Fionavar Tapestry + Anne Leckie

[lunabee34]

I finished the first two volumes of the Fionavar Tapestry and am a fourth of the way through the last one (no spoilers for the last book, please!).

This has been a weird reading experience for me. I had read some of the first volume and then put it down and quit reading it. The way I remembered it, I'd read like ten or fifteen pages and then gotten busy. My friends, I read one hundred and thirty something pages of that book before putting it down the first time. LOL I don't know why but that first book does not grab me to start with. I don't think it's bad or boring; I can't even identify why I'm not that interested, but something about the first two thirds of that book does not compel me at all.

This time, I kept reading, and by the time I got to Paul on the Summer Tree and Dave making friends on the Plains, I was hooked.

I love many things about this series so far. I love that it contains a multitude of female characters, all of whom are very different from each other and are fully fleshed out characters. I love Jaelle and how angry she is at the power structure in Fionavar and the tentative peace that's happening between her and Paul. I won't be surprised if they end up together. I love Diarmuid and Sharra. I love Matt and Loren and the depth and power of their friendship. If this series has a fandom, I'd bet most of the slash is between those two. I love Dave learning how to be friends with Levon and Torc and being a huge badass with an axe.

I like some of the high fantasy tropes in the series. Kim becoming Seer was very well done. I love her interactions with Ysanne and what she does to ensure that Kim will have the tools she needs. Kim reminds me a little of Ezri Dax as she moves between being who she's always been and this huge responsibility she hasn't prepared for. I love Paul on the tree and surviving to be Twiceborn. I love the fabric (so funny, me) of the universe with all the worlds entwined on this great loom. So much to love, and I am really anxious to see how it all ends; maybe tonight.

However, I do have some problems with the series. I don't like how they all suddenly gain this secret knowledge of their past lives and take on dual identities and powers they weren't aware of before (Kim and Paul being the exceptions here). I have never been a huge fan of Athurian mythology, so I am not interested at all in Jennifer being Guenevere. I don't like how Kevin Laine suddenly has this epiphany that he needs to go have sex to save the world. In fact, most of the sex in the series is pretty messed up (Dave and the goddess after the big battle had me giggle snorting for reals, yo). I also don't like the Tolkien-esque aspects of the storytelling--way too much history and background that isn't relevant, everybody's names are seventeen syllables and everybody's got at least three. LOL

Overall, though, I have very much enjoyed the series so far and look forward to the end.


In Imperial Radch news, nenya_kenadka has linked me to gorgeous icons of the cover art made by kaberett, Lt. Awn memorial pins, and Radchaai tea!

Comments

[the_rck]

I read the Fionavar Tapestry when it first came out, and I remember thinking, during the first book, that I'd been there and done that and that there wasn't really anything new going on. The books went places I didn't quite expect, but I remember finishing the trilogy and feeling that it had been very traditional. I didn't dislike the books-- I quite enjoyed them-- I just didn't feel very strongly about them.

I have never reacted to anything else of Kay's in the same way, so I think he was still finding his feet.

[lunabee34]

I think traditional is a good word. They do feel very traditional. Like you, I did enjoy them, though. I haven't read any proper high fantasy in quite some time.