What do you think?
Rate this book
Mordant's Need #2
A Man Rides Through
1st Del Rey 1988 edition paperback fine In stock shipped from our UK warehouse
Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 1987
98 people are currently reading
2416 people want to read
About the author
Stephen R. Donaldson
150 books2,734 followersStephen Reeder Donaldson is an American fantasy, science fiction, and mystery novelist; in the United Kingdom he is usually called "Stephen Donaldson" (without the "R"). He has also written non-fiction under the pen name Reed Stephens.
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION:
Stephen R. Donaldson was born May 13, 1947 in Cleveland, Ohio. His father, James, was a medical missionary and his mother, Ruth, a prosthetist (a person skilled in making or fitting prosthetic devices). Donaldson spent the years between the ages of 3 and 16 living in India, where his father was working as an orthopaedic surgeon. Donaldson earned his bachelor's degree from The College of Wooster and master's degree from Kent State University.
INSPIRATIONS:
Donaldson's work is heavily influenced by other fantasy authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Roger Zelazny, Joseph Conrad, Henry James, and William Faulkner. The writers he most admires are Patricia A. McKillip, Steven Erikson, and Tim Powers.
It is believed that a speech his father made on leprosy (whilst working with lepers in India) led to Donaldson's creation of Thomas Covenant, the anti-hero of his most famous work (Thomas Covenant). The first book in that series, Lord Foul's Bane, received 47 rejections before a publisher agreed to publish it.
PROMINENT WORK:
Stephen Donaldson came to prominence in 1977 with the The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, which is centred around a leper shunned by society and his trials and tribulations as his destiny unfolds. These books established Donaldson as one of the most important figures in modern fantasy fiction.
PERSONAL LIFE:
He currently resides in New Mexico.
THE GRADUAL INTERVIEW
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION:
Stephen R. Donaldson was born May 13, 1947 in Cleveland, Ohio. His father, James, was a medical missionary and his mother, Ruth, a prosthetist (a person skilled in making or fitting prosthetic devices). Donaldson spent the years between the ages of 3 and 16 living in India, where his father was working as an orthopaedic surgeon. Donaldson earned his bachelor's degree from The College of Wooster and master's degree from Kent State University.
INSPIRATIONS:
Donaldson's work is heavily influenced by other fantasy authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Roger Zelazny, Joseph Conrad, Henry James, and William Faulkner. The writers he most admires are Patricia A. McKillip, Steven Erikson, and Tim Powers.
It is believed that a speech his father made on leprosy (whilst working with lepers in India) led to Donaldson's creation of Thomas Covenant, the anti-hero of his most famous work (Thomas Covenant). The first book in that series, Lord Foul's Bane, received 47 rejections before a publisher agreed to publish it.
PROMINENT WORK:
Stephen Donaldson came to prominence in 1977 with the The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, which is centred around a leper shunned by society and his trials and tribulations as his destiny unfolds. These books established Donaldson as one of the most important figures in modern fantasy fiction.
PERSONAL LIFE:
He currently resides in New Mexico.
THE GRADUAL INTERVIEW
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 274 reviews
May 28, 2023
Re Read 2023
Still my all time favorite. This second book 100% redeems the h. Action packed and everything pulls together and end with a huge battle. Makes it all worth while to get to this book.
Re Read 2020
When a book makes you sad that it has ended, that you will miss the characters so much, and the world. When you wish you could live there, well.. then I call that a good book. Keeping the 5 stars, will definitely read again.
Book two contains the battles, the plans, and all the questions are tied up. Yes there is death, pain, ect.. but
For safety see scroll all the way down to original review.
______________________________________________________
Original 2016 read
Points I'd like to make:
1. You MUST read the first book before this one. This is NOT a stand alone.
2. 25 years later I still LOVE this series.
3. Some of the best writing I have ever read!
4. The POV here does switch to show other characters view not just Terisa's.
5. This is written in 3rd person.
In short..
The first book for the most part is all character, plot and world building and this book is where all the action is.
We leave off at the end of book one on a cliffhanger where
So right off the bat we have action and it just doesn't stop. Oh yeah there are moments of peace especially when Geraden and Terisa visit the Domne (Geraden's famiy) but that peace is short lived.
So much happens that it cannot be explained in a summary, to try to do so is madness. Everything is so complex and layered it would take pages to summarize.
So I'll just say this..
READ THIS SERIES!!
This is definitely one of my top 5 favorite books of all time. We got complex characters, amazing world building, great pace.. betrayal, uncertainty...romance...battles..murder.
Just....just READ THESE BOOKS!!
Safety
Still my all time favorite. This second book 100% redeems the h. Action packed and everything pulls together and end with a huge battle. Makes it all worth while to get to this book.
Re Read 2020
When a book makes you sad that it has ended, that you will miss the characters so much, and the world. When you wish you could live there, well.. then I call that a good book. Keeping the 5 stars, will definitely read again.
Book two contains the battles, the plans, and all the questions are tied up. Yes there is death, pain, ect.. but
For safety see scroll all the way down to original review.
______________________________________________________
Original 2016 read
Points I'd like to make:
1. You MUST read the first book before this one. This is NOT a stand alone.
2. 25 years later I still LOVE this series.
3. Some of the best writing I have ever read!
4. The POV here does switch to show other characters view not just Terisa's.
5. This is written in 3rd person.
In short..
The first book for the most part is all character, plot and world building and this book is where all the action is.
We leave off at the end of book one on a cliffhanger where
So right off the bat we have action and it just doesn't stop. Oh yeah there are moments of peace especially when Geraden and Terisa visit the Domne (Geraden's famiy) but that peace is short lived.
So much happens that it cannot be explained in a summary, to try to do so is madness. Everything is so complex and layered it would take pages to summarize.
So I'll just say this..
READ THIS SERIES!!
This is definitely one of my top 5 favorite books of all time. We got complex characters, amazing world building, great pace.. betrayal, uncertainty...romance...battles..murder.
Just....just READ THESE BOOKS!!
Safety
July 22, 2009
Terisa has been taken prisoner, Geraden's brother has been taken prisoner (read the book; I promise it will make sense--there are just too many plot threads to do justice to them here).
BUT. . . Terisa has discovered she has talent with mirrors too. And she's left behind the strange attraction to power that was her crush on one of the masters of imagery, an attraction which nearly broke her spirit.
Romance fans, this is also a love story. Forget Edward Cullen and his sparkly marble perfection (and his control-freakish possessiveness--see my Twilight reviews); Geraden of Domne is one of my literary hero crushes for life. Terisa's other discovery, finally, is her love for Geraden. I told you I wanted to bitch-slap her the entire first half of The Mirror of Her Dreams for many reasons including ignoring the ideal man standing in front of her. Once their story takes off, Donaldson handles this beautifully, never slopping over into mush or sentimentality. He writes their love scenes differently than the other sex scenes in the book, showing the difference between true love and exploitation, between true love and merely "scratching an itch." And Geraden and Terisa's talents and self-confidence seem to grow exponentially as their love for each other grows.
Another of my gripes about the Twilight series is that the happy ending was too pat, too easy. You see, I'd read Mordant's Need first, and Meyer's crap "love story" pales in comparison. Bella's use of her "love shield" (what a stupid name--it sounds more like a brand of condom to me) was actually a small factor in the Cullens' victory, the larger one being, once again, intervention by Alice and Jasper. Nobody has grown up by the end of Meyer's 2000 or however many pages she filled with utter ballocks.
By contrast, Terisa and Geraden endure hardship and real danger as they race against time. The horrors being translated into Mordant are becoming more frequent and more dangerous; not only do they have to find out who's behind the attacks, they also have to gather support from the leaders of the seven Cares within the kingdom to help them fight these men who are misusing their power. In other words, Terisa and Geraden actually earn their happy ending, and it wasn't through forty mind-numbing pages trying to be the trial in The Merchant of Venice. There is a battle--a real one, with catapults and armor and arrows and soldiers on horseback. And Imagery. And lasers. Yup, lasers. Read the books.
Donaldson keeps all the balls in the air in these two novels. Magic, intrigue, politics, danger, sex, power, humor, love. . . it's all there. The other amazing accomplishment here is Donaldson's ability to write from a female perspective. I don't think he could create a cardboard female character if he tried.
Donaldson's prose is more spare than in the Thomas Covenant books, so if you tried to read those and gave up, give these a try. The guy's amazing. His "Gap" series was voiced differently than the "Mordant" books, and his series of detective novels were different from any of his fantasy and science fiction.
