⇒ Read Gratis The Shades of Time and Memory UK Edition Bk 2 Wraeththu Histories Storm Constantine 9780954503666 Books

The Shades of Time and Memory UK Edition Bk 2 Wraeththu Histories Storm Constantine 9780954503666 Books

Download As PDF : The Shades of Time and Memory UK Edition Bk 2 Wraeththu Histories Storm Constantine 9780954503666 Books

The Shades of Time and Memory UK Edition Bk 2 Wraeththu Histories Storm Constantine 9780954503666 Books

Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 9/10

PROS:
- The characters in these later books (the Histories) seem more personable to me than many of the characters in the original Wraeththu trilogy. Their reactions are more humanlike and less removed, less controlled. Even the older characters who were present in the original books seem less distant in these volumes.
- Constantine's writing is amazing: not only is her characterization deep, but her descriptions of physical settings and abstract, metaphysical ideas are lyrical and captivating.
- One of my favorite aspects of the Wraeththu series is the romantic relationships that emerge, and I was delighted by several of the pairings that occur in this book. One character in particular has been present since the first book and finally finds his chesnari (partner/soul mate) in this book.
- With each new Wraeththu volume I read, I find it incredibly interesting to see how much further Constantine develops the story--how the new characters turn out (especially when they're the children of existing characters), what new plot developments will happen, how everything ties into the original stories, etc.
- The author includes explanations of essential events from the earlier books when such information is necessary to keep new readers from getting confused. I thought her inclusion of these explanations was less intrusive in this volume than in the first Histories book, The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure: The First Book of the Wraeththu Histories.

CONS:
- One of my least favorite features of the original series is present in this book also. Two of the characters who have been through hell and back and are finally united at the end of the original trilogy are once again separated for the majority of this book. Not just separated physically, either: throughout this story, each of them doubts repeatedly whether the other is still in love with him. Angst is much more prevalent in this book than previous ones.
- Sometimes it's hard to see how all of the disparate storylines fit together, and I found it difficult to get through certain chapters because I simply wasn't as interested in the characters in them as I was in the characters of other chapters.

Overall comments: I adore this series. The world Constantine has created becomes grander and more beautiful with each additional volume, and she continues to add multi-layered characters at such a rate that I've reached a point where I'm starting to have a hard time keeping track of everyone. I didn't wholeheartedly enjoy reading the parts of this story in which the characters are so emotionally miserable, but it ends well, and I'm now looking forward to reading the final installment.


Tags : The Shades of Time and Memory: UK Edition Bk. 2 (Wraeththu Histories) [Storm Constantine] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Book by Storm Constantine,Storm Constantine,The Shades of Time and Memory: UK Edition Bk. 2 (Wraeththu Histories),Immanion Press,095450366X,Fiction,Science Fiction,Fantasy

The Shades of Time and Memory UK Edition Bk 2 Wraeththu Histories Storm Constantine 9780954503666 Books Reviews

Pros Compelling old and new characters, improved writing style, understandable story line, increased maturity of attitude.

Cons The amount of head hopping is a bit distracting, could be expanded more.

I was pleased with the "The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure" largely because I thought that the writing style was improved from the original trilogy and the characters' attitudes toward love were more mature and realistic. "The Shades of Time and Memory" continues in this same vein, but it takes up the story where the original series left off.

In "Shades", Pell and Cal are finally reunited, but they begin to question their relationship -- they've been apart for thirty years. Are they really in love with one another or just in love with a memory or an ideal that never existed? As they try to figure all this out, the Gelaming are threatened by Ponclast, a dark leader of a violent tribe long thought to be vanquished. I must say that "Shades" has the most coherent, cohesive storyline of any Wraeththu book yet. There is a clear enemy in this book that must be fought through clearly articulated magical means. There is no purposeless wandering in the desert while the protagonists attempt to attain some sort magical rank whose significance is unclear.

Storm's writing continues to improve by leaps and bounds, but, as always, the highlight of the book is the characters. When many fantasy novels move on to the "next generation", I find that the next generation is not nearly as interesting as the first. That is not the case here. Moon, Tyson, Abrimel and the rest are every bit as interesting as the older characters even if I would like it if a little more time was spent with them. The fact that Wraeththu seem to be ageless, however, means that the older characters are not shuffled to the side. Pell and Cal are still at the center of this story and Storm doesn't disappoint with their characters. One of the messages of this "Histories" series is that there are no happy endings -- life just goes on. This is shown with the two main characters and their relationship seems to evolve into a mature, real thing complete with disagreements and regrets, but if anything that just makes me want to see them together more.

My only real complaint about the book is that the viewpoint switches from character to character too often. I really think that Storm has so many characters by this point that it is hard to do them all justice. If she had expanded this single book into a trilogy, then she could have fleshed out all the characters and expanded the conflict. As it is, she often writes scenes that are little more than a page long from a character's point of view and we might not hear from that character again for another fifty pages or so which is distracting.

I really do think that these Wraeththu "Histories" are a bit too loosely connected. This book could have been a trilogy all on its own with the third History "The Ghosts of Blood and Innocence" comprising an entirely different series and the first History "The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure" (which is excellent, by the way) being a stand alone side novel.

But I can't knock a great novel too much even if I wish there were more of it. 5- stars.
Warning This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating 9/10

PROS
- The characters in these later books (the Histories) seem more personable to me than many of the characters in the original Wraeththu trilogy. Their reactions are more humanlike and less removed, less controlled. Even the older characters who were present in the original books seem less distant in these volumes.
- Constantine's writing is amazing not only is her characterization deep, but her descriptions of physical settings and abstract, metaphysical ideas are lyrical and captivating.
- One of my favorite aspects of the Wraeththu series is the romantic relationships that emerge, and I was delighted by several of the pairings that occur in this book. One character in particular has been present since the first book and finally finds his chesnari (partner/soul mate) in this book.
- With each new Wraeththu volume I read, I find it incredibly interesting to see how much further Constantine develops the story--how the new characters turn out (especially when they're the children of existing characters), what new plot developments will happen, how everything ties into the original stories, etc.
- The author includes explanations of essential events from the earlier books when such information is necessary to keep new readers from getting confused. I thought her inclusion of these explanations was less intrusive in this volume than in the first Histories book, The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure The First Book of the Wraeththu Histories.

CONS
- One of my least favorite features of the original series is present in this book also. Two of the characters who have been through hell and back and are finally united at the end of the original trilogy are once again separated for the majority of this book. Not just separated physically, either throughout this story, each of them doubts repeatedly whether the other is still in love with him. Angst is much more prevalent in this book than previous ones.
- Sometimes it's hard to see how all of the disparate storylines fit together, and I found it difficult to get through certain chapters because I simply wasn't as interested in the characters in them as I was in the characters of other chapters.

Overall comments I adore this series. The world Constantine has created becomes grander and more beautiful with each additional volume, and she continues to add multi-layered characters at such a rate that I've reached a point where I'm starting to have a hard time keeping track of everyone. I didn't wholeheartedly enjoy reading the parts of this story in which the characters are so emotionally miserable, but it ends well, and I'm now looking forward to reading the final installment.