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Castings #3
Full Circle
1st Orbit 2009 trade edition paperback fine In stock shipped from our UK warehouse
376 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
11 people are currently reading
362 people want to read
About the author
Pamela Freeman
47 books144 followersPamela Freeman is an Australian author of books for both adults and children. Most of her work is fantasy but she has also written mystery stories, science fiction, family dramas and non-fiction. Her first adult series, the Castings Trilogy (Blood Ties, Deep Water and Full Circle) is published globally by Orbit books. She is best known in Australia for the junior novel Victor’s Quest and an associated series, the Floramonde books, and for The Black Dress: Mary MacKillop’s Early Years, which won the NSW Premier’s History Prize in 2006.
As of 2015, she will also be publishing historical novels under the name Pamela Hart.
As of 2015, she will also be publishing historical novels under the name Pamela Hart.
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November 13, 2019
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https://edwardsghostengine.wordpress....
I feel very pleased that I finally got by to finishing this wholly unique and beautifully written series. This book more or less fully lived up to expectation as I really enjoyed reading about the characters and their struggles and also the way the hostility and difference between the old and new bloods was portrayed.
I will still say as I have mentioned before that I really enjoyed the side stories of all the people the characters met along the way and now that I’ve finished the trilogy I think these parts were among those I enjoyed the most as I don’t think I’ve ever met any other fantasy books written like this before. The characters themselves I must say I have a hot cold opinion of because sometimes I enjoy their narratives and really can immerse myself into their experiences and feelings and other times I don’t find them plausible at all which I can see now is because of the way they have been written. Don’t get me wrong, I really like the writing style with the descriptions of the magic, deep feelings and surrounding world, though I do remember the different way in which lots of these things are portrayed made me not get on too well with the first book a short time after I’d finished reading it, though I will say after some time and after I’d had more time to think about things, I will admit that the first book and all of these books are definitely classed as hidden gems in my opinion 🙂
As mentioned before, this author has a very different way of doing things, so nearly everything about all the books in this series was unexpected meaning I genuinely didn’t know where the plot was heading or what would happen with any of the characters. The ending and the way the author tied things up here was unexpected to say the least, though I must add here before I forget that these books are not bare knuckle action types with really shocking twists, they’re more like slower rivers where things do happen and there are enough dark themes, but here the writing focuses more on really digesting and getting involved with the descriptions, thoughts of characters and the story. The way the author writes emotion and magic into this richly thought of world to me is just incredible and this is not the first time I have said this, but I really wish Ms Freeman would write more! :/
So after finishing this book and series I will like to recommend them to all those who like beautiful writing with a generally slow moving yet engaging plot where it can sometimes be impossible to see what will happen next. These books are gems in their own right and they just have a rally epic feel to them in my opinion and the ending was satisfying for the characters and their world and I look forward to reading Ember and Ash which is a standalone sequel to this series as I’ve been told. Recommended! 🙂
https://edwardsghostengine.wordpress....
I feel very pleased that I finally got by to finishing this wholly unique and beautifully written series. This book more or less fully lived up to expectation as I really enjoyed reading about the characters and their struggles and also the way the hostility and difference between the old and new bloods was portrayed.
I will still say as I have mentioned before that I really enjoyed the side stories of all the people the characters met along the way and now that I’ve finished the trilogy I think these parts were among those I enjoyed the most as I don’t think I’ve ever met any other fantasy books written like this before. The characters themselves I must say I have a hot cold opinion of because sometimes I enjoy their narratives and really can immerse myself into their experiences and feelings and other times I don’t find them plausible at all which I can see now is because of the way they have been written. Don’t get me wrong, I really like the writing style with the descriptions of the magic, deep feelings and surrounding world, though I do remember the different way in which lots of these things are portrayed made me not get on too well with the first book a short time after I’d finished reading it, though I will say after some time and after I’d had more time to think about things, I will admit that the first book and all of these books are definitely classed as hidden gems in my opinion 🙂
As mentioned before, this author has a very different way of doing things, so nearly everything about all the books in this series was unexpected meaning I genuinely didn’t know where the plot was heading or what would happen with any of the characters. The ending and the way the author tied things up here was unexpected to say the least, though I must add here before I forget that these books are not bare knuckle action types with really shocking twists, they’re more like slower rivers where things do happen and there are enough dark themes, but here the writing focuses more on really digesting and getting involved with the descriptions, thoughts of characters and the story. The way the author writes emotion and magic into this richly thought of world to me is just incredible and this is not the first time I have said this, but I really wish Ms Freeman would write more! :/
So after finishing this book and series I will like to recommend them to all those who like beautiful writing with a generally slow moving yet engaging plot where it can sometimes be impossible to see what will happen next. These books are gems in their own right and they just have a rally epic feel to them in my opinion and the ending was satisfying for the characters and their world and I look forward to reading Ember and Ash which is a standalone sequel to this series as I’ve been told. Recommended! 🙂
July 21, 2019
An amazing and fitting ending to a series that I enjoyed immensely. This book was full of love, action, sorrow, bravery and hope. It was everything that I could ever expect a perfect book to be. Amazing!
