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Rai-Kirah #3
Restoration
In the third Book of the Rai-kirah, Seyonne is besieged by doubt, madness, and visions that insist that he will destroy the world. Even his steadfast hope, that somehow Prince Aleksander is destined for greatness, seems doomed. For a royal murder sends Aleksander on the run as the Derzhi Empire crumbles around him. Faith, friendship, gods and demons drive sorcerer and prince to the final battle of the demon war--each man facing an opponent he could never have imagined.
471 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
About the author
Carol Berg
38 books1,062 followersCarol Berg is the author of the epic fantasy
The Books of the Rai-kirah, The Bridge of D'Arnath Quartet, the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award winning Lighthouse Duet - Flesh and Spirit and Breath and Bone - the standalone novel Song of the Beast , and the three novels of the Collegia Magica.
Berg holds a degree in mathematics from Rice University, and a degree in computer science from the University of Colorado. Before writing full-time, she worked as a software engineer. She lives in Colorado at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, and is the mother of three mostly grown sons.
The Books of the Rai-kirah, The Bridge of D'Arnath Quartet, the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award winning Lighthouse Duet - Flesh and Spirit and Breath and Bone - the standalone novel Song of the Beast , and the three novels of the Collegia Magica.
Berg holds a degree in mathematics from Rice University, and a degree in computer science from the University of Colorado. Before writing full-time, she worked as a software engineer. She lives in Colorado at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, and is the mother of three mostly grown sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
March 25, 2017
What a fantastic conclusion to the trilogy! From almost the first page, I was holding my breath. There was no slow build here. It just jumped right in and punched me in the gut, then ran away. Seyonne goes through so much. More than ever before. Aleksander too. The empire undergoes some upheavals that bring him into his own transformation. I loved that he is much more prominent than he was in the second book. Seyonne and Aleksander's friendship... just wow. Heartwrenching at times, but also so worth it.
This book built on both the first and the second of the series, but wasn't just a continuation. It was a synthesis of everything that came before, and a new height of revelation. Each part of the trilogy stood so well on its own, but together they're so much more. And just in case you're reading the description for the first book and thinking it's all about demons, it's really not. Not even close. Nothing is ever quite as it seems.
I feel as if I've been hollowed out and filled back up. Fantastic.
This book built on both the first and the second of the series, but wasn't just a continuation. It was a synthesis of everything that came before, and a new height of revelation. Each part of the trilogy stood so well on its own, but together they're so much more. And just in case you're reading the description for the first book and thinking it's all about demons, it's really not. Not even close. Nothing is ever quite as it seems.
I feel as if I've been hollowed out and filled back up. Fantastic.
April 7, 2020
Feeling both content to have reached a satisfying and at least in part open conclusion to this story, and a little lost and sad to find myself without the companions of the last several days.
February 22, 2019
The third and final volume of the Rai-Kirah saga brings our savior, slave and psychic warden to the pinnacle of his life's travail.
Seyonne is in exile, his mystic brethren aghast at his choice to share his soul with a demon. The bonding, so fresh and filled with terror, has left him in a constant state of inner vigilance - performing enchantment after enchantment to ward against the presence of this occupying force. His protections sometimes fail. He is left too often at the mercy of a bloodlust alien to his nature and dangerous to those who surround him. Yet when his best friend and erstwhile champion, the mighty Prince Aleksander, is ousted from his throne and set upon by the assassins of every noble house in the land, Seyonne answers the call of loyalty and rushes to his side...though what help this tainted state might offer could do more harm than good.
This last book of the trilogy is definitely the best, benefitting as it logically should from the lessons learned in the two that went before. Berg has come to peace with her protagonists and now evokes them with an easy authority. The course of the action is smoother; the climactic moments more judiciously placed. I did have an issue (as I always do) with some of the after-the-fact explanation I encountered. Motivation must be braided into the event. Otherwise the stakes skew, and any attempt to rebalance has the tendency to come across as repair work.
On the whole, though, a solid series. This is straight, no-frills, Old School fantasy that, while it may not keep you up at night, will certainly serve as an otherworldly sanctuary. And there are times this is precisely what a fantasy reader is looking for.
Seyonne is in exile, his mystic brethren aghast at his choice to share his soul with a demon. The bonding, so fresh and filled with terror, has left him in a constant state of inner vigilance - performing enchantment after enchantment to ward against the presence of this occupying force. His protections sometimes fail. He is left too often at the mercy of a bloodlust alien to his nature and dangerous to those who surround him. Yet when his best friend and erstwhile champion, the mighty Prince Aleksander, is ousted from his throne and set upon by the assassins of every noble house in the land, Seyonne answers the call of loyalty and rushes to his side...though what help this tainted state might offer could do more harm than good.
This last book of the trilogy is definitely the best, benefitting as it logically should from the lessons learned in the two that went before. Berg has come to peace with her protagonists and now evokes them with an easy authority. The course of the action is smoother; the climactic moments more judiciously placed. I did have an issue (as I always do) with some of the after-the-fact explanation I encountered. Motivation must be braided into the event. Otherwise the stakes skew, and any attempt to rebalance has the tendency to come across as repair work.
On the whole, though, a solid series. This is straight, no-frills, Old School fantasy that, while it may not keep you up at night, will certainly serve as an otherworldly sanctuary. And there are times this is precisely what a fantasy reader is looking for.
December 16, 2015
This is a wonderful epic fantasy trilogy, absolutely recommended. The Rai-Kirah series is original and carries a vibe of classic fantasy with modern flavor, it was first published some 15 years ago and I didn’t notice any difference with the books of the current fantasy styles; it has all the elements I could wish for, like memorable characters, moral complexity, rich prose, a thrilling tale, solid worldbuilding, though-provoking themes and lots of entertainment. I loved reading it.
I feared a little that the story would lose direction at some point, considering the first book is both a standalone and a trilogy setter and the second, if not knitted with finality, has nonetheless a clear ending, but Berg surprised me yet again using a few open ends to weave the foundation for the last installment and raising the stakes for all the characters, deepening the exploration of all the parties involved in the world’s fate. This trilogy is not a single story split in parts, but three stages of the same tale, each rooted in the previous one but not totally inter-dependent. I would not go as far as saying that you can read book three without reading the previous ones and enjoy it all the same, but thanks to this careful structure with progressive complexity and slower beginnings, a reader is never dropped in medias res. Context-shaping and characterization are always solid and consistent, before long no additional details are required to understand the characters’ motivations and the logic behind their behaviors.
The characters are always extremely engrossing. Seyonne is the protagonist, of course, but once more he is not alone in his adventures. He doesn’t let go of his masochist streak either, but this time he gets less beatings himself, probably because humiliation and misfortune are equally shared with his companions.
“Guilt is a cruel taskmaster.”
The first half of the book felt weaker compared to all the other parts of the trilogy, though it featured a character I was very eager to read about and prepared the ground for the subsequent delivery, which was truly epic. At the beginning of the second half things speed unexpectedly forward and the brilliant layers of the plot converge; I was reeled in and surprised without letup. A few resolutions on the finish line were a bit simplistic, but not to a detrimental effect. I enjoyed the book very much!
Again, Berg doesn’t shy from raising some difficult questions along the way; Seyonne’s and Aleksander’s soul-searching finds its conclusion in the events of Restoration. The pitfalls of tradition, the meaning of faith, the nature of power and of men, the impact of individual and group choices are some of the topics explored ever since the fallen demon slayer and the warrior prince first met at a slave-auction block.
“What could make you alter the very nature of your soul? Nothing.”
I really liked the though-provoking themes so smoothly woven into the story and its complex world. During the action, this latter book in particular brings the concepts of culture clash, religious tenets and disruptive innovation to the extreme, and shows the ruinous effects of racism, slavery and domination of one people over another. Seyonne’s and partly Aleksander’s inner torments play a vital part as they discover their purpose, and their duality also reflects the conflict raging in the whole of the Dherzi Empire. Does the end justify the means? Should a being have the right to elevate himself above the others and judge what is correct? If such thing as moral superiority, or divine claim, exists, should other people be prevented from erring or should free will be respected at any cost? Or even should there be a compromise, wouldn’t such decisions choke the natural development of a society?
I’m not saying that the story is heavy or slow, far from it, but as it unfolds there is also a clear invitation to think, all the more so in Restoration. The book’s answers are politically correct. The final denouement, as much as I liked it and everything, strays a little from the course I appreciated so far in the trilogy. Maybe Berg could have dared more, but the ending is nonetheless satisfying and intense, full of drama and beauty.
