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Merle-Trilogie #3
The Glass Word
When they emerge from Hell, Merle, her friend Junipa who has mirrors for eyes, and Vermithrax the flying stone lion find themselves in Egypt. Of course the Flowing Queen is with them as well, since Merle swallowed her back in Venice. There is something very wrong in Egypt--it is freezing cold, and everything is covered in snow. Winter is here, looking for his lost love, Summer. And another creature is here as well--Seth, the highest of the Horus priests. Betrayed by the pharaoh and his sphinx henchmen, Seth is seeking revenge. Together they travel to the Iron Eye, the vast fortress of the sphinxes.But what does the Flowing Queen want Merle to do there?
Meanwhile Serafin, the master thief, the beautiful sphinx Lalapeya, and Eft, the mermaid, are also headed for Egypt. They are traveling underwater, in a submarine piloted by pirates. Serafin is not sure what they can do to the fight the pharaoh, but he knows surrender is not an option. Egypt has captured and enslaved his beloved Venice, and he and the others must fight the empire no matter what the cost. But the final battle will not be one that Serafin has even imagined--and the cost will be high indeed.
282 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
10 people are currently reading
935 people want to read
About the author
Kai Meyer
141 books1,447 followersWith millions of books sold worldwide, Kai Meyer is one of Germany's most successful authors. His novels have been translated into 27 languages including English, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Chinese.
Kai Meyer was born in 1969 in northern Germany. He began college at the University of Bochum, Germany, where he studied film, theatre, and philosophy. After a year, he dropped out to work for a newspaper as a trainee journalist, followed by two years as a staff journalist.
Kai wrote his first novel in his early 20s, and it was published when he was just 24 years old. He has been a full-time novelist since 1995. To date, Kai has written nearly 50 books – some for adults, some for teenagers. Kai’s books are mostly historical with strong fantastical overtones. There are over 1.5 million Kai Meyer books in print in Germany, and he is quickly gaining popularity in other countries as well: THE WATER MIRROR went into its third US printing before it was even delivered to bookstores, and his young adult dark fantasy series SIEBEN SIEGEL is a substantial hit in Japan. The British edition of THE FLOWING QUEEN / THE WATER MIRROR won the 2007 Marsh Award for Best Children´s Book in Translation.
In 2007 his historical novel DAS GELÜBDE (The Vow) was turned into a movie by celebrated German director Dominik Graf. SIEBEN SIEGEL is set to be filmed in 2008, other books are optioned.
Kai has also written screenplays, two of which have been made into TV movies. He is the author of a hardcover comic book, PANDORAMICUM, and is one of the creators of the fantasy role-playing game ENGEL (US edition by White Wolf).
Kai Meyer lives in Westphalia near the Rhine in Germany.
Kai Meyer was born in 1969 in northern Germany. He began college at the University of Bochum, Germany, where he studied film, theatre, and philosophy. After a year, he dropped out to work for a newspaper as a trainee journalist, followed by two years as a staff journalist.
Kai wrote his first novel in his early 20s, and it was published when he was just 24 years old. He has been a full-time novelist since 1995. To date, Kai has written nearly 50 books – some for adults, some for teenagers. Kai’s books are mostly historical with strong fantastical overtones. There are over 1.5 million Kai Meyer books in print in Germany, and he is quickly gaining popularity in other countries as well: THE WATER MIRROR went into its third US printing before it was even delivered to bookstores, and his young adult dark fantasy series SIEBEN SIEGEL is a substantial hit in Japan. The British edition of THE FLOWING QUEEN / THE WATER MIRROR won the 2007 Marsh Award for Best Children´s Book in Translation.
In 2007 his historical novel DAS GELÜBDE (The Vow) was turned into a movie by celebrated German director Dominik Graf. SIEBEN SIEGEL is set to be filmed in 2008, other books are optioned.
Kai has also written screenplays, two of which have been made into TV movies. He is the author of a hardcover comic book, PANDORAMICUM, and is one of the creators of the fantasy role-playing game ENGEL (US edition by White Wolf).
Kai Meyer lives in Westphalia near the Rhine in Germany.
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January 12, 2022The third and final book in the Dark Reflections trilogy was satisfactory but not as spectacular as the first two books.
The plot thickens, the stakes are high than ever and the probabilty that the whole cast will survive is more than low. Still, I wasn't as captivated by the story as I was before. Somewhere along the lines I grew impatient and wanted it to end. Maybe there were too many POV's, too many things happening at once. I can't say what it was exactly but it lost a part of its magic.
Still, it was a good conclusion that left enough questions unaswered, so as not to take everything away from the reader and leave him or her to ponder about the character's futures.
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The plot thickens, the stakes are high than ever and the probabilty that the whole cast will survive is more than low. Still, I wasn't as captivated by the story as I was before. Somewhere along the lines I grew impatient and wanted it to end. Maybe there were too many POV's, too many things happening at once. I can't say what it was exactly but it lost a part of its magic.
Still, it was a good conclusion that left enough questions unaswered, so as not to take everything away from the reader and leave him or her to ponder about the character's futures.
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December 12, 2016
Not good enough ending. Something strange happened during the intervening time I read and finished this series . I grew impatient with it and it lost most of its magic .
November 15, 2017
4.5 Sterne für ein großartiges und überraschendes Finale der Merle Trilogie ♥
July 15, 2010
Wow. So, Meyer wasn't kidding around with that "Dark Reflections" business. There's dark. There's definitely dark. And ye gods are there reflections. "Mirror" hardly looks like a word to me anymore.
Thinking positive, the world is still awesome. Great critters and magic and stuff, and I kind of like that the rise of various great civilizations is due to their catching Summer and harnessing her power. And there are some neat little scenes, like the whole chapter where the world is recovering from the Egyptian rule.
Also, Russians!
Page 68: I CAN has Russians!
Page 157: You killed. My Russians.
Keep in mind that half of the intervening pages are spent following Serafin's party, which is continents away. Oh, and that's right, the rest of the time, Merle is like, "Let's ditch the characters who are awesome and go with Junipa to Hell."
