The Weavers of Saramyr (The Braided Path, Book 1) (Bk.1) [Paperback]

Chris Wooding (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 2003

A richly textured, darkly evocative fantasy set in a beautifully realised fantasy world, the Saramyr trilogy tells the story of a dynasty that rules over a land being overwhelmed by evil. An evil that comes from within the empire's centre, a sect of magicians close to the throne intent on killing any child born with magical powers. But now the empress has given birth to just such a child and revolution is brewing. Akin to the works of Robin Hobb this is a hugely involving fantasy set in a world with an enticing oriental flavour.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Author profile appeared in PN on 9th May.The book was described as: 'a marvellous piece of work, with vividly drawn characters and a tight, exciting plot... brilliantly imagined, and a long way away from standard orcs and broadswords setting of too much sub-standard fantasy.' 'The Weavers of Saramyr is a triumph, and resolutely stands out from the standard fantasy slop'DREAMWATCH 'Wooding goes to great lengths to describe the history of the lands and its gods and that makes you want to read more and more. A great read.'ENIGMA 'This is an admirable and original fantasy from a young writer who clearly has a long and successful career ahead of him. Recommended.'SFREVU.COM 'fluid, inviting prose, a cast of intriguing and deftly-drawn characters and a spritely plot that twists and turn engagingly'SFX 'A fast paced tale of adventure and intrigue.'SFSITE 'Wooding takes care to undercut fantasy cliches with skilful chracterisation, an oriental location and complex sexual politics.'THE GUARDIAN'This is how fantasy should be done... A really exceptional read.'SFCROWSNEST 'An intensely imagined world with many original and delightful aspects.'INFINITY PLUS 'His gift for description and breadth of vocabulary must be the env

About the Author

Chris Wooding is only 26 yet he has already signed his first Hollywood film deal and won the Silver Smarties award. He is the author of, amongst others, the Broken Sky series and The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray. He studied English Literature at Sheffield and plays lead guitar in a band called Census.

Product Details

• Paperback: 375 pages
• Publisher: Gollancz (May 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0575074426
• ISBN-13: 978-0575074422
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,572,561 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fantasy where Star Wars meets X-Men meets Anime, August 1, 2006

By 

neoninfusion (Sydney, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Weavers of Saramyr (The Braided Path series) (Paperback)

Imagine Obi Wan Kenobi and Qui Gon Jinn, and other Jedi pairs, as two twenty-something-year-old girls with powers like X-Men, sent on covert missions throughout their world. Imagine a place where an evil empire ravishes the land while a small rebel force fights skirmishes to oppose it. Imagine Anakin Skywalker dealing with the changes that take place within him as he becomes more powerful, especially regarding the decisions he has to make. Imagine these ideas set in a fuedal Japanese Amine cartoon. You now have a feel for this excellent series.

I was initially attracted to this book through the characters' unique use of magic; namely the power contained in certain masks and the inherant use of magic by certain outcasts. I'm an advocate of original concepts in fantasy (like unique forms of magic) or modern-themed fantasy (like George Martin and Steven Erikson), and I can vouch for "The Weavers of Saramyr (The Braided Path, Book 1)" as satisfying both criteria.

Despite the loose Star Wars connetations, Chris Wooding's aldult-fantasy debut is very enjoyable and unique. It describes a land with an oriental flavour in such a way that does not distract the reader like other fantasy stories that describe a familiar past (like Kay's 'Lions of Al-Rassan' or Carey's Kushiel series). These books in particular overdo the strict ethnicity, whereas Wooding uses it subtly in creating a more heterogeneous world.

"The Weavers of Saramyr" and its sequels "The Skein of Lament" and "The Ascendancy Veil", follow a number of story arcs involving the themes of the modern multicultural ideal of acceptance and tolerance of differences, how power is wielded in society by rulers and the ethics of sacrificing a few for the majority. Wooding handles these well by portraying both sides of the argument.

The land of Saramyr is ruled by an empress whose only heir is secretly an Aberrant (a mutant with special powers that is supposed to be put to death at birth). Just like the politicians in the X-Men series, the mask-wearing Weavers, advisers of the nobility, discriminate against all Aberrants, forcing them underground while the people are fed lies and propaganda. The plot enfolds nicely once it is set up with the second and third books exploding and revealing more just as a saga should.

