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64th out of 1,616 books
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10,843 voters
Riddle-Master: The Complete Trilogy (Riddle-Master #1-3)
For over twenty years, Patricia A. McKillip has captured the hearts and imaginations of thousands of readers. And although her renowned Riddle-Master trilogy--The Riddle-Master of Hed, Heir of Sea and Fire, and Harpist in the Wind--has been long out of print, it is considered her most enduring and beloved work. Now it is collected in one volume for the first time--the epic...more
Paperback, 578 pages
Published
March 1st 1999
by Ace Trade
(first published 1976)
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ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.
There are some fantasy epics that all literature professors, and most normal people, would consider essential reading for any well-educated person -- J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S.Lewis, Lewis Carroll, etc. So, yeah, I read those a long time ago. But beyond that, there's not much fantasy literature that's essential reading. So, for a long time, I didn't read any. In my drive to be educated, I stuck to the classics (which are classic because they're great literature,...more
There are some fantasy epics that all literature professors, and most normal people, would consider essential reading for any well-educated person -- J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S.Lewis, Lewis Carroll, etc. So, yeah, I read those a long time ago. But beyond that, there's not much fantasy literature that's essential reading. So, for a long time, I didn't read any. In my drive to be educated, I stuck to the classics (which are classic because they're great literature,...more
Jul 15, 2007
Jessica
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Disenchanted Tolkien-esque Writers
Shelves:
fantasyliterature
I chose this book for one reason ... on the back cover, there was a review which read: "Patricia McKillip has done something extraordinary, to write a trilogy comparable to Tolkien." I was sold. Obviously as a writer myself, who is an heir to that honor-ridden, legacy-laced, return-of-the-king obsessed writing culture, I needed to know what a book looked like that COULD be compared to Tolkien ... if for no other reason. What I found floored me.
Patricia McKillip is a masterful writer - not so pro...more
Patricia McKillip is a masterful writer - not so pro...more
14 likes · like · see review
"Weak" story??? "Shallow world-building and characters"????? What on earth?! I would say exactly the opposite. Compared to most of the shallow, sloppy fantasies that are being cranked out these days, this trilogy is absolutely singular in terms of story, world-building, and character development. This is one I come back to--it never disappoints. It was written in the 70s, and while McKillip admits being influenced by Tolkien, she succeeds in creating a unique, complex, and meticulously layered w...more
11 likes · like · see review
As with other books I will slowly add here, this is one I think the world of, particularly this one and for its love story which moved me to the depths but I will mislead by that comment - the love between two people I refer to is not romantic in the conventional sense. There is one of those, done and done well, with a wonderful female character who is strong and practical in her own right. I should not even have to say that, should I?!
But this other relationship takes the whole trilogy to relat...more
But this other relationship takes the whole trilogy to relat...more
It pains me to give a fantasy book zero-stars, because fantasy is one of my favourite genres and I usually find something to like in a fantasy book even if I didn't think it was that great.
But I can't remember liking anything about The Riddle-Master. I found the writing obscure and difficult to get into, none of the characters were especially appealing and it seemed to me the plot just dragged on and on without going anywhere exciting. I'd give more details but I read this awhile ago and my only...more
But I can't remember liking anything about The Riddle-Master. I found the writing obscure and difficult to get into, none of the characters were especially appealing and it seemed to me the plot just dragged on and on without going anywhere exciting. I'd give more details but I read this awhile ago and my only...more
Dec 22, 2008
Hayley
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Lovers of complex characters; Tolkien fans; Poets or musicians; Nature lovers
The trilogy gets more stars than the main character has on his face.
I was generous, even though it has its flaws. Here is why:
The way McKillip's "magic" system works is so utterly unique that I dare not compare it to anything. Magic is the innate qualities of a thing. You understand the thing completely and you are magically connected to it, able to be it or to use it against others. People are fooled by illusions that are simply the augmentation of a thing's natural qualities, which the tricks...more
I was generous, even though it has its flaws. Here is why:
The way McKillip's "magic" system works is so utterly unique that I dare not compare it to anything. Magic is the innate qualities of a thing. You understand the thing completely and you are magically connected to it, able to be it or to use it against others. People are fooled by illusions that are simply the augmentation of a thing's natural qualities, which the tricks...more
6 likes · like · see review
I can't recommend this book.