Carol Berg is a master storyteller and I’m looking forward to reading more from her.
I feared a little that the story would lose direction at some point, considering the first book is both a standalone and a trilogy setter and the second, if not knitted with finality, has nonetheless a clear ending, but Berg surprised me yet again using a few open ends to weave the foundation for the last installment and raising the stakes for all the characters, deepening the exploration of all the parties involved in the world’s fate. This trilogy is not a single story split in parts, but three stages of the same tale, each rooted in the previous one but not totally inter-dependent. I would not go as far as saying that you can read book three without reading the previous ones and enjoy it all the same, but thanks to this careful structure with progressive complexity and slower beginnings, a reader is never dropped in medias res. Context-shaping and characterization are always solid and consistent, before long no additional details are required to understand the characters’ motivations and the logic behind their behaviors.
The characters are always extremely engrossing. Seyonne is the protagonist, of course, but once more he is not alone in his adventures. He doesn’t let go of his masochist streak either, but this time he gets less beatings himself, probably because humiliation and misfortune are equally shared with his companions.
“Guilt is a cruel taskmaster.”
The first half of the book felt weaker compared to all the other parts of the trilogy, though it featured a character I was very eager to read about and prepared the ground for the subsequent delivery, which was truly epic. At the beginning of the second half things speed unexpectedly forward and the brilliant layers of the plot converge; I was reeled in and surprised without letup. A few resolutions on the finish line were a bit simplistic, but not to a detrimental effect. I enjoyed the book very much!
Again, Berg doesn’t shy from raising some difficult questions along the way; Seyonne’s and Aleksander’s soul-searching finds its conclusion in the events of Restoration. The pitfalls of tradition, the meaning of faith, the nature of power and of men, the impact of individual and group choices are some of the topics explored ever since the fallen demon slayer and the warrior prince first met at a slave-auction block.
“What could make you alter the very nature of your soul? Nothing.”
I really liked the though-provoking themes so smoothly woven into the story and its complex world. During the action, this latter book in particular brings the concepts of culture clash, religious tenets and disruptive innovation to the extreme, and shows the ruinous effects of racism, slavery and domination of one people over another. Seyonne’s and partly Aleksander’s inner torments play a vital part as they discover their purpose, and their duality also reflects the conflict raging in the whole of the Dherzi Empire. Does the end justify the means? Should a being have the right to elevate himself above the others and judge what is correct? If such thing as moral superiority, or divine claim, exists, should other people be prevented from erring or should free will be respected at any cost? Or even should there be a compromise, wouldn’t such decisions choke the natural development of a society?
I’m not saying that the story is heavy or slow, far from it, but as it unfolds there is also a clear invitation to think, all the more so in Restoration. The book’s answers are politically correct. The final denouement, as much as I liked it and everything, strays a little from the course I appreciated so far in the trilogy. Maybe Berg could have dared more, but the ending is nonetheless satisfying and intense, full of drama and beauty.
Carol Berg is a master storyteller and I’m looking forward to reading more from her.
February 4, 2021
I have once again resumed my determined effort to learn to properly appreciate audiobooks! I read this trilogy in print about 10 years ago and loved it. A couple years ago, I decided to listen to it in audio. The narrator is Kevin Stillwell and I found his reading style works well for me, plus I already had an attachment to the characters and the story, so I did better with them than I usually do. However, I stalled out on this third audiobook twice despite enjoying it for the most part, and gave up. After picking cross-stitching back up recently, I decided to try it again while doing that. I’m still a bad audiobook listener, but I think listening while cross-stitching works a little better for me than listening while commuting in Atlanta traffic.
I enjoyed this whole trilogy, but I think the first book was my favorite and this last book, while good, was my least favorite. Seyonne’s decisions in this book became particularly frustrating to me. I don’t remember what I thought when I first read it in print, I just remember inhaling them quickly and enjoying them all. The story from the first book was the only one I remembered very clearly though, so I think it must have been my favorite the first time around too. Despite some of my complaints, I did enjoy this overall and there were some great moments. I also think I would have enjoyed this even more had I re-read it in print rather than listening to it as an audio, but it’s hard to find time to re-read print books when there are so many new books I want to try.
One thing I’ve always loved about Carol Berg’s writing is that, at least in the books I’ve read so far, she starts out with a seemingly simple story that slowly gets more complex as she continuously reveals new layers that make you reconsider everything that happened before. She also does a great job of writing characters I care about and writes some really enjoyable character friendships. I consider her one of my favorite authors.
This series was my first introduction to Carol Berg and I loved it, but now that I’ve re-read them after reading some of her other books, I think I would recommend her Lighthouse duet as the better starting point, and also the related Sanctuary duet.
I enjoyed this whole trilogy, but I think the first book was my favorite and this last book, while good, was my least favorite. Seyonne’s decisions in this book became particularly frustrating to me. I don’t remember what I thought when I first read it in print, I just remember inhaling them quickly and enjoying them all. The story from the first book was the only one I remembered very clearly though, so I think it must have been my favorite the first time around too. Despite some of my complaints, I did enjoy this overall and there were some great moments. I also think I would have enjoyed this even more had I re-read it in print rather than listening to it as an audio, but it’s hard to find time to re-read print books when there are so many new books I want to try.
One thing I’ve always loved about Carol Berg’s writing is that, at least in the books I’ve read so far, she starts out with a seemingly simple story that slowly gets more complex as she continuously reveals new layers that make you reconsider everything that happened before. She also does a great job of writing characters I care about and writes some really enjoyable character friendships. I consider her one of my favorite authors.
This series was my first introduction to Carol Berg and I loved it, but now that I’ve re-read them after reading some of her other books, I think I would recommend her Lighthouse duet as the better starting point, and also the related Sanctuary duet.
March 10, 2021
Though I liked this book more than the second one, the first book remains far and away my favorite. I'm considering now that perhaps I should've been content to stop at the first book, which has just a perfect ending. The trilogy took an unexpected narrative route and that's typically a good thing, for an author to do the unexpected. The problem for me here is that I really wanted the more expected route in this case. The story I was most interested in, the political intrigues and betrayals going on in the Derzhi empire, was happening at the far periphery of the story happening on the page. It turns out that I'm not really interested in Ezzarian history and legends which, being stuck in Seyonne's head for the entirety of the trilogy, is mostly what readers get in these last two books. And while I love Seyonne, being in his head so much grew wearisome. I would've loved to have had the opportunity to get into Aleksander's head, especially in this final book as he fully steps into his destiny as the bearer of the feadnach. I desperately wanted to follow him so every time Seyonne would wrench the story away to some other focus the pacing of the story would just grind to a crawl. Now obviously this is a personal preference. Readers who can't get enough of the Ezzarians and their history will love this book. I just didn't.
Story: ★★
Narration: ★★★★★
Overall: ★★★
Story: ★★
Narration: ★★★★★
Overall: ★★★
December 15, 2015
Final rating: 4/5 stars
Final rating - for the whole series: 4.25/5 stars
*this part of my review contains no spoilers for the series but my general opinion.*
And so this story ends. A fitting and well done ending with many plot twists I did not see coming. The great thing about this series is that each book is almost stand alone - except for the upcoming doom factor that was there, hinted in the first book, made known in the second book and dealt with in third book. Each book has ending and beginning and takes some years in between. Of course they are highly dependent on each other, but If i have to choose my favorite out of the three I would have hard time choosing between Transformation (Rai-Kirah, #1) and Revelation (Rai-Kirah, #2). Both were strong, powerful and highly emotional.
The problem why I gave this book 4 stars, instead of 4.75 like I gave the other two, was because the first half of the book 3 was equal to 3 stars = it was not engaging and i wanted only to read on so I could see how it ends. But the second half surprised me yet again with a very interesting plot twist and with the fact that something far more interesting was done - which deserves 5 stars. When the POV is from the first person you can see for the best the inner struggling of the character. Seyonne, our narrator, went through so much pain and suffering that he started showing some minor signs of insanity itself, which is honestly not surprising after everything that was done to him. How he deals with that, and new threat is shown in this book.
The characters themselves were interesting too, although some showed up (and new characters too) only to die so suddenly. There is a lot of death in the final book, but considering the storyline of Restoration it is not surprising. If there weren't any deaths, that would have been unrealistic.
