Changer's Moon

Duel of Sorcery #3

by Jo Clayton

Serroi, the woman warrior, rallies her forces for the final confrontation with the powerful wizard, Ser Noris, for control of the world

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

352 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Jo Clayton, whose parents named her after Jo in Little Women, was born and raised in Modesto, California. She and her three sisters shared a room and took turns telling each other bedtime stories. One of her sisters noted that Jo's stories were the best, and often contained science fiction and fantasy elements.

Clayton graduated from the University of California in 1963, Summa Cum Laude, and started teaching near Los Angeles.

In 1969, after a religious experience, she moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, joining the teaching order Sisters of Mount Carmel as a novice. She left three years later, before taking final orders.

During her time in New Orleans, Clayton sold sketches and paintings in Pioneer Square to supplement her income.

After being robbed several times, Clayton moved to Portland, Oregon in 1983. She remained there for the rest of her life.

Clayton was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1996. Jo continued to write during her year and a half in the hospital. She finished Drum Calls, the second book of the Drums of Chaos series, and was halfway through the third and final book when she lost her struggle with multiple myeloma in February, 1998.

Literary executor Katherine Kerr made arrangements with established author Kevin Andrew Murphy to finish the third book of the Drums of Chaos series. It is now completed.

Reviews

[Edward · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the book Jo Clayton set out to write when she started the Duel of Sorcery trilogy. Honestly, I didn't think the first two books were all the impressive; I'm especially sour on the second in the series. This book, however, made it all worth it. The character development among familiar faces was breathtaking, the driving plot was perfectly paced, and the conclusion was as thrilling as it was traumatic. I'm left with a cathartic satisfaction seeing the end of Serroi's story; Jo's focus on the inevitability of change feels all too connected to our modern world.

[Anne Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book nicely finished off the trilogy, although I have just seen that there are more books available that are set in this world. There was a rather odd inclusion of people from another world with newer technology. I am not sure that this was a good idea. The battle scenes were exciting enough and the ending of the book felt right to me.

[Suzanne Thackston · Rating 4 out of 5]

My ongoing frustration with the tense changes (some deliberate, some the result of sloppy editing) continue, but overall I enjoyed this more than I did the first time (or two?) that I read it. I really liked the progression of Serroi and Hern's relationship, and Serroi's own personal transformative journey.
Very literally transformative at the end. Not a huge fan of the outcome of the final Duel, not because it's not lovely, but because it didn't really seem to make sense. I don't know WHY that's how they both ended up. A little too 'Here's a cool thing to do to 'em AND it wraps it up!' without any real thought as to just how/why that would happen.
Nonetheless, a mostly satisfying ending to a good trilogy.
But neither #2 or #3 are anywhere near as good as Moongather.
I'll keep the trilogy intact on my shelf.

[annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Jo Claytons books and hope to see more of them, reading this made me think of the Wild Magic series when Serroi was woken from her tree form..

I would recommend Jo Clayton's books to anyone and look toward to seeing more of them in digital form. The Drinker of Souls series, the rest of the books on Serrois world, Shadowplay and others.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*. I really enjoyed this trilogy, particularly Clayton's writing style and the transitions though multiple characters' narratives. The world was well crafted, the final battle meaningful with consequences and the book's conclusion was very satisfying.

[Althea Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

The last book of the 'Duel of Sorcery' trilogy. With this book, the story just really fell apart. I strongly got the impression that Clayton was bored of the character and the situations.
Rather than developing the existing plot, she introduces something totally new - a different woman, on a different world - in a near-future scenario, fighting against both illness and a socially repressive, militaristic government. I got the definite impression this story was NOT written with this trilogy in mind at all.
But what she does is has Serroi (protagonist of the trilogy) ask for help in her situation, and a group of rebels from this totally different story come over to her world as mercenary refugees.
It's rather ridiculous, doesn't work as far as the structure of the book, and is non-essential to the story. General rule-of-thumb - DON'T change tack 3/4 of the way through a tale!
Ah well. What can you do?

[Catherine Emerson · Rating 2 out of 5]

A weak ending to a great trilogy. I'm afraid to get into the second 'Serroi' series for fear of again dealing with an extremely disappointing end.

[Marianne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Huh. Felt like the book changed direction and grabbed something at random from the present day in order to solve a problem the author didn't otherwise know how to work around. Didn't really like it. And didn't even seem relevant to how the protagonist Serroi won the day. Which also felt kind of contrived, if at least more fitting.