May 15, 2016
So, I read a lot of book blogs and lists like 'The Top 800 Fantasy Books You Must Read Before You Die' and I've gotta say that I've never seen anything by Pamela Freeman on any of those lists. I'd never even heard of her before. I found The Castings Trilogy by a happy accident at the library one day. They had all 3!!! (When does that ever happen?) So I thought I'd give the first one a try and see how it went. I loved these books so much! And I'm sitting here thinking WHY HAVEN'T I EVER HEARD OF THESE UNTIL NOW?? Seriously. I mean, I don't really keep up with what's new but these have been around for a few years now. I would have thought that I would have seen something about them knocking around on the internet.
Anyway, I read a fair amount of books so sometimes I find myself getting genre fatigue. One can only read so many fantasy/sci-fi/dystopi/zombie books until they start to get very samey. I think that this is one of the reasons that these books really spoke to me. The stories take place in a fantasy world but it's different to the kind with orcs, elves and wizards that we all like so much. There's still mystical stuff going on but it feels much different. There's a realness that feels like it could have happened in our world in the past. These books were also very character-focused which appeals to me greatly. I love getting into the minds of the people in stories. To travel with them and learn their motivations. I couldn't wait to finish the last one yet I felt sad when I finally closed the book. That's great storytelling.
If you like fantasy and are looking for something a bit different, you should definitely give these books a try. Oh, and if someone could make them into a film as well, that'd be great.
Anyway, I read a fair amount of books so sometimes I find myself getting genre fatigue. One can only read so many fantasy/sci-fi/dystopi/zombie books until they start to get very samey. I think that this is one of the reasons that these books really spoke to me. The stories take place in a fantasy world but it's different to the kind with orcs, elves and wizards that we all like so much. There's still mystical stuff going on but it feels much different. There's a realness that feels like it could have happened in our world in the past. These books were also very character-focused which appeals to me greatly. I love getting into the minds of the people in stories. To travel with them and learn their motivations. I couldn't wait to finish the last one yet I felt sad when I finally closed the book. That's great storytelling.
If you like fantasy and are looking for something a bit different, you should definitely give these books a try. Oh, and if someone could make them into a film as well, that'd be great.
September 4, 2014
I have to say the ending was fitting. I very much enjoyed it. I would have loved to have a small epilogue to tell me how the new world order developed and how the characters turned out, but I understand the need to let the imagination take the reader where it may.
February 17, 2015
Pamela Freeman's ''Castings'' trilogy is written in an unusual way for a fantasy novel. It tells the story from the characters points of view, in a style more common to the chick-lit novels of Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees. This interrupted the flow of the story quite noticeably in ''Blood Ties'', the first of the trilogy, but didn't seem quite so much of a distraction in the second part, ''Deep Water''. Unfortunately, this time around it works against the story.
Saker's ghostly army is going through the towns of the Domains one by one, killing those who are descended from the invaders of the land. He is determined to reclaim the land for the people and is essentially leading a process of ethnic cleansing, using the dead to achieve his aims. Unfortunately, his actions aren't making him feel the way he expected, as he's gaining no real sense of triumph from decimating the people.
In an attempt to stop Saker, Ash and Bramble have raised the ghost of Acton, the man who led the invasion of the Domains many years before. Seeing Acton raised from the dead, even as a ghost, has a powerful effect on many he encounters, including Bramble. The situation isn't going well for the warlord Thegan who in trying to take control of the situation, loses control of his marriage and some of his army. All are trying to reach the town of Turvite; Saker to destroy, Acton to save and Thegan to save face.
The story itself is a good one, with a race against time and enemies to reach the final confrontation, but the writing style greatly lessens the impact. The constant switching between characters means you don't get a feel for where everyone is at any time and there is so little interaction between the two sides that they seem somehow distant from each other, not in opposition. Until it actually happens, there is no sense that there will be a coming together and the constant changes of focus seem to slow things down a little at a time the pace should be building up.
There are, however, some very good aspects to the story. Throughout the trilogy, Freeman's characters have been very lifelike and that hasn't changed here. Even the main ghost characters have quite distinct personalities, even as part of an army. What was interesting was where characters you'd met previously were raised as ghosts, they retained the same personality, so you always knew which ghost was which as clearly as you could differentiate between the living.
One character I particularly enjoyed this time around was Saker. His actions seemed to be glossed over in the earlier parts of the trilogy, but this was very much his story. Of all the characters here, he was the most well-rounded and we got to see a number of aspects to his character which, for the supposed leader of evil was interesting. His doubts as well as his determination came through strongly and the way his character was written showed the best of Freeman's writing.
I thoroughly enjoyed the ending as well, which was emotionally charged and with all the characters together the style of writing was less of a hindrance. At this point, the book read more like a standard fantasy novel and it showed that there's nothing wrong with Freeman's writing, it was just the style that didn't quite suit the story or the genre.
I didn't feel too strongly about the earlier parts of the trilogy and those feelings were replicated here in a single volume. I didn't feel terribly involved early on, but the longer things went on, the better the book became. The stylistic devices used never really worked until circumstances lessened their impact, but Freeman's characterisation is as good as anyone and the basic idea was always an intriguing one.
Whilst the ''Castings'' trilogy itself may never be essential reading, apart from as an interesting exploration of a new style, there is certainly enough here to be able to tell that Freeman is a decent writer and if she does anything else, it could be worth looking out for. This trilogy itself is certainly worth a read in the meantime.
