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In The Mirror of Her Dreams, the dazzling first volume of Mordant's Need, New York Times bestselling author Stephen R. Donaldson introduced us to the richly imagined world of Mordant, where mirrors are magical portals into places of beauty and terror. Now, with A Man Rides Through, Donaldson brings the story of Terisa Morgan to an unforgettable conclusion. . . . Aided by the powerful magic of Vagel, the evil Arch-Imager, the merciless armies are marching against the kingdom of Mordant. In its hour of greatest need, two unlikely champions emerge. One is Geraden, whose inability to master the simplest skills of Imagery has made him a laughingstock. The other is Terisa Morgan, transferred to Mordant from a Manhattan apartment by Geraden's faulty magic. Together, Geraden and Terisa discover undreamed-of talents within themselves--talents that make them more than a match for any Imager . . . including Vagel himself. Unfortunately, those talents also mark them for death. Branded as traitors, they are forced to flee the castle for their lives. Now, all but defenseless in a war-torn countryside ravaged by the vilest horrors Imagery can spawn, Geraden and Terisa must put aside past failures and find the courage to embrace their powers--and their love--before Vagel can spring his final trap.… (more)
User reviews
Anyway, this is the story of Terisa and Geraden. She's in a meaningless life in New York living in an apartment full of mirrors (to reassure her of her own existence) when Geraden arrives through the mirror to ask her to help save his world. He comes from Mordant where mirrors are magical portals, but unknown enemies threaten the kingdom and the old king is ineffective and his chief advisor is insane. It's a classic fantasy adventure with plots, counterplots, plot twists, swordfights, chases, secret passages and secret plans, seduction and romance, magical attacks, and more.
I think the story is quite imaginative and character driven. It explores the morality of magic and power to some degree, and the nature of human relationships. Most of the characters are quite likeable in their separate ways: the king, the princesses, several of the Imagers (who make and use the mirrors), Geraden's family, the prince from the neighboring kingdom, guardsmen. But sometimes I just wanted to kick Terisa for her stupid existential angst and her stupidity in trusting the wrong people in the face of accumulating evidence. I understand why the author developed her the way he did--it was essential to the story--but couldn't he have done it without so much internal monologue, which made the story drag in places? Most of that was in the first book where Terisa is trying to understand what is happening and what her role is. At the end of it she has figured things out and declared herself. The second book is just a straightforward quest to defeat the enemies now revealed as the myriad characters who have a role in the outcome come together. They even have the chance to revisit New York so that she can confront her past (a childhood of neglect and emotional abuse) and put it to bed before getting on with her new, fulfilled, adult life as a survivor. And of course the traits that display her apparent weakness and victimhood turn into her strengths by the end. Certainly it is a story with many positive messages and it all works out in the end. What more can you ask for in a fantasy?
Find a comfy seat and some snacks, and settle in for this one.
It does seem that Mordant is facing a calamitous challenge and Donaldson doesn't quite come up with a successful answer as to how everything gets resolved - I don't think that truly happy endings are something he's very comfortable with somehow
This book flew along as there was not the need
Yes, I did follow Terisa's growth the most, but I also watched King Joyse and began to understand his path as Terisa and Geraden did. I found their insights fascinating.
Who would like it? To begin with, this is not a standalone book; you must read The Mirror of Her Dreams first. But if you enjoy well-written fantasy, a touch of intrigue, and good people holding back the dark, then you would enjoy this series.
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Aided by the powerful magic of Vagel, the evil Arch-Imager, the merciless armies are marching against the kingdom of Mordant. In its hour of greatest need, two unlikely champions emerge. One is Geraden, whose inability to master the simplest skills of Imagery has made him a laughingstock. The other is Terisa Morgan, transferred to Mordant from a Manhattan apartment by Geraden's faulty magic.
Enjoyable conclusion.
Ex-library.