Kingfisher (Audible Audio Edition) Patricia A McKillip Bernadette Dunne Audible Studios Books
Download As PDF : Kingfisher (Audible Audio Edition) Patricia A McKillip Bernadette Dunne Audible Studios Books
In the new fantasy from the award-winning author of the Riddle-Master Trilogy, a young man comes of age amid family secrets and revelations - and transformative magic.
Hidden away from the world by his mother, the powerful sorceress Heloise Oliver, Pierce has grown up working in her restaurant in Desolation Point. One day, unexpectedly, strangers pass through town on the way to the legendary capital city. "Look for us," they tell Pierce, "if you come to Severluna. You might find a place for yourself in King Arden's court."
Lured by a future far away from the bleak northern coast, Pierce makes his choice. Heloise, bereft and furious, tells her son the truth about his father, a knight in King Arden's court; about an older brother he never knew existed; about his father's destructive love for King Arden's queen and Heloise's decision to raise her younger son alone.
As Pierce journeys to Severluna, his path twists and turns through other lives and mysteries an inn where ancient rites are celebrated, though no one will speak of them; a legendary local chef whose delicacies leave diners slowly withering from hunger; his mysterious wife, who steals Pierce's heart; a young woman whose need to escape is even greater than Pierce's; and finally, in Severluna, King Arden's youngest son, who is urged by strange and lovely forces to sacrifice his father's kingdom.
Things are changing in that kingdom. Oldmagic is on the rise. The immensely powerful artifact of an ancient god has come to light, and the king is gathering his knights to quest for this profound mystery, which may restore the kingdom to its former glory - or destroy it....
Kingfisher (Audible Audio Edition) Patricia A McKillip Bernadette Dunne Audible Studios Books
I always find it odd that no one discusses the sources of Patricia McKillip's stories, which are often a large part of their point, as with, for example, her two stories about the Pre-Raphaelites. This novel--a five-star compared to any other contemporary writer but slightly less than many of McKillip's novels that require six stars--is about various versions of the Grail quest and Arthurian mythology. We have the innocent "kitchen knight" Perceval (as both Pierce and Val) who witnesses the ceremony of the wounded Fisher King but does not immediately ask the healing question; the three goddesses /fates /witches, Morgan Le Fay, Morgaine / Morrigan, and Vivien / Nimue; the Celtic treasures; the Grail Quest as described by Thomas Mallory (and the knights from his tales, whom McKillip realizes most often sound like little more than entitled hooligans, offset by his descendant, a female knight); the healing death of the plant god; and much, much more. Examining McKillip's sources is almost as inspiring as reading her novels. And they are, typically, a somewhat hazy, mystical mixture, totally suited to her amazing, mystical storytelling gifts.The main comment about this novel seems to be a complaint of its lack of linear logic. But she is not writing an empirical treatise; she is exploring the numinosity of myths, who, particularly in their ancient, contradictory eldest and eldritch origins, are more dreamlike than declamatory. I think of the contrast of ordinary writers and McKillip much like the contrast between Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville. Hawthorne's symbolism is as straightforward as symbolism can get; we know that Hester Prynne's scarlet letter is as much an allegory as a symbol, standing clearly for Adultery, Able, and Angel, as the author plainly states. However, Melville's tale of the white whale sounds the depths of philosophy and obscure sea lore to create a symbol that cannot be clearly pinned down; it is more about the mystery of life itself.
To put it another way, Hawthorne's works are multiple-choice tests; Melville's are essay questions. As with Melville, it is finding the answers and the meaning in McKillip's tales for oneself that enlightens. To expect McKillip's works to be rational is to limit her full capabilities for engendering magical, resonant works that linger in the unconscious like dreams, with all the meaningfulness of dreams and their necessity for mindful living.
