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Fool's Gold #1
Sorcery Rising
A talented knife-maker with a natural affinity with the elements of the earth, Katla Aransen, the beautiful and rebellious daughter of an Eyran merchant, finds herself targeted by Istrian fanatics after she accidentally commits sacrilege and by Saro Katla, a blade-forger; and Saro, the second son of an Istrian nobleman--are forever changed.
528 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
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1763 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
September 9, 2009
I picked this up from the library today and I'm a bit suprised by the past reviews - one absolutely glowing, the other very critical.
I've now finished the trilogy and this is the best of the three. As is the case with many of the new female fantasy writers, we've got a strong, independant female protagonist (yay), and non-cliche setting (yay) and some storylines that are teased out with careful subtlety instead of going for the standard formula (thank god). What it lacks is the sophistication and dedication of more respected writers like Jacqueline Carey, Robin Hobb, Scott Lynch or Patrick Rothfuss.
I feel that Fisher can be a bit clumsy and long-winded in setting up her scenes, but she does set up some nice threads. The way she continues with those threads is another story... (ie Books 2 and 3)
I've now finished the trilogy and this is the best of the three. As is the case with many of the new female fantasy writers, we've got a strong, independant female protagonist (yay), and non-cliche setting (yay) and some storylines that are teased out with careful subtlety instead of going for the standard formula (thank god). What it lacks is the sophistication and dedication of more respected writers like Jacqueline Carey, Robin Hobb, Scott Lynch or Patrick Rothfuss.
I feel that Fisher can be a bit clumsy and long-winded in setting up her scenes, but she does set up some nice threads. The way she continues with those threads is another story... (ie Books 2 and 3)
March 16, 2011
(Repost from http://drying-ink.blogspot.com/2009/1... )
An older pick from my local library, I decided it was time to give this one a read yesterday: again, it was a mixed read. Not because it was mediocre - it wasn't - but because Jude Fisher's Sorcery Rising possessed good and bad points in almost equal measure. There are moments of real flair, and there are those which could, in my opinion, have benefited from a little more pruning. Well, on to the plot!
Sorcery Rising takes place in an initially magic-poor world, and it was, let me say, a genuine pleasure to see it carried off in such an interesting and believable manner. Politicking, customs - all were well-executed. However, this is changing. Sanctuary, hidden among icebergs and tundra, is about to release its fugitives: Virelai, the apprentice to Sanctuary's magical master, the Rose of Elda, an enigmatic, beautiful, and strangely-motivated woman, and a cat - Bete - in whom Sanctuary's master has enclosed his magic. An odd choice? Yes. Meanwhile, Katla Aransen and her family also travel to the Allfair - this time as merchants. Bearing pattern-forged blades and semi-precious sardonyx, they aim for profit: but will find something totally unexpected, because the magicless world is changing. Tycho Issian intends to sell his daughter to evade debt and win himself an alliance; the Vingos to purchase themselves a bride. King Ravn of Eyra likewise seeks a wedding: with both politics and passion to consider, his choice will be a difficult one. But as the world changes, no plan will leave unchanged, as these disparate plotlines are brought together in a fantastic conclusion at the Allfair.
Sorcery Rising, without doubt, has moments of genuine flair. For example, Virelai and Bete make an interesting pair, and there are some genuinely great scenes to be found here. Although there are plenty of stock characters to be found (most notably among the female peruasions), Fisher's characters are genuinely sympathetic and likeable, and dialogue is never stilted, but constantly entertaining. However, there are individual moments that stand out as cliche, and these could have benefited from editing: Virelai with his later mantra, the Rosa Eldi and her actions. Still, overall, I must consider the plot a good one: it's interesting, has some genuine darker motifs, and is on the whole quite unpredictable.
Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone in search of an entertaining, but not too strenuous read. It's not Erikson or Rothfuss, but it's a good read nonetheless.
My Conclusion: 6.5/10
An older pick from my local library, I decided it was time to give this one a read yesterday: again, it was a mixed read. Not because it was mediocre - it wasn't - but because Jude Fisher's Sorcery Rising possessed good and bad points in almost equal measure. There are moments of real flair, and there are those which could, in my opinion, have benefited from a little more pruning. Well, on to the plot!
