A Novel of the Nine Kingdoms Series

Series: Nine Kingdoms

Contents:

A Tapestry of Spells: A Novel of the Nine Kingdoms Book 4

This nuance gives him that tortured hero feel. These contrasts provide a darker, edgier mood within the second trilogy when in comparison to the first—which in my perception was made up of magic, whimsy, and the wondrous discovery of self. I very much appreciated that both Miach, and Ruith are multidimensional characters, and fleshed out in their complexities. I always find it interesting that as a reader I can love both types of hero's equally, when an author does it right.

Kurland is also very clever in the construction of her two female leads. Morgan is not a damsel in distress, by any stretch of the imagination. Orphaned as a child, with no memory of where she came from, she grows into womanhood within the all male equivalent of a training academy. Later she becomes a mercenary trained by the notorious master swordsman Scrimgyour Weger. Any who gaze upon the tiny brand in the shape of a sword above her brow, would think twice before engaging with Morgan in swordplay.

She is rough around the edges, unpolished, and irreverent She has a warrior's heart, and soul filled with light. Morgan's character is transformed completely by the end of the first trilogy, more so than many heroine's I have read about in literature. Despite this, Kurland is somehow able to retain the essence of the woman we were first introduced. Sarah of Doire, by all appearances is the polar opposite of Morgan. She is a true damsel in distress She is the non-magical daughter of a village witch.

Her brother is a blubbering villain true, but has tormented his sister at any given opportunity, throughout childhood. Sarah has lacked a means of escape from the darkness of her existence. Despite having never been shown kindness, warmth, or tenderness—she has a compassionate, fiercely honorable, and selflessly giving nature. It becomes clear rather quickly that Sarah is no wilting flower I would liken her more to tempered steel.

Somehow Sarah has an innate sense of what is right, and what is wrong. So when she discovers her brother's plan to destroy all of the Nine Kingdoms, she sets out to foil his nefarious ploy. Kurland showcases her talent by interweaving the plot of the first trilogy, into the first installment of the second—choosing to have them occur simultaneously. The effect is superbly accomplished in my opinion, and it is an interesting facet to read the nearly subliminal references to the happenstance of the first trilogy.

So far, this series has been a fast paced, and wonderful read since the very first word. I look greatly forward to continuing this journey, and discovering what lies ahead for Miach, Morgan, Ruith and Sarah in the next installment; Spell Weaver. Review also available at The Reading Cafe http: Feb 01, Anne Hamilton rated it really liked it Shelves: Since I hadn't read any of the other books in this series, I wasn't disappointed by the non-appearance of favourite characters, as other reviewers have been.

The opening was a bit disjointed I realise now it was getting me up to speed with other events in this universe but, that aside, the only other grumble I have is that it ended on a cliffhanger.

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The first time I read it, it took me a bit to get into. Sarah, with her simple and humble ambitions, is harder to grasp but interesting in the mystery surrounding the part-dormant part-active powers she's seemed to inherit from her mother. Where Miach was certainly dangerous, and terrifying in all the power he wielded, my perception of him was one of goodness and light. Her brother is a blubbering villain true, but has tormented his sister at any given opportunity, throughout childhood. Especially since, she left us with a huge cliffhanger at the end of this one. But as they pursue the final spells-acquiring strange companions, welcome allies, and unexpected foes along the way-Sarah and Ruith realize that their true quest has only just begun.

Ruith has witnessed the destruction of his family because of his father's arrogant use of magical power. Burying his own talent deep within himsel Since I hadn't read any of the other books in this series, I wasn't disappointed by the non-appearance of favourite characters, as other reviewers have been.

A Tapestry of Spells A Novel of the Nine Kingdoms Book 4

Burying his own talent deep within himself and vowing not to use it, he hides himself in a house on a hill, building a reputation as an unpleasant and uncooperative mage to keep visitors at bay. Until the day that Sarah of Doire knocks on his door. Sarah is the daughter of a village witch; she has no talent herself - a fact she keeps secret - but her inept brother has an ambition to be evil enough to destroy the world. Somehow he has come into the possession of half a spell - a spell of Diminishing which enables him to steal the talent of other mages.

