Customer Reviews

Silence in Solitude

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This is the second of Melissa Scott's Five-Twelves of Heaven trilogy (Five-Twelves of Heaven, Silence in Solitude, and Empress of Earth) and a dandy book it is, too. Scott's description of space drives depending on "harmony" and Neo-Platonic imagery is as marvelous as ever, but it's the plot that really moves this book along. Little touches, like Silence's relationship with her husbands, or the description of the life in the Women's Palace, bring this story very much alive. Silence is a maga in training, a woman in concealment, always trying to get out of the maze the events in book 1 have led her in to. (slight spoiler) By the end of the book, she and her husbands have come to a certain arrangement with the Hegemony, which leads into the events in the last book. It's probably my favorite book of the trilogy--I was working on my doctorate at the time of reading it, so empathized heartily with some of Solitude's experiences!

Having got out of the captive situation, Silence is in training to become the first female mage. You don't get something for nothing though, as in return for the training, Silence has to agree to take her mentor to Earth. No-one knows where this is, and only an old map may show them the way.

These leads to them being on the run, Star Wars style, and having to sneak into a seat of power for the Hegemony to get what they need.