I would only give George R R Martin and Steven Erikson 5 stars, hence the 4 stars here. So, overall it is a very enjoyable read which I felt also improved as the story progressed through the second and third books. I really like the characters and ideas presented by Wooding. This series should make him highly respected.

Finally, if you are looking for something original in fantasy - something aside from epic heroism, swords and magicians with pointy hats - give "The Weavers of Saramyr" a try. You'll find the themes refreshing and the plot revealing. A word of warning: this series includes implied child abuse and sexual scenes.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Magisterial fantasy, November 30, 2004

By 

ilmk "ilmk" (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Weavers of Saramyr (The Braided Path series) (Paperback)

Chris Wooding's fully fledged trilogy opener, The Weavers of Saramyr, trumpets a stunning talent on the fantasy stage from a young author. It is a tale woven with skill and deft characterisation with its oriental backdrop of a emperor nation that lives on the fear of Abberrants so expertly controlled by the sickenly evil Weavers, represented by Vyrrch.
Whenever you start a new fantasy series you find out quite quickly which of the cliched magic conduits the author has settled on, whether it be a ring, a sword, a staff or simply the will and the word. In this case, Wooding has provided a new concept. Magic through masks, or True Masks. The older they are the more powerful they become as they steal the personalities and skills of their previous owners (unfortunately, an image of Jim Carrey cannot help but come to mind). Into this mix is the general populace fear of Aberrants (think X-Men) and a ripe political situation as the Empress Anais' daughter, Lucia, is discovered to be such an Aberrant. Whilst dynastic problems (and a boor of a husband) assail the Empress and we're on the cusp of civil war, a young woman named Kaiku is brought back from death by her maidservant Asara to find her family destroyed by Shin-Shin. With her own mask in hand (as her only family legacy) she eventually settles on the first stage of a personal quest to avenge her family journeying with Asara and the monk, Tane, to the hidden monastery where the witch stones that blight the land and give the weavers power are hidden. Her personal trials and epiphany are played against a backdrop of a group of Aberrants dedicated to encouraging the skills of those so gifted and eventually formulating a plan to kidnap the Heir-Empress to save her from those who would see her murdered.
Whilst Anais and her husband, Durun, deal with a rampaging capital city and civil war through their streets, the select band enter the city sewers to take the Heir-Empress as the ordered world of Blood Erinima collapses into civil strife. As both enemy and friend fall in the climatic chapters, Kaiku learns more of her destiny and Wooding achieves much in bringing a sense of hope and danger to a wrold shifting in its grap on power.
I found this a superb fantasy novel, if a trifle lacking in depth occasionally as the author forced plot upon us at a speed that seemed to not give the full consideration and build up it deserved. Several potential earth shattering revelations were thrown in glibly which could have benefited from a few more chapters built around them. Still, it did not detract too much as characterisation and descriptive acumen wove a tightly narrated tale that promised much and delivered often. For this reader, at least, the Skein of Lament will be eagerly sought after.

3.0 out of 5 stars The first ten chapters are great., July 13, 2011

By 

Sarah B. Castillo "Mredria" (Manvel, Tx USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Weavers Of Saramyr: Book One of the Braided Path: Braided Path 1 (The Braided Path series) (Kindle Edition)

And then I don't know what happened...
This book just couldn't grab me.
I never could quite figure out how the magic system worked, which was important because the magic system was always being used. I just couldn't put together how it was described with how it worked. I guess I'm too used to the Sanderson style magic system, where things are a little more firm.
The characters started out very compelling, but as the story carried on they started doing more and more uncharacteristic things without any clear description on their thought process. At one point a character who is religiously for one side very suddenly changes sides without really describing what was going on, other than "loves!".
The author tries to spring some twists on you, but they're coming from characters that are minor and whose POV we've never seen, so it's less a foreshadowed twist and more something out of left field.
It was kind of confusing how the author would change POV without a page break or even a paragraph break. Who is this paragraph about! I found myself thinking that a lot.