The Morgaine Saga
by C. J. Cherryh
The Morgaine Saga (Collections and Selections — Omnibus 01-03), Alliance-Union Universe (Collections and Selections — Omnibus 35-37)
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Sword-and-sorcery meets hard sci-fi in C.J. Cherryh's epic story of a woman's mission across time and space to preserve the integrity of the universe.Tags
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Gate of Ivrel: Precisely the sort of fantasy novel I always suspect will be not my cuppa, which leads me to wonder what possessed me to buy this and its sequels in an omnibus edition. But I rather enjoyed this story of Vanye, an outcast from his society for (accidental) brother-killing and the strange Morgaine, who exercises her right to claim an outcast such as Vanye, and then uses his knowledge of the land to help her in her quest to close the Gate of Ivrel, one of a series of gates which allows for travel among worlds and through time. There's oaths and treachery and honor codes and magic swords and creepy attempts at body-switching (oh, my). The world-building is impressive, and that, along with the intriguing authorial choice to show more keep Morgaine strange to the reader by telling her story without ever providing us with her point of view, is what transformed the book into something I'd be willing to drink. This was probably a four-star read for me, really, but I'm being petulant because the character naming irritated me. Unlike in Tolkien, where I believe without second thought that character names spring from long history and complex language (which is, of course, true), in Gate of Ivrel I couldn't help but feel that names were randomly generated by muddling familiar English names to make them sound foreign: Erij (Eric?), Roh (Rob? Ron?). And why Morgaine? That has strong Arthurian overtones, and as far as I could tell, there was no particular reason for invoking that set of myths. But. In the end, a surprisingly fun and engaging read, and I will almost surely read more of the "Morgaine Saga." Eventually. 22 March 2012 show less
Given to me by my older sister, this three-in-one omnibus was my introduction to C.J. Cherryh way back in 1979; I remember devouring it and loving it. It lead me to read many, many of Cherryh's books over the decades and it only occurred to me now to reread it after so long. I wondered if I would still love it as much.
Well, no. Not really.
I do love the characters; Vanye is flawed and psychologically wounded, Morgaine is somewhere between obsessive and PTSD, and Roh comes to be a fascinating chimera. Changeling is about as cool an artifact as you'll find in SFF, and the meta-narrative of the qhal and the Gates (which seemed pretty cutting-edge for their time) still carries intrigue. It's a good concept and there's a neat story arc, show more reaching a pretty sweet culmination in the climax and denouement of "Fires of Azeroth." But damn.....it's a hot mess for the first two installments, and the prose only eventually reaches above painful. The forced, affected language is cringeworthy: when writing sword-and-sorcery or the like it is NOT necessary to use fake medieval language ("bestirred," "bespoke"). Then there's the pacing. While the first two books consist almost entirely of helter-skelter, grab-ass running about from one ill-conceived skirmish to the next, with Vanye repeatedly getting separated from Morgaine and beaten senseless by somebody-or-other, 'FoA' at last takes its time and allows for exposition. Even the readers need to catch a breath sometimes. Sloppy, and the editors are as much to blame.
A final note concerns the edition itself. While I know Book Club Editions are no-frills, this omnibus is so replete with typesetting errors as to make passages incoherent. Shoddy, even for SFBC bargains. show less
Well, no. Not really.
I do love the characters; Vanye is flawed and psychologically wounded, Morgaine is somewhere between obsessive and PTSD, and Roh comes to be a fascinating chimera. Changeling is about as cool an artifact as you'll find in SFF, and the meta-narrative of the qhal and the Gates (which seemed pretty cutting-edge for their time) still carries intrigue. It's a good concept and there's a neat story arc, show more reaching a pretty sweet culmination in the climax and denouement of "Fires of Azeroth." But damn.....it's a hot mess for the first two installments, and the prose only eventually reaches above painful. The forced, affected language is cringeworthy: when writing sword-and-sorcery or the like it is NOT necessary to use fake medieval language ("bestirred," "bespoke"). Then there's the pacing. While the first two books consist almost entirely of helter-skelter, grab-ass running about from one ill-conceived skirmish to the next, with Vanye repeatedly getting separated from Morgaine and beaten senseless by somebody-or-other, 'FoA' at last takes its time and allows for exposition. Even the readers need to catch a breath sometimes. Sloppy, and the editors are as much to blame.