Sorcery Rising takes place in an initially magic-poor world, and it was, let me say, a genuine pleasure to see it carried off in such an interesting and believable manner. Politicking, customs - all were well-executed. However, this is changing. Sanctuary, hidden among icebergs and tundra, is about to release its fugitives: Virelai, the apprentice to Sanctuary's magical master, the Rose of Elda, an enigmatic, beautiful, and strangely-motivated woman, and a cat - Bete - in whom Sanctuary's master has enclosed his magic. An odd choice? Yes. Meanwhile, Katla Aransen and her family also travel to the Allfair - this time as merchants. Bearing pattern-forged blades and semi-precious sardonyx, they aim for profit: but will find something totally unexpected, because the magicless world is changing. Tycho Issian intends to sell his daughter to evade debt and win himself an alliance; the Vingos to purchase themselves a bride. King Ravn of Eyra likewise seeks a wedding: with both politics and passion to consider, his choice will be a difficult one. But as the world changes, no plan will leave unchanged, as these disparate plotlines are brought together in a fantastic conclusion at the Allfair.
Sorcery Rising, without doubt, has moments of genuine flair. For example, Virelai and Bete make an interesting pair, and there are some genuinely great scenes to be found here. Although there are plenty of stock characters to be found (most notably among the female peruasions), Fisher's characters are genuinely sympathetic and likeable, and dialogue is never stilted, but constantly entertaining. However, there are individual moments that stand out as cliche, and these could have benefited from editing: Virelai with his later mantra, the Rosa Eldi and her actions. Still, overall, I must consider the plot a good one: it's interesting, has some genuine darker motifs, and is on the whole quite unpredictable.
Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone in search of an entertaining, but not too strenuous read. It's not Erikson or Rothfuss, but it's a good read nonetheless.
My Conclusion: 6.5/10
December 27, 2023
The author has great world-building skills. There are three groups of peoples, the Isterians, the Eyrans, and the Nomads. The Isterians worship a goddess who has a feline companion. Their religion is incredibly strict and the women are covered head to toe, with only their lips and hands exposed. The Isterian society is one of severe punishments to both slaves and anyone who does not follow their strict religious code. As in all societies, some are kind and more open to outsiders and different beliefs, and there are some who are cruel and narrow-minded. Saro and his older brother Tanto are two who exemplify the vast differences in the way of thinking of the Isterian people.
This, of course is in stark contrast to the Eyran and Footloose peoples who have no such restrictions on the clothing for women. The Eyrans worship Sur, and are more open with the roles women can play, however women are expected to marry and produce as many children as possible. They are a religious people and their punishments are much more lax. One girl who bucks against the expectations is Katla, who would prefer rock climbing and forging her weapons to having one baby after another.
The Footloose have no restrictions as to what people are allowed to do, no marriage rites and seemingly no religion. The Footloose are a nomadic people, who have some small magics among them. They do not have any punishments, and are seen as lawless by the Isterians, however they will not use their gifts to cause harm, they do not believe in doing so, and they are much kinder than the majority of the Isterians that are depicted in this book.
Hidden forces are on the move, and magic is flooding back into the land. Tensions run high at the Allfair where all three peoples gather annually. A sorcerer's apprentice adds to the tension through his machinations and through the woman and cat that he kidnapped from his master. The woman has her own agenda, even though she is unaware of who she is, or what her purpose is.
All of the various characters in the book are very well written. No matter what their temperament, the characters integral to the story evoke strong feelings. Some are loathsome and abhorrent, some you pity, and others you find yourself rooting for.
It was incredibly hard to put this book down, and I can hardly wait to read the next installment.
This, of course is in stark contrast to the Eyran and Footloose peoples who have no such restrictions on the clothing for women. The Eyrans worship Sur, and are more open with the roles women can play, however women are expected to marry and produce as many children as possible. They are a religious people and their punishments are much more lax. One girl who bucks against the expectations is Katla, who would prefer rock climbing and forging her weapons to having one baby after another.
