Customer Reviews

Fortress of Owls

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

So much fantasy is big on action, like a megabudget summer movie, and on allegory (Dark vs. Light, Good vs. Evil) but lacking in characters who engage the heart and don't simply perform a role. I fell in love with the first book in the series, Fortress in the Eye of Time, quite unexpectedly, because I'd always thought C.J. Cherryh's fantasy novels somewhat lacking in life compared to her science fiction. In this series, however, is every strength of her sf--sympathetic and individualized characters, a world imagined down to its least detail but tossed away as mere background, and themes of people finding a place to call home in an alien world, the interplay between nature and nurture, between what we are and what we aspire to be, and whether history, in the form of an individual, does, or can, repeat itself. The second book, Fortress of Eagles, seemed a bit skeletal compared to the first and a few inconsistencies crept in, as if the author had not had time to flesh it out fully and as if the editing had been hasty as well. Fortress of Owls is back to the high standards of the first book, where there is as much pleasure in a re-reading as in the first reading, and, in fact, you catch important details that you missed the first time. I can only wonder at the Kirkus reviewer's finding the detail tedious--I treasure it, along with the characters, and, although I eagerly await the fourth and final book, I shall be sorry to say good-bye to it all.

I find the Fortress series to be thought-provoking and intriguing. In these stories a kingdom exists in which mankind has gone to great lengths to purge itself of the very magic it needs to survive. Will humanity accept the hand Mauryl extends to them through Tristen, or will he ultimately be rejected? Fortress of Owls gives us a delictable hint as to the final answer. I am waiting impatiently for the next book.

I am fascinated by the themes Cherryh presents in this book. At first I found the sections about Ceffwyn boring, but I came to realize that Cherryh is using them to point out just what makes Tristen different from mankind, and how different a world governed by a true Sidhe would be.

I love the way Cherryh uses Tristen's friend/enemy, Owl, and Tristen's beloved pigeons to highlight the truth concerning Tristen's nature. In many ways Tristen is just like his "silly" birds, but he is rapidly becoming more and more like Owl, despite his protests to the contrary. Tristen's relationships with these birds provide illumination into his relationship with mankind -- Men are just like the pigeons, squabbling and fearful, needing protection from Tristen because they are too silly to recognize danger until it is too late. And Tristen? Tristen is Owl, a frightening Shadow to Man who must always remain apart due to the potentially destructive power that resides within his very nature. However, just as in Owl, Tristen is not evil, it is simply that he must live according to his nature, just as the pigeons must live according to theirs.

Fortress of Owls does an excellent job of revealing Tristen's true nature, and allows glimpses of the mature Sidhe into which he is developing. And just as owls and pigeons have a larger environment into which they fit, so too does Tristen. For the first time, we can see how Tristen fits into a much greater picture, a tapestry in which good and evil, Sidhe and man all form their part.

I truly enjoyed Fortress of Owls. It gets a little slow at times, and some of the scenes appear disjointed (e.g. Where in the world did the twins come from? Their arrival came as a most unwelcome intrustion), but this book is definitely better than Fortress of Eagles, and leaves me breathlessly awaiting the arrival of Fortress of Dragons. Tristen has the potential to become something truly grand. I just hope that Cherryh doesn't hold back in her Shaping and prevent him from achieving his full potential. I look forward to meeting the Sidhe Mauryl met a thousand years earlier, and finding him far greater than his legend.

This book has everything a devoted reader of fantasy could desire. The characterisation of the main protagonists and world-building are masterful, the plot is intricate and spellbinding, and Cherryh's writing is bedazzling. For some readers this novel might contain too little physical action (there are hardly, if any, sword-fights, battles etc.), but the intrigues and thrilling, involving story-line should more than compensate for that. (For those who like flashing swords etc., I strongly recommend novels by David Gemmell and Michael Moorcock, two excellent writers of heroic fantasy). All in all, this book should keep a host of fantasy-readers busy for a few pleasant days, and beyond.

Fortress of Owls (1999) is the third fantasy novel of the Fortress series, following Fortress of Eagles. In the previous volume, Tristen took Crissand's oath as Earl of Meiden and banished Cuthan of Bryn from Amefel. Emuin finally arrived at the Zeide a week later.

In Guelesfort, Brugan -- heir of Ryssand -- dared to accuse Ninevrise of infidelity and Cevulirn challenged him. After Brugan was slain in a fair fight, the Murandys guards came forward to arrest Cevulirn, but King Cefwyn offered to take the life of anyone who intervened. Still, Cefwyn had to send Cevulirn back to Ivanor for his own safety.

In this novel, Tristen visits Master Emuin in his tower quarters and finds the stairs crowded with an overflow of basket and bundles. Inside, the shutters are open to let in the light, but the wind, snow and cold also come through the windows. Tristen closes the shutters and sends Tassand to light the fire, set the candles and rearrange the furnishings.

Afterward, Tristen joins Uwen for a ride with Earl Crissand. He finds the horse yard filled with carts loading supplies to take to the river camp. Then Crissand arrives with a much larger guard force. After some confusion, Tristen and his bodyguards mount up and ride off through the town. The commoners joyfully shout "Lord Sihhe" as usual; despite the offense to the Guelenfolk (or maybe because of it), his Amefin just can't be convinced to mute their cheers.

The party takes the South Road to Padys Springs, which Tristen realizes had once been called Bathurys. As they talk about common things, Crissand learns that such things are not ordinary to Tristen. Since his personal memories only extended back to the past spring, many things have not yet been experienced. Sheep, for example, is a new and interesting subject to Tristen.

