Fortress in the Eye of Time (Fortress #1)[July 17, 2026] > Likes and Comments

This is a Buddy Read for Fortress in the Eye of Time by C.J. Cherryh starting July 17, 2026.


Happy Reading!

Excited!

Fortress series:
1) Fortress in the Eye of Time (July 17)
===requests made to here===
2) Fortress of Eagles
3) Fortress of Owls
4) Fortress of Dragons
5) Fortress of Ice

Is anyone else reading this? I started today... it's reminding me a bit of Pinocchio...

I have it and had held off since I was overbooked and you were dealing with life :) I can switch over. I had gone back to the Mercedes Lackey book I had paused.

I don't mind rescheduling entire, if it's just us two chickens. I'm about 50% through the audiobook, but kind of want to rewind back to 25% anyway...

That sounds good to me. When would work better for you?

Want to try picking up again in July? None of the other books are scheduled yet, so we don't have to reshuffle anything.

I like July. Same date? July 17?

This is a superb series, one of my favorites, takes a bit of time to wind up, but when it does, it is incredible.

Wish I had time for a re-read with you all.

Hi Janny! What a pleasure it is for you to stop by :) Would us delaying a bit longer give you some time to join us?

Narilka wrote: "Hi Janny! What a pleasure it is for you to stop by :) Would us delaying a bit longer give you some time to join us?"

Ditto that!

Narilka wrote: "Hi Janny! What a pleasure it is for you to stop by :) Would us delaying a bit longer give you some time to join us?"

Not sure - I have a pile of ARCs and three buddy reads going for booktube channels, it just would not fit on top of the writing day, however, I have a very clear memory for these books and I may pop in to comment. Don't count me out!

I'll wait a couple days until requesting the mods update the thread. Let us know if something changes and you have some wiggle room :) Otherwise I'll push to July.

I put in the request to move this BR to July 17th.

Okiedokie.

Starting today :D

I picked this back up again, this time on eye instead of audio, and am enjoying it. Through Chapter 7 now. (view spoiler)[Still major Pinocchio crossed with Frankenstein vibes. Or rather, Mauryl feels like Frankenstein, with his brilliance and impatience, but Tristen is Pinnochio in his innocence.

I'm pretty pissed at Mauryl for his treatment of Tristen.... he's basically an infant, a child, only how old? Even if he has innate knowledge of something that doesn't mean he knows how to human. Teach him, don't just call him a fool for his ignorance! If he's ignorant, it's your fault for not teaching him, not his for not knowing!

Though I have to wonder, if Mauryl kept him ignorant on purpose... so many questions. I think it's the Belgariad, where the bad guys had the ability to search for people with specific knowledge, so the MC had to stay ignorant for his quest... maybe something like that?

And now Tristen's on his own in the world... first encounter with people didn't go very well. (hide spoiler)]

Also through ch 7. This is quite the slow burn. I find myself enjoying something different. (view spoiler)[It's very character and world focused. This feels like a real, lived in place.

I agree and am frustrated with Mauryl's treatment of Tristen. He's a newborn, literally! Just in an older looking body. I actually thought he was brought forth in a teen body and realized that he was younger when they mentioned him sort of hitting puberty. I laughed when Tristen did the very child-like action of stripping off his clothes to go play in the rain. I too wish Mauryl would just sit with the kid and teach him already. Too bad that doesn't get any chance to happen.

It took me a while but I get that the book Mauryl wants him to read is a magic book. A spell book perhaps? Was this the most poorly imagined wizard training??

I feel bad about Tristen forced out on his own. He has no idea about anything :( The poor kid. I keep bracing for something awful to happen. He's so innocent. I do wonder if Owl was sort of Mauryl? Or just a magic Owl helping him on the initial road? We are almost like Tristen - there is so much we don't know too. I hope the kid's ignorance doesn't get him in too much trouble. (hide spoiler)]

While I didn't get those specific vibes myself I totally see it now that you mention it. Forgot that in my previous post :)

Through Ch 9 (view spoiler)[Tristian's initial welcome at the keep made me wince, the poor kid :( I do wonder if the prince's thoughts were right, that if Tristian had wanted to fight back that the guards would be in big trouble. Hopefully with the addition of Cefwyn and Emuin (esp Emuin) will help us learn more about what Tristian is and help Tristian learn about himself and his path.

