ISBN: 0-451-45835-4 Order from: Amazon.com
An uneven fantasy, combining dark tone with attributes of a juvenile, this second adventure of the teenage Rani has suspense but lacks in excitement or color.
Reviewed by David on September 27, 2001
Genre: Fantasy (War, Juvenile)
Synopsis: Rani Trader, having barely survived involvement in civil war and treachery in Glasswrights' Apprentice, has suffered dearly. Her guild wiped out, her family gone, she has achieved a place of security and influence at last. A friend to the King Hal, put in charge of rebuilding the Glasswrights' Guild, and a member of the court, Ranita seems on her way up. But the position is precarious. The old nobles resent Ranita and her friends' humble origin. King Halaravilli is inexperienced and has a reputation of simple-mindness to overcome to win the support of his nobles and defend his country from the predations of his neighbors. Worst of all, Rani is hated by the King's adopted brother, who is involved in his own deadly intrigue. Both her position and her life are in danger, but even more, her country is in jeapardy as well—from a deadly, ambitious ruler, a talented and amoral inventor, and a pitiful and terrifying army.
Full Review: The fantasy is strangely uneven, with elements of a juvenile in simplistic behavior and its teenage main characters; combined with dark, realistic portrayal of cynical power, destruction and blind loyalty. The glass-making, in the title of the book, plays almost no role in the noval. There is also practically no magic or other fantastic elements. Instead, there are interesting religions and philosophies, plots and politics. The latter, while solid and innovative, produce a rather bleak plot, with Rani a passive victim for most of the book.
This dark tone, while realistic to the subject at hand, makes for a less-than-enjoyable fantasy. While intteresting in an anthropological sense, the societies portrayed are not enlivened by magic and thus disappoint a reader of fantasy.
Overall: 5; Plot: 4; Characters: 4.5; Style: 4.5; World-building: 5.5; Originality: 5;
Copyright date 2001, Penguin Group (Roc), July 2001, Mass market paperback, 343 pages
ISBN: 0-451-45835-4 Order from: Amazon.com