Sarah's arm has been seriously damaged when she accidentally touched the piece of paper with the spell on it. Ruith realises the spell was one of his father's and has come from a dangerous book that was, supposedly, destroyed in a fire. Ruith chases Sarah away but then finds himself following her and fighting his own impulses to return home and have a sip of Master Franciscus' cider and leave Sarah to fight her own battles. Oct 13, Scander rated it really liked it. Kurland continues the excellent 9 Kingdoms series with this next installment. Kurland proves to be a rather skilled fantasy writer and her character development and dialog is quite engaging.

The 9 Kingdoms is an interesting world and I found the book and the two following for this trilogy to be enjoyable. Yes, Kurland is using a familiar formula here. Male protagonist meets female protagonist. They don't like each other at first, but eventually fall in love, etc. Same ol' same ol'! But it works Kurland continues the excellent 9 Kingdoms series with this next installment. But it works and Kurland makes it just different enough that the tales are enjoyable. The romance is light PG rated stuff. There is just enough action and battle to keep it firmly in the fantasy category while still being a romance.

On the plus side, the covers of this series are well done and not awkwardly "Harlequin" and usually display the female or male protagonist in a fantasy setting. Good stuff, though sometimes the courtships last a little too long and there is not enough action.

Still, masterfully written and immersive enough of a world to be quite a good, quick read. If only Kurland would spend more time on action and a bit less on the romance, these stories could be first rate. That said, for a fantasy-romance, these are quite brilliant. Jul 26, Katie McP rated it it was amazing Shelves: First, since some confusion exists regarding the progression of the Nine Kingdom's books, here's a current list as of Jan ' Two Prelude short stories, found in anthologies with other authors: Miac First, since some confusion exists regarding the progression of the Nine Kingdom's books, here's a current list as of Jan ' Miach and Morgan's story is told in: Miach and Morgan being the heroes in the first trilogy.

In those books, Ruith was presumed dead, but there was no proof. A Tapestry of Spells is the first in a new trilogy telling his story. After a prologue which describes the terrible events at the well, Ruith was so horrified by what his father did and so mistrustful of himself, his temper, and his own power that he buried all three near Diore, a village which "lay to the south in the county of Shettlestoune, which found itself comfortably to the south of anywhere else.

To make things even more uncomfortable for him, the silvery ribbon of fate that accompanies her is colored with both the beautiful elvin colors and magic of his Fadairian heritage, but also the darkness embraced by his father, the infamous and thankfully dead Gair of Caingail. Sarah has been carefully hiding both secrets and gold toward the day when she can escape Doire and make a life somewhere without thieves and thorns and everything else that Doire is filled with.

She'd rather weave her patterns of beauty in the kingdom of Neroche, or possible Meith, and hopefully begin the trip there before her brother brings his evil magic home again.

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But Daniel arrives with more than she'd bargained for, forcing her to abandon her carefully laid plans and set out to stop him instead. The result is a quest led by a woman who doesn't seem to have magic, though she does have the steadily-increasing ability to see magic that others have wrought Their aim at first is merely to stop Sarah's brother, but it isn't too long before we discover that Gair of Caingail's reach extends beyond the grave, and only Sarah's sight and Ruith's knowledge of his father are capable of stopping the evil that Gair's spells have planted.

Why do I love it? A Tapestry of Spells is also nicely different from the first trilogy. Ruith is not just another Miach, Sosar, Turah, or whatever other mage or elvin prince you care to name. His fear of what he might do is very real, and his weaknesses and what holds him back are very justified.

Not once did I feel that his character was contrived. Sarah is also quite different, possessing a gift that seems to be quite rare in the Nine Kingdoms Her past is still a mystery, and at this point in the story, we do not even know if she, herself, knows why she has the gift she does. She is fiery and independent without being irritatingly so, and she still has a soft heart. The romance between Ruith and Sarah has only just begun in this story. They are falling for each other, but you will not find even so much as a kiss between these pages.

