Customer Reviews

An Earthly Crown (The Jaran, Book 2; The Sword of Heaven, Book 1)

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

 

 

This book is rather different in style from the first of the four Jaran novels, but I can't really agree with the reviewers who said it was weaker.

The basic setting for the series is that humans are a subject race in a domineering, but relatively benign, empire under the highly hierarchic alien Chapalii. Charles Soerenson, the only human to hold a high position in the Chapalii empire, is secretly using his position to prepare a revolt against the Chapalii. Meanwhile, his sister and heir, Tess, becomes stranded on the planet Rhui, populated by technologically backwards humans who Soerenson has ordered, with the consent of the Chapalii, are not to be aware of the existence of other populated worlds and advanced technology. While there, she falls in love with a Genghis Khan like figure, Bakhtiian, who has united the nomadic and matriarchal Jaran under his leadership and is preparing a campaign of conquest against the settled peoples of Rhui. The Jaran seem to be based roughly on the Russian/Mongolian cultures of the Russian steppes, and Jaran names are recognizably Russian.

In this novel, second in the series a few years ater the end of "Jaran", Charles Soerenson is visiting the Jaran along with some of his aides and a troupe of Earth actors, with the goals of exploring the Chapalii monument that Tess discovered in the prequel and persuading Tess to return with him. A final goal is gradually furthering the evolution of Jaran and Rhuian culture, with the expectation that they will eventually recontact galactic society. The visit takes place against the backdrop of Bakhtiaan's continuing campaign of conquest.

The actors, unmentioned by the other reviewers here, are central to the story, because their objective of using the language-based art of Shakespeare and classic theater to communicate across linguistic and cultural barriers reflects the novel's theme of how different cultures, and people from them, understand and misunderstand each other. This is also developed in a romance between an actress in the troupe and a Jaran warrior that progresses in spite of their lack of a common language, and a sometimes comic subplot of an arrogant young nobleman sent as a diplomat to the Jaran from a deeply patriarchal feudal kingdom, who is so shaped by his own culture that he is incapable of even understanding how little he understands the Jaran.

A related theme that is developed by suggestion in both this book and the prequel, perhaps for a more direct exploration before the series concludes, is the similarity between Charles's rule over Rhui and the Chapalii rule over Earth and mankind that Charles is in rebellion against.

The story generally involves far less action, and a bit less sex, than the first installation. It does feature a plot of repressed homosexual attraction that reaches an unpersuasive climax, so to speak, in a threesome. But in general, Elliott is elaborating the ideas and characters of the first volume and preparing for crises to come in future installations. The resultant novel some will find boring, but I thought that the characters were interesting enough to maintain an installment that is a bit thin on action.

One problem I did have is that there are really too many minor characters and substories going here, particularly among the Jaran. This book may have more Russian names in it than "War and Peace", which makes it hard to follow some elements of the story.

Althought Jaran is now one of my all time favorites, I was a tad bit let down by An Earthly Crown. Granted, all these reviews are a matter of opinion, I had super high expectations for this book, and was a little confused about the twist of events in it.
It continues the saga of Tess and her husband Ilya on the primative planet of Rhui. Her brother, who is in high power and needs her with him as his only heir, decides he needs to go investigate why she isn't willing to return, not to mention do some investigations of his own. He decides to bring with him a group of Actors who's leader has some cultural studies he would like to test thru' theatre. I can't get the ultimate reason why the great duke, Tess's brother would allow such a thing, especially when the planet is so primitive, and he hasn't been there in so long. A group of Actors! Why not scientists, or Anthropologists who hid their true intentions of learning about their culture to keep it from being modernized? Maybe I missed something there.
Also, I was so excited about reading about Tess and Ilya's new love, and this half of the two book sequel really didn't get into it except you discover that Ilya has had a homosexual past and is fighting repressed emotions for his ex-lover. Not that I am a homophobic or anything, its just that discovering that this warlord who is conquering the planet, who fought so hard to win Tess's heart turning out gay, kindof took out SOME of the masculinity out of him, and his love for Tess almost seemed divided. Not to mention I felt insecure 'for' Tess when she was dealing with her feelings with Ilya perhaps still having those feelings, but Then they end up in a threesome and that kind of crossed the line for me. It was like hearing your husband still loved his ex and then you guys got together to solidify that it is ok. I personally didn't feel that that would be the way to go, but HEY, that's me... I ended up flipping thru it pretty quick, anticipating the ending to my own disappointment, becuz' I hated to face my feelings, but I really didn't have that big of an interest to get the next book.
Jaran is still in my favorites, and always will be. Perhaps in the future I will venture to see what happens to Tess and Ilya and all them folks, but right now I have moved onto other worlds. And Kate Elliot is still an amazing author. With all reviews you gotta decide for youself if they're helpful or not, and make your decision to read the book on your own personal thoughts and tastes.

Kate's work is always complex and intriguing. Her characters are fully developed entering this book, but she manages to flesh them out further. Anyone who read the first Jaran books or her latest series, Crown of Stars, will love this book.

Beautiful, vivid book, complete with a great setting and complex characters. Very well-written, like most of Elliott's work; I throughly enjoyed the whole series, and hope for another installment...

After reading some of the other reviews I almost didn't buy this book. But I'm very glad I did. If you're interested in complex characters, a fascinating exploration of differing cultures and what happens when they begin to intermix, and if you enjoy great story telling, then you should definitely read this book.

