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Moorehawke Trilogy #3
De rebelse Prins
Wynter Moorehawke has braved bandits and Loup-Garous to find her way to Alberon-the exiled, rebel prince. But now that she's there, she will learn firsthand that politics is a deadly mistress. With the king and his heir on the edge of war and alliances made with deadly enemies, the Kingdom is torn not just by civil war - but strife between the various factions as well. Wynter knows that no one has the answer to the problems that plague the Kingdom - and she knows that their differences will not just tear apart her friends - but the Kingdom as well.
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First published October 18, 2010
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About the author
Celine Kiernan
16 books396 followersCeline Kiernan is an award-winning author of fantasy novels for young adults. Her critically acclaimed work combines fantasy elements with the exploration of political, humanitarian and philosophical themes. She is best known for The Moorehawke Trilogy, a dark, complex trilogy of fantasy YA books set in an alternative renaissance Europe. First published in Celine’s native Ireland in 2008, the trilogy has since been published in 15 different territories, and translated into 10 different languages. In 2009 the first book of the Moorehawke Trilogy, The Poison Throne, won The Readers’ Association of Ireland Award for best book; it was included in the White Raven Collection and short listed for the 2009 Irish Book Awards in two categories (Best Newcomer and Best Children’s Book senior category). In 2010 it was long-listed for an Australian Silver Inky Award.
Celine’s fourth novel, Into the Grey (aka Taken Away) – a YA ghost story set in 1970′s Ireland – won the 2012 CBI Book of the Year (formerly The Bisto award) and the CBI Children’s Choice Award. It is the first book to have won both categories. It won the RAI Book of the Year 2013, and has been shortlisted for the Sakura Medal (English High) 2014. In 2013 the Irish Times named it as one of the best children's books of the past 25 years.
Born in Dublin, Ireland, 1967, Celine has spent the majority of her working life in the film business, and her career as a classical feature character animator spanned over seventeen years, before she became a full-time writer.
Celine’s fourth novel, Into the Grey (aka Taken Away) – a YA ghost story set in 1970′s Ireland – won the 2012 CBI Book of the Year (formerly The Bisto award) and the CBI Children’s Choice Award. It is the first book to have won both categories. It won the RAI Book of the Year 2013, and has been shortlisted for the Sakura Medal (English High) 2014. In 2013 the Irish Times named it as one of the best children's books of the past 25 years.
Born in Dublin, Ireland, 1967, Celine has spent the majority of her working life in the film business, and her career as a classical feature character animator spanned over seventeen years, before she became a full-time writer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
May 30, 2011
Here is Wynter (her name is so perfect; suits her):
Wynter is terrible in this book. Really. Her initial shame of Christopher made me sick. She also has many thoughts about how she wishes Christopher was suffering. Who the hell would want that? What's wrong with her? God, she so does not deserve him. At one point Chris is falling asleep with a cup of scorching tea in his hand, and she laughs to herself, hoping he'll drop it on his lap and burn himself. If it was cold, MAYBE that would be funny, but otherwise, no. She's like a little She Demon.
Okay, so. I didn't like this book. The only reason it gets as high a rating as this is for Christopher, my dear, darling, wonderful Christopher. It started off okay, then became very boring. Alberon is an asshole and remains that way until the end, so I wasn't interested in his character. Razi is selfish and jerkish in this one, too. He turns Christopher's vengeance into something about benefitting himself and the kingdom, rather than having it be FOR Christopher, which may sound okay, but since Razi always puts the kingdom ahead of his friends/relatives, even though he's not even a prince or a king, this is just more of the same. It would be nice if he actually did something FOR his friend and his friend alone.
Wynter is worse than Razi. She cares waaaaay more about strangers she's never met than her own boyfriend or brother.
There were many more unneccessary deaths and a ridiculous bout of amnesia that was just a plot device to bring Wynter to center stage, which didn't even work well, since Wynter has gone downhill in this book.
The characters seemed to grow stupid in this book as well. Chris was hardly in it, which was a mistake in my opinion, since most of the characters are unlikable, and when he WAS in it, he wasn't even acting like himself.
Then there's the end. What was up with that? It goes on and on and then just ends. I swear, Wynter was running toward someone for a good three-hundred pages, even though the person was RIGHT THERE. And THEN, the man who claims to be Chris' father chooses to rescue a DEAD BODY instead of Chris. What the heck? Chris is lying there bleeding to death, and the guy ignores him to pick up a dead body and run away with it? Um, no. That's not how things are done. Grieve later, unless you want to be grieving for two people instead of one. Idiot.
And the epilogue? Yeah, it needed to be there, but from the POV of someone we'd never met before? Why? Stupid. Which makes sense, since all the characters were idiots. Jonathon was basically a gorilla/baboon, except not as smart. Alberon was so dumb his head was almost deflating, since his brain was absent. He was either being dumb or strutting like a peacock.
Jonathon:
Alberon:
Alberon again:
When reading this, I was either bored or pissed off at either Wynter, Alberon, or Razi. I did not enjoy it. There was ONE funny line in the whole book, since Kiernan decided to take away Chris' sense of humor so she could concentrate on Alberon's meanness and arrogance.
It really annoyed me how Razi wouldn't correct people when they called Christopher his 'property.' It's so absurd, because Chris is a better man than anyone in this whole book, and yet he's treated like crap and people think he's not good enough for Wynter, just because her father, who was a carpenter was given a courtesy title by the king. So the heck what? Yes. I get that titles were sooo important, but it sickened me how even Wynter felt this way. As if SHE deserved better? Good joke, Wyn. The lengths to which you do not deserve Chris are so immense they could make a planet.
Also, at one point in the story, a HEALER tells Wynter it would be a good idea to kick Chris in the head next time he lost his temper. Even Wynter was like, Huh? So the lady justifies herself by saying, "Men are men." Um. Yeah. She's a genius, this one. Men are men! Really!?!?!? Wow! I never would have guessed! Men are men, so women should kick them in the head! That makes perfect sense! ...Ohman.
I don't think it's a smart idea to make your narrator the least likable of the main characters.
Wynter is terrible in this book. Really. Her initial shame of Christopher made me sick. She also has many thoughts about how she wishes Christopher was suffering. Who the hell would want that? What's wrong with her? God, she so does not deserve him. At one point Chris is falling asleep with a cup of scorching tea in his hand, and she laughs to herself, hoping he'll drop it on his lap and burn himself. If it was cold, MAYBE that would be funny, but otherwise, no. She's like a little She Demon.
