The Riddle-Master of Hed

This is the first part of the Riddle-Master Trilogy, and it's certainly not a standalone given the ending. You'll be disappointed if you don't have the next book to continue the story after the abrupt ending, so reviewing this feels somewhat like reviewing the first third of the book without having

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read the other two-thirds. I can't know if this is a part that will lead to a greater whole and on its own it's likeable, though not remarkable even though the trilogy was recommended on the "Seven-League Shelf" of the "cream" of the fantasy genre.

This is fairly standard high fantasy in being set in a quasi-medieval or renaissance setting of lords and swords and wizards. Morgon of Hed is a Farmer Prince. He holds the "land-rule" of a modest agrarian island off the beaten track. Traditionally, not only has Hed not been part of the stream of history, it's inhabitants and rulers are known as incurious homebodies. Morgon had already broken that mold, having traveled to a far-away city to study the mastery of what are called "riddles"--lore dealing with wisdom and knowledge. He breaks the pattern of his ancestors by rising far in Riddle-Mastery. And now he finds he has a third identity inscribed in legend--the "Star-bearer."

The book deals with is sometimes reluctant quest to understand the meaning of that third identity. The world built here of riddle-masters, wizards, shape-changers and magical harps and swords is absorbing, and Morgon largely likable, even if at times irritatingly irresolute. The ending was certainly a cliffhanger and the book intrigued me more than enough to go on to Heir of Sea and Fire.

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A very enjoyable start to this fantasy series, and so far living up to the standard that Forgotten Beasts of Eld led me to expect of her.

Whilst being fairly typical within its genre (man on a remote land finds talent and discovers that he holds the key to world events that will affect many many

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people. Oh, and his life is also in danger) there is enough different in this book to keep you on your toes. The people are well realised and the places, although nothing new or surprising, fit well with the story being told. There are formulaic points: a dark force threatening, an unwilling hero, physical signs to demonstrate how he is different, but I stayed interested and was pleasantly taken aback by some of the twists and turns.

There is also a darkness and a gritty reality to her books that make them stand out for me above some others.

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This is volume one of the Riddle-Master trilogy.

In the world of Morgon, prince of the island of Hed, wizards have long disappeared, and now the seat of learning is the College of the Riddle-Masters at Caithnard (a riddle being a question with a story-answer and a stricture). There is, however,

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intrinsic magic; land-rulers are bound to their realms, but each bond is different, depending on the land.

Morgon learns that, against his inclinations, he is the Starbearer, and this sets him on a quest to get an answer to the unanswered riddle from the High One, who dwells in Erlenstar Mountain and maintains the land-rule. As he makes his way through the realms, the Starbearer narrowly escapes being killed several times by mysterious attackers, but is helped by the rulers and land-heirs that he meets.

I love the way Patricia McKillip writes, and this trilogy is one of my all-time favourites. There is something beautiful and ethereal about her tales; maybe it's because she shows us the emotions and vulnerabilities of her characters, but everything she writes seems to touch my heart.

I like the way she describes something magical, and contrasts it with an immediate change to the mundane, with (for example) an instance of sibling squabbling. Somehow, this really emphasises the strength of the sibling bond. I can empathise with the family ties that shine through the story, for example between rulers and their land-heirs, be they siblings or parent and child.

I fall in love with every Patricia McKillip book I read, but this, for me, was the first and best.

I also want to put in a word for the cover of this edition (the blue one). Just seeing it sends shivers of pleasurable anticipation and nostalgia down my spine. Not only does it depict Morgon's journey through the winter wastes towards Erlenstar Mountain, but it also hints at the peace that can come from shape-changing to a vesta (the horned animal in the foreground) or a great tree.

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First of McKillip's "Riddlemaster" trilogy. I really loved these books as an adolescent and have read them several times since. They are full of rich visual imagery and the story, while simple, is very satisfying. The first book takes us from the small island of Hed and it's "riddle master" prince

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to his journey from his island home in search of answers to his talent for riddles and the three mysterious stars on his forehead.

