Customer Reviews

The Mountain's Call

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I took a chance on this book based on the reviews here and on the RomanticSF website. I'm really glad I did. Having not read any Judith Tarr books I prepared to be pleasantly surprised, or at least place this in my 'to sell as a used book' pile.

Pleasantly surprised is not the half of it. From the very beginning one is drawn into an intricately shaped and wonderfully formed world where the magic of horses, power, inner strength and individuality in the face of adversity is approached from an intelligent, interesting and otherworldly viewpoint. There were times in the tale where I found myself wishing I could be Valeria for the day so I could experience this all first hand - the characters are that realistic and enjoyable to read.

At times, as non-prudish as I thought myself, the love and torture scenes were so well written and emphatically crafted into the story at such excellently timed points in the tale, that I was reminded in a positive eye-opening way that what I was reading was a very adult, but yet magical and powerful tale of fantasy - so different from some other fantasy tales, which are often de-sexed or de-clawed when it comes to the realities that some of the characters in the stories face. Don't get me wrong, this isn't pornographic or graphic in horror proportions. The 3rd person narrator just tells it like it is, but with such craftsmanship that you can't help but empathise with the characters' situation in the story. Excellently written.

Definitely a tale to read when you want to be drawn into a superbly crafted, magical, wonderfully intricate fantasy tale that will have you looking at the world quite differently when you have finished reading it. I look forward to the second book. Refreshing, interesting and a very good read. Highly recommended.

This book started out well but by page 200 I just wanted to strangle Valeria. She's sets off on her own against her mother's wishes. On the journey to the mountain, she's portrayed as a strong person and we're told about her loyatly to the country. On the journey and after she arrives at the mountain she's given reason to dislike/fear men and professes to hate them all. Yet she hops right into bed with both men who pay any attention to her, one of whom is a prisoner and "Barbarian Prince". Betray her? No problem give her a kiss. He "loves her", he's "just using her" no wait he "loves her" no wait... I'm pretty good at suspending disbelief but this book had so many glaring inconsistencies that I just couldn't stand it.

Before anyone gets confused, I am not Scott Whitelaw that is my dad, and I am a 18 year old girl.
I have no idea why this book got such a high rating. I usually give fantasy books a little bit of lee-way in their mistakes since it can be hard to create a unique world that doesn't echo our own too much. Not only is the world unimaginative, with places with names such as "The Mountain", but the character are unrelatable, the plot not fully explained or developed, and the dialogue can be stilted with gaps missing in the conversations that make following them confusing.
The main conflict of the novel is about a special dance that will determine the fate of the kingdom but the dance is not explained fully and I spent most of my time wondering what is was and why should I care.
The main character is bland and doesn't change much throughout the novel. She is almost 16 and seems to be addicted to sex. Don't get me wrong, I'm not averse to a few well written sex scenes in a book, but the author's scenes were brief, meaningless, and poorly written. Here is a short summary of the main character's love life. She is almost raped, then she meets a evil barbarian dude who she knows she shouldn't like but still thinks he's hot anyways so she has sex with him for every night for about 4 months. she is taken prisoner by said evil barbarian but she still has sex with him, multiple times, and apparently likes it. then she realizes that she is in love with her teacher who is years older than her and whom she hates with a passion for no reason that is ever explained in the book. she has sex with him twice even though he is on the brink of death. Then she has sex with the evil barbarian dude and still likes it and soo on and so on.
So in conclusion all I have to say is DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME. I actually finished the book after 3 weeks of putting it up and down and I wish I hadn't. It doesn't EVER get better.

She heard the Call of the Mountain but Valeria's mother refused to believe it because in one thousand years, only men have answered the summons. Her mother warded her so she could not use her magic but still Valeria found a way to leave her home and head for the mountain where the gods in the form of white stallions live. She travels with a caravan and among their number is Euan Rohe, a Caletanni barbarian being held hostage for the behavior of his tribe. The barbarians do not want to be part of the Aurelian Empire but for now Evan and his allies work in the shadows, getting ready to make their move.

Valeria pretends to be a boy while she takes the test to see if she can be a Rider. The Ladies call her, the stallions accept her but the men reject her once they find out she is a female even though she is the most powerful horse mage they have ever seen. First Rider Kerrec takes her under his wing but both he and Valeria are kidnapped by Euan and his allies. Valeria sacrifices herself to save Kerrec but she doesn't believe she can betray the Empire for the love of one man.

Caitlin Brennan is a fantastic world builder who creates a world where magic is an everyday occurrence. The white stallions are able to work time and fate to see the possible futures that may happen to the empire. The bond between rider and stallion is comparable to that of dragon and rider in Anne McCaffrey's Pern series. There is plenty of action and romance in this spellbinding romantic fantasy.

Harriet Klausner

This book has to be written by someone we already know under a pseudonym; mastery of plot, characterization, and sheer craft show an experienced hand. "Caitlin Brennan" can write rings around most people, so don't let an "unknown" name prevent you from picking up this amazing piece of fantasy.

