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Age of the Five #1
Priestess of the White
In a land on the brink of peace—watched jealously by a ruthless cult from across the sea and beset by hidden enemies—five extraordinary humans must serve as sword and shield of the Gods.
Auraya is one.
Her heroism saved a village from destruction; now Auraya has been named Priestess of the White. The limits of her unique talents must be tested in order to prove her worthy of the honor and grave responsibility awarded to her. But a perilous road lies ahead, fraught with pitfalls that will challenge the newest servant of the gods. An enduring friendship with a Dreamweaver—a member of an ancient outcast sect of sorcerer-healers—could destroy Auraya's future. And her destiny has set her in conflict with a powerful and mysterious, black-clad sorcerer with but a single purpose: the total annihilation of the White. And he is not alone . . .
Auraya is one.
Her heroism saved a village from destruction; now Auraya has been named Priestess of the White. The limits of her unique talents must be tested in order to prove her worthy of the honor and grave responsibility awarded to her. But a perilous road lies ahead, fraught with pitfalls that will challenge the newest servant of the gods. An enduring friendship with a Dreamweaver—a member of an ancient outcast sect of sorcerer-healers—could destroy Auraya's future. And her destiny has set her in conflict with a powerful and mysterious, black-clad sorcerer with but a single purpose: the total annihilation of the White. And he is not alone . . .
598 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 26, 2005
574 people are currently reading
10760 people want to read
About the author
Trudi Canavan
91 books6,613 followersTrudi Canavan was born in Kew, Melbourne, and grew up in Ferntree Gully, a suburb at the foothills of the Dandenongs.
In 1999 she won the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Short Story with “Whispers of the Mist Children”. In the same year she was granted a writers residency at Varuna Writers’ Centre in Katoomba, New South Wales.
In November 2001, The Magicians’ Guild was first published in Australia. The second book of the trilogy, The Novice, was published in June 2002 and was nominated for the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel. The third book The High Lord was released in January 2003 and was nominated for the Best Novel Ditmar category. All three books entered Australian top ten SF bestseller lists.
The Black Magician Trilogy reached the international market in 2004, published by HarperCollins’ EOS imprint in North America and Orbit Books in the UK. The trilogy is now rated by Nielsen BookScan as the most successful debut fantasy series of the last 10 years.
Trudi’s second trilogy, Age of the Five, has also enjoyed bestselling success. Priestess of the White reached No.3 in the Sunday Times hardback fiction bestseller list, staying in the top ten for six weeks.
In early 2006 Trudi signed a seven-figure contract with Orbit to write the prequel and sequel to the Black Magician Trilogy. The prequel, The Magician’s Apprentice was released in 2009 and won the Best Fantasy Novel category of the Aurealis Awards.
In 1999 she won the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Short Story with “Whispers of the Mist Children”. In the same year she was granted a writers residency at Varuna Writers’ Centre in Katoomba, New South Wales.
In November 2001, The Magicians’ Guild was first published in Australia. The second book of the trilogy, The Novice, was published in June 2002 and was nominated for the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel. The third book The High Lord was released in January 2003 and was nominated for the Best Novel Ditmar category. All three books entered Australian top ten SF bestseller lists.
The Black Magician Trilogy reached the international market in 2004, published by HarperCollins’ EOS imprint in North America and Orbit Books in the UK. The trilogy is now rated by Nielsen BookScan as the most successful debut fantasy series of the last 10 years.
Trudi’s second trilogy, Age of the Five, has also enjoyed bestselling success. Priestess of the White reached No.3 in the Sunday Times hardback fiction bestseller list, staying in the top ten for six weeks.
In early 2006 Trudi signed a seven-figure contract with Orbit to write the prequel and sequel to the Black Magician Trilogy. The prequel, The Magician’s Apprentice was released in 2009 and won the Best Fantasy Novel category of the Aurealis Awards.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 624 reviews
January 8, 2009
Okay, I give up. I couldn't even finish this one, which is very rare for me--and I had less than a hundred pages to go. I had put it down one night and have not been able to make myself pick it back up again.
I found it to be completely boring, despite the interesting concepts and potential conflicts. This book just drug. Not much action to move it along. Gets bogged down in what seem to be side-stories (they may come together at the end, I'll never know). I liked this authors previous series, so this was a disappointment.
I found it to be completely boring, despite the interesting concepts and potential conflicts. This book just drug. Not much action to move it along. Gets bogged down in what seem to be side-stories (they may come together at the end, I'll never know). I liked this authors previous series, so this was a disappointment.
January 11, 2022
I adored this book, it's one of my all time favourites. Rereading on audio was definitely a good idea, the narration was superb. Excited for book 2!
February 5, 2017
Edit: dropped this rating down from 2.5 to a 1 because it's really not worth anyone's time.
Why the heck has this been rated so high? It's crap, especially compared to her excellent debut trilogy! The respect I had for Canavan's writing has largely evaporated. I hope this terrible book was simply a dud, and not that the Black Magician trilogy was a fluke.
Okay, gripe #1. Plants, animals and vehicles are given totally random names despite being albeit identical to things we have in this world. Why? Who bloody knows. To purposefully confuse the novel? Maybe! When a Reyna is 'a swift flighty animal used for riding' mate you are literally just describing a horse so for the love of god just say HORSE
This however is the only complex thing about the novel, which is otherwise let down by its sheer simplicity. The writing tells, not shows, to the point where it reads awkwardly and childishly. Dialogue is affected and stupid. Witness 16 year old Auraya on page 9:
'Even I, living in this tiny village, know of the famous Dunwayan Fire-Warrior Clan'.
Oh god. At this point I was already groaning. Entire paragraphs are wasted with people repeating each other's formal titles and greetings. It's all 'Welcome, Auraya of the White' this and 'She made the sign of the circle' that.
Excessive exposition from characters' internal monologues when they ponder over their emotions is also so overused it's stupid. Witness pages 42-44:
'Her father's letters were, by necessity, short. She felt a wary relief after she read more of them. We were careful, she thought. (Ok, point established.) We didn't say exactly what we were doing. (Yes, we got that.) Except for the first letter I sent, in which I had to make it plain what I wanted Father to do. (CLEARLY!?) Hopefully he burned that one. She sighed and shook her head. No matter how careful she and her father had been, the gods must know what they had done. They could see into the minds of all. Yet they still chose me, she thought. Of all the high priestesses, they chose someone who had broken the law and used a Dreamweaver's services. (We GET it. My god. Cut forward a page). I was so sure this would stand against me being chosen (are you STILL talking about this?!) I wanted so much to be part of the White....but the gods still chose me. What am I to make of that? (One paragraph later) Why would the gods do that? (Gahhh! Kill me!) (Okay screw this I'm not typing out the next 1.5 pages, suffice it to say IT IS ALL THE SAME)
*inhales deeply* yes calm
This is a shame, as it is character interaction and internal dialogue which is a key strength of the Black Magician trilogy. Worse, this (lack of) style here washes away much of the benefit gained by Canavan's core strength - her ability to create a large cast of relatable, distinct and likeable characters.
While the occasional stab is made at scenery description, in general very little world building has gone here, and we are left with a minimal sense of place and atmosphere. An entire continent! With no sense of place! Battle scenes are reduced to one liners such as 'She blasted him with magic'. Ooooh! Description stretches to things like 'There was a mountain range.' K thanks Trudi das cool I feel totally swept away. Not. And no, stupid animal names do not a substitute make.
We are supposed to blindly accept that the Pentadrians are evil, with literally zero realistic motive provided for their invasion. Mainly, because they wear black, carry pentacles (bwahahaha!) they are CLEARLY evil, right? Why are they evil, you ask? Because they just ARE BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Now stop asking stupid questions.
Also, did anyone else find it weird that the only explicitly PoC characters (apart from the creepy fish people) were the evil ones? Seriously? What is this, Tolkien?
Similarly, the Circlian gods are never developed past a blind acceptance that they are all mighty and all-benevolent, despite occasional hints that this might not be the case. The White are also happy skippy all benevolent all frolicking servant/king/priests, with no apparent flaws in their governance or self interest to make them more believable. They don't even really seem to dislike Dreamweaver's all that much! Apart from the 'truly regrettable' death of Mirar (Agh the terrible guilt upon Juran's unstained conscience! It's so hard being flawless!) everything they do is...utopian. Which is totes ridic.
There is no suggestion that (as I suspect-potential spoiler) the Pentadrians are exactly like the Circlians, and the war is all an evil ploy of two evil groups of gods. Further development on these any of these fronts would have made for a far stronger novel. Instead it is super one sided and crap.
What is left is a one road plot with no depth. And as a result in part of this lack of plot development, Canavan is forced to fish around for alternative, random, one-shot narrative voices (OTHER than her main characters!) in order to give the story depth. While it isn't unusual for writers to have one major POV and then a series of random minor one-shot POVs (Horowitz springs to mind), it IS weird to have a cast of major POVs (five if you count Auraya, Leiard, Danjin and Tryss) and STILL need more! This is messy, and a sign of poor writing in my opinion. If your main characters cannot give the story enough colour, you have a problem.
Now as for the actual characters. I wanted to like Auraya, but her chapters are let down by the overly affected exposition I've already discussed. She's also extremely bland, as other reviewed have mentioned. Same for Leiard. Though I got their attraction, it turned into love out of nowhere. And then became totally meh. Romantic love scenes are censored, but perfunctory brothel sex is not. Why!? Damnit WHY!!?!
Let's be real: Tryss' entire story line is extraneous to the plot, not to mention the most boring and childlike of the lot. It should have been cut, or a better way found to incorporate the Siyee. I never really got over the line 'He meant to fly on, but found himself circling, fascinated by the small dark hollow between her breasts.' YE GODS. The only POV I truly enjoyed was Emerahl's adventures in the brothel, though ironically this is also pointless up until the final chapter. Now, a novel about HER I would like to read. But with more sex.
All in all, a massive let down. Come on Canavan, we know you can do better than this.
Why the heck has this been rated so high? It's crap, especially compared to her excellent debut trilogy! The respect I had for Canavan's writing has largely evaporated. I hope this terrible book was simply a dud, and not that the Black Magician trilogy was a fluke.
Okay, gripe #1. Plants, animals and vehicles are given totally random names despite being albeit identical to things we have in this world. Why? Who bloody knows. To purposefully confuse the novel? Maybe! When a Reyna is 'a swift flighty animal used for riding' mate you are literally just describing a horse so for the love of god just say HORSE
This however is the only complex thing about the novel, which is otherwise let down by its sheer simplicity. The writing tells, not shows, to the point where it reads awkwardly and childishly. Dialogue is affected and stupid. Witness 16 year old Auraya on page 9:
'Even I, living in this tiny village, know of the famous Dunwayan Fire-Warrior Clan'.
Oh god. At this point I was already groaning. Entire paragraphs are wasted with people repeating each other's formal titles and greetings. It's all 'Welcome, Auraya of the White' this and 'She made the sign of the circle' that.
Excessive exposition from characters' internal monologues when they ponder over their emotions is also so overused it's stupid. Witness pages 42-44:
'Her father's letters were, by necessity, short. She felt a wary relief after she read more of them. We were careful, she thought. (Ok, point established.) We didn't say exactly what we were doing. (Yes, we got that.) Except for the first letter I sent, in which I had to make it plain what I wanted Father to do. (CLEARLY!?) Hopefully he burned that one. She sighed and shook her head. No matter how careful she and her father had been, the gods must know what they had done. They could see into the minds of all. Yet they still chose me, she thought. Of all the high priestesses, they chose someone who had broken the law and used a Dreamweaver's services. (We GET it. My god. Cut forward a page). I was so sure this would stand against me being chosen (are you STILL talking about this?!) I wanted so much to be part of the White....but the gods still chose me. What am I to make of that? (One paragraph later) Why would the gods do that? (Gahhh! Kill me!) (Okay screw this I'm not typing out the next 1.5 pages, suffice it to say IT IS ALL THE SAME)
*inhales deeply* yes calm
This is a shame, as it is character interaction and internal dialogue which is a key strength of the Black Magician trilogy. Worse, this (lack of) style here washes away much of the benefit gained by Canavan's core strength - her ability to create a large cast of relatable, distinct and likeable characters.
While the occasional stab is made at scenery description, in general very little world building has gone here, and we are left with a minimal sense of place and atmosphere. An entire continent! With no sense of place! Battle scenes are reduced to one liners such as 'She blasted him with magic'. Ooooh! Description stretches to things like 'There was a mountain range.' K thanks Trudi das cool I feel totally swept away. Not. And no, stupid animal names do not a substitute make.
We are supposed to blindly accept that the Pentadrians are evil, with literally zero realistic motive provided for their invasion. Mainly, because they wear black, carry pentacles (bwahahaha!) they are CLEARLY evil, right? Why are they evil, you ask? Because they just ARE BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Now stop asking stupid questions.
Also, did anyone else find it weird that the only explicitly PoC characters (apart from the creepy fish people) were the evil ones? Seriously? What is this, Tolkien?
Similarly, the Circlian gods are never developed past a blind acceptance that they are all mighty and all-benevolent, despite occasional hints that this might not be the case. The White are also happy skippy all benevolent all frolicking servant/king/priests, with no apparent flaws in their governance or self interest to make them more believable. They don't even really seem to dislike Dreamweaver's all that much! Apart from the 'truly regrettable' death of Mirar (Agh the terrible guilt upon Juran's unstained conscience! It's so hard being flawless!) everything they do is...utopian. Which is totes ridic.
There is no suggestion that (as I suspect-potential spoiler) the Pentadrians are exactly like the Circlians, and the war is all an evil ploy of two evil groups of gods. Further development on these any of these fronts would have made for a far stronger novel. Instead it is super one sided and crap.
What is left is a one road plot with no depth. And as a result in part of this lack of plot development, Canavan is forced to fish around for alternative, random, one-shot narrative voices (OTHER than her main characters!) in order to give the story depth. While it isn't unusual for writers to have one major POV and then a series of random minor one-shot POVs (Horowitz springs to mind), it IS weird to have a cast of major POVs (five if you count Auraya, Leiard, Danjin and Tryss) and STILL need more! This is messy, and a sign of poor writing in my opinion. If your main characters cannot give the story enough colour, you have a problem.
Now as for the actual characters. I wanted to like Auraya, but her chapters are let down by the overly affected exposition I've already discussed. She's also extremely bland, as other reviewed have mentioned. Same for Leiard. Though I got their attraction, it turned into love out of nowhere. And then became totally meh. Romantic love scenes are censored, but perfunctory brothel sex is not. Why!? Damnit WHY!!?!
Let's be real: Tryss' entire story line is extraneous to the plot, not to mention the most boring and childlike of the lot. It should have been cut, or a better way found to incorporate the Siyee. I never really got over the line 'He meant to fly on, but found himself circling, fascinated by the small dark hollow between her breasts.' YE GODS. The only POV I truly enjoyed was Emerahl's adventures in the brothel, though ironically this is also pointless up until the final chapter. Now, a novel about HER I would like to read. But with more sex.
All in all, a massive let down. Come on Canavan, we know you can do better than this.
October 11, 2022
SPOILER FREE
Priestess of the White by Trudi Canavan is where my love of reading big fantasy books began when I was 11 or 12 years old.
I was on holiday on the Isle of Mull and the only thing close to us that was at all interesting (to a kid of that age) was a book shop in Tobermory. I picked this wonderful fantasy novel up there and I’ve re-read it more than any other book I own.
I quickly finished the trilogy within a week.
Read Why You Should Read ‘The Age of Five Trilogy’ to learn more about this fantastic fantasy series by Trudi Canavan.
Despite having read Priestess of the White so young, I’d suggest reading it yourself before giving it to a child as it is an adult fantasy book with scenes that you might not be comfortable with your child reading!
AURAYA IS A BRILLIANT CHARACTER
She’s deeply religious and struggles to fit in with others of the Gods’ chosen five. Auraya quickly dives into the political issues of the world in securing alliances and preparing for possible war.
We see her grow so much in this book, from a child in the prologue to a fierce, passionate adult.
There are several other POV characters in this book who all add a little more to the world that Trudi Canavan has created. There are many secrets and hidden mysteries yet to be uncovered and it’s exciting to follow as the characters work them out or reveal them to us when they are ready.
THIS IS A GREAT FIRST BOOK OF THE TRILOGY
Many negative reviews talk about Trudi Canavan’s writing style. I found it accessible and to the point. There is nothing flowery to it, like with The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, but it’s solid and I soon found myself lost in the story and the world.
This “solid” storytelling is much like Brandon Sanderson‘s writing style in his Cosmere series.
Trudi Canavan’s epic fantasy books don’t get enough praise or attention. I hope more people will pick up these books in the future so they get the attention they deserve.
View the full review at The Fantasy Review
Priestess of the White by Trudi Canavan is where my love of reading big fantasy books began when I was 11 or 12 years old.
I was on holiday on the Isle of Mull and the only thing close to us that was at all interesting (to a kid of that age) was a book shop in Tobermory. I picked this wonderful fantasy novel up there and I’ve re-read it more than any other book I own.
I quickly finished the trilogy within a week.
Read Why You Should Read ‘The Age of Five Trilogy’ to learn more about this fantastic fantasy series by Trudi Canavan.
Despite having read Priestess of the White so young, I’d suggest reading it yourself before giving it to a child as it is an adult fantasy book with scenes that you might not be comfortable with your child reading!
AURAYA IS A BRILLIANT CHARACTER
She’s deeply religious and struggles to fit in with others of the Gods’ chosen five. Auraya quickly dives into the political issues of the world in securing alliances and preparing for possible war.
We see her grow so much in this book, from a child in the prologue to a fierce, passionate adult.
There are several other POV characters in this book who all add a little more to the world that Trudi Canavan has created. There are many secrets and hidden mysteries yet to be uncovered and it’s exciting to follow as the characters work them out or reveal them to us when they are ready.
THIS IS A GREAT FIRST BOOK OF THE TRILOGY
Many negative reviews talk about Trudi Canavan’s writing style. I found it accessible and to the point. There is nothing flowery to it, like with The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, but it’s solid and I soon found myself lost in the story and the world.
This “solid” storytelling is much like Brandon Sanderson‘s writing style in his Cosmere series.
Trudi Canavan’s epic fantasy books don’t get enough praise or attention. I hope more people will pick up these books in the future so they get the attention they deserve.
View the full review at The Fantasy Review
August 15, 2011
I would have actually given this book 3,5 stars but there's no such scale.
After reading The Black Magician trilogy I expected this one to be better... there was nothing wrong with the style of writing but I wanted something fresh, something new. And here? I'm getting a copy of Canavan's previous novel.
The motive of forbidden romance between Sonea and Akkarin is very similar to the one that Auraya and Leiard struggle with. Despite the fact that they are featureless (most of the characters in this book actually are boring and nothing pushes me towards any of them stronger than the others... with one exception I'm gonna write about later). To be honest the main heroin annoys me. I hope that there won't be much about her in the 2nd volume... 'cause as it's called 'Last of the Wilds' I'm positive there's gonna be much more about Emerahl which is probably the only character that has intrigued me with her personality a bit more.
I wonder if the author really couldn't create something more original and different from The Black Magician trilogy. It was a huge success but it doesn't mean that you should follow it in that way Miss Canavan ;) As for now in all your books I've read so far an evil nation without any particular reason (oh, maybe except being purely evil) attacks the innocent one. They possess amazingly powerful magic (which is not known by anyone else) and their sorcerers wreak havoc among unarmed people. Yet they are being defeated by valiant defenders which are suspiciously lucky. Unbelievable, isn't it? The only difference is that in the first trilogy the invader is Sachaka and the victim is Kyralia. Here we've got conflict between Pentadrians and Circlians. Still it was obvious for me from the very beginning that the scales of victory are going to tilt on the side of Circlians... and Auraya will be the saviour.
One more thing that irritated me was poor duplication of Sonea in the person of Auraya - the chosen one, the brave, the greatest, loved and admired by everyone. It's not that funny as it was for the first time, especially that Sonea was way better and much more likable than Auraya. Not only that I don't like her but sadly I have to admit that I can't stand her and her fake willingness to be the good White.
Maybe my rating would be higher if not the fact that I read The Black Magician trilogy first and was delighted by the plot, completely new way of understanding magic and putting young apprentices into the Magicians' Guild. But I won't give up and gonna finish the whole trilogy, hope it's gonna be worth it ;)
After reading The Black Magician trilogy I expected this one to be better... there was nothing wrong with the style of writing but I wanted something fresh, something new. And here? I'm getting a copy of Canavan's previous novel.
The motive of forbidden romance between Sonea and Akkarin is very similar to the one that Auraya and Leiard struggle with. Despite the fact that they are featureless (most of the characters in this book actually are boring and nothing pushes me towards any of them stronger than the others... with one exception I'm gonna write about later). To be honest the main heroin annoys me. I hope that there won't be much about her in the 2nd volume... 'cause as it's called 'Last of the Wilds' I'm positive there's gonna be much more about Emerahl which is probably the only character that has intrigued me with her personality a bit more.
I wonder if the author really couldn't create something more original and different from The Black Magician trilogy. It was a huge success but it doesn't mean that you should follow it in that way Miss Canavan ;) As for now in all your books I've read so far an evil nation without any particular reason (oh, maybe except being purely evil) attacks the innocent one. They possess amazingly powerful magic (which is not known by anyone else) and their sorcerers wreak havoc among unarmed people. Yet they are being defeated by valiant defenders which are suspiciously lucky. Unbelievable, isn't it? The only difference is that in the first trilogy the invader is Sachaka and the victim is Kyralia. Here we've got conflict between Pentadrians and Circlians. Still it was obvious for me from the very beginning that the scales of victory are going to tilt on the side of Circlians... and Auraya will be the saviour.
One more thing that irritated me was poor duplication of Sonea in the person of Auraya - the chosen one, the brave, the greatest, loved and admired by everyone. It's not that funny as it was for the first time, especially that Sonea was way better and much more likable than Auraya. Not only that I don't like her but sadly I have to admit that I can't stand her and her fake willingness to be the good White.
Maybe my rating would be higher if not the fact that I read The Black Magician trilogy first and was delighted by the plot, completely new way of understanding magic and putting young apprentices into the Magicians' Guild. But I won't give up and gonna finish the whole trilogy, hope it's gonna be worth it ;)
September 9, 2022
‘Because being powerful does not give someone the right to tell others how to think or live, or who to kill.’
Priestess of the White is my first book by Trudi Canavan and came highly recommended by my best friend who is a huge fan Canavan's work.
The Age of the Five is set in a world where the Gods have chosen representatives to be their voices and do their bidding. Neither the characters nor the plot stand out, but personally I found the mix of magic and religion interesting, especially the way Canavan explored aspects of religion through the themes of devotion, free will, and sacrifice.
Canavan clearly crafts her worlds with care, and I kept reading despite the relatively slow pace.
Priestess of the White is my first book by Trudi Canavan and came highly recommended by my best friend who is a huge fan Canavan's work.
The Age of the Five is set in a world where the Gods have chosen representatives to be their voices and do their bidding. Neither the characters nor the plot stand out, but personally I found the mix of magic and religion interesting, especially the way Canavan explored aspects of religion through the themes of devotion, free will, and sacrifice.
Canavan clearly crafts her worlds with care, and I kept reading despite the relatively slow pace.
Read
May 29, 2023Another DNF at page 275 this time. No rating as I failed to finish.
I really enjoyed her Black Magician trilogy years ago, but this book wasn't doing anything for me after persevering for quite some time.
I'm not having much luck finding a book that I enjoy at the moment.
I really enjoyed her Black Magician trilogy years ago, but this book wasn't doing anything for me after persevering for quite some time.
I'm not having much luck finding a book that I enjoy at the moment.
February 21, 2024
No cabe duda de que es el mejor que he leído de la autora hasta ahora. Por goleada.
En principio sus personajes están muchísimo mejor perfilados que los de sus obras anteriores, más sintéticos (en el sentido de trazados con pocos rasgos, no de artificiales, eh?) Mientras estos son más complejos.
Sus relaciones entre ellos también es más compleja, menos unilateral y notablemente más emocionante. No son piezas más o menos curiosas en un ajedrez entretenido. Están vivas, con relieve y te importan.
La historia es más coral, con un montón de brazos aparentemente separados de gente que no tiene nada que ver entre sí, hasta que el devenir de la propia historia los entrecruza... tú lo vas viendo venir página a página lo que crea una gran tensión.
El asunto de los supuestos dioses de un bando y de otro que parecía un Macguffin que justificara los acontecimientos, se está presentando mucho más relevante y complejo de lo que parecía al principio. De Macguffin, nada.
Las diferentes facciones, tanto aliadas como enemigas muestran un derroche imaginativo superior a otras lecturas de la autora y muuucho más numeroso.
Pero lo importante para mí es que, no sé si debido a los factores que acabo de mencionar, la historia es mucho más interesante que las anteriores. Ya no es una lectura ligera y entretenida entre lecturas densas. Es una lectura que te llama por sí misma, con otro peso específico, por decirlo de alguna manera. Ha sido genial. Un 9. GL Autor: Trudi Canavan
En principio sus personajes están muchísimo mejor perfilados que los de sus obras anteriores, más sintéticos (en el sentido de trazados con pocos rasgos, no de artificiales, eh?) Mientras estos son más complejos.
Sus relaciones entre ellos también es más compleja, menos unilateral y notablemente más emocionante. No son piezas más o menos curiosas en un ajedrez entretenido. Están vivas, con relieve y te importan.
La historia es más coral, con un montón de brazos aparentemente separados de gente que no tiene nada que ver entre sí, hasta que el devenir de la propia historia los entrecruza... tú lo vas viendo venir página a página lo que crea una gran tensión.
El asunto de los supuestos dioses de un bando y de otro que parecía un Macguffin que justificara los acontecimientos, se está presentando mucho más relevante y complejo de lo que parecía al principio. De Macguffin, nada.
Las diferentes facciones, tanto aliadas como enemigas muestran un derroche imaginativo superior a otras lecturas de la autora y muuucho más numeroso.
Pero lo importante para mí es que, no sé si debido a los factores que acabo de mencionar, la historia es mucho más interesante que las anteriores. Ya no es una lectura ligera y entretenida entre lecturas densas. Es una lectura que te llama por sí misma, con otro peso específico, por decirlo de alguna manera. Ha sido genial. Un 9. GL Autor: Trudi Canavan
November 30, 2021
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„O aš – Balas, Mirimo talmas, kalemas ir levenarkas.“ – ties tuo ir susprogo jau pradėjęs bręsti nerimas, kad su šia knyga turėsiu rimtų lingvistinių problemų.
Bet aš atkakli, todėl pabaigusi galiu laisvai kalbėti ratietiškai:
„Per kelią liuoktelėjo fanrinas, pabaidydamas pirmuosius vilkstinės nešikus. Manoji reina jo išgąsdinta vos neužlėkė ant greta dardėjusio plateno, kuris kryptelėjo ir vienu ratu smuktelėjo į šalikelės griovį. Tai pamatę samdiniai nenoriai nuleido tintros gertuves, nusimetė tolus ir puolė kelti iš griovio plateno. Juk niekas nenorėjo ilgam sustoti po išsikerojusiais šendlais, kur aplink šmižinėja fanrinai ir lerameriai, bei kur buvo pastebėtas ant vorno raitas pentadrijiečių kerėtojas“
Taigi žongliruoti knygos žodynu išmokau, tačiau taip ir nesupratau, kam šito reikia. Fantastikoje tikrai dažnai būna, kad be naujadaro išsiversti neįmanoma: reikia pavadinti kokį tik knygos pasaulyje egzistuojantį padarą, daiktą, magišką elementą ar dėsnį, o tinkamo žodžio nėra. Tuomet autorius jį sukuria – tai man aišku. Man neaišku, kam reikia sukurti žodį egzistuojančiam daiktui (pvz. tolas yra apsiaustas, o platenas – vežimaitis). Taip pat neaišku, kam reikalingas žodis, jei nesivarginama sukurti objekto (pvz. vornas – plėšrūnas panašus į vilką, reina – gyvūnas gal panašus į arklį, o nešikais kas vadinama taip ir nesupratau. Mol asiliukai). Atsiduoda tinginyste. Fantastinio pasaulio iliuzija. Kai po naujadarais nieko nėra, tik oras, nes autorius nesivargino per daug aprašyti, kaip atrodo tie padarai, tie objektai ar pats pasaulis. Tiesiog užmėtė skaitytoją pavadinimais. O turint omenyje knygos apimtį vietos keliems kūrybingiems aprašymams tam tikrai turėjo...
Taigi šios knygos pasaulis apsiriboja pavadinimais.
Veikėjai? Daug vienkartinių. Aha, taip ir norėjau parašyti. Pvz. tas Amaratanas, kuris sėdėjo prie laužo, kol pro šalį žygiavo kariai ar ta Oselimidutė, kuri pardavinėjo burokus, kol sargyba gaudė raganą... O pagrindiniai kažkokie jokie.
Veiksmas lyg vyksta, bet toks ne per daug. Nors pasirengimo ir artėjančio blogio nuojautų daug, tačiau lemiamieji momentai kažkokie neišsipildę.
Bendra istorijos užmačia ohoho: politiniai dievų žaidimai viso pasaulio mastu: sąjungos, „tikrų“ dievų paieškos, amžinieji dievų vietininkai (oi, kaip man visada įtartina, kai veikėjai būna tokio neaprėpiamo proto), politika... bet vis tiek viskas kažkokiame buitiniame lygmenyje. Taip niekaip. Dėl to itin sunku šią knygą adekvačiai įvertinti, nes ji tokia „jokia“, kad net nežinau – jausmas toks, koks būtų išvis neskaičius...
Ir tada tik bam 14 psl.:
„O aš – Balas, Mirimo talmas, kalemas ir levenarkas.“ – ties tuo ir susprogo jau pradėjęs bręsti nerimas, kad su šia knyga turėsiu rimtų lingvistinių problemų.
Bet aš atkakli, todėl pabaigusi galiu laisvai kalbėti ratietiškai:
„Per kelią liuoktelėjo fanrinas, pabaidydamas pirmuosius vilkstinės nešikus. Manoji reina jo išgąsdinta vos neužlėkė ant greta dardėjusio plateno, kuris kryptelėjo ir vienu ratu smuktelėjo į šalikelės griovį. Tai pamatę samdiniai nenoriai nuleido tintros gertuves, nusimetė tolus ir puolė kelti iš griovio plateno. Juk niekas nenorėjo ilgam sustoti po išsikerojusiais šendlais, kur aplink šmižinėja fanrinai ir lerameriai, bei kur buvo pastebėtas ant vorno raitas pentadrijiečių kerėtojas“
Taigi žongliruoti knygos žodynu išmokau, tačiau taip ir nesupratau, kam šito reikia. Fantastikoje tikrai dažnai būna, kad be naujadaro išsiversti neįmanoma: reikia pavadinti kokį tik knygos pasaulyje egzistuojantį padarą, daiktą, magišką elementą ar dėsnį, o tinkamo žodžio nėra. Tuomet autorius jį sukuria – tai man aišku. Man neaišku, kam reikia sukurti žodį egzistuojančiam daiktui (pvz. tolas yra apsiaustas, o platenas – vežimaitis). Taip pat neaišku, kam reikalingas žodis, jei nesivarginama sukurti objekto (pvz. vornas – plėšrūnas panašus į vilką, reina – gyvūnas gal panašus į arklį, o nešikais kas vadinama taip ir nesupratau. Mol asiliukai). Atsiduoda tinginyste. Fantastinio pasaulio iliuzija. Kai po naujadarais nieko nėra, tik oras, nes autorius nesivargino per daug aprašyti, kaip atrodo tie padarai, tie objektai ar pats pasaulis. Tiesiog užmėtė skaitytoją pavadinimais. O turint omenyje knygos apimtį vietos keliems kūrybingiems aprašymams tam tikrai turėjo...
Taigi šios knygos pasaulis apsiriboja pavadinimais.
Veikėjai? Daug vienkartinių. Aha, taip ir norėjau parašyti. Pvz. tas Amaratanas, kuris sėdėjo prie laužo, kol pro šalį žygiavo kariai ar ta Oselimidutė, kuri pardavinėjo burokus, kol sargyba gaudė raganą... O pagrindiniai kažkokie jokie.
Veiksmas lyg vyksta, bet toks ne per daug. Nors pasirengimo ir artėjančio blogio nuojautų daug, tačiau lemiamieji momentai kažkokie neišsipildę.
Bendra istorijos užmačia ohoho: politiniai dievų žaidimai viso pasaulio mastu: sąjungos, „tikrų“ dievų paieškos, amžinieji dievų vietininkai (oi, kaip man visada įtartina, kai veikėjai būna tokio neaprėpiamo proto), politika... bet vis tiek viskas kažkokiame buitiniame lygmenyje. Taip niekaip. Dėl to itin sunku šią knygą adekvačiai įvertinti, nes ji tokia „jokia“, kad net nežinau – jausmas toks, koks būtų išvis neskaičius...
August 20, 2012
Priestess of the White is the first novel in Trudi Canavan’s Age of Five series.
Set in a fantastical world where Gods have chosen representatives to do their bidding in the world, this novel mixes magic and religion. The leaders of Hania are the White – five powerful sorcerers who are guided by their Gods. Auraya is the youngest of the White and the novel begins with her joining the Priesthood and her commitment to devote her life to the will of the Gods.
It is the Gods’ will that all of Northern Ithania be united and at peace. Auraya is a problem solver by nature, she is patient and caring. She had a childhood friendship from a Dreamweaver and this makes her more open-minded and accepting of their choices. It is this unique vision that makes Auraya a great peace-maker and her role as a servant of the Gods sees her travel to form alliances with other races in Northern Ithania.
This is an epic book and I feel the challenge of summarising the complicated history of the Gods’ past is beyond me. Those who do not follow the Gods they are known as Dreamweavers – the White view them as heathens. The leader of the White killed the leader of the Dreamweavers and there is a deep rooted hatred between these peoples. Dreamweavers are healers and pacifists. They were persecuted by followers of the White and were massacred in the past. Auraya hopes to change the dynamic between the White and the Dreamweavers.
While the nations of Northern Ithania are debating alliances with the White, in the South the heathen cult known as the Pentadrians (who follow fake Gods) are readying themselves for war.
Trudi Canavan’s storytelling leaves me awestruck. There are so many different plots and subplots running through this novel and they all link together in a coherent mesmerising way. The story is told in Canavan’s usual style – a third person roving viewpoint. We still the events of the story from so many different characters and it could be completely overwhelming but Canavan’s writing is so incredibly clear that it isn’t.
The themes in this novel are war and loyalty, the idea of devotion and free will, power and sacrifice, strength and weakness. It was fascinating to read about characters who range from fervent in their belief in their Gods to absolute hatred towards the Gods. It made me feel impartial to all the different social groups. If there was a character that stole my heart it was Mischief – Auraya’s pet veez – he added a much needed humour in the darkest times.
I can’t wait to see where this story goes next. The thing I love most about Trudi Canavan is her novels never disappoint. Great epic fantasy at its best.
Set in a fantastical world where Gods have chosen representatives to do their bidding in the world, this novel mixes magic and religion. The leaders of Hania are the White – five powerful sorcerers who are guided by their Gods. Auraya is the youngest of the White and the novel begins with her joining the Priesthood and her commitment to devote her life to the will of the Gods.
It is the Gods’ will that all of Northern Ithania be united and at peace. Auraya is a problem solver by nature, she is patient and caring. She had a childhood friendship from a Dreamweaver and this makes her more open-minded and accepting of their choices. It is this unique vision that makes Auraya a great peace-maker and her role as a servant of the Gods sees her travel to form alliances with other races in Northern Ithania.
This is an epic book and I feel the challenge of summarising the complicated history of the Gods’ past is beyond me. Those who do not follow the Gods they are known as Dreamweavers – the White view them as heathens. The leader of the White killed the leader of the Dreamweavers and there is a deep rooted hatred between these peoples. Dreamweavers are healers and pacifists. They were persecuted by followers of the White and were massacred in the past. Auraya hopes to change the dynamic between the White and the Dreamweavers.
While the nations of Northern Ithania are debating alliances with the White, in the South the heathen cult known as the Pentadrians (who follow fake Gods) are readying themselves for war.
Trudi Canavan’s storytelling leaves me awestruck. There are so many different plots and subplots running through this novel and they all link together in a coherent mesmerising way. The story is told in Canavan’s usual style – a third person roving viewpoint. We still the events of the story from so many different characters and it could be completely overwhelming but Canavan’s writing is so incredibly clear that it isn’t.
The themes in this novel are war and loyalty, the idea of devotion and free will, power and sacrifice, strength and weakness. It was fascinating to read about characters who range from fervent in their belief in their Gods to absolute hatred towards the Gods. It made me feel impartial to all the different social groups. If there was a character that stole my heart it was Mischief – Auraya’s pet veez – he added a much needed humour in the darkest times.
I can’t wait to see where this story goes next. The thing I love most about Trudi Canavan is her novels never disappoint. Great epic fantasy at its best.
February 10, 2017
This one... I read it rather a short time after the Magicians Guild books - and so it took me a bit by surprise how different it was.
While the first series is published as YA (here in Germany), the second series definitely is not. There is a bit of a love plot and some sex scenes in it - and of course the main protagonists are older.
After I got used to the change - I did definitely enjoy the book, though it didn't completely blow me away. I liked the main character and definitely wanted to spend some more time with her in this new world. The pace was fast again, and the prose fluent as with her other books, but the story lacked a bit for me. I would have liked it a bit more - complex maybe? Can't really put my finger on it. As I was still very well entertained all the way through, I will go with 4 stars.
While the first series is published as YA (here in Germany), the second series definitely is not. There is a bit of a love plot and some sex scenes in it - and of course the main protagonists are older.
After I got used to the change - I did definitely enjoy the book, though it didn't completely blow me away. I liked the main character and definitely wanted to spend some more time with her in this new world. The pace was fast again, and the prose fluent as with her other books, but the story lacked a bit for me. I would have liked it a bit more - complex maybe? Can't really put my finger on it. As I was still very well entertained all the way through, I will go with 4 stars.
May 14, 2012
At first I didn't like this book, but the intrigung sub-plots and many of the characters hooked me. I didn't like the main character as she was a little too Mary Sue-ish and the planned romantic entanglement seemed a little too contrived. I loved every other character and the world created and that more than made up for it.
This book has strong feminist themes, such as Emmerahl teaching girls to defend herself, or becoming a whore to survive, but with no shame. I didn't think this was overbearing, but I suppose some readers might. It was a bit strange they had such "modern" thinking in what was clearly ancient times.
Overall I will be reading the second book, although I'm not sure I'd reread this one again.
This book has strong feminist themes, such as Emmerahl teaching girls to defend herself, or becoming a whore to survive, but with no shame. I didn't think this was overbearing, but I suppose some readers might. It was a bit strange they had such "modern" thinking in what was clearly ancient times.
Overall I will be reading the second book, although I'm not sure I'd reread this one again.
May 2, 2018
Trudi Canavan kenne ich zwar vom Hörensagen, habe aber ihre berühmte erste Trilogie um die Gilde der schwarzen Magier nie gelesen. Vermutlich hätte ich auch nie zu ihren Büchern gegriffen, wäre ich nicht auf einem Flohmarkt über die komplette zweite Trilogie zum Schnäppchenpreis gestolpert.
Der Einstieg in die Geschichte ist etwas verwirrend, weil es nicht nur unterschiedliche Erzählstränge sondern auch einen größeren Zeitsprung gibt. Erst begegnen wir Auraya als Kind und plötzlich sehen wir sie als Priesterin.
Mir ist bewusst, dass es so konzipiert wurde, um die frühe Verbindung mit dem Traumweber zu zeigen, dennoch fand ich diese Wandlung vom Kind zu einer bedeutenden Figur sehr überraschend.
Abgesehen davon liest sich der Rest der Story sehr flüssig und unterhaltsam. Canavan baut in diesem ersten Band eine phantastische Welt mit vielen interessanten Völkern, real existierenden Göttern und Magie, die keinen festen Strukturen gehorcht – sind die Götter gewillt, entstehen neue magische Fähigkeiten.
Auch wenn die Geschehnisse auf einen Krieg hindeuten (dessen Entstehung allerdings nicht sehr ausführlich erklärt wird), bleibt der Grundton des Buches positiv und optimistisch.
Gibt es so etwas wie „Cozy Fantasy“? Dazu würde ich „Priester“ zählen: man kann sich mitziehen lassen in all die drohenden Gefahren und hat stets das Gefühl „alles wird gut“.
„Priester“ ist keine High Fantasy. Vielmehr ist es eine nette, ein wenig weichgespülte Erzählung mit phantastischen Elementen und relativ friedlichen Wesen. Selbst der Krieg am Ende ist weniger dramatisch, als man hätte annehmen können, beinhaltet aber einen interessanten Gedanken, der Lust auf den Folgeband macht.
Leichte Fantasy für zwischendurch.
Der Einstieg in die Geschichte ist etwas verwirrend, weil es nicht nur unterschiedliche Erzählstränge sondern auch einen größeren Zeitsprung gibt. Erst begegnen wir Auraya als Kind und plötzlich sehen wir sie als Priesterin.
Mir ist bewusst, dass es so konzipiert wurde, um die frühe Verbindung mit dem Traumweber zu zeigen, dennoch fand ich diese Wandlung vom Kind zu einer bedeutenden Figur sehr überraschend.
Abgesehen davon liest sich der Rest der Story sehr flüssig und unterhaltsam. Canavan baut in diesem ersten Band eine phantastische Welt mit vielen interessanten Völkern, real existierenden Göttern und Magie, die keinen festen Strukturen gehorcht – sind die Götter gewillt, entstehen neue magische Fähigkeiten.
Auch wenn die Geschehnisse auf einen Krieg hindeuten (dessen Entstehung allerdings nicht sehr ausführlich erklärt wird), bleibt der Grundton des Buches positiv und optimistisch.
Gibt es so etwas wie „Cozy Fantasy“? Dazu würde ich „Priester“ zählen: man kann sich mitziehen lassen in all die drohenden Gefahren und hat stets das Gefühl „alles wird gut“.
„Priester“ ist keine High Fantasy. Vielmehr ist es eine nette, ein wenig weichgespülte Erzählung mit phantastischen Elementen und relativ friedlichen Wesen. Selbst der Krieg am Ende ist weniger dramatisch, als man hätte annehmen können, beinhaltet aber einen interessanten Gedanken, der Lust auf den Folgeband macht.
Leichte Fantasy für zwischendurch.
April 25, 2021
In der Geschichte fehlte mir eindeutig mehr Tiefe.
Die Charakterentwicklung fehlt eigentlich ganz. Alles scheint irgendwie gegeben zu sein. Fähigkeiten werden nicht erlernt, es wird nur Magie gezogen und schwups, schon kann man was neues.
Dank des sehr einfachen Schreibstils und der kurzen Kapitel lässt sich das Buch aber flott lesen.
Daher schaue ich mal, wie sich Band 2 so anliest, denn neugierig bin ich dank es des kleinen Cliffhangers am Ende dann doch noch ein wenig geworden.
Die Charakterentwicklung fehlt eigentlich ganz. Alles scheint irgendwie gegeben zu sein. Fähigkeiten werden nicht erlernt, es wird nur Magie gezogen und schwups, schon kann man was neues.
Dank des sehr einfachen Schreibstils und der kurzen Kapitel lässt sich das Buch aber flott lesen.
Daher schaue ich mal, wie sich Band 2 so anliest, denn neugierig bin ich dank es des kleinen Cliffhangers am Ende dann doch noch ein wenig geworden.
January 19, 2018
2.5 stars
Sooo, while there were some things I liked about this book, it was just too slow and long and unexciting to merit anything higher than a 2 star rating. I mean, I didn't hate it. That's why I upped my rating to 2.5 stars, because this was a pretty average book. There was nothing I loved, yet there was nothing that I though really problematic.
So, the world building wasn't amazing. Trudi Canavan managed to convey the actual geography of the land itself to me, with the help of a map (thank goodness), which is made up of a load of Kingdoms that I can't remember the names of. But I seriously know nothing about these kingdoms - what is their culture? Their language? We literally never saw anything about them because the White (imaginative name, I know) are so elevated above them. I am also slightly confused about what the White rule. They seem revered everywhere, but they only seem to rule one kingdom? And they had to make all these alliances? For a war which didn't really have any causes? Things seemed to happen very conveniently so the plot could progress, especially at the end. And I have no idea how magic is distributed and who gets it. Also, most of the characters are very flat. We have Auraya, the God's chosen, very good, wise etc. She had no depth. All the male characters seemed the same as well, and the only interesting character was Emerahl, and even she fell into some clichés later in the book. I am also slightly concerned about the relationship between Auraya and Leiard. She is 26, and he says he's forty, but he's not sure??!! And he was her teacher when she was 16. And he has white hair...so i pictured him as old. And even without this age gap, I was still not feeling the romance. It was just so...sudden.
I did like the Siyee though. Triste was annoying, but I liked Drilli, and their romance was pretty cute. I think they were the most original part of the book - you don't read about many winged (as in, their arms are actually wings) tiny childlike creatures (not in any books I have read, anyway). And I enjoyed Emerahl's point of view, as she was the most interesting character. She was a bit less good than the others, and I think that made her more realistic.
This was just a bit to long and slow and flat for me. I did consider reading the sequel but they are such long books and I really don't think I would make it. This had some promise but the world was pretty boring, and I just really didn't care about many of the characters. There were small things I liked about this, but the general overview of the book was just average.
Sooo, while there were some things I liked about this book, it was just too slow and long and unexciting to merit anything higher than a 2 star rating. I mean, I didn't hate it. That's why I upped my rating to 2.5 stars, because this was a pretty average book. There was nothing I loved, yet there was nothing that I though really problematic.
So, the world building wasn't amazing. Trudi Canavan managed to convey the actual geography of the land itself to me, with the help of a map (thank goodness), which is made up of a load of Kingdoms that I can't remember the names of. But I seriously know nothing about these kingdoms - what is their culture? Their language? We literally never saw anything about them because the White (imaginative name, I know) are so elevated above them. I am also slightly confused about what the White rule. They seem revered everywhere, but they only seem to rule one kingdom? And they had to make all these alliances? For a war which didn't really have any causes? Things seemed to happen very conveniently so the plot could progress, especially at the end. And I have no idea how magic is distributed and who gets it. Also, most of the characters are very flat. We have Auraya, the God's chosen, very good, wise etc. She had no depth. All the male characters seemed the same as well, and the only interesting character was Emerahl, and even she fell into some clichés later in the book. I am also slightly concerned about the relationship between Auraya and Leiard. She is 26, and he says he's forty, but he's not sure??!! And he was her teacher when she was 16. And he has white hair...so i pictured him as old. And even without this age gap, I was still not feeling the romance. It was just so...sudden.
I did like the Siyee though. Triste was annoying, but I liked Drilli, and their romance was pretty cute. I think they were the most original part of the book - you don't read about many winged (as in, their arms are actually wings) tiny childlike creatures (not in any books I have read, anyway). And I enjoyed Emerahl's point of view, as she was the most interesting character. She was a bit less good than the others, and I think that made her more realistic.
This was just a bit to long and slow and flat for me. I did consider reading the sequel but they are such long books and I really don't think I would make it. This had some promise but the world was pretty boring, and I just really didn't care about many of the characters. There were small things I liked about this, but the general overview of the book was just average.
April 24, 2018
I love stories within fantasy that focus heavily on gods, priests, religions etc. so this grabbed my interest as soon as I saw it and it did not disappoint.
I love multiple POV in books so I’m very pleased you usually get 2 or 3 POV’s in a chapter and it was not overwhelming either: you are given enough time to get to know a few characters before a new POV is added. There are a lot of characters but that is part of why I enjoyed it so much.
The world building is fantastic. Canavan created such a vibrant world with really rich cultures and races. There are a few different religions that are a major feature in this book and they are very well done. Canavan has also introduced us to two non-human societies in this novel and they are both unique takes on ideas that are not seen much in fantasy.
I am so invested in Auraya, and also many of the other characters. The character growth is a strong point of the book for me as not only Auraya grows for both good and possibly bad but so do others and the possible outcomes of this growth are intriguing and I’m excited to read the next instalment to see where these characters will go next.
There was also a bit of romance in this book which I personally enjoy and I did not see it coming at all! I think the mini-conclusion to the romance was well written: it feels wrapped up in this book but you still know there is more to it.
Something I really appreciate is that the story was actually wrapped up. Sometimes series have a tendency to leave you on a big cliff hanger just before a big reveal and I find it annoying. Canavan wrapped up this story very well but there are plenty of questions I still want answered.
Overall I really loved this story: it spoke to a lot of my personal preferences and had a strong execution. I am so excited to read the next book, just have to wait for my library hold to come in!
I love multiple POV in books so I’m very pleased you usually get 2 or 3 POV’s in a chapter and it was not overwhelming either: you are given enough time to get to know a few characters before a new POV is added. There are a lot of characters but that is part of why I enjoyed it so much.
The world building is fantastic. Canavan created such a vibrant world with really rich cultures and races. There are a few different religions that are a major feature in this book and they are very well done. Canavan has also introduced us to two non-human societies in this novel and they are both unique takes on ideas that are not seen much in fantasy.
I am so invested in Auraya, and also many of the other characters. The character growth is a strong point of the book for me as not only Auraya grows for both good and possibly bad but so do others and the possible outcomes of this growth are intriguing and I’m excited to read the next instalment to see where these characters will go next.
There was also a bit of romance in this book which I personally enjoy and I did not see it coming at all! I think the mini-conclusion to the romance was well written: it feels wrapped up in this book but you still know there is more to it.
Something I really appreciate is that the story was actually wrapped up. Sometimes series have a tendency to leave you on a big cliff hanger just before a big reveal and I find it annoying. Canavan wrapped up this story very well but there are plenty of questions I still want answered.
Overall I really loved this story: it spoke to a lot of my personal preferences and had a strong execution. I am so excited to read the next book, just have to wait for my library hold to come in!
October 1, 2020
3.5 stars
In a world where magic and gods exist, Auraya has become one of the legendary, immortal 'Whites' - people chosen by the Gods to be their voices, and granted magical gifts and immortality. But Auraya doesn't have long to get used to her new position as Black Sorcerers from a neighboring land are intent on invading her world and killing those who impose them.
I enjoyed the quality of the writing in this, the care taken to unveil each character we follow and their personality and thought processes and the magic and wonder in this world that Trudi Canavan created. I can see a lot of the same style of writing and imagination as I adored in The Black Magicians trilogy though unfortunately the slower pace of story didn't capture me quite as much.
I felt this story quite slow, and there were times when I could describe myself as slightly bored. I was never rearing to get back to the book and pick it up which isn't a great sign. But this book is a real 'introduction' book to the world, the magic and the complex relationships between the different types of magic users as well as references to the history between them and occasionally resurfaces. I truly appreciate Trudi Canavan's slower, more expansive fantasy writing style and there were times in this book were I did feel anxious - such as during the big battle.
I also really appreciate all the different creatures and types of races in this book from the Siyee to the Elai as well as adorable dog-like creatures like Mischief the veez (I need one so bad as a pet!).
While this book didn't rock my socks off, I still enjoyed it and will be eager to pick up the rest of the series.
In a world where magic and gods exist, Auraya has become one of the legendary, immortal 'Whites' - people chosen by the Gods to be their voices, and granted magical gifts and immortality. But Auraya doesn't have long to get used to her new position as Black Sorcerers from a neighboring land are intent on invading her world and killing those who impose them.
I enjoyed the quality of the writing in this, the care taken to unveil each character we follow and their personality and thought processes and the magic and wonder in this world that Trudi Canavan created. I can see a lot of the same style of writing and imagination as I adored in The Black Magicians trilogy though unfortunately the slower pace of story didn't capture me quite as much.
I felt this story quite slow, and there were times when I could describe myself as slightly bored. I was never rearing to get back to the book and pick it up which isn't a great sign. But this book is a real 'introduction' book to the world, the magic and the complex relationships between the different types of magic users as well as references to the history between them and occasionally resurfaces. I truly appreciate Trudi Canavan's slower, more expansive fantasy writing style and there were times in this book were I did feel anxious - such as during the big battle.
I also really appreciate all the different creatures and types of races in this book from the Siyee to the Elai as well as adorable dog-like creatures like Mischief the veez (I need one so bad as a pet!).
While this book didn't rock my socks off, I still enjoyed it and will be eager to pick up the rest of the series.
August 19, 2011
Really liked this book though it jumped around a lot. I totally want Mischief lol he is so cute.
Read
April 26, 2023DNF at 20%. I just wasn't feeling it.
January 20, 2023
Ich mochte bereits die beiden vorangegangenen Reihen "Gilde der Schwarzen Magier" und "Sonea" von Trudi Canavan sehr. Bei dieser Autorin werde ich nicht durch drei Bände mit jeweils mehr als 800 Seiten abgeschreckt. Auch hier gibt es wieder mehrere Handlungsstränge, die sich um Laufe der Lektüre zusammenfügen. Die Passagen um Emerahl haben mir besonders gut gefallen. Aber auch das Volk der Siyee fand ich zauberhaft. Priester, Magier, Götter, Hexen, Unsterbliche, ein Meeresvolk und ein Himmelsvolk uvm. ...wunderschöne Fantasy - Teil 2 und 3 liegen schon bereit.
October 2, 2023
2,5/5
Todavía dudo entre el 2,5 o el 3. El libro en sí se hace largo y cuesta mucho entrar, no tanto porque la ambientación sea muy compleja (al contrario, me ha parecido lo más interesante), sino porque la trama avanza a una lentitud algo exasperante. Es algo que suelen sufrir las sagas de Trudi Canavan y por eso estoy dudando si leerme los otros dos o dejarla a medias.
Todavía dudo entre el 2,5 o el 3. El libro en sí se hace largo y cuesta mucho entrar, no tanto porque la ambientación sea muy compleja (al contrario, me ha parecido lo más interesante), sino porque la trama avanza a una lentitud algo exasperante. Es algo que suelen sufrir las sagas de Trudi Canavan y por eso estoy dudando si leerme los otros dos o dejarla a medias.
August 31, 2020
Klappentext
Die junge Auraya ist auserwählt, eine Priesterin der Weißen zu werden. Doch diese Ehre bedeutet auch, dass sie ihre Heimat für immer hinter sich lassen muss. Dabei könnte Auraya die Hilfe ihrer alten Freunde nun dringend gebrauchen. Denn geheimnisvolle, schwarz gekleidete Zauberer sind ausgeschwärmt – und verfolgen anscheinend nur ein Ziel: die totale Auslöschung des Weißen Ordens...
Meine Meinung
Das Buch berichtet aus der Sicht unterschiedlicher Charaktere, die eine oder mehr oder weniger große Rolle in der Geschichte einnehmen. Am meisten Zeit bekommt Auraya, die bereits sehr jung zu einer Weißen ernannt wird. Sie ist ein Günstling der Götter und bereits in jungen Jahren mit starken Gaben gesegnet. Sie ist neugierig, authentisch, ein wenig naiv und leidenschaftlich in ihrem Tun. Ihr fehlt die Erfahrung der anderen Weißen, während sie auf Wunsch der Götter die anderen Reiche besucht. Man erfährt so mehr über die anderen Völker und die Welt, die sich die Autorin ausgedacht hat. Sie ist unglaublich vielfältig und interessant und bietet nicht unbedingt die typischen Fantasyvölker, was diese Geschichte auch einzigartig macht. Doch es droht auch eine Gefahr, unabhängig von Politik. Es gibt mehr oder weniger überraschende Wendungen und Entwicklungen.
Bewertung
Ein gelungener Auftakt in einer interessanten Welt, der mich wirklich gut unterhalten konnte und Lust auf mehr macht, daher gibt es verdiente
4,5 von 5 Würmchen
Die junge Auraya ist auserwählt, eine Priesterin der Weißen zu werden. Doch diese Ehre bedeutet auch, dass sie ihre Heimat für immer hinter sich lassen muss. Dabei könnte Auraya die Hilfe ihrer alten Freunde nun dringend gebrauchen. Denn geheimnisvolle, schwarz gekleidete Zauberer sind ausgeschwärmt – und verfolgen anscheinend nur ein Ziel: die totale Auslöschung des Weißen Ordens...
Meine Meinung
Das Buch berichtet aus der Sicht unterschiedlicher Charaktere, die eine oder mehr oder weniger große Rolle in der Geschichte einnehmen. Am meisten Zeit bekommt Auraya, die bereits sehr jung zu einer Weißen ernannt wird. Sie ist ein Günstling der Götter und bereits in jungen Jahren mit starken Gaben gesegnet. Sie ist neugierig, authentisch, ein wenig naiv und leidenschaftlich in ihrem Tun. Ihr fehlt die Erfahrung der anderen Weißen, während sie auf Wunsch der Götter die anderen Reiche besucht. Man erfährt so mehr über die anderen Völker und die Welt, die sich die Autorin ausgedacht hat. Sie ist unglaublich vielfältig und interessant und bietet nicht unbedingt die typischen Fantasyvölker, was diese Geschichte auch einzigartig macht. Doch es droht auch eine Gefahr, unabhängig von Politik. Es gibt mehr oder weniger überraschende Wendungen und Entwicklungen.
Bewertung
Ein gelungener Auftakt in einer interessanten Welt, der mich wirklich gut unterhalten konnte und Lust auf mehr macht, daher gibt es verdiente
4,5 von 5 Würmchen
January 5, 2012
Interesting and with the potential to be better
The Good
-------------------------------
Secondary/Tertiary Characters: Most of the secondary viewpoint characters have some personality that make the story worth reading and some of the tertiary characters are good too. Character development is lacking for most characters though. Looking forward to more from the Hag.
