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October 2, 2004
Guardians of the Keep, by Carol Berg
Carol Berg has done it again. I happened by chance upon her first novel Transformation, about the time that it was published, and was enraptured by her work from the very start.
Guardians of the Keep marks the second book in her second series, and true to her form, Berg enchants the reader. In Guardians of the Keep, Berg makes a departure from her usual single-person format by placing us in the heads of various other characters in the book, alternating the heroine from Son of Avonar, Lady Seriana of Comigor, with her resurrected and memory-challenged husband, Karon, as well as a new character, the young Duke of Comigor, her nephew Gerick. First person narration from multiple characters is something that has always been discouraged in creative writing courses in which I've attended. It generally creates confusion and distances us from the characters. Berg somehow manages to harness the unusual format and rather than detracting from the novel it enriches it.
There are surprises in store. I pride myself on being able to pick up on nuances early, and with the revelations that take place, I don't feel as if I've been led on a merry chase by the author. Conversely, I don't feel as if the obvious is sitting there, in the reader's face, just waiting for a character to pick up on it. I realize the surprises only pages before the characters do, which is how it should be.
I devoured this novel in just seven days, despite my reading it only at night before bed and occasionally during afternoon breaks from work. I could not put it down, even after 2:00 am. Guardians of the Keep is a definite must for the fantasy enthusiast. If you haven’t read Son of Avonar, then pick that up first. You can purchase either novel by clicking the following (these links take you off my site):
Son of Avonar (The Bridge of D'Arnath, Book 1)
Guardians Of The Keep (The Bridge of D'Arnath, Book 2)
Posted by Bastique at October 2, 2004 11:25 AM