Wayfarer Redemption - Sara Douglass

[tyche]

Some thoughts about The Wayfarer Redemption by Sara Douglass...

I actually saw her web site.. must have been shortly after posting this. I don't frequent here all the time.

I just finished the Serpent Bride. It's my understanding (based on her web page) that this was an attempt to bring back all her favorite characters into one novel.

The book was very good, although I am slightly disappointed that I am starting to see some of the same themes from the two Tencendor based series'. I hope she will steer me for a loop in the next book. Other than that, it was great. I'm disappointed that I have to wait for the next one now.

I also just read those last 3 books I didn't know about before (Sinner, Pilgrim, Crusader) and I have to admit, I absolutely HATED the end of the Wayfarer Redemption. The rest of the 6 books were great, but I despise the way she ended it.

Mathius

I was very disappointed with the ending to Crusader as well, though it didn't change my enjoyment of the previous books. Not all the characters endings were annoyinging but

Spoiler

Drago and Faradays ending left me feeling ripped off, I didn't like the whole Adam and Eve thing at all. It felt all wrong and didn't fit with the rest of the book. Caelums was much better

I have read the Serpent Bride recently too. I had already read Threshold but not Beyond the Hanging Wall. I liked SB and noticed the similarities to the Tencendor books but hope that is just part of the 'set-up' and that we'll get thrown a few curveballs in the next books plot. I think Sara has done a great job of bringing all the books together, especially if you hadn't read all them.

Has anyone else read these or any other Sara Douglass books?

 

[Mathius]

The ending of Wayfarer Redemption left me truly disappointed.

Spoiler

The fact that Tencendor was completely destroyed, and that EVERYONE save Stardrifter, Dragonstar, Faraday, and a few bad guys that weren't let in, were resurrected in a sortof "afterlife" left me annoyed beyond reason. Also the fact that after all their destruction, the Time-Keeper demons became so easy to destroy, was also very irritating, although some of the "tests" I found amusing. Lastly it bothered me that A. the Star Dance wasn't restored, and B. Axis and Azure, who were so built up in the other books, were left as commoners at the end of the book, really bothered me. Not to mention the other Star Gods, who, for gods, have been really disappointing.

I thought the rest of the series was fantastic. I literally read one of the 400+ page books in one night because I was so "into it".

Did it bother you in the Serpent Bride that

Spoiler

Ishabel and Maxel didn't get back together at the end? Douglass seems to be running with the same theme of the jilted female lover that was all over the WR series. And once again the same as in WR, the main hero seems to be unable to keep it in his pants and be faithful. These are just a few of the common themes I saw.

I have not read her other books where she apparently introduces Maxamillion. I may look into those. My next read is going to be the new Terry Goodkind book, Confessor, and then I have some Barb Hendee novels I want to get out of the way.

Mathius

 

[tyche]

It's been about 6 or 7 years since I read WR. I enjoyed the first 3 the most. Were some of the first fant I ever read.

Spoiler

I didn't mind the destruction of Tencendor and the Afterlife stuff so much, it's the first series I've read that ended that way. It was more the ones that didn't get into or stay in the Field of Flowers that bugged me. Stardrifter got a raw deal, I wanted to kick Zenith/Niah. I'm glad he's popped up in SB. Drago and Faraday supposedly went off to be Adam and Eve but there was already a world out there, the Coroleas empire had been mentioned a few times already. Sara had said they won't be in Darkglass tril, she doesn't like Faraday.

The Star Dance being gone and Axis and Azhure being demoted back to common mortals was annoying but I had thought them pretty useless as Gods, and parents, anyway.

You're right about the Demons...turned out they're not so tough after all. I did like that the 'tests' weren't just about Drago being the StarSon, that some of the minor characters got to strut their stuff.

I am enjoying Serpent Bride so far but I agree with the common themes with WR. I hope that things are different this time.

Spoiler

Ishbel and Maxel still have 2 books to get back together, although losing the baby has made that harder. Axis getting over Azhure so quickly has surprised me.

Maxel is only in Beyond the Hanging Wall. Threshold is set a few thousand years before all this.

 

[Mathius]

Do you think, or have you heard if Azhure will be back in the new series?

Spoiler

It irritates me the way Axis has always seemed to be so unfaithful. Isn't there anyone in Sarah Douglass' books that DOESN'T cheat on their lover? I really rather liked the team that Axis and Azhure made, and I actually think she might be my favorite character from the original series.

Also, on a side note, I was xmas shopping at our large Borders store in Crocker Park two days ago. It's a rather huge store, completely with a Cafe and a reading area... you know the type. They have music as well.

Anyways, I was browsing through the fantasy section, and I realized that Douglass has far more books published than the 9 we've talked about in this thread. I don't recall the titles offhand, but I intend to look into it when I get time.

Mathius

 

[tyche]

I haven't heard if Azhure will be in Darkglass Mountain and I don't think she will be, but it's definately possible, perhaps at the end

Spoiler

if Axis was returned Azhure could too and you'd think it would have to be Lister, Isaiah, Maxel or Ishbel to do it, and without her goddess powers I can't see why they would. Or it could be a reunion with Axis in the otherworld/death. The cheating thing is a constant in almost all the SD books I've read. It annoys me sometimes but I think it's supposed to and it also creates tension between characters and motivates them to do certain things to advance the plot.

Azhure was my favourite main character in the first trilogy. I liked her far more than Faraday.

Sara has two other series unrelated to Tencendor and its world. I've read the four book 'Troy Game' and quite liked it. It had an interesting premise and although its not a favourite it was enjoyable. I haven't read the other series 'the Crucible' but I gather it's more like Troy Game than the other books. Sara has said that Hal from the Crucible is one of her favourite characters, so one day I'd like to read it too.