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Braided Path #1-3
The Braided Path
An omnibus volume of the acclaimed oriental fantasy from one of the genre's most exciting young talents
The story of an exotic oriental world. The empire of Saramyr has relied on the secretive sect of Weavers for far too long. Now the Weavers, manipulating space and time through the Weave of existence, are plotting the overthrow of the families. Their motives twisted by the Witchstones they draw their power from.
As the empire crumbles the disowned abbearant daughter of the empire and a few scattered rebels must find out the secret of the true nature of the witchstones and rescue the empire from depravity and the rule of demons.
Chris Wooding has an unrivalled flair for Machiavellian plotting, explosive description and memorable young characters. This is the ideal first adult fantasy for his teenage fans.
The story of an exotic oriental world. The empire of Saramyr has relied on the secretive sect of Weavers for far too long. Now the Weavers, manipulating space and time through the Weave of existence, are plotting the overthrow of the families. Their motives twisted by the Witchstones they draw their power from.
As the empire crumbles the disowned abbearant daughter of the empire and a few scattered rebels must find out the secret of the true nature of the witchstones and rescue the empire from depravity and the rule of demons.
Chris Wooding has an unrivalled flair for Machiavellian plotting, explosive description and memorable young characters. This is the ideal first adult fantasy for his teenage fans.
992 pages, Paperback
First published September 28, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
May 17, 2020
I'd give this whole series a very solid 3.5*s overall. Whilst I enjoyed all the volumes and the overall plot, I think from having read The Ember Blade, which is Chris Woodings' later epic fantasy, that one is a massively tighter overall story, but this one shows the beginnings.
This world is made up of Aberrants (people who are magic/disfigured/different) and 'normal' people. The Aberrants are hunted by the Weavers who are magic and work for the nobility, supposedly...
The Weavers of this world are able to dive into the weave of the world and manipulate the strings (a.k.a magic) and yet wherever they do the get more corrupted and their bodies disfigure and twist.
We follow Kaiku, a young daughter of a noble family who are all killed right at the start of the book. She is rescued by her handmaiden, who turns out to be more than meets the eye, but Kaiku soon realised there's more to her too.
This is a big political story with a whole lot of different people bouncing off of one another, and trying for the throne/the leadership positions. There's a lot of focus on whether the Weavers are good or not, and also a few new rebel groups who are pretty intent on destroying the Weavers.
In general, I think the pacing isn't bad and each book builds on the previous, however, I also think that some of the things could be tightened up. I definitely enjoyed it, but it wasn't quite as epic as I would have liked to see, but still had a lot of magic and strong female characters. I think it's missing the slightly more character-focused side I've come to enjoy from other Wooding books. 3.5*s overall for all three books.
This world is made up of Aberrants (people who are magic/disfigured/different) and 'normal' people. The Aberrants are hunted by the Weavers who are magic and work for the nobility, supposedly...
The Weavers of this world are able to dive into the weave of the world and manipulate the strings (a.k.a magic) and yet wherever they do the get more corrupted and their bodies disfigure and twist.
We follow Kaiku, a young daughter of a noble family who are all killed right at the start of the book. She is rescued by her handmaiden, who turns out to be more than meets the eye, but Kaiku soon realised there's more to her too.
This is a big political story with a whole lot of different people bouncing off of one another, and trying for the throne/the leadership positions. There's a lot of focus on whether the Weavers are good or not, and also a few new rebel groups who are pretty intent on destroying the Weavers.
In general, I think the pacing isn't bad and each book builds on the previous, however, I also think that some of the things could be tightened up. I definitely enjoyed it, but it wasn't quite as epic as I would have liked to see, but still had a lot of magic and strong female characters. I think it's missing the slightly more character-focused side I've come to enjoy from other Wooding books. 3.5*s overall for all three books.
December 9, 2011
This is the first trilogy that I've come across where each book is better than the last. For me, I usually find that the first is best and the second is the worst, with the third somewhere in the middle. With The Braided Path I struggled a little with Weavers of Saramyr The country and culture of Saramyr is hugely complex and seems to be largely based on Oriental culture. While it was an interesting premise, it was only with the increasingly complex story that I really began to enjoy this series. With each book more is revealed and it isn't until the third that you truly see the whole of what is happening and the implications.
The central character - Kaiku - is one with who I can sympathise a great deal. You feel sorry for her and all the bad things which seem to plague her. Of course, this only serves to make her the person she needs to be for the story to work. Weaving is quite an interesting system of magic, even if it's not ever particularly illuminated and it's quite nice seeing all that can be done with it as Kaiku does, as she learns the limits of the abilities she has. I also like that very few of the characters are black and white (the only exception that comes to mind being Mishani, who I really like). All of them have a history and have conflicting emotions and motives.
One of my favourite characters is Tsata, and I think the Tkiurathi idea of pash is an interesting one - putting the good of the group above their own individual welfare, an interesting concept which is very deeply ingrained in them and the implications of which are explored wonderfully. The contrast of cultures between Saramyr and the Tkiurathi was good to see, and I liked how it made others think about and change they saw the world.
Wooding is a very good writer; while I don't love many of his books, I know they will always be good and with an interesting and different story (though I can't help but compare this with his Broken Sky series; there are a lot of very similar elements which are simply more developed here). Sometimes his descriptions of places are a little heavy for my liking, but that is purely personal preference and I do appreciate them sometimes. He continues to be one of my favourite authors.
There was a very definite ending to this trilogy, but I think Wooding has also left it very open for future stories in this land, which I think could be interesting, following the surviving characters in the aftermath, see how much things have changed them and how they cope in the world they have made. There are definite portents of possible things to come and I'm intrigued as to how characters would deal with and face these.
The central character - Kaiku - is one with who I can sympathise a great deal. You feel sorry for her and all the bad things which seem to plague her. Of course, this only serves to make her the person she needs to be for the story to work. Weaving is quite an interesting system of magic, even if it's not ever particularly illuminated and it's quite nice seeing all that can be done with it as Kaiku does, as she learns the limits of the abilities she has. I also like that very few of the characters are black and white (the only exception that comes to mind being Mishani, who I really like). All of them have a history and have conflicting emotions and motives.
