The High Lord - Trudi Canavan

[goodreads]

Title: The High Lord
Author: Trudi Canavan
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 9/10
# pages: 642
Date read: November, 2008

Summary: Sonea has learned much since she was but a penniless urchin possessing an awesome untapped ability. She has earned the grudging respect of her fellow novices and a place in the Magicians' Guild. But there is much she wishes she had never learned - what she witnessed, for example, in the underground chamber of the mysterious High Lord Akkarin... and the knowledge that the Guild is being observed closely by an ancient fearsome enemy.

Still, she dares not ignore the terrifying truths the High Lord would share with her, even though she fears it may be base trickery, a scheme to use her astonishing powers to accomplish his dark aims. For Sonea knows her future is in his hands - and that only in the shadows will she achieve true greatness... if she survives.

Review: A fitting end to the trilogy. I loved how Sonea grew to trust Akkarin and am pleased to have been right about him :) The book included some interesting moral dilemmas, but I thought they were well handled, and Trudi Canavan managed to tie the threads nicely together. One of the best fantasy series I've read in quite awhile.

Book List

Comments

[nerinedorman.livejournal.com]

Oh, and how I've heard all the fangrrrls weep at the ending. It was fun imagining that last scene, with Akkarin's knowing, ironic grin when he allows Sonea to push things to the limit. Did he love her? Perhaps. I think he had reached the point where he no longer opened up to people and it's almost crazy to think that he'd allow a "youngling" like Sonea to get so close to him.

Or ... perhaps he did harbour a secret crush on her from the start ...

[bogormen.livejournal.com]

I thought the ending was perfect. Not happy, but not weep-worthy either. It was war, and I liked that even some of the "main characters" died.

Although had Sonea died I'd probably have looked at it very differently.

[nerinedorman.livejournal.com]

Poetic justice. It's great taking the knife and twisting it. A little controversy helps to spice up an otherwise soppy ending.

[bogormen.livejournal.com]

Exactly.