This review first appeared on my blog: http://www.knittingandsundries.com/20...Galen Harn is a Keeper, otherwise known as a Relic Master. He is part of the Order that is tasked with keeping the relics of the Makers safe. Raffael Morel (Raffi) is his scholar, an apprentice of sorts, who left his family to train with Galen as a future Keeper. The biggest problem? The Order of the Keepers has been outlawed, with a reward of 2000 marks for anyone who captures a Keeper. Most of the people in the villages live in poverty, but secretly still practice the faith, but there's always a chance that someone will turn them in, so they live in hiding in the woods near a cromlech. Cromlech's are stone formations said to have been built by the Sekoi, the first race. Because of their reputed powers, many people stay away from these formations.When a horseman seeks them out and tells them that his settlement has found a Relic, Galen, who has been hurt in an explosion of the last Relic, decides to journey to the settlement. After some trickery (which I really won't get into; seems too much of a spoiler), the two find themselves heading for the destroyed city of the Makers, Tasceron.Along their journey, they are followed and eventually joined by Carys Arrin, a young girl who, unknown to them, is a member of the Watch. The Watch is the group that has outlawed the Order of the Keepers and are the cause of the destruction of Tasceron. They also go into villages and take the brightest young children from their parents to raise them in the Watch, teaching them that the powers of the Order are an illusion. The watch children are also taught that they are orphans. Carys has tasked herself with capturing the Keeper, but chooses to wait until he journeys into Tasceron, where he wants to find the "owl" that is a messenger between their people and the Makers. If she can both capture Galen and bring in one of the most powerful Relics, she is certain to rise in the ranks of the Watch.What can I say? This book is classified as YA/Fantasy, and it obviously has some fantasy and sci-fi elements, but it is a great story, full of twists and turns, with a bridge that takes you back to where you started, firestorms, secret Orders, and magic. There are some books that you open and want to read right through, and this is one of them. It's not predictable (although early on I started to have an idea of who the Makers actually were), and Galen knows a lot more than we give him credit for. Parents: this is a book that you can feel good about letting your middle reader read - there is no sex, violence, or even profanity.This is the first in a series of four, scheduled to come out on a monthly basis through August, 2011. The next one comes out in June, and I want it. Right now. I can't wait to see what happens with Carys and how her doubts play out and who the Makers actually are, and what new powers Galen may or may not have, and how Raffi matures, and what happens with the Sekoi that helped them out. QUOTES (from an ARC; may be different in finished copy):Alberic nodded. "But the Order is finished," he said sweetly. "Broken, outlawed. Dead.""The power remains."It's quite clear the Watch have lied to us, and that makes me angry. The Order do have powers and they're real. It makes me wonder how much else I don't know. The Watch wants all relics - to destroy them, according to our teachers - and yet, I wonder. What if someone high up wants this power for themself?Writing: 4 out of 5 starsPlot: 5 out of 5 starsCharacters: 4 out of 5 starsReading Immersion: 5 out 5 starsBOOK RATING: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Review in portuguese by blog MON PETIT POISONCom um ambiente que lembra o mundo de Senhor dos Anéis, a autora investiu na série O Mestre das Relíquias, onde narra um mundo onde falar de magia é algo mal visto e caçadores de relíquias tentam identificar o que são os objetos deixados pelos ‘deuses’ deles.A trama tem uma história bacana, lembro que ela é infanto-juvenil, mas isso não quer dizer que se você for maior não possa curtir, ela atende bem ao público, mas não é nada bobo ou simples demais que pareça desafiar a inteligência dos mais velhos, a autora manteve o ar de suspense e mistério na medida certa.Os três personagens principais dessa jornada são tão diferentes entre si e isso foi um ótimo acontecimento, eles se complementam, temos um mestre das relíquias e seu aprendiz, e com eles a gente aprende mais desse mundo que a autora está mostrando nesse primeiro livro da série, o quem é quem e alguns dos motivos da busca e do sumiço desses deuses. E temos a jovem guardiã que a principio poderia ser a parte vilã da história, mas à medida que ela (e nós) descobriu mais dos mestres e de seu mundo, mais ficamos em dúvida de quem fala a verdade.O primeiro livro apenas arranha o mundo que a autora criou, tem algumas reviravoltas e coisas diferentes, mas não temos uma grande profundidade na história e isso foi um pouco chato, afinal ao terminar o livro, ainda estou me perguntando exatamente o quê devo esperar. Mas a leitura fluída e um narrativa instigante, nos convida a ler páginas e páginas.O trabalho gráfico está muito bacana, o livro é dividido em partes e antes delas começarem há a marcação dessas divisões com folha preta e imagens, o diferente tipo de fonte utilizada, tanto para escrita e textos quanto para diferenciar quem está narrando. Algumas pessoas podem achar que no mínimo se você está lendo precisa ficar ligado nisso, mas acho que confunde muito o leitor se a mesma fonte para diversos personagens, no livro está do jeito certo a meu ver.O final apesar de rápido me deixou com muitas coisas para pensar, as ligações da autora com esse mundo e o nosso parecem ser a grande chave ou será o ponto de partida para o livro dois. Alias, a série é grandinha... são quatro livros até agora.http://www.monpetitpoison.com/2014/05...
