- Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
- Publisher: Spectra Books (26 April 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0553586742
- ISBN-13: 978-0553586749
- Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 2.6 x 17.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,435,340 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
With Freedom’s Gate, acclaimed author Naomi Kritzer introduced a dangerous world of magic and intrigue. Now she continues the story of Lauria, a bold young woman who has turned against a way of life she once believed in....
FREEDOM’S APPRENTICE
Once the trusted aide to powerful military commander Kyros, freeborn Lauria hunted down his escaped slaves. But during a mission to infiltrate the bandit tribe known as the Alashi, Lauria’s loyalties shifted. When her
identity was discovered, she was cast out by both sides. Now Lauria is determined to regain the trust of the Alashi, and, with the help of her blood-sister Tamar, liberate those she once returned to captivity. But they cannot accomplish the daunting task alone. Desperate for a spell-chain to free a mine slave, Lauria turns to her enemies–the Sisterhood of Weavers–and apprentices herself to a sorceress. But learning to harness magic will come at a greater price than she ever imagined.
FREEDOM’S APPRENTICE
Once the trusted aide to powerful military commander Kyros, freeborn Lauria hunted down his escaped slaves. But during a mission to infiltrate the bandit tribe known as the Alashi, Lauria’s loyalties shifted. When her
identity was discovered, she was cast out by both sides. Now Lauria is determined to regain the trust of the Alashi, and, with the help of her blood-sister Tamar, liberate those she once returned to captivity. But they cannot accomplish the daunting task alone. Desperate for a spell-chain to free a mine slave, Lauria turns to her enemies–the Sisterhood of Weavers–and apprentices herself to a sorceress. But learning to harness magic will come at a greater price than she ever imagined.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Freedom's Apprentice is the continuation of Freedom's Gate (The Good Rivers trilogy).
In the previous book Lauria changes her way of perceiving reality. No longer are slaves a normal part of life. Her own experience (albeit a short one) made her take a long hard look at the perceptions she had previously had.
Now that her loyalties have shifted, and in spite of having been cast off from the Alashi, Lauria and Tamar set out to liberate the slaves Lauria had sent back into slavery in her previous life. However, this is not a straightforward venture. Whenever she succeeds, the slaves are sent on to the Alashi.
Lauria is still trying to evade her former employer, Kyros. By freeing the djinn that he sends to watch her she manages to put off the inevitable confrontation.
Not all of Lauria's allies are allies that she and Tamar agree upon. While trying to figure out how to free one of the former slaves of Kyros, Lauria apprentices herself to a sorceress - part of the Sisterhood of Weavers. There Lauria once again has to confront her own perceptions of reality.
All in all this was a fairly good book. It was straightforward and had no huge surprises in store for me as a reader. As a yarn it did its job, though. I liked the first book in the trilogy better than this one, but did read this one more or less in one go. Its problem for me was a lack of verve that I found highly entertaining in the first book. The tension in the previous volume just wasn't as visible in this one. But it did bring the story forward in a believable manner and pointed the reader towards a possible starting point in the next installment in the series.
Please enjoy.
In the previous book Lauria changes her way of perceiving reality. No longer are slaves a normal part of life. Her own experience (albeit a short one) made her take a long hard look at the perceptions she had previously had.
Now that her loyalties have shifted, and in spite of having been cast off from the Alashi, Lauria and Tamar set out to liberate the slaves Lauria had sent back into slavery in her previous life. However, this is not a straightforward venture. Whenever she succeeds, the slaves are sent on to the Alashi.
Lauria is still trying to evade her former employer, Kyros. By freeing the djinn that he sends to watch her she manages to put off the inevitable confrontation.
Not all of Lauria's allies are allies that she and Tamar agree upon. While trying to figure out how to free one of the former slaves of Kyros, Lauria apprentices herself to a sorceress - part of the Sisterhood of Weavers. There Lauria once again has to confront her own perceptions of reality.
All in all this was a fairly good book. It was straightforward and had no huge surprises in store for me as a reader. As a yarn it did its job, though. I liked the first book in the trilogy better than this one, but did read this one more or less in one go. Its problem for me was a lack of verve that I found highly entertaining in the first book. The tension in the previous volume just wasn't as visible in this one. But it did bring the story forward in a believable manner and pointed the reader towards a possible starting point in the next installment in the series.
Please enjoy.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5 reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Darned good follow-up; I can't wait for the final book
18 May 2005
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The middle book in any trilogy is always problematical. The author has to make the situation worse-and-worse for the protagonist, yet move the story forward. Yet, very little can be resolved, because there's a Book 3 to follow.
