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Deverry Cycle #3
Dawnspell
Book Three of the celebrated Deverry series, an epic fantasy rooted in Celtic mythology that intricately interweaves human and elven history over several hundred years.
‘A cracking read’
SFX
An end to exile, heroes scattered and darkness rising…
When Jill and Rhodry are forced apart by unexpected circumstance, Rhodry vows to find her, no matter what it takes. But before he can, he disappears.
With his brother injured, Rhodry is next in line to rule. As Deverry’s peace hanging in the balance, the king lifts Rhodry’s exile and bids him return home before it is too late.
And so it falls to Jill to save the land and the man she loves. Though her magic is strong, this challenge will test her utterly: for there are those who would see Rhodry gone forever and the fragile peace of the kingdom broken at last.
Dawnspell is the third book in the Deverry series. Prepare to be spellbound by a sparkling fantasy classic: a tale of adventure and timeless love, perilous battle and pure magic.
464 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1989
About the author
Katharine Kerr
69 books1,659 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 150 reviews
January 15, 2025
Хареса ми много и тази, трета част от серията. Почитателите на фентъзито в България няма да сгрешат, ако ѝ дадат шанс.
Краят е доста отворен и започвам "Магия за дракон", в която ще се научим развръзката на този дял от деверийската история!
Стискам палци на Невин и Джил и им желая успех в тежката мисия, с която са се нагърбили - иначе следват само ужаси, мрак и гражданска война.
P.S. В българското издание е включено и кратко, но интересно есе на Кер за корените на европейската магия и за развитието ѝ през вековете.
Краят е доста отворен и започвам "Магия за дракон", в която ще се научим развръзката на този дял от деверийската история!
Стискам палци на Невин и Джил и им желая успех в тежката мисия, с която са се нагърбили - иначе следват само ужаси, мрак и гражданска война.
P.S. В българското издание е включено и кратко, но интересно есе на Кер за корените на европейската магия и за развитието ѝ през вековете.
April 10, 2026
Actual rating is 3.5 stars.
This is the third book of a series that must be read in order. This series is fantasy that explores reincarnation. In this one Nevyn does not like the path of leadership for the world of Deverry. He explores options how to divert its current path. We also spend more time with Jill and Rhodry.
I liked this book but not as much as the first two of this series. There were a couple of instances when I really thought this offering was going to match the enjoyment of the first two books. It was always on the cusp of it but never got there. I believe the issue was it did not go fully into the exploration of certain plot lines. We have just the beginning stages of Nevyn's plotting. I think we will see the outcome in following books. We get a flashback of the originations of a group that has been prevalent in this series. I was all here for it but it was so quick you would miss it if you blinked. I could say the same thing about the reincarnation aspect. We do explore in detail a very sensitive subject. This could affect one's enjoyment because it is very dark.
Even though this was a little bit of a step down I still liked this book. It was more of a set up book as it looks like we are heading to the end of this particular arc. I am really curious to see how it ends as this book did set up several different threads for the next book.
This is the third book of a series that must be read in order. This series is fantasy that explores reincarnation. In this one Nevyn does not like the path of leadership for the world of Deverry. He explores options how to divert its current path. We also spend more time with Jill and Rhodry.
I liked this book but not as much as the first two of this series. There were a couple of instances when I really thought this offering was going to match the enjoyment of the first two books. It was always on the cusp of it but never got there. I believe the issue was it did not go fully into the exploration of certain plot lines. We have just the beginning stages of Nevyn's plotting. I think we will see the outcome in following books. We get a flashback of the originations of a group that has been prevalent in this series. I was all here for it but it was so quick you would miss it if you blinked. I could say the same thing about the reincarnation aspect. We do explore in detail a very sensitive subject. This could affect one's enjoyment because it is very dark.
Even though this was a little bit of a step down I still liked this book. It was more of a set up book as it looks like we are heading to the end of this particular arc. I am really curious to see how it ends as this book did set up several different threads for the next book.
May 29, 2018
The world building of this book is incredible, the dialogue and writing in general are wonderful and entertaining to read, and I love the whole reincarnation plot. In this book there are only really two main parts, which means we get a lot of time to focus on the characters, which i was a huge fan of even though I do enjoy going through lots of incarnations too.
I always have some issues with this series when it comes to gender politics. We have Jill, a strong female warrior who dresses in man’s clothes, and we have characters like Lovyan, a powerful and complex woman with a lot of social influence. Other times it feels like women are dismissed and the men’s ill treatment of women and calling them “sluts” not only the norm but completely uncriticized to the naked eye. Kerr goes a step further and makes some weird comments about abortion that seem to go between pro-choice and pro-life: Nevyn is upset that a man would deal in something as unsavory as abortions, but also states that (according to the rules of dweomer) a fetus does not contain life until the fourth or fifth month of pregnancy. Why does a character like Nevyn, who we are supposed to see as wise, have this somewhat biased view that goes uncriticized? I guess my issue is that because of the third person voice, I don’t always know what message the author is bringing across—whether I’m supposed to think Jill is the only strong female character worth praising and other women are worthless.
Jill/Brangwen came back as a man in the single flashback section of this book—I thought that was incredibly interesting, but also a bit disappointing as the story already has so many men that it would have been nice to see a woman get more spotlight for those hundreds of pages. I think it would be cooler to see Rhodry or Cullyn’s characters in the past as women, or something that more strongly played with gender roles. Nevyn also seemed to think it was a sign from the gods that he wasn’t meant to be with male Brangwen this time around but that seemed like a good time to introduce a homosexual romance between Branoic and any of the male characters also involved in the reincarnations because in previous incarnations Brangwen has affairs with all of them. There’s an incest plot but not a Gay one? I’m not buying it. The story didn’t seem to finish so maybe it will continue but I have a feeling that plot line may be over with the realization that Brangwen came back male.
