Harpist in the Wind

Have I mentioned this is one of my all-time FAVOURITE series? I read the Riddle Master trilogy a long time ago, in my teens. I find that some of my favourites from that era aren't as good re-reading them now as I remember them. This series, however, not only stands up to, but surpasses my memories of it.

The first book was about Morgon of Hed searching the realm for answers; the second was about Raederle of An searching the realm for Morgon. This final installment brings both of them together with their new-found powers to save the world they know from an inhuman enemy.

I love the way Patricia McKillip writes; she has a way of showing you the vulnerabilities of her characters. I really connected with the deep love and respect that they show more have for one another; not just lovers, but friends and family, and that is an integral part of the story. Maybe my hormones are still all over the place after having children, but I must confess to shedding a couple of tears; Ms McKillip can really play my heartstrings. She writes very evocatively, bringing a landscape to life or creating an atmosphere with a few simple words.

I would recommend this as an absolute must-read for any high fantasy fan. If you've already read it - go back and read it again! show less

I wish I had liked it more. The trilogy as a whole is very satisfying – there is magic that almost shimmers from the pages, everything is misty and dreamlike, and the characters are wonderful.

I really loved Morgon and Raederle in this book. (No, Morgon, Raederle is not going to any safe place and away from you, please understand this already.)

“If you had your way, I would be sitting in a farmhouse in Hed shelling beans and waiting for you, just as I have waited for nearly two years.”
“You don’t shell beans.”
“I don’t. Not unless you are beside me helping.”

- - -

“Are you planning to argue with me for the rest of our lives?”
“Yes,” she said stiffly.

- - -

“You are so unreasonable sometimes that you remind me of show more me.”

There are many book couples out there that I want to hug. Dear Morgon and Raederle, I’m adding you to the list. You had scary adventures while learning how to be together – so patiently, so impatiently, with so much love. Why couldn’t the whole book be about that? Well, it wasn’t to be. Instead, I got a plot that managed to be messy, exciting, and boring at the same time. Around halfway through, the book veered of into the realm of mindfuckery way too many times. Also there were too many moments of “oh, no, x is in danger… x found some magic power that was hidden before, now x is fine”. I saw the final plot twist before Morgon did ;), so the ending felt anticlimactic, despite being beautifully written. I was left wanting more. show less

I recently finished rereading [The Riddle-Master of Hed] trilogy by Patricia McKillip. It's been decades since I last read these little novels. They remain favorites from my youth. When I spent a semester in Costa Rica in the 1980s, the only books I brought to sustain me were this trilogy for my fantasy selection and David Brin's [Startide Rising] and [The Uplift War], which felt like a duology at the time.

I worried that rereading this high fantasy trilogy would tarnish the sheen of fond remembrance. No such thing! I still savored the lyrical prose, the imagery and metaphors, the characters, the world-building, all of it. I thought then and still think that these would translate well to the cinema given the advances in special effects show more that really bring magic alive on the screen. But of course, I'd hate to see how Hollywood would butcher the story.

In the first book, we're introduced to Morgon and the people and places of the High One's realm. Over the course of a year, Morgon discovers he's tangled up in a destiny that goes far beyond his peaceful, agrarian life in Hed, or even his college years studying with the Riddle Masters in Caithnard. In the second book, [Heir of Sea and Fire], we're introduced to Raederle. It's spring again, and no one has seen or heard from Morgon or Deth for a year. Raederle sets out to find out what happened to Morgon, accompanied by his sister Tristan and Lyra, the land heir of the kingdom of Herun, who had met Morgon two years ago and is haunted by his refusal to accept her help and his possible death.

[Harpist in the Wind] is the third book of the trilogy, in which the meaning of Morgon's destiny as the Star-Bearer is revealed, the shapechangers are at last identified, and all the realms of the High One are swept into a war of the living and the dead, the ancient past and the present. It is the prophesied ending of the age of the High One. Along the way, we meet wizards, magical creatures, riddles, harps, forests, marshes, mountains, and all sorts of people.

These books remain charming classics for me. They were a perfect bedtime read--comforting and familiar and uncomplicated. show less

Harpist in the Wind is the final part of the trilogy by Patricia A. McKillip and I found myself as I am with every good series, rapidly devouring and yet desperately not wanting it to end!

