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    Banewreaker: Volume I of The Sundering
    Banewreaker: Volume I of The Sundering
    Banewreaker: Volume I of The Sundering
    Audiobook19 hours

    Banewreaker: Volume I of The Sundering

    Written by Jacqueline Carey

    Narrated by Antony Ferguson

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Once, the Seven Shapers dwelled in accord. First-born among them was Haomane, Lord-of-Thought and with his brother and sister gods, the Seven drew upon of the power of the Souma, claimed a race of beings for their own and began Shaping the world to their will.

    But Haomane saw the ways of this new world and was displeased. For in his younger brother Satoris, once called the Sower, Haomane thought too prideful and in his gift, the quickening of the flesh too freely to the races . . . and to that of Man in particular. Haomane asked Satoris to withdraw his Gift from Men but he refused. And so began the Shapers' War.

    Eons have passed. The war that ensued Sundered the very world. Haomane and his siblings lay to one end of a vast ocean unable to touch their creations, Satoris and the races of the world on the other. Satoris has been broken and left adrift among the peoples of the world and is reviled, with most of the races believing that it was he alone who caused the rift and depriving them of the balm of the Seven. He sits in Darkhaven, controlling his own dominion-seeking not victory but neither vengeance.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateDec 19, 2017
    ISBN9781541489721
    Banewreaker: Volume I of The Sundering
    Author

    Jacqueline Carey

    New York Times bestselling author Jacqueline Carey was born in 1964. After receiving BA degrees in Psychology and English Literature, she embarked on a writing career. Kushiel’s Avatar is her third fantasy novel, completing the Kushiel’s Legacy trilogy, which also includes Kushiel's Dart and Kushiel's Chosen.

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    Reviews for Banewreaker

    3.5/5

    285 ratings15 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I really wanted to like this, I expected to like it, having read and loved 5 of Carey's Kushiel's series. But I really didn't enjoy this book. Especially the first third was torturous slow going. I thought about giving up on it, but I just couldn't believe I would like this book so much less than the other books I read by the same author. I'm not sure what it was, maybe because I disliked the majority of the cast. Or maybe the story just didn't appeal to me. Whatever it was, I'm glad I finally finished this and I won't be continuing with the next installment.
    • 4/5
      I was a sucker for the whole "lord of the rings-esque story from the perspective of the villains" concept, so that gave it points from the start. I really enjoyed the book. Good pacing and an interesting world. The characters were just alright--I felt like they could have been developed to be a little more interesting. Even the bad guys seemed to fall back on misunderstood anti-hero stereotypes a bit more often than I liked. And I missed the presence of a really interesting, strong female character. Maidens in distress and brave-but-boring archer heroines just did not do it for me and I expected more from Carey. The sorceress was the most interesting character, but she lacked really any agency, compared to all the other characters.