This series was all about a man who tried his best to find his own place in the world after losing everything and of the other who needed to see what the cruelty of his nation brought to the world. And how those two, over time, became more than friends, almost like brothers as they both know each other much too well.
____________________________________________
STORY & CHARACTERS:
____________________________________________
*Entering the spoiler section for book 1 and 2.*
After merging with Denas, Seyonne is losing his mind to the visions in which he is the one who will destroy the world. He gets blackouts, becomes violent, and destroys everything in his path, for which he believes Denas is responsible. And despite Denas' pleading to Seyonne to give him a chance and listen to him and share everything with him, Seyonne refuses once again, afraid of giving up the only thing that is his and his alone - his soul. It gets worse when Emperor, Aleksander's father, dies by the hand of a murderer and the Empire is thrown into chaos - everyone believes Aleksander is the one who did it and now the assassin's were dispatched on both Seyonne and Aleksander, including their families. The Empire starts crumbling down, civil war brews and Aleksander must reclaim his throne to stop the madness of the newly crowned man. And then, there is also the Prisoner of the Tower who waits for the right time...
✍ ☘ ❦ ☕ ❂ ✄ ☸ ⚡ ⚓ ☁ ☂ ✎ ✍ ☘ ❦ ☕ ❂ ✄ ☸ ⚡ ⚓ ☁ ☂ ✎ ☸ ⚡ ⚓
I found myself amazed at the growth of a certain character - Aleksander himself. While I did not like him in the first 2 books, i am happy to announce that yes - he had changed - for the better. And I was glad to see that. In the end, I believe he redeemed himself and his actions, and I was glad to see that he was actually feeling guilt over having done them and it made me glad to see - I just needed to see him truly atoning for his deeds and for trying so hard to set things right - and make things even better.
Seyonne, once again, having no luck in his life, goes through a lot of damage, but this time it's his mind - and given that we read from his POV, it was heartbreaking experience... Even more so than in the second book itself. Seyonne deserved nothing but happiness. I believe Seyonne will remain one of my favorite characters because of his complexity. Denas also plays a part in Seyonne's character, because Denas is now part of him, and everything he knows - as much as chunks of memories Denas was left for thousands of years can be called chunks - but he wanted only freedom for his race and this is what they got. Some demons stayed, but many demons found a place to belong.
There were new characters too, some which i liked and some which I didn't really care about. But I was glad to see some of the old characters returning as well, like Fiona and Blaise and so on...
✍ ☘ ❦ ☕ ❂ ✄ ☸ ⚡ ⚓ ☁ ☂ ✎ ✍ ☘ ❦ ☕ ❂ ✄ ☸ ⚡ ⚓ ☁ ☂ ✎ ☸ ⚡ ⚓
What was the most interesting was how the transition from was dealt with. It was done masterfully, and so well that you noticed the changes, but didn't really see them until it was too late.
What I love in this series is the complexity of main characters and structure of the world. World building is just fantastic and author's idea of demons is great. And when you add the legend of Verdonne, Valdis and the Nameless God, it makes it even more amazing.
____________________________________________
OVERALL:
____________________________________________
Wonderful and strong world building make this series engaging and so so interesting. Complex main character even more so. Even though I have a version of first person Point of Views lately, I have come to love Seyonne and his narration so much. Even though this series has a lot of angst and sadness, it has a very fitting ending: . I was glad to see the changes in the end - changes in the world itself that is - and changes in the characters. And a strong and fitting ending does it justice.
____________________________________________
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
____________________________________________
REVIEW(S) RELATED TO THIS BOOK:
◈ Transformation (Rai-Kirah, #1)
◈ Revelation (Rai-Kirah, #2)
◈ Restoration (Rai-Kirah, #3)
◈ Elemental Magic (Moon #6.5; Rai-Kirah #0.5 )
Final rating - for the whole series: 4.25/5 stars
“What could make you alter the very nature of your soul? Nothing.”
*this part of my review contains no spoilers for the series but my general opinion.*
And so this story ends. A fitting and well done ending with many plot twists I did not see coming. The great thing about this series is that each book is almost stand alone - except for the upcoming doom factor that was there, hinted in the first book, made known in the second book and dealt with in third book. Each book has ending and beginning and takes some years in between. Of course they are highly dependent on each other, but If i have to choose my favorite out of the three I would have hard time choosing between Transformation (Rai-Kirah, #1) and Revelation (Rai-Kirah, #2). Both were strong, powerful and highly emotional.
The problem why I gave this book 4 stars, instead of 4.75 like I gave the other two, was because the first half of the book 3 was equal to 3 stars = it was not engaging and i wanted only to read on so I could see how it ends. But the second half surprised me yet again with a very interesting plot twist and with the fact that something far more interesting was done - which deserves 5 stars. When the POV is from the first person you can see for the best the inner struggling of the character. Seyonne, our narrator, went through so much pain and suffering that he started showing some minor signs of insanity itself, which is honestly not surprising after everything that was done to him. How he deals with that, and new threat is shown in this book.
The characters themselves were interesting too, although some showed up (and new characters too) only to die so suddenly. There is a lot of death in the final book, but considering the storyline of Restoration it is not surprising. If there weren't any deaths, that would have been unrealistic.
This series was all about a man who tried his best to find his own place in the world after losing everything and of the other who needed to see what the cruelty of his nation brought to the world. And how those two, over time, became more than friends, almost like brothers as they both know each other much too well.
“It’s your blasted care for all the world that keeps tearing up my life. You held onto yourself through everything we Derzhi did to you, and then through torture and enchantment in that fiendish Kir‘Vagonoth. What could make you alter the very nature of your soul? Nothing.”
____________________________________________
STORY & CHARACTERS:
____________________________________________
*Entering the spoiler section for book 1 and 2.*
After merging with Denas, Seyonne is losing his mind to the visions in which he is the one who will destroy the world. He gets blackouts, becomes violent, and destroys everything in his path, for which he believes Denas is responsible. And despite Denas' pleading to Seyonne to give him a chance and listen to him and share everything with him, Seyonne refuses once again, afraid of giving up the only thing that is his and his alone - his soul. It gets worse when Emperor, Aleksander's father, dies by the hand of a murderer and the Empire is thrown into chaos - everyone believes Aleksander is the one who did it and now the assassin's were dispatched on both Seyonne and Aleksander, including their families. The Empire starts crumbling down, civil war brews and Aleksander must reclaim his throne to stop the madness of the newly crowned man. And then, there is also the Prisoner of the Tower who waits for the right time...
✍ ☘ ❦ ☕ ❂ ✄ ☸ ⚡ ⚓ ☁ ☂ ✎ ✍ ☘ ❦ ☕ ❂ ✄ ☸ ⚡ ⚓ ☁ ☂ ✎ ☸ ⚡ ⚓
I found myself amazed at the growth of a certain character - Aleksander himself. While I did not like him in the first 2 books, i am happy to announce that yes - he had changed - for the better. And I was glad to see that. In the end, I believe he redeemed himself and his actions, and I was glad to see that he was actually feeling guilt over having done them and it made me glad to see - I just needed to see him truly atoning for his deeds and for trying so hard to set things right - and make things even better.
“Here in this very place you once stopped me from razing the poor quarter of Capharna. You were always watching me, and on that day I began to see things through your slave’s eyes. I hated you for forcing me to see.”
Seyonne, once again, having no luck in his life, goes through a lot of damage, but this time it's his mind - and given that we read from his POV, it was heartbreaking experience... Even more so than in the second book itself. Seyonne deserved nothing but happiness. I believe Seyonne will remain one of my favorite characters because of his complexity. Denas also plays a part in Seyonne's character, because Denas is now part of him, and everything he knows - as much as chunks of memories Denas was left for thousands of years can be called chunks - but he wanted only freedom for his race and this is what they got. Some demons stayed, but many demons found a place to belong.
There were new characters too, some which i liked and some which I didn't really care about. But I was glad to see some of the old characters returning as well, like Fiona and Blaise and so on...
✍ ☘ ❦ ☕ ❂ ✄ ☸ ⚡ ⚓ ☁ ☂ ✎ ✍ ☘ ❦ ☕ ❂ ✄ ☸ ⚡ ⚓ ☁ ☂ ✎ ☸ ⚡ ⚓
What was the most interesting was how the transition from was dealt with. It was done masterfully, and so well that you noticed the changes, but didn't really see them until it was too late.
