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The Tale of the Five #3
The Door Into Sunset: The Tale of the Five Volume 3
The author of The New York Times bestseller Spock's World continues the story of Freehorn, Herewiss, Segnbora, Sunspark, and Hasai in an entertaining and magical sequel to The Door into Fire. "Expands the limits of the Swords and Sorcery genre . . . exciting, magical, intelligent".--Publishers Weekly.
458 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 21, 1992
9 people are currently reading
347 people want to read
About the author
Diane Duane
167 books2,414 followersDiane Duane has been a writer of science fiction, fantasy, TV and film for more than forty years.
Besides the 1980's creation of the Young Wizards fantasy series for which she's best known, the "Middle Kingdoms" epic fantasy series, and numerous stand-alone fantasy or science fiction novels, her career has included extensive work in the Star Trek TM universe, and many scripts for live-action and animated TV series on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as work in comics and computer games. She has spent a fair amount of time on the New York Times Bestseller List, and has picked up various awards and award nominations here and there.
She lives in County Wicklow, in Ireland, with her husband of more than thirty years, the screenwriter and novelist Peter Morwood.
Her favorite color is blue, her favorite food is a weird kind of Swiss scrambled-potato dish called maluns, she was born in a Year of the Dragon, and her sign is "Runway 24 Left, Hold For Clearance."
(From her official website)
Besides the 1980's creation of the Young Wizards fantasy series for which she's best known, the "Middle Kingdoms" epic fantasy series, and numerous stand-alone fantasy or science fiction novels, her career has included extensive work in the Star Trek TM universe, and many scripts for live-action and animated TV series on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as work in comics and computer games. She has spent a fair amount of time on the New York Times Bestseller List, and has picked up various awards and award nominations here and there.
She lives in County Wicklow, in Ireland, with her husband of more than thirty years, the screenwriter and novelist Peter Morwood.
Her favorite color is blue, her favorite food is a weird kind of Swiss scrambled-potato dish called maluns, she was born in a Year of the Dragon, and her sign is "Runway 24 Left, Hold For Clearance."
(From her official website)
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 15, 2011
In a lot of ways, this is where the series hits its stride. There's no longer the choppy, episodic feeling of the earlier books; everything flows smoothly, despite (perhaps because?) the fact that it's the first book to have three equal co-protagonists, three parallel stories. And there's still the fantastic set pieces: the forging of the queen's gold, Lionhall, the bridge. The ending scene, of course.
Also, it's the book where Lorn finally grows up, and he does so beautifully.
There's so much right about it that I can almost--almost--forgive the fact that the plot makes no. damn. sense.
But I love it anyway.
Also, it's the book where Lorn finally grows up, and he does so beautifully.
There's so much right about it that I can almost--almost--forgive the fact that the plot makes no. damn. sense.
But I love it anyway.
November 12, 2023
I really enjoyed the first couple books in this series, and love the world and characters Duane has created - a very soothing ~classic~ high fantasy writing style, but in this world without misogyny or homophobia (and in a way that’s sort of built into the worldbuilding - this series feels thought-through in a way a lot of other books that are trying to incorporate these elements don’t, including in the polyamory elements). However, this particular book in the series didn’t totally come together. Or, it came together too often haha, in detrimental ways.
Please note I am going to toe the spoiler line very closely here, by which I mean I’m not marking this for spoilers because I’m not revealing how any of the main plot points/relationship storylines are resolved… but I’m talking in detail about what happens throughout the book/themes/etc.
Okay so.
I wish this book had focused more on Freelorn. Funnily enough I wasn’t particularly interested in him as a main character based on the previous two books, but from his first chapter in this one I loved him as a character and was really invested.
I joked about his whole “my boyfriend is a powerful magician and I’m just a king who’s almost been killed a few times and oh oops is also missing a kingdom” thing, but actually I loved the way the book sets up/tries to unpack how Herewiss’ new powers, and the way Freelorn’s theoretical quest to get back his kingdom is having to become reality (with actual stakes, whether he likes it or not and even when one or both of them doubt he can do it), change their relationship. Not to mention the way Herewiss also has a new boyfriend who Freeborn is definitely not jealous of or threatened by! There was so much here that I was excited to read about. And based on the first two books I know Duane could have told the story of this relationship’s evolution in a nuanced, loving, thoughtful way.
And then Freelorn’s return to his kingdom - the “king who feels he is unworthy but still has too rise from obscurity and inspire the people to defeat the evil pretender” trope is one that’s been done a lot - but I enjoyed the earth-magic twist and I *really* enjoyed Freelorn’s anonymous journey through the countryside to the capital when he had to trek through the village he was fostered out to when he was younger. What really worked for me I guess was the way in which the story portrayed that bittersweet nostalgia of going home, or going somewhere familiar, when you haven’t been back in a long time. And I liked the way Freelorn is going back full of doubt in his ability to be the right king and discovers all he had to do was go home for his royal magic to start working, especially in parallel to the way there are these stresses about lineage and Segnbora being pregnant with his child - only for him to find out that he has a 9-year-old! His daughter was there all along, growing up happily in his kingdom. There was so much there that could have been unpacked.
