gon8go's review
4.0
This whole trilogy was great. The story and characters were interesting, there was a cosmic horror angle that I really liked and a world that felt much bigger than what we see in the scope of the story. The only reason this is a four star instead of five was how quick the ending was. It just felt a bit rushed, could have used an epilogue.
I saw there were a couple of sequels or sidequels, I may see how they expand the story.
I saw there were a couple of sequels or sidequels, I may see how they expand the story.
thomcat's review
5.0
The original conclusion of a trilogy (two additional books were added decades later), this returns to what made this fantasy story unique - I rate this higher than the first book.
The first three books were written 40 years ago, and strong female characters help them feel more recent. Gil, who gets into a well written sword fight in this novel, may be a representation of the author, both graduate students of history.
In the first book, there is a fair amount of "new here, how does it compare to California". The second book had very little of that. Discovery of some of the mechanisms behind the keep, along with a prototype "flame thrower" are the closest we get to technology. At one point in this book, Gil dives in and finds solutions with research!
Other characters have some interesting growth as well, and the overall story comes to a conclusion. This was a hard book to put down. Was the resolution perfect? No, it was pretty fast and some reviewers have wondered at the ease of it. Were there other flaws? While mentioned multiple times, Gil's connection with Inglorion the Wizard isn't shown any other way. Do any of these flaws bring down the rating? No. This is one of the best stories I have read this year, and I would rate the series 4 stars, despite my feelings about the middle book.
Two additional books were published 13 years later, and four further novelettes another 20 years after that through Amazon and Smashwords. I'll probably read some or all of these, but after a pause to let the original trilogy sink in.
The first three books were written 40 years ago, and strong female characters help them feel more recent. Gil, who gets into a well written sword fight in this novel, may be a representation of the author, both graduate students of history.
In the first book, there is a fair amount of "new here, how does it compare to California". The second book had very little of that. Discovery of some of the mechanisms behind the keep, along with a prototype "flame thrower" are the closest we get to technology. At one point in this book, Gil dives in and finds solutions with research!
Other characters have some interesting growth as well, and the overall story comes to a conclusion. This was a hard book to put down. Was the resolution perfect? No, it was pretty fast and some reviewers have wondered at the ease of it. Were there other flaws? While mentioned multiple times, Gil's connection with Inglorion the Wizard isn't shown any other way. Do any of these flaws bring down the rating? No. This is one of the best stories I have read this year, and I would rate the series 4 stars, despite my feelings about the middle book.
Two additional books were published 13 years later, and four further novelettes another 20 years after that through Amazon and Smashwords. I'll probably read some or all of these, but after a pause to let the original trilogy sink in.
vaderbird's review
4.0
A lot of exciting twists and turns in the series!
Pick up this classic and start reading it!
Pick up this classic and start reading it!
filipmagnus's review against another edition
5.0
What a wonderful ending to the trilogy that tells of the tales of Ingold, Rudy, Gil and Alde!
If I had to describe this trilogy in a single sentence, I would probably say... "The question is the answer." Such a clever mind, Barbara Hambly has.
Full review coming soon.
If I had to describe this trilogy in a single sentence, I would probably say... "The question is the answer." Such a clever mind, Barbara Hambly has.
Full review coming soon.
wealhtheow's review against another edition
3.0
Rudy, now a sorcerer in training, and Gil, who searches for the truth using very modern methods of scholarship, try to beat back the rising tides of the Dark. I'm still annoyed by Rudy and his giiiiiirlfriend Queen Minalde, and I've read the romance between Gil and Ingold before, in Hambly's Windrose Chronicles (different names, same damn characters). I could barely get through the first two novels in this trilogy, but the third book is far better. I adored reading the medieval response to Gil's scientific method, and her feminist ways of thought (that what people wore ages ago could be a clue to their culture, for instance) clashed repeatedly with the fantasy world's resistance.
As readable as it was, however, I am very disappointed by the end of the trilogy. After all sorts of battles and hardship and political and physical fighting, Ingold simply performs a spell and sends the Dark away. Why he didn't do that in the first place, I'll never know. Perhaps he was too busy turning white with strain and smiling grimly at Gil.
As readable as it was, however, I am very disappointed by the end of the trilogy. After all sorts of battles and hardship and political and physical fighting, Ingold simply performs a spell and sends the Dark away. Why he didn't do that in the first place, I'll never know. Perhaps he was too busy turning white with strain and smiling grimly at Gil.
amia's review against another edition
5.0
Thoroughly enjoyed the entire trilogy but this was the best of the three. I don't give hints but it is so different from anything I have read before with awesome characters that I either loved or hated as if I were there. If you like fantasy you will love this set.
therewithal's review against another edition
4.0
I really like how Barbara Hambly writes wizards. Before I started reading her books, I'd been reading a lot of fantasy without magic or with other kinds of magic and I'd forgotten how much I like them.
I also think she's quite good at evil forces that are actually creepy.
She seems to have a thing about younger-warrior-woman/older-wizard relationships, which I can get behind except for the age difference part (e.g., in this series I liked both Gil and Ingold a lot, but them ending up as a couple weirded me out because their dynamic was too parent/child and he was old enough to be her grandfather).
I also think she's quite good at evil forces that are actually creepy.
She seems to have a thing about younger-warrior-woman/older-wizard relationships, which I can get behind except for the age difference part (e.g., in this series I liked both Gil and Ingold a lot, but them ending up as a couple weirded me out because their dynamic was too parent/child and he was old enough to be her grandfather).
jameseckman's review against another edition
4.0
An end to a most excellent trilogy, it's been so long since I've read it, it was like reading a new work. In the finale Gil, makes use of her scholarship to determine the real ways of the Dark and the hopeless battle is joined. The plot twists and turns in a most satisfactory and surprising manner. I recommend it for lovers of high fantasy.
She has also written good books in other genre; see [b:A Free Man of Color|176263|A Free Man of Color (Benjamin January, #1)|Barbara Hambly|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1373150055l/176263._SY75_.jpg|1050658] or [b:Those Who Hunt the Night|176261|Those Who Hunt the Night (James Asher #1)|Barbara Hambly|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387735262l/176261._SY75_.jpg|1229981].
She has also written good books in other genre; see [b:A Free Man of Color|176263|A Free Man of Color (Benjamin January, #1)|Barbara Hambly|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1373150055l/176263._SY75_.jpg|1050658] or [b:Those Who Hunt the Night|176261|Those Who Hunt the Night (James Asher #1)|Barbara Hambly|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387735262l/176261._SY75_.jpg|1229981].
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