Firstly, it has to be said, the cover art by David Palumbo is the best I have seen on a
fantasy book this year. His interpretation of Sorgrad is exactly how I envisaged him,
right down to the look of concentration/cold defiance in his eyes, contrasting
wonderfully with his cocky, one-hand in his pocket, mastery of whatever magic he has
summoned. Great! In a world bubbling over with upheaval and strife and politics, he
is freedom incarnate.
Your attention must also be drawn to the Acknowledgements section. Chiefly
because it has the ring of a death knell about it. Please, Juliet, tell us this is not your
last fantasy book? All your loyal fans and ‘zines and fansites will be up in arms -
especially those chance acquaintances on a train, and those hotel receptionists with not
one but twelve books to hand! There could be civil unrest. There may even be a
revolution. That would be poetic justice.
Onto the actual story. It is difficult to say something that has not already been said
without spoiling the ending (which as usual, is uncertain, right down to the last
chapter or so). Rest easy, the revolution does continue and finish of a fashion, that is,
the fighting finishes to ensure the warring dukes are overthrown. However, now the
real work begins: policing that peace, maintaining allegiances through heady
compromises, whilst the eyes of neighbourly kingdoms have Lescari under the
magnifying glass.
Basically, this is the plot of Banners in the Wind, along with the stalwart way Branca and Aremil and Charoleia (otherwise known as Lady Alaric,
amongst many other aliases) deal with the horrific mental and physical injuries
inflicted upon them during the battle with the renegade mage Minelas (these are the
A.N.Other characters I referred to in my review of Blood in the Water).
In true character arc formation, what happens to the viewpoint characters and
minor characters at the end is continued testament to Juliet’s own magic (which is at
odds with the cover art by David Palumbo - she might make it look easy but rest
assured there is an awful lot of effort and thinking and sacrifice gone into the creation
of this first class trilogy).
Without spoiling their endings, it is fitting that Tathrin’s dreams come true.
Equally, it is nice that Aremil and Branca find their true love. Even Sorgrad becomes
the Romeo. Although, here, perhaps, is a minor flaw: Littase’s abrupt change of heart. True, all the pointers are there for this swing of loyalty, but to be so affectionate when
she has been so vehement? It did not spoil the story, though, and made sure a pink
fluffy bow was tied around everyone. Believe that, and you no doubt have seen pigs
flying, much like the battle-hardened, weary, yet content citizens of Lescari.
Banners in the Wind (2010)
Juliet E. McKenna
Solaris
Review by Kelvin M. Knight
Published online
(05/09/10).
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