One of my favourite characters is Tsata, and I think the Tkiurathi idea of pash is an interesting one - putting the good of the group above their own individual welfare, an interesting concept which is very deeply ingrained in them and the implications of which are explored wonderfully. The contrast of cultures between Saramyr and the Tkiurathi was good to see, and I liked how it made others think about and change they saw the world.
Wooding is a very good writer; while I don't love many of his books, I know they will always be good and with an interesting and different story (though I can't help but compare this with his Broken Sky series; there are a lot of very similar elements which are simply more developed here). Sometimes his descriptions of places are a little heavy for my liking, but that is purely personal preference and I do appreciate them sometimes. He continues to be one of my favourite authors.
There was a very definite ending to this trilogy, but I think Wooding has also left it very open for future stories in this land, which I think could be interesting, following the surviving characters in the aftermath, see how much things have changed them and how they cope in the world they have made. There are definite portents of possible things to come and I'm intrigued as to how characters would deal with and face these.
June 5, 2022
Years of trying to read this series and finally, I am done!
It’s hard to rate such a long story, but I think I’m closer to three than four star. I gave it four because of my fondness for Chris Wooding’s writing in general; overall though, this series was less succinct than The Ember Blade, and it suffered for it.
The characters are excellent, even though I might not have liked them on a personal level. Kaiku was so dreary and selfish, but that was mostly resolved by the final chapters (a little too late imo). Asara was a wonderfully complex character and I really enjoyed her brutality and self-preservation. Tsata seemed to have too brief a time on the page and I would have loved to see him interacting more, just to see the interplay of cultures. Mishani was hard to like, which I guess was the point, but it made the more tender moments feel very forced.
That said, Wooding is good at letting you get attached to characters just to kill them off. I found it just upsetting enough, but it also felt like the impact of their passing on other characters could have been given more page time. Exploring emotions was often pushed aside to make way for more war prep, and I haaaaate that.
I often find in books with battles and the ending war that I just want it to be over with. I care very little for tactics and political manoeuvres and find myself skimming the pages searching for actual character interactions. This book was weighted heavily with fighting and subterfuge, and while some of it was tense and genuinely horrifying, most of it fell flat because of how bored I was.
I think it’s worth saying that the “oriental” setting was cringey, particularly at the beginning of the series. I would have liked a completely new culture, but you could tell where the influence came from, and sometimes it made the story feel a bit stifled. I also thought the “nature good, metal bad” subplot was a little heavy handed.
The ending seemed open for further books to come along, but I felt like that was obvious, something signalled along the way. It made some plot lines seem pointless in the end as Wooding hinted to things coming full circle to the detriment of the world once more. I don’t think there are other books planned though, and it’s satisfying to leave Kaiku and gang where they are for now.
Overall, I’m very happy to add this to my finished list!!!!!!!!
It’s hard to rate such a long story, but I think I’m closer to three than four star. I gave it four because of my fondness for Chris Wooding’s writing in general; overall though, this series was less succinct than The Ember Blade, and it suffered for it.
The characters are excellent, even though I might not have liked them on a personal level. Kaiku was so dreary and selfish, but that was mostly resolved by the final chapters (a little too late imo). Asara was a wonderfully complex character and I really enjoyed her brutality and self-preservation. Tsata seemed to have too brief a time on the page and I would have loved to see him interacting more, just to see the interplay of cultures. Mishani was hard to like, which I guess was the point, but it made the more tender moments feel very forced.
That said, Wooding is good at letting you get attached to characters just to kill them off. I found it just upsetting enough, but it also felt like the impact of their passing on other characters could have been given more page time. Exploring emotions was often pushed aside to make way for more war prep, and I haaaaate that.
I often find in books with battles and the ending war that I just want it to be over with. I care very little for tactics and political manoeuvres and find myself skimming the pages searching for actual character interactions. This book was weighted heavily with fighting and subterfuge, and while some of it was tense and genuinely horrifying, most of it fell flat because of how bored I was.
I think it’s worth saying that the “oriental” setting was cringey, particularly at the beginning of the series. I would have liked a completely new culture, but you could tell where the influence came from, and sometimes it made the story feel a bit stifled. I also thought the “nature good, metal bad” subplot was a little heavy handed.
The ending seemed open for further books to come along, but I felt like that was obvious, something signalled along the way. It made some plot lines seem pointless in the end as Wooding hinted to things coming full circle to the detriment of the world once more. I don’t think there are other books planned though, and it’s satisfying to leave Kaiku and gang where they are for now.
Overall, I’m very happy to add this to my finished list!!!!!!!!
November 16, 2016
i thick this book is the best book i have ever read
March 16, 2015
I read this entire trilogy very quickly so it feels more like one novel than three.
As I needed something fast paced with a lot of plot, "The Braided Path" really was what I was looking for. It does have quite a lot of nice plot and it is fast paced. Gunpowder, treason and plot, that it has in abundance. It also has magic, spirits, politics, ass-kicking, monsters and ass-kicking of monsters.
It feels a bit unfair to put so small a section about it, but without spoiling anything it's the best I can do.
The parts that grated more was the sometimes strange omniscient narrator and the, to me, sometimes random swapping of POVs mid chapter and mid section, not to mention the sometimes random switching between omniscient narrator and POV structure mid chapter. Nothing would have been lost by sticking to a stricter POV structure. In fact, it would have been far less confusing.
The magic system was quite interesting, but like a lot of other SFF-novels when it comes to describing why certain people have more ability and other people less so, the divide falls between women and men. Only men can become Weavers, which is the Braided Path mages/sorcerers, while women who display magic gets killed, in an extreme re-interpretation of the glass ceiling. However, in a twist later on, it turns out women are actually better at magic, on account of being Closer to Nature. This is all explained in one sub-clause and the origin of these Secret Vagina Powers don't get any further notice, nor is the fact that women are Closer to Nature.
