Customer Reviews

The Wind-Witch (The Warhorse of Esdragon, Book Two)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've read Ms Dexter since her first book came out and she hasn't lost her talent for quirky characters and wonderful, terrible worlds. I actually like this better than the other Warhorse books. (Incidently, you don't have to read any of the others in order to enjoy the rest of the "trilogy") This book is full of the reality of farm life before mechanism. More than any of her novels to date, this one reminded me a little of Andre Norton's Witch World series. I wish Ms Dexter would write some more.

I'd never heard of Susan Dexter when I picked up a used copy of this book at a local store, and I let it sit around for awhile before I started reading it. Now I'm dying to get my hands on everything else she's written. Druyan is a great character, vividly written and very alive. The setting was already unusual enough to be memorable (a plain, ordinary old farm, home to all those _other_ people whom no one ever writes about but who must surely make up the majority of the population of any medievel-based fantasy world) and interesting before Kellis appeared to throw her life for a loop, and remained so throughout the book. Sure, she has the requisite perks of a fantasy heroine--mainly, noble relatives--but Druyan remains a freshly, believably normal woman throughout the book, even when she's doing the extraordinary. And speaking of the extraordinary (I'm not going to spoil the plot), Ms. Dexter writes that pretty well, too. That's what makes this book so pleasantly worthwhile.

I enjoyed Prince of Ill Luck--the first book in The Warhorse of Esdragon trilogy immensely. Even better, the second book--THE WIND-WITCH--was already out at the time and, when I went back to purchase it, I was surprised to find that it took place several generations later in the same country and the characters from the first tale were the stuff of almost legend in their country now. Many years had passed since Leith followed his princess through hell and high water to make her honor her word to break his curse, and this second book followed a very different heroine. Though the black warhorse Valadin was there having seemingly not aged a day and that made me feel good and like everything would be all right. It's always hard to let go of those characters and friendships that first captured your attention. But, in this case, Susan Dexter's choice was a good one and THE WIND-WITCH is actually my favorite of the three books in the trilogy. Though they are all excellent, this one is the one I re-read regularly. First published in 1994, this series, as is so often the case with these great under-the-radar fantasy titles, this series is now out of print. But used copies are available very inexpensively.

Druyan has just buried her husband. And she's not exactly the picture of a grieving widow, though she does find herself at quite a few loose ends. It was an arranged marriage and, though he was much older than she and they had little in common, she finds she misses the company and what conversation they shared. Much of this is swallowed up, though, by her realization that her farm, her land, the only place she's ever felt truly at home will assuredly be taken from her if she cannot hold the farm and keep it producing for a year and a day from the moment her husband Travic died. And so, with a stubborn sense of defiance and nothing but a couple of young girls and an elderly, arthritic cook by her side, Druyan sets out to defend her home and use the laws of the land to her advantage. Then, within the span of a few days, she becomes the unsuspecting owner of an unusually beautiful and mysterious black horse, and she discovers a prisoner named Kellis trussed up in the celler, where her husband must have stashed him without telling her when the sea-faring Errol invaders reached their land last fall. Druyan weighs his threat against her need and decides to force the obviously dazed foreigner into service to help bring in the harvest and, in the process, lets loose a force she has no inkling of. But Druyan herself is not precisely what she seems. And her own powers with the weather, combined with the marvelous horse and the mysterious Kellis, will all be necessary when invasion threatens Esdragon's coast once more.

Right away I could tell this book was special. I connected with Druyan immediately and her quiet, strong personality was honestly a relief after the constant stream of vitriol and fire that was Kess in the previous book. Druyan is a weaver of some skill and, at night after working her hands to the point where they're raw, she relaxes in front of the fire and weaves cloaks and blankets and scarves of wonderful color and quality and texture. I, along with Kellis (once he's allowed in the house), watched her in wonder and appreciation at this talent I have little knowledge of or experience with. She reminds me a fair bit of Sorcha in Daughter of the Forest and Claire in Garden Spells because of the determined way she pursues her goals, the way she creates something lovely from such simple ingredients, and the way she is so hesitant--almost afraid--to grasp at the few instances of beauty in her life. I liked getting to know Kellis as well, as Druyan slowly let down her guard around him. He's a disarming beta hero and about as clumsy as a bull in a china shop. He knows nothing of farming or manual labor and Druyan has to teach him everything and bite her tongue when he displays an unusual aversion to cold iron. And it's a good thing she keeps him around despite her numerous misgivings for Kellis does have one ability she does not. And it comes in handy in a most opportune moment, when it seems everything she's worked so hard for will be lost in a moment's thoughtlessness. I love this story. I love the characters and I love the not knowing up to the last page what will happen ending. THE WIND-WITCH is good, solid traditional fantasy in the vein of the early Patricia McKillip books, some of Mercedes Lackey's early stuff, and Jennifer Roberson.

Reading Order: Prince of Ill Luck, THE WIND-WITCH, and True Knight

I'd never heard of Susan Dexter when I picked up a used copy of this book at a local store, and I let it sit around for awhile before I started reading it. Now I'm dying to get my hands on everything else she's written. Druyan is a great character, vividly written and very alive. The setting was already unusual enough to be memorable (a plain, ordinary old farm, home to all those _other_ people whom no one ever writes about but who must surely make up the majority of the population of any medievel-based fantasy world) and interesting before Kellis appeared to throw her life for a loop, and remained so throughout the book. Sure, she has the requisite perks of a fantasy heroine--mainly, noble relatives--but Druyan remains a freshly, believably normal woman throughout the book, even when she's doing the extraordinary. And speaking of the extraordinary (I'm not going to spoil the plot), Ms. Dexter writes that pretty well, too. That's what makes this book so pleasantly worthwhile.

