The Conqueror's Child (Holdfast Chronicles, #4) in The Alternative Worlds

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Feb 26, 2011 mark monday rated it liked it

Shelves: scifi-modern, after-the-fall

suzy mckee charnas concludes her saga, decades in the making, on a pleasing but somewhat minor note. for those unfamiliar with the Holdfast Chronicles, they are what could be called a Post-Apocalyptic Feminist Epic. the four novels follow the trials and tribulations of the 'fem' Alldera: wiley slave, rape victim, stranger in a strange land, rebel warrior, distant mother, and, finally, wise leader. she's a classic survivor in a world attempting to gain footing in both the rebuilding of civilizati suzy mckee charnas concludes her saga, decades in the making, on a pleasing but somewhat minor note. for those unfamiliar with the Holdfast Chronicles, they are what could be called a Post-Apocalyptic Feminist Epic. the four novels follow the trials and tribulations of the 'fem' Alldera: wiley slave, rape victim, stranger in a strange land, rebel warrior, distant mother, and, finally, wise leader. she's a classic survivor in a world attempting to gain footing in both the rebuilding of civilization and the rebuilding of relations between men and women. the reader watches a world changing from one that is dominated by an elaborate and very sick men-first philosophy, to one where strong-willed 'horsewomen' and conflicted ex-slaves violently take down that system, and finally into one where violence is increasingly seen as barbaric and unnecessary.

the writing is well-done: straightforward adventure writing, short on lavish description, with many scenes of action and planning for action. it is dialogue-heavy (charnas has a good ear for that) as well as heavy in internal musing and monologue. the reader really gets to know the inner life of all of the major characters, many of whom seem to be representations of the specific ways in which women can interact with each other and with men - although these diverse methods are enacted by characters with actual shading and nuance. charnas is quite fair, and so even her male characters are not demonized - although they are responsible for some truly heinous things, past and present. still, the male characters pale in comparison with the wonderfully proud, strong, independent, diverse women in the novel - robust and honest portrayals that i really appreciated. i also appreciated and admired how the novel handles both heterosexuality and homosexuality.

all those positive things aside, this is not a particularly distinctive novel. charnas has such a sure touch with creating genuinely realistic motivation (there are no grand heroines) and in carefully depicting the realistic ways in which society can slowly rebuild itself (many banal steps in the process are detailed)...she has such a steady hand that perhaps, in the end, the novel feels somewhat colorless. a bit boring as well. it certainly lacks the tension, intensity, and ability to challenge and disturb of the first novel in the series: Walk to the End of the World. i did like, or at least grow to begrudgingly understand, all of the characters in The Conqueror's Child. but absent were the feelings of love and admiration, anger and hate, that i felt for the characters within that truly distinctive first novel, one read so long ago. well i suppose it just means that the series grew up alongside me. ...more

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Nov 24, 2008 H. R. rated it really liked it

Shelves: science-fiction, apocalpyse, fiction, fantasy, authors_suzy_mckee_charnas

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Sep 10, 2008 Carolyn rated it it was ok

Shelves: science-fiction, science-fiction_post-apoc-dystopian

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