Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
My all-time favourite series, 16 Feb 2002
The Chronicles of Morgaine, as originally published in the UK, is the best series I have ever read. Period. Cherryh's writing is captivating, and the writing style is unique in that we are never allowed "into the head" of one of the main characters. This adds incredible power to the writing, and constantly serves to keep the reader totally in tune with the other's viewpoint.The story itself spans worlds. Literally. Many fantasy/sci-fi authors seem scared to break the mold of their original stories, and this ends up crushing them. In a series of four books, Cherryh takes her characters through four unique yet interwoven worlds. The challenges that her characters face on each of these worlds is never the standard fantasy fare of "boy/girl comes from nowhere and saves the world", but deals with friendship, hardship, family, politics, alliance, enmity, trust and betrayal. The craft, imagination and skill behind this series is second to none. The only thing that disappoints me about this series is that not enough people have experienced it and that it's not outsold Lord of the Rings - so far...
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply the best saga CJ has ever written...., 12 Jun 2000
I first read Fires of Azeroth at age 11(ish). It was the first adult fantasy I had read, and I was captivated. The characters were full boodied, hot blooded, uncompromising, real life people. The situations they were in, their reactions, their reasons and their believability (?) were even more real. I went on to read Well of Shiuan and Gate of Ivrel as soon as I could find them. These three are in this edition, with Exiles gate a separate work, 4th and last in line. Cherryh weaves a spellbinding story, entwining love and hate, honour and regret, necessity and compassion. Her heros are real people acting out real lives in situations that make them heros. No muscle bound Conans with bodymounds and crimson gore here, just gritty warriors who fight because they have no choice and people who believe in the things they hold dear. Nhi Vanya, the young outcast and Morgaine, the feared and reveared Witch of legend come together in the first book. Their characters and relationship develop brilliantly throughout the works, so much so that you end up knowing how they will react, what they will be thinking, where they will go... You end up within them, and this, to me, is the mark of GREAT writing. I really cannot recommend this book enough!An alltime musthave series. GO BUY IT!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the greats., 16 Dec 2007
Thousands of medieval worlds are linked together by gates which allow (for those who know how to use them) instantaneous transport between them. A team of experts is dispatched to close them. As we join the story Morgaine is the only one of the team still alive. With the responsiblity hers alone she will sacrifice anything to finish the mission.
She tricks Vanye, a young disgraced warrior into helping her, using his honour against him.
Gradually as the bond between them deepens her decisions become more difficult.
As with all great stories the plot is simple. However what raises these books way above the average is the believability and depth of the characters. If you want real drama set in a fantasy landscape then these books are for you.
I have read more than two thousand science fiction/fantasy books and these are in my top five.
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