This could have been a minor quibble, but as the two "factions" of magic users form the backbone of the conflict in "The Braided Path" it feels like a cheap plot vehicle to use male/female, attuned to nature/not attuned to nature as the basis for that conflict. Especially given Wooding's work with the Ketty Jay series, I expected something better than for this to be hand waved away with an explanation worthy of the most entrenched feminist essentialists.
Had it not been for the Magic Vagina Powers, this series had scored far higher, especially since it has a lot of female protagonists in various types of roles. In fact, most of the POVs used are female, making the hand-waving even stranger.
All in all, if you disregard the somewhat strange narrative and skip the sub-clause about women being close to nature, it's a pretty smashing adventure story.
As I needed something fast paced with a lot of plot, "The Braided Path" really was what I was looking for. It does have quite a lot of nice plot and it is fast paced. Gunpowder, treason and plot, that it has in abundance. It also has magic, spirits, politics, ass-kicking, monsters and ass-kicking of monsters.
It feels a bit unfair to put so small a section about it, but without spoiling anything it's the best I can do.
The parts that grated more was the sometimes strange omniscient narrator and the, to me, sometimes random swapping of POVs mid chapter and mid section, not to mention the sometimes random switching between omniscient narrator and POV structure mid chapter. Nothing would have been lost by sticking to a stricter POV structure. In fact, it would have been far less confusing.
The magic system was quite interesting, but like a lot of other SFF-novels when it comes to describing why certain people have more ability and other people less so, the divide falls between women and men. Only men can become Weavers, which is the Braided Path mages/sorcerers, while women who display magic gets killed, in an extreme re-interpretation of the glass ceiling. However, in a twist later on, it turns out women are actually better at magic, on account of being Closer to Nature. This is all explained in one sub-clause and the origin of these Secret Vagina Powers don't get any further notice, nor is the fact that women are Closer to Nature.
This could have been a minor quibble, but as the two "factions" of magic users form the backbone of the conflict in "The Braided Path" it feels like a cheap plot vehicle to use male/female, attuned to nature/not attuned to nature as the basis for that conflict. Especially given Wooding's work with the Ketty Jay series, I expected something better than for this to be hand waved away with an explanation worthy of the most entrenched feminist essentialists.
Had it not been for the Magic Vagina Powers, this series had scored far higher, especially since it has a lot of female protagonists in various types of roles. In fact, most of the POVs used are female, making the hand-waving even stranger.
All in all, if you disregard the somewhat strange narrative and skip the sub-clause about women being close to nature, it's a pretty smashing adventure story.
August 9, 2014
Overall, I really like the trilogy. The characters and settings were really fleshed out. I didn't like, however, was the overarching feeling that "men are evil" that really kind of stuck out during the last half. Despite the oppressive and sometimes depressive atmosphere, I would read again.
October 5, 2014
recently read this and it went stright into my top 10. Amazing trilogy - oriental world slowly decaying and the mutations spawned become it's ultimate saviours. Sexy and emotional. 10/10
December 17, 2017
The Empire of Saramyr is vast, rich and powerful. The Blood-Empress Anais tu Erinima is one of the most powerful and respected rulers in Saramyr's history, and her rule seems secure. However, the nobility learns that Anais' daughter Lucia has magical powers, marking her out as an Aberrant. Amongst the people of Saramyr only the Weavers are allowed to wield magic in the service of the Empire, and Aberrants - especially women - are to be killed on sight. Anais' determination that her daughter will follow her onto the Imperial Throne splits the nobility and incurs the displeasure of the Weavers, and the seeds of civil war are sewn.
Meanwhile, a young woman named Kaiku and her handmaiden Asara are the sole survivors of a devastating attack that leaves her home in flames and her family murdered. Taking refuge in the wilderness, Kaiku learns that she also harbours the powers that mark her as an Aberrant, but as she travels through Saramyr, trying to find the secret her father unearthed that got him and his family killed, she gradually learns that the Aberrants are not the wanton forces for evil the Weavers have presented them as, and that the Empire is facing many threats to its existence from within and without.
The Braided Path Trilogy was originally published between 2003 and 2005, consisting of the novels The Weavers of Saramyr, The Skein of Lament and The Ascendancy Veil. In 2006 the three books were re-released as a thousand-page omnibus simply entitled The Braided Path. It's well worth tracking down the omnibus edition with its plethora of maps and a very handsome cover.
The Braided Path is an epic fantasy and contains all the requisite battles, political intrigue and memorable characters the subgenre demands. It also has some nice twists on the conventions of the genre. The technology level is higher than normal, with rifles and cannons coming into use, and the culture of Saramyr skews towards Asia by way of Renaissance Italy. The Asian feel of the books makes itself known in the types of monsters that appear, the use of spirits and spirit magic and the types of languages that are featured in the book. Given that Asian-influenced fantasies can easily turn into The Lord of the Rings But With Ninjas!, the author avoids that temptation and successfully gives the trilogy a rich atmosphere.
The trilogy is deftly paced, with an enormous number of characters, conspiracies, plots, subplots and factions featured in its relatively modest length (the entire trilogy is shorter than a lot of Steven Erikson's individual Malazan novels, for example). It takes the reader on a wild and enjoyable ride, and it certainly reminded me of how good epic fantasy can be in the right hands. In fact, alongside The First Law Trilogy, The Ten Thousand and The Lies of Locke Lamora, The Braided Path is probably the most outright enjoyable work of epic fantasy I've read in the last few years.
There are a few minor niggles with the book. Occasionally the prose feels a little too modern, and the use of the word 'genetic' at one point feels slightly out of place. Wooding also hints at many other places in the world where stories could be waiting to be told but doesn't expand on them, although it's more of a compliment that he makes the world a living, breathing place that feels like it existed before the story begins and is still there when it ends. American readers may also feel short-changed that the trilogy is not available, at this time, from an American publisher, although copies of both the trilogy and omnibus are available as imports from Amazon.com.
