Customer Reviews

Golden Trillium (World of the Three Moons, Bk. 3)

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

 

 

The story was relatively interesting, if a bit dry. The biggest problem I had with it was the lack of continuity with the rest of the series.

This book chronologically takes place a short time after Black Trillium. That would be fine if May and Norton had discussed it, but the lines of communication apparently failed.

If May knew how Norton was to conclude her story, she must have ignored it, because the character traits displayed by Kadiyah in Golden Trillium were not displayed by her in Blood Trillium.

Overall, I prefer the Kadiyah of Golden Trillium, to her through the eyes of May in Blood Trillium. I wish that something of that had been carried on.

The World of Three Moons did not seem the same world as that in the earlier works, or the later works. The appearance of the Sidonna didn't match the reference to them in the later works. It also did not have the strength of The Trillium due to the limited role of Haramis (maybe a paragraph), and the non-appearance of Anigel.

I do not think this is the best of Norton's work. If you are interested in the ongoing storyline of the World of Three Moons, you can safely ignore this book and miss none of that storyline. If you are an ANdre Norton fan, try to find it second hand.

Don't get me wrong, this is a very well-written book, but I found it vaguely troubling that it seems to have nothing to do with the other books in the series. And I'm not talking about the choppy chronology of the Trillium books . . . that I can overlook . . . what bothers me is that Andre Norton chose only to write about Kadiya. I've always thought the appeal to this series lies in the three fiercely different sisters. Haramis is my favorite, so I was disapointed that in the whole book she was barely mentioned. You'll love this book if Kadiya is your favorite triplet, but as a continuing chronicle of the princesses' story, it fails.

This has to be one of Andre Norton's best book ever. However, there's a great deal of discontinuity in this story with thoses written by M Bradley (Lady of the Trillium) and J May (Blood Trillium and Sky Trillium). Andre Norton has set her story straight after the triplets defeated Oragastus (the first time). But J May wrote about two further encounters with this dark magician. And M Bradley set her story far far into the future (generations after the Black Trillium) and made no mention of the loss of the talismans. I suggest that people read J May's Blood Trillium and Sky Trillium first before reading A Norton's Golden Trillium and, lastly, M Bradley's Lady of the Trillium to get a better feel of the stories without being time warped. A must read for all Trillium fans and Norton fan

I loved Black Trillium, and found Blood Trillium a worthy, if darker, sequel, but reading Golden Trillium only reveals what a thorough editing job May and Bradley must have done on Norton's text while writing the first novel. The story is vague, and the language impenetrable. I forced myself to finish it, but didn't pick up much. For Norton fans only.

I have to admit I've read better books than this. It was better than Black Trillium, which I found practically nauseating, but I read through Golden Trillium only because I kept thinking the plot would pick up a little. It never did-- at least not until the very end, where a novel's worth of conflict is squeezed into about two chapters.

If you managed to plow your way through Golden Trillium and/or Black Trillium, read Marion Zimmer Bradley's Lady of the Trillium--it's infinitely better. If you haven't read Golden Trillium yet, do yourself a favor and check it out of the library, so you won't feel cheated.

I liked this book a lot, I think It can easily be one of the best of the saga, the fact that Kadiya was the only triplet in the story troubled me a little but a part from that it was great!

I loved this book...in fact, it is the book that took me the shortest time to read, in all the the series. But somehow it is the only one of the series so far, that is anticlimactic. I found No discrenpancies. However the story could have had a lot more to offer. Maybe more emphasis on the guy from Varm...more interaction from the 2 forces prior to the last 20 pages.....that is the only thing that disapponted me about the book

Hello Everyone,

I am basing my rating on my personal enjoyment and perception of each story, and how well it fits with each of the other four books in the 'Trillium Saga'. I am also not basing my rating by comparing it to other books written by each of the 3 authors' other works (Bradley, Norton, May).

For this review/rating, I will not bump any stars off for bad service from Amazon/seller, or for any issues pertaining to the Publisher's presentations of these books.

For the record, I think the cover artist and the interior maps illustrator did a great job! FYI: I have never read any other books by Bradley, Norton, or May - either before, or since the five Trilliums, so this is my only reading experience with them.