Much is made of the dreamlike quality of McKillip's prose, but I found that this detracted from what could have otherwise been a memorable and different fantasy setting. A large number of intriguing plot points are introduced and then never referred to again, swept away in the preoccupation with the characterless protagonist. As the reader you never gain any appreciation of his (or anyone's) motivation, as the plot moves from one travelogue to another. Here are a few...more
Much is made of the dreamlike quality of McKillip's prose, but I found that this detracted from what could have otherwise been a memorable and different fantasy setting. A large number of intriguing plot points are introduced and then never referred to again, swept away in the preoccupation with the characterless protagonist. As the reader you never gain any appreciation of his (or anyone's) motivation, as the plot moves from one travelogue to another. Here are a few...more
3 likes · like · see review
Jun 08, 2007
Chieze
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
fantasy fans who liked the songs of Tolkien
When I picked up this book, the only fantasy I had read for a long time were of the large, serial variety (Robert Jordan, George R. R. Martin). I gotta say, this was quite the breath of fresh air.
The characters are all likable, the plot and pacing were perfect, and even though this is only one book (it's a trilogy, but the size of it is about the size of one volume of A Song of Ice and Fire, so I think of it as one book), the world is very immersive. The sense of urgency as the hero of the story...more
The characters are all likable, the plot and pacing were perfect, and even though this is only one book (it's a trilogy, but the size of it is about the size of one volume of A Song of Ice and Fire, so I think of it as one book), the world is very immersive. The sense of urgency as the hero of the story...more
It's like someone started with Lloyd Alexander's Prydain, expanded it, threw in a pinch of Cecilia Dart Thornton's - something - and then it echoes of Lord of the Rings and it reads for all the world like a Kinuko Craft painting!
It's told in a dreamlike, legend-like quality, as if the author is a bard spinning the whole, beautiful tale and not someone who expects you to live the story quite alongside the characters - except where it drops, fairly frequently, into detail of startling, beautiful r...more
It's told in a dreamlike, legend-like quality, as if the author is a bard spinning the whole, beautiful tale and not someone who expects you to live the story quite alongside the characters - except where it drops, fairly frequently, into detail of startling, beautiful r...more
Aug 31, 2007
Dawn
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
lovers of straightforward high fantasy
Shelves:
speculative-fiction
This is the first book I read by Patricia McKillip. I was looking for a good fantasy author and she was touted as "the best fantasy author you're probably not reading." I was understandably curious.
I enjoyed the story of Morgon, the Riddlemaster and Prince of Hed as he leaves his idyllic farmstead and embarks on a journey to fulfill a destiny already mapped out centuries before he was born. Morgon's internal conflict is highly engaging and I didn't hesitate to pick up Book 2 in this series.
I enjoyed the story of Morgon, the Riddlemaster and Prince of Hed as he leaves his idyllic farmstead and embarks on a journey to fulfill a destiny already mapped out centuries before he was born. Morgon's internal conflict is highly engaging and I didn't hesitate to pick up Book 2 in this series.
Among her earliest works. A classic of the genre, among the first works of Celtic fantasy. Telling a tale of a land where all the sovereigns have land-law -- a mystic link. And everyone knows that the High One is the master of all the land's land-law, and where riddles are bits of historic lore, with reasons appended.
Morgon of Hed, born with three mysterious stars on his forehead, is at home with his brother Eliard and sister Tristan awaiting the merchants. Tristan, describing what she wants, sa...more
Morgon of Hed, born with three mysterious stars on his forehead, is at home with his brother Eliard and sister Tristan awaiting the merchants. Tristan, describing what she wants, sa...more
I have to agree with those who gave this book an average to poor rating - I liked the book as a child, but upon re-reading it, found it ridiculously flawed, largely for the reasons already stated in other peoples reviews.
None of the characters draw you in or make you really care and the story is garbled and unconvincing. It is a shame to write this, as I really enjoyed the book when I first read it. For me though, it is a case of what could have been.
Some of the ideas in the book are really gr...more
None of the characters draw you in or make you really care and the story is garbled and unconvincing. It is a shame to write this, as I really enjoyed the book when I first read it. For me though, it is a case of what could have been.
Some of the ideas in the book are really gr...more
A trilogy, all in one – The Riddle-Master of Hed; Heir of Sea and Fire; harpist in the Wind.
