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Thursday, January 11, 2018

The Complete Morgaine

The Complete Morgaine (Morgaine Cycle)

There are some books I've always wanted to read but just never have. The Morgaine books by C.J. Cherryh are among those. The plot is one that has always appealed- a woman who must travel from world to world, closing the Gates that are disrupting time and space- that pretty much had me right there. For some reason however I never got around to these. I've owned various copies over the years, from used bookstores, and lost them in moves and such- but with Vintage SciFi Month here they came to mind again. And the books have just been released in an omnibus edition- The Complete Morgaine. Naturally I snatched it up, and dove in- and am glad I did. 

The Morgaine series consists of four books- Gate of Ivrel, Well of Shiuan, Fires of Azeroth, and Exile's Gate. They are the story of Morgaine, a woman who is the last surviving member of an expedition sent to close the Gates. The Gates have been around for millenia and were the cornerstone of a great empire that spanned the stars- but when someone went back in time and changed... something... all  of reality began to unravel. It was expected that this expedition would never return, and that it might even span generations to accomplish its task. 

This is not only Morgaine's story, however. The first book introduces us to Vanye, a man who is exiled for kinslaying. He wanders alone until he chances upon Morgaine coming through a Gate- it has been a hundred years since anyone has seen her, although for her it has only been months. She claims Vanye as an ilin, someone who will owe her a years service- as an exile he must honor that claiming. And so begins a fascinating relationship that explores the bounds of honor, duty and sacrifice. 

Vanye fears Morgaine at first, and obeys her because honor demands he must- and she sees him as a tool only, someone who can help her navigate his world as she seeks to close a Gate. Over time they begin to have regard for each other, and their bond becomes something more than just duty and honor. Always though the objective remains- the Gates must be closed. To do so Morgaine will sacrifice anything- herself, Vanye, anyone. There are so many times I wanted to get into Morgaine's head, to get answers- but the story is told from Vanye's perspective, and there is more mystery to it that way. I loved seeing how their relationship developed- from strangers to friends to an unshakable bond that transcends worlds. And the ending of the first book is one of the more enjoyable and thought provoking endings I've read in some time. 

There are so many beautiful moments in these books. In book two they are on a world of riven moons, a world where floodwaters are rising, and they look up and see the moon fragments bathed in moondust. The books explore honor and duty and Vanye is compelled to keep his oath to Morgaine, even if it means dooming an entire world. How far must one go to honor an oath, measured against human lives? And when the villain they pursue appeals to Vanye to save these people, what choice can be made? 

I think the third book- Fires of Azeroth- is my favorite of the bunch. I found that world the most interesting and also enjoyed how the villain's motivations were called into question, and the surprising twist to his story. The book ended well also, and I can see why the author considered the story told at that point. In many ways I would have been satisfied to leave it there, but the fourth book picks up right after the third one although it was written years later, and to some extent I found it unnecessary. 

If there is a weakness to the books it is the same thing as the books' strength- the interaction between Morgaine and Vanye. This is a story of their relationship and how it grows as much as it is about Gates and adventure. I enjoyed the nuances and growth, of getting to know them as people, but but if you're more interested in straight up action then the personality stuff might get tedious by the fourth book. I would have been happy to leave their story as complete after the third book, it just has closure- but I'm glad I read these and highly recommend them if you enjoy a mix of science fiction and fantasy with well rounded characters.  

FURTHER DISCUSSION

I know not everyone likes long reviews so feel free to skip this if desired, I just wanted to share more thoughts on the series. Feel free to comment and discuss, whether you've read these or not. Do you like complex character development as a focus of a fantasy story or are you more interested in plot? 

One of the compelling things about this series is the villain Roh who enhances his lifespan by taking others' bodies. As ruthless a villain as he is, he often is the means by which Vanye survives, and they have a curious relationship as well. Roh was his kinsman- the man who took his cousins body is his cousin, to a certain extent- their personalities merge over time- and while Vanye is honor bound to kill Roh at Morgaine's command, he also finds himself allied with Roh at times due to events. 

How far should one go to honor an oath?  Would you let others die if it was necessary to fulfill that oath? Vanye's society holds oaths as sacred, and he really struggles with balancing that against the needs of those who are caught up in Morgaine's wake. Everywhere she goes death and destruction seem to follow, not because she is evil but because she is focused on her task- closing the Gates- and nothing else matters. To not do so, to fail, means all reality could collapse- so she does not have the luxury of choosing this or that. She does what she must. And Vanye must follow her on faith. 

23 comments:

  1. "...riven moons, a world where floodwaters are rising, and they look up and see the moon fragments bathed in moondust." This sounds beautiful! I love a good fantasy book, especially when they are written well.

    I think I prefer character development over plot, but I'd rather have both. It's just that I can love characters and still enjoy a mediocre story, but if characters are poorly written, it doesn't matter how amazing the story is.

    It sounds like an interesting series!
    Do You Dog-ear?

