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Nine Kingdoms #5
Spellweaver
The New York Times bestselling author returns to the Nine Kingdoms for another spellbinding story of magical romance.
Ruith had long managed to ignore the magic in his veins, until aiding Sarah with her ill-fated quest forced him into places where his heritage was impossible to deny. Faced with an ever-increasing number of enemies who covet his power, Ruith must accept his birthright and gather his father's spells together, so he can destroy them-or turn away and allow his father's evil to overcome the Nine Kingdoms.
Now, Ruith and Sarah must rely on each other more than ever-for everything they value is at risk: the Nine Kingdoms, their lives...and their hearts.
Ruith had long managed to ignore the magic in his veins, until aiding Sarah with her ill-fated quest forced him into places where his heritage was impossible to deny. Faced with an ever-increasing number of enemies who covet his power, Ruith must accept his birthright and gather his father's spells together, so he can destroy them-or turn away and allow his father's evil to overcome the Nine Kingdoms.
Now, Ruith and Sarah must rely on each other more than ever-for everything they value is at risk: the Nine Kingdoms, their lives...and their hearts.
368 pages, Paperback
First published November 23, 2010
38 people are currently reading
1121 people want to read
About the author
Lynn Kurland
69 books1,567 followersLynn began her writing career at the tender age of five with a series of illustrated novellas entitled Clinton’s Troubles in which the compelling hero found himself in all sorts of . . . well, trouble. She was living in Hawaii at the time and the scope for her imagination (poisoned fish, tropical cliffs, large spiders) was great and poor Clinton bore the brunt of it. After returning to the mainland, her writing gave way to training in classical music and Clinton, who had been felled with arrows, eaten by fish and sent tumbling off cars, was put aside for operatic heroes in tights.
Somehow during high school, in between bouts of Verdi and Rossini, she managed to find time to submerge herself in equal parts Tolkien, Barbara Cartland and Mad Magazine. During college, a chance encounter with a large library stack of romances left her hooked, gave her the courage to put pen to paper herself, and finally satisfied that need for a little bit of fantasy with a whole lot of romance!
Somehow during high school, in between bouts of Verdi and Rossini, she managed to find time to submerge herself in equal parts Tolkien, Barbara Cartland and Mad Magazine. During college, a chance encounter with a large library stack of romances left her hooked, gave her the courage to put pen to paper herself, and finally satisfied that need for a little bit of fantasy with a whole lot of romance!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
November 24, 2011
Can't believe this book was rated so well by so many people. I was so annoyed by the repetition in this book. First off, by the exact same relationship between Sarah and Ruith as there was between Miach and Morgan...except I liked it better in the first trilogy. How many times can they be dazzled by one another's beauty, terrified beyond anything they've experienced before (yes, terrified more than they were 20 pages ago, but give them ten more pages and it gets EVEN worse), encountering magic to a degree never imagined, etc. The weird doubting of each other's love and constant disbelief of it got old really quickly. They are constantly in new castles/keeps more amazing than the last, but won't be spoiled by this since who knows when they will have such accomadations again (hint...you will in a few more pages). I kept forgetting what the goal of all this was, never did understand the terrible idea of collecting spells but not destroying them until they had them all, and didn't get how with all the magic in the family so many people were NOT killed at the well and no one knew it...not even the all powerful grandparents. And what's the deal with Droch...what is he at the keep for, why do they put up with him? His ease of ability to capture people for pawns and other evils seem like they'd be an issue for others at the keep. This book was really frustrating since I really like the world Kurland created, but this was rambling and the points that seemed like they were introducing something or someone really interesting quickly devolved into something we've read before. Still holding out hope that the next book will develop some of the more interesting ideas, develop a personality for Sarah other than stunned, scared or determined, and redeem the series, but I'm not as anxious for the next one as I would have hoped to be.
February 26, 2017
The beginning of this series was absolutely stellar, but as it goes on it's getting kind of old and a bit stale. The same themes keep popping up, a person thought to be dead for years has really been in hiding and keeping their identity secret. Or person thought to be dead is actually alive but has no knowledge of who they are and then their identity is revealed and they turn out to be long lost royalty. Despite that I did still find some aspects of this book very interesting! I loved learning about Sarah's particular kind of magic and the big reveal at the ending was a surprise to me so I am still looking forward to continuing the series!
January 6, 2011
This review may be rife with spoilers for Spellweaver and the previous Nine Kingdoms books. Tread with caution. Also note, long review is long.
Dear Author, I was all prepared to love this book as I had loved Morgan and Miach's books and liked Ruith and Sarah's first book. The slight uneasiness I had felt upon reading A Tapestry of Spells, a worry that the characters and story were starting to sound familiar, was easily set aside to immerse myself in the Nine Kingdoms world again. Unfortunately, I could not say the same for this book. To give this book a rating less than "Liked" was a dismay because I have loved the Nine Kingdoms series. However, I honestly could not give it a higher rating; and even worse, this book has weakened my enthusiasm for the series itself.
Where I Describe My Love for Morgan and Miach
Why did I describe my thoughts about the main characters of the first three books? Because the main characters for the next three started sounding just like them.
Where I Describe Why I Felt Sarah and Ruith Sounded Like Morgan and Miach
Where I Discuss My Problems with the First Half of the Book
Where I Discuss My Problems with the Second Half of the Book
And finally, shape-changing horses that Hearn would lust after? WTH?
PS: You didn't have to bang our heads with the unsubtle hints of a possible trilogy for Solleir's HEA. Although I did enjoy that banter.
PPS: What did I enjoy about this book? It was a Nine Kingdoms book, the romance was still sweet, the characters were still enjoyable, and Ruith's and Sarah's haggling over how and when Ruith might court her was pretty funny.
Dear Author, I was all prepared to love this book as I had loved Morgan and Miach's books and liked Ruith and Sarah's first book. The slight uneasiness I had felt upon reading A Tapestry of Spells, a worry that the characters and story were starting to sound familiar, was easily set aside to immerse myself in the Nine Kingdoms world again. Unfortunately, I could not say the same for this book. To give this book a rating less than "Liked" was a dismay because I have loved the Nine Kingdoms series. However, I honestly could not give it a higher rating; and even worse, this book has weakened my enthusiasm for the series itself.
Where I Describe My Love for Morgan and Miach
I loved Morgan's personality. She was prickly, confident, with a dead-panned sense of humor. She was a more than competent swordsman, which meant that she could take care of herself. When it was discovered that she had inherited more than her fair share of magical ability from her parents, that made her even stronger - in a sense. It was a little disappointing that she starting falling apart and needed to depend on Miach to keep her safe for Books 2 and 3. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed reading the sweet romance that developed between her and Miach, and enjoyed their interactions and banter.
I loved Miach. Miach, I suppose, is what one might call a beta hero. He was sweet, sensitive, gentle, thoughtful and considerate. But he had a tendency to cry too often. I don't mind crying men, but I myself am not a weepy, emotional person so many times, I felt exasperated and wondered why all these men were crying. With some effort, I managed to push this irritation aside. I still loved the first three books.
Miach was also quiet, serious, and seemed like the type of guy who liked to fade into the background. He also happened to be the most powerful mage in the whole of the Nine Kingdoms. I could live with that. But it did irk me when he also became a more than competent swordsman under Scrymgeour Weger's tutelage because this meant that he overpowered Morgan not only in the magical sense but in the physical sense because now, in the only area where she had had the upper hand, Miach is her equal. Still, I did get the sense that Morgan had much magical potential so although Miach would be her superior as a mage and her equal in swordsmanship, with much application to her magic studies, it was possible for Morgan to be just as powerful a mage. I could live with this as well.
