| Title | : | Serpent Mage (The Death Gate Cycle, #4) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0553561405 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780553561401 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Mass Market Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 414 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 1992 |
Serpent Mage (The Death Gate Cycle, #4) Reviews
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This should have been Book 2 of 4. They might have skipped the "four elements" gimmick and just told the story of the godlike Sartan locking the magic-using Patryns away in the Labyrinth for rehabilitation and then mysteriously disappearing for eons while their prison turned malicious... Because that idea is very cool, and the sections that focus there show promise, while the "water world experiencing slow element-centric decline into ruin" stuff is tired and sluggish and for some reason they try forcing a love interest, which just - no, thank you. By the time the threads of the preceding books begin to tie together it's too late - there's not enough momentum left to thrill anybody.
1.5 stars. Again, big interesting worldbuilding but it's anchored to tepid characters engaged in a lethargic and extremely repetitive plot. Nothing in this sparked the same excitement for me at age 35 as it did at 15. -
You know, whenever I'm lucky enough to find a reasonably literate person who has read some fantasy novels, I'm always surprised by the fact that - as far as I can recall - none of them have read The Death Gate Cycle. Granted, I had some holdover nostalgia from the Dragonlance Chronicles for Weis and Hickman, and so I probably had more cause to read them than most, but, even solely on their own merits, these are really excellent books. They're filled with interesting and nuanced characters - Hugh the Hand is still one of my favorite characters ever - and the plotlines are expertly interwoven. The real mastery, though, is in the novels' 5 distinct - geographically, sociologically, politically, ethnically - worlds.
People who enjoyed Harry Potter or Tolkein should give these books a shot. -
This book is the fourth book of a series. I strongly advise reading the previous books first as this book builds on the story arc. In this one, Haplo ends up on a water planet where all powerful dragon snakes are threatening the occupants of this world. Meanwhile, Alfred also ends up on this world and discovers his own race living on this planet.
While I still think the previous book was my favorite of the series this is still a five star read. So far each book has been a self contained story that adds a nugget to the overall mystery. This changes with this book. There still is the self contained story but we find out huge missing pieces of the overall story arc and it looks like we are going to tackle that from now on. I did like the self contained story as we deal with people forced out of their homeland and becoming refugees. To what extent will these people go to survive? Within this story arc we also touched upon love and suicide and there is a lot of meat to the story. The new characters that are introduced are a delight and I enjoyed this part of the book a lot.
As for the characters that we have been following we find out more about them and their past. I do enjoy the contrast between Haplo and Alfred as they want to believe that they are on opposite sides but are coming to the realization that maybe they are not. I liked how this book painted each character as gray with their actions and not so black and white. I wavered between both characters and it is always a plus when characters make you think.
This was a strong character building book for our main characters that readers will enjoy. It is also a book that delves deeper into the whole story arc of this series and I look forward to reading about it. This is a strong series for the characters as well as a mystery that has the reader wondering how it will all conclude. -
I am a huge fan of the Death Gate Cycle septet. Dragon Wing (book 1) is epic, Elven Star is still 5 stars, and Fire Sea is really good (4 stars). However, Serpent Mage (book 4) was disappointing on the second read. Weis and Hickman pretty much phoned this one in. Nothing of any gravity happened until page 370 of 400. I don't know what possessed them to draw out the meanderings of the uninteresting mortal characters for so long with so little action.
We do learn a great deal about the Sundering, the means by which the 4 fascinating mortal realms were created. And some new demi-god characters are introduced, members of the Sartan council responsible for said Sundering of old Earth. One gets the impression they are setting the stage for the next three books, beyond the procedural introduction to each of the 4 realms in the first 4 books.
Also, we see more complex layers to my favorite character, the ostensible narrator Haplo. Previously cast in the role of hero, his evil impulse and designs guide much of the story, partly because he is deprived of his dog (clearly a metaphorical and physical manifestation of his soul, though they are canny enough never to come out and say so).