If the Twilight books are Twinkies, full of fluffy creme and artificial ingredients, then the Mordant books are tarte tropezienne, a French pastry crafted in small artisan bakeries in the charming coastal city of St. Tropez, France. As with the much-imitated-but-never-duplicated Harry Potter series, there are at least a dozen vampire series for young adults out there at the moment, trying to cash in on the current Twilight mania, but nobody has tried to imitate any of Donaldson's work. It's just too difficult to write with that amount of precision and care. Most "authors" are just too lazy or not sufficiently dedicated to their craft. Donaldson agonizes over every word. His ideas are original enough that it would be obvious any other writer was stealing from him. He is currently working on the last four books of the Thomas Covenant series. He had the ideas for them back when he finished the second trilogy but didn't feel that his skills as a writer were equal to the story he wanted to tell. So he waited 20 years and wrote two books of short stories and three other series before going back to The Land. In this "make a fast buck and who cares if it's any good as long as it sells" publishing climate, integrity like Donaldson's is rare.
BUT. . . Terisa has discovered she has talent with mirrors too. And she's left behind the strange attraction to power that was her crush on one of the masters of imagery, an attraction which nearly broke her spirit.
Romance fans, this is also a love story. Forget Edward Cullen and his sparkly marble perfection (and his control-freakish possessiveness--see my Twilight reviews); Geraden of Domne is one of my literary hero crushes for life. Terisa's other discovery, finally, is her love for Geraden. I told you I wanted to bitch-slap her the entire first half of The Mirror of Her Dreams for many reasons including ignoring the ideal man standing in front of her. Once their story takes off, Donaldson handles this beautifully, never slopping over into mush or sentimentality. He writes their love scenes differently than the other sex scenes in the book, showing the difference between true love and exploitation, between true love and merely "scratching an itch." And Geraden and Terisa's talents and self-confidence seem to grow exponentially as their love for each other grows.
Another of my gripes about the Twilight series is that the happy ending was too pat, too easy. You see, I'd read Mordant's Need first, and Meyer's crap "love story" pales in comparison. Bella's use of her "love shield" (what a stupid name--it sounds more like a brand of condom to me) was actually a small factor in the Cullens' victory, the larger one being, once again, intervention by Alice and Jasper. Nobody has grown up by the end of Meyer's 2000 or however many pages she filled with utter ballocks.
By contrast, Terisa and Geraden endure hardship and real danger as they race against time. The horrors being translated into Mordant are becoming more frequent and more dangerous; not only do they have to find out who's behind the attacks, they also have to gather support from the leaders of the seven Cares within the kingdom to help them fight these men who are misusing their power. In other words, Terisa and Geraden actually earn their happy ending, and it wasn't through forty mind-numbing pages trying to be the trial in The Merchant of Venice. There is a battle--a real one, with catapults and armor and arrows and soldiers on horseback. And Imagery. And lasers. Yup, lasers. Read the books.
Donaldson keeps all the balls in the air in these two novels. Magic, intrigue, politics, danger, sex, power, humor, love. . . it's all there. The other amazing accomplishment here is Donaldson's ability to write from a female perspective. I don't think he could create a cardboard female character if he tried.
Donaldson's prose is more spare than in the Thomas Covenant books, so if you tried to read those and gave up, give these a try. The guy's amazing. His "Gap" series was voiced differently than the "Mordant" books, and his series of detective novels were different from any of his fantasy and science fiction.
If the Twilight books are Twinkies, full of fluffy creme and artificial ingredients, then the Mordant books are tarte tropezienne, a French pastry crafted in small artisan bakeries in the charming coastal city of St. Tropez, France. As with the much-imitated-but-never-duplicated Harry Potter series, there are at least a dozen vampire series for young adults out there at the moment, trying to cash in on the current Twilight mania, but nobody has tried to imitate any of Donaldson's work. It's just too difficult to write with that amount of precision and care. Most "authors" are just too lazy or not sufficiently dedicated to their craft. Donaldson agonizes over every word. His ideas are original enough that it would be obvious any other writer was stealing from him. He is currently working on the last four books of the Thomas Covenant series. He had the ideas for them back when he finished the second trilogy but didn't feel that his skills as a writer were equal to the story he wanted to tell. So he waited 20 years and wrote two books of short stories and three other series before going back to The Land. In this "make a fast buck and who cares if it's any good as long as it sells" publishing climate, integrity like Donaldson's is rare.
May 25, 2008
Became a favorite. About a lonely girl, who feels incredibly insignificant because of her cold parents, she becomes lost in starring at the mirrors that are the only decoration in her apartment. She feels that if she looks at the mirrors that is proof that she exists. When she finds herself in a world where Mirrors are not a source of reflection but of magic. She is mistaken to be a "Champion" that is summoned by the congerers to save their world. She is clumsy and very self concious. She has no faith in herself, but through the telling of her story she gains strength in herself, and in doing becomes the "Champion" that the Congerers were looking for. She overcomes her feeling that she is invisible or insignificant. She has the strength to stand up to her father and leave the comforts of the modern world, to be in a world where she has and knows she has made a difference.
July 10, 2010
The Mordant's Need books still rank among my favorite fantasy books of all time. The plot is complex, the characters vivid and the story is neatly contained within two volumes. Donaldson seems to love creating the anti-hero - and Teresa Mogan is, to me, a more compelling one than his Thomas Covenant. I warn everyone who reads this for the first time to not let themselves get near the end of the first volume without having the second volume nearby.
February 21, 2008
Duology with "Mirror of Her Dreams." I love this duology. In fact, I'd like to read it again.
December 12, 2013
First off, read both books of this duology, if you're going to read it at all. There is NO POINT to reading just one.
Minor spoiler: Book 1 ends with a MAJOR CLIFF HANGER so you HAVE to read book 2
"The Mirror of Her Dreams" (book 1)
"A Man Rides Through" (book 2)
So with that out of the way, I will review both as a single work.
There are so many cool ideas and concepts in this duology. The story in itself has a pretty good pace that chugs along evenly and with good momentum.
The writing style is a bit raw and can be a bit clunky here and there, but it doesn't detract or distract from the flow of the story. I didn't feel like I was ever pulled out of the story by the wordsmithing. But then again I don't ever recall being really impressed or find any parts remarkable either.
The characters in this series will make reading this book feel like you are wielding a double edged blade without a hilt that you have to hold in your bare hands.
It's nice to read a fantasy story where the characters are not flawless, archetypes. Even some of the lead characters are indeed dumb, annoying, and incompetent. So while it's refreshing, original, and probably a bit more realistic, it's also maddeningly frustrating at times.
The supporting characters tend to be 2 dimensional, but are serviceable.
The world building and the magic in this world featuring mirrors is pretty well drawn, and has several layers of depth. Although there are going to be times where these rules seem to be bent and broken for the convenience of the plot in the second book.
The books build and build and build to try and deliver a huge pay-off and while it is definitely action-packed, it's telegraphed so far in advance, and the author did such a good job of writing himself into some inescapable corners, that many of resolutions and closures near the end stink of deus ex machinas, breaking of rules previously established, characters acting out of character, and it just feels really forced.
Very contrived and forced is how I would describe the entire second book.
There's a lot of fun to be had, but there's also a lot of cringe inducing hackery at the end.
Also the story is just steeped in SO MUCH RAPE, it's really not easy to stomach. There are several digressions that go deep into the rape fantasies of some of the older characters that will creep you the fuck out. I guess if the point was to make you loathe these characters then: Mission accomplished. But if it makes you feel kinda skeevy about the author, that is also a side-effect as well. Also the women in this book are portrayed very shabbily.
So to conclude. I liked the imaginative world-building, good pacing, and hated the endings and rape imagery.
I can't say I can recommend this one.
Minor spoiler: Book 1 ends with a MAJOR CLIFF HANGER so you HAVE to read book 2
"The Mirror of Her Dreams" (book 1)
"A Man Rides Through" (book 2)
So with that out of the way, I will review both as a single work.
There are so many cool ideas and concepts in this duology. The story in itself has a pretty good pace that chugs along evenly and with good momentum.
The writing style is a bit raw and can be a bit clunky here and there, but it doesn't detract or distract from the flow of the story. I didn't feel like I was ever pulled out of the story by the wordsmithing. But then again I don't ever recall being really impressed or find any parts remarkable either.
The characters in this series will make reading this book feel like you are wielding a double edged blade without a hilt that you have to hold in your bare hands.
It's nice to read a fantasy story where the characters are not flawless, archetypes. Even some of the lead characters are indeed dumb, annoying, and incompetent. So while it's refreshing, original, and probably a bit more realistic, it's also maddeningly frustrating at times.
The supporting characters tend to be 2 dimensional, but are serviceable.
The world building and the magic in this world featuring mirrors is pretty well drawn, and has several layers of depth. Although there are going to be times where these rules seem to be bent and broken for the convenience of the plot in the second book.
