Myrren's Gift: The Quickening Book One (Quickening 1)
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'It's a 'just one more chapter' sort of book. Don't start reading MYRREN'S GIFT in the evening if you have to get up early the next morning!' ROBIN HOBB 'Fiona McIntosh is a bold new voice in high fantasy. MYRREN'S GIFT is a rich, satisfying confection of vivid detail, engrossing characters, and their dark doings, all beautifully written. I was enthralled from page one.' LYNN FLEWELLING
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When Wyl Thirsk, General of the Morgravian Legion, is forced to watch the torture of Myrren, a young woman accused of witchcraft, it seems little enough comfort to speed her passing. But Myrren is grateful for even this small mercy and promises Wyl a gift. He thanks her but dismisses the notion - what could this poor, doomed girl have to give him? It is only years later that Wyl, shorn of his friends and allies, betrayed by his king, and forced to make an impossible choice, remembers the dying words of the young woman about to burn for the crime of witchcraft. As his enemy's sword draws closer, Wyl finally understands the meaning of Myrren's dying words, and he wonders: had he known what that one act of kindness would bring, would he have behaved otherwise? Gripping the reader from the very first page, Myrren's Gift marks Fiona Mc Intosh as one of fantasy fiction's most gifted storytellers.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting idea, taken in non-interesting directions,
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This review is from: Myrren's Gift: The Quickening Book One (Paperback)
I'd been toying with the idea of buying this for a while. The cover blurb was interesting, and I liked the cover. (So I'm shallow.)I think the title of this review sums up my reaction to the book. McIntosh demonstrates several "first novel" problems -- poor to 1-dimensional characterisation; multiple confusing point-of-view shifts, often changing every paragraph (and no, it wasn't meant to be omniscient); info-dumping -- and these added up to marked lack of appreciation for her prose. Still, the story itself is quite interesting, even if some of the plot twists are telegraphed rather obviously. I do think it would be a better book were it edited severely, and marketed as a YA fantasy. For those of us fantasy addicts awaiting the newest Bakker or Erikson, "Myrren's Gift" is not enough to tide us over.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Great story, badly delivered,
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This review is from: Myrren's Gift: The Quickening Book One (Paperback)
Myrren's Gift is the first title I have read by this author and it has left me feeling very let down.The main storyline and underlying themes I found alluring, encapsulating some of the things a good fantasy novel should have (mystery, political intrigue, righteous cause, etc). And the idea of reincarnation for the protagonist was unique, opening many opportunities for character development and growth. But it wasn't followed through. Execution was diabolical. The pace of the story is very choppy and often stalls before picking up any sort of momentum. Descriptive imagery is weak and hardly apparent, often non-existent. Alarmingly character viewpoints are continuously changing mid-chapter. Never have I jumped between four character viewpoints in as many paragraphs. There is purposed domination by the author in 'dumping' vast amounts of information onto the reader (this can go on for 3-4 pages at a time) whilst simultaneously rushing through key scenes. The characters are contrived, their acting and thinking often not in line with their personality traits, background or experiences. The timeline of events are unrealistic and rushed. The main character just bounces around from place to place, disaster to disaster, all within a few short weeks of each other. One day he's lying in bed with broken ribs, a few days later he's fighting in a tournament against a matched opponent, the ribs forgotten by both the character and author. But worst of all is the author's world creation - or lack thereof. Class distinctions result in different upbringings and idealisms - but this has been ignored. There are temples and a deity called Shar - and that's all we're told about their religious beliefs, customs and how it has shaped their community. The map provided is nothing more than three rough squares clumped together. Two nations at war with each other for several centuries would hardly have their capital palaces within three days ride of each other. The Palaces of Pearlis and Werryl do not sit within a sizeable town or city. No mention is made of the government buildings, city landmarks, or rich and poor districts, no merchants or traders, no guard patrols, no beggars, no filth-ridden alleys, no city walls or the vast population - nothing. In fact the palaces seem more like country retreats. On a journey from Pearlis to Werryl, McIntosh fails to describe the land. No visual imagery of fields, forests or hills; no sounds of wildlife; no fragrances; no changes in human settlement. In fact, the reader is left entirely to their own machinations to decide what fills this void. This is constant throughout the story. Though these points might seem trivial, veteran readers of the genre look out for these things in a good story and quickly pick up on such shockingly amateur mistakes. Fantasy by its very nature should have a believable infrastructure which somehow feels so natural and real no matter how far it stretches the imagination, that it could really exist. McIntosh has failed to do this, and along with a major literary disaster like changing character viewpoints every few paragraphs, she has achieved nothing more than to alienate readers. I find it hard to believe this got past the editing process at Orbit and made it to print. Never have I written a review with the aim of deterring someone from reading a book, but in this case I'll be doing you a favour. Doubt I'll purchase anything else from this author again. Instead I recommend The Mirage Makers trilogy by Glenda Larke.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
I enjoyed the whole book.,
By
This review is from: Myrren's Gift: The Quickening Book One (Paperback)
This first book in Fiona McIntosh's trilogy (The Quickening) was completely enjoyable for me. I began reading it without any preconceived notions about the genre or the author and was definitely entertained. The author's descriptive passages concerning what led up to Myrren bestowing "the gift" on Wyl Thirsk was intensely moving and graphic. When that gift was revealed, I was completely surprised.The book moves from one adventure straight into another which meant that it held my attention throughout. There are many characters and the lines between good and evil are very plainly drawn. I especially enjoyed the dog Knave and the young boy Fynch. I have to admit, the ending of this portion of the trilogy caught me completely off guard and makes me wonder how in the world this author will continue that particular situation in the second book. The only way to find out is to read Blood and Memory (Quickening Trilogy). This one was a very exciting, interesting fantasy adventure. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
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