I think that having completed this book I am going to have to say that Jennifer Fallon is now one of my top authors. This tale was... wow. It was full of action, intrigue, skin-tickling magic, fear-inducing horrors, and much more - in fact, everything that would expect from the top of the line fantasy. Four and a Half Stars.Plot: Four Stars What really sets this book out for me, is Fallon's ability to do something I normally detest and hate, and make me love it. With the introduction of Adrina - another main protagonist to rival Rs'hiel - to her plot line I was all ready to put the book down and forget it. But after a brief break I came back to it and fell in love with this new main character. She didn't replace Rs'hiel as was my fear, but rather she just added much more to the book. Rs'hiel was, and will always be, the main main protagoinst. Anyway, one of the things that I've noticed about Fallon's fantasy is that it tends to lean more towards the political. Not in that we have hours and hours of lectures or political debates between our characters, but that it doesn't rely upon as much action as many traditional fantasies do. This isn't overly evident here, but in her Lord of Senet trilogy it was there for all to see. What that does for the book is give it a much more individual feel, making sure that it sticks out to you. This unique taste might put more of your gung-ho users off, but I would advise that they stick to it. It has plenty of action later on, and to miss out reading such an individual, intriguing book would be a loss to anyone. You would be missing out on not only action, but intrigue, plots, treason, love, hate, a great back story that emerges little by litte, great tension, a brilliant pacing that sweeps you along and, as I said earlier, everything that you could possibly want from a fantasy. Characters: Four StarsIn this book we see our characters grow. The things that they go through is strrtling, and the growth that comes from it is amazingly real and a wonder to watch. The changes that Rs'hiel goes through are the best, as she becomes more mature, tempers her wild anger, learns to come to face with her destiny, heritage and power, and comes into contact with Xaphiel (sp) for the first time. You also see everyone else evolve as well. Damin and Tarja both become hardened by the war that they are going into, both leaving behind the small warfare they specialise in to bring mass slaughter to the enemy. The lord Defender see's his loyalty stretched and tested, and while he isn't a main character, his development in this regard is really well done and it's impact upon the whole plot was great. The new characters also added much to the plot. Cratyn was well crafted; his spoilt brat mixed with pious leader was a perfect blend and came across as not only natural, but managed to stir contempt in there as well. Mikel's growth and development, and his impact upon the plot, was also well done. I don't think there will be much room for him in the penultimate book, but what he did here, he did really well. Of the new characters though, it was Adrina who stole the stage. Her actions and thoughts in the first half (maybe even the first 3/4s) was that of a spoilt brat, and in some regards you came to despise her actions and love her at the same time. She was her own person, not pandering to any stereotypes, and she came across perfectly. Her tempering towards the end, although she was by no means tame, was also brilliantly done - and in comparison to her ealier incarnation was really realistic, and helped you like her even more. These character were, as per usual for Fallon, simply amazing. Writing: Five Stars This swept me away. Apart from the brief pause after finding out about Adrina's large role, I practically ran through this book. I finished it in an evening, the pacing was brilliant, the action adrenaline inducing, the emotion real, the dialogue startling clear and believable and the narrative was unimpeachable. Amazingly done. Overview: Four and a Half Stars There are only two reasons - and I mean only two reasons - that I didn't give this five stars is that one, I know that she can do even better and two, I stopped 100 pages in for a few months. Apart from that it was five stars in all but rating. After re-starting wher I left off I read the remaining 500 odd pages in five hours. It just swept me away. This book is a perfect example of what Fallon can do, and why she is now one of my favourite authors. Have Fun Reading.
Firstly, can I just point out how incredibly bad my cover is ... I know there is another edition which has a much better cover, but the one I have is terrible. It's so ... nondescript.It's been years since I read book one of The Demon Child trilogy, Medalon, and so some details were a little sketchy. There were some large points concerning the histories of R'Shiel and the Harshini which eluded me, but I made do. The Harshini make a cameo appearance at best anyway.Overall I am really enjoying this series although it does have a touch of 'Jemisinitis' (a term I have recently coined that refers to when fantasy authors make a whole bunch of stuff up as they go along that makes you want to narrow your eyes in suspicion). The roles of the Harshini, the demons and the demon child was not very well thought out and is only explained in passing (to avoid pointing out the pot holes no doubt) ... I still can't figure out why they need R'Shiel if Brak is also half-Harshini half-human, although I'm sure it was explained previously ... at least I hope.I have to admit that R'Shiel is the most annoying and underwhelming protagonist I have come across. I wish she would just go away and let the story continue with other more interesting characters. I was very thankful she actually only had a minor role in this book, although that in itself was a little strange because the whole series is actually meant to be about her and her 'destiny'. I think this is where the series lost it's way ... it had some other great characters, relationships and political goings-on which was subsequently attacked in a dark alley by what was meant to be the primary storyline. The whole, let's kill Xaphista thing really became an afterthought in this one.Ignoring that however, there were some great things about Treason Keep. Adrina was an incredibly welcome addition to the series and I found her character to be fresh, humourous and entertaining. Bringing all four countries and their royalty into the picture also made the medieval style politics all the more interesting. Fallon's prose is easy to read and there is never a point that it can be accused of dragging. While I wouldn't call it 'fast paced', she spares us of lengthy 'travel scenes' which we can all be thankful for.All in all an interesting story and a good read, but nothing incredibly original that we haven't heard before.
What do You think about Treason Keep (2005)?
....Aaaand she's back!Yes. After the disappointment that was Medalon I was nervous that the Jennifer Fallon I had come to quickly enjoy was a fluke. She wasn't. This book had more of the verve and humor that I had become accustomed to in her Wolfblade trilogy. It is probably no coincidence that the writing crackles when she is writing about the Wolfblade characters, namely Damin and Adrina. I get the impression that she had a rollicking good time writing about them in this series so that is what they merited their own trilogy later.In this book we pick up where we left off in Medalon, R'shiel has been mortally wounded and spirited away by Brak to the Harshini sanctuary. He bargains with a God to save her life. Death doesn't want to give her up, so he'll only be appeased with the soul of equal value. We never find out who that soul is in this book, I have a suspicion we will in the next book.The power hungry First Sister, Joyhinia has been made into a lack-wit by the God Dacendarian so the Defenders, amply aided by Tarja and Damin Wolfblade, enter into an elaborate ruse where they attempt to undo some of the damage she has done in her overweening grasp for power. In the meantime we meet Her Royal Highness the Princess Adrina of Fardonhya. Adrina is smart, sexy (as is the custom of her country she has been trained by a male cour'tesa, a sort of Geisha class of slaves who excel in courtly arts including mostly sex)and headstrong. She has been spoiled by her father and, having been involved in an expensive scrape, he arranges her marriage to the Prince of Karien. The Kariens are a fanatically religious people who view the Fardonhyans as sexually deviant heathens. But they want the war lore that King Hablet, Adrina's father has promised.What follows is an endlessly entertaining story of Adrina's clash with the Kariens, R'Sheil's slow acceptance of her fate as the Demon Child, manipulations and interferences by the Gods, war, betrayal and romance.R'shiel and Tarja remain somewhat dreary and they are still the absolute worst plotters in all of this series. The two of them truly snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. This is ostensibly their trilogy but thankfully this book doesn't have to rely on them totally like the last book did. Adrina and Damon jump to the fore here and simply jump off the page. She is a fabulous creation. I got such a giggle from the fact that she insisted on referring to her despised new husband as 'Cretin' (his name is Craytin).And I am impressed by the continuity from this first trilogy to the second one. In the second trilogy she goes backward to when Damin is born and explores his growing up and becoming Warlord. She must have had an explicit idea of his personality while she was writing this one because it is extremely consistent.I had idly thought of Damin and Adrina as a couple in that series, never dreaming that it would actually happen because the two never actually come close to meeting. Boy am I glad it did. They are perfect for each other. And I look forward to the final book.
—Tina
a very solid sequel to Medalon. there's a few spots where it drags a bit, and it's mildly frustrating to see certain well-thought out plans far completely apart via the intrusion of extraneous forces, but overall it's a pretty solid middle chapter to a trilogy.Fallon does some really interesting things with her world-crafting; it's pretty awesome to have an entire nation of atheists running around at the same time as a pack of gods who are fairly active in their intrusions into life. There's also a lot more done with some of those primal gods in this book, as well as a great deal more with the other-worldly Harshini and their pacifist nature. The scope on this book is definitely more expansive than Medalon and it's a very natural step.The cast of characters are an interesting bunch and the spoiled princess Adrina is a nice addition. The build up to the confrontation with Xaphista should be a good one. There's a bit too much moaning and faffing around about that here (even if it is explained), but overall this is a nice solid story and makes a good bridge to the final volume.
—Josh
Book Two of the Demon Child Trilogy - Book Two of the Hythrun ChroniclesWith a deadly wound inflicted on her by her own foster mother, First Sister Joyhinia Targaren, the Demon Child R'shiel is whisked off to the Harshini captial of Sanctuary.After spending time amongst her half-kin, R'shiel finds she has a harder time deciding she wants to live up to the expected destiny the Primal Gods have set for her.Things have heated up on the border between the Karien's and Medalonian Defenders and Tarja and Warlord of Krakandar, Damin Wolfblade gear up to face them head on.Her Serene Highness, Adrina Princess of Fardohyna has been wed by her father Hablet to the Karien Crown Prince Craytn in order to rid Hablet of his troublesome eldest heir and create a sham treaty with Karien.Treason Keep picks up right where Medalon leaves off and keeps the action going without a hitch. It's like Jennifer Fallon wrote all these stories together then broke them up in just the right place, though she says in her Acknowledgments that it took her far less time to write Treason Keep than it did to write Medalon. The characters have deeper development, especially R'shiel. I am greatly impressed by how Fallon has interwoven all these single stories into one cohesive overarching plot that brings the reader in and hooks them with action that doesn't quit. Fallon has created a world of political intrigue with believable inhabitants focusing on their individual intents and how they all work both together and against the overall story itself.Great continuing read!
—Kiirsten