This review may also appear, in whole or in part, under my name at any or all of www.ciao.co.uk, www.thebookbag.co.uk, www.goodreads.com, www.amazon.co.uk and www.dooyoo.co.uk
Saker's ghostly army is going through the towns of the Domains one by one, killing those who are descended from the invaders of the land. He is determined to reclaim the land for the people and is essentially leading a process of ethnic cleansing, using the dead to achieve his aims. Unfortunately, his actions aren't making him feel the way he expected, as he's gaining no real sense of triumph from decimating the people.
In an attempt to stop Saker, Ash and Bramble have raised the ghost of Acton, the man who led the invasion of the Domains many years before. Seeing Acton raised from the dead, even as a ghost, has a powerful effect on many he encounters, including Bramble. The situation isn't going well for the warlord Thegan who in trying to take control of the situation, loses control of his marriage and some of his army. All are trying to reach the town of Turvite; Saker to destroy, Acton to save and Thegan to save face.
The story itself is a good one, with a race against time and enemies to reach the final confrontation, but the writing style greatly lessens the impact. The constant switching between characters means you don't get a feel for where everyone is at any time and there is so little interaction between the two sides that they seem somehow distant from each other, not in opposition. Until it actually happens, there is no sense that there will be a coming together and the constant changes of focus seem to slow things down a little at a time the pace should be building up.
There are, however, some very good aspects to the story. Throughout the trilogy, Freeman's characters have been very lifelike and that hasn't changed here. Even the main ghost characters have quite distinct personalities, even as part of an army. What was interesting was where characters you'd met previously were raised as ghosts, they retained the same personality, so you always knew which ghost was which as clearly as you could differentiate between the living.
One character I particularly enjoyed this time around was Saker. His actions seemed to be glossed over in the earlier parts of the trilogy, but this was very much his story. Of all the characters here, he was the most well-rounded and we got to see a number of aspects to his character which, for the supposed leader of evil was interesting. His doubts as well as his determination came through strongly and the way his character was written showed the best of Freeman's writing.
I thoroughly enjoyed the ending as well, which was emotionally charged and with all the characters together the style of writing was less of a hindrance. At this point, the book read more like a standard fantasy novel and it showed that there's nothing wrong with Freeman's writing, it was just the style that didn't quite suit the story or the genre.
I didn't feel too strongly about the earlier parts of the trilogy and those feelings were replicated here in a single volume. I didn't feel terribly involved early on, but the longer things went on, the better the book became. The stylistic devices used never really worked until circumstances lessened their impact, but Freeman's characterisation is as good as anyone and the basic idea was always an intriguing one.
Whilst the ''Castings'' trilogy itself may never be essential reading, apart from as an interesting exploration of a new style, there is certainly enough here to be able to tell that Freeman is a decent writer and if she does anything else, it could be worth looking out for. This trilogy itself is certainly worth a read in the meantime.
This review may also appear, in whole or in part, under my name at any or all of www.ciao.co.uk, www.thebookbag.co.uk, www.goodreads.com, www.amazon.co.uk and www.dooyoo.co.uk
July 3, 2020
Stars: 4 / 5
Recommendation: Well-written with a balance between ongoing tale and the parallel stories of other characters without missing a step. Keeping readers intrigued to keep going on, keeping the mystique and reality just in equal parts for any kind of reader to enjoy.
Full Circle is the third and final book in The Castings Trilogy by Pamela Freeman first published in January of 2009. The story continues with Martine, Bramble and Ash reaching the Sanctuary, starting their path afresh towards their goals.
A thousand years ago Eleven Domains were invaded and the inhabitants forced to go on road as travellers, and welcome no where. Now these Eleven Domains are rules by the Warlords.
However, larger elements like fire, earth, water and air, that the Warlords cannot control, play their part, perhaps may become the end of the Warlords era. Some involved are sprites, fairies, and some are just human. This series covers their stories and how they impact the Warlords rulings.
Ash and Bramble together raise Acton's spirit. Now with help of Acton, Baluch and Martine, they proceed further towards their goal to stop Saker, hope to rewrite history, and in the process pave a new way of living for all the Domains.
Freeman continues in the fantasy world with protagonists trying to figure out the right way to overturn 1000 years of warlord ruling while the antagonist is bringing spirits from the other world who are more than they can handle.
She continues to veer off from the primary characters, giving stories of some of the supporting ones. Most of her plot is written in the usual manner, however some of her off-shoot chapters usually end up being first person narration. In this book though, she brings all those off-shoot stories to a culmination in the climatic scene. I was surprised at the way she wove them in, totally unexpected.
Even though they are working towards the good of the people in general, Freeman shows that there are consequences. Right or Wrong one has to answer for their actions, face the results and acknowledge the mistakes while celebrating the wins. She made it a double edged sword for the protagonists.
I still want to put it under paranormal dystopian fiction as Freeman has warlords, fair people, travellers who are outcast, ghosts, enchanters and stonecasters. A recipe that fits my label I guess. Although I was surprised at her way of a battle, interesting, innovative and unique.
Well-written with a balance between ongoing tale and the parallel stories of other characters without missing a step. Keeping readers intrigued to keep going on, even if the reader doesn’t believe in myths, spirits and hearing gods everywhere. She keeps the mystique and reality just in equal parts for any kind of reader to enjoy.
Spoiler Alerts:
1. Plot reveals:
a. When Safred, Well of Secrets, was introduced at the end of the first book, Blood Ties, she was mentioned to be daughter of a warlord. In this book it is clarified that she is daughter of Masry, Cliff Domain's warlord; and brother to Thegan, Central Domain's warlord.
