Customer Reviews

The Bridge: The Book of Necessity

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For the past week I've been so mesmerized by Jodie Forrest's magical world that I've scarcely been able to concentrate on my work. I love her vivid imagery. I love her rich characters, who seem to be real people, and so much more. I loved the interplay between Tomas and Moira, between Tomas and his twin children, and between the twins themselves. Their relationships were complex and compelling, filled with love and trust and mistrust and rebellion and misunderstanding. This is a book that makes you think about your place in the natural world, in the spiritual world, in your family, among your friends, and in the span of your life.

"The Bridge: The Book of Necessity" is a remarkable, even magical read that satisfies on every level. It surpasses the two excellent earlier volumes of the trilogy, which were also immensely appealing to this journalist whose "fun" reading typically consists of more realistic material. If more fantasy writers had Jodie Forrest's command of language, vivid imagination and ability to develop characters and plots, fantasy would probably become my favorite genre. In addition to its ample entertainment value, Forrest's book feeds the mind. Never "preachy," it gracefully weaves into the narrative issues of the environment, spirituality, the masculine and feminine and more. It's a thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding read that goes beyond entertainment to enchantment.

Well, Jodie Forrest did it again-she kept me awake all night reading. "The Bridge" is even better than the first two books in this series! There's an evil Loki and a bad elf queen who are lots of fun to hate and a good elf queen where you're never really sure if she's good or not and it's all set in history in a way that's easy to believe in spite of the magic. The main character from the first two books, Tomas the Rhymer, seems older and smarter now, but you don't see him as much as before. The action has sort of shifted to the children he and the elf queen had, but those characters are really cool as well. They're not sure if they are human or elves and so you see a lot about their different points of view, and a lot about the way Christianity collided with the old religions. It's not a "Christian" book though, reallly pagan instead! Mostly it's just a really good story. It says its a trilogy so I guess this is the last one. I wonder if Jodie Forrest's audience will make her write more like they did with Stephen Donaldson and the "Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever" books. I hope so. If you like fantasy that seems real, you'll love these! -Brad Snipes

The final volume in Jodie Forrest's "Rhymer" trilogy is out, and I recommend it strongly. "The Bridge" is a compelling fantasy that touches the places within where myth still lives. Here we follow the next generation -- the twins Fraine and Owein, born of the union between the mage Tomas and Moira the Elf Queen - as they fulfill the ancient prophecy of the Parcae. As she does in "The Rhymer and the Ravens" and "The Elves' Prophecy", Forrest gives us a melding of Norse and Celtic mythology, ninth century Earth, and the eerily quantum universe that is the 'Tweenlands. The "Rhymer" trilogy is world-building at its best; an enigmatic and troubled world, and one I sank into thoroughly. My disbelief was more than suspended for the space of the reading -- it was carried away by the evil-smelling Parcae and drowned in the Elfin sea.

I was so disappointed to find she has not written any more- The trilogy was full of everything you could possibly want in any story- The twins made the bridge and I just wanted to keep climbing it........... who knows if I'd still be in Midgard~

The Bridge, Forrests third and final installation in the story of Tomas the Rhymer, presents a game of intrigue, a game that will determine who controls the pivot-world Midgard (earth). Elfland sickens as it continues to drift from Midgard. The elves grow weaker. On earth, Loki assumes the name and identity of Lucifer. While Loki seeks to sever all ties between Midgard and the other eight realms, Tomas and his allies strive to create a permanent link between the worlds. Owein and Frainethe twins of the Elves Prophecyuse their unique capabilities to create a bridge that ties Midgard to the other eight realms. This bridge becomes the focal point of conflict. Unable to destroy the bridge, Loki turns to manipulation. The game boils down to a single choice for those who oppose Loki: love or duty? Both bonds cannot be preserved.

A bittersweet novel about choices and perspective, The Bridge brings the story of Tomas to a satisfying end.