Buy this for anyone who is horse-crazy. Buy if for anyone who would drive a hundred miles to see a Lippizan show. Buy it for fans of good, solid world-building. Buy it for fantasy fans. Oh, don't bother with an excuse, just buy it for anyone who needs a fabulous book to read! And don't forget a couple for yourself, one to read to death and a replacement for the one you read to death.

At first I couldn't figure out why the very appealing style of this book seemed familiar; then, I realized Judith Tarr had chosen to write under a pseudonym. This story pulled me in and wouldn't let me go. It reminds me of what I consider Tarr's best: The Hound and the Falcon trilogy; Alamut; The Dagger and the Cross; and her Avaryan Rising series.

I really liked the strong female lead, Valeria, her choice of two very different men as lovers, and her independence. All the characters are fairly well-developed, although Gothard is pretty much a stock villain (doesn't have any redeeming characteristics). The concept of horses as gods bears some resemblance (a positive one!) to that in Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar books.

Wonderful mix of fantasy, magic, romance, and alternate history. I can't wait for book two of White Magic.

Ok, I very much enjoyed this book. I had two issues with it though. First, we've got the heroine having sex with a traitor to her country, while still claiming that she loves this other man. This SERIOUSLY bothered me, because how can you say you love someone while having sex with someone else?! The second issue I had is that she follows along with this evil plan because she 'promised' she would in order to save the life of the guy she supposedly loves. Since when is it NOT ok to lie to the enemy?! Betray the enemy all you want, but the country and man you supposedly love?! This latter issue wasn't as bothersome to me as the first though. I honestly really did enjoy this book, but I feel that it could have been much stronger if Valeria hadn't been sleeping with every man that wanted her. Just my thoughts.

I'd been looking at this series for a while now being a fan of both well-written fantasy novels and horses. So, when the third book came in my first shipment of Luna novels, I knew I had to get the first two and read. And I am glad I did.

Never before had a girl heard the call of the White Gods, divine creatures who take the form of white horses. But Valeria heard the call and stole away to follow it, as those who are called must. On the road she meets First Rider Kerrac, and together they go to the Mountain to learn from the White Gods and of their magic. But the Masters of the school don't want a woman violating their domain, so in spite of the gods' will, they expel Valeria. Kerrac, however, arranges her to stay on, and so she learns, and befriends the son of a chieftain. She's pulled into alliances and plots and political intrigue far deeper than this farmer's daughter ever knew.

There's only one word for this novel: breathtaking. From rich, vivid characterizations to a plot with so many twists and turns you're never sure what's going to happen next, this novel delivers a powerful, compelling read. As a young girl, and young woman, I saw the Royal Lipizzaner Stallions perform, and the author, a breeder of these same magnificent horses, brings to life the movements and precision of watching them perform. She knows her horses.

For fans of rich world-building, excellent characterization, and a page-turning story, this book delivers. I can't wait to read the next one in the series.

Girls don't get called, but that does not prevent Valeria from hearing the call. At first, her family thinks her mad, but Valeria knows that the white steeds who rule the mountains have summoned her, so using her wits, she escapes to make the hazardous journey that will bring her into contact with the two men who will vye for her heart and shape her destiny. Kerroc befriends her then leaves her in the company of travellers where she meets the dangerous barbarian Euan. When at last she reaches the mountain, Valeria hides who she is until she passes the tests and is found out as a woman. Once more Kerroc saves her, taking her as a servant, but in time they become more, only to be ripped apart in a way that forces Valeria to appear traitorous to one man's love to save him and the empire itself.

**** The Mountain's Call is a beautiful epic, sweeping and passionate on several levels. There are familiar elements, but classic ones that always work in the hands of a master. ****

I had high hopes for this book. I still like the premise and the basic plot line of the novel: a girl gets "called" to join the exclusive Riders, who have previously all been male. Her struggles begin by simply getting to the Riders, to being trained and accepted as a Rider, to an international plot to destroy the kingdom. All these elements of the plot, I didn't mind. I enjoyed it actually. But, somewhere along the way, I feel that Brennan became too caught up with the sexuality of her main character, Valeria.

From the middle of the book to the end, it seems that every few pages she's having sex - and with 2 men at that. In one part, she goes from sleeping with one man then to the next practically during the same day. I'm not a prude or anything (I hope!), the moments of sex aren't too explicit, but I've never liked a heroine to tosses herself from one man to the next. She seems to have absolutely no control over her physical needs. In another seen, she sleeps with one of her lovers on the floor while her other lover is unconscious in the bed next to her! I'm sorry, but... Ugh! She knows one of her lovers is in a plot to destroy everything she's been taught to believe in... but he visits her and they have sex. EVERY TIME. The amount of sex and the awkward situations (like those previously mentioned) caused to me gradually lose respect in Valeria. She began to irritate me. Her responses seemed to grow more and more unrealistic - and if one would argue that it COULD be realistic, Valeria would not be someone that I would want to know or read about.

I don't have anything against the protagonists, uh.. "enjoying" themselves - but when these interludes grow in number to rival the plot... well, you have to draw the line somewhere. After awhile all I could think about was how utterly and completely horny Valeria was. Not a good thought for the supposed "savior" of the country.