| $@%&! level: Low “Bedroom” level: None Violence level: Medium Back Cover: “In a land where wizards have long since vanished, Morgon, Prince of Hed, is confronted with a challenge much different from that faced by Hed's land-bound rulers before him. Although he wants only to rule and work the land of his birth, Morgon must search out a very different destiny—given to him by the stars imprinted on the forehead since he was born. He must wander strange, foreign lands full of untamed magic in the form of riddling wraiths, mysterious harpists, a lost crown, a magical sword, and an all-ruling High One who rules over all. But in his quest for a new life for himself and his people, he must face great dangers—not only to himself, but to his promised bride, his land, and his very way of life...” |
You know how with a lot of books the story is about the ways the character changes? How they grow from child to adult or from insecure to confident or from thief to hero. This one is more about how Morgon stays the same, no matter what happens to him. And an awful lot happens to him before the end! In spite of trauma, betrayal, seeing the world, and the acquisition of incredible power, Morgon remains at heart the same simple, peaceful man who just wants to live quietly with his family and take care of his land and people—and that's pretty impressive. Not to mention endearing. (Ladies, if you're not at least a little bit in love with him within the first few pages, I think there might be something wrong with you.)
There are several mysteries, and two or three grand quests to power the story, so you get to follow our characters just about everywhere. And, although the riddling is a bit strange and more like a history lesson, the narrative is much more straightforward than I sometimes expect from Patricia McKillip. She has a tendency to describe things in ways that are both unexpected and beautiful, but she's toned it down a bit for this one. I found it engrossing, and I'm absolutely sure I spent hours reading it that probably should have been more profitably used for sleeping.