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The Chronicles of the Deryni #3
High Deryni
Young Kelson Haldane has claimed his birthright and assumed the throne of Gwynedd. For the first time in centuries, a king of Deryni heritage, possessing extraordinary magical abilities, rules the realm. But the priesthood of the Eleven Kingdoms has held sway over the Crown for generations. They decried the Deryni as witches and heretics, drove them underground, and usurped control of the kingdom. They have no intention of ceding their power to Kelson and his supporters — even if it means inciting civil war. Supported by the Church, an anti-Deryni leader has risen to prominence, dividing the people of the land. To end the conflict, King Kelson must face his enemies in battle — enemies willing to use the magic they so fear….
370 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 12, 1973
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About the author
Katherine Kurtz
92 books743 followersKatherine Kurtz is an American fantasy novel writer. She is best known for her Deryni series. She currently lives in Virginia.
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October 28, 2014
High Deryni seemed more anticlimactic to me than anything else. The warring armies never actually clash; the Camberian Council is revealed and they're a bunch of squabbling, out-of-touch stuffed shirts; the problem of the rebellious Warin de Grey and his crusade against the Deryni is solved in a couple pages, and all the excommunications just go away as a consequence; major characters use their powers in morally reprehensible ways; and the ending is a deux ex machina with no real dramatic satisfaction.
The main problem I have with High Deryni is that it seems to be pushing a blurring between the idea of a strict division between human and Deryni, what with the speculation that Deryniness is a condition that one either is or is not rather than a heritage that comes in degrees, and with Warin displaying powers despite not being Deryni at all. I assume that it's leading into a revelation later that there is no difference, and some humans in the past developed powers and started calling themselves Deryni, and that co-existence is possible, and all of the optimism that could be found in 70s fantasy.
But the behavior of the actual Deryni in the book totally undermines that message. I'm not talking about Wencit. Sure, he's a butchering thug, but "butchering thug" has been an apt description of those in power for the entirety of human history so there's nothing different there. I'm talking about Morgan, and Arilan, and Duncan. Like I wrote in my review of Deryni Checkmate, it's reasonable to be suspicious of people with the power to read minds and kill with a thoughts and who--we now learn--have their own secret governmental structure that enforces their own laws with no relation to temporal authority. And with the way Morgan behaves in High Deryni, I'm starting to think the persecutions of the Deryni were entirely reasonable.
I'm not just talking about how he casually violates the sanctity of the children's minds at the scene by the waterfall, though that was bad enough. I'm talking about the scene with Warin's sudden "change of heart." I put that in quotes because the reader doesn't get either of their perspectives, so what we see is that Morgan and Duncan claim that Warin might be Deryni because of his healing powers, Morgan offers to "Mind-See" him, and then after the spell is over, Warin changes all of his deeply-held beliefs and decides that if Deryni can heal, and he can heal, Deryni aren't that bad, even though he was a zealous anti-Deryni campaigner for the entire series up to this point.
Leaving aside that the backfire effect means that he'd be much more likely to assume that Deryni were counterfeiting his real gifts using the powers of Satan, how do we know that Morgan didn't use his time in Warin's mind to edit his psychology and make him more pliable? Kelson needed all the help he could get, and Derry's betrayal shows that it's possible for Deryni to twist people's minds in ways that probably won't be found until it's too late. Reprogramming Warin's personality is absolutely something Morgan would do, and if this how the "good" Deryni behave, then I can only imagine how bad it was during the days of the Deryni Interregnum and I'm pretty sure the pogroms are justified.
Arilan and Duncan aren't that bad, but they've repeatedly proven themselves willing to lie under ecclesiastical oath, so they're hardly trustworthy. So has Morgan, come to think of it. About the only Deryni we see who isn't totally deceitful is Kelson, and he's only fourteen. Give him time.
The other thing is the schism in the Church. It's really odd that the real-world Catholic Church is basically transported wholesale into Gwynnedd, but there seems to be no higher authorites to appeal to. Since there are Moors out there somewhere, I would have expected there to be some kind of greater religious hierarchy that Loris would have appealed to for the authority to impose the Interdict or ratify the excommunications, but apparently not. And furthermore, Kelson's authority easily supersedes Loris's, which makes me wonder why he didn't just overturn the excommunications earlier. I realize that Morgan and Duncan going to Dhassa is part of the reason he was able to do it, but what with a cataclysmic war on the horizon I expect he might be forgiven. The Church in High Deryni tries to act like the real-world Catholic Church without any of the authority or infrastructure to back it up, and it rang false every time I thought about how any of it would work.
Those two aspects of the book were the major impressions the book left on me, and the damp rag of an ending didn't help. Everything is being set up for a climactic confrontation, and then a sudden but inevitable betrayal occurs from a direction that's impossible to predict and it's over in half-a-dozen pages and I just thought, "is this really it?" Well...yes, it really is. I was wavering between three and four stars halfway through the book, but the scene with Warin and the ending squandered all the goodwill I had built up.
A disappointing ending to a series I had hopes for.
Previous review: Deryni Checkmate.
The main problem I have with High Deryni is that it seems to be pushing a blurring between the idea of a strict division between human and Deryni, what with the speculation that Deryniness is a condition that one either is or is not rather than a heritage that comes in degrees, and with Warin displaying powers despite not being Deryni at all. I assume that it's leading into a revelation later that there is no difference, and some humans in the past developed powers and started calling themselves Deryni, and that co-existence is possible, and all of the optimism that could be found in 70s fantasy.