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Vibrant language and strong characterizations made this fantasy even more enjoyable than when I first read it years ago. The central mystery is sometimes revealed a little abruptly as riddles surface out of nowhere, but once you piece together the history, that manner of revelation makes more

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sense. And one feels sympathy for Morgon, whose curiosity, intelligence and innate talents take him far away from the life of a peaceful farmer, though too much of the plot is devoted to his attempts to avoid his destiny. This definitely ends on a cliffhanger, so it's better to read this if (unlike me) you've got the other two books of the trilogy nearby.

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Part 1 of the three part series. It was written with children in mind, but it stands up well to adult scrutiny.

The Riddle Master trilogy is one of my all-time favorite pieces of fantasy. It's brilliantly written and McKillip does, as usual, a perfect job of describing her characters, making it easy to get lost in her world. The rich detail, the suspense and the loving and equally lovable heroes always keeps

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me turning page upon page, never wanting to turn out the lights.

What sets this apart from many other fantasy works is that it is a work, nay, an œuvre of it's own, standing apart and separate. Many other works remind me of the Lord of The Rings or of the eternal fight between Good and Evil. Not this one - it's all about continuity, about greed and about hunger for power, about sacrifice. And, the world McKillip creates is a world to enjoy, a world with Riddle Masters (where riddles aren't something to enjoy but an intermediate between poetry and history - because every riddle has a stricture and each stricture teaches something) and Harpists.

McKillip at her very best (along with The Forgotten Beasts of Eld) - a series of books I keep pulling off the shelf every couple of years to dive headlong in this strange and wonderful world. A definite must-read!

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I enjoyed it pretty much, mostly for the close-third-person narrative. I like fantasy, but I can't take omniscient narrators. They just don't do it for me. Some of the writing (IMHO) is clunky. There were times when I found it difficult to tell who is speaking. There are mistakes in choices of verb

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tense (IMHO). The characters are pretty melodramatic for the most part. The "hero" is an almost flawlessly good guy and so is his sidekick, the mysterious harpist Deth. There are also secrets kept from the reader, but because it is a close-third-person narrative, this is not too off-putting because the secret is kept from the hero, too, though in retrospect I am not exactly sure why. I think I struggled a little with the writing. (No,I am not a novice reader. I have an MA and an MSEd.) The imagery and settings are quite beautiful. The dialogue, for the most part, is pretty decent. I'll probably read the next one eventually.

I am always looking for first- and close-third-person fantasy these days, and I am not very well read in the genre. Suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

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I first read this book in my early 20's, while in college struggling with what it meant to be a physics major and a woman (at that time, in a class of 60 there would be maybe one other woman). The character of Raederle was a revelation- the first time I came across a woman in a fantasy novel who

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was more than a decorative minor character. Raederle was smart, she acted instead of only reacted to events, she was talented.... (of course she was also gorgeous, but I didn't hold that against her *too* much.)

McKillip continues to be one of the authors I can count on for complex, strong female leads.

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This is simply a great fantasy book. It is not overly long or overly complex, nor is it full of battles and sorcery. It does have excellent characters, a very well described setting, and writing that draws you in and keeps you interested. By today's standards it is very short, but that doesn't

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detract from the book at all.

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A fair book... it entertained me enough to want to read the rest of the trilogy, but it's not the epic fantasy read that I typically really enjoy. It's lacking in detail and finesse.

This is one of the early female authors of SF/Fantasy (besides Anne McCaffrey) that I found that I could not put down. I thought this was just as good as the Wizard of Earthsea which was required reading.

why did i wait so long to read this trilogy? i think i had her and Anne McCaffrey bundled. when i started reading McKillip's fairytale books, that's when i fell to her charms. so this is volume 1. and it's quite a good read: the riddles get answered when the story gets told, so it's full of a whole

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bunch of charming small stories a bard might claim as stock in trade, back in that day. the Kings are old, and the High One's Harper's older, and nobody seems to notice or wonder why. meanwhile Morgon, the Prince of Hed, calls himself a farmer, who needs to get back home to thatch a roof before winter, and Hed is good at growing things because it is the only country that never makes war, and will not fight.

