Customer Reviews

The Burning Stone (Crown of Stars, Vol. 3)

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

In one word, wait. If Elliot keeps up then within the next year or so the fourth and final novel in the series will be published, then you should buy this book and read it. But not now. This novel sets the scene for the action in the next book. Where the first two books told an independent story, (The Kings Dragon -- the story about the fall of Gent; and The Prince of Dogs -- the story of its recapture) This novel tells no individual story. It merely adds to the charectorization and history of Crown of Stars saga. This book should not have been released alone. Better to publish a single twelve hundred page book, then to split this story in such a manner.

Kate Elliott's third volume in the Crown of Stars series is the best installment so far. Ironically, it is also certain to confuse - and disappoint - quite few readers. Elliott is not afraid to shift her attention from one (sub)plot to the next; neither does she balk at peculiar (and quite non-linear) character development. In this third volume, for example, both Alain and Sanglant (two of the main "heroes" of the first volumes) fall from grace, becoming, as a result, much less "heroic" than they were at first presented. More generally, a lot happens in this book, and quite a bit of it is surprising. That alone is a good thing, but, more importantly, it shows that this is a writer who is willing to take some chances at least. Having said this, there is enough to criticise as well. Elliott places, for example, to much emphasis on her rather contrived version of Christianity. For starters, just about every day in the year seems to be the day another saint is remembered, and Elliott hardly ever fails to tell us all about it. And the very thing I just I just applauded above - the way the story shifts and turns - can very easily be overdone, which would simply ruin the series as a whole. All in all though, this series is still developing well. Elliott is a proficient, though not an excellent writer. To place this book in some sort of pecking order: it is better than Robert Jordan's Path of Daggers, but not nearly as accomplished as George Martin's A Clash of Kings.

Thinking that this was the last book in a trilogy, I panicked whilst reading the last hundred pages, frantically flipping to the end wondering how the hell Elliott was going to tie it up. Realising there must be at least one more book in this series provoked conflicting emotions in me. Relief that it was not over was certainly one of them, but frustration and irritation were also right up there. I think the major problem with this book is that the Crown of Stars series appears to have been conceived of as a trilogy. I feel this for two reason: Firstly, this volume is substantially longer than the first two, which were of uniform length, and Secondly, the ending of this novel makes the reader feel like Elliot simply had to cut it off due to the burgeoning length of the novel, and go onto a fourth book. The truncated feel of the last couple of chapters somewhat diminishes the novel as a whole. The first two novels ended on wicked cliffhangers but at least I did not feel confused by them or irritated at being left so high and dry. Nevertheless, this novel is as beautifully written as the first two in the series; the sense of countless threads running warp and weft together into a fantastic tapestried revelation is intriguing and skillfully maintained. As usual, Elliot's attention to historical and religious detail is superb. Her character development is curious in this novel: in the first novel, the protagonists were all lost, trying to find themselves; in the second, they all find themselves an identity (Liath and Hanna as Eagles, Alain as the Count's Heir, Sanglant by fixating on Liath, Ivar and Tallia their heresy, Fifth Brother as a leader), in this third installment, each character essentially loses themself. They must each begin to let go of that which they clung to as an anchor, and redefine their very selves. A conventional fantasy third book would be the 'find themselves heroes' bit; but this is exceptional fantasy not conventional. All in all, the faults that are rife in this novel (mainly to do with the abrupt, confusing ending and some plot difficulties, e.g. the inexplicable Quman invasion - Zacharias seems a poor pretext) will probably seem trivial when the whole series can be read as a seamless whole. Hang in there with this series, 'cause it's only going to get better.

An uncertain and uneasy peace has fallen on the kingdom of Wendar, but at the court of King Henry the various factions still jockey relentlessly and ruthlessly for position. It seems that the king's favor has fallen upon Prince Sanglant, his [...]son, and that he is to be the chosen heir. But Sanglant is too troubled by the recent past to seek that crown. He needs time to recover and, most of all, he needs Liath, the woman who saved him from his terrible captivity - even though such a liaison must incur his father's implacable wrath. Liath, born with a dangerous power beyond her understanding or ability to control, is torn between her longing for Sanglant and the child they are about to have and the call of sorcery, which can open the way into the land of the Aoi, the Lost Ones. She has also learned that her mother, a powerful practitioner of the banned sorcerous arts, is not dead, as she always thought, and is seeking her to school her in the same arts. And Alain, their friend and ally, although happily restored to the bosom of his family and married to the saintly Tallia, is in mortal danger from the curse of Bloodheart, who is reaching out from the grave. As the fates of kingdoms shift with the changing fortunes of those caught up in the dangers of both civil war and continuing attacks by the nonhuman Eika and the Quman invaders, time is running out for Liath, Sanglant, King Henry, and the people of Wendar and Varre.

It has been quite a while since I read a series and thought "damn, it's over!" at the end. The author has built a vast number of interesting characters but, despite the number, one is able to know and relate to each. Each of the characters has their own remarkable flaws and imperfections, and you actaully have opportunities to sympathize with each throughout the series (even the remarkably "evil" ones you think you would never agree with). Unlike the Robert Jordan WoT series which seems to go on and on and on without resolution, Elliot has squeezed a sweeping epic into a (mere) 7 books, and I found myself disappointed when I finished the last of the third book. Fortunately, there are enough open issues, unanswered questions and unresolved conflicts in the end that Elliot could forseeably write another series to "fill in the blanks". I, for one, sincerely hope to see more from this author in the very near future.

Ever since the first book, King's Dragon, I have been hooked on this series. I have waited anxiously for this novel for months. We get deeper into the plot as more characters are introduced and the secrets of others are revealed. The characters are amazing, their personalities are so defined, I can almost imagine being there. I don't know what I can say to make you want to read this story, but I will say that Miss Elliot is a master with the written word. She tells the tale masterfully and I cannot wait for the next two books to come out. I urge everyone to read this novel, and it's two predecessors, because this is one of the best written and most complex series I have ever read and it is just beyond words. Everyone go out and buy it!!

This book continues the King's Dragon saga, resolving some of the conflicts and building towards the climax. Elliott's understanding of history, reality, and people is profound and woven into a vivid world. She avoids cliches, flat simple characters, and shallow places and races that often plague the literature of the fantastic. Instead she gives us a world in which the veil that separates reality and fantasy is lifted and the two worlds blend for a rich reading experience. The characters are us, frail, dynamic, and strong all at once. A definite read for those who want to feel when they read.

...This is a great series but I advise waiting til the lastbook comes out before getting hooked; the cliffhanger endings canleave you grinding your teeth in frustration....Elliott leaves her characters chained up with homicidal dogs, stranded in other dimensions, and so forth. Even so, this is a MUCH better series than Jordan's or Goodkind's, equal with George R.R. Martin if not quite the equal of Tolkien...

I'm sorry but I don't see how anyone can give this book ar any of kate Elliott's works anything less than a tag of Excellent. She creates richly textured and detailed worlds and characters that absorb one completely. I find it hard to put any of her books down once begun, and am always eagerly awaiting the next one. I rarely write reviews but upon noticing a few "downers" I just had to add my two cents worth and encourage everyone to read her books and form their own opinions. I practically devour sci-fi and fantasy books, have read many over the years and she is definitely one of my top favourites.

Unlike Prince of Dogs, this book is much more focused on the plot line. It is easily possible to envision the stubborn, lustful Hugh and caring but strong Prince Sanglant who lived under the shame of exile by his father, King Henry. This book does not concentrate as much on the wars and battles at hand as much as revealing just enough informtion on our beloved characters' heritage to tantalize the reader into a state of addiction.

My Gripes inlude the long and unnecessary desription of the events in Vernia, a secret place where Liath's long lost mother had taken her.

Admirations: The plotline is much more focused and it slowly introduces the reader to the final battle between forces of higher spheres and humans. In a way this book serves as the rising action, which will inevitably end in the end with a fantastic conclusion.

Kate Elliots unimaginable talent is again displayed as she further solidifies her own world where lust and death is only a portion of daily life.

Each of the books in this series just keeps getting better and better! The twists and turns keep coming and the characters just grow more vivid. I highly recommend this series to everyone, but don't start in the middle. Reading these in order is a must!