Banewreaker: Volume I of The Sundering [Mass Market Paperback]

I just finished this novel, and I'll say this to those who are drawing comparisons to Tolkien and gibing Carey for her lack of originality: yes, the plot may not be too terribly original. But have you no sensitivity to the point of view? That is what truly sets the novel apart, along with some fantastic characterizations. I'll elaborate...

Here is a novel much more along the typical fantasy line than Carey's last series (Kushiel's Dart, et al), which I enjoyed, and which had a vague hint of epistemological depth in its exploration of angelic and celestial themes. For me, someone who adores the "typical fantasy line" - I mean, if you are tired of gods and dragons, why did you even pick it up? - it's great stuff. The world of this novel was created by the Seven Shapers, who are demi-gods. Here again is Carey's fascination with the human characterization of divinity, and with human interaction with the celestial, definitely one of the strongest factors of interest in her writing.

There is definitely interest in the concept and even some ties to Hindu philosophy in the way that Carey ties each of her Shapers to a particular human attribute; the Eldest is the Lord of Thought, the Second the Bestower of Love, the Third is the Sower - who bestows the urge to procreate. This is an interesting mythology, and certainly one that I find thought-provoking and original. The war of the Shapers, and how it plays out between the races of Ellylon, Men, Were, Fjell, Dwarfs (all created by the Shapers), is the premise of the book. What is even more interesting is the point of view of the novel.

Satoris Third-Born, the Sower and the "Sunderer of the World", the dark lord that others compare to Sauron of Middle Earth, centers the main storyline. He is a sympathetic character, and those surrounding him are the main protagonists of this novel. Here is a philosophical demi-god unto whom was made an unreasonable request - to withdraw his gift - the urge to procreate - from the race of Mankind - and who denied, at the cost of his Gift itself, all the regard of all the races, and the wrath of his siblings. I suspect that there are strong metaphysical reasons, only hinted at in the beginning of this series, for his actions.

There are many other tragic storylines that create sympathy for the other main "evil" characters, and very little characterization of those who fight for "Good", personified by "the Lord of Thought". Carey's subtext is not only a metaphysical hint to the mastery of the other senses over thought itself, it is a subtle commentary on any who identify with a majority unthinkingly. There is also a strong cyclical nature to the mythology of this book, as identified by the deep and abiding knowledge of the dragons, who maintain that though Satoris has sundered the world, only in sundering can it be made whole again. The mystical nature of this cycle is, again, very metaphysical.

And, oh! The dragons! This characterization of dragons may just be the most moving I have read in many years, bestowing on them such tremendous wisdom, terrible beauty, and wonderful capriciousness. The dragons alone may just be worth the read.

In short, I think it's a fascinating read, with many levels on which it can be enjoyed, and I favor it over Carey's other work. I look forward to reading the next installment!

I've read many reviews bitching about cliches in fantasy and Tolkien clones and hey, I hate those too! Superficially Banewreaker is one of the worst, you constantly have the feeling: Yeah, I've read that before. But is it only me or did Carey imitate the magnificos of the genre on purpose to heighten the impact of strangeness? Everything seems to be as usual -Haomane and his elves fair and graceful, Satoris and his followers brutal and twisted. Yet the more you delve into the story the more you realize that Satoris is a victim of circumstances and desperately clings to the last shreds of his honour while Haomane is a master of manipulation (he is the Lord of Thought after all). The similarities to Lord of the Rings and Belgarion make those differences much more intense and disturbing - a grandiose feat of style (if it was intended).
With BANEWREAKER Carey has created a masterpiece of subjective views, of double moral standards and of the loss of innocence and honour. It is great in its own way and I hope the sequel GODSLAYER will fulfill my high expectations.

The author of the acclaimed Kushiel trilogy breaks out into new territory: a classic high fantasy which riffs off of Tolkien's Middle Earth and the Blessed Lands. This is not, however, just another stereotypical high fantasy with elaborate made-up names, featureless countryside, and magical objects to be won by young heroes rising out of obscurity. Carey describes Banewreaker and its forthcoming second part Godslayer as tragedies; they are the story of a War between Good and Evil told from the perspective of the losing (evil) side.

Carey uses certain elements recognizably borrowed from Tolkien: differing races of Elves (called Ellyl, the Welsh word for elf), Men, Dwarfs, Fjeltroll, and shapeshifting, predatory Were; a world in which mortals and immortals inhabit different continents, separated by a Sundering Sea; a dark lord brooding in his mountain fastness; a band of representatives of the different races toiling together on a quest. She combines these elements, however, with a cosmology that seems to be influenced by Zoroastrian and Indo-Iranian mythology, in which Uru-Alat the World God gives birth, in his death, to Seven Shapers, one of whom, Satoris the Sower, the giver of sexual desire and generation, falls at odds with the others. As in the Kushiel books, she borrows existing languages for her peoples; the trolls seem to speak Norwegian, the Ellylon (Elves) Welsh.

It is typical of Carey that sexuality plays an important role in the story--it is the giver of sexual desire who is demonized and exiled from the angelic ranks, and Satoris has an unhealing wound in his thigh which brings to mind the wounded Fisher King of Grail mythology. I hope that she will bring this theme more to the fore in the second half of the story and use it as her tool for exploring the root question, Are you evil if everyone says you are evil? And by extension, is sexuality evil because everyone condemns it?

I feared I would not like this book, precisely because I loved the Kushiel trilogy so very much, but I hated to finish it and can't wait until its sequel Godslayer comes out in August.

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