I also feel like the idea of the Bardek culture is a weird mixture of every single “eastern” stereotype and it sort of makes me uncomfortable that it isn’t as well-developed as the western culture.
I am however very interested in where the plot is going, and the next book promises to center around Jill again. This book was a significant improvement over the last, and while not super original in terms of actual plot, it kept me interested until the end.
I always have some issues with this series when it comes to gender politics. We have Jill, a strong female warrior who dresses in man’s clothes, and we have characters like Lovyan, a powerful and complex woman with a lot of social influence. Other times it feels like women are dismissed and the men’s ill treatment of women and calling them “sluts” not only the norm but completely uncriticized to the naked eye. Kerr goes a step further and makes some weird comments about abortion that seem to go between pro-choice and pro-life: Nevyn is upset that a man would deal in something as unsavory as abortions, but also states that (according to the rules of dweomer) a fetus does not contain life until the fourth or fifth month of pregnancy. Why does a character like Nevyn, who we are supposed to see as wise, have this somewhat biased view that goes uncriticized? I guess my issue is that because of the third person voice, I don’t always know what message the author is bringing across—whether I’m supposed to think Jill is the only strong female character worth praising and other women are worthless.
Jill/Brangwen came back as a man in the single flashback section of this book—I thought that was incredibly interesting, but also a bit disappointing as the story already has so many men that it would have been nice to see a woman get more spotlight for those hundreds of pages. I think it would be cooler to see Rhodry or Cullyn’s characters in the past as women, or something that more strongly played with gender roles. Nevyn also seemed to think it was a sign from the gods that he wasn’t meant to be with male Brangwen this time around but that seemed like a good time to introduce a homosexual romance between Branoic and any of the male characters also involved in the reincarnations because in previous incarnations Brangwen has affairs with all of them. There’s an incest plot but not a Gay one? I’m not buying it. The story didn’t seem to finish so maybe it will continue but I have a feeling that plot line may be over with the realization that Brangwen came back male.
I also feel like the idea of the Bardek culture is a weird mixture of every single “eastern” stereotype and it sort of makes me uncomfortable that it isn’t as well-developed as the western culture.
I am however very interested in where the plot is going, and the next book promises to center around Jill again. This book was a significant improvement over the last, and while not super original in terms of actual plot, it kept me interested until the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2020
Very enjoyable. The past and present day Deverry stories were both compelling in this book. The past story dealt with the beginning of the Silver Daggers and Nevyn working behind the scenes to unite Deverry under one king and put an end to the civil wars ravaging the countryside. The present is a little more convoluted. Jill is kidnapped and raped by a strange fellow named Perryn. I thought this part of the story was quite well done, both Jill’s grief and shame and Rhodry’s searching for her, afraid that she no longer loved him. While part of me found Perryn despicable another part of me found him pitiable as well. He is a fascinating character and since I last read this so very long ago (circa 1990, and only once I believe) I can’t remember what he truly is or what becomes of him. It’s almost like reading this book for the first time. The plot with the Dark Dweomer-master thickens, Rhodry disappears and his brother Salamander (he is yet another wonderful character) and Jill leave for Bardek to find him. I can’t wait to read the next instalment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2020
Dawnspell is a bridge book: the flashback (which begins one of my favourite sequences within sequences) is a set-up, the modern day is a set-up and nothing gets resolved before the cliffhanger at the end. It's a bit flabby, and hilariously the bad guys literally have a conversation over the fire about how the plot is absurdly convoluted.
This killed me when it first came out - the prospect of YEARS to find out what was going to happen - but rereading with Dragonspell safely on my shelf I can just sit back and appreciate the good bits. This is where we first glimpse the full sweep of the history of Annwn, with hints of a fourth race and the stark realisation of just how many apple carts were upset when that Gallic tribe sailed into the mists and found Deverry. We also get a whole lot more insight into the unpleasant and self-interested web of politics that holds Deverry together - and keeps parts of it as poor and unsupported. It's also the start of the multi-book flashback sequence detailing the end of the Time of Troubles, which gives us one of Rhodry's most interesting incarnations and eventually (although not in Dawnspell) explains why Jill is so scared of dweomer. Last but not least, we get to hang out with Salamander ap Devaberiel, who is the extravagantly iced cinnamon roll of the Deverry saga (I'm sure his elaborate way of speaking and fecklessness irritate some readers, but I adore him).
On the flip side, this is the least feminist of the novels to date: there's a heap of Nevyn having horrors at women who sleep around and/or sleep around for money, and Jill is stripped of her agency for Plot Reasons.
Knowing how relevant almost everything will become in the future, I can appreciate Dawnspell more. But it was my least favourite of the first four (six?) for a reason on first reading, and I can see why. That's not a huge criticism, though - it's still an engaging read, and left me (leaves me) desperate to get on to the final volume of this first sequence within the saga.
