Captal's Tower

Exiles #3

by Melanie Rawn

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Fiction

Paperback

About the author

Melanie Rawn received a BA in history from Scripps College and worked as a teacher and editor before becoming a writer.

She has been nominated for a Locus award on three separate occasions: in 1989 for Dragon Prince (in the first novel category), in 1994 for Skybowl (in the fantasy novel category), and again in 1995 for Ruins of Ambrai (in the fantasy novel category).

Reviews

[Liza]

What do I think? I think it will never be published. The last book came out in March of 1997 when I was 15 (and I read it brand new - that's how much I liked the series). It saddens me, because this series cemented Melanie Rawn as one of my favorite authors, and this "trilogy" in particular as some of my favorite books. That it will obviously never be written used to irritate me. Now I suppose I'm just resigned, and the author has lost a lot of my respect. When you've written numerous books since the last book, at least have the decency to admit that the series is dead so that we can all just get on with our lives.

[Jami Ouellette]

Why is it taking so long for this book to get out to your fans, Ms. Rawn? I have waited FOREVER for this one and its really starting to get old. All I want to know-who are Collan's parents??!!!

[Jeannie]

I love that people have rated this book despite the fact that it HASN'T EVEN COME OUT YET. Is it just wishful thinking that it will be a 3 star book? Seriously people!?!?

[Sarah Morgan Sandquist · Rating 1 out of 5]

Perplexed that this book has such a solid rating as it does not exist. What criteria do you people use for your ratings? My first is that the book actually exist...

[Emily]

I really enjoy Rawn's work and hanging out in her worlds. Just wish the publisher and Amazon wouldn't tease us with false publication dates on this book. It looks like it won't even be written until 2012. It is a long wait for those of us left hanging at the end of The Mageborn Traitor.

[Fred Edwards]

Rawn stopped the series after the death of her mother... fans were outrageously selfish, abusive and malicious especially online.

It was quite horrifying at the time, little did we know what would happen to the net over the next decade plus.

Stopping was, pretty much, punishment for the mental damage she was dealt. Maybe 20 years has been long enough, but I can't say I really blame her, even though I'd like to read the rest as much as any fan of the series.

[Prudence]

To the four people who have listed this book as "currently reading"...
Where did you get your copy?
Was it off the back of a time travel truck, the dark web, or did Doctor Who drop off a copy for you? And is it from this dimension or another one?
No judgement, I'm just curious.

[Ginger]

Dear Ms. Rawn, You are breaking my heart by not finishing this series! Seriously, if you have lost interest in it, and cannot bring yourself to write it, LET US KNOW. PLEASE? I am reading Touchstone now, but have been afraid to. Why because I fell head over heels with EVERY other book you have written, but especially the Ambrai series. And I have been waiting for 15 years for this last book, to find out what happens. And now that you've started another series, what am I to do if you decide to not finish this series too? I will probably keel over and die. PLEASE let us know something? Thank you, from a huge fan.

[Icshadows · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite my fears that I would never see the conclusion to this fantastic series, it looks like Melanie will really write the third book. In mid-July 2014, Kate Elliot posted the following email from Melanie:

"Yes, I will write Captal’s Tower. I’m very sorry it’s taken so long. My sincere thanks to all of you who have been so patient. I’m currently writing the fifth book in the “Glass Thorns” series, and after that my plan is to get to work on Captal’s Tower. If anything about that plan changes, I’ll post on my website?"

[Jess]

Every couple of years, I think back to those things that I want to read, and this still hits me in my feels for so many unanswered questions in my life that at this point in time, I can't even remember. But the completionist in me counts this book not existing as a pretty big loss on my life's scoreboard. *internal scream of frustration*

[Jen]

It would be awesome if this book was published March 1st 2017, on the 20th anniversary of the last book

[Samantha · Rating 1 out of 5]

It’s never going to happen. We’ve been waiting for over 20 years. I loved the first two and I’ve refused to read anything else she’s written.

[Laura Fraser · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'd already read The Golden Key and the Sun Runner series by the time this series hit the bookstores, and loved the first two volumes. And then I waited and waited for the third book, which never came.

I can understand that a writer is human, and life can get in the way sometimes, and I can get behind the idea that a writer sometimes runs out of steam. But to never again pick up a series that your fans adored seems like a betrayal. I'll never trust Melanie Rawn enough to buy any book in any new series of hers until the whole is published, done and dusted.

[K M · Rating 1 out of 5]

I cannot believe we are going on 23 years since this series started. I love Melanie Rawn's writing and especially her world building. But at this point, I refuse to purchase any new books from her. I hit my used bookstores regularly and if I see something from her that looks interesting, I will purchase it. If she is unable (mentally/emotionally) to complete this book, then she should get a ghostwriter who is familiar with the series. By now Sarra is an old woman, and half of Lenfell is dead.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

Only rated it so i could comment but does anyone have any updates on if this book will come out, I have the first two but haven’t read them Incase it’s a waste of time. I heard she was working on it in 2014 but it’s been 5 years since that update

[Caryla · Rating 3 out of 5]

My biggest fear is that Ms. Rawn will go the way of Anne McCaffrey and Robert Jordan (RIP) before this book is written... I literally do not know what I would do. Please, write this book! I -we- have been waiting for over a decade.

And the reason for the 3 star? The first two books were AMAZING, and I'm sure if she can ever get herself interested in this series again, this one will be too... But I'm so tired of waiting.

[Colleen]

Really hope this one gets published in my lifetime! I can't wait to find out how it ends and I absolutely NEED to know who Collan was!

[Karen]

Can't wait for this to finally be written!

[M.]

I had hoped, when I saw this listed, that there would actually have been a published book by now. Sadly not :(

[M · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nonexistant book. Simply doesnt deserve a good rating when authors write real books and accept the criticism.

[Scott Theus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took off one star because it’s not written yet.

[Katie]

I'll believe it when I see it. It's been almost twenty years since the second book in this trilogy was published. I don't think there's enough demand for it, nor do I think publishing the book would revive enough interest in the series.

[James in Texas]

So happy to hear Melanie is finally working on third book in this trilogy. It's been a long time and I'm eager to continue this fantastic journey!

[Stephanie Mccauley]

Please write this book, I've been waiting forever.

[Kathryn Baron]

One of the first times I had to just accept that for whatever reason - an author wasn't going to finish a series. Ugh.

Make particularly galling by the fact she's written so many other things since (apparently) hitting a wall on this.

It's been long enough - I longer particularly care about this specific instance.

But I'll never read anything by her that isn't complete.

[Kaze · Rating 1 out of 5]

A book has to be able to be read to rate it properly. If a book does not exist, I cannot read it. And cannot rate it properly. When/if this book exists, I will read it, then update my rating. Until then, I wait.

[Michelle]

My understanding regarding the delay is that Ms. Rawn had some life events that interfered (her mother died, followed by a bout of clinical depression), and she's been working on other projects.

According to the bulletin-board on her official web site, Ms. Rawn stated in 2012 that she WILL eventually write The Captal's Tower.

Update Aug. 2024: the official web site (and the bulletin-board site) have disappeared.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been far too long since I read these to remember the exact details, so I'm adding these to my list to re-read - but what I do recall is once I started them, I couldn't put 'em down. I did feel that there were some parts that moved slowly, but it was one of my first exposures to what I'll call large-scale political-economic-magic world building that was different from the Tolkein/Heinlein styles. I guess I shouldn't complain about pace since Robert Jordan has not only taken that style to the extreme, but I'm obviously willing to put up with a wait if there's an intricate payoff.

[Alex]

Adding this to my to-read, even though it will likely never be written (per other comments, Ms. Rawn no longer recalls her plans for the series). I remember staying up all night to read the first two books, because I couldn't put them down. I was in high school, so I'm thinking, 1997? Yikes, but it's been a while. Teenage hopes = dashed *sniffle*

[Kathleen]

And the Epic continues.....