Okay, so. I didn't like this book. The only reason it gets as high a rating as this is for Christopher, my dear, darling, wonderful Christopher. It started off okay, then became very boring. Alberon is an asshole and remains that way until the end, so I wasn't interested in his character. Razi is selfish and jerkish in this one, too. He turns Christopher's vengeance into something about benefitting himself and the kingdom, rather than having it be FOR Christopher, which may sound okay, but since Razi always puts the kingdom ahead of his friends/relatives, even though he's not even a prince or a king, this is just more of the same. It would be nice if he actually did something FOR his friend and his friend alone.
Wynter is worse than Razi. She cares waaaaay more about strangers she's never met than her own boyfriend or brother.
There were many more unneccessary deaths and a ridiculous bout of amnesia that was just a plot device to bring Wynter to center stage, which didn't even work well, since Wynter has gone downhill in this book.
The characters seemed to grow stupid in this book as well. Chris was hardly in it, which was a mistake in my opinion, since most of the characters are unlikable, and when he WAS in it, he wasn't even acting like himself.
Then there's the end. What was up with that? It goes on and on and then just ends. I swear, Wynter was running toward someone for a good three-hundred pages, even though the person was RIGHT THERE. And THEN, the man who claims to be Chris' father chooses to rescue a DEAD BODY instead of Chris. What the heck? Chris is lying there bleeding to death, and the guy ignores him to pick up a dead body and run away with it? Um, no. That's not how things are done. Grieve later, unless you want to be grieving for two people instead of one. Idiot.
And the epilogue? Yeah, it needed to be there, but from the POV of someone we'd never met before? Why? Stupid. Which makes sense, since all the characters were idiots. Jonathon was basically a gorilla/baboon, except not as smart. Alberon was so dumb his head was almost deflating, since his brain was absent. He was either being dumb or strutting like a peacock.
Jonathon:
Alberon:
Alberon again:
When reading this, I was either bored or pissed off at either Wynter, Alberon, or Razi. I did not enjoy it. There was ONE funny line in the whole book, since Kiernan decided to take away Chris' sense of humor so she could concentrate on Alberon's meanness and arrogance.
It really annoyed me how Razi wouldn't correct people when they called Christopher his 'property.' It's so absurd, because Chris is a better man than anyone in this whole book, and yet he's treated like crap and people think he's not good enough for Wynter, just because her father, who was a carpenter was given a courtesy title by the king. So the heck what? Yes. I get that titles were sooo important, but it sickened me how even Wynter felt this way. As if SHE deserved better? Good joke, Wyn. The lengths to which you do not deserve Chris are so immense they could make a planet.
Also, at one point in the story, a HEALER tells Wynter it would be a good idea to kick Chris in the head next time he lost his temper. Even Wynter was like, Huh? So the lady justifies herself by saying, "Men are men." Um. Yeah. She's a genius, this one. Men are men! Really!?!?!? Wow! I never would have guessed! Men are men, so women should kick them in the head! That makes perfect sense! ...Ohman.
I don't think it's a smart idea to make your narrator the least likable of the main characters.
November 15, 2010
My husband was reading the back of this book and mentioned that it seemed rather violent for my tastes. In many ways, he is right, so I've been trying to figure out how to describe why I liked this series anyway. Let's see if I can explain...
This series is about war, intrigue, betrayals, usurpations, rebellions, monsters (human & otherwise) and other ickiness that I usually avoid. It is also about love, loyalty, honor, and generally good people trying to find a mostly good path that leads out of the ickiness in a way that they can live with. It weighs revenge and when it should or should not be taken and what made it worthwhile (I didn't always agree). It yearns for peace after the price of freedom. It encourages finding out what makes one happy. It balances individual wishes against the needs of others.
It is about an unconventional trio of "siblings" (two half-brothers and a sort of foster sister), who love each other very much and want to find a way to support each other without supporting the bad decisions they see each other making. It watches them learning that some decisions belong to other people, along with the consequences, and they cannot be removed by wishing or ordering. It cries as they grow up & painfully make their places in the world. And it celebrates their everlasting bonds of family.
It is about their fathers, who love their children almost beyond endurance but struggle with the dangers & decisions that are thrust upon their offspring. Not only can they not help their children, they can't face their own pasts or see their own futures.
It is about their friends, who won't leave them even if it means their own deaths or destruction. It also presents a variety of potential allies, with hidden benefits & dangers, strengths & lies--choices to be made with lifesaving or deadly results.
It made my heart ache at times, from joy or sorrow, depending on the circumstance on the page. It had me rooting for some sort of "right" solution to be found, even when I couldn't imagine what that would be. And at the end, a solution was found (although not described in any depth).
This series is about war, intrigue, betrayals, usurpations, rebellions, monsters (human & otherwise) and other ickiness that I usually avoid. It is also about love, loyalty, honor, and generally good people trying to find a mostly good path that leads out of the ickiness in a way that they can live with. It weighs revenge and when it should or should not be taken and what made it worthwhile (I didn't always agree). It yearns for peace after the price of freedom. It encourages finding out what makes one happy. It balances individual wishes against the needs of others.
It is about an unconventional trio of "siblings" (two half-brothers and a sort of foster sister), who love each other very much and want to find a way to support each other without supporting the bad decisions they see each other making. It watches them learning that some decisions belong to other people, along with the consequences, and they cannot be removed by wishing or ordering. It cries as they grow up & painfully make their places in the world. And it celebrates their everlasting bonds of family.
It is about their fathers, who love their children almost beyond endurance but struggle with the dangers & decisions that are thrust upon their offspring. Not only can they not help their children, they can't face their own pasts or see their own futures.
It is about their friends, who won't leave them even if it means their own deaths or destruction. It also presents a variety of potential allies, with hidden benefits & dangers, strengths & lies--choices to be made with lifesaving or deadly results.
It made my heart ache at times, from joy or sorrow, depending on the circumstance on the page. It had me rooting for some sort of "right" solution to be found, even when I couldn't imagine what that would be. And at the end, a solution was found (although not described in any depth).
July 16, 2024
After the end, I want to cry. But...those are not tears of pure happiness. To be honest,I'm kinda disappointed.
It seems like author haven't had much ideas anymore, so she just added Maria, random lady in a place of Embla; Oliver, which was example of knight totally loyal to his prince (because there had to be someone for sacrifice of course), also haven't told us much about this famous machine (which was supposed to be one of the main concepts of this story, after all...). There are many boring parts, only a few chapters were full of action and pretty good for me.
And how the book ended...just not. It was too sudden. We haven't been able to see what happend Alberon and Anthony (honestly, it was my dream to see them somewhere together, like father and son). Ok, there was Anthony going to school, but it was too little. Marguerite ended up with Jonathan, not Alberon, so I'm kinda happy with that. Razi lost his memory and we don't know if he was recovered. He just stayed with Maria, and it seems like he accepted her son like his own (I was like: 'Poor Razi...'). Solmundur was quite lonely, and Wynter and Christopher, finally...What they were doing ? Well, they were living together. Oh, ok. Author haven't ended everytihng in a good way.
I really liked the whole series so much and I'm sure I will miss it. But this part...it was the worst part of whole series and that's for sure. Anyway, I will be grateful to author for Moorehawke Trilogy. I want to cry.
~The end.
It seems like author haven't had much ideas anymore, so she just added Maria, random lady in a place of Embla; Oliver, which was example of knight totally loyal to his prince (because there had to be someone for sacrifice of course), also haven't told us much about this famous machine (which was supposed to be one of the main concepts of this story, after all...). There are many boring parts, only a few chapters were full of action and pretty good for me.
And how the book ended...just not. It was too sudden. We haven't been able to see what happend Alberon and Anthony (honestly, it was my dream to see them somewhere together, like father and son). Ok, there was Anthony going to school, but it was too little. Marguerite ended up with Jonathan, not Alberon, so I'm kinda happy with that. Razi lost his memory and we don't know if he was recovered. He just stayed with Maria, and it seems like he accepted her son like his own (I was like: 'Poor Razi...'). Solmundur was quite lonely, and Wynter and Christopher, finally...What they were doing ? Well, they were living together. Oh, ok. Author haven't ended everytihng in a good way.
I really liked the whole series so much and I'm sure I will miss it. But this part...it was the worst part of whole series and that's for sure. Anyway, I will be grateful to author for Moorehawke Trilogy. I want to cry.
~The end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2010
I'd been greatly anticipating the third installment of Celine Kiernan's engaging trilogy, so when 'The Rebel Prince' came out, I scooped it up happily. First let me say I did enjoy it. It was overall engaging, and just as compulsively readable as the first two volumes, but there were a couple things that kind of gave me pause.
In 'Prince,' we finally get to meet the long-missing Alberon. Who, regrettably, turns out to be a full-of-himself prat. Now, that might just be how royalty IS in this land. However, how he managed to earn so much loyalty with the attitude he portrays is difficult to fathom.
And that right there is what threw me off the book, I believe. When you introduce a character who's been so key since book one, then make him just.. unlikeable, well. It throws the reader out of the universe a bit.
There are some good action scenes, including a fairly thrilling climactic scene. From an emotional standpoint the book delivers too. One scene, with Christopher commemorating his father, is particularly poignant.
Ultimately, the conclusion didn't wrap up as neatly as I would have liked, with some questions unanswered and at least one surprise development that was only vaguely hinted at in the book itself. Despite my criticisms, it's overall a decent read. I just wish I could have come to like Alberon more.
In 'Prince,' we finally get to meet the long-missing Alberon. Who, regrettably, turns out to be a full-of-himself prat. Now, that might just be how royalty IS in this land. However, how he managed to earn so much loyalty with the attitude he portrays is difficult to fathom.
And that right there is what threw me off the book, I believe. When you introduce a character who's been so key since book one, then make him just.. unlikeable, well. It throws the reader out of the universe a bit.
There are some good action scenes, including a fairly thrilling climactic scene. From an emotional standpoint the book delivers too. One scene, with Christopher commemorating his father, is particularly poignant.
Ultimately, the conclusion didn't wrap up as neatly as I would have liked, with some questions unanswered and at least one surprise development that was only vaguely hinted at in the book itself. Despite my criticisms, it's overall a decent read. I just wish I could have come to like Alberon more.
November 13, 2011
The third book and my least favorite, but better than it started! This book was less of an adventure and more of a political battle of wits. I was having difficulty getting into the drama until the last third of the book. I guess I am an adventure/suspense lover at heart. Wynter, Christopher, and Razi finally meet Alberon in his encampment. We spend a good portion of this book learning about the politics of government. Most of the book takes place solely at the camp of Alberon and his supporters. But, I got to a point when there were only 150 pages left and panicked thinking, how is the author going to tie up the loose ends with the few pages left. She did and it went well. I just wish she shortened the politics and lengthened the adventure. I am also not a huge fan of sci fi and the Twilight like transformation was a little bit of a turnoff for me. However, I still liked the story enough to give it the four stars it earned.
May 24, 2015
I simply adore this book. There are truly no words to describe how deeply I adore this book. Celine has concluded her beautifully realistic trilogy with great heart and emotion, making 'The Moorehawke Trilogy' one of the best series I have ever read.
I was so deeply engrossed in the story that at every twist and turn I fretted over the outcomes and reactions. Even when I was pried away from the book for sleep, meals and university lectures, I was constantly thinking about the latest plot development. Celine has managed to keep the secrets developed with the first two books teasing upon the edges of the story until they are suddenly brought forth and the truth exposed. I shall not divulge any plot spoilers, because ‘The Rebel Prince’ needs to be read whilst your hairs are standing on end and your gut is churning at all the possible endings to this magnificent trilogy.
I was so deeply engrossed in the story that at every twist and turn I fretted over the outcomes and reactions. Even when I was pried away from the book for sleep, meals and university lectures, I was constantly thinking about the latest plot development. Celine has managed to keep the secrets developed with the first two books teasing upon the edges of the story until they are suddenly brought forth and the truth exposed. I shall not divulge any plot spoilers, because ‘The Rebel Prince’ needs to be read whilst your hairs are standing on end and your gut is churning at all the possible endings to this magnificent trilogy.
November 7, 2010
Loved this series...Loved the characters....Satisfying ending...Please write more Ms. Kiernan...
April 20, 2018
I loved this series when I was younger but re-reading it was a mistake. The writing is repetitive and badly paced (everything happens so suddenly and in superlative! Characters are happy! Then furious! Then despairing! Most of the time within two sentences!) and the way race and sexuality is dealt with is iffy at best. Just because a character is a POC doesn't mean you have to mention their 'brown skin' or call them a 'dark young man' every thirty seconds. Honestly I struggled to finish this cause I was so bored and annoyed but I've got a target to hit!
August 28, 2010
I very sad to see this series end as I have grown so attached to all these characters. It is just very rare to find a book series like this. Anyways, onto my review.
WARNING!!! SPOILERS!!!