The context is a variety of kingdoms in the Realm of the High One, in which the land law is the magic most supreme – binding the king/queen to the land so that they feel the birth of each animal, the grass growing, the corn seed growing, and each has a land-heir, the brother, son, daughter that will inherit the magic at their death – and the land law was deemed at the Settlement, following a terrible war...more
The context is a variety of kingdoms in the Realm of the High One, in which the land law is the magic most supreme – binding the king/queen to the land so that they feel the birth of each animal, the grass growing, the corn seed growing, and each has a land-heir, the brother, son, daughter that will inherit the magic at their death – and the land law was deemed at the Settlement, following a terrible war...more
I bought and read this book on the recommendation of several family members who had read the original books when they were first published (and when they were much younger readers).
Compared with the other fantasy novels that I've read, this is among my least favorite for the following reasons:
Lack of background on the world
Lack of depth to the characters
Lack of conflict and plot
Poor dialog & formatting
The story was mildly interesting, but has been done several times before and at this po...more
Compared with the other fantasy novels that I've read, this is among my least favorite for the following reasons:
Lack of background on the world
Lack of depth to the characters
Lack of conflict and plot
Poor dialog & formatting
The story was mildly interesting, but has been done several times before and at this po...more
I bought and read most of this collection in 2004, and then stopped reading near the end because I felt like it was getting repetitive and the story was slow to wrap up. After reading McKillip's latest, The Bards of Bone Plain this month, though, the similar themes made me want to pick it up again. It's still over-long (especially that last book) and wanders a bit, but the fantasy land and the system of magic she created are great, and so is the supporting cast of characters. A lot of things abo...more
I enjoyed this the second time around-a second time based on a friend's recommendation. A kind of Lord-of-the-Rings lite. I've never [yet] come across a similar underlying purpose/ability?? as used in this trilogy.
The first time I read it:
I began this story with high hopes—its introduction mentioned the author’s influence by Tolkien. McKillip has an interesting premise that really needs to be better developed. Even though she spent 12 years creating this trilogy, she needs to spend a few more y...more
The first time I read it:
I began this story with high hopes—its introduction mentioned the author’s influence by Tolkien. McKillip has an interesting premise that really needs to be better developed. Even though she spent 12 years creating this trilogy, she needs to spend a few more y...more
I grabbed a copy of this book to read on a plane to Ireland. The plane landed when I had finished all but one chapter, and I ran to the baggage claim to sit down and finish it.
The story was compelling, the writing was exquisite, and McKillip manages the nearly impossible -- in writing about emotions and experiences that are impossible to put into words, she suggests them so well that the reader is able to feel them. It made me choke up in a number of places, even cry in a few, and there are imag...more
The story was compelling, the writing was exquisite, and McKillip manages the nearly impossible -- in writing about emotions and experiences that are impossible to put into words, she suggests them so well that the reader is able to feel them. It made me choke up in a number of places, even cry in a few, and there are imag...more
by Patricia McKillip
I linked to a full-sized cover for this one out of habit, but believe me, you don't want to click on it. It is terrible. TERRIBLE.
Which is a pity, because I really like this trilogy. It's McKillip's, for lack of a better term, 'questy' set. Lord of the Rings, Crown of Dalemark--hero sets out on adventure unwittingly, etc, etc. But McKillip works well with the conventions of her genre and ultimately I think that Riddle of Stars stands up as a representative of 'questy' fant...more
I linked to a full-sized cover for this one out of habit, but believe me, you don't want to click on it. It is terrible. TERRIBLE.
Which is a pity, because I really like this trilogy. It's McKillip's, for lack of a better term, 'questy' set. Lord of the Rings, Crown of Dalemark--hero sets out on adventure unwittingly, etc, etc. But McKillip works well with the conventions of her genre and ultimately I think that Riddle of Stars stands up as a representative of 'questy' fant...more
This is simply a beautiful book. The writing is beautiful - poetic but purposeful. The plot is beautiful - simple, but layered enough to warrant re-reading. The characters are beautiful - neither heroes nor mundane, and straightforward but with layers of complexity. The worldbuilding is beautiful - it never really gets in the way of the story, and while the world is fairly small, it carries a sense of wholeness.
It's a little more concrete than many of McKillip's other books, which tend to get d...more
It's a little more concrete than many of McKillip's other books, which tend to get d...more
Poetic, Masterful Fantasy
Riddle-Master is an omnibus collection of McKillip's wondrous Riddle-Master trilogy (The Riddle-Master of Hed, Heir to Sea and Fire, and Harpist in the Wind), and is an absolute must-read for lovers of fantasy who enjoy works of whimsy, poetry, and the absolute fantastic, as opposed to the grand, formulaic schemes of epic fantasy.
Don't get me wrong, Riddle-Master is epic, but there are no galloping heroes, storming armies, or political intrigues (the common sort, anyw...more
Riddle-Master is an omnibus collection of McKillip's wondrous Riddle-Master trilogy (The Riddle-Master of Hed, Heir to Sea and Fire, and Harpist in the Wind), and is an absolute must-read for lovers of fantasy who enjoy works of whimsy, poetry, and the absolute fantastic, as opposed to the grand, formulaic schemes of epic fantasy.
Don't get me wrong, Riddle-Master is epic, but there are no galloping heroes, storming armies, or political intrigues (the common sort, anyw...more
This is my all time favorite series. Even though it is older than most it just brings me to tears every time I read it. The hero is so likable, so everyman, that he is easy to identify with, and Raderle, his love interest is so strong, so independent, the entire second book centers on her! This is over thirty-four years ago! The trilogy makes use of a number of themes from Celtic mythology.The novels take place in a fantasy world divided into a number of countries. Each ruler has a mystical awar...more
I really, really wanted to love this book. The author was highly recommended, I loved Alphabet of Thorn, and it sounded like it had a cool premise. But the pace was so slow, I didn’t have a lot of time to read, and when I tried to sneak a little reading in before bed I would fall asleep within a few pages. So this Trilogy, which really reads more like a really long book, felt like it took forever to read. It did have some cool ideas, and some interesting plot developments in the last about 100 p...more
1 like · like · see review
A very different fantasy, and very readable. The world she developed has a unique culture, the story line has a tempo that varies (not all rush, rush, rush - some fast paced, some more moderate), interesting take on heirs to kingdoms, and quite a few twists, turns and revelations that kept me enthralled. Also very re-readable.
Patricia McKillip is a master story-teller. She has a unique way of building a world that has depth and substance. Reading this book feels like you are getting a glimpse of a place with both a history and a future. There is nothing flat or predictable about her writing. The ending will surprise and touch you.
"The world ... is not a safe place for harpists."
I was well into the second section of the book before I realized that these were three separate books combined into one. I liked having them all together in one place because the story needs all the parts to be complete. This is a rich fantasy world, and McKillip fleshes out the story and magic with skill, even though at times the language seems a bit murky and sluggish. I like our double protagonists, Morgon of Hed and Raederle. I also like our...more
I was well into the second section of the book before I realized that these were three separate books combined into one. I liked having them all together in one place because the story needs all the parts to be complete. This is a rich fantasy world, and McKillip fleshes out the story and magic with skill, even though at times the language seems a bit murky and sluggish. I like our double protagonists, Morgon of Hed and Raederle. I also like our...more
Aug 04, 2011
Mti Librarian
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
2011,
adult,
fantasy,
magic,
music,
read-again-and-again,
shapeshifter,
teen,
favorites,
riddles
I received a copy of this book as a Christmas gift in 1999 and, I'll be honest, didn't like it right away. I had several false starts and trouble getting through the first chapter, but once I got to about page 30 I was hooked and couldn't put it down. I was also a bit put off by McKillip's introduction. She almost seems to come down hard on the young idealistic author that she used to be and not give the book enough credit. She says that she was inspired by the Lord of the Rings trilogy and want...more
Patricia A. McKillip. Riddle Master Omnibus (The Riddle Master of Hed, Heir of Sea and Fire, Harpist in the Wind)
I love an Omnibus and it's great that these 3 books are still in print (written '76, '77 & '79). If you have not read any McKillip, you have missed something that is beautiful to the point of being breathtaking. Her prose in gorgeous. Her language is rich with simile and metaphor. Her writing is an all you can each buffet of stunning imagery. Possibly, nearly, more than you can ea...more
I love an Omnibus and it's great that these 3 books are still in print (written '76, '77 & '79). If you have not read any McKillip, you have missed something that is beautiful to the point of being breathtaking. Her prose in gorgeous. Her language is rich with simile and metaphor. Her writing is an all you can each buffet of stunning imagery. Possibly, nearly, more than you can ea...more
This is the second book I've read by Patricia McKillip (the other being The Bards of Bone Plain, which I thoroughly enjoyed).
This book (or trilogy, to be more accurate) was very enjoyable, but at times a little frustrating, in that the plot could be a bit hard to follow. It's a story about a Riddle Master, who is trying to solve the most complex riddle of all, his own identity. Answers come slowly, and aren't fully revealed until the last few pages of the final book. There are many parts of the...more
This book (or trilogy, to be more accurate) was very enjoyable, but at times a little frustrating, in that the plot could be a bit hard to follow. It's a story about a Riddle Master, who is trying to solve the most complex riddle of all, his own identity. Answers come slowly, and aren't fully revealed until the last few pages of the final book. There are many parts of the...more
Riddle-Master is an avowedly Tolkienian work. It starts with the standard map of the realm. It takes place in a vaguely medieval world of kings and farmers and wizards and such. The hero comes from a quiet, idyllic, rural place, set aside from the wider world of swords and sorcery. The tropes of western folktales abound, including the hero with a hidden destiny, magical objects, shape-changers, and of course lots of traveling on that map from page one.
This is an omnibus edition collecting the a...more
This is an omnibus edition collecting the a...more
I had to ILL the second and third book of the trilogy, so I'm guessing this series isn't so popular. I enjoyed it, but can see how others might not. Sometimes the writing seems too unedited, but I love the big ideas. It hit me the way Ursula K LeGuin's did when I first read it: the importance of naming, the deep connection of the people to their place and the importance of solving riddles. The characters were so compelling, I guess I just wish they had been more developed and I had more time wit...more
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Patricia Anne McKillip is an American author of fantasy and science fiction novels, distinguished by lyrical, delicate prose and careful attention to detail and characterization. She is a past winner of the World Fantasy Award and Locus Award, and she lives in Oregon. Most of her recent novels have cover paintings by Kinuko Y. Craft. She is married to David Lunde, a poet.
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“I came back."
"Suppose you hadn't?"
"I came back! Why can't you understand, instead of thinking as though your brains are made of oak. Athol's son, with his hair and eyes and vision -"
"No!" Tristan said sharply. Eliard's fist, raised and knotted, halted in midair. Morgon dropped his face again against his knees. Eliard shut his eyes.
"Why do you think I'm so angry?" he whispered.
"I know."
"Do you? Even - even after six months I still expect to hear her voice unexpectedly, or see him coming out of the barn, or in from the fields at dusk. And you? How will I know, now, that when you leave Hed, you'll come back? You could have died in that tower for the sake of a stupid crown and left us watching for the ghost of you, too. Swear you'll never do anything like that again."
"I can't."
"You can."
Morgon raised his head, looked at Eliard. "How can I make one promise to you and another to myself? But I swear this: I will always come back."
"How can you -"
"I swear it.”
—
6 people liked it
"Suppose you hadn't?"
"I came back! Why can't you understand, instead of thinking as though your brains are made of oak. Athol's son, with his hair and eyes and vision -"
"No!" Tristan said sharply. Eliard's fist, raised and knotted, halted in midair. Morgon dropped his face again against his knees. Eliard shut his eyes.
"Why do you think I'm so angry?" he whispered.
"I know."
"Do you? Even - even after six months I still expect to hear her voice unexpectedly, or see him coming out of the barn, or in from the fields at dusk. And you? How will I know, now, that when you leave Hed, you'll come back? You could have died in that tower for the sake of a stupid crown and left us watching for the ghost of you, too. Swear you'll never do anything like that again."
"I can't."
"You can."
Morgon raised his head, looked at Eliard. "How can I make one promise to you and another to myself? But I swear this: I will always come back."
"How can you -"
"I swear it.”
“Morgon of Hed met the High One's harpist one autumn day when the trade-ships docked at Tol for the season's exchange of goods. A small boy caught sight of the round-hulled ships with their billowing sails striped red and blue and green, picking their way among the tiny fishing boats in the distance, and ran up the coast from Tol to Akren, the house of Morgon, Prince of Hed. There he disrupted an argument, gave his message, and sat down at the long, nearly deserted tables to forage whatever was left of breakfast. The Prince of Hed, who was recovering slowly from the effects of loading two carts of beer for trading the evening before, ran a reddened eye over the tables and shouted for his sister.”
—
2 people liked it
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