What I love in this series is the complexity of main characters and structure of the world. World building is just fantastic and author's idea of demons is great. And when you add the legend of Verdonne, Valdis and the Nameless God, it makes it even more amazing.
____________________________________________
OVERALL:
____________________________________________
Wonderful and strong world building make this series engaging and so so interesting. Complex main character even more so. Even though I have a version of first person Point of Views lately, I have come to love Seyonne and his narration so much. Even though this series has a lot of angst and sadness, it has a very fitting ending: . I was glad to see the changes in the end - changes in the world itself that is - and changes in the characters. And a strong and fitting ending does it justice.
____________________________________________
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
____________________________________________
REVIEW(S) RELATED TO THIS BOOK:
◈ Transformation (Rai-Kirah, #1)
◈ Revelation (Rai-Kirah, #2)
◈ Restoration (Rai-Kirah, #3)
◈ Elemental Magic (Moon #6.5; Rai-Kirah #0.5 )
March 12, 2010
This concluding novel in Berg's Rai-Kirah trilogy was better than the second volume, but still didn't quite live up to the promise in the first. The bones of a brilliant epic jutted throughout the novel, but somehow that epic never quite took shape.
The novel felt pulled in too many directions. There are multiple conflicts going on throughout -- mundane civil war in the Derzhi Empire, supernatural war with the rai-kirah, and conflicts with the gods -- but rather than building on each other, these conflicts seemed to be distractions to each other. I always wanted to be following the action somewhere else, to the detriment of the action I was reading at the moment.
The characters, too, fell just a bit short. The first novel lived and died by the characterization of Seyonne and Aleksander, and for the most part it lived. But by this third novel there is a large cast of ancillary characters, and all of them were never more than shadows. I could see that they were fascinating, complex people, and their complexity drove the story at all points, but I never felt any connection to them, so their motivations were at times obscure and their pain never connected with me.
Seyonne and Aleksander, too, suffered in this novel. The first novel was about those two men learning to trust each other despite having absolutely no reason in the world to have that trust, but somehow in this novel that trust appeared lost. Neither man ever stopped a moment to tell the other what was going through his head, and that was the basis for far too many conflicts. I realize that the silent, brooding hero is a revered fantasy trope, but I have always been of the opinion that the charming, communicative man would get far more done.
Still, despite all those frustrations, I was moved fairly quickly through this novel, and the scope was certainly large enough to satisfy. The world is fundamentally reshaped in this novel, and that is something you always want to see in a good fantasy epic. I have some other minor quibbles: Berg still struggles with pacing, and given what we discover about the gods I was left with quite a few questions about where prophecies come from, but for the most part anyone who has read the first two novels in this series should definitely read the third.
The novel felt pulled in too many directions. There are multiple conflicts going on throughout -- mundane civil war in the Derzhi Empire, supernatural war with the rai-kirah, and conflicts with the gods -- but rather than building on each other, these conflicts seemed to be distractions to each other. I always wanted to be following the action somewhere else, to the detriment of the action I was reading at the moment.
The characters, too, fell just a bit short. The first novel lived and died by the characterization of Seyonne and Aleksander, and for the most part it lived. But by this third novel there is a large cast of ancillary characters, and all of them were never more than shadows. I could see that they were fascinating, complex people, and their complexity drove the story at all points, but I never felt any connection to them, so their motivations were at times obscure and their pain never connected with me.
Seyonne and Aleksander, too, suffered in this novel. The first novel was about those two men learning to trust each other despite having absolutely no reason in the world to have that trust, but somehow in this novel that trust appeared lost. Neither man ever stopped a moment to tell the other what was going through his head, and that was the basis for far too many conflicts. I realize that the silent, brooding hero is a revered fantasy trope, but I have always been of the opinion that the charming, communicative man would get far more done.
Still, despite all those frustrations, I was moved fairly quickly through this novel, and the scope was certainly large enough to satisfy. The world is fundamentally reshaped in this novel, and that is something you always want to see in a good fantasy epic. I have some other minor quibbles: Berg still struggles with pacing, and given what we discover about the gods I was left with quite a few questions about where prophecies come from, but for the most part anyone who has read the first two novels in this series should definitely read the third.
October 4, 2010
This is one stupendous trilogy. I scarcely know what to say. Each book is entire unto itself, but taken as a whole, the story told is so astounding, so emotionally satisfying, and so complete, that I truly urge you to read all three.
First of all, Carol Berg is a fine story teller and her writing style is straight forward, while at the same time, packing a punch that only comes to one gradually as the story builds. Yes, there were times that I began to wonder where this was going; yes, there were times that I wanted her to hurry up and get on with it. And yet, in the end, every part was necessary for the whole.
The story is about a slave and his emperor, it's about power - both temporal and supernatural - it's about love and about the interplay between the two. It's about fighting our demons and what happens when they are banished or killed; it's about how absolute power destroys love and about how powerless we are in the face of losing what we love. It's about how demons bring creativity and madness - an example of Lucifer being 'Bringer of Light'?
It is, in short, magnificent. There are few books that move me so powerfully - Janny Wurts' Wars of Light and Shadow, Guy Gavriel Kay's Lions of Al Rassan, and this one - the Rai Kirah trilogy.
First of all, Carol Berg is a fine story teller and her writing style is straight forward, while at the same time, packing a punch that only comes to one gradually as the story builds. Yes, there were times that I began to wonder where this was going; yes, there were times that I wanted her to hurry up and get on with it. And yet, in the end, every part was necessary for the whole.
The story is about a slave and his emperor, it's about power - both temporal and supernatural - it's about love and about the interplay between the two. It's about fighting our demons and what happens when they are banished or killed; it's about how absolute power destroys love and about how powerless we are in the face of losing what we love. It's about how demons bring creativity and madness - an example of Lucifer being 'Bringer of Light'?
It is, in short, magnificent. There are few books that move me so powerfully - Janny Wurts' Wars of Light and Shadow, Guy Gavriel Kay's Lions of Al Rassan, and this one - the Rai Kirah trilogy.
July 12, 2011
If you like sexy, tormented, demon-possessed men, then this series is for you.
I'd read the first two (Transformation and Revelation) quite a few years ago, so it took me a little bit to get into it, as it all came back to me.
The book follows the same protagonist, Seyonne, as he struggles to integrate the man he is with the demon inside him. Meanwhile, he supports his friend and king, Aleksander, through a political coup that deposes him...
I remembered absolutely loving the first two books. I liked this one as well (as I've liked everything I've read by Carol Berg), but it wasn't without flaws. Seyonne has absolute faith that Aleksander is a great leader, destined for great things. But in this book, seriously, he seems rather dumb and shortsighted, constantly letting emotion (and his short temper) rather than logic guide his decisions. I didn't see him as a potentially great king, or worthy of Seyonne's total loyalty.
This is a very unusual thing for me to say, but I also wished there was more romance throughout the book. I feel like it would have fit in. Instead, it's got a romantic interest just tacked on to the end, with absolutely no emotional build-up to it. I felt it was a missed opportunity. Instead, the main focus is on Seyonne's personal struggle to make decisions between power and human concerns, which are largely symbolized by his infant son, who isn't even realized as a character - he's just a 'baby.' Babies don't interest me much, so I felt a lack of involvement there. It's nice to see a man in a 'father' role, but even if there are reasons given, he's a pretty crappy dad. So yeah, I could have used more romance than a couple of lines bewailing the loss of the wife who tried to murder him.
I'd read the first two (Transformation and Revelation) quite a few years ago, so it took me a little bit to get into it, as it all came back to me.
The book follows the same protagonist, Seyonne, as he struggles to integrate the man he is with the demon inside him. Meanwhile, he supports his friend and king, Aleksander, through a political coup that deposes him...
I remembered absolutely loving the first two books. I liked this one as well (as I've liked everything I've read by Carol Berg), but it wasn't without flaws. Seyonne has absolute faith that Aleksander is a great leader, destined for great things. But in this book, seriously, he seems rather dumb and shortsighted, constantly letting emotion (and his short temper) rather than logic guide his decisions. I didn't see him as a potentially great king, or worthy of Seyonne's total loyalty.