I am outlining the chronology of the 5 novels below, because I have noted many people are somewhat confused or unaware of the series as a quintet, and some have asked what reading order, which book directly sequels this or that one, etc. I do not mean to throw any "spoilers" out here, so I apologize if anything I say is undesired.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The series goes like this:

1990 - BLACK TRILLIUM - by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Andre Norton, and Julian May (focuses on the lives of the Three Sisters and their efforts to defend Ruwenda from invaders from Labornok and Orgastus) ** {Note: 'Haramis' was M. Z. Bradley's character, 'Kadiya' was Ms. Norton's character, and 'Anigel' was Ms. May's character}. ~ Chronologically is #1

1992 - BLOOD TRILLIUM - by Julian May (direct sequel: precisely follows the plots and characters of 'Black Trillium', although it begins 12 years later. It follows the storyline of a strange new evil wizard from the far north named "Portolanus" - who might be Orgastus arisen from the dead? Ms. May uses all 3 sisters nearly equally in the story, along w/ all other key players from the prior novel). ~ Chronologically is #3

{{{{{Observation between 'Blood' and 'Golden' --- Although written first, the saga's internal timeline of "Blood Trillium" takes place after "Golden Trillium". The issue is that the character growth/development of 'Kadiya' as written by Andre Norton, is not followed-through with in 'Blood'. This is not to say Julian May did anything wrong or wrote badly, it just implies that the 2 authors did not coordinate their character-arcs between these 2 installments}}}}}

1993 - GOLDEN TRILLIUM - by Andre Norton (very loose sequel...more of a "follow-up" to 'Black'; it can be read without reading the first two novels. Ms. Norton mentions the other sisters and events from 'Black Trillium', but this novel is 100% Kadiya's story and what she and her companions do in the time following "Black Trillium"; written in such a way that it does not contradict what would happen in the (to-be) "future chronology" of 'Blood Trillium'). ~ Chronologically is #2

1995 - LADY OF THE TRILLIUM - by Marion Zimmer Bradley (storywise, a long-term "in the future" follow-up to 'Black Trillium', but not directly a sequel to any of the Trillium novels. Bradley focuses on the latter years of eldest sister Haramis, Archimage of the Land, and her efforts to secure & train a successor. Bradley alludes to events in "Black", but in such a way that this could be a stand-alone story to read, but it is probably better to have read the others first. This takes place some 150-200 years after the closing of 'Black Trillium', so all the other characters are long-since "dead"). ~ Chronologically is #5

1997 - SKY TRILLIUM - by Julian May (direct sequel to "Blood Trillium"; this book does not make notice of anything which transpired in Ms. Norton's "Golden Trillium", and obviously, it takes place before "Lady of the Trillium" thereby rendering zero connection to both of those Trillium entries. This story again hinges on the 3 sisters, and the back-from-the-dead Orgastus, and his dealings with Denby Varcour, Archimage of the Sky. Again, Ms. May makes use of all 3 sisters...even though 'Anigel' was her primary creation/responsibility originally). ~ Chronologically is #4

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thus, the Publishers and authors never "numbered" this Trillium Saga series. Functionally, I view it as the 'TRILLIUM TRILOGY' consisting of: 1] "Black", 2] "Blood", and 3] "Sky", with "Golden" and "Lady of..." being ancillary/companion pieces which can be read anywhere between the other 3, but most likely are best held until after Black/Blood/Sky.

*(Or read thus: Black, Golden, Blood, Sky, Lady of...)

My pet-peeve is that "Sky Trillium" was released by a different publisher, and so does no have the same cover artist or interior illustrator for the maps; it visually doesn't match the other four books. Also, "Sky" apparently is/was not ever available in the U.S. in hardcover anyway (only Trade PB and standard s/c). You can get the hardcover from sellers in UK or Australia, though it will not be the same cover artwork as the American Dell/Skylark paperback that you'd see stateside.

I had never read any of these author's prior to this Trillium Saga, and have not read any of their other works to this date. Obviously I was well-aware of "Mists of Avalon" and went into the series with a preconceived high regard for these authors, based on their respective reputations. I personally enjoyed Julian May's story-telling the most. I read Black, Blood, and Sky with enjoyment and enthusiasm, while I read 'Golden' and 'Lady of...' more out of curiosity and deference to Bradley/Norton's efforts.


Overall assessment: By all means read this whole series!! If you only like Norton or Bradley, then just read their solo Trillium volumes; if you are wanting an epic, whole world, ensemble cast, adventure/fantasy, then start with Blood/Black/Sky.


~ Scott T. Shier

Golden Trillium is the best of the Trillium books series. The fiery Kadiya is the only one of the sisters that is really in the book (Haramis is in a conversation or two), and so if Kadiya is your favorite, this book is a must! The series doesn't fit together perfectly, so don't be disappointed if this book doesn't match the others.