B+
Title: The Barbed Rose
Author: Gail Dayton
Publication Info: Luna 2006
ISBN: 0373802250
Genre: Fantasy/Fairy Tale Romance
It’s a shame I don’t have superpowers, like the unlimited energy to harness the love and regard of a polyamorous marriage unit and focus it onto renovating current business plans for Luna so I can be assured that my chance to read the third installment of the Compass Rose trilogy remains unobstructed. But alas, I can only say, damn, this is some good storytelling.
When we last left Kallista and her many husbands and one wife, she was pregnant and had just kicked demon ass in neighboring Tibre. Now, she’s been asked to return to the capital by the Reinine, the ruler of Adara, and the story opens as she journeys apart from half her ilian. The babies travel with Aisse, who is pregnant, and the two Tibran members of her ilian, along with a temporary ilias, a nursemaid who helps care for Kallista’s twins and the imminent babies. Kallista travels with the more swarthy and asskicking members of the family, since rebellion has blossomed within Adara.
Kallista is particularly vulnerable, and at the same time, immensely powerful. As a Godmarked ilian, she and her spouses have magical powers that haven’t been seen in Adara in thousands of years, and since the rebellion began, she and her family have become a very attractive target. Take out the leading form of protection for the Reinine, and it would be much easier to take over the country.
So much happens in the story that I don’t want to describe much more than that, because much of what keeps the story rolling in a crisp and exciting fashion is the constant surprise and action that face Kallista and her ilian. Add to that the additions of new members of the group, and the sexual tensions and explorations that go on, and it’s a hot story. If it was just a story about a family in a polyamorous culture with matriarchal traditions, it would be good. If it was just a story about a military captain who inherits incredible powers and no guidance but her own experience in how to handle and tame them, it would be good. But combine that with demon villains and acts of bravery and emotional depth on the part of an ever-growing family of well-rendered supporting characters, and it’s gooooood.
The well done parts of the story are many: it was easy to slip back into the world of Adara, and not a great deal of explication was needed. The worst example of sequel explanation is in the Sweet Valley High books, where every damn one began with a description of the perfect-size-six twins and blah blah blah. The mark of a good series is that a giant info-dump of backstory isn’t needed to bring a reader up to speed. Everything that’s part of the world-building in this story is done through context, and Dayton excels at creating a fantasy that’s completely different from the modern world yet still offers the reader many, many paths through which to relate to the characters, the society, and the rules as a whole.
Moreover, everything that’s different has flaws. I might not live in a matriarchal society, but when I read about what works so well in Adara, I also read about those elements of the society that weren’t perfectly functional, such as the treatment of men in the army, or the ability to welcome strangers, particularly male strangers. As peculiar as it is to say so, it’s a completely fantastical universe that maintains a realism that makes the fantasy accessible and yet maintains enough distance from current reality to allow the reader to really think about the ramifications of that alternate world.
On a more immediate level, the characters are enjoyable as well. Kallista is likable and not too perfect for an otherworldly superhero, and each member of her ilian is interesting, with motivations that inform their actions so that they contribute to the saga individually and collectively. Joining the ilian does not dilute secondary characters so that they serve only to highlight how great Kallista is. While some of them certainly serve as foils, they are each characters with stories in their own right, which makes the larger tale more compelling.
I don’t envy Dayton the task of writing a saga in three parts. For one thing, the middle of a trilogy has to be the hardest to write, particularly in a saga with three parts. Part one sets everything up, part three has a major climax with a resolution to the larger story. So part two continues the first third but doesn’t quite fix everything. The story has to continue and have an ending that leaves room for still more, and that feeling of incompletion is harder to overcome.
Kallista has had a book’s worth of demon fighting time to get herself acquainted with the magic she possesses, and is now figuring out why the members of her ilian are chosen by the One and Godmarked to join her. Much of the process is out of her control, which must be difficult if a higher power is picking your potential bedmates, but yet the challenge to master the additional power from each member of her ilian, and to blend them together to fight the demons that threaten Adara, rests solely on Kallista.
There’s one scene where Kallista is fighting a few demons, and figures out pretty rapidly, once her ilian and all their variations of power are together enough for her to switch from regular unleaded to high test demon asskicking, what she needs to do to destroy them, provided she’s in range for maximum effectiveness. And once they’re toasty, one of her iliasti says something along the lines of, “That was too easy.”