Product details
|
Tags : Amazon.com: Kingfisher (Audible Audio Edition): Patricia A. McKillip, Bernadette Dunne, Audible Studios: Books, ,Patricia A. McKillip, Bernadette Dunne, Audible Studios,Kingfisher,Audible Studios,B01C4PST5G
People also read other books :
- Hot Dogs Pretzels and an American Adventure Steve Taylor 9781291101492 Books
- Fuck You Cancer edition by Kyle Wilkins Professional Technical eBooks
- Redes Wireless Hacking Hackeo Ético Práctico Spanish Edition eBook RDS Networks
- Dictionary of the Holy Quran Arabic English Abdul Mannan Omar 9780976697282 Books
- Beyond Belief Clan of the Ice Mountains Book 4 edition by C S Bills Literature Fiction eBooks
Kingfisher (Audible Audio Edition) Patricia A McKillip Bernadette Dunne Audible Studios Books Reviews
I've been an avid fan of Patricia McKillip for 35 years; I would read a restaurant menu that she wrote, and probably love it. And the writing in this book doesn't disappoint -- it's her lyrical, yet grounded prose that can juxtapose an ancient ceremony with a Friday Night Fish Fry and make it work. However, despite the fact that I enjoy it, this isn't her best book.
The setting is fascinating. The juxtaposition of what is thematically King Arthur's court with an essentially modern society highlights the conflicts between worlds, and makes it easier to see the hidden beneath the known. Knighthood and its inherent violence/classism contrasts with the peace of the realm; cellphones coexist with magic. The sense of upset when the knights go questing is part of the upset of every part of the world shown, and is part of what stirs ancient magics within the story.
The weaving in of the mythology of the Fisher King is odder, and despite the fact that it's clearly central to the story's title, it never manages to integrate into a solid part of the plot. It feels rather like the elements are thrown into the story, but not explained. And whereas exposition would run counter to much of the story, I think that the story could be essentially the same without the Fisher King -- which for me is a problem. That's part of where the story falls down for me. The climatic scene does not seem to clarify the quest, and in fact, for me, only muddies it more. I was left with a lot of questions why do the ravens no longer want Daimon? Is Calluna the god who appears at the end (and why)? Who does the cauldron/bowl/vessel/Grail belong to (if anyone)? And frankly, what are Leith and Heloise going to do? (OK, that's not strictly necessary, but with the repetition of "you need to talk to her" three or four times, it seems somewhat anti-climatic.
There are also a few things that seem thrown in that do not, in my opinion serve either the plot or theme. The entire interlude with the basilisk is very confusing. For that matter, though the two instances of seeing the Knights of the Rising God doing petty vandalism support the story, the subtler point of Pierce, Val, Leith, and Scotia being pulled in to deal with them doesn't seem to have nearly as clear a point. It is possible that the author is trying to recreate the episodic sense of the Grail Quest, but unfortunately, that doesn't work well for me in a modern novel. I want the threads pulled together and tied off.
The part I think is most of the letdown is the characters. Though drawn beautifully, there are enough protagonists that there is quite a bit of skimping on the stories of many of them. Pierce and Carrie get their respective stories resolved (and kudos for not trying to make them a romantic couple) but Daimon and Perdita are almost dropped cold. I did not understand why suddenly Daimon was no longer enspelled, and I certainly wanted Perdita to actually _do_ something, rather than just be a lens to watch Daimon. I wanted to understand better the relationship between Daimon and Scotia, and -- just like with Perdita -- I wanted to see Daimon _do_ something, or realize something (from the inside, not the outside). Scotia and Val are both half-formed characters -- they seem to have some sort of special senses or understandings, or roles, but these are never really made clear either. I know Ms. McKillip is quite capable of carrying these kinds of threads through, because she has done it in many previous books, and why she did not in this case I'm not sure.
And what about Todd Stillwater? I got who he was, but not why he left, or why he did _anything_ else. As a villan he doesn't work for me properly, because he seems to have no true motive, and kind of collapses the first time he's truly challenged. I don't understand why the cauldron/bowl/vessel/Grail is important to him. I don't know why he kept Sage, or why he wanted Carrie.
And what was with the ceremony in the Kingfisher? I know it was to echo the mythology of the Fisher King, but I don't know why it was important to the plot and the characters. Again, the pulling up of the mythological imagery wasn't enough for me. I wanted to have it integrated into the story.