2. Sub-Plots:
a. The Eleven Domains are:
i. Far South Domain - ruled by the Warlord Merroc;
ii. South Domain - ruled by the Warlord Coeouf; his son Eolbert; Beck is second-in-command;
iii. Three Rivers Domain - ruled by the Warlord Eni; His people - Otter, the stonecaster.
iv. Central Domain - ruled by Warlord Thegan, married to Lady Sorn. His people - Lefric "Leof"; Horst, the archer; Sully; Sig, the Sergeant; Faina, Lady Sorn's personal maid, and her lover Alston; Hodge; Bandy, Leof's groom; Affo, the chief blacksmith; Ael, the cook; Wil; Sirin, a merchant; Gard; Scarf;
v. Western Mountains Domain - ruled by Cenred at one point. Currently ruled by Warlord Berden
vi. North Domain
vii. Lake Domain
viii. Far North Domain
ix. Cliff Domain - ruled by one of Thegan's sons, Gabra.
x. Northern Mountains Domain - ruled by Warlord Henist.
xi. Last Domain - ruled by Arvid. His people - Snow; Holly, a guard; Almond, Arvid's ,mother; Skua; Fox; Beetle;
b. The Domains are bordered by:
i. Ice King's Country in the North West
ii. Foreverfroze in the North East
iii. Death Pass in the West
iv. Wind Cities in the South West
c. Bramble's family - mother, father, grandfather.
d. Ash's family - mother Swallow, father Rowan.
e. Lady Sorn renounces her husband, Thegan. Leof and Lady Sorn become lovers.
f. Last Domain's Warlord Arvid and Martine, the stonecaster, become lovers.
g. Villagers from Turvite: Ranny of Highmark; Council Garham; Boc;
h. Lake People - Eel; Salamander; Steersman; Listener; Vi; Oak; Reed, leatherworker; Minnow, the chandler; Drago, the ferryman;
i. Villagers from Oakmere - Well of Secrets aka Safred; Cael, Safred's uncle;
j. Other people Ash, Bramble & others meet: Twins Ber & Eldwin, their mother Aldith; Gorham's kids Hazel "Zel" & Flax; Elva, Martine's god child, her husband Mabry & an infant boy named Ash; Auroch, the stonemaker, his wife Cricket & their daughter Grass; Piper & her daughter Searose; Snapper; Crab; Vine; Skink; Snake; Sami, the mine boss; Medric; Fursey; Rumer & Rawnie, Zel & Flax's aunts; Otter, the stonecaster;
3. Grammatical / Factual / Location / Historical / Character Errors:
a. In the first two books, one of the characters was named Widow Farli from the village of Wooding that one of the protagonist, Bramble came from. However, in this book, her name changed to Widow Forli instead in pages 208, 213 and 214 where she was mentioned.
b. In the first book Blood Ties, Safred's father was introduced as Lord Masil. In this book when finally it was revealed who her father was, he is named as Lord Masry.
c. In both the previous books, whenever the warlord of South Domain was mentioned, his name was spelled as "Ceouf" and in this book, it is spelled as "Coeouf".
Recommendation: Well-written with a balance between ongoing tale and the parallel stories of other characters without missing a step. Keeping readers intrigued to keep going on, keeping the mystique and reality just in equal parts for any kind of reader to enjoy.
Full Circle is the third and final book in The Castings Trilogy by Pamela Freeman first published in January of 2009. The story continues with Martine, Bramble and Ash reaching the Sanctuary, starting their path afresh towards their goals.
A thousand years ago Eleven Domains were invaded and the inhabitants forced to go on road as travellers, and welcome no where. Now these Eleven Domains are rules by the Warlords.
However, larger elements like fire, earth, water and air, that the Warlords cannot control, play their part, perhaps may become the end of the Warlords era. Some involved are sprites, fairies, and some are just human. This series covers their stories and how they impact the Warlords rulings.
Ash and Bramble together raise Acton's spirit. Now with help of Acton, Baluch and Martine, they proceed further towards their goal to stop Saker, hope to rewrite history, and in the process pave a new way of living for all the Domains.
Freeman continues in the fantasy world with protagonists trying to figure out the right way to overturn 1000 years of warlord ruling while the antagonist is bringing spirits from the other world who are more than they can handle.
She continues to veer off from the primary characters, giving stories of some of the supporting ones. Most of her plot is written in the usual manner, however some of her off-shoot chapters usually end up being first person narration. In this book though, she brings all those off-shoot stories to a culmination in the climatic scene. I was surprised at the way she wove them in, totally unexpected.
Even though they are working towards the good of the people in general, Freeman shows that there are consequences. Right or Wrong one has to answer for their actions, face the results and acknowledge the mistakes while celebrating the wins. She made it a double edged sword for the protagonists.
I still want to put it under paranormal dystopian fiction as Freeman has warlords, fair people, travellers who are outcast, ghosts, enchanters and stonecasters. A recipe that fits my label I guess. Although I was surprised at her way of a battle, interesting, innovative and unique.
Well-written with a balance between ongoing tale and the parallel stories of other characters without missing a step. Keeping readers intrigued to keep going on, even if the reader doesn’t believe in myths, spirits and hearing gods everywhere. She keeps the mystique and reality just in equal parts for any kind of reader to enjoy.
