Bloodline Rising by Kate Moran
Apr. 27th, 2009 11:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
quippeThe Blurb On The Back:
Cai, the Ghost, is the fastest, most cunning young criminal in Constantinople. A perfect life, until he is captured, bound and sent to Britain – the home his barbarian parents fled long ago. When he is taken in by Wulfhere, prince of Mercia, Cai soon discovers that his Anglish master knows more about his family than he does. But war threatens and Cai finds he must choose: will he betray his new clan and save himself, or be loyal and risk his life?
It’s 652AD and Cai is a thief in Constantinople who possesses mysterious powers that allow him to pass by people unseen and persuade men to part with their most secret thoughts. While working for the Emperor of Thieves, he uncovers a plot against his father, who has returned unexpectedly from fighting for the emperor Constans overseas. Before he can warn his family of the danger, he is betrayed and sold into slavery and soon finds himself in Britain, where he’s bought by Wulfhere, a friend of his father’s. Despite being treated as an Atheling rather than a slave, Cai remains in danger – haunted by the history that his parents fled, and which they’ve never told him of. Soon Cai finds himself pitched into the bloody politics of the time as Wulfhere’s father, Penda, moves to become High King of Britain. Cai will need all his skills if he is to survive.
Moran’s prose is rich, detailed and evocative of this historical period and Cai’s narration is convincing and authentic. The cultural differences between sophisticated Constantinople and primitive Britain are well drawn and a chaotic battle scene towards the end that is terrifying and thrilling. The supernatural elements are well handled, particularly some dream sequences where Cai sees the ghost of his dead sister Tesca.
Unfortunately, the scenarios that Moran sets up in the first quarter (notably Cai’s desire to become ruler of the criminal underworld in Constantinople) don’t go anywhere and the book loses focus when Cai arrives in Britain. Initially driven by a need to escape home and seek revenge, he ultimately decides not to for reasons that are not really made clear. There’s a love triangle element between him, his foster brother Cenry and Thorn, an honoured hostage in Wulfhere’s court, but there’s not enough interaction between Cai and Thorn to understand where his feelings come from. As Cai learns of his parents’ history, his thirst for revenge switches to Penda, responsible for the murder of his grandfather – unfortunately this too fails to really go anywhere as there is insufficient interaction between Cai and Penda.
Too often Cai does things for reasons that he is unable to explain and for a supposedly streetwise thief, Cai is remarkably naive at times. The ending is remarkably unsatisfying – Moran doesn’t bother saying what’s happened to three supporting characters who have been important to Cai’s story, even though all three have been involved in the bloody final battle. Perhaps this is done to enable her to set up the final book in this trilogy, but it’s a cheap trick, particularly when two of those characters are supposed to be Cai’s friends and he doesn’t even ask about them.
This is the sequel to BLOODLINE, which I haven’t read but although I think that BLOODLINE probably provides some background to Wulfhere’s and Penda’s characters, you don’t have to read it to follow this story. I’m in two minds whether I’d read the final volume in this trilogy. Moran’s writing is excellent and it’s refreshing to read a novel set in this period of history in such an evocative manner. However, the way the plot diffuses into too many unfocused strands and the abrupt ending was deeply unsatisfying. Moran is a writer to watch, but this is unlikely to be her breakthrough series.
The Verdict:
The intriguing set up never really pays off, which is a great pity because the writing is excellent. I get the feeling that this book could have easily been twice the length and it would have benefitted from having Cai spend longer on the individual plot strands to bring them together. Ultimately, the rushed ending and the failure to recount what’s happened to several of the significant supporting characters prevented this story from reaching its potential.
Cai, the Ghost, is the fastest, most cunning young criminal in Constantinople. A perfect life, until he is captured, bound and sent to Britain – the home his barbarian parents fled long ago. When he is taken in by Wulfhere, prince of Mercia, Cai soon discovers that his Anglish master knows more about his family than he does. But war threatens and Cai finds he must choose: will he betray his new clan and save himself, or be loyal and risk his life?
It’s 652AD and Cai is a thief in Constantinople who possesses mysterious powers that allow him to pass by people unseen and persuade men to part with their most secret thoughts. While working for the Emperor of Thieves, he uncovers a plot against his father, who has returned unexpectedly from fighting for the emperor Constans overseas. Before he can warn his family of the danger, he is betrayed and sold into slavery and soon finds himself in Britain, where he’s bought by Wulfhere, a friend of his father’s. Despite being treated as an Atheling rather than a slave, Cai remains in danger – haunted by the history that his parents fled, and which they’ve never told him of. Soon Cai finds himself pitched into the bloody politics of the time as Wulfhere’s father, Penda, moves to become High King of Britain. Cai will need all his skills if he is to survive.
Moran’s prose is rich, detailed and evocative of this historical period and Cai’s narration is convincing and authentic. The cultural differences between sophisticated Constantinople and primitive Britain are well drawn and a chaotic battle scene towards the end that is terrifying and thrilling. The supernatural elements are well handled, particularly some dream sequences where Cai sees the ghost of his dead sister Tesca.
Unfortunately, the scenarios that Moran sets up in the first quarter (notably Cai’s desire to become ruler of the criminal underworld in Constantinople) don’t go anywhere and the book loses focus when Cai arrives in Britain. Initially driven by a need to escape home and seek revenge, he ultimately decides not to for reasons that are not really made clear. There’s a love triangle element between him, his foster brother Cenry and Thorn, an honoured hostage in Wulfhere’s court, but there’s not enough interaction between Cai and Thorn to understand where his feelings come from. As Cai learns of his parents’ history, his thirst for revenge switches to Penda, responsible for the murder of his grandfather – unfortunately this too fails to really go anywhere as there is insufficient interaction between Cai and Penda.
Too often Cai does things for reasons that he is unable to explain and for a supposedly streetwise thief, Cai is remarkably naive at times. The ending is remarkably unsatisfying – Moran doesn’t bother saying what’s happened to three supporting characters who have been important to Cai’s story, even though all three have been involved in the bloody final battle. Perhaps this is done to enable her to set up the final book in this trilogy, but it’s a cheap trick, particularly when two of those characters are supposed to be Cai’s friends and he doesn’t even ask about them.
This is the sequel to BLOODLINE, which I haven’t read but although I think that BLOODLINE probably provides some background to Wulfhere’s and Penda’s characters, you don’t have to read it to follow this story. I’m in two minds whether I’d read the final volume in this trilogy. Moran’s writing is excellent and it’s refreshing to read a novel set in this period of history in such an evocative manner. However, the way the plot diffuses into too many unfocused strands and the abrupt ending was deeply unsatisfying. Moran is a writer to watch, but this is unlikely to be her breakthrough series.
The Verdict:
The intriguing set up never really pays off, which is a great pity because the writing is excellent. I get the feeling that this book could have easily been twice the length and it would have benefitted from having Cai spend longer on the individual plot strands to bring them together. Ultimately, the rushed ending and the failure to recount what’s happened to several of the significant supporting characters prevented this story from reaching its potential.
