Published: 17th February 2003
Publisher: Starscape
Pages: 246
Format: Sci Fi/Fantasy
★ ★ ★ – 3 Stars
For Elspeth Gordie freedom is-like so much else after the Great White-a memory.
It was a time known as the Age of Chaos. In a final explosive flash everything was destroyed. The few who survived banded together and formed a Council for protection. But people like Elspeth-mysteriously born with powerful mental abilities-are feared by the Council and hunted down like animals…to be destroyed.
Her only hope for survival is to keep her power hidden. But is secrecy enough against the terrible power of the Council?
This is the book which introduces us to Carmody’s world after the Great-White but aside from a brief mention and a few other references you don’t get a great sense of what it is like.
Elspeth is a nice character, sweet, no real substance despite her magic powers and the first person narration. A lot of the characters have little depth but they progress the story and fill a gap. The dialogue is stilted and there is a lot of telling but since the whole book is like this you find yourself just putting up with it and moving on.
The plot itself was interesting, it was just simple and poorly explored. It took a little while to get into the story as Carmody gradually brings us into the world but it was enjoyable in its own way. I didn’t dislike it and there were moments of mystery and intrigue but I wasn’t wowed. But, with seven books in the series it’s obviously going to be a wide world that gets slowly developed. I hope it lives up to my expectations because I want to enjoy it and now that I have finally started, I want it to make me regret not starting it when I was first told about it 20 years ago.
I wasn’t instantly grabbed but I didn’t dislike it enough to make me stop. Based off this first book I will start the second. The narrative picks up further into the book and leaves us with somewhere to go. Even though it isn’t the best, I’m trusting it’s a story that needs unpacking slowly. Just not too slowly.
You can purchase Obernewtyn via the following
QBD | Booktopia | Book Depository
Dymocks | Angus and Robinson | Fishpond | Wordery
Amazon | Amazon Aust | Audible
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