McKillip, Patricia A. - The Riddle-Master Trilogy
Tue, May. 4th, 2004 10:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
oyceterLike Stevermer's book, I feel like this one will improve vastly on rereading.
Hrm, that sounded very negative. It wasn't meant to be -- it's just I had the feel that there were many subtle things happening in the background, or with emotions, that I didn't quite catch onto during the first reading because I was still trying to figure out the plot. It wasn't a book that swept me off my feet and had me reading feverishly till four in the morning (like many romances), but it's probably going to stand up much, much better.
I adore Raederle, particularly when she brushes off Morgon's attempts to leave her behind. And she got triple bonus points when she wasn't like a romance heroine, who protests and forces the hero to bring her and then proves to be absolutely useless!
I very much liked how it was a big, epic conflict without the standard, Tolkien structure of big epic conflicts -- big army holds off despite having little to no chance while a small team of people fight through despair or whatnot to get to the mystical goal which will defeat the giant hordes of doom. Ok, maybe it's just Terry Brooks that does this. But I liked very much how small the world felt, how everyone seemed to know each other. The sense of intimacy was helped along by the land-rule, I think.
I also enjoyed the discussions of power in the book -- Morgon's resistance to becoming anything more than the Prince of Hed, Raederle's fear of her heritage. I don't quite know how McKillip did it, but she manages to have the reluctant hero from a rural area come across as non-stereotypical and non-whiny. I think much of that was helped along by the fact that Morgon didn't seem to be protesting change per se -- he truly loves the land he is from, he really desires peace, and he is truly afraid of his unknown power and destiny. Rand/the Ohmsfords/etc. tend to feel like they are more against the change itself, or against leaving what they know out of ignorance, not what the change means for them.
The plot wasn't that surprising, with the exception of the last part of the first book, but McKillip manages to make it seem natural and still not rote. That's one of the problems I tend to have with Meredith Ann Pierce -- I can see the "surprise" ending coming from a mile away. Maybe they aren't supposed to be surprises; maybe they're supposed to be like fairy tales, in which you already know how they end. Except it doesn't quite feel that way. Anyhow, I digress.
And, haha, I couldn't help but notice that Morgon and Deth are incredibly slashy. I've been in fandom too long ;).
And on a minor note, I want to know how to be a tree.
Hrm, that sounded very negative. It wasn't meant to be -- it's just I had the feel that there were many subtle things happening in the background, or with emotions, that I didn't quite catch onto during the first reading because I was still trying to figure out the plot. It wasn't a book that swept me off my feet and had me reading feverishly till four in the morning (like many romances), but it's probably going to stand up much, much better.
I adore Raederle, particularly when she brushes off Morgon's attempts to leave her behind. And she got triple bonus points when she wasn't like a romance heroine, who protests and forces the hero to bring her and then proves to be absolutely useless!
I very much liked how it was a big, epic conflict without the standard, Tolkien structure of big epic conflicts -- big army holds off despite having little to no chance while a small team of people fight through despair or whatnot to get to the mystical goal which will defeat the giant hordes of doom. Ok, maybe it's just Terry Brooks that does this. But I liked very much how small the world felt, how everyone seemed to know each other. The sense of intimacy was helped along by the land-rule, I think.
I also enjoyed the discussions of power in the book -- Morgon's resistance to becoming anything more than the Prince of Hed, Raederle's fear of her heritage. I don't quite know how McKillip did it, but she manages to have the reluctant hero from a rural area come across as non-stereotypical and non-whiny. I think much of that was helped along by the fact that Morgon didn't seem to be protesting change per se -- he truly loves the land he is from, he really desires peace, and he is truly afraid of his unknown power and destiny. Rand/the Ohmsfords/etc. tend to feel like they are more against the change itself, or against leaving what they know out of ignorance, not what the change means for them.
The plot wasn't that surprising, with the exception of the last part of the first book, but McKillip manages to make it seem natural and still not rote. That's one of the problems I tend to have with Meredith Ann Pierce -- I can see the "surprise" ending coming from a mile away. Maybe they aren't supposed to be surprises; maybe they're supposed to be like fairy tales, in which you already know how they end. Except it doesn't quite feel that way. Anyhow, I digress.
And, haha, I couldn't help but notice that Morgon and Deth are incredibly slashy. I've been in fandom too long ;).
And on a minor note, I want to know how to be a tree.
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Wed, May. 5th, 2004 05:58 am (UTC)(no subject)
Wed, May. 5th, 2004 11:53 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Wed, May. 5th, 2004 06:56 am (UTC)They do reward rereading, yes.
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Wed, May. 5th, 2004 11:54 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Fri, Jun. 15th, 2007 03:23 am (UTC)But as for the books themselves, they'll probably improve to me on a reread as well. At the time, I *hated* the ending - probably because I was still in my hostile-towards-religion phase and generally very much not a fan of the "hero becomes god"-style ending. I'm still not a fan of it, but will be sure to reread and see if McKillip can't change my mind. I thought the romantic thingamagic that Raederle and Morgon did at the end, but still thought it too strange to really glomp along with them. I have a sneaking suspicion that it'll still bore/alienate me this time, as my desire for vaguely realistic romance has grown since I read the books.
Otherwise, though...god I loved Morgon. The way he went off and did something amazing and just sort of went back to his old life just really pinged something in me. I don't remember liking Raederle as much - she did get on my nerves being afraid of her magic at some points - but I really liked her too.
The plot wasn't that surprising
It's weird how some plots slip by me like that, or just don't register. I think that was part of why I didn't like the end.
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Sat, Jun. 16th, 2007 04:59 am (UTC)