12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing tale from Mithgar, October 21, 2008
This review is from: City of Jade: A Novel of Mithgar (Hardcover)
I've been a big fan of Dennis McKiernan's Mithgar stories, and own the entire series. Perhaps my expectations were too high for this book, but I found it lacking nonetheless.
The first thing I noticed when I opened my pre-ordered package, was how much smaller this novel was compared to the rest of the series. But the smallness of the book pales in comparison to the the actual content. Unfortunately for fans, this book is but a short story (or a "novella" at best), that's been fleshed out with "reminiscences" of McKiernan's prior works. Not only are pages full of characters speaking of prior events, but entire passages from his other works are included.
Sadly, this book seems more of an advertisement for the rest of the Mithgar series, rather than the novel fans have been awaiting.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Haunted cities, December 1, 2008
This review is from: City of Jade: A Novel of Mithgar (Hardcover)
Technically, Dennis L. McKiernan's Mithgar series is over and done with.
But in any series that spans millennia, you've got plenty of room for prequels, midquels, and any other kind of quel. "City of Jade" expands on events only hinted at in his prior works -- including a visit to the titular city -- and does provide some nice moments. Unfortunately, it's hampered by a sputtering climax and a tendency to revisit every single piece of relevant backstory.
In the aftermath of Gyphon's destruction, Bair pleads with the gods to reopen the ways between planes and get rid of the Ban. No, we don't see this.
Then Aravan and his lover Aylis join up with an army of mages and elves, to storm a Neddra citadel and secure the only way in or out of Vadaria. And with Aylis at his side, Aravan sets out to relaunch the Eroean with a new crew after three thousand years -- unaware that the sole surviving Black Mage from Neddra is plotting to destroy him.
And during a mission to the east, Aylis encounters a riddle and a statuette of a jade tower, leading the Eroean to hunt down the deserted city. Unfortunately, as readers know, this is all part of the Black Mage's evil plan -- and the Eroean is sailing straight into an evil trap. But a pair of new arrivals might help tip the scales...
"City of Jade" is not really a novel in itself -- it's more like two novellas sandwiched together. The first half deals some of the stuff that was left hanging, and the second half is when the whole "City of Jade" scenario is addressed. McKiernan's work is still somewhat riddled with run-on sentences and hysterical laughter, but he succeeds in making some solid battle sequences and gruesome moments of necromancy.
Most of the plot's focus is on Aravan getting his life shipshape again -- and McKiernan takes the opportunity to revisit many of his older characters, from some very familiar Pysks to some long-absent elves (ranging from minor to major characters). Additionally, there's a running subplot about a pair of conjurer Warrows who rub the local mobsters the wrong way, with surprising results.
Unfortunately, the plot is hampered by McKiernan revisiting everything -- the book is full of backstories, infodumps and names that have nothing to do with the plot. I somehow doubt that everyone in Mithgar has memorized everything/person/event of importance there -- it would have been much better if we'd seen Bair's debate with Adon about free will, rather than revisiting Jinnarin's pint-sized cabin.
And after revving up the plot in a haunted city with a Super Evil Bad Thing and an evil Mage... the climax falls flat. Very flat -- it takes about five minutes. Oh yes, and more hints are dropped about the Dwarves' mates, the Chakia. But frustratingly, we STILL don't know what they are.
Aravan and Aylis get most of the spotlight in this book, and they have a surprisingly romantic milestone after returning to Mithgar. The Warrows are cute if not very bright, and most of the rest of the cast is made up of yo-ho-ho-and-a-bottle-of-rum sailors on the Eroean, as well as some grumpy mages and run-of-the-mill elves.
"City of Jade" is an interesting exploration of post-bad-guy cleanup and seafaring adventure, but is bogged down by a tendency to explore the backstory of everyone and everything.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Probably My Last McKiernan, October 26, 2008
This review is from: City of Jade: A Novel of Mithgar (Hardcover)
I have been a fan of McKiernan's Mithgar stories ever since I first read The Iron Tower trilogy. But, when he began his Once Upon A Time series, he adopted a stilted and highly annoying writing style that put me more in mind of Romance novels - heaving bosoms and all - than high fantasy. I had hoped that a return to Mithgar would herald a return to a less forced style, but it didn't.
It is sad when a good writer loses his voice, but I believe the decline in the sales of his books, and the number of reviewers that began with "Once Upon a Winter's Night" tells the story.
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