Customer Reviews

Ironcrown Moon

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

 

 

As I've said regarding Conqueror's Moon, this book's prequel (see my review of it), I at one time respected Julian May as perhaps the best author in the genre. Her Pliocene Exile series remains, IMO, the apex of such fiction. There is much to relish about Ms. May's writing-- but it's a shame that her talents have seemingly faded with the years.

I was lukewarm on Conqueror's Moon, this tale's inaugural book. The story was average, although the magic was quite novel overall. Her descriptions lacked their usual depth and spirit, and the characters-- usually they, at least, have soul and pizzaz-- were flat.

This sequel, Ironcrown Moon, is slightly better. And I'm not sure why. Perhaps, because, finally, Ms. May puts a little soul in her characters. Just a little. Towards the end. At first, this book is fragmented, something like a Tom Clancy novel from his more recent efforts. We see just as much of the bad guys as the good, and once again we never get a chance to get inside the head of young Deveron Austrey, this tale's primary protagonist. But mostly it comes together in the end plotwise, with a modest bang, and we finally see Deveron making some difficult moral choices. We're still not sure exactly why he makes his choices, unfortunately, because we know so little about the way he thinks-- aside from the fact that he thinks quickly on his feet, and well, and has inclinations to sacrifice himself for the greater good.

The plot and story move steadily forward. There is just enough to keep the pages turning. The writing is still elegant enough that it is easy on the brain. Some of Ms. May's humor does come through in some of the dialog, and that is a nice improvement. The storyline itself IS growing. We go from the political shenanigans of a would-be High King via his private, elite spy, to world-shaking implications involving ancient deities manipulating events behind the scenes.

But we are not blown away, as I hope and expect to be blown away by her. Nonetheless, I have purchased and begun the third volume in this series-- Sorcerer's Moon, and hope that things will come together. I recall very much enjoying The Many Colored Land and The Golden Torc, the two initial volumes of her Pliocene Saga, then feeling absolutely awestruck by The Nonborn King and The Adversary-- so perhaps the story will really round into shape with the next book.

I wish Ms. May would write a sequel to the Pliocene Exile/ Galactic Milieu conglomerate. She left so much unsaid. I think she could take it to new heights.

This review covers the entire Boreal Moon trilogy (but the score above is for the individual book - should be 2.5, by rights).

I'm a big fan of the Saga of Pliocene Exile, and I also enjoyed the Galactic Milieu. So, since I was unable to get the books one by one as they appeared, I bought the entire Boreal Moon trilogy in one go, excited for a real treat.

This wasn't it. From the start, the first book failed to capture my interest, but eventually, I forced my way into the story, and after a few chapters, it got better. But not much.

The series relies on complex politics, and simplistic individual motivations. The evil foe (the Salka) are a caricature - literally stupid, evil, slimy, green, tentacled baddies - sidestepping the fact that they somehow created the special magic sigils the entire trilogy depends on. Worse, the entire story ignores the fact that the slimy creatures are the aboriginal inhabitants of the island, and that humans displaced them through conquest. The fact that they want their land back just proves their evil nature. Good creatures who want their land back are fine, though.

The omniscient narrator tends to forget that the characters are not (meant to be) omniscient, and central figures keep picking up key bits of information almost at random. The magic system is barely examined, and is highly inconsistent - for example, "windscrying" (clairvoyance) is widely used, but virtually no one takes even simple precautions against it. This means that all sides can easily pick up opponents' plans - except when scrying mysteriously doesn't work (or isn't considered) - all too apparently for the convenience of the author. Finally, the resolution of the trilogy is very much ex machina.

May relies here heavily on an omniscient, yet coy and perpetually vague oracle/fate. She used this same technique to slightly better effect (though near-equal reader frustration) in the Galactic Milieu books. Having now read all her major works (including parts of the Trillium and Rampart Worlds series), I can say that she was at her best in Pliocene Exile, when her voice was fresh and the setting unique. Much less successful, though still interesting in the Galactic Milieu, which built on part of the same background. The Boreal Moon trilogy, however, uses the same techniques in a fairly standard-issue fantasy setting, and it just doesn't work.

The trilogy is slightly dull and convoluted in the first volume, but still worthwhile for May fans. The second volume (Ironcrown Moon (The Boreal Moon Tale)) is substantially less interesting, but does carry the story forward. The final volume (Sorcerer's Moon (The Boreal Moon Tale)) is a very hard slog indeed, and worth reading only for those who just can't stand to quit a story part way through.

If you enjoy Julian May and epic fantasy, skip this series.

I truly enjoyed this book so much (I had first read it from the library), I bought the entire series for my niece for Christmas. The author makes all the characters believable, and does a wonderful job creating the setting. I can easily picture what is happening as if it were a movie, or if I was actually there. I hope that someday I will add the series to my personal library so that I can introduce these wonderful stories to others.

If you like sci-fi and fantasy - Julian May is a great bet.
I thoroughly enjoy her books.

I bought this at the same time as George R R's Feast of Crows, and the comparisons do this book no favours. The situations are less real, the characterisation more wooden and the plot more forced. Nevertheless the book is still above average fantasy. It's probably at about the same level as her 'Trillium tales" and nowhere near the majestic heights of her Pliocene saga. Worth buying if you bought the first but I'm waiting for the paperback of the next one

The former prince of Cathra is King Conrig of High Blenholme and the former independent kingdoms are now vassal states. The king sits uneasily on the throne because he has a small amount of magic as does his three sons. By law, all of these royals are not suited to rule. He is desperate to keep this a secret but he learns that his first wife that he divorced because he thought she was barren is the mother of his son, a child who has no magic and should be the heir to the throne.

King Conrig has other enemies including the former Royal Alchemist Killian and Prince Beynor of the House of Mass. Killian is locked away in an abbey wearing an iron collar around his neck so he can't perform magic and Beynor is exiled to the Downtide Isles with the sentient Salka monsters who want to rule the humans. These two men pair up to overthrow the empire starting with the destruction of the royal family of Didion. Prince Somarus allies with these two rebels and proclaims himself the king and wants his country to be independent again. Conrig's first wife intends to tell the world that the king has magic flowing through his veins and her son should be the king. All these characters are players in this drama of the Beaconlight, sentient beings in the sky who have the power to activate the sgyls so that whoever wears one has magic. There are forces at work to keep Conrig on his throne because he has the best chance of defeating the evil Beaconlights and be an instrument for the good Beaconlights.

Julian May is a talented and visual writer whose descriptions make High Blenholme seem very real. There are many heroes in this tale who do the right thing for honor while the villains act in evil ways because they want power. Ms. May has written a work that is reminiscent of the LORD OF THE RINGS whose fans will definitely want read this book and the first Boreal Moon fantasy.