And once Kallista figured out the effects of their individual absences in her magic, it seemed easy. There were struggles and there were some fearful moments, but not so much for Kallista as the others. Book 2 is a bit more about them than her, which makes sense because Kallista had to decipher situations and strategize, and not kick ass so much, especially as her magic was slowly returning post-partum.
But the question with book 2 isn’t so much “Would Kallista win?” It was more a question of whether she and the others would be able to hold the ilian together physically and emotionally in the same space long enough to harness the power to win the latest battle. And since her ilian is not quite complete, book 3 should bring some seriously powerful asskicking.
I hope someone has the good sense to publish it, because I personally am eager to know what happens. Seriously. Don’t piss a Smart Bitch off.
Yeah, I really want the third book! THough is she even able to go to another pub, or does Luna have rights to the series even if they don’t pub them? Er, no clue.
And is it already written? Can we beg her to send it to some epub so we can get it sooner? lol
But oh, I loved this book.
According to her
blog, she turned the book into her publisher in January. I can’t believe it took them this long to decide not to publish it. I hope she has a top notch agent who can find a new home for it quickly.
I almost forgot. I adore this series. It rocks!
I am going to be so bummed if I can’t lay my hands on the third part of this trilogy. I loved the first two books.
:::!!POUT!!:::
What’s Luna thinking!? Normally I adore that line, but I’m not very happy with them at the moment. They are interrupting the juicy goodness of my reading continuum.
Gail’s books are amazing. Thanks for the excellent review Smart Bitches!
That series and your reviews of it have made me the SB regular reader that I am now! I will be so so pissed if we never get the rest of Dayton’s series!
I read The Compass Rose on the basis of the Smart Bitches’ A+ review of it, and I was captivated by Kallista and the society she inhabits. I’m really glad Sarah pointed out what a great job Dayton has done with the supporting characters and giving them individual motivations that make sense and add interest to the story as a whole.
I very much hope Dayton is able to find another publisher so we get to read the third book. I hope Harlequin realizes that while mostly-killing Luna may help their bottom line overall, it makes me virtually-guaranteed never to pick up one of their books again.
Ladies, please understand that absolutely not ALL of the Luna series are in trouble. I’m finishing up my second contract with them, and will complete my Partholon books. Whether I begin something new is what’s up in the air. They’re still launching new authors, like the fabulous Jeri Smith-Ready. I also know they’re still acquiring because a good friend of mine has just been encouraged by a Luna editor to do a rewrite on a ms she submitted, and resend. That editor was very encouraging, and I bet they buy the ms.
So when you say that you’re not going to buy any more Luna books, you’re breaking the hearts of those of us who are still giving you our worlds and our fantasies. Despite unfortunate rumors to the contrary LUNA IS NOT DEAD.
I think Dayton’s current plan is to try to sell it to another US print publisher, so there’s still hope for all of us Kallista fans. Luna doesn’t own the rights to the story, or if they did, they’ll be handing them over shortly so that she can find another publisher.
As for the rest of Luna, if you want more of what they’ve been offering, the best way to show it is at the cash register or library circulation desk. I know that sounds incredibly self-serving of me, and it is. I’d like my career to not crash and burn right out of the gate (apologies for the mixed metaphor—rarely do racehorses spontaneously combust), or if it does, I’d like it to be because I wrote a crappy book, not because I wrote a good book with bad timing.
I understand why those authors still writing for—and being published by—Luna don’t want readers to turn away from the publisher. But it’s difficult for me to think highly of a publisher that makes a commitment to publish a book, especially when it is part of a series, and then backs out while it continues to ACQUIRE other books by other authors. Want to change direction? Fine. But why not at least publish what you’ve contracted, especially if you’re still in operation. If it was the author who decided not to turn in a contracted book, how do you think a publisher would respond?
If it was the author who decided not to turn in a contracted book, how do you think a publisher would respond?
They would respond in whatever way the contract stipulated. Usually it would involve the author paying back the advance. In the case of a publisher not publishing a book for reasons other than unacceptable quality, the authors are still paid the monies owed them, often more. Just like when a company lays a person off, they might offer a severance package over and above whatever personal, vacation, etc., days are owed to them.
