Kari SperringReseñas

Prelim Review: Here's the thing--I found this immensely engaging when Aude was young and trying so hard to find 'the bravest soldier' to help her on Marcellan's quest. I remember quite well the days when I was young and would draft anyone I could to help me poke in closets, wooded areas and drafty buildings, hoping to find Narnia (or Tir na nog or a doorway to the fairy world).

Things fell apart around the time Aude came to Brass City and her quest went from being about fulfilling the promise of Marcellan's quest to some quasi-social reform for the impoverished. And then it got really weird when she became separated from Jehan.

Nothing worked for me after that. Not Aude's obsessive need to find out the truth, not Jehan's certainty that he should have refused Aude to save her from herself and definitely not what was really going on with Aude's family.

The Book of Gaheris: An Arthurian Tale by Kari Sperring. A Library Thing Early Review
I know the “basic” legends of Camelot so I was looking forward to delving a little deeper into some supporting characters and I’m glad I got that opportunity. The writing is sound but the similarity of the names, flipping to the use of pet names and the various parts told from three points of view disrupted the flow for me. I do understand that all three areas concerned one character, but because the stories slid into each other without a clear division between narrators, I felt lost and frustrated at each junction. Clearly, the author is far more knowledgeable about the Arthurian cast than most.

A well-crafted collection of Sperring’s Arthurian novellas focussing on Gaheris of Orkney and his relationship with his brothers and their interactions with the Pellinore family. Very much to my taste, the novellas focus on the psychology rather than the more familiar High Victorian melodrama. I am reminded of Phyllis Ann Karr’s Idylls of the Queen. This collection fills out the earlier novellas Rose Knot and Serpent Rose and adds additional material making more of a seamless story.

I received a free copy of this book as an Early Reviewer on Library Things and this is my honest review.

I really liked the idea of this book, telling the stories of King Arthurs four nephews. Whilst the ideas of the story were good, I found that switching between the characters too often, disrupted the flow of the stories. There was a lot of descriptions of talking and not much "showing" of what was happening. My attention lagged a few times, and it was an effort to finish.

All praise to the author who has a great imagination and stories to tell, the way they are told just need a little polishing. There is great potential here.

A collection of four novellas set in the high medieval Arthurverse popularized by Thomas Mallory, which is not my favourite setting for this kind of story, but anyhow canon. The author adding some anachronisms of her own into the stew did not bother me greatly.

What did bother and even annoy me was the way the reader is expected to have all the subplots at hand, having her characters hold full conversations in hints and innuendos. Yes, we could of course look the background stories up to find out what's it all about, however my point is, we should not have to, it is the author's job to tell the story.

The actual story dragged a bit, having me feel very tired very soon by the endless squabbling and bickering of the dysfunctional Orkney family Also, I had to retrace my steps several times, having been thrown by the popping of the names of Gavin, Gary, Agrin, Heris, Loval, which took me a while to realise were not separate characters at all but nicknames for Gawain, Gareth, Gaheris, Agravain and Aglovale respectively.

All in all, an OK-ish read, no more.

Three Arthurian tales written by a historian, some expanded and some reinvented, that offer new twists on old concepts. At first, after reading most of the first tale, I was leaning toward a 3 Star rating because the flow of the writing was slowing the pace of the story; however, upon viewing another review that mentions the layout and the author's note at the end, I pushed on through and was pleasantly surprised. The rest of the first tale and the two remaining ones were much easier to navigate. I ended up loving the interpretations of the characters and thoroughly enjoyed the stories. Although at the end, I think the Afterward would help readers understand the author's intent if included near the beginning as an introduction instead. For history buffs and fans of Arthurian legends.

LibraryThing Early Reviewer

The Book of Gaheris is an interesting book to read. I had got lost several times while reading trying to figure out who was telling the story as it changed a few times while reading. The book kept my interest, but some of the wording was far too advanced for the average reader and would cause them to just put it down and go for another book.

