F/SF

Het vierde deel was weer wat luchtiger van toon dan "Vuurzee". Ik vond het tot nu toe het leukste deel. Dat kwam vooral door de drie vriendinnen, maar ook door de uitgebreide rol van Alfred, die
eindelijk zijn mede Sartanen tegenkomt, maar toch nog lelijk op zijn neus kijkt. En dat hij verliefd wordt vind ik zo schattig! In dit boek zijn er ook wat meer karakters met een beetje diepgang, wat het verhaal ten goede komt. Ook wordt de plot steeds interessanter, doordat de Sartanen en de Patrijnen nog meer "grijs" worden. Geen van beide rassen blijkt alleen het goede of het kwade na te streven. Beide rassen hebben de potentie tot goed en kwaad en dat maakt dat het verhaal nu pas echt uit de verf begint te komen.


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Haplo, el patryn, cruza una vez más la Puerta de la Muerte para continuar la exploración de los mundos en los que los sartán, hace milenios, dividieron el universo original. Enviado para preparar la venida del Señor del Nexo, Haplo viaja en esta ocasión a Chelestra, el mundo del agua, donde una serie de islas sumergidas flota en torno a un sol interior. Éste es un lugar donde humanos, elfos y enanos han aprendido a vivir en paz y han colaborado mucho tiempo en la construcción de naves que los llevan a lugar seguro cuando el sol se aleja demasiado de la luna-isla donde habitan.

This is the fourth book in the Death Gate Cycle, set on Chelestra, Realm of Sea, the last of the four worlds created by the Sartan during the Sundering of the Old World in their battle against the Patryns.

The narrative is interwoven with the personal diary of Grundle (who is just awesome!), daughter and heir to the leaders of Chelestra's Dwarven population. Grundle tells us her account of how the Human, Dwarven and Elven inhabitants of Chelestra are in danger of freezing as their seasun moves away from the seamoon on which they live. How the Dwarves were commissioned to build vessels to migrate to another seamoon which were destroyed and how Grundle and her friends encounter Haplo on their adventures.

Meanwhile, Alfred, the last remaining Sartan, also ends up on Chelestra and is reunited with others of his kind, including Samah, who initiated the Sundering and has been in suspended animation since.

With this book, the characters of Haplo and Alfred become more complex. Dog also makes a reappearance and we learn more about Xar. This book is entertaining, action packed and gut-wrenching with original world building and nuanced secondary characters. ( )

Haplo without his dog (his Lord Xar was not impressed with his conduct in the last book) travels the last of the Sundered worlds - Water. This is perhaps the most inventive of the four, and introduces the true antagonists, neither Patryn or Sartan, but Fizban's (fortunately not present) nemesis true evil in the hearts of all intelligent beings. Driven by Fear and hence it's associated emotions of hatred, chaos etc. the beings are invidious and seek to corrupt all counsels and guidance of the wise.

Haplo also discovers the remainder of the true Sartan. They are very different from Alfred who is also present. And a prime candidate for the snakes to fan the flame sof fear between the races. The Mensch have up until now being living in peace and harmony together. As the travelling sun in the center of the world moves on the Mensch need to migrate to the Sartan's landmass. Haplo no longer seeks discord at every turn, having met the snakes he's much more concerned with thwarting them than his Lord's wishes. And Alfred has his dog! Alfred has his own problems quickly falling foul of the Sartan leader's fear of Patryn.

Haplo's more divided conscience is more interesting than in previous novels, and Alfred's part will also be of note. I'm always less convinced by manifestations of pure evil, but the snakes are at least clever about it, wishing to survive on fear rather than just slaughter. It's not clear why the seawater has anti-magic properties, nor why the Sartan were so surprised by this.

A fair continuation of the series. ( )