Morenia has fallen, its king has been driven to a distant land, and its people subjected to a religious regime. With the king are his trusted friends and advisors, the men and women who have supported Hal since the day he took the throne, including Rani Glasswright. The small company hides in neighboring Sarmonia, seeking allies in their struggle to return the rightful king to Morenia, but discover the Sarmonian king tied by politics and the mysterious Fellowship of Jair -- the same group that orchestrated Hal's fall from power, the death of a valued advisor's child, Rani's failure to pass her glasswright master test, and now seeks to destroy them all.
Rani continues to try to help her king, despite more losses and a tangle of misunderstanding. But Rani's efforts to help her king end when she is kidnapped by the Fellowship and returned to Morenia to stand trial for her betrayal of the order. Hal manages to get support from Sarmonia after showing their king how the Fellowship has infiltrated Sarmonia's government, and returns to Morenia to regain his throne while fighting his own mental demons. Using a clever engineer and a plan that will leave him with little but his own life should it fail, Hal challenges the well defended capital city with a force too small to have much chance of success. Little does he or anyone else know that Rani is already in the city and that she will be the one to turn the tide.
Impression: I enjoyed this one, probably more than the last two. There was more complexity as more players became involved and the politics became a bit more intricate. Character's were tested, not only in new ways, but with old challenges that had new twists. The ending was unexpected, but you could see how the author got to it not only in the current book, but through the series. The ending was satisfying, with all the loose ends tied up.
I find it interesting that the series was fairly complete without this last novel, while Master still adds to the series and finalizes what few threads were left in the last book. At the same time, this book could easily be read on its own, without the previous books in the series, and be almost as much enjoyed since events are clearly explained without being dumped into the novel. I think the earlier books were good starters for Klasky, but these last 2 in the series have shown her growth as an author. I recommend The Glasswrights' Master to any reader of fantasy, even if they haven't read the earlier books in the series.
When the Glasswrights were finally freed from the dungeons Morenia, they fled, some scattering but most finding their way to Brianta to rebuild their guild. Now they've called Rani Trader to take the test that will prove she's worthy of the title Journeyman that she's taken for herself, and perhaps become a Master at last. Eager to take her place in the guild, and to bring it back to Morenia is she can, Rani eagerly accompanies Princess Berylina on her pilgrimage to Brianta.
But there is more than a Glasswright's Test planned for Rani. The mysterious Fellowship, to whom Rani has pledged herself, still craves to control the Morenian throne, and their test will be one more trying to Rani than that of the Glasswrights. Rani finds herself in a tangle of promises and sworn loyalties that conflict, risking her relationship, the lives of her friends, and her standing in the Guild itself.
Impression: For the last couple of books, Klasky has been creating conflicting loyalties for Rani, and in The Glasswright's Test they finally come together. The book is a very natural sequel to the previous books, and a an easy, enjoyable read. It's always nice to see an author take the next logical step with her characters and take into account the issues they've managed to surround themselves with in previous novels. I also enjoyed seeing a very different culture, one that honors the same Gods as Morenia but in a "more pious" way. The way Klasky had religion permeate the Brianta culture was fascinating. There were some minor issues I had, but they weren't anything that got in the way of enjoying the book, and they may even add something to the next book in the series.
I recommend The Glasswright's Test to anyone who has read the previous books. The series has proved to be an entertaining read for me, and I'm sure younger readers who are into fantasy will enjoy it even more.
A fire has ravaged the capital city of Morenia, destroying much of the city itself, introducing a new and deadly disease, and sucking up its resources. In a desperate bid to save his people, King Halaravilli has borrowed an outrageous sum from the church and agreed to terms that will strangle his ability to rule should he fail to pay his debt. At the same time, the mysterious and powerful Fellowship is placing demands on the king that he dare not ignore if he's to make a bid for power within the cabal. In an attempt to find the funds he will need to placate the church and the Fellowship, protect his people, as well as to secure his bloodline on the throne, the King goes to Liantine to make a bid for the hand of their princess and her dowry, taking several from his court, including Ranita, with him. In Liantine, Ranita must aid her king while she herself falls under the spell of a group of players who can teach her secrets of the glasswrights. An impossible bid for a part of the silk trade becomes Ranita's and Halaravilli's hope, but they must break the stranglehold of the Liantine silk guild to succeed.