This is a very unusual thing for me to say, but I also wished there was more romance throughout the book. I feel like it would have fit in. Instead, it's got a romantic interest just tacked on to the end, with absolutely no emotional build-up to it. I felt it was a missed opportunity. Instead, the main focus is on Seyonne's personal struggle to make decisions between power and human concerns, which are largely symbolized by his infant son, who isn't even realized as a character - he's just a 'baby.' Babies don't interest me much, so I felt a lack of involvement there. It's nice to see a man in a 'father' role, but even if there are reasons given, he's a pretty crappy dad. So yeah, I could have used more romance than a couple of lines bewailing the loss of the wife who tried to murder him.
November 25, 2016
A disgrace to the trilogy. It in no way lives up to the beauty and strength of the first novel "Transformation". The plot is scattered and uninspired. I felt that the author had no story going into this novel and just wrote whatever popped into her head. I'll sum the trilogy up for you: First novel (Transformation): Beautifully written. Powerful in its slave/master themes and overall dynamic between the two primary characters. It constantly hints at a rich history and reveals this to you slowly, forcing us to savour what little we are given this early in the trilogy. Second novel (Revelation): Dark, psychedelic at times. A memorable, albeit oftentimes tasteless adventure, but an adventure nonetheless. The history is revealed in full in this novel. Worth the read! Third novel (Restoration): Moments of quality but overall it's sporadic. Too many unnecessary secondary characters that are emotionless drones who serve little to no purpose. Definitely not worth the read. A third installment written just so it can be called a trilogy, for only Guy Gavrel Kay has the guts to write a two-book story.
April 25, 2017
Perfect ending. Berg continues to torture her characters up to the end, but the reward is worth it.
February 6, 2024
A meditation on decolonization and transformative justice, a thought exercise on the folly of trying to change a system from the inside - maybe I should have expected it but was pleasantly surprised. Also what a great example of intimate friendships between men. I could’ve used some more depth with the woman characters and although book 2 in the series lagged a bit, I really enjoyed this series as a whole.
May 17, 2011
Oh the horror, the agony, the pain! No, that's not about the events in the book, that's how I felt reading it. I think my fingers may have starting hurting from so much page flipping. I very rarely enjoy war in fantasy books. The planning, the moving forces, the monotony of it all, I just can't take it. I thought Seyonne was going to confront some big bad guy and some surprises were going to come along. Instead they talked and Seyonne inhabited dreams, and they talked more. The whole thing is just silly. The character interaction and growth from the first book is not present in the other books. I didn't care what happened to anyone in this world at all. I find this series to be lacking in just about every element I enjoy in fantasy. Carol Berg has come highly recommended and I'm highly disappointed with all the books of hers I've tried.
July 2, 2019
Hodnotenie za celú sériu: prekvapivo dobré. Stará škola aj dátumom vydania aj spôsobom písania. Skoro učebnicovo vystavaná epická fantasy, ktorá išla okolo heroickej ale ju obišla a spôsob, akým to autorka dala, sa mi veľmi páči(l). Ten námet je tak obopísaný, skoro až generické fantasy klišé ale dávam dolu klobúk. Žena ktorá vytiahne dvoch mužských hrdinov a pohrá sa s archetypálnymi reprezentáciami machovstva aj spasiteľstva (a marginalizácie, deifikácie a ostatných náležitostí) a ešte vie aj vytvoriť funkčný svet s mytológiou a mágiou, skutočne píše (myslím tvorivo myslí a neprodukuje dokumenty) a nie je to o YA ? Prečo som to našla až teraz neviem, mám od nej v to*-read aj iné cykly takže asi sa dostanú o dosť vyššie na reading list. Príjemné prázdninové čítanie, ktoré zamiešalo poradie mojich obľúbených ženských autoriek.
October 22, 2016
Good series. This last book got a little "wtf?" in spots, but it's still a very entertaining read. Berg does great character work, and all the tensions/misunderstandings/mistrust/manipulations between characters are believable and gripping. And Seyonne is one of my new favorite fantasy characters of all time.
This trilogy is going on my list for recommending to all those people out there who ask "I love Hobb, so who else should I read?". Seyonne is not nearly as whiny as Fitzchivalry, but Berg is definitely writing in the same intimate-interior-experience sort of style. I like it!
Update 10/22/16: Just finished a reread of the trilogy. See my Review of the entire trilogy.
This trilogy is going on my list for recommending to all those people out there who ask "I love Hobb, so who else should I read?". Seyonne is not nearly as whiny as Fitzchivalry, but Berg is definitely writing in the same intimate-interior-experience sort of style. I like it!
Update 10/22/16: Just finished a reread of the trilogy. See my Review of the entire trilogy.
December 12, 2018
Sorry to say that this was a bit of a disappointment. I really enjoyed the first book and also the second, though not as much, but this one did not live up to the promise the first book made.
I didn't hate it, just wasn't as thrilled about it as I had hoped for.
I didn't hate it, just wasn't as thrilled about it as I had hoped for.
January 12, 2018
This review can also be found on my blog
I rarely say this about fantasy novels but: this book would have worked better if it had been longer. And had had more POV-characters. Now usually I appreciate it when fantasy-authors manage to keep their stories short(ish) and limit their POV-characters but in this book, there was too much major stuff going on off-screen.
Seyonne continues his journey from the last book. After all, he made an irreversible decision in the last book, one that went against everything his people believed. Now things are happening that make him question if he really did the right thing. And because having only one thing to worry about would be boring there’s more: Even if he did the right thing, his work isn’t done. And he is scared of the consequences of him taking the next step.
But Seyonne isn’t the only one with a problem. The unrests Aleksander had to deal with in the last book have turned into a full-blown rebellion. A massive one. And now he is well and truly fucked and has to think and act quickly if he doesn’t want to end up as head on a spike. And he and Seyonne are together for large parts of the book and we see how both of them are working on their problems. But for about the last third they are separated and we only see what Seyonne is doing. And in that last third, the major things happen. For Aleksander, that means major win-your-kingdom back battles and various other problems you can guess if you’ve read the previous books. And all of that happens off-screen which is disappointing. Even if the finale we actually got to see was still epic.
But in the end: what drew me into the series was the beautiful friendship of Aleksander and Seyonne in book one. And I appreciated how Berg completely turned my expectations about where the plot was going on its head in book two. But I also missed that friendship because they spent most of the time apart. Now, Restauration again has lots of interactions between them and I loved them. (And that epic finale I mentioned? I still can’t even). So even though I would have loved to see more off Aleksander’s storyline, I still got all the things I came to this series for.
Review of Revelation (Rai-Kirah #2)
Review of Transformation (Rai-Kirah #1)
There is no evil one human will not work on another.
I rarely say this about fantasy novels but: this book would have worked better if it had been longer. And had had more POV-characters. Now usually I appreciate it when fantasy-authors manage to keep their stories short(ish) and limit their POV-characters but in this book, there was too much major stuff going on off-screen.
Seyonne continues his journey from the last book. After all, he made an irreversible decision in the last book, one that went against everything his people believed. Now things are happening that make him question if he really did the right thing. And because having only one thing to worry about would be boring there’s more: Even if he did the right thing, his work isn’t done. And he is scared of the consequences of him taking the next step.
But Seyonne isn’t the only one with a problem. The unrests Aleksander had to deal with in the last book have turned into a full-blown rebellion. A massive one. And now he is well and truly fucked and has to think and act quickly if he doesn’t want to end up as head on a spike. And he and Seyonne are together for large parts of the book and we see how both of them are working on their problems. But for about the last third they are separated and we only see what Seyonne is doing. And in that last third, the major things happen. For Aleksander, that means major win-your-kingdom back battles and various other problems you can guess if you’ve read the previous books. And all of that happens off-screen which is disappointing. Even if the finale we actually got to see was still epic.
But in the end: what drew me into the series was the beautiful friendship of Aleksander and Seyonne in book one. And I appreciated how Berg completely turned my expectations about where the plot was going on its head in book two. But I also missed that friendship because they spent most of the time apart. Now, Restauration again has lots of interactions between them and I loved them. (And that epic finale I mentioned? I still can’t even). So even though I would have loved to see more off Aleksander’s storyline, I still got all the things I came to this series for.
Review of Revelation (Rai-Kirah #2)
Review of Transformation (Rai-Kirah #1)
April 10, 2016
I didn't hate it; I'm just never listening to it again.
Restoration: The culmination of the Rai-Kirah series. I love "doorstop" audiobooks with engaging characters, compelling stories, and rich worlds read by talented narrators. Well, duh. I've just described the perfect audiobook, right? Everything about the Rai-Kirah series ALMOST fits the bill.
