Once again, I'm extremely late to this party. And as always, I have no excuse. I purchased my copy of Katharine Kerr's Daggerspell at some point in the 90s, meaning to read it and go on with the rest of the Deverry saga. What can I say? I guess that other books and series got in the way.
Earlier this year, I brought the paperback with me on my Asian adventure. But I got sick in the Maldives, a virus that morphed into a stomach infection in Sri Lanka. So long story short, I didn't get to read it on my trip. Enough is enough, or so I told myself, and I finally elected to give the book a shot.
My main concern was that it might not have aged well. Even though this is a revised edition, there's no denying that there is a definite 80s/90s vibe to Daggerspell. And even though it's more or less an introduction set to present events and protagonists, as well as their reincarnations across the years, I found the novel to be a compelling read. Time will tell if the rest of the series will live up to the potential shown by this first installment, yet I really want to read what comes next.
Here's the blurb:
Even as a young girl, Jill was a favorite of the magical, mysterious Wildfolk, who appeared to her from their invisible realm. Little did she know her extraordinary friends represented but a glimpse of a forgotten past and a fateful future. Four hundred years—and many lifetimes—ago, one selfish young lord caused the death of two innocent lovers. Then and there he vowed never to rest until he'd rightened that wrong-and laid the foundation for the lives of Jill and all those whom she would hold dear: her father, the mercenary soldier Cullyn; the exiled berserker Rhodry Maelwaedd; and the ancient and powerful herbman Nevyn, all bound in a struggle against darkness. . . and a quest to fulfill the destinies determined centuries ago.
Here in this newly revised edition comes the incredible novel that began one of the best-loved fantasy seers in recent years—a tale of bold adventure and timeless love, perilous battle and pure magic. For long-standing fans of Deverry and those who have yet to experience this exciting series, Daggerspell is a rare and special treat.
Katharine Kerr's worldbuilding is excellent. À la Katherine Kurtz, the author has an eye for historical details and her depiction of medieval Welsh culture brings this story to life in a way that is seldom seen. Every scene is imbued with a realism that makes everything feel genuine. This was by far my favorite aspect of Daggerspell.
Personally, I would have liked to discover more about magic, the Wildfolk, the Westfolk, and all the other mysteries of the Deverry universe. Then again, this is only the first installment, so I guess that all will be revealed in due time.
Some readers might find the structure of the tale to be a little off-putting. Since this series follows a number of souls being reborn through the centuries, the original cast you get to know at the beginning of the book is suddenly replaced by a different bunch of characters after a few chapters, and then by yet another group later on in the story. I didn't have a problem with that, but I figure that it might trouble some people. Given that reincarnation seems to be at the heart of this series, I guess that it's something everyone needs to get used to.
As a result, characterization can be a bit tricky. Because even though you're reading about the same souls, their current reincarnations don't necessarily follow exactly in the footsteps of their previous lives. There are similarities, true, but there are also some differences. Still, Kerr came up with an engaging cast and it's great to see how tragedy binds them all together through the centuries. Nevyn, a magic-user known as a dweomermaster, screwed up in the past and destroyed the lives of those men and women who keep being reborn. His task is to spend eternity correcting his mistakes so they can all fulfill their destiny.
Beyond that main story arc, I liked the fact that these souls also seem to be involved in greater things to come, such as war with the elves and the threat of an evil dweomermaster working behind the scenes.
Although the jumps through the timeline can be a bit jarring to begin with, Kerr does a good job steering readers back in the right direction somewhat rapidly. Hence, you're never truly lost and the tale progresses at a nice clip. Even though some sections flow better than others, I would say that Daggerspell doesn't suffer from any pacing issues.
If you're looking for a complex fantasy tale featuring an interesting cast of protagonists, Katharine Kerr's Daggerspell could be for you. The fact that all the sequels have already been published and you won't have to wait to get your hands on them is also appealing! So is the fact that you can still get the digital edition for only 3.99$ via the link below.
The final verdict: 7.5/10
For more information about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