However. I think Duane’s choice for this book to be multi-POV between Freelorn, Herewiss, and Segnbora gave extremely short shrift to Freelorn’s story, so that the emotional components didn’t hit home at all like I think they were supposed to. We don’t see enough of Freelorn’s growth on-page - or enough of Herewiss’ growth, and frankly I don’t think Segnbora has any change to her character at all - so a lot of the book was tbh a bit boring, and the ending didn’t really have an emotional impact.
It very quickly got to the point where every time something intriguing or compelling happened with Freelorn, there was a chapter break and the story immediately moved to someone else. So frustrating, especially because the other POV characters have already had entire books where their emotional arcs take center stage! The Herewiss chapters here were I think at least exploring a couple of interesting things that weren’t covered in his book - the changes in his relationship with Freelorn, the way that he has to make tough decisions about killing and death now that he has such massive power. This was fascinating to me, especially given what The Door Into Fire was about, but Herewiss’ story also didn’t get enough time to unfurl.
Segnbora, on the other hand - she had no emotional storyline. Every time the book cut to something from her POV, it was inevitably another deeply boring long chapter of dragon-related exposition.
In fact this book in general had wayyyyyyy too much exposition, especially for the third book in a series! I get that to a certain level it’s part of the genre - what is high fantasy in the classic style if it doesn’t have lots of boring exposition about fictional languages and cultures - but I think that while the level of exposition worked in the other books because there was room for a decent chunk of exposition and then also a decent chunk of uninterrupted plot and emotional development, the rotating POV writing style in this book kept cutting the plot/emotional arcs off at the knees by changing the topic every time they started to get good.
I would almost prefer that all the Segnbora/dragon stuff have also been handled in her book, and she just come swooping in at the end of this one to save the day. Or at least the book be Part 1/Part 2/Part 3 with different POVs between the Parts, or something - the book just really doesn’t work the way it’s structured now. I laughed when, in the middle of a climactic battle scene near the end of the book, the story cut away to yet another scene where the dragons mostly stand around and talk to each other, and Segnbora passively stands there watching. Really?
The Reaver stuff also didn’t work - I enjoyed the earlier scene with Freelorn where the focus is on him sort of struggling to figure out what to do, but there wasn’t enough time spent on the Reaver plot element to justify their cameo at the very end of the book (“oh they’re chill actually, all that past warfare and raiding was a misunderstanding, they’re going to be our neighbors now”). I think this is where you sort of bump up against the limits of “classic” high fantasy worldbuilding - if the Reavers are actually normal people who just speak a different language and are nomads, it undercuts all the stuff about how they’re vicious unknowable enemies in the first few books. I think you have to acknowledge that if both peoples are in fact normal chill humans in their own way, there *would* be cultural exchange on some level. And if there wasn’t cultural exchange, it’s because the inhuman-seeming barbarians are in fact inhuman. If you don’t respect that basic fact about human nature (we like to talk to each other! Even if we don’t understand each others’ languages, we’ll make it happen!), you end up getting something like Duane writes here - which just feels like she was trying to give every plot point a happy ending no matter how unlikely.
(I am also going to say as a side note there are couple references to spanking in a it’s-a-normal-way-to-discipline-a-child kind of way which, despite all the great things authors are able to change in their fantasy universes in terms of misogyny/homophobia/etc., it’s always interesting to see what *does* stick with them… especially in a book like this where so much is done right so this kind of thing is even more glaring than it might be otherwise.)
And I guess my last critique is that it’s wild to name a series which you say explicitly at the end of the book is intended to have four volumes as “The Tale of the Five.” Just a recipe for instant confusion.
Yeah I guess I would say overall, I like a lot of what this series is doing and would recommend for anyone who’s interested in fantasy as a genre and what you can do with it. However, I don’t know that I would recommend if you’re just looking for a great, readable fantasy series (tm). I just don’t think it’s there!
Please note I am going to toe the spoiler line very closely here, by which I mean I’m not marking this for spoilers because I’m not revealing how any of the main plot points/relationship storylines are resolved… but I’m talking in detail about what happens throughout the book/themes/etc.
Okay so.
I wish this book had focused more on Freelorn. Funnily enough I wasn’t particularly interested in him as a main character based on the previous two books, but from his first chapter in this one I loved him as a character and was really invested.
I joked about his whole “my boyfriend is a powerful magician and I’m just a king who’s almost been killed a few times and oh oops is also missing a kingdom” thing, but actually I loved the way the book sets up/tries to unpack how Herewiss’ new powers, and the way Freelorn’s theoretical quest to get back his kingdom is having to become reality (with actual stakes, whether he likes it or not and even when one or both of them doubt he can do it), change their relationship. Not to mention the way Herewiss also has a new boyfriend who Freeborn is definitely not jealous of or threatened by! There was so much here that I was excited to read about. And based on the first two books I know Duane could have told the story of this relationship’s evolution in a nuanced, loving, thoughtful way.
