We see that javascript is disabled or not supported by your browser - javascript is needed for important actions on the site. Read more

What's New - Home - Login

Member $avings: $81,566,858.73 | Books Available: 795,831 | Members Online: 122

Swap Used Books - Buy New Books at Great Prices!

How To Swap Books Sign Up Search submenu

PBS Market (New Books)

Gift Buying Guide

Book Browser Advanced Search Books Posted Today Member Book Reviews Award Winning Books NYT Best Sellers Amazon Best Sellers Most Traveled Copies Club Wish List

Discussion Forums Book Lists

Club Lists My Book Lists My Watched Lists Create a List

Blog Donations

School Donation Program In Memory of... Military Donation Program Friends of PBS

Box-O-Books Maps The Eclectic Pen Fun Stuff

20 Questions Sudoku Bookmark Creator

Top 100

Requests Posts Swappers Referrers Reviewers

Pulse of PBS Spread The Word

Invite Friends Bookmarks Facebook Page Facebook App More Ways...

Photo Gallery Recipes Club Tag Cloud Member Testimonials

Help Center submenu

How To Swap Books Browse Help Docs Ask the Librarian PBS Member Icons Live Help

Kiosk

PBS Market (New Books) Go Shopping Buy Credits Buy PBS Money Upgrade Membership Gift Certificates Transfer Credits

Need Help?

Search - Riddle of Stars : The Riddle-Master of Hed ; Heir of Sea and Fire ; Harpist in the Wind

Riddle of Stars The RiddleMaster of Hed Heir of Sea and Fire Harpist in the Wind
Author: Patricia A. McKillip

Contains all 3 books that make up the complete Riddle Master Trilogy: — The Riddle-Master of Hed — Heir of Sea and Fire — Harpist in the Wind — Synopsis: It is a time when all knowledge is couched in riddles and the learned man is a master of riddlery. Morgon, the Prince of Hed, born with three stars on his forehead and educated at the College of Ri... more »ddlery, is such a man. Having bested the ghost of Peven of Aum in a riddle match, he travels to An to claim his prize, the hand in marriage of Raederle, the second most beautiful woman of An. Traveling with him is the High One's harpist, Deth.

But Morgon's journey to An is interrupted by a shipwreck, leaving him on a strange shore, voiceless and nameless. Thus begins his quest across the realms that will ultimately take him to the court of the High One at Erlenstar Mountain, for someone or something fears the meaning of the three stars on his face. Along the way, he is pursued by mysterious shapechangers who try to kill him again and again. He acquires a harp and a sword, both decorated by three stars. He learns to change his own shape, but he cannot unravel the riddle of the three stars on his forehead or the harp and sword that were obviously made for him centuries before he was born.

In the second book in the trilogy, The Heir of Sea and Fire, Raederle of An is the main character. Morgon, for whom she was waiting, disappeared after leaving Isig on the last leg of his journey to Erlenstar Mountain. No one has any idea what happened to him or where the High One's harpist, his escort, has gone. Joined by the martial Lyra of Herun and Tristan, Morgon's younger sister, Raederle sets out to find him. In the pursuit of her own quest, Raederle learns that her magical powers are not so small as she had believed and that they stem from the very shapechangers who are hunting Morgon. In the end, she becomes something that not even she recognizes anymore.

The trilogy's last book, Harpist in the Wind, opens with Morgon and Raederle reunited in An. Morgon has become very powerful, as adept at changing his shape as the shapechangers who want to kill him. He has been harried from one end of the realms to another, lost the land-rule of Hed and started to learn wizardry. Now, he must journey to the city of Lungold, to find the remaining wizards, battle the city's founder, the evil Ghisteslwchlohm, and finally learn the meaning to the riddle of the three stars on his face. Determined not to lose him again, Raederle travels with Morgon. Along the way, she must come to terms with her heritage and her growing powers.

These early books from the pen of Patricia McKillip show all the lyricism and magic of later novels such as The Book of Atrix Wolfe, although I found them much easier to follow. Some of McKillip's later work seems to me to take place in a mist of magical imagery which makes it difficult for readers such as myself who tend to skim over vast tracts of description to follow. You simply cannot do that with McKillip's work; you'll miss something important if you don't read every word.

It is very easy to get lost in McKillip's worlds and find yourself surfacing only for meals and the occasional nap.

ISBN: 234552
Publication Date: 1979
Pages: 604
Rating:

Currently 4.3/5 Stars.

4.3 stars, based on 4 ratings

Publisher: Nelson Doubleday, Inc.
Book Type: Hardcover
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Write a Review

Read All 1 Book Reviews of "Riddle of Stars The RiddleMaster of Hed Heir of Sea and Fire Harpist in the Wind"

Genres:

Science Fiction & Fantasy >> Fantasy

Back to the Top ↑

Search - Riddle of Stars : The Riddle-Master of Hed ; Heir of Sea and Fire ; Harpist in the Wind

Loading...