The Braided Path (****½), in its omnibus format, is an excellent work of epic fantasy fiction and I heartily recommend it.
Meanwhile, a young woman named Kaiku and her handmaiden Asara are the sole survivors of a devastating attack that leaves her home in flames and her family murdered. Taking refuge in the wilderness, Kaiku learns that she also harbours the powers that mark her as an Aberrant, but as she travels through Saramyr, trying to find the secret her father unearthed that got him and his family killed, she gradually learns that the Aberrants are not the wanton forces for evil the Weavers have presented them as, and that the Empire is facing many threats to its existence from within and without.
The Braided Path Trilogy was originally published between 2003 and 2005, consisting of the novels The Weavers of Saramyr, The Skein of Lament and The Ascendancy Veil. In 2006 the three books were re-released as a thousand-page omnibus simply entitled The Braided Path. It's well worth tracking down the omnibus edition with its plethora of maps and a very handsome cover.
The Braided Path is an epic fantasy and contains all the requisite battles, political intrigue and memorable characters the subgenre demands. It also has some nice twists on the conventions of the genre. The technology level is higher than normal, with rifles and cannons coming into use, and the culture of Saramyr skews towards Asia by way of Renaissance Italy. The Asian feel of the books makes itself known in the types of monsters that appear, the use of spirits and spirit magic and the types of languages that are featured in the book. Given that Asian-influenced fantasies can easily turn into The Lord of the Rings But With Ninjas!, the author avoids that temptation and successfully gives the trilogy a rich atmosphere.
The trilogy is deftly paced, with an enormous number of characters, conspiracies, plots, subplots and factions featured in its relatively modest length (the entire trilogy is shorter than a lot of Steven Erikson's individual Malazan novels, for example). It takes the reader on a wild and enjoyable ride, and it certainly reminded me of how good epic fantasy can be in the right hands. In fact, alongside The First Law Trilogy, The Ten Thousand and The Lies of Locke Lamora, The Braided Path is probably the most outright enjoyable work of epic fantasy I've read in the last few years.
There are a few minor niggles with the book. Occasionally the prose feels a little too modern, and the use of the word 'genetic' at one point feels slightly out of place. Wooding also hints at many other places in the world where stories could be waiting to be told but doesn't expand on them, although it's more of a compliment that he makes the world a living, breathing place that feels like it existed before the story begins and is still there when it ends. American readers may also feel short-changed that the trilogy is not available, at this time, from an American publisher, although copies of both the trilogy and omnibus are available as imports from Amazon.com.
The Braided Path (****½), in its omnibus format, is an excellent work of epic fantasy fiction and I heartily recommend it.
May 16, 2020
This one is actually a collection of three books, so I'm going to treat it as a collection of short stories and do three mini reviews as I go along before summarising my thoughts at the end.
'The Weavers of Saramyr'
Eh.
Yeah, I've read a Chris Wooding book before, in my teens. 'Silver'. I really liked it. I don't know if I would still like it now. I'm going to repeat here what I've said several times before. Creative world, inventive ideas, characters and prose fall a bit flat for me. In this case, Asara is the only interesting character and the writing style relies on clunky paragraphs of description and infodumps that kill the pacing. Not terrible, not great. A bit intriguing, and a bit of a slog at times. This one, I'll give three stars. Or maybe two, depending on my mood.
'The Skein of Lament'
The second book is a big improvement on the first, at least at the beginning. It doesn't stay that engaging all the way through, but it was gripping enough for me to keep reading.
I really liked the army of genetically modified monsters. There's something about that kind of thing that really appeals to me as a writer. A few of the villains got a bit more character development than they had in the first book, but unfortunately it never went anywhere.
The big issue I think this series has is the writing style. It's written in third person omniscient, and the narrator doesn't seem to care in the slightest about the plot or characters. The pacing is often destroyed with lengthy descriptions of the environment and infodumps, which is very frustrating to read. We're told a lot of things we should have been shown, including the protagonist's character arc. The magic system also seems a bit vague and tends to resolve things in very convenient ways.
And... I don't really care about these characters. The only ones I really had any interest in were Asara, and at times Mishani. Kaiku and Tsata had their moments, but if every other character in the book got slaughtered by the Weavers, I wouldn't really care. I know this because, spoiler alert, a lot of them do, and I didn't care in the slightest.
One thing I will give a lot of praise for though, is the opening chapters in the jungle. They are the most tense, most engaging parts of the story, and where the characters' personalities shine through the most. Honestly, I wish Kaiku and Co had never made it back home and the whole book had been about them being stalked through the jungle by monsters. That would have been amazing.
Better than book one. This one gets three stars. Or maybe two. But closer to three.
'The Ascendency Veil'
It all ends. Yippee.
The characters are a bit more engaging in this one, except for Asara, whose story doesn't really go anywhere. But Kaiku seems to have a bit more depth to her this time around, which is good in a protagonist. Nomoru, whose name will never not make me think of Tetsuya Nomura, was probably my favourite. I like how bitter and rude she is. A few major characters die, but no one I really cared all that much about.
The ending was, mostly okay, although it ended on a happier note than it needed to. Overall, this one is about as good as the other two.
I'm feeling generous, so I'll give this trilogy three stars. I'm glad I read it, but the writing style and characters didn't really appeal to me and I probably won't give it a re-read.
'The Weavers of Saramyr'
Eh.
Yeah, I've read a Chris Wooding book before, in my teens. 'Silver'. I really liked it. I don't know if I would still like it now. I'm going to repeat here what I've said several times before. Creative world, inventive ideas, characters and prose fall a bit flat for me. In this case, Asara is the only interesting character and the writing style relies on clunky paragraphs of description and infodumps that kill the pacing. Not terrible, not great. A bit intriguing, and a bit of a slog at times. This one, I'll give three stars. Or maybe two, depending on my mood.