Why did I describe my thoughts about the main characters of the first three books? Because the main characters for the next three started sounding just like them.
Where I Describe Why I Felt Sarah and Ruith Sounded Like Morgan and Miach
Sarah was prickly and although not too confident because she had no magical ability when she felt she ought to have one, she was confident in her own way, and had a sense of humor similar to Morgan's. I suppose this is no surprise since you, author, created them both, but one could have wished that you had made more of an effort to make Sarah an individual rather than someone who resembled a former beloved character.
Ruith was a bit gruff, and he was cruel to Sarah if he felt that it was for her own good. We did not get to see Miach reveal this side to his Morgan. But he was also sweet, sensitive (he cries, too -_-;), gentle, thoughtful and considerate. He is a powerful mage just like Miach. Not only did he sound like Miach in terms of characteristics, he sounded like Miach in speech as well with his gallantry and chivalry towards Sarah. Yes, they were both of royal lines where they had gallantry and chivalry towards women bred into them, but did they really have to sound so much alike that I started forgetting whose story I was reading? (And I did start writing Morgan instead of Sarah in the most recent mention.)
Where I Discuss My Problems with the First Half of the Book
One of the things that had bothered me in A Tapestry of Spells and was carried into Spellweaver was the lack of a timeline, and the lack of shared information. It prompted questions that were not answered. C.S. Lewis could get away with it in The Chronicles of Narnia with Aslan's, "This is not your story" but that method did not work here. I had a feeling that you made things vague to allow you some leniency regarding the development of the storyline but all it did was vex me.
When Ruith first met Sgath, did Sgath know about Morgan? If so, why did he not tell Ruith that his little sister lived? If Sgath had not met Morgan until later, why did he not tell anyone else that Ruith still lived? When Ruith meets Solleir, why does his brother Runach not reveal himself to him or let him know that Morgan too had survived? I suppose Solleir keeping secrets was somewhat acceptable although he did freely provide the information once Ruith demanded it, which made it less acceptable because then I was left to wonder why he did not tell anyone about the survival of Gair and Sarait's children, particularly to Runach who had lived and worked as his servant for many years. What was the point of all this secrecy? This particular question nagged and frustrated the hell out of me to the point that I was nearly fuming for the first half of the book. I will admit that Miach agreeing to keep Ruith's survival from Morgan for the time being was somewhat acceptable since there were probably doubts about Ruith's survival of his task, and thus the question of the point of secrecy being answered.
I had also wondered why Runach and Ruith had not fled to their relations for protection after the tragedy at the well. I felt that you tried to address those questions in this book, but the answers were not very satisfactory.
Where I Discuss My Problems with the Second Half of the Book
The second half of the book did not weather through my now-critical eyes much better than the first half because Sarah's story was starting to sound most eerily like Morgan's. A common, apparently unmagical young gel from the village of Who-Knows-Where turns out to be a rather special and magical gel with a royal bloodline, thus making her an acceptable mate for the acknowledged royal companion. The young gels' stories began rather tragically but ends well with the revelation of other relations, especially powerful ones who had been watching over them from afar - or near. The princes-in-disguise discovers the true identity of their lovely companions and must find a way to break the truth to their objects of affection as gently as they can.
As the book started revealing this aspect of the story, I will admit to being tempted to throw the book across the room. I could not believe that this storyline was being reused, and since it was the dead of the night and not being the type to abuse books like that, I settled for verbal expressions of disgust and dismay.
Ruith had, since his first book, been worried about his heritage, and whether he might turn out to be like his mad, evil father. That was the basis for him hiding away in the backwater of Nowhere, and for thoroughly hiding his magic. I suppose since he was still a child at the time of the tragedy of the well, this may have been an acceptable reason for him to refuse his magical heritage. But when you juxtapose Ruith's concerns that Sile's garden will not let him through with Ruith's recollections of playing in that same garden when he was younger, it really destroyed all credibility for Ruith's concerns - at least for this reader. I had had difficulty accepting Ruith's angst about his paternal heritage in A Tapestry of Spells. This particularly scene made me snort in disbelief and exasperation.
And finally, shape-changing horses that Hearn would lust after? WTH?
PS: You didn't have to bang our heads with the unsubtle hints of a possible trilogy for Solleir's HEA. Although I did enjoy that banter.
PPS: What did I enjoy about this book? It was a Nine Kingdoms book, the romance was still sweet, the characters were still enjoyable, and Ruith's and Sarah's haggling over how and when Ruith might court her was pretty funny.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2010
Spellweaver by Lynn Kurland
Paranormal Romance- Jan. 4th, 2011
4 ½ stars
Spellweaver is a part of a spellbinding saga and the 5th in the fantasy series by Lynn Kurland. Spellweaver is the 2nd story concerning Sarah of Doire and Ruithneadh of Ceangail. The 1st three book concerned Ruith's sister Morgan.
Ruith is a powerful mage with elvish magic. Handsome and talented, he hides his magic because he is haunted by his father’s evil use of magic and wants none to taint him. But there are dangerous people who want his father’s dark spells. The most dangerous one of them steals magic from others. Ruith knows he can't let anyone use these spells but he needs Sarah's talent to see spells to find them. But Sarah's past with magic has burned her. And although she is attracted to Ruith, she wants to stay as far away from magic as possible. Can their budding attraction for each other have a chance to grow in this atmosphere of mistrust and secrets?
This is a gentle fantasy world that reminds me of Robin Owens’s Heart series but on a grander, more epic scale. The 1st of 3 books concern the impetuous swordswoman Morgan. Because there is a lot of detail and rather involving cast of characters that interrelate, I would highly suggest reading them in order starting with Morgan's 1st book Star of the Morning which I felt was a joy to read. At the very least, read the beginning of Ruith's journey in A Tapestry of Spells.
This series has a gentle charm that almost seems poetic. Evil villains and tortured heroes and heroines are slowly and skillfully revealed by the author. This series is mesmerizing as I became invested in the main characters and wanted them to find peace and conquer evil. Ruith is not as charismatic as is his sister Morgan who lost her memory and had to search for her identity. Ruith is more of an enigma. He suffers because of his father's evil and how it destroyed his family. He has had many years to lick his wounds and try to come to terms with his family’s destruction. Sarah also has many issues to resolve. Her troubled relationship with her magical and power hungry brother and the disappointment she was to her magical mother. Because Sarah does not have any real magic, she was tormented when she was younger and generally branded an outcast. Being around a mage, even one who chooses not to use his powers, is difficult for her.
This story is complex. Anyone who loves epic fantasies with emotion, rich history and deep characters will enjoy this slow moving story. I was particularly interested to know more about Ruith's evil father, Gair, and can't wait for Ruith to begin using his powerful magic. I would also like to know more about the powerful and wise mage Soilleir and his past. He seems very similar to Gandalf's character in Lord of the Rings. And I would love to hear about his history and how he came into his powers or what will happen in his future.
Magical swords, evil villains, dangerous spells, courageous heroes and an epic adventure create an addictive read.
Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
Paranormal Romance- Jan. 4th, 2011
4 ½ stars
Spellweaver is a part of a spellbinding saga and the 5th in the fantasy series by Lynn Kurland. Spellweaver is the 2nd story concerning Sarah of Doire and Ruithneadh of Ceangail. The 1st three book concerned Ruith's sister Morgan.