I hope this is the only dud in a great series, but being as I remember very little of books 5-7, I fear they may not be very ... well you know, memorable. But I'll let you know, one way or the other. -
Like the third act in a play, Serpet Mage is the turning point in this ambitious seven-book fantasy epic. By the end of the book, the final touches of the world-building process are in place and the main characters have faced a deep personal crisis that challenges their whole view of the world and themselves. Of course, none of that would matter if the novel itself wasn't a gripping tale of friendship, losses, betrayals, heroic deeds, and the revelation of ancient dark secrets. The ages-old rivalry and the deep-rooted hate that binds Sartan and Patryn together is revealed as something far more complex than a one-dimensional battle between pristine Good and dastardly Evil. Both Alfred and Haplo are forced to confront painful truths about their own people and they both realize that their relationship with the mensch (humans, dwarves, and elves) can be far more complex than that of demi-gods and "lesser" races. However, perhaps the most remarkable achievement of this novel is the relationship between the mensch of Chelestra, as exemplified by the friendship between the dwarven and human princessess and the elven prince, whose antics and adventures are the true heart of Serpent Mage. There has been plenty of love and hate between many of the characters in previous books, but none of their relationship have felt as true and down-to-earth as the relationship between Grundle, Alake, and Devon. And of course, there's a dark threat to their friendship and the fate of their people and all the worlds. It's a threat that has been hinted in previous books, but the protagonists are finally on the verge of the final conflict and the threads from the previous books finally start to come together. Finally, a remarkable aspect of the book (at least for mainstream sword and sorcery novels in the 1990s), is the inclusion of an African-based civilization, which is mostly represented in a respectful and intelligente way, although it occasionally verges into an "African-themed park" territory (fortunately, without falling into the "white saviour" trap).
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Mon tome préféré de la série jusqu'ici, avec L'Aile du dragon.
Depuis le tome 1, je n'avais pas trop accroché avec les personnages, hormis Haplo, le chien et Alfred. J'ai enfin renoué avec eux. Globalement, j'ai aimé tous les nouveaux venus : Grundle, Devon, Alake, Sabia et leurs parents, et j'ai une large préférence pour Grundle et Devon. J’ai adoré suivre le petit groupe des héritiers, à la fois jeunes et téméraires, mais aussi très braves et responsables. Les menschs, dans ce tome 4, sont particulièrement attachants et touchants. Pour la première fois de la série, les menschs sont unis, vivent en harmonie, et planifient un avenir commun. Pas de guerre entre nains, elfes et humains dans un environnement que je trouve pourtant hostile, même si Chelestra ne l’est pas autant qu’Abarrach. Et tout cela, sans intervention extérieure !
Chelestra, le monde de l’eau, est très intéressant avec son soleil de mer qui se déplace, provoquant le dégel et le gel des lunes de mer, sur lesquelles vivent les menschs.
Côté intrigue, enfin, on en apprend plus, beaucoup plus, sur les mystérieux Sartans, et pas n'importe lesquels en plus. Les différentes pièces récoltées dans les tomes précédents (je pense en particulier aux nombreuses allusions de Zifnab dans le tome 2 et à la Chambre des Bienheureux dans le tome 3) s’assemblent enfin ! Il aura fallu quatre tomes, quatre mondes, pour enfin découvrir pourquoi tous les Sartans de tous les mondes avaient disparu, ainsi que l’origine de la guerre entre Sartans et Patryns.
Trois thèmes ressortent pour moi dans ce tome. Le premier, toujours présent, mais abordé différemment cette fois, la mort. Le deuxième, la dualité. Les rapprochements entre le Seigneur du Nexus et Haplo, entre Samah et Alfred, sont très très intéressants, il y a vraiment cette relation maitre/enfant qui se révèle très forte et néfaste. Il y a aussi le rapprochement Haplo/Alfred. Les deux ennemis réalisent que leurs valeurs ne sont pas si différentes. Le problème n’est pas l’homme, c’est le groupe auquel il appartient. Le groupe qui se révèle plus néfaste que l’individu. Enfin, le troisième thème : la peur de l’autre. On l’avait déjà vu dans les tomes précédents, mais là il prend une ampleur dans l’intrigue à laquelle je ne m’attendais pas.