So yeah. There are four Russians, one of whom gets a name, and they are only actually present for about eight pages, and get maybe that many lines. Otherwise, they:
- are awesome for one page
- give our heroes soup
- die
Oh and guess what guess what: that is not the only death I want to talk about in this book.
First, one I thought was done well: Amenophis. Sure, it's a tad strange that Seth lets the Pharaoh monologue for so long before whacking him, but this is one of those scenes that's all the more powerful and surprising for going exactly as planned. I like that Junipa realizes that there isn't going to be a big battle: she's just brought an angry man with magic, a sword, and a grudge, to take out an unguarded and unarmed sickly thirteen-year-old. And he does.
Now, the big one. What. Were. They. Thinking.
First off, let me say that I love the creeepy moment when Merle realizes:
1. She will die when the Flowing Queen leaves her to reanimate her old body
2. The Queen knew this all along
The best part is when Merle is trying to be philosophical about it and says, "Perhaps I even suspected it." And the Queen, who's been living in her head all this time and can see her thoughts, goes, "Noyadin't."
But.
Okay, let's say you're with a small group of people, one of whom is going to have to sacrifice his/her life to save the universe. And let's just say that one of your party is kept alive only by evil magic, which struggles constantly - and sometimes successfully - to make her attack or betray her friends.Let's also say she's really really annoying. WHY IS THIS A QUESTION?
But even though Junipa herself brings up all of these points, do they do the smart thing and tell her she's an awfully good sport and take her up on her offer? No.
Also, kind of weirdly, Lalapeya never offers. Merle is the default for the sacrifice, since she's already got the Flowing Queen inside her, but they quickly establish that someone else - SAY, JUNIPA - could take the Queen and do it. I kind of assumed Vermithrax couldn't make the sacrifice for some reason, and maybe they figure Lalapeya can't either, but I don't see why not. And she's Merle's mother. It's sort of expected that she'll at least make a token "take me not her" plea. It's interesting: I can kind of see that Lalapeya being a sphinx could make her reluctant to do this, as sphinxes are now kind of the ultimate endangered species, and Lalapeya should have thousands more years to live, whereas Merle seems to be just a human. On the other hand, Lalapeya was easily willing to risk sacrificing both her hands for Merle earlier. You'd think she'd do her motherly duty here.
But of course, this isn't what happens. Because none of these characters would be able to steal the Queen - and take Merle's place - via a dramatic long-awaited kiss. Serafin's like, "Wait! I just realized the plot makes it super-appropriate to do this!"
Remember, too, that Serafin can only do this with the Queen's permission. What the heck does the Queen think she's doing? Merle has accepted her fate, and has expressly refused Junipa and Serafin's offers. She DOES NOT WANT them to sacrifice themselves for her. And she's the one who's put up with the Queen all this time, and who has resigned herself to this. Then, at the last moment, the Queen's like, "Hey, I decided your boyfriend's offer was so courageous that I'd go with it, so I'm just gonna kill him." She actually says, "In the end, the decision was mine alone." Why should it be?
To be fair, after she returns to her old body, the Flowing Queen/Sekhmet becomes about ten thousand percent more awesome. I love how she defeats the Son of the Mother.
Oh, also: what is up with that one line where it says that time can pass unevenly while you're traveling through the mirror world, so years could go by outside while you're inside? This doesn't work well with the plot. When Junipa and Merle take their little jaunt to Hell and then back to the Iron Eye, I think everyone is counting on time running exactly the same. The uneven time flow would be an interesting touch, if it didn't clash with the way the mirror world actually seems to work in the books.
So in the end, Merle goes off exploring with Creepy McKnowitall Junipa. Woo. But the scene of Venice beginning to rebuild is pretty cool, and the fact that the new City Council claims to be advised by the Flowing Queen is a nice little cynical touch.
Thinking positive, the world is still awesome. Great critters and magic and stuff, and I kind of like that the rise of various great civilizations is due to their catching Summer and harnessing her power. And there are some neat little scenes, like the whole chapter where the world is recovering from the Egyptian rule.
Also, Russians!
Page 68: I CAN has Russians!
Page 157: You killed. My Russians.
Keep in mind that half of the intervening pages are spent following Serafin's party, which is continents away. Oh, and that's right, the rest of the time, Merle is like, "Let's ditch the characters who are awesome and go with Junipa to Hell."
So yeah. There are four Russians, one of whom gets a name, and they are only actually present for about eight pages, and get maybe that many lines. Otherwise, they:
- are awesome for one page
- give our heroes soup
- die
Oh and guess what guess what: that is not the only death I want to talk about in this book.
First, one I thought was done well: Amenophis. Sure, it's a tad strange that Seth lets the Pharaoh monologue for so long before whacking him, but this is one of those scenes that's all the more powerful and surprising for going exactly as planned. I like that Junipa realizes that there isn't going to be a big battle: she's just brought an angry man with magic, a sword, and a grudge, to take out an unguarded and unarmed sickly thirteen-year-old. And he does.
Now, the big one. What. Were. They. Thinking.
First off, let me say that I love the creeepy moment when Merle realizes:
1. She will die when the Flowing Queen leaves her to reanimate her old body
2. The Queen knew this all along
The best part is when Merle is trying to be philosophical about it and says, "Perhaps I even suspected it." And the Queen, who's been living in her head all this time and can see her thoughts, goes, "Noyadin't."
But.
Okay, let's say you're with a small group of people, one of whom is going to have to sacrifice his/her life to save the universe. And let's just say that one of your party is kept alive only by evil magic, which struggles constantly - and sometimes successfully - to make her attack or betray her friends.
But even though Junipa herself brings up all of these points, do they do the smart thing and tell her she's an awfully good sport and take her up on her offer? No.
