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The cataclysm began more than a century earlier, when the King of Ayr died before naming an heir to the throne, and damned his realm to chaos. The cold-blooded conspiracies of the Renne and the Wills--each family desirous of the prize of rule--would sunder the one kingdom, and spawn generations of hatred and discord.Now Toren Renne, leader of his great and troubled house, dreams of peace--a valiant desire that has spawned hostility among his kinsmen, and vicious internal plots against his show more life. In the opposing domain, Elise Wills's desire for freedom is to be crushed, as an unwanted marriage to an ambitious and sinister lord looms large. As always, these machinations of nobles are affecting the everyday lives of the common folk--and feeding a bonfire of animosity that has now trapped an unsuspecting young Valeman Tam and two fortune-hunting friends from the North in its high, killing flames.But the closer Toren comes to achieving his great goal of uniting two enemy houses, the more treachery flowers. Nobles and mystics alike conspire to keep the realm divided, knowing that only in times of strife can their power grow.And perhaps the source of an unending misery lies before an old king's passing, beyond the scope of history, somewhere lost in a fog of myth and magic roiling about an ancient enchanter named Wyrr--who bequeathed to his children terrible gifts that would poison their lives...and their deaths. It is a cursed past and malevolent sorcery that truly hold the land, its people, and its would-be rulers bound. And before the already savaged kingdom can become one again, all Ayr will drown in a sea of blood. show lessTags
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Title: The One Kingdom
Series: The Swan's War #1
Author: Sean Russell
Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 544
Format: Digital Edition
Synopsis:
Magician's don't die. If they're powerful enough, they can exist without going through Death's Gate.
Hundreds of years ago, the children of the most powerful magician the world had ever known were each given a gift from their father. Their choices split the show more One Kingdom and resulted in death and devastation.
Now, the families of the Renne's and the Wills have their own feud that could tear apart the fragile peace of the land. One of the Renne's is determined to make the peace last while his family plots to assassinate him for such thoughts. The Wills plot to strengthen themselves through marriage with an outside family, the Innes. The Innes are being “guided” by a man who is much more than he appears and much more dangerous than they know.
At the same time, 3 young men from the Northern Vale take a trip down the river to buy horses. They come across a man name Alain and their misfortunes/adventures start. They come into contact with a Naga, the embodiment of the daughter of the magician.
The Naga, Alain and the Guide are all so much more than the people around them know. Can the land survive the return of the Children?
My Thoughts:
I went into this really wondering if I was going to like it as much as I did back in '09. Thankfully, this lived up to my memories and my current expectations of a good book.
This is a slow book. It meanders like the river that much of the story takes place on. In many ways, the river itself is a character, at times benevolent, at other times very malevolent.
Besides being a slow book, it is also very character driven. The Valemen trio start out as the main characters, but Russell deftly moves from group to group, from individual to individual in such a way that I never felt either bored or wanting something else. There is a lot of description of landscapes and what surrounds the characters but for whatever reason I didn't blow by it like I usually do in other books. I was able to sit back and take it in.
Where I have described Patricia McKillip's writings as “silk”, Russell's writing is like a river. Some times meandering, some times fast and furious, some times appearing calm, some times dragging you along a current you don't even realize you are in. I felt like I was sitting in a boat going down a river while reading this. Why I was intrigued instead of bored, I do not know. But I loved this story.
I also like how Russell portrays magic. It is something dangerous, subtle and never good. It destroys those who use it and hurts those around them. It is not flashy fireballs or the calling forth of demon lords. It is influence, power, strength, persuaviness and the ability to bend others to your will. It is scary.
So another fantastic re-read. Definitely glad that I bought this in hardcover. show less
Title: The One Kingdom
Series: The Swan's War #1
Author: Sean Russell
Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 544
Format: Digital Edition
Synopsis:
Magician's don't die. If they're powerful enough, they can exist without going through Death's Gate.
Hundreds of years ago, the children of the most powerful magician the world had ever known were each given a gift from their father. Their choices split the show more One Kingdom and resulted in death and devastation.
Now, the families of the Renne's and the Wills have their own feud that could tear apart the fragile peace of the land. One of the Renne's is determined to make the peace last while his family plots to assassinate him for such thoughts. The Wills plot to strengthen themselves through marriage with an outside family, the Innes. The Innes are being “guided” by a man who is much more than he appears and much more dangerous than they know.
At the same time, 3 young men from the Northern Vale take a trip down the river to buy horses. They come across a man name Alain and their misfortunes/adventures start. They come into contact with a Naga, the embodiment of the daughter of the magician.
The Naga, Alain and the Guide are all so much more than the people around them know. Can the land survive the return of the Children?
My Thoughts:
I went into this really wondering if I was going to like it as much as I did back in '09. Thankfully, this lived up to my memories and my current expectations of a good book.
This is a slow book. It meanders like the river that much of the story takes place on. In many ways, the river itself is a character, at times benevolent, at other times very malevolent.
Besides being a slow book, it is also very character driven. The Valemen trio start out as the main characters, but Russell deftly moves from group to group, from individual to individual in such a way that I never felt either bored or wanting something else. There is a lot of description of landscapes and what surrounds the characters but for whatever reason I didn't blow by it like I usually do in other books. I was able to sit back and take it in.
Where I have described Patricia McKillip's writings as “silk”, Russell's writing is like a river. Some times meandering, some times fast and furious, some times appearing calm, some times dragging you along a current you don't even realize you are in. I felt like I was sitting in a boat going down a river while reading this. Why I was intrigued instead of bored, I do not know. But I loved this story.
