you pick this up, don't go into it expecting an ending - this is strictly setup for a series which I believe is defying a convention of calling itself any kind of '-logy'. It's an ongoing process according to Roberson and she'll stop writing it when she feels she's ready.
She can keep doing it.
But what happens when the forest can move?
Worse yet - what if it were alive insofar as having intellect and intent?
Alisanos is a place that eats people and spits out monsters. Those who go into the Deepwood do not come back human any longer. Some come back with hideous deformities, some come out with inscrutable madness. All change within its borders, save for the denizens of such a place, the inscrutable dark terrors of Alisanos.
The cast of the story are introduced in this novel, and it sets up for the next book, Deepwood. The characters are pretty memorable, as per Roberson's want, but the societies and environment (Particularly Alisanos) again are what make the book in my opinion.
If you pick this up, don't go into it expecting an ending - this is strictly setup for a series which I believe is defying a convention of calling itself any kind of '-logy'. It's an ongoing process according to Roberson and she'll stop writing it when she feels she's ready.
She can keep doing it.
November 25, 2011
I found the Shoia/Dioscura thing interesting--that's most of what kept me going through this, feeling that there was something else going on there--though it was kind of frustrating how most of the book consisted of waiting for things to happen, & the ending was sort of a cliffhanger. I'll try the second book to see if the story speeds up.
September 28, 2012
I quite like Jennifer Roberson, however I was actually unable to finish this book. I felt as though the story was dragging and just couldn't get into it. However being hat she is an author I usually enjoy I might give it another chance.
February 3, 2014
Made it 50% of the way through. Some ideas were interesting and the writing was smooth enough, but the plotting was excruciatingly slow. Felt like the author was just filling space. I'm sorry I couldn't finish it, but I read to be entertained.
July 6, 2011
This was a really good read. Entertaining, well-paced and beautifully written.
August 11, 2017
Although it's a fairly hefty volume, there's not actually all that much story to Karavans. There's an awful lot of set-up, introducing us to a wide cast of characters. Most of these characters will be followed throughout the book, but the author wastes a painful number of pages describing and establishing characters that die before the halfway mark. Not to make us care and feel the loss, because none are particularly likable characters. Just because... honestly, I don't know. Worldbuilding?
Robertson spends so much time establishing the setting, the characters, the situation, but she does this by basically taking the reader through the minutiae of the day, over and over, through various characters' perspectives. Info-dumping isn't necessarily a good thing, but neither is the Chinese water torture method of dripping out the barest hint of what the heck the story is even supposed to be about once every ten pages or so. It takes forever to begin to care about any of the characters, takes forever to build up to any actual conflict, and then the plot ends, unresolved. Obviously, it's the first in a series, but I expect SOME kind of resolution. Disparate plot threads involving different characters never weave together in any way, and literally none of them have a resolution.
There are a few other minor issues that irritated me as well. Why is it "karavans" and not simply caravans? They're just regular caravans. At the end of the book, Rhuan claims that he is [spoiler: not "Shoia." While it's obvious by then to anyone who's paying attention that he's half-human half-powerful demon/god, what even is a Shoia? Is that actually a real people group that Rhuan and Brodhi have been impersonating this whole time?] Why do I even have to ask this question?
Robertson spends so much time establishing the setting, the characters, the situation, but she does this by basically taking the reader through the minutiae of the day, over and over, through various characters' perspectives. Info-dumping isn't necessarily a good thing, but neither is the Chinese water torture method of dripping out the barest hint of what the heck the story is even supposed to be about once every ten pages or so. It takes forever to begin to care about any of the characters, takes forever to build up to any actual conflict, and then the plot ends, unresolved. Obviously, it's the first in a series, but I expect SOME kind of resolution. Disparate plot threads involving different characters never weave together in any way, and literally none of them have a resolution.
There are a few other minor issues that irritated me as well. Why is it "karavans" and not simply caravans? They're just regular caravans. At the end of the book, Rhuan claims that he is [spoiler: not "Shoia." While it's obvious by then to anyone who's paying attention that he's half-human half-powerful demon/god, what even is a Shoia? Is that actually a real people group that Rhuan and Brodhi have been impersonating this whole time?] Why do I even have to ask this question?