Also, kind of weirdly, Lalapeya never offers. Merle is the default for the sacrifice, since she's already got the Flowing Queen inside her, but they quickly establish that someone else - SAY, JUNIPA - could take the Queen and do it. I kind of assumed Vermithrax couldn't make the sacrifice for some reason, and maybe they figure Lalapeya can't either, but I don't see why not. And she's Merle's mother. It's sort of expected that she'll at least make a token "take me not her" plea. It's interesting: I can kind of see that Lalapeya being a sphinx could make her reluctant to do this, as sphinxes are now kind of the ultimate endangered species, and Lalapeya should have thousands more years to live, whereas Merle seems to be just a human. On the other hand, Lalapeya was easily willing to risk sacrificing both her hands for Merle earlier. You'd think she'd do her motherly duty here.
But of course, this isn't what happens. Because none of these characters would be able to steal the Queen - and take Merle's place - via a dramatic long-awaited kiss. Serafin's like, "Wait! I just realized the plot makes it super-appropriate to do this!"
Remember, too, that Serafin can only do this with the Queen's permission. What the heck does the Queen think she's doing? Merle has accepted her fate, and has expressly refused Junipa and Serafin's offers. She DOES NOT WANT them to sacrifice themselves for her. And she's the one who's put up with the Queen all this time, and who has resigned herself to this. Then, at the last moment, the Queen's like, "Hey, I decided your boyfriend's offer was so courageous that I'd go with it, so I'm just gonna kill him." She actually says, "In the end, the decision was mine alone." Why should it be?
To be fair, after she returns to her old body, the Flowing Queen/Sekhmet becomes about ten thousand percent more awesome. I love how she defeats the Son of the Mother.
Oh, also: what is up with that one line where it says that time can pass unevenly while you're traveling through the mirror world, so years could go by outside while you're inside? This doesn't work well with the plot. When Junipa and Merle take their little jaunt to Hell and then back to the Iron Eye, I think everyone is counting on time running exactly the same. The uneven time flow would be an interesting touch, if it didn't clash with the way the mirror world actually seems to work in the books.
So in the end, Merle goes off exploring with Creepy McKnowitall Junipa. Woo. But the scene of Venice beginning to rebuild is pretty cool, and the fact that the new City Council claims to be advised by the Flowing Queen is a nice little cynical touch.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2008
I really do not like this trilogy trend that is taking place in the Young Adult writing world. The first book of this series was wonderful! It was such an interesting concept.
I couldn't wait to read the second, which was okay. The second book felt like a placeholder--here's what everyone is doing while I make you wait to read my super-awesome climatic ending.
Well, I didn't find the third super-awesome, nor climatic. To be honest, it was a bit of a let down. Serafin sacrifices himself for Merle and then you don't get to "see" the end because Merle is out of it and doesn't see anything. I kept waiting for someone to come around and bring Serafin back to life, but they bury him in the desert. Then, everyone leaves! The Flowing Queen goes in search of Baba Yaga. Vermithrax goes in search of his people. All of the boys go off to become pirates. Merle and Junipa go off into the mirror world to find her father and possibly a world with another Serafin. I mean, come on! Merle doesn't even stick around with her mum? And you know what? I like happy endings! If I wanted to deal with crap, I would forgo reading altogether and just watch the news.
I couldn't wait to read the second, which was okay. The second book felt like a placeholder--here's what everyone is doing while I make you wait to read my super-awesome climatic ending.
Well, I didn't find the third super-awesome, nor climatic. To be honest, it was a bit of a let down. Serafin sacrifices himself for Merle and then you don't get to "see" the end because Merle is out of it and doesn't see anything. I kept waiting for someone to come around and bring Serafin back to life, but they bury him in the desert. Then, everyone leaves! The Flowing Queen goes in search of Baba Yaga. Vermithrax goes in search of his people. All of the boys go off to become pirates. Merle and Junipa go off into the mirror world to find her father and possibly a world with another Serafin. I mean, come on! Merle doesn't even stick around with her mum? And you know what? I like happy endings! If I wanted to deal with crap, I would forgo reading altogether and just watch the news.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2017
ich weiß nicht mal genau, was mir nicht so richtig gefallen hat..die Story und die Wesen waren ganz okay, die Charaktere eher so meh..ich freu mich aber auf das Wolkenvolk, das fehlt mir nämlich noch von Kai Meyer und bisher konnten mich fast alle seine Werke (zumindest viel mehr als dieses hier) überzeugen :)
March 4, 2023
⭐️ 4.5 ⭐️
Ein Reread eines Kindheitsfavoriten. Einfach eine klasse Reihe! Das Ende kriegt mich einfach immer noch genauso wie beim ersten lesen.
Ein Reread eines Kindheitsfavoriten. Einfach eine klasse Reihe! Das Ende kriegt mich einfach immer noch genauso wie beim ersten lesen.
July 17, 2020
https://thecaffeinatedreader.com/2020...
And here we are! The end of a trilogy, everything has been building up to this moment!
Serafin and the rebel boys found an ally in the beautiful sphinx Lalapeya who had been disguising herself, Merle has found her friend Junipa and escaped from Hell, and the ‘gang’ has now rejoined in Egypt.
This Egypt though is cold and freezing, snow and ice dominate it, and while in Hell Merle had met someone who claimed to be Winter, searching for his love, Summer.
If what the being claimed was true, then does that mean he’s in Egypt and does that mean Summer is there as well?
There is a lot of collusion and coverups revealed from book two and even book one in this, we learn more about the sphinxes and more lore is thrown at us.
This time between this book and book 2, it does get a little confusing to put the worldbuilding together, it seems disjointed, there’s hell, sphinxes, flowing queens, and more, and it all seems to be tossed in together. Despite this, I still found it fascinating which is the reason for not lowering the rating of book 2 or this book.
Merle has literally been to hell and back but there’s still a long hard road ahead of her, and the choices that she and the others have to make do not get any easier.
The time to save not only Venice but the world is running out, and only one thing can stop those behind such machinations.
But who will make such a grand sacrifice?
Oh boy! This will definitely be for older middle grade considering the ending, the ultimate sacrifice though is not made in vain. And the one to pay it does so willingly. It is extremely sad but satisfying and it felt real, like such ‘powers at be’ really needed a large sacrifice, it wouldn’t have felt as true if they could have fixed this easily.
