Prequel novella to Goddard’s Greenwing and Dart series, exploring the character of Hal, who is quite aware of his responsibilities as the next Imperial Duke and is very solemn about seeing them through. He pops into the series quite fully-formed so it’s interesting to see where he came from, and the sorts of decisions he had to make to get where he is in the main storyline.
Tag: author-victoria goddard
The Tower at the Edge of the World, by Victoria Goddard
Prequel of sorts to The Hands of the Emperor, though it makes more sense if you read Hands first. This novella details Artorin’s time as the Marwn, the “spare” heir to the throne, and how he dealt with the mental and magical burden of that enforced loneliness. It’s an challenging viewpoint from which to write, since as the Marwn he is robbed of anything like a personal identity; however, it’s neat to watch as his essential mischief and curiosity manages to penetrate the smothering magic around him.
The Return of Fitzroy Angursell, by Victoria Goddard
This novella takes place between The Hands of the Emperor and At the Feet of the Sun, and I wish I’d read it before the latter, since it does a lot to establish the character of Artorin. He does experience a significant change at the end of the first book, and the contrast that it created in his character between the first and second books was quite jarring to me as a reader. This novella is written from his point of view and details his immediate experiences after the conclusion of the first book, and sets him on the path to becoming who he is in the second; he also meets up with a few of the Red Company. It honestly felt a bit unfinished, as there were more of the Red Company left to meet, and more stories of their meetings yet to tell; however, Artorin does make enough of a peace with his new self to make the ending acceptable. Certain chapters will make a ton more sense to anyone who’s also read Goddard’s Greenwing & Dart series.
The Warrior of the Third Veil, by Victoria Goddard
This novella, book 2 of the Sisters Avramapul, is about the return home of the warrior Pali Avramapul and her sister Sardeet, the widow of a god. It details with their unorthodox return to their roots and how they must define their new roles, having left under different circumstances and as very different people. Not actually a lot of action compared to the prequel, but plenty of soul-searching, character growth, and consequential decisions. I didn’t actually much like Pali from her appearances in the other books, and this account warmed me to her.
The Saint of the Bookstore, by Victoria Goddard
Sister Mirabelle is sent to a town to investigate mysteries of saints and miracles, and finds far more than she expected. A sweet, cozy little addition to the series that works well as an introduction, even though it occurs late in the series timeline; it adds dimension to the characters to see them through the eyes of a newcomer, and gives perspective to the crazy things they’ve been through. (And it really makes me wish there were more novels in the series! I’m not usually the kind of fan who bothers authors to write more faster, but this really does whet the appetite for more Greenwing and Dart books. Especially as she hints at a relationship that wasn’t obvious in the main storyline.)
At the Feet of the Sun, by Victoria Goddard
Sequel to The Hands of the Emperor, which is one of my favorite books of all time and therefore admittedly a hard act to follow. Sadly, I found this one a bit of a drag. Both Cliopher and the former Emperor, layered and powerful characters from the previous books, find themselves struggling to come to terms with their new circumstances and relationship, which is doubly frustrating when you consider how effortlessly they managed to communicate in the prequel. Cliopher’s journey also expands, from reclaiming the myths of his heritage to actually expanding them, which (although beautifully rendered by Goddard) didn’t really work for me either. Although I liked the characters’ arcs, I feel like they could have gotten to the same place with half the melodrama.
Plum Duff, by Victoria Goddard
This book (6th in the Greenwing and Dart series) takes place during the leadup to Winterturn, which is obviously a Christmas analogue; it’s all snow and gifts and wild magic, driving back the dark, and getting ready for the turning of the year. It honestly felt quite a bit like Susan Cooper’s Dark is Rising. Goddard’s universe, which already involved old and new gods and religions, suddenly expands to include fairies, which took me a bit aback; however, it’s of a piece with the general theme of “weird stuff happens around Jemis Greenwing” so it’s easy to roll with.
Love-in-a-Mist, by Victoria Goddard
Book 5 of the Greenwing and Dart series finds our heroes forced to take shelter from the storm in a creepy old mansion, where the family of the local lord have gathered to compete for the inheritance, excuse me, I mean demonstrate their love and respect for their aging relative. Polite, barbed discussion of class and noblesse oblige ensue, and the reader will not be surprised when a dead body appears…. but there is also magic, mischief, young love, family secrets, and a baby unicorn. There’s one more in the series (so far), and Goddard has set up plot points so beautifully that someday I will have to go back and read them all again.
Blackcurrant Fool, by Victoria Goddard
Book 4 of Greenwing and Dart; how silly I was to think that all of Jemis Greenwing’s problems were resolved in the previous book. He and Dart travel to a bigger city, where corruption simmers beneath the surface and opposing groups jockey for power; all they want is to do their business and be gone, but Jemis’ vindictive ex-girlfriend from university has gained quite a position of influence in the city and isn’t as interested in putting the past behind her. They find themselves entangled in a tricky situation where Jemis’ doctoral dissertation on architectural poetry, and his vulnerability to a dangerous drug, merge to move the story in unexpectedly poignant and urgent ways. I loved this but the plot definitely took an interesting turn towards the end (and there are still so many unanswered questions about the city). I’ve been trying to parcel out the Greenwing and Dart books slowly, so as to savor them, but it’s going to be hard to wait an entire month before I pull up the next one.
Stone Speaks to Stone, by Victoria Goddard
Novella, book (as the author says) 1.5 of Greenwing and Dart, though I liked having read it between 3 and 4; it fits a lot better there. This one is about Mad Jack Greenwing, Jemis Greenwing’s father, and details his heroics during one part of the war. I liked how Jack’s actions were unquestionably brave, but his internal narration made it clear how much effort it took for him to put himself in danger, knowing he had a wife and young son back home.