Enfin, le personnage d’Haplo évolue énormément. Il y avait bien des petits changements, des petites réflexions par ci par là dans les tomes précédents, mais pour une fois, Haplo se pose, et il réfléchit au calme, à ses objectifs, aux objectifs de son maitre, aux objectifs des menschs… et à leurs conséquences. D’ailleurs la conclusion du livre, suite à la sentence d’Alfred, me paraît éclaircir un certain nombre de choses quant à la direction que prendra la suite de la série.
Ce que je retiens de ce quatrième tome, c’est qu’il faut plusieurs générations et beaucoup de recul à un groupe d’individus pour regarder les choses en face et réaliser ses erreurs. C’est vraiment flagrant chez les Sartans, habités par la peur de l’autre, et comparés à Alfred, le seul d’entre eux à connaitre vraiment les autres races et les conséquences de la Séparation. Au final, tout le monde se porte mieux sans les Sartans…
Un mystère reste encore à éclaircir. Le plus grand mystère de cette série. QUI est vraiment le chien ?? -
2,5/5
Este libro cierra la primera parte de la heptalogía, centrada en conocer cada uno de los cuatro mundos en que fue dividido el universo original. En el tercer libro habían recuperado parte del interés que caracterizaba al primero, además de conseguir una historia interesante y sin demasiados altibajos, pero que habían perdido en la ejecución del segundo. En este cuarto, vuelve a estar presente la irregularidad que deberían haber abandonado por completo.
El mundo de Chelestra es interesante, bastante completo, e incluso utópico, socialmente hablando. Pero no tanto geográficamente, pues está abocado a una extinción, que se verá acentuada con la aparición de unas serpientes dragón.
Esperaba un poco más de esta continuación, después de la interesante conclusión del anterior volumen. Las excesivas escenas amorosas, a las que no necesariamente soy reacio, se muestran demasiado simples. El personaje conductor de la historia cada vez está más confundido, lo que inevitablemente confunde al lector. Y la trama de este libro, diría, ha sido la más predecible. Confío en que los tres restantes confundan menos y emocionen más. -
![[Name Redacted]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1347082397i/287915._UY200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
This book contains something too few fantasy books contain: black people! Indeed, the only humans on the planet are black (no fear of a black planet here!), and they live in what appears to be an adapted version of African tribal culture (which, interestingly enough, is described as being similar to that of Patryn culture). Not only that, but this world is described as the BEST of the four worlds created by the Sundering, and the humans, dwarves and elves on it are explicitly stated to be the descendants of those favoured by the Sartan. Think about that for a minute: the human inhabitants of the chosen world are black, and they are there because they were deemed "superior" by their demi-god patrons! And the main human character is specifically described as the most beautiful female Haplo has ever encountered. Again, think about that: the most beautiful woman in the FIVE EXTANT WORLDS is black. What is more, the fact that these humans are black is barely mentioned aside from a few lines at the beginning of the book and individual descriptions of three individual characters -- by the time you reach the half-way point, you simply read the word "human" and imagine a black person. The authors handle it deftly, respectfully and imaginatively. Honestly, I wish more fantasy authors took this approach -- it's refreshing and exciting.
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4 stars- Dutch hardcover
Fourth of the projected seven-book series, continuing the adventures of Haplo the Patryn and his rival, Albert the Sartan.
Travel companions, not by choice.
Haplo arrives on Chelestra, a water-world whose construction makes no geometric, physical, or narrative sense, only to find that the local seawater quenches the tattoos that are the source of his Patryn magic.
Meanwhile, Alfred, the clumsy, bumbling Sartan, also arrives and by accident reawakens the slumbering ancient, arrogant Sartan ruling council, who regard askance Alfred's growing friendship with Haplo.
Also on Chelestra live some superpowerful dragon-snakes, whose purpose is to stir up trouble, force the Sartan to open the Death Gate, and allow them to escape. Haplo befriends a trio of ``mensch,'' the human, dwarf, and elf subclasses oppressed by the mighty Sartan, and eventually comes to trust Alfred.