This book is just as good as the first. It is fresh and new, with interesting charactors. The begining of the book is so well written, that even if Kellis hadn't seen the raders at the gate, and if the book just continued with the events of the farm, it still would have turned out to be a five star novel. As it is, with Kellis' gift (I won't give it away) there is fast paced action, and many interesting events. I really liked the ending too. Great work!

Susan Dexter has written a thrilling novel which does not stick to the normal cliches in the genre. Though the story's setting is a fantastic world and the magic in form of the horse Valadan and Druyan's and Kellis' abilities plays a key-role, the detailed description of the surroundings make the reader feel as if the country of Darlith was just around the corner and one could just look out of the window and see them. By describing each charakters fears and weaknesses as well as the good traits of charakter, she makes them appear very real. The none-main-charakters arent treated marginal, but also interestingly described. Sometimes I even had to make up my mind wether to like or dislike a person. The real nature of some of the charakters isn't revealed at once when they appear. Kellis for example seems to be a pirate first, and his origin and aims are told to the reader step by step. All in all, "The Wind-Witch" is the most surprising fantasy book I've read this year. I hope Susan Dexter will soon continue her trilogy.

The Wind Witch is the second book in the Warhorse of Esdragon series, but the story stands independent from the first book. This is the story of one of Leith and Kess' (the hero and heroine of The Prince of Ill Luck) descendants, Druyan. Druyan is the youngest daughter of a large family and has always done what she is told: she married a much older man, repressed her magical abilities and has resigned herself to being childless. When her husband is killed by the sea raiders, she is suddenly faced with a choice: go back to her family (who will marry her off to someone else) or try and freehold her farm. If she can pay all of the tithes and keep the farm going for a year and a day, the farm is hers. However, all of the men are away fighting for the Duke against the sea raiders and she needs help to run the farm. So she bargains with Kellis, one of raiders captured and imprisoned in the attack on her farm. He agrees to help her in exchange for his freedom. It soon becomes apparent that Kellis has magicial abilities - including the ability to see the future and/or the past. The problem is, he never knows if he is seeing the future or the past and he cannot really control what or when he sees. When Druyan finds out about his abilities, she is skeptical at first. But then Kerris' vision about the attack on her farm comes true. She then urges Kerris to try and "see" when the raiders are coming so she can warn others and keep the sea raiders from conquering her homeland. The legendary Valadan, a wind-sired stallion who can communicate with his rider (if he chooses), whisks Druyan throughout Esdragon to warn the people of incoming danger and plays an integral part in saving the people of Esdragon.

I must agree with other reviewers that this title was not as good as The Prince of Ill Luck, the first book in the series. The plot is not especially original: normal person required to do extraordinary things to rescue their country and become a hero, but it is always kind of fun to read this type of story and think that normal people can make a difference. It has a pretty slow, methodical pace until the last 100 pages or so. Kerris and Druyan's relationship was also slow in developing, but love does not always happen at first sight. Still, the country of Esdragon is a fascinating place and it was interesting to see it through a "farmer's" point of view instead of from a Duke's daughter. This gives the reader the opportunity to learn about how to harvest barley, thatch a roof, or weave cloth as opposed to breeding horses, swordfighting and the like.

Dexter's strong female characters will please many readers - it is unfortunate that her male characters are not quite as strong and believable. Still, there was good character development and maturation throughout the story. The characters grew in maturity, strength and confidence through the story and seemed like real people. I also enjoyed the different magical abilities of the heroine: the ability to whistle up the wind and storms. The hero is a more traditional magician and can see the future/past and shape-shift. It was nice to see both characters get strong magical abilities instead of just one or the other.

If you can only buy one book by Susan Dexter, buy The Prince of Ill Luck, if you can buy this one also, go for it. Just remember that they are very different from one another.

This book wasn't as much fun as the Prince of Ill Luck, but it was still very enjoyable. The main tension in the story - about a woman struggling to become her own person in a very realistic medieval world - is intriguing. The characters are also well done, a mixture of ambiguious elements. The only problem with the story was that it needed to move faster, the same story could have been told in half the time.

My opinion of The Wind Witch was that although it was a bit thin, it was a surprising and altogether enjoyable book. The charactors each had distinctive personalities and fears to overcome. I hope the third book will be as entertaining. Jessica Richards; 12

Susan Dexter's previous efforts in this series have been excellent. (Perhaps this is why I am so disappointed by this latest effort). Susan possesses excellent characterization skills and an ability to draw the reader in with vivid fantasy description and mythic plots.

Unfortunately, The Wind-Witch, suffered from a predictable plot which was weak and repetitive. Minor characters were stereotypical and unbudgingly boring.

Main characters Druyan and Kellis, although interesting were predictable and their relationship held no surprises.

The Good:

Druyan is a refreshingly bright and restrained heroine with a head on her shoulders. She is not so utterly willful as to be irritating.

The Bad:

More about Valadan... Surely a 80 year old stallion has something more interesting to do than follow Druyan around like a lost puppy.

Kellis' constant moping and lack of assertiveness was annoying. I would've liked to see him develop a backbone at least sometime before the end of the book.

Constant thread of "Druyan going to warn the forces of good about evil raiders" made we half wish the raiders would succeed in their invasion plans. How many times did she do this anyhow? Wasn't there anything more proactive to be done, other than to wait around for Kellis to predict something?

Susan Dexter writes best in an epic 'quest' style fantasy when her characters aren't anchored down to a stationary point.

Overall, I'd save your money and read the "Prince of Ill Luck" So far, the best one in the series.