Customer Reviews

The Bristling Wood

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

*Shakes her head* I'm in utter shock that anyone could ever slightly diss this book. Filled with an intricate plot and devestating scenes, this goes on my favorite list. This book series does not go from 'beginning to end', like the traditional, but as Kerr explains, she borrows a Celt tradition. The story will get told, just not in a straight and narrow path. The story focuses on a saddening love story, kidnapping (on two counts), the past lives of our favorite characters, and a century old dweomer, or magic, worker living for the sole reason to atone for past sins. Read this book. It's worth your time and your money, a hundredfold at least.

I have been a fan of Kerr since I was a teenager. I adore her books and her writing. I love the way she does interweave the lifetimes together. Very refreshing.

The main reason I wanted to review this book was in response to a comment stating that they did not understand why Nevyn was punished so harshly for such a paltry sin. I think they misunderstood. He is not being punished, he made a vow. He vowed to bring Brangwen to the dweomar, no matter how long it took. The gods of Wyrd accepted his vow and granted him an unusually long life to see it through.

I think if people took the time to actually read and not skim, they might actually understand what is going on and be able to enjoy it.

For the profit of kings, well did he attack the hosts
of the country, the bristling wood of spears,
the grievous flood of the enemy.
- The Gododdin of Aneirin, Stanza A 84

This volume interleaves two skeins of history: the 'present' (Jill and Rhodry's time) and the last years of the Time of Troubles (the civil wars between Cantrae, Cerrmor, and Eldidd, all of whom had claims to the high kingship of all Deverry). The Time of Troubles thread began in _Darkspell_, but picks up here a generation or so later in the course of the wars of that terrible era.

In the present, Salamander has determined that the mysterious ring of dwarven silver is destined for Rhodry. But Rhodry's fate is that of Aberwyn - his brother's "barren" ex-wife, now married to another man, has just given birth to her first son, so Rhodry's recall from exile is the only way to avert civil war over the rhan. The ring is his from his blood-father, but he's heir to the rhan through his legal father. This story is continued in _The Dragon Revenant_ - Salamander's puzzle of how to get the ring into Rhodry's hands without destroying his claim to the rhan.

In the past, Maddyn (later Rhodry) has been wounded unto death in his lord's last charge, and as an outlawed man, has no choice but to turn mercenary. Here we have the founding of the silver daggers, and the beginning of the thread that will later lead to the forging of the ring. Maddyn's story continues in _A Time of Omens_, _The Red Wyvern_, and _The Fire Dragon_, and is concluded in _A Time of Exile_.

A vibrantly well written tapestry of human nature & the
consequential effects of choices on our lives. Considered a
classic, to be read time & time again. Also, a beautiful
springboard into the following book, each leaving a craving
for more!

In the third book of the Deverry series, Kerr once again continues the pattern of introducing characters in the present by exploring their lives in the past. "The Bristling Wood," in fact, brings us to the second major arc in the series, a timeline set about two hundred years before the events occurring in the "present" - that is, the time when Jill and Rhodry are riding the long road in and out of danger.

In the past, the civil wars over the kingship of Deverry are dragging on, with disastrous consequences for the kingdom. A frustrated Nevyn finally decides, after some inspiration from a disgraced bard named Maddyn (Rhodry), to take a hand in things and just pick a king and place him on the throne, already. Using dweomer, he'll find a candidate - any candidate - and build him up with omens and glamours until everyone accepts him as the obvious true king of all Deverry. Maddyn, meanwhile, falls in with a band of mercenaries who will one day form the basis for the silver daggers, and whose ranks include the reincarnated forms of Gerraent/Cullyn and Brangwen/Jill - although in some cases, those forms are completely unexpected ones.

In the present, a bizarre set of circumstances manage to separate Rhodry and Jill, just as the dark dweomer and political necessity both decide they need to get their hands on Rhodry, toot sweet. Jill is ensorcelled by a strange being named Perryn, and his story is one that, disappointingly, offers so much promise that Kerr never quite fulfills. (The same is true with Rhodda, about whom more in a later review.) Nevyn can't help, because he's stuck back in Aberwyn helping Rhodry's mother get him recalled from exile, so it's up to Rhodry's half-elven, dilettante-dweomer brother, Salamander, to rescue Jill. But then there's Rhodry, wandering around Deverry all alone - who's going to find him first?

While the present part of the story here isn't quite my favorite, I love the section set in the past. Maddyn, Maryn, Owaen, Caradoc, and Branoic are truly enjoyable characters, and their story is one of the strongest in the whole series. Moreover, it's one of those places where you can really see how events in the past are shaping relationships in the present. Overall, the writing is fantastic, although Kerr does have a few tics that can get annoying. I love this series, and this book is worthy of continuing it.

Against the passionate sweep of Deverrian history, the powerful wizard Nevyn has lived for centuries, atoning for the sins he committed in his youth. Now, with so much of his work at stake, Nevyn discovers that the Dark Council has been quietly interfering with the already tangled politics of war-torn Eldidd. Their evil webs are nearly spun before Nevyn, with all the power at his command, even realizes there's a war of magic destroying his world.

Katherine Kerr's writing takes a bit of getting used to, but it's worth the effort. She approaches her stories with a Celtic storytelling mindset, which means she conveys events according to their significance to the story, as opposed to chronologically. Consequently, while the stories begin in the "present" (which is an elastic concept, anyway, in a fantasy setting), the events unfold, chapter wise, both in the "present" and in the distant past. This can be frustrating, at first, but Kerr's writing is heavily steeped in Pagan and Western Mystery tradition, and the Celtic setting (and mindset) of her characters means that time, or chronological time, is not essentially relevant. To be honest, I found the first book infuriating, as I spent a lot of time trying to adjust to the writing style. However, I found the story engrossing enough that I persevered, and by the second book was so hooked I've read all ten in her three series.

Kerr's story evolves around the concept of reincarnation, and unfinished business, and "karma", and fate. The same souls recur again and again, just in new bodies, over the course of the centuries over which the story unfolds.

Kerr's world is one of High Fantasy, populated by Elves, Men, and Dwarves, as well as faeries/elementals, which she terms the "Wildfolk". However, hers is a slightly more dark, dangerous and less clear cut world than the works of other High Fantasy authors, not the least due to the fact that someone who was your friend in a former life can re-emerge in the story centuries later as a foe, and vice versa. There is a tremendous amount of magic, but it's the magic of the Western Mystery tradition (quite a bit of Golden Dawn and even Enochiana), and that of R.J. Stewarts Faery tradition. There are dragons, and giant beast men.

The Elves are a fallen race, driven out of their magnificent and palatial cities centuries before by invaders, and who now roam the plains as primitives. They possess the potential to be superlative magicians, but the knowledge was lost in the fall of their civilization. Humans, though warlike and shorter lived, have preserved this knowledge, but guard it jealously. The Wildfolk, basically magic incarnate, are unhinged from the effects of "karma", but lack permanence of personality, and cannot grow or develop, cursed to stagnation. The Dwarves are a secretive mystery, entrenched within the earth. Each has something to offer the other, and the story that unfolds is the story of this "technology" exchange, of sorts, between them.

Fans of Marion Zimmer Bradley, who clearly influenced Kerr, will be enraptured by this series, as will fans of Kate Eliott, who Kerr, herself, clearly influenced. It's phenomenal! Devotees of the New Age, Esoteric or Occult will find themselves nodding and smiling as they read, and sincerely hoping Kerr's writing will do for the Western Mystery and Faery traditions what Bradley's has done for Wicca.

Katharine Kerr is one of the all time best high fantasy writers ever known. She is exceptionally gifted in the use of fine detail and creative twists to keep her readers guessing. When I first started reading her books all these years ago, I was hooked almost from the beginning. Now, I own every Deverry and Westland novel to date, the pages worn and yellowed, but still I re-read the entire series cover-to-cover, beginning to end again and again. I use it as my "escape" from modern life.

Katherine Kerr's publisher is giving her some trouble about publishing in the US, from what I understand. Please, everyone, stand behind her and make her publishers understand that we want MORE.

This book is full of everything Deverry lovers love and more! Salamander is one of the greatest characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading. This book flows into the sequel and builds up to the climatic final fight. The story keeps getting better and I recommend it to anyone!

I love this book! This series has, by far, the most believable characters I've ever read. Kerr's writing style is so vivid, so real that every heart wrenching moment gives you heart palpitations.

This saga has many books, but it's composed of several parts. Book 1 to 4 are the Deverry Cycle. At the end of Book 4 (note that Bristling Wood is the US title and Dawnspell the UK title, but they are the same novel), you get a real ending. So don't hesitate to buy this book or the previous ones thinking it will be too long before you get the end.

I gave a detailed comment about Kerr's writing (strong, visual but with also an elevated style), the story and the big plus of the saga on my comment of the first book: Daggerspell (Deverry Series, Book One)

This 3rd book is as good as the precedent (writing, atmosphere, plot, dialogues...). The story doesn't get redundant at all, and personnally I still enjoyed deeply the hours spent in the Deverry kingdom.

We still have flashbacks of the characters' previous lives. This time they grip you immediately, because the flashback begins in such a way you're directly thrown into the action, searching who is who. You'll have surprises there. The story set in the present becomes more intense and suspenseful and will also suprise you in mainy ways. Be prepared for unexpected and excellent turns. You'll definitely be more surpised here than in Book 2. The novel ends on an enormous cliffhanger. I suggest you buy Book 4 at the same time that Book 3 in order to avoid waiting to know what happens next.