Content warning: rape
3.5 stars
This killed me when it first came out - the prospect of YEARS to find out what was going to happen - but rereading with Dragonspell safely on my shelf I can just sit back and appreciate the good bits. This is where we first glimpse the full sweep of the history of Annwn, with hints of a fourth race and the stark realisation of just how many apple carts were upset when that Gallic tribe sailed into the mists and found Deverry. We also get a whole lot more insight into the unpleasant and self-interested web of politics that holds Deverry together - and keeps parts of it as poor and unsupported. It's also the start of the multi-book flashback sequence detailing the end of the Time of Troubles, which gives us one of Rhodry's most interesting incarnations and eventually (although not in Dawnspell) explains why Jill is so scared of dweomer. Last but not least, we get to hang out with Salamander ap Devaberiel, who is the extravagantly iced cinnamon roll of the Deverry saga (I'm sure his elaborate way of speaking and fecklessness irritate some readers, but I adore him).
On the flip side, this is the least feminist of the novels to date: there's a heap of Nevyn having horrors at women who sleep around and/or sleep around for money, and Jill is stripped of her agency for Plot Reasons.
Knowing how relevant almost everything will become in the future, I can appreciate Dawnspell more. But it was my least favourite of the first four (six?) for a reason on first reading, and I can see why. That's not a huge criticism, though - it's still an engaging read, and left me (leaves me) desperate to get on to the final volume of this first sequence within the saga.
Content warning: rape
3.5 stars
September 27, 2020
Occasionally you read a book and go arghhh what where you thinking - what should be a good story setting up the first major finale falls down in its handling of rape
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/re...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/re...
July 6, 2023
No original review, so this review is written after my June 2023 re-read.
This book was tough. Terrible things happen to our characters, and it's hard to watch them go through it. Hard and heartbreaking.
I also take some issue with how the other characters handle the disgusting rapist character in this book. Maybe it's partially a product of the 80s/90s, when this was written, but it's disgusting that this man
I love the series, but that was all just tough to get through. And I need to take a little break here before continuing on.
This book was tough. Terrible things happen to our characters, and it's hard to watch them go through it. Hard and heartbreaking.
I also take some issue with how the other characters handle the disgusting rapist character in this book. Maybe it's partially a product of the 80s/90s, when this was written, but it's disgusting that this man
I love the series, but that was all just tough to get through. And I need to take a little break here before continuing on.
March 25, 2012
This saga has many books, but it's composed of several parts. Book 1 to 4 are the Deverry Cycle. At the end of Book 4 (note that Bristling Wood is the US title and Dawnspell the UK title, but they are the same novel), you get a real ending. So don't hesitate to buy this book or the previous ones thinking it will be too long before you know the end.
I gave a detailed comment about Kerr's writing (strong, visual but with also an elevated style), the story and the big plus of the saga on my comment of the first book: Daggerspell.
This 3rd book is as good as the precedent (writing, atmosphere, plot, dialogues...). The story doesn't get redundant at all, and personnally I still enjoyed deeply the hours spent in the Deverry kingdom.
We still have flashbacks of the characters' previous lives. This time they grip you immediately, because the flashback begins in such a way you're directly thrown into the action, searching who is who. You'll have surprises there. The story set in the present becomes more intense and suspenseful and will also surprise you in many ways. Be prepared for unexpected and excellent turns. You'll definitely be more surpised here than in Book 2. The novel ends on an enormous cliffhanger. I suggest you buy Book 4 at the same time that Book 3 in order to avoid waiting to know what happens next.
I gave a detailed comment about Kerr's writing (strong, visual but with also an elevated style), the story and the big plus of the saga on my comment of the first book: Daggerspell.
This 3rd book is as good as the precedent (writing, atmosphere, plot, dialogues...). The story doesn't get redundant at all, and personnally I still enjoyed deeply the hours spent in the Deverry kingdom.
We still have flashbacks of the characters' previous lives. This time they grip you immediately, because the flashback begins in such a way you're directly thrown into the action, searching who is who. You'll have surprises there. The story set in the present becomes more intense and suspenseful and will also surprise you in many ways. Be prepared for unexpected and excellent turns. You'll definitely be more surpised here than in Book 2. The novel ends on an enormous cliffhanger. I suggest you buy Book 4 at the same time that Book 3 in order to avoid waiting to know what happens next.
November 21, 2020
Though interesting but it took me time to round it up
January 16, 2015
The Perryn story line, for all of its pain, is one that has always stood out to me as especially important in this series. It taught me some amount of perspective, because what revulsion I felt towards Perryn's action was tempered by the measure of pity I also felt for him. He truly didn't seem to realize what he was doing, but he harmed someone in a horrible way. Is he executed for his crime, or is he helped? Punishment, or rehabilitation? Which *should* it have been? I don't think there's a solid answer.
I had also forgotten that Rhodry's Bardekian story line took place so soon in the series. It's a interesting feeling, almost as if I'm reading these books for the first time, but knowing all of the back story because I'd read them before. But everything's out of order, jumbled up in my brain. I like having it a bit more orderly. I'm sure they'll jumble again after I've finished and put them aside for another year.
I had also forgotten that Rhodry's Bardekian story line took place so soon in the series. It's a interesting feeling, almost as if I'm reading these books for the first time, but knowing all of the back story because I'd read them before. But everything's out of order, jumbled up in my brain. I like having it a bit more orderly. I'm sure they'll jumble again after I've finished and put them aside for another year.
May 30, 2016
In this installment of the Deverry novels, we have two unfinished tales--the ongoing "current" story of Nevyn, Rhodry, and Jill and a new story of an earlier reincarnation of the souls of Galrion, Blaen, and Brangwen as Necyn, Maddyn, and Branoic. This book rolls right along, with intriguing characters around our main protagonists and plenty of plot twists. I will be diving into the final book in this arc of the Deverry books soon.
