Customer Reviews

Dare to Go A-Hunting

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

 

 

This is the fourth book in the Moonsinger series, following "Moon of Three Rings," "Exiles of the Stars," and "Flight in Yiktor." The first two books are excellent, written in the 1960s and 1970s. They focus on two characters named Krip and Maelen. Andre Norton continued the series in the 1980s with "Flight in Yiktor," where she introduced a new character, Farree, whose story concludes in this fourth novel.

That's one reason why this book annoyed me so much. After becoming deeply involved in the adventures of Krip and Maelen, I was disappointed to find them reduced to boring background characters with no personality. Farree's personality also changed drastically between the third and fourth books, and not for the better. He started out as a sweet, timid person, but in this final tale he is often rude, irrational, and bossy.

This book also has the most confusing plot of the series. Even though I had read all three of the other novels first, I was often totally lost as Farree had one bizarre experience after another. The story would probably be better on second reading, because you would know what all the weirdness means.

Also, now that I've read numerous other novels in this same Forerunner universe, I understand this one much better. I do recommend reading some of them before the Moonsinger series. (Click on my name to see a list of nearly 40 other books in Andre Norton's Forerunner universe, in chronological order.)

The writing in this final installment of the Moonsinger saga is like a hastily scribbled first draft, full of awkward sentences. One of the secondary characters simply disappears in the middle of a battle, never to be seen again, as if the author has forgotten about him. Farree never gives his missing friend a second thought and eventually flies away without him, which does not endear Farree to the reader.

Nevertheless, I recommend this book if you've read the first three, because you'll want to find out how it all ends. This one does fill in quite a few missing pieces of the puzzle. Maybe if you haven't read the first three, you'll like this one, because you won't be comparing it to the superior works that came before. It's definitely best to read "Flight in Yiktor" before this one, though, because that is the start of Farree's story.

If you haven't discovered the late Andre Norton, you are in for a treat ! I have been collecting her books for 25 years ! This one is part of the Moon Singer series and needs to be read in order. Ms. Norton's fantasies are just that--- total fantasy. No sexual descriptions.....little violence, but beautifully written. Her descriptins of characters/ environments are wonderful. Please read her.......

The story was a good one. It didn't hold me as quite a lot of her works have, but it is entertaining and fun to read and if you are a fan of her works, as I am, you will enjoy this one as well.

I must say that I absolutely loved this book. I found Faree's "growth" and learning experiences to be quite enthralling. I was particularly impressed with his reaction to the wing scraps.... Quite intriguing. The character interaction was well written. The imagery was very convincing. I felt as if I were in another world while reading this book.