'The Skein of Lament'
The second book is a big improvement on the first, at least at the beginning. It doesn't stay that engaging all the way through, but it was gripping enough for me to keep reading.
I really liked the army of genetically modified monsters. There's something about that kind of thing that really appeals to me as a writer. A few of the villains got a bit more character development than they had in the first book, but unfortunately it never went anywhere.
The big issue I think this series has is the writing style. It's written in third person omniscient, and the narrator doesn't seem to care in the slightest about the plot or characters. The pacing is often destroyed with lengthy descriptions of the environment and infodumps, which is very frustrating to read. We're told a lot of things we should have been shown, including the protagonist's character arc. The magic system also seems a bit vague and tends to resolve things in very convenient ways.
And... I don't really care about these characters. The only ones I really had any interest in were Asara, and at times Mishani. Kaiku and Tsata had their moments, but if every other character in the book got slaughtered by the Weavers, I wouldn't really care. I know this because, spoiler alert, a lot of them do, and I didn't care in the slightest.
One thing I will give a lot of praise for though, is the opening chapters in the jungle. They are the most tense, most engaging parts of the story, and where the characters' personalities shine through the most. Honestly, I wish Kaiku and Co had never made it back home and the whole book had been about them being stalked through the jungle by monsters. That would have been amazing.
Better than book one. This one gets three stars. Or maybe two. But closer to three.
'The Ascendency Veil'
It all ends. Yippee.
The characters are a bit more engaging in this one, except for Asara, whose story doesn't really go anywhere. But Kaiku seems to have a bit more depth to her this time around, which is good in a protagonist. Nomoru, whose name will never not make me think of Tetsuya Nomura, was probably my favourite. I like how bitter and rude she is. A few major characters die, but no one I really cared all that much about.
The ending was, mostly okay, although it ended on a happier note than it needed to. Overall, this one is about as good as the other two.
I'm feeling generous, so I'll give this trilogy three stars. I'm glad I read it, but the writing style and characters didn't really appeal to me and I probably won't give it a re-read.
August 1, 2025
I really enjoyed this book the first time I read it, and it held up the second time.
The world building is so well done, and although I wish we could have explored some of the other parts of the world, I think Wooding did a great job at fleshing things out. It was very immersive and detailed. The world is so vast and it was fascinating to learn about.
The characters weren't just two-dimensional, and Kaiku (and Mishani) had a lot of growth over the three books. There were a lot of twists and turns and unexpected deaths.
My only complaint is that there was a lot of violence towards women in the books. And I understand it was to depict how awful the Weavers are and how the world is for women, and there's a certain kind of interesting juxtaposition when women in this world are treated so badly and yet they're the ones the must put the world back together and fix the problems and are the ones that the world has deemed capable of handling the Weave. The book is full of extremely strong and capable women, from all parts of the world, which was amazing to read, but there's still a ton of really awful sexual violence where it feels almost glossed over in certain spots. I think Wooding might be making a point about the normalization of violence towards women and how it has become entrenched in our culture, but it can be difficult to read about, especially when it is very prominent throughout the books.
The world building is so well done, and although I wish we could have explored some of the other parts of the world, I think Wooding did a great job at fleshing things out. It was very immersive and detailed. The world is so vast and it was fascinating to learn about.
The characters weren't just two-dimensional, and Kaiku (and Mishani) had a lot of growth over the three books. There were a lot of twists and turns and unexpected deaths.
My only complaint is that there was a lot of violence towards women in the books. And I understand it was to depict how awful the Weavers are and how the world is for women, and there's a certain kind of interesting juxtaposition when women in this world are treated so badly and yet they're the ones the must put the world back together and fix the problems and are the ones that the world has deemed capable of handling the Weave. The book is full of extremely strong and capable women, from all parts of the world, which was amazing to read, but there's still a ton of really awful sexual violence where it feels almost glossed over in certain spots. I think Wooding might be making a point about the normalization of violence towards women and how it has become entrenched in our culture, but it can be difficult to read about, especially when it is very prominent throughout the books.
August 5, 2019
Too often fantasy writers get bogged down with explanation; "Whys," when creating their world, not going with the freedom of imagination that the word fantasy implies. This story is wildly imaginative in its magic and creatures. It's also very dark with Machiavellian plotting.
The label of exotic oriental world is inaccurate. There are cultural mannerisms that echo Asia but this is a fantasy world without real world roots other than humans. A nice change anyway, from the medieval Europe template in too much fantasy.
I was glad to have gotten hold of the omnibus version. The complex names, number of characters, plots and intrigues would be hard to remember otherwise. But it's all worth the effort! Excellent read with many gripping moments where you can't predict the outcome. The descriptive moments are very clear at invoking images both mundane and the horrific if a bit too much at times. Those on the defending side are not pure of purpose and a hidden agendia is hinted at but not revealed quickly.
Don't look for funny quips or comic relief. This is a bloody and grim story and only occasionally does the good guy win.
The label of exotic oriental world is inaccurate. There are cultural mannerisms that echo Asia but this is a fantasy world without real world roots other than humans. A nice change anyway, from the medieval Europe template in too much fantasy.
I was glad to have gotten hold of the omnibus version. The complex names, number of characters, plots and intrigues would be hard to remember otherwise. But it's all worth the effort! Excellent read with many gripping moments where you can't predict the outcome. The descriptive moments are very clear at invoking images both mundane and the horrific if a bit too much at times. Those on the defending side are not pure of purpose and a hidden agendia is hinted at but not revealed quickly.
Don't look for funny quips or comic relief. This is a bloody and grim story and only occasionally does the good guy win.
September 18, 2021
EXCELLENT This bool kept me reading and reading and reading! Because it was a trilogy and each of the three parts 'The Weavers of Saramyr' The Skein of Lament' and The Ascendancy Veil' all three were breathtaking and pushed me to read on the run. I found myself reading out loud to myself, it was so exciting. The only thing that slowed me down at all, was learning how to pronounce the strange sounding names of the many strange places. Names of the different people, mutants and creatures I have no other way to refer to them... There were good people who fought for their people and when things got really bad, they fought for their former enemies. Some were good and were lost and were mourned, But some were bad, very bad, even extremely Bad! and Scary to the Max. I really like Chris Wooding and I have read as many of his books that I have been able to get so far. I recommend this book to everybody that loves searing action and action with plenty of fear and trepidation to keep you company. This book is not for the faint of heart. I loved it! I am sorry it ended!
