The Deed of Paksenarrion
by Elizabeth Moon
fantasy
books 2 & 3:
(2) Divided Allegiance
copyright 1988, read in May 2018
rated 6/10: read to pass the time
(3) Oath of Gold
copyright 1989, read in June 2018
rated 5/10: readable but only if there's nothing else
... and entirely dependent on the first two books
These two books follow on from Sheepfarmer's Daughter. Daughter can be read by itself. Allegiance can also be read alone, though the ending would be a cliffhanger. Satisfactory but a cliffhanger. Oath makes very little sense by itself, it develops and wraps up the plot of the trilogy. It does, however, leave plenty of room for more books starring "Paks".
Daughter is distinctly a "military" fantasy, the story of soldiers obeying orders. In order to stand out -- to show her initiative -- Paks must be separated from officers.
Allegiance has a few big fights -- but is not "military". The fights are skirmishes rather than battles. Yes, the goodies use formation fighting -- sometimes -- but the enemy are a rabble. Then there is a lot of one-on-one fighting. Plus more involvement of magic.
This second book has a lot more magic. Most of it is fighting magic, mage versus sword-fighter, or healing magic. The heroine begins to call on her patron saint -- and to be answered.
The third book, Oath of Gold, describes the way in which the heroine learns to follow her patron saint, more and more closely. She loses a lot of her ability to think independently; she becomes a sword in the hand of the gods. Yes, it's a logical progression for the trilogy. I prefer characters with an independent will.
The three "Paks" books are enjoyable but progressively less so. The heroine begins as a fighter with some "lucky" breaks. She ends as a weapon being controlled by the gods.
The initial military fantasy, describing humans at war, progressively expands to involve dwarves and elves. And gods-driven heroines.
The real cause of the gradual loss of enjoyment is the increasing level of description of the world. Every road, every house, every tree, all seem to be described. Every fighter, every lord and lady, all are named and related to everyone else. I soon gave up trying to track characters.
I have the feeling that Moon tried to create a world as real as Tolkein's Middle Earth. It is certainly complete, I find it less interesting. And more intrusive.
Finally -- particularly in the third book -- the characters spend more time talking than doing. They can't just pull out the magic sword and say, okay, this person will be king. Noooo... they must first discuss all possibilities, plan a magic-sword-pulling ceremony, name every important person who must be invited to the ceremony... It goes on and on!
All of the points discussed may be important. Certainly, pulling the sword does not end the problems. I just wonder if it could be done with... less words.
I enjoyed the series. The books simply lose some of their excitement as the action is down-played and the mysticism gains prominence. Too little human effort, too much deus ex machina. And the final torture scene could -- in my opinion -- have been less explicit and still as effective.
Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
... Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved
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"That which does not kill us does not kill us." … attributed to Conan the Barbarian
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