Impression:The Glasswrights' Journeyman is, so far, the best in the series. There are 2 more books that follow it, but of the 3 I've read so far, this one drew me in and kept me in despite the distraction of another book I want to really get into. In fact, I've already begun book 4 because of how well Journeyman held my attention. I'll probably end up reading Wicked by Gregory Maguire and The Glasswrights' Test at the same time since I really want to continue the Glasswrights' journey in spite of being very drawn to the other book. And this is a good, and rare, thing.
Journeyman comes alive primarily in the plot. There's tension and conflict that draws the reader along, making you want to read more. Klasky vividly draws out the characters and the new land of Liantine and its culture. Reading the book didn’t force me to work at filling in any gaps; I was able to sit back and enjoy. The political plotting was intricate, yet clear and understandable -- important for reader like me who can find politics (fictional and otherwise) confusing and boring. The characters are full and rich, with well drawn motivations and the setting lush and deep. It was a very pleasant surprise after my disappointment with the previous book. I highly recommend this book as a good read, and, if you're reading the first book and debating the second, you could go to book 3 without book 2, but there are details from book 2 that are important, so I suggest reading through the whole series. Book 3 will more than make up for anything you may find lacking in book 2. Besides, I've found I'm in the minority as regards to book 2 anyway. ;)
Ranita Glasswright is taken hostage by King Hal's traitor brother and dragged across the ocean to his mother's kingdom, now ruled by his uncle. King Sin Hazar has plans for war, plans that include gathering the children of Amanth into his "Little Army." Ranita, along with her Touched friend, Mair, attempt escape, hoping to tell their king of Sin Hazar's plan, only to be captured when Rani must heal an injury she received during the attempt. Meanwhile, King Hal must watch his back as he fights his council and attempts to save Rani and Mair.
Impression: It took a little time for this book to really capture my interest for some reason. The writing wasn't much different than the previous novel in the series, but I just couldn’t seem to get caught up in the story. The opening was okay, but the middle seemed to drag for me. Unfortunately, the ending wasn't a good payoff for muddling through the middle either -- it gets good and intense, then is over in a flash. In fact, the resolution was too easy. I did enjoy the writing itself, but the story needed something more. So, for me, not a bad book, per se, but not the best, and not as good as the first in the series. Hopefully the third in the series will be better.
When Rani tries to save the crown prince and he ends up dead instead, her entire life is thrown into turmoil. Her guild is disbanded, its buildings razed, its lands salted, and the guild members imprisoned. Her family is arrested and killed as traitors. Forced to find her way alone through the streets, she tries to discover the truth of what happened and who is really responsible for the prince's death. To save herself and her king, she transforms herself, changing caste as she needs, until she makes it into the king's household and into the heart of the betrayal that awaits him.
Impression: I really enjoyed this book. Rani is young, but the author still gets even the adult reader caught up in her life and circumstances, and does so without losing that inexperienced child quality that Rani should have. I always find it fascinating when an author can keep me intrigued even when it seems the books is more appropriate to a younger aged reader because of the age of the main character. Klasky even manages to keep that whininess youngsters can get when things aren't working out for them without making it annoying to me as a reader. The culture she's created is rich and diverse, and well defined without the author resorting to long, drawn out explanations (which has annoyed me in other books). The twists and turns in the story kept me interested, and the writing was smooth and vivid. I wouldn’t say the book was deep, but it's a quick, enjoyable read, and sometimes that's all I need. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
