The Heir of Sea and Fire

The heir of sea and fire referred to in the title is Raederle, Morgon of Hed's betrothed, and the main character of this second book in McKillip's 'Riddle-Master' trilogy. She struggles against her shape-changer heritage, but gradually begins to tap into its power in order to protect Morgon. "Heir of Sea and Fire" begins in the spring of the year "following the strange disappearance of the Prince of Hed, who had, with the High One's harpist, vanished like a mist in Isig Pass..." Raederle has reason to believe Morgon dead, since the land-rule of Hed has passed to Morgon's brother, Eliard. Or was land-rule ripped from Morgon while he was still alive? In a key passage, Raederle asks the High One's harpist, "What piece of knowledge did the Founder expect to find beneath the knowledge of when the barley would begin to sprout or what trees in his orchard had a disease eating secretly at their hearts?" The importance of the question lies in the inability of the harpist to answer it. As with all quest fantasies, this book has some long, relatively dull journeying to be gotten out of the way. Characters get seasick, lost, confused. It rains a lot. Raederle keeps losing jeweled pins out of her hair. Plus I'm not nearly as fond of the Morgol and her guards as is the author, and they don't add much to the plot. Perhaps in the years following the publication of this book (1977), we have all become used to spear-wielding maidens. And battle scenes are battle scenes no matter how much they're juiced up with magic. But there are also some great visuals in "Heir of Sea and Fire," especially in the sequence where Raederle calls up the dead of An and bargains with them to protect the man who is journeying across their land. I really feared for her life because of the bargain she made with the dead Kings, even though I've read a million fantasies and the heroine never dies--at least not until the end of the trilogy. This book is a worthy heir to "The Riddle-Master of Hed." You will definitely have to keep reading through to the end of the trilogy, which is "Harpist in the Wind."

In most trilogies, the middle volume is the weak one, tying beginning and end together with too little plot. Patricia McKillip skillfully avoids this pitfall in "Heir of Sea and Fire," the second slim volume in her Riddlemaster trilogy, and the story of Raederle, the second most beautiful woman in An. A year has passed since Morgan of Hed vanished at Erlenstar Mountain, and suddenly the land-rule passes to Morgan's brother -- a sign that Morgan is dead, that the harpist Deth has betrayed him. As he was the Star-Bearer, assorted people are extremely upset. And a few refuse to believe that it can be true.Raederle's father is one of them; after he leaves, his daughter meets the Morgul of Herun, and her brother in Caithnard. There she teams up with the Morgul's daughter, Lyra (whom Morgan met in "Riddlemaster") who is angry at Morgan's supposed death, and eager to accompany Raederle wherever she goes. They set off on a ship, going to Erlenstar Mountain, and soon find that aside from Raederle, Lyra, and Lyra's fellow guards, they also have Tristan of Hed stowed away (who is promptly seasick).Raederle finds out that Morgan has recently appeared, kept captive by the mysterious and evil Ghisteslwchlohm, and betrayed by Deth -- who is now on the run from everyone. But as Raederle's questions are answered, more pop up. She encounters a shapechanger, and then runs into Deth camping in the woods. Answers about the High One, about Morgan, and about her own abilities and heritage begin to come to light, as the dead of An begin to blaze back into existance. Raederle must bargain with fate and a dead king, using only her newfound powers and a crowned skull, to save Morgan -- and the rapidly unraveling world.Wow, where to begin? Well, for one thing, Patricia McKillip delivers a wallop in book two of three, explaining many of the things she brought up in "Riddlemaster" and starting the buildup to the huge climax in book three (which I am now twenty pages into). This book (thankfully) does not end on a cliffhanger like "Riddlemaster"; also, if you are looking for an immediate answer to the cliffhanger previously shown, then you will be frustrated enough to give the Great Shout.In addition, we are given another character who is as realistic as Morgan: Raederle, the second-most beautiful woman in An. Her looks are only brought up a couple times, as it's her strength, brains, and search for the truth and for Morgan that catch the reader -- and are most often displayed. The explanation for her growing power and the use she makes of it is as breathtaking as Morgan learning how to become a tree or a vesta. The scenes where she dangles the crowned skull to get that dead king to bargain with her was priceless, and the climax is shattering. McKillip's skill in describing magic grows even further; the descriptions of what Raederle is doing are like poetry. In addition, she does not remain a static character as she learns shattering truths and encounters strange people; she g

I would highly recommend this book, and indeed, the whole series, to any fantasy reader. Admittedly, I have not read all of Ms. McKillip's offerings, but I have read extensively in this field, and I found this to be a highly moving, intelligent, and succinct trilogy. Heir of Sea and Fire is especially integral to the reading of the series, as it is, after all, the second and middle book. I just want to ask, who flubbed up and let this one go out of print, while leaving the first and last in print? What a loss!

If you've read the first book, "The Riddlemaster of Hed," I'm sure you've already read the whole trilogy, or are going through it. So I can't truly give you a recommendation for this book - you must start at the beginning - this trilogy is much too intricate to miss the start. You'll find yourself absorbed and awakened. Enjoy it.

Having read this series in order beginning with The Riddlemaster of Hed, I knew this second book would not immediately answer all of the urgent riddles posed by the climax at the end of book one. The viewpoint shifts from Morgon in the first book to his lady love in the second book. And Raederle is a very believable heroine. She is brave and determined, but there are limitations to how women in this medieval-like society go questing. Therefore her adventures do not merely follow in Morgon's footsteps. She has her own set of riddles to answer, and she finds different ways to answer them. Once again there is more depth to this book than one read-through will unfurl, and readers both young and mature can find significance and pleasure in its pages. The vivid word pictures, innovative magic, and facinating characterizations all enhance an adventure story of myth and wisdom. But still there is a hint of unsatisfaction. The story is incomplete, and riddles go unanswered...until the next installment.