November 16, 2017
This book needed some editing. It has all of Roberson's usual stylistic tics, which I think you just have to adjust to (sentence fragments, HIGH DRAMA, etc.), but sometimes it read as though the paragraphs/chapters had been moved around and no one had thought to correct the problems this caused. For example, we don't get a description of the not-quite-human Shoia until about chapter 3; until then we just know vague things that people think about them, but have no idea what we're actually looking at. We don't get a description of Ilona (age, appearance - any of it) until chapter 11. It makes it hard to get into the book when you feel a little adrift. Additionally, this book has kind of a sequential feel - things are happening but you don't see how they're connected or whether they are necessary to the book/series as a whole. This works well in e.g. the Tiger and Del books, but less so in what seems to be an attempt at a sweeping epic. It reminded me a little of beginning to read Kate Elliott's Crown of Stars series, but where Elliott seems to have a good grasp on her reasoning and purpose for each viewpoint character and storyline, Karavans just felt disjointed. The premise is interesting and once I got into the book I was into it enough that I would have been happy to keep reading, but less-than-stellar reviews for the next two books combined with the fact that the final book of the series still hasn't been published mean that I don't think it's worth the frustration. Sequences frequently end in cliffhangers (some of them pretty egregious - ), and the book itself ends on a giant cliffhanger, too.
October 15, 2023
High school appropriate due to textual complexity. Super interesting world building. In a recently conquered province, refugees gather at a well-established karavan camp to flee. Some of the people gathered there are not human. They have their own agendas and their own hidden oaths. I think they might actually be dragons? And the magical demonic forest is giving off signals, much like a volcano, that it is about to erupt and literally MOVE. Apparently the dangerous magical forest likes to migrate unexpectedly. This first book is a lot of mystery and setting up for the second book without almost any answers. However, the mysteries are fresh and interesting. The idea of the forest is fascinating. I also loved that the one main character is a mother of four, pregnant with the fifth. We don’t often get to see families as characters in stories. There seems to be a hint of romance with a different character that I look forward to seeing develop. It feels like the start of a relationship built on trust and friendship, not just plot-convenient attraction. All in all, this feels really well done and creative. Will be finding book 2.
September 25, 2020
I picked up this book in the library because the jacket description focused on a couple with several young children and another on the way. I feel like I don't encounter enough fantasy that revolves around married characters and families rather than brash young adventurers, so I was looking forward to a change in pace.
Well, the married couple was definitely an important part of the story, but they were part of a large cast of main characters, with lots of POV jumping. I would have preferred fewer POVs, particularly when two of the characters have Mysterious Origins that they're always thinking about obliquely. Also, I wasn't expecting the book to end on such an intense cliffhanger, though that's not a fault of the story, just my expectations. I do like a lot of the details of the world-building, like the omnipresence of diviners and the micro-societies that rise up around karavans (not sure why the K, but okay) and refugee camps.
Well, the married couple was definitely an important part of the story, but they were part of a large cast of main characters, with lots of POV jumping. I would have preferred fewer POVs, particularly when two of the characters have Mysterious Origins that they're always thinking about obliquely. Also, I wasn't expecting the book to end on such an intense cliffhanger, though that's not a fault of the story, just my expectations. I do like a lot of the details of the world-building, like the omnipresence of diviners and the micro-societies that rise up around karavans (not sure why the K, but okay) and refugee camps.
July 11, 2021
I really enjoyed this book, though it is a slow journey to gloomy regions with not very clearly defined characters. The characters are interesting but the situation feels barely teased at. I would like to read how things go, however...
This book is first in a series of four books. The fourth book has not been published, and the publisher has declined to publish it. The author intends to self-publish, but as of 8 years, has not yet done so.
This book leaves on quite a cliff hanger, and from a quick glance the others do not resolve the story. Wait to read this until book 4 comes out.
This book is first in a series of four books. The fourth book has not been published, and the publisher has declined to publish it. The author intends to self-publish, but as of 8 years, has not yet done so.
This book leaves on quite a cliff hanger, and from a quick glance the others do not resolve the story. Wait to read this until book 4 comes out.
January 9, 2018
The world created by Roberson has all of the features one would expect in a Middle Ages setting but with some novel twists. Diviners can tell future bits of their client's lives, the Hecari are brutal beyond brutal, and the deepwoods, Alisano, can move. The world created is at once familiar and totally enthralling; world building at its very best. This is the second time I have read this book. I can honestly say I would read it again. Very few books hold this distinction!