Seyonne is engaging... pretty much... when he's not suffering from torture-induced amnesia (Revelation) or At those times, I felt for Seyonne's plight, yes, but I could barely stay with the story because of the first person POV format. The first person was a shell during these times. Now, repeatedly and drastically transmuting your POV character mind, body, and soul throughout your trilogy is a REALLY interesting concept! But something about it didn't work here. Experiences that needed detail (Seyonne's Gastai torture, for example, which drove the guy INSANE after all) somehow got a [really lengthy] glossing-over, and those that I was not interested in (Seyonne living as an amnesiac with the Nevai) got [really lengthy] excruciating detail. Excruciating. By the end of Restoration, I was feeling my own pain a lot more than that of Seyonne's.
Aleksander was engaging--and woefully underutilized. While it is infinitely more difficult for me to get past the fact that Aleksander BOUGHT slave Seyonne [and then realized Seyonne's human value, restored Seyonne's freedom, yet retained other slaves afterword... yeah, I don't think I'm ever GETTING past it] than it seems to be for Seyonne himself to move beyond their initial encounter, I was still taken in by the bromance of Transformation. I love me some bromance (as I love me a first person POV character, for that matter). And it wasn't just Aleksander's relationship with Seyonne that sparked; Aleksander played well off of Blaise, Kiril, Fiona, Dmitri, Lydia--um... EVERYBODY. Aleksander and Lydia's relationship, the two or three peeks we got of it, was also very engaging. I would have liked to see THAT at a closer distance. Not that our POV character should have been around for their private interactions, though the book suffers for their absence. Aleksander and Lydia were far more intriguing than, say, Seyonne and Ysanne,
Aleksander's story, for all that it is terrestrial and ordinary in the latter 2/3 of the trilogy, is more compelling than Seyonne's supernatural odyssey. But these aren't Aleksander's books (more's the pity), and we are tethered to Seyonne as he flits to and fro from Aleksander's side. We also must endure while he and Aleksander, who have soul-walked together, have ridiculous misunderstandings and lacks of communication--although if one or the other says the word "Vanye" they are immediately communicating clearly in their private code language. When the narrative requires it.
Oh my gosh! The... what? If I hadn't just read this book, I would be signing up to read it! It just... wasn't. The story ran when it should have walked and vice versa. More than one morning, I got to work thoroughly annoyed by the pacing of the preceding hour of audio. And I don't even know if that's the entirety of it. Again, it wasn't BAD; it just wasn't GREAT. And maybe the narrator had a larger effect on the flavor of the book than I'm giving him credit for, too.
This series is the first I've listened to Kevin Stillwell narrate. He wasn't bad, but I don't think he was the ideal choice for these books. Seyonne comes across as a little too gentle and even-speaking for a warrior. It's also interesting that Stillwell chose an American accent for Seyonne while the rest of the Ezzarians are, I believe, Scots. And the outlaw Ezzarians are Irish. It's fun to listen to--I think this is part of the reason I enjoyed Blaise's character more than some of the other reviewers. Aleksander, if I did not already want him in the stories more due to his charisma, I would wish had more lines just to hear Stillwell purr them out--as incongruous as a Brit sounds as a desert warrior.
About as incongruous as a light-skinned redhead is as a desert warrior, I guess. I cannot be the only one who read these stories with a tiny piece of my brain constantly screaming "SKIN CANCER!" There are evolutionary reasons that peoples of certain geographic climes have darker pigmentation. maybe to Taine Keddar or Karn'Hegeth or Kir'Vagonoth or Andassar or one of two thousand other locales, the names of which I flat gave up trying to keep track of. Good on you, Kevin Stillwell, for your nonchalant and confident pronunciation of these! And Vyxagallanxchi? I would have cried if I'd had to spit that one out.
So, Restoration. Not as much of a slog as Revelation; not as satisfying as Transformation (though it should be, according to my own synopsis above). I think that I am interested in reading something else written by Carol Berg and in listening to something else read by Kevin Stillwell, just later rather than sooner on both counts.
Restoration: The culmination of the Rai-Kirah series. I love "doorstop" audiobooks with engaging characters, compelling stories, and rich worlds read by talented narrators. Well, duh. I've just described the perfect audiobook, right? Everything about the Rai-Kirah series ALMOST fits the bill.
Seyonne is engaging... pretty much... when he's not suffering from torture-induced amnesia (Revelation) or At those times, I felt for Seyonne's plight, yes, but I could barely stay with the story because of the first person POV format. The first person was a shell during these times. Now, repeatedly and drastically transmuting your POV character mind, body, and soul throughout your trilogy is a REALLY interesting concept! But something about it didn't work here. Experiences that needed detail (Seyonne's Gastai torture, for example, which drove the guy INSANE after all) somehow got a [really lengthy] glossing-over, and those that I was not interested in (Seyonne living as an amnesiac with the Nevai) got [really lengthy] excruciating detail. Excruciating. By the end of Restoration, I was feeling my own pain a lot more than that of Seyonne's.
Aleksander was engaging--and woefully underutilized. While it is infinitely more difficult for me to get past the fact that Aleksander BOUGHT slave Seyonne [and then realized Seyonne's human value, restored Seyonne's freedom, yet retained other slaves afterword... yeah, I don't think I'm ever GETTING past it] than it seems to be for Seyonne himself to move beyond their initial encounter, I was still taken in by the bromance of Transformation. I love me some bromance (as I love me a first person POV character, for that matter). And it wasn't just Aleksander's relationship with Seyonne that sparked; Aleksander played well off of Blaise, Kiril, Fiona, Dmitri, Lydia--um... EVERYBODY. Aleksander and Lydia's relationship, the two or three peeks we got of it, was also very engaging. I would have liked to see THAT at a closer distance. Not that our POV character should have been around for their private interactions, though the book suffers for their absence. Aleksander and Lydia were far more intriguing than, say, Seyonne and Ysanne,
Aleksander's story, for all that it is terrestrial and ordinary in the latter 2/3 of the trilogy, is more compelling than Seyonne's supernatural odyssey. But these aren't Aleksander's books (more's the pity), and we are tethered to Seyonne as he flits to and fro from Aleksander's side. We also must endure while he and Aleksander, who have soul-walked together, have ridiculous misunderstandings and lacks of communication--although if one or the other says the word "Vanye" they are immediately communicating clearly in their private code language. When the narrative requires it.
Oh my gosh! The... what? If I hadn't just read this book, I would be signing up to read it! It just... wasn't. The story ran when it should have walked and vice versa. More than one morning, I got to work thoroughly annoyed by the pacing of the preceding hour of audio. And I don't even know if that's the entirety of it. Again, it wasn't BAD; it just wasn't GREAT. And maybe the narrator had a larger effect on the flavor of the book than I'm giving him credit for, too.
This series is the first I've listened to Kevin Stillwell narrate. He wasn't bad, but I don't think he was the ideal choice for these books. Seyonne comes across as a little too gentle and even-speaking for a warrior. It's also interesting that Stillwell chose an American accent for Seyonne while the rest of the Ezzarians are, I believe, Scots. And the outlaw Ezzarians are Irish. It's fun to listen to--I think this is part of the reason I enjoyed Blaise's character more than some of the other reviewers. Aleksander, if I did not already want him in the stories more due to his charisma, I would wish had more lines just to hear Stillwell purr them out--as incongruous as a Brit sounds as a desert warrior.
About as incongruous as a light-skinned redhead is as a desert warrior, I guess. I cannot be the only one who read these stories with a tiny piece of my brain constantly screaming "SKIN CANCER!" There are evolutionary reasons that peoples of certain geographic climes have darker pigmentation. maybe to Taine Keddar or Karn'Hegeth or Kir'Vagonoth or Andassar or one of two thousand other locales, the names of which I flat gave up trying to keep track of. Good on you, Kevin Stillwell, for your nonchalant and confident pronunciation of these! And Vyxagallanxchi? I would have cried if I'd had to spit that one out.
So, Restoration. Not as much of a slog as Revelation; not as satisfying as Transformation (though it should be, according to my own synopsis above). I think that I am interested in reading something else written by Carol Berg and in listening to something else read by Kevin Stillwell, just later rather than sooner on both counts.
June 9, 2018
Quando finisci una trilogia che hai amato, ti lascia sempre quella tristezza di dover dire addio a degli amici.