And then Freelorn’s return to his kingdom - the “king who feels he is unworthy but still has too rise from obscurity and inspire the people to defeat the evil pretender” trope is one that’s been done a lot - but I enjoyed the earth-magic twist and I *really* enjoyed Freelorn’s anonymous journey through the countryside to the capital when he had to trek through the village he was fostered out to when he was younger. What really worked for me I guess was the way in which the story portrayed that bittersweet nostalgia of going home, or going somewhere familiar, when you haven’t been back in a long time. And I liked the way Freelorn is going back full of doubt in his ability to be the right king and discovers all he had to do was go home for his royal magic to start working, especially in parallel to the way there are these stresses about lineage and Segnbora being pregnant with his child - only for him to find out that he has a 9-year-old! His daughter was there all along, growing up happily in his kingdom. There was so much there that could have been unpacked.
However. I think Duane’s choice for this book to be multi-POV between Freelorn, Herewiss, and Segnbora gave extremely short shrift to Freelorn’s story, so that the emotional components didn’t hit home at all like I think they were supposed to. We don’t see enough of Freelorn’s growth on-page - or enough of Herewiss’ growth, and frankly I don’t think Segnbora has any change to her character at all - so a lot of the book was tbh a bit boring, and the ending didn’t really have an emotional impact.
It very quickly got to the point where every time something intriguing or compelling happened with Freelorn, there was a chapter break and the story immediately moved to someone else. So frustrating, especially because the other POV characters have already had entire books where their emotional arcs take center stage! The Herewiss chapters here were I think at least exploring a couple of interesting things that weren’t covered in his book - the changes in his relationship with Freelorn, the way that he has to make tough decisions about killing and death now that he has such massive power. This was fascinating to me, especially given what The Door Into Fire was about, but Herewiss’ story also didn’t get enough time to unfurl.
Segnbora, on the other hand - she had no emotional storyline. Every time the book cut to something from her POV, it was inevitably another deeply boring long chapter of dragon-related exposition.
In fact this book in general had wayyyyyyy too much exposition, especially for the third book in a series! I get that to a certain level it’s part of the genre - what is high fantasy in the classic style if it doesn’t have lots of boring exposition about fictional languages and cultures - but I think that while the level of exposition worked in the other books because there was room for a decent chunk of exposition and then also a decent chunk of uninterrupted plot and emotional development, the rotating POV writing style in this book kept cutting the plot/emotional arcs off at the knees by changing the topic every time they started to get good.
I would almost prefer that all the Segnbora/dragon stuff have also been handled in her book, and she just come swooping in at the end of this one to save the day. Or at least the book be Part 1/Part 2/Part 3 with different POVs between the Parts, or something - the book just really doesn’t work the way it’s structured now. I laughed when, in the middle of a climactic battle scene near the end of the book, the story cut away to yet another scene where the dragons mostly stand around and talk to each other, and Segnbora passively stands there watching. Really?
The Reaver stuff also didn’t work - I enjoyed the earlier scene with Freelorn where the focus is on him sort of struggling to figure out what to do, but there wasn’t enough time spent on the Reaver plot element to justify their cameo at the very end of the book (“oh they’re chill actually, all that past warfare and raiding was a misunderstanding, they’re going to be our neighbors now”). I think this is where you sort of bump up against the limits of “classic” high fantasy worldbuilding - if the Reavers are actually normal people who just speak a different language and are nomads, it undercuts all the stuff about how they’re vicious unknowable enemies in the first few books. I think you have to acknowledge that if both peoples are in fact normal chill humans in their own way, there *would* be cultural exchange on some level. And if there wasn’t cultural exchange, it’s because the inhuman-seeming barbarians are in fact inhuman. If you don’t respect that basic fact about human nature (we like to talk to each other! Even if we don’t understand each others’ languages, we’ll make it happen!), you end up getting something like Duane writes here - which just feels like she was trying to give every plot point a happy ending no matter how unlikely.
(I am also going to say as a side note there are couple references to spanking in a it’s-a-normal-way-to-discipline-a-child kind of way which, despite all the great things authors are able to change in their fantasy universes in terms of misogyny/homophobia/etc., it’s always interesting to see what *does* stick with them… especially in a book like this where so much is done right so this kind of thing is even more glaring than it might be otherwise.)
And I guess my last critique is that it’s wild to name a series which you say explicitly at the end of the book is intended to have four volumes as “The Tale of the Five.” Just a recipe for instant confusion.
Yeah I guess I would say overall, I like a lot of what this series is doing and would recommend for anyone who’s interested in fantasy as a genre and what you can do with it. However, I don’t know that I would recommend if you’re just looking for a great, readable fantasy series (tm). I just don’t think it’s there!
October 22, 2016
I really like that this series is out there, full of characters outside the traditional fantasy mold, full of female characters, in a world created by a goddess. And it helps that there’s dragons and that the most important relationship through the books published is that of Freelorn and Herewiss. And again, that they have a realistic struggle to adjust to new things, to find their feet in their relationship and keep it ticking over without letting it stagnate, to find room for each other. There are some really great scenes, like the section in Lionhall or some of the battle scenes.
One thing I really, really liked was the characterisation of Cillmod, and even Rian. They’ve been boogeymen for so long, and this book finally expands them a little. Cillmod turned out to be especially interesting. It was great to see some ambiguity, some signs of another side of the story.