Robin – it’s not about publisher support. It’s about author support. We can’t control what the publishers do or don’t do. When readers get pissed at a publisher (which I can definitely understand) it’s a shame that the response ends up hurting the authors. We’re still writing kick-ass books and trying to entertain and make our readers happy. So it’s incredibly frustrating to hear readers say that they won’t buy an imprint because of something we can’t control. Yes, it sucks for a series to be cancelled. I hate it for authors and readers. But what equally sucks is for readers to run from the rest of us because of decisions that are out of our hands.
And the truth is that what I’ve heard from Luna editors is that the imprint is NOT being cancelled. That what they’re doing is focusing to enable it to continue.
Do your contracts stipulate the remedy for breach on either side? I was actually thinking more along the lines of the damage an author’s reputation might suffer if she breaches her side of the contract with her publisher, but I’d be interested to know if your contracts provide for a breach on either side.
I understand what you’re saying. For me, actually, it’s about book support for the most part. I tend to be more book loyal than author or publisher loyal (although there is one publisher that I prefer not to purchase from, because the books are, IMO, frighteningly homogenous and flat). But I really can see this debate from both sides. On the one hand, I think readers are getting tired of feeling like we have no voice with publishers unless we make grand gestures. On the other hand, I think authors are often caught in the middle between publishers who are focused on the bottom line and readers from whom they are vying for sales and loyalty. What irks me is that no matter what, the publisher will be the one to profit in the end, while readers and authors are trying to figure out how to best meet their own needs. Not having a vested stake in this particular Luna horserace, I won’t be boycotting the publisher based on what happened to Dayton’s third book—but I understand why some readers might. And I understand why that will frustrate other Luna authors.
Mostly, though, I’m in a bad mood because Congress may have finally managed to finish us off as a democracy:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/28/opinion/28thu1.html
So I’m unlikely to be agreeable about anything today—sorry.
Yes, our contracts do address breaches both ways. I don’t want to speak for any of the cut authors, but they are being compensated – though it still sucks totally that their books were axed.
And I completely understand your grumpiness. I served 6 years in the USAF and right now I’d like to bash my head against a wall. Our strength as a nation is our humanity, and our openness, even when we disagree. I’m feeling sick… But I vote. Every time. And election day is coming.
Mostly, though, I’m in a bad mood because Congress may have finally managed to finish us off as a democracy:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/28/opinion/28thu1.html
But Robin, don’t you see the brilliant logic at work here? They’ve finally figured out how to defeat terrorism:
1. Terrorists hate us because of our freedoms.
Ergo,
2. Let’s get rid of our freedoms.
and voila! The terrorists won’t hate us anymore. Bada-bing, bada-BOOM!
Apologies to the SBs for the digression, but losing our democracy does kind of put the whole publishing kerfuffle in perspective. If the Luna thing doesn’t work out, I’ll submit something to the people who publish the Anarchist’s Cookbook.
Oh wait, they went out of business last year.
I loved this book, maybe even more than the first. It’s rare I re-read books, but just finished reading CR & BR for the third time. The daughter took CR off to college.
Nicole…I think the third installment, Eternal Rose, is finished. Thought Gails’ blog said she submitted final edits May or Junish. Gail bounces into SB every so often, so please correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought she said 1) she had been paid for #3, 2) LUNA declined to publish, 3) pub. rights had been returned to Gail, so she is free to seek another publisher. Go Gail, Eager fans await!
Robin…almost all bad moods can be cured with chocolate…here, I’ll share some with you. Today’s treat is white chocolate M & M’s.
Hey Sarah, speaking of book reviews…I see the advertising is for Nathalie Gray, have you read any of hers?
Anybody have any observations?
Do you guys (Jeri? Robin?) know David Rakoff’s work? I met him this past weekend, which was truly a pleasure. In his latest book, DON’T GET TOO COMFORTABLE, the opening essay, LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT, begins: “George W. Bush made me want to be an American. It was a need I had not known before. A desire that came over me in a rush one day, not unlike that of the pencil-necked honors student suddenly overwhelmed with the inexplicable urge to make a daily gift of his lunch money to the schoolyard tough.”
Sorry, Gail. That’s definitely off topic.
Thanks, dl; I appreciate the thought, but I think my despair has surpassed even chocolate (are they actually making white chocolate M&M’s, though?).