The Footloose have no restrictions as to what people are allowed to do, no marriage rites and seemingly no religion. The Footloose are a nomadic people, who have some small magics among them. They do not have any punishments, and are seen as lawless by the Isterians, however they will not use their gifts to cause harm, they do not believe in doing so, and they are much kinder than the majority of the Isterians that are depicted in this book.
Hidden forces are on the move, and magic is flooding back into the land. Tensions run high at the Allfair where all three peoples gather annually. A sorcerer's apprentice adds to the tension through his machinations and through the woman and cat that he kidnapped from his master. The woman has her own agenda, even though she is unaware of who she is, or what her purpose is.
All of the various characters in the book are very well written. No matter what their temperament, the characters integral to the story evoke strong feelings. Some are loathsome and abhorrent, some you pity, and others you find yourself rooting for.
It was incredibly hard to put this book down, and I can hardly wait to read the next installment.
December 26, 2020
The way Jude Fisher writes is pleasant to read however the plot just feels like there nothing to graps onto. Nothing really stands out and I'm already forgetting much of the story. Might give the next book a try because I enjoyed the writing but it's not on top of my priority list
April 19, 2025
It starts off slow, then all at once the plot lines crash into one another and everything goes nuts. The last half is hard to put down.
January 14, 2023
It's sad but true that I will buy almost any book that has Michael Whelan artwork on its cover. Sometimes it leads me badly astray, as it did with Sorcery Rising. What an unpleasant read. It's an omniscient third person that changes POV out of nowhere and puts us into the minds of about 30 different people over the course of the novel and not a single one of those people is sympathetic. All of them are some combination of greedy, stupid, arrogant, helpless, whiny, or delusional. It's also all worldbuilding and setup.
Still, pretty cover.
Still, pretty cover.
February 5, 2024
This is a solid three starred book. Not written with a high degree of sophistication or style, with a little too much explaining in some parts, and there were some obvious bits where the author lost a bit of self-control, either in perspective (e.g. head-hopping), or in the building of characters you can tell she really likes (Katla, for example). I like the story well enough to continue reading, and I did get through the first book rather quickly.
The story on this book is that I had read it as a teenager, and had forgotten much of what I had read. Years later, I wished to revisit the series, and could not find it anywhere. I think this may have been because I was looking for it in Germany or the book may simply be hard to find due to being out of print. I can’t confirm the latter, it’s just an idea that I have due to scarcity of print copies. In any case, while Gon and I were in Milwaukee last Thursday, I came across the whole trilogy in a secondhand book shop in downtown Milwaukee. Even though we are about to move halfway across the country, the opportunity was just too good to pass up. So I bought the whole trilogy along with another fortuitous find.
The story on this book is that I had read it as a teenager, and had forgotten much of what I had read. Years later, I wished to revisit the series, and could not find it anywhere. I think this may have been because I was looking for it in Germany or the book may simply be hard to find due to being out of print. I can’t confirm the latter, it’s just an idea that I have due to scarcity of print copies. In any case, while Gon and I were in Milwaukee last Thursday, I came across the whole trilogy in a secondhand book shop in downtown Milwaukee. Even though we are about to move halfway across the country, the opportunity was just too good to pass up. So I bought the whole trilogy along with another fortuitous find.
November 26, 2022
A generous 3 ⭐ rating when in actuality it's more 2.5 stars. This was a hefty bit of info-dumping and I wasn't connected with the characters at all. The writing was fine, and the world building a struggle to get interested in. I'm probably not going to read more of this series. Dnf.
June 3, 2020
4.5 stars.
I freaking loved this. FRTC.
I freaking loved this. FRTC.
February 24, 2018
Well, I will try to keep this short!
This was an excellent book in terms of writing style, Fisher has a great talent for character and description, that doesn't ever get boring, and it was this alone that really kept me reading.
However, in terms of actual story, this book was really lacking. The entirity of this book was, for me, something that would normally be the opening to any normal fantasy book, an introduction to the characters in a neutral place. However, the whole of this book was pretty much that. The idea of sorcery was rarely mentioned, at least, not until the very end, which seemed to me from the title to be a main feature of the story.
As I mentioned before, the characters are great and full of life. Even Katla, the main character, I thought was an excellent character! I usually don't like female characters, but I think Katla had such a strong personality and isn't ridiculously moany. she is a well written female lead, and it's a nice change!