But the behavior of the actual Deryni in the book totally undermines that message. I'm not talking about Wencit. Sure, he's a butchering thug, but "butchering thug" has been an apt description of those in power for the entirety of human history so there's nothing different there. I'm talking about Morgan, and Arilan, and Duncan. Like I wrote in my review of Deryni Checkmate, it's reasonable to be suspicious of people with the power to read minds and kill with a thoughts and who--we now learn--have their own secret governmental structure that enforces their own laws with no relation to temporal authority. And with the way Morgan behaves in High Deryni, I'm starting to think the persecutions of the Deryni were entirely reasonable.
I'm not just talking about how he casually violates the sanctity of the children's minds at the scene by the waterfall, though that was bad enough. I'm talking about the scene with Warin's sudden "change of heart." I put that in quotes because the reader doesn't get either of their perspectives, so what we see is that Morgan and Duncan claim that Warin might be Deryni because of his healing powers, Morgan offers to "Mind-See" him, and then after the spell is over, Warin changes all of his deeply-held beliefs and decides that if Deryni can heal, and he can heal, Deryni aren't that bad, even though he was a zealous anti-Deryni campaigner for the entire series up to this point.
Leaving aside that the backfire effect means that he'd be much more likely to assume that Deryni were counterfeiting his real gifts using the powers of Satan, how do we know that Morgan didn't use his time in Warin's mind to edit his psychology and make him more pliable? Kelson needed all the help he could get, and Derry's betrayal shows that it's possible for Deryni to twist people's minds in ways that probably won't be found until it's too late. Reprogramming Warin's personality is absolutely something Morgan would do, and if this how the "good" Deryni behave, then I can only imagine how bad it was during the days of the Deryni Interregnum and I'm pretty sure the pogroms are justified.
Arilan and Duncan aren't that bad, but they've repeatedly proven themselves willing to lie under ecclesiastical oath, so they're hardly trustworthy. So has Morgan, come to think of it. About the only Deryni we see who isn't totally deceitful is Kelson, and he's only fourteen. Give him time.
The other thing is the schism in the Church. It's really odd that the real-world Catholic Church is basically transported wholesale into Gwynnedd, but there seems to be no higher authorites to appeal to. Since there are Moors out there somewhere, I would have expected there to be some kind of greater religious hierarchy that Loris would have appealed to for the authority to impose the Interdict or ratify the excommunications, but apparently not. And furthermore, Kelson's authority easily supersedes Loris's, which makes me wonder why he didn't just overturn the excommunications earlier. I realize that Morgan and Duncan going to Dhassa is part of the reason he was able to do it, but what with a cataclysmic war on the horizon I expect he might be forgiven. The Church in High Deryni tries to act like the real-world Catholic Church without any of the authority or infrastructure to back it up, and it rang false every time I thought about how any of it would work.
Those two aspects of the book were the major impressions the book left on me, and the damp rag of an ending didn't help. Everything is being set up for a climactic confrontation, and then a sudden but inevitable betrayal occurs from a direction that's impossible to predict and it's over in half-a-dozen pages and I just thought, "is this really it?" Well...yes, it really is. I was wavering between three and four stars halfway through the book, but the scene with Warin and the ending squandered all the goodwill I had built up.
A disappointing ending to a series I had hopes for.
Previous review: Deryni Checkmate.
March 20, 2015
3.5 stars. Originally posted at Fantasy Literature. Life's too short to read bad books! http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
High Deryni, originally published in 1973, is the third novel in Katherine Kurtz’s DERYNI CHRONICLES. In the first novel, Deryni Rising, young Prince Kelson, who has inherited some Deryni magic, took his dead father’s throne after fighting an evil sorceress. In the second novel, Deryni Checkmate, tensions rose after the Church (obviously based on the medieval Catholic Church of our world) excommunicated Alaric Morgan and Duncan McLain, two of Kelson’s relatives and advisors.
As the third novel starts, the Church has just split over the Deryni issue. Traditionally the clergy has viewed any sort of magic as evil, akin to the witchcraft which their Holy Scriptures clearly forbids. They’re also worried that the Deryni will use their powers to overturn legitimate benevolent governments, undermine the Church, and establish malevolent dictatorships. Looking at the history of Gwynedd, and thinking about our own history, it’s easy to understand their point of view. But, unfortunately, the Church has dealt with their fear by persecuting anyone who has any Deryni blood. Recently a more progressive minority of Church leaders has split off. They recognize that since the Deryni power is inherited, being Deryni is not the problem; rather, it’s how a Deryni chooses to use his or her power that the Church should be concerned with. This ecclesiastical unrest threatens to cause civil war at a time when Gwynedd needs to unite against outside enemies.
As I’ve mentioned in a previous review of this trilogy, these days I don’t often find myself in the mood for this sort of heavy-feeling medieval-style epic fantasy, but Kurtz has won me over with her engaging characters and the murky religious, political, and personal issues they have to deal with. In High Deryni we discover that Deryni powers are not as uncommon amongst the clergy as you’d expect based on their talk. We also discover a secret council of Deryni that works behind the scenes and only for its own good. When it’s discovered that some Deryni have the power of healing, something they thought was lost, everyone is forced to deal with fundamental questions about the origins of good and evil.