Ruith is a powerful mage with elvish magic. Handsome and talented, he hides his magic because he is haunted by his father’s evil use of magic and wants none to taint him. But there are dangerous people who want his father’s dark spells. The most dangerous one of them steals magic from others. Ruith knows he can't let anyone use these spells but he needs Sarah's talent to see spells to find them. But Sarah's past with magic has burned her. And although she is attracted to Ruith, she wants to stay as far away from magic as possible. Can their budding attraction for each other have a chance to grow in this atmosphere of mistrust and secrets?
This is a gentle fantasy world that reminds me of Robin Owens’s Heart series but on a grander, more epic scale. The 1st of 3 books concern the impetuous swordswoman Morgan. Because there is a lot of detail and rather involving cast of characters that interrelate, I would highly suggest reading them in order starting with Morgan's 1st book Star of the Morning which I felt was a joy to read. At the very least, read the beginning of Ruith's journey in A Tapestry of Spells.
This series has a gentle charm that almost seems poetic. Evil villains and tortured heroes and heroines are slowly and skillfully revealed by the author. This series is mesmerizing as I became invested in the main characters and wanted them to find peace and conquer evil. Ruith is not as charismatic as is his sister Morgan who lost her memory and had to search for her identity. Ruith is more of an enigma. He suffers because of his father's evil and how it destroyed his family. He has had many years to lick his wounds and try to come to terms with his family’s destruction. Sarah also has many issues to resolve. Her troubled relationship with her magical and power hungry brother and the disappointment she was to her magical mother. Because Sarah does not have any real magic, she was tormented when she was younger and generally branded an outcast. Being around a mage, even one who chooses not to use his powers, is difficult for her.
This story is complex. Anyone who loves epic fantasies with emotion, rich history and deep characters will enjoy this slow moving story. I was particularly interested to know more about Ruith's evil father, Gair, and can't wait for Ruith to begin using his powerful magic. I would also like to know more about the powerful and wise mage Soilleir and his past. He seems very similar to Gandalf's character in Lord of the Rings. And I would love to hear about his history and how he came into his powers or what will happen in his future.
Magical swords, evil villains, dangerous spells, courageous heroes and an epic adventure create an addictive read.
Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
August 12, 2015
It's been a couple of years since I read the previous book, so I had forgotten some of the details. About midway through the book I realized that this series is actually three trilogies about siblings who share a tragic past and became separated for at least a decade. Each book is written so that the action comes to a pause by the end, but nothing is fully resolved until the end of the corresponding trilogy. However, I think the entire series revolves around the fallout of the tragic event that happened all those years in the past.
In this book we have Sarah, who can see magic and had an unhappy upbringing, and Ruith, who has been hiding from himself. Ruith finds he has to come to terms with himself and his heritage in order to complete his quest and keep Sarah safe. Sarah finds herself in one unexpected situation after another. While she is strong willed, she isn't trained as anything but weaving. So, she is pretty dependent and vulnerable. Fortunately, she isn't a wilting flower and does her best to keep her head about her. This becomes harder as she learns more about her past. However, she holds her head up even as it exhausts her.
There are plenty of questions raised during this book, only some of which are answered. There are some questions raised in the previous book that are answered in this one, such as who Francisco is. However, there are a lot of characters from the first book who don't make a reappearance other than Sarah and Ruich wondering where they went to. However, we do meet with some characters from the first trilogy, and also with the sibling for the next one. I was surprised that there was no effort made to figuring out what Sarah can do.
That being said, while I don't find myself sucked into this story the way I did the first three books in the series, I am enjoying it and look forward to reading the rest. And I still think Sarah is an awesome heroine--strong without being a warrior or having magical superpowers (though I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't develop those by the end of the next book).
In this book we have Sarah, who can see magic and had an unhappy upbringing, and Ruith, who has been hiding from himself. Ruith finds he has to come to terms with himself and his heritage in order to complete his quest and keep Sarah safe. Sarah finds herself in one unexpected situation after another. While she is strong willed, she isn't trained as anything but weaving. So, she is pretty dependent and vulnerable. Fortunately, she isn't a wilting flower and does her best to keep her head about her. This becomes harder as she learns more about her past. However, she holds her head up even as it exhausts her.
There are plenty of questions raised during this book, only some of which are answered. There are some questions raised in the previous book that are answered in this one, such as who Francisco is. However, there are a lot of characters from the first book who don't make a reappearance other than Sarah and Ruich wondering where they went to. However, we do meet with some characters from the first trilogy, and also with the sibling for the next one. I was surprised that there was no effort made to figuring out what Sarah can do.
That being said, while I don't find myself sucked into this story the way I did the first three books in the series, I am enjoying it and look forward to reading the rest. And I still think Sarah is an awesome heroine--strong without being a warrior or having magical superpowers (though I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't develop those by the end of the next book).
May 11, 2013
I've made the mistake of not reviewing this book when I finished it because I put it down and picked up Gift of Magic (the 6t and last book in the series) the next minute. I have been totally into this series since I began reading it five weeks ago. I probably have rated them against each other in a way, ending up with giving four of them five stars and two of them four. Loved the world, the characters, and the story.
This fifth book continues with Sarah and Ruith's quest to find all of his evil father's spells so they will not fall into the hands of another black mage and to destroy them. Sarah does not have magic, but she has the ability to "see" things and can see where every spell has been hidden. Only for that reason does Ruith bear to have her come with him and into one dangerous situation after another. There are many wonderful entities in this story - elves, dwarves, mortals (not many of them), mages (some good and some very evil). It is full of magic which is beautifully written. There are a lot of names I can not pronounce and different kinds of magic, all with names, but I did not have a hard time following it. I learned to pronounce the names in my head even if I probably can not say them! Ruith is Prince Ruithneadh of Ceangail....
I think one of the reasons I liked this series so much is simply because it is enjoyable to be in this world. It isn't a scary read although there are some tense scenes, the romance is there throughout but it is a love story with humor at times, and if one wants torrid scenes in a story they are not here. It has nothing in it that a young teen should not read although it may be too complex for a lot of them. I simply loved being in the world and a part of these great magical men and woman. And Sarah of course.
No spoilers but as had to happen, in this book Ruith finds that he is going to have to embrace his magic and no longer keep it buried within himself. The stakes are too high and his ability to protect Sarah is not there without magic - very powerful magic.
Best of all, Miach comes back into the story! The first three books were the story of Miach, the Archmage of Neroche and Morgan. Miach quickly became one of my all time favorite book heroes which is one reason why I spent the fourth book missing him. These last three books take place in the same nine Kingdoms, but just very slightly after the events of the first three books. I loved the parts in this book where Ruith and Miach reminisce about their boyhood friendship when they spent much of it sneaking into libraries and stealing spells they were not supposed to have. Good thing they did!
Now I have to figure out how to do a good review without spoilers for the sixth book, Gift of Magic. It will be a five star. If you like fantasy romance with lots of magic I highly recommend this series.
This fifth book continues with Sarah and Ruith's quest to find all of his evil father's spells so they will not fall into the hands of another black mage and to destroy them. Sarah does not have magic, but she has the ability to "see" things and can see where every spell has been hidden. Only for that reason does Ruith bear to have her come with him and into one dangerous situation after another. There are many wonderful entities in this story - elves, dwarves, mortals (not many of them), mages (some good and some very evil). It is full of magic which is beautifully written. There are a lot of names I can not pronounce and different kinds of magic, all with names, but I did not have a hard time following it. I learned to pronounce the names in my head even if I probably can not say them! Ruith is Prince Ruithneadh of Ceangail....
