ianbanks's review
4.0
Queen Ellyria wants to save her family from the illness that threatens them. When she is too late to save her husband she takes the help of a mysterious doctor who cures her triplet sons. He also helps her fashion three talismans that will ensure peace between the three kingdoms created for her sons from their father’s realm. But faster than you can say “King Lear,” she discovers that the doctor is a Dark Spirit, twisting his promises and demanding blood and chaos
Satima Flavell’s debut novel sets the stage for an epic conflict that spans years. The lines between friend and enemy, as in all good stories, sometimes seems very thin. Good and evil are often linked and good deeds can have consequences that backfire on the deeded and the deeder. But it is more than battles and conflicts between men, elves, dwarves and the spirit realm; it has a charming domesticity about it that you don’t find in very many fantasy series, reminders that this is a world populated by people with lives, histories, strengths, prejudices and failings of their own.
And it is that domesticity that reminds the reader, even more than the plot, that there is a fine line between a lot of fantasy and fairy tales. The talismans – mirror, cloak and dagger – evoke a sense of things happening behind the scenes as much as they remind you of fairy gifts that fuddle the mind. Ellyria also establishes herself as an unwilling eminence grise so that the prophecy of the Dark Spirit does not come to pass, going so far as to set up a school of magic to safeguard her sons’ kingdoms while still being a part of her family’s life.
Which is where the novel really shines. For when Ellyria is concentrating on keeping the peace between the realms she is also working at maintaining balance and harmony in her personal life and trying to keep things on an even keel with her students of magic. Flavell’s skill at mixing these strands of plot and character make this a gripping read and the way which these stories intertwine is clever and natural, leading to a climax that is gripping and a conclusion that, while sudden, does wrap up this story while still leaving openings for the future volumes in this series.
This review first appeared at http://stuffianlikes.aussieblogs.com.au/?p=94
Satima Flavell’s debut novel sets the stage for an epic conflict that spans years. The lines between friend and enemy, as in all good stories, sometimes seems very thin. Good and evil are often linked and good deeds can have consequences that backfire on the deeded and the deeder. But it is more than battles and conflicts between men, elves, dwarves and the spirit realm; it has a charming domesticity about it that you don’t find in very many fantasy series, reminders that this is a world populated by people with lives, histories, strengths, prejudices and failings of their own.
And it is that domesticity that reminds the reader, even more than the plot, that there is a fine line between a lot of fantasy and fairy tales. The talismans – mirror, cloak and dagger – evoke a sense of things happening behind the scenes as much as they remind you of fairy gifts that fuddle the mind. Ellyria also establishes herself as an unwilling eminence grise so that the prophecy of the Dark Spirit does not come to pass, going so far as to set up a school of magic to safeguard her sons’ kingdoms while still being a part of her family’s life.
Which is where the novel really shines. For when Ellyria is concentrating on keeping the peace between the realms she is also working at maintaining balance and harmony in her personal life and trying to keep things on an even keel with her students of magic. Flavell’s skill at mixing these strands of plot and character make this a gripping read and the way which these stories intertwine is clever and natural, leading to a climax that is gripping and a conclusion that, while sudden, does wrap up this story while still leaving openings for the future volumes in this series.
This review first appeared at http://stuffianlikes.aussieblogs.com.au/?p=94
thiefofcamorr's review
Katharine is a judge for the Aurealis Awards. This entry is the personal opinion of Katharine herself, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of any judging panel, the judging coordinator or the Aurealis Awards management team.
To be safe, I won't be recording my thoughts (if I choose to) here until after the AA are over.
To be safe, I won't be recording my thoughts (if I choose to) here until after the AA are over.
tsana's review
3.0
The Dagger of Dresnia by Satima Flavell is the first book in The Talismans trilogy and the author's début. I don't think I've ready any of the author's stories before, so this was all new to me.
It only took me a couple of pages to get interested in the story, but a few chapters to be sold on the concept. The start initially struck me as a little contrived — basically the events described in the blurb — with the Queen getting into trouble through a momentary lapse. On the other hand, it does make sense if you think about it analytically. This was actually a minor issue that recurred throughout the book; some events made sense but felt a little off when reading.
On a similar note, I found some of the dialogue a tad improbable. There was a lot of people saying exactly what was on their minds and explaining their motivations in careful detail. That just isn't how people talk and a little obfuscation would have gone a long way to adding an extra layer in some instances. Similarly, sometimes decisions were made too easily. Again, they made logical sense, but lacked an extra layer of depth. This particularly applied to the climactic battle/war scenes, which lacked tension and left me ambivalent. On the other hand, there were some smaller-scale fight scenes earlier, which I thought were quite good — like the first one between an elf and a group of dwarfs.
Of the characters, I enjoyed reading Ellyria's story, but I felt I connected better with Tammi and Jedderin, who were younger. I didn't like Beverak, Tammi's husband and Ellyria's son, at first, but warmed to him as he began to see reason and let go of his prejudices. I get the feeling that this trilogy will follow one triplet-brother (and his family) per book so in this book we learn a lot about Beverak but very little about the other two brothers. I would be interested to learn more about them in future books.
One thing that was done well in The Dagger of Dresnia was foreshadowing. There were a few scenes where I was wondering how they fit into the narrative only to have it revealed later on when it slotted in famously. The ending kind of did this too. I had a suspicion it was coming but the way it actually happened was great. (No spoilers!) It was hilarious like a pun, and I don't mean that in a bad way. I don't think I can say more without spoiling it though.
The Dagger of Dresnia was a reasonable read. It was a little shaky at times, but that's not unusual in a début. Flavell shows promise and I'm interested to see how this develops in future books. The first book finishes with a lot of unresolved badness, so there's definitely a lot of hook to hang further plots off.
