fantasy book reviews science fiction book reviewsbook review Sara Douglass The Crucible Trilogy: The Nameless Day, The Wounded HawkThe Wounded Hawk by Sara Douglass

Set amid the drama and cast of the 100 Years War (though more parallel than true history), this sequel to The Nameless Day continues the story of Thomas Neville, former cleric returned to his noble life, as he tries to complete the quest given him by archangel Michael — to retrieve a mysterious casket that will allow him to send back to hell the demons that now roam the world. As readers of the first book know (and only readers of the first one should read this), Thomas himself has become unsure of just which side is the “good” one in the battle between the demons and angels and his uncertainty continues throughout this book, though not quite as pronounced.

Though plagued by some of the same flaws as The Nameless Day (some character inconsistencies, some surprisingly careless writing), The Wounded Hawk manages to easily avoid the “middle book” syndrome. Instead of acting simply as a weaker bridge book to the trilogy’s conclusion, Wounded Hawk expands and deepens both the characters and the story, improving on its predecessor in all ways.

Some of the improvement occurs because the character/plot inconsistencies, while not completely evaded, are much reduced. Some of the improvement occurs because the main character of Thomas recaptures some humanity and thus is a much more palatable character with whom to spend hundreds of pages. Improvement also lies in the book’s tighter focus, mostly centering around a few personal relationships and the royal politics of England, specifically the battle between Richard II and Hal of Bolingbroke. It’s also a better paced book, with scenes moving quickly and (usually) smoothly from one to the other, with no sense of being bogged down. The plot, while still containing some twists and turns, some shifts of allegiance, is crisper and cleaner, less of a muddle than in book one. The characters are all much more interesting and are captured much more fully, even the secondary ones.

The book’s flaws are pretty much the same as in Nameless Day, though as mentioned they are greatly reduced. There are still annoying (though not infuriating) inconsistencies in character thoughts/actions and in points of view. Douglass has a tendency to tell us too much rather than allowing us to infer from actions or dialogue. Some actions seem a bit implausible. And some shifts in characters’ beliefs seem to move all too quickly. Noticeable as these are, however, the book’s strengths outweigh its flaws and I found myself pretty swept along in what was happening even as I found myself occasionally annoyed by how it was being presented. Certainly if you’ve read book one and enjoyed it, continue the series. If like me you had mixed feelings about book one, I’d strongly recommend giving the sequel a chance as it’s so much better. And if you really didn’t like book one at all, then you’re not reading this anyway so blah blah blah. Recommended.

~Bill Capossere


book review Sara Douglass The Crucible Trilogy: The Nameless Day, The Wounded HawkThe middle book of the Crucible trilogy is better than the first, but not without its flaws.

Thomas Neville, our protagonist, is slightly more bearable this time around, having shaken off some of his old vows and old prejudices. It’s a beautiful thing watching him come to love his wife Margaret, and reexamine some of his beliefs.

Meanwhile, Richard II is ruling cruelly and ineptly, Thomas’s boyhood friend Bolingbroke is beginning to make his play for the throne, and in France, Joan of Arc urges a reluctant king to act against the English. Sara Douglass has taken some liberties with chronology, but it doesn’t matter much, as her timeline works for the story and she explains in a foreword that she has used some creative license, so it doesn’t jar at all.

What does jar a bit is the head-hopping; we seem to bounce from POV to POV several times per scene. Also, the scheme that Bolingbroke and Margaret execute, with traumatic results for Margaret, just doesn’t quite make sense. I feel like I was supposed to either find it reprehensible or decide it was worth the eventual outcome, but instead? It just doesn’t make sense. I can’t figure out why these characters would have chosen that route.

On the positive side: Douglass builds to a big bang here. The secret that Thomas discovers is as shocking as it needs to be, and raises many questions about what will happen in the third book.

Finally, one more quibble. When Douglass sets her mind to it, she can write gorier scenes than many writers of outright horror. (I’m thinking of the miscarriage from Hades’ Daughter.) I got almost to the end of The Wounded Hawk and was pleased to think that she’d kind of toned down the gross-out.

Then I read the epilogue. Let’s just say that Douglass reassigns Edward II’s gruesome death to another figure — and describes it. In detail. In excruciating detail. Yes, the guy was a vicious character. But I don’t want to read about that happening to anyone.

~Kelly Lasiter

The Crucible Trilogy — (2000-2002) Historical Fantasy. Publisher: The Black Plague. The Pestilence. Disease and death haunt every town and village across 14th century Europe and none are immune from its evil. Some see the devastation of their world as a sign from God for Man’s wickedness.But Brother Thomas Neville sees this swath of death as something much more. Neville is a man beset by demons. Or is it angels? He has had a visitation from none other than the Archangel Michael, who commands Thomas to a mission. This mission will take Neville across the length and breath of the continent in a desperate bid to find the means to stop the minions of Satan who have found a doorway out of Hell and are preparing to venture forth, to try and seize this world in preparation for an assault on Heaven itself. As Thomas Neville encounters angels and demons, saints and witches, he comes to realize that the armies of God and Satan are arraying themselves for the final battle… and that his soul is to be the battleground.The question is, has Neville picked the truly good side?

Sara Douglass THe Crucible Trilogy: THe Nameless Day, The Wounded Hawk, The Crippled Angel Sara Douglass THe Crucible Trilogy: THe Nameless Day, The Wounded Hawk, The Crippled Angel Sara Douglass THe Crucible Trilogy: THe Nameless Day, The Wounded Hawk, The Crippled Angel

Authors

  • Bill Capossere

    BILL CAPOSSERE, who's been with us since June 2007, lives in Rochester NY, where he is an English adjunct by day and a writer by night. His essays and stories have appeared in Colorado Review, Rosebud, Alaska Quarterly, and other literary journals, along with a few anthologies, and been recognized in the "Notable Essays" section of Best American Essays. His children's work has appeared in several magazines, while his plays have been given stage readings at GEVA Theatre and Bristol Valley Playhouse. When he's not writing, reading, reviewing, or teaching, he can usually be found with his wife and son on the frisbee golf course or the ultimate frisbee field.

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  • Kelly Lasiter

    KELLY LASITER, with us since July 2008, is a mild-mannered academic administrative assistant by day, but at night she rules over a private empire of tottering bookshelves. Kelly is most fond of fantasy set in a historical setting (a la Jo Graham) or in a setting that echoes a real historical period (a la George RR Martin and Jacqueline Carey). She also enjoys urban fantasy and its close cousin, paranormal romance, though she believes these subgenres’ recent burst in popularity has resulted in an excess of dreck. She is a sucker for pretty prose (she majored in English, after all) and mythological themes.

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