Yesterday I learned that the eARC (ebook Advance Reader Copy) of P. C. Hodgell’s novel The Gates of Tagmeth was released by Baen Publishing. This is part of her Kencyrath series, and it’s outright one of my favorite book series of all time. Beginning with the God Stalker Chronicles, this series creates a mostly alien fantasy world which is so strange and yet familiar that it takes my breath away. I wish that I could write as well as I feel that Hodgell does, as her world is amazing to me.
I read The Gates of Tagmeth yesterday, devoured it, really, and I enjoyed it. It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting from the description, but I was gratified to see that the author was focusing on the main character again. My mortal fear, though, is that since this is the 8th book, and it feels like there’s 1-2 books left in the series at a minimum, that she might die before finishing. I hope not, and her books have been coming out more consistently of late, but one I fear.
But I cannot say this enough… I dropped everything to read this book, I like the series that much. If nothing else, just the God Stalker Chronicles is worth reading, and is almost worth reading as a standalone.
Ancient Dreams 
Morbid thought there, she’s only 66 ;) With series I like that much (and yes, it’s probably my favorite fantasy series. Maybe I’ll end up liking Baru Cormorant better but I’ll wait for another novel there…) it’s always bittersweet: it’s great that it (most likely anyway) gets a proper finale and not like some other works remains forever unfinished (where’s the next 12 Kingdoms book, eh? Or Andrea Cort …), but at the same I’d rather just have more. An endless amount of Kencyr novels, to be precise ^^
On the plus side, she’s announced that it won’t be the Hollywood-esque type of end; you know, bad guy down, everything’s solved. If I remember that right she also said she hadn’t yet decided whether she’d stop with her books after the “finale” of the current arc (if that can be called that). Maybe there’d be at least some more short stories or something, sigh.
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Yes, it’s a morbid thought, but after Robert Jordan, and seeing a lot of huge series, I start to worry. At least she’s getting a lot more books out than after the original God Stalk.
Personally I feel that this book progressed quite a bit, with the Big Confrontation in the near future. I’m not sure what I want out of the series (yes, more books would be good!), but I know I love it.
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Yeah, bad luck can always strike. Earlier this year a Korean manhwa artist had to discontinue her series because she got cancer – at 25 or something. Who’d expect that? For some, life can truly suck (there’s rumors she’s doing better, at least).
Love the usual Kencyr shenanigans. So a dough goes rogue and attacks the baker … who’s then saved by growing a pair of breasts, which his lover loves, so for contrast he also grows a beard. You’d think it’s silly or something, but, while amusing, it always comes across as serious in its own way nonetheless. Or the scene where Jame corrects the cook about the fish he’s trying to prepare – very appetizing. And her kid is great, of course …
Loved that there was finally some progress with Tori as well. That was overdue. Bit disappointed in contrast that Jame’s relationship with Brier seemed rather to have gone backwards. On the other hand, the rest of her people seem to have grown to like her, one way or another.
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Careful with the spoilers for other people! *shakes finger in mock-anger*
That being said, I’m glad that Kindrie is doing better. I think that, as a whole, the story is finally getting truly moving, between Sea of Time and Gates of Tagemeth. Not that it didn’t have movement before, but it seems far more visible to me.
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I sometimes forget how sensitive some people are about spoilers. Personally, I have a fairly relaxed attitude towards them, unless it’s some sort of plot twist where the point was to surprise. Spoiling that obviously spoils the twist.
Yeah, it’s gearing up for the final confrontation. The end of this one definitely sets the course there once and for all. The first novel was a bit … well, it really stands out compared to the rest of the series. Next book was Jame traveling and a huge finale, so that was progress too, but then we had 3 books at the academy and while loads of stuff happened and was revealed I honestly have to say that I always thought 2 books for that period would have sit better with me. It dragged a bit. Not sure what exactly I’d have cut, but still. But, as you say, with what happened in Sea of Time it was clear things were on the move again.
Admittedly, there’s a lot of repetition in this one, too. Loads of already discussed scenes mentioned again etc. I honestly hoped for a little more progress, but it’s hard to say where exactly it should have happened and with whom. ;)
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Honestly, most of what you said wasn’t very spoiler-y. I personally don’t mind spoilers. I just have to gently point it out.
And agreed. I love the series, but it moves a bit slower. Part of that is so that you see what’s going on in day-to-day life, but sometimes that isn’t necessarily the best thing to do. I loved the first books more than any of the others, and I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes.
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