Ara's Field

Ara's Feild and indeed the entire trilogy, Delan the Mislaid and the Moonbane Mage, are phenominal works of imagination. Breaking from the mire of rehashed mideival Tolkien-esque fantasy, Marks has created a world of incredible imagination and beauty. Above all it's a world so tangible , so well thought out, it seems possible to visit. Most fantasy worlds seem to exist solely for the purpose of a group of Chosen Heroes to run around in questing for whatever. They aren't worlds where people actually LIVE. NOT Ara's Feild. It's a world full of regular people doing sometimes ordinary, sometimes extraordinary things. The characters of this book Live in their world. The politics and personalities are totally believable. Character think their way out of situations instead of defaulting to violence. Indeed the book centers on the prevention of war, not epic battles and grandiose speechs. I have recommended these books many times and I'm lucky to be the owner of the entire trilogy for many years now. They are timeless and fascinating.

I'm shocked that this and the first two books of the trilogy are out of print, as they are wonderful books, filled with stark and beautiful images and complex characters. The story is set in a world like, and unlike ours; there are people like us (the Walkers), but also three... actually four other sentient races. The Aeries are winged hermaphroditic humanoids, the Mers live in the ocean, have a collective consciousness, and are rather like seals, and the Orchths are a large, shaggy, six-legged race of singers and artists and shamans. The trilogy addresses issues of co-existence and hatred, prejudice and compromise. The three books expand in scope and ambition; while the first is mostly the riveting tale of one Aerie raised in ignorance by Walkers, the second addresses greater issues of politics, manipulation and the struggle to find a place to belong, and this, the third book, goes further in addressing the power structure of the Walkers, the desperate struggle of the Aeries to survive, and the terrible danger of an unknown attacker. Wonderful writing, wonderful characters. I wish all Laurie Marks' work was as good as this.

Though this book is the third in the trilogy, it is undoubtedly the best, and can be read separately (though it helps to have the background given in the first two books). Marks has outdone herself with Ara's Field, expanding and detailing the rich world she created. This book is the only one of the trilogy written in third person rather than first person, and IMHO, Marks's prose is greatly improved for it. The fragile peace built between the four races of the world is shattered by the brutal murders of both the Walker and Aeyrie leaders in this novel. The people of Triad must discover who is to blame, and why, before their world is destroyed by war...

Ara's Field is about- oops, I can't tellyou what it's about in case others who haven't read it don't want me to spoil it for them. Anyway, it's a great book, although sometimes it can be very gross and confusing (sometimes boring too, cuz you may not know what's going on) otherwise, this gal's a great author!