The other characters were quite interesting, but each of them seemed to be slightly obsessed by sex, or at least, sexual organs, as this was mentioned quite a lot. Although, I will say that this isn't tastelessly done (and it so easily could have been that way!), it actually adds another, realistic and human, dimension to the characters.
All in all, this is a really good read, but I don't plan on reading any more in the series. There just wasn't enough depth of story to make me interested in it, and even the excellent characters aren't enough to push me to read them. But i do still recommend this to all fantasy fans, especially those who like the work of Kate Elliot or susan dexter.
This was an excellent book in terms of writing style, Fisher has a great talent for character and description, that doesn't ever get boring, and it was this alone that really kept me reading.
However, in terms of actual story, this book was really lacking. The entirity of this book was, for me, something that would normally be the opening to any normal fantasy book, an introduction to the characters in a neutral place. However, the whole of this book was pretty much that. The idea of sorcery was rarely mentioned, at least, not until the very end, which seemed to me from the title to be a main feature of the story.
As I mentioned before, the characters are great and full of life. Even Katla, the main character, I thought was an excellent character! I usually don't like female characters, but I think Katla had such a strong personality and isn't ridiculously moany. she is a well written female lead, and it's a nice change!
The other characters were quite interesting, but each of them seemed to be slightly obsessed by sex, or at least, sexual organs, as this was mentioned quite a lot. Although, I will say that this isn't tastelessly done (and it so easily could have been that way!), it actually adds another, realistic and human, dimension to the characters.
All in all, this is a really good read, but I don't plan on reading any more in the series. There just wasn't enough depth of story to make me interested in it, and even the excellent characters aren't enough to push me to read them. But i do still recommend this to all fantasy fans, especially those who like the work of Kate Elliot or susan dexter.
September 9, 2016
The Allfair attracts all manner of people, from all over the world: warriors and craftsmen from the north, pampered lordlings from the south, desert-dwelling nomads offering all kinds of charms and curiosities, and many more. The come to trade, forge alliances, participate in competitions, arrange marriages, see and be seen, or all of the above. This year should be no different from any other, but sorcery is rising once more in the world, and it too has come to the Allfair.
I enjoyed the in-depth, very detailed and vivid worldbuilding, and I always like a premise that throws so many strangers together, with all the culture clashes and gradual forming of understanding between diverse individuals it brings. I just wish I had liked more of the characters. The only one whose fate I really felt invested in was Katla, most of the others I didn't really care about. I'd have liked to see Katla and Selen spend more time in each others' company, that's have made for an interesting dynamic. Hopefully the rest of the characters will grow on me at least a little in the next book.
I enjoyed the in-depth, very detailed and vivid worldbuilding, and I always like a premise that throws so many strangers together, with all the culture clashes and gradual forming of understanding between diverse individuals it brings. I just wish I had liked more of the characters. The only one whose fate I really felt invested in was Katla, most of the others I didn't really care about. I'd have liked to see Katla and Selen spend more time in each others' company, that's have made for an interesting dynamic. Hopefully the rest of the characters will grow on me at least a little in the next book.
September 22, 2013
While the writing was polished, and at times there were parts that engaged me fully, I found the story protracted and largely uninteresting. Reading was a chore unfortunately. There were many different characters and I never felt close to any of them. However, I would recommend trying it if you are interested in Fantasy as there are certainly interesting parts, and I see that some readers have really enjoyed it.
September 10, 2020
This book consists of....cruelty, lust, rape, mens basic instincts, women as nothing more than chattel, and a bit of magic. A Viking-ish group against a Middle Eastern-ish faction, sprinkled with Gypsies. I will NOT be reading anything else from this author.
November 4, 2010
It draws you into the story, but can be hard to follow the different story lines. Names are difficult and to similar.
February 27, 2017
Couldn't get through it. Halfway through it devolves into men selling their women like pawns.
December 24, 2023
3,25 stars.
I like the entwinning storylines, though the many pov changes even within a chapter can be a bit confusing. The characters are... something. There is bewitchment at play in some of the characters decisions but how much of their personality changed (or did not change) is less shown and more told to the reader.