Anyway, I’ll leave it at that and say if you’re an MG fan or have an MG reader in your home, this may be a good trilogy to pick up, the middle book is certainly the most lacking and it does get dark, but, I thought it was a worthwhile read.
4/5 cups of coffee from me on this ending and on the trilogy in general!
And here we are! The end of a trilogy, everything has been building up to this moment!
Serafin and the rebel boys found an ally in the beautiful sphinx Lalapeya who had been disguising herself, Merle has found her friend Junipa and escaped from Hell, and the ‘gang’ has now rejoined in Egypt.
This Egypt though is cold and freezing, snow and ice dominate it, and while in Hell Merle had met someone who claimed to be Winter, searching for his love, Summer.
If what the being claimed was true, then does that mean he’s in Egypt and does that mean Summer is there as well?
There is a lot of collusion and coverups revealed from book two and even book one in this, we learn more about the sphinxes and more lore is thrown at us.
This time between this book and book 2, it does get a little confusing to put the worldbuilding together, it seems disjointed, there’s hell, sphinxes, flowing queens, and more, and it all seems to be tossed in together. Despite this, I still found it fascinating which is the reason for not lowering the rating of book 2 or this book.
Merle has literally been to hell and back but there’s still a long hard road ahead of her, and the choices that she and the others have to make do not get any easier.
The time to save not only Venice but the world is running out, and only one thing can stop those behind such machinations.
But who will make such a grand sacrifice?
Oh boy! This will definitely be for older middle grade considering the ending, the ultimate sacrifice though is not made in vain. And the one to pay it does so willingly. It is extremely sad but satisfying and it felt real, like such ‘powers at be’ really needed a large sacrifice, it wouldn’t have felt as true if they could have fixed this easily.
Anyway, I’ll leave it at that and say if you’re an MG fan or have an MG reader in your home, this may be a good trilogy to pick up, the middle book is certainly the most lacking and it does get dark, but, I thought it was a worthwhile read.
4/5 cups of coffee from me on this ending and on the trilogy in general!
November 21, 2012
This definitely reminds me of His Dark Materials, but even better. I could not put it down. The descriptions, the fantasies, the characters just drew me in. Meyer has some great, original ideas. The great conclusion to a great series.
Indeed, the back of the book promised a great battle at the end, and even though it was expected, it was also shocking. Oh my God I can't believe (SPOILER ALERT) Serafin freakin' died! It put me in tears. I love the whit and whimsy of these ideas, especially with Winter and Summer looking for each other, and the fact that the sphinxes are behind all of this, wanting to conquer all the worlds, and using Summer for their machines. I could rant about this book forever. It was definitely dark in parts, but uplifting in others. The ending was bittersweet. I love the whole mirror theme. Excellent writing. You have earned my respect, Kai Meyer.
Indeed, the back of the book promised a great battle at the end, and even though it was expected, it was also shocking. Oh my God I can't believe (SPOILER ALERT) Serafin freakin' died! It put me in tears. I love the whit and whimsy of these ideas, especially with Winter and Summer looking for each other, and the fact that the sphinxes are behind all of this, wanting to conquer all the worlds, and using Summer for their machines. I could rant about this book forever. It was definitely dark in parts, but uplifting in others. The ending was bittersweet. I love the whole mirror theme. Excellent writing. You have earned my respect, Kai Meyer.
March 6, 2014
Translated by Anthea Bell.
Opening:
ICE AND TEARS
The Pyramid rose above deep snow. All around them, the Egyptian desert lay buried under the cloak of a New Ice Age.
Very exciting trilogy this. Starts off in Venice, visits hell and a winter ravaged Egypt.
#1 The Flowing Queen
#2 The Stone Light
#3 The Glass Word
Opening:
ICE AND TEARS
The Pyramid rose above deep snow. All around them, the Egyptian desert lay buried under the cloak of a New Ice Age.
Very exciting trilogy this. Starts off in Venice, visits hell and a winter ravaged Egypt.
#1 The Flowing Queen
#2 The Stone Light
#3 The Glass Word
March 20, 2017
Das war eine große Enttäuschung.
November 2, 2018
Die Merle-Trilogie ist spannend, keine Frage. In der Tat springen die Protagonisten so schnell von Action- zu Actionszene, dass man ihnen als Leser durchaus ein oder zwei Verschnaufpausen in Hobbitmanier gegönnt hätte. Aber da der Erzähler dieses Problem an einigen Stellen selber thematisiert, ist das schon in Ordnung. So, wie er alles andere auch thematisiert. Keine Gefühlsregung der Protagonisten darf unkommentiert und unerklärt bleiben. Und es würde ja reichen, wenn nur der Erzähler so naseweis wäre - aber es sind auch fast alle Charaktere! Ein Buch von Besserwissern, die dem Leser ihre Welt erklären wollen. Die Königin der Altklugheit ist natürlich die Fließende Königin. Ihre Kommentare zur Situation sollen natürlich lustig sein, klar, denn gerade das Unerwartete ist ja ein Trigger des Komischen, aber ab dem zweiten Band sind die respektlosen Kommentare der Königin dann doch gar nicht mehr so unerwartet.
Mein Lieblingszitat ist aber das Folgende: "'Ich schätze, um sie brauchen wir uns keine Sorgen mehr zu machen', sagte Merle, während Lalapeja, die in Menschengestalt bei den Mädchen saß, lachte - selbst das wirkte an ihr ein wenig rätselhaft, wie alles, was sie tat oder sagte."
Dieses Zitat steht auf einer der letzten Seiten der Trilogie. Lalapejas Charakter wurde schon vor eineinhalb Büchern eingeführt und zu diesem Zeitpunkt sind alle ihre Motive erklärt - sie ist eigentlich kein besonders rätselhafter Charakter. Zudem hat der Leser zu diesem Zeitpunkt schon gefühlt eine Million Sphinxe kennengelernt, die allesamt extrem unrätselhaft waren. Und kurz vor Schluss fällt dem Erzähler wieder ein, dass es in diesem Buch um Sphinxe geht und die eigentlich der mythologische Inbegriff des Rätsels sind, weshalb er uns diesen Hinweis noch mal kurz aufs Butterbrot schmiert?! Ganz abgesehen davon, dass Merle eine witzige Anspielung gemacht hat und die einzige höfliche Reaktion darauf Lachen sein kann.
