Customer Reviews

The Aware (Isles of glory)

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This is the first book in the Isles of Glory trilogy. This instalment reads very much like a typical fantasy adventure novel played out by the dregs of society in the islands. Blaze Halfbreed is the character who narrates this instalment of the series as what looks like a reasonably minor problem with magic and an escaped Princess escalates into something which may destroy all the Isles - if anyone with power will believe that the problem exists!

I have read this entire trilogy - available already in Australia - and I would have to say that the first book is in some ways the weakest in the series, relying as it does on extended action scenes in places. However, by book 2 you realise how important the events described here are. They reverberate throughout the remaining 2 books in unexpected ways.

All said, this is a refreshing and very original series that turned out to be much better than I expected and has become a "keeper" in my collection. Highly recommended to lovers of fantasy.

Stereotypical fantasy: a tall, sword-wielding uber-woman, a beautiful woman in disguise, mysterious hero who is not what he seems... and yet, Ms. Larke has found a way to take us beyond the stereotypes and show us real people. To present all the reasons why those cliches became cliches in the first place: because we LIKE reading about stuff like that. And yet, she finds a way to present it with a fresh and original face, with a bold and unapologetic approach that at times has you cringeing (with sympathy) and at others making your eyes widen in wonder.

I have to admit that when I first encountered Blaze's voice, she irritated me a little. She's a bit of a know-it-all, for one thing, except that during the story you can feel all the surprises she encounters that reveal that she does not, in fact, know it all. She learns, she grows, in very realistic ways. She becomes so real on the page that you could almost imagine you had a friend named Blaze Halfbreed (what a stupid name, you know? But it fits her...).

I recommend this book highly. After checking out the first volume from the library, I came here to Amazon.com and purchased the entire trilogy.

Within the three books that comprise this fascinating and swashbuckling tale of the Glory Isles (`The Aware', `Gilfeather' and `The Tainted'), the author has created an absolutely unique world within a world - with the characters and their environment reassuringly familiar and down to earth at first, yet most decidedly - and with great inventiveness - turning out to be intriguingly different in so many unexpected ways that this reader could hardly imagine what might be over the next page, and could thus hardly put any one of the books down. Each book can certainly be read individually, but as they say the sum of the parts is greater than the whole....
The small world of the Glory Isles, and its ultimately satisfying tale of great good pitted against intense evil - depicted in both human and non-human characters - is recounted, in the best of story-telling tradition, through the eyes of the principal characters, which is a wonderfully effective way to both bring out each character and to intimately involve the reader in the joy and the pain of the events as they unfold.
Even more cleverly, this small but complete world falls under the dispassionate scrutiny of a race of potential colonists - a supposedly more advanced civilization from over the seas that is intrigued by these islands and their inhabitants although in a distinctly anthropological and somewhat superior fashion - however which perhaps secretly admires their exploits, and their love of life. The affairs of the Glory Isles are thus critically evaluated and "documented" on a regular basis, and this provides a most effective backdrop to the "real" story as told by the principal characters!
Without revealing the story, or of the recalcitrant heroine and her compatriots, the tales depicted here comprise an interwoven series of adventures - and misadventures - resulting from the existence of a immensely powerful "magic" force throughout the islands, containing both good and evil elements, which some (`Aware') folk can "see", and which others can and do use for the greater good of all or for their own extremely evil ends, depending on their predilection.
Apart from the high adventure, on another level altogether the story manages to portray great sadness and the most base wickedness, countered by tremendous bravery and selflessness, and reading it can be an intensely poignant experience! Throughout it all, our heroine constantly demonstrates her great zest for life in a often cruel and uncaring world, and at the conclusion, can look back on her life and loves with some measure of quiet contentment. These books are a thoroughly satisfying read, and come highly recommended.

I was apprehensive about reading this trilogy, but am happy that I did. What an interesting, vivid, and strange world Larke has created for us in her Glory Isles. These are a group of islands separated from the rest of the world and yet also separated from each other. With citizen laws that state that everyone has to have an ear tattoo to prove ther citizenship to a particular island and not be allowed to marry or mix with the races of any other island, it makes life extremely hard for the herione of the story. Blaze is of mixed heritage and was brought up an orphan with no tattoo. That means she is not allowed to stay on any one island for longer than three days with the exception for a group of islands known for criminal occupants. Whats more, there are three sets of people. The normal, those who can see magic and not be effected, and those who can create magic. I will say that this story reminded me alot of Zena, Warrior princess and her best friend Gabrielle. The whole tall female warrior and her sweet pretty friend whom loved each other so much thing was predominate within the story.

I could go on and on about the basic principle of the story, but I think you would prefer discovering that on your on. Suffice it to say, this was a well developed plot, with intriguing characters, in a well thought out world, that will keep you reading well into the early morning hours.

Finally, a book with depth that I am not totally confused reading. On one level, the story is pretty basic but solid, great ideas. On the next the author adds prespective by saying it is written by a man who is interviewing the main character when she is around 80. We get a prespective from the man from the future and we have multiple story lines without the twenty different names that you have to go back and figure out who the heck they are talking about. Definitely going to read the rest.

The Isles of Glory consists of eleven island nations each a country with its own laws and rulers. It is an inbred place because it is forbidden for one islander to marry a person from another island. Blaze Halfbreed is the product of parents of two different islands and was abandoned as a child when it was obvious she was not a purebred. She is not a citizen and cannot gain citizenry from most of the isles but Blaze has Awareness, the ability to see and sense dunmagic (evil sorcery) and sylv magic (good magic).

This ability makes her useful to the Keepers who rule the Keeper Isles by protecting the weaker islands from being assaulted by the more powerful islanders. Blaze works for the Keepers and in five years if she performs adequately she will be made a citizen of the Keepers Isles. She is on the lawless island, Gorthan Spit, looking for a Cirkasian who ran away from home rather then marry the Bastionlord of Breth who prefers his sex partners to be very young boys. She meets Flane, a slyv practitioner who comes to the attention of a very powerful user of Dunmagic. He tries to turn her into a dun magician but Blaze finds a way to save her. The two women form a bond of friendship so that when one is in trouble, the other will help get her out of it. Blaze learns that there are more important things tthan citizenships like friendships and ridding the Isles of Glory of Mordred the most powerful Dinmagican of all.

Book one of the Isles of Glory is one of the best fantasy novels imported from Australia. Glenda Larke has written a fantastic fantasy full of action adventure and romance so that readers of other genres will enjoy THE AWARE. Blaze is a very complicated character who wants to be selfish but always manages to do the right thing even though it costs her the chance to be a citizen. It will be very hard to wait for the next book to be published as the audience will want to read more of Blaze's fantastic adventures.

Harriet Klausner

I loved all three of these books, my favorite being the last in the trilogy 'the tainted'. Glenda is amazing! If the next trilogy came out tomorrow it wouldn't be soon enough.

This book was very wonderful if you are interested in fantasy adventure books. Great plot, romance, action, suspense, and well written. Takes a bit to get used to in the first few pages, but once you get through some terms, you're good to go!

Glenda Larke's The Aware (and the sequels Gilfeather and the Tainted) pulls you into a gritty new fantasy world. She opens the story with a letter between an anthropologist and his uncle, with the nephew reporting on the fantastic story an old woman has told him about the early history of the Glory Isles. From there, you meet Blaze Halfbreed, a woman who has seen more than her fair share of unfairness while maintaining her spirit and self-respect.
The story moves quickly and smoothly and the reader isn't treated to any sugarcoating. The plot doesn't shy away from the brutal aspects of the dunmagickers, nor are the sylvs cut any slack. This aspect of the story and the world of the Glory Isles really appealed to me. There is some of the same flavor I find (and really like) in David Gemmell's books, but Ms. Larke's have a uniqueness that draws me in and keeps me reading until those bleary hours late in the evening. I highly recommend all three books in the series.

First, a caveat: I know Glenda, and like her very much. That being said, however, I'd also point out that I write this review without prompting, and wouldn't say a word of it if I didn't truly believe in the opinion expressed below.

Glenda's fantasy trilogy is a great read, with passion and tragedy and suspense and some brilliant worldbuilding. When it comes to creating a fantasy environment you can truly see, smell, taste and touch, I don't think there's another writer in the genre anywhere who can beat her. She's a master of this skill.

She also sets up difficult moral and ethical questions for her characters and doesn't let them off the hook. Also, throughout the trilogy (we've got it all in Australia, wheee!), Glenda takes bold chances in structure and execution, which means the books are refreshingly orginal and bold in style.

I'm pleased beyond words that readers in America are getting the chance to enjoy her work.