March 24, 2020
After two excellent books, the third part of the series didn't seem so satisfying to me. The expected story from the past didn't had the same intensity while the sequel to the main story, although interesting enough, works more like an introduction to the next part. Of course in both cases there is some thought behind and the story and the description of the world goes a step further and all this makes this book has its value.
Μετά από δύο εξαιρετικά βιβλία το τρίτο μέρος της σειράς δεν μου φάνηκε τόσο ικανοποιητικό. Η αναμενόμενη ιστορία από το παρελθόν δεν είχε την ίδια ένταση ενώ η συνέχεια της κύριας ιστορίας αν και ήταν αρκετά ενδιαφέρουσα λειτουργεί περισσότερο σαν μία εισαγωγή για το επόμενο μέρος. Βέβαια και στις δύο περιπτώσεις υπάρχει κάποια σκέψη πίσω από όλα αυτά και η ιστορία και η περιγραφή του φανταστικού κόσμου πηγαίνει ένα βήμα παρακάτω και όλα αυτά κάνουν αυτό το βιβλίο να έχει την αξία του.
Μετά από δύο εξαιρετικά βιβλία το τρίτο μέρος της σειράς δεν μου φάνηκε τόσο ικανοποιητικό. Η αναμενόμενη ιστορία από το παρελθόν δεν είχε την ίδια ένταση ενώ η συνέχεια της κύριας ιστορίας αν και ήταν αρκετά ενδιαφέρουσα λειτουργεί περισσότερο σαν μία εισαγωγή για το επόμενο μέρος. Βέβαια και στις δύο περιπτώσεις υπάρχει κάποια σκέψη πίσω από όλα αυτά και η ιστορία και η περιγραφή του φανταστικού κόσμου πηγαίνει ένα βήμα παρακάτω και όλα αυτά κάνουν αυτό το βιβλίο να έχει την αξία του.
September 4, 2018
As it's a third book in a series I won't go into too much detail here. The atmosphere, writing and characterisation was as good as ever however I found the story not quite as engaging as the previous books. The 'historical' timeline was actually even better than the 'current' timeline, set as it was at the end of the civil war and the formation of the silver daggers but it seemed to end far too early. Looking back it took up nearly half the book, I flew through it but it only seemed to tell half the story and I kept waiting to go back to it. Maybe it's continued in the fourth book, I hope so.
The current timeline did not quite progress as much as I thought it would but that's on me, not the story. It was still good and engaging, I love Salamander, but I thought it meandered too much. Perryn was a new POV and he was a disturbing one to put it mildly. His storyline is problematic in that as we have his thoughts we know that he doesn't think he's doing anything wrong, it's all natural to him but we know it's not. He's a pathetic character so it's hard not to feel some sympathy for him but it also feels wrong. I think it's good writing but I know how some people might feel differently. Overall still a great read but I think it definitely suffers from middle book syndrome.
The current timeline did not quite progress as much as I thought it would but that's on me, not the story. It was still good and engaging, I love Salamander, but I thought it meandered too much. Perryn was a new POV and he was a disturbing one to put it mildly. His storyline is problematic in that as we have his thoughts we know that he doesn't think he's doing anything wrong, it's all natural to him but we know it's not. He's a pathetic character so it's hard not to feel some sympathy for him but it also feels wrong. I think it's good writing but I know how some people might feel differently. Overall still a great read but I think it definitely suffers from middle book syndrome.
August 6, 2016
These are totally awesome books and I recommend them to pretty much any fantasy reader. I remembered them as quite complicated and was a bit nervous restarting the series, but I've found they're also remarkably readable and once I start reading, I want to keep on going and going.
I've got one more to reread in the initial sequence, and they I'll be up to books I haven't read before.
I remember starting the fifth one when it came out, but I didn't stick at it for some reason. I think I was too invested in the original set of characters and I couldn't move on to a new configuration. I'm older now (a lot older) and I'm looking forward to working my way through all fifteen of them.
But back to this one. A great book but not the place to start. Go back to Daggerspell and discover the wonder that is Katharine Kerr's Deverry.
I've got one more to reread in the initial sequence, and they I'll be up to books I haven't read before.
I remember starting the fifth one when it came out, but I didn't stick at it for some reason. I think I was too invested in the original set of characters and I couldn't move on to a new configuration. I'm older now (a lot older) and I'm looking forward to working my way through all fifteen of them.
But back to this one. A great book but not the place to start. Go back to Daggerspell and discover the wonder that is Katharine Kerr's Deverry.
April 12, 2019
It is a pleasure to see how Kerr's characters and world is being fleshed out in this third book of the series. While the second book had male homosexuality depicted in a truly horrendus way, this one just showed a somewhat dated view on abortion, which is to be expected since it was written thirty years ago.
February 26, 2023
Kerr's third Devilry book is really half of the third book -- not much gets resolved in this one. Unlike the first two which had complete substories in them, tis one ends more abruptly. But, it's a good story and Kerr keeps you turning pages.
Read
July 31, 2022Looking forward to the next in the series. This one ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, which I normally dislike, but in this case I've accepted that I'll be going on to the next book.
March 19, 2020
Ja det är ju fortfarande spännande böcker fast kanske inte riktigt lika spännande som förr... Dock tillräckligt spännande för att jag ska fortsätta läsa nästa bok. Snart.
April 15, 2021
Nu hoppar historien in i politik och maktspel. Äkta känslor och slingervägar är precis rätt för boken och detta kan verkligen klassas som en fantasyseriek utan dess like.
October 3, 2020
3.75/5
https://delivreenlivres.home.blog/202...
Dans l’ensemble c’était un bon tome. Vraiment rien à en redire, ça se lit tout seul.
Finalement il est exactement sur le même principe que le précédent. l’intrigue principale avance et en même temps on suit une histoire qui se déroule 220 ans avant, dans laquelle nos personnages en sont à une autre vie et donc dans un autre état de leur wyrd.
La seule chose que j’ai un peu regretté dans ce tome était le fait que le passage dans le passé avait moins de liens avec le présent. En fait en dehors de voir une autre vie des personnages, il n’avait aucun lien direct avec le moment ou on en est dans l’intrigue principale actuellement.
J’avais presque l’impression de faire une pause dans l’intrigue principale pour lire un préquel en plein milieu d’un tome. Parce que oui, toute l’intrigue 220 ans avant est vraiment d’une traite au milieu, pas entremêle avec le reste. Et elle prend la moitié du roman. On commence pendant genre 30 pages l’intrigue principale, le temps de tout remettre en place pour le lecteur, et hop, on est embarqué dans le passé pendant environ 200 pages. Avant de reprendre l’intrigue principale pour les 200 dernières pages.
Par contre ce qu’on ne peux pas nier c’est que ce qui se passe dans ce passé la est important pour le contexte. Il explique la création des mercenaires dont fait parti le héros, ainsi que la réunification des différents petits état sous la direction d’un seul roi ultime. Ça faisait même très arthurien car on a le magicien qui devient celui qui éduque le futur roi quand il est enfant et qui fait tout en sous main pour le faire devenir l’homme qu’il veut qu’il soit. Il se charge aussi d’éliminer toutes les menaces qui pourraient empêcher « son » roi de prendre le pouvoir.
Comme toujours je trouve que le coté réincarnation et karma (enfin destin ou wyrd dans le livre) vraiment très cool. On voit les personnages faire pencher la balance au fil de leur vie pour se satisfaire d’un point précis de leur destin, ce qui fait qu’ils n’auront pas besoin de le satisfaire dans la vie suivante.
Dans ce tome sinon on continue l’intrigue principale. Notre héros, Rhodry, prince exilé par son propre frère et devenu mercenaire, se retrouve dans une bataille perdue d’avance entre deux seigneurs qui se battent pour la propriété d’un champ. Ça peut sembler excessif juste pour un champ, mais l’affaire c’est militarisé quand le fil de l’une des partie est mort dans une escarmouche alors qu’il tentait d’investir le champ en question. Du coup c’est maintenant une histoire de sang versé, qui ne se terminera que par la mort d’un des deux seigneurs.
Evidemment ceux ci n’ont pas l’intention de mourir, ils ont des fonds et les investissent dans la formation d’armées de plus en plus grandes. Ce que Rhodry ne sait pas c’est que le vrai danger pour lui est ailleurs. C’est sa femme Jill qui est son point faible, à rester seule à l’attendre à l’écart. Et elle va le payer très cher …
L’ensemble se précise un peu et j’ai hâte d’en savoir plus sur ce nouveau danger qui va amener nos héros loin de leur patrie d’origine.
https://delivreenlivres.home.blog/202...
Dans l’ensemble c’était un bon tome. Vraiment rien à en redire, ça se lit tout seul.
Finalement il est exactement sur le même principe que le précédent. l’intrigue principale avance et en même temps on suit une histoire qui se déroule 220 ans avant, dans laquelle nos personnages en sont à une autre vie et donc dans un autre état de leur wyrd.
La seule chose que j’ai un peu regretté dans ce tome était le fait que le passage dans le passé avait moins de liens avec le présent. En fait en dehors de voir une autre vie des personnages, il n’avait aucun lien direct avec le moment ou on en est dans l’intrigue principale actuellement.
J’avais presque l’impression de faire une pause dans l’intrigue principale pour lire un préquel en plein milieu d’un tome. Parce que oui, toute l’intrigue 220 ans avant est vraiment d’une traite au milieu, pas entremêle avec le reste. Et elle prend la moitié du roman. On commence pendant genre 30 pages l’intrigue principale, le temps de tout remettre en place pour le lecteur, et hop, on est embarqué dans le passé pendant environ 200 pages. Avant de reprendre l’intrigue principale pour les 200 dernières pages.
Par contre ce qu’on ne peux pas nier c’est que ce qui se passe dans ce passé la est important pour le contexte. Il explique la création des mercenaires dont fait parti le héros, ainsi que la réunification des différents petits état sous la direction d’un seul roi ultime. Ça faisait même très arthurien car on a le magicien qui devient celui qui éduque le futur roi quand il est enfant et qui fait tout en sous main pour le faire devenir l’homme qu’il veut qu’il soit. Il se charge aussi d’éliminer toutes les menaces qui pourraient empêcher « son » roi de prendre le pouvoir.
Comme toujours je trouve que le coté réincarnation et karma (enfin destin ou wyrd dans le livre) vraiment très cool. On voit les personnages faire pencher la balance au fil de leur vie pour se satisfaire d’un point précis de leur destin, ce qui fait qu’ils n’auront pas besoin de le satisfaire dans la vie suivante.
Dans ce tome sinon on continue l’intrigue principale. Notre héros, Rhodry, prince exilé par son propre frère et devenu mercenaire, se retrouve dans une bataille perdue d’avance entre deux seigneurs qui se battent pour la propriété d’un champ. Ça peut sembler excessif juste pour un champ, mais l’affaire c’est militarisé quand le fil de l’une des partie est mort dans une escarmouche alors qu’il tentait d’investir le champ en question. Du coup c’est maintenant une histoire de sang versé, qui ne se terminera que par la mort d’un des deux seigneurs.
Evidemment ceux ci n’ont pas l’intention de mourir, ils ont des fonds et les investissent dans la formation d’armées de plus en plus grandes. Ce que Rhodry ne sait pas c’est que le vrai danger pour lui est ailleurs. C’est sa femme Jill qui est son point faible, à rester seule à l’attendre à l’écart. Et elle va le payer très cher …
L’ensemble se précise un peu et j’ai hâte d’en savoir plus sur ce nouveau danger qui va amener nos héros loin de leur patrie d’origine.
November 20, 2024
Since it took me forever to finally get to it, my main concern was that the Deverry series might not have aged well. But with both Daggerspell and Darkspell under my belt, I'm definitely digging the 80s/90s vibe of these books. So much so that I jumped into the fourth volume right after reading this one to complete the first story arc of Katharine Kerr's celtic fantasy saga.
The same caveat applies, however. In my previous reviews, I said that some readers might find the structure of the Deverry series to be a little off-putting. Since it follows a number of souls being reborn through the centuries, the original cast you get to know at the beginning of the novel gets replaced by a different bunch of characters after a few chapters. Given that reincarnation seems to be at the heart of the Deverry, this is something everyone needs to get used to, even if it can feel a little weird at times. It's a little less prevalent in The Bristling Wood, true, but a good chunk of the tale takes place in the past. Now that I have a better idea of what the overall plot will turn out to be, understandably I'm more interested in what's occurring in the present and it always feels a little jarring to be thrown back into the past to witness events featuring different reincarnations of the main protagonists. Having said that, though the whole storyline focusing on putting the right kind of man on the throne felt a bit superfluous, especially since it appears to have little bearing on the main plot, I did enjoy seeing the creation of the Silver Daggers.
Here's the blurb:
Against the passionate sweep of Deverrian history, the powerful wizard Nevyn has lived for centuries, atoning for the sins he committed in his youth. Now, with so much of his work at stake, Nevyn discovers that the Dark Council has been quietly interfering with the already tangled politics of war-torn Eldidd. Their evil webs are nearly spun before Nevyn, with all the power at his command, even realizes there’s a war of magic destroying his world.
Katharine Kerr’s enthralling tales Daggerspell and Darkspell introduced readers to the kingdom of Deverry, a world where ancient gods gamble with the fates of nations, and where the souls of men and women persist beyond death. Now the dazzling fantasy saga continues with The Bristling Wood, a vast and intricate tapestry of conflict, intrigue, and high magic that transcends the bounds of time and space.
As was the case with its predecessors, in The Bristling Wood Katharine Kerr's worldbuilding continues to be top notch. À la Katherine Kurtz and Kate Elliott, she has an eye for historical details and her portrayal of medieval Welsh/Celtic culture continues to bring this tale to life with a realism that makes everything feel genuine. We finally discover more about magic, the Wildfolk, the Westfolk, and all the other mysteries of the Deverry universe. Once again, these many revelations elevate the series to another level. I relished learning more about the elves and the coming of man upon the shores of Deverry. We learn more about the dweomer and its uses, about Bardek and the lands beyond Deverry, about the Old One, the dark masters, the Hawks of the Brotherhood and the other guilds, as well as their respective plans. In many ways, it's in this third installment that the story truly takes off.
Now that I've gotten used to the various reincarnations of the protagonists, the characterization wasn't as tricky it used to be. Initially, I figured that the core of the series would always focus on Nevyn's quest to right the wrongs he caused to the people he loved. After all, his task is to spend eternity correcting his mistakes so they can all fulfill their destiny. And every time she's reborn, Brangwen's soul must learn to wield and control the dweomer, or else Nevyn must wait for a new cycle to begin, hoping to find her and start anew. And yet, The Bristling Wood hints at a much bigger story arc, one in which Rhodry's elven heritage might take center stage. It will be interesting to see if that's the case or not. Jill, Rhodry, Cullyn, and Lovyan return in this third volume and the story progresses even more than it did in Darkspell. The whole mind/physical rape plotline endured by Jill took me by surprise and I'm curious to see where the author intends to go with that. It was also interesting to witness Brangwen being reborn as a man, even though Kerr didn't do much with that thread. This felt like a missed opportunity for me. Nevertheless, there is a lot of character growth in this one. I also enjoyed Salamander coming into his own as a protagonist, which adds a new dimension to the story.
As mentioned, the jumps through the timeline are not as discordant in The Bristling Wood. The pace flows extremely well throughout the novel and it felt as though Kerr finally found her stride. This one adds yet more layers to what is already an ambitious fantasy series, all the while keeping everything character-driven with a relatively small cast. The cliffhanger ending gave me no choice but to follow up with The Dragon Revenant as soon as I reached the last page. There was no way I could wait to find out what happens next!
As I said before, if you're looking for a complex old-school speculative fiction series featuring an interesting cast of characters, Katharine Kerr's Deverry series is definitely for you.
For more reviews, check out www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com
The same caveat applies, however. In my previous reviews, I said that some readers might find the structure of the Deverry series to be a little off-putting. Since it follows a number of souls being reborn through the centuries, the original cast you get to know at the beginning of the novel gets replaced by a different bunch of characters after a few chapters. Given that reincarnation seems to be at the heart of the Deverry, this is something everyone needs to get used to, even if it can feel a little weird at times. It's a little less prevalent in The Bristling Wood, true, but a good chunk of the tale takes place in the past. Now that I have a better idea of what the overall plot will turn out to be, understandably I'm more interested in what's occurring in the present and it always feels a little jarring to be thrown back into the past to witness events featuring different reincarnations of the main protagonists. Having said that, though the whole storyline focusing on putting the right kind of man on the throne felt a bit superfluous, especially since it appears to have little bearing on the main plot, I did enjoy seeing the creation of the Silver Daggers.
Here's the blurb:
Against the passionate sweep of Deverrian history, the powerful wizard Nevyn has lived for centuries, atoning for the sins he committed in his youth. Now, with so much of his work at stake, Nevyn discovers that the Dark Council has been quietly interfering with the already tangled politics of war-torn Eldidd. Their evil webs are nearly spun before Nevyn, with all the power at his command, even realizes there’s a war of magic destroying his world.
Katharine Kerr’s enthralling tales Daggerspell and Darkspell introduced readers to the kingdom of Deverry, a world where ancient gods gamble with the fates of nations, and where the souls of men and women persist beyond death. Now the dazzling fantasy saga continues with The Bristling Wood, a vast and intricate tapestry of conflict, intrigue, and high magic that transcends the bounds of time and space.
As was the case with its predecessors, in The Bristling Wood Katharine Kerr's worldbuilding continues to be top notch. À la Katherine Kurtz and Kate Elliott, she has an eye for historical details and her portrayal of medieval Welsh/Celtic culture continues to bring this tale to life with a realism that makes everything feel genuine. We finally discover more about magic, the Wildfolk, the Westfolk, and all the other mysteries of the Deverry universe. Once again, these many revelations elevate the series to another level. I relished learning more about the elves and the coming of man upon the shores of Deverry. We learn more about the dweomer and its uses, about Bardek and the lands beyond Deverry, about the Old One, the dark masters, the Hawks of the Brotherhood and the other guilds, as well as their respective plans. In many ways, it's in this third installment that the story truly takes off.
Now that I've gotten used to the various reincarnations of the protagonists, the characterization wasn't as tricky it used to be. Initially, I figured that the core of the series would always focus on Nevyn's quest to right the wrongs he caused to the people he loved. After all, his task is to spend eternity correcting his mistakes so they can all fulfill their destiny. And every time she's reborn, Brangwen's soul must learn to wield and control the dweomer, or else Nevyn must wait for a new cycle to begin, hoping to find her and start anew. And yet, The Bristling Wood hints at a much bigger story arc, one in which Rhodry's elven heritage might take center stage. It will be interesting to see if that's the case or not. Jill, Rhodry, Cullyn, and Lovyan return in this third volume and the story progresses even more than it did in Darkspell. The whole mind/physical rape plotline endured by Jill took me by surprise and I'm curious to see where the author intends to go with that. It was also interesting to witness Brangwen being reborn as a man, even though Kerr didn't do much with that thread. This felt like a missed opportunity for me. Nevertheless, there is a lot of character growth in this one. I also enjoyed Salamander coming into his own as a protagonist, which adds a new dimension to the story.
As mentioned, the jumps through the timeline are not as discordant in The Bristling Wood. The pace flows extremely well throughout the novel and it felt as though Kerr finally found her stride. This one adds yet more layers to what is already an ambitious fantasy series, all the while keeping everything character-driven with a relatively small cast. The cliffhanger ending gave me no choice but to follow up with The Dragon Revenant as soon as I reached the last page. There was no way I could wait to find out what happens next!
As I said before, if you're looking for a complex old-school speculative fiction series featuring an interesting cast of characters, Katharine Kerr's Deverry series is definitely for you.
For more reviews, check out www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com
March 7, 2021
Can I hit Rhodry in this one? (ok, ok, bad idea, I know). It's sometimes very frustrating to see what's happening with him and how he's just walking away from Jill by believing everyone who is telling him something. The Perryn/Jill rape storyline is still very uncomfortable. Salamander is, as always, a redeeming factor in the book.
August 12, 2008
This is a nice paced fantasy story with a good mix of realism and magic. The characters are pretty typical and there is a tad too much politics for my taste. I was sad to find that the book ends in an abrupt cliff hanger that requires the reader to continue on with the series.
September 20, 2018
More rape? I'm done. Done with stories across time. Done with mechanics that pop up randomly and arbitrarily (wild folk). Done with gushing descriptions of astral projection.
Just not my cup o' tea.
Just not my cup o' tea.
April 17, 2021
I think this is my favourite of the first four books of this mammoth series. It does end on a cliffhanger though.
October 20, 2023
A rereading of an epic high fantasy series based on Celtic mythology, this is like snuggling up in a warm, comfy blanket as the ran and wind wuther around the house. Will always come back to this series, even if I don't read it for years inbetween.
Blurb:
Return to the fantastical land of myth, magic and passion
Over a thousand years ago, the people of Deverry were driven from their splendid kingdom by their enemy, the Hordes, and forced to find sanctuary in the remote forests in the east of their lands where they eventually settled. Succeeding generations remembered these terrible events as the Burning - and they never forgot the cities, towns and marvels of the far, far, west.
Dawnspell, the third compelling cvolume in Katharine Kerr's epic Deverry series, continues the bold saga of Nevyn, Rhodry and Jill as they battle with the evil forces threatening the world of Deverry in the decades following the Burning. Rooted in Celtic mythology, this dazzling novel offers a vision of an extraordinary universe of magicians, kings, elves and prophets, of a world where love is triumphant - even over death.
Blurb:
Return to the fantastical land of myth, magic and passion
Over a thousand years ago, the people of Deverry were driven from their splendid kingdom by their enemy, the Hordes, and forced to find sanctuary in the remote forests in the east of their lands where they eventually settled. Succeeding generations remembered these terrible events as the Burning - and they never forgot the cities, towns and marvels of the far, far, west.
Dawnspell, the third compelling cvolume in Katharine Kerr's epic Deverry series, continues the bold saga of Nevyn, Rhodry and Jill as they battle with the evil forces threatening the world of Deverry in the decades following the Burning. Rooted in Celtic mythology, this dazzling novel offers a vision of an extraordinary universe of magicians, kings, elves and prophets, of a world where love is triumphant - even over death.
Read
October 28, 2024It is rarely a good idea to begin reading an epic fantasy series in the middle, but that is precisely what I did with this book, the reason being that I had found it for 25 cents in a library sale and couldn’t resist the classic cover.
There is much to learn in this universe, and after diving headfirst into it, I would be interested in starting from the beginning to find out how much of the magic and other terms are explained in a friendly way to ease in new readers because they’re certainly not introduced in a friendly way in this book. What’s dweomer? What’s the Wyrd? I still don’t really know.
With all of that in mind, I can’t in good conscience give this book a star rating. I can say that I enjoyed Katharine Kerr’s obvious love of Celtic tales and Celtic language, and I appreciated her writing skills. While I didn’t particularly care for many of the characters outside of Nevyn and Jill, I still wanted to know what would happen by the end.
…and I still do given the anti-climax of this ending which just leads you to the next book. Maybe I’ll read it one day. I’d prefer to start from the beginning with Daggerspell, though.
There is much to learn in this universe, and after diving headfirst into it, I would be interested in starting from the beginning to find out how much of the magic and other terms are explained in a friendly way to ease in new readers because they’re certainly not introduced in a friendly way in this book. What’s dweomer? What’s the Wyrd? I still don’t really know.
With all of that in mind, I can’t in good conscience give this book a star rating. I can say that I enjoyed Katharine Kerr’s obvious love of Celtic tales and Celtic language, and I appreciated her writing skills. While I didn’t particularly care for many of the characters outside of Nevyn and Jill, I still wanted to know what would happen by the end.
…and I still do given the anti-climax of this ending which just leads you to the next book. Maybe I’ll read it one day. I’d prefer to start from the beginning with Daggerspell, though.
March 20, 2022
I remember when I first read this book, in the early 2000s, I was disappointed. I thought it drifted to far afield from the main plot -- Nevyn bringing Brangwen to the dweomer. I didn't like being so hung up on Jill and Rhodry. And I'm pretty sure this was the last installment I read way back when.
I did not feel that way this time around. I really enjoyed this installment. Jill and Rhodry are captivating. Even Jill being ensorcelled by Perryn, or maybe especially Jill being ensorcelled. It's such a heart-breaking story line on so many levels and I am really looking forward to seeing how this plays out.
Kerr does a fantastic job of weaving all the different storylines together and I look forward to seeing what happens to Rhodry in Bardek. Also, I loved the story of the beginning of the Silver Daggers. That was just so much fun.
I am so glad I decided to start this series over at the beginning before continuing on with the books I haven't read yet.
I did not feel that way this time around. I really enjoyed this installment. Jill and Rhodry are captivating. Even Jill being ensorcelled by Perryn, or maybe especially Jill being ensorcelled. It's such a heart-breaking story line on so many levels and I am really looking forward to seeing how this plays out.
Kerr does a fantastic job of weaving all the different storylines together and I look forward to seeing what happens to Rhodry in Bardek. Also, I loved the story of the beginning of the Silver Daggers. That was just so much fun.
I am so glad I decided to start this series over at the beginning before continuing on with the books I haven't read yet.
November 6, 2017
This was a good build-up to the next book. Reading about Perryn was creepy and awful. I liked reading about the founding of the silver daggers, but the previous few books covered how the previous incarnation of the characters influenced the modern day retelling, and I didn't see any repeat of the Maddyn-Branoic-Owaen tragedy in 843.
I'm reminded of this author's delicate humour, like:
I'm reminded of this author's delicate humour, like:
As the evening wore on, a fair amount of customers drifted into the inn. As soon as they realised that Nevyn was an herbman, he had custom of his own and set up something of a dispensary on a table in the curve of the wall, out of the tavernman's way. When he was done, a young sailor named Sacyr, who'd bought herbs to ease a bad hangover, settled down next to him and insisted on buying a round of ale so that he could start developing his symptoms all over again.
January 9, 2019
This volume is a bit slower than other volumes and a bit more upsetting, in my opinion. There are only 2 main timeframes in this one: the main one with Jill and a slightly comical, yet equally compelling genderbender. I think the side plot might be loosely based on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, but then again it could also be based on just about any time a kingdom had no clear and rightful heir. I'm curious to find out if the next book continues to focus on these two plots or not.
I don't like Perryn and I found his plot creepy. All said, his plot dominated too much of the book and not very much seemed to happen in the second half. I was disappointed that a lot of ideas brought up in books 1 and 2 are still up in the air. There were definitely more questions asked than answered in this volume.
I don't like Perryn and I found his plot creepy. All said, his plot dominated too much of the book and not very much seemed to happen in the second half. I was disappointed that a lot of ideas brought up in books 1 and 2 are still up in the air. There were definitely more questions asked than answered in this volume.
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