Customer Reviews

The Mageborn Traitor (Exiles, Vol. 2)

5 star:		(81)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

Update 9/23/10

Rawn made an announcement on her website that due to bad sales, Spellbinder 3 will not be published and she will attempt to restart her career by going 'back to her fantasy roots' and writing a NEW trilogy. She was so badly flamed that she took down the announcement and had a sulk about the response. Details here on the forums down at the bottom of the page.

Captal's is not going to be written. Period.

I wrote this in 2007

I have just finished reading the Exiles books after 10 years, and think they are even better than the first time I read them.
That being said, I have to admit I am wondering if any author has the sheer talent and skill needed to patch up this convoluted
tale. And have it make any kind of sense.
I also wonder if it's possible to write the sequel and have it mesh after such a long hiatus.

After reading these two books, I have come to realize that Ms. Rawn will have a hard time finishing this story. She has
effectively painted herself into a creative corner. Bear with me a moment.
First and foremost, the story is getting too complicated. Where one or two major groups of families would have sufficed,
there are literally hundreds of names the beleaguered reader has to try to remember. Added to that, layers upon layers of shadings
and meanings behind every word ever uttered by one Gorynel Desse. And with all the names in the two books, I'm not exactly
sure he's the only one. Also, there are tales within tales that boggle the mind. You have the 3 sisters' history and the question of Auvry Feiran's
true reasons for going evil. There was some kind of cover up there. The divorce and all was some kind of fake maneuver to hide some other events.
Also, you have the Ganfallin revolt over 200 years ago that is tied into the current events, plus
the Malerrisi lord and the ancestor of Leninor Garvedian who were in love and tried to revolutionize the magical hierarchy. Or was
it the ancestor of Lusira, Alira Gavennos, Tragan Maifirran - huh? You see what I mean here. Not to even get started on who
actually colonized the planet of Lenfell, who started the Mage wars over a thousand years ago . . . Spaceships, anyone? There is
just too much stuff.

Second, too many characters are aged too rapidly. Cailet is just a young woman at the beginning of book 2 and in 100 or so pages
becomes middle aged, empty hearted and bitter. There is almost no fleshing out of her character. After all the time spent on her
thoughts and feelings in the first book, to be suddenly cheated of her real growth into a woman is astounding. The reader just has
to make the leap and read between her grim faced silences and acid comments to Gorsha. The same goes for Glenin, her doings are
only hinted at,and it would have been nice to get a clearer idea of what made her tick other than rigid adherence to the Malerissi
Code. Why does power mean so much to her? There are issues left unresolved with her at the end of book 1 that are not continued
in book 2, but glossed over. Certainly her relationship with her son would have fleshed out her personality more and made her
eventual choices that much more frustrating and heartbreaking. And the last sister, Sarra, becomes a robot in the service of the
government, missing out on her children's lives and feeling just about as cheated as the reader at having seen it whirl on by so
quickly. It all feels so rushed.

And worst of all is what is done with Collan. Without going into major spoilers here, all I can say is that what we are left with at
the end of book 2 is not enough. Not even close. One page of teasing phrases and almost finished sentences. Just two more words
in the right place would have given so much! Now, the explanations will need to come by way of flashbacks, or visions- if the third
book actually ever gets written. The whole mystery of his true identity is almost given, then tauntingly jerked away.

At last we are left with Ms. Rawn's 10 year and counting hiatus.
Has anyone thought of just writing the darn thing themselves? Anyone? Not even fanfic? Thought not. The truth is that it will take
a lot of talent and brain drain to get the next book to be even halfway coherent and not the total anti-climax mess it probably will be.
In fact, at one point Ms. Rawn called on her readers to help her with it. No joke, the request by her was made on her website and has
since been removed. But I remember my jaw dropping to my shoes when I read it last year. She emphatically stated that a book takes
anywhere between 1 and 5 years for her to write, not to get too exited and please not to tell her our own ideas about who Collan really
is. She just needs some help with, you know, the story and stuff like that.

Doesn't that just say it all? Even she can't keep it all straight and in fact said she needed the help to remember what happened. Having
just finished this, I can see why. Too many names, too much time gone by for both the characters and for the author.

My advice is: Don't read these books until the last book is out. The books are good enough that it is maddening wondering if and when the author
will ever finish it.

UPDATE: 11/9/2007

I've just read on Rawn's website that the next book she will be writing is . . .

Spellbinder 2.

