Godslayer: Volume II of The Sundering (The Sundering, 2)

I can't understand why people compare this to the story as told from the perspective of the Nazgul, or compare it to LotR at ALL - this is completely different! The Nazgul were intent on world domination and the complete and total subjugation of all people and races underneath them; Satoris only wants to be left alone. Haomane would be more accurately compared to the Nazgul than Satoris, and even HE isn't THAT bad - he just wants his way like a spoiled child! That's not to say I got the ending I wanted in the book! But the book ended as it should - as the dragons say - "All thingss mussst be asss they are." And, although this story was being told from the point of view of the so-called "dark" Lord, it still clings to the conventions for this type of story. However, I don't wish to spoil the story, so I won't go any further with those thoughts. In this book we continue to follow the attempts of Haomane's Allies to fulfill Haomane's Prophecy, and Lord Satoris' Allies attempts to stop them. We spend a good bit of time with the Bearer - Dani of the Yarru Yami - in his travels to get to Darkhaven, as well as with Lilias in her captivity among the Rivenlost. Unfortunately, years of indoctrination leaves the Rivenlost and the races of Men completely unable to believe anything of what they are told of Satoris. Only the Lady Cerelinde - held in the fastness of Darkhaven, begins to question her beliefs. And, of course, by the time she does it really is too late. Again, I actually really liked this story - those who compare it to LotR or the Belgariad are not really giving the story the credit it is due, I think. I have read LotR well over a dozen times, and must have read the Belgariad close to that - and I can't see that much of a similarity. I'll grant you that the very basic premise is somewhat the same, but it is a standard convention in this sort of story - however, Ms. Carey takes it into new and unexpected directions and I was happy to see it. I can, with confidence, suggest this to anyone who is willing to read this and take the time to really think about it.

in this wonderful sequel to her magnifcent epic fantasy novel Banewreaker, the battle for Urulat comes to its epic conclusion (maybe). it is beatifully written with a very thought provoking plot and an interesting array of characters. what more can i say? well, what did the skeptics say? fortunately, most of the romantic fantasy fans and Tolkien purists didn't bother to read (or at least review) this one but still its ratings fall. here are the various complaints against the series and my responses: ITS NOT LIKE KUSHIEL! i have yet to read Kushiel, BUT THIS IS A GREAT BOOK. however, if you don't like epic fantasy, you probably won't like it. IT RIPS OFF TOLKIEN first of all, WHO CARES! all fantasy books take some inspiration from Tolkien. besides, Tolkien took all that stuff about the beautiful immortal elves(rather than Santa's little helpers), the dwarves that live under the earth, the cursed ring, the sword that was reforged, right out of the Poetic Edda (also a great book). plus, Carey didn't JUST rip off Tolkien, the Marasoumie were right out of Robert Jordan, the whole theme of good seen as evil is very Miltonian, the inevitability of fate theme is omnipresent in Homer, Beowulf, and the Edda, although it seems odd to our modern taste, Satoris' refusal to kill Cerelinde bears striking similarity to Odin's refusal to slay Fenrir, the "water of life" that makes thing young is right of of Norse mythology, the Helm of Shadows sounds like Fafnir's Helm of Terror in the very lays that inspired Tolkien, and the "gifts" of Haomane and Satoris sound like the gifts of Hoenir and Lothur(who is probably Loki, the sort-of-evil god) in the Edda. I CAN'T SYMPATHIZE WITH ANY OF THE CHARACTERS if you can't sympathize with anyone who has faults, then you must live a very sheltered life. the only characters who aren't conflicted, and who can't see their own faults, are Haomane's allies. thats the point, they are blindly pursuing their goal towards "paradise" without thinking of the repercussions (sound like our president?). IF YOU NEED CHARACTERS DEFINED IN BLACK AND WHITE THEN DONT READ THIS BOOK! THE CHARACTERS ACT STUPID yes, HAOMANE'S ALLIES are blind, thats the theme. Haomane is obssessed with creating his "perfect world" free of emotion, and the humans have been taught that Satoris is the root of all evil. as for the other gods, they're just scared of Haomane. Satoris' allies, on the other hand, know that Satoris is going to die eventually, but they want to keep his gift in the world as long as they can, and die with honor. in our culture that may seem a little dellusional, and perhaps it is, but the ancient epics tell us that in ancient, violent times people believed that destiny was inescapable, and strived for an honorable death rather than a peaceful one. the Were just want peace. the dwarves they probably realize that Haomane is going to win, and don't want to be on his bad side. ALL THAT STUFF ABOUT THE GIFTS AND THE DRAGONS JUST DOESN'T WORK