I'm also noticing what looks like a lot of Welsh or Welsh-inspired names. (hide spoiler)]

Through Ch 15 (view spoiler)[Huh. This is a lot more political than I thought it was going to be based on Cefwyn's POV. I hope we're mostly through the exposition of the varying rivals and can get back to the story now.

That ambush was something else. A mix of magic and regular treachery. I wonder if whoever is behind the attack knows about the voice in the wind or if the haunt is just taking advantage of the situation.

I definitely prefer Tristen's POV and discovering the current world vs all the political speculation. It is interesting in their speculation on what/who they think Tristen actually is though. I guess time and pages will tell. Hopefully Emuin can shed some light on this, assuming he returns as requested. I actually don't think Cefwyn has anything to worry about regarding Tristen currently. Just befriend the poor kid and you'll be fine! Thankfully Tristen has Uwen. Poor kid must be very lonely otherwise. (hide spoiler)]

This series is one of my favorites. Wait until you see how it develops!

An exploration of human nature's hypocrisies and complexities from the POV of a total innocent - brilliant and unique. I wish this series had more readership, it deserves far more love and a solid placement in the genre.

Glad you are popping in, Wurts-sensei!

Narilka wrote: "Also through ch 7. This is quite the slow burn. I find myself enjoying something different. It's very character and world focused. This feels like a real, lived in place.

I agree and am frustrate..."

I had a half-written comment on Chapter 7 & 9 and then accidentally clicked the evil x in the corner of the browser... every time I do something like this, I hit myself over the head for not getting that addon Iain keeps mentioning, that saves comment drafts...

re: Chapter 7--(view spoiler)[I like your theory about the Owl--even if not Mauryl, maybe something more than just a regular owl? Another of the wizards... I think there were supposed to be sixteen or so? Nineteen? Somethingteen.

I'm also curious about the face Tristen saw as he ran--was it truly Mauryl's, or just a likeness? I find that whole sequence confusing--like the night-flight it was. I should go back and reread it.

I like how many questions there are... what was Mauryl's purpose, in Shaping Tristen? What happened in this world? How does the title connect to the story? I keep thinking that maybe Mauryl was trying to Shape a successor, and that Tristen was supposed to be "born" with all memories, or at least knowledge, that Mauryl had. That he Knows things, and recognizes Words without being taught is a good sign, I think... and maybe Mauryl is hoping that in time, it will all come to him... including how to read the book. (hide spoiler)]

re: Chapter 9 (view spoiler)[Yeah, Tristen wandering into the town made me think of Kvothe... thankfully, it didn't last long... and Tristen seems remarkably resilient. No treatment needed after a tough beating? (hide spoiler)]

Through Chapter 12 now--you passed me! :) (view spoiler)[Tristen is even younger than I'd thought--he says he has no memory of snow, so the first few chapters must've been less than a year! I hate how Cefwyn started with treating him... Cutting him off from companionship or conversation is no way to treat anyone, much less an innocent or a child. Thankfully, he's finally realizing this, and is opening up those restrictions... and some interesting politics tossed in too. Story moving right along.

I'm definitely noticing what Wurts-sensei mentioned, how Tristen's innocent perspective makes for some fascinating observations. And ripples. (hide spoiler)]

Going to break for a day or two 'cuz I have to read Heated Rivalry by Sunday...

I'm actually ahead! Thanks for that lol

Through Ch 20 (view spoiler)[Wow a lot happened at once. The king is dead, long live the king :\

I'm warming up to Cefwyn's POV more. I'd say his paranoia has been proven on the right track. I truly wish he'd spend more time with Tristen. I think that's going to cause some problem almost immediately, which leads me to...

I'm very interested to see where Tristen's side quest ends up. I hope he can bring back the much needed proof to get people to listen to him about the danger. Or to come back with Emuin. Or both. That has to be frustrating to have almost no one believe you when you're truly trying to help out. I do wish he'd taken Uwen with him though I understand why he went alone. (hide spoiler)]

Actually read Heated Rivalry in about three hours and now am back and working on catching up! I need to hit your benchmarks so I can open those spoiler tags. :)

Through Chapter 15--(view spoiler)[I see what you are saying about the politics, but I'm not minding it as much. Some of Cefwyn's thoughts about the women flirting themselves in front of him for marriage, were rather... derogatory. On the one hand calling the twins profligately trafficked and then on the other, calling the ladies of his home city close-kneed. I don't think I've ever seen such a flowery way of calling some women whores in one breath and others prudish virgins in the next. How very manly of him (sarcastic).