      Still, I enjoyed the book. I'll still read the sequel, but I'm hoping the characters improve and the women are given a little bit more to do in their own right.
    • 4/5
      starts very slow, and the language is stilted. but it gets better. the setup is not uninteresting: a god figure drives his brother out for the gifts he gave this world, which number among them creation, compassion, and knowledge; the brother, a benign version of Lucifer, reviled, is cast down, banished, but still holding to his best self, only to see those races he has gifted and protected turn on him at the behest of his brother. he and his lieutenants, Three who were once mortal, are powerful characters damaged and damned through no fault of their own, and they are driven to make some questionable decisions as survival and the greater good become an issue. and the various races created by the gods, pawns in this war, are all compelling in their differences, even the least of them portrayed as profoundly human in the best sense, however alien their thought, even when they are forced by events into betrayal. and there are many wild cards, who may yet change the seemingly inevitable end to the conflict, including some fascinating dragons. so this is a series that desperately needed a stronger editorial hand at the beginning, but may grow into itself if both characters and world expand into a compelling story.
    • 5/5
      Sequel please!
    • 5/5
      Summary: In ages past, the seven Shapers made the world and all of the beings who dwelt therein. Haomane, Lord of Thought, eldest of the Shapers, and creator of the Ellylon, became angry with Sartoris, who would not withdraw his gift of quickening from their sister's children, the race of Man. In their struggles, the world was sundered, and Sartoris separated from the rest of his siblings, to dwell in exile. But while he holds Banewreaker, a blade capable of killing even a Shaper, Haomane can make no overt move against him, and so he bides in his stronghold of Darkhaven, along with his three lieutenants, men who left mortality behind when they swore to the Sunderer's service.However, there is a prophecy that predicts Sartoris's downfall, a prophecy which speaks, among other things, of a wedding of a daughter of the Ellylon and a son of the lineage of mortal kings. Sartoris sends his general, Tanaros, to disrupt the wedding and kidnap the Ellylon bride, Cerelinde. Tanaros does this willingly, but he is haunted by thoughts of his mortal life, and the betrayals he has committed... but is he now keeping faith with the right side?Review: If it's not immediately obvious from my summary, the Sundering duology draws very, very heavily upon Tolkien. And not just in the way that a lot of modern fantasy relies upon Tolkien, but in actual point-by-point plot parallels. The prologue, that describes the Sundering, is more-or-less a direct recap of The Silmarillion, and a lot of the action of the story parallels The Lord of the Rings (right down to the fellowship of good guys that are accompanying an unsophisticated boy who carries an immensely heavy object that is the only way to defeat the bad guy). However, these parallels are clearly intentional, meant as a way of retelling the story from a different perspective, so they read as homage rather than rip-off. And actually, I found the story a lot easier to get through once I stopped looking for direct parallels (an activity hampered by the fact that I haven't read The Silmarillion in six years), and started enjoying the story for its own sake. Carey includes plenty of story elements that have no direct relation to Tolkien's world, and as the story progressed, and I got more and more caught up in *this* world and *these* characters, I started enjoying the story on its own merits, as well as for the light it shines onto the more familiar works.Retelling a story from the bad guy's point of view isn't exactly a new idea - Wicked is the most obvious, though far from the only, example - but I've never before seen it applied to epic fantasy. One of the hallmarks of a lot of epic fantasy is the ultimate battle between the forces of good and the forces of evil, and it's always quite clear who the good guys are, and why they do what they do. What Carey's accomplished with Banewreaker is to turn everything on its head, so that the side with all of the typical bad-guy trappings (land of eternal darkness, giant spiders, wounds weeping black ichor, etc.) are the protagonists, and their motives are completely understandable. Actually, what Carey's done is made the reader (me, at least), want to root for the bad guys. Sartoris is not particularly evil, and just wants to be left alone... and honestly, for all that he's the lord of light and thought and everything, Haomane's kind of a dick. But there's a clear element of tragedy to things as well, because we've all read epic fantasy before, which means we all know that good is ultimately going to win, even though you might actually like the bad guys more. It's a fascinating turnabout, and makes me want to go back and re-read Tolkien with a closer eye on the ostensible bad guys, and see if they're really so bad after all. 4.5 out of 5 stars.Recommendation: It's not a casual read - Carey's language and tone are such that a fair bit of attention and time is required to really get into the story - but I think that most Tolkien fans (particularly those who don't view all derivative works as sacrilege) should enjoy Carey's perspective.