Spoiler Alerts:
1. Plot reveals:
a. When Safred, Well of Secrets, was introduced at the end of the first book, Blood Ties, she was mentioned to be daughter of a warlord. In this book it is clarified that she is daughter of Masry, Cliff Domain's warlord; and brother to Thegan, Central Domain's warlord.
2. Sub-Plots:
a. The Eleven Domains are:
i. Far South Domain - ruled by the Warlord Merroc;
ii. South Domain - ruled by the Warlord Coeouf; his son Eolbert; Beck is second-in-command;
iii. Three Rivers Domain - ruled by the Warlord Eni; His people - Otter, the stonecaster.
iv. Central Domain - ruled by Warlord Thegan, married to Lady Sorn. His people - Lefric "Leof"; Horst, the archer; Sully; Sig, the Sergeant; Faina, Lady Sorn's personal maid, and her lover Alston; Hodge; Bandy, Leof's groom; Affo, the chief blacksmith; Ael, the cook; Wil; Sirin, a merchant; Gard; Scarf;
v. Western Mountains Domain - ruled by Cenred at one point. Currently ruled by Warlord Berden
vi. North Domain
vii. Lake Domain
viii. Far North Domain
ix. Cliff Domain - ruled by one of Thegan's sons, Gabra.
x. Northern Mountains Domain - ruled by Warlord Henist.
xi. Last Domain - ruled by Arvid. His people - Snow; Holly, a guard; Almond, Arvid's ,mother; Skua; Fox; Beetle;
b. The Domains are bordered by:
i. Ice King's Country in the North West
ii. Foreverfroze in the North East
iii. Death Pass in the West
iv. Wind Cities in the South West
c. Bramble's family - mother, father, grandfather.
d. Ash's family - mother Swallow, father Rowan.
e. Lady Sorn renounces her husband, Thegan. Leof and Lady Sorn become lovers.
f. Last Domain's Warlord Arvid and Martine, the stonecaster, become lovers.
g. Villagers from Turvite: Ranny of Highmark; Council Garham; Boc;
h. Lake People - Eel; Salamander; Steersman; Listener; Vi; Oak; Reed, leatherworker; Minnow, the chandler; Drago, the ferryman;
i. Villagers from Oakmere - Well of Secrets aka Safred; Cael, Safred's uncle;
j. Other people Ash, Bramble & others meet: Twins Ber & Eldwin, their mother Aldith; Gorham's kids Hazel "Zel" & Flax; Elva, Martine's god child, her husband Mabry & an infant boy named Ash; Auroch, the stonemaker, his wife Cricket & their daughter Grass; Piper & her daughter Searose; Snapper; Crab; Vine; Skink; Snake; Sami, the mine boss; Medric; Fursey; Rumer & Rawnie, Zel & Flax's aunts; Otter, the stonecaster;
3. Grammatical / Factual / Location / Historical / Character Errors:
a. In the first two books, one of the characters was named Widow Farli from the village of Wooding that one of the protagonist, Bramble came from. However, in this book, her name changed to Widow Forli instead in pages 208, 213 and 214 where she was mentioned.
b. In the first book Blood Ties, Safred's father was introduced as Lord Masil. In this book when finally it was revealed who her father was, he is named as Lord Masry.
c. In both the previous books, whenever the warlord of South Domain was mentioned, his name was spelled as "Ceouf" and in this book, it is spelled as "Coeouf".
February 28, 2010
While she does bring all (or most of) the characters together, I think there are just too many for the length of the book. There were definitely a few odd things eg near the end, Cael doesn't fit the situation in my opinion.
November 26, 2018
I think this was the weakest of the three books but it had a very satisfying ending. The first two books just rush you along with the story so this felt a bit like hitting calm water. Also I felt like I missed something between books two and three. Still some fantastic story weaving.
July 28, 2019
Intense emotions of love, anger, hatred and revenge jumped out from every page. #3 did not disappoint. Enjoyed reading EVERY sentence. A fitting ending!
March 9, 2020
An amazing conclusion to a series I recommend to everyone. At its heart this is a story about reconciliation and acknowledgement. It is painful and difficult and so very, very worthwhile.
September 25, 2021
Big epic finish, without the usual fantasy tropes of the ‘ good monarchy’
… or bad guys vs good guys..
See omnibus edition Castings review.
… or bad guys vs good guys..
See omnibus edition Castings review.
Read
December 25, 2022I told you last month that you’d see a review of Full Circle sooner rather than later. And here it is.
The thing about good endings is that all that you’ve read up to now becomes clear. This is one of those endings. Not only does bring about the stand-off between Acton’s people with the ghosts of the Travellers raised by the stone-caster Saker. But also twists the battle and shows the events in a new light.
In fact one of the main themes of The Castings Trilogy is to show that what see in people isn’t always the whole story. And in the case of the Domains the whole basis of their society is based on a lie as revealed in Deep Water.
With the ghost of Acton raised the gods have told Bramble to take him to Sanctuary and along the way he spreads the message of his return. But that is only a minor part of the resolution of this story. It comes mostly in decisions of other characters we’ve been following like Leof, Sorn and Martine and their timings make sure decisions they are surprising I found myself giving a little cheer in some cases.
Other themes here are blood and memory and it’s a refrain that’s echoed every time Saker raises his army. It fuels them with hate. The worrying niggle has always been how do you resolve a story with ghosts that can’t be killed? And as Bramble and crew point out if you kill Saker someone else will just take his place.