July 29, 2017
Full of detail and page-popping characters. I will definitely be picking up the next book, and most likely the one after that!
January 8, 2019
This book left me with no desire to finish the serine.
September 23, 2019
Listened to this on audiobook, which I think made it more difficult to follow that’s physical book would have been.
Nice into to the world but felt pretty drawn out.
Nice into to the world but felt pretty drawn out.
August 27, 2023
Finally a book where the female characters aren't complete idiots or harsh and mercurial
June 23, 2024
the writing was not very good but i really liked the vibes but the characters and plot were mediocre but it ended on an exciting cliffhanger so idk if i’ll read the next one
November 29, 2018
There is a scene of sexual assault in this book for no reason. It doesn't add anything to the characters, it doesn't change any character dynamics. A character who's never been mentioned before tries to rape Ilona out of the blue and then gets killed for it later. The only reason the scene exists, as far as I can tell, is because there was a lull in the narrative. That's not a good reason to put something like that in a book.
Other than that it was a perfectly solid fantasy novel. The world of the karavans was interesting and the constant, looming threat of a magical forest that can pick up and move whenever it wants to was cool.
Other than that it was a perfectly solid fantasy novel. The world of the karavans was interesting and the constant, looming threat of a magical forest that can pick up and move whenever it wants to was cool.
March 22, 2023
I'm used to Jennifer Roberson's series containing fairly self-contained novels, so this one took me by surprise. Tiger and Del is a series of nearly independent novels, and while the Cheysuli series very much has an overall arc to it, each novel is also pretty self-contained, which is essential since the books happen years apart, and feature new generations of characters as time goes on.
Karavans is part one of a much more tightly spun story. As such, it takes time to get started. There's a bunch to unpack, and much of it we don't get a lot of answers to.
The easy part is that the nation of Sancorra has just been overrun by a warrior people called the Hecari. At this point it's best to just think of them as Mongol stand-ins, though we may learn more later. This has led to a lot of people fleeing the country to get away from them, including one of the central groups of characters.
To do this, a family packs everything up in a wagon, and prepare to join a regularly scheduled caravan out of the country. These are complicated affairs, with a lot of people moving, and fortune-telling is used to make sure that things will go well. This brings in the rest of the characters.
But not the major MacGuffins. The central one, introduced at the very start, is Alisanos. We're never given a great idea of what exactly it is, as those few characters who know anything about it aren't talking. It's an area deep in the woods that anyone with any sense stays away from, as anyone who goes in, does not come out... if they're lucky. We slowly start getting a bit more as the half-way point approaches.
After a very slow-burn start, the book does start picking up momentum, and we get into real plot territory. Simultaneously, a couple of tedious days of the caravan preparing finishes, and it starts to move. In fact, a sign of the too-slow start is that we spend nearly half the novel with a lot of detail of two days, and then we skip forward through much of a week before the ending starts powering up.
And there is certainly a powerful action climax to the book, which helps make it a satisfying read, but it's really all just a lead up to a second book. Some important plot threads are just getting started, and the ending itself puts a main character into new, unknown, danger. The ending also promises we'll learn a lot more about Alisanos next time.
This is an unfinished series, with current info saying book four is to be self-published. I imagine the series didn't do all that great, and I certainly don't recommend it as a place to start with Jennifer Roberson, who I do generally recommend (start with Sword-Dancer). Overall recommendations on the series will have to wait.
Karavans is part one of a much more tightly spun story. As such, it takes time to get started. There's a bunch to unpack, and much of it we don't get a lot of answers to.
The easy part is that the nation of Sancorra has just been overrun by a warrior people called the Hecari. At this point it's best to just think of them as Mongol stand-ins, though we may learn more later. This has led to a lot of people fleeing the country to get away from them, including one of the central groups of characters.
To do this, a family packs everything up in a wagon, and prepare to join a regularly scheduled caravan out of the country. These are complicated affairs, with a lot of people moving, and fortune-telling is used to make sure that things will go well. This brings in the rest of the characters.