A final note concerns the edition itself. While I know Book Club Editions are no-frills, this omnibus is so replete with typesetting errors as to make passages incoherent. Shoddy, even for SFBC bargains. show less
Nhi Vanya the bastard son is banished for killing one of his brothers and maiming the other, but he knew that one of them had meant to kill him in that fight and the other was loyal to that one. He didn't 'mean' to kill or to cut off the hand of the other one who was defending his brothe. He goes away, two years pass and he encounters Morgaine, who has just popped out of a Gate -- for her hardly more than a few seconds, but a hundred years have passed. She demands his oath of loyalty for a year. She has a terrible sword. She doesn't explain much or trust even him. Complexities abound, inwardly and externally and Vanya must navigate between them for Morgaine has a goal that, for a native of this planet, is almost impossible to show more comprehend. Just so good! Excellent writing, depth of character and description. Pretty much riveting. ***** show less
Gate of Ivrel - If I had purchased this book alone, I would never have returned to buy the rest of the series. This first installment of The Morgaine Saga is comprised of 200 pages of bad grammar and clunky, nonrhythmic prose. The characters are hardly developed at all, but rather foisted upon the reader, eliminating any chance of engagement with them and, therefore, with their quest. The story is an adventure, yes, but despite the unique premise on which that story is founded, there is nothing gripping or unexpected in it. 2 1/2 stars.
Well of Shiuan - This second installment of The Morgaine Saga did much to redeem Cherryh in my eyes, and made me glad that I had bought the series in omnibus form, forcing me to read it through. Shiuan is show more far more enjoyable than Ivrel, not least of all becuase the relationship between Morgaine and her ilin Vanye has matured quite a bit. We finally see some deeper character development, and a more sophisticated picture of their interactions with one another. Because of this, the moral dilemmas which the two heroes find themselves facing become more real and more engaging to the reader. A vast improvement. 3 1/2 stars.
Fires of Azeroth - The third installment, like the second, continues the development of the main cast of characters, including giving a better understanding of Chya Roh and his own struggle for humanity. This was definitely my favorite out of the three, because the consequences of Morgaine and Vanye's quest are finally brought to realization in a way that hits home for the reader. I'm almost afraid to move on to Exile's Gate for fear it won't live up to this same level of emotionality. 4 stars.
As an aside, I'm wondering who they heck they got to write the blurb on the back of this edition (DAW Science Fiction). It's like someone read the book, then invented their own framework to situate the story in for their description of it. The blurb talks about a "Union Science Bureau" and "intervention in backtime" - a whole bunch of nonsense that never figures into any of the books in the trilogy at all, and actually somewhat cheapens the world as Cherryh designed it. I've never before encountered a back-cover-blurb that was so disjointed from the book itself. show less
Well of Shiuan - This second installment of The Morgaine Saga did much to redeem Cherryh in my eyes, and made me glad that I had bought the series in omnibus form, forcing me to read it through. Shiuan is show more far more enjoyable than Ivrel, not least of all becuase the relationship between Morgaine and her ilin Vanye has matured quite a bit. We finally see some deeper character development, and a more sophisticated picture of their interactions with one another. Because of this, the moral dilemmas which the two heroes find themselves facing become more real and more engaging to the reader. A vast improvement. 3 1/2 stars.
Fires of Azeroth - The third installment, like the second, continues the development of the main cast of characters, including giving a better understanding of Chya Roh and his own struggle for humanity. This was definitely my favorite out of the three, because the consequences of Morgaine and Vanye's quest are finally brought to realization in a way that hits home for the reader. I'm almost afraid to move on to Exile's Gate for fear it won't live up to this same level of emotionality. 4 stars.
As an aside, I'm wondering who they heck they got to write the blurb on the back of this edition (DAW Science Fiction). It's like someone read the book, then invented their own framework to situate the story in for their description of it. The blurb talks about a "Union Science Bureau" and "intervention in backtime" - a whole bunch of nonsense that never figures into any of the books in the trilogy at all, and actually somewhat cheapens the world as Cherryh designed it. I've never before encountered a back-cover-blurb that was so disjointed from the book itself. show less
I confess this is the 500,000,000 time I have read this book. Its like catching up with old friends. Last month I was rearranging my book shelf and discovered my copy (like the one pictured) was gone. I immediately called the usual suspect. My mother. She claims she did not take, does not have it etc. Nonetheless it was not there nor did it return. I panicked. I mean, Morgaine and Vanye are very dear to me. When I was 15 I wanted to be her. Tall, wear cool armor, have long silver hair and grey eyes. She also has a really awesome horse. Thank the qual for technology and I was able to procure another copy. I literally lost sleep.
Each time I have read this book, I discover more. The story (for me) becomes deeper. Frankly when I was 15 the show more whole space/time thing went over my head. I get it now. But this/these books have not lost there affect on me. Here I am 44. I still want to be tall, wear cool armor, have long silver hair and grey eyes. And don't forget the horse.
I will read this again. And again. show less
Each time I have read this book, I discover more. The story (for me) becomes deeper. Frankly when I was 15 the show more whole space/time thing went over my head. I get it now. But this/these books have not lost there affect on me. Here I am 44. I still want to be tall, wear cool armor, have long silver hair and grey eyes. And don't forget the horse.
I will read this again. And again. show less
I read this Cherryh is one of my favourite authors and I'm sort of working through her back catalogue.
Given the fantasy styling I was expecting this to be a ponderous, overwrought book, and it lived down to my expectations. That is not to say it is a bad book as such, it is just much, much less than it could have been.
The characters of Morgaine and Vanye are complex and interesting, the societies through which they move, for all the cod-mediaeval styling, are well drawn, but nothing can compensate for two fundamental weaknesses:
1) Each book fundamentally the same epic quest story. While the characters develop, the story never does, and one cannot help feeling that the whole thing is ultimately pointless.
2) This is fundamentally a work show more of fantasy wrapped in a tissue-thin sf shell. All the tropes are there: The qhal are not aliens, they're just elves with a silly name and the usual attendant cloud of half-breeds; there's is an evil magic sword and each world gate is essentially a Mount Doom franchise.
Also, the way the whole story is casually tacked on to the ass-end of Alliance-Union is an insult to that vastly richer and more rewarding universe.
I don't think I'll be re-reading this one. show less
Given the fantasy styling I was expecting this to be a ponderous, overwrought book, and it lived down to my expectations. That is not to say it is a bad book as such, it is just much, much less than it could have been.
The characters of Morgaine and Vanye are complex and interesting, the societies through which they move, for all the cod-mediaeval styling, are well drawn, but nothing can compensate for two fundamental weaknesses:
1) Each book fundamentally the same epic quest story. While the characters develop, the story never does, and one cannot help feeling that the whole thing is ultimately pointless.
2) This is fundamentally a work show more of fantasy wrapped in a tissue-thin sf shell. All the tropes are there: The qhal are not aliens, they're just elves with a silly name and the usual attendant cloud of half-breeds; there's is an evil magic sword and each world gate is essentially a Mount Doom franchise.
Also, the way the whole story is casually tacked on to the ass-end of Alliance-Union is an insult to that vastly richer and more rewarding universe.
I don't think I'll be re-reading this one. show less
First three books in the series contained in one Book Club edition:
The Gate of Irvel
Well of Shiuan
Fires of Azeroth
I took this out from the library since I own book three and wanted to read them in order.
The books could have been shorter. I thought there was a lot of redundancy. The prose was written well but I felt that it dragged on and then the last few pages sped to an ending. All three books were that way unfortunately.
The story was interesting. There are gates between worlds that Morgaine has decided to close. But I am still not sure if the gates just go between different times of the same world. The author is never very clear.
Morgaine is very old and has seen what travel through the gates can do. There is another character Liell show more also called Roh. He is of the same race? as Morgaine, I think. He has the ability to take over bodies. It seems he wants to use the gates to gain power of the worlds. As Roh, he fights for control with the real Roh. Learning more about this character would have been very interesting--but we don't learn much.
Learning more about Morgaine and why it's so important to her to close the gates would have been interesting as well. We only know that she had to use her sword, Changling, to destroy an army. The sword doesn't just kill. It sends out an area of attack that sucks living things like humans and horses into a void. Everyone assumes they are destroyed body and soul. She hates using it but she does many times in trying to get to the gates to destroy them. show less
The Gate of Irvel
Well of Shiuan
Fires of Azeroth
I took this out from the library since I own book three and wanted to read them in order.
The books could have been shorter. I thought there was a lot of redundancy. The prose was written well but I felt that it dragged on and then the last few pages sped to an ending. All three books were that way unfortunately.
The story was interesting. There are gates between worlds that Morgaine has decided to close. But I am still not sure if the gates just go between different times of the same world. The author is never very clear.
Morgaine is very old and has seen what travel through the gates can do. There is another character Liell show more also called Roh. He is of the same race? as Morgaine, I think. He has the ability to take over bodies. It seems he wants to use the gates to gain power of the worlds. As Roh, he fights for control with the real Roh. Learning more about this character would have been very interesting--but we don't learn much.
Learning more about Morgaine and why it's so important to her to close the gates would have been interesting as well. We only know that she had to use her sword, Changling, to destroy an army. The sword doesn't just kill. It sends out an area of attack that sucks living things like humans and horses into a void. Everyone assumes they are destroyed body and soul. She hates using it but she does many times in trying to get to the gates to destroy them. show less
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A multiple award-winning author of more than thirty novels, C. J. Cherryh received her B.A. in Latin from the University of Oklahoma, and then went on to earn a M.A. in Classics from Johns Hopkins University. Cherryh's novels, including Tripoint, Cyteen, and The Pride of Chanur, are famous for their knife-edge suspense and complex, realistic show more characters. Cherryh won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 1977. She was also awarded the Hugo Award for her short story Cassandra in 1979, and the novels Downbelow Station in 1982 and Cyteen in 1989. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Some Editions
Series
The Morgaine Saga
4 works (Collections and Selections — Omnibus 01-03)
Alliance-Union Universe
39 works (Collections and Selections — Omnibus 35-37)
Belongs to Publisher Series
Work Relationships
Contains
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Morgaine Saga
- Alternate titles
- The Chronicles of Morgaine; The Morgaine Saga
- Original publication date
- 1979-06; 1976-03 (Gate of Ivrel) (Gate of Ivrel); 1978-04 (Well of Shiuan) (Well of Shiuan); 1979-06 (Fires of Azeroth) (Fires of Azeroth)
- People/Characters
- Morgaine; Nhi Vanye; Chya Roh; Liell; Nhi Erij; Jhirun (show all 27); Hetharu; Kithan; Bydarra; Fwar; Ginun; Sersein; Serseis; Bythein; Bytheis; Melzein; Melzeis; Sin; Eth; Tal; Lir; Lellin Erirrhen; Merir Mlennira; Sezar; Nhinn; Nhirras; Shien
- Important places
- Ivrel; Koris; Morija; Kath Svejur; Ra-morij; Ra-leth (show all 19); Baien-ei; Ra-baien; Andur Kursh; Chadrih; Barrows-hold; Aren; Ohtij-in; Hiuaj; Mirrind; Azeroth; Shathan; Carrhend; Nehmin
- First words
- The Gates were the ruin of the qhal. (Gate of Ivrel)
Whoever first built the Gates that led from time to time and space to space surely gained from them no good thing.
The qhal found the first Gate on a dead world of their own sun. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)It was the second time he had ever seen her cry. (Gate of Ivrel)
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)There were the first cold drops of rain. (Well of Shiuan)
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)He clenched his hand upon the ring and stared straight ahead. (Fires of Azeroth) - Blurbers
- Norton, Andre
- Disambiguation notice
- ISBN 0413562905 is for The Chronicles of Morgaine
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