![]() ![]() Because of that, they are far more frightening than they are beneficent, at least for those who live in the shadow of their departure. In this world, the gods were very much alive and part of human affairs, though they were (and are) so vast in power that they dwarf humanity’s ability to fully comprehend them. Indeed, it is precisely this nuanced and unique cosmology that sets this series apart from its predecessor (“Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn”). If Lisiya represents what happens when a goddess commits her life to the service of others, Jikuyin is the opposite: a creature who thinks only of himself. However, while she has devoted her life to helping the forest (and the occasional wanderer) the mutilated and mad demigod Jikuyin is something else entirely, a creature determined to gain power so that he may perpetuate cruelty on destruction on all those he believes have wronged him. In an interesting parallel, Lisiya is not the only godlike being who continues to eke out a living among mortals. The gods have fallen very far from the world that they once ruled. Lisiya may once have been a powerful deity but she, like so many of the other gods, has found herself subjected to the forces of time, and though she is able to give Briony the aid she needs to survive her terrible time in the forest, it clearly costs her a great deal to do so. ![]() I have to say, though, that probably my favourite part of the novel was the appearance of the goddess Lisiya, who thankfully appears to help Briony just when all hope seems lost. The royal and powerful may seem to hold sway over the political realm, but as the action unfolds it becomes more and more clear that they are themselves but pawns in a much larger game, one that may have consequences so vast as to dwarf human understanding. Indeed, it’s always the seemingly small and insignificant characters in this world who have the greatest impact on what is to come. That aside, I find the other characters quite enjoyable, though it has to be said that Chert Blue Quartz, with his homely wisdom and his obvious love for both Flint and Opal, makes him one of the novel’s (and the series’) most relatable and enjoyable characters to read. Some reviews I have read have complained about how unlikeable characters are, but I personally found that to be true only of Barrick who, though he has a tortured soul, is often insufferable, cruel, self-pitying, and needlessly cruel. And Qinnitan has found shelter of a sort in the vast city of Hierosol, though it seems that she is not safe even there, for she is hotly and doggedly pursued by the soldier Daikonas Vo. Barrick and his companion Ferris Vansen are now trapped behind the Shadowline, condemned on a mission to go to the Qar stronghold. ![]() Briony is in exile from her beloved Southmarch, which is now under the control of her sadistic cousin Hendon Tolly. Shadowrise opens with all of our beloved characters scattered to the winds. It’s also worth pointing out that it’s extraordinary enough to produce one fantasy epic that has become canonical (“Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn”), but it’s even more so to write yet another popular fantasy cycle unconnected to that one. Somehow, he manages to make the familiar elements of epic fantasy and make them into something new. The man simply has a command of language, plot, and character that really does surpass that of most other people writing in the genre. I know I probably sound like a broken record at this point, but I’d just like to say again how much of a pleasure it is to read Tad Williams. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |