Child of the Prophecy: Book Three of the Sevenwaters Trilogy FROM OUR EDITORS
The Barnes & Noble Review
Child of the Prophecy, the third and concluding volume of Juliet Marillier's Sevenwaters trilogy, is a historical fantasy set in ninth-century Ireland that chronicles three generations of women who are called to stand up against enormous odds to preserve the old magic of their homeland.
In Marillier's debut novel, Daughter of the Forest, Sorcha -- the only daughter in a family with six sons -- must sacrifice everything to save her brothers from the evil sorceress Oonagh. Son of the Shadows takes place years later, when a prolonged peace has finally come to Sevenwaters. But when Sorcha's daughter Liadan fatefully meets Bran, the enigmatic leader of a band of mercenary warriors, she must choose between her own happiness and the safety of her family -- and her heritage.
Child of the Prophecy focuses on Fianne, Liadan's shy niece, who has grown up far away from Sevenwaters. Raised by her reclusive sorcerer father, Fianne lives an idyllic life -- that is, until her grandmother Oonagh arrives and informs her of her supposed role in a prophecy that has yet to be fulfilled. Marillier's Sevenwaters saga has it all -- folklore, mystery, romance, intrigue -- and is reminiscent of Marion Zimmer Bradley's classic retelling of the Arthurian legend, The Mists of Avalon. This trilogy is highly recommended, especially for young female readers who enjoy historical fantasy because of the courageous women protagonists who must draw upon their inner strength to protect themselves and their families. Paul Goat Allen
FROM THE PUBLISHER
"Magic is fading...and the ways of Man are conspiring to drive all the Old Ones to the West, beyond the ken of humankind. The ancient groves are being destroyed, and with their loss the land will lose an essential core if nothing is done." "The prophecies that were foretold so long ago say that there is a way to prevent this horror and it is the Sevenwaters clan that the spirits of Eire look to for salvation. They are a family bound into the very lifeblood of the land... and their promise to preserve the magic has been the cause of great joy - and sorrow - to them." For in truth, the ways of prophecies are never easy...and there are those who would use power for their own ends. It is left at last to Fainne, daughter of Niamh (the sister that was lost to the clan so long ago), to solve the riddles of power among the gods. A shy child of a reclusive sorcerer, she finds that her way is hard. For she is the granddaughter of the wicked sorceress Oonagh, who has emerged from the shadows of power and seeks to destroy all that the Sevenwaters have striven for... and who will use Fainne most cruelly to accomplish this fate. Will Fainne be strong enough to battle this evil and save those she has come to love?
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
In the final book in her Sevenwaters Trilogy, Australian Marillier gathers the threads from the first two (Daughter of the Forest and Son of the Shadows) and weaves them together into a rich tapestry of love and loss, family loyalty and personal sacrifice. The saga of the guardians of the forest at Sevenwaters takes up the story of Fainne, daughter of the former Druid Ciaran and the lost Niamh. Raised in the ways of magic, Fainne plans to become a solitary sorcerer like her father, but fate intervenes in the form of her grandmother, Oonagh, a sorceress with a penchant for cruelty and a desire to put an end to everything the Sevenwaters folks stand for. A prophecy tells of a way to preserve the old magic, and Lady Oonagh is willing to trick her granddaughter and torture her own son to break it. Though Fainne is forced to bow to her grandmother's will, the love of her family and her own strong ethics help her remember her true nature, as she learns about herself, her powers of sorcery and the part she plays in a prophecy that has tested three generations of women. Though the romance elements that dominated The Son of the Shadows occasionally appear, this book centers on personal growth and filial duty; it can be enjoyed as a read-alone book, but is better understood with the preceding titles. Marillier's strong voice and rolling, lucid prose seem appropriate for a 10th-century Irish tale, and her command of a fantasy story's elements make this an excellent conclusion to a fine trilogy. (Mar. 27) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
VOYA - Rachelle Bilz
Marillier's Sevenwaters Trilogy concludes in this captivating finale to her richly imagined fantasy saga set in ancient Ireland. Sevenwaters, now held by Sean, is part of an alliance formed to wrest control of the Islands from Briton's Edwin of Northwoods. Sean's sister, Liadan, and her British husband, Bran, are parents to Johnny, believed to be the child of prophecy who will regain the Islands for the Fair Folk, ancient Celtic spirits essential to Ireland's well-being. Preparations for a final battle are underway. Many miles from Sevenwaters, on the desolate Kerry coast, Ciaran raises his daughter Fainne, whose only companion is Darragh, an itinerant tinker's son. Ciaran, son of a sorceress, was raised by Druids. Fainne has links to the supernatural and is adept at magic. When Fainne turns fifteen, her paternal grandmother Oonagh arrives with an edict: Destroy the alliance, damage those at Sevenwaters, and kill Johnny. Fainne knows that she is connected by blood to Sevenwaters but becomes ensnared in her malevolent grandmother's thirst for revenge. Family secrets, precious lives, and the fate of Ireland's very soul all hang in the balance as Fainne must choose between good and evil. Plot twists, action, romance, and magic make this entrancing fantasy novel certain to please high school students and adults. This novel can stand alone, but reading Daughter of the Forest (Tor, 2000/VOYA December 2000) and Son of the Shadows (2001, VOYA December 2001) would amplify the reader's pleasure. An incomparable fantasy tale, the Sevenwaters Trilogy should appeal to Lord of the Rings fans. VOYA CODES: 5Q 4P S A/YA (Hard to imagine it being any better written; Broad general YA appeal; Senior High,defined as grades 10 to 12; Adult and Young Adult). 2002, Tor, 528p,
Library Journal
As the daughter of Niamh of the Sevenwaters Clan, Fainne possesses a magic born of the land itself. Instructed by her grandmother, the sorceress Oonagh, Fainne believes she has a destiny to bring about a terrible change in the world. This conclusion to Marillier's historical fantasy, set in an Ireland known only through legends, features a young woman poised between prophecies, destined to decide the fate of her people and the magic entrusted to them. The author captures the feel of myth in this Celtic-laced saga that belongs in most fantasy collections. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
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