I think one of the reasons I liked this series so much is simply because it is enjoyable to be in this world. It isn't a scary read although there are some tense scenes, the romance is there throughout but it is a love story with humor at times, and if one wants torrid scenes in a story they are not here. It has nothing in it that a young teen should not read although it may be too complex for a lot of them. I simply loved being in the world and a part of these great magical men and woman. And Sarah of course.
No spoilers but as had to happen, in this book Ruith finds that he is going to have to embrace his magic and no longer keep it buried within himself. The stakes are too high and his ability to protect Sarah is not there without magic - very powerful magic.
Best of all, Miach comes back into the story! The first three books were the story of Miach, the Archmage of Neroche and Morgan. Miach quickly became one of my all time favorite book heroes which is one reason why I spent the fourth book missing him. These last three books take place in the same nine Kingdoms, but just very slightly after the events of the first three books. I loved the parts in this book where Ruith and Miach reminisce about their boyhood friendship when they spent much of it sneaking into libraries and stealing spells they were not supposed to have. Good thing they did!
Now I have to figure out how to do a good review without spoilers for the sixth book, Gift of Magic. It will be a five star. If you like fantasy romance with lots of magic I highly recommend this series.
August 17, 2023
The Nine Kingdom novels had me riveted from the first pages-- the romance is lushly sweet and the Nine Kingdoms themselves are a magical spot. My only complaint is that Kurland appears to be on a one-book-per-year schedule... so I have another year to wait for the conclusion of Ruith and Sarah's romance.
Read
February 16, 2012Nyeh. I've read better. She's written better. I enjoy the pace and overall charm of the author's work, but it was yet another story about making friends with the author's favorite characters.
April 17, 2017
Fifth in the Nine Kingdoms fantasy series revolving around the surviving siblings of the blackest mage known in the history of the Nine Kingdoms; it's also a bridge story continuing the adventures of Ruith of Ceangail and Sarah of Doìre. (I also believe it takes place during or shortly after the adventures in
Princess of the Sword
.
My Take
Part of what I enjoy about the Nine Kingdoms is the casual manners of its good royals and mages. The mischievousness of the main characters as children and their resultant scoldings as recalled by both the characters and the mages catching them creates a warmth and an empathy between the reader and the story. Although, I will admit, Kurland does not make it easy to figure out Sarah's reasons for confronting the world. Ruith's purpose is easy enough, but Kurland just keeps dropping hints, and you need to read the entire story to get a glimmer.
The main purpose of this story is for Ruith to realize that he must use his magic, and for Sarah to come to understand her particular ability and her true origins. He cannot continuing burying his abilities if he is to keep those he loves safe, and Sarah has an entire history to absorb. (The purpose of the series is to reunite the siblings…as far as I can tell…)
Poor Ruith. His courtship is on rocky ground although I do enjoy his efforts to get those ten princesses out of the way. Then there's Sarah's ruthless efficiency. I loved Ruith's comment about "resigning the position of [her] guardsman…[so that he may]…hire her to protect him."
Ooh, a spell of invisibility allows Ruith and Sarah to eavesdrop on Morag and Phillip; it provides quite a back history on important events.
The Story
Between her mother, brother, and Ruith, Sarah has vowed to have no more to do with mages or their magics. And this kidnapping is only solidifying her choice. Still, Sarah sees and it is this ability that Ruith needs if he is to locate every one of his father's spells and destroy them. If only he could do it without Sarah. He wants no more danger to threaten this woman.
Unfortunately, there are too many who would hurt her, and between providing Sarah with protection and her ability to see, Sarah is compelled to set out on this dangerous journey of discovery with Ruith.
The Characters
Sarah of Doìre is a weaver and the daughter of Seleg, the witchwoman; her brother Daniel worships at Gair's altar of world domination. Franciscus, the alemaster of Doìre, has loved Sarah as though she were his own…and it seems he had reason.
Prince Ruithneadh "Ruith" of Ceangail has spent the last 20 years as a hermit mage on the mountainside. After the trauma of losing his entire family at the well when his father betrayed them all, Ruith wants nothing more to do with magic. Rùnach is another brother whom Ruith discovers.
Soilléir of Cothromaiche is a master wizard who lives in Buidseachd and is the keeper of the spells of essence changing. He prefers to approach life in a very roundabout manner. Droch of Saothair is another of the wizards at Buidseachd; he is the master of the spells of Olc. King Uachdaran, king of the dwarves, has a bard-historian, Master Eachdraidh, who is excessively interested in Sarah.
Ruith's Family Background
Ruith's mother was Princess Sarait of Tòrr Dòrainn. King Sìle of Tòrr Dòrainn is Ruith and Morgan's elven grandfather; Brèagha his grandmother. Rùnach and Keir are other brothers. Sgath and Eulasaid are Ruith's other grandparents.
King Mochriadhemiach "Miach" of Neroche is to betrothed to Mhorghain "Morgan", Ruith's younger sister. Ruith and Miach have a childhood history of sneaking into relatives' studies and libraries to steal spells. A habit that continues to haunt their reception still.
Ruith's bastard (and evil) brothers include Droch and Urchaid of Saothair, Táir, and Mosach while Amitàn of Ceangail is one of the bastards' sons.
Thoir is the youngest son of Làidir the crown prince of Tòrr Dòrainn. And cousin to the children of Gair of Ceangail. The extremely rude and nasty Ardan of Ainneamh is one of the elves who helps Ruith and Sarah.
A story that keeps cropping up is of the tragic death of Athair and his lovely dreamweaver bride, Sorcha.
Queen Morag of An-uallach is determined to suck the magic out of every person capable of holding magic. Everyone wonders how her husband, Prince Phillip, has stayed with her all these years.
The various types of magic include (but are not limited to): Olc, a black magic wielded by Gair, Droch, Daniel, and the bastards; Croxteth used by Ruith's mother; Caochladh, spells of essence changing; Fadaire is elvish magic; Camanaë; and, Caol is the magic practiced by Morag.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a closeup of Ruith in leggings, boots with a diamond-shaped inset in the cuff, a long jerkin, and a blousy-sleeved linen shirt, all of it topped by a very fuzzy hooded cloak. His belt is festooned with what I assume are various magickal vials and objects he uses on his travels with a beautifully sheathed dagger. One foot propped on a large rock, his stance is casual as his hands rest atop the hilt of his sword, its tip resting on the dried grasses that make up the foreground. In the background, a late fall is obvious in the drying, yet colorful foliage between Ruith and the turreted castle, itself brought into focus by the mountain range behind it.
The title, Spellweaver, is all too accurate as Ruith's abilities to wield magic speeds up and Sarah's family history slowly emerges.
My Take
Part of what I enjoy about the Nine Kingdoms is the casual manners of its good royals and mages. The mischievousness of the main characters as children and their resultant scoldings as recalled by both the characters and the mages catching them creates a warmth and an empathy between the reader and the story. Although, I will admit, Kurland does not make it easy to figure out Sarah's reasons for confronting the world. Ruith's purpose is easy enough, but Kurland just keeps dropping hints, and you need to read the entire story to get a glimmer.
The main purpose of this story is for Ruith to realize that he must use his magic, and for Sarah to come to understand her particular ability and her true origins. He cannot continuing burying his abilities if he is to keep those he loves safe, and Sarah has an entire history to absorb. (The purpose of the series is to reunite the siblings…as far as I can tell…)
Poor Ruith. His courtship is on rocky ground although I do enjoy his efforts to get those ten princesses out of the way. Then there's Sarah's ruthless efficiency. I loved Ruith's comment about "resigning the position of [her] guardsman…[so that he may]…hire her to protect him."
Ooh, a spell of invisibility allows Ruith and Sarah to eavesdrop on Morag and Phillip; it provides quite a back history on important events.
