Status
Available
Genres
Collections
Publication
New York : Orbit, 2010.
1st US ed.
Description
Half the Thieves in the city are dead. While factions and rivalries still exist within the group, nothing can account for the randomness and the inventiveness of each death. Now the Thieves are waging a deadly underworld war, and it appears they have been doing so with magical assistance.
User reviews
LibraryThing member reading_fox
New trilogy, same characters, and unfortunetly very much the same plot - someone is sneaking about the city using magic where they shouldn't be. Meanwhile an Ambassador out in foreign lands discovers some new types of magic. The primary thrust comes through a very minor part of the previous trilogy
We do pick up some new characters, but also many familiar faces. It is now some 20 years after the conclusion of the War, Sonea's son is grown up, the Thief is getting older and only a touch slower, Regin has mellowed, and a few older hands have been killed off. There replacements mostly seem indistinguishable. The city is now united with less overt hostility between rich and poor, but the King's unification efforts have disrupted the Thieves guild, and allowed an interloper to start selling more potent drugs. Sonea is not amused. She becomes positively annoyed when her son accompanies the Ambassador into Sachea (where she is forbidden to go), and starts finding troubles all of his own.
I like Trudi's world building and characters. she isn't the most inventive of authors, or even the most realistic of character developers, but there's a gentle enjoyment and spark that permeates all of her writing. This is no exception. There is nothing brilliant here, but alos little to complain about. The annoying habit of re-naming similar creatures has been carefully stepped around, and doesn't really intrude. The politics of the Guild and the lives in the various countries all work well, without being too confusing. The style remains much teh same as previous books.
If you've enjoyed Trudi's other works, this is a reasonable success in wringing more flesh from that world, but if you're looking for deep and meaningful epic fantasy, you'd best read elsewhere.
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that at the time felt very out of place.We do pick up some new characters, but also many familiar faces. It is now some 20 years after the conclusion of the War, Sonea's son is grown up, the Thief is getting older and only a touch slower, Regin has mellowed, and a few older hands have been killed off. There replacements mostly seem indistinguishable. The city is now united with less overt hostility between rich and poor, but the King's unification efforts have disrupted the Thieves guild, and allowed an interloper to start selling more potent drugs. Sonea is not amused. She becomes positively annoyed when her son accompanies the Ambassador into Sachea (where she is forbidden to go), and starts finding troubles all of his own.
I like Trudi's world building and characters. she isn't the most inventive of authors, or even the most realistic of character developers, but there's a gentle enjoyment and spark that permeates all of her writing. This is no exception. There is nothing brilliant here, but alos little to complain about. The annoying habit of re-naming similar creatures has been carefully stepped around, and doesn't really intrude. The politics of the Guild and the lives in the various countries all work well, without being too confusing. The style remains much teh same as previous books.
If you've enjoyed Trudi's other works, this is a reasonable success in wringing more flesh from that world, but if you're looking for deep and meaningful epic fantasy, you'd best read elsewhere.
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LibraryThing member AdamBourke
Trudi Canavan's name is synonomous with quality, and with this book she doesn't fail to meet the high expectations that her previous novels have set. It would seem that she has a way with sequels that few authors possess, and makes this book at least as readable as her first. In addition to the
The book itself starts rather slowly, but in a way that builds tension rather than bores the reader. After that things begin to heat up. Ceryni is a much bigger player in this book than previously, where he appeared it seemed only where needed. In this he takes one of the major viewpoints, along with returning characters Sonea and Dannyl, as well as new character Lorkin. Each of them is quite different in their own way, although Sonea/Ceryni and Lorkin/Dannyl are closer to each other than the rest. But Each of the viewpoints explores a different relationship.
Without giving too much away there is Romance; beginning and ending, Family; Lost and Found, and Alliances with old and new enemies. The way that Canavan expresses these different relatinships from different viewpoints not only brings the characters vividly off the page, but also stirs the emotions and feelings of the reader. They yearn for love. They miss their children (Even if they have none). They are confused by their old enemy. Because Sonea's relationships become the readers. Lorkin's relationships, Dannyl's and Ceryni's too.
That just the way Canavan does things. She draws the reader in until they are not just in the story, they almost live it. They are the character, whichever one it may be, They are in Imardin, or Sachaka, or wherever the narrative takes them. There is nothing lacking in this book that I can think of.
In fact, there is only one thing I can think of that is even slightly off in this latest book, which is Sonea's age. The book is set twenty years after the BM Trilogy, yet whenever I read Sonea's sections, I imagine her as the same age. That's not true of Ceryni though. But I think Sonea could do with older descriptive language ascribed to her.
I always find it difficult to write much for excellent books, and this is no different. Normally I give a "how long would I stay up reading for?" rating, since I know I personally use that as a measure of a book's worth. Now here I was going to put "dawn" as the answer. However, Since the sun isrising behind me as I write this, It is well past dawn that I would stay up reading. I hate to sound cliché, but if there is one book you read this year, make it this one.
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original Black Magician Trilogy, Canavan's latest book also draws quite a lot from the Magicians Apprentice (The one-novel prequel to the BM Trilogy). This exquisite entwining of plotlines across novels is something that only a master writer acheives regularly, and Trudi Canavan is one of them.The book itself starts rather slowly, but in a way that builds tension rather than bores the reader. After that things begin to heat up. Ceryni is a much bigger player in this book than previously, where he appeared it seemed only where needed. In this he takes one of the major viewpoints, along with returning characters Sonea and Dannyl, as well as new character Lorkin. Each of them is quite different in their own way, although Sonea/Ceryni and Lorkin/Dannyl are closer to each other than the rest. But Each of the viewpoints explores a different relationship.
Without giving too much away there is Romance; beginning and ending, Family; Lost and Found, and Alliances with old and new enemies. The way that Canavan expresses these different relatinships from different viewpoints not only brings the characters vividly off the page, but also stirs the emotions and feelings of the reader. They yearn for love. They miss their children (Even if they have none). They are confused by their old enemy. Because Sonea's relationships become the readers. Lorkin's relationships, Dannyl's and Ceryni's too.
That just the way Canavan does things. She draws the reader in until they are not just in the story, they almost live it. They are the character, whichever one it may be, They are in Imardin, or Sachaka, or wherever the narrative takes them. There is nothing lacking in this book that I can think of.
In fact, there is only one thing I can think of that is even slightly off in this latest book, which is Sonea's age. The book is set twenty years after the BM Trilogy, yet whenever I read Sonea's sections, I imagine her as the same age. That's not true of Ceryni though. But I think Sonea could do with older descriptive language ascribed to her.
I always find it difficult to write much for excellent books, and this is no different. Normally I give a "how long would I stay up reading for?" rating, since I know I personally use that as a measure of a book's worth. Now here I was going to put "dawn" as the answer. However, Since the sun isrising behind me as I write this, It is well past dawn that I would stay up reading. I hate to sound cliché, but if there is one book you read this year, make it this one.
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LibraryThing member PatMock
Enjoyed the previous series, but the author has lost the spark - hardly anything happens in 500 pages, no character development, and the constant scene changes don't reflect on each other and just get tedious. Needs more action, more tension, and less inner thoughts in italics!
LibraryThing member gimble
This book was extrodinary. Picking up 20 years from the Magician series, you will find familiar faces along with some new characters that make for a blend of excitement and intrigue.
LibraryThing member lewispike
This is a fairly light-hearted romp set some years after "The Black Magician" trilogy. Sonea's son is now a magician and heads off to distant lands as the ambassador's assistant. Fun and games follow up there as he gets tied up in family history as well as Sanachan politics.
Meanwhile, at home, Roet
It's probably not necessary to have read The Magician's Apprentice, but it would certainly help you understand the history they're trying to piece together.
Meanwhile, at home, Roet
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(more normally Rot) is spreading throughout the city and someone is using magic to kill off thieves. Who could be behind it all?It's probably not necessary to have read The Magician's Apprentice, but it would certainly help you understand the history they're trying to piece together.
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LibraryThing member nimoloth
This was pretty good, a sequel to The Black Magician trilogy. It's set a generation later and primarily focuses on Lorkin (I'm not including spoilers here, so I won't say too much about who he is). His plot, which for the most part also includes Dannyl, from the original trilogy, is pretty
All in all, not as engaging as the original trilogy, for me, but still good enough not to want to put it down.
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engaging, and promises to give us much more information on things that were only hinted at in the preceding trilogy. I feel a bit sad with the direction's Dannyl's story has developed, but there are two more books - who knows where that will go? I'd have liked to see more of Sonea, but she seems to be very much a supporting character in this, and a lot more mature (only to be expected) and less feisty. I wonder how she will develop over the next two books? Good to see more of Cery again, too.All in all, not as engaging as the original trilogy, for me, but still good enough not to want to put it down.
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LibraryThing member richardtaylor
Having read The Magician's Apprentice and The Black Magician trilogy, I found the start of this book a bit slow. There seems to be a bit too much "as we know because" and I found that frustrating.
However, as soon as the new story takes over then the characters regain their zeal and the pages really
However, as soon as the new story takes over then the characters regain their zeal and the pages really
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start to turn. Later on I was worried that everything would be left hanging for books 2 and 3 (and much is) but there is just enough revealed to satisfy the reader and leave you anxiously awaiting The Rogue. Show Less
LibraryThing member hscherry
It seemed to take a while to get going, but once it did I thoroughly enjoyed it. Looking forward to reading the second one!
LibraryThing member brakketh
Continuation of the world in which the Black Magician trilogy was set. Interesting look at some of the impacts that the social changes advocated for in the initial trilogy. Story focussed on hunt for rogue magician in Kyralia and the search for old magic by Sonea's son.
LibraryThing member infjsarah
I read the original trilogy several years ago and enjoyed them but had never gotten around to reading the follow up. But feeling in the need for a light fantasy read, I picked this up. Except for the main character Sonea, I had forgotten most of the rest of the characters. Canavan can be erratic -
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I enjoyed the Black Magician trilogy but found the Priestess of the White trilogy a major disappointment. This was as I expected light and enjoyable although there were times when I felt it was slow and incidents could have occurred faster. I also struggled at times with remembering who was who. Show Less
LibraryThing member andersondotau
Very enjoyable
Language
Original publication date
2010-04-18
Physical description
513 p.; 25 cm
ISBN
9780316037839
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Pages
513