    • 4/5
      Great books, but the 'Kushiel' series is even better. What makes this one really interesting is that the reader gets to see the thoughts and driving forces by the "bad" side.
    • 4/5
      Six Shapers created the world of Urulat but there was a rift between Satoris Third-born and Haomane First-born which broke apart the world. Now Satoris is hated throughout Urulat except by a select few. Tanaros Blacksword leads Satoris’ armies against the allies of Haomane. But things are changing. A red star rises and a prophecy edges towards completion. And when a princess of the Ellyl is captured, Tanaros, who for so long has lived in anger and despair, reaches out to her. Both of them begin to question who is right and who is wrong.Banewreaker is basically Lord of the Rings told from all perspectives, especially that of the bad guys. To do this, Carey sets up her world in direct parallel to LOTR. Meaning there are a lot of similarities. Satoris = Sauron, Darkhaven = Mordor, the Ellyl who are an immortal, beautiful people sundered by the sea = Elves, dwarves = Dwarves, a long lost king of the west who is a border guard = Aragorn, the Ellyl princess he is supposed to marry = Arwen, a rural boy who must carry a burden into the heart of the enemy’s lair = Frodo. Phew.It’s purposely derivative. To a certain extent I felt like Carey laid it on a bit too thick, that she didn’t diverge from any other point except that of perspective. It feels gimmicky. Significant diversion would have ruined the parallels but a bit more would have been nice. It’s not a good sign when you’re rolling your eyes at a plot device because it’s so darn familiar.But as a reworking of LOTR, Carey writes her story with a more feminine touch than most high fantasies. By that I mean that her prose is lusher and more romantic, and she focuses on characters’ feelings and motives rather than just pure action, though she has that too. More importantly, she makes us understand and pity both sides of the war, not just the “good” guys. Races that the fantasy genre typically abhors like the Fjel, who are similar to trolls or orcs, are shown to be people too. There is no good or bad in Carey’s book, only choice. I like that. It breaks high fantasy’s typical black-and-white perspective.Banewreaker is a book that takes a while to warm up to. Initially it seems like just a gimmick but as you read on, that gimmick sprouts branches and depth. It doesn’t completely lose its sense of being a one-trick pony but I’ll be looking for the sequel.
    • 3/5
      This book has a real interesting Good/Evil thread running through it. You're not quite sure the good guys are good and the bad guys are bad, but other than that I just couldn't get engaged in it.
    • 4/5
      This is splendid fantasy – the fantasy of mythology, the fantasy of prophecy, the fantasy of world-shaping; the hubris of gods and their followers, and the consequences of these lofty notions. For, in the making of this world of Urulat, and in the ‘gifts’ shaped into each race by the seven shapers, comes the inevitable sundering.So begins Banewreaker. In the way of epic fantasy a world is made and changed; great wars are fought and the story taken up after many thousands of years of events – prodigious in nature – leading to a prophecy which, if fulfilled, will, in the minds of some, heal the rift in the world.I enjoyed this book because the plot unfolds through the beliefs and opinions of all the protagonists, thus blurring the landscape into a multitude of grey and never favouring one side above the other. This story is bleak in that decisions are made, actions are taken, lives are lost and no satisfaction is gained by any side. The main characters are a mixture of flawed driven personalities: Sartoris Third-born, named Banewreaker, and his immortal three allies, Tanaros Blacksword, Vorax of Staccia and Ushahin Dreamspinner vie with their enemies, which include the Ellylon and the race of men, to thwart the prophecy and their demise by kidnapping the lady of Ellylon. But Malthus, counsellor to Haomane First-born, assembles a company with the power and the desire to bring the prophecy to fruition by other means.I liked the way Carey weaves the other inhabitants of this world into the story, using their unique cultures and abilities to enhance the plot, and bring greater understanding into the reader's mind. There are ravens, there are dwarves, there are desert dwellers and loyal denizens of the deep. And there be dragons - helping to interpret the unfolding pattern!This is a dark tale – no character is beyond redeeming in their nature, none are beyond understanding, all are interesting - a classic tale of good and evil with nothing to distinguish between the two. I’m not sure which side I am favouring; nor am I sure who will prevail. I already have the sequel, Godslayer, open before me so I can find out. Can't wait!
    • 4/5