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My Tolkien (before I truly discovered Tolkien). I've come back to this series repeatedly -- eight or nine times -- because I'm fascinated by Morgon's journey of discovery. McKillip's vibrant lands, the power of the land-law, the connections to nature -- people turning into wolves and trees -- make

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me want to live there. Next up on my reading list is "The Heir of Sea and Fire," book two in the series.

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an okay fantasy. A pig-boy story.

My Tolkien (before I truly discovered Tolkien). I've come back to this series repeatedly -- eight or nine times -- because I'm fascinated by Morgon's journey of discovery. McKillip's vibrant lands, the power of the land-law, the connections to nature -- people turning into wolves and trees -- make

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me want to live there. Next up on my reading list is "The Heir of Sea and Fire," book two in the series.

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I last read this in 1979, when the third of the trilogy, Harpist in the Wind was published. I read it first in 1977. A teen, I thought it fresh! a departure from the Tolkien I loved. As an adult, I still think it different, though raw. Ms. McKillip herself says the trilogy is not her favorite, but

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she stills holds it dear for being a labor of her youth. I didn't understand the whole riddle thing when I was 15, and as an adult I see it as a device - but not really riddles - but it is still interesting, and engaging. Refreshing to read after all these years. Sad I lost my original paperbacks last year, but glad I have a rollup in ebook form.

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Morgon, of Riddlemaster fame, is a very likeable character who admits his human foibles and wants to avoid the complicated fears as well as his destiny which seems written in stone. A hero who wants to have the simple joys of a quiet life, yet is thrust into coping with immense events is a very

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likable device ~ I am much more engaged with this personality than in any prior reading.

I first read McKillip’s trilogy as each book was published. It was a memorable fantasy but I didn’t read it again until twenty years later. Strangely, I didn’t enjoy the story at all and found the plot overly convoluted and the action obscure. Another 20 or so years have irretrievably disappeared as I now read my fantasy collection to decide whether the books are keep or cull. This is going on my keep shelf. Of course the sequels will join them!

My other insight, in this my third reading, is that McKillip is deliberate in writing a story having obscure twists and turns, unexplained scenarios and hidden aspects of people, places and situations. She leaves room for the reader to find enchanting realizations on their own, a device that I have only understood after reading most of Diana Wynne Jones’ narratives.
And of course, I the reader, have changed too. I’m more patient with promising plots and I’m reading this time at a less galloping pace. I can’t remember how the triology ends, but the trip is worth it.

I'm hesitant to recommend this trilogy as the initial story for someone new to McKillip. The author's style is to hide knowledge and arrange for the protagonist to stumble about a little as he/she finds the way through the unknown challenges. All the McKillip books I’ve kept in my library have a similar style and often a common theme of a personal journey to some form of enlightenment. So if this book (and its sequels) are unappealing, come back to them after some other McKillip chronicles.

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In a way that is common in Fantasy novels, particularly in older ones, the story begun in this book does not nearly wrap up by the end. This is clearly part one of at least two, and almost certainly 3 or more books. All the way up to the last page new elements of the story are being added, with an

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implicit promise of development, and very little pay-off. The ending isn't entirely unsatisfying, but it really does feel like a story finally leaving the introductory phase rather than something concluding.

On the positive side, the book's protagonist has a delightful reluctance to be a hero that is rooted in a very reasonable attitude towards getting oneself killed and a pig-headed stubbornness about being led around by fate instead of making his own decisions. The book is full of surprises and many of them feel like twists, so I never knew what to expect from chapter to chapter. There's a big reveal at the end that I absolutely did not see coming, but which didn't surprise me a bit in retrospect.