Rebel Prince picks up with the Wynter, Razi, Chris and the Merron on the way to Alberon's camp. After a happy reunion with Alberon, although afterwards Wynter and Razi discover Alberon's way to take control of his father's kingdom. The Bloody Machine. A machine that promises destruction to the kingdom, but through Alberon's eyes it promises victory. Razi and Alberon seem to disagree on all matters. Razi believes this tyrade against their father can be solved through political means, while Alberon sees that war is the answer. I found the interaction between Alberon and Razi to be very interesting. Their opposites, yet strongly bonded, along with Wynter who is their unofficial little sister. Wynter doesn't necessarily side with Alberon on all matters but she believes he is blinded by his views, that's what I interpreted. Wynter and Christopher's relationship is as strong as ever, with the couple's bond always thriving. Christopher always makes me laugh. Despite his dark and sad past, he is joker yet in Rebel Prince you see his dark side (if you read Crowded Shadows you'll know what I mean) when Alberon makes a dangerous alliance with the Loup-Garoups. The trio seem to have had enough of Alberon's dangerous games, and Razi and Wynter just want him to see sense. I have to say Sol has got to be one of my favourite characters. His bond with Chris is so heart warming and when he calls Chris his son, my heart melted. And Hallavor. I love this woman. With Hally, you got so much more of an impression of her than you did in the last book. And Sol and Hallvor have made me very interested in Merron, they are a fascinating bunch of folk. Razi also meets a lady, named Mary, who has a connection to a man from the first book. The ending ended abruptly, but I have no qualms with that and went straight to an five-years-later epilogue, it gives you a good insight to where the characters are in the future, Chris and Wyn, Razi and Mary, Alberon, Jonathon, even Queen Shuirken, everyone.
Overall, the writing was flawless, the plot was magnificent and I just wish this wasn't the last book. Celine Kiernan my hat is tipped off to you.
WARNING!!! SPOILERS!!!
Rebel Prince picks up with the Wynter, Razi, Chris and the Merron on the way to Alberon's camp. After a happy reunion with Alberon, although afterwards Wynter and Razi discover Alberon's way to take control of his father's kingdom. The Bloody Machine. A machine that promises destruction to the kingdom, but through Alberon's eyes it promises victory. Razi and Alberon seem to disagree on all matters. Razi believes this tyrade against their father can be solved through political means, while Alberon sees that war is the answer. I found the interaction between Alberon and Razi to be very interesting. Their opposites, yet strongly bonded, along with Wynter who is their unofficial little sister. Wynter doesn't necessarily side with Alberon on all matters but she believes he is blinded by his views, that's what I interpreted. Wynter and Christopher's relationship is as strong as ever, with the couple's bond always thriving. Christopher always makes me laugh. Despite his dark and sad past, he is joker yet in Rebel Prince you see his dark side (if you read Crowded Shadows you'll know what I mean) when Alberon makes a dangerous alliance with the Loup-Garoups. The trio seem to have had enough of Alberon's dangerous games, and Razi and Wynter just want him to see sense. I have to say Sol has got to be one of my favourite characters. His bond with Chris is so heart warming and when he calls Chris his son, my heart melted. And Hallavor. I love this woman. With Hally, you got so much more of an impression of her than you did in the last book. And Sol and Hallvor have made me very interested in Merron, they are a fascinating bunch of folk. Razi also meets a lady, named Mary, who has a connection to a man from the first book. The ending ended abruptly, but I have no qualms with that and went straight to an five-years-later epilogue, it gives you a good insight to where the characters are in the future, Chris and Wyn, Razi and Mary, Alberon, Jonathon, even Queen Shuirken, everyone.
Overall, the writing was flawless, the plot was magnificent and I just wish this wasn't the last book. Celine Kiernan my hat is tipped off to you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2010
I just finished this book, and let me tell you it was so so satisfying.. This is definitely one of my favourite series ever!!
I don't know where to start to describe how great this trilogy is, but I'll do my best.
I believe there are mainly three components to a person both in a book or in a real life: behaviours (or actions), emotions, and thoughts (or cognition). A lot of books focus on actions and not enough on emotions, I think. If a book is written from the first person, we readers usually have access to all of these three in that person and only to actions of other people. One thing I absolutely loved about this trilogy is how we get to see deep and complex emotions from all the characters. How did the author do that? She does this through describing the characters' behaviours (including their facial expressions) in such details, and it allows us readers to really feel with them. To get what I'm saying, you may have to read the book!
I also felt connected to the characters. By letting us readers see all the characters' emotions, I got to see various points of views, and all the characters behave in a way that is understandable no matter how crazy it may appear initially. Sure the characters disagree with each other and I may disagree with their actions as a reader, but their actions can be understood as neither good or bad.
I also appreciated how the complexity of human lives and decisions we make wasn't simplified. A lot of books and movies love to portrait things in black and white, or good and evil, but this series doesn't do that. Despite all the flaws, I loved all the characters and it feels like they are actually alive living somewhere I don't know.
Lastly.. I'm sure I READ this book and not WATCHED this book, but I have a detailed flashback whenever I think of my favourite scenes from any of the three books in the series. I can almost see how some of these scenes should be shot if they are to be made into movies. This is another reason why I loved this series; just how visual they are.
Okay, enough rambling from me. I hope you all got my message by now; this trilogy is AWESOME!! (sorry for the poor adjective to describe such a great series..) I will treasure the books.
I don't know where to start to describe how great this trilogy is, but I'll do my best.
I believe there are mainly three components to a person both in a book or in a real life: behaviours (or actions), emotions, and thoughts (or cognition). A lot of books focus on actions and not enough on emotions, I think. If a book is written from the first person, we readers usually have access to all of these three in that person and only to actions of other people. One thing I absolutely loved about this trilogy is how we get to see deep and complex emotions from all the characters. How did the author do that? She does this through describing the characters' behaviours (including their facial expressions) in such details, and it allows us readers to really feel with them. To get what I'm saying, you may have to read the book!
I also felt connected to the characters. By letting us readers see all the characters' emotions, I got to see various points of views, and all the characters behave in a way that is understandable no matter how crazy it may appear initially. Sure the characters disagree with each other and I may disagree with their actions as a reader, but their actions can be understood as neither good or bad.
I also appreciated how the complexity of human lives and decisions we make wasn't simplified. A lot of books and movies love to portrait things in black and white, or good and evil, but this series doesn't do that. Despite all the flaws, I loved all the characters and it feels like they are actually alive living somewhere I don't know.
Lastly.. I'm sure I READ this book and not WATCHED this book, but I have a detailed flashback whenever I think of my favourite scenes from any of the three books in the series. I can almost see how some of these scenes should be shot if they are to be made into movies. This is another reason why I loved this series; just how visual they are.
Okay, enough rambling from me. I hope you all got my message by now; this trilogy is AWESOME!! (sorry for the poor adjective to describe such a great series..) I will treasure the books.