But. I don’t know. For me, it just doesn’t quite click. Sometimes I feel like the issue of the Goddess is hammered home too hard, too frequently; sometimes I want the characters to stop thinking so much about getting into bed with each other, because hey, there’s actually a war going on; sometimes the tone just feels pompous or… or something I can’t quite put my finger on, but in any case find offputting. It’s not that I don’t enjoy it — I wouldn’t have finished the three books which have been written if I didn’t — but I’m not sure it needs the fourth unwritten book, and I’m glad enough to leave it here.
Originally posted here.
One thing I really, really liked was the characterisation of Cillmod, and even Rian. They’ve been boogeymen for so long, and this book finally expands them a little. Cillmod turned out to be especially interesting. It was great to see some ambiguity, some signs of another side of the story.
But. I don’t know. For me, it just doesn’t quite click. Sometimes I feel like the issue of the Goddess is hammered home too hard, too frequently; sometimes I want the characters to stop thinking so much about getting into bed with each other, because hey, there’s actually a war going on; sometimes the tone just feels pompous or… or something I can’t quite put my finger on, but in any case find offputting. It’s not that I don’t enjoy it — I wouldn’t have finished the three books which have been written if I didn’t — but I’m not sure it needs the fourth unwritten book, and I’m glad enough to leave it here.
Originally posted here.
August 2, 2020
In The Door into Sunset, our leading characters go through many evolutions and “power ups” as their efforts to depose Cillmod come to a head. This book focuses mainly on Freelorn as he tries to find a way to become a true Initiate in the royal magics that protects the country from the Shadow, (and which also ensure that the land doesn’t turn back into wasteland like most of the continent seems to be). We also watch Hasai and Segnbora become Very Important Persons among the Dragons, and Herewiss learn to cope with being the First Man in Centuries with the Blue Flame.
The book opens with Eftgan, the Queen of Darthen getting ready to do her annual crown-forging ceremony. This tradition had been put in place so that ordinary people who had a grievance with the king or queen could confront (or even attack them) directly. Segnbora has a premonition that something might occur, and warns Herewiss and Freelorn about it. They are able to stop the assassins from killing Freelorn or Eftgan, and discover that someone on Cillmod’s side is able to use major sorcery without suffering from a backlash. After Eftgan finishes making her crown, (she is not a jeweler and therefore her crown ends up tilting at a rakish angle) she announces she will be going to war with Cillmod to put Freelorn on the throne, which is greeted with approval by the crowd.
It is decided that Herewiss will go to the Arlen capitol to deliver the declaration of war with Sunspark, while Freelorn sneaks in to try to become a full Initiate (which involves spending some time in Lionhall, and either pass the Initiation or dying) in the royal magics of Arlen. Segnbora meanwhile will be visiting the Dragons and trying to get them to help–Hasai does not think this will be successful, but Segnbora wants to try.
Before any of this can get under way, the Reavers turn up on Eftgan’s doorstep, and for the first time in history, seem to want to talk. Eftgan and Freelorn go out to meet them. She uses her Blue Flame in order to cast a “universal translation” spell and ask them what they want. The first conversation ever goes pretty well since previous attempts were extremely unsuccessful.
It is discovered that the Reavers have a nomadic culture and have a hard time understanding things like “agriculture” and “land ownership.” Their habit of burning down homesteads when taking over territory was because they are primarily herders and hunters. The Reavers are also apparently facing a major famine in their own land, and have been trying to move somewhere less horrible, which Freelorn can sympathize with, because he offers a region of his own country that’s too far away and poor in soil for good farming, but has a lot of grassland. The Reavers think this is a good deal but are understandably cautious. They agree to sit on the fence and not take part in the upcoming war, which is also a good thing.
With these discoveries in mind, Freelorn heads off under disguise, and finds out that he is a daddy twice over. Segnbora is expecting, and an old flame of his has a daughter. He also discovers that he is apparently beginning to develop a sixth sense, and the land itself seems to be doing him all kinds of little favors when he asks it nicely. He manages to make it to the city, but guards see through his disguise. Fortunately, he’s able to hide himself using his new found ability.
Segnbora does the meet and greet thing with the Dragons, and the Dragons don’t know what to make of her or Hasai. Especially since Hasai is slowly becoming more physical and Segnbora is becoming less physical. After talking with various Dragons, most of whom are various kinds of freaked because they can remember-ahead and see some pretty scary things that Segnbora might be responsible for, she meets the DragonChief. Dithra is less than impressed with Segnbora, and the feeling is for the most part returned. The DragonChief isn’t interested in Segnbora’s arguments that Dragons should involve themselves a little more in the world, and dismisses her.
Herewiss goes to the Arlen capitol, and meets the usurper Cillmod, who is actually a pretty nice guy. Also a pretty nice guy is Rian, Cillmod’s head sorcerer. However, Rian’s nice guy act is more along the lines of Mr. Morden’s from Babylon 5. Rian is working for The Shadow, and seems to think he knows what he’s doing. He also does his best to make Herewiss worried and unhappy, and even goes so far as to attack him psychically. Sunspark who threatens to burn Rian’s wife and daughter averts his attack; Rian is still human enough to react and his attack falters. (Sunspark later is very upset about this. Not because it made the threat, but because it had learned enough about human emotions to understand that, it could make a threat like that.)
