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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Much as I like the Deryni novels this is, without doubt, the weakest one I have read yet. Indeed, it's the only weak one which makes it even more of a disappointment.
All it does is fill in a bit of back story and say why some characters died. It borders on the mawkish in places and certainly does not show much of the character of Alaric Morgan or his development.
For completists only.
All it does is fill in a bit of back story and say why some characters died. It borders on the mawkish in places and certainly does not show much of the character of Alaric Morgan or his development.
For completists only.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Better than the first in the trilogy, but still not essential reading
22 April 2009
By Blackhorse47
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Mass Market Paperback
As a huge fan of the earlier Deryni books, I was extremely underwhelmed by the first book in this trilogy and so I started this with some trepidation.
Luckily this book does flow better than the first one did, but it still lacks a main thrust to the plot and so it still comes over as an exercise in filling in the bits of history laid down in the books set in a later period. The novel again covers a considerable passage of time and tells the story of many different people, but they don't unify into any sort of coherent whole.
Concentrating on the plight of just one of the characters from here and giving them something to achieve would have greatly improved things. Instead we are introduced to someone, they have woe after woe heaped upon them and then just when you think they might fight back, they die, usually in a way that has nothing to do with any foes they may have, or problems they're trying to solve. This may be realistic, as people in these times did die in a multitude of tragic ways, but when main characters keel over and die from consumption in a story, it's curiously flat.
Then, as with the first book, we have to sit around while the news of the death is passed from person to person, letting us see everyone's reactions, which are always the same that it's sad. We get a forlorn funeral. Then the narrative move on to someone else who has heaps of woe dumped on them and just when things get interesting they die in a sad and lonely way...
What stops this getting thoroughly tedious is that the author can still write a good scene and that as she cuts down the characters there are still a few we know must live and that gradually increases the interest. Best of all in the final stages a plot arrives out of nowhere. That plot may be corny with low-grade action and adventure thrust upon the situation, but it reads so much better than everything that comes before it and is a return to the fun style from earlier in the series.
I'll therefore read on when the next book arrives, and I hope it continues in the style of the final section of this book.
Luckily this book does flow better than the first one did, but it still lacks a main thrust to the plot and so it still comes over as an exercise in filling in the bits of history laid down in the books set in a later period. The novel again covers a considerable passage of time and tells the story of many different people, but they don't unify into any sort of coherent whole.
Concentrating on the plight of just one of the characters from here and giving them something to achieve would have greatly improved things. Instead we are introduced to someone, they have woe after woe heaped upon them and then just when you think they might fight back, they die, usually in a way that has nothing to do with any foes they may have, or problems they're trying to solve. This may be realistic, as people in these times did die in a multitude of tragic ways, but when main characters keel over and die from consumption in a story, it's curiously flat.
Then, as with the first book, we have to sit around while the news of the death is passed from person to person, letting us see everyone's reactions, which are always the same that it's sad. We get a forlorn funeral. Then the narrative move on to someone else who has heaps of woe dumped on them and just when things get interesting they die in a sad and lonely way...
What stops this getting thoroughly tedious is that the author can still write a good scene and that as she cuts down the characters there are still a few we know must live and that gradually increases the interest. Best of all in the final stages a plot arrives out of nowhere. That plot may be corny with low-grade action and adventure thrust upon the situation, but it reads so much better than everything that comes before it and is a return to the fun style from earlier in the series.
I'll therefore read on when the next book arrives, and I hope it continues in the style of the final section of this book.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By S. Teoh
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I've read the earlier Deryni novels - Camber, Morgan, Kelson series. And I remember hearing years ago that Katherine Kurtz was writing the Childe Morgan trilogy. So I read In The King's Service and was waiting for this, which I presumed would be more exciting because it would actually feature Morgan. I am somewhat disappointed. The story rushes along with bits thrown in every which way for convenience, to make it fit in with whatever it is that Katherine Kurtz has put in her previous works. There isn't much character development and what I find quite amusing is that a 2yr old Morgan is amazingly advanced for his age. Its a real shame actually, because I like the world she's created and I like the characters and Morgan is one of my favourites. But these later books of hers just feel like something she should have done a long time ago when the whole world was fresh in her mind, but instead has left for a bit too long and kind of lost her way a bit. For the sake of completeness, if you're a Katherine Kurtz fan, get it, it's not that bad. But if you've never read Katherine Kurtz before, go for her earlier work because this is not going to convince you to keep reading her.
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3.2 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another good Deryni novel!
A fan of the series for over two decades, it's always with great pleasure that I return to the Deryni universe. Read more
Published on 2 May 2011 by Patrick St-Denis
1.0 out of 5 stars
Self-indulgent and boring
This book is about nothing more than KK indulging her fascination with 10th century Europe by showing off how much historical accuracy she can shoe-horn into the narrative. Read more
Published on 15 July 2009 by N. Williamson
1.0 out of 5 stars
Childe Morgan - what a waste
Most awful book written - not just is there almost no plot, no live, no character, it also raises more questions than it answers. Read more
Published on 23 Jun 2009 by Anna Maxwell
4.0 out of 5 stars
childe morgan
Have bought all Katherine Kurtz Deryni books from Amazon and there is'nt one I would'nt reccommend .
Published on 6 Jun 2009 by aura 21
2.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing
I love the early Deryni novels, and would recommend them to all fantasy readers as well worth the time to seek out and enjoy. Read more
Published on 20 Feb 2008 by Robert Horton
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