The books build and build and build to try and deliver a huge pay-off and while it is definitely action-packed, it's telegraphed so far in advance, and the author did such a good job of writing himself into some inescapable corners, that many of resolutions and closures near the end stink of deus ex machinas, breaking of rules previously established, characters acting out of character, and it just feels really forced.
Very contrived and forced is how I would describe the entire second book.
There's a lot of fun to be had, but there's also a lot of cringe inducing hackery at the end.
Also the story is just steeped in SO MUCH RAPE, it's really not easy to stomach. There are several digressions that go deep into the rape fantasies of some of the older characters that will creep you the fuck out. I guess if the point was to make you loathe these characters then: Mission accomplished. But if it makes you feel kinda skeevy about the author, that is also a side-effect as well. Also the women in this book are portrayed very shabbily.
So to conclude. I liked the imaginative world-building, good pacing, and hated the endings and rape imagery.
I can't say I can recommend this one.
July 17, 2011
Read A Man Rides Through ages ago, back when I was still in high school and I loved it. I received it as a Christmas present from one of my closest friends. She'd also given me The Mirror Through Her Dreams as a Christmas present the year before.
When I moved to Sweden, I had to leave many of my hardcover books in the US. I ended up donating both books to a local high school library. One day I was in the Science Fiction bookstore in Stockholm's Old Town and I found both books in paperback. I was so happy I bought them immediately. I was a little afraid that I would no longer enjoy the series, but I was sucked in almost immediately. Both books still spoke to me--so much so that I read them both in one weekend, much to my husband's chagrin.
I think it may be time to pull them out again and re-read them. I am feeling nostalgic.
When I moved to Sweden, I had to leave many of my hardcover books in the US. I ended up donating both books to a local high school library. One day I was in the Science Fiction bookstore in Stockholm's Old Town and I found both books in paperback. I was so happy I bought them immediately. I was a little afraid that I would no longer enjoy the series, but I was sucked in almost immediately. Both books still spoke to me--so much so that I read them both in one weekend, much to my husband's chagrin.
I think it may be time to pull them out again and re-read them. I am feeling nostalgic.
May 22, 2020
This, and the first book, were for me very painful to read. I read the first one out of curiosity, and because I cannot leave things unfinished, had to read this one. The concept of imagery was interesting, but Donaldson's presentation of it is very muddled. I could have forgiven this were it not for the many other things I disliked.
Here is a quick and incomplete list:
1) Donaldson loves his adverbs. Every action is modified. Nothing is done. Everything is done slowly, quickly, onerously, so and on and so forth.
2) He also has a few favorite words which he cannot use enough. For instance, every character mutters and murmurs. Every character chuckles. For heaven's sake, at the climactic battle sequence even a brook chuckles. And there is the word clench. Among other things that Donaldson's describes as being "clenched" are a face, a man, a man's will, a man's capacity, and even a godforsaken horse. I don't understand what a clenched capacity is, and a clenched horse is not something I want to understand.
3) Something is not worth being said unless it is said multiple times. In every conversation where an important question is asked, that question is asked at least three times, where the person being questioned predictably does not answer the question until the last time it is asked. This might have built tension once, but after the twentieth time, you're just flipping a page or two ahead to get the part where the question is answered.
4) Along the same lines, a character trait is not a character trait unless it is repeated ad nauseum. Geraden, the hapless, clueless, childish love interest of Terisa, the personality-free heroine, is clumsy. Just to make sure this is understood, in his first six or seven appearances in the tale, he trips, slips, drops something, breaks something, or even trips over his own feet. Then there are some character traits shared by multiple characters, and even then that character trait is repeatedly used, making all the characters blend into one another. Skilled fighter Artagel grins all the time to hide his concentration, devious Eremis grins all the time to hide his deviousness, mad Lebbick grins all the time to hide his insanity, wizard-like Havelock grins to hide his insanity, King Joyse grins to hide his fake insanity. You get the picture.
5) Women serve no purpose beyond serving the man they love. Of the small number of women in this mammoth duology, they all stand by their misunderstood lover (an enemy prince, a space mercenary, a bumbling apprentice imager) and do little else. The two that break from this servile mode are the sexually liberated maid Sadith and the personality-free Terisa. Sadith eventually gets betrayed by her lover and ends up being mutilated and losing the only thing that matters (her beauty) and then she gets killed. Terisa wanders through the first book unable to make up her mind between being the object of affection for our bumbling good-natured hero or our suave villain, and along the way is the victim of attempted rape, I kid you not, at least six times. I lost count.
I could go on, but I really, really want to never think about these two books again.
Here is a quick and incomplete list:
1) Donaldson loves his adverbs. Every action is modified. Nothing is done. Everything is done slowly, quickly, onerously, so and on and so forth.
2) He also has a few favorite words which he cannot use enough. For instance, every character mutters and murmurs. Every character chuckles. For heaven's sake, at the climactic battle sequence even a brook chuckles. And there is the word clench. Among other things that Donaldson's describes as being "clenched" are a face, a man, a man's will, a man's capacity, and even a godforsaken horse. I don't understand what a clenched capacity is, and a clenched horse is not something I want to understand.
3) Something is not worth being said unless it is said multiple times. In every conversation where an important question is asked, that question is asked at least three times, where the person being questioned predictably does not answer the question until the last time it is asked. This might have built tension once, but after the twentieth time, you're just flipping a page or two ahead to get the part where the question is answered.
4) Along the same lines, a character trait is not a character trait unless it is repeated ad nauseum. Geraden, the hapless, clueless, childish love interest of Terisa, the personality-free heroine, is clumsy. Just to make sure this is understood, in his first six or seven appearances in the tale, he trips, slips, drops something, breaks something, or even trips over his own feet. Then there are some character traits shared by multiple characters, and even then that character trait is repeatedly used, making all the characters blend into one another. Skilled fighter Artagel grins all the time to hide his concentration, devious Eremis grins all the time to hide his deviousness, mad Lebbick grins all the time to hide his insanity, wizard-like Havelock grins to hide his insanity, King Joyse grins to hide his fake insanity. You get the picture.
5) Women serve no purpose beyond serving the man they love. Of the small number of women in this mammoth duology, they all stand by their misunderstood lover (an enemy prince, a space mercenary, a bumbling apprentice imager) and do little else. The two that break from this servile mode are the sexually liberated maid Sadith and the personality-free Terisa. Sadith eventually gets betrayed by her lover and ends up being mutilated and losing the only thing that matters (her beauty) and then she gets killed. Terisa wanders through the first book unable to make up her mind between being the object of affection for our bumbling good-natured hero or our suave villain, and along the way is the victim of attempted rape, I kid you not, at least six times. I lost count.
I could go on, but I really, really want to never think about these two books again.
September 27, 2009
Definitely one of Donaldson's best series. What I love about these books is that for once they have characters who seem far more human and normal in their motivations, thoughts and behaviours than his characters in the Covenant or Gap books. Terisa and Geradan the main protagonists are just not as extreme, and because of this (being normal people in an abnormal situation) the story is far more human and engaging.
The world of Mordant, Cadwal and Alend could be considered to be a quite stereotypical fantasy setting, but what Donaldson chooses to do with the setting is quite unusual. The concept of a Congery of Imagers, men who can control mirrors and "translate" things or beings through them, and yet no-one is able to use a "normal" mirror to look at their own reflections is a brilliant idea, turning normality on its head. This is good, well written engaging fantasy and I thoroughly enjoyed my rereading of it.
This second book in the series is even better than the first with motivations becoming clear, villains being unmasked and plenty of action. There is also proper relationship building here. Donaldson finally allows two of his characters to fall in love in an uncomplicated manner and he allows them to have a proper relationship which is utterly marvellous after all the rape and terrorization of women that takes place in some of his other books.
The ending of this book is excellent, the villains are put in their places in the most apt way that you could imagine. Yes, humour from Stephen Donaldson of all people!
All in all it has been a joy to reread this series.
The world of Mordant, Cadwal and Alend could be considered to be a quite stereotypical fantasy setting, but what Donaldson chooses to do with the setting is quite unusual. The concept of a Congery of Imagers, men who can control mirrors and "translate" things or beings through them, and yet no-one is able to use a "normal" mirror to look at their own reflections is a brilliant idea, turning normality on its head. This is good, well written engaging fantasy and I thoroughly enjoyed my rereading of it.
This second book in the series is even better than the first with motivations becoming clear, villains being unmasked and plenty of action. There is also proper relationship building here. Donaldson finally allows two of his characters to fall in love in an uncomplicated manner and he allows them to have a proper relationship which is utterly marvellous after all the rape and terrorization of women that takes place in some of his other books.
The ending of this book is excellent, the villains are put in their places in the most apt way that you could imagine. Yes, humour from Stephen Donaldson of all people!