The Story
Between her mother, brother, and Ruith, Sarah has vowed to have no more to do with mages or their magics. And this kidnapping is only solidifying her choice. Still, Sarah sees and it is this ability that Ruith needs if he is to locate every one of his father's spells and destroy them. If only he could do it without Sarah. He wants no more danger to threaten this woman.
Unfortunately, there are too many who would hurt her, and between providing Sarah with protection and her ability to see, Sarah is compelled to set out on this dangerous journey of discovery with Ruith.
The Characters
Sarah of Doìre is a weaver and the daughter of Seleg, the witchwoman; her brother Daniel worships at Gair's altar of world domination. Franciscus, the alemaster of Doìre, has loved Sarah as though she were his own…and it seems he had reason.
Prince Ruithneadh "Ruith" of Ceangail has spent the last 20 years as a hermit mage on the mountainside. After the trauma of losing his entire family at the well when his father betrayed them all, Ruith wants nothing more to do with magic. Rùnach is another brother whom Ruith discovers.
Soilléir of Cothromaiche is a master wizard who lives in Buidseachd and is the keeper of the spells of essence changing. He prefers to approach life in a very roundabout manner. Droch of Saothair is another of the wizards at Buidseachd; he is the master of the spells of Olc. King Uachdaran, king of the dwarves, has a bard-historian, Master Eachdraidh, who is excessively interested in Sarah.
Ruith's Family Background
Ruith's mother was Princess Sarait of Tòrr Dòrainn. King Sìle of Tòrr Dòrainn is Ruith and Morgan's elven grandfather; Brèagha his grandmother. Rùnach and Keir are other brothers. Sgath and Eulasaid are Ruith's other grandparents.
King Mochriadhemiach "Miach" of Neroche is to betrothed to Mhorghain "Morgan", Ruith's younger sister. Ruith and Miach have a childhood history of sneaking into relatives' studies and libraries to steal spells. A habit that continues to haunt their reception still.
Ruith's bastard (and evil) brothers include Droch and Urchaid of Saothair, Táir, and Mosach while Amitàn of Ceangail is one of the bastards' sons.
Thoir is the youngest son of Làidir the crown prince of Tòrr Dòrainn. And cousin to the children of Gair of Ceangail. The extremely rude and nasty Ardan of Ainneamh is one of the elves who helps Ruith and Sarah.
A story that keeps cropping up is of the tragic death of Athair and his lovely dreamweaver bride, Sorcha.
Queen Morag of An-uallach is determined to suck the magic out of every person capable of holding magic. Everyone wonders how her husband, Prince Phillip, has stayed with her all these years.
The various types of magic include (but are not limited to): Olc, a black magic wielded by Gair, Droch, Daniel, and the bastards; Croxteth used by Ruith's mother; Caochladh, spells of essence changing; Fadaire is elvish magic; Camanaë; and, Caol is the magic practiced by Morag.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a closeup of Ruith in leggings, boots with a diamond-shaped inset in the cuff, a long jerkin, and a blousy-sleeved linen shirt, all of it topped by a very fuzzy hooded cloak. His belt is festooned with what I assume are various magickal vials and objects he uses on his travels with a beautifully sheathed dagger. One foot propped on a large rock, his stance is casual as his hands rest atop the hilt of his sword, its tip resting on the dried grasses that make up the foreground. In the background, a late fall is obvious in the drying, yet colorful foliage between Ruith and the turreted castle, itself brought into focus by the mountain range behind it.
The title, Spellweaver, is all too accurate as Ruith's abilities to wield magic speeds up and Sarah's family history slowly emerges.
July 22, 2018
I loved the idea of names woven into the soul. It's so ... right.
The romance between elven prince Ruith and the weavergirl Sarah started to get a bit tedious, since it round and round in the same circles. Ruith realises that, if he wants to protect those he loves, he's going to have to make the choice to face his own demons and start using the magic he'd give up twenty years previously. He's become besotted by Sarah and would dearly like to leave her tucked away in a magical garden full of endless delights - but she's the only one who can "see" the toxic spells his black-mage father collected and which are now scattered across the landscape in a disturbing pattern. Almost like a lure.
Ruith spends time with his old teacher Solleir who asks him to take a gift of a strange sword to a dwarf king. The dwarf immediately gifts it to him - drawing Ruith's suspicions that something very strange and dangerous is going on. Quite apart from the strangeness and danger of the spells that could destroy the world with their darkness. Only as Ruith and Sarah encounter the ambitious queen do they realise that perhaps Sarah isn't an ordinary girl after all.
The romance between elven prince Ruith and the weavergirl Sarah started to get a bit tedious, since it round and round in the same circles. Ruith realises that, if he wants to protect those he loves, he's going to have to make the choice to face his own demons and start using the magic he'd give up twenty years previously. He's become besotted by Sarah and would dearly like to leave her tucked away in a magical garden full of endless delights - but she's the only one who can "see" the toxic spells his black-mage father collected and which are now scattered across the landscape in a disturbing pattern. Almost like a lure.
Ruith spends time with his old teacher Solleir who asks him to take a gift of a strange sword to a dwarf king. The dwarf immediately gifts it to him - drawing Ruith's suspicions that something very strange and dangerous is going on. Quite apart from the strangeness and danger of the spells that could destroy the world with their darkness. Only as Ruith and Sarah encounter the ambitious queen do they realise that perhaps Sarah isn't an ordinary girl after all.
September 14, 2017
Part two of this trilogy within a series takes us a little further on the quest. It earns 4.4 stars from me.
I love the characters, so I had a hard time putting the book down. They keep getting into trouble, but things are looking up because of some decisions they've made.
Lots of fighting with magic in this book which I enjoyed. Still not positive how the magic system works, but I am a firm believer that some things are better when NOT explained.
If you wondered, like I did, what the mystery behind Sarah's "power" was, you'll discover the answer in this segment of the story.
Again, it won't get five stars from me because it feels like a "serial episode" rather than a complete story. I do have the next book and hope I'll get a little resolution for these characters by the end, since their "trilogy" will be over. If you're reading the entire Nine Kingdoms series, this book unites the characters from the first "trilogy" with Sarah and Ruith.
I'm definitely happy to have discovered another fantasy writer I enjoy reading.
I love the characters, so I had a hard time putting the book down. They keep getting into trouble, but things are looking up because of some decisions they've made.
Lots of fighting with magic in this book which I enjoyed. Still not positive how the magic system works, but I am a firm believer that some things are better when NOT explained.
If you wondered, like I did, what the mystery behind Sarah's "power" was, you'll discover the answer in this segment of the story.
Again, it won't get five stars from me because it feels like a "serial episode" rather than a complete story. I do have the next book and hope I'll get a little resolution for these characters by the end, since their "trilogy" will be over. If you're reading the entire Nine Kingdoms series, this book unites the characters from the first "trilogy" with Sarah and Ruith.
I'm definitely happy to have discovered another fantasy writer I enjoy reading.
February 25, 2025
The Second Trilogy of the Nine Kingdoms begins...
This is the first book in the second trilogy of the Nine Kingdoms series. Ruith is the youngest son of the Black Mage, Gair of Ceangail. Sarah is an orphan who turns out to be a Dreamweaver who can see spells. They embark on a quest to find Gair’s spells and to stop Sarah’s brother from using them to destroy the world.
This fourth book in the series is better than its predecessors. However, as with the other books, the ending is abruptly done, which makes the book seem incomplete as there isn’t an ending.
Spoiler: I find myself hoping that Gair is alive and that the loss of his family has been a tool that life has used to bring a bout of redemption.