I'm really curious to see how everything pans out. IS Tristen some sort of resurrected Arthur-style Sihhe once-and-future-king? I also like seeing Cefwyn chafe against Idrys and try to untangle the politics of where he's stationed... though I feel like we definitely don't have all the pieces to understand everything yet. Well maybe you do, Narilka, since you're ahead of me!

I'm really glad Tristen has Unwen, too... though his friendship is more like loyal supporter than true friend... Which again brings me back to Cefwyn, who feels in a similar situation. Too many underlings, not enough equals. Tristen has potential... but can he be an equal, as long as he stays child-like? (hide spoiler)]

Every time I see Sihhe in the text my brain tries to convert it to Sidhe hah (view spoiler)[I'm starting to wonder if it would almost fit though they way those people are talked about. (hide spoiler)]

Re Ch 15, though not a direct book spoiler. (view spoiler)[I've also been thinking a lot of the back and forth reminds me of Shakespeare and how those characters talk through things. Even the wordplay leans that way. I'm going to have to change one of the characters names to Horatio in my head lol (hide spoiler)]

I'm part way through Ch 26. It's a long one. (view spoiler)[And still not enough information to understand things, though it's slowly taking shape. Sort of.

I'm glad Tristen ran into these other people and found that Regent that actually understood - he was a minor wizard, understood the need for protection and also about the darkness infesting the land. Too bad that since it's spiritual that it's really hard to prove to normal people who can't access what Tristen calls the grey. And too bad he died. Luckily Tristen was able to bring his daughter part way in to the grey, or something.

It seems that Tristen is going to essentially end up escorting that small camp back to Cefwyn lol Won't that be a pretty pickle on top of the prince's other woes lol

And Emuin is back. Hopefully that helps put more puzzle pieces together. (hide spoiler)]

Hah, me too with Sihhe--first time I had to check my physical copy to make sure it wasn't a typo in the ebook. I was also thinking that textually (view spoiler)[Sihhe might fill a similar cultural place as the Sidhe, but now I'm thinking that they are all human, but different historical cultures... but the Sihhe also had magic capability. At least as far as Tristen (Sihhe), Heryn (Amelfyn), and Cefwyn (M~something) have no distinguishing characteristics so far to set them aside as different races of people. No pointy ears, no strange-colored eyes, nothing.

I like your comment on how the rapid-fire dialogue (especially with Cefwyn) seems Shakespearean. A lot of stories we read spell things out straight for the reader--they don't assume that we can read between the lines. (hide spoiler)]

I hit chapter 20! Though when I opened your spoiler--I think that must be chapter 21! Anyway, through Chapter 20--(view spoiler)[I'm getting some LotR vibes, with Cefwyn and his brother... feels kind of Boromir/Faramir with how the father favors one child and the depth of distrust in the other... And now he's messed everything up by coming himself, and (it seems) springing Heryn's trap... Cefwyn had a pretty interesting house of cards balancing, with Tristen's appointment/revelation...

Meanwhile, Tristen feels kinda Frodo-y, tossed into the middle of politics well beyond his ken, earnest and innocent, holding a power (both political and potentially magical) he doesn't understand... (hide spoiler)]

I was going to go to sleep now, but not after a peek at that spoiler... onwards!

Nirkatze wrote: "Hah, me too with Sihhe--first time I had to check my physical copy to make sure it wasn't a typo in the ebook. .."

I think you're right about the cultural bit. (view spoiler)[Not elves exactly but if there is a human strain with innate magic, it's the Sihhe. (hide spoiler)]

Hm. And now I read Chapter 21, and I'm wondering if our chapters are misaligned... (view spoiler)[Chapter 21 ends with Cefwyn making it back to town with the king's body, hugging Tristen, and sending him up to his room... Tristen hasn't left for a sidequest yet...