All in all it has been a joy to reread this series.
November 7, 2015
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" A Man Rides Through was a great wrap-up to the Mordant's Need duet. The first book of the series, The Mirror of Her Dreams, ended on a cliff-hanger, so A Man Rides Through picks up the plot exactly where it left off. It's a complex story rooted in the political intrigues of the medieval-style fantasy realm of Mordant. I would have loved to have a map to refer to while reading the story, and apparently many others fans concurred. I did find a fan-produced one online, which helps immensely in envisioning this land, which is situated between the two enemies of Alend and Cadwal. Years ago, when King Joyse conquered the land, he deliberately placed himself in that position to keep the peace, which had worked well until an unknown enemy rose up against Mordant. Now chaos has spread throughout the land as this enemy runs rampant. The primary fantasy element of the story centers around Imagery, a form of magic that relies on mirrors to translate people, objects, or creatures from parallel worlds (or within their own world) that can either help or hinder in the fight. King Joyse tried to make Imagery a force for good in the world, but a few power-hungry Imagers have now allied with Mordant's normal human enemies in an attempt to conquer them once and for all.
At the center of all these machinations is a young woman named Terisa. In the first book, she was “accidentally” translated from our world into Mordant by Geraden, a young Apt (apprentice imager) who had a penchant for clumsiness and misfortune. Due to her father's abuse growing up, Terisa suffered from a very low self-esteem and wasn't even certain if she was real. Coming with Geraden to Mordant gave her a new lease on life, but for most of The Mirror of Her Dreams, she was still a very passive character, who kind of allows things to happen around her without taking action. Now in A Man Rides Through, she finally discovers her true talent and really comes into her own. There are times when she still feels helpless, but overall, she becomes a much stronger character who is more proactive. She starts using her bright mind to think for herself and reason things out logically, and she's also willing and even eager at times to lend a hand to Mordant in whatever capacity she can even when she feels like she has little to offer. By the end of the book, she's truly standing up, not only for herself, but also for Geraden and the other characters she's come to care about. It was a lot of fun to watch her grow and change into a better version of herself, while not losing her innate kindness and gentleness. The Terisa of book #1 was a little too passive for my taste, but in book #2, she becomes an even more relatable and admirable heroine.
Geraden, too, is a character who comes into his own. In the first book, he was the laughingstock of the Congery, an Apt who had been in that position for ten years, far longer than anyone else, and still hadn't earned his chasuble as an Imager. I had to admire his grit and determination, but everyone else, for the most part, thinks of him as nothing but a bumbling idiot. He never allowed their jeering to harden him, though, and now he finally gets a chance to prove his mettle. We find out exactly why he hasn't made any inroads with the Congery for so long and he discovers a talent he never knew he possessed. He also puts his determination to good use in the fight against Mordant's enemies, and he also never lost faith in their king even when nearly everyone else, including the king's own family did. Geraden proves himself to be a strong and powerful hero, but he never loses the innate sweetness that made me fall in love with him from the beginning.
There are a plethora of supporting characters in these stories and many stand-outs, some who ultimately gave their lives for the cause, and others who survived, but all fought valiantly. Throughout most of book #1, the Tor was in a wine-soaked state, grieving the loss of his son and the downfall of his dear friend and king, but in this book, he really steps up to the plate and becomes invaluable. Despite his attempted attack on Orison (the seat of Mordant), Prince Kragan proves himself to be an honorable “enemy.” The king's daughters, Elega, Myste, and Torrent, all do their part. Myste's soft-heartedness in going after the Congery's champion, Darsint, turns out to be a particularly bold move. Geraden's family are a colorful bunch, but none more so than his brother, Artegel, a charmer with a big personality who is also the best swordsman in all of Mordant. Of course, there's also King Joyse himself and crazy Adept Havelock, who's brilliant strategizing actually paid off. The villains, who I shall leave unnamed so as to not give too many spoilers, were dastardly in the extreme, but not nearly as invincible as they thought they were. Oftentimes, I get confused by a large cast of characters like these books have, but somehow I never got lost and always knew who was who. I strongly suspect that's a testament to Stephen Donaldson's ability to draw each character with a distinctive personality that made each of them stand out.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading A Man Rides Through (for the second time:-)). It's a fabulous fantasy adventure that keeps the reader guessing pretty well as to what might happen next and how our intrepid heroes and heroines will ever win. The climax is a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat, thrill ride, and the epilogue wraps everything up perfectly. While the book certainly isn't a romance, there was just enough of it to satisfy this romance fan. I loved that from the beginning of this book, Terisa realized she loved Geraden and their relationship only grew stronger from there, even though it is secondary to everything else that's going on. There are also a couple of other romances in the background, so that was nice too. The only reason I dropped a half-star was because Stephen Donaldson has a very dense, somewhat wordy writing style that left my mind wandering at times, but at the same time, he also has a way with creating some unique and colorful turns of phrase. So, I'm a little conflicted on how I feel about all that. Otherwise, the two books together are a great story that I highly recommend to fans of fantasy fiction.
"4.5 stars" A Man Rides Through was a great wrap-up to the Mordant's Need duet. The first book of the series, The Mirror of Her Dreams, ended on a cliff-hanger, so A Man Rides Through picks up the plot exactly where it left off. It's a complex story rooted in the political intrigues of the medieval-style fantasy realm of Mordant. I would have loved to have a map to refer to while reading the story, and apparently many others fans concurred. I did find a fan-produced one online, which helps immensely in envisioning this land, which is situated between the two enemies of Alend and Cadwal. Years ago, when King Joyse conquered the land, he deliberately placed himself in that position to keep the peace, which had worked well until an unknown enemy rose up against Mordant. Now chaos has spread throughout the land as this enemy runs rampant. The primary fantasy element of the story centers around Imagery, a form of magic that relies on mirrors to translate people, objects, or creatures from parallel worlds (or within their own world) that can either help or hinder in the fight. King Joyse tried to make Imagery a force for good in the world, but a few power-hungry Imagers have now allied with Mordant's normal human enemies in an attempt to conquer them once and for all.
At the center of all these machinations is a young woman named Terisa. In the first book, she was “accidentally” translated from our world into Mordant by Geraden, a young Apt (apprentice imager) who had a penchant for clumsiness and misfortune. Due to her father's abuse growing up, Terisa suffered from a very low self-esteem and wasn't even certain if she was real. Coming with Geraden to Mordant gave her a new lease on life, but for most of The Mirror of Her Dreams, she was still a very passive character, who kind of allows things to happen around her without taking action. Now in A Man Rides Through, she finally discovers her true talent and really comes into her own. There are times when she still feels helpless, but overall, she becomes a much stronger character who is more proactive. She starts using her bright mind to think for herself and reason things out logically, and she's also willing and even eager at times to lend a hand to Mordant in whatever capacity she can even when she feels like she has little to offer. By the end of the book, she's truly standing up, not only for herself, but also for Geraden and the other characters she's come to care about. It was a lot of fun to watch her grow and change into a better version of herself, while not losing her innate kindness and gentleness. The Terisa of book #1 was a little too passive for my taste, but in book #2, she becomes an even more relatable and admirable heroine.
Geraden, too, is a character who comes into his own. In the first book, he was the laughingstock of the Congery, an Apt who had been in that position for ten years, far longer than anyone else, and still hadn't earned his chasuble as an Imager. I had to admire his grit and determination, but everyone else, for the most part, thinks of him as nothing but a bumbling idiot. He never allowed their jeering to harden him, though, and now he finally gets a chance to prove his mettle. We find out exactly why he hasn't made any inroads with the Congery for so long and he discovers a talent he never knew he possessed. He also puts his determination to good use in the fight against Mordant's enemies, and he also never lost faith in their king even when nearly everyone else, including the king's own family did. Geraden proves himself to be a strong and powerful hero, but he never loses the innate sweetness that made me fall in love with him from the beginning.