This is especially true when Thegan, the main warlord of the tale, decides to use the Travellers as hostages to protect his town against the ghosts and others follow his lead. There is a good use of conflicting ideologies as those towns that work in harmony with the Travellers get different response from the ghosts than Thegan does.
Going back to the resolution Freeman gives another bigger picture above and beyond Acton’s people and the Travellers and shows why the gods are so interested in the outcome of these events and the importance that the conflict ends in the write way.
Without that context the trilogy could have ended differently but less successfully. Freeman makes you question things as she’s done all along by filling out the lives of those minor incidental characters like the woman that will regret her beauty for ever more.
It’s not a happy ending in some sense but it is right and the different threads have been tied off though frayed and loose in some cases. I’d happily read it again from the beginning with fresh eyes to see all the clever twists and hints Freeman laid along the way.
The thing about good endings is that all that you’ve read up to now becomes clear. This is one of those endings. Not only does bring about the stand-off between Acton’s people with the ghosts of the Travellers raised by the stone-caster Saker. But also twists the battle and shows the events in a new light.
In fact one of the main themes of The Castings Trilogy is to show that what see in people isn’t always the whole story. And in the case of the Domains the whole basis of their society is based on a lie as revealed in Deep Water.
With the ghost of Acton raised the gods have told Bramble to take him to Sanctuary and along the way he spreads the message of his return. But that is only a minor part of the resolution of this story. It comes mostly in decisions of other characters we’ve been following like Leof, Sorn and Martine and their timings make sure decisions they are surprising I found myself giving a little cheer in some cases.
Other themes here are blood and memory and it’s a refrain that’s echoed every time Saker raises his army. It fuels them with hate. The worrying niggle has always been how do you resolve a story with ghosts that can’t be killed? And as Bramble and crew point out if you kill Saker someone else will just take his place.
This is especially true when Thegan, the main warlord of the tale, decides to use the Travellers as hostages to protect his town against the ghosts and others follow his lead. There is a good use of conflicting ideologies as those towns that work in harmony with the Travellers get different response from the ghosts than Thegan does.
Going back to the resolution Freeman gives another bigger picture above and beyond Acton’s people and the Travellers and shows why the gods are so interested in the outcome of these events and the importance that the conflict ends in the write way.
Without that context the trilogy could have ended differently but less successfully. Freeman makes you question things as she’s done all along by filling out the lives of those minor incidental characters like the woman that will regret her beauty for ever more.
It’s not a happy ending in some sense but it is right and the different threads have been tied off though frayed and loose in some cases. I’d happily read it again from the beginning with fresh eyes to see all the clever twists and hints Freeman laid along the way.
November 18, 2023
The Road is long and the end is death, if we're lucky.
I feel such wholeness, peace, grief, finishing this book and this series. Full Circle indeed.
I got the first book Blood Ties YEARS ago, I don't even remember how, if it was a library book sale or a chance purchase or what. I read it and reread it again in the last few years, but had never purchased the other books in the trilogy until this year.
So I reread it a third time and then read the rest of the trilogy. This is a book series I wish I could read again for the first time because it just is so beautifully crafted. The characters, the world, it is all so beautifully woven. Her writing style comes around Full Circle just like the story.
As a bookworm who holds a BA in Creative Writing....this series is a work of art. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy, adventure, and watching how people are capable of growth.
I feel such wholeness, peace, grief, finishing this book and this series. Full Circle indeed.
I got the first book Blood Ties YEARS ago, I don't even remember how, if it was a library book sale or a chance purchase or what. I read it and reread it again in the last few years, but had never purchased the other books in the trilogy until this year.
So I reread it a third time and then read the rest of the trilogy. This is a book series I wish I could read again for the first time because it just is so beautifully crafted. The characters, the world, it is all so beautifully woven. Her writing style comes around Full Circle just like the story.
As a bookworm who holds a BA in Creative Writing....this series is a work of art. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy, adventure, and watching how people are capable of growth.
March 13, 2018
Great ending to a great trilogy. Many of the characters came into focus better for me in this book and I really enjoyed the ride to the excellent ending.
I think this trilogy would really appeal to fans of historical fantasy, such as fans of Juliet Marillier. I liked the atmosphere better than many of the Marillier books I've read. While Freeman was also dealing with big themes, tragedies and the potential ending of the world the books didn't have an overarching tone/mood of impending doom like Marillier's often do. I'd say they showed more grief than sorrow and more resilience than melancholy. Enjoyable!
I think this trilogy would really appeal to fans of historical fantasy, such as fans of Juliet Marillier. I liked the atmosphere better than many of the Marillier books I've read. While Freeman was also dealing with big themes, tragedies and the potential ending of the world the books didn't have an overarching tone/mood of impending doom like Marillier's often do. I'd say they showed more grief than sorrow and more resilience than melancholy. Enjoyable!
February 8, 2024
I can't believe this book. This was the perfect ending. I am literally in love with these characters. And I am missing them so much. Also you get random stories of random people that you don't give a fuck about in the first 2 books which is kinda annoying but at the end of this book you understand why they were there. Honestly this series is not that action packed or I didn't feel like it was but the characters I loved. So please read this series.
July 22, 2019
10/10 Stars
July 8, 2020
Love the whole trilogy but the ending is absolutely brilliant!
December 28, 2021
It's been a while but I remember LOVING this series. Subverts some expectations, the main character is a minority woman who is liberated. It's great. Plus horse.