He turns out to be the Serpent Mage, more than his nominal master, the Patryn Xar. Yet another exercise, with the implausible backdrop, absurd plotting, and vacuous dramatics makes a lot of..... I would say fasten your seatbelt and read it yourself. -
4 estrellas: Me encantó :)
"El Mago de la Serpiente" es el cuarto libro de la saga de "El Ciclo de la Puerta de la Muerte". Aunque mi favorito sigue siento el tercero, este no se queda muy atrás en la calidad de la caracterización, evolución de personaje, desarrollo de argumento e intriga. Uno de los temas que atraviesa toda la saga (el racismo) es muy bien explorado en este libro, en particular por el contraste entre la amistad entre las razas mensch y el odio entre las de los semidioses. Más claramente que nunca, este tomo nos demuestra que el odio entre patryn y sartán no es un enfrentamiento entre buenos y malos, y que la historia es mucho más compleja de lo que aparentaba.
"El verdadero mal no está fuera. El verdadero mal está aquí dentro. —Se llevó la mano al corazón—. Es el miedo".
Cómo un paréntesis, me agrada la representación de gente negra en esta saga y en este libro en específico, me sorprende gratamente porque no es algo habitual en la fantasía y uno pensaría que es menos esperable de encontrar en libros de los 90s. Es refrescante, especialmente cuando incluso hoy en día hay autores que no la consiguen.
Los personajes secundarios introducidos en este libro están entre mis favoritos de la saga, todos tienen su carisma particular y están muy bien caracterizados. Pero por encima de todos, Haplo es un antihéroe increíble, y su evolución fascinante.
Sin embargo, el perro sigue siendo mi favorito:
"—¡Eh, vamos! ¡Deja de hacer eso! —le dijo Haplo a a Grundle con rudeza—. Mira, estás contagiando al perro.
El animal, que parecía haberse tomado aquello muy a pecho, había sumado sus aullidos al llanto de la enana. Grundle se enjugó las lágrimas y ensayó una débil sonrisa".
Qué va a pasar, voy a arrancar el quinto libro inmediatamente. -
Yaaaaay what a ride!!
This book, more so than the others in the series, was a 'bridge' book, versus one that could stand on its own as a complete story. But it is SOOOOO deliciously compelling. This one also clarified some questions I had after finishing the last (specifically what Jonathan's revelation was in that secret chamber). I had to exert all my self-control and will to enter this review (and the one for book 3!) before hurtling ahead in this series. I'm glad I still have three more to go. I am a bit apprehensive about starting the next book, as I really do have things I need to do this weekend.
I very much appreciated the portrayal of the mensch on this world (as it's definitely the most positive of the worlds), and enjoyed the device of Grundle's journal in telling the story from a different perspective. This is probably the most I've been able to appreciate/admire a dwarf so far in my life (as they are inevitably short and whiskered and not attractive compared to humans/elves - and in the estimation of humans/elves). The character development continues as Haplo and Alfred keep getting deeper and fuller - and even Dog and his role! I heart Dog, maybe the most.
As the series develops, a few of the larger themes become clearer to me - racism, domination/subjugation, self-righteousness, religion and the existence of a higher power. -
Bon tome dans la continuité des autres mais que j'ai trouvé un peu plus longuet à se mettre en place.
Voir les personnages réaliser qu'ils ont changé, voir leurs réactions face à de nouvelles situations compliquées était vraiment agréable.
Le monde de l'eau est encore un monde fascinant à découvrir et le trio des mensch était vraiment sympa. Ils font face à des situations difficiles malgré leur jeune âge et montre toutes les qualités de leurs peuples.
De voir du coup les Sartans et de vraiment comprendre leur façon de faire les fait descendre de leur piédestal, ce qui est dur pour Alfred.
On sent qu'au final sans qu'ils s'en rendent compte ces deux personnages opposés, Alfred et Happlo, sont bien plus proches désormais.