June 19, 2023
I cannot fathom the right words for the review, but this book is truly something. It really is a epic fantasy like no other I have read and truly I was hooked. It drew me in, it made me squirm, it made my emotions never settle quite right.
The complex and detailed world building, the politics, the philosophy of it all was something that has left me thinking still. It never panned out where I expected, or how I imagine it could have. I would’ve loved this to continue but also I don’t think i would be able to handle it (also, it really didn’t need it).
Ive seen reviews sharing his later works are better and I will be adding them to my read pile. It was a random find one day while bunt buying and I’ve been putting it off for over a year. I will recommend it to all my fantasy loving friends, and I will read again when I need to escape into an action packed, mind bending world.
The complex and detailed world building, the politics, the philosophy of it all was something that has left me thinking still. It never panned out where I expected, or how I imagine it could have. I would’ve loved this to continue but also I don’t think i would be able to handle it (also, it really didn’t need it).
Ive seen reviews sharing his later works are better and I will be adding them to my read pile. It was a random find one day while bunt buying and I’ve been putting it off for over a year. I will recommend it to all my fantasy loving friends, and I will read again when I need to escape into an action packed, mind bending world.
December 9, 2023
I normally like a break between books so I was a little concerned about reading 3 in 1. I shouldn't have worried. It was a huge book to read but every line held my attention, the plot was gripping right up to the final word.
It was a grim book that doesn't offer much hope - in the sense that power so often corrupts. On the flip side, there are always those that band together to try and do something about it and this battle continues throughout.
Near the end of the first book I cheered and knew the rest of it would be great as the character I detested with a passion died! I had been certain that the character was going to haunt me until the end, so was thrilled that the author had been brave enough to kill that person off!!
It was a grim book that doesn't offer much hope - in the sense that power so often corrupts. On the flip side, there are always those that band together to try and do something about it and this battle continues throughout.
Near the end of the first book I cheered and knew the rest of it would be great as the character I detested with a passion died! I had been certain that the character was going to haunt me until the end, so was thrilled that the author had been brave enough to kill that person off!!
June 16, 2018
This book, guys.
I think it made it into my top twenty fantasy worlds of all time.
What does it compare to? Dune. Final Fantasy. Game of Thrones.
This omnibus was almost 1,000 pages, and I still want more. I want a prequel trilogy. I want a follow-up trilogy.
This book covered so much and was familiar and also distinctive. I could visualize the demons, the kingdoms, the landscapes. I truly didn't know what was to come, but when I guessed right, it was thrilling and rewarding.
I might even pick it up and reread it someday because it was such a pleasure to dive into this universe where culture and tradition are challenged by the very corruption of the weave of creation.
I think it made it into my top twenty fantasy worlds of all time.
What does it compare to? Dune. Final Fantasy. Game of Thrones.
This omnibus was almost 1,000 pages, and I still want more. I want a prequel trilogy. I want a follow-up trilogy.
This book covered so much and was familiar and also distinctive. I could visualize the demons, the kingdoms, the landscapes. I truly didn't know what was to come, but when I guessed right, it was thrilling and rewarding.
I might even pick it up and reread it someday because it was such a pleasure to dive into this universe where culture and tradition are challenged by the very corruption of the weave of creation.
October 27, 2020
A sublime story, wrapped colourfully in descriptions that dazzle the reader and with characters that charm and are fiercely unique.
Wooding tells a magnificent tale in The Braided Path that will linger in my mind for years to come. The developments in the world of Saramyr (and the occassional trip to Okhamba/Yttryx) are gradual and significant. Rarely do I see such detail in a story and never be bored with it. The stars I give this tale are worth it - all five of 'm.
Enjoy!
Wooding tells a magnificent tale in The Braided Path that will linger in my mind for years to come. The developments in the world of Saramyr (and the occassional trip to Okhamba/Yttryx) are gradual and significant. Rarely do I see such detail in a story and never be bored with it. The stars I give this tale are worth it - all five of 'm.
Enjoy!
Read
December 25, 2024I remember reading this omnibus in the early 2010s. A major typo at the end of the book made it impossible to finish (entire chapters were missing, earlier chapters were duplicated, making the ending a mystery). I've been meaning to go back to the story, but I couldn't remember the title or author, so I kept putting it off.
I plan to reread the trilogy in 2025. Hopefully I'll get the ending this time.
I plan to reread the trilogy in 2025. Hopefully I'll get the ending this time.
March 21, 2021
One of the most unique and exciting trilogies I've yet to read. I've read it several times and it never gets old.
November 7, 2021
Amazing and terrifying!
January 2, 2023
I was hooked on this book from the very first chapter!
A beautiful story, ended perfectly. I cried, it was amazing! 😊
Please read this book!
Thank you Chris Wooding!
A beautiful story, ended perfectly. I cried, it was amazing! 😊
Please read this book!
Thank you Chris Wooding!
May 11, 2012
I love Wooding's Ketty Jay novels, and had heard good things about this trilogy, so I read it with high hopes. For some reason it never really took off for me. The books are well written - sometimes a little portentous, lacking the lightness of touch of the Ketty Jay books, but still more stylishly written than most epic fantasy books out there. Wooding is not afraid to take chances, or to make shocking decisions with his plot and characters. And the setting is interesting, vaguely oriental but not the sort of Japan-with-the-names-changed that you sometimes see.