December 31, 2010
The three books of the series are The Poison Throne, The Crowded Shadows and The Rebel Prince. I'm reviewing them together partly because it would be hard to write individual reviews without a ton of spoilers...but also because I was insanely addicted to the series and read all three books in a row, and in a ridiculously short amount of time. Oh - and fair warning - there will be gushing to follow.
Here, friends. Here is a series to get lost in. This world, these people...they don't let you keep them on the pages of the book for long. I got so completely caught up in the adventures of Wynter, Razi and Christopher; when I would set the books down for something it would take me a disorienting moment to remember that I wasn't actually with them and part of the story. That, my friends, is the biggest gift a book can give you.
The politics, characters and different tribes and nations of people are all so layered and complex. I'm already looking forward to rereading the series sometime in the future because I know there is enough to the story that I will be picking up all kinds of things that I missed the first time.
I could never critique these books by saying "I didn't like what this character did in this situation" or "I wish she had written this part different" because...of course there are things I wish the characters hadn't done, or things that I wish had happened differently. Reading these books means watching a world unfold. (I did warn you there'd be gushing.) But, fair warning, there is a lot of intensity, and a lot of things that are hard to read (like human sacrifice).
In a lot of ways, reading is a never-ending search for books like these...the ones that give you a complete escape. If you like that feeling (and you know the one I'm talking about), then this really is a trilogy you shouldn't miss.
Here, friends. Here is a series to get lost in. This world, these people...they don't let you keep them on the pages of the book for long. I got so completely caught up in the adventures of Wynter, Razi and Christopher; when I would set the books down for something it would take me a disorienting moment to remember that I wasn't actually with them and part of the story. That, my friends, is the biggest gift a book can give you.
The politics, characters and different tribes and nations of people are all so layered and complex. I'm already looking forward to rereading the series sometime in the future because I know there is enough to the story that I will be picking up all kinds of things that I missed the first time.
I could never critique these books by saying "I didn't like what this character did in this situation" or "I wish she had written this part different" because...of course there are things I wish the characters hadn't done, or things that I wish had happened differently. Reading these books means watching a world unfold. (I did warn you there'd be gushing.) But, fair warning, there is a lot of intensity, and a lot of things that are hard to read (like human sacrifice).
In a lot of ways, reading is a never-ending search for books like these...the ones that give you a complete escape. If you like that feeling (and you know the one I'm talking about), then this really is a trilogy you shouldn't miss.
April 30, 2019
Again, I remember not entirely grasping what everything meant when I read The Rebel Prince the first time. The plot is so intricate at times, as are the characters' plans, that as a teenager, I sometimes found myself slightly confused - and yet I still loved this book. As a 25-year-old, all the confusion is gone and I love it even more. This trilogy just gets better as I grow older, because I keep discovering new things I didn't notice or understand the first - or second, or third - time I read these books.
The way everything is resolved in the end, as well as the plans Razi, Wynter, Alberon, and the others make to work things out, are just brilliant. There's so much going on and yet everything neatly ties together. Personally, I would have loved to see a little bit more of the direct aftermath of the main story; we get a wonderfully written epilogue that makes it clear where everyone stands and what must have happened (in general terms, anyway), but I just really want to know exactly how everything came to pass and what happened to bring all the characters to where they are in the epilogue. (Maybe a novella? Oh, I would love that!)
All in all, I can't even say how happy I am that I picked up this trilogy again, since as I mentioned, it just gets better with every re-read. It made me giggle and tear up, and I've felt frustrated, angry, sad, and hopeful, often within only a few pages. Sometimes I wanted to yell at characters and at other times I wanted to hug them. Bloody brilliant, these books - not nearly well-known enough and terribly underrated, if you ask me. They deserve infinitely many more readers!
The way everything is resolved in the end, as well as the plans Razi, Wynter, Alberon, and the others make to work things out, are just brilliant. There's so much going on and yet everything neatly ties together. Personally, I would have loved to see a little bit more of the direct aftermath of the main story; we get a wonderfully written epilogue that makes it clear where everyone stands and what must have happened (in general terms, anyway), but I just really want to know exactly how everything came to pass and what happened to bring all the characters to where they are in the epilogue. (Maybe a novella? Oh, I would love that!)
All in all, I can't even say how happy I am that I picked up this trilogy again, since as I mentioned, it just gets better with every re-read. It made me giggle and tear up, and I've felt frustrated, angry, sad, and hopeful, often within only a few pages. Sometimes I wanted to yell at characters and at other times I wanted to hug them. Bloody brilliant, these books - not nearly well-known enough and terribly underrated, if you ask me. They deserve infinitely many more readers!
October 31, 2016
If Goodreads allowed you to give a book zero stars, this book's rating would go down a peg.
Where...do I even begin?
I trudged my way through the first two books because I thought the premise was interesting (first book) and kept reading for the inevitable meeting between Razi and Alberon (second book). I was disappointed with both but soldiered onto the third book because - and let's be honest here - I had come too far to go back now.
This book was just utterly incomprehensible. The prince that everyone said was "the best of us" was a bigot and a misogynist. What little independence Wynter learned in the wilderness disappeared as soon as a member of royalty looked at her sideways. Razi groveled to his brother and then Christopher is largely ignored unless he's acting to shore up Razi and Wynter's miserable characterizations. And then the ending where It was just...so bad...
I read the Rebel Prince because I thought it would answer some of the questions the first two books were unable to. I was wrong and now I look forward to shoving this trilogy into a box and forgetting about it.
Where...do I even begin?
I trudged my way through the first two books because I thought the premise was interesting (first book) and kept reading for the inevitable meeting between Razi and Alberon (second book). I was disappointed with both but soldiered onto the third book because - and let's be honest here - I had come too far to go back now.
This book was just utterly incomprehensible. The prince that everyone said was "the best of us" was a bigot and a misogynist. What little independence Wynter learned in the wilderness disappeared as soon as a member of royalty looked at her sideways. Razi groveled to his brother and then Christopher is largely ignored unless he's acting to shore up Razi and Wynter's miserable characterizations. And then the ending where It was just...so bad...
I read the Rebel Prince because I thought it would answer some of the questions the first two books were unable to. I was wrong and now I look forward to shoving this trilogy into a box and forgetting about it.
Read
December 20, 2011Despite the fact that I liked a lot of things about this series, to me it felt underdone. This was emphasised by the abrupt ending to the final book. I never really connected to the POV protagonist and felt that she was the wrong choice to tell a story where she was more often than not on the edges of the action. Seeing things through Ravi and Christopher's eyes (or even Jonathan's or Alberon's) would have given the story more depth and made the political machinations clearer. A map might have been nice too.