I also like how Russell portrays magic. It is something dangerous, subtle and never good. It destroys those who use it and hurts those around them. It is not flashy fireballs or the calling forth of demon lords. It is influence, power, strength, persuaviness and the ability to bend others to your will. It is scary.
So another fantastic re-read. Definitely glad that I bought this in hardcover. show less
I adore lovely, lyrical, descriptive prose. The kind of stuff some might call corny or some similar unflattering phrase, but I love it. And because of this, I fell in love on the very first page. Let me give you an example of why. Chapter One, Paragraph 2.
And it just goes on from there. Could you see the wind dancing? I could. Sean Russell painted a beautiful picture with nothing but words. Such lovely words. This story was already magical without a sign of magic in sight, at least not yet. With a big sigh of contentment I melted into my show more chair and proceeded to devour page after page.
Read Complete Review @ Dragons, Heroes and Wizards show less
Around them the wind was in flight, more joyous than a swallow, as heedless as a child. It swept down onto the new green oats and raked through the hay, making waves and patterns like sand on a riverbed.
And it just goes on from there. Could you see the wind dancing? I could. Sean Russell painted a beautiful picture with nothing but words. Such lovely words. This story was already magical without a sign of magic in sight, at least not yet. With a big sigh of contentment I melted into my show more chair and proceeded to devour page after page.
Read Complete Review @ Dragons, Heroes and Wizards show less
I finally put this one down and didn't finish it. It is well written, but it just didn't appeal to me. The fantasy elements were almost non existent. It read more like an alternative historical fiction.
An intriguing opening to a fantasy trilogy featuring rival families and their accompanying schemes, alliances, and plots for revenge. The rivalry between the Renne and Wills families has taken on a life of its own, particularly as a few members of each family are drawn into the conflict even as they endeavor to stay clear of it. A good read, and I will likely complete the series.
The One Kingdom is the first book of the Swans’ War trilogy – followed by The Isle of Battle and The Shadow Road – but it’s not Russell’s first novel. He has written two earlier fantasy diptychs (one of which is apparently set in “the Kingdom of Wa”). He also writes historical naval fiction under the name Sean Thomas Russell. According to Russell’s web site (here), the Swans’ War trilogy came out of a desire to write a high fantasy, something he had avoided previously in order to “distinguish myself from the many imitators of Tolkien”. The good news is that The One Kingdom isn’t especially Tolkienesque. It’s more like Robert Jordan. Although, happily, Russell’s prose is a good deal better than Jordan’s.
The show more trilogy is set in the land of Ayr, which is dominated by the River Wynnd and its tributaries. The valleys formed by the tributaries are principalities in what was once known as the “One Kingdom”. But some time in the distant past, the kingdom split apart, leaving two families vying for the throne – the Wills and the Rennés. It’s the machinations of these two families which forms the plot of the trilogy…
Except it doesn’t really. Or rather, it doesn’t noticeably.
For rest of review see: http://iansales.com/2010/06/08/fantasy-challenge-5-the-one-kingdom-sean-russell/ show less
The show more trilogy is set in the land of Ayr, which is dominated by the River Wynnd and its tributaries. The valleys formed by the tributaries are principalities in what was once known as the “One Kingdom”. But some time in the distant past, the kingdom split apart, leaving two families vying for the throne – the Wills and the Rennés. It’s the machinations of these two families which forms the plot of the trilogy…
Except it doesn’t really. Or rather, it doesn’t noticeably.
For rest of review see: http://iansales.com/2010/06/08/fantasy-challenge-5-the-one-kingdom-sean-russell/ show less
A land was torn asunder in the distant past by 3 siblings. Today the land groans under a schism of two families. But the Siblings' spirits have returned to finish what they could not last time, conquer all. Follows the adventures of different people caught up in this whirlwind. 3 people have been possessed" by the ancient siblings and those are the characters we follow.
VERY slow for the first 9/10th's of the book and no huge gratuitous displays of magic. Which is a nice changeup for me in a fantasy trilogy. I'm looking forward to the next book."
VERY slow for the first 9/10th's of the book and no huge gratuitous displays of magic. Which is a nice changeup for me in a fantasy trilogy. I'm looking forward to the next book."
Seemed interesting, but the pacing was glacially slow, to the point of losing interest. Well... The book was also boring. The politics weren't anything wrenching, the characters not out of the ordinary or particularly fascinating. The universe generic. Don't bother if you have anything else worth reading.
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Gallimard, Folio SF (263)
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The One Kingdom
- Original publication date
- 2001-02
- People/Characters
- Dease Renné; Samul Renné; Beldor Beldor; Toren Renné; Arden Renné; Tamlyn Loell (show all 11); Baore Talon ; Fynnol Loell; Alaan; Elise Wills; Cynddl
- Important places
- Ayr; Westbrook Fair; The Vale
- First words
- "In the moving landscape the men were still, they sat at the long table atop Summer's Hill as motionless as stones in a running stream."
- Disambiguation notice*
- Cet ouvrage titré Le royaume unique par les éditions Folio SF est la traduction complète de The One Kingdom. Il ne faut pas le confondre avec l'ouvrage titré également Le royaume unique par les éditions Mnémos et qui n... (show all)'est que la première partie de la traduction de The One Kingdom.
Cet ouvrage titré Le royaume unique par les éditions Mnémos est la première partie de la traduction de The One Kingdom. Il ne faut pas le confondre avec l'ouvrage titré également Le royaume unique par les éditions Foli... (show all)o SF et qui est la traduction complète de The One Kingdom.
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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