I love tales about the lesser-known members of the Round Table, so was excited to get this story. It was soo good! I want the whole series now, by the author- a book about each and every member of the group.

The Book of Gaheris, An Arthurian Tale
by Kari Sperring

I received a free copy of this e book as an Early Reviewer on Library Thing.

The Gaheris of the title is one of four brothers, nephews of King Arthur: Gawain, Argravaine, Gaheris and Gareth.

The story is told from several points of view and sometimes it was difficult to know just who/whom was telling it. Gaheris tells part, then it switches to Gawain, later it switches to Gawain’s wife or Gaheris’s wife, maybe. I found it hard to follow who was married to whom.
The main part of the story deals with Gaheris’s squire, Lamorak, who becomes knighted, but is apparently besotted with Gaheris. His love is unrequited. Gaheris is married to a woman, as are all his brothers. That doesn’t keep the author from hinting at some queer doings going on around the kingdom. At any rate, Lamorak soon begins an affair with Gaheris’s mother, Morgawse (the author’s spelling, online it is Morgause). Margawse is not happy when Lamorak breaks off the affair, which ends with bad consequences for both of them and on going consequences for the brothers and for the entire kingdom.

This story does not end happily ever after, and if you are at all familiar with the Arthurian stories, Arthur’s story did not end well either.

The book seemed disjointed and when you read the Afterword you find that it is a compilation of at least two novellas and other short stories.
Part Three: Knotted Thorn is the oddest part of the story. It is part flash back part current. It alternates between “Now” and “Then” and tells the tale of when Gaheris and Gawain rediscovered a castle on the sea shore that they had visited in the past but barely recognized because it was in ruins, but still inhabited by Thorn, an angel perhaps, or maybe a demon. She has wings! Accompanying her is a dog that used to be a man-maybe. The Now Then format becomes confusing and after a couple of repetitions it doesn’t really matter. I get the feeling this chapter had been an idea for a separate story the author dragged out of a drawer to pad the story of Gaheris and Gawain.

There are some battle scenes, but most combat or tourney action takes place off stage. This is more of an Arthurian romance/internal family squabble story after all. I requested this book because it had male leads, written by a woman-rare these days. I am glad I received it. I am glad I read it. I enjoyed it overall. I expect you will too.

A most interesting take on the Matter of Britain. The characters are very easy to relate to, particularly Gaheris himself, with the fraught relationships he has with his brothers, and Arthur's uncly care.

Excellent Arthurian novella about the Orkney family. Highly recommended!

I liked this. A story about the Orkney brothers and their wives. Touching on love, marriage and honour in the court of Camelot, and what happens when fidelity is being tested. Recommended.

Meh. There is a lot of dialog to wade through, and an assumption that the reader is very familiar with the less-well-known aspects of Arthurian legends. Not having that depth of familiarity, I was often left wondering just what exactly was going on. And the book ends suddenly, just when I expected there to be more. There are some interesting parts, but overall it's barely a 3-star review.

Disclaimer: I received this work as an Early Reviewer. No compensation was made other than the chance to read this book.

This novella was an interesting look at the life of Sir Gareth's wife, Llinos, and what happens when a 'reverse purity test' is administered to the various knights at a Maying festival.

The novella was a fairly engaging read, with a well-plotted out storyline and good pacing throughout.

Recommended for those who enjoy variations on the theme of King Arthur's knights, and those who want a quick but engaging novella.

While academic in tone, The Four Musketeers is an easy and fascinating read. I think my biggest fault is that the font was tiny. The book addresses what is known about the men who inspired the famous musketeers of Dumas, D'artagnan in particular; a brief history of the musketeer units in France, including solid information on their attire and weaponry; about the fictional memoirs Dumas drew from for inspiration; how Dumas went about writing his books (including insights into his use of collaborators); published fan fiction about the heroes; and how the musketeers have been portrayed on stage and film.