Wow. What is WRONG with her? 14 years and we are all hanging on this series and she continues what many reviewers have euphemistically labeled 'trash'. Please think twice before buying and reading any of her books. She has earned the label 'rear end cavity' or something like that for doing this to her faithful readers of a decade and a half.

UPDATE: 10/4/2008

From her website, now we can all look forward to Spellbinder 3. Wow.
What can I say?

I've read both The Ruins of Ambrai and The Mageborn Traitor, and I can say without a doubt that these two books (they will be three soon! I can't wait! ) are my all-time favorites out of the hundreds I have read. The tangled mystery and political intrigue that is present throughout this book is quite nerve-wracking and definitely draws you in. When reading the two books I got to care deeply about the characters, and this is the first book that I've actually cried shamelessly when one of them dies... When you're through, you'll feel like you are a part of this world, and even a part of every character. Rawn is an excellent writer, imaginative, descriptive and thorough. Her plotlines are unpredictable and exciting. These books will envelop you and you won't be able to put them down! I only hope that she extends the triliogy to a series!

A word of warning to 1st time readers of Rawn, the wait for the next book in the series is always long. I know this. I purposely waited. I didn't buy the first book in the series the first time I saw it. NO, I KNEW BETTER! I waited for the second book. I read both books in two days and (a little blurry-eyed I admit)started to seek The Capital's Tower. It was listed in Vol 2. It was named and even had a possible release date. Want to know the NEW release date?--SOMETIME in 2001! Doesn't Ms. Rawn know these books are addictive?

Note: However people rate this review, take it with a grain of salt - Rawn has legions of fans, as does every epic fantasy author. I doubt they'll enjoy my review, but it doesn't reduce its relevance. I'm trying to be fair but honest here. These books are *not* horrid enough that I feel I must refrain from recommending them. I do think you should get the first one from your library, though. If they appeal, then spend money.

The Mageborn Traitor has few things to recommend it. It will keep you well occupied for a while, and it will keep you thinking. Unfortunately, it's the length that will keep you occupied and the enormous number of supporting characters that will keep you thinking as you attempt to keep track of them.

The main characters are easy to track. You get to know them, and somewhat enjoy them. However, though their existence spans decades, their aging is invisible as many of those years pass unseen between book sections, and there is little increased maturity evident to clue you in. This probably accounts for the frequent mention of characters' everlasting beauty despite their age. They seem not to learn from their mistakes over time, or get over their self-doubt despite years to work out their issues. We feel the passage of time only because it is harped on.

The supporting characters are numerous - too much so. This was a hallmark of Rawn's previous series, but at least that one had a reference list in the back. This series lacks such a reference, an omission I find deplorable. I found myself flipping back and forth trying to locate the first introduction of characters. Almost every character that Rawn introduces with a name figures into her plot in some fasion, sooner or later. This means keeping track of these characters if you want any hope of following the plot. Her method of dealing with this excess of humanity is having a massacre every so often. Dozens of characters are killed off, and rather than feel sad at their loss, you're left trying to remember who they were. If it's a particularly climatic scene, she'll kill off a major character as well, and then you *do* feel sad - you've lost one of the few you cared about enough to keep track of.

Don't get me wrong - I admire an author with the wherewithal to kill off characters. I expect it to mean something, though, and to have had enough exposure to the character to care. Katherine Kurtz is an example of an author who pulls this off well. Rawn has her characters grieving over losses that are evidently huge to them, and we're left confused since we haven't seen enough interaction to justify such emotion.

The big plot twist in this book had limited mystery. Clearly one of the two dark, handsome men was Glenin's son. We were not given a lot of clues as to which it was, and the scenes where Glenin's son was present but his name was not used felt stilted. The revelation scene felt shallow as we had just been handed three other major events - the appearance of a mystery woman, a vague possible death waiting to be confirmed and the plot twist before that, which I'll only refer to as the revelation of Ambrai secrets. That last felt extremely forced. The reactions seemed severe, as did the fact that otherwise smart characters had let it come to this. I don't enjoy it when an author dumbs her characters down on one issue for the sake of the plot. The readers are smart also, and we'll *know* we're being handed a line of bull.