Leur lien et leur histoire fait la force de ces livres et on finit encore en voulant absolument lire la suite. -
Fhdjdkfjdhsbdkfhrbsbf
Yes, keyboard smashing because that's a rude cliffhanger ish of an ending. What's up with the dog? What's up with Alfred? What's up with those sea dragons???? What's going to happen to Haplo now?! Ahhhhhhhhh! -
Het avontuur van Haplo en Alfred gaat door, deze keer op de laatste van de 4 werelden Chelestra. Het verhaal focust meer op Haplo, die deze keer in aanraking komt met een nog levende kolonie Sartanen die meer over het verleden weten dan ze willen laten doorschemeren. Ook komt er een nieuwe vijand bij die mogelijk nog gevaarlijker is en die geen duidelijke oorsprong heeft. De hele geschiedenis en wereld van de poort des doods is soms ingewikkeld, maar ik blijf toch weer lezen hoe het verder gaat. De rol van de mensen, dwergen en elven wordt nu vooral verteld via de 3 prinsen/prinsessen van ieder ras. De focus op Haplo vond ik erg interessant. Het verhaal heeft ook een open einde dus deel 5 staat weer klaar om gelezen te worden.
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Multi-dimensional story thats getting beter as the cycle continues!!
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Paralel olaylar birbirine iyi bağlanıyor ve düğümleniyor. Sonuna doğru epey sürükleyiciydi.
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Copied from Dragon Wing. Review is for entire series.
Re-read
The Deathgate Cycle is one of my favorite series ever. Everything about it - all 7 books - are just... high fantasy perfection.
- The world (or rather universe) is amazingly unique, stunning in set up and description, and terrifically told.
- The magic and its use is top notch. It's one of few series that really go into HOW the magic of the world works.
- The characters are all highly memorable, including "Dog", the secondaries, the villains, the monsters, etc. And the primary protagonist, Haplo, is one of my favorites ever. Maybe my very favorite. He's everything I'd ever want in a protag - strong yet kind, "good", complex, and so easy to get behind and pull for. He's a bad ass, too.
- And the plot is perfect and perfectly executed.
Everything about this series is just... yeah. I can honestly think of no negatives. Unless to say that I'd like another 7 books. I'll just settle for re-reading, which it handles just fine. This book was just as good today as the first time I read way back in like... idk... 1991 [ETA: probably like 1993 for SM] or so.
You won't get a much higher recommendation out of me than this. -
This fourth book in the series is the first one to have a weaker hold
on my interest. Once again, though, a very unique world is created. Having said that, I had a real hard time visualizing the durnai with respect to where the living areas were in relation to the water and mountains. This even after the illustrations of cross sections and the descriptions in the Appendix.
The story with respct to the characters of Chelstra wasn't all that captivating, but there are revelations to be had in how the four worlds interrelate.
This is still a very interesting series, and I'm still enjoying Halpo and Alfred a lot. I'm still with it, but here's hoping the next book will be more gripping. -
Serpent Mage, book four of Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's DEATH GATE CYCLE, is not as good as its immediate predecessor but also manages to be significantly superior to the first two installments in the series. For the most part, the focus on Alfred and Haplo continues to be a good move and the tension is certainly ratcheting up as we get closer to the endgame, but on the other hand this one just didn't feel as tightly constructed as the more gripping Fire Sea.
Following our cliffhanger ending last time, Haplo's master has discovered that his disciple is lying to ... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi... -
The deeper entrenched into this story I get, the more impressed I become with how the authors have managed to create such a fantastic tale. With every book it gets more and more complicated while still never losing sight of the few, basic, simple themes at its core. This book is just as fantastic as the previous 3, and anyone who likes a great story with amazingly complex characters needs to read this series.
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The series definitely reached its highest point so far in this volume, for me, and I found myself drawn deeply into the story once again. The originality of this series really makes it stand out, and the amount of planning that must have gone into it is astounding. With each volume, mysteries are being revealed while more are coming to light, pushing me to keep reading just a few more pages.
This is what epic fantasy is really meant to be. -
Seriously these books are getting better and better. Although I do highly recommend to anyone reading this series that they have the 5th book on hand when they finish the 4th. This book does not end as the others do, with a true ending, this is more of a cliff hanger.
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This one is pure magic. This book is where everything starts making sense and is the start of the sagas second and final period. Where all characters come to terms with what lies ahead. Really engaging.
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After this, the 4th book in the Death Gate Cycle, it seems we may be getting somewhere as far as the overarching plot is concerned for this series (which so far has been engaging).