Legal scholars have commented for some time now that the most effective “terror weapon” against the US is that which we effect against ourselves—and how right they are. This is the first time in 5 years that I’ve actually been scared of what we’re becoming.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Sarah. I’m really glad you liked it.
Yes, Luna did pay me for the book. They have offered me the rights back, or if I let them keep them, the possibility of bringing it out as an e-book…maybe in 2008. I’m considering options right now. As Jeri said, I’d really prefer to find someone to bring it out in paper before 2008, or e-book before then, if paper doesn’t work. I just hate for y’all to have to wait that long—because at this point, since I did get all of my advance, that’s who I’m most concerned about. You. The readers who want to read the last installment of the story.
And I’m anxiously awaiting the release of Jeri’s book—people who have the magic of their animal totem? How cool is that??? And of course PC’s books (Divine by Mistake ROCKS!), and all the rest of them.
I do understand everyone’s frustration, and am doing everything I (well, okay, actually, my agent is doing this part) can to find a new outlet for The Eternal Rose.
I’ve been frightened ever since the Patriot Act passed. (Another one of those things named the opposite of what it does.) This latest move is utterly sickening. We’ve fought for so long to insure that checks and balances are in place in our system of government, to insure that no one person has too much power, to insure that the methods employed by dictators could never be possible. Yet here, in one fell swoop, gone. I can’t say it’s unbelievable; that interview Bush recently did with Matt Lauer wherein he barely held himself back from screaming “because I said so” was evidence enough of his
appreciation
contempt for civil liberties and the disconnect between his notion of the natural rights endowed to all men by their Creator and millions of other people’s.
The only way I could see the Republicans voting for this waking up is if they imagined Clinton back in office with the powers they’re handing on a silver platter to Bush.
And back to the original topic: I didn’t know the Compass Rose sequel had come out, so thanks for the review Sarah – I’ll be looking for this one.
Good luck Gail, your admiring fans are waiting! Hope you find an awsome new publisher!!
I come to this website for novel reviews, not political commentary. Let’s stick to the hobby that unifies us, reading. Politics gets catty, can put those “Warden & cell” fangirls to shame.
yay third book! i cant wait!!
i might just have to buy these…i wanna read them again!
As a reader I have author loyalty until there have been a few too many duds, in terms of publishers, I can only say there is one that I end up liking authors inspite of myself.
I remember being very excited about the idea of the LUNA line originally but loathe to pick it up because it was Harlequin. I still bought my faves and even picked up a few I wasn’t oo sure about. I ended up with the 70/30 split for dislike/like.
I am trying hard to see the bottom line or remind myself that yes, there are other authors. But it is hard when you have become invested in an author that they are cutting you off right before the finish line. I think it is inappropriate and unfair. And so… how likely is LUNA to get my future dollars, hrmm, probably not. I know this is still sabotaging the remianing authors but at this point what assurance do I have that this time next year, everyone who is trying so hard to defend LUNA won’t also be cut. I certainly do not wish such a thing on you, but where is my reader assurance and trust?
Teakduu…you expressed that well, pretty much how I feel also.
Taekduu, the problem with that logic is that if you don’t vote with your wallet by buying the books you do like, that increases the odds of them being cancelled, which proves you right, which is a wonderful closed circle. And you and other readers are the only people who can keep that circle from closing.
-Catie
Well, I know I plan to continue to buy Luna books. Bought Divine by Mistake by Cast from the new Harlequin ebook store last month and enjoyed that book.
Sometimes I wonder if some of the problem was too many books out this year were the second or third in a series. Or at least it seemed that way to me. Very hard for a fantasy reader to just pick up a book that’s not the first in a series.
I come to this website for novel reviews, not political commentary. Let’s stick to the hobby that unifies us, reading.
To be fair, we do talk politics here, and have pretty lively tangential discussions on just about any topic that comes along, from Napoli Google bombs to rape in romance and the societal implications of sexual legislation. But there’s room for both sides and all topics.
Very hard for a fantasy reader to just pick up a book that’s not the first in a series.
True, but ideally it shouldn’t be. When I handed in the proposal for my second Luna book, the feedback I got from the editors emphasized that it must be able to stand alone, as the first one does.
Taekduu, unfortunately you and I have no assurance that I won’t be cut this time next year. Uncertainty is the nature of the biz (indeed of life itself).