There is a focus on women being sold of for money by their fathers regardless of their feelings, the restrictions in their cultures. There is a slavery aspect, a whole culture who had their women burn at the stake constantly, rape (allusions, the actual act and consequences) and political intrigue. Also magic has ressurged in this land so it had to hint at it (though only in the next I assume will the reader get more context for the magic).
It is a lot, so I can see why someone might get annoyed whne the book focus on a place that seems less interesting from their pov.
All in all, it's an ok read though a warning for the violence and horniness and also sexual violence.
I like the entwinning storylines, though the many pov changes even within a chapter can be a bit confusing. The characters are... something. There is bewitchment at play in some of the characters decisions but how much of their personality changed (or did not change) is less shown and more told to the reader.
There is a focus on women being sold of for money by their fathers regardless of their feelings, the restrictions in their cultures. There is a slavery aspect, a whole culture who had their women burn at the stake constantly, rape (allusions, the actual act and consequences) and political intrigue. Also magic has ressurged in this land so it had to hint at it (though only in the next I assume will the reader get more context for the magic).
It is a lot, so I can see why someone might get annoyed whne the book focus on a place that seems less interesting from their pov.
All in all, it's an ok read though a warning for the violence and horniness and also sexual violence.
August 3, 2017
“The day the Master showed him the world was the day Virelai became a man, which was a dangerous thing indeed, and not at all what the mage had intended.”
― Jude Fisher, Sorcery Rising
Overview
Sorcery Rising feels more like a collection of short stories of many different people, that has been weaved together giving it the semblance of a novel. The problem is there doesn't actually seem to be a main plot line to keep them all tied together, but despite this it manged to keep me interested, and that's due to it continuously leaving me with more and more questions as the book went on. Normally a story with very few answers, and no main plot would be a complete waste of time, but as the first installment in the Fool's Gold trilogy it shows a lot of promise. Sorcery Rising by itself was entertaining, and had its moments, but was ultimately just average, because it liked to tease the reader with talk of the fantastic, but these were mere promises of future mystery's, and (hopefully) their answers.
[Negative]
[-] I think Jude Fisher took 'epic fantasy' to mean a novel with an unnecessarily large amount of characters, because Sorcery Rising was overflowing with them, even going so far as to give point of view paragraphs to random passers-by.
[-] Katla is supposedly the books main character, but I find that hard to believe sometimes. At the start there is plenty of her in each chapter, but as it goes on we lose sight of her for long stretches, and move to far less interesting characters. Katla as a character though was good, and I hope to see more of her as well as her intriguing earth magic in the next book.
Positive
+ A lot of new ideas in this book, as well as some of the old tropes. Bëte the spell-cat was one of the most interesting additions, and even the magic system (although we saw very little of it) had me wanting to hear more about this new and mysterious world.
+ Rosa Eldi and her keeper Virelai were both incredibly interesting, and I wished the story was more focused on the mystery of the girl who is known as the rose of the world, and the sorcerers apprentice who stole her away.
“The Man, the Woman, and the Beast” it said into his mind.“We shall be reunited”
― Jude Fisher, Sorcery Rising
― Jude Fisher, Sorcery Rising
Overview
Sorcery Rising feels more like a collection of short stories of many different people, that has been weaved together giving it the semblance of a novel. The problem is there doesn't actually seem to be a main plot line to keep them all tied together, but despite this it manged to keep me interested, and that's due to it continuously leaving me with more and more questions as the book went on. Normally a story with very few answers, and no main plot would be a complete waste of time, but as the first installment in the Fool's Gold trilogy it shows a lot of promise. Sorcery Rising by itself was entertaining, and had its moments, but was ultimately just average, because it liked to tease the reader with talk of the fantastic, but these were mere promises of future mystery's, and (hopefully) their answers.
[Negative]
[-] I think Jude Fisher took 'epic fantasy' to mean a novel with an unnecessarily large amount of characters, because Sorcery Rising was overflowing with them, even going so far as to give point of view paragraphs to random passers-by.
[-] Katla is supposedly the books main character, but I find that hard to believe sometimes. At the start there is plenty of her in each chapter, but as it goes on we lose sight of her for long stretches, and move to far less interesting characters. Katla as a character though was good, and I hope to see more of her as well as her intriguing earth magic in the next book.
