The Price of Spring
Ratings20
Average rating4.4
15
Ratings20
Average rating4.4
Fifteen years have passed since the devastating war between the Galt Empire and the cities of the Khaiem in which the Khaiem's poets and their magical power known as "andat" were destroyed, leaving the women of the Khaiem and the men of Galt infertile.
The emperor of the Khaiem tries to form a marriage alliance between his son and the daughter of a Galtic lord, hoping the Khaiem men and Galtic women will produce a new generation to help create a peaceful future.
But Maati, a poet who has been in hiding for years, driven by guilt over his part in the disastrous end of the war, defies tradition and begins training female poets. With Eiah, the emperor's daughter, helping him, he intends to create andat, to restore the world as it was before the war.
Vanjit, a woman haunted by her family's death in the war, creates a new andat. But hope turns to ashes as her creation unleashes a power that cripples all she touches.
As the prospect of peace dims under the lash of Vanjit's creation, Maati and Eiah try to end her reign of terror. But time is running out for both the Galts and the Khaiem.
Featured Series
4 primary booksLong Price Quartet is a 3-book series with 3 primary works first released in 2006 with contributions by Daniel Abraham.
Reviews with the most likes.
Abraham excels at complex stories with complicated characters. I don't even know who I was supposed to root for in this final installment. It's a great series, and the ending lives up to the rest of the books.
Executive Summary: An excellent conclusion to an enjoyable series. 4.5 stars.
Audio book: Another solid, but not remarkable job by Neil Shah.
Full Review
Another book, another time jump. It's not something I normally like, but I think it's worked well for Abraham in this series. It may be problematic some though.
Time changes a person, and that's most dramatic in this book than it has been in any of the previous ones. I found Maati downright unlikeable. He was never my favorite character, but age and the weight of his past mistakes have turned him into an angry bitter (and stupid) old man. In some ways he has good intentions, but as per usual, he just goes about everything wrong.
Otah continues to be the best character, but I really enjoyed both Eiah and Denat as well. My only minor complaint is Vanjit. She's well written, but so grating. I probably shouldn't hold it against Mr. Abraham for evoking frustration and disgust at his characters, but it was just a bit much for me at times.
Beyond that, it's hard to say much without spoiling this or previous books. This series is very much a slow burn, and is not action packed, high fantasy. It won't be for everyone. I've found each book better than the last, and was very happy with the conclusion.
I'm sad that I'm out of books to read. I wouldn't mind another book set in this world at some point in the future, but if we never get one, I'll be perfectly content.
The Long Price Quartet is a very special series, and I loved this final installment. I myself have never encountered a fantasy series that spans a lifetime focusing on complicated friendships with a history of hurt and resentment. These are not fast-paced books, but their character development is rich and each book has its own story arc and are filled with machinations. I thought the first book was just okay and the other three sublime.
