shalot's review
5.0
It took me a year to read, but once I was into the last book, I was not going to put that book down. Loved it.
jammasterjamie's review
3.0
I wish that I had read this book before I read Kay's later work because he is such a stronger writer now that my expectations for what has been called his masterpiece weren't actually met. Great rich and vivid story, but a little meandering and repetitive in parts and not one I'm going to come back to for a re-read anytime soon.
ulrikworm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.75
32ndtreelover's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
enjolrss's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
littlewolf92's review
2.0
It was so strangely written, I just couldn't get into it. I got halfway through the first book, and had to quit. I wanted to like it, but I just couldn't get around the writing.
_maia's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
So I first read these books from the library in 2013, when I'd graduated from college but didn't have a good job and was trying to figure out what being an adult meant. I've bought/re-read them a few times since - this was the first time post-2020. It was...strange lol.
This story helped me love reading and writing again. The lyrical prose is still beautiful. I still like the respectful love triangle depiction between and the relationships between the wizards and their sources, the general depiction of camaraderie etc. I still like most of the characters I'm meant to like. It's still one of my favorite classic high fantasy novels of the 80's.
But also: whew it is awkward going at times. We'll ignore the problems inherent in "Love the Light, hate the Dark, and you are Good, or Bad, forever" yuckies of the genre and the time period. I genuinely think the author could have done better with sh*t like:
A weird leaning on noble savage/white savior tropes in the Dalrei. The "Children of Peace" were "given" the Plains (that they'd already been living on for generations) by the High King, for their part in the first War against the dark. Motherfucker, was Connary going to take them otherwise?? Then Davor of the Axe comes among them and of course learns their ways and EatPrayLoves himself, saves them in battle with a gift from their own god etc. The author clearly tries to be respectful in 80's terms about this, and doesn't quite manage it. And of course they were most vulnerable and died the most, except for the Children of Light.
The Army of the Dark is depicted as a near-mindless mass of inherently evil monsters (my least favorite trope 2x), where the women generals are flat NPCs and the male general Galadan is a super special/smarter/stronger than usual demigod incel who gets redeemed after being a genocidal, rape-enabling asshole the entire time (idec if he's redeemed tbh - just do it so that it's believable).
The svart alfar don't even get an origin story - they apparently sprung fully formed out of the ground to "serve the Dark." **side-eye intensifies**. Uathach, the only svart alfar who gets a name/gets to lead their army (because we don't even know if they have genders), is also "unnaturally smart and large", (UGH) magically enhanced by Maugrim (ugh 2x) and of course never gets any internal voice or striving. They're treated like animals...but they ride evil horses.
Also, classic disabled arch-villain.
Paul reads like a regan republican in Canada and it's both funny and hideous lol. He is the worst, sorry. I know he's going through a lot in this book. And you do watch him grow and all. I would rather spend time with Tegid (as a person, not just fat-person "comedy", ffs) and Coll.
Almost none of the joke scenes are funny to me.
All kinds of men get 3rd person little stories about their lives and personalities - a thing this author perfects in the Sailing to Sarantium duology, imo - but only the main-character women get the same treatment. None of the evil women do, Like why the hell did "Black Avaia" even do all of that, or murder her sister??
This story helped me love reading and writing again. The lyrical prose is still beautiful. I still like the respectful love triangle depiction between
Spoiler
Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot,But also: whew it is awkward going at times. We'll ignore the problems inherent in "Love the Light, hate the Dark, and you are Good, or Bad, forever" yuckies of the genre and the time period. I genuinely think the author could have done better with sh*t like:
Spoiler
A weird leaning on noble savage/white savior tropes in the Dalrei. The "Children of Peace" were "given" the Plains (that they'd already been living on for generations) by the High King, for their part in the first War against the dark. Motherfucker, was Connary going to take them otherwise?? Then Davor of the Axe comes among them and of course learns their ways and EatPrayLoves himself, saves them in battle with a gift from their own god etc. The author clearly tries to be respectful in 80's terms about this, and doesn't quite manage it. And of course they were most vulnerable and died the most, except for the Children of Light.
The Army of the Dark is depicted as a near-mindless mass of inherently evil monsters (my least favorite trope 2x), where the women generals are flat NPCs and the male general Galadan is a super special/smarter/stronger than usual demigod incel who gets redeemed after being a genocidal, rape-enabling asshole the entire time (idec if he's redeemed tbh - just do it so that it's believable).
The svart alfar don't even get an origin story - they apparently sprung fully formed out of the ground to "serve the Dark." **side-eye intensifies**. Uathach, the only svart alfar who gets a name/gets to lead their army (because we don't even know if they have genders), is also "unnaturally smart and large", (UGH) magically enhanced by Maugrim (ugh 2x) and of course never gets any internal voice or striving. They're treated like animals...but they ride evil horses.
Also, classic disabled arch-villain.
Paul reads like a regan republican in Canada and it's both funny and hideous lol. He is the worst, sorry. I know he's going through a lot in this book. And you do watch him grow and all. I would rather spend time with Tegid (as a person, not just fat-person "comedy", ffs) and Coll.
Almost none of the joke scenes are funny to me.
All kinds of men get 3rd person little stories about their lives and personalities - a thing this author perfects in the Sailing to Sarantium duology, imo - but only the main-character women get the same treatment. None of the evil women do, Like why the hell did "Black Avaia" even do all of that, or murder her sister??
Stuff like that.
So like I love to read this story because it reinvigorates everything I want to write, and subvert, if that makes sense. It's the kind of story that makes me want to write/read fanfic. If that's not praise I don't know what is.
bleudeciel's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
tim5alive's review
1.0
I was drawn to this series as I love fantasy and this happened to take place in a city that I know well, Toronto.
Considering the high ratings this series has and good things I have heard about it, finishing this series was a major struggle for me.
It wasn’t for me. There is a lot of magic, and world building; however it never really delved into the magic or the mythology of the Fionavar world enough. There is no explanation as to how the magic works and why so few people can wield it. The book touches upon the fantasy creatures and pantheon of Fionavar, and they jump in and out of the book at whim.
As well, I did not enjoy the poor character and plot advancement that depended on deus ex machina throughout the series. Characters are sacrificed almost every book, and for purposes that are only revealed moments prior, which are usually because the fate of Fionavar and all the worlds depend on it. This got old very quickly for me. There was no momentous buildup to many characters dying, and I’m not sure when I was supposed to develop attachments to characters that never develop.
TLDR: Deux ex machina was the focal point of the series, and the Fionavar Tapestry wove too long and never deeply enough into the magic of the world.
Considering the high ratings this series has and good things I have heard about it, finishing this series was a major struggle for me.
It wasn’t for me. There is a lot of magic, and world building; however it never really delved into the magic or the mythology of the Fionavar world enough. There is no explanation as to how the magic works and why so few people can wield it. The book touches upon the fantasy creatures and pantheon of Fionavar, and they jump in and out of the book at whim.
As well, I did not enjoy the poor character and plot advancement that depended on deus ex machina throughout the series. Characters are sacrificed almost every book, and for purposes that are only revealed moments prior, which are usually because the fate of Fionavar and all the worlds depend on it. This got old very quickly for me. There was no momentous buildup to many characters dying, and I’m not sure when I was supposed to develop attachments to characters that never develop.
TLDR: Deux ex machina was the focal point of the series, and the Fionavar Tapestry wove too long and never deeply enough into the magic of the world.
lulu628's review
adventurous
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0