What do You think about The Dark City (2015)?
Being a fan of Fisher's Incarceron and Sapphique books, I was super excited to check out her Relic Master series. I was not disappointed! I looved this book for not conforming to what I consider the "conventions" of a young adult book. True, I could see this book being popular with a younger teen audience more than an older one, but for those teens who are sick and tired of the infamous love triangle and inevitable annoying female lead, The Dark City and her successors are your type of books! Well, I guess that is if you like fantasy. Actually I am not quite too sure of how I would classify this book. Almost sci-fi, but more of a fantasy; I definitely have a hunch (since I haven't had a chance to read The Margrave yet, so I'm not certain!) that this book is closely connected to Incarceron. My curiosity of the connection, if there is one, is definitely killing me; since it has started in the first book, and built into the third one. Firstly, I liked the characters. Raffi, the young apprentice, is not brave: he is easily scared. However, he is stronger than he thinks, and not in a oh-my-gosh-just-stop-crying-and-be-epic sort of way. I found him believable. His master, Galen, is grouchy and sometimes harsh(well more often than sometimes). However, I came to love the paradox to his character--in that he has unfailing faith and conviction in what he believes in, yet he has this dark and dangerous aspect to him. Like dang. That's my kind of character! And Carys. When I first met her, I admit, I rolled my eyes. Yet, I came to like her in this book. In that she is a reflection of her readers, more than Raffi and Galen. She has doubts, and is very practical; she needs proof if she is to believe what Raffi and Galen do. I also have to admit, that when I read the descriptions of the relics I was like meh. However, despite my initial disappointment, things are not so straight forward and cut out, like we "experienced" reader like to predict with our unfailing wisdom. I found that the air of mystery around Anara is not frustrating and oh-migosh-just-tell-us-already, instead, like I said, the curiosity to know just grows stronger. Overall it was a great fantasy story(ok now I have decided!).
—Hannah
In the crumbling world of Anara, technology is of the past. Galen, one of the few remaining Relic Maters, and his apprentice, Raffi, sixteen, search for a relic that may possibly save Anara. The first problem is that some relics still possess dangerous power. The second is that Anara is governed by the Watch who also search for relics to retain their own power.Along the way to the city of Tasceron where an important relic may bem they are joined by a somewhat mysterious girl, Carys, who seems to have enough in common to be of help. But the Watch is watching Galen as they travelAuthorially speaking, this is very much like The Ranger's Apprentice series in its good characterization, understanding of psychology, the turns of plot and pacing. (372 p.)
—Linden
I needed more from this book. I kept on looking for it and even with my sister's constant: OMG STELLA. YOU HAVE TO READ IT." I was disappointed by Fisher. When introduced to a brand new fantasy world, description of the setting is key. I find Fisher fell short on this and at no time did I feel like I was actually present in the world of Anara. Sorry Ashley, I just didn't like this book and felt no guilt when I skipped a couple of the pages. Well, frankly, I didn't really care if I missed some of the stuff because I felt no connection to the story and characters. 3 stars for an interesting concept.
—Stella ☢FAYZ☢ Chen
