Enjoyed this serires. 'Magic' in a real world setting of with castles and kingdoms may not sound like it would be good but Donaldson makes it real. The people and places capture your interest. His writing, st times, is beautiful and heart stirring.
This is good enough to keep and reread!
Hayley M. (Zachaustlily) reviewed A Man Rides Through (Mordant's Need, Bk 2) on + 227 more book reviews
excellent series
I **loved** this two-book series!!! These two books are some of my all-time favorites (Mordant's Need: Mirror of Her Dreams and A Man Rides Through).
Excellent reading!
Excellent reading!
volume 2 of 2, have not read the first yet
A brilliant conclusion to the duology, June 6, 2003
Reviewer: D. Chaponda (Montreal, Canada)
The end of 'Mirror of her dreams' left me most peeved. In that book Donaldson meticulously built up the political and magical skein that made mordant work, creating fascinating characters like Eremis and Castellan Lebbick. Then, he threw characters we had grown to care about into peril, and then had the audacity to end the book on one a cliffhanger.
My irritation at Donaldson is totally evaporated after reading the sequel. And yes, there are only 2 books. Donaldson has the restraint to finish the story in this novel -- a trait which other fantasy writers (need I say Jordan) could learn.
This book is near perfect. The first novel was on occasion slow, as Donaldson was world and character building. The second book starts and continues at a run. Also, Geraden, who in the first novel is sometimes too 'wimpy' now steps into a role that he deserves. The political machinations continue, and there are many new revelations. One of the best fantasy books you can pick up -- however, it is not one of those sequels you can jump into and fully appreciate without reading the first. Track down the first novel.
Reviewer: D. Chaponda (Montreal, Canada)
The end of 'Mirror of her dreams' left me most peeved. In that book Donaldson meticulously built up the political and magical skein that made mordant work, creating fascinating characters like Eremis and Castellan Lebbick. Then, he threw characters we had grown to care about into peril, and then had the audacity to end the book on one a cliffhanger.
My irritation at Donaldson is totally evaporated after reading the sequel. And yes, there are only 2 books. Donaldson has the restraint to finish the story in this novel -- a trait which other fantasy writers (need I say Jordan) could learn.
This book is near perfect. The first novel was on occasion slow, as Donaldson was world and character building. The second book starts and continues at a run. Also, Geraden, who in the first novel is sometimes too 'wimpy' now steps into a role that he deserves. The political machinations continue, and there are many new revelations. One of the best fantasy books you can pick up -- however, it is not one of those sequels you can jump into and fully appreciate without reading the first. Track down the first novel.
The stunning conclusion to the compelling saga.
At the end of The Mirror of Her Dreams, Terisa Morgan found herself and her friends in a bad situation that was rapidly getting worse...and the monstrous evil that had been loosed on the kingdom was threatening to destroy everyone and everything.
A Man Rides Through is the thrilling conclusion to the story, a masterful piece of storytelling that will delight readers everywhere--and reaffirm Donaldson's position as the foremost practitioner of the epic fantasy in the world today.
At the end of The Mirror of Her Dreams, Terisa Morgan found herself and her friends in a bad situation that was rapidly getting worse...and the monstrous evil that had been loosed on the kingdom was threatening to destroy everyone and everything.
A Man Rides Through is the thrilling conclusion to the story, a masterful piece of storytelling that will delight readers everywhere--and reaffirm Donaldson's position as the foremost practitioner of the epic fantasy in the world today.
Excellent duo. This is volume two and the conclusion of his "Mordant's Need" series. Maybe more of a masterpiece than Thomas Covenant series. Highly recommended.
Karen B. (skyfeather) reviewed A Man Rides Through (Mordant's Need, Bk 2) on + 194 more book reviews
At the end of The Mirror of Her Dreams, Terisa Morgan found herself and her friends in a bad situation that was rapidly getting worse...and the monstrous evil that had been loosed on the kingdom was threatening to destroy everyone and everything.
A Man Rides Through is the thrilling conclusion to the story, a masterful piece of storytelling that will delight readers everywhere.S
A Man Rides Through is the thrilling conclusion to the story, a masterful piece of storytelling that will delight readers everywhere.S
Richard M. (richardm) reviewed A Man Rides Through (Mordant's Need, Bk 2) on + 107 more book reviews
This is an excellent follow up to a "Mirror of Her Dreams". Very intricately plotted, but easily followed. Not your typical fantasy novel. Excellent wrapup and ending. Very worth reading for fantasy fans.
Susan S. (MoonLily) - , reviewed A Man Rides Through (Mordant's Need, Bk 2) on + 71 more book reviews
There are so many characters besides Terisa and Geraden that are a valuable part of the story. This book is part soap opera, part fantasy, part study of human nature. There are some dark moments and some funny ones. You really feel for the characters and their struggles. There are few gruesome moments too, but probably not past PG13 by movie standards.
This story is really great. There is one catch. You want to read Mirror of Her Dreams first, the story finishes in A Man Rides Through. Although they are written as two books, I don't think you would get as much enjoyment out of this one without reading the other first. In the first book you are still trying to figure out who is on which side (and just how many sides there are to this puzzle!) Book two holds some surprises that do not mean as much if you had not fully met the characters in book 1. Keeping all of that in mind. I would still recommend these books and have many times. I am on my third set because I loan them out and do not get them back!
Definitely, with these two, read them in order and close together.
This story is really great. There is one catch. You want to read Mirror of Her Dreams first, the story finishes in A Man Rides Through. Although they are written as two books, I don't think you would get as much enjoyment out of this one without reading the other first. In the first book you are still trying to figure out who is on which side (and just how many sides there are to this puzzle!) Book two holds some surprises that do not mean as much if you had not fully met the characters in book 1. Keeping all of that in mind. I would still recommend these books and have many times. I am on my third set because I loan them out and do not get them back!
Definitely, with these two, read them in order and close together.
Book 2 has a lot more action than book 1. The story lines are already developed and the characters seem a lot more alive.
Not a bad book, but it is no Thomas Covenant!
Not a bad book, but it is no Thomas Covenant!
Terisa Morgan desperately needed to escape. Gilbur was trying to kill her, Castellan Lebbick wanted to torture her, and she needed to find Geraden. Orison was being attacked by the Alend army poised at the gates... Eremis, the traitor was working with Gilbur in league with the hated Cadwals and the Arch-Imager Vagel...King Joyse's actions could not be explained.
Everything that Geraden loved was about to be destroyed--unless the two of them could find a way to prevent it by using the talent for mirrors and Imagery that Terisa now knew they both possessed...a talent that made them extremely powerful and extremely dangerous to Eremis. And Terisa knew that Eremis would use all the evil means at his disposal to insure the success of his master plan, which meant that the kingdom would be lost and she and Geraden would surely die.
(all from the inside flap)
Everything that Geraden loved was about to be destroyed--unless the two of them could find a way to prevent it by using the talent for mirrors and Imagery that Terisa now knew they both possessed...a talent that made them extremely powerful and extremely dangerous to Eremis. And Terisa knew that Eremis would use all the evil means at his disposal to insure the success of his master plan, which meant that the kingdom would be lost and she and Geraden would surely die.
(all from the inside flap)
was actually rather disappointed in this book. I really really liked the first book in this series, so had been eagerly looking forward to this one.
This book seems as if everything was neatly wrapped up at the end, rather than actually resolving itself. Poof, discover a new talent just when needed. Hurry through this scene because the book is nearly over. I also didn't like the choice of sexual violence; there were hints of it through the first book, but only as much as needed for the story. In this book they became much more explicit, even if it was only technically in the minds of the characters. It was overdone and detracted from the second story.
It's a decent book, but I did not like it as much as the first one. The story is still good, and you need to read this after the first book, but I did not like scenes in it enough to not want to keep the book. Everything is wrapped up, and in a acceptable (if too quick for my tastes) manner. I just think the author needed to edit this book a bit more.
(I wrote the above soon after I read the book on another journal site. As an addition to it, looking back a bit over time--the scenes I disliked bothered me enough I refuse to read this author again. They were not needed, should have been treated as they were in the first book, and that combined with the lower quality of writing in this book turned me completely off the author. I'd rather risk not reading a book as good as the first than risk running into a book such as this one again.)
This book seems as if everything was neatly wrapped up at the end, rather than actually resolving itself. Poof, discover a new talent just when needed. Hurry through this scene because the book is nearly over. I also didn't like the choice of sexual violence; there were hints of it through the first book, but only as much as needed for the story. In this book they became much more explicit, even if it was only technically in the minds of the characters. It was overdone and detracted from the second story.
It's a decent book, but I did not like it as much as the first one. The story is still good, and you need to read this after the first book, but I did not like scenes in it enough to not want to keep the book. Everything is wrapped up, and in a acceptable (if too quick for my tastes) manner. I just think the author needed to edit this book a bit more.
(I wrote the above soon after I read the book on another journal site. As an addition to it, looking back a bit over time--the scenes I disliked bothered me enough I refuse to read this author again. They were not needed, should have been treated as they were in the first book, and that combined with the lower quality of writing in this book turned me completely off the author. I'd rather risk not reading a book as good as the first than risk running into a book such as this one again.)