Das grenzt dann doch an schlechten Stil.
Mein Fazit: mehr Showing, weniger Telling, bitte! Auch wenn dies ein Jugendbuch ist: auch diese Lesergruppe kann ein wenig selber mitdenken.
Trotz des Erzählers und der vorlauten Charaktere haben mir ein paar Aspekte des Buches sehr gut gefallen:
1) Bei der Herzhausszene in Band 2 hat die Jukebox in meinem Kopf "Stromausfall im Herzspital" von Samsas Traum angemacht.
2) Das Ende.
Mein Lieblingszitat ist aber das Folgende: "'Ich schätze, um sie brauchen wir uns keine Sorgen mehr zu machen', sagte Merle, während Lalapeja, die in Menschengestalt bei den Mädchen saß, lachte - selbst das wirkte an ihr ein wenig rätselhaft, wie alles, was sie tat oder sagte."
Dieses Zitat steht auf einer der letzten Seiten der Trilogie. Lalapejas Charakter wurde schon vor eineinhalb Büchern eingeführt und zu diesem Zeitpunkt sind alle ihre Motive erklärt - sie ist eigentlich kein besonders rätselhafter Charakter. Zudem hat der Leser zu diesem Zeitpunkt schon gefühlt eine Million Sphinxe kennengelernt, die allesamt extrem unrätselhaft waren. Und kurz vor Schluss fällt dem Erzähler wieder ein, dass es in diesem Buch um Sphinxe geht und die eigentlich der mythologische Inbegriff des Rätsels sind, weshalb er uns diesen Hinweis noch mal kurz aufs Butterbrot schmiert?! Ganz abgesehen davon, dass Merle eine witzige Anspielung gemacht hat und die einzige höfliche Reaktion darauf Lachen sein kann.
Das grenzt dann doch an schlechten Stil.
Mein Fazit: mehr Showing, weniger Telling, bitte! Auch wenn dies ein Jugendbuch ist: auch diese Lesergruppe kann ein wenig selber mitdenken.
Trotz des Erzählers und der vorlauten Charaktere haben mir ein paar Aspekte des Buches sehr gut gefallen:
1) Bei der Herzhausszene in Band 2 hat die Jukebox in meinem Kopf "Stromausfall im Herzspital" von Samsas Traum angemacht.
2) Das Ende.
March 7, 2020
Ehrlich gesagt, bin ich etwas enttäuscht. Ich weiß, es können nicht immer alle ein Happy End haben, aber immer sind es meine Lieblingscharaktere, die leiden müssen.
Ich habe auch etwas Angst vor dem vierten Teil...der könnte mich mit dem hier versöhnen oder es schlimmer machen.
Ich habe auch etwas Angst vor dem vierten Teil...der könnte mich mit dem hier versöhnen oder es schlimmer machen.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2019
4,5 Sterne, mal wieder eine äußerst gelungene Trilogie von Kai Meyer ❤
July 24, 2021
Großartige Geschichte, tolle Erzählweise. Man fühlt sich, als wäre man Teil des Abenteuers :)
November 5, 2024
Gelungenes „Ende“ der Merle-Triologie.
May 13, 2024
Honestly, in some ways, this is the weakest in the series with a plot that is for the most part quite forgettable - as evident by the fact that even though I've read this twice before, I could hardly remember a thing except for a select few key elements and even those were rather vague. Why the 5 stars then? Well, because the one thing that's truly unforgettable about this and has never left me ever since my first read in my pre-teens are the last 40 pages. The truth. The ultimate betrayal. The heartbreak. The bittersweetness tinged with a sliver of hope … That ending has my name written all over it.
But let's start with the forgettable part: bringing all surviving characters back together. On Merle's end, that means meeting and begrudgingly allying with an enemy. On Serafin's end, there's a sea witch and some pirates in a submarine. I didn't remember either, but ultimately, they all end up at the place that's at the centre of everything. Secrets are revealed. About Merle’s parents. About Junipa and her powers, which is actually my favourite piece of worldbuilding in this series. About the Flowing Queen and the ulterior motives of the empire. And ultimately, of what has to happen to save their world.
Little me never saw it coming, especially not the ultimate outcome. She happily walked into getting her heart truly crushed by a book for the first time in her life. Present me started tearing up the closer we got to that point, just to cry out her eyes for the last 40 pages, keening noises and sobbing and all. Between the disbelief, the angst, the heartbreak, the many goodbyes, it's perfect. The way the characters handle the situation. The way they deal with the aftermath. The way there's still, in the middle of so much pain, that twinkle of hope. The promise of a future, albeit foreign and unknown. In my vocabulary, La Serenissima, the title of the last chapter, has almost become a synonym for bittersweet. I adore it. I love it. It will never let me go and I will never recover from it.
I'm still madly in love with the characters. Strong, relentless Merle, who accepted her fate in all of this without hesitation. Lovely, loyal Junipa, who finally gets her chance to shine even though she considers herself so broken. The bond between them is one of my favourite friendships in literature. Serafin. Just Serafin. He doesn't get to do much in this book, but the things he does … The Flowing Queen, Seth, and Burbridge, who are all three horrible in their own ways, who I just wanted to despise, but that little piece of humanity they showed in the end made me feel sad and a little sorry for them (albeit fleetingly).
I will miss them. Except for some of them, I don't have to thanks to that sequel that was released about 20 years after the original trilogy. I own it. I want to read it. But I'm also terribly scared it will at best not live up to the trilogy and at worst ruin it for me. It's not like that hasn't happened before …
But let's start with the forgettable part: bringing all surviving characters back together. On Merle's end, that means meeting and begrudgingly allying with an enemy. On Serafin's end, there's a sea witch and some pirates in a submarine. I didn't remember either, but ultimately, they all end up at the place that's at the centre of everything. Secrets are revealed. About Merle’s parents. About Junipa and her powers, which is actually my favourite piece of worldbuilding in this series. About the Flowing Queen and the ulterior motives of the empire. And ultimately, of what has to happen to save their world.