There are a plethora of supporting characters in these stories and many stand-outs, some who ultimately gave their lives for the cause, and others who survived, but all fought valiantly. Throughout most of book #1, the Tor was in a wine-soaked state, grieving the loss of his son and the downfall of his dear friend and king, but in this book, he really steps up to the plate and becomes invaluable. Despite his attempted attack on Orison (the seat of Mordant), Prince Kragan proves himself to be an honorable “enemy.” The king's daughters, Elega, Myste, and Torrent, all do their part. Myste's soft-heartedness in going after the Congery's champion, Darsint, turns out to be a particularly bold move. Geraden's family are a colorful bunch, but none more so than his brother, Artegel, a charmer with a big personality who is also the best swordsman in all of Mordant. Of course, there's also King Joyse himself and crazy Adept Havelock, who's brilliant strategizing actually paid off. The villains, who I shall leave unnamed so as to not give too many spoilers, were dastardly in the extreme, but not nearly as invincible as they thought they were. Oftentimes, I get confused by a large cast of characters like these books have, but somehow I never got lost and always knew who was who. I strongly suspect that's a testament to Stephen Donaldson's ability to draw each character with a distinctive personality that made each of them stand out.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading A Man Rides Through (for the second time:-)). It's a fabulous fantasy adventure that keeps the reader guessing pretty well as to what might happen next and how our intrepid heroes and heroines will ever win. The climax is a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat, thrill ride, and the epilogue wraps everything up perfectly. While the book certainly isn't a romance, there was just enough of it to satisfy this romance fan. I loved that from the beginning of this book, Terisa realized she loved Geraden and their relationship only grew stronger from there, even though it is secondary to everything else that's going on. There are also a couple of other romances in the background, so that was nice too. The only reason I dropped a half-star was because Stephen Donaldson has a very dense, somewhat wordy writing style that left my mind wandering at times, but at the same time, he also has a way with creating some unique and colorful turns of phrase. So, I'm a little conflicted on how I feel about all that. Otherwise, the two books together are a great story that I highly recommend to fans of fantasy fiction.
January 18, 2019
*SPOILERS WITHIN*
Concluding the re-read of Mordant's Need, Stephen Donaldson's post-Thomas Covenant epic duology, wasn't nearly as much fun as I thought it would be. These books haven't aged well, and are definitely not as good as I remember them being. That said, A MAN RIDES THROUGH does actually crunch through the gears and gathers narrative pace, even if it manages to expend a lot of that in the last third as our gallant heroes reluctantly and longwindedly decide to trust each other and join forces against Eremis, the most obvious, mustache-twirling, bad guy since Satan lobbed that apple into the Garden.
It helps that in this second half of the story, we're not stuck in Terisa's POV all the time. The head-hopping can be frustrating, but having to endure Donaldson's artificially and permanently passive heroine for very much longer would have made it impossible for the *author* to finish the book, let alone the reader. Fortunately some of the activity rubs off (literally) on Terisa and she takes a side and fights for Orison and King Joyse.
What with catapults, chaos slugs, a 40K-style space marine, mirror magic galore, and two desperate trawls across Mordant, armies in tow, there's a lot going on. And once Castellan Lebbick is removed from the scene, along with his fixation on Terisa's bod (why the hell does every man in this book want her to get her breasts out? Stephen? Please?) we're pretty much free to follow a standard uncover-the-villain's-plot path while both Geraden and Terisa come into their own powers in time to affect the outcome of the final battle and beat the bad guys in a last-ditch stand-off.
There are still some uncomfortable scenes to struggle through, not least those with Eremis and his lino-humping proclivities. Geraden's brother Nyle is put through torture and sexual abuse by the only (probably) identifiably gay character in the book (a Bad Guy, of course). The castle maid Saddith is used, abused, beaten badly by Lebbick, and seen to get "just desserts" for her behaviour and ambitions. Oh, and Joyse's "I fooled you all!" moment elicits nothing more than a weary sigh of "at last" from this corner as the hellishly over-complicated chess game finally turns into a good old-fashioned slapping match with infantry.
Perhaps the most satisfying moment, aside from the Congery finally being able to do battle with their mirrors, is Eremis's eventual comeuppance - distracted by his author-mandated need to penetrate Terisa, even as he conducts war against Orison's armies, his mind is trapped in a flat glass forever and he is left helplessly naked and stiff. You have to go a long way to get to that joke however, and the journey may not be worth it.
Fantasy has moved on in leaps and bounds since 1987, and if you hold a mirror up to Mordant's Need, you'll quickly see that it doesn't accurately reflect the genre today. A comfort read for some, an uncomfortable reminder of old images for others.
Concluding the re-read of Mordant's Need, Stephen Donaldson's post-Thomas Covenant epic duology, wasn't nearly as much fun as I thought it would be. These books haven't aged well, and are definitely not as good as I remember them being. That said, A MAN RIDES THROUGH does actually crunch through the gears and gathers narrative pace, even if it manages to expend a lot of that in the last third as our gallant heroes reluctantly and longwindedly decide to trust each other and join forces against Eremis, the most obvious, mustache-twirling, bad guy since Satan lobbed that apple into the Garden.
It helps that in this second half of the story, we're not stuck in Terisa's POV all the time. The head-hopping can be frustrating, but having to endure Donaldson's artificially and permanently passive heroine for very much longer would have made it impossible for the *author* to finish the book, let alone the reader. Fortunately some of the activity rubs off (literally) on Terisa and she takes a side and fights for Orison and King Joyse.
What with catapults, chaos slugs, a 40K-style space marine, mirror magic galore, and two desperate trawls across Mordant, armies in tow, there's a lot going on. And once Castellan Lebbick is removed from the scene, along with his fixation on Terisa's bod (why the hell does every man in this book want her to get her breasts out? Stephen? Please?) we're pretty much free to follow a standard uncover-the-villain's-plot path while both Geraden and Terisa come into their own powers in time to affect the outcome of the final battle and beat the bad guys in a last-ditch stand-off.
There are still some uncomfortable scenes to struggle through, not least those with Eremis and his lino-humping proclivities. Geraden's brother Nyle is put through torture and sexual abuse by the only (probably) identifiably gay character in the book (a Bad Guy, of course). The castle maid Saddith is used, abused, beaten badly by Lebbick, and seen to get "just desserts" for her behaviour and ambitions. Oh, and Joyse's "I fooled you all!" moment elicits nothing more than a weary sigh of "at last" from this corner as the hellishly over-complicated chess game finally turns into a good old-fashioned slapping match with infantry.
Perhaps the most satisfying moment, aside from the Congery finally being able to do battle with their mirrors, is Eremis's eventual comeuppance - distracted by his author-mandated need to penetrate Terisa, even as he conducts war against Orison's armies, his mind is trapped in a flat glass forever and he is left helplessly naked and stiff. You have to go a long way to get to that joke however, and the journey may not be worth it.
Fantasy has moved on in leaps and bounds since 1987, and if you hold a mirror up to Mordant's Need, you'll quickly see that it doesn't accurately reflect the genre today. A comfort read for some, an uncomfortable reminder of old images for others.
October 14, 2020
This review is for the series as a whole (The Mirror of Her Dreams and A Man Rides Through).
Stephen R. Donaldson has written 2 of my favorite series: The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant and The Gap Cycle. Despite that fact, I had never gotten around to reading his smaller (2 book) series: Mordant’s Need. Now that I have, I wonder why I waited so long. Mordant’s Need is yet another gem. SRD is a master of speculative fiction and one of my favorite authors. With imaginative brilliance, he places all too real characters in fantastical settings and weaves in-depth plots around and through their human frailty. As in his other works, the setting, plot and fantastical elements of these novels are a reflection of his characters’ psyche - a means through which their interior selves are laid bare and where plot resolution is so interwoven with personal development as to be indistinguishable. SRD’s always been a trail blazer and this series, which is totally devoid of the usual fantasy tropes, highlights his creative genius.
Terisa, the secretary for an ineffectual inner city mission, a young woman with a history of emotional abuse and a fading sense of reality - the kind of person who stares into a mirror in an attempt to ensure she is real - finds herself translated through her mirror into an alternate world. A male-dominated medieval world in the midst of upheaval where magic, war, sadism, shifting alliances, insanity, plots within plots and peril from all sides threaten.
This series asks some very important questions, such as: What constitutes reality? or makes something real? Can we rise above the boxes life puts us in? Do the choices we make have any real effect? Donaldson’s novels bring you to the edge of nihilism, and then reject it by finding meaning in the suffering of life and mankind’s ability to transcend it. His characters are never as simple as black and white. “Good” characters sometimes do atrocious acts of evil and “bad” characters sometimes turn out to be the “good guys” in the end. All in all, this is very well written and psychologically demanding awesomeness!
Stephen R. Donaldson has written 2 of my favorite series: The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant and The Gap Cycle. Despite that fact, I had never gotten around to reading his smaller (2 book) series: Mordant’s Need. Now that I have, I wonder why I waited so long. Mordant’s Need is yet another gem. SRD is a master of speculative fiction and one of my favorite authors. With imaginative brilliance, he places all too real characters in fantastical settings and weaves in-depth plots around and through their human frailty. As in his other works, the setting, plot and fantastical elements of these novels are a reflection of his characters’ psyche - a means through which their interior selves are laid bare and where plot resolution is so interwoven with personal development as to be indistinguishable. SRD’s always been a trail blazer and this series, which is totally devoid of the usual fantasy tropes, highlights his creative genius.
