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meganbmooreMorgon is the prince of Hed, a small island kingdom of farmers in a world where rulers have a connection with their lands that allows them to constantly be aware of what’s going on in their land, and the land’s well being. When his younger sister finds a crown hidden under his bed (the rulers of Hed don’t wear a crown, though there’s some debate over whether or not they should), Morgon reveals that he won it in a riddle contest against a ghost king, Peven of Aum. When a harpist named Deth learns of this, he reveals that another king, Mathom of An, promised his daughter Raederle to any man who could defeat Peven. Morgon sets off with Deth to claim his bride, but the two are separated along the way, setting Morgon on the path to finally learning the truth behind the three stars on his forehead that no one has ever been able to explain to him.
I spent the first book enjoying it, but not as much as I should. I say “should” in the context of “had I read it when it was new, or before I had read so much fantasy, I would think it was the most amazing thing ever.” It’s not that it’s generic (far from it) but that I’ve read so many things like it that it doesn’t feel as fresh as it would had I read it before I read a lot of things that were like it, but not as good. I like Morgon, and think I’ll be more taken with him on rereads than I was on a first read, as there’s a lot going on in the background with him. And I very much appreciate that, for a character who essentially boils down to “farmboy with a destiny,” he’s wonderfully non-whiny and not stereotypical. I guess the more annoying bits of the character type came in when the mold got reused too much. He picked up for me a lot in the second half of the series, though I don’t know if that’s because of changes in his character, or because of his relationship with Raederle.
The trilogy didn’t take off for me, though, until I got to the second book in the trilogy. And the focus shifted to Raederle looking for Morgon. Raederle, I can’t help but think, is McKillip’s response to fantasy princesses who sit around waiting for the hero to come home from adventures, or who don’t say a word when they’re the hero’s reward for slaying the dragon. When her father tries to promise her to someone else, she calls him on his breaking his word. When she’s told to sit on her hands and wait, she tells the “wiser” men to stuff it. When she’s told she can’t go save the hero because she’s a dainty princess, she has her way anyway, and proves she can do it. When Morgon tries to leave her behind for her own safety, she won’t let him. And throughout this, she proves that telling the princess to stay in her safe little tower because that’s where princesses belong is stupid. And Morgon letting her prove herself instead of trying to stop her “for her own good” when she says she isn’t having any of that made me like him even more.
I read the first book a bit slowly, though more because of other things I was trying to get done than anything else. I read the second in as close to one sitting as I could because I couldn’t get enough of Raederle. I read the third quickly because I was either eagerly awaiting the next bit with Raederle, or because it was a bit with Raederle. I hide my character biases well, don't I?
One thing I really liked (having read a lot of McKillip’s later books this year) was seeing various elements and ideas that eventually evolve into the focus of later books. I also like how it has all the elements of epic fantasy without having to have armies and the standard Tolkein races.
I spent the first book enjoying it, but not as much as I should. I say “should” in the context of “had I read it when it was new, or before I had read so much fantasy, I would think it was the most amazing thing ever.” It’s not that it’s generic (far from it) but that I’ve read so many things like it that it doesn’t feel as fresh as it would had I read it before I read a lot of things that were like it, but not as good. I like Morgon, and think I’ll be more taken with him on rereads than I was on a first read, as there’s a lot going on in the background with him. And I very much appreciate that, for a character who essentially boils down to “farmboy with a destiny,” he’s wonderfully non-whiny and not stereotypical. I guess the more annoying bits of the character type came in when the mold got reused too much. He picked up for me a lot in the second half of the series, though I don’t know if that’s because of changes in his character, or because of his relationship with Raederle.
The trilogy didn’t take off for me, though, until I got to the second book in the trilogy. And the focus shifted to Raederle looking for Morgon. Raederle, I can’t help but think, is McKillip’s response to fantasy princesses who sit around waiting for the hero to come home from adventures, or who don’t say a word when they’re the hero’s reward for slaying the dragon. When her father tries to promise her to someone else, she calls him on his breaking his word. When she’s told to sit on her hands and wait, she tells the “wiser” men to stuff it. When she’s told she can’t go save the hero because she’s a dainty princess, she has her way anyway, and proves she can do it. When Morgon tries to leave her behind for her own safety, she won’t let him. And throughout this, she proves that telling the princess to stay in her safe little tower because that’s where princesses belong is stupid. And Morgon letting her prove herself instead of trying to stop her “for her own good” when she says she isn’t having any of that made me like him even more.
I read the first book a bit slowly, though more because of other things I was trying to get done than anything else. I read the second in as close to one sitting as I could because I couldn’t get enough of Raederle. I read the third quickly because I was either eagerly awaiting the next bit with Raederle, or because it was a bit with Raederle. I hide my character biases well, don't I?
One thing I really liked (having read a lot of McKillip’s later books this year) was seeing various elements and ideas that eventually evolve into the focus of later books. I also like how it has all the elements of epic fantasy without having to have armies and the standard Tolkein races.
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Date: 2008-12-31 03:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-12-31 03:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-12-31 03:35 am (UTC)McKillip is a bit of a hit or miss writer with me. Some of her stuff I love, others are meh.
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Date: 2008-12-31 03:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-12-31 03:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-12-31 03:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-12-31 04:46 pm (UTC)I'm a bit sad that the complete edition no longer has the book plate illustrations at the beginning of the single volumes that I had in the UK editions of the paperback way back in the 80ies... but I've read those almost to pieces, so..
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Date: 2009-01-03 07:09 pm (UTC)I got through riddle master at a very early age only because I knew that the second book was all about Raederle.
Interesting, this was the only series where I was actually felt there was emotional gravatis to the 'kill him/don't kill him' question, and I was actually rooting for the 'don't tell him' option.
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Date: 2009-01-03 08:23 pm (UTC)