jdhacker's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
In the second three book ark of the Change series, we're dealing primarily with a second generation of characters. The children of the rulers/leaders of the various groups and factions from the initial trilogy, plus new characters introduced throughout the arc that are children of rulers/leaders of other groups around the continent. There's a pretty clear thematic focus on heredity and feudalism, as well a more supernatural good v. evil theme. I think there's a bit of the hero's journey combined with the long journey of LotR as the ever expanding party journeys across the continent gathering allies and facing challenges before reaching the goal of their quest. The story also skews a lot harder into Fantasy territory, with magic becoming a real thing...though by the end of this three book ark I think there's an attempt to reign it back around to pseudo-science. The magic elements give us some nice material teasing the edge of horror, but honestly I think I would have preferred the story stay grounded primarily in the low-fantasy/no magic space with the function and cause of the Change left entirely unexplained. There's also a little bit of the weirdly specific and unsettling anti-lesbian commentary from the prequel trilogy rearing its head here, though in a much more subdued way. Its strange that its so specific given that no other part of the lgbtqia+ community gets that treatment in the books. By the second book there are some of the pacing issues and repetitive plot element problems that I think the final book of the initial trilogy suffered from, though nothing that flat out made me quit reading. There's an effort made to acknowledge that the characters themselves feel a bit frustrated with the pacing of their own adventures around the time it gets burdensome here as well, so Stirling was undoubtedly aware of it. That begs the question, why not alter the pacing instead though? I'll probably read through at least one more arc, which should bring me to the conclusion of this particular generation's story and the 'return of the king' and vanquishing of the supernatural foes arc, as they were in the pile I was given, but unless a few of the factors that lead me to feel indifferent to the story overall change that's probably where I'll stop.
shai3d's review against another edition
4.0
This second trilogy follows the younger generation, the changelings, as they proceed to master their world. Rudy MacKenzie has been given a quest and he and eight others head to the east to fufill it.
The changelings have an entirely different view of the world then their elders and one that I have enjoyed listening too. The God/desses are much more active in book giving a slightly different flavor than the previous books though major players from the earlier are also present for a sense of continuity.
I have really enjoyed all of books set in this universe and recommend them to any who enjoy wondering 'what if'.
The changelings have an entirely different view of the world then their elders and one that I have enjoyed listening too. The God/desses are much more active in book giving a slightly different flavor than the previous books though major players from the earlier are also present for a sense of continuity.
I have really enjoyed all of books set in this universe and recommend them to any who enjoy wondering 'what if'.
bibliophilelinda's review against another edition
5.0
I was really excited to start on this next chapter of the Emberverse series and it doesn't disappoint! Rudy MacKenzie is finally all grown up and having his own adventures in pursuit of peace. Now that the Protectorate is essentially neutered, a new menace sets in to fill the vaccuum. Enter The Prophet, a faceless entity who rules the downtrodden and helpless by making them his slaves and imposing a bizarre religion with himself as the word of God. As the Prophets army spreads itself like a plague ruining trading routes and killing peaceful villages, the MacKenies, Corvallians and debunked Protectorate communities need to work together to fight this new threat. Fortunately, Ingolf Vogeler, a mercenary and metals dealer is not only betrayed by one of the Prophets men, but has an important dream about Rudy MacKenzie. He heads west and eventually is able to find the MacKenzie clan and relay his tale. Rudy, Ingolf, Matilda, Rudy's twin sisters and others set off to discover the meaning behind Ingolf's dream...a quest that includes plenty of fights with the Prophet's men, but is ultimately destined for the shores of Nantucket, the source of whatever caused the "Change" of 1998.
majkia's review against another edition
4.0
Good entry to the series,with Rudy headed toward Nantucket to follow through on the Prophecy that came about through his birth
amynbell's review against another edition
2.0
The Sunrise Lands is the first book in Stirling's 3rd set of 3 interconnected series. I love the idea behind the sets of series, so I thought I'd jump in. In the "Island in the Sea of Time" trilogy, the island of Nantucket is flung backwards in time to 1250 BC. In the "Dies the Fire" trilogy, Stirling tells what happened to the world left behind: The Change has caused electricity, high gas pressures, and fast combustion (including explosives and gunpowder) to stop working in the rest of the world. The four books of "The Sunrise Lands" are about the 1st generation which has grown up in the world affected by The Change.
While I find the idea fascinating and want to know what caused The Change to happen to the world, I don't know that I can slog through any more of these books. The author spends a ridiculous amount of time describing what everyone's wearing and what their weapons look like. At one point, the main characters all jump out of their beds when they hear a sound, and then the author spends 3 pages describing their garb before they charge up the stairs to fight the intruders. It also seems that the majority of the scenes of the book are either practice fighting scenes or fighting scenes. The only other thing that ever really happens are people getting together to eat and have boring conversations about who owns what land and who knows who. Sadly, most of the important scenes are confusing to understand because the author has not mastered the use of pronouns well enough for the reader to understand which "he" and "she" belongs to which character in the scene. Thus, in one place, I found myself not knowing whether a son had killed his father or whether the son committed suicide in front of his father.
Most of this novel takes place in former Washington and Oregon where a group of Ren-faire fanatics have modeled their new world in true Ren-faire fashion: people talk Elvish, wear kilts, practice longsword techniques, etc. A stranger comes to town and tells of his exploits on the island of Nantucket. Sadly, the telling of this tale is the only interesting chapter in the book. A voice the man heard on Nantucket demanded that he come to this part of the world to find a specific person to journey back with him to Nantucket. The vast majority of the rest of the book concerns gathering the group who will travel back to Nantucket and traveling only as far as from Oregon to Idaho on this journey across the former USA.
