lyndiane's review against another edition
5.0
A thrilling conclusion to a very-well written trilogy. Filled to the brim with plots, counter-plots and very unexpected twists, this final installment left me fervently wishing for more.
The sequence of events is unpredictable and it was only 80% of the way through that I got an inkling that Antryg, well, you'll need to read the book yourself to find out.
The sequence of events is unpredictable and it was only 80% of the way through that I got an inkling that Antryg, well, you'll need to read the book yourself to find out.
lottpoet's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
wealhtheow's review
3.0
In our magicless world, Joanna and her friends have dreadful visions, and this summons the exiled wizard Antryg back to his home world. As the foremost expert on the Void, only he can solve the mystery of why gates between realities are opening at random within the mages' Citadel. But Antryg is hindered by mistrust and the geas binding his powers, and time is running out...
I was pleased to return to this universe and these characters. This isn't a perfect book: the plot gets a bit dogged down in magic/technobabble at times; nothing stalls my interest like a plot twist that centers around a paragraph of nonsense words. Antryg babbles ~amusingly~ pretty much constantly, which amused me at the start but now just reads like a patronizing affectation on his part. Calling guardswomen incomparable beauties and suchlike rubs me the wrong way. Just give someone a straight answer and stop trying to cozen everyone into liking you! ugh. Even Dumbledore could speak to the point when it mattered. But Hambly has rounded Antryg out enough that although I don't find his dotty patter charming the way she seems to expect I will, I do understand why he puts on the act. Joanna remains a solidly believable character, but she has very little to actually do.
Still, I'd love to read more of Antryg's world, where magic is known but constrained by an increasingly powerful Church, and wizards are sworn to remain neutral, even when it means that terror and tyranny stalk their lands. I enjoyed getting an eye into the mages' Citadel, with its odd placenames, leftover magics, and the hints of how the outside world works (like the way each wizard takes their tea suggests the class they were born into, and explains some of the tensions between them). Not the most satisfying book in the broad strokes, but the interesting bits are all in the details, from Joanna's ruminations about finally emotionally opening up (and thus becoming vulnerable) to the tension between mages and the townsfolk that supply their daily labor.
I'd be remiss if I didn't note that the cover art for this is awful and doesn't fit the characters or feel of the book in the least.
I was pleased to return to this universe and these characters. This isn't a perfect book: the plot gets a bit dogged down in magic/technobabble at times; nothing stalls my interest like a plot twist that centers around a paragraph of nonsense words. Antryg babbles ~amusingly~ pretty much constantly, which amused me at the start but now just reads like a patronizing affectation on his part. Calling guardswomen incomparable beauties and suchlike rubs me the wrong way. Just give someone a straight answer and stop trying to cozen everyone into liking you! ugh. Even Dumbledore could speak to the point when it mattered. But Hambly has rounded Antryg out enough that although I don't find his dotty patter charming the way she seems to expect I will, I do understand why he puts on the act. Joanna remains a solidly believable character, but she has very little to actually do.
Still, I'd love to read more of Antryg's world, where magic is known but constrained by an increasingly powerful Church, and wizards are sworn to remain neutral, even when it means that terror and tyranny stalk their lands. I enjoyed getting an eye into the mages' Citadel, with its odd placenames, leftover magics, and the hints of how the outside world works (like the way each wizard takes their tea suggests the class they were born into, and explains some of the tensions between them). Not the most satisfying book in the broad strokes, but the interesting bits are all in the details, from Joanna's ruminations about finally emotionally opening up (and thus becoming vulnerable) to the tension between mages and the townsfolk that supply their daily labor.
I'd be remiss if I didn't note that the cover art for this is awful and doesn't fit the characters or feel of the book in the least.
schneefink's review
3.0
This one is very Antryg-centric (on the one hand I really like Antryg but I was a bit disappointed that we didn't see more of Joanna.) The pacing seemed a bit slow in the middle, but I enjoyed the effects and visitors from other worlds, especially the Dead God.
lauraellis's review
This is a sequel to the two-parter about Joanna, Caris, and Antryg. This time Joanna is kidnapped from earth and Antryg goes back to find her and is compelled by the Council of Wizards to deal with the Void, which is cracking up all over the place. He keeps trying to find Joanna, but a geas has been placed on his magic, rendering him essentially powerless. He finally is reunited with Joanna (who brings Magister Magus along with her), while Antryg has met up with their old friend the “Dead God,” now known as Nineteentwo [?]. Eventually everything gets sorted out (I wish she would go back and write about young Min, Minhyrdain the Fair), parts of it are hysterically fun.
2020 note: Clearly I need to reread this.
2020 note: Clearly I need to reread this.
jameseckman's review
3.0
This is the final book with Joanna and Antryg, the fourth book takes place in the same location with different people. The author has written a good adventure that has a new villain with a relatable motivation, well fleshed out characters abound in this book. Though even Hambly has a hard time finding anything good about the Witchfinder, maybe having a Masters in Medieval History makes you leery of all churches. A fun read that can be read today, with the exception of a couple of computer bits, it's pretty ageless.
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