October 7, 2024
Bloody brilliant.
September 19, 2014
The "Full Circle" is a good title for the last book of the trilogy, which comes to a satisfying conclusion for the Eleven Domains and its people. It also explains why the author took the time to write the stories of so many supporting characters as separate chapters.
The story is still written as alternating chapters from the point of view of the main characters. However, I found that the effect wore a bit off at the end because all of them were in the same time and place, so the different perspectives did not matter as much anymore. That would have been different had they still been battling each other, but the threat from non-human forces eventually brought humans, both alive and ghosts, together.
I thought the book was well written, and the message of how different races and opinions can live peacefully together is great. Why did I give it only 4 stars? Well, I enjoyed the journey and the anticipation of what happens next. With the conclusion, I also always wonder how much of an impact the book make on me. And that's when the excitement after finishing it fades a bit. For one, the conclusion was more determined by talk, and only to smaller degree by action, which led to less of an exciting climax than I expected, considering the rest of the book. Furthermore, the forces that were faught at the end were kind of vague, the evil lacked somehow personification. As an evil human, there was only Thegan left, who was rather easily subdued. And then there is the overall "gods"-thing, which still makes me cringe, phantasy or not.
The story is still written as alternating chapters from the point of view of the main characters. However, I found that the effect wore a bit off at the end because all of them were in the same time and place, so the different perspectives did not matter as much anymore. That would have been different had they still been battling each other, but the threat from non-human forces eventually brought humans, both alive and ghosts, together.
I thought the book was well written, and the message of how different races and opinions can live peacefully together is great. Why did I give it only 4 stars? Well, I enjoyed the journey and the anticipation of what happens next. With the conclusion, I also always wonder how much of an impact the book make on me. And that's when the excitement after finishing it fades a bit. For one, the conclusion was more determined by talk, and only to smaller degree by action, which led to less of an exciting climax than I expected, considering the rest of the book. Furthermore, the forces that were faught at the end were kind of vague, the evil lacked somehow personification. As an evil human, there was only Thegan left, who was rather easily subdued. And then there is the overall "gods"-thing, which still makes me cringe, phantasy or not.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2011
Full Circle is a brilliant conclusion to a great story. There were not as many “mini-stories” in this book but as with the other books I totally enjoyed the ones that were included.
The story picks up where the previous one left off and we were guided smoothly to the climax. The story is told from various viewpoints and it was interesting to see how their points of view overlapped and especially how the meaning behind something previously seen from one person’s eyes could change completely when viewed from another set of eyes. It was really well done and felt natural, a bit like a light bulb being switched on allowing everyone to see the full picture.
As the pages turned and we moved towards the climax I found myself thinking I knew how the big confrontation would play out. I thought I saw how the author was positioning the players and I was eager to discover that I was right. Problem is, I wasn’t! I was taken totally by surprise by the turn of events and that made the ending even better.
The ending, without giving anything away, was sad but right. I felt tears welling yet felt satisfied with the outcome. It was strange to feel this way yet as a reader, I think it’s important that the author stirs something in the reader, making them think about the conclusion for a while, allowing emotions to affect the reader momentarily. Full Circle did that.
This trilogy is highly recommended.
The story picks up where the previous one left off and we were guided smoothly to the climax. The story is told from various viewpoints and it was interesting to see how their points of view overlapped and especially how the meaning behind something previously seen from one person’s eyes could change completely when viewed from another set of eyes. It was really well done and felt natural, a bit like a light bulb being switched on allowing everyone to see the full picture.
As the pages turned and we moved towards the climax I found myself thinking I knew how the big confrontation would play out. I thought I saw how the author was positioning the players and I was eager to discover that I was right. Problem is, I wasn’t! I was taken totally by surprise by the turn of events and that made the ending even better.
The ending, without giving anything away, was sad but right. I felt tears welling yet felt satisfied with the outcome. It was strange to feel this way yet as a reader, I think it’s important that the author stirs something in the reader, making them think about the conclusion for a while, allowing emotions to affect the reader momentarily. Full Circle did that.
This trilogy is highly recommended.
July 6, 2011
Saker’s ghost army is sweeping across the Eleven Domains, intent upon killing all of Acton’s people and reclaiming the Domains for those of the “old” blood. Ever the schemer, Thegan manipulates the situation in order to achieve his own goals. All is not lost, however. Bramble and Ash raise a ghost of their own: Acton.
What a fantastic conclusion to the Castings Trilogy! The tension builds as Thegan makes things much much worse, mistreated Travelers join Saker, Bramble and Ash reunite only to separate again, the gods panic, and Saker senses something lurking about his ghostly army. I love the way Freeman brings everything together, and I particularly love how she incorporates the individual stories into the greater story. As I mentioned in my review of Deep Water, Freeman avoids simple good/evil characterizations. With the exception of Thegan and Alder, we’re given some insight into why characters have developed a certain way. I like this. As much as I enjoy the more typical good/evil stories, I appreciate that Freeman has chosen to focus on the long-lasting damage caused by racism, hatred and anger. More than that, she reminds us that the past cannot be changed but it is within our power to forge a better future. LOVE this trilogy!!!
Dare I hope that Freeman is creating a follow-up series? Ember and Ash was published this May and not only is it set in the same world but it features one of my favorite characters from The Castings Trilogy!