A very good knight's coming of age book in Arthurian times and legend. Sir Lamorak is the character we follow from the beginning of his knighthood. The Sagremore brothers are the others, especially Sir Gaheris. Quite a good novella that involves so many aspects of the Chivalric code and knighthood. I have always been fascinated by the tales of King Arthur and it is nice to see that others authors still find the subject interesting enough to write about. While Lamorak learns his knighthood ways from his teacher Gaheris, he comes to think more of him than just a teacher and the dependency is obvious, but Lamorak takes his vows, goes out for his year of adventuring and proves himself to be a true knight. He is a also as foolish as Lancelot when it comes to matters of the heart. Great story, nice unpredictable ending, thoroughly enjoyable knightly read.

A highly enjoyable Arthurian retelling, centered on the knights Gaheris and Lamorak. I hadn't already been familiar with the particular episode retold in this novella, but context clues and a general knowledge of Arthurian myths were sufficient to give me a good idea of what the original story looked like and how Sperring's version departed from it.

Unsurprisingly for an Arthurian retelling, there's quite a bit of violence and tragedy in this story. However, it also made me laugh out loud during several scenes. The interactions between Gaheris and his brothers Gawain, Agravaine, Gareth, and Medraut in particular are frequently hilarious...when they aren't tense, ominous, and/or breathtakingly sweet.

I also really liked how historically grounded the story feels. I noticed two or three anachronisms (insofar as an Arthurian retelling can be said to contain anachronisms), but the overall impact is of a society appreciably different from modern Britain. The characters are very believable, but their concerns and manners and moral codes and belief systems are distinctly of another era.

First of all, I would like to thank LibraryThing and the editor and publisher NewCon Press for giving me the opportunity to read this nice little (in length) novel in exchange for a honest review.

I’ve always liked Arthurian-themed/based stories, specifically Mallory’s “la morte d’Arthur”, where Lamorak and all the other appear, and this one doesn’t disappoint.

And, at the end, this is really a LOVE story, only NOT the typical love you’d expect to find on Arthurian lore (I won’t say anymore, because I don’t want to do any spoilers), it’s not the OFFICIAL story, but it’s logical and OK.

If Idetract one star it’s because I’ve had often to go back and re-read because of the two sets of names: Gawain-Gavin, Gareth-Gary and the main character Gaheris-Heris among others, for the Orkney clan, and Aglovale-Loval, etc., for the De Gallis., and so on; and because the story could have been told in a richer way, but it’s understandable because it’s from the point of view of Gaheris, the most often forgotten member of the Orkney clan. Of course there is also traitorous Medraut/Mordaunt/Mordred, supposedly brother or half brother of the other Orkney knights, and possibly son of his uncle Arthur (in other versions Mordred’s mother is Morgan).

Yes, there is the blood feud between the families, yes, there is the dishonor and death of the Orkney’s Mother Morgawse, King Arthur’s other half-sister apart from Morgan, but there the similarity ends, and the merit of this version is that it is so very plausible despite all.

It’s the first thing I read from this author, and she surely knows her way around Arthurian Legends and Myths.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novella. The characters were well-drawn and developed, the author showed a good grasp and interesting insight into the Arthurian legends. Spiced with a reasonable amount of humor and a creative view of medieval manners the tale spun out in a provocative telling. I recommend this book to fantasy and medieval romance lovers alike.

DISCLOSURE: An electronic copy of this book was provided in exchange for review by publishers NewCon Press, via Library Thing.

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Blood feuds run deep beneath the golden glimmer of King Arthur’s Camelot, and perhaps nowhere do they run as deeply as in the bitter and tangled bloodlines of the Orkney princes.

Here, in this dark novella, Gaheris is set upon an inevitably tragic course when he becomes the object of a boy-crush by the young knight Lamorak. Sperring remains pretty coy about Gaheris’ sexuality – he married, at Arthur’s behest, but the union appears to be unconsummated, and Gaheris is the butt of some teasing about his virility. But there are also passing mentions of an occasional flings between Gaheris and a kitchen wench, and the older knight, who also narrates the tale, seems oblivious (or at least unresponsive) to the fairly obvious mooning of Lamorak. The whole thing is complicated by an old your-father-killed-my-father feud that puts Lamorak in the crosshairs of Agravaine, the least likeable of Lot’s children.

