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Title: The Gambler's Fortune : The Third Tale of Einarinn by Juliet E. McKenna ISBN: 0-380-81902-3 Publisher: Eos Pub. Date: 31 July, 2001 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.4 (5 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Tales of Forest Folk and Mountain Men
Comment: With each new installment, McKenna's reason for subtitling her series as "tales of Einarinn" becomes increasingly evident: the world itself shares center stage with events and characters. There's ample action in The Gambler's Fortune, but like its predecessors it's best appreciated by readers whose taste for adventure includes a hunger to explore new places and cultures in addition to a thirst for intrepid exploits.
Livak has returned as first-person narrator, like a welcome breath of fresh air. She seems much more natural than currently-absent associate and lover Ryshad. Maybe that's the nature of her personality, or maybe a female point of view just comes more naturally to McKenna. Livak's storyline is intercut with three others told in third-person: an in-depth view of life among the Mountain Men, or Anyatimm, as they call themselves; the most revealing look to-date at the elusive Elietimm; and glimpses of Archmage Planir's ongoing machinations back in Hadrumal.
Livak has entered the pay of Messire D'Olbriot, Ryshad's patron prince, who continues to pool resources with Planir against the Elietimm. One thing they've learned is that the ancient magic now being called "Artifice" is deeply rooted in the oldest races still living on Einarinn. Livak has convinced D'Olbriot to send her on a fact-finding mission among two of those reclusive groups, with wizard Usara along to represent Planir. Figuring her mixed blood will gain entrée among the Forest Folk, she recruits a pair of old friends, brothers Sorgrad and Sorgren, to help with the Mountain Men. She's angling for a discovery big enough to net a fortune in bonus money from D'Olbriot and Planir. Incidentally, she expects her quest to take her well away from further confrontation with the Elietimm, but there she's proven abysmally wrong. In fact, while the most obvious "gambler's fortune" here is Livak's hoped-for bonus, the book's title applies equally well to her changing fortunes on the road.
The time among the Forest Folk is interesting, productive, and not without its tense moments, but the Mountain Men really drive The Gambler's Fortune. Livak has remarked in previous books on the strong resemblance between the Elietimm and her friends Sorgrad and Sorgren. The storylines here tie both peoples firmly together. Through the Anyatimm, McKenna also tells a tale with echoes common to aboriginal peoples of any time or place: heedlessly overrun and gradually supplanted by empire-building outsiders. She declines to let the blame be entirely one-sided, however; if the Anyatimm are indeed doomed, it's due as much to their own tradition-bound inflexibility as to outside influences.
As always, McKenna's writing is rich and colorful. Her characters continue to evolve. She's settled into a measured pace rather slower than some readers might prefer, but there's plenty to see along the way between crises. The incidence of minor basic writing glitches has increased slightly since McKenna's first book, but that's fairly common and not particularly noticeable here. The Gambler's Fortune leaves readers with much to think about and even more to look forward to.
Rating: 3
Summary: The worst of the three, but still not bad.
Comment: I like Ms. McKenna's style of juxtaposing first and third person. It add a distinct flavor to the books that I found quite enjoyable.
The Gambler's Fortune was inconsistent. It took me a long time to warm up to Jerrian, Kiesyl, and the other Mountain Men and Women. I found McKenna's treatment of Shiv in this book to be wholly out of character for him. In the previous episodes, he was a strong, decisive character, eager for more responsibility and interaction with Archmage Planir. Here, he is reduced to an uncomprehending and nervous wreck who distrusts some of Planir's motivations. Not at all the same Shivvalyan we came to know.
That said, the plotting of the evil Eresken kept things lively -- who knew what he would do next -- and the concept of evil deceiving good people to do its bidding is an ages-old idea that is still relevant today.
I am looking forward to the fourth installment, but hope that it is closer in quality to the first two books than the Gambler's Fortune.
Rating: 4
Summary: A good continuation of the series
Comment: I wasn't going to write a review but the first one on this page was so awful I felt I had to put in my two cents. I have really been enjoying this series and the third entry is no exception. I am very picky about writing and read different books for different reasons. I don't read this type of sf/f looking for inspiring literature- I read it for a rousing story and fun charactors. McKenna's series is just that: a lot of fun to read. I really enjoy her use of differing perspectives. At one point in the third volume, we actually switch to the villain's point of view during the last hours of his life, before his comeuppance. I anticipate that the fourth book will be back to Ryshad's viewpoint, dealing with his activities while offstage during this third book. I agree with an earlier reviewer that I prefer Livak's viewpoint, mainly because she is such a strong and interesting charactor. One of the enjoyable aspects of the third book is the chance to get to know her better as well as the chance to meet her friends Sorgrad and Sorgren and the mage Usara.
If you like a good, well written tale with practical, earthy charactors and a very detailed and believable world of magic and the mundane, you will enjoy this series. If you're looking for Guy Gavriel Kay, go elsewhere.
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Title: The Assassin's Edge: The Fifth and Final Tale of Einarinn by Juliet E. McKenna ISBN: 0060505680 Publisher: Eos Pub. Date: 01 December, 2003 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: The Thief's Gamble by Juliet E. McKenna ISBN: 0061020362 Publisher: Eos Pub. Date: 04 August, 1999 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: First Rider's Call (Green Rider, Book 2) by Kristen Britain ISBN: 0756402093 Publisher: DAW Books Pub. Date: 05 August, 2003 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Devlin's Honor (Sword of Change, Book 2) by Patricia Bray ISBN: 0553584766 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 03 June, 2003 List Price(USD): $5.99 |
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Title: Devlin's Luck (Sword of Change, Book 1) by Patricia Bray ISBN: 0553584758 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 30 April, 2002 List Price(USD): $6.50 |
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