Terisa, the secretary for an ineffectual inner city mission, a young woman with a history of emotional abuse and a fading sense of reality - the kind of person who stares into a mirror in an attempt to ensure she is real - finds herself translated through her mirror into an alternate world. A male-dominated medieval world in the midst of upheaval where magic, war, sadism, shifting alliances, insanity, plots within plots and peril from all sides threaten.
This series asks some very important questions, such as: What constitutes reality? or makes something real? Can we rise above the boxes life puts us in? Do the choices we make have any real effect? Donaldson’s novels bring you to the edge of nihilism, and then reject it by finding meaning in the suffering of life and mankind’s ability to transcend it. His characters are never as simple as black and white. “Good” characters sometimes do atrocious acts of evil and “bad” characters sometimes turn out to be the “good guys” in the end. All in all, this is very well written and psychologically demanding awesomeness!
November 10, 2025
OK, this one needs a CW for sexual assault. (Come to think of it, the first one probably needed some kind of warning, if not for actual assault, then at least for being creeped on in a decidedly icky fashion.) On the plus side, I guess, unlike in the Thomas Covenant books, this time the protagonist is the victim, not the perpetrator.
Arguably, this is the book where things finally start to happen -- Orison is initially besieged by the Alend forces, Terisa and Geriden go haring off to try to round up support from the various Cares (territories) of Mordant (and to, finally, begin to understand and utilize their special mirror powers), and the true villains (some previously known, some unknown, some really not all that much of a surprise when revealed) unleash their plans.
And if nothing else, I'm reminded that Donaldson really does have a hand with the epic battle & action sequences, although there's nothing here that quite reaches the heights of, e.g., the Siege of Revelstone in the Thomas Covenant books. And these books are probably better than the Covenant books, but those will always be my first love.
Still, if you want a great, big slab of epic fantasy that has a beginning, middle and end in maybe 1400-1500 pages, you could do worse.
Arguably, this is the book where things finally start to happen -- Orison is initially besieged by the Alend forces, Terisa and Geriden go haring off to try to round up support from the various Cares (territories) of Mordant (and to, finally, begin to understand and utilize their special mirror powers), and the true villains (some previously known, some unknown, some really not all that much of a surprise when revealed) unleash their plans.
And if nothing else, I'm reminded that Donaldson really does have a hand with the epic battle & action sequences, although there's nothing here that quite reaches the heights of, e.g., the Siege of Revelstone in the Thomas Covenant books. And these books are probably better than the Covenant books, but those will always be my first love.
Still, if you want a great, big slab of epic fantasy that has a beginning, middle and end in maybe 1400-1500 pages, you could do worse.
September 7, 2020
Excellent end to this two book series. Terisa begins to conquer the magic of Imagery as the kingdom crumbles. She and friends must get allies for the King, which includes a displaced space marine, before a huge battle of the various factions settles everything. Superb premise, great characters, tons of action and magic and a giant slug beast. Loved this - must look out for more from this author.
May 8, 2020
The finale in the Mordant's Need series. Full of action, intrigue, shifting alliances and powerful mirrors, this takes off where "Mirror of Her Dreams" ends and doesn't let go for 600+ pages. I first read it in 1989; during the Covid-19 crises I decided it was time to dive in again.
If you like Fantasy, give this classic series a try!!
If you like Fantasy, give this classic series a try!!
March 12, 2015
Very very enjoyable books to read... but spoiled by inappropriate scenes
March 14, 2018
I read the first volume of Stephen R. Donaldson’s Mordan’ts Need, the book called The Mirror of Her Dreams last year, after a false start several years ago. The concept, in its elevator pitch form, was really cool: In a fantasy a world that uses mirrors as magical implementations of summoning/transition, the masters of mirror magic see a sci-fi hero in a prophetic vision ginned up to save their world. When they go to pull this deadly armored giant from the mirror, however, they get a febrile and mentally fragile woman, and no one knows why. However, I ran into my first problem with Donaldson’s style right away, and that ultimately caused me to call it quits: the melodrama.
I am a fan of Donaldson’s writing; I’ve read the first Chronicles of Thomas Covenant three or four times through, and I’ve read the entire series--all ten books--through once. I’ve also read a portion of his Gap cycle, and some of his short fiction. You don’t spent literally hundreds of hours reading someone’s work unless you’re a fan, but at the same time, it becomes difficult to overlook shortcuts and over-used linguistic tics that creator takes. Mannerisms that were endearing begin to grate, and once you see the dead pixel, you can’t really unsee it. Donaldson’s weakness--though some may call it a stylistic strength--is the microscopic detail he goes into with his characters’ neurosis. It’ melodrama, plain and simple, and in the worlds Donaldson creates, often ties it’s indecisive melodrama, where characters can’t seem to think or act clearly, perhaps so Donaldson can really explore nuances of plot and setting, but I think also to artificially inflate the story length.
This indecisiveness is one of the strengths of the Covenant series, I think: the Lords can’t decide what to do, are ineffectual ditherers waiting for Lord Foul to come back, or not. Covenant shows up, doesn’t care what they think, and he acts: that is both his strength and his crime. It’s not until later in the series, when he begins to believe in and care for the Land, that he hesitates and becomes indecisive; that indecision nearly costs him everything. That indecision is also wht so many people dislike about Linden Avery, the subsequent Covenant series protagonist. ANd ever since then, it seems indecision plagues Donaldson’s characters in general.
Mordant’s Need is no different, and Terisa Morgan, the main character, is every bit as indecisive as King Joyse, Geraden, the Tor, Castellan Lebbick, Artagel--everyone is so concerned and caring and unsure that they don’t act. The only people acting are Master Eremis (bad guy) and King Festten (bad guy). Maybe there’s a meta-narrative theme there; I don’t care What it boils down to is King Joyse having an unbelivably, incredously obstuse plan to out-siege his secret enemies and leaving everything up to chance and uncertain prophecy, while everyone else agonizes about why the king is mad and not helping, and eventually what to do when he goes missing for a while.
In 600 pages, there is maybe 200 pages of plot: Terisa is jailed, Terisa escapes, some people die, Terisa meets the Domne’s family at Houseldon and tours the Cares of Mordant, eventually makes her way back to Orison Castle, is re-seiged, captured, freed/escapes, goes to war, visits her own world real quick, then beats the bad guy. I’m skipping a LOT of beats in there, but that’s because most of those beats are periods of indecision where characters churn over and over the same information, adding one or two new facts that ultimately always add up to the same sum: We know King Joyse has a plan, but we don’t know what it is, and we’re afraid to act and upend it, until our hands are forced, and then we act with as little force as possible. Oh, and rape threats. Terisa spends the entire book almost being raped by one bad guy or another. It gets predictable. She gets captured, Eremis or Lebbick threatens visceral sexual violence against her, and then she escapes just in the nick of time. That combined with the uncertainty makes for a plodding, almost but not quite boring story.
Taken as a whole, I think Mordant’s Need is an interesting story about prophecy and predetermination, about individual agency within a broader vision of the world; I htink the magic is cool and Donaldson used it to good effect...but I think the plot of the story is dreadfully overwrought. This “volume 2” could have been just an extra 150 pages attached to a (similarly edited down) Volume 1. The story’s central conceit: that no one knows whats going on, or what to do, is its greatest flaw, and it seems to go out of its way to ram that down the reader’s throat.
A Man Rides Through is probably my least-favorite Donaldson novel of the fifteen or so I’ve read. It lacks of the narrative edge of the Gap books, and the ambition of Covenant. It’s prosaic and very pretty at times, and asks some valid questions that fantasy, as a genre, is particularly well-suited to examine and attempt to answer. It just takes too long to get to its destination. I read it in about three weeks and change, and can’t really recommend it without recommending the previous book...which I do, with the corollary that the second book is weak, and the series as a whole is not his best. It only makes sense to visit Mordant, Cadwal and Alend if you are already a Donaldson fan and want more.
I am a fan of Donaldson’s writing; I’ve read the first Chronicles of Thomas Covenant three or four times through, and I’ve read the entire series--all ten books--through once. I’ve also read a portion of his Gap cycle, and some of his short fiction. You don’t spent literally hundreds of hours reading someone’s work unless you’re a fan, but at the same time, it becomes difficult to overlook shortcuts and over-used linguistic tics that creator takes. Mannerisms that were endearing begin to grate, and once you see the dead pixel, you can’t really unsee it. Donaldson’s weakness--though some may call it a stylistic strength--is the microscopic detail he goes into with his characters’ neurosis. It’ melodrama, plain and simple, and in the worlds Donaldson creates, often ties it’s indecisive melodrama, where characters can’t seem to think or act clearly, perhaps so Donaldson can really explore nuances of plot and setting, but I think also to artificially inflate the story length.
