Harpy's Flight

I love world-building, and this is an excellent world. Five sentient races, each of whom is very different from each other, with difficulties in reconciling such and working together.

This book (while it read as a stand-alone, there are apparently others set in the world) focuses on the relationships between the humans and the harpies. Some humans hate them; some worship them. What happens when these collide? The harpies are well-drawn, though- and this might be a spoiler- in the end it looks like they are using their worshippers as dupes.

Ki isn't having any of that, given her experiences. Though- her choices were ambiguous; she clung to memories even when they were hurting her. The plot was well-crafted to show character growth, and her show more tentative transition between mourning the past and having a future. Other characters also grew and changed.

The plot and pacing were excellent., handled by a series of flips between the current situation and flashbacks- but very well-handled.

I am pleased to see there are more in this series, because this one read like a stand-alone novel; no cliffhangers, and the plot threads were resolved. Still, the world and the writing are fascinating enough that I look forward to reading more.

Triggers: some serious violence, but nothing rapey. show less

One of Robin Hobb's earliest novels. Not as polished as her later ones but you can clearly see her potential especially in her wondrous character development. I will be reading the rest in the series.

I've ordered the next three and I know I'll be going to the P.O. every day to check our box until they come. And I hope they come in order. I read [The Reindeer People] and its sequel, very detailed, very 'real' - only fantasy in so far as it is not our world, no magic in it, not as you find in the [[Robin Hobb]] books. The same is more or less true in this one (there is some telepathy). Ki loses her husband and two children to a harpy, one of the four other "people" who share this world. The harpies fly and have a strong culture of their own, but they also feast on raw, freshly killed meat, including humans. They have an ability that humans crave and some humans have made a pact with them. (To say more would be to spoil.) Ki, who lives show more on the road, and hauls freight around, is bitter, seeks revenge. Vandien, appears out of nowhere (trying to steal one of her horses) and ends up staying with her, although of course it is quite problematical. The book moves back and forth between her present and her recent past. It is very well done and I enjoyed it very much. **** show less

I must say, I really enjoyed this. I'm not a big fan of fantasy, but in part because that genre tends to have so many cliches, what with swords & elves & princesses. This is the first of four highly original books, in which humans are just one race among many, and not the primary, and in which males and females are equally free to choose their life calling. I've just started the third, actually, and oh boy are they giving me a lot to think about. Oh, and they're fun reads, too. Plenty of adventure and humor.

The story is told well eliciting emotions and sustaining involvement with the characters. I enjoyed it as much as I enjoy novels by Robin Hobb (wink,wink)

Re-read this novel a few years ago and still loved it. The beginning, where Ki is climbing up the cliff to exact vengeance on the harpies who murdered her family is absolutely stunning and gut wrenchingly emotional.

...Harpy's Flight is not Lindholm's best novel but it is still an impressive read. The emptiness Ki experiences after the loss of her family and the violence she unleashes on their killers is heartbreaking. Whatever the technical flaws of this novel, on an emotional level is works very well. It is very clear that there is a lot more to discover about this world in the later three volumes. I think I saw a few more imperfections in the novel the second time around but I am still glad to have my copy of the second volume, The Windsingers, on hand.

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