My other bugbear was the supernatural elements. The ghosts and talking cats never really felt a convincing part of this world and seemed to exist purely as plot devices which was a shame because I liked both.
It is not often that I wish a fantasy book was longer, but I really wish this series had had more depth. I enjoyed it but found myself wishing it was more.
My other bugbear was the supernatural elements. The ghosts and talking cats never really felt a convincing part of this world and seemed to exist purely as plot devices which was a shame because I liked both.
It is not often that I wish a fantasy book was longer, but I really wish this series had had more depth. I enjoyed it but found myself wishing it was more.
October 6, 2017
The final book of the Moorehawke Trilogy was a good read and the ending was so perfect and different, I wouldn't change a thing
The 3rd book it differently much more political than all the other 2 but it is required with the prince and king situation
All the charters were amazing through out the whole book
I love this series and i feel so lost now that I have finished reading it,
I highly recommend this series for medieval fantasy and a hit of romance lovers
The 3rd book it differently much more political than all the other 2 but it is required with the prince and king situation
All the charters were amazing through out the whole book
I love this series and i feel so lost now that I have finished reading it,
I highly recommend this series for medieval fantasy and a hit of romance lovers
February 17, 2016
I loved this series so much I am so glad I finally got around to buying the last book. Such great characters and tension. I want more. But also so happy with how well the story ended, such a clever way of showing what happened to these amazing characters. Definitely will reread at some point in the future.
June 28, 2018
The third book of the trilogy. It was really boring 300 pages of the book where devoted to political nonsense in a camp. And all the problems where solved in 1 or 2 chapters at the end '-.- Why do you need 3 books if the problem is solved in less then 50-70 pages or something.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2015
Another re-read for this year, and I am not sure why but I find myself hopelessly drawn back to the Moorehawke world and the central trio. I suppose it is the combination of strong unique characters and wonderful writing that has me pulling these books from the shelf.
April 27, 2015
love this story til the end!!!
August 14, 2015
A fantastic conclusion
January 30, 2011
Original Review of trilogy HERE
A few months ago, Thea and I wrote a joint review The Poison Throne, the first book in the Moorehawke Trilogy by Celine Kiernan and posted the review over at Tor.com. I loved it (Thea not so much – which is fine, because this series has ANA written all over it) and vowed to read the other two books ASAP. I didn’t and that was only because I knew that I needed at least a good 10 free hours in order to do so: I had the feeling that once I started reading book 2, I wouldn’t stop until finishing book 3 as well. I was right: a couple of weeks ago I had a free weekend and found myself staying up until Sunday 4am to finish it all AND OH MY GOD, IT WAS SO WORTH IT.
Suffice it to say: in a perfect world, I would love all the books that I read as much I loved the Moorehawke trilogy. Furthermore, you know by now that I love Fantasy novels, LOVE them. But it is very, very rarely that they are character-driven and that is exactly the greatest strength of this series. I can always enjoy gritty, dark fantasy on an intellectual level but very rarely on an emotional one.
The beautiful Australian covers form a picture
The Moorehawke Trilogy is set in alternate Europe in what feels like the beginning of the Modern Era (circa 15th-16th century). Basically, in terms of plot and with as little in the way of spoilers as possible:
The protagonist-narrator, Wynter Moorehawke and her dying father, return home in The Poison Throne after a 5 year absence, eager to see her two childhood friends/brothers Razi and Alberon only to find the Kingdom in the throes of political and religious turmoil. The once kind and enlightened King Jonathon has become a tyrant who opened the doors to the Inquisition, subverting the previous order. Now, the Cats who used to communicate with people have been killed and the Ghosts of the Castle have been declared non-existent. Even more distressing is the political instability as Alberon, the official heir to the throne is nowhere to be seen and his half-brother (and bastard son), Razi has been proclaimed the new heir. The story follows Wynter and her father as well as Razi and his best friend Christopher as they are caught up in the middle of transition. After events in the end of book one, in The Crowded Shadows, the three amigos – Razi, Wynter and Christopher – set out (apart at first, together eventually) to find Alberon to try and make sense of what in the world is going on and why is he rebelling against his own father and what exactly is this Weapon that everybody seems to fear so much. And then finally in book 3, The Rebel Prince, they meet with Alberon and all of the plotlines come together and we learn the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth.
Even more basically: book 1, is set at Court, is full of social intrigue and is effectively the Mystery book. Book two is a on-the road-book but also the Relationship book. Book three is set mostly at Alberon’s camp and is the Politics book.
But more to the point: none of what I said so far reveals what really is the heart and soul of this series: its characters, their diversity (Razi is Arab for example and there are secondary gay characters in an awesome loving relationship as well), their struggles, the relationships. They are all well-drawn, from the three main characters, to the villains, to the secondary characters.
Wynter, Razi and Christopher are all in a way reluctant heroes. Wynter would much rather be working than being at Court; Razi is a doctor and does not want to take his brother’s place much less be in charge of a whole Kingdom; Christopher has his own agenda but will put it aside due to his undying loyalty to Razi.
Chris and Wyn, by the author
They are all terrified by what is going on but they take upon themselves to do something: for their Kingdom, for their friends, for each other, for Alberon, who is absent and who needs to be heard. Razi and Christopher have been through a lot of stuff together before the story even starts; Razi and Wynter are like brother and sister and their relationship is awesome and heart-warming and then there is the equally awesome and heart-warming romance between Wynter and Christopher that develops over the course of the three books (the scene where he asks her name and we learn that Wynter is not her real name – and why she is called Wynter in the first place is all kinds of amazing).
More than the main trio and their relationship with each other though, there are other characters that shone through: Wyn’s father, Lorcan; Razi and Alberon’s; Alberon, who was a huge surprise in the way that he was not what I expected at all and it took some time to warm up to him; and dear lord, the plethora of characters in the Merron’s camp (where a great part of book 2 is set). The Merron are a nation (to which Christopher almost reluctantly belongs to) of nomads who have their own religious beliefs (you can read more about them in the author’s website) and I thought this part of the story was absolutely fascinating: it revealed more about Christopher, it revealed more about the world-building; this is where Razi falls in love too:
Razy and Embla, by the author.
And it is all so heartbreaking and even more than that: there are huge plot twists in this part of the story and they are HORRENDOUS and it is even more awesome because even though these horrible things are perpetrated by the Merron people, still, the author makes it possible for the reader to understand WHY. This is no mean feat, because of what exactly I am talking about (clue: human sacrifice) .