Not really hopeful of that outcome, but it would be a plot twist for sure.
This is the first book in the second trilogy of the Nine Kingdoms series. Ruith is the youngest son of the Black Mage, Gair of Ceangail. Sarah is an orphan who turns out to be a Dreamweaver who can see spells. They embark on a quest to find Gair’s spells and to stop Sarah’s brother from using them to destroy the world.
This fourth book in the series is better than its predecessors. However, as with the other books, the ending is abruptly done, which makes the book seem incomplete as there isn’t an ending.
Spoiler: I find myself hoping that Gair is alive and that the loss of his family has been a tool that life has used to bring a bout of redemption.
Not really hopeful of that outcome, but it would be a plot twist for sure.
October 13, 2017
Not too shabby, but the endless courtship does get a bit tiresome. I like Kurland's writing and world building. The endless chivalry and admiring each other from afar stuff does get old. Which is unfortunate because this series is otherwise quite engaging.
Kurland is a great writer, but leans too heavily on the romance, which is her go-to thing. I understand that, but this series could be so much more than a light fantasy-romance. This version two of the original trilogy is good, but not as good as Miach and Morgan, which was delightful and had the right balance of fantasy, romance and action.
Sort of The Princess Bride meets Harry Potter meets Lord of the Rings.
Kurland is a great writer, but leans too heavily on the romance, which is her go-to thing. I understand that, but this series could be so much more than a light fantasy-romance. This version two of the original trilogy is good, but not as good as Miach and Morgan, which was delightful and had the right balance of fantasy, romance and action.
Sort of The Princess Bride meets Harry Potter meets Lord of the Rings.
December 27, 2017
First, since some confusion exists regarding the progression of the Nine Kingdom's books, here's a current list (as of Jan '15):
Two Prelude short stories, found in anthologies with other authors:
- The Queen in Winter ("A Whisper of Spring" when Symon, the first king of Neroche, woos and wins Iolaire, princess of Ainneamh)
- To Weave a Web of Magic ("The Tale of Two Swords" where Mehar of Angesand and Gilraehen, --th king of Neroche, fall in love and the legendary sword of Angesand is forged.)
Miach and Morgan's story is told in:
1- Star of the Morning (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 1)
2- The Mage's Daughter (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 2)
3- Princess of the Sword (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 3)
Ruith and Sarah's story (which OVERLAPS Miach and Morgan's story in the timeline) is told in:
4- A Tapestry of Spells (this book)
5- Spellweaver (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 5)
6- Gift of Magic (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 6)
Runach and Aisling's story is being told in:
7- Dreamspinner (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 7)
8- River of Dreams (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 8)
9- Dreamer's Daughter (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 9)
Ruithneadh, or Ruith as he is called, is the youngest of Morgan's older brothers as well as the once-boyhood-friend of Miach. (Miach and Morgan being the heroes in the first trilogy.) In those books, Ruith was presumed dead, but there was no proof. A Tapestry of Spells is the first in a new trilogy telling his story.
After a prologue which describes the terrible events at the well, Ruith was so horrified by what his father did and so mistrustful of himself, his temper, and his own power that he buried all three near Diore, a village which "lay to the south in the county of Shettlestoune, which found itself comfortably to the south of anywhere else." And there they stayed buried...until the very pretty and fiery and mysterious Sarah comes along. To make things even more uncomfortable for him, the silvery ribbon of fate that accompanies her is colored with both the beautiful elvin colors and magic of his Fadairian heritage, but also the darkness embraced by his father, the infamous (and thankfully dead) Gair of Caingail.
Sarah has been carefully hiding both secrets and gold toward the day when she can escape Doire and make a life somewhere without thieves and thorns and everything else that Doire is filled with. She'd rather weave her patterns of beauty in the kingdom of Neroche, or possible Meith, and hopefully begin the trip there before her brother brings his evil magic home again. But Daniel arrives with more than she'd bargained for, forcing her to abandon her carefully laid plans and set out to stop him instead.
The result is a quest led by a woman who doesn't seem to have magic, though she does have the steadily-increasing ability to see magic that others have wrought...guarded by a mage hiding vast amounts of elvin power and his past behind a heavy cloak and every non-magical weapon available...and accompanied by the extremely odd assortment of companions they pick up along the way. Their aim at first is merely to stop Sarah's brother, but it isn't too long before we discover that Gair of Caingail's reach extends beyond the grave, and only Sarah's sight and Ruith's knowledge of his father are capable of stopping the evil that Gair's spells have planted.
Why do I love it? Well...though some might call it a bit slow in places, it is (as all of Lynn Kurland's books are) a beautiful unfolding of characters and relationships, as well as a careful weaving of a tale that must have all of its anchoring threads in place for the beauty and power of it to be shown. It's intriguing to discover that this story actually takes place WHILE Star of the Morning and The Mage's Daughter are happening.
A Tapestry of Spells is also nicely different from the first trilogy. Ruith is not just another Miach, Sosar, Turah, or whatever other mage or elvin prince you care to name. His fear of what he might do is very real, and his weaknesses and what holds him back are very justified. Not once did I feel that his character was contrived. Sarah is also quite different, possessing a gift that seems to be quite rare in the Nine Kingdoms...a gift that even mages with vast amounts of power do not have. Her past is still a mystery, and at this point in the story, we do not even know if she, herself, knows why she has the gift she does. She is fiery and independent without being irritatingly so, and she still has a soft heart.
The romance between Ruith and Sarah has only just begun in this story. They are falling for each other, but you will not find even so much as a kiss between these pages. You WILL, however, be swept into their hearts as those magical first moments of love keep weaving themselves into their quest.
I wish I could give the story 4 1/2 stars, but since that's not possible, I'm settling for 4. I don't want to give it a 5, because this trilogy does not compare to the first Nine Kingdoms trilogy. My only fault with this particular book is that it's a bit slow and repetitious in a few places. I think the story would have been stronger if extra words had been cut out, leaving the same plot told in a more concise way. The beginnings of romance, beautiful writing, and magic moments make up for that, though.
Finally, I'll warn that this book leaves off with a cliffhanger, just like Star of the Morning did. But like that one, this is the first in a trilogy (the next two are set to be released in January of '11 and '12). The story continues with Spellweaver and concludes with Gift of Magic.
Two Prelude short stories, found in anthologies with other authors:
- The Queen in Winter ("A Whisper of Spring" when Symon, the first king of Neroche, woos and wins Iolaire, princess of Ainneamh)
- To Weave a Web of Magic ("The Tale of Two Swords" where Mehar of Angesand and Gilraehen, --th king of Neroche, fall in love and the legendary sword of Angesand is forged.)
Miach and Morgan's story is told in:
1- Star of the Morning (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 1)
2- The Mage's Daughter (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 2)
3- Princess of the Sword (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 3)
Ruith and Sarah's story (which OVERLAPS Miach and Morgan's story in the timeline) is told in:
4- A Tapestry of Spells (this book)
5- Spellweaver (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 5)
6- Gift of Magic (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 6)
Runach and Aisling's story is being told in:
7- Dreamspinner (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 7)
8- River of Dreams (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 8)
9- Dreamer's Daughter (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 9)
Ruithneadh, or Ruith as he is called, is the youngest of Morgan's older brothers as well as the once-boyhood-friend of Miach. (Miach and Morgan being the heroes in the first trilogy.) In those books, Ruith was presumed dead, but there was no proof. A Tapestry of Spells is the first in a new trilogy telling his story.
After a prologue which describes the terrible events at the well, Ruith was so horrified by what his father did and so mistrustful of himself, his temper, and his own power that he buried all three near Diore, a village which "lay to the south in the county of Shettlestoune, which found itself comfortably to the south of anywhere else." And there they stayed buried...until the very pretty and fiery and mysterious Sarah comes along. To make things even more uncomfortable for him, the silvery ribbon of fate that accompanies her is colored with both the beautiful elvin colors and magic of his Fadairian heritage, but also the darkness embraced by his father, the infamous (and thankfully dead) Gair of Caingail.
Sarah has been carefully hiding both secrets and gold toward the day when she can escape Doire and make a life somewhere without thieves and thorns and everything else that Doire is filled with. She'd rather weave her patterns of beauty in the kingdom of Neroche, or possible Meith, and hopefully begin the trip there before her brother brings his evil magic home again. But Daniel arrives with more than she'd bargained for, forcing her to abandon her carefully laid plans and set out to stop him instead.
The result is a quest led by a woman who doesn't seem to have magic, though she does have the steadily-increasing ability to see magic that others have wrought...guarded by a mage hiding vast amounts of elvin power and his past behind a heavy cloak and every non-magical weapon available...and accompanied by the extremely odd assortment of companions they pick up along the way. Their aim at first is merely to stop Sarah's brother, but it isn't too long before we discover that Gair of Caingail's reach extends beyond the grave, and only Sarah's sight and Ruith's knowledge of his father are capable of stopping the evil that Gair's spells have planted.
Why do I love it? Well...though some might call it a bit slow in places, it is (as all of Lynn Kurland's books are) a beautiful unfolding of characters and relationships, as well as a careful weaving of a tale that must have all of its anchoring threads in place for the beauty and power of it to be shown. It's intriguing to discover that this story actually takes place WHILE Star of the Morning and The Mage's Daughter are happening.
A Tapestry of Spells is also nicely different from the first trilogy. Ruith is not just another Miach, Sosar, Turah, or whatever other mage or elvin prince you care to name. His fear of what he might do is very real, and his weaknesses and what holds him back are very justified. Not once did I feel that his character was contrived. Sarah is also quite different, possessing a gift that seems to be quite rare in the Nine Kingdoms...a gift that even mages with vast amounts of power do not have. Her past is still a mystery, and at this point in the story, we do not even know if she, herself, knows why she has the gift she does. She is fiery and independent without being irritatingly so, and she still has a soft heart.
The romance between Ruith and Sarah has only just begun in this story. They are falling for each other, but you will not find even so much as a kiss between these pages. You WILL, however, be swept into their hearts as those magical first moments of love keep weaving themselves into their quest.
I wish I could give the story 4 1/2 stars, but since that's not possible, I'm settling for 4. I don't want to give it a 5, because this trilogy does not compare to the first Nine Kingdoms trilogy. My only fault with this particular book is that it's a bit slow and repetitious in a few places. I think the story would have been stronger if extra words had been cut out, leaving the same plot told in a more concise way. The beginnings of romance, beautiful writing, and magic moments make up for that, though.
Finally, I'll warn that this book leaves off with a cliffhanger, just like Star of the Morning did. But like that one, this is the first in a trilogy (the next two are set to be released in January of '11 and '12). The story continues with Spellweaver and concludes with Gift of Magic.
December 9, 2017
The story was almost all internal for both the characters with very little external antagonist driving the characters forward. The book seemed pure bridge between the previous book & the next. Not an unpleasant ready but a bit too repeditive.
May 28, 2018
Derek is on the hunt for those responsible for killing a family, leads to a warlock and Julie joining up with him after she was hired to locate a missing rock. Lots of tension between these two as they work together. Would have liked more, it ended too quickly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
June 20, 2020As much as I like this author and the genre, I just couldn’t get into this book. I read 50% of the book before I stopped. The story line was slower than mud and I grew tired of the main characters tip-toeing around each other. The other books by this author are amazing though!
April 5, 2025
i fear i am unhealthily attached to mochriadhemiach of neroche for two reasons: 1) i typed that out without having to check the spelling and 2) hes barely in this book but every time ruith mentioned him i started grinning uncontrollably
June 11, 2017
I'm going to finish the next one in the second trilogy here, but I'm just not feeling these characters/plot. Honestly if I wasn't a completionist I'd quit them.
December 22, 2018
More like 4.5 stars! I love these books!
December 23, 2020
This book felt a little slow, but the end picked up and it was nice to finally learn more about Sarah.
September 20, 2021
this is the middle book withn the 9 kingdoms. one more in this series
March 5, 2021
What a fabulous, action packed second installment to Sarah & Ruith’s story. I really enjoyed the pacing of this book, it had a great mix of continuing action along with continuing Sarah and Ruith’s relationship. I also enjoyed that we had a “return” of some well-loved characters from the original trilogy along with some new additions. Sarah’s gift of seeing and the idea of “dream weaving” was an interesting addition. I’m excited for the next book!
December 12, 2014
Today's post is on Spellweaver by Lynn Kurland. It is the second novel in her second Nine Kingdoms trilogy and as such you need to have read the first books to understand what is going on. It is 385 and is published by Berkley Sensation. The cover has the main character on it looking determined. The intended reader is someone who like epic fantasy, thick plots, and just a little romance. There is no language, no sex, and some violence in this book. The story is told from the third person close perspective of the two main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.
From the back of the book- Sarah of Doire is finished mages and the mayhem they cause. Her quest to find her brother and stop his foul spells has failed, her trust in Ruith is shattered, and her future lies in ruins. All she wanted was a peaceful place to weave- instead she's hunted by black mages, trapped by her sense of obligation, and imperiled by a past she knows nothing about... yet.
Hiding in the mountains, Ruithneadh of Ceangail had long managed to ignore the magic in his veins, until aiding Sarah with her ill-fated quest forced him into places where his heritage was impossible to deny. Now, faced with an ever-increasing number of enemies who've discovered he's alive and want his power his choice is to accept his birthright and gather his father's spells together so he can destroy them, or turn away and allow his father's evil to overcome the Nine Kingdoms.
Review- So much happens in this book. Pasts revealed, more world building, and more character development. I just love this series so much. The writing, the characters, the plot, everything is just so good. The last revelation that Gair may still be alive was not too much of a surprise to me because of the black mage in the last book. The mystery of who Sarah is has been solved but what dreamweaving is we still do not know. There is more action in this one and more romance. In addition we get see more of the world than the first trilogy and first book. We travel to the dwarven kingdom and they are very different from others that I have read about. They can use magic but they have a particular brand of it. Ruith gets more okay with who and what he is and now everyone but Morgain knows that he is alive. But that is a problem for another day. I cannot wait to see how this is going to end.
I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this book with my own money.
From the back of the book- Sarah of Doire is finished mages and the mayhem they cause. Her quest to find her brother and stop his foul spells has failed, her trust in Ruith is shattered, and her future lies in ruins. All she wanted was a peaceful place to weave- instead she's hunted by black mages, trapped by her sense of obligation, and imperiled by a past she knows nothing about... yet.
Hiding in the mountains, Ruithneadh of Ceangail had long managed to ignore the magic in his veins, until aiding Sarah with her ill-fated quest forced him into places where his heritage was impossible to deny. Now, faced with an ever-increasing number of enemies who've discovered he's alive and want his power his choice is to accept his birthright and gather his father's spells together so he can destroy them, or turn away and allow his father's evil to overcome the Nine Kingdoms.