If you've made it this far, you're probably wondering why I'm reviewing the *second* book. Why did I bother? Well, I was bored, I was interested if not fascinated by book one, I was curious where the plot was going to go and my husband was away on business. :) My only regret is I spent money on them, not that I read them. I'll probably read book three, too. Sarra looks like she might get interesting. I'm not looking forward to the inevitable scenes where Cailet tells everyone and all the voices in her head that a certain man is all wrong for her, because I know they'll end up together eventually. Oh, come on, tell me it hasn't been foreshadowed with all the subtlety of a brick through plate glass. There's still a few secrets to emerge, and waiting for them will be painfully drawn out, I'm sure. I have high hopes for interesting developments for a certain bad guy - if done right, it will have interesting parallels to Cailet's early days. I'm not holding my breath, though.

So, Rawn fans, do your worst. (...) :) I'm just another amateur reviewer. Hope I helped.

I have to admit, Rawn is one of my all time favorite authors but like so many other fans, I'm sick of waiting for the end of the trilogy. She has written other stories since book two of Exiles but I haven't bought any of them. She's a great writer,no doubt but Exiles has been left hanging far too long. Robert Jordan has put out numerous additional titles in his series while we have all been waiting for the last of the Exiles trilogy. To be honest, I've lost interest in Rawn as a writer. I have all of the Dragon Prince books in hardcover and will enjoy reading them over and over again but I'm sorely tempted to just toss the Exiles books as there seems to be no conclusion to the storyline. I'm giving the "duology" a rating of one star due to the lack of interest from the author in completing the story. I wouldn't recommend purchasing this "trilogy" until after the third book, if ever, is published.

I think I enjoyed this book nine years ago when it was published. However, after waiting NINE YEARS for the final book in this trilogy, I not only lost interest, I've forgotten everything about the story. I'll never read anything by Rawn again, except if I choose to re-read the Dragon trilogies from the days when Rawn actually finished what she started. Don't waste your time getting into this series - it will never be completed (the third book was postponed so many times that I lost track!)!

EDIT: I posted the comments above 22 months ago. The third book - the end of the "trilogy" - is STILL not scheduled for distribution! However, in the meantime, Ms. Rawn has had plenty of time and energy to publish not one, but TWO books in a different series (which she started while her remaining fans were waiting for this trilogy to end!). I, for one, do not plan on spending another dime on any book by Ms. Rawn. She's going to pull a "Robert Jordan" on us (dying without finishing a series, because he milked it along for years!).

What I liked most about this book and its predecessor is that both are not predictable. Melanie Rawn actually makes you think about what will happen next. I thought it was fun, and a little frustrating, to piece together all the clues, and I have to say that I am still very confused, but that's okay. I'd rather be confused than bored. I loved how complex both the plot and the characters were. I have never read a story before that completely makes you feel like you are actually there. I cannot wait to see what Ms. Rawn will come up with in the final book. Mikel and Taigan were fun and I hope we get to find out more about there lives. I wonder if Cailet will ever find someone(I'm sorry to say that I find Joss a tad young). I absolutely could not imagine them together but hey, one of the benefits of writing is you get to do whatever you want. I'm dying to know the truth about Collan and must say that the suspence is killing me. Above all I applaud Ms. Rawn for her very exceptional work. Not many books have touched me the way hers has. If you love a complex story with memorable characters in a world where women mostly call the shots, then you will love this series. By the way, if anyone knows when the third will be coming out I would love to know. It is easier to wait when you have some kind of a time frame.

First of all, for those of you who have not yet read this, PLEASE refrain from reading to far in the comments. Only because some readers printed in some major spoilers. Now, granted, this book was at times heavy handed with geneology and names that sounded a little to similer for my taste, that was my only complaint. I found this to be a sequel that lives up to the series, and to Rawn's usual talent. Half the time I was rolling on the floor laughing, and the rest of the time I was in tears. She writes this book so you can really feel the characters, Cai's frustration, Sarra and Collan's love, and the twins confusion at growing up. Beautiful

To start I want to say that I loved the Ruins of Ambrai, it is a bit confusing, and the first time through I had a hard time following everything. However, I find that all these so called "extra characters" that Melanie throws in through the book become important later on, and several of the backburner characters become front runners in Mageborn Traitor. I enjoyed this book so much that I've read it 6 or 7 times, and I'm on my way through it again. There are so many twists and turns that the plot will keep you guessing. It is almost impossible to fathom what she might have planned for the third book in the series (which hopefully will be out soon) but I know it will be a treat. I highly reccomend this book to anyone who enjoys the fantasy genre.

This is one of the best fantasy books i've every read. I've reas this book so many times my copy is falling apart, hopefully Ms. Rawn will be getting the Captal's Tower out soon.