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2013 Book #9: Blood and Iron
Title: Blood and Iron
Author: Elizabeth Bear
Genre: High/modern fantasy
Thingummies: 4
Synopsis: Seeker was bound to the service of the fairy queen, Kevin's dying father wants him to fight for the leadership of the werewolf pack, and Matthew has turned to magery to avenge his brother. But each of them find their destinies to be greater than imagined, with a dragon pulling strings and a teind come due to Hell.
Thoughts: Elizabeth Bear has some of the loveliest, and densest, writing in fantasy today. There is not one wasted word, which has both its good and bad points. I love the subtlety of her characters, with their shifting alliances and long-held secrets. And the amount of plot she manages to cram into one book is somewhat dazzling. But I think in some ways, that density makes for some difficulties.
There are clearly meant to be no fully good or evil characters here, and that includes the Morningstar himself. Her protagonists are complex and make some appalling choices in trying to avoid even worse ones. They all have good reasons for doing what they do, as well. But she does not have quite the time to develop them all as well as one might like. I felt like the Promethean mages had a far better case than they were allowed to show, and we never fully understood what the ramifications would be if they win. But Matthew is shortchanged in favor of Seeker, and Jane never really gets to explain herself properly. It doesn't help that Bear's clearly more interested in Seeker's plot, which gets a lot more time and detail. There are more books, so perhaps this is eventually rectified. Also, Arthur is criminally underused--I never really saw why it was necessary to have him as a character at all. Morgan works, but Arthur doesn't, really.
I've complained about this in Bear's writing before, but she's very elliptical. In many ways, it works--knowledge sneaks up on you, and she uses it to breath-taking effect. (When I realized who Ian was, for example, I had an emotional jolt like a physical shock.) But too often, I feel as though she has communicated something of grave importance to me, and I've not quite gotten it. I think I understand how most of the puzzle pieces go together at this point, but I'm still not sure I understand quite all the ramifications despite the fact she seems certain she has told me. It's a little frustrating. It makes reading very rewarding when I get it, but too often confusing.
I'm not sure if the ending is meant to be a cliff-hanger or not. But as I said, there are more books to pick up these threads, so I'm willing to find out. The sadness, the beauty, and the complexity of the world she has laid out here has more more than willing to continue trying.
Author: Elizabeth Bear
Genre: High/modern fantasy
Thingummies: 4
Synopsis: Seeker was bound to the service of the fairy queen, Kevin's dying father wants him to fight for the leadership of the werewolf pack, and Matthew has turned to magery to avenge his brother. But each of them find their destinies to be greater than imagined, with a dragon pulling strings and a teind come due to Hell.
Thoughts: Elizabeth Bear has some of the loveliest, and densest, writing in fantasy today. There is not one wasted word, which has both its good and bad points. I love the subtlety of her characters, with their shifting alliances and long-held secrets. And the amount of plot she manages to cram into one book is somewhat dazzling. But I think in some ways, that density makes for some difficulties.
There are clearly meant to be no fully good or evil characters here, and that includes the Morningstar himself. Her protagonists are complex and make some appalling choices in trying to avoid even worse ones. They all have good reasons for doing what they do, as well. But she does not have quite the time to develop them all as well as one might like. I felt like the Promethean mages had a far better case than they were allowed to show, and we never fully understood what the ramifications would be if they win. But Matthew is shortchanged in favor of Seeker, and Jane never really gets to explain herself properly. It doesn't help that Bear's clearly more interested in Seeker's plot, which gets a lot more time and detail. There are more books, so perhaps this is eventually rectified. Also, Arthur is criminally underused--I never really saw why it was necessary to have him as a character at all. Morgan works, but Arthur doesn't, really.
I've complained about this in Bear's writing before, but she's very elliptical. In many ways, it works--knowledge sneaks up on you, and she uses it to breath-taking effect. (When I realized who Ian was, for example, I had an emotional jolt like a physical shock.) But too often, I feel as though she has communicated something of grave importance to me, and I've not quite gotten it. I think I understand how most of the puzzle pieces go together at this point, but I'm still not sure I understand quite all the ramifications despite the fact she seems certain she has told me. It's a little frustrating. It makes reading very rewarding when I get it, but too often confusing.
I'm not sure if the ending is meant to be a cliff-hanger or not. But as I said, there are more books to pick up these threads, so I'm willing to find out. The sadness, the beauty, and the complexity of the world she has laid out here has more more than willing to continue trying.