Review- So much happens in this book. Pasts revealed, more world building, and more character development. I just love this series so much. The writing, the characters, the plot, everything is just so good. The last revelation that Gair may still be alive was not too much of a surprise to me because of the black mage in the last book. The mystery of who Sarah is has been solved but what dreamweaving is we still do not know. There is more action in this one and more romance. In addition we get see more of the world than the first trilogy and first book. We travel to the dwarven kingdom and they are very different from others that I have read about. They can use magic but they have a particular brand of it. Ruith gets more okay with who and what he is and now everyone but Morgain knows that he is alive. But that is a problem for another day. I cannot wait to see how this is going to end.
I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this book with my own money.
February 11, 2014
Final feeling: Beautiful character building; Not much action
This novel is the sequel to A Tapestry of Spells (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 4), and the second part of Ruith and Sarah's trilogy. It's a slow-moving novel, but every page is beautiful. The characters do much thinking and self-discovery. I usually prefer more action, but found at the end that I was very satisfied that I took the day and a half to read it. It was tenderly written, and the ending might bring a tear to your eye.
The main objective in this trilogy is for Ruith and Sarah to locate and assemble the entirety of Gair's evil spells, then destroy them before any number of black mages can make use of them. The urgency of this task is all but lost in the much-described journey to self-discovery of both Ruith and Sarah. Hardly any details are spent on moving along the plot, and almost all spent on waiting to leave or taking that last good meal for a long, long time. There are some missed opportunities for action, even if the primary purpose for this novel is to prepare Ruith and Sarah for the action later to come. For instance, I wouldn't have minded reading more details about Ruith's rough practice sessions in the magic lists.
Nevertheless, what I loved about the book was the characters from previous novels that were developed deeper. My favorite is Soilleir, and I truly hope Lynn Kurland writes his own trilogy so that I can see him "wallow" in his longing, as Ruith predicted.
Ultimately, Spellweaver is worth the read as a beautiful story of self-discovery. I expect Ruith and Sarah's third book will move at a faster pace as the threads of their tapestry are tied together. For a supporting novel in a fabulous series, this is definitely worth the read, though not always exactly page-turning.
This novel is the sequel to A Tapestry of Spells (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 4), and the second part of Ruith and Sarah's trilogy. It's a slow-moving novel, but every page is beautiful. The characters do much thinking and self-discovery. I usually prefer more action, but found at the end that I was very satisfied that I took the day and a half to read it. It was tenderly written, and the ending might bring a tear to your eye.
The main objective in this trilogy is for Ruith and Sarah to locate and assemble the entirety of Gair's evil spells, then destroy them before any number of black mages can make use of them. The urgency of this task is all but lost in the much-described journey to self-discovery of both Ruith and Sarah. Hardly any details are spent on moving along the plot, and almost all spent on waiting to leave or taking that last good meal for a long, long time. There are some missed opportunities for action, even if the primary purpose for this novel is to prepare Ruith and Sarah for the action later to come. For instance, I wouldn't have minded reading more details about Ruith's rough practice sessions in the magic lists.
Nevertheless, what I loved about the book was the characters from previous novels that were developed deeper. My favorite is Soilleir, and I truly hope Lynn Kurland writes his own trilogy so that I can see him "wallow" in his longing, as Ruith predicted.
Ultimately, Spellweaver is worth the read as a beautiful story of self-discovery. I expect Ruith and Sarah's third book will move at a faster pace as the threads of their tapestry are tied together. For a supporting novel in a fabulous series, this is definitely worth the read, though not always exactly page-turning.
March 28, 2011
OK, really closer to 4 stars, but I have to round down because of the things that bug me. Kurland has a tendency to use a lot of consonants in her names, making it impossible to figure out how to pronounce them (or remember them). Many of the names are similar as well - Runach and Ruith, for example. I wish there was some sort of map so I could visualize Sarah and Ruith's journey. It would also be nice to be able to put together which families come from where - so I had a better idea of who has the blood right to which magic. Overall, the story was good. I thought the chemistry between the main characters was mostly good, but the love story is moving a bit too slowly for my taste. I also think it is highly unrealistic that any man would sit for over an hour brushing a woman's hair, no matter how much he loved her. I get that he likes her hair to look at, but what man has a clue how to braid a woman's hair? Really?
OK, so maybe I am being nitpicky. I like the setting, the overall plot, and the hero and heroine. Maybe that should be enough. Unfortunately, it isn't enough to get quite to 4 stars.
OK, so maybe I am being nitpicky. I like the setting, the overall plot, and the hero and heroine. Maybe that should be enough. Unfortunately, it isn't enough to get quite to 4 stars.
November 29, 2011
This story picks up right where Tapestry of Spells left off, with Ruith tied to a tree and Sarah kidnapped. After freeing himself from the tree and his half-brothers, Ruith takes off to rescue Sarah. Dark forces continue to follow them, so Ruith takes Sarah to the nearest safe place, the Wizard’s School. They find refuge with the the mage Soilleir, an old family friend. This gives Ruith time to face his inner demons about magic and puts Sarah on the path to discover her heritage as well. They cannot spend long regrouping, because Gair’s evil spells are still out in the world, and as much as he hates it, Ruith needs Sarah’s help to find them. [return][return]There is something so charming about this series, I look forward to each new release. There is more character development for Ruith and Sarah than there is action. The lyrical writing style makes up for this, but the story did drag a little at times. Overall it seemed a little like setting the stage for the next book, but it was still an enjoyable read and there is a lovely cameo from a character in Morgan’s trilogy that was great fun.
March 21, 2011
This is the latest book in this series by Lynn Kurland.
In this book we follow Sarah and Ruith around the countryside in search of his evil father's spells so he can destroy them before they fall into the wrong hands. Of course, Ruith loves Sarah and is quite sweet and attentive but Sarah does her best to put him off because he is, after all, a mighty and magical prince. Neither one can accomplish their tasks alone and so together they face the challenges and surprises that come their way.
What I love about this series is that they are fantasy adventure but there is more romance than many fantasy books. What?! I'm a girl that likes some love. BUT, they are not steamy romance books, they are clean. This book contains frequent hell's and damn's. Bastard is also used frequently in describing someone's half brothers who were sired out of wedlock.
In this book we follow Sarah and Ruith around the countryside in search of his evil father's spells so he can destroy them before they fall into the wrong hands. Of course, Ruith loves Sarah and is quite sweet and attentive but Sarah does her best to put him off because he is, after all, a mighty and magical prince. Neither one can accomplish their tasks alone and so together they face the challenges and surprises that come their way.
What I love about this series is that they are fantasy adventure but there is more romance than many fantasy books. What?! I'm a girl that likes some love. BUT, they are not steamy romance books, they are clean. This book contains frequent hell's and damn's. Bastard is also used frequently in describing someone's half brothers who were sired out of wedlock.
September 29, 2019
I continue to enjoy each of Kurland's books that I read. This was a great continuation to the story. I am starting to get amused by how many supposedly dead people turn up alive and how many supposedly ordinary people turn out to be long lost/hiding members of ancient royal families. However, since most of the royal families in this book seem to possess magic and consists of people who lives for centuries and have many children...I suppose it's not too surprising, and even when it starts to feel cliche it still works for her world/series.
I am still delighted by her ability to spin a beautiful love story and epic fantasy quest together, which is really what I've loved about each of the books so far in the series. I've already grabbed the next book from my to-read pile and can't wait to see how Ruith and Sarah's story ends.
I am still delighted by her ability to spin a beautiful love story and epic fantasy quest together, which is really what I've loved about each of the books so far in the series. I've already grabbed the next book from my to-read pile and can't wait to see how Ruith and Sarah's story ends.
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