This indecisiveness is one of the strengths of the Covenant series, I think: the Lords can’t decide what to do, are ineffectual ditherers waiting for Lord Foul to come back, or not. Covenant shows up, doesn’t care what they think, and he acts: that is both his strength and his crime. It’s not until later in the series, when he begins to believe in and care for the Land, that he hesitates and becomes indecisive; that indecision nearly costs him everything. That indecision is also wht so many people dislike about Linden Avery, the subsequent Covenant series protagonist. ANd ever since then, it seems indecision plagues Donaldson’s characters in general.
Mordant’s Need is no different, and Terisa Morgan, the main character, is every bit as indecisive as King Joyse, Geraden, the Tor, Castellan Lebbick, Artagel--everyone is so concerned and caring and unsure that they don’t act. The only people acting are Master Eremis (bad guy) and King Festten (bad guy). Maybe there’s a meta-narrative theme there; I don’t care What it boils down to is King Joyse having an unbelivably, incredously obstuse plan to out-siege his secret enemies and leaving everything up to chance and uncertain prophecy, while everyone else agonizes about why the king is mad and not helping, and eventually what to do when he goes missing for a while.
In 600 pages, there is maybe 200 pages of plot: Terisa is jailed, Terisa escapes, some people die, Terisa meets the Domne’s family at Houseldon and tours the Cares of Mordant, eventually makes her way back to Orison Castle, is re-seiged, captured, freed/escapes, goes to war, visits her own world real quick, then beats the bad guy. I’m skipping a LOT of beats in there, but that’s because most of those beats are periods of indecision where characters churn over and over the same information, adding one or two new facts that ultimately always add up to the same sum: We know King Joyse has a plan, but we don’t know what it is, and we’re afraid to act and upend it, until our hands are forced, and then we act with as little force as possible. Oh, and rape threats. Terisa spends the entire book almost being raped by one bad guy or another. It gets predictable. She gets captured, Eremis or Lebbick threatens visceral sexual violence against her, and then she escapes just in the nick of time. That combined with the uncertainty makes for a plodding, almost but not quite boring story.
Taken as a whole, I think Mordant’s Need is an interesting story about prophecy and predetermination, about individual agency within a broader vision of the world; I htink the magic is cool and Donaldson used it to good effect...but I think the plot of the story is dreadfully overwrought. This “volume 2” could have been just an extra 150 pages attached to a (similarly edited down) Volume 1. The story’s central conceit: that no one knows whats going on, or what to do, is its greatest flaw, and it seems to go out of its way to ram that down the reader’s throat.
A Man Rides Through is probably my least-favorite Donaldson novel of the fifteen or so I’ve read. It lacks of the narrative edge of the Gap books, and the ambition of Covenant. It’s prosaic and very pretty at times, and asks some valid questions that fantasy, as a genre, is particularly well-suited to examine and attempt to answer. It just takes too long to get to its destination. I read it in about three weeks and change, and can’t really recommend it without recommending the previous book...which I do, with the corollary that the second book is weak, and the series as a whole is not his best. It only makes sense to visit Mordant, Cadwal and Alend if you are already a Donaldson fan and want more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2021
Absolutely amazing conclusion to an epic, can't put down, totally enthralling story told over two books you will NEVER want to come to an end. This is must-read fantasy at its best, and a world that will fondly haunt your dreams for years to come.
September 18, 2021
Outstanding. It is obviously necessary to read the first book in the series. What a finale after the slow pace of the first book. I love Mordant's Need.
August 15, 2022
4 sterren - Nederlandse hardcover
Geleend van de bibliotheek. Sterren in agenda maar geen recencie ervan.
Geleend van de bibliotheek. Sterren in agenda maar geen recencie ervan.
February 20, 2024
Amazing second book after Mirror of her dreams
July 22, 2024
Still slaps, even after all these years
June 18, 2025
Conclusion of the duology, really one large book. All brought to a satisfying ending with some plot twists along the way.
August 16, 2023
Definitely better than the first. Less frustrating. The heroine conveniently develops a backbone and personality between the 2 books, which is as unrealistic as it was relieving. I don't think I'd recommend these books to anyone, and if I reread these, it's gonna be in at least 10 years after I've forgotten how frustrating the first one was.
April 14, 2025
Given that the two books are really one split in half this review covers the whole duology rather than just the second half.
It is also unique in the fact that it is one of the few times I've found a book that I dislike that was still written recognisably well.
Here are the good things about the book (and there are some).
- it is well written and well-structured. Chekhov guns are loaded and fired, characters learn and forget things then remember them later. The plot doesn't feel rushed, it feels deliberate and considered.
- Terisa has a good character arc. She starts off as infuriatingly ineffectual and very very gradually develops strengths and confidence. It is nice to see this arc happen gradually rather than instantaneously as is common in other works. She changes over time as a real person would.
- [spoiler?] the romance was a bit by rote but I enjoyed it. In particular I enjoyed that there was a good portion of the story where the romance was established and the official couple had some time to be the official couple rather than it get resolved only at the end.[/spoiler]
Now for the bad things, and first of all the main thing you should know about these books:
[TW: SA]
- Sexism. Sexism is rampant in these books and as far as I can make out there's no commentary other than pointing at it and saying "sexism exists" (if that) then moving on. It works to normalise it whilst also pointing it out. For example, the villains spend a lot of time commenting on the breasts of one character in leery ways at various points. This is presented as a Bad Thing, but then the author will ALSO comment on them in a descriptive capacity when it's not needed. Apparently they are unaware of the irony. The author shows at various points that the society is unfair in its treatment of women but also presents Terisa, the only woman from another world where things are more progressive on the whole, as the most submissive of them all. Part of this is her character, but as she improves this part never really goes away. She gets a lot of action and does quite a lot of stuff but still spends a lot of her time fainting all over the place, and generally being useless at key moments despite demonstrating aptitude in others. It reads like she can usually think for herself until she remembers "she's a woman" and becomes inexplicably incapable of doing anything. It is very frustrating to read as plainly the author CAN write this stuff, he just doesn't.
- There is a lot of sexual assault in these books and it is never really treated with the seriousness it deserves. Characters state things that happen as matter of fact and don't seem to react very negatively to it. It's harmful, in my opinion, to present such serious and painful events as ones that aren't deserving of the characters attention. It plays down the seriousness of the subject and I can not get past that. One character is infamous in-universe for believing that all women exist for love making and he regularly "seduces" them (read: forces himself on them whilst they're asleep). He can not comprehend that women might not reciprocate. And this character is not portrayed negatively, he's not even a villain. This is a black/white good/evil series and yet there is this character who is supposedly on the side of the good assaulting women CONSTANTLY. His actions are never addressed, and are played for comic relief if anything. It's disgusting.
These bad things are """"relatively"""" (in as many quotes as I can reasonably add) minor compared to the rest of the text. The story is still interesting, the characters are OK, and the magic system engaging. If you can get past them you will probably enjoy the two books, but I don't think you should get past them. These downsides are too pervasive, insidious, and fundamental to the text to be ignored. They ruined these books for me and poisoned me against recommending it to others. I think different people like different things and one thing I don't like can be another person's dearest love. But this book perpetuates dangerous ideas whilst also playing down the seriousness of violent trauma. It made me angry and that's why I decided to write this review. So that others can see this and maybe it will help them in the future.
It is also unique in the fact that it is one of the few times I've found a book that I dislike that was still written recognisably well.
Here are the good things about the book (and there are some).
- it is well written and well-structured. Chekhov guns are loaded and fired, characters learn and forget things then remember them later. The plot doesn't feel rushed, it feels deliberate and considered.
- Terisa has a good character arc. She starts off as infuriatingly ineffectual and very very gradually develops strengths and confidence. It is nice to see this arc happen gradually rather than instantaneously as is common in other works. She changes over time as a real person would.
- [spoiler?] the romance was a bit by rote but I enjoyed it. In particular I enjoyed that there was a good portion of the story where the romance was established and the official couple had some time to be the official couple rather than it get resolved only at the end.[/spoiler]
Now for the bad things, and first of all the main thing you should know about these books:
[TW: SA]
- Sexism. Sexism is rampant in these books and as far as I can make out there's no commentary other than pointing at it and saying "sexism exists" (if that) then moving on. It works to normalise it whilst also pointing it out. For example, the villains spend a lot of time commenting on the breasts of one character in leery ways at various points. This is presented as a Bad Thing, but then the author will ALSO comment on them in a descriptive capacity when it's not needed. Apparently they are unaware of the irony. The author shows at various points that the society is unfair in its treatment of women but also presents Terisa, the only woman from another world where things are more progressive on the whole, as the most submissive of them all. Part of this is her character, but as she improves this part never really goes away. She gets a lot of action and does quite a lot of stuff but still spends a lot of her time fainting all over the place, and generally being useless at key moments despite demonstrating aptitude in others. It reads like she can usually think for herself until she remembers "she's a woman" and becomes inexplicably incapable of doing anything. It is very frustrating to read as plainly the author CAN write this stuff, he just doesn't.