But yikes, the king dead... Cefwyn's mistrust of the locals seems well placed, but his brother's (and father's) mistrust of him is rather grating... and for the king to die before Cefwyn could prove himself true? A blow. And Tristen the only source of comfort... and he sends him to his room.

I rather want to shake Efanor. Seriously! Whose men was it on the road? Uh, well, who knew the king was coming? On whose word did he ride? Did Cefwyn have time to plot anything? Idiot!

Though the suggestion that the king knew about Heryn's embezzling and did nothing, or the possibility that Heryn was set to spy upon Cefwyn at the king's behest... opens up a whole 'nother can of worms.

Glad you're warming to Cefwyn's POV! (hide spoiler)]

Maybe? I'm reading on Kindle and they can have mistakes from time to time. It's also possible I didn't note the chapter properly.

Yeah (view spoiler)[I'm not a fan of Efanor. I am hoping we'll bypass some succession crap and he'll settle on his role as current heir. I do not want his POV. I want more time with Tristen dammit. (hide spoiler)]

I am on page 609 which my kindle says is in Ch 29. I'm getting book fatigue and just want it to be done. (view spoiler)[Too much time with Cefwyn worrying about and going over all the various politics/people who aren't really part of the plot is boring. I think I understand why it could be important, especially if there will be a war, but it's just not my favorite thing to read about for 20-30 pages at a time. That's basically what his whole POV consists of. Hopefully we get back to Tristen and the real villain soon and have an exciting ending to make up for it. (hide spoiler)]

You're so close! You can do it! I'm still moving pretty slowly--in Chapter 24 and trying to get to 26 and see if they match... I haven't had much time for eye-reading lately.

Let me know if you're interested in reading more of the series. I am, but also am willing to take it slow. Finally got to the quest part--(view spoiler)[Tristen heading off to... probably Ynefel. His "I'm not going to Ynefel" felt like a toddler's first lie... unsubtle and exact opposite. If it's true, I also don't have a second guess at this time, but I assume we'll find out soon.

Meanwhile, more information on Hasufin from Emuin's recollections and Cefwyn conversation with a historian. Pieces coming together. The conversation was a bit dry, but I like how the historian refused to jump to conclusions. Reminded me of the doing genealogy research in libraries with my parents.... (hide spoiler)]

I finished. There were some surprises I wasn't expecting. (view spoiler)[I did not expect Orien to turn to wizardry by letting in the bad guy to keep the prince from healing and trying to kill off his only true opponent at the time, Emuin.

I loved everything to do with Tristen's POV. Seeing the world through the eyes of an innocent was fascinating and joyful in many ways. Like him discovering the regular magic of breath fogging on a cold day :) I think as we age we forget about those things and it's nice to be reminded.

Some of the descriptions in Cefwyn's POV were mind numbing. Most of those people he was speculating about just didn't matter, though some did and you really couldn't tell which until the story played out. Some of the descriptions of the war preparation was excessive though you could tell Cherryh had really done her homework. I don't think I've read anything that detailed about standard bearers before and don't need to again lol

I wanted to smack Cefwyn so many times. He has a supernatural as a BFF, that he makes promise to be his friend and isn't that friendly in return, and then ignores his warnings because they're too weird. And then when they turn out true, he still has misgivings the next time??? I'm glad that in the final showdown it seemed he took Tristen's warnings in the moment.

My reading of the final climax was interrupted multiple times by an overly talkative husband that can't shut up. I eventually had to go hide behind a closed door lol The ending was very interesting. It never really comes out and says what Tristen's supposed to do but the gist I got was that he's to carry on Mauryl's work to rid the world of Hausfin. And I think that name at the end really is the soul that is reincarnated? Even after all that, no one likely knows that Tristen saved them all and won them the battle, he's still seen with suspicion until he talks as his normal self because... they were scared? I'm not sure I really understood that part. Maybe you will Nirkatze.

With 4 more books I assume that Tristen didn't actually kill him. If he did, then there was a lot more Mauryl was doing that we weren't aware of. Which wouldn't be surprising since we never saw Mauryl actually teach Tristen anything of what he was summoned for. (hide spoiler)]

3.5 stars that I will round down to 3 here. I am interesting in what happens next for Tristen though I'd like to wait until December to pick the series back up again if you're ok with it. Then do one a month like normal.