Freelorn’s band (and Herewiss) meet up in the Arlen capitol, their goal to watch Freelorn’s back when he goes into Lionhall. Before they get there however, they get distracted by monsters and an ice elemental that Hasai fries. Freelorn goes into Lionhall and encounters some of the darker and less pleasant aspects of his personality. He also gets bad touched by a nightmare monster that had been lurking in his dreams for years. He defeats the monster by making it rain indoors and the “monster” turns out to be Héalhra, the White Lion, and founder of his line, and a minor God. (Or rather, a human who briefly had the power of a god.) Héalhra tells him that the rite involves facing your fears (and Him.)
Cillmod turns up, because he wanted to try becoming an Initiate, in hopes that the war would be over if he succeeded. Freelorn tells him no, there’s all ready an Initiate, and they fight. Cillmod tries to strangle Freelorn with the Stave of office, which Freelorn thinks is funny. He leaves with a smart aleck comment to the effect that they can talk about what to use the Stave for later.
There is a battle, and the Shadow manages to cause a great deal of damage, incarnating in a physical form and almost winning the day. Freelorn however manages to incarnate as the White Lion, and fights the Shadow on equal terms, with the help of The Eagle (who is the Darthen god-counterpart). The Shadow is defeated, Freelorn is acknowledged as the king, and he and Cillmod settle their discussion about the Stave when Freelorn offers Cillmod a job.
The book opens with Eftgan, the Queen of Darthen getting ready to do her annual crown-forging ceremony. This tradition had been put in place so that ordinary people who had a grievance with the king or queen could confront (or even attack them) directly. Segnbora has a premonition that something might occur, and warns Herewiss and Freelorn about it. They are able to stop the assassins from killing Freelorn or Eftgan, and discover that someone on Cillmod’s side is able to use major sorcery without suffering from a backlash. After Eftgan finishes making her crown, (she is not a jeweler and therefore her crown ends up tilting at a rakish angle) she announces she will be going to war with Cillmod to put Freelorn on the throne, which is greeted with approval by the crowd.
It is decided that Herewiss will go to the Arlen capitol to deliver the declaration of war with Sunspark, while Freelorn sneaks in to try to become a full Initiate (which involves spending some time in Lionhall, and either pass the Initiation or dying) in the royal magics of Arlen. Segnbora meanwhile will be visiting the Dragons and trying to get them to help–Hasai does not think this will be successful, but Segnbora wants to try.
Before any of this can get under way, the Reavers turn up on Eftgan’s doorstep, and for the first time in history, seem to want to talk. Eftgan and Freelorn go out to meet them. She uses her Blue Flame in order to cast a “universal translation” spell and ask them what they want. The first conversation ever goes pretty well since previous attempts were extremely unsuccessful.
It is discovered that the Reavers have a nomadic culture and have a hard time understanding things like “agriculture” and “land ownership.” Their habit of burning down homesteads when taking over territory was because they are primarily herders and hunters. The Reavers are also apparently facing a major famine in their own land, and have been trying to move somewhere less horrible, which Freelorn can sympathize with, because he offers a region of his own country that’s too far away and poor in soil for good farming, but has a lot of grassland. The Reavers think this is a good deal but are understandably cautious. They agree to sit on the fence and not take part in the upcoming war, which is also a good thing.
With these discoveries in mind, Freelorn heads off under disguise, and finds out that he is a daddy twice over. Segnbora is expecting, and an old flame of his has a daughter. He also discovers that he is apparently beginning to develop a sixth sense, and the land itself seems to be doing him all kinds of little favors when he asks it nicely. He manages to make it to the city, but guards see through his disguise. Fortunately, he’s able to hide himself using his new found ability.
Segnbora does the meet and greet thing with the Dragons, and the Dragons don’t know what to make of her or Hasai. Especially since Hasai is slowly becoming more physical and Segnbora is becoming less physical. After talking with various Dragons, most of whom are various kinds of freaked because they can remember-ahead and see some pretty scary things that Segnbora might be responsible for, she meets the DragonChief. Dithra is less than impressed with Segnbora, and the feeling is for the most part returned. The DragonChief isn’t interested in Segnbora’s arguments that Dragons should involve themselves a little more in the world, and dismisses her.
Herewiss goes to the Arlen capitol, and meets the usurper Cillmod, who is actually a pretty nice guy. Also a pretty nice guy is Rian, Cillmod’s head sorcerer. However, Rian’s nice guy act is more along the lines of Mr. Morden’s from Babylon 5. Rian is working for The Shadow, and seems to think he knows what he’s doing. He also does his best to make Herewiss worried and unhappy, and even goes so far as to attack him psychically. Sunspark who threatens to burn Rian’s wife and daughter averts his attack; Rian is still human enough to react and his attack falters. (Sunspark later is very upset about this. Not because it made the threat, but because it had learned enough about human emotions to understand that, it could make a threat like that.)