- There is a lot of sexual assault in these books and it is never really treated with the seriousness it deserves. Characters state things that happen as matter of fact and don't seem to react very negatively to it. It's harmful, in my opinion, to present such serious and painful events as ones that aren't deserving of the characters attention. It plays down the seriousness of the subject and I can not get past that. One character is infamous in-universe for believing that all women exist for love making and he regularly "seduces" them (read: forces himself on them whilst they're asleep). He can not comprehend that women might not reciprocate. And this character is not portrayed negatively, he's not even a villain. This is a black/white good/evil series and yet there is this character who is supposedly on the side of the good assaulting women CONSTANTLY. His actions are never addressed, and are played for comic relief if anything. It's disgusting.
These bad things are """"relatively"""" (in as many quotes as I can reasonably add) minor compared to the rest of the text. The story is still interesting, the characters are OK, and the magic system engaging. If you can get past them you will probably enjoy the two books, but I don't think you should get past them. These downsides are too pervasive, insidious, and fundamental to the text to be ignored. They ruined these books for me and poisoned me against recommending it to others. I think different people like different things and one thing I don't like can be another person's dearest love. But this book perpetuates dangerous ideas whilst also playing down the seriousness of violent trauma. It made me angry and that's why I decided to write this review. So that others can see this and maybe it will help them in the future.
February 14, 2017
A much faster pace than the first book. While still an epic fantasy with a lot of intrigue, this book is the one that finally has battles, struggle, and the heroes secret skills coming to the forefront.
Terisa and Geraden finally get together (sorry kids, no sex scenes) although their relationship feels a little too easy for everything happening. Donaldson, nevertheless, is able to create entertaining and distinctive characters both female and male.
Are there better series out there? Sure. If you want something less than 2k pages in total and enjoy epic fantasy, this can be a fun read. Buy it used or go to the library for it folks.
Terisa and Geraden finally get together (sorry kids, no sex scenes) although their relationship feels a little too easy for everything happening. Donaldson, nevertheless, is able to create entertaining and distinctive characters both female and male.
Are there better series out there? Sure. If you want something less than 2k pages in total and enjoy epic fantasy, this can be a fun read. Buy it used or go to the library for it folks.
December 29, 2020
It's FINALLY over. I am so happy it's finally done. I've wasted so much time forcing my way through this duology and what do I have to show for it? This scathing review, I guess.
Literally the only reason I'm giving it a 2/5 is because it was a little easier to get through than the first one, and I have an easier time identifying why I hate it so much.
I don't like high/epic fantasy to begin with, but I can enjoy it once in a while. Maybe if you're a hardcore fan you'll like this duology. It has its good moments, and the concept is interesting and all that. Whatever. I hate it. Y'know what, I'm going back and giving it a 1/5.
Please tell me why Stephen R. Donaldson can give detailed descriptions of molestation and near-rape and torture etc., but never bothers to describe the consensual happy sexy time? Then it's all, "they made each other very happy all night long." And how come when men lose their minds they become extra misogynistic and violent towards women? Is that just how Mr. Donaldson views the world? Cause I hate it.
And for f's sake if I have to hear ONE MORE TIME about how "Elega didn't look beautiful in the out doors, she was more suited to shadows and castle intrigue, as opposed to her sister Myste who looked pallid indoors but would positively glow like a goddamn firefly in the clear sunshine" I'm going to scream. Jesus christ.
Literally the only reason I'm giving it a 2/5 is because it was a little easier to get through than the first one, and I have an easier time identifying why I hate it so much.
I don't like high/epic fantasy to begin with, but I can enjoy it once in a while. Maybe if you're a hardcore fan you'll like this duology. It has its good moments, and the concept is interesting and all that. Whatever. I hate it. Y'know what, I'm going back and giving it a 1/5.
Please tell me why Stephen R. Donaldson can give detailed descriptions of molestation and near-rape and torture etc., but never bothers to describe the consensual happy sexy time? Then it's all, "they made each other very happy all night long." And how come when men lose their minds they become extra misogynistic and violent towards women? Is that just how Mr. Donaldson views the world? Cause I hate it.
And for f's sake if I have to hear ONE MORE TIME about how "Elega didn't look beautiful in the out doors, she was more suited to shadows and castle intrigue, as opposed to her sister Myste who looked pallid indoors but would positively glow like a goddamn firefly in the clear sunshine" I'm going to scream. Jesus christ.
September 27, 2013
Donaldson's writings are a mass of contradictions; characters you hate, but care about, descriptions and explanations that go on and on but fail to bore you... He's a writer I have an unusual love/hate relationship with because he takes the unlikeliest of heroes (the anti-hero)and drags them thru every awful thing imaginable before he lets the hero justify or redeem himself. By the end, you just want to scream in frustration over all the fumbling and stupidity you've had to suffer thru, only to see the hero finally become a hero in a very small & simple way. I'm amazed by how much I cared about Mordant and all these characters by the end of the story, even though I still didn't really like Terisa or Geraden. I feel entirely satisfied but still unsettled. Incredible. I would give him 5 stars, but he gets marked down for driving me crazy.
I had intended to read the Thomas Covenant books from start to finish soon (all 10 books), but I think I'm going to need a rest before that kind of challenge...
Audiobook - Again, Scott Brick is probably the best narrator around. He's absolutely amazing!
I had intended to read the Thomas Covenant books from start to finish soon (all 10 books), but I think I'm going to need a rest before that kind of challenge...
Audiobook - Again, Scott Brick is probably the best narrator around. He's absolutely amazing!
April 3, 2020
This plus "The Mirror of Her Dreams" are one novel in two volumes; neither stands alone and you will be quite confused if you don't read the first book first. Together, they are an excellent read.
As Mordant nears war, the plots all start to come together, even while things seem to be falling apart. Terisa & Geradan have fled for their lives, leaving the traitor in Mordant looking like a hero. The king is still incompetent, as is his chief advisor. An army is camped outside the gates, led by the son of an old enemy who has formed an alliance with the king's daughter. The king's other daughter is still missing. Another army is marching through the kingdom. And Imagers are doing impossible things with mirrors, unleashing horrors on King Joyse's allies and targeting Terisa & Geraden.
I'm not going to give away any of the book. Just telling you that the story is gripping, the characters compelling, and it's a roller coaster ride of a book. I still don't quite "get" the rules surrounding the mirrors, but I have faith that Donaldson did and that didn't keep me from loving the books.
As Mordant nears war, the plots all start to come together, even while things seem to be falling apart. Terisa & Geradan have fled for their lives, leaving the traitor in Mordant looking like a hero. The king is still incompetent, as is his chief advisor. An army is camped outside the gates, led by the son of an old enemy who has formed an alliance with the king's daughter. The king's other daughter is still missing. Another army is marching through the kingdom. And Imagers are doing impossible things with mirrors, unleashing horrors on King Joyse's allies and targeting Terisa & Geraden.
I'm not going to give away any of the book. Just telling you that the story is gripping, the characters compelling, and it's a roller coaster ride of a book. I still don't quite "get" the rules surrounding the mirrors, but I have faith that Donaldson did and that didn't keep me from loving the books.
November 26, 2018
I was so glad I had this already in my library when I finished The Mirror of Her Dreams. I started right in on it, no waiting a year for it to be published as I did when it was first published. Just as it did 30+ years ago, it drew me into its story.
This book flew along as there was not the need to create the world and people as there was in the first book. Terisa and Geraden discover who they are and finally take action. While disaster seems to follow them from place to place, they are growing in confidence and resolve.
Yes, I did follow Terisa's growth the most, but I also watched King Joyse and began to understand his path as Terisa and Geraden did. I found their insights fascinating.
Who would like it? To begin with, this is not a standalone book; you must read The Mirror of Her Dreams first. But if you enjoy well-written fantasy, a touch of intrigue, and good people holding back the dark, then you would enjoy this series.
This book flew along as there was not the need to create the world and people as there was in the first book. Terisa and Geraden discover who they are and finally take action. While disaster seems to follow them from place to place, they are growing in confidence and resolve.
Yes, I did follow Terisa's growth the most, but I also watched King Joyse and began to understand his path as Terisa and Geraden did. I found their insights fascinating.
Who would like it? To begin with, this is not a standalone book; you must read The Mirror of Her Dreams first. But if you enjoy well-written fantasy, a touch of intrigue, and good people holding back the dark, then you would enjoy this series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 274 reviews