Little me never saw it coming, especially not the ultimate outcome. She happily walked into getting her heart truly crushed by a book for the first time in her life. Present me started tearing up the closer we got to that point, just to cry out her eyes for the last 40 pages, keening noises and sobbing and all. Between the disbelief, the angst, the heartbreak, the many goodbyes, it's perfect. The way the characters handle the situation. The way they deal with the aftermath. The way there's still, in the middle of so much pain, that twinkle of hope. The promise of a future, albeit foreign and unknown. In my vocabulary, La Serenissima, the title of the last chapter, has almost become a synonym for bittersweet. I adore it. I love it. It will never let me go and I will never recover from it.
I'm still madly in love with the characters. Strong, relentless Merle, who accepted her fate in all of this without hesitation. Lovely, loyal Junipa, who finally gets her chance to shine even though she considers herself so broken. The bond between them is one of my favourite friendships in literature. Serafin. Just Serafin. He doesn't get to do much in this book, but the things he does … The Flowing Queen, Seth, and Burbridge, who are all three horrible in their own ways, who I just wanted to despise, but that little piece of humanity they showed in the end made me feel sad and a little sorry for them (albeit fleetingly).
I will miss them. Except for some of them, I don't have to thanks to that sequel that was released about 20 years after the original trilogy. I own it. I want to read it. But I'm also terribly scared it will at best not live up to the trilogy and at worst ruin it for me. It's not like that hasn't happened before …
March 17, 2024
Das war mir irgendwie zu dramatisch. Klar, es ist das Finale der Trilogie, aber diese ganze Endgültigkeit ist mir zwischendurch ziemlich auf die Nerven gegangen. Außerdem passiert auch nicht sonderlich viel.
Es hat mich gegen Ende leider einfach nicht mehr gepackt. Für ein Finale ein ziemlich schlechtes Zeichen. Trotzdem war das Ende inhaltlich, auch wenn ich mich zum Weiterlesen zwingen musste, nicht unbefriedigend.
Als Buch für mich weder gut noch schlecht. Als Abschluss einer Trilogie eindeutig nicht gut genug.
Es hat mich gegen Ende leider einfach nicht mehr gepackt. Für ein Finale ein ziemlich schlechtes Zeichen. Trotzdem war das Ende inhaltlich, auch wenn ich mich zum Weiterlesen zwingen musste, nicht unbefriedigend.
Als Buch für mich weder gut noch schlecht. Als Abschluss einer Trilogie eindeutig nicht gut genug.
February 15, 2022
Eine super Fantasy Reihe hat hier auch ein super Ende 🌸 bin positiv überrascht wie die Wendung in Band 3 zu diesem Ausgang der Dinge führt! Die Reihe kann ich nur empfehlen!
⚠️ Achtung Spoiler ⚠️
Das sie am Ende dem Teufel entkommen und Venedig und die Welt vor dem Bösen „Sohn der Mutter“ retten indem Serafin stirbt ist sehr traurig 😢 aber ich bin froh das Merle nicht gestorben ist 🙈 Das die Fließende Königin erst ahnt am Ende Offenbart hat das jemand sterben muss fand ich nachvollziehbar aber auch gemein das sie es Merle nicht gesagt hat.
⚠️ Achtung Spoiler ⚠️
Das sie am Ende dem Teufel entkommen und Venedig und die Welt vor dem Bösen „Sohn der Mutter“ retten indem Serafin stirbt ist sehr traurig 😢 aber ich bin froh das Merle nicht gestorben ist 🙈 Das die Fließende Königin erst ahnt am Ende Offenbart hat das jemand sterben muss fand ich nachvollziehbar aber auch gemein das sie es Merle nicht gesagt hat.
October 6, 2015
Meine Rezension zur Trilogie: https://amerdale.wordpress.com/2015/0...
June 25, 2016
:'(
ich vermisse die charaktere jetzt schon
ich vermisse die charaktere jetzt schon
September 25, 2025
A disappointing end after all the promise of the first book. The besieged, alternate Venice, claustrophobic, it’s canals haunted by doomed mermaids, was such an evocative little world, and the hints of the first book at a wider one only added to its richness. But once the story left those confines the world-building, characterisation and plot fell apart - there’s wonderful cinematic scenes but not much holding it together.
There’s so many interesting genre hopping ideas that are barely explored; Hell as a literal place discovered by 19th century British explorers, Egyptian mythology come to life and interfering with the modern world, lavish steam-punk submarines, the remnants of a mysterious ancient undersea empire, an invasive extraterrestrial force in the shape of a giant glowing asteroid, anthropomorphised seasons angry at human interference. It’s too much for the plot to handle, they don’t cohere and the lack of exploration interferes with the actual story. For example the antagonists are driven by the Stony Light, which seems to be just inherently evil. We get a lot of lengthy beautiful descriptions of the Stony Light and it’s effects but at the same time it’s an inert lump of space rock and it’s quite unclear why it wants the sphinxes to take over the multiverse. Why are all the sphinxes affected by the desires of their evil ancestor but not Lalapeja or Merle? In a world where species ( for lack of a better word ) seems to matter quite a lot to character, why is the revelation that Merle is only a quarter human so irrelevant?
Arcimbaldo, Unke, Merle, Serafin and Junipa all have fantastic beginnings as characters in the first book, but remain underbaked here. Somehow Serafin and Merle have developed a love for the ages, despite having spent only a few hours together and barely spoken. Maybe that’s the nature of 14-year old romance, to be simultaneously passionate and superficial, but if so that deserved a bit more exploration and instead was taken at face value.
It’s not that these are bad books. It’s just that all the early signs were that they would be great.