Bringing together all the characters from the previous two books, I have to admit there were few disappointments, and the writing and descriptions remained beautiful. I only had one complaint.......I would like to have heard more from some of the minor characters, (Tristan, Astrin, the Morgol, Lyra).

Apart from this, it is an exemplary example of how to make a 'typical' story completely stand out. The twists and turns, and the 'riddles' that makes it so thrilling to read are the kind of frustrating where you groan and curse and love it all at the same show more time. And the final twist actually made me gasp out loud.

The ending was bittersweet, for so many reasons, and I was so tired and sleepy and caught up in the world that I had tears in my eyes (both good and bad). The thing that makes McKillip stand out for me is the darkness she adds to her stories, and the way they feel so real, despite being full of wizardry and magic.

A fantastic fantasy read show less

9/10
This book is filled with lyrical and poetic prose that almost obscures the intricate plot and its mostly satisfying conclusion. I have to say I am a plot-driven reader—McKillip’s writing is lovely but I had to concentrate on reading slowly so I could savor the writing but more importantly, so I would not miss the plot developments that I might otherwise have inadvertently skimmed over.

This book is the conclusion of the Riddle-Master trilogy. I wish I had kept track of the riddles that Morgon had wrestled with throughout the trilogy. A classic fantasy in many ways, yet McKillip avoids some obvious tropes and turns a couple others on their heads.

The relationship between Raederle and Morgon could have used more development—there show more seemed to be important aspects that were unexplored and/or unexplained.

A strong point of the series, especially emphasized in this book, is love of the land, something we need more of in our world. show less

I'm so glad I did a reread of the whole series. It, once again, took me totally away into a different world, a world that felt so real and so magical and mysterious. I don't read much fantasy but this seemed different from the usual. The magic is in the minds of the characters and how they connect to others and the world around them. The writing is evocative rather than explanatory and I loved being pulled into it.It's funny, I tried another McKillip after reading these all those years ago and didn't like it at all. I think with this series she just found the right tone.

Ever since I started reading fantasy fiction ten years ago, I've heard of McKillip's Riddlemaster trilogy. Most of what I heard was praise, but what essentially drew me to read those books was the LOVE people attached to them. They weren't merely fun, many said, but the sort of books you read and reread just to enjoy the world she'd built.

So I set out with fairly high expectations. I love fantasy, and I love riddles. This trilogy had to be awesome. Except it wasn't.

The story was supposedly about a multitude of riddles concerning Morgon, Prince of Hed, and the fate of the realm. So the first book was mainly about his travels to discover that other identity he was supposed to have. Morgon travels from point A to point B, meets person X, show more then moves from point B to point C, meets person Y and so on. He's constantly nagging at the reader's patience thinking "Who am I?" till you simply no longer care.

By the time you're done with the first book, you learn the outine of the world (thanks to the frequent location names that you have to look up in the map) and that's it.

The author's idea of a riddle is anything you simply don't know the answer to. Not a complex puzzle that has to be solved, just missing data. It didn't work for me at all.

But I had to continue because it's a habit of mine to read every story to its end.

Comes book two, Raedarle, Morgon's betrothed, embarks on a journey around the realm to find Morgon. More travel stuff. More "Who am I?" stuff, even more annoying than him.

By the third book I'm no longer interested in either of them. Interestingly, I'm more curious about the seafolk and Ghisteslwchlohm. Anyhow I trudged on just to learn the final riddle. And it was quite good on its own. If only it wasn't overburdened with the weight of so much sleep-inducing filler.

The plot, from a critical point of view, is actually very well cooked. But the way she put that plot to the pages (boring travellogues), and the way she portrayed her main characters (whining, innocent do-gooders) killed any potential this trilogy has for greatness in my opinion.

That said, I'm sure if I'd read it ten years ago I would have liked it much more. Because in the end, the plot is quite interesting if you overlook the structural flaws and the rather dull characters.

In a perfect world, McKillip would have written an outline and then given the book over to Robin Hobb or Jennifer Fallon to do the actual storytelling. But I'm dreaming, of course. As it is, though, I wouldn't recommend it except for younger readers. show less