After reading the first half, Banewreaker, long after it was released, I had promised myself not to wait on reading the second half. After all, they were originally meant to be published as one, and the end of Banewreaker was such that one really didn't want to wait on the conclusion for too long. Quite a feat for the author to have accomplished, I must say, given that you know from the get-go where the story is heading: the `bad' guys, the ones you in fact end up rooting for, are fated to lose. Perhaps it is just human nature, helped along by the way Carey writes the story, but even despite knowing that it is a tragedy, you constantly keep hoping that something will happen to change the inevitable. You just can't imagine she'll really go ahead and do what she's said she will do, even when the evidence mounts higher and higher. But ... she does. And if you're anything like me, you'll read the last hundred pages with a growing lump in your throat and a tightness in your chest. Not too many weeks ago, we studied tragedies in my Literature class, and Godslayer definitely fulfills many of the requirements of a classic tragedy, not the least being able to produce katharsis in its readers.

One of the underwritten sub-genre's in the fantasy field is what one might call the "bittersweet" epics. Here we take a major step away from Tolkien, pushing into areas where the fantasy trappings give way to the complex shades of gray. Robbin Hobb's Liveship Trader series is one of the classic examples of this style of writing. Jacqueline Carey's The Sundering series approaches new heights. It is, ultimately, a series about the fallen god Satoris who, in his own words, spent too much time with the ageless dragons and Tanaros, his 1000 year old bereft and broken general. Their all too human failings, dreams, triumphs and disappointments will stay with you for a long time.

First, I will give you a simple truth. I do not have the words to express how utterly incredible the books Banewreaker and Godslayer, written by Jacqueline Carey, are. Satoris, thirdborn of the Shapers of the reborn world, defied his oldest brother. Haomane, who denied Satoris' gift of quickening for his children, requested three times that Satoris remove his gift from Men, the only other race to receive the gift of thought from Haomane. For while Haomane thought he knew the will of the world, only Satoris had conversed with the Dragons, who truely knew. And so Haomane waged war, sundering the world and killing many of the dragons who had come to the aid of their friend, Satoris. The world was scorched, wars fought and lost, until Satoris shaped a fortress, Darkhaven. There, Satoris stayed, merely wishing to live, while his brother, Haomane, fought still, this time through Prophesy. 'When the unknown is made known, when the lost weapon is found, when the marrow-fire is quenched and Godslayer is freed, when a daughter of Elterrion weds a son of Altorus, when the Spear of Light is brought forth and the Helm of Shadows is broken, the Fjeltroll shall fall, the Were shall be defeated ere they rise, and the Sunderer will be no more, the Souma shall be restored and the Sundered World made whole and Haomane's Children shall endure.' Banewreaker and Godslayer take place in the time of this Prophesy's fulfilling, following the forces of 'good' as they try and fulfill the prophesy, and the forces of 'darkness' as they try and survive the war brought upon them by the fulfilling of this prophesy. The tagline of Banewreaker is simple, but telling. 'When all that is considered good considers you evil, are you?' Those on both sides of this imagined line are honorable, devoted, and ernest in their beliefs. You feel sorrow for those manipulated by Haomane's will, and for those who will be destroyed by the same, and even moreso by those caught in the middle. If you enjoy fantasy at all, read this story. You will not regret it.