In the first book in the Bridge of D'Arnath series, we meet Seri, a noblewoman living in exile by her own choice. Through a series of flashbacks interspersed throughout the present-day narrative--a device I really liked, as it provided just enough information to be relevant to the current action--Berg reveals the reason behind Seri's choice, while also adding layers to her character "portrait". When a mute and apparently half-mad young sorcerer almost literally appears on the doorstep of Seri's simple cottage--her home for the past ten years--she at first wants nothing to do with him, but a series of events that awaken long-buried memories and a keen investigative curiosity compel her to help him unravel the mystery of not only D'Natheil's presence in her world, but also his own existence, while keeping just ahead of those who are pursuing him, for sorcery is punishable by death, a law that Seri is intimately acquainted with. As the story progresses, Seri comes to realize that she had not only cut herself off from her past life, but she had stopped living. As the mystery of D'Natheil and his purpose is slowly revealed, Seri begins to take her first tentative steps back into living, rather than simply enduring her life.
Carol Berg has an amazing talent for creating believable characters who learn and grow as a result of the events they live in her stories. There's always a sense of disappointment at the end of her books... not with the story, but because the journey has ended (at least until the next book, in the case of the first books in a series). ( )

(Amy) I have mixed feelings about this book. A story of a bitter woman with a hate on for the whole world can be sort of unpleasant to read, especially when it it is explained that her husband was the last of the sorcerous race known as the J'Ettanne, which has been systematically exterminated (warning signs: apostrophe-bearing people; unexplained pogroms, magic gene!). Given this collection of factlets, the book could have been awful, especially when it turns out gung gur zlfgrevbhf fgenatre vf npghnyyl ure zheqrerq uhfonaq, ervapneangrq va gur obql bs n snvyrq cevapryvat sebz nabgure jbeyq. Lrf, ernyyl. So on that hand, ugh.

On the other hand, I think it might just have worked. I didn't roll my eyes at any of the aforementioned things (except the bit in rot-13; that was beyond my ability to take in stride, even if they did manage to mostly explain it satisfactorily) until after I'd finished the book. So, yeah. I really don't know what to make of it. But I think I'll read the sequel, and we'll see if I have any better idea then...

( http://weblog.siliconcerebrate.com/ze... ) ( )

Characterization above par; story line a little unusual; emotional impact (that is, do the threats and joys convey strongly) also above par but not truly impressive. I enjoyed this, the first book in the series, more more than the second, Guardians of the Keep. I will probably reread but not definitely. Overall, B+ for recreational reading. ( )

Son of Avonar starts a grand tale of two worlds struggling to stay in balance through a mystical gate known as the Bridge of D'Arnath. A world of mundanes and a world of sorcerers both torn by strife and war teeter on the brink of self-annihilation, with only an unlikely former noblewoman named Seri to save them. I couldn't put down the first two books, but I've been struggling with the third book as the story slows down a bit. I also don't find the main character, Gerick, in the third book quite as interesting as Seri and Karon from the first two books. ( )

I had really high hopes for this book, and up to the very end I was really enjoying it. Note I did buy further books in the series, more to see where she was going with it, but there was one particular plot device used (and a huge spoiler so I wont give it away) that completely ruined this book for me.

Provided that plot device doesn't bother you (and I know she has some huge fans so some don't care) then this is a nicely crafted Fantasy book, quite a bit of first-book-itis in thats its part of a series of four. ( )