Finally a fantasy story that is not a close cousin to LoTR! The world of magic is unique among the books I have read and I expect will be explored in greater detail in the rest of the series.

Some of the characters are a little flat and opaque, but most of them are understandable and sympathetic. The author manages to easily avoid the anachronistic feminist tendencies even with her adept swords-woman character. ( )

This is the first of a long series of novels concerning primarily the nation of Deverry, and a few souls that live in or nearby. The souls appear over and over again in the series, reincarnated several times and meeting again, except for a long lived few who stay the same through several of the books A unique and interesting fantasy series. ( )

This is the first book in Katharine Kerr's long-running series about Deverry and the Westlands. It introduces the three linked characters of Jill, Rhodry and Nevyn. This book - and indeed the series - is set up in such a way that it will jump from future to past and back again. It can make for complicated reading and an issue with pacing, but it genuinely brings the events to life.

The idea is that in the year 643 Galrion (who is to become Nevyn) makes a series of decisions that causes his lady love Brangwen to turn away from a life of dweomer (the name for magic) and become embroiled in an incestuous relationship with her own brother. Nevyn makes a vow that he will never rest until he has put things right. Consequently, he is unable to die and experiences the characters being reborn again and again while he tries to bring Brangwen to a life of dweomer. Jill is the latest woman that has the soul of Brangwen.

The strength of Kerr's writing is not so much in the story itself, but in the characters who inhabit it, and in the way she is able to tell each of the short stories about one of the lives that Brangwen lives. Her ability to invest you in what is essentially a short story is exceptionally good.

There are some tired cliches - the Elves for instance. Here called the Westfolk or the Elcyion Lacar, they are nomads with pointed ears and cat pupil eyes. They are foreign to the humans, and able to see the Wildfolk - the denizens of the etheric plane.

I also got frustrated with two recurring over-uses of description. Many of the characters, especially the women, toss their heads. Constantly. Many of the characters keen in mourning. Frequently. Barring these two things, the writing flows well.

I enjoyed the heavy Celt flavouring to Deverry, it was tied richly into the story. I do have a small complaint that a number of the names are familiar and Kerr does not bring on the characters of those in the secondary string enough for you to tell easily between your Pedyr's and your Daumur's.

I thoroughly enjoyed this first instalment of the series and will read onwards eagerly. ( )

Once you get used to the storytelling style, you will discover a tale that keeps you fully engaged in the unfolding events. Boring is not a word I could imagine using in conjunction with this book. It twists, it turns, it has action pouring off the pages and there is constant underlying question, will Nevyn ever find a way to make things right? Meanwhile you have plenty of entertaining characters, desperate wars, evil sorcerers, human tragedies and heart wrenching love stories, all designed to keep you glued to the pages until you look up and wonder where the time went.

Full Review Here: Dragons, Heroes and Wizards | Fantasy Series Book Reviews ( )

Katharine Kerr's Deverry series takes you into the wonderful world of Celtic lore. There are a lot of characters introduced in the book through a series of reincarnations. The jump from one lifetime to another -- from the present, to the past, then back again to the present -- may be confusing at first, but I believe it is the best way to present the story. One would not be able to appreciate the magnitude of an action and its consequences if the story was merely presented in a chronological fashion.

The series is one of my favorites and I would not recommend anyone to read the book unless they read it from the beginning. To fully understand and love the characters in this world, please start with Daggerspell. ( )