The whole sad tale plays out with an inevitability that ends in death. Readers familiar with the larger Arthurian legend, know who ended up dead, but Sperring has offered an alternate course of events as to just how and why it all came about.

The story unspools in a fairly straightforward manner, without many fireworks or deep character studies. Alternate spellings and nicknames of some of the players may give pause to readers new to the sprawling cast of characters. Still, it’s a visit to the Arthurian court that doesn’t get bogged down in the Arthur/Guenevere/Lancelot triangle, or dwell on its ultimate downfall, brought about by Mordred (here called Medraut).

Overall, “Serpent Rose” is an interesting, if not particularly stirring, tale of love and loyalties that clash within the soul of one man, trying only to do what is right.

It's an Arthurian story centered on the fiery Orkneys brothers at Arthur's court. It gives us a behind story of their mother's death, of Gaheris' troubles with the young knight Lamorak.
It flows from beginning to end without a bump or a slowdown. The storytelling is perfect and carry us smoothly to the moving ending.
I'd like to read her take on the story of Galehaut and Lancelot !

I decided to give this one a pass, it just wasn't keeping my interest. It wasn't bad and I liked the characters, the pace was just moving too slow for me and I found myself just wanting to move on. So I'm going to.

I had a very hard time getting into this book.

I felt like Keenen - this is going to slow.

I didn't appreciate having a man in love with another man or the descriptions of a man who loves his wife being attracted to the male courtesan.

Near the end it finally really gets going. But something happens that goes against everything Gracielis has been taught and we are never given an explanation as to why.

I am used to fantasy novels and Regency romances that star wealthy nobles and royals who have tragic pasts and presents and yet still, are afforded a great deal of respect by virture of their fortunate birth. And no one ever ponders where the money for noble Lord So&So's splendid balls, or feisty orphan Lady Such&Such's swashbuckling tour of the world, comes from. This book takes that subject head on, and delves even deeper, from a glittering steampunky world teetering on revolution into a mystical, allegorical land.

Taking this journey are two unmagical humans, Aude and Jehan. Aude is a lonely young heiress, with a quick mind, strong sense of compassion and very little experience in the world. When she comes of age, she convinces her guardian to help her tour her factories and estates, in hopes of discovering why she has so much and others have so little. As a titled, unmarried young girl, Aude is afforded with respect but little actual authority. To help her, then, she enlists the guardsman Jehan, who is initially furious to be taken away from patrolling the city. (This first half of the novel deals a great deal with classism, capitalism, and sexism, though it never felt heavy-handed.) They finally reach the hut where Aude's ancestors first started accruing their wealth. The jumbled, yellowing papers Aude finds are no help--but then a great wind pulls her into the afterlife, to pay for a long-ago deal made by an ancestor.

The servants of the Grass King don't care that Aude didn't make the deal, they just want her to fix the matter. The Grass King's servants are confusing, contradictory, sometimes kind and sometimes murderous, and Aude tries again and again to escape the strange prison she finds herself in. Jehan, meanwhile, travels through the world Between in hopes of finding Aude once more.

The language is beautiful, the characters unique and memorable (my faves were the ferrets Yelena and Julana, whose alien viewpoint is fascinating to read), the magical underworld suuuper creepy but also dreamy, like an earthier, scarier version of Beauty&the Beast's castle or Sleeping Beauty's thorn-covered castle. The magical and spiritual system was wholly new to me--unlike almost every other fantasy novel with a created pantheon, I really was as lost as the viewpoint characters, and couldn't cheat by knowing (for instance) that "Mr. Wednesday" was probably Odin. I was completely enthralled and entranced and transported by this book. I only wish it was thousands of pages longer, somehow. I put off reviewing it for weeks because I know there's no way I can convey how wonderful it is, or how much depth there is to every part of it. Go read it and see for yourself!