Dragonclaw / Kate Forsyth

Dragonclaw

category: fantasy, author:

Kate Forsyth

book 1 of Witches of Eileanan
original copyright 1997,
read in Jan 2011

Agamedes' opinion: 5 out of 10

Warning: This is not a novel! It is not even one book of a trilogy... It is the first volume of a three (or more?) volume story.

Yes, it's one of those annoying books which ends with a cliff-hanger. Or several.

Okay, I did enjoy reading this book. Until about page 400 of 500 -- when I thought, There is no way that this plot can wrap itself up in just 100 more pages...

A dead giveaway, really: A group of new characters being introduced at what should have been a build-up to a climax. And all these characters did, was to meet other characters and escape from an evil city... No link to any previous action. No link to any subsequent action, either...

From there, Forsyth introduced yet another set of characters... Introduced them, then left them.

Is there a plot? Or has Forsyth simply written a series of loosely connected escapades, leading nowhere... Will the next... five! ... books lead anywhere? Who knows? Who cares.

The book itself is entertaining enough. For those who like comparisons:

Dragonclaw is similar to The Dark Age. Both target young, female readers. Both are based on centuries-old myths. The Dark Age is a novel with a clear plot, a beginning, middle and end. Dragonclaw is the beginning of a story, with multiple threads very loosely linked, several beginnings and no end.

Age is almost childish in the way problems are resolved, with warm feelings and simple solutions. Claw has the same simplicity of solutions but a little more conflict. And a touch more violence... Although it seems clear that one character has been introduced just to heal the main heroine; the only question is, how long will the healing be delayed?

Age is based on myths, history and mythical history. Claw is based only on myths -- perhaps this is a strength, the movement of the myths to a new planet. Unfortunately, that introduces another problem:

Dragonclaw takes place on a world where humans and human witches arrived from Earth and settled in a land populated by indigenous faeries. The word "invasion" is totally appropriate: The witches went in with all spells blazing and forced the locals out of their traditional lands. More recently, the human invaders have (not entirely of their own choice) begun a campaign of extermination against both faeries and witches.

Are we meant to sympathise with someone here?

The most likely contenders for sympathy are the currently-being-persecuted witches. Yet these are witches with questionable standards. For instance...

The sweet old dear who is really the supremely powerful head witch is a vegetarian. A proselytising vegetarian. She gets cross at humans who eat meat... Yet she is quite happy to be friendly with the carnivorous animals. Double standards?

When the witches make magic together, they are naked. Why? Individually, they cast great spells while fully clothed... Is group nudity a marketing strategy?

Witches don't cut their hair... Hair dragging down behind the backside is a sure sign of witchhood. Any stray strand of hair -- in the hands of an enemy -- gives power over the witch. So why don't the witches cut their hair?! Arrogance? Stupidity? No idea.

As I said, this book is quite enjoyable. Characters so cute that you can't help but like them. Challenges which are overcome within a chapter or so. But a weak series of plots and no ending.

All adds up to a book worth reading... when there's nothing better.

Still... Perhaps if I read all six books... it may be worth the effort?!

..o0o..

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