Just to make things clear: when I say that the characters are what made this series for me, this does not mean that the series is plot-less – this is far from the truth. It is just that the religious, political, economical issues are all felt and lived by the characters and they are the ones to move the plot forward not the other way around in a well-balanced story. It is interesting to note that out of the three books, The Crowded Shadows is by far my favourite: it is possibly where one can argue, “nothing” really happens, to wit I would counter argue that in fact, it is the book where the MOST AWESOME things happen, but they are all of the emotional variety.
In the end, it was hard for me to side with one side or the other – which to me just shows how really COMPLEX the running of a freaking kingdom is and how there are no easy answers. And I appreciated how the author never once let me down in this regard.
And not even the appearance of a last-minute deus ex machina that nearly BROKE MY HEART, was enough to bring down this series. I fully understood the necessity of said deus ex machina, even if the HOW it happens was not to my own liking. My reaction though, is admittedly a part of my personal emotional investment in this series. It is interesting, how that same sequence of events though, holds what is the ultimate, finest moment of each character.
And I shall leave you with my MOST FAVOURITE scene, in which Wynter (have I told you how awesome she is?) tells Christopher:
You listen to me, Freeman Garron. I am telling you now, I love you.
‘I love you’, she insisted, her face very close to his.’To court I shall always be the Protector Lady Wynter Moorehawke. To Razi and Alberon I shall always be Wyn – Razi’s baby, Albi’s little sis. These things are what I am, Christopher, and I am proud of them. But I am also your Iseult. You are the only man to whom I shall ever be thus, and I shall never let that go. We shall find our place,’ she promised. ‘I’m not yet certain how we shall find it, or where it will be, but wherever it is, we shall be together, Christopher; and whatever we are doing, it will not involve me sitting in a tent waiting for my menfolk to change the world.’
It is stuff to warm up your soul, y’all.
A few months ago, Thea and I wrote a joint review The Poison Throne, the first book in the Moorehawke Trilogy by Celine Kiernan and posted the review over at Tor.com. I loved it (Thea not so much – which is fine, because this series has ANA written all over it) and vowed to read the other two books ASAP. I didn’t and that was only because I knew that I needed at least a good 10 free hours in order to do so: I had the feeling that once I started reading book 2, I wouldn’t stop until finishing book 3 as well. I was right: a couple of weeks ago I had a free weekend and found myself staying up until Sunday 4am to finish it all AND OH MY GOD, IT WAS SO WORTH IT.
Suffice it to say: in a perfect world, I would love all the books that I read as much I loved the Moorehawke trilogy. Furthermore, you know by now that I love Fantasy novels, LOVE them. But it is very, very rarely that they are character-driven and that is exactly the greatest strength of this series. I can always enjoy gritty, dark fantasy on an intellectual level but very rarely on an emotional one.
The beautiful Australian covers form a picture
The Moorehawke Trilogy is set in alternate Europe in what feels like the beginning of the Modern Era (circa 15th-16th century). Basically, in terms of plot and with as little in the way of spoilers as possible:
The protagonist-narrator, Wynter Moorehawke and her dying father, return home in The Poison Throne after a 5 year absence, eager to see her two childhood friends/brothers Razi and Alberon only to find the Kingdom in the throes of political and religious turmoil. The once kind and enlightened King Jonathon has become a tyrant who opened the doors to the Inquisition, subverting the previous order. Now, the Cats who used to communicate with people have been killed and the Ghosts of the Castle have been declared non-existent. Even more distressing is the political instability as Alberon, the official heir to the throne is nowhere to be seen and his half-brother (and bastard son), Razi has been proclaimed the new heir. The story follows Wynter and her father as well as Razi and his best friend Christopher as they are caught up in the middle of transition. After events in the end of book one, in The Crowded Shadows, the three amigos – Razi, Wynter and Christopher – set out (apart at first, together eventually) to find Alberon to try and make sense of what in the world is going on and why is he rebelling against his own father and what exactly is this Weapon that everybody seems to fear so much. And then finally in book 3, The Rebel Prince, they meet with Alberon and all of the plotlines come together and we learn the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth.
Even more basically: book 1, is set at Court, is full of social intrigue and is effectively the Mystery book. Book two is a on-the road-book but also the Relationship book. Book three is set mostly at Alberon’s camp and is the Politics book.
But more to the point: none of what I said so far reveals what really is the heart and soul of this series: its characters, their diversity (Razi is Arab for example and there are secondary gay characters in an awesome loving relationship as well), their struggles, the relationships. They are all well-drawn, from the three main characters, to the villains, to the secondary characters.
Wynter, Razi and Christopher are all in a way reluctant heroes. Wynter would much rather be working than being at Court; Razi is a doctor and does not want to take his brother’s place much less be in charge of a whole Kingdom; Christopher has his own agenda but will put it aside due to his undying loyalty to Razi.
Chris and Wyn, by the author
They are all terrified by what is going on but they take upon themselves to do something: for their Kingdom, for their friends, for each other, for Alberon, who is absent and who needs to be heard. Razi and Christopher have been through a lot of stuff together before the story even starts; Razi and Wynter are like brother and sister and their relationship is awesome and heart-warming and then there is the equally awesome and heart-warming romance between Wynter and Christopher that develops over the course of the three books (the scene where he asks her name and we learn that Wynter is not her real name – and why she is called Wynter in the first place is all kinds of amazing).
More than the main trio and their relationship with each other though, there are other characters that shone through: Wyn’s father, Lorcan; Razi and Alberon’s; Alberon, who was a huge surprise in the way that he was not what I expected at all and it took some time to warm up to him; and dear lord, the plethora of characters in the Merron’s camp (where a great part of book 2 is set). The Merron are a nation (to which Christopher almost reluctantly belongs to) of nomads who have their own religious beliefs (you can read more about them in the author’s website) and I thought this part of the story was absolutely fascinating: it revealed more about Christopher, it revealed more about the world-building; this is where Razi falls in love too:
Razy and Embla, by the author.
And it is all so heartbreaking and even more than that: there are huge plot twists in this part of the story and they are HORRENDOUS and it is even more awesome because even though these horrible things are perpetrated by the Merron people, still, the author makes it possible for the reader to understand WHY. This is no mean feat, because of what exactly I am talking about (clue: human sacrifice) .
Just to make things clear: when I say that the characters are what made this series for me, this does not mean that the series is plot-less – this is far from the truth. It is just that the religious, political, economical issues are all felt and lived by the characters and they are the ones to move the plot forward not the other way around in a well-balanced story. It is interesting to note that out of the three books, The Crowded Shadows is by far my favourite: it is possibly where one can argue, “nothing” really happens, to wit I would counter argue that in fact, it is the book where the MOST AWESOME things happen, but they are all of the emotional variety.