Perhaps the author got a little carried away with the ideas, the themes, and the setting. After all, the Fisher King is a deeply mythological and archetypal character, and working with those themes can be tremendously powerful. But in doing so, I think she missed a lot of opportunities to tighten the plot, deepen the characters, and create another of the incredible classics that she is quite capable of bringing out of her brilliant imagination.
I've spent a lot of time complaining about this book, but it's because Ms. McKillip's worst books are better than most people's best (and this is far from her worst). I thoroughly enjoyed it, I just wanted the author to have followed through on the promise of the premise.
I bought this book after reading good reviews though I was not very familiar with the author. Normally my expectations are according to both reviews and what everyone else is willing to pay. While I can say the author is good at 'writing' I am sorry to say at 33% into the book I still could not say what the soul of the book was. It almost seemed a collection of short stories about completely different groups of people who happened to inhabit the same world. I am very patient so I persevered, trying to figure out exactly what is important, who is important, where is this going. Several characters were introduced, explored, then - dropped? Will I see them again? Do they matter? Was there a reason for their existence? Or is the book populated by dozens of unnecessary extras? It is almost as if we are left to bumble through the world without alot of guidance from the author. Anyway, at 45% through I have reached the first entertaining part of the book that held my attention even if it's a bit slap dash.
Good books, I can't put down. This one is not bad, but I was able to put it down and I have paid less from other authors for a more satisfying read. I like to feel that an author thinks of their reader rather then just writing what they want to write. Anyone who disagrees with me should go and read Victor Hugo. Marvellous writer, but completely inconsiderate of his audience.
Having said all that, anyone who takes the trouble to write and publish a book has my respect and I hope my review is taken in the spirit it was written. I hope I will identify better with this book soon, and will review this review if so.
I always find it odd that no one discusses the sources of Patricia McKillip's stories, which are often a large part of their point, as with, for example, her two stories about the Pre-Raphaelites. This novel--a five-star compared to any other contemporary writer but slightly less than many of McKillip's novels that require six stars--is about various versions of the Grail quest and Arthurian mythology. We have the innocent "kitchen knight" Perceval (as both Pierce and Val) who witnesses the ceremony of the wounded Fisher King but does not immediately ask the healing question; the three goddesses /fates /witches, Morgan Le Fay, Morgaine / Morrigan, and Vivien / Nimue; the Celtic treasures; the Grail Quest as described by Thomas Mallory (and the knights from his tales, whom McKillip realizes most often sound like little more than entitled hooligans, offset by his descendant, a female knight); the healing death of the plant god; and much, much more. Examining McKillip's sources is almost as inspiring as reading her novels. And they are, typically, a somewhat hazy, mystical mixture, totally suited to her amazing, mystical storytelling gifts.
The main comment about this novel seems to be a complaint of its lack of linear logic. But she is not writing an empirical treatise; she is exploring the numinosity of myths, who, particularly in their ancient, contradictory eldest and eldritch origins, are more dreamlike than declamatory. I think of the contrast of ordinary writers and McKillip much like the contrast between Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville. Hawthorne's symbolism is as straightforward as symbolism can get; we know that Hester Prynne's scarlet letter is as much an allegory as a symbol, standing clearly for Adultery, Able, and Angel, as the author plainly states. However, Melville's tale of the white whale sounds the depths of philosophy and obscure sea lore to create a symbol that cannot be clearly pinned down; it is more about the mystery of life itself.
To put it another way, Hawthorne's works are multiple-choice tests; Melville's are essay questions. As with Melville, it is finding the answers and the meaning in McKillip's tales for oneself that enlightens. To expect McKillip's works to be rational is to limit her full capabilities for engendering magical, resonant works that linger in the unconscious like dreams, with all the meaningfulness of dreams and their necessity for mindful living.
0 Response to "[SVM]⋙ Download Free Kingfisher (Audible Audio Edition) Patricia A McKillip Bernadette Dunne Audible Studios Books"
Post a Comment