Series Order
The Briar King
The Charnel Prince
The Blood Knight
The Born Queen
The Premise
Since this review will cover the entire series (four books and over 2000 pages), I will paint the plot in broad strokes: humanity was once enslaved by a powerful race; they eventually fought back and won and established an anthropomorphic empire. About two thousand years of conquest and warfare and peace and prosperity pass, and momentous events begin to happen to individuals who seem destined to determine the fate of the known world. In general, your basic fantasy back-drop.
In Review
In a previous review of the first book of Greg Keyes's Kingdom of Thorn and Bone series, I wrote of elements in the fantasy genre that make it enjoyable. These were (to quote my own work):
"...Heroes in the making; prophesies that make individuals super-significant against the backdrop of larger conflicts; single-combat; powers and creatures which evade empirical definition; and the prospect of terra incognita."
Throughout the entirety of the series, Keyes maintains these elements with informed craft. The story rarely lags over its thousands of pages, and the many plot elements that he concocts are largely settled by the conclusion. He keeps a good handle on his principal characters and develops them with at a pace that both fits the story well and feels natural. In particular, his treatment of the maturation of Anne Dare, who begins as a spoiled adolescent and becomes something else entirely, is well done from the standpoint of craft, and admirable in the context of a genre that tends to favor male characters. Keyes is also deft at describing action scenes that excite and surprise, using just enough technical detail to satisfy anyone interested in martial matters, as I am. There is no question that Keyes understands this genre and enjoys working in it.
A few aspects of the series aroused criticism. First, the overall length, which I will repeat for emphasis: four books and well over 2000 pages. At this size, the series presents a serious demand, especially since Keyes structures the story so that books may not be skipped without confusion. If you want the entire story, you must read them all, and you must read them in order. Of course, this is the nature of a fictional series (especially in this genre); however, if a story is going to occupy so many pages, then it should amount to something equally impressive by its end. And while Keyes does create a conclusion that is complete with climax and revelations and resolution, the overall impact of this end is much less than hoped for. Once I realized where Keyes was taking the entire affair, I found myself wondering if he couldn't have reached the very same destination in half the length (or even within one very large book). Without giving too much of the plot away, I will say that Keyes's main concern in this book is the nature of power and its effect on the personal choices those in power make. This is a potent theme, and one could envision a massive epic that treads its many avenues and alleys. Keyes, however, has only picked a few of these paths, and though he proves adept at twisting and turning the reader through a thicket of intrigue, these plot-driven acrobatics reach a summit that is relatively modest in height; from there, the view is neat and appreciable, but insight and enlightenment still feel far off, atop some other distant peak.
The second criticism revolves around the structure that Keyes imposes upon the story. With few exceptions, Keyes writes chapters that deal with one set of characters and end on a cliff-hanger, one which will only be resolved in the next chapter that features said characters. Keyes maintains this throughout the entire series, regardless of what is taking place within the story. Whether characters are fighting or resting or hurting or loving, Keyes pushes his prose at a single speed. On the one hand, this technique compels constant page-turning that can make one of these 500+ page books evaporate in a long afternoon; on the other hand, this monotonous momentum prevents any variations in tone or mood that would suit the action at hand. And while the former positive did maintain my interest, the latter frustration never left me, and there were times where I grew tired of this prodding and craved some kind of change, any change, to the narrative.
Prior to picking up this series, I spent months (literally) on the Internet reading up on reviews of today's popular fantasy series, so as to select one that appeared promising. I settled on Keyes's series because I recalled enjoying his first duology (Waterborn and Blackgod); the reviews were largely favorable; and the series was relatively short. Having completed it, I can say that I enjoyed it and satisfied my craving for a big, conventional fantasy with swords and spells and heroes and villains. Keyes's series has all of this in profusion, and he puts it all together with skill and some finesse. For casual readers of fantasy (as in: those who read it regularly, as I no longer do), I can recommend this series without reservation; for those who find themselves shy of multi-book commitments, I offer a cautionary note that originates from the above criticisms. These books will divert your attentions and inspire you to turn many, many pages, and that is all.
6/25/08
