In bilico fra i mondi

"Seppellirai il tuo dolore nel profondo dell'oceano. Ma le onde non si lasciano domare così facilmente. Verrà un domani in cui piangerai per me."

"Forti di quattro voci, provarono il canto grande. Non perché sperassero che arrivasse fin dove doveva arrivare, poiché il Distruttore li copriva e poiché erano deboli. E non perché sperassero di arrivare a qualcuno, ma per non morire in silenzio, servi o schiavi, anche se il loro filo fosse stato tolto dal Telaio e si fosse perso eternamente nelle Tenebre."

"Ha camminato verso la Dea per tutta la vita."

Prosegue la lotta contro l'invincibile signore delle tenebre, latore di terrificanti promesse e con un figlio pronto a vegliare la sua futura eredità.
Fionavar rende onore all'imponderabilità della vita, senza giudicare le scelte e i percorsi intrapresi per raggiungere una propria maturità e consapevolezza.
Si abbraccia in maniera totale il libero arbitrio: liberi di poter scegliere tutto, anche il male, con il doloroso passato ad ammantare il presente e la speranza di un futuro migliore.

Ok, è un libro di mezzo come molti delle trilogie. Succede poco e gran parte del libro serve per posizionare i pezzi sulla scacchiera, ma GGK è una scrittore coi fiocchi.. non annoia e ,anzi, riesce ad emozionare con personaggi che sono così reali ,nei loro problemi, da poterli quasi toccare.

Il mio vocabolario non comprende parole in grado di esprimere come mi fa sentire Kay.

After a brief stint back on earth, the gang is whisked back to Fionavar as Guy Gavriel Kay continues his portal fantasy that reads much more like classic high fantasy. The best equivalent to this book I can think of is what [a:Steven Erikson|31232|Steven Erikson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1219169436p2/31232.jpg] does in his Malazan series — things happen that are beyond our understanding and we follow along as best as we can. And like Erikson, the prose is clearly the work of a practiced hand.

That said, there is a more mythic focus here. The Wandering Fire pulls in

Spoiler

Arthurian

legends in a surprising way that almost dominates the story. We learn a main character

Spoiler

is herself Guenevere

and the group

Spoiler

summons King Arthur himself to join their fight

— a hero of old whom everyone seems to know and be in awe of despite no mention in The Summer Tree. Finally, Dari feels very much like

Spoiler

Mordred

even if that's not the intention. Perhaps this was all envisioned from the beginning, but if so I think the story would have been better served by more hints.

The same is true for the mythic and symbolic roles each character begins to take on for themselves. Without more foreshadowing, it starts to feel a little cheap as compared to Paul's brave trip to the Summer Tree in book 1.

Spoiler

Kevin answering a goddess' call to end the winter felt out of nowhere as did the other goddess approaching Paul. Meanwhile our female characters basically get to endure things...

Don't get me wrong. Gavriel Kay is a talented author and certain story beats will get you right in the gut or the heart again. But, it all feels a little random to score above 3/5.

3.5 stars.

Definitely seeing Kay's writing come into what it is in some of his later stuff. It's just so easy and engaging to read. This one was definitely a step above the first one and just seemed crisper and more of his ridiculously efficient style. Definitely getting huge Lord of the Rings vibes as this moves into the third book.

There are some things here I didn't love. I don't really enjoy the way he is writing fantasy. I enjoy his later more historic/light fantasy style. It also had some elements of myth that felt a little bit forced to me.

While not quite as good as the first at the beginning, it catches up and makes up for it in the latter half. A very well written fantasy novel and a must read for any fans of the genre. There are excellent characters, a very interesting fast paced story and very emotional writing.

Traces of LOTR remain (more than that actually. Dwarves, Elves, riders, orcs and Uruk Hai among others, all make appearances here. Even Beren and Luthien - in Amairgen and Lisen). But then this is not surprising, seeing how Tolkien also borrowed heavily from European mythology. This, in no way takes away anything from the book. What does that is the Arthurian legend brought in here. This seems a little unnecessary especially since the existing mythology is rich enough. The story would have been just as rich and interesting without Arthur and Lancelot and Guinevere).

Jennifer had a very strong story for herself without having to become Guinevere. Her suffering in the first book was raw and handled exceedingly well for a fantasy novel. What she did in this book to overcome/deal with that was nothing short of exceptional. All this is lost, when the author makes her Guinevere where she is just another cog in the wheel. This seems like a lot of complaining, but for a novel I liked, I am disappointed just a little by its shortcomings.

The original five's story lines are handled very well (Jen's also until the above happened). The ending with Cader Sedat and the sea battle brought me to the edge of my seat, so to speak. I'm looking forward to the third book in the trilogy.

Entertaining, though a little silliness added with the Arthurian Legend weaved into the "Tapestry," as the author dubs the tale.

Basic good versus evil with the struggles bringing together the folks of Fionavar. Certain powers still being developed in the characters brought forth via magic from Canada on earth.

Onto book three, which Amazon offered five dollars (USD) off for the Kindle version.

It's just odd. This whole thing is unbearably odd. King Arthur is brought back for some reason, and how he fits into the whole scheme of things is never explained, and then suddenly Jennifer used to be Guinevere? And Lancelot is brought back. I don't understand.

I'm trying to figure out if Fionavar, being the so-called "first of all worlds," is the source of everything that has ever existed, then maybe that's why? But, then again, none of the other characters are "other people" in that sense, so it just doesn't make sense to me.

There's also an unnecessary amount of sex, and it largely happens to the men, and it always happens with some goddess, and it's always to save the day or because a character went through a tough trial, so I guess some goddess pussy is a good reward? I don't know.

Also, that rape that punctuated the last book? Yeah, well it produced a baby. Guinevere had Sauron's Maugrim's baby. Then there's a bunch of black swans, and it's the same as the first book: white = good and anything of a dark complexion = bad, except those people on the plains who are humorously described as "nut-brown" colored.

And then there's a whole segment where, I kid you not, the Dead Men of Dunharrow--oops, I mean some dead king named Owein and his dead army fight with the good guys. I mean, could this guy rip off of Tolkien anymore?

Thank God there's only one more, and I still can't believe I recommended this to people.