Mindbond

I'm a little confused by the above review, which says the book is very fine but offers a one-star rating.Otherwise, this book and this trilogy are books I am exceedingly happy to recommend.The world they are set in appears to be at the far end of its days. It is clear from visions that there were civilizations in the past that were at least of a feudal level of technology, but the people of the last days are in six hunter-gatherer tribes, each named for an animal with whom they share traits (And in one case, the seal-folk, are rumoured to share blood via the selkies. This particular use of one of my favourite pieces of folklore isn't much like my own take on the beings, but it is a very well done variation). The main character mourns for the animals he recalls from his infancy, who have since vanished, one by one.The first story, Madbond, involved Dannoc's quest to remember his past, how he came to go mad and run to the sea. In this second story, Dannoc intends to seek his father in the land of the dead, which in this world is a strange and distant underwater place. He is followed, as before, by his loyal friend, Kor the Sea-KIng, leader of the Seal folk, who has his own reasons for venturing into the deeps. The duo are also seeking the answers to why the winged devourers keep snatching more and more of the creatures form the world. There is also, of course, the mystery of Tass, the woman that both of them love, but who will not open up to anyone, and of the strange swords the duo found, linked to the far past and two ancient heroes.Nancy Springer's world is decidedly her own. It is built on her more formal, somewhat mroe Tolkienesque early High fantasies, but takes on a newer and harsher direction, more personal and less pretty. I sometimes found the bluntness of some of the characters' words to be a little bothersome, but there was rarely a word out of character and I prefer the occasional bit of new harshness that is part of what makes this work something new and different, instead of another cookie-cutter high fantasy.As this is the middle book of the trilogy, the ending is a distinct downward beat - but there is one more book to go.