You WILL, however, be swept into their hearts as those magical first moments of love keep weaving themselves into their quest. I don't want to give it a 5, because this trilogy does not compare to the first Nine Kingdoms trilogy. My only fault with this particular book is that it's a bit slow and repetitious in a few places. I think the story would have been stronger if extra words had been cut out, leaving the same plot told in a more concise way. The beginnings of romance, beautiful writing, and magic moments make up for that, though.

Finally, I'll warn that this book leaves off with a cliffhanger, just like Star of the Morning did. But like that one, this is the first in a trilogy the next two are set to be released in January of '11 and ' The story continues with Spellweaver and concludes with Gift of Magic. Jun 27, Kendra Vasquez rated it really liked it. Repetitive internal thoughts detracted from story's pace, but I still love the strong world-building. It took a few chapters for me to personally connect with the characters but then they matched what I was used to with this author's writing.

The sudden ending left me seeking the next book immediately. Nov 07, Tabitha rated it liked it. After reading about Morgan this was kind of a let down. Mar 14, Rhonda Soukup rated it really liked it. I was a little disappointed that this storyline was before the other trilogy, but maybe there is a reason. Still a good read. Mar 31, Holly rated it liked it Shelves: Sarah of Doire has been burying gold for months, hoping to leave the small, bland village of Doire behind.

When her mother, who also happens to be the local witchwoman, dies, it's finally her chance. The visits from the aspiring nobles who will pay handsomely for her mother's last drops of beautifying potions or pages from her spellbook have become tedious, however beneficial.

Then of course there's her brother Daniel, who has a little bit of magic himself and stays away from her for the most pa Sarah of Doire has been burying gold for months, hoping to leave the small, bland village of Doire behind. Then of course there's her brother Daniel, who has a little bit of magic himself and stays away from her for the most part. Sarah has none of her witch mother in her, and she's extremely glad of it. She prefers weaving as a hobby and a living and avoids magic and all its users like the plague.

But all Sarah's attempts at ditching her home and witch upbringing fail when Daniel reveals just how much magic he possesses. Jetting off on his own dark quest to destroy the Nine Kingdoms, Sarah is forced to confront magic and consort with wizards head-on before Daniel does anymore damage. Ruitneath of Ceangail has been hiding in the outskirts of Doire since he was the lone survivor of his family at the well.

He, too, is wary of magic. Burying it deep inside himself, he lives a quiet, solitary, and magic-free existence until Sarah knocks on his door. In pursuit of her brother, he wants to but can't turn down her offer for aid. It will certainly make keeping his own secret harder than he imagined as he follows in Daniel's tracks, picking up damaged wizards and fighting foul creatures along the way, and realizing that Sarah may have some magic afterall. I'm not quite sure how I feel about this latest installment in the Nine Kingdoms trilogy. It's still romantic fantasy, and some of the weeping, hair brushing, and relationship drama is cloying.

Beyond Sarah and Ruith following in Daniel's wake of damaged wizards, stolen spells and a few troll attacks, very little action takes place. What made this all the more apparent was the conclusion, which leaves you hanging at the brink of a major plot reveal and with little closure. The most exciting moment is when one character's secret is revealed. That the reader was already party to that knowledge, though, lessens its effect. Despite the fact that Daniel seemed puny and pathetic at times rather than the threatening force he's intended to be, these new characters have potential.

I sympathized and rooted for Ruith from the beginning with his all-too-familiar past. Understandably so, he is still haunted by that day at the well when his father, in a misguided use of his growing magic, released an evil into the kingdom that killed his entire family. Sarah, with her simple and humble ambitions, is harder to grasp but interesting in the mystery surrounding the part-dormant part-active powers she's seemed to inherit from her mother. I remain intrigued by the beguiling nature of magic in Neroche - denied, dormant, and in all its different guises.

A Tapestry of Spells was both a promising setup for a new chapter in the series and a fun return to Neroche's world of wizards and witches, elves and humans, and royalty and commoners. Dec 25, Lynn rated it it was amazing Shelves: It is the first in a new Nine Kingdoms trilogy. It is pages long and is published by Berkley.

The cover has one of the main characters on it. There is no sex, some mild language, and action violence in this book. The intended reader is someone who likes high fantasy, sweeping storylines, and some romance in it.

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A Tapestry of Spells (Nine Kingdoms #4) by Lynn Kurland?
A Tapestry of Spells: A Novel of the Nine Kingdoms Book 4 by Lynn Kurland - Penguin Books Australia.

Adults will enjoy this book and series more because of the writing style but teenagers could read it and enjoy it. There Be Spoilers Ahead. From the back of the book- The past will always find you… Sarah of Doire, daughter of the village witchwoman, knows two things: No matter where you hide. But when Sarah arrives at his door, desperate for his help he finds himself thrust back into a life of full enchantments and peril. He knows the quest will be dangerous, but he has no idea the journey, the woman who accompanies him on it, and the truths he uncovers are capable of shattering his soul and unraveling the entire fabric of the Nine Kingdoms… Review- I love the Nine Kingdoms series.

This novel takes place with or very soon after Princess of the Sword. He believes that everyone from his family is dead. He remembers everything, unlike Morgan, and because of that he wants nothing to do with magic.

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Sarah just wants out. She wants to have a quiet life away from the ghost of her mother and somewhere her brother can never find her. Warsworn The Chronicles of the Warlands. White Star Epic of Palins. The Treasure Keeper The Drakon. Related series Twelve Houses. Miach of Tor Neroche. How do series work? Helpers sandstone78 5 , elbrutus 4 , kencyrath 3 , Sharee 2 , Avron 1. Nine Kingdoms Series by cover 1—8 of 12 next show all.

Star of the Morning by Lynn Kurland. The Mage's Daughter by Lynn Kurland. Princess of the Sword by Lynn Kurland. A Tapestry of Spells by Lynn Kurland. But as they pursue the final spells-acquiring strange companions, welcome allies, and unexpected foes along the way-Sarah and Ruith realize that their true quest has only just begun. The real enemy is closer, darker, and more power hungry than they ever imagined; and until he is defeated, the fate of the Nine Kingdoms hangs in dire peril.

The New York Times bestselling author returns to the Nine Kingdoms for another spellbinding story of magical romance. Ruith had long managed to ignore the magic in his veins, until aiding Sarah with her ill-fated quest forced him into places where his heritage was impossible to deny. Now, Ruith and Sarah must rely on each other more than ever-for everything they value is at risk: A Tapestry of Spells.

Nine Kingdoms | Awards | LibraryThing

The compelling start of a new fantasy romance trilogy set in the world of the Nine Kingdoms, from New York Times bestselling author Lynn Kurland Return to the world of the Nine Kingdoms with New York Times bestselling author Lynn Kurland as a new evil, and a new passion, emerges. After seeing his entire family slain by magic, Ruithneadh swore never to use his power again. Princess of the Sword.

The Nine Kingdoms Trilogy now explodes in the fiercest battle yet as the fate of a kingdom lies with a man and woman bound by love, magic, and a legendary—and perilous—sword. When darkness falls… As the mercenary daughter of Gair, the black mage of Ceangail, Morgan is the only one who can stop the terrible sorcery her father unleashed. To do so, she must race against time and find the spell that will allow her to close the well of evil he opened.

A Tapestry of Spells: A Novel of the Nine Kingdoms Book 4

But that quest will lead her to places she never dreamed existed and into a darkness she would give anything to avoid. But the path to harnessing her newly discovered magical gifts threatens to lead her back through a past that may well spell her death. Instead, he is determined to help Aisling fulfill her quest, even if his part of the bargain includes facing evil mages with power far greater than his own. Recovering from a near-fatal attack, Morgan realizes that she must decide between two fates: