The White Road

by Lynn Flewelling

Reviewed by Ruby

Picking up directly where Shadows Return ends, Seregil and Alec are now safely in Gedre recovering from their experience in Plenimar. Before long, however, Sebrahn is causing problems. Along with Micum they head back to Plenimar to retrieve books that Yhakobin used in his experiments, hoping to learn more about the rhekaro. Unfortunately they are not the only ones. Ulan of Viresse wants those books as well as Sebrahn and Alec both, and he will stop at nothing to do so. However there are others that want the same things.

Up in the mountains in the north the Hâzadriëlfaie have had visions about a strange white child. Their leader has sent riders out, lead by a witch, to hunt it down along with its creator: Alec.  Now, caught with enemies all around them, they must tread carefully or else they will lose Sebrahn and Alec to any of them.

I liked this book better than the fourth one. The plot was better constructed and a lot less clichéd. It was fun and touching and I really couldn't put it down that often; what more can you ask for?

There are still continuity errors, but none as major as in the last book. I think I am just going to have to accept the fact that there will always be slight mistakes in continuity in this series. *sigh* Am I the only one that notices them? 

Anyway, finally the Hâzadriëlfaie show up, I've been waiting for them for three books and they weren't a disappointment. They were very interesting characters. Ilar was back, unfortunately, and I think he gets more pathetic in each book. I am just hoping he is gone for good now.

Grade: B

Reviewed by Coral

I agree with Ruby, in that I enjoyed this book better than the last book in the series, but it wasn't a great book for me.

I don't enjoy Ilar or Sebrahn as characters (Ilar not living up to the expectations built by the first books and Sebrahn feeling more like a plot device than a character) and this book dealt too much with them.

I disagree with Ruby about the Hâzadriëlfaie. For me they followed the same pattern as Ilar in not living up to expectations built by other books.

Resolution wise, I was happy with how the Sebrahn and Ulan plots ended, but not with how the Ilar plot ended. Even though I don't like the character, I think he deserved better.

Grade: C