Starman (Wayfarer Redemption) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Sara Douglass (Author) "It was a long day, the day Axis tried to kill Azhure, then married her..." (more)
Key Phrases: farflight scouts, silver pelt, golden tunic, Sara Douglass, Talon Spike, Star Dance (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
More about femmes fatales then fatal battles, this final imaginative novel in the Axis Trilogy (The Wayfarer Redemption; Enchanter) should satisfy a fantasy readership hungry for strong female characters despite their restricting romantic relationships with magical men. Axis SunSoar must fulfill the ambiguous prophecy of WolfStar, the Icarii patriarch, by fighting WolfStar's evil half-brother, Gorgrael, and by sacrificing Gorgrael's lover. It's unclear whether the lover is Azhure, WolfStar's daughter and Axis's wife, or Faraday, Axis's former fianc‚e and the replanter of the great forests. Whoever the Prophecy of the Destroyer names is likely to die at Gorgrael's hands. Azhure has the added burden of being pregnant with sorcerous twins, who harbor an intense, deadly dislike for the rest of their family. While the plot features several mystical pregnancies, the most destructive are those of the devouring Gryphons that Gorgrael has created; they're born pregnant with nine pups and multiply fast enough to lay waste to the world. Faraday has her own problems: the need to fight a god, her own exhausted condition and other women who believe Axis wronged her by marrying Azhure. Gods, women, sorcerers and babies all figure in the battles that neatly conclude this trilogy while leaving enough open questions to seed other stories. Douglass may manipulate her characters such as via the strange rebirth of the sainted Faraday in ways that have more to do with romance convention than logic, but this won't deter the faithful.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal
Assuming his role as the Starman of the Prophecy of the Destroyer, the warrior-wizard Axis makes his way to his final confrontation with his corrupt half-brother, Gorgrael. Meanwhile, Azhure, Axis's wife, discovers her own powers as an Enchantress and learns the twin strengths of love and friendship. Douglass (Enchanter, Battleaxe) brings to the fore her world-building abilities and storytelling expertise in this satisfying conclusion to a fantasy epic set in a world of winged sorcerers and ancient races. A few loose ends pave the way for future novels featuring a new generation of heroes and villains. Recommended for most fantasy collections.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 688 pages
• Publisher: Tor Fantasy (January 20, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765342812
• ISBN-13: 978-0765342812
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #90,722 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This is item 3 in The Wayfarer Redemption Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Good start, horrendous ending..., August 23, 2005

By	MDL - See all my reviews

The first book, Wayfarer Redemption or Battleaxe, was really good (judging by how entertaining it was). The second one, Enchanter, was slightly above average (but still entertaining). The third one, Starman, is so bad words cannot begin to describe it.

I agree with another reviewer, the second and third book should have been called Enchantress part I & II.

I am convinced that the author projected all her desires as a woman into this character.

The author picks her favorite character Ahzure and gives her everything (yup, you read it right, everything). Suddenly she's the smartest, wisest, fastest, strongest, most powerful sorceress, most beautiful, all men lust for her and all women envies her. She can talk to the trees, can travel anywhere at will, and did I mention she can't die?

All characters become useless without her, and that includes Axis (the main character). Nothing can be done without her; no decision is possible if she's not around; they can't win any battle if not for her. Whereas before the battles were epic, Ahzure can now defeat an army of thousands all by herself. Whereas everyone required extreme concentration to use magic, Ahzure can wield as much as she likes without a problem. The fights are won so easily it's not even funny. And of course, after every fight everyone cheers for their savior Ahzure.

I am so disappointed with the third book. It's no longer fantasy, it's just absurd.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't anyone feel bad for Faraday?!, February 23, 2003

By	"moongirl5353" (somewhere) - See all my reviews

I really did not like Axis. He betrayed Faraday, and didn't take responsiblity for it. He was really lucky that she decided Tendesor was worth her sacrifice, because Axis definitely wasn't. He was soooooooo stupid. I don't understand how both Azhure and Faraday fell in love with him. Also, I thought Azhure became too powerful too quickly. They defeated the Skraelings and Gryphons way too easily.
I think that Faraday desearves more recognition for what she did. She suffered a lot more than Azhure did, and got a lot less. I think most people in her position would hate Axis, and try to make him suffer. I really wanted him to lose to Gorgrael after being such a [jerk] to her.

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Started so well, ended so poorly., July 24, 2004

By	Fantasy Fan - See all my reviews

The first book in the series created a wonderful fantasy world and characters that you could care about and love.

In Enchanter and on into Starman, Sara spends her time destroying the characters you have come to care about and leaves you cheering for Gorgrael as everyone else, except possibly Faraday, have degenerated into vile individuals with little or no redeeming qualities. This leaves the reader with little desire to read on and no emotional attachment to the characters other then general disgust.

I am an avid fantasy fan and can forgive a great deal but Sara's own assassination of her characters makes this by far the poorest fantasy series I have read. I dont normally write reviews of the many fantasy books I read (and mostly love) but the last two books in this series were so bad it made me throw them out in hopes I might spare someone the misfortune of picking them up.