Best of the series. Longer as well but definetly equal to and in some respects better than Fires of Azeroth.

Having indured and survived and finally left Azeroth in peace Vayne and Morgaine arrive in their next world, finding once again that Qhal and humans can seldom live in harmony. Intriguingly and in variance to the earlier novels, Vayne is not the sole point of view for the tale. A young Man called Chei gets some time.

We pick up Chei's tale as he is left staked out for the wolves by a lord man hosting a Qhal mind - such as is common here, much to Vayne and Morgaine's horror. These Qhal have gate knowledge not just the jewels that Azeroth was using, but the power of active gates twisting the lands around them.

Although Morgaine has the urgency of her quest pressing upon her, She appears to almost have fallen in love with Vayne - not that her kind can, but there is deep affection there for the first time, a true companion on her journies. This has come on very stonf since it's only been a few weeks, experience time, since they met in Andor-Kursh. As such she listens to his views more than to her intstincts - causing Vayne huge doubts. Is his judgement best for them? As they are once again beset by possibly trustworthy company Morgaine again states her preference for active enemies rather than honest friends - against whom she will eventually have to turn.

And then they hear of Skarrin - of a race like Morgaine's beyond the Qhal and steeped in knowledge of the Gate s. Here is the reason for the politicing, betrayals, and power of the gates. The sternest test of Morgaine and Vayne is ahead of them, they need allies, but who to trust? and how far?

Great fun, gripping writing. Especially the developing closeness between Morgaine and Vayne and the doubts it puts on him. Suffers from the same problem as the earlier ones of talking about worlds but dealing with only a small fraction of a continent. You need to pay attention at the end - Morgaine and Skarrin discuss gate theory and while details are deliberately vague because Vayne didn't understand them, if you think about it it all makes sense - but a quick read is liable to leave you confused, it helps to remember this is and always was an SF / fantasy cross genre'd book.

Read the others first and savour this one when you get to it. It leaves you wanting more!
.......................................................................................................................... ( )

This one was a let down compared to the first three. It was a longer continuation on the same theme-- and the repetition of the paranoia/loyalty by-play between Vanye & Morgaine is getting tired. Worse, we were not treated to any revelations of the Gates or the Qhal in what we thought would be the Final Gate Book. ( )

Exile's Gate is the fourth (and I think the last) in a series. I liked it that questions were answered, about the protagonists relationship, about the origins of Morgaine, about the true nature and origins of the world gates, etc.

It also had a feel of 'been there, done that' which, ironically, was addressed in the plot by one of the characters near the ending. Still, although the stakes were continually raised and character and plot development occurred apace, I was disappointed in the end, and irritated by two things: the feelings of sameness, and the cliff-hangar ending, which leaves me to create my own story for 'what happens to them', since Cherryh is evidently done with this series.

Those are my reasons for giving Exile's Gate three and half stars, instead of the usual four or more that Cherryh inspires. She still delivers unexpected plot twists, great world-building and interesting character development. ( )

This was by far my favorite of the Morgaine books. While the original three members of the series bordered on the formulaic, Exile's Gate breaks nicely from what came before, giving the reader not only a deeper picture of the relationship between Nhi Vanye and Morgaine, but also an insightful look inside the mind of Chei ep Kantory, a new friend met along the quest to destroy the gates.

The introduction of this new literary device within the series actually freshens up the story for the reader quite a bit. Whereas before the lines between good and bad were blurred, now they are nearly non-existent. For any perspective, there is another - more frightened, less knowing, better understanding - which forces the reader to question all her assumptions about the characters she's come to know. A great closing to the Morgaine saga, I only wish there was more. ( )

http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/8... ( )