Nothing happens in this book except a group of people banding together, fighting a lot of people, and making it a few miles down the road. The book doesn't come full circle in any way. The ending isn't an end or even a cliffhanger. It doesn't stand on it's own as a novel in any definition I know.
I want to know the answers to the questions posed in the first 7 books, but I don't think I'm willing to read 3 more novels full of this boring drivel at 400 pages each. Maybe someone can spoil it all for me when they've read the final book after it comes out in 2010?
While I find the idea fascinating and want to know what caused The Change to happen to the world, I don't know that I can slog through any more of these books. The author spends a ridiculous amount of time describing what everyone's wearing and what their weapons look like. At one point, the main characters all jump out of their beds when they hear a sound, and then the author spends 3 pages describing their garb before they charge up the stairs to fight the intruders. It also seems that the majority of the scenes of the book are either practice fighting scenes or fighting scenes. The only other thing that ever really happens are people getting together to eat and have boring conversations about who owns what land and who knows who. Sadly, most of the important scenes are confusing to understand because the author has not mastered the use of pronouns well enough for the reader to understand which "he" and "she" belongs to which character in the scene. Thus, in one place, I found myself not knowing whether a son had killed his father or whether the son committed suicide in front of his father.
Most of this novel takes place in former Washington and Oregon where a group of Ren-faire fanatics have modeled their new world in true Ren-faire fashion: people talk Elvish, wear kilts, practice longsword techniques, etc. A stranger comes to town and tells of his exploits on the island of Nantucket. Sadly, the telling of this tale is the only interesting chapter in the book. A voice the man heard on Nantucket demanded that he come to this part of the world to find a specific person to journey back with him to Nantucket. The vast majority of the rest of the book concerns gathering the group who will travel back to Nantucket and traveling only as far as from Oregon to Idaho on this journey across the former USA.
Nothing happens in this book except a group of people banding together, fighting a lot of people, and making it a few miles down the road. The book doesn't come full circle in any way. The ending isn't an end or even a cliffhanger. It doesn't stand on it's own as a novel in any definition I know.
I want to know the answers to the questions posed in the first 7 books, but I don't think I'm willing to read 3 more novels full of this boring drivel at 400 pages each. Maybe someone can spoil it all for me when they've read the final book after it comes out in 2010?
baronessekat's review against another edition
4.0
22 years after the Change (a phenomenon where all electronics, machines and anything requiring an explosive nature - firearms and combustion engines) all suddenly stopped working), and the world is starting to somewhat settle into the new "norm".
Sword for hire, Ingolf Vogeler finds himself having recurring dreams after visiting the strange area around Nantucket Island. These dreams driving him across the country to what was the Portland, Oregon area to meet up with the group known as the Mackenzie clan. There he finds Rudi Mackenzie, son and heir of the Clan Chief and Priestess and knows he's found the person he must escort back to Nantucket.
Rudi, having been told since birth that he was destined for something great, now understands that the "something great" means having to leave home with this strange Easterner. He takes with him a strange group... his twin half sisters who were raised in a community that venerates the works of Tolkein and treat his books as histories and use Elvish as their main language, a dear friend who is the Royal Princess of the Portland Protectorate (a community created around the Society for Creative Anachronism) and this Easterner. Along the way they encounter folks of the Reunited States of America (military from the former USA who are trying to bring the country back together). The USA folk and Rudi find themselves both being the focus of the Church Universal and Triumphant, or CUT, a theocratic community lead by a power crazed Prophet, who seems determined to end both groups.
Even though this is book for of the Change World series, this is the first book in the second trilogy and I had no problem with reading this book, even though I have not read the first trilogy. I captured my attention and ended in such a way that I definitely want to continue to see what happens next.
Sword for hire, Ingolf Vogeler finds himself having recurring dreams after visiting the strange area around Nantucket Island. These dreams driving him across the country to what was the Portland, Oregon area to meet up with the group known as the Mackenzie clan. There he finds Rudi Mackenzie, son and heir of the Clan Chief and Priestess and knows he's found the person he must escort back to Nantucket.
Rudi, having been told since birth that he was destined for something great, now understands that the "something great" means having to leave home with this strange Easterner. He takes with him a strange group... his twin half sisters who were raised in a community that venerates the works of Tolkein and treat his books as histories and use Elvish as their main language, a dear friend who is the Royal Princess of the Portland Protectorate (a community created around the Society for Creative Anachronism) and this Easterner. Along the way they encounter folks of the Reunited States of America (military from the former USA who are trying to bring the country back together). The USA folk and Rudi find themselves both being the focus of the Church Universal and Triumphant, or CUT, a theocratic community lead by a power crazed Prophet, who seems determined to end both groups.
Even though this is book for of the Change World series, this is the first book in the second trilogy and I had no problem with reading this book, even though I have not read the first trilogy. I captured my attention and ended in such a way that I definitely want to continue to see what happens next.
jaxboiler's review against another edition
4.0
Well it has been awhile since I had read the stories leading up to this one so I had forgotten a few of the characters but overall it was a good story. It picks up a few years after the Change and how the Western half of the US was reacting and adapting to the Change. It has had several nice twists and turns and a couple of areas where you sort of expected it to happen.
Overall well written and I am looking forward to reading the next one.
Overall well written and I am looking forward to reading the next one.
genehack's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
tilmar's review against another edition
Rudi sets out on his quest across the Changed land
just_dave's review against another edition
3.0
Not as good as the original trilogy, but good enough to make me want to read the next book...eventually.