HOWEVER…the Powers That Be are rescaling their expectations with the newer books (i.e., not overprinting them expecting romance sales figures instead of fantasy sales figures), so the chances of new series getting canceled should be lower than before. My print run is modest and totally appropriate for a new fantasy author coming out in trade paperback.
In publishing, it’s all about expectations, not about gross sales figures. Now how many do you sell, but how many copies are returned by the booksellers. A lower print run means a better chance at success as defined by the publishing industry.
It’s twisted, because what other product can vendors return for a full refund? None that I’m aware of. If a grocer buys too many boxes of Cheerios and they go stale, he eats the cost (or the Cheerios). If a bookseller buys too many copies of Author X’s latest novel, he can return them for full credit. The incentives in this business are totally wacked.
BTW, I apologize if my explanatory posts about how things work at Luna and in the publishing industry as a whole are coming off as Me-Me-Me!-ish. I try to be sensitive to the fact that this is a reader’s blog, not an author’s psychotherapy couch. If I step over the line, please bitch-slap me.
Jeri, actually it can be interesting to us non writers. Helps us to understand the industry that publishes our favorite hobby. Like the info regarding the importance books returned by booksellers. Sounds as messed up as the education system in my home state.
Sarah, political politics can be so divisive, everybody usually ends up getting…mean and bitchy! Much more fun to explore other areas, where we can be…bitchy and fun!
Certainly politics is divisive, particularly when the country is split between a wide spectrum on most issues. But I’ve yet to witness anyone on SBTB disagreeing in a mean and bitchy way. Bitchy yes, mean no. Even when people vehemently disagree, people here do it without resorting to name calling bullcrap, because one of the great hallmarks of the site is that we’re opinionated, intelligent respectful women.
If I do say so myself!
Do you guys (Jeri? Robin?) know David Rakoff’s work?
No, but I’ve grown interested after checking him out on Amazon. Thanks for the reference! A Candian deciding to apply for American citizenship—talk about an act of courage (I wonder if he got trampled by fleeing Americans at the border). He sounds like he might have a similar sense of humor to my very favorite comedian, Lewis Black, who (whom?) I suggest checking out if you don’t know him—seriously, the funniest guy in America and probably the only Yale graduate who has made it as a comedian: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Black
If Rakoff is like Lewis Black, I’m there. Lewis Black is my hero. He makes me feel like I’m not insane for being so…very…angry.
“I’m a rage-aholic. I just can’t live without rage-ahol!”
—Homer Simpson
WTF is Luna thinking?!?
Not publishing book 3… cripes.
I can not *stand* e-books. In fact, I *abhor* them. I’m a die hard hard copy book aholic, thankyouverymuch. Nothing like the substantial weight of a good, ol’ bound, genuine, paper filled book.
As far as showing the publishers at the cash register- I have *every* Luna book that is out, in trade paperback where available, or in the case of Snydor’s Poison Study, regular paperback, as well as Mercedes Lackey’s in regular paperback.
I don’t read ‘romance’ as a general rule. Can’t stand it. So when I saw Mercedes Lackey’s Luna book, I was interested, as she is one of my favorite authors. I credit her first Luna book with hooking me on the series that now fills, completely, one shelf, doubled, on my many book shelves. (I own, at last count, over 1300+ books, each one read 2-3 times thus far).
I am a voracious reader. It’s nothing for me to read 4-5 700+ page books in a week. Drives the husband batty.
So Luna/Harlequin not finishing out a series is very disappointing to me. *Very* disappointing, and says little about their regard for me, as a reader and a buyer.
When I start a series, I want to finish the series, generally in the same format as I start it in(I’m *still* waiting for Melani Rawn’s Ruins of Ambrai 3rd book , The Captal’s Tower. *grumps*). So an e-book release? Would definately not cut it for me.
Thank you for responding 🙂
Seriously, I believe in voting with my pocketbook, that is why I spend more than 2000 year on books. I read a lot, I buy a lot. I have been voting with my pocketbook.
When I find an author I like, I do my best to buy all of their books and keep them published even if I the price is difficult to accept, even when I need to go to heroic efforts to get the book itself. What can I say, I am selfish and require entertainment. However, when we get in to a series no matter how short or long it is there is a major investment of time and money. If you think about it, a Luna book is trade paperback ranging from 10-14 dollars a book