The Skull of the World

Book five of the series, the Skull of the World, brings us back to Isabeau and all of her complexity as a character. Introduced to us as an innocent orphan, fledgling witch, and impulsive girl, she is now a woman, who has lived adventure, suffered torture, endure privations, found her twin sister and both of her parents, and reared a child. She has been studying with the Kahn'cohbans, her father's tribe of fierce faery warriors, learning discipline, fighting, and survival skills, and the skills of their Soul Sage. She makes the perilous journey to the Skull of the World to find her name and her totem. Her education with the Kahn'cohbans complete, she returns to her own people, to take her Test and be inducted into the Coven of Witches. She then begins to study in earnest so that she can pass her Sorceress Test. Lachlan and Iseult are away during this time, caught up in the action of book four. While they are away, the royal children are kidnapped, and Isabeau is framed for the crime. Narrowly evading capture, she is the only one who can follow and rescue the children. But it is a mission that requires her to use all of her powers and wits. Overcome with sorcery sickness from this overuse of her powers, she becomes marooned on the very island on which the former Banrigh, Maya the Ensorcellor, has been hiding. There Isabeau must confront her ambivalent feelings about Maya. As we know the outcome of Lachlan's and Iseult's journey to Tirsollier from book four, Forsyth keeps us interested in the fate of Eileanan by bringing the sea people, the Fairgean, into focus. In addition to giving us a closer look at its people in the characters of a prince named Nila and his lover, a half-breed slave named Fand, she also gives us a look at what their priestesses have in mind for the Witches of Eileanan and the rest of the humans. This book doesn't seem to have as much going on all at once, like some of the earlier books, partly because it is taking place at the same time as book four. I think that made it a more enjoyable read. We were allowed, with fewer interruptions, to concentrate on Isabeau, who is a wonderful, rich character, with whom we have travelled for some time. It is very satisfying to see her come into her power in this book, and you'll know she has more in store for us in the next book, The Fathomless Caves.

Kate Forsyth's ability to keep you on the edge of your seat, waiting anxiously to discover what will happen next is uncanny, and once again proven in this book. The world she has created (which began in the first book, The Witches of Eileanan) has taken on a life of it's own and simply grows stronger with each addition to the series. In this book, The Skull of the World, the 5th book of the Witches of Eileanan series, we find ourselves once again with Isabeau (who was absent from the 4th book, The Forbidden Land, as The Forbidden Land and The Skull of the World occur at the same time on Eileanan. They were originally one book which was split into two for size reasons) during her self-imposed exile on the Spine of the World. Isabeau has immersed herself in the life of the Khan'cohbans when the time comes to undertake her journey of initiation to the Skull of the World. It is on this difficult journey that Isabeau will (finally) discover her true Talent.With splendid surprises around every corner, lurking dangers, and returning characters that you can easily come to love, adore, hate, and even fear, this book comes to life as much as (if not more than) the last four in the series. You will not be disappointed.

I have been [pulled] into a new and fabulous world with Kate Forsyth's Talent in creating the Eileanan series. Forsyth's thought throughout the entire series is unbelievable. Her ability to hint about actions that won't take place until later books is truly remarkable. She weaves the tale with deaft hands.Isabeau is back and studing hard. Her life on the spine of the world has certainly not been as pleasent as her life with Meghan was. However, all hardships in life will be rewarded in time, as she finds out during her trip to the Skull of the World. With her fantastic new Talent, she has the ablity to become a great sorceress. Once back with the coven Isabeau studies hard and is well rewared with suspision and accusations when the heirs to two countries are kidnapped from their beds. Determined to prove her innocence and save the children she loves, she sets aside her studies and begins another journey that will assureadly be full of danger and trials to be overcome. Trials that must be dealt with by use of her extraordinary Talent. Again threads are being woven into the tapestry of Eileanan with the excerpts of the Fairge prince, Maya, and Bronwen, where the patterns must become clear in the next book. Those who are used to the Evil Step-mother/Queens will find Maya to not be the typical villan. She is a mother and will protect her child, but she is also a pawn to be moved and, if need be, sacrificed in order to save the game. Many will be surprised to have the opportunity to glimpse into the reasons why some villans act the way that they do. I can't praise Kate Forsyth's writing/weaving enough. I think that readers who think that the story ended at the end of the second book, have not fully understood just how indepth and how much forethought was put into these novels. Keep them coming Ms. Forsyth you have many avid readers and we look forward to your next Eileanan novel.

For those of you who missed Iseabu in the Forbidden Land, you are going to love The Skull of the World. I too have missed her while I was traveling with Finn and Brangaine. Once again Kate Forsyth has spellbound me with the enchantment of Eilanean. I am very much looking forward to the final book, although I willbe sad to see it end.

This book has been eagerly awaited by many, I'm sure. I myself have been impatient to read it. After almost six months, I find that I haven't been disappointed.This book is mainly about Isabeau, with a couple pages of a Fairge prionnsa\prince and his half-breed lover woven in. The characters seem mostly to be in their usual moods, including Lachlan and his fury and suspicions. There is a slight moment in which Meghan gets a bit prickly over the Key with Isabeau, but it is almost unnoticeable.At the start of the book, right after a fairgean excerpt, Isabeau is on the Skull of the World. She wins the right to search for her name, a journey which also reveals her Talent. In a way, I wasn't surprised by it, but it is very powerful. When I pondered over her Talent in earlier books, the possiblity occurred to me but I brushed it away. As it turns out, the far-fetched stray thought was correct.There is much mastery in the story telling of Forsyth. She keeps the reader interested throughout almost the whole book. Another leak is in the Righ's court, yet none can even guess who. And the identity of this person surprised me greatly! I would never have guessed . . .But, moving on, Isabeau is once again home. Time passes through which Isabeau is accepted into the Coven. She is blissfully content with her studying. Then Margrit of Arran ruins it all. She steals Donncan and Neil from their very beds while Isabeau is in a drugged sleep. When she wakes up, it is just in time to see the swan-pulled sleigh disappearing into the sky.With the disappearances, people turn against Isabeau. Desperate to prove her innocence and save the two lads dear to her heart, Isabeau sets off after Margrit hoping to return the two bairns home before their parents get back."The Forbidden Land" and "The Skull of the World" were meant to be one book. They were split into two because of size, which is why Isabeau was absent from the last book. This book has five stars because, although some parts made me uneasy (that's how submerged I become into books) there was nothing unenjoyable or unentertaining.