Customer Reviews

Nine Gates (Tor Fantasy)

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I'm still in the middle of the book, but I'm enjoying it every bit as much as the Thirteen Orphans, the first in the Breaking the Wall Series. The characters are varied and interesting. In all Jan Lindskold's books, I enjoy the depth of plot and levels of intrigue. Nine gates doesn't disappoint.

The magic in this urban fantasy is not just limited to this world as Brenda, Pearl, Des, and the rest open the gates...

Nine Gates (2009) is the second Fantasy novel in the Breaking the Wall series, following Thirteen Orphans. In the previous volume, Honey Dream restored the memories of Flying Claw to Foster. Then Waking Lizard brought ill news from the Lands Born from Smoke and Sacrifice. The four newcomers signed a treaty with the Thirteen Orphans.

In this novel, Pearl Bright is the Tiger among the Thirteen Orphans. She had been a child actor in her younger days. Now she is a rich woman.

Shen Kung is the current Dragon. He lives in New York.

Deborah Van Bergenstein is the current Pig. She lives in Michigan.

Brenda Morris is the daughter of Gaheris, the current Rat. She has been learning about the Lands and studying magic with the other trainees. Since she is only the Ratling -- the heir of the Rat -- Brenda differs from the other trainees.

Righteous Drum is a Dragon from the Lands Born of Smoke and Sacrifice. He is the father of Honey Dream, but has other children back in the Lands.

Waking Lizard is a Monkey from the Lands. He has only recently arrived in the home universe.

Flying Claw is a Tiger from the Lands. He is now a different man than before he recovered his memories.

Honey Dream is a Snake from the Lands. She is the daughter of Righteous Drum.

In this story, the four latecomers from the Lands are now allies rather than enemies. They are participating in a weapons training exercise with the Thirteen Orphans when sixteen men from the Lands materialize and attack the group. Most of the attackers are only using material weapons, but a couple are also using magic.

Luckily, the locals are not only armed, but also have magical defenses deployed. The attackers target Righteous Drum in the first rush and Honey Dream steps up over her father to defend him. One man attacks Brenda and Pearl.

All the defenders survive. Righteous Drum has lost an arm -- the worse injury -- and Brenda has a cut across her belly. The other locals have only minor injuries.

Only four attackers are left alive. Their dead are stored to the barn. The injured are treated in the field and then carried to the house. The captives are locked up and Brenda is taken to a doctor to get her wound stitched.

The Orphans question their captives and learn that the new ruler of the Lands has new allies. The captain of the assault belonged to these new allies. Unfortunately, he was killed in the attack.

The Orphans and the newcomers decide to return to the Lands via the Nine Gates. They plan to enter through the Western outlands. Pearl offers the use of a small warehouse for the first gate.

Pearl goes to New York to brief Shen and get his assistance in building the Nine Gates. Then the indigenous magic groups invite Pearl to attend a meeting in the city. The Rock Dove Society is very concerned by the magic surges coming from the new attack.

Pearl alleviates most of their fear, but one representative wants to know more about the form of magic used by the Orphans. Tracy Frye claims to be a generalist, applying different magical traditions as necessary. She is also without scruples in her drive to learn more.

This tale takes Shen and Deborah to California to join in the Nine Gates project. All the Orphans start stockpiling amulets to repel further attacks and to use in the return. The first gate takes them to the domain of the White Tiger.

This novel leaves much to be resolved. The next installment is Five Odd Honors. Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Lindskold fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of various magics, magical training, and determined women.

-Arthur W. Jordin

I have been eagerly anticipating this sequel to THIRTEEN ORPHANS, wondering what new challenges Brenda Morris and her compatriots would encounter. Much to my satisfaction, NINE GATES was an excellent story.
Unlike many other books where characters become type-cast as predictable villains and heroes, NINE GATES allows the characters to grow and develop. People are wounded ~ people betray one another ~ people are selfish... and yet, the characters do not remain one dimensional. NINE GATES is enjoyable because the reader is challenged to think along with the characters.
Beyond the unusually strong character development, NINE GATES also has an intriguing plot. What will happen as the characters make their journey through the Guardian Domains? Will their "novice" skills be sufficient? Can Brenda and her allies learn to work with their rivals to succeed?

This book does not disappoint, it moves the events and expectations of reader and characters along to rethink the layers of challenge in the story.

Where the first book (13 orphans) bloomed slowly, dragging tiny details and secrets into view...this book starts with a bang and steps up the pacing. Character development actually starts to 'rotate Point Of View' through the cast, a feature that most authors will not attempt and can be distracting. Here it adds just the right sense of mystery and culture clash.

Highly recommended.

I found this a fascinating novel. I admire the rotating of points view that let you gain insight into the thinking and development of the principal characters. The magic system seem real in that magic user exert energy to work their magic, and growth in using one powers is slow and basic on painstaking study and practice. This is an excellent follow up to the 13 Orphans but it should be read in sequence since the back story is thankfully very minimal.

While this book moves better than Thirteen Orphans, it still seems to develop slowly. I'll definitely get the next book in the series.

Up until recently, college student Brenda Morris had no idea that The Land of Smoke and Sacrifice existed. She has since learned a lot about the fact that Chinese myths were turned into this alternate earth several millennium ago and more stunningly her ancestors crossed over from this place (see THIRTEEN ORPHANS). However the greatest shock is she knows she has some of the powers of the Zodiac Rat; her Aunt Pearl is the Dragon; and her compatriot in training is the Dog. .

The few surviving Exiles and their descendants have a world crisis as war has ignited inside the Land and threaten to spill over to the earth. The Thirteen Orphans Guardians between worlds are the only ones who can prevent a calamity of pandemic proportions. . However four of them are trapped on this side leaving it to the others to build the Nine Gates and rescue their Guardian comrades in arms.

The second Morris urban fantasy is an exhilarating thriller based on the Chinese Zodiac that will thrill fans who relish elaborate but somewhat convoluted insight on Chinese mythology; at times the level of minutiae detracts from the otherwise enjoyable plot. The protagonists confront Herculean level challenges that seem impossible for them to succeed. These magical battles make for a fun paradox as the reader wonders how the magnificent nine can win the day against adversaries that if they defeat them they endanger two worlds but if they lose they endanger two worlds.

Harriet Klausner