Freelorn’s band (and Herewiss) meet up in the Arlen capitol, their goal to watch Freelorn’s back when he goes into Lionhall. Before they get there however, they get distracted by monsters and an ice elemental that Hasai fries. Freelorn goes into Lionhall and encounters some of the darker and less pleasant aspects of his personality. He also gets bad touched by a nightmare monster that had been lurking in his dreams for years. He defeats the monster by making it rain indoors and the “monster” turns out to be Héalhra, the White Lion, and founder of his line, and a minor God. (Or rather, a human who briefly had the power of a god.) Héalhra tells him that the rite involves facing your fears (and Him.)
Cillmod turns up, because he wanted to try becoming an Initiate, in hopes that the war would be over if he succeeded. Freelorn tells him no, there’s all ready an Initiate, and they fight. Cillmod tries to strangle Freelorn with the Stave of office, which Freelorn thinks is funny. He leaves with a smart aleck comment to the effect that they can talk about what to use the Stave for later.
There is a battle, and the Shadow manages to cause a great deal of damage, incarnating in a physical form and almost winning the day. Freelorn however manages to incarnate as the White Lion, and fights the Shadow on equal terms, with the help of The Eagle (who is the Darthen god-counterpart). The Shadow is defeated, Freelorn is acknowledged as the king, and he and Cillmod settle their discussion about the Stave when Freelorn offers Cillmod a job.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2021
Silly me, I assumed that this series was a trilogy. This book was published in 1992 and doesn't wrap up the series. There were some news on the final volume in 2018/2019, nothing since then. Sad stuff, I would have loved a real ending, and this book was … not it.
There was lots of good stuff in *Door into Sunset*, as I have come to expect. Some more character growth, some more relationship growth, some very neat cultural worldbuilding (the queen who has to make a new crown each year and can be killed or ousted during the smithing was a good one). Some more of the honestly delightful religious ideas. Much more warfare than in the previous books, treated with the appropriate gravitas.
The good parts were really good, as before: the romance, the religion, the love, the quiet appreciation of humantiy. Talking to bridges, interacting with The Land, figuring out that ancient secret rituals don't work the way you think. But the not-for-me parts were much more not for me than in the previous books. The end includes a rather abrupt group marriage (the abrupt part is the size of the group), and the whole dragon subplot interested me far less than it really ought to. I probably would have read the next book if I could have done so immediately, but I probably won't bother if/when it comes out in the future.
There was lots of good stuff in *Door into Sunset*, as I have come to expect. Some more character growth, some more relationship growth, some very neat cultural worldbuilding (the queen who has to make a new crown each year and can be killed or ousted during the smithing was a good one). Some more of the honestly delightful religious ideas. Much more warfare than in the previous books, treated with the appropriate gravitas.
The good parts were really good, as before: the romance, the religion, the love, the quiet appreciation of humantiy. Talking to bridges, interacting with The Land, figuring out that ancient secret rituals don't work the way you think. But the not-for-me parts were much more not for me than in the previous books. The end includes a rather abrupt group marriage (the abrupt part is the size of the group), and the whole dragon subplot interested me far less than it really ought to. I probably would have read the next book if I could have done so immediately, but I probably won't bother if/when it comes out in the future.
July 31, 2023
Everything I said in my reviews of The Door Into Fire and The Door Into Shadow is also true of this book. It’s a fitting conclusion – and yes, I say this knowing that there are more books in this world (they're on my ereader; I'll get to them). The Door Into Sunset wraps up the adventures begun in the previous two books well . Duane does not fix or make up for the things I didn’t like in Shadow, but she also doesn’t make it worse. (Segnbora is just… very okay with everything that happens to her, all the time. )
For me, the best thing about this series has been how frequently I've thought, “This is just like a thing they say or do in Young Wizards!” Duane clearly has her favorite themes, philosophies, and magical systems, and I’m here for it.
For me, the best thing about this series has been how frequently I've thought, “This is just like a thing they say or do in Young Wizards!” Duane clearly has her favorite themes, philosophies, and magical systems, and I’m here for it.
December 31, 2023
The first two books, while written in third person, each stayed in the perspective of one of the major characters, Herewiss and Segnbora, respectively. The third book does a lot more with the other major character, Freelorn, but also switches around to follow the other two in some of the chapters. The perspective changes were helpful in moving the story along and tying up loose ends. It was hard to fit in all of the events and character development into one book, but the climactic event of the third book really couldn't wait any longer. As with the others, it was a pleasant enough read. The major content warning from the second book is not repeated in the third book. As sword and sorcery goes, this one has lots more swords in it than the other two. There are some scenes that help transition from the climactic event to the resolution that acknowledge the toll of those events, and though it still feels (to me) a little quick to move to celebration at the end, I don't think the plot or the readers could bear a longer transition. The series does not lose its queer or polyamorous representation in this volume. If you like classic 80s/ early 90s sword and sorcery, this is a fine example.
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August 23, 2021I really like this as an ending to the series. Apparently one more book is coming, but it feels like a beautiful ending to me.
Sunspark, as always, I adore. I feel like Herewiss doesn't quite deserve him/her/it.
It's interesting that Cillmod turns out Unusual amount of nuance there.
The scene where was heartbreaking to me. So many fantasy novels have a giant battle, and usually I don't care much about the body count of all those unnamed foot soldiers. I really appreciate how this book made me care.
I'm amused how absolutely every nice character marries into the family at the end, like it's a late Heinlein novel about the Long family. Isn't it kind of weird for poor Wyn, has he even met all of his new spouses more than once?
Sunspark, as always, I adore. I feel like Herewiss doesn't quite deserve him/her/it.
It's interesting that Cillmod turns out Unusual amount of nuance there.
The scene where was heartbreaking to me. So many fantasy novels have a giant battle, and usually I don't care much about the body count of all those unnamed foot soldiers. I really appreciate how this book made me care.
I'm amused how absolutely every nice character marries into the family at the end, like it's a late Heinlein novel about the Long family. Isn't it kind of weird for poor Wyn, has he even met all of his new spouses more than once?
April 18, 2025
The most tightly plotted of the trilogy so far, with a few triumphant moments that produce almost Tolkien-esque, sweeping emotions. Also, frankly, any book that ends in a gets an extra star from me.
December 10, 2019
I bloody LOVED this book. No spoilers, so little context, but it's a worthy work in the sequence
April 24, 2024
nice dragons, good final battle, good ending.
March 9, 2015
Before I started reading this book, I feared that it would have an open ending. Which would have been fine, if the fourth book in the series would have been published, which it wasn't.
But even if the storyline is not quite finished, the book itself ends nicely. It's quite a good read, even better than the two parts before.
I'm sad that I don't really know if Herewiss got to do his job for Her, in bringing back the fire, and how Freelorn fares as King and Segnbora and her dragons, but for this we have our own imagination. Not that i wouldn't buy the book if it ever comes out.
So, what I liked about this series:
It has quite a history, the lands and people. I liked the quotations at each beginning of a chapter (which i normaly don't like to read). I liked the religious believe in the Goddess and their comfortable relationships with men and women, with their beloved (reminds me of the Wicca belief).
Which I think, this quote sums it up nicely:
... took the vow, to share bodies and thoughts as pleasure and trust prompted, to live for and with one another and their children, to love while life lasted, though liking may come and go, and to do right by one another, as the Goddess would ...
Where the first book was told from Herewiss's point of view, the second from Segnbora's, the third begins with Freelorn's thoughts, but jumps to the others, which suits my taste better.
Would I didn't like was quite a lot use of the draconic languages. It's not that I minded it, but I didn't really care for taking the time and trying how to pronounce the words. Mostly, I just skipped them. It really threw off my reading flow.
And the second thing I didn't like, was that while we really got to know the main characters, the few others in Freelorns company were just not really necessary at all. Not to the plot, nor for anything. And I was really sad to see Lang die, never really knowing who he really was. Even the survivors, Moris, Dritt and Harald ... don't really know much about them. And I know, not every character in a book can or needs to have a story, but we've read about them from the start, so I really wanted them to have more of an impact.
Other than that, great read.
forgot to mention, the story reminds me a little of Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time". just you know, man had the gift/flame/whatever, lost it, someone comes and has it, etc.
But even if the storyline is not quite finished, the book itself ends nicely. It's quite a good read, even better than the two parts before.
I'm sad that I don't really know if Herewiss got to do his job for Her, in bringing back the fire, and how Freelorn fares as King and Segnbora and her dragons, but for this we have our own imagination. Not that i wouldn't buy the book if it ever comes out.
So, what I liked about this series:
It has quite a history, the lands and people. I liked the quotations at each beginning of a chapter (which i normaly don't like to read). I liked the religious believe in the Goddess and their comfortable relationships with men and women, with their beloved (reminds me of the Wicca belief).
Which I think, this quote sums it up nicely:
... took the vow, to share bodies and thoughts as pleasure and trust prompted, to live for and with one another and their children, to love while life lasted, though liking may come and go, and to do right by one another, as the Goddess would ...
Where the first book was told from Herewiss's point of view, the second from Segnbora's, the third begins with Freelorn's thoughts, but jumps to the others, which suits my taste better.
Would I didn't like was quite a lot use of the draconic languages. It's not that I minded it, but I didn't really care for taking the time and trying how to pronounce the words. Mostly, I just skipped them. It really threw off my reading flow.
And the second thing I didn't like, was that while we really got to know the main characters, the few others in Freelorns company were just not really necessary at all. Not to the plot, nor for anything. And I was really sad to see Lang die, never really knowing who he really was. Even the survivors, Moris, Dritt and Harald ... don't really know much about them. And I know, not every character in a book can or needs to have a story, but we've read about them from the start, so I really wanted them to have more of an impact.
Other than that, great read.
forgot to mention, the story reminds me a little of Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time". just you know, man had the gift/flame/whatever, lost it, someone comes and has it, etc.
July 10, 2013
One should never complain about cleverness and depth, there being so little of both in our life, so I feel rather silly and wan in doing so about this book.
Ms Duane has poured tons of both into the third book of her justly celebrated series, creating a charming world, similar and yet very different from our own in its basic structure. In her own Utopia the main good in life is love, a love which makes the earth bear fruits and people live and work in harmony.