But not the major MacGuffins. The central one, introduced at the very start, is Alisanos. We're never given a great idea of what exactly it is, as those few characters who know anything about it aren't talking. It's an area deep in the woods that anyone with any sense stays away from, as anyone who goes in, does not come out... if they're lucky. We slowly start getting a bit more as the half-way point approaches.
After a very slow-burn start, the book does start picking up momentum, and we get into real plot territory. Simultaneously, a couple of tedious days of the caravan preparing finishes, and it starts to move. In fact, a sign of the too-slow start is that we spend nearly half the novel with a lot of detail of two days, and then we skip forward through much of a week before the ending starts powering up.
And there is certainly a powerful action climax to the book, which helps make it a satisfying read, but it's really all just a lead up to a second book. Some important plot threads are just getting started, and the ending itself puts a main character into new, unknown, danger. The ending also promises we'll learn a lot more about Alisanos next time.
This is an unfinished series, with current info saying book four is to be self-published. I imagine the series didn't do all that great, and I certainly don't recommend it as a place to start with Jennifer Roberson, who I do generally recommend (start with Sword-Dancer). Overall recommendations on the series will have to wait.
January 29, 2014
Coloring perfectly within the lines should be rewarded.
Jennifer Roberson isn't attempting to paint a masterpiece with "Karavans." The first of a four-volume series, of which three have been published, "Karavans" isn't huge-scale epic fantasy. But in writing a character-driven, compelling, mostly small-scale story, it's hard to see how she could have done better. Hence, a bump up to four stars.
"Karavans" has a good premise and takes a fairly simple but interesting story and makes us care. Nothing wrong with that. The hook: Alisanos is a forest populated by demons and gods and all sorts of beasties. But it is sentient, and it can move. It hasn't claimed new ground for 40 years, but that's about to change. This is a nice take on the ol' dark, evil forest tale.
While we're getting there (and it takes a long time for Alisanos to truly make its presence felt), Roberson delivers sharp (though not astonishing) writing, strong (though not incredible) world-building and interesting (though not terribly unusual) characters. The point is, this is well-done fantasy, provided you're not looking for colossal armies clashing and dark lords and such.
"Karavans" takes place primarily in Sancorra, a war-torn land recently overrun by the Hecari, a somewhat savage horde roughly akin to Native Americans. To keep order, the Hecari decimate their foes, in the true meaning of the term: culling one in 10. As the title suggests, there are "karavans," sort of gypsyish, I suppose, that cross the land in certain seasons. Diviners perform hand readings, fortune-tellings, if you will, on everyone who's part of the karavan, trying to ensure safe passage. This particular karavan is about to depart, with Davyn and his pregnant wife, Audrun, and their four children hooking up just in time. Roberson hops back and forth with third-person POV sections among this family, two mysterious Shoia guides (Shoia can die and return to life six times), the diviner Ilona, and others.
At first, this choppy approach — four pages or so centered on one character, then jumping to another — is off-putting, and it's hard to get a rhythm going. Once you get to know the cast, however, Roberson works wonders with a character-heavy plot that's generally short on action until a blast of a climax, and the movement from character to character actually works well. I noticed that one-third of the pages were gone before the karavan even had departed! That's not really a criticism. Roberson weaves her tale so skillfully that most readers won't mind the pace. Particularly effective are the portrayals of the two Shoia "cousins" Rhuan and Brodhi. Both have a mysterious connection to Alisanos, have some duties they are bound to perform among the humans, and are each accompanied by shape-changing demons with uncertain (but not entirely evil) goals.
Though I'd long been aware of Roberson's Cheysuli and Tiger and Del fantasy series, this is my first read of her. I was impressed; her under-the-radar sharp writing reminded me of Kate Elliott — 60 pages or so in, you start to realize this stuff is pretty clever. I wouldn't call "Karavans" high art, but it's smart art, efficiently made.
Jennifer Roberson isn't attempting to paint a masterpiece with "Karavans." The first of a four-volume series, of which three have been published, "Karavans" isn't huge-scale epic fantasy. But in writing a character-driven, compelling, mostly small-scale story, it's hard to see how she could have done better. Hence, a bump up to four stars.
"Karavans" has a good premise and takes a fairly simple but interesting story and makes us care. Nothing wrong with that. The hook: Alisanos is a forest populated by demons and gods and all sorts of beasties. But it is sentient, and it can move. It hasn't claimed new ground for 40 years, but that's about to change. This is a nice take on the ol' dark, evil forest tale.