Some readers may feel like a couple of the critical crises were too easily resolved by talking it out, but I appreciated Kurtz’s acknowledgement that intelligent reasonable people can sometimes work things out using logic and persuasion instead of weapons. In fact, I thought these instances seemed more realistic than if Kurtz had staged showy sword fights. This isn’t to suggest that High Deryni lacks weapons and war because there’s plenty of that, too, along with torture, murder, kidnappings, and rescues, but the tensions that have been building up for two books now do seem to fizzle out fairly easily.
I think most readers would agree that the promised “final battle” is a dud, and I’m on their side with that complaint. Likewise, the plot twist at the end, which caused the final battle to be a dud, was completely unbelievable It felt like Katherine Kurtz checked out of the novel just a little too soon.
Still I’m interested in these characters and I want to read on. What will King Kelson be like when he’s an adult? What will happen with Morgan and the lady he fell in love with at first sight (yuck)? How will the Church deal with the Deryni issue from now on? I want to know. I’ll continue to listen to the audio versions of the DERYNI CHRONICLES. These are produced by Audible Studios and they’re excellent so far. I love Jeff Woodman’s performance.
High Deryni, originally published in 1973, is the third novel in Katherine Kurtz’s DERYNI CHRONICLES. In the first novel, Deryni Rising, young Prince Kelson, who has inherited some Deryni magic, took his dead father’s throne after fighting an evil sorceress. In the second novel, Deryni Checkmate, tensions rose after the Church (obviously based on the medieval Catholic Church of our world) excommunicated Alaric Morgan and Duncan McLain, two of Kelson’s relatives and advisors.
As the third novel starts, the Church has just split over the Deryni issue. Traditionally the clergy has viewed any sort of magic as evil, akin to the witchcraft which their Holy Scriptures clearly forbids. They’re also worried that the Deryni will use their powers to overturn legitimate benevolent governments, undermine the Church, and establish malevolent dictatorships. Looking at the history of Gwynedd, and thinking about our own history, it’s easy to understand their point of view. But, unfortunately, the Church has dealt with their fear by persecuting anyone who has any Deryni blood. Recently a more progressive minority of Church leaders has split off. They recognize that since the Deryni power is inherited, being Deryni is not the problem; rather, it’s how a Deryni chooses to use his or her power that the Church should be concerned with. This ecclesiastical unrest threatens to cause civil war at a time when Gwynedd needs to unite against outside enemies.
As I’ve mentioned in a previous review of this trilogy, these days I don’t often find myself in the mood for this sort of heavy-feeling medieval-style epic fantasy, but Kurtz has won me over with her engaging characters and the murky religious, political, and personal issues they have to deal with. In High Deryni we discover that Deryni powers are not as uncommon amongst the clergy as you’d expect based on their talk. We also discover a secret council of Deryni that works behind the scenes and only for its own good. When it’s discovered that some Deryni have the power of healing, something they thought was lost, everyone is forced to deal with fundamental questions about the origins of good and evil.
Some readers may feel like a couple of the critical crises were too easily resolved by talking it out, but I appreciated Kurtz’s acknowledgement that intelligent reasonable people can sometimes work things out using logic and persuasion instead of weapons. In fact, I thought these instances seemed more realistic than if Kurtz had staged showy sword fights. This isn’t to suggest that High Deryni lacks weapons and war because there’s plenty of that, too, along with torture, murder, kidnappings, and rescues, but the tensions that have been building up for two books now do seem to fizzle out fairly easily.
I think most readers would agree that the promised “final battle” is a dud, and I’m on their side with that complaint. Likewise, the plot twist at the end, which caused the final battle to be a dud, was completely unbelievable It felt like Katherine Kurtz checked out of the novel just a little too soon.
Still I’m interested in these characters and I want to read on. What will King Kelson be like when he’s an adult? What will happen with Morgan and the lady he fell in love with at first sight (yuck)? How will the Church deal with the Deryni issue from now on? I want to know. I’ll continue to listen to the audio versions of the DERYNI CHRONICLES. These are produced by Audible Studios and they’re excellent so far. I love Jeff Woodman’s performance.
May 24, 2017
This was the most complex book of the trilogy and I liked it the best. 3 1/2 stars
But I did have a few issues with it
But I did have a few issues with it
February 3, 2018
The final book in the trilogy did what a final book should do. Give the reader a surprise ending, lay out hints for the books to come in the future and conclude the main story arc, while leaving some unresolved. Kurtz' writing style is crisp and focused, a minimal cast of characters acting out in a Middle Ages setting.
November 28, 2021
Boring. It does pick up somewhere around the halfway point, but overall it’s a lot of missed opportunity. Morgan is still one of the dullest heroes in the history of fantasy; the supporting cast (Derry, Duncan, Arilan, or even Kelson) are all more interesting than him. It’s one thing to be a Gary Stu—Aragorn, Jon Snow, & Luke Skywalker come to mind—but those guys are actually fun characters. You want them to succeed. You enjoy reading (or watching) their arcs. Morgan…well, Morgan has no real arc. He’s just THERE.