There’s so many interesting genre hopping ideas that are barely explored; Hell as a literal place discovered by 19th century British explorers, Egyptian mythology come to life and interfering with the modern world, lavish steam-punk submarines, the remnants of a mysterious ancient undersea empire, an invasive extraterrestrial force in the shape of a giant glowing asteroid, anthropomorphised seasons angry at human interference. It’s too much for the plot to handle, they don’t cohere and the lack of exploration interferes with the actual story. For example the antagonists are driven by the Stony Light, which seems to be just inherently evil. We get a lot of lengthy beautiful descriptions of the Stony Light and it’s effects but at the same time it’s an inert lump of space rock and it’s quite unclear why it wants the sphinxes to take over the multiverse. Why are all the sphinxes affected by the desires of their evil ancestor but not Lalapeja or Merle? In a world where species ( for lack of a better word ) seems to matter quite a lot to character, why is the revelation that Merle is only a quarter human so irrelevant?
Arcimbaldo, Unke, Merle, Serafin and Junipa all have fantastic beginnings as characters in the first book, but remain underbaked here. Somehow Serafin and Merle have developed a love for the ages, despite having spent only a few hours together and barely spoken. Maybe that’s the nature of 14-year old romance, to be simultaneously passionate and superficial, but if so that deserved a bit more exploration and instead was taken at face value.
It’s not that these are bad books. It’s just that all the early signs were that they would be great.
December 30, 2020
INHALT:
*** Achtung! Es handelt sich um den dritten/letzten Band – evtl. Spoiler zu vorherigen Bänden vorhanden! ***
Nach den Abenteuern in Venedig und der Hölle, erreichen Merle und Serafin unabhängig voneinander Ägypten. Doch dieses Land der Pharaonen liegt unter tiefen Schneemassen begraben. Schnell wird klar, dass nur Winter, die Jahreszeit in Person, dafür verantwortlich sein kann.
Merle, Serafin deren jeweilige Begleiter treffen nun wieder aufeinander und müssen sich gemeinsam dem Urvater der Sphinxen in den Labyrinthen der Pyramiden stellen. Doch dieser kann nur durch eine bestimmte Person bezwungen werden.
Wie die Gruppe aus dem Schlamassel herausfindet, wer den Urvater der Sphinxen besiegen kann, was dies alles kostet und ob sie die Jahreszeit Sommer retten können – das lest ihr am Besten selbst
SCHREIBSTIL:
Der abschließende Band wird ebenso rasant und spannend erzählt, wie seine Vorgänger. Kai Meyer schafft es, selbst im letzten Teil noch neue Elemente mit der Hauptgeschichte zu verweben, ohne das der ständige Mix aus Religionen, Symbolen und Fabelwesen langweilig werden könnte.
Die zahlreichen unterschiedlichen Charaktere sind stets vielschichtig, fantasievoll und wirken niemals farblos. Das ist besonders aufgrund der niedrigen Seitenanzahl wirklich eine Kunst.
Eine bunte Sammlung von Emotionen, eine dauerhafte und abwechslungsreiche Spannungskurve und die magische Handlung machen diese Reihe – und den Abschlussband – zu etwas ganz Besonderem.
FAZIT:
Der Abschluss der Merle-Reihe konnte mich wieder genau so begeistern wie der Auftakt. Ich war sehr traurig, dass ich keine weiteren Abenteuer mehr mit Merle erleben würde. Das angekündigte, schockierende Ende war letztendlich für mich persönlich nicht so schlimm wie gedacht. Zwar waren die Ereignisse tatsächlich schockierend, aber es war für mich ein akzeptables, nicht so genretypisches Ende, mit dem ich gut hätte leben können. Doch Kai Meyer hat mittlerweile den Ruf nach eine Fortsetzung gehört – mit „Serafin – Das kalte Feuer“ kam 2020 ein Nachfolgeband auf den Markt. Ob dieser die Erwartungen der Fans erfüllen kann? Das kann ich euch bald berichten, da er bereits bereit liegt.
Der Abschluss der Reihe wartet mit allem auf, was die ersten zwei Bände besonders machte. Unglaubliche Fantasie, abwechslungsreiche Emotionen, Spannung pur – diese Reihe sollte jeder Fantasy-Fan gelesen haben.
*** Achtung! Es handelt sich um den dritten/letzten Band – evtl. Spoiler zu vorherigen Bänden vorhanden! ***
Nach den Abenteuern in Venedig und der Hölle, erreichen Merle und Serafin unabhängig voneinander Ägypten. Doch dieses Land der Pharaonen liegt unter tiefen Schneemassen begraben. Schnell wird klar, dass nur Winter, die Jahreszeit in Person, dafür verantwortlich sein kann.
Merle, Serafin deren jeweilige Begleiter treffen nun wieder aufeinander und müssen sich gemeinsam dem Urvater der Sphinxen in den Labyrinthen der Pyramiden stellen. Doch dieser kann nur durch eine bestimmte Person bezwungen werden.
Wie die Gruppe aus dem Schlamassel herausfindet, wer den Urvater der Sphinxen besiegen kann, was dies alles kostet und ob sie die Jahreszeit Sommer retten können – das lest ihr am Besten selbst
SCHREIBSTIL:
Der abschließende Band wird ebenso rasant und spannend erzählt, wie seine Vorgänger. Kai Meyer schafft es, selbst im letzten Teil noch neue Elemente mit der Hauptgeschichte zu verweben, ohne das der ständige Mix aus Religionen, Symbolen und Fabelwesen langweilig werden könnte.
Die zahlreichen unterschiedlichen Charaktere sind stets vielschichtig, fantasievoll und wirken niemals farblos. Das ist besonders aufgrund der niedrigen Seitenanzahl wirklich eine Kunst.
Eine bunte Sammlung von Emotionen, eine dauerhafte und abwechslungsreiche Spannungskurve und die magische Handlung machen diese Reihe – und den Abschlussband – zu etwas ganz Besonderem.
FAZIT:
Der Abschluss der Merle-Reihe konnte mich wieder genau so begeistern wie der Auftakt. Ich war sehr traurig, dass ich keine weiteren Abenteuer mehr mit Merle erleben würde. Das angekündigte, schockierende Ende war letztendlich für mich persönlich nicht so schlimm wie gedacht. Zwar waren die Ereignisse tatsächlich schockierend, aber es war für mich ein akzeptables, nicht so genretypisches Ende, mit dem ich gut hätte leben können. Doch Kai Meyer hat mittlerweile den Ruf nach eine Fortsetzung gehört – mit „Serafin – Das kalte Feuer“ kam 2020 ein Nachfolgeband auf den Markt. Ob dieser die Erwartungen der Fans erfüllen kann? Das kann ich euch bald berichten, da er bereits bereit liegt.
Der Abschluss der Reihe wartet mit allem auf, was die ersten zwei Bände besonders machte. Unglaubliche Fantasie, abwechslungsreiche Emotionen, Spannung pur – diese Reihe sollte jeder Fantasy-Fan gelesen haben.
December 26, 2018
So my major questions were answered and nothing's really nagging at me now. Yay! But it was a frustrating read because I kept getting hints of how it could be better. Sometimes Meyer would take the story in a direction I didn't expect, and I was happy to be surprised. However, the book is plagued with head-hopping, telling instead of showing, elements that were included maybe more because they were nifty than because they were essential, and a host of flat characters.
January 14, 2020
was für ein spannendes ende! und ganz wie bei kai meyer zu erwarten mit starken weiblichen hauptcharakteren und einem bitter–sweet ende. gegen ende wird einem erst wieder richtig bewusst wie unfassbar viel seit dem ersten band passiert ist! wie unschuldig alles anfangs war, irre. tatsächlich lässt das ende etwas offen für neues... taucht vielleicht mal jemand in einem anderen seiner bücher wieder auf? er ist ja tatsächlich dabei einen weg zu ebnen all seine bücher in irgendeiner form zu verbinden :)
March 4, 2020
Gut oder böse (Hörbuch-Version)
Das fantastische Abenteuer geht ohne Rückblick weiter.Deshalb macht es Sinn,die Vorgänger-Bände zu kennen.
Zum einen begleite ich Vermihrax ,Merle und Junipa in eine Welt hinter den Spiegeln ,während Serafin,Unke und Lalapeja gemeinsam versuchen,Venedig vor dem Untergang zu retten.
Die Protagonisten agieren in mir unbekannten Terrain und es wimmelt nur so vor fantastischen Wesen und ich zittere weiter um Merle.
Ich habe mich gut unterhalten gefühlt ,auch wenn ich mit dem Ende nicht so ganz konform bin
Das fantastische Abenteuer geht ohne Rückblick weiter.Deshalb macht es Sinn,die Vorgänger-Bände zu kennen.
Zum einen begleite ich Vermihrax ,Merle und Junipa in eine Welt hinter den Spiegeln ,während Serafin,Unke und Lalapeja gemeinsam versuchen,Venedig vor dem Untergang zu retten.
Die Protagonisten agieren in mir unbekannten Terrain und es wimmelt nur so vor fantastischen Wesen und ich zittere weiter um Merle.
Ich habe mich gut unterhalten gefühlt ,auch wenn ich mit dem Ende nicht so ganz konform bin
May 24, 2020
Obwohl ich das Finale schon einmal gelesen habe, hat es mich wieder kalt erwischt!
Der letzte Band der Reihe bietet all die Auflösungen, die ich mir erwartet habe, ohne jedoch die komplette Magie zu nehmen.
Es bieten sich so viele verschiedene Ansätze, um in diesem Universum zu bleiben und weiter zu erzählen.
Ich empfehle aber jedem starke Nerven. Denn der Schluss wartet mit vielen Emotionen auf. Bei mir flossen die Tränen. Für mich hätte es noch ein besseres Ende geben können. Nichtsdestotrotz ein gelungener 3. Band!
Der letzte Band der Reihe bietet all die Auflösungen, die ich mir erwartet habe, ohne jedoch die komplette Magie zu nehmen.
Es bieten sich so viele verschiedene Ansätze, um in diesem Universum zu bleiben und weiter zu erzählen.
Ich empfehle aber jedem starke Nerven. Denn der Schluss wartet mit vielen Emotionen auf. Bei mir flossen die Tränen. Für mich hätte es noch ein besseres Ende geben können. Nichtsdestotrotz ein gelungener 3. Band!
July 13, 2022
Das Gläserne Wort von Kai Meyer ist das Ende der magischen Merle Trilogie.
Es ist wohl der Teil an dem am meisten passiert und am meisten Verwirrungen geklärt werden. Oder auch aufkommen lassen?
Auch wenn ich zwischen durch selbst nicht ganz mit kam war es eine wundervolle, spannende und einfach perfekte Geschichte.
Ich habe am Ende die eine oder andere Träne vergossen. Aber ließ das besser selbst.
Von mir bekommt das Buch ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Sterne.
Es ist eins der besten Fantasy Bücher, die ich seit langem gelesen habe.
Es ist wohl der Teil an dem am meisten passiert und am meisten Verwirrungen geklärt werden. Oder auch aufkommen lassen?
Auch wenn ich zwischen durch selbst nicht ganz mit kam war es eine wundervolle, spannende und einfach perfekte Geschichte.
Ich habe am Ende die eine oder andere Träne vergossen. Aber ließ das besser selbst.
Von mir bekommt das Buch ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Sterne.
Es ist eins der besten Fantasy Bücher, die ich seit langem gelesen habe.
April 1, 2024
El primer libro de esta saga me lo regalaron cuando tenía 10 años. Nunca lo leí y a los 23 quise leerlo y me di cuenta que era una trilogía. Me costó mucho conseguir los otros dos, pude conseguirlos pero después no los leí. Hoy es el día que puedo decir que terminé la trilogía, estoy con el corazón contento porque después de muchísimos años pude hacerlo, y a la vez fue una cita pendiente desde mí infancia.
Amé toda la historia, mí corazón está medio roto por los hechos del final pero amé completamente.
Amé toda la historia, mí corazón está medio roto por los hechos del final pero amé completamente.
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