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    1. There are some beautiful moments in these. Especially since each one takes place in a different world. And I love good character development- a good plot is awesome, but I love characters. :)

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  2. I don't read a ton of fantasy books, but in general, I really do like well rounded characters so that's probably what I'd go for first. I'm glad you got to read these and really enjoyed it!

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. Thanks Lauren! The characters really make this series :)

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  3. I’m glad you finally got to this series. I haven’t ever heard of it but I know how it feels to tick off a series you've been wanting to read forever.

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    1. Exactly. I'm glad I finally read them too- old school SF can be iffy but these were a win for me :)

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  4. I so wish I could read high fantasy! They always sound SO GOOD!

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    1. I thought you did read some! These aren't so much high fantasy as maybe space fantasy- although now that I think about it, they do have a lot of fantasy trappings.

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  5. The fantasy genre is really tough for me. I get bogged down in the world building details. I need at least one character to latch on to to make me care about the outcome.

    Roh and Vanye seem to have a complex/morally ambiguous relationship and I do like that.

    <a href="http://http://www.fwiwreviews.net/</a>

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    1. Vanye might work in that regard, but I totally get what you're saying. So much fantasy is world building sometimes that it's easy to get bogged down!

      Roh and Vanye's relationship was the biggest surprise of the series for me!

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  6. it's sounds like a rich series but well as for your question I confess that I don't read a lot of fantasy. It's not my fave genre but I think the development of characters is always interesting

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    1. I like character development and when paired with a fascinating premise like this, it can be so fun!

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  7. Never even heard of these! cool :)

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  8. It's always hit or miss when an author decides to do "one more book" when the series is kind of done. Sounds like maybe she should have moved on, but I imagine that's easier said than done. Still, it sounds good!

    I need the character development, honestly. I can't take *too* much plot, if that makes sense? Like- I guess I need a balance. Of course I don't want a fantasy to be only character-driven, but if I don't love the characters, I also find myself not caring about the plot very much.

    Does he take over the bodies like Travelers?! Seems rude either way. As for the oath thing, I think the context matters. Like- if it is killing one person for the greater good... I suppose I can see the reason to honor that. But if it's killing for revenge, or something along those lines, then really it was a shitty oath to take in the first place, and good that the character changed their mind, frankly. In this case, it sounds like it is absolutely NOT for any greater good, so no, it needn't be honored, and anyone who'd want it honored anyway is probably kind of an asshat.

    So glad you got to read these since you'd wanted to, and glad that they were good! I love the discussion-review combo, too :D

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    1. Yeah the fourth book came out years later, so who knows why she decided to write another one, but it was kinda unnecessary. And the character development *nods* that's more and more what I like for these days too, even though I love a good plot!

      I'm trying to remember how he does it- I think he takes over the body when they die, so yup it's similar. As for the oaths- it's funny. Morgaine does have a greater good- the stability of reality- so there is that, but Vanye (especially at first) doesn't know jack about that, and really struggles with what to do. :)

      I kinda liked the discussion/ reviews format, I may do it again. :)

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  9. I'm always saying I plan to read more fantasy but I just don't seem to really connect with the genre. It's rare for me to see a plot that really appeals! I'm more action orientated so this one wouldn't be for me! I like the format of your review here...review and discussion is good for casual comment leavers and fans who want to talk about the book themes.

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  10. These are new me and I think I need to add them to my list. I wonder if my library caries them. I too like the premise, and I think I'd enjoy the mix of relationship + action.

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  11. How have I not heard of this series?! It sounds like somehthing that I would enjoy. I will have to keep it in mind.

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  12. This does sound like it would totally your kind of series! Glad you liked it. The relationship dynamic between Morgaine and Vanye sounds interesting w/ the sworn to service thing and how it grows into something stronger. The villain relationship sounds like an interesting one too. I do like character development, even in fantasy. That's why I tend to avoid epic fantasy, I worry it won't be so focused on characters.

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    1. Yeah it does doesn't it? :) The relationship between Morgaine and Vanye is definitely the heart of the series, especially since we don't get Morgaine's POV (and I would have liked to have had it). Especially when they're separated and Vanye gets pulled in all kinds of different directions. Anyway... I agree, epic fantasy often does stint on the development, and I like a little closer look at the characters.

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  13. I'd not heard of this series but it does sound really interesting. I love that Morgaine is a mysterious character as the book is told from another perspective, I think that would be the thing which keeps you reading. I am going to have to check out this retro looking series because it does sound really good. the growing relationship between the two characters and the lengths which they must go to to achieve Morgaine's goal is an interesting one to explore.

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  14. I've read the first two in this series - but I realised that I haven't read the last two! I need to at least track down that final book. I've always loved Cherryh's writing style - she was a breath of fresh air in the science fiction genre where it generally seemed to be ALLL about the worldbuilding. While I love her Rider at the Gate duology, my all-time favourite book of hers is Heavy Time - that opening is fabulous...

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