Customer Reviews

Son of Avonar

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've read the whole series and this is one of the better books of it. This is one of her better series, the action is good as well as the flow of the plot. Character development is well done, though the ending of this one tends to be a slight let down. However I encourage any lover of fantasy to try this out.

If you like books like this one, might I suggest another I've recently come across. The Unsuspecting Mage by Brian S. Pratt. It's another fantasy adventure sure to please. I highly recommend it

I've been following Carol Berg's novels quite avidly since Transformation, and I must say that she really is something. Her characters are all so vivid and so are her description of situations visual as well, and these really do compromise for the weaker plot.

Of course, I enjoyed Son of Avanor as much as I have enjoyed Song of the Beast and Transformation, but I am a bit disappointed because it seems that Berg never gets out of that 'fallen'-person-turns-hero pattern. Although I find it interesting that she should adopt a female narrative as opposed to Aidan and Seyonne (I know there's Lara in Song of the Beast) this time, and her writing is still very good, I find that I'm not particularly looking forward to the next instalment, probably because I feel this novel by itself has quite an adequate closure to it. For fear of spoiling anything for people who has not read it, I find it almost ridiculous that D'Nathiel is in fact this other person--that was the one part when I had to put down the book and say, 'this sucks'.

But still, it is over all a thoroughly enjoyable book and a few scenes have me crying. Ah, what the? I'm still going to get the second book anyway.

If there's one thing Carol Berg it good at, it's redeeming fallen characters. Her first published work, Transformation, remains her most successful, but this book's derivation of that storyline also works well. Once again, we have an older, emotionally and physically scarred character who reluctantly draws a younger, haughty boy into an understanding of himself. What sets this book apart from Transformation is that the older character is female, and there's a significant plot twist in the young man's self-discovery.

Berg also attempts a more experimental narrative form for this book. Present-time action interweaves with a past that's compelling even though we already know it ends tragically. Ideally, this form would do better than a chronological storyline at giving the past power to illuminate the present. I think that's what Berg was aiming for, and I admire her for attempting it. However, my own opinion is that this would have been better off as two separate books. The suspense would have been drawn out much more in the first story by not knowing the tragic ending, and experiencing that along with the characters would mean more suspense in hoping for a happy resolution to the second storyline. That being said, I still recommend reading this since the two stories are moving enough to make it worthwhile.

My only serious disappointment came at the end of Son of Avonar. The true nature of a number of characters is revealed, but the way it all happens seems very much like the end of an episode of Scooby-Doo: everyone is unmasked at once, requiring a huge amount of exposition to fill in the backstory of why they aren't who we thought they were. In fact, Berg has to bring in a whole new character at the last minute just to cover all that exposition. It's nice to face some surprising plot twists, but it would have been better if there had been more hints of what was to come before the big reveal. That would have made the twisty ending seem more natural.

Nevertheless, I do recommend this book. The characters are fully realized and interestingly flawed, and I was sucked in enough that I was very disappointed to discover we have to wait until the fall for a sequel.

Carol Berg has got to be one of the best modern riders. Her characterization is far and above anything I have yet to read. Each character in the story is unique in their personafication. They, also, grow and change throughout the story based on their experiences.

In this first novel of the D'Arnath trilogy, our heroine, Seri, is upper class citizen, intellegent, free speaking, and of outstanding character. She has a close nitch of friends, one of which she falls into love with. They marry and are happy. Problem: He is a sorcerer, which is punishable by torture and death in society. Seri helps keep her husbands secret and supports his choices. Karen, Seri's husband, has a special gift that allows him to heal the sick (somethimes from even close death). Regardless of the risk of being caught, Karen continues to use his powers for any in need. Eventually, he is caught. Now they, and their friends, will have to pay the price.

This is only the flashback during the story. In current time, Seri meets a mysterious stranger (naked and without his memory) she has to unlock his past in order to save the world.

Fast pased, fasinating, intriquing, well-written. I went sleepless nights reading this novel. You will not regret buying it either.

I have enjoyed all of Ms. Berg's previous books so I was eager to see that she was coming out with a new novel. So far, I have only read about 120 pages of this book so this is truly a first impression.

I have to say that so far I have not been as engaged in this story as I was in her previous novels. The protagonist is simply not as likeable and I don't really know why. But the lack of this instant connection made these early pages of the book a tough read. I thought perhaps it was the fact that this protagonist is female where as her other lead characters have been male. I think Ms. Berg writes the angst-ridden sensative man very well. I don't think she has as deft a hand with a woman.

Another problem I have with this book so far is the use of flash backs. I think these are rather poorly handled and as such the disrupt the flow of the framing story. Or you could even say that the frame story disrupts the flow of the flash back tale. The characters in the flash back are entriguing and the back story is also very interesting. I would much rather have seen the background tale as its own novel. It deserves that. Having that as the first book would also have allowed us to bond with and empathize with Seri (main chara) more.

It is too soon to past judgement yet; I am def going to finish the book because I want to find out who aeren is and more about the characters in the back story. I think if you like this writer that you will be ok with this book. So far it isn't great but is certainly is better then most of the fantasy stuff out there. And as this is 1/3 I expect this to series to get stronger as it goes.
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5-30-04

Having now finished the book, I can say that this book gets stronger as it goes on. Character developments improves dramatically and the conclusing leaves you waiting for the next book. I particularly enjoyed D"natheil's evolving personality. He will be great in the upcoming books. In the end I found this novel very enjoyable.

