R. A. MacAvoy

Ahh. Ahh. That is all I can say -- a satisfied sigh.

What a fantastic, satisfying end to the series. Every note is pitch perfect. This is a composition crafted with consummate care. We get adventure from a reluctant hero, a study of patient composure from our protagonist, who has aged since the first few books, leading to a touching capstone for the series.

This third and final book is surely the high point of the series. I thought the series started off slow, but it slowly snuck up on me, until by the end I was hooked. Read the whole series, so you can experience a brilliant piece of writing.… (mere)

Hmm. I finished the book, and my first thought was: what just happened?

Anyway, this is a very short book. Read it for the atmosphere and general feeling of the characters. The characters feel real and interesting, like someone you'd like to meet. The atmosphere is every so slightly mystical. The writing is well-done. But its main weakness is that the plot is spare, and the book ends abruptly, too abruptly, with only a partial resolution. Overall, in keeping with MacAvoy's other work, but a bit more experimental.… (mere)

I wish I knew why I liked this book (and the series) as much as I do. It's not for the plot; while there was nothing wrong with the plot, it wasn't the main attraction.

Perhaps it is the writing. The prose is perfection: simple, elegant, clean, minimalistic, and not flashy or distracting. The descriptions are understated, and somehow it sets a tone and an atmosphere. RA MacAvoy is a writer's writer, and has a great command of the language.

Or perhaps it is the characters. There are only a few characters, and they are sketched in just a few strokes, but they are different and interesting in their own way.

In any case, the book is not like most other fantasies. In some sense, not a lot happens. But in an another sense, a lot of little things happen, each of them a mini-story in their own right, and just like a travelogue, you have fun along the way.… (mere)