I think where it fell down for me was the characters. They are all rather unsympathetic, in different ways, but not in a flawed anti-heroic way, more in an annoying, needs-a-slap sort of way. This problem was exacerbated by a slightly odd decision Wooding makes, which is to engage in ferocious "head-hopping", the point of view often changing from one paragraph to the next and then back again. Wooding is too good a writer to have done this accidentally, but the books do illustrate why writing guides invariably advise against this: as well as being jarring and confusing to read, it prevents the reader from fully engaging with the character if you know you can be hoiked out of their head and into another's without any notice.
Having said all that, these are by no means bad books. The omnibus edition runs to just under 1000 pages and I did finish it, although sometimes it was a bit of a struggle. And the ending was lovely.
I think where it fell down for me was the characters. They are all rather unsympathetic, in different ways, but not in a flawed anti-heroic way, more in an annoying, needs-a-slap sort of way. This problem was exacerbated by a slightly odd decision Wooding makes, which is to engage in ferocious "head-hopping", the point of view often changing from one paragraph to the next and then back again. Wooding is too good a writer to have done this accidentally, but the books do illustrate why writing guides invariably advise against this: as well as being jarring and confusing to read, it prevents the reader from fully engaging with the character if you know you can be hoiked out of their head and into another's without any notice.
Having said all that, these are by no means bad books. The omnibus edition runs to just under 1000 pages and I did finish it, although sometimes it was a bit of a struggle. And the ending was lovely.
February 2, 2017
Better than a 3 but not as good as the many I give a 4 rating. Kaiku is from the high born merchant class, Adare her maid, Anais is the Empress, Lucia her daughter. 3 of them are considered Abberants who for 2 or more centuries have been slaughtered as soon as they are found by the men in the Masks. These guys despite needing better etiquette & hygeine are a nasty boys only priest cult with mental powers and sickening perverse behavior who put the Abberants down. Everyone hates them, fears them as they can kill with a glance but the Nobles accept them for as long as a Family has one no other Family can increase their power in ruling.
They've got this world turned into a Eugenics lab Hitler would have been proud of, kill anyone different either physically or mentally but practice breeding aberrations on the side for an army. In this world it just is acceptable to have these grotesque priests convinces the world that those like them should be put down until the Empress's daughter is discovered Abberant.
These priests have brainwashed an entire world into their world view which is actually that of a blown apart moon god from millenia ago who he controls through the Masks. He wants all his pieces back together so he can wreak revenge on his 3 sister moon gods. The time for his resurrection is when we begin the Braided Path.
Pros: strong storyline, engaging characters, imaginative settings
Cons: wordy. Way to wordy. I wanted it over and was reading too fast at the end which was no big surprise except for why did she shoot Lucia?
They've got this world turned into a Eugenics lab Hitler would have been proud of, kill anyone different either physically or mentally but practice breeding aberrations on the side for an army. In this world it just is acceptable to have these grotesque priests convinces the world that those like them should be put down until the Empress's daughter is discovered Abberant.
These priests have brainwashed an entire world into their world view which is actually that of a blown apart moon god from millenia ago who he controls through the Masks. He wants all his pieces back together so he can wreak revenge on his 3 sister moon gods. The time for his resurrection is when we begin the Braided Path.
Pros: strong storyline, engaging characters, imaginative settings
Cons: wordy. Way to wordy. I wanted it over and was reading too fast at the end which was no big surprise except for why did she shoot Lucia?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2013
This book is really a trilogy squished into one book, so it's almost 1000 pages long and probably weighs as much as your head.
I quite liked this one! I tend to be an impatient reader and big ol' fantasies are often too slow for me, but this one had a nice pace and a strong story. I liked the characters, and I liked the fact there are so many strong female characters, where "strong" doesn't automatically mean "kick-ass warrior"--it can also mean "delicate, pretty political genius" or "wallflower spy".
The writing isn't the most beautiful you've seen but it's perfectly adequate for the tale. The world-building is based on Asian cultures, and while I really liked that, it also led to the one criticism I have for the book.
The world? Is very definitely Asian-inspired. The main characters? Are often blond.
And that's something I find pretty off-putting. The book also has characters that are described as having black hair or darker skin, so it may be this was intended to be a multi-racial world, but I side-eye pretty hard at any author who decides Asia would be a great setting except for all the Asian people.
In summary, this book is good entertainment and worth the time to read. The author's choice of putting blond characters into a world obviously inspired by Asian cultures bothered me, but I did enjoy the story, and the world may have been intended to be multi-racial.
I quite liked this one! I tend to be an impatient reader and big ol' fantasies are often too slow for me, but this one had a nice pace and a strong story. I liked the characters, and I liked the fact there are so many strong female characters, where "strong" doesn't automatically mean "kick-ass warrior"--it can also mean "delicate, pretty political genius" or "wallflower spy".
The writing isn't the most beautiful you've seen but it's perfectly adequate for the tale. The world-building is based on Asian cultures, and while I really liked that, it also led to the one criticism I have for the book.
The world? Is very definitely Asian-inspired. The main characters? Are often blond.
And that's something I find pretty off-putting. The book also has characters that are described as having black hair or darker skin, so it may be this was intended to be a multi-racial world, but I side-eye pretty hard at any author who decides Asia would be a great setting except for all the Asian people.
In summary, this book is good entertainment and worth the time to read. The author's choice of putting blond characters into a world obviously inspired by Asian cultures bothered me, but I did enjoy the story, and the world may have been intended to be multi-racial.
October 25, 2015
Wow...first off...it took me over a year to read this book (trilogy). I had to put it down and take a break in the middle. However, I am so glad I read this book. It is an incredible tale of epic proportions. I love the Asian-like setting with the magic; the depth of the character; the battles; the love; the betrayal...it is just incredible. I have not read George RR Martin, but I think the characters in this book die at about the same rate. It is a dark story and you are able to sympathize with the characters. He has succeeded in creating villains that you hate, despise and that disgust you. My mind is reeling from this tale and I would recommend it to the epic-fantasy lovers. In my opinion, the writing style is quite old and heavy - hence the need to take a break from the book. But it is lovely in detail, the conversations and the explanation of the world. The first part of the book (trilogy), up to about page 280 is great...then it becomes epic!