And unlike some other reviewers, I found the homosexual part of the storyline to be interesting--observing the various relevant characters explore and struggle to deal with beliefs and feelings in light of their corresponding culture's rules and ideas of morality. I have no idea where one reviewer got "our heroine asks another man to sodomize her husband while she watches." That's not in the story like that at all. That makes it sound incredibly crass--and that's not how Ms. Elliott handles it at all.

Some reviewers complained about the lack of plot and slow movement. Yes, it does move a little slow. But if you approach it as a journey to be savored for what it is, I think you'll enjoy it. I look forward to reading the other 2 books in the series. And if you like this kind of story/series, I strongly recommend that you read the "Warprize" 3-book series by Elizabeth Vaughan. Happy reading!

After reading and loving Jaran, I was eager to read this, An Earthly Crown. I tolerated the slowness in the beginning, wanting to find out what had happened to Ilya and Tess in the intervening FOUR YEARS since the last book, Jaran. Wow! Why did you let so much time pass in the storyline since the last book, Ms. Elliott? My curiousity was never fulfilled on this account; those four years with the Jaran were never disclosed, although a synopsis was given of what the heroine's brother, Charles, was doing during this time. That is unfortunate, since I continue to be only mildly interested in Charles. I sense he could be much more fascinating. However, there are only hints, and the refrain that Charles is "an intensely private person." He is ultimately unknowable in this story, unfortunately.

Now, the main story. I have to agree with someone else about the weak explanation given for the actors coming to Rhui. It is far-fetched in the extreme, and is a plot contrivance so that the author could draw over-obvious parallels with Earth plays mentioned too many times such as Tamerlane (the nomadic conqueror), A Midsummer Night's Dream, and others. A group of scientists or archaeologists would have been much more plausible.

Characters that I much enjoyed in Jaran were sidelined in this story, such as Niko and Kirrill, while new characters were brought forward. Of these, the foreign ambassador was entertaining, and the one character who showed the most growth in my opinion, despite his very minor role. Vasil, the outlawed homosexual from Jaran who tried to kill Ilya in the previous book, was forgiven by his tribe and made a leader. This is entirely due to his charming self, since he lacks character and is self-proclaimed to be extremely selfish. It is practically impossible to like such a person, one who is consumed with fulfilling their own desires and flights of fancy and abandons their responsibilities on impulse, because of feeling. If this was Ms. Elliott's intention, she thoroughly succeeded.

Her prose is breathtakingly beautiful and a pleasure to read. Her characters came alive, all of them. She has the rare ability to write a single, short description of a movement, a stance, a look, and thereby illustrating a character sharply and clearly. Her writing is elegant.

I was disgusted and perplexed that Tess, who had taken no lover since her marriage to Ilya (the text tells us this) then chooses to break this fidelity with such a worthless person as Vasil. She is tempted by his beauty, the books says, but that only lowers my opinion of her vastly. Is she so weak that she cannot control her impulses? Does she care for only a handsome face? And although Jaran society did not forbid this at all, it did forbid homosexuality (the reason Vasil was previously outlawed and another person was outlawed during the course of the story).

Repeatedly, Ilya is said to have "chosen his vision over Vasil," that is, to have rejected his homosexual longings in order to keep his standing in society so he could unite the tribes. He married Tess and loves her greatly, indeed, more than he ever loved Vasil. Why then would he risk his standing at the end, and Tess do so as well, to have a threesome? It was repungent. It went against Jaran society. It was out of character.

Tess is said to not care what others think. But it was out of character because she HAD BEEN FAITHFUL for 4 years out of choice. And who wants to share their spouse? It was an anomaly in the story.

Ilya did care about the opinions of others, he had to, and he bowed to the authority of the women society leaders in the story. What they would do if they knew was clear.

I hated the ending. It had no purpose to further the storyline. It made clear that Vasil, a vain and selfish character, would be one of the main characters in the next book. That is quite simply intolerable to me.

I enjoyed this book very much. Her characters are well drawn. While I enjoyed the first book in the series the most (learning about the jahar), I find myself unable to put these books down!

The first Jaran book was excellent and the Crown of Stars books got me hooked (other than book 4). As always, Kate's writing style is enjoyable, but this time the plot is a bore. Basically a silly romance, starting with the tough guy marrying the beautiful blond he hardly knows (only to run off to battle), and culminating with the a menage a trois between the hero, heroine and hero's ex-gay lover. Kate says male-female role reversal was a key part of her first book, and the woman with two men seems a natural extension of that, but the book became too engrossed in this and the need for an interesting plot (as in Jaran) sort of fell by the wayside.

This book is part of Ms Elliot's *Jaran* series, which I like better than the last three books of the *Circle* series.

The first novel in the jaran series was terrific. I had high hopes for the second. Too bad it's such a weak effort. I'm not sure I want to bother with the third, as this one was seriously downhill from the first. I have to agree in part with the somewhat homophobic reviewer. What was an entertaining view into an alternate culture turned into a silly "slash 'em and screw 'em" pulp novel.

I suppose Elliot may be trying for an effect similar to Robert Heilein's "Time Enough for Love", but she does not come close. Instead, Bahktiian becomes a Caligula like figure and Tess turns into "Honan, the Licentous". Ridiculous.

BTW, don't even try to blame the harsh reactions on male insecurity. My wife read the book before I did and told me she hated the ending. I have to agree. It's a bad turn to an already strained storyline.

Even though I don't agree with Lazarus Long's actions at the end of "Time Enough for Love", his character was still real. "Earthly Crown" is an easily disposed of tabloid with no lasting value.