While we're getting there (and it takes a long time for Alisanos to truly make its presence felt), Roberson delivers sharp (though not astonishing) writing, strong (though not incredible) world-building and interesting (though not terribly unusual) characters. The point is, this is well-done fantasy, provided you're not looking for colossal armies clashing and dark lords and such.
"Karavans" takes place primarily in Sancorra, a war-torn land recently overrun by the Hecari, a somewhat savage horde roughly akin to Native Americans. To keep order, the Hecari decimate their foes, in the true meaning of the term: culling one in 10. As the title suggests, there are "karavans," sort of gypsyish, I suppose, that cross the land in certain seasons. Diviners perform hand readings, fortune-tellings, if you will, on everyone who's part of the karavan, trying to ensure safe passage. This particular karavan is about to depart, with Davyn and his pregnant wife, Audrun, and their four children hooking up just in time. Roberson hops back and forth with third-person POV sections among this family, two mysterious Shoia guides (Shoia can die and return to life six times), the diviner Ilona, and others.
At first, this choppy approach — four pages or so centered on one character, then jumping to another — is off-putting, and it's hard to get a rhythm going. Once you get to know the cast, however, Roberson works wonders with a character-heavy plot that's generally short on action until a blast of a climax, and the movement from character to character actually works well. I noticed that one-third of the pages were gone before the karavan even had departed! That's not really a criticism. Roberson weaves her tale so skillfully that most readers won't mind the pace. Particularly effective are the portrayals of the two Shoia "cousins" Rhuan and Brodhi. Both have a mysterious connection to Alisanos, have some duties they are bound to perform among the humans, and are each accompanied by shape-changing demons with uncertain (but not entirely evil) goals.
Though I'd long been aware of Roberson's Cheysuli and Tiger and Del fantasy series, this is my first read of her. I was impressed; her under-the-radar sharp writing reminded me of Kate Elliott — 60 pages or so in, you start to realize this stuff is pretty clever. I wouldn't call "Karavans" high art, but it's smart art, efficiently made.
September 22, 2015
I really enjoyed Roberson's Sword-Dancer series, and I was expecting to like this book as well. Sadly, compared to the other books of hers I've read, this one looks lazy. I found the characters and the plot interesting, if unoriginal. But the way the story was told put me off to the point where I almost didn't bother to finish it.
The book has four main viewpoint characters, as well as a few others who are visited from time to time. Every time a major event occurs in the book, at least two, and usually more, of these characters give their own perspective on the event. Various parts of the story are told repeatedly from slightly differing viewpoints. Each of these viewpoints is given its own scene staging, so that at first it seems like the story is progressing, when it's actually backtracking. And of course once I realized this was happening, it became more and more noticeable the further I read. Details of character description are repeated every time a character appears, just in case we forget which character is which. (This was especially true of hair, so by the end of the book I knew exactly what each character's hair looked like, but had very little concept of their faces.) But as another reviewer here pointed out, there's very little description of anything else in this world.
By the last few chapters the constant repetition becomes particularly egregious, to the point where different characters who are separated physically by miles, are all having basically the same experiences. Details, descriptions, and events are repeated with only slight variations, sometimes within the space of two or three pages. One female character has her hair whipped by the wind, and two other female characters have the same problem. One character falls down in a storm, and so do three or four others. They aren't together, but the descriptive details are almost identical. (Nearly a page is given over to one minor character getting dirt in her eye.) Two different characters describe a landscape in almost an identical fashion -- and one of them repeats that description at least three times in as many pages. These last chapters drive home the impression that the author really had nothing much to say, and so repeated that nothing much over and over just to fill some pages.
In the end I was very disappointed by this book, and had decided well before the end that I won't be reading any others in the series. I only continued to the end in hopes that it might improve, but alas, 'twas in vain.
The book has four main viewpoint characters, as well as a few others who are visited from time to time. Every time a major event occurs in the book, at least two, and usually more, of these characters give their own perspective on the event. Various parts of the story are told repeatedly from slightly differing viewpoints. Each of these viewpoints is given its own scene staging, so that at first it seems like the story is progressing, when it's actually backtracking. And of course once I realized this was happening, it became more and more noticeable the further I read. Details of character description are repeated every time a character appears, just in case we forget which character is which. (This was especially true of hair, so by the end of the book I knew exactly what each character's hair looked like, but had very little concept of their faces.) But as another reviewer here pointed out, there's very little description of anything else in this world.
By the last few chapters the constant repetition becomes particularly egregious, to the point where different characters who are separated physically by miles, are all having basically the same experiences. Details, descriptions, and events are repeated with only slight variations, sometimes within the space of two or three pages. One female character has her hair whipped by the wind, and two other female characters have the same problem. One character falls down in a storm, and so do three or four others. They aren't together, but the descriptive details are almost identical. (Nearly a page is given over to one minor character getting dirt in her eye.) Two different characters describe a landscape in almost an identical fashion -- and one of them repeats that description at least three times in as many pages. These last chapters drive home the impression that the author really had nothing much to say, and so repeated that nothing much over and over just to fill some pages.
In the end I was very disappointed by this book, and had decided well before the end that I won't be reading any others in the series. I only continued to the end in hopes that it might improve, but alas, 'twas in vain.
December 26, 2016
I am going to write a review now while I'm halfway through the book, and I doubt I shall need to update this review once I finally finish.
The plot and imagery of this book is weak. I thoroughly enjoyed The Chronicles of the Cheysuli, but this book is not holding a candle to that series. I agree with other reviews on here saying that pacing of the story is monotonous and plods along without really attracting my interest. There are hints at interesting elements, but none of the characters are terribly likable, and I find myself soldiering through each page out of a sense of duty.
I agree with another reviewer who said there is a decided lack of imagery. Little attention is paid to the landscape, or even the characters themselves, other than hair color and styles. I agree with a reviewer who said that you don't really get the sense of what caravan life is like; because instead of giving us sensory details about what work is required, we mostly have these meandering descriptions of unlikable characters engaged in their selfish pursuits, and little attention is paid to chores or the supposed *urgency* of the caravan getting on its way.
Too many viewpoint characters, especially given how the author didn't make enough of an effort to distinguish the characters from one another. I know that the palm reader would probably be my favorite, but I have little idea what she looks like and no real idea what her backstory is, other than her friendship with Rhuan and how her palm reading works. I nearly wept with relief when halfway through the novel I'm finally given the crumb of a detail that her parents disapproved of her divining power at age 12.
Too little, too late. I have read some reviews on here saying that the last 50 pages are when this story really picks up. Let's hope that that's true, but more importantly, that I can make it that long.
Update: Indeed, the last 25% of the book was better. More action and the pacing issues weren't as obvious. Nevertheless, I can't give this book more than 2 stars because I had so little enjoyment getting to the end.
The plot and imagery of this book is weak. I thoroughly enjoyed The Chronicles of the Cheysuli, but this book is not holding a candle to that series. I agree with other reviews on here saying that pacing of the story is monotonous and plods along without really attracting my interest. There are hints at interesting elements, but none of the characters are terribly likable, and I find myself soldiering through each page out of a sense of duty.
I agree with another reviewer who said there is a decided lack of imagery. Little attention is paid to the landscape, or even the characters themselves, other than hair color and styles. I agree with a reviewer who said that you don't really get the sense of what caravan life is like; because instead of giving us sensory details about what work is required, we mostly have these meandering descriptions of unlikable characters engaged in their selfish pursuits, and little attention is paid to chores or the supposed *urgency* of the caravan getting on its way.
Too many viewpoint characters, especially given how the author didn't make enough of an effort to distinguish the characters from one another. I know that the palm reader would probably be my favorite, but I have little idea what she looks like and no real idea what her backstory is, other than her friendship with Rhuan and how her palm reading works. I nearly wept with relief when halfway through the novel I'm finally given the crumb of a detail that her parents disapproved of her divining power at age 12.
Too little, too late. I have read some reviews on here saying that the last 50 pages are when this story really picks up. Let's hope that that's true, but more importantly, that I can make it that long.
Update: Indeed, the last 25% of the book was better. More action and the pacing issues weren't as obvious. Nevertheless, I can't give this book more than 2 stars because I had so little enjoyment getting to the end.
March 13, 2023
Jennifer Roberson is hit or miss for me. I loved her Sword Dancer series, liked her first Robin Hood book a lot, but hated her Chronicles of the Cheysuli books for how no one in them can get away from their foretold fate no matter how desperately they try. Her novel Karavans goes into the hate category.
Every character here I either disliked, hated, or felt a deep apathy for. Rhuan is probably supposed to be romantic and mysterious but I couldn't bring myself to care. We're supposed to hope that one day Brodhi will work past his arrogant disdain for humans but since the character has no mitigating qualities at all I just want him to die in a fire. Audrun is a mother, and that's about all there is to her. Davyn's pride and jealousy put his large family in danger, and his patronizing "love" for Audrun didn't endear him to me either. Their children are annoyances. Ilona is just there.
If none of the characters appeal to me, an engaging plot and/or excellent writing have to take up the slack. This book has neither. Things seem to happen without a discernible direction. The book ends on a cliffhanger without resolving anything.
A few nice details of life in a traveling wagon train aren't enough to make me pick up the next book.
Every character here I either disliked, hated, or felt a deep apathy for. Rhuan is probably supposed to be romantic and mysterious but I couldn't bring myself to care. We're supposed to hope that one day Brodhi will work past his arrogant disdain for humans but since the character has no mitigating qualities at all I just want him to die in a fire. Audrun is a mother, and that's about all there is to her. Davyn's pride and jealousy put his large family in danger, and his patronizing "love" for Audrun didn't endear him to me either. Their children are annoyances. Ilona is just there.
If none of the characters appeal to me, an engaging plot and/or excellent writing have to take up the slack. This book has neither. Things seem to happen without a discernible direction. The book ends on a cliffhanger without resolving anything.
A few nice details of life in a traveling wagon train aren't enough to make me pick up the next book.
November 26, 2012
I wish there was a way to rate this between 3 and 4 stars. It didn't quite reach 4 stars for me because I've listed some real faves as much but it didn't feel quite as low as just 3 starts... arg!
I did like this and it was quick, fun sort of read. I liked a lot of the characters, most especially the Shoia cousins Rhuan and Brodhi, but also side characters the Bethid and Ilona.
Spoilers may follow below, but I'll try not to give too much away...
I'm very intrigued by the dioscuri and want to know more about them. I love them both, even Brodhi and all his moodiness (I may actually love him more for it!). And I want him to start caring about humanity (which I truly believe he does). Why am I shipping him with Bethid??? lol
And arg Davyd! The worlds most stubborn man! What did all that stubborness get you, huh? Book 2, yes, well, but seriously? I was a bit irked by the family dynamic, it way too chauvinistic for my part and why do I feel depressed for Ellica's prospects, being married off to a boy who will grow up just like her father? Augh. It was a shame in a novel with strong female characters like Bethid and Illona in it, but I guess it reflects true society, so I won't hold it against the novel too much :).
And I wasn't too happy with the description of the Hecari. It seemed a touch like watching a western where all the "Indians" are the bad guys. I would like to see the author explore them a bit more, and maybe show us one or two Hecari that aren't so bloodthirsty.
But all in all I plan on continuing with the series. I enjoyed it and I have too many unanswered questions not to continue!
I did like this and it was quick, fun sort of read. I liked a lot of the characters, most especially the Shoia cousins Rhuan and Brodhi, but also side characters the Bethid and Ilona.
Spoilers may follow below, but I'll try not to give too much away...
I'm very intrigued by the dioscuri and want to know more about them. I love them both, even Brodhi and all his moodiness (I may actually love him more for it!). And I want him to start caring about humanity (which I truly believe he does). Why am I shipping him with Bethid??? lol
And arg Davyd! The worlds most stubborn man! What did all that stubborness get you, huh? Book 2, yes, well, but seriously? I was a bit irked by the family dynamic, it way too chauvinistic for my part and why do I feel depressed for Ellica's prospects, being married off to a boy who will grow up just like her father? Augh. It was a shame in a novel with strong female characters like Bethid and Illona in it, but I guess it reflects true society, so I won't hold it against the novel too much :).
And I wasn't too happy with the description of the Hecari. It seemed a touch like watching a western where all the "Indians" are the bad guys. I would like to see the author explore them a bit more, and maybe show us one or two Hecari that aren't so bloodthirsty.
But all in all I plan on continuing with the series. I enjoyed it and I have too many unanswered questions not to continue!
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