Ms. Kerr has written of medieval life in a magic world with
dragons and a mysterious island which comes when it is
called. There are dwarves, selkies, a dragon who was once
part human and part elf, and clans who will kill each other
for the rights to land and the honor of their goddess.
One clan, known as the Ancient People, have moved with the
seasons for generations. Soon those migrations may come to
an end. Their belief structure involves constant rebirth.
Those with magic may be able to remember their past lives
and use that knowledge to enhance their abilities in the
present.
The Horsekin are a violent and hostile race who fight
ferociously and want to destroy those who stand in their
way. The battle between the clans is a big part of the story.
The plot was hard to unravel since I hadn't read the two
previous books. The names are Celtic in origin and
therefore, nearly unpronounceable. There are so many threads
to the story that it is hard to give a synopsis of the book.
Most of the threads were developed in the first two books
and some of them won't be resolved until the fourth book is
released.
Ms. Kerr's writing style is gritty and she shows the
harshness of the life that her characters face. Fans of this
series won't want to miss it. If you haven't started the
series yet, go back and find the first two books before
reading this one.
The Shadow Isle
is the long-awaited conclusion to the phenomenal Deverry
fantasy saga.
The wild Northlands hold many secrets—the mysterious island
of Haen
Marn, the mountain settlements of Dwarvolt, and the
fortified city of
Cerr Cawnen, built long ago by escaping bondmen from Deverry
itself. As
the Horsekin continue to push their religious crusade toward the
borders of the kingdom, the humans of Deverry and their
elven allies
realize that the fate of the Northlands lies tangled with
their own.
Only the magic of Dallandra and Valandario and the might of the
powerful dragons, Arzosah and Rori, can reveal the secrets
that may
save the Northlands from conquest.
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