I don't mind waiting until December. I'll put in a request, if that's ok, to hold the place.

I just hit Chapter 26 and it is indeed a chonker, so maybe misaligned chapters were just up to there. I'm flying through the chapter though--a lot of interesting developments. I'm curious how much deeper the story and the secrets will go. (view spoiler)[I also enjoyed seeing Tristen meet the Regent--but a shame that it was just in time for him to die. The regent-daughter seems like a fun character though. I hope to see more of her, and think she'd make an interesting pairing for Cefwyn, if things go that way.

Emuin's guesses about Tristen's identity mirror my own--I was thinking either the babe that died and Hasufin took over, or an ancient Sihhe, patriarch to the line. Now that both my guesses were brought up, one dismissed and other favored, I have to wonder if they aren't both red herrings. The second poses a lot of interesting possibilities if true though--and his brand of magic does fit with Tristen's new understanding. Will the world, and it will. (hide spoiler)]

Through Chapter 29--I think I'm enjoying the book more than you did, but also have less and less time to eye read lately. Though this week I'll hopefully find more time. (view spoiler)[I rather like Ninevrise the more I see of her. I really liked the conversation she and Cefwyn had to cement their betrothal--and I was not expecting Cefwyn to just propose to her while she stood bedraggled at his doorstep, for that matter! I guess I should have taken his thoughts on the little statue more seriously. But discovering Heryn's treachery had further and further depths to it every corner they turn... intercepted and disrupted correspondence, treating with multiple Emwynim traitors... Cefwyn's decision to raise Orien to Lady in her brother's stead seems a dangerous one, especially piling the slight of a betrothal on top of it. I'm surprised she didn't go up to Ninevrise and said something cutting on the lines of "enjoy your sloppy seconds." Don't turn their backs to her, they shouldn't.

Though she did try to seduce Tristen--a very horrible misjudgment on her part. Which will only make her more dangerous. Bits like that keep reminding me of the early Tom Hanks movie Big.

But back to that betrothal conversation--it made me think of arranged marriages in general, in history, and how such conversations might've gone when people joined for political convenience tried to make the best of it. It is good that they seem so well matched, though Cefwyn's randy suggestions were perhaps a bit over-the-top for simple flirting.

Orien's definitely turning antagonist--and hints that the Quinalt and Efanor also will be more trouble down the line too. Efanor seems charmed by Ninevrise--but how far will that go? Infatuation with one's brother's wife is not a healthy persuasion... (hide spoiler)]

Finished this weekend! I also (view spoiler)[didn't see Orien turning to sorcery--but I was surprised it was caught and stopped so quickly. They still have to root out the person who boinked Emuin over the head and... one more. At least. Forgetting details though. Should've commented right after finishing.

Tristen's POV does continue to fascinate--not just the innocent joys of life, but the way he knows and doesn't know. The end name you mentioned--Hasufin shouting out at Tristen, and Tristen rejecting it... the soul might be Bereketh's but that doesn't make Tristen the same person. And we don't have 100% confirmation on that anyway, if we ever will. Tristen's experience makes me think of other stories (mostly TV/movies) where a person gets amnesia. Maybe they were an asshole before, but with a slate wiped clean, they get a second chance. During Tristen's time with Mauryl, Mauryl was always beating Tristen to remember, fool! His time with Cefwyn, he's made some friends and is learning to become a self on his own.

I liked Cefwyn's POVs more than you did, Narilka--I didn't mind his inner doubts and circling. I like how he considers every option, doubts everything, and questions even himself. I can empathize with those questions--how can anyone truly know anyone else? In the end, you have to trust someone, or something, and that is hard. Thankfully, Tristen is there. The moment near the end of the book, when Cefwyn found Tristen alive and just embraced him was touching. Cefwyn was raised without trust... and then the one person he thought he could trust, his brother, has turned against him. Idrys is even more suspicious than Cefwyn, and less politically aware... Cefwyn needs Tristen, and Tristen needs Cefwyn.

I don't think Hasufin is gone for good--Tristen won the battle but not the war, as it were. But I also don't think Hasufin is necessarily the only endgame. It feels like there's something bigger going on here, potentially... (hide spoiler)]