Kritzer does a great job. In the first book of this trilogy (don't even think of skipping it; you'd be lost), Lauria re-thought her role in the world. Instead of doing whatever Kyros wanted (in particular, catching slaves and returning them to their owners), she joined a peculiar rebellion, and earned a sense of purpose. (I won't say more, in case you didn't finish Freedom's Gate yet.)
In Freedom's Apprentice, Lauria aims to free all the slaves she'd previously recaptured, as atonement for her previous actions. As she travels around her world -- joined by her blood-sister Tamar -- she learns more about the nature of magic, what it takes to control it, and sets an even larger goal.
Oh dear, that sounds like the vague "back of the book" text, but I'm trying to avoid spoilers. The bottom line is that this second book is at least as good as the first; the author makes her world and her people believeable; and this tale is a fine place in which to lose yourself for a few hours. Recommended.
Kritzer does a great job. In the first book of this trilogy (don't even think of skipping it; you'd be lost), Lauria re-thought her role in the world. Instead of doing whatever Kyros wanted (in particular, catching slaves and returning them to their owners), she joined a peculiar rebellion, and earned a sense of purpose. (I won't say more, in case you didn't finish Freedom's Gate yet.)
In Freedom's Apprentice, Lauria aims to free all the slaves she'd previously recaptured, as atonement for her previous actions. As she travels around her world -- joined by her blood-sister Tamar -- she learns more about the nature of magic, what it takes to control it, and sets an even larger goal.
Oh dear, that sounds like the vague "back of the book" text, but I'm trying to avoid spoilers. The bottom line is that this second book is at least as good as the first; the author makes her world and her people believeable; and this tale is a fine place in which to lose yourself for a few hours. Recommended.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
terrific alternate history fantasy
27 April 2005
Format:Mass Market Paperback
After Alexander dies, the Empire went into a decline until Penelope the first weaver learned how to control the djinn. Using their magic, they reconquered the countries that broke away from the empire, most learned to live with the Greeks as their rulers. Lauria, a free woman in service to Kyros the commander of the military garrison in Elpisia, as part of her job brings back runaway slaves who find refuge with the Alashi, a nomadic warrior group who remain free of Greek rule.
After infiltrating the Alashi, Lauria sees how wrong she was to return runaway slaves and vows to free them from their masters. A runaway slave recognizes Lauria and exposes her deception. The Alashi exile her leaving her with no home but even more determined to free the slaves she captured. With her friend Tamar who accompanies her on her quest, the two women free the slaves who are scattered all over the empire. Both women know if they are caught, the penalty for their crimes is a tortuous death.
This is the second book of THE DEAD RIVERS trilogy but it can stand alone because the storyline doesn't rely on the first book FREEDOM'S GATE. The use of djinn in the political and military arena is taken for granted and people see magic in their everyday life as something normal and natural. There is plenty of action in FREEDOM'S APPRENTICE as the heroine undoes the harm she caused to the runaway slaves. Some of the method she uses to find and free the slave are ingenious and will win her the admiration of the audience. Naomi Kritzer's world where the Greek Empire never fell and is the ruler of most of the known world is exciting and believable
Harriet Klausner
After infiltrating the Alashi, Lauria sees how wrong she was to return runaway slaves and vows to free them from their masters. A runaway slave recognizes Lauria and exposes her deception. The Alashi exile her leaving her with no home but even more determined to free the slaves she captured. With her friend Tamar who accompanies her on her quest, the two women free the slaves who are scattered all over the empire. Both women know if they are caught, the penalty for their crimes is a tortuous death.
This is the second book of THE DEAD RIVERS trilogy but it can stand alone because the storyline doesn't rely on the first book FREEDOM'S GATE. The use of djinn in the political and military arena is taken for granted and people see magic in their everyday life as something normal and natural. There is plenty of action in FREEDOM'S APPRENTICE as the heroine undoes the harm she caused to the runaway slaves. Some of the method she uses to find and free the slave are ingenious and will win her the admiration of the audience. Naomi Kritzer's world where the Greek Empire never fell and is the ruler of most of the known world is exciting and believable
Harriet Klausner
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Better Than "Turning the Storm"
24 Jun 2006
Format:Mass Market Paperback
After reading "Turning the Storm" I was disappointed in most of the reviewer's opinions. In short, I didn't like it at all. So, I was very skeptical about picking this sequel up. However, "Freedom's Gate" had me hooked and I pledged to give this one a try. I am so glad I did! Where "Turning the Storm" was frenetic and unfocussed, I found "Freedom's Apprentice" to be a well-considered, carefully produced story. Unlike Kritzer's previous sequel, this one had a direct goal in mind, the freeing of the five slaves Lauria had previously tracked down, and it also allowed for a lot of variation in scene and character development without seeming lost and confused. As a writer matures in experience, I am convinced her work becomes fuller and more matured, as well. This is definitely the case here. I can't wait to read #3!
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