3.5 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
It only took me a couple of pages to get interested in the story, but a few chapters to be sold on the concept. The start initially struck me as a little contrived — basically the events described in the blurb — with the Queen getting into trouble through a momentary lapse. On the other hand, it does make sense if you think about it analytically. This was actually a minor issue that recurred throughout the book; some events made sense but felt a little off when reading.
On a similar note, I found some of the dialogue a tad improbable. There was a lot of people saying exactly what was on their minds and explaining their motivations in careful detail. That just isn't how people talk and a little obfuscation would have gone a long way to adding an extra layer in some instances. Similarly, sometimes decisions were made too easily. Again, they made logical sense, but lacked an extra layer of depth. This particularly applied to the climactic battle/war scenes, which lacked tension and left me ambivalent. On the other hand, there were some smaller-scale fight scenes earlier, which I thought were quite good — like the first one between an elf and a group of dwarfs.
Of the characters, I enjoyed reading Ellyria's story, but I felt I connected better with Tammi and Jedderin, who were younger. I didn't like Beverak, Tammi's husband and Ellyria's son, at first, but warmed to him as he began to see reason and let go of his prejudices. I get the feeling that this trilogy will follow one triplet-brother (and his family) per book so in this book we learn a lot about Beverak but very little about the other two brothers. I would be interested to learn more about them in future books.
One thing that was done well in The Dagger of Dresnia was foreshadowing. There were a few scenes where I was wondering how they fit into the narrative only to have it revealed later on when it slotted in famously. The ending kind of did this too. I had a suspicion it was coming but the way it actually happened was great. (No spoilers!) It was hilarious like a pun, and I don't mean that in a bad way. I don't think I can say more without spoiling it though.
The Dagger of Dresnia was a reasonable read. It was a little shaky at times, but that's not unusual in a début. Flavell shows promise and I'm interested to see how this develops in future books. The first book finishes with a lot of unresolved badness, so there's definitely a lot of hook to hang further plots off.
3.5 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
calissa's review
3.0
Disclaimer: I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Dagger of Dresnia is a debut novel that is a little unsteady on its feet. On one hand, it is a fairly typical fantasy novel featuring humans, elves and dwarves. As others have, it touches on racism and the clashes between those races. When elvish Ellyria married her human husband, King Fairstad, the pair pretended she had arrived from a far kingdom rather than face the hostility that would inevitably arise when her origins were discovered. As a consequence, Ellyria was cut off by her elvish family and her sons grew up without knowing their true heritage. When the Dark Spirit's plans begin to manifest, Ellyria does what she can to heal the estrangement between the two races.
I wasn't entirely clear what the differences were between the elves and humans. Physically, pointed ears seem to have been replaced by a birthmark under the hairline, though the elves retain their longevity and affinity for magic. Culturally, there seem to be even fewer differences between the races. While this serves to highlight the arbitrary nature of the conflict between them, it also tends to oversimplify things instead of valuing difference.
The Dagger of Dresnia moves away from typical fantasy novel in its protagonist. Although the story is told from a couple of different points of view, the main focus is on Queen Ellyria. I know of few fantasy stories where the main character is a middle-aged woman. Ellyria remains young by elven standards and beautiful by human standards, but her preoccupations are very much middle-aged and about serving as a guardian for the next generation. This manifests both in her desire for her sons to peacefully rule the kingdom and her desire to pass along her magical knowledge to the younger elves.
However, age doesn't always equal wisdom and Queen Ellyria makes some small errors of judgement that end up having big ramifications. I found this made her easier to identify with--who hasn't tried too hard to push on when we're exhausted or put off important conversations because we were too busy with other urgent things?
The book's key flaw was its lack of nuance. Everyone was exactly who they appeared to be, which made it a little predictable in places. As flaws go, this isn't unforgivable and I expect the subsequent books will improve.
This review first appeared on Earl Grey Editing.
The Dagger of Dresnia is a debut novel that is a little unsteady on its feet. On one hand, it is a fairly typical fantasy novel featuring humans, elves and dwarves. As others have, it touches on racism and the clashes between those races. When elvish Ellyria married her human husband, King Fairstad, the pair pretended she had arrived from a far kingdom rather than face the hostility that would inevitably arise when her origins were discovered. As a consequence, Ellyria was cut off by her elvish family and her sons grew up without knowing their true heritage. When the Dark Spirit's plans begin to manifest, Ellyria does what she can to heal the estrangement between the two races.
I wasn't entirely clear what the differences were between the elves and humans. Physically, pointed ears seem to have been replaced by a birthmark under the hairline, though the elves retain their longevity and affinity for magic. Culturally, there seem to be even fewer differences between the races. While this serves to highlight the arbitrary nature of the conflict between them, it also tends to oversimplify things instead of valuing difference.
The Dagger of Dresnia moves away from typical fantasy novel in its protagonist. Although the story is told from a couple of different points of view, the main focus is on Queen Ellyria. I know of few fantasy stories where the main character is a middle-aged woman. Ellyria remains young by elven standards and beautiful by human standards, but her preoccupations are very much middle-aged and about serving as a guardian for the next generation. This manifests both in her desire for her sons to peacefully rule the kingdom and her desire to pass along her magical knowledge to the younger elves.
However, age doesn't always equal wisdom and Queen Ellyria makes some small errors of judgement that end up having big ramifications. I found this made her easier to identify with--who hasn't tried too hard to push on when we're exhausted or put off important conversations because we were too busy with other urgent things?
The book's key flaw was its lack of nuance. Everyone was exactly who they appeared to be, which made it a little predictable in places. As flaws go, this isn't unforgivable and I expect the subsequent books will improve.
This review first appeared on Earl Grey Editing.
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