What a fantastic conclusion to the Castings Trilogy! The tension builds as Thegan makes things much much worse, mistreated Travelers join Saker, Bramble and Ash reunite only to separate again, the gods panic, and Saker senses something lurking about his ghostly army. I love the way Freeman brings everything together, and I particularly love how she incorporates the individual stories into the greater story. As I mentioned in my review of Deep Water, Freeman avoids simple good/evil characterizations. With the exception of Thegan and Alder, we’re given some insight into why characters have developed a certain way. I like this. As much as I enjoy the more typical good/evil stories, I appreciate that Freeman has chosen to focus on the long-lasting damage caused by racism, hatred and anger. More than that, she reminds us that the past cannot be changed but it is within our power to forge a better future. LOVE this trilogy!!!
Dare I hope that Freeman is creating a follow-up series? Ember and Ash was published this May and not only is it set in the same world but it features one of my favorite characters from The Castings Trilogy!
February 5, 2011
Overall I really enjoyed the Castings trilogy and the third book in the series. Each book flowed well from one to the other and are very well written. The best part about the books are the character depictions. From the stories of the main characters to the stories of the minor characters they were all interesting and well written. The chapters about the minor characters were an excellent addition to the series. They helped give alternative perspectives to the world and helped me understand why some characters would make the decisions/choices that they did. They also add a lot of depth to the world and by the end you feel as if you were living in this world with the characters. The other aspect of these books that I liked was the depth to the characters. The bad guys weren't always bad people and the good guys didn't always do the right thing. This series has a slower pace than some of the books that I have read recently, but it was a nice change for me. The slower pace allowed me to focus on the details and really get involved in the book. I would definitely recommend this book to fantasy readers.
August 16, 2011
c2009. As you can gather from the rating I really enjoyed this final part of the trilogy. I knew since the first book that Bramble was not fated to survive and the "Thelma and Louise" style of her death had tears streaming down my face OMG - and the roan came back to her **heavy sobs and gulps**. Most disconcerting as most fantasies do not elicit that degree of emotion from me which, in my opinion, means that the story was so great and the characters so well drawn that I was totally immersed in the story. Absolutely Brilliant and highly recommended. The blurb did say that this was a "powerful conclusion" and for once - this is not an unwarranted claim. Aurealis Xpress is quoted as saying that this is "A wonderfully satisying series" and so it was. I can only hope that Ms Freeman decides to continue to write within this world. "Loyalty is a valuable quality," Rowan said quietly, and Flax could tell that he meant it. The archer realised that, too, and his face cleared of its bad mood./"Aye," he said, "The most valuable thing a man like me has to offer."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2009
This was an excellent wrap. I am really going to miss these characters. Her writing style of jumping from character to charter perspective did not irk me as much with this one. My only issue was the fact that the characters were not reflective so the reader really needed to remember many details from the first two books. I did not own the other two and had read them a year ago. I really had to let some things go because I did not recall what the back story was like the character of Apple or the Aunts. Had I owned the books or had them on my Kindle, I could have quickly checked back. So if you are just reading this series, buy the books and read them all at once. There were some characters I hated to see die but I liked the fact that each death was given a purpose in the story. It was not senseless killing but necessary character sacrefice.
February 24, 2014
wonderful! this series needed a really strong finish, one that could be as surprising but right in terms of plot, and as true to the characters while showing how much they had changed, as the first two books.
the invasions a thousand years ago changed the world for all the people, and the events described in Deep Water and Full Circle change things all over again.
The story of Acton reminds me of the story of King Arthur and the idea that he will return when Britain is in great need (I'm sure Freeman was consciously drawing on that idea of the once and future king). but how would he cope?
anyway, a great ending to the trilogy, and for some of the characters (and the prelude to new lives for some). very satisfying
the invasions a thousand years ago changed the world for all the people, and the events described in Deep Water and Full Circle change things all over again.
The story of Acton reminds me of the story of King Arthur and the idea that he will return when Britain is in great need (I'm sure Freeman was consciously drawing on that idea of the once and future king). but how would he cope?
anyway, a great ending to the trilogy, and for some of the characters (and the prelude to new lives for some). very satisfying
April 16, 2011
Excellent ending to the series. Almost totally plot driven, although still using the multiple-threaded narrative. Still fewer "interludes" with passing characters, which I missed, but one of the most surprising and satisfying (and tearful) series' endings I've experienced. The whole series doesn't quite get 5 stars, but easily makes 4 1/2.
October 30, 2011
When you read the whole series and come to this book, the way everything ties together is just brilliant. The character backgrounds that you've been reading throughtout the series being the voices of the ghosts is something that i highly praise in this boook.
The entire series itself is a very interesting read.
The entire series itself is a very interesting read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2015
I really enjoyed this series. I love flawed characters that make some mistakes but are trying to do the best they can. This series has some complex moral issues about taking land and lives for the sake of safety or revenge. No bad language. Sec happens frequently or is mentioned with frequency. Nothing crude or vulgar but it is a repeating topic so I won't let my young teenagers read.
May 28, 2010
I really enjoyed all three.
Full circle is the last of the Trilogy bring all characters together in the end.
I liked Bramble, you always want your heroine to be strong- and in this case, fearless as well.
This is a must read book
Full circle is the last of the Trilogy bring all characters together in the end.
I liked Bramble, you always want your heroine to be strong- and in this case, fearless as well.
This is a must read book
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