Four realms, (Air, Earth, Fire and Water) have now been on display, each with various outcomes for Haplo (Hero/Anti Hero?) to take back to the Lord of the Nexus. Do we support Haplo? Are we all for Xar taking over the universe? if so, why? Is he going to rebuild new Earth? Undo the Sundering? How is the Labyrinth any different than a concentration camp? Doesn't that predicate whose good /evil?
Again, humans, elves, and dwarves are present, this time they are joined together in peaceful harmony (not without the obligatory cliches of each race toward the other.)
Yet, we are introduced to an additional character of the dragon-snake, their allegiances, add their plotting to the mix of the DGC.
"Alfred" is back, and this time he meets with real, live, Sartans, who are equitably smarmy and fill in their traits as expected with regard to the Patryn/Sartan discussion. Errantly, these Sartans believe their folk are still alive among the other realms. Should be interesting to watch the reactions to that misperception.
Side questions: How can one just "quit" the Council of Seven? Why do we care of said Council? And when will Alfred stop his being this bumbling affect and become his true self? How/why is this hidden from him? If Sartans talk in mental images (And cannot lie to each other), how does any of this perpetuate so out of control?
Weis & Hickman have created an overwhelming futuristic set of circumstances that are heavy, literarily, and expansive to any reader. Deftly hidden beneath is all of the traditional culture hate that is seen in our world today, and how the future versions of ourselves will go about resolving their differences, is yet to be revealed.
Taking sides in this fantasy may seem easy enough at the beginning, much harder as more history is revealed, the battle lines blur, and the traditional good versus evil seems muddied beyond the norm.
Moderately engaging storyline to represent Chelestra, but more questions are proffered than answered by the time this one is through. Much light is shed on the Sundering, what each realm is "supposed" to be doing, but who put the Sartans in charge?
Nice edition to the septet, but not a stand alone mostly.
Thanks for reading. -
Easily the best book in the series thus far in my opinion. However, at this point the series can take a nasty dip into the not-so-great realm. The beginning of the story lands you with Alfred instead of Haplo (unless you count the VERY beginning, in which case you're technically reading the journal of a completely new character) and dives you directly into the action. Best way to do it in my opinion.
BUUUUTTTT with that being said, the same basic story has been told in four ways now. We have visited all four of the worlds that Haplo was supposed to visit, and in each he finds the races are in turmoil with one another, he debates following orders on not interfering with what's going on, he interferes anyways, and he tells himself next time he will do better. Same shit, different world. I have seriously enjoyed each telling, but it's been used up. Done. Fizzled out. Where the series goes next will make or break the rest of the story arc.
Overall, the world building was as solid as the prior volumes, the characters were interesting, and it seems that MW and TH enjoy creating a love connection and then The water dragons were probably the least cool dragon so far...my favorite was the MOTHER EFFING LAVA DRAGON!! Not that it much matters. The dragons have had little to no part of the story all the way through, excluding this particular book, in which case they were the antagonist.
Solid, enjoyable read. Curious/nervous about the path the story will follow from here on out. Excited to start the next volume. Ready.... GO! -
So, for a moment, it started to look like "Serpent Mage" was going to go the way of "Elven Star" with another world that the Lord of the Nexus wasn't going to have to expend any effort to swoop in and save because there wasn't gonna be anybody left, plus another round of out-of-the-blue, nonsensical (and kind of creepy) love subplots.
Like Elven Star, I was not clear on the rules of Chelestra. We're all underwater all the time except when we're not, but it doesn't matter because we can breathe either air or water interchangeably as long as we think about it, and these living (!!) landmasses swirl around an INNER star like...crutons or something... I gave up.
Would you believe that Alfred is still clumsy? A lot? Except when he's conveniently not? If he turns out to be "The One," I'll be highly disappointed. I'm rooting for the dog to be The One, because as we all know "dog" spelled backwards...
The first half of this book was pretty humdrum and it only rises to 3 stars on the weight of its blistering finale and decent cliffhanger.
Perhaps the best part of this was a brief page and a half where three teenagers conspire to abscond with some weed before doing something even more stupid. It wasn't worded quite that way, but those of us who've been around the sun a few times...and wouldn't you know it, I read that part on April 20th *touches side of nose and nods*
Quarantine is still on, so "The Hand of Chaos" awaits.