At Padys Springs, they turn off onto the road to Levey. As they pass the old shrine, a fierce gust of wind blows across the column. Then an old woman appears by the stones. Crissand doesn't know her, but Tristen and Uwen recognize her as Auld Syes. The Shadow addresses them as the Lord of Amafel and the aetheling and states that their road lies south, then she tells Tristen to find and feed her sparrows. Finally, she dares Tristen to invite her into his home and he welcomes her.

As they ride south, the party struggles through a sudden storm of snow and ice until they meet Cevulirn and his Ivanim guards. After turning back toward Henas'amef, the weather turns warm. Later, Tristan calls a council of Amefin nobles and has Cevulirn tell them of events in the Guelemara court. They discuss the situation in Elwynor, but decide not to ride north quite yet. Instead, Tristen sends Cevulirn back south to invite the Southron lords to the Midwinter festival in Henas'amef.

In this story, Tristen discovers that the sparrows are armed Elwynim refugees, whom he sends to Althalen. Much has happened, so he sends Sergeant Gedd to Idrys with messages. On his return to Amafel, Gedd is followed by unknown persons and has to walk to Henas'amef on back roads. When he finally returns, Tristen readily perceives that his messengers are being intercepted and he resolves to send only the most urgent messages to Guelessar.

In Guelemara, Cefwyn arranges the marriage of Luriel of Murandys to Rusyn of Panys. After their own marriage, Cefwyn and Ninevrise welcome Luriel back to the court. Afterward, Rusyn invites Luriel to dance. The betrothal soon follows and Luriel joins Ninevrise's court in the preparation of her wedding finery.

This story relates the attempts of Tristen to control the weather. He learns many things from these trials, including the dangers of turning the weather too warm with snow on the ground. Luckily, the snowmelt doesn't wash out any bridges and the lower fields soon dry. Moreover, Tristen finds that something else is countering his wishes.

Highly recommended for Cherryh fans and anyone else who enjoys tales of high magic, feudal plotting and Royal lovers.

-Arthur W. Jordin

With this book, C. H. Cherryh continues the story she began with A Fortress in the Eye of Time, and Fortress of Eagles. In this book, Tristen, Lord of Amefel, searches to understand all of the many, inexplicable things that occurred at Amefel before and during his arrival to take up the reins. Cefwyn rules from Guelemara, and struggles to out maneuver his nobles. As the book, goes on, the story gets darker, and takes on a more urgent tone. There are conspiracies and enemies everywhere, but who is friend and who is enemy? It's not always easy to know.

Unlike the previous book in this series, this book contains a prologue to remind the reader of the story so far, and lexicon describing all of the people and places in the story. The story is much more exciting than the previous book, and has me impatient to be on to the next one! This is a great book.

C J Cherryh has been a prolific and popular author and ranks at the top of my favorite authors' list. In this series which began with "Fortress in the Eye of Time" she started slowly but has reached her peak with this novel. The original novel was good but moved too slowly. In this volume imagery and characterization puts the reader at the scene of the action. The characters are well sculpted and are very human, even Tristen, who is a wizard's "shaping". His journey to discover himself pulled me in all the way. It was impossible for me to put the book down and I look forward eagerly to "Fortress of Dragons".

I was thuroughly entranced by the first book of the series, _Fortress in the Eye of Time_. That was a book that delivered the goods regularily and with great power. I was, however, less impressed with the sequel, _Fortress of Eagles_, because very few things worth writing about happens in that book.

I am even less impressed with _Fortress of Owls_, which manages to go into great length about nothing important at all, save a few events. In the terms of the overall story, nothing in the book needs anything more than a paragraph, but the most mundane interaction between Tristen and those around him get special attention. He is depicted in great detail every time he visits some local of the least note, or forms an acquaintance of the most miscleaneous character. Most of Cherryh's brilliant dialogue is wasted on trivial things and gratuitus musings. Nothing important happens--no battles, no strained relationships, no great revelations. Things do begin to happen right at the end and the next and final installment looks to be very interesting but this book should be considered a coloring book for Cherryh's world.

With that said, Cherryh is still a great craftswoman, and even when she's bad she's good. Very few writers can match her for intelligence, grace of prose, skill of character-building or her powerful dialogue. No fantasy writer that I've ever read can touch Cherryh at making the reader suspend belief; her world is so fleshed out, so internally consistent, and so genuine that one has no trouble at all believing that Tristen's world could really exist.

It's the strength of Cherryh's presentation that this book is as enjoyable as it is, because the premise, frankly, is lacking.

Books one and two were really slow and boring.

Then, with book three, it suddenly got very interesting. Things begin to fall into place for Tristen. He strikes out on his own, and his learning and understanding of people and war and kingdoms is refreshing and stimulating while his continuing confusion regarding secret motivations, suspicions of betrayal and hidden enemies makes for some very exciting actions and reactions. He still makes mistakes, but he also makes some right choices. Some fear him and others love him, some support him and others are trying to unseat him. There are underhanded, selfish betrayals and political maneuvering, and its hard to tell who is friend and who is foe. There's religious prejudice, war, intrigue, betrayal and love. And, the rendering of the kingdoms feel very authentic to me, down to the armor and the horses. Tristen has gone from being a boring, ignorant, half wit character to being a grounded, insightful leader.

I'm so glad I pushed through the first two, because now this series is awesome! Just as I've come to expect from C.J. Cherryh!

WONDERFUL . WHERES THE NEXT ONE. LOVE THIS WRITING. KEEP MY ATTENTION ALL THE WAY THROUGH. AND WANTING MORE

I realised there was a gap in my collection - this has fillled it very well