This world is ruled by a supreme goddess who is nearly allmighty but not really all-knowing and she is responsible, in a way, for the extant evil too.
The above paragraph is a rather brutal sketch of a rather refined and complex system of thought which can compare with that of the ancient Greek philosophers in depth, scope and attitude.
Problem is, this is no philosophical treaty but a novel, and a fantasy one to that.
Characters are interesting if not always consistent and there are many very well knit passages: the overall impression unfortunately is that of some impressive tableaux vivants clumsily linked in a dull way, the plot being very slow and sometimes even dragging.
This is a book undoubtedly worth reading, last but not least for its social depiction where sexuality and human bonds are as free as one can conceive them, their worth established by the lovers' capabilities and understanding and not by their gender.
Ms Duane has poured tons of both into the third book of her justly celebrated series, creating a charming world, similar and yet very different from our own in its basic structure. In her own Utopia the main good in life is love, a love which makes the earth bear fruits and people live and work in harmony.
This world is ruled by a supreme goddess who is nearly allmighty but not really all-knowing and she is responsible, in a way, for the extant evil too.
The above paragraph is a rather brutal sketch of a rather refined and complex system of thought which can compare with that of the ancient Greek philosophers in depth, scope and attitude.
Problem is, this is no philosophical treaty but a novel, and a fantasy one to that.
Characters are interesting if not always consistent and there are many very well knit passages: the overall impression unfortunately is that of some impressive tableaux vivants clumsily linked in a dull way, the plot being very slow and sometimes even dragging.
This is a book undoubtedly worth reading, last but not least for its social depiction where sexuality and human bonds are as free as one can conceive them, their worth established by the lovers' capabilities and understanding and not by their gender.
August 31, 2010
Well, I didn't remember that Sunspark was passed over so much in this book. I think it has a great development for Segnbora and of course Freelorn, finally, Herewiss mostly came into his own in the previous book. There is a part where he and Sunspark are on their own again, but he only uses it as a handy tool, mostly. I sure hope that the eventually to be written fourth book gives their love more of a development - I mean even Hasai has more of a development arc through the three books than Sunspark - he only had signifant development in the first book.
I still love the fact that this finishes the outside threats to the kingdom, so even though the fourth book isn't written yet I don't feel dangled over a cliff. And the drama is great, as always.
I still love the fact that this finishes the outside threats to the kingdom, so even though the fourth book isn't written yet I don't feel dangled over a cliff. And the drama is great, as always.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2009
Makes me wonder if book four is ever going to be published.
Some day. Maybe.
Anyway, there's magic and swords and religion and people with vaguely unpronounceable names and dragons and kingships at stake and some diplomacy and more than enough characters to leave you wondering at times who's being referred to in a sentence... and it's fun. And it never quite falls into that place in the fantasy genre where you wonder for a moment whether the author were playing D&D while they were writing the thing.
Some day. Maybe.
Anyway, there's magic and swords and religion and people with vaguely unpronounceable names and dragons and kingships at stake and some diplomacy and more than enough characters to leave you wondering at times who's being referred to in a sentence... and it's fun. And it never quite falls into that place in the fantasy genre where you wonder for a moment whether the author were playing D&D while they were writing the thing.
September 14, 2012
More classic Hero's Journey; occasional incomprehensible plot points, confusing nicknames, and I still haven't figured out the dragon situation, but I really liked the resolution of Freelorn's 'power' (just as the first two books were about the power of Herewiss and Segnbora) and the writing seemed a little more cohesive than in the previous books. Also, this reads as a good conclusion to the series, so if the fourth book never gets written (as seems likely) it's no biggie.
I am a little boggled at the idea of a seven-way marriage, though. (Also, I think I want Sunspark fic.)
I am a little boggled at the idea of a seven-way marriage, though. (Also, I think I want Sunspark fic.)
December 22, 2009
I'd like to give this one 3.5 stars... it's been a while since I read it, but I just remember finding it less wonderful than the first two books. In my memory I think it was more plot-driven, less an unfolding of a mysterious, wonderful world and complicated people, and more about getting Freelorn where he needed to go. Again, it's been a while; I just thought the first two were better!
April 26, 2021
I keep re-reading this series, and every time am reminded why Duane is one of my favorite authors. Well executed characters, system of magic, and most important of all: A strong feeling of connection to every aspect of the tale.
April 21, 2021
A very strong 'ending' for the series (I place that in quotes because there is a mention at the end of a planned fourth book, which was apparently derailed by her Young Wizards series *sigh*).
November 20, 2011
This was a fabulous series. I'm sorry to have finished it.
This book managed to make me love Freelorn -- which, let me tell you, was a challenge!
Also, I never expected to have an OT6!
This book managed to make me love Freelorn -- which, let me tell you, was a challenge!
Also, I never expected to have an OT6!
February 13, 2021
I feel that re-reading this book, now older, has granted me better appreciation for it. Though Shadow will always remain my favourite book of the series.
May 24, 2015
Series still holds up - wish she would finish final volume!
May 28, 2017
"The Door into Sunset (The Tale of the Five, Vol 3) by Diane Duane (1994)"
March 31, 2011
a most excellent end but there's a sequel mentioned
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