On the negative, mostly nitpicking, but so very many small complaints. The pace in this book feels meandering, partly because there are mysteries layered on mysteries, and partly because the world of the book is vague and fairy-tale-ish. I didn't have a sense of the scope or scale of the regions the book took place in, and the world was neither close enough to real history or supported enough by detail to ever really give me reasonable expectations. New magic powers and sorts of magical creatures were rolled out regularly, with rare explanations, and the book's protagonist (being a roll-with-the-punches sort) mostly didn't provide much by way of reaction regardless of whether the magic was new to him or not. In the cases where he was upset by something he learned, it was more effective, but as a reader I felt like he knew a lot more than I did for the vast majority of the book. Speaking of things he knew that I didn't, the book introduces scads of characters with names and important-sounding titles or details, but rarely takes the time to give them more than a sketch of description or characterization. I couldn't track which of the 200 or so named characters would come up again, and thus needed to be remembered, and which were one-offs who could be safely forgotten.

I think a TV or movie adaptation of this book would probably be better than the source material, because almost all of the weaknesses of this story would be shored up by having a visual medium and a decent musical score.

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The Riddle-Master of Hed was a very different feeling for a fantasy novel, and it was a welcome change. The ethereal quality to the later story stands in stark contrast to the early pages fantastic dialogue. The ease with which Ms. McKillip switches modes is impressive, and it really fits the

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feeling and tone of the story. I'm eager to read the next book in the series.

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I recently finished rereading The Riddle-Master of Hed by Patricia McKillip. It's been decades since I last read these little novels. They remain favorites from my youth. When I spent a semester in Costa Rica in college in the 1980s, the only books I brought to sustain me were this trilogy for my

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fantasy selection and David Brin's Startide Rising and The Uplift War, which felt like a duology at the time.

I worried that rereading this high fantasy trilogy would tarnish the sheen of fond remembrance. No such thing! I still savored the lyrical prose, the imagery and metaphors, the characters, the world-building, all of it. I thought then and still think that these would translate well to the cinema given the advances in special effects that really bring magic alive on the screen. But of course, I'd hate to see how Hollywood would butcher the story.

The Riddle-Master of Hed opens with Morgon, the Prince of the island of Hed (too small to be a kingdom!) meeting Deth, the High One's harpist when the spring thaw brings the trading ships into port. Deth discovers that Morgon secretly won a riddle game with the wraith of Peven, and Morgon discovers that the King of An had promised his daughter Raederle's hand in marriage to the winner of that deadly contest. Morgon and Deth head out on one of the ships, and so the quest begins.

In the first book, we're introduced to Morgon and the people and places of the High One's realm. Over the course of a year, Morgon discovers he's tangled up in a destiny that goes far beyond his peaceful, agrarian life in Hed, or even his college years studying with the Riddle Masters in Caithnard. Mysterious shapechangers threaten Morgon's life repeatedly, and he and Deth travel through various lands trying to stay alive, meeting land rulers and finding help along the way. Diverted from traveling to An to marry Raederle, Morgon and Deth journey to the High One's mountain to ask who are these shapechangers and what's going on.

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I read this in high school, and re-read it for many years thereafter. My first few times reading it I was a bit confused by the language and how deep it was, though the magic and shape-changing and harping stayed with me and drew me back.

The premise is fairly simple: a farmer's son who lives on a

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remote island is born with three stars on his face. His father is the ruler of Hed, known for its beer, and young Morgon has studied at the University where all knowledge is transmitted by riddles. Really intricate riddles; I wish there were books of all of these riddles! They would be fascinating by themselves!

The themes permeating this book are the missing Wizards, riddles, Land-Law, and shape-changing. And harping. And the mysterious wizard-like harpist figure who has taken a liking to Morgon, whose name is Deth. What happens to young Morgon and those who love him is a story that can be read for many years.

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I'll definitely continue on to the rest of the trilogy eventually, but I was slightly disappointed. I'd heard it was something of a classic (at least by 70s fantasy standards) and while it had some unique parts, others were very typical.

My main complaint was that it was confusing. I would get lost

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occasionally, as important things were described quickly while descriptions of nature, etc, went on for quite awhile.

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I remember reading this for the first time: I was fascinated and told a friend, who also read it, and then we had to wait an entire year for the second book-- it seemed an impossibly long time! We discussed details and moaned to each other at intervals, seized the next when it arrived -- and then

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we had to do the same thing waiting for the third. I tried so hard to figure out clues to the next books that I even very lightly underlined possibly significant phrases.

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