Second in what would probably be marketed as a series if published now, as this book is set generations later than the events of 'Watchtower'. Kerris is a 17 year old boy who lost his arm when the caravan travelling North, escorting him and his mother, was attacked by Asech raiders. They were meant to be joining his soldier father, but his mother is killed and his father dies fighting elsewhere, so Kerris is raised by his uncle, the current lord of Tornor.

Due to his disability, he has few friends in the militaristic culture at Tornor Keep, and for the past four years he has been apprenticed to the scribe and record keeper. The story seemed to be setting up something that stemmed from all this, as his teacher was transcribing old histories, but very early on in the book, everything is overturned when Kerris' older brother, Kel, and his fellow chearis -dancer/fighters - turn up to take Kerris south to Elath, where he was born.

I had a problem with this for a number of reasons. Apart from veering off from the initial setup, Kel is in such a hurry to leave, they don't even stay for a meal, let alone perform for the Tornor inhabitants who would naturally have been disappointed at being deprived of rare entertainment. Kel comes over as a self centred child - he has been aware that Kerris has been mindlinking with him for the past four years, in a culture where such things are not understood and if they were, would probably not be tolerated - people met later have prejudice against 'witches' - but he also knew his brother was disabled and would likely be having a hard time.

In fact, Kerris has only had the old woman who saved him and brought him to Tornor, and his tutor, as friends, with others pitying or disdaining him. His mind linking episodes, which he cannot control, are viewed as fits and more evidence of his unattractiveness and uselessness in a warrior culture. For an unexplained reason, Kel suddenly decides to come and get him, and Kel's subsequent attitude is disturbing. Knowing that Kerris is initially unable to block out others' thoughts and feelings, he nevertheless plays on the younger boy's attraction and hero worship to groom him and turn him into a part time partner in an incestuous relationship. (Part time because Kel already has a lover, Sefer.) Towards the end of the story it appears that Kerris might be developing independence, helped by reliving his childhood trauma and finally getting control of his gift with Sefer's aid, and then having an offer of a home with his mother's family, but he then relapses into his dependency on Kel and follows him and the other chearis in an inconclusive ending.

Other aspects that I wasn't keen on is that most of the characters are very cardboard and can hardly be told apart. Several have similar names, all beginning with K. The story is extremely slow and a lot of it consists of people sitting around eating, or else bathing or doing domestic chores. I appreciate it is about a non aggressive society at Elath, who won't kill, though unarmed combat or knife fights seem OK, and that later in the book there is action when Asech 'witches' attack the village, demanding that the Elath people teach them. There is a lot of soul searching on the part of Kerris, who is trying to come to terms with his disability and what to do with the rest of his life. But ultimately the relationship with Kel, which I don't think the author means the reader to view as abusive, comes over as such for me, and as it colours the whole story, I'm afraid I can't give this the three stars I originally envisaged. ( )

Time has passed since the events of 'Watchtower', and Van's groups of dance performers/martial artists, known as chearis, have spread throughout the nation of Arun, becoming respected as bringers of peace and balance, although already their inception and history are passing into legend, details forgotten.
Kerris, a young man crippled as a child in a violent raid, is suddenly picked up by the older cheari brother that he never knew, but whom he has always had a confusing and intimate mental bond with. Brought from the only house he can remember into a group that has many mental talents, he realizes that he may have more options than just that of being a scribe. He is trying to figure out what to do, both about his future and his feelings for his brother, when the chearis' village is overrrun by raiders of the same ethnicity as those that crippled him years ago. However, these are outlaws, exiled for the same mental gifts that the chearis share.

This book does a good job of portraying the classic 'talents' such as telekinesis, telepathy, etc, in a believable way, and in portraying a society without taboos which are deeply ingrained in ours in an interesting, non-condemning way.
( )

The middle book of the Tornor trilogy, The Dancers of Arum tells the story of Kerris. Kerris was mutilated as a child, but has made a place as his uncle's ward. He is elated, though, to meet the last member of his immediate family, his brother Kel. Kel is the leader of a cheari, a band of dancers, and Kerris follows them to a special valley school where Kerris learns that his differences, talents and abilities make him special, not damaged. ( )

CHRONICLES OF TORNOR