Hints: There are many hints at history and future of the world -- enough potential to make continuing the series worth while.
The Bad
-------------------------------
World Building: I don't find the world all that interesting. Canavan's need to have fantasy names for all plants, animals, and beverages make the world less comprehensible (one of the annoyances of using an ebook is the glossary is not as accessible). While the area of the Si is more compelling, the rest of the world is pretty generic.
Auraya: a clone of Sonea of the Black Magician trilogy -- too good, smart, perceptive, etc. She just doesn't come across as a real person.
Story arc: Honestly there are no surprises in the story. The main story arc plods forward with no deviation or real turmoil (even with a war). There are a few developments, but no panic, suspense, or serious drama.
Hoping for more in the second book!
The Good
-------------------------------
Secondary/Tertiary Characters: Most of the secondary viewpoint characters have some personality that make the story worth reading and some of the tertiary characters are good too. Character development is lacking for most characters though. Looking forward to more from the Hag.
Hints: There are many hints at history and future of the world -- enough potential to make continuing the series worth while.
The Bad
-------------------------------
World Building: I don't find the world all that interesting. Canavan's need to have fantasy names for all plants, animals, and beverages make the world less comprehensible (one of the annoyances of using an ebook is the glossary is not as accessible). While the area of the Si is more compelling, the rest of the world is pretty generic.
Auraya: a clone of Sonea of the Black Magician trilogy -- too good, smart, perceptive, etc. She just doesn't come across as a real person.
Story arc: Honestly there are no surprises in the story. The main story arc plods forward with no deviation or real turmoil (even with a war). There are a few developments, but no panic, suspense, or serious drama.
Hoping for more in the second book!
April 18, 2018
First Read, 2014
While a tad slow and scattered at the beginning, I was thoroughly involved and enjoying the story as I read further on. Despite criticisms I've read of this series, I find Priestess of the White a strong beginning to a high fantasy trilogy with interesting races, animals, magic, and Gods.
Second Read, 2015
After reading this book a second time, I really can't figure out why I only gave this book four stars the first time. While this book can be slow, filled with world-building information, and a bit confusing at first with the rotating third person perspective, I think it's honestly a very solid and impressive first book for a high fantasy trilogy. There's a lot of very well-done and thought out world building, including interesting races (that aren't elves and dwarves), history, culture, a unique portrayal of magic, and also an interesting examination of gods, religion, and belief. As much as it saddens me to seen negative reviews, I do understand the slow world building and pacing aren't for everyone. Still, it's a very well done first book.
While a tad slow and scattered at the beginning, I was thoroughly involved and enjoying the story as I read further on. Despite criticisms I've read of this series, I find Priestess of the White a strong beginning to a high fantasy trilogy with interesting races, animals, magic, and Gods.
Second Read, 2015
After reading this book a second time, I really can't figure out why I only gave this book four stars the first time. While this book can be slow, filled with world-building information, and a bit confusing at first with the rotating third person perspective, I think it's honestly a very solid and impressive first book for a high fantasy trilogy. There's a lot of very well-done and thought out world building, including interesting races (that aren't elves and dwarves), history, culture, a unique portrayal of magic, and also an interesting examination of gods, religion, and belief. As much as it saddens me to seen negative reviews, I do understand the slow world building and pacing aren't for everyone. Still, it's a very well done first book.
June 18, 2019
This wasn't actively terrible, but it wasn't great. The writing and world building are both pretty pedestrian, and the plot is an old standard. The characters are all pretty one dimensional with fairly straightforward conflicts, and fantasy names that made me, a person who has a pretty high tolerance for made up stuff, roll my eyes.
Before I had access to the book-ternet, I might have liked this book. I've always had a soft spot for fantasy and good guy vs. bad guy show downs, and this would probably have scratched an itch. But now that I've got some tools for finding books that a better written and more inventive, this was pretty blah.
I wouldn't recommend it, and if you're looking for some accessible fantasy to lose yourself in, I'd suggest someone like David Eddings. He's not going to blow your doors off, but if you're looking for epic fantasy that doesn't ask too much of you, his world building and characterization is more inventive, and he jazzes up the old plot standards more effectively.
Before I had access to the book-ternet, I might have liked this book. I've always had a soft spot for fantasy and good guy vs. bad guy show downs, and this would probably have scratched an itch. But now that I've got some tools for finding books that a better written and more inventive, this was pretty blah.
I wouldn't recommend it, and if you're looking for some accessible fantasy to lose yourself in, I'd suggest someone like David Eddings. He's not going to blow your doors off, but if you're looking for epic fantasy that doesn't ask too much of you, his world building and characterization is more inventive, and he jazzes up the old plot standards more effectively.
August 8, 2016
Es ist schon eine ganze Weile her, dass ich es gelesen habe und damals hab ich es sehr geliebt. Ich kann mir vorstellen, dass es für "jüngere" Leser ein wenig überraschender ist als für mich, aber ich mag einfach Trudi Canavans Art Welten zu erschaffen.
Die Welt und das magische System sind eher schlicht & kein Meisterwerk, aber trotzdem überzeugen sie und man fühlt sich wohl. Ich liebe vor allem die Traumweber und finde den religiösen Konflikt sehr interessant.
Die unterschiedlichen Perspektiven sind gut abgestimmt und ergänzen sich angenehm. Ebenso die Perspektivwechsel sind sehr flüssig und haben mir auf jeden Fall besser gefallen, als in anderen Fantasybüchern. Sie schreien einfach nicht so sehr nach Cliffhanger.
Das Ende ist schön abgeschlossen, aber gibt schon Ausblicke wie es weiter gehen wird und was noch kommen könnte. Kein Wunder, dass ich damals quasi in die Buchhandlung gerannt bin, um mir den zweiten Band zu holen :D
Die Welt und das magische System sind eher schlicht & kein Meisterwerk, aber trotzdem überzeugen sie und man fühlt sich wohl. Ich liebe vor allem die Traumweber und finde den religiösen Konflikt sehr interessant.
Die unterschiedlichen Perspektiven sind gut abgestimmt und ergänzen sich angenehm. Ebenso die Perspektivwechsel sind sehr flüssig und haben mir auf jeden Fall besser gefallen, als in anderen Fantasybüchern. Sie schreien einfach nicht so sehr nach Cliffhanger.
Das Ende ist schön abgeschlossen, aber gibt schon Ausblicke wie es weiter gehen wird und was noch kommen könnte. Kein Wunder, dass ich damals quasi in die Buchhandlung gerannt bin, um mir den zweiten Band zu holen :D
February 26, 2009
Was looking for a new author (having exhausted all the ones I know I like). Ran across this in the local library. I really couldn't get into it. The writing was a bit clunky and the plotline seemed fairly standard high fantasy by the time I gave up. The world building seemed potentially interesting, but I couldn't bring myself to care enough to keep reading. I gather from other comments that this author has more interesting works, so I may try another book another time.
February 10, 2008
This is just not fun. I'm having to force myself to finish it. I can't even be sure if it's a good book, I'm so sick of reading it! The plot seems creative, but something about it draaaaaaaags.
Edit: Finally finished it, and still completely unimpressed. And after I enjoyed her other trilogy so much, too!
Edit: Finally finished it, and still completely unimpressed. And after I enjoyed her other trilogy so much, too!
June 12, 2019
"All you can be sure of in life is change."
It's a very calming book, good for relaxation. But also boring and not very creative. I noticed some inspiration from old Greek mythology. The novel is disrespectful of religions and has waaay too many characters. I didn't complete it.
It's a very calming book, good for relaxation. But also boring and not very creative. I noticed some inspiration from old Greek mythology. The novel is disrespectful of religions and has waaay too many characters. I didn't complete it.
April 14, 2024
Po "Trylogii Maga" miałam oczekiwania wywalone w kosmos i nie wiem, ale nie mogłam się w ogóle wgryźć w tą książką. Ani fabularnie nie zrobiła na mnie większego wrażenia (chociaż miała fajne momenty), nie mogę też powiedzieć, żebym polubiła bohaterów, bo główna bohaterka jest mi dość obojętna. Wciąż jest to świetne pióro, które sprawiało, że chciałam brnąć dalej, ale co chwilę było coś, co mnie rozpraszało i wydawało się ciekawsze. Nie jest to dobry start i liczę na to, że dalej będzie lepiej :O
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