In the end, it was hard for me to side with one side or the other – which to me just shows how really COMPLEX the running of a freaking kingdom is and how there are no easy answers. And I appreciated how the author never once let me down in this regard.
And not even the appearance of a last-minute deus ex machina that nearly BROKE MY HEART, was enough to bring down this series. I fully understood the necessity of said deus ex machina, even if the HOW it happens was not to my own liking. My reaction though, is admittedly a part of my personal emotional investment in this series. It is interesting, how that same sequence of events though, holds what is the ultimate, finest moment of each character.
And I shall leave you with my MOST FAVOURITE scene, in which Wynter (have I told you how awesome she is?) tells Christopher:
You listen to me, Freeman Garron. I am telling you now, I love you.
‘I love you’, she insisted, her face very close to his.’To court I shall always be the Protector Lady Wynter Moorehawke. To Razi and Alberon I shall always be Wyn – Razi’s baby, Albi’s little sis. These things are what I am, Christopher, and I am proud of them. But I am also your Iseult. You are the only man to whom I shall ever be thus, and I shall never let that go. We shall find our place,’ she promised. ‘I’m not yet certain how we shall find it, or where it will be, but wherever it is, we shall be together, Christopher; and whatever we are doing, it will not involve me sitting in a tent waiting for my menfolk to change the world.’
It is stuff to warm up your soul, y’all.
September 27, 2024
Lange lag diese Reihe auf meinem SUB - leider berechtigt.
Viele Figuren wie Wynter, Razi und Christopher wuchsen mir ans Herz. Andere habe ich gehasst. Das ist total ok. Die Welt an sich gefiel mir auch, vor allem die Machtspiele unter den Kőnigreichen fand ich spannend und realistisch. Die Katzen und Geister kamen mir zu kurz und waren so nebensächlich! Sehr schade! Wer dich schön gewesen, wenn Wynter noch einmal mit ihrem Vater als Geist hätte sprechen können?! Schade auch, dass man nicht weiß wieso Wynter eigentlich so intensive Träume und Vorsehungeb hat!
Das plötzliche Ende und der Epilog haben mir so gut nicht gefallen, weil vieles offen blieb und man sich
vieles zusammenreimen musste durch mehrmaliges Lesen der letzten Seiten. Inhaltlich war es nicht das erwartete und gehoffte Ende fűr mich! Viel zu viele Fragen blieben ungeklärt!!! Wenn mir Wynter und Razi nicht so Herz gewachsen und die Dialoge z.b. zwischen Wynter und Christopher sowie Razi und Alberon nicht spannend und witzig gewesen wären, hätte ich die Reihe nicht ausgelesen. Ich musste wissen, ob sie Alberon finden. Jetzt bin ich aber ziemlich enttäuscht vom Ende der Reise! Traurig!
Viele Figuren wie Wynter, Razi und Christopher wuchsen mir ans Herz. Andere habe ich gehasst. Das ist total ok. Die Welt an sich gefiel mir auch, vor allem die Machtspiele unter den Kőnigreichen fand ich spannend und realistisch. Die Katzen und Geister kamen mir zu kurz und waren so nebensächlich! Sehr schade! Wer dich schön gewesen, wenn Wynter noch einmal mit ihrem Vater als Geist hätte sprechen können?! Schade auch, dass man nicht weiß wieso Wynter eigentlich so intensive Träume und Vorsehungeb hat!
Das plötzliche Ende und der Epilog haben mir so gut nicht gefallen, weil vieles offen blieb und man sich
vieles zusammenreimen musste durch mehrmaliges Lesen der letzten Seiten. Inhaltlich war es nicht das erwartete und gehoffte Ende fűr mich! Viel zu viele Fragen blieben ungeklärt!!! Wenn mir Wynter und Razi nicht so Herz gewachsen und die Dialoge z.b. zwischen Wynter und Christopher sowie Razi und Alberon nicht spannend und witzig gewesen wären, hätte ich die Reihe nicht ausgelesen. Ich musste wissen, ob sie Alberon finden. Jetzt bin ich aber ziemlich enttäuscht vom Ende der Reise! Traurig!
February 4, 2019
I really enjoyed "The Rebel Prince", it was a lot more fast-paced and information filled than the previous book in this series, which I found was a very good upturn. I also really enjoyed finally getting to meet Alberon after two books in which he wasn't present. Although, the ending seemed to be rushed and finished very quickly, the actual outcome of the book was never really mentioned. The prologue did clear up some of that, but the end to the story wasn't as satisfyingly written as it could have been. Definitely would recommend this to people who liked the Moorehawke Trilogy, as this book does resolve a lot of the mysteries of the first two books over the course of this one.
April 4, 2022
We finally get to see the great machine that this trilogy has spent much of its time avoiding - but not until right at the very end. Before that there is, again, a lot of back and forth and reacting to reactions to politicking that - for me, at least - doesn't make enough sense. The magic is still extremely subdued, everything playing second fiddle to the relationships between the three main characters. The full story seems stretched across three volumes and might have been better condensed into two.
October 28, 2022
"The Rebel Prince" - written by Celine Kiernan and published in 2010 by Orbit, Hachette Book Group. This novel finishes Kiernan's trilogy telling the stories of Lady Protector Wynter, Razi and Christopher, and once again they are traveling across the land trying to forestall conflict. As in the second in the series, the political disputes took precedence over the relationships between the close-knit trio, which I would have preferred the other way around. But it was fun to visit their world one last time.
August 1, 2024
I was a bit over the trilogy by the time I got to this book. The 'i can't/won't tell you the thing because of reasons' trope wore very thin. It did feel a bit more accurate though when I reminded myself that half the main characters were teenagers.
I also didn't enjoy the way the book ended very quickly with a random feeling epilogue. I was looking forward to seeing how the characters processed the last few events of the book and how things turned out, instead it felt like it ended suddenly with no conclusion.
I also didn't enjoy the way the book ended very quickly with a random feeling epilogue. I was looking forward to seeing how the characters processed the last few events of the book and how things turned out, instead it felt like it ended suddenly with no conclusion.
December 3, 2017
While this trilogy finishes on a positive note, it's a hollow victory for readers.
Akin to "Breaking Dawn" in the Twilight saga, this trilogy had a distinct build-up leading to an epic battle only to be a complete let down when it dissolves into nothingness.
Akin to "Breaking Dawn" in the Twilight saga, this trilogy had a distinct build-up leading to an epic battle only to be a complete let down when it dissolves into nothingness.
November 13, 2018
I loved this series..right up till the end. I just thought that the ending left too many questions unanswered. I would still recommend it to others as it is still a good series with great characters.
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April 2, 2020Poor Christopher. He deserves much better than his shitty "friends"
Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews