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| Review Summary |
One of the signs of a great writer is the ability to write something totally different from what you are familar with.Lustbader the man who wrote so thrilling Nicholas Linnear ninja books returns to fantasy in this lavish epic fantasy series called the Pearl. He takes us to the world of Kundalan where it's inhabitants have been enslaved for over a century by the brutal offworld empire of the V'ornn.The Kundalan people who use traditional sorcery and religion see their society undermined from within by evil forces who seek to stop their use of magic.The only hope they have is prophecy of a messiah, The Dar Sala-at who is the only person who can wield the magic powerful enough to save their world! I was totally immersed in this epic saga! Lustbader's world-building skills are tremendous as he takes you step by step into his wondrous world in a story that is equal parts Dune and Wheel of Time.You will watch as scenes of machivellian intrigues among the ruling V'ornn and religious Kundalann people as betrayal and treachery are the norms of this war-torn planet.And you will be shocked by the sinister powers of Gyrgon, the mysterious rulers of the V'ornn. The characters come alive on through the pages of the epic saga:the twin sisters, Giyan and Batta who's destinies with the Dar Sala-at will put them at odds with each other.Eleusis Ashera, the kind-hearted V'ornn regent who's forward thinking policies for the planet seals his doom.The evil Wennn Stogggul, Ashera's most hated rival on the planet. And last but not least, Annon Ashera, Eleusis son, who's transformation will will decide the fate of this world!
Rodney Powell, Resident Scholar
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Tor, May 2001, 27.95, 576 pp.
ISBN: 0312872356
Over a century ago, the vicious V'ornn conquered the peaceful Kundala as the military superiority and the amoral ability to kill overwhelmed the more spiritual people. Brutally enslaved by their conquerors, the Kundala cannot understand why the Goddess Miina abandoned them. The younger Kundala are leaving the ancient beliefs for a new religion as the V'ornn force their culture on the losers with little counter absorption.
Unlike their drones, the V'ornn leadership covet whatever is hidden inside the Kundalan Storehouse where they expect all sorts of sorcery secrets to be found, including eternal life. However they need to find the RING OF FIVE DRAGONS to open the door to the mystical storehouse. If they succeed, will the V'ornn obtain their desires, will they set in motion a doomsday scenario destroying everyone, or will they inadvertently begin the fulfilling of a prophecy that forecasts a Kundalan freedom fighter leading a resistance?
When the RING OF FIVE DRAGONS concentrates on the social interactions and upheavals between the two distinct societies, the novel is a superior fantasy tale. That part of the story line is incredibly insightful as it feels like the German blitzkrieg of Europe, especially when the bellicose V'ornn impact the culture of the pastoral Kundalan. When the story line returns to traditional epic fantasy, it retains its high level of quality and remains a fun to read adventure, but the plot is not any different from some of the other well-written genre tales. Eric Van Lustbader has written a fabulous book that fantasy readers will find entertaining and insightful, but could have been a cultural milestone if it stayed the interrelationship course.
Harriet Klausner
Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 20%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 30%
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- fantasy world/fantasy past
Tech./$$$/Info hunt
Yes
Stealing/recovering/destroying
- magical artifact
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Religious overtones?
Yes
Cultural problems, alien culture
Yes
Culture clash-
- one culture tries to impose its culture on another group
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
- Female
Profession/status:
- champion of justice
- mage/magician
Age:
- a teen
- 20's-30's
Has magical/special powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character:
- fire/lightning/weather cntrl
- can cast many different spells
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
- an entire race
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- dictator
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an above average amount
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Terrain
- Jungle
- Mountains
- Forests
- Domed/Underground City
Earth setting:
- during "Tolkien" (fairytime) times
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body:
- humans in a primitive/fantasy society
- big overbuilt futuristic city
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Planet outside solar system?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately detailed references to deaths
scientific jargon? (SF only)
- some scientific explanation
How much dialogue?
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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