My other issues remain constant: no significant female presence (Richenda, though not such a lightweight as Bronwyn in Book 2, doesn’t exist beyond her stereotyped role of lovelorn noblewoman, while Kurtz still can’t conceive of a woman with power (like Vivienne) having a major plotline/role of her own—& no, I don’t count Charissa, who was barely in the first book before she was killed off); repeated rehashing conversations (ffs, how many times do we need to hear about Morgan & Duncan at the Shrine?); terrible pace; easy fixes to big problems. Other reviewers hate the finale, but I don’t mind it per se. What I *do* mind is the illogical timing of said finale. Why did ___ wait SIX FREAKIN YEARS to make his move?! You’ve been secretly embedded in this nutball’s closest circle for SIX YEARS, & you’re a powerful Deryni. You can’t just poison the guy over dinner?? Let alone how easy it was for Kelson—a newbie Deryni—to learn how to kill someone the way Charissa killed his own father, yet you couldn’t do that either?! C’mon, dude. I don’t buy it.
Overall, this first trilogy is a product of its era. It definitely feels dated, tho I can see why it matters in the grand timeline of genre fantasy fiction & developing popular tropes. Did I enjoy it? Beyond occasional flashes, not especially. But the Deryni-verse has potential, so I’ll continue with the Camber trilogy. After that, we’ll see.
My other issues remain constant: no significant female presence (Richenda, though not such a lightweight as Bronwyn in Book 2, doesn’t exist beyond her stereotyped role of lovelorn noblewoman, while Kurtz still can’t conceive of a woman with power (like Vivienne) having a major plotline/role of her own—& no, I don’t count Charissa, who was barely in the first book before she was killed off); repeated rehashing conversations (ffs, how many times do we need to hear about Morgan & Duncan at the Shrine?); terrible pace; easy fixes to big problems. Other reviewers hate the finale, but I don’t mind it per se. What I *do* mind is the illogical timing of said finale. Why did ___ wait SIX FREAKIN YEARS to make his move?! You’ve been secretly embedded in this nutball’s closest circle for SIX YEARS, & you’re a powerful Deryni. You can’t just poison the guy over dinner?? Let alone how easy it was for Kelson—a newbie Deryni—to learn how to kill someone the way Charissa killed his own father, yet you couldn’t do that either?! C’mon, dude. I don’t buy it.
Overall, this first trilogy is a product of its era. It definitely feels dated, tho I can see why it matters in the grand timeline of genre fantasy fiction & developing popular tropes. Did I enjoy it? Beyond occasional flashes, not especially. But the Deryni-verse has potential, so I’ll continue with the Camber trilogy. After that, we’ll see.
January 14, 2025
I enjoyed the third installment of the Chronicles of the Deryni! Good storyline!! There are a lot of books & different series in this interesting world Kathrine Kurtz has created!!
May 23, 2016
It's not a good sign when you're so bored by the "dramatic" confrontation of two armies midway through a book that you put it down for months and then have to eventually force yourself to finish it.
I had such high hopes for this original Deryni series after enjoying the later prequels back when I was in middle school, but now I'm worried that Tween Alex was just kinda dumb. (Just kidding, he was really smart, and I'm sure Katherine Kurtz improved as a writer as she went along.) But these three books are just so bad. I have a hard time deciding if this one is truly worse than the incoherent mess that is "Deryni Checkmate," but I decided to rate it one star based on the bad taste it left in my mouth as a trilogy-capper, and due to the aforementioned boredom.
There's no way of telling who the main character of this book is. Is it the bold, dashing, nonsensically romance-afflicted, kind of sociopathic half-Deryni warrior Morgan? Is it the waffling, self-doubting half-Deryni priest Duncan, who seems to have more reaction to being asked to hear a confession than he does to witnessing his father's brutal murder? Or is it the Mary Sue cipher of a teen monarch, Kelson? It's hard to say, because exactly none of them enjoy believable character arcs, and none of them are instrumental to the novel's abrupt and deeply unsatisfying climax.
Here are some of the other reasons this book is not good:
The prose is stilted. The magic system makes no sense. The fact that the Catholic Church seemingly exists with no major differences from the real world's version in this fantasy realm is an odd choice, to say the least (but it's central to the series, including the maybe-better books later on, so I'll let it slide). A central conflict between the Deryni and anti-Deryni zealots (the leader of whom can Heal in a rather Deryni-like fashion) is never adequately explained in the first place, then is conveniently resolved in a dumb and morally suspect way. Another, more interesting conflict--the idea that Deryni renegade Wencit of Torenth is so dangerous, and worth opposing, because he does not "suffer" opposing Deryni to live under his rule--is dropped into the story late, in one line of dialogue, and is never referenced again. The social structure and history of the Deryni are underdeveloped and confusing. (Is the Camberian Council unique to Gwynedd? It certainly seems so by the way some members talk to Kelson, but if so, why would the foreign Deryni king Wencit submit to their authority? Are the other members of the Council publicly known figures, like Arilan is, and if so, why does no one register any surprise when their identities are revealed?) Much of the plot hinges on ham-fisted machinations that arise, and are dispatched, entirely offscreen (Wencit's bizarre counterfeit Council, for instance). And so much dialogue is dedicated to recapping, in excruciating detail, events that we just read about, that I wonder if this would even qualify as a novel if all those instances were eliminated.
If you want to dip into Katherine Kurtz, the Chronicles of Camber of Culdi are much better (I think), and these earlier novels are not required to enjoy them.