Rispetto al libro precedente, qui Seyonne è di nuovo in coppia con Aleksandr , la loro amicizia è più forte che mai e si sente in ogni pagina del libro.
Sicuramente il merito di questa autrice è saper creare dei personaggi meravigliosi e vivi, dai protagonisti, ai personaggi secondari , i nemici e pure i demoni, carismatici e bellissimi, mi sono piaciuti .
La trama si sviluppa bene, non ci sono parti lente o meno interessanti e il finale è meraviglioso e commovente.
Vorrei tanto un seguito, ma lo si spera sempre quando una saga stupenda è conclusa, anche se forse parte della magia è proprio perchè è finita.
Rispetto al libro precedente, qui Seyonne è di nuovo in coppia con Aleksandr , la loro amicizia è più forte che mai e si sente in ogni pagina del libro.
Sicuramente il merito di questa autrice è saper creare dei personaggi meravigliosi e vivi, dai protagonisti, ai personaggi secondari , i nemici e pure i demoni, carismatici e bellissimi, mi sono piaciuti .
La trama si sviluppa bene, non ci sono parti lente o meno interessanti e il finale è meraviglioso e commovente.
Vorrei tanto un seguito, ma lo si spera sempre quando una saga stupenda è conclusa, anche se forse parte della magia è proprio perchè è finita.
July 8, 2023
If you were missing Aleksander from the last book, you have him back in spades here. However, Berg continues to do the unexpected, and the novel never quite goes where I think it will, and unfortunately it suffers slightly from that during some long sequences that really only makes sense well after you're tired of it. At least one section was quite unpleasant (and seemed to rely on stupidity), but the personal stakes for Seyonne were never higher, and the promise of a better political situation from the first book finally receives its due at the conclusion here. I enjoyed this Rai-Kirah trilogy, but the Lighthouse Duet is still my favorite series from her.
December 22, 2022
A strong end to the trilogy, and a definite improvement over book #2. Here, the two main friends from the first novel are working side-by-side, so much of the joy that was missing from book #2 is present here. The stakes are higher than ever, and there are a great many obstacles to be overcome in this action-packed finale. There is also a lot that is disappointing, mostly in the form of a minor character who, for some reason, is unnecessarily hurtful to others, but everyone somehow loves her for it. She is particularly cruel right at the end, but everyone seems to think she has acted well. But as I said, she is a minor character, and this is a minor point. What works exceptionally well in this tale is the way that the two main characters get pushed to their limits. One shines, and the other, well, doesn’t, and that, too, is well-written and compelling. This book also earns points for making terrific use of ambiguity. There is a major plot point that is unclear in its resolution, and while such approaches often feel cheap and gimmicky, this does not. This feels real, and the uncertainty of the character’s future is extraordinarily well-handled. If it weren’t for a few sour notes in other aspects of the storytelling, I would say that this was one of the most satisfying endings to a fantasy series that I’d ever read. This isn’t the world’s greatest book, by any stretch, and it’s only getting 4 stars from me. But the resolution is quite solid, and the story threads, the ones that are neatly tied up and the ones that are not, are quite well-chosen.
June 13, 2018
Restoration by Carol Berg is the final book in the Rai-Kirah trilogy, where Seyonne must confront a nameless exiled god who conspires to destroy humanity.
I'm conflicted about this book. It certainly felt stronger than the second book in the trilogy for sure. Aleksander stole the show - since the first book, he's always been the heart of the series and his scenes and relationship with Seyonne is the best. His wife, Lydia, is also pretty fantastic. I actually like one of the major twists of the book, that . In fact, the ending fight between was the best part of the entire book.
Here's what I don't like about this book, and probably a little more about the series. I felt at the start of this book, as with the previous book, the author had taken Seyonne two steps forward, and the opening of the book started a step back. This book opens with Seyonne still injured from the last book, fighting bouts of insanity and at war with himself, which was decidedly worse than where he was left in the end of the last book in a lot of ways. It felt manufactured in a way, and maybe it's just because I hated how the tension between Seyonne and the demon he bonds with is kind of magically dealt with later in the novel. I wanted to see him and the demon work together and deal with their conjoined fate. Instead we get ... silence. Silence for most of the book, and then Seyonne's demon is actually silenced when the two of them merged. It felt very unsatisfactory and overall, I felt like a large part of the book was Seyonne ostracizing himself from others and torturing himself with self doubts. I really kind of hoped by the third book he wouldn't be so completely wrapped up in all of that.
One saving grace is that Ysanne is killed off right as the book begins, and there is no loss for that, as the book continues as if she was never there, because let's be real, her lack of characterization and presence was glaring throughout the series.
So overall, for this book, I like the interesting twist on the plot, but I think the focus on Seyonne's internal struggles that he self inflicts upon himself causes the story to drag towards the end, but the final fight is definitely worth reaching. Overall, I would rate this series a 3.5 out of 5 stars. In fact, the first book was definitely my favorite, and while I like how the second book fleshed out the world and the third book resolves everything, I felt like aspects of the plotting and characterization of certain characters hurts the series. Read it if you're looking for something entertaining and have nothing else at hand, but there are other series out there that are better.
I'm conflicted about this book. It certainly felt stronger than the second book in the trilogy for sure. Aleksander stole the show - since the first book, he's always been the heart of the series and his scenes and relationship with Seyonne is the best. His wife, Lydia, is also pretty fantastic. I actually like one of the major twists of the book, that . In fact, the ending fight between was the best part of the entire book.
Here's what I don't like about this book, and probably a little more about the series. I felt at the start of this book, as with the previous book, the author had taken Seyonne two steps forward, and the opening of the book started a step back. This book opens with Seyonne still injured from the last book, fighting bouts of insanity and at war with himself, which was decidedly worse than where he was left in the end of the last book in a lot of ways. It felt manufactured in a way, and maybe it's just because I hated how the tension between Seyonne and the demon he bonds with is kind of magically dealt with later in the novel. I wanted to see him and the demon work together and deal with their conjoined fate. Instead we get ... silence. Silence for most of the book, and then Seyonne's demon is actually silenced when the two of them merged. It felt very unsatisfactory and overall, I felt like a large part of the book was Seyonne ostracizing himself from others and torturing himself with self doubts. I really kind of hoped by the third book he wouldn't be so completely wrapped up in all of that.
One saving grace is that Ysanne is killed off right as the book begins, and there is no loss for that, as the book continues as if she was never there, because let's be real, her lack of characterization and presence was glaring throughout the series.
So overall, for this book, I like the interesting twist on the plot, but I think the focus on Seyonne's internal struggles that he self inflicts upon himself causes the story to drag towards the end, but the final fight is definitely worth reaching. Overall, I would rate this series a 3.5 out of 5 stars. In fact, the first book was definitely my favorite, and while I like how the second book fleshed out the world and the third book resolves everything, I felt like aspects of the plotting and characterization of certain characters hurts the series. Read it if you're looking for something entertaining and have nothing else at hand, but there are other series out there that are better.
December 5, 2012
I recently inhaled Berg's Rai-Kirah trilogy of Transformation, Revelation, and Restoration, and overall I have to be honest and say that I really enjoyed these books -- the characters and the story lines.
This trilogy isn't perfect, as some reviewers have noted... Berg definitely could have created deeper, more nuanced characters (especially the women). And the 2nd and 3rd books suffer a bit from the lack of interaction between Seyonne and Alexander (this partnership that was the focus of the 1st book was also the closest Berg got to making us feel really close to her two main characters).
These three books followed an interesting premise, one that I can't necessarily say I've seen before unless I draw parallels to Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal, where there were "beings" that were split into two parts -- good and evil -- until someone prophesied came along and helped put them back together again and make them whole.
Poor Seyonne definitely pays the price for being Berg's main character, but sometimes I felt that even his reasonings/actions were a bit glossed over -- it's as if there was more meat to be served but Berg didn't want us to stuff ourselves so she didn't offer it up at the table. He understood that he needed to join with a demon, and he experienced some definite benefits to being joined, but then refused to explore that further and just walled off Denas inside of his own body?? That seems shortsighted, to me, for a human who's trying to bring about so much major change in the world and in those in power.
Despite feeling like Berg could have taken her characters one step further, really making me feel like I knew them, I did like them and I enjoyed their journey from slave and king to father and protector of the realm. I'm not sure every loose end was tied up before concluding Restoration, but overall the entire series was handled well and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy and is looking for an epic story with good characters (that they haven't already read 1,000 times over).
This trilogy isn't perfect, as some reviewers have noted... Berg definitely could have created deeper, more nuanced characters (especially the women). And the 2nd and 3rd books suffer a bit from the lack of interaction between Seyonne and Alexander (this partnership that was the focus of the 1st book was also the closest Berg got to making us feel really close to her two main characters).
These three books followed an interesting premise, one that I can't necessarily say I've seen before unless I draw parallels to Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal, where there were "beings" that were split into two parts -- good and evil -- until someone prophesied came along and helped put them back together again and make them whole.
Poor Seyonne definitely pays the price for being Berg's main character, but sometimes I felt that even his reasonings/actions were a bit glossed over -- it's as if there was more meat to be served but Berg didn't want us to stuff ourselves so she didn't offer it up at the table. He understood that he needed to join with a demon, and he experienced some definite benefits to being joined, but then refused to explore that further and just walled off Denas inside of his own body?? That seems shortsighted, to me, for a human who's trying to bring about so much major change in the world and in those in power.
Despite feeling like Berg could have taken her characters one step further, really making me feel like I knew them, I did like them and I enjoyed their journey from slave and king to father and protector of the realm. I'm not sure every loose end was tied up before concluding Restoration, but overall the entire series was handled well and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy and is looking for an epic story with good characters (that they haven't already read 1,000 times over).
March 30, 2017
This book, while not as strong as Transformation, came very closely on its heels. This was everything I wanted from Revelation and then some: just enough down moments for Seyonne to learn whatever he needed to advance the plot, but everything tying back into his shared destiny with Aleksander. By the time of the final confrontation, I was holding my breath and praying for a miracle, for the terrible things I’d been dreading for a hundred pages or more to please please PLEASE not happen.
Hereafter lie a few spoilers, but I don't give names.
My main problem, then–and really, the only thing that stopped Restoration from being as good or better than Transformation–is Seyonne’s love interest. It doesn’t fit. I was left without enough time to become invested in the relationship or even to believe that these two would develop feelings for each other at all, let alone so quickly.
To clarify, this isn’t just be being sour grapes that he and Aleksander never have any sexual or romantic notes on-screen. I don’t need them to gallop off into the big gay sunset (as happy as that would no doubt have made me) because their relationship is deeper than that. That said, if he has to end the story in a happily-ever-after heterosexual pairing, there were at the least two other named female characters that he had more screen time and better chemistry with than the one he gets.
Hereafter lie a few spoilers, but I don't give names.
My main problem, then–and really, the only thing that stopped Restoration from being as good or better than Transformation–is Seyonne’s love interest. It doesn’t fit. I was left without enough time to become invested in the relationship or even to believe that these two would develop feelings for each other at all, let alone so quickly.
To clarify, this isn’t just be being sour grapes that he and Aleksander never have any sexual or romantic notes on-screen. I don’t need them to gallop off into the big gay sunset (as happy as that would no doubt have made me) because their relationship is deeper than that. That said, if he has to end the story in a happily-ever-after heterosexual pairing, there were at the least two other named female characters that he had more screen time and better chemistry with than the one he gets.
June 1, 2013
My comment to my husband as I finished this book was, "This is why I'm a reader, not a writer. I never would have thought to wrap this story up in the way that the author did."
The absolute rightness of the ending almost makes up for the parts of the book that lagged. I grieved that Seyonne sacrificed all his melydda in order to retain his humanity, but it fit, and he still hopes he may find the connection to it yet again. He has his beloved son and discovered respect and love with Elinor. Aleksander has fulfilled his destiny and Fiona hers as well. The only nagging loose end is the Gastai.
This trilogy of the Rai-Kirah is a fantasy quite different from anything I have read, with shape-shifters, sorcerers, demons, and gods. A relatively small cast of characters who come to life in these pages. An enthralling and thought-provoking story, well told and memorable.
The absolute rightness of the ending almost makes up for the parts of the book that lagged. I grieved that Seyonne sacrificed all his melydda in order to retain his humanity, but it fit, and he still hopes he may find the connection to it yet again. He has his beloved son and discovered respect and love with Elinor. Aleksander has fulfilled his destiny and Fiona hers as well. The only nagging loose end is the Gastai.
This trilogy of the Rai-Kirah is a fantasy quite different from anything I have read, with shape-shifters, sorcerers, demons, and gods. A relatively small cast of characters who come to life in these pages. An enthralling and thought-provoking story, well told and memorable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2015
This book restored my faith in the author, my interest in the series, and my hope for good people in the world--this fantasy world and my own. It was so sweet to see Seyonne involved in relationships again, and to realize the depth of his final sacrifice for the sake of his friends. I really won't forget this series because, after living inside something like 1,500 pages, I feel a bit of melydda magic ingrained in myself--the power to choose goodness and kindness, the power to stand strong against adversaries, and the power to root out the evil inside myself, tamp it down, deny it sustenance, and become the glorious being I can become--without the need for public recognition. I'm so glad Seyonne ended up with people who knew him truly being able to succor him, understand him, and appreciate him. It's all any of us can ask from life.
June 30, 2015
I finished the last page with regret because it means that I will never read about further adventures and tribulations of Seyonne and Aleksander, surely the most slashtastic brotp to inhabit the halls of fantasy.
This is a perfect conclusion to a perfect trilogy - complicated and loveable protagonists (and awful villains), great world-building (or, in this case, world-expanding, since it's the last book), a meaty plot, a lot of delicious angst and my continuing crush on Aleksander, the Derzhi prince and Seyonne's former master now friend (and if it was a different book, probably more than that :P).
The only drawback is that this book, like a lot of Berg's, is very heavily male-centric. The female characters are awesome but strictly on the periphery. For example, I kept hoping we'd get more of Lydia, Aleksander's queen, because that woman is amazing, but alas...
This is a perfect conclusion to a perfect trilogy - complicated and loveable protagonists (and awful villains), great world-building (or, in this case, world-expanding, since it's the last book), a meaty plot, a lot of delicious angst and my continuing crush on Aleksander, the Derzhi prince and Seyonne's former master now friend (and if it was a different book, probably more than that :P).
The only drawback is that this book, like a lot of Berg's, is very heavily male-centric. The female characters are awesome but strictly on the periphery. For example, I kept hoping we'd get more of Lydia, Aleksander's queen, because that woman is amazing, but alas...
January 22, 2009
This book sucked.
Maybe I was burned out after reading the first two, but I never did finish this book. By the time I was half way through I just couldn't be bothered with it anymore. I wanted to read something good and this book wasn't delivering.
They came back from the spirit world limbo the 2nd book played around in, but I couldn't care less. I wanted the main character to die (unfortunately he didn't) if for no other reason than it would end the writing and I wouldn't feel guilty about quitting a book halfway through.
Alas... I did quit and I feel not the slightest guilt. I'm glad to be rid of that whining main character who wants to "understand" why he jumps into people's souls to fight demons. Oh shut up already and go stab something!
Maybe I was burned out after reading the first two, but I never did finish this book. By the time I was half way through I just couldn't be bothered with it anymore. I wanted to read something good and this book wasn't delivering.
They came back from the spirit world limbo the 2nd book played around in, but I couldn't care less. I wanted the main character to die (unfortunately he didn't) if for no other reason than it would end the writing and I wouldn't feel guilty about quitting a book halfway through.
Alas... I did quit and I feel not the slightest guilt. I'm glad to be rid of that whining main character who wants to "understand" why he jumps into people's souls to fight demons. Oh shut up already and go stab something!
May 20, 2009
The Rai Kirah trilogy culminates with this book.
Like the previous book, the character interactions and depth that wowed me in the first one were pretty well absent, and those that did exist were scattered through the book.
The ending was logical and consistent with all of the previous story, but I had issues with the lack of critical thinking by a main character who was nothing BUT a critical thinker in the first book.
The pacing was pretty poor, and it's barely a 3 rating as a worthwhile read because of how it fits into the series. It isn't able to work as a stand alone.
Like the previous book, the character interactions and depth that wowed me in the first one were pretty well absent, and those that did exist were scattered through the book.
The ending was logical and consistent with all of the previous story, but I had issues with the lack of critical thinking by a main character who was nothing BUT a critical thinker in the first book.
The pacing was pretty poor, and it's barely a 3 rating as a worthwhile read because of how it fits into the series. It isn't able to work as a stand alone.
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