I have loved every single of Carol Berg's books. I read this one in about two days and I have utterly no idea what I'm going to do until the second one comes out.

Berg elegantly weaves the past into the present as she tells the story of Seri, an exhiled noblewoman who's life was torn apart by her brother and her king. The story is told from Sari's point of view, as she runs into a young man who cannot speak. When people start asking after a young man who matches the mute stranger's description, Sari realizes that there is something special about him. The two of them, with the help of some minor characters, start out on a search for this man's past and his memory.

Sari's story is utterly heartbreaking. She tells it with the reader already knowing the outcome. You come to know and love the characters and when it all comes down in Sari's love I kept echoing Sari's prayers that something miraculous would happen and they would all get away and live happily ever after.

Son of Avonar is a very serious book, but Berg puts just enough humourous, heartwarming moments in it to make it fun to read. The character of Aeren (the mysterious young man) is at once funny and tragic in his amnesia clouded confusion. This story made me chuckle and it brought tears to my eyes. The characters, settings, and cultures are vividly constructed, and Berg's characters are so three-dimensional. It is rare to find characters who are neither good or bad, but flawed, noble, honourable people as we all are. The relationship between Sari and her brother is particularly poignant.

There is also an interesting theme of nonviolence. Sari's culture is especially war-oriented, she often mentions that everyone carries a weapon, but her healer-husband's refusal to lift a hand is interesting. I am curious to see how Berg develops this theme in the future books.

Son of Avonar is a wonderful book to read. It is as good or better as all of Carol Berg's books, an excellant fantasy novel.

This book is totally amazing... but then again so is every other book of Carol Berg's that has come out so far. I can't wait for the second one!

I've read all of Carol Berg's novels and Son of Avonar is by far her best. She has evolved as a writer and storyteller and has managed to create something refreshing and new in the field of Fantasy - believable, fallible and human characters.

Her character work has always been her strong suit, in that even minor characters are usually fairly well fleshed out. But this book (the first in a trilogy) is a self-contained masterpiece. You could read this book and go no further. I was sure she would hang me out on a cliff like most Fantasy authors do in a multi-book collection, but she wrapped it up nicely at the end, left me wanting so much more but not suffering using tired devices to keep my interest.

This is a moving story, the flashbacks (another device that I never think is used well, though her weaving of it into the present made me look for the past with equal anticipation) lend so much weight to the story and it is heavy despairing stuff, the kind that makes your fist clench in agony as you are reading it. I kept thinking, dear God, no, no, no, for it was too devastating to consider because from the moment you meet the heroine, Seriana, she has you at her side, understanding her, feeling her loneliness and deep sadness. Yet her strength is amazing; amazing, but real. It is the kind of strength of the human variety not super hero.

There is a love story here too, a beautiful love story that too is very real. One of the other reviewers said her words jump off the page - and they do - it is a very active story and the writing is filled with electric energy. It is spare; Hemingway-esque actually at points, without anything overblown. Utterly readable it is a page turner - you will fight to break away from it and probably will not be able to. Make sure you have time set aside and just read it straight through.

I am thrilled to have had the pleasure to read this book and hope against hope that in the series they only continue to get better. I do have what I call Matrix-anxiety about sequels but I have faith that Carol Berg is up to the task. If she sticks to a similar format where each book is inclusive to itself I believe she will have a sure-fire hit on her hands.

And finally thank you Carol Berg for FINALLY creating some characters who are not fourteen year old virgins! Seriana is thirty-five years old, a grown woman and I identified wit her much more than some unrealistic portrayal of a teenage princess or a twenty-something who has never been let out of a castle. Seri is all woman, her own woman, educated, bright, resourceful, but makes mistakes in judgment and often can't see the bigger picture. Just like a real woman.

Carol Berg had my interest with her other books but now she has a fan!

I had read Ms. Berg's first trilogy ("Transformation" series) and loved it. As a result, I was looking forward to reading this new one. I definitely was not disapointed! I started it about 3 in the afternoon and finished it that same day (11:00 p.m.) !! I can hardley wait for the next one in the series. I just wish that the publishing world moved faster!! Thank- you Carol for another great book!!

Seri is a noblewoman living in disgrace, poverty and exile. Then one day she is attacked by a naked man who it turns out has no memory of himself, his past or even his language. Seri does not want to get involved - she does not like the man and her past has left deep scars that he threatens to re-open.

However, gradually, she gets drawn into to helping him. She finds she can not abandon someone so obviously injured and despite the risk finds herself on an adventure that will bring an unexpected clarity to the events that bought her past disgrace and will help save her world from a doom worse than she would have ever imagined.

This is a well written, though long, novel with interesting characters. It is the first book in the Bridge of D'Arnath series, but it is a well contained novel in itself that does not end on a cliff-hanger. It has some similarities to the authors previous books in the disgrace and suffering of the central characters in the novel, but for all that has a quite distinct feel from the characters in her previous books.

This is worth picking up to read if you enjoy a well written fantasy novel and looks like the beginning of an interesting series.