I had such high hopes for this original Deryni series after enjoying the later prequels back when I was in middle school, but now I'm worried that Tween Alex was just kinda dumb. (Just kidding, he was really smart, and I'm sure Katherine Kurtz improved as a writer as she went along.) But these three books are just so bad. I have a hard time deciding if this one is truly worse than the incoherent mess that is "Deryni Checkmate," but I decided to rate it one star based on the bad taste it left in my mouth as a trilogy-capper, and due to the aforementioned boredom.
There's no way of telling who the main character of this book is. Is it the bold, dashing, nonsensically romance-afflicted, kind of sociopathic half-Deryni warrior Morgan? Is it the waffling, self-doubting half-Deryni priest Duncan, who seems to have more reaction to being asked to hear a confession than he does to witnessing his father's brutal murder? Or is it the Mary Sue cipher of a teen monarch, Kelson? It's hard to say, because exactly none of them enjoy believable character arcs, and none of them are instrumental to the novel's abrupt and deeply unsatisfying climax.
Here are some of the other reasons this book is not good:
The prose is stilted. The magic system makes no sense. The fact that the Catholic Church seemingly exists with no major differences from the real world's version in this fantasy realm is an odd choice, to say the least (but it's central to the series, including the maybe-better books later on, so I'll let it slide). A central conflict between the Deryni and anti-Deryni zealots (the leader of whom can Heal in a rather Deryni-like fashion) is never adequately explained in the first place, then is conveniently resolved in a dumb and morally suspect way. Another, more interesting conflict--the idea that Deryni renegade Wencit of Torenth is so dangerous, and worth opposing, because he does not "suffer" opposing Deryni to live under his rule--is dropped into the story late, in one line of dialogue, and is never referenced again. The social structure and history of the Deryni are underdeveloped and confusing. (Is the Camberian Council unique to Gwynedd? It certainly seems so by the way some members talk to Kelson, but if so, why would the foreign Deryni king Wencit submit to their authority? Are the other members of the Council publicly known figures, like Arilan is, and if so, why does no one register any surprise when their identities are revealed?) Much of the plot hinges on ham-fisted machinations that arise, and are dispatched, entirely offscreen (Wencit's bizarre counterfeit Council, for instance). And so much dialogue is dedicated to recapping, in excruciating detail, events that we just read about, that I wonder if this would even qualify as a novel if all those instances were eliminated.
If you want to dip into Katherine Kurtz, the Chronicles of Camber of Culdi are much better (I think), and these earlier novels are not required to enjoy them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2021
This is the third book in the fantasy series, which includes (I think) 16 novels and 2 supporting books. I read them as a teen, and when a couple months ago I was casting about my house looking for books to recommend to my neighbor's children, I started rereading the first series, to see if it was "age appropriate." I was hooked on them again. These books are perhaps not high art (such as Ursula LeGuin), and may not be to the taste of some, but the series is darned good, and pretty reliably enjoyable, partly because the description of the magic system is unique, but reminiscent of Catholic ritual and intertwines with it. She gets an A+ for creating a world that makes sense. You do not have to be Catholic to appreciate it. The rituals and the author's excellent descriptions of what is happening makes the story lines come alive. The stories themselves remind me somewhat of Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe novel, partly because it is a chivalric setting, but also because it touches upon the subject of prejudice. I find reading the stories now, I can find parallels in today's events. I cannot give it a plus for how it portrays women, even though the author is female, this describes women in more traditional roles and it is the male characters that are central, but that is really my only complaint. I would say this series is appropriate for teens and up, though it is relatively "clean." I am also a sucker for long series as it gives more time for characters, stories, and worlds to come into detail. I would give this book a 4.5 if I could. It's fun. Give the series a try!
May 30, 2016
I honestly don't know what to think. This third installment was much more interesting and engaging than the 2nd, but there are 2 major denouements that just fizzle because of an easy solution that just happens.
First, Warin's complete change of heart because of Morgan's Mind-seeing and demonstration of his healing abilities and the following pardoning and lifting of the excommunication of Duncan and Morgan was just too easy and fast.
Second, the final battle of arcane powers doesn't even get going, because Rhydon is actually someone else masquerading and waiting, for what actually? An easy way to end the book without any of the good guys dying? Why not poison Wencit years ago?!?
Ah well, a disappointing end to an otherwise very good book. I did like how each of the main characters grappled with their feelings and moral conduct.
First, Warin's complete change of heart because of Morgan's Mind-seeing and demonstration of his healing abilities and the following pardoning and lifting of the excommunication of Duncan and Morgan was just too easy and fast.
Second, the final battle of arcane powers doesn't even get going, because Rhydon is actually someone else masquerading and waiting, for what actually? An easy way to end the book without any of the good guys dying? Why not poison Wencit years ago?!?
Ah well, a disappointing end to an otherwise very good book. I did like how each of the main characters grappled with their feelings and moral conduct.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2016
Re-read of an old favorite series and still enjoyed it as much as the first time. Katherine Kurtz knows how to write epic fantasy tales.
August 9, 2021
A fantastic finale for the Chronicles of the Deryni story!
Honestly, when I started to read this series I thought that I was in for a trilogy of books that would not show much change from one to the other. But I was pleasantly surprised when it became clear that each book brings in new complications and techniques to add to the simplicity of Deryni Rising. In particular, I enjoyed Kurtz's use of multiple perspective characters throughout this book, even those that only seemed to be presented to help flesh out the Deryni side of her imagined continent, and the ways in which she developed those characters. By the end of this book, Kurtz's imagined world felt more lived in than ever before.
