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4.0 out of 5 stars
slow but rewarding, despite overwriting, Nov 29 2000
As is unfortunately typical for me, I read this series out of order; this comes from gaps in bookstores' stock and my own impatience. I first met Arithon and Lysaer in "Warhost of Vastmark," then read "Curse of the Mistwraith" and "Fugitive Prince," and began "Grand Conspiracy" before I finally found a copy of "Ships of Merior." It was a great relief to understand (at last!) the many back references."Ships of Merior" was originally the first part of a huge hardcover, with "Warhost of Vastmark" being the second half. I think this explains the slow pace of the book; it's not meant to stand on its own, even within the series; it's meant to set up "Warhost." We open a few years after the battle that ended "Curse." Arithon has been traveling with the Masterbard, while Lysaer has been living in Etarra. Dakar is sent to Arithon, and is unaware, for quite a long time, that he has found him; Arithon is nothing if not a master of disguise. The story takes Arithon and Dakar (who can become tiresome in his drunkenness and hatred of Arithon) through several seemingly unconnected events, while Lysaer begins to take control of Tysan and gathers an army to destroy Arithon. Eventually, the brothers meet in yet another climactic battle, in which Arithon again uses guile and shadows to drive Lysaer back, at a great cost in lives. A strength of this series is the pain both brothers feel when others die in their personal war; all too often, common soldiers die and it is merely regretable, but Arithon feels each death like his own, and Lysaer (though becoming less likeable) is also tormented. Sadly, the Mistrwraith's curse twists his pain away from the obvious course -- peace -- into renewed determination to capture and kill his brother. Thus do the Wars of Light and Shadow (fortunately for us, unfortunately for the characters) continue. The transitions between events are not always smooth, and some motivations are a bit sketchy. For example, Dakar distrusts Arithon because he misinterpreted Asandir's reasons for memory-blocking the Master of Shadows in "Curse," and because he doesn't know why Arithon used dark sorcery during the battle in Strakewood. This is not clarified well. Also, Wurts continues to overwrite. She rarely seems content with one adjective where she can fit two, or a simple sentence where she can twist it around. Still, "Ships of Merior" does a wonderful job of showing the characters moving through their world. Elaira takes a larger role, Lysaer shoulders the burdens of a kingdom and a cause (at some cost to his original morals), and Arithon's prickly, difficult character is examined in greater depth; he has quickly become my favorite hero/anti-hero.
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