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zherra's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
turtlestampede's review
4.0
So, I read this book a long time ago, and since then have been trying to remember what the hell it was called, cause I remembered such awesome shit about it.
It's chock full of fantasy goodness, from warrior monk ladies who RIP OUT their eyeballs for magic powers, to a wandering ship mage searching for his sister who has been sold into slavery, to knowing your fate and embracing it anyways, to vast world eating conspiracies.
I loved it, basically. There were somethings that could be better -- the climax of the novel felt a little rushed, as did the 3 magicians thing, but I feel like the point of the book is less about the enemies that Hawkspar faces than it is about her inner self anyways.
So yeah. Recommended.
It's chock full of fantasy goodness, from warrior monk ladies who RIP OUT their eyeballs for magic powers, to a wandering ship mage searching for his sister who has been sold into slavery, to knowing your fate and embracing it anyways, to vast world eating conspiracies.
I loved it, basically. There were somethings that could be better -- the climax of the novel felt a little rushed, as did the 3 magicians thing, but I feel like the point of the book is less about the enemies that Hawkspar faces than it is about her inner self anyways.
So yeah. Recommended.
celiaedf12's review
4.0
This isn't really a sequel to "Talen" (a book I loved), but is set in the same world some time later, and Talen makes a brief appearance.
A young Tonk girl, plucked from her home and family at an early age, is a slave in the Order of Osselenes, run by the Oracles - women with stone eyes and varying powers. Hawkspar, the Eyes of War, takes the young slave up as her successor, and tells her of a threat to the Tonk which she can prevent - but only with great sacrifice. The slave takes up the Hawkspar Eyes, and prepares to fight for her people's freedom.
That was a crappy summary which makes the book sound ridiculous, but it's a difficult plot to explain. The Oracles are completely terrifying, and the toll that Hawkspar's path takes on her is dreadful. Holly Lisle writes so well of terrible sacrifices that she makes you utterly believe her character's choices to make them. I was a little disappointed with the somewhat happy ending, but the overall story would probably have been too unbearably dark without that. I do find the enemy culture that takes great pleasure in all manner of sadistic practices a little unrealistic, but apart from that this was an excellent fantasy novel - I do hope Lisle will be writing another novel in Korre.
A young Tonk girl, plucked from her home and family at an early age, is a slave in the Order of Osselenes, run by the Oracles - women with stone eyes and varying powers. Hawkspar, the Eyes of War, takes the young slave up as her successor, and tells her of a threat to the Tonk which she can prevent - but only with great sacrifice. The slave takes up the Hawkspar Eyes, and prepares to fight for her people's freedom.
That was a crappy summary which makes the book sound ridiculous, but it's a difficult plot to explain. The Oracles are completely terrifying, and the toll that Hawkspar's path takes on her is dreadful. Holly Lisle writes so well of terrible sacrifices that she makes you utterly believe her character's choices to make them. I was a little disappointed with the somewhat happy ending, but the overall story would probably have been too unbearably dark without that. I do find the enemy culture that takes great pleasure in all manner of sadistic practices a little unrealistic, but apart from that this was an excellent fantasy novel - I do hope Lisle will be writing another novel in Korre.
lettersbyansible's review
5.0
Loved it!
A breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre.
A standalone book set in a complex world. I particularly love the fact that the author isn't trying to sell me a series of books. The open ends are open. But the story has a satisfying finality to it.
A breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre.
A standalone book set in a complex world. I particularly love the fact that the author isn't trying to sell me a series of books. The open ends are open. But the story has a satisfying finality to it.
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