However, the means Kurtz used to end the war between Kelson and Wencit did come across as a little deus ex machina to me. To be fair, I think the reveal may have been slightly telegraphed in some earlier scenes with the Camberian Council members, and this particular deus ex machina let the book book end with something more interesting than a large pitched battle, but Rhydon's secret still let out most of the tension of that final scene. Though it also turned the focus of the tension on a major moment of growth for Kelson.
More straightforwardly, the character who turned an orphan he plucked from the streets into his mistress left me cringing pretty hard. Since he's also presented as one of the more incompetent magic users, maybe his grooming of a much younger girl is just another part of his gross and broken character. Luckily, his only real role seemed to be to add a human-like variety to the depiction of the Deryni.
Those small gripes aside, this book's density outdoes Deryni Checkmate's pretty handily and delves deep into the depravity of war. As mentioned at the start of this review, it's simply a great fantasy book and fantastic finale.
Honestly, when I started to read this series I thought that I was in for a trilogy of books that would not show much change from one to the other. But I was pleasantly surprised when it became clear that each book brings in new complications and techniques to add to the simplicity of Deryni Rising. In particular, I enjoyed Kurtz's use of multiple perspective characters throughout this book, even those that only seemed to be presented to help flesh out the Deryni side of her imagined continent, and the ways in which she developed those characters. By the end of this book, Kurtz's imagined world felt more lived in than ever before.
However, the means Kurtz used to end the war between Kelson and Wencit did come across as a little deus ex machina to me. To be fair, I think the reveal may have been slightly telegraphed in some earlier scenes with the Camberian Council members, and this particular deus ex machina let the book book end with something more interesting than a large pitched battle, but Rhydon's secret still let out most of the tension of that final scene. Though it also turned the focus of the tension on a major moment of growth for Kelson.
More straightforwardly, the character who turned an orphan he plucked from the streets into his mistress left me cringing pretty hard. Since he's also presented as one of the more incompetent magic users, maybe his grooming of a much younger girl is just another part of his gross and broken character. Luckily, his only real role seemed to be to add a human-like variety to the depiction of the Deryni.
Those small gripes aside, this book's density outdoes Deryni Checkmate's pretty handily and delves deep into the depravity of war. As mentioned at the start of this review, it's simply a great fantasy book and fantastic finale.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2025
I reread for the third or fourth time this first Deryni trilogy. It has been quite a while, though. These books are the equivalent of mac & cheese for me. This was the first Fantasy trilogy that I ever read when I was 15 years old and I decided to make a foray into the genre. Up until that point I had been a devoted fan of historical fiction because of my great love for Laura Ingalls Wilder. Yes, I know, there are a lot of issues with her writings now but I am 56 years old and while I was troubled, even as a 6 year old by the way Native Americans were portrayed, I still love those books. They gave me a great love of reading and of historical fiction, especially that written by women and about women’s stories.
Back to Katherine Kurtz! How lucky I was that this trilogy was the first one I picked up. It is what is classified as medieval fantasy and I ate it up. The magic is somewhat subtle and the setting is a quasi Wales. I proceeded to read EVERYTHING that Katherine Kurtz wrote from then on as each book came out. I, of course, then branched out to other fantasy writers but these were the books that got me started on my love for the genre and I am still reading in this genre today.
Right now when I needed the literary equivalent of mac & cheese more than ever (don’t we all!) I reached for these old friends. I have been thoroughly enjoying myself and thinking about when I was 15 and the wonder that I felt. Thank you, Katherine Kurtz, for bringing that into my life!
I encourage everyone to reach for your literary mac & cheese every once in a while to nourish and refresh yourselves!
Back to Katherine Kurtz! How lucky I was that this trilogy was the first one I picked up. It is what is classified as medieval fantasy and I ate it up. The magic is somewhat subtle and the setting is a quasi Wales. I proceeded to read EVERYTHING that Katherine Kurtz wrote from then on as each book came out. I, of course, then branched out to other fantasy writers but these were the books that got me started on my love for the genre and I am still reading in this genre today.
Right now when I needed the literary equivalent of mac & cheese more than ever (don’t we all!) I reached for these old friends. I have been thoroughly enjoying myself and thinking about when I was 15 and the wonder that I felt. Thank you, Katherine Kurtz, for bringing that into my life!
I encourage everyone to reach for your literary mac & cheese every once in a while to nourish and refresh yourselves!
Read
December 15, 2023[12/2023 reread, 20 years later]
Wencit is an excellent villain; the scenes where he's torturing Derry are genuinely terrifying as well as harrowing. A+ whump, as the kids these days say (not to mention Morgan's dramatic rescue... as usual, there's a billion times more feeling there than in the rather flat romance with Richienda). I also thought I remembered Torenth = fantasy!Byzantium as a full retcon in King Kelson's Bride, but the seeds of Ottoman-inflected medieval Romania/Hungary are actually already here.
It's a silly book with silly characters, but the pacing is quite good, and the various reveals –although they don't really make sense–at least add interest. The main things I remembered were: Kelson sneaks into Coroth Castle to confront Warin; the final duel with Wencit. I had not remembered: how much nonconsensual mind-reading and even mind-alteration the "heroes" do not only to various mooks and "bad" characters but to all sorts of random bystanders. Morgan fucks with the memories of just about anyone he "needs" not to notice something – even if they are small children – and it's totally fine, apparently. Of course, he also stabs a guard to death through a door and the Archbishop with them just shrugs, so...power will be power, I guess.
Wencit is an excellent villain; the scenes where he's torturing Derry are genuinely terrifying as well as harrowing. A+ whump, as the kids these days say (not to mention Morgan's dramatic rescue... as usual, there's a billion times more feeling there than in the rather flat romance with Richienda). I also thought I remembered Torenth = fantasy!Byzantium as a full retcon in King Kelson's Bride, but the seeds of Ottoman-inflected medieval Romania/Hungary are actually already here.
It's a silly book with silly characters, but the pacing is quite good, and the various reveals –although they don't really make sense–at least add interest. The main things I remembered were: Kelson sneaks into Coroth Castle to confront Warin; the final duel with Wencit. I had not remembered: how much nonconsensual mind-reading and even mind-alteration the "heroes" do not only to various mooks and "bad" characters but to all sorts of random bystanders. Morgan fucks with the memories of just about anyone he "needs" not to notice something – even if they are small children – and it's totally fine, apparently. Of course, he also stabs a guard to death through a door and the Archbishop with them just shrugs, so...power will be power, I guess.
April 7, 2021
I struggle to understand my reaction to these books. I have enjoyed them, and want to return to this world again, but when I try to imagine how I would describe the books, I don’t comprehend my reaction to them. I feel in a weird position where I can tell you that I definitely enjoyed them, despite the knights and swords stuff not usually being to my taste. This is also a very... churchy book, but in a way that felt comfortable to me, somebody who used to be very active in the church and now find myself struggling to know my place in it now, when so much of what I used to believe I don’t any longer.
So, while I enjoy these books, I think they speak most to parts of me that I don’t think are common among those who know me online in 2021. I think I might more readily recommend these books to some people I used to know than to those I know today.
All of that may be a long-winded way of saying: Trust your gut. If you think you’ll enjoy these books, try them. If parts of their descriptions leave you worried about how you’ll react, give them a pass.
So, while I enjoy these books, I think they speak most to parts of me that I don’t think are common among those who know me online in 2021. I think I might more readily recommend these books to some people I used to know than to those I know today.
All of that may be a long-winded way of saying: Trust your gut. If you think you’ll enjoy these books, try them. If parts of their descriptions leave you worried about how you’ll react, give them a pass.
July 18, 2019
I first read this series in the early 80's and remember thinking it was the BEST FANTASY EVER! However, as I finished this third book I have to wonder what was I thinking? I didn't remember it being so...talky. Then I read that Ms. Kurtz had updated/expanded parts of the book and maybe that's where the talky came about. This time the ending left me cold and disappointed. Almost as if she had backed herself into a corner and didn't know how to end it. I agree with another reviewer's deus ex machina take on the ending - totally out of left field.
Having said that I will still keep my copies of all of the Deryni books and will re-read them from time to time. The prequels and the sequels show are more cohesive and have much better plot and character development.
And yes, if a new book in the series were to be published, I would read it in a heart beat.
Having said that I will still keep my copies of all of the Deryni books and will re-read them from time to time. The prequels and the sequels show are more cohesive and have much better plot and character development.
And yes, if a new book in the series were to be published, I would read it in a heart beat.
June 17, 2022
First read this series back in the mid-80s (April 1984 according to a note in the book cover) and it made Katherine Kurtz my favorite author. Re-reading them again almost 40 years later.
Overall I still really enjoy the books & the characters. I still remember several major scenes (Alaric passing out during the service to remove their excommunication, Warin injuring Duncan to prove Deryni can heal & the final battle) - but didn't remember most of the book / how those scenes were established. I remember being disappointed that the story didn't involve a huge battle at the end - as I wanted to see how Ms Kurtz would describe it.
Still feel that Warin's conversion - and especially that of his followers - was a bit unbelievable as was the immediate declaration of love between Alaric and Richelle after only a 2nd meeting.
That being said I still really enjoyed the books and would strongly recommend them.
Overall I still really enjoy the books & the characters. I still remember several major scenes (Alaric passing out during the service to remove their excommunication, Warin injuring Duncan to prove Deryni can heal & the final battle) - but didn't remember most of the book / how those scenes were established. I remember being disappointed that the story didn't involve a huge battle at the end - as I wanted to see how Ms Kurtz would describe it.
Still feel that Warin's conversion - and especially that of his followers - was a bit unbelievable as was the immediate declaration of love between Alaric and Richelle after only a 2nd meeting.
That being said I still really enjoyed the books and would strongly recommend them.
June 4, 2017
3.5 stars. The first half of the book resolves the church's efforts to excommunicate Morgan and Kelson and the anti-Deryni fanatic Warin's efforts to exterminate the mage-race (but reading now, I'm less convinced that the good guy's logical arguments would shake him up). Then we move on to the Big Bad, the Deryni monarch Wencit of Torenth. Overall it's good sweeping action with strong characters but the ending twist is so out of the blue it didn't even work for me when I was young and had no standards. Plus the church seems less like an actual religion and more like just another political adversary — a little more sense that some people have deeper faith would have helped. Still, I enjoyed rereading this.
March 18, 2018
What an utterly satisfying end to the trilogy that started with Deryni Rising and continued in Deryni Checkmate. There is no question who is doing evil things or who is doing the right things. Kelson comes into his own, albeit in a harsh situation. My favorite quotation is this one: "Human or Deryni, we share at least one common bond—and it is thicker than blood or oath or any spell that one might bind from the outer darkness. It is the sure and certain knowledge that we side with the Light. And he who would side with Darkness can only be our enemy, no matter what his blood or oath or spell."
Start with Deryni Rising and you will find an author growing in her skills and a powerful story of choices that are made and the consequences thereof.
Start with Deryni Rising and you will find an author growing in her skills and a powerful story of choices that are made and the consequences thereof.
February 8, 2025
Two and a half stars, rounding up to three. It's the best of the bunch, but it's saddled with a deeply unconvincing romance and it's clear the author still has no idea what to do with her women characters - where they exist (which is rare) they're the flattest portrayals possible. Also, there's a difference between an index and an appendix, and if an author is going to include four of the bloody things it might behoove her to cut that number by half by sticking the various names in a single index where they belong.
When it comes to fantasy appendices Tolkien has a lot to answer for. As far as I'm concerned, if it's not interesting enough to make it into the text proper, keep it in the draft folder where it belongs.
When it comes to fantasy appendices Tolkien has a lot to answer for. As far as I'm concerned, if it's not interesting enough to make it into the text proper, keep it in the draft folder where it belongs.
December 6, 2021
This was the third book in a trilogy. I enjoyed the first book. The second book pissed me off because it didn’t have an ending. It just stopped in the middle of the story, pushing me to get the third book sooner than I intended so I could finish the story. The ending to the third book just plain sucked. It was very anti-climactic. The good guys won, but they didn’t do anything to earn their victory. They won because one of their enemies, unbeknownst to them, was actually fighting for them. There wasn’t even a final climactic battle. The bad guys got poisoned, the end. I really hated the ending to this book. I will not be reading any more books by this author.
November 15, 2017
I have followed the tales of the Deryni for years, and am hopeful that they won't end here, especially with such a weak ending. This is the third and last book of this series, but there are still so many unanswered questions. I am not the least bit disappointed in what was developed in this installment, and truly loved the book despite my poor view on how it was ended. I would like to see much more as this ending was so anticlimactic, and hope that Mrs. Kurtz plans to share more of the story with us in the very near future.
September 20, 2020
Bad things happen, then everyone ends up ok but depressed. I really should donate this series to the library, I'd forgotten how corny it is. Very standard, very cardboard, but something I know I enjoyed as a kid.
October 1, 2025
The ending of a well imagined fantasy trilogy, where the tensions between the church and the derinyi magic users have caused a break in the church, with the background which is basically medieval Welsh. Through this series, the viewpoint makes the "good" side pretty obvious, but an interesting story remains. It would probably make little sense without reading the first two books in this series. The use of actual biblical texts at the head of each chapter helps to fix the near real setting which Kurtz wants to use.
January 12, 2019
I first read this over 40 years ago and at the time it blew me away. Remembering this, I resolved last year to reread it to see if it would still have an impact. I was delayed a bit after discovering Kurtz had written nine prequels in the intervening year, but finally tackled it this week. While the ending isn't quite what I remembered it still packed a punch. Now I have four sequels to look forward to reading!
November 14, 2021
Possibly the best of the trilogy, Kurtz maintains a number of plot threads and moves the point of view, keeping the pace of action interesting. It ends a bit abruptly and without neatly tying off everything, which I suppose left her with more room to maneuver in the coming sequels. If you enjoy the Deryni series generally, you'll find this another satisfying installment, though I think the King Kelson and Javan trilogies were better.
February 10, 2024
This was my least favorite of this trilogy. It had a very slow first half, and the ending was very abrupt and disappointing. It's also a bit weird re-reading this about 35 years after the first time, since this book suffers from the common 1970s problem of very few female characters (which just seems odd compared to modern writing). I'm planning on reading more Deryni books in the future, since it's still a good classic fantasy series, despite the issues.
September 8, 2019
I had forgotten how pedantic Kurtz can be. Too much politics and church skulldrugery for me. I had not read a Kurtz book in several years and thought to give one a try. I couldn't remember why I didn't care for her writing - now I remember. The author has great talent she just does not write what I wish to read.
July 19, 2021
I think the main issues I have with this book stem from the fact that the Deryni concept was under development; there are a lot of inconsistencies that seem to be there in order to fit the author's ideas, which haven't actually solidified yet. The later books are much better.
The story line is compelling, though, and it's a good one. I like the book and the series.
The story line is compelling, though, and it's a good one. I like the book and the series.
October 16, 2017
Great finish, wonderful world building, can't wait to read more in this series. Love the medieval and magic mix, creates a world familiar enough to understand quickly, but different enough to always find a new point of view that draws you in deeper.
November 10, 2019
Such a great book!
This was such a great book! Full of surprises and suspense. The young King Kelson bears much maturity for a boy his age. I also have a lot of respect for Alaric & Duncan. The complexity of these characters is very surprising.
This was such a great book! Full of surprises and suspense. The young King Kelson bears much maturity for a boy his age. I also have a lot of respect for Alaric & Duncan. The complexity of these characters is very surprising.
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