I would be cautious of just picking up another of Chis Wooding's books, due to the writing style, but I am looking forward to the next book of his that I read.
Loved it!
I would be cautious of just picking up another of Chis Wooding's books, due to the writing style, but I am looking forward to the next book of his that I read.
Loved it!
September 26, 2014
I feel like it isn't reasonable to rate a book without reading it. That said, I've done it anyway.
I've added to the growing list of books that will I maybe someday try again. I've given this 2 stars instead of one because while all the points below are negative, there were still small parts of the book, such as the magic system and demons that were enjoyable.
The world building and cultural references were bland and too closely aligned to Japanese culture for what is supposed to be a different universe to our own. The amount detail of each and every environment is completely unnecessary and exceptionally boring, leaving nothing to the imagination. There are sometimes numerous paragraphs dedicated to the interior of a building. It's absurd! In contrast, the characters are only briefly introduced. Again, more description around their image is given rather than their character, history or motivations, leaving them bland and lacking in depth, therefore making their emotional turmoil meaningless.
I've added to the growing list of books that will I maybe someday try again. I've given this 2 stars instead of one because while all the points below are negative, there were still small parts of the book, such as the magic system and demons that were enjoyable.
The world building and cultural references were bland and too closely aligned to Japanese culture for what is supposed to be a different universe to our own. The amount detail of each and every environment is completely unnecessary and exceptionally boring, leaving nothing to the imagination. There are sometimes numerous paragraphs dedicated to the interior of a building. It's absurd! In contrast, the characters are only briefly introduced. Again, more description around their image is given rather than their character, history or motivations, leaving them bland and lacking in depth, therefore making their emotional turmoil meaningless.
November 7, 2011
Spectacular !!!
The second book in the Braided Path epic builds on the foundations laid in the introduction to the world of Saramyr and its vicious magic weavers. while the story suffers a little from the middle of the series syndrome, the characterisation remains strong, we get to find out more about the world and about the wevers plot to dominate it. The battle sequences toward the end more than make up for the slower parts in the middle, and the epilogue foreshadows some of the surprises the author has in store for the final volume.
One small grumble is that despite its originality in wolrd building and magic system, the series conforms to some unwritten rule of epic fantasy that things should get worse in the second book before they get better, and that the odds against the heroes success should be nothing less than total world / civilization anihilation. It rests upon the shoulders of a few reluctant Heroes to save humanity and to bring the Forces of Doom to their kness. hmmm?
The second book in the Braided Path epic builds on the foundations laid in the introduction to the world of Saramyr and its vicious magic weavers. while the story suffers a little from the middle of the series syndrome, the characterisation remains strong, we get to find out more about the world and about the wevers plot to dominate it. The battle sequences toward the end more than make up for the slower parts in the middle, and the epilogue foreshadows some of the surprises the author has in store for the final volume.
One small grumble is that despite its originality in wolrd building and magic system, the series conforms to some unwritten rule of epic fantasy that things should get worse in the second book before they get better, and that the odds against the heroes success should be nothing less than total world / civilization anihilation. It rests upon the shoulders of a few reluctant Heroes to save humanity and to bring the Forces of Doom to their kness. hmmm?
July 2, 2013
The only reason why it's a four star review is because of the characters and the settings. And the first two books. Having gotten into Wooding through his Ketty Jay series and having read Fade, Havoc, and Malice afterwards, I expected this trilogy to be...well, something more. Don't get me wrong, I loved the first book, a little bit less of the second, and the backdrop to all the political drama was marvelous. However, it was the third book, I feel, that has let this trilogy down. And as much as the deaths of the characters who played a major role pained me, by the end of the third book, the death count was beginning to become over the top and I suddenly I have stopped caring for the deaths for they were meaningless to me. Also, ending to Asara's story did not satisfy me in the slightest.
Not to mention that, as a speaker of another language, I found it funny that the Tkiarathi lived in the repka settlements. Repka happens to be turnip in Russian.
Not to mention that, as a speaker of another language, I found it funny that the Tkiarathi lived in the repka settlements. Repka happens to be turnip in Russian.
October 27, 2007
This reads like a post-modern fantasy. There isn't much to set it apart from your ordinary, quick and perfectly acceptable read in its general sweep and over-arching story. It's just that in all the details it is different. Pseudo-Asian rather than pseudo-European. Women rather than men. Power that universally does harm rather than good. Not a thing wrong with any of that but the whole book just got sort of tedious because it ended up just being an inversion of every fantasy cliche imaginable. Turns out that's not exactly the same thing as actual originality.
June 14, 2020
To be clear, I didn't actually finish the series. I finished the first 2 books, but couldn't finish the third.
I love Chris Wooding. I've read 2 of his other books and found both of them to be well written and very different from each other. I did not enjoy The Braided Path whatsoever. I found it predictable, dry, and unnecessarily repulsing, especially with the weavers.
This will not stop me from reading more of Chris Wooding, but I will definitely be borrowing them from the library rather than purchasing them!
I love Chris Wooding. I've read 2 of his other books and found both of them to be well written and very different from each other. I did not enjoy The Braided Path whatsoever. I found it predictable, dry, and unnecessarily repulsing, especially with the weavers.
This will not stop me from reading more of Chris Wooding, but I will definitely be borrowing them from the library rather than purchasing them!
September 1, 2014
One of the few attempts by a Western writer to write epic fantasy in an "Asian" setting. The novelty of the setting itself makes this one worth picking up, and the story delivers.
World-building is quite nice, characters generally have believable motivations. The author does a very good playing with the classic trope "gaining power through a horrible price", and the story manages to stay interesting until the end. Certainly recommended to anyone who wants something a bit different out of epic fantasy.
World-building is quite nice, characters generally have believable motivations. The author does a very good playing with the classic trope "gaining power through a horrible price", and the story manages to stay interesting until the end. Certainly recommended to anyone who wants something a bit different out of epic fantasy.
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