Leontines, Barrani, and Dragons - Oh My!
My latest reading has been the Chronicles of Elantra - thankfully, a series I came into later than the beginning. I commented on the first and second books previously. I figured I'd address the series more as a whole rather than reviewing each book, since there's a different focus and major incident(s) each time, but the story flows together. So, I've since finished Cast in Secret, Cast in Fury, Cast in Silences, Cast in Chaos, and Cast in Ruin. The next one's due out in September...
Kaylin Neya is a member of the Hawks - the police force in a fantasy city with a variety of races and magics. She's marked by runes of unknown origin connected to mostly-unknown powers. Between duty and destiny, she's drawn into a series of adventures. Simple enough premise.
I've enjoyed the series in a raw entertainment sense. The more conversational (and less proper) style to the writing ceased to bug me after the first couple books, and I just let it go. I like the setting, though it makes me wonder what's beyond the city area and I sort of wish I had a map. I find the races interesting, though the perspective of the books is such that you get a lot of description about the non-humans and their tendencies, but little about humans. That works okay, though - I know humans reasonably well. I can't help but feel the Leontine tendency toward violence must be a bit overstated (though our primary example character does claw up his desk a lot). The Tha'alani telepathic group mind makes for some interesting dynamics that are explored pretty well, if not in large scale since they aren't exactly populous. The Barrani seem a little bit internally destructive, but I can believe that boredom and immortality could lead to a society that treats politics and assassination as a game. I absolutely love the portrayal of Dragons, not so much in what they are, but how they are. They come across as sufficiently aloof, truly dangerous, possessing of long-term views, and highly territorial at heart. Admittedly, that gets skewed a little bit at the end of Cast in Ruin, but the main examples of the race hold true. The Aerians have not been addressed in any great detail, though, and I'm not sure if I should take that to mean they're culturally "humans with wings" or that the author just hasn't gotten to doing an Aerian-centric book yet. The differences in languages make a certain amount of sense, too, from the deafening roars of Dragons to the very precise High Barrani that does not have words for concepts that aren't really accepted in their society.
I like most of the characters. Granted, none are as fleshed out as Kaylin, our protagonist. Seven books in and she still doesn't understand her powers as Chosen and fumbles to use them. She's built with a good balance of duty and irreverence, and has a fiercely protective streak. In her current state as of the books, I think she'd qualify as a Lawful Good character without being stuck up or inflexible, though there are lines she simply will not cross. The "young" Dragon, Tiamaris, struck a chord with me and though he's absent a good chunk of the series, I still like him. Most of Kaylin's fellow Hawks don't get a lot of "screen time," but they generally come across well. The Hawklord makes a decent father figure and Teela is almost an older sister at times. Sanablis blends a little bit with Evanton at times as magically-knowledgeable guides, but that's not too bad. I'm still on the fence about Nightshade. His initial possessiveness of Kaylin put me off, but over the course of the series he's both appeared less frequently and become a little more understandable. The only character that continues to bother me some is Severn. Kaylin hates him for choices made in their youth, though she comes to understand and accept what happened. But before, during, and after, he's the figure that stands by her any chance he has. He's what she is not - quiet, studious, and punctual. He accepts her, asks for nothing, offers almost anything, and is fully willing to make the choices she cannot if it means saving her. The problem is, that seems like all there is to him. He's so... perfect and absolute that he doesn't feel "real." Only in the most recent couple of books have there been any hints at all that he might actually want anything. He needs some more depth.
The plots have generally been enjoyable, revealing more of the setting's secrets over time. One thing that surprised me (and I'm sure this says something about the other books I've read recently), was the lack of sex or romance. Maybe even moreso given Kaylin's motherly tendencies. Now, I don't expect or look for graphic detail in every book I pick up, but there are usually some subplots there. When the first book got going, I was afraid Kaylin was going to be in the middle of some love polygon between Nightshade and Severn (and possibly Tiamaris) where she thinks about the benefits of one over the other. I was pleasantly surprised to see that really didn't materialize. Nightshade clearly has some interest in her, but it generally looks like he's more intrigued by her power as Chosen rather than a possible bedmate. Severn may have a little bit of interest (which probably rules out my early theory that he's really her brother or half-brother), but I say that only based on some small conversations that come up in book 6 or 7. Kaylin doesn't get all moony-eyed over anyone and doesn't once complain about how long it's been since she's gotten laid. Even toward Nightshade, her opinion generally runs along the lines of "sure, he's Barrani-perfect handsome, but he's old, powerful, playing at his own games and generally scary enough I'd avoid him if I could." There are some hints and explanation about it all later on, but it's refreshing to dig into a series that doesn't feel the need to weave a romance tale in with the other goings on.
I'm not sure I'd push the series to a Top 10 list, but it's good. I've enjoyed the ride and look forward to more.
Kaylin Neya is a member of the Hawks - the police force in a fantasy city with a variety of races and magics. She's marked by runes of unknown origin connected to mostly-unknown powers. Between duty and destiny, she's drawn into a series of adventures. Simple enough premise.
I've enjoyed the series in a raw entertainment sense. The more conversational (and less proper) style to the writing ceased to bug me after the first couple books, and I just let it go. I like the setting, though it makes me wonder what's beyond the city area and I sort of wish I had a map. I find the races interesting, though the perspective of the books is such that you get a lot of description about the non-humans and their tendencies, but little about humans. That works okay, though - I know humans reasonably well. I can't help but feel the Leontine tendency toward violence must be a bit overstated (though our primary example character does claw up his desk a lot). The Tha'alani telepathic group mind makes for some interesting dynamics that are explored pretty well, if not in large scale since they aren't exactly populous. The Barrani seem a little bit internally destructive, but I can believe that boredom and immortality could lead to a society that treats politics and assassination as a game. I absolutely love the portrayal of Dragons, not so much in what they are, but how they are. They come across as sufficiently aloof, truly dangerous, possessing of long-term views, and highly territorial at heart. Admittedly, that gets skewed a little bit at the end of Cast in Ruin, but the main examples of the race hold true. The Aerians have not been addressed in any great detail, though, and I'm not sure if I should take that to mean they're culturally "humans with wings" or that the author just hasn't gotten to doing an Aerian-centric book yet. The differences in languages make a certain amount of sense, too, from the deafening roars of Dragons to the very precise High Barrani that does not have words for concepts that aren't really accepted in their society.
I like most of the characters. Granted, none are as fleshed out as Kaylin, our protagonist. Seven books in and she still doesn't understand her powers as Chosen and fumbles to use them. She's built with a good balance of duty and irreverence, and has a fiercely protective streak. In her current state as of the books, I think she'd qualify as a Lawful Good character without being stuck up or inflexible, though there are lines she simply will not cross. The "young" Dragon, Tiamaris, struck a chord with me and though he's absent a good chunk of the series, I still like him. Most of Kaylin's fellow Hawks don't get a lot of "screen time," but they generally come across well. The Hawklord makes a decent father figure and Teela is almost an older sister at times. Sanablis blends a little bit with Evanton at times as magically-knowledgeable guides, but that's not too bad. I'm still on the fence about Nightshade. His initial possessiveness of Kaylin put me off, but over the course of the series he's both appeared less frequently and become a little more understandable. The only character that continues to bother me some is Severn. Kaylin hates him for choices made in their youth, though she comes to understand and accept what happened. But before, during, and after, he's the figure that stands by her any chance he has. He's what she is not - quiet, studious, and punctual. He accepts her, asks for nothing, offers almost anything, and is fully willing to make the choices she cannot if it means saving her. The problem is, that seems like all there is to him. He's so... perfect and absolute that he doesn't feel "real." Only in the most recent couple of books have there been any hints at all that he might actually want anything. He needs some more depth.
The plots have generally been enjoyable, revealing more of the setting's secrets over time. One thing that surprised me (and I'm sure this says something about the other books I've read recently), was the lack of sex or romance. Maybe even moreso given Kaylin's motherly tendencies. Now, I don't expect or look for graphic detail in every book I pick up, but there are usually some subplots there. When the first book got going, I was afraid Kaylin was going to be in the middle of some love polygon between Nightshade and Severn (and possibly Tiamaris) where she thinks about the benefits of one over the other. I was pleasantly surprised to see that really didn't materialize. Nightshade clearly has some interest in her, but it generally looks like he's more intrigued by her power as Chosen rather than a possible bedmate. Severn may have a little bit of interest (which probably rules out my early theory that he's really her brother or half-brother), but I say that only based on some small conversations that come up in book 6 or 7. Kaylin doesn't get all moony-eyed over anyone and doesn't once complain about how long it's been since she's gotten laid. Even toward Nightshade, her opinion generally runs along the lines of "sure, he's Barrani-perfect handsome, but he's old, powerful, playing at his own games and generally scary enough I'd avoid him if I could." There are some hints and explanation about it all later on, but it's refreshing to dig into a series that doesn't feel the need to weave a romance tale in with the other goings on.
I'm not sure I'd push the series to a Top 10 list, but it's good. I've enjoyed the ride and look forward to more.
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