      Surprisingly enjoyable. I really like the way Carey is turning around a LotR-type tale; to me it's very striking and deep. I also love Carey's writing, in both this and in her Kushiel series. She is very eloquent, in a way that suits her fantasies. I'm looking forward to the next.
    • 3/5
      didn't like this book nearly as much as I enjoyed the Kushiel series, and I'm not really sure why. It may be that this is more like epic fantasy, which is something I tend to shy away from.Also, I just could not manage to bring myself to like any of the characters. This was at least partially because every time I did find myself liking one, he/she got killed off.I understand this is the point of the book, to question what is good and what is evil...but the whole book seemed very depressing. All the characters were in turmoil, and NONE of them were content (well, except maybe the Fjeltroll). Although the plot bore no resemblance, and the writing was MUCH better, the feel of the book reminded me a lot of the Wheel of Time series, with the way I wanted to scream at the characters.I will probably buy the second one in the series, because I enjoyed it enough to want to know what happens next.
    • 5/5
      A deliberately derivative mythology that has remarkable, unique elements of its own; a shadow tale of the Tolkien quest that gives us the hearts and minds of every side, most significantly that of the Enemy. This is a heavy, portentous read that nonetheless carries you along, aching all the while.
    • 4/5
      Carey, author of the Kushiel series, takes on mythology. In this, the first of a series, a world was sundered years ago during the seven Shapers war. One shaper was left on the world while the others fled to an island. A prophecy that could bring an end to the world is now in the process of being fulfilled.Carey does a good job of introducing the characters and storyline – this takes up most of the book. I look forward to the next book in the series.
    • 5/5
      I loved these beyond reason. Carey’s French/fantasy/pain-slave thing never appealed to me, but these two books were awesome – and take note, Carey finished her story in two books because that’s the story she had; she didn’t stretch it needlessly into a trilogy. There’s an Amazon review suggesting the story owes too much to LoTR, and, though I don’t generally believe in misreading, that reviewer seriously missed the point. This is a critique of LoTR, written from the bad guys’ perspective, making you root for them without ever disavowing their status as bad guys. They kill people because it’s easier than leaving them alive; one of their main allies, the Sorceress, warps her servants’ wills for her own pleasure; they resist the will of the gods. And yet – and yet – they stand for free will (setting the Sorceress aside, which you really can’t, which is part of why they’re still the bad guys), while the good guys soldier on in smug certainty that they are merely tools of a greater prophecy.The books are specifically a revisioning of LoTR: There are shining elves whose numbers are waning as humankind waxes; there are orcs; there is a small mixed-race party assembled by a great sorceror to take the (Ring)Water-bearer deep into the Enemy’s lands where only he can destroy the source of the Enemy’s power. There are few female characters of note – an elven princess promised to a human man to fulfill prophecy, an unusual warrior, and the Sorceress, who’s the only one who notices the sexism behind the good guys’ social structure. Though she is never presented as a moral person, Carey writes her skillfully enough that her perspective – including her anguish at the casual condescension with which the good guys treat her – is always fascinating and painful to share. Main POV characters include the elven princess, the Water-bearer, and Faux-Sauron’s chief military commander, who has reasons of his own for being on the bad guys’ side but whose wounded heart is stirred to life by the princess.The basic question throughout is whether the prophecy telling of the events that will precede Faux-Sauron’s destruction will come true. By lodging us so firmly in the hearts of the bad guys, Carey creates incredible tension, making the old tropes new again. Each line of prophecy, each step towards destruction, is like the tolling of a great clock. Each time, there is a partial loss, but maybe the next thing won’t come true; maybe the last bell won’t toll. This structure creates incredible pressure on the ending, and I can see how some readers wouldn’t find the resolution satisfying. Though it’s a bit of a let-down, it’s hard to see how it couldn’t be after 800 pages of blood pressure-raising screw-tightening. I myself found the ending perfectly acceptable – but the point here is the journey. Come see Mordor, from the spiders’ side this time. Consider again how you know which side is in the right – the side brimming with golden certainty and godly mandate, or the side that people had to choose to be on?
    • 3/5
      If I come across book two in the library I'd consider reading it, but I would have no real enthuaism for the hunt.I didn't care about the characters, nor did the story of a war of gods being played on a human level move me. It was readable but not memorable.