The final volume in Katherine Kerr‘s mammoth Deverry fantasy cycle will be published at the end of this month, putting the final piece on a series that has spanned four major arcs and 15 books.
“The Silver Mage is the final volume in the Celtic inspired cycle of interbraided lives, personalities and events in the alternate world of Deverry, through eras and generations of Deverry’s historical and chronological time1” publisher Voyager writes on its blog this week.
The first book in the series, Daggerspell, was first published some 23 years ago in 1986. Since that time, Kerr has published roughly one book every year, although the author had a lengthy break between the third and fourth “acts” of the books after 2000.
The book’s synopsis on the site of publisher Harper Collins Australia reads:
“Spurred on by the priestesses of the goddess Alshandra, the Horsekin hordes are massing on the northern border of Prince Dar′s holdings. Their leaders believe that the rich grasslands of the prince′s domain belong to them by divine right, no matter whom they must destroy to claim them.
But Dar has powerful allies on his side, including the dragon Arzosah, who has hated the Horsekin for hundreds of years. She will vow to take a revenge worse than anything the Horsekin and their priestesses could possibly foresee.
The prince′s most powerful ally, however, is the one the Horsekin refuse to understand: the deep magic of the dweomer, as wielded by the band of sorcerers sworn to protect him, and especially by the elven master of magic, Dallandra, the silver mage.”
Voyager has also set up a community at the LiveJournal blogging site entitled “15 Days of Deverry”, where fans are being encouraged to post their experiences about the books; for example when they first read them and so on.
Commentary
Is anyone still reading this series?
When I was young, Katherine Kerr’s books were everywhere. Even in the relatively remote Australian city of Broken Hill where I grew up, they were available from the library, and I remember being impressed by their size and the great cover art.
However, despite several attempts, I never got into them; something about the writing style put me off.
Since that time I’ve asked several other fantasy and science fiction fans about Katherine Kerr; the common response is that they know that some people do read them, but they personally don’t, for whatever reason.
The series doesn’t seem to have attracted the same fan base as the epic fantasy works of similar authors such as Robin Hobb, Robert Jordan and so on.
Yet there are definitely fans out there; on Amazon a number of enthusiastic fans have posted reviews of previous books. “If you’ve read any of the other Deverry books, you already know you want this book – and probably pretty badly!” writes one about the book preceding The Silver Mage, The Shadow Isle.” If you have not read a Deverry book, start with Daggerspell and enjoy the journey. It’s worth it.”
Maybe I’m a fossil. But I want to start reading Daggerspell in February 2010.
Nothing wrong with that!
I reckon you have a looong read ahead of you if you keep going into the rest of the series ;) But then most fantasy fans would say that’s good thing!
Thanks for the kind words. I hope I will like it. I tried the Wheel of Time but I failed. But I love George R.R. Martin, Robin Hobb, Tad Williams,…..
Next month I try The Curse of the Mistwraiths by Janny Wurts.
best set of books EVER
I’ve read every book of the Deverry serial and i loved it,but now i must wait for the last chapter until it is translated into Dutch and i ca’nt wait,sorry for my bad englisch,i live in Belgium,greetings from marleen
I have been reading these books over the last 20 years. I have found them to be fantastic, fun and sheer escapism. Kerr has managed to make the characters so personable that you never get tired of the rencarnations. Sorry to see that they have come to an end but what a trip. Two books left to dive into, going to relish these then its back to Daggerspell and all over again.
I love these books. I’m re-reading the entire series now. I’m wondering if anyone else felt that the end seemed kind of rushed though? I know Kerr intended to end the series in 12 books but it seems like she kept going off on tangents that prolonged the series. By the time she got to writing the last book I felt like she tried to force it to a close instead of letting it play out for the simple fact that she didn’t want to have to write another one. Anyone else feel that way?
I loved these books and before I read the Silver Mage I re-read all the others all over again. Now that I am at the end of them it is like daying good bye to an old and favorite friend. I am sad they are over.
I was given the Red Wyvern as a gift, couldn’t put it down, then proceded to read the next 2 before realizing there were 8 others in the deverry series before these ones. Since then I have started from the beginning, what a fantastic series. Now i’m almost finished the Gold Falcon and am happy to know there are still a few more books to go. I will be dissapointed when the series ends.
Anyone who starts reading Daggerspell stick with it, you will get hooked!
I started with Daggerspell from my local library in 1989 and have kept up with it ever since.
I found that those who enjoy the series did so because they were able to navigate the language, geography, history and the reincarnation twists and turns of the characters’ life stories. To those I say congratulations for letting your imagination take off and play out such a wonderful piece of work from K. Kerr.
I am sad to see the characters go. And so, I can hope that mayhap Ms. Kerr will either pick up the pen again or pass the torch to another in order to continue the telling of such a celtic knotwork that is the many lives of characters we have grown very fond of indeed!