Positive
+ A lot of new ideas in this book, as well as some of the old tropes. Bëte the spell-cat was one of the most interesting additions, and even the magic system (although we saw very little of it) had me wanting to hear more about this new and mysterious world.
+ Rosa Eldi and her keeper Virelai were both incredibly interesting, and I wished the story was more focused on the mystery of the girl who is known as the rose of the world, and the sorcerers apprentice who stole her away.
“The Man, the Woman, and the Beast” it said into his mind.“We shall be reunited”
― Jude Fisher, Sorcery Rising
March 24, 2018
---A story of mages, sorcery, heroism, egotism, persistence, bias, parental favoritism, religion gone wrong, hatred, humane outcasts, sailors and warriors. To me the main character is Katla Aranson, an independent daughter who loves rock climbing, working metal, weapon making. There is a great rivalry between the nations of Eyra and Istria based on a series of wars between the two. In the peaceful years there is the Allfair Helf on the the Moonfell Plain.---
January 6, 2019
Sorcery Rising was an enjoyable read for me. The story mostly takes place at the Allfair where the people of the world trade, shop, and do business each year. This gathering is fraught with tension between the Eyrans and the Istrains. The author constantly switches between different perspectives from many characters but it is done well so I was not annoyed by it. I'm looking forwards to reading the next book soon.
July 11, 2021
I may have nostalgic glasses on since I read this book first when I was a teenager, but I adore this book and the entire trilogy.
It is intensely violent and overly sexual, but the world Jude built is one I find very compelling and enjoyable to read about.
The way that she describes Earth magic as well as the ability of an Empath has stuck with me for over 10 years.
It is intensely violent and overly sexual, but the world Jude built is one I find very compelling and enjoyable to read about.
The way that she describes Earth magic as well as the ability of an Empath has stuck with me for over 10 years.
November 21, 2023
It's been such a long time since I read this book, but I can still vividly picture "The Rose of the World," a woman who is so gorgeous that no man can get an erection in her presence which those male characters always painted as such a terrible horrible thing. I remember it fondly. I need to reread this series. 5/5
August 19, 2025
This book series has been sitting on my bookshelf for years and finally getting around to reading it. The writing was hard to get into, the plot jumped all over the place and the pacing wasn’t great in the beginning. The second half improved. Took forever at the beginning to have any traction to the story but some elements are interesting and done well while others are not.
2.5/5 stars ⭐️
2.5/5 stars ⭐️
August 15, 2017
There are many plot lines/main characters in this story and at first I was worried that they would get tangled, but the author is able to weave them all together beautifully thus making a world in which I want to keep reading about.
November 21, 2018
I love this one!
Jude Fisher is an excellent writer and knows how to give you a heroine you want to follow.
I couldn't finish it quick enough! I started reading this a few years ago, but lost the book somewhere, and I never finished it. I've downloaded the rest of trilogy to read next :)
Jude Fisher is an excellent writer and knows how to give you a heroine you want to follow.
I couldn't finish it quick enough! I started reading this a few years ago, but lost the book somewhere, and I never finished it. I've downloaded the rest of trilogy to read next :)
August 18, 2019
I love the mix of cultures at the Allfair. The main character Katla is great reckless young Viking girl who gets more than she ever expected. Looking forward to the next book to find out how she handles what comes next.
Want to read
January 26, 2021Who Sucked me In?
Chris Bookish Cauldron on YouTube in theirFantasy Series By Women I Want To Read In 2021 video published on 31 dec. 2020
Chris Bookish Cauldron on YouTube in theirFantasy Series By Women I Want To Read In 2021 video published on 31 dec. 2020
April 25, 2022
DNF - 30% Could not get into this story. There were too many characters with weird names and I couldn't keep anyone straight. Although I think there probably is a good story in there, I just couldn't be bothered.
October 9, 2022
Enjoyed the character developments and the intertwining of the various story lines. Looking forward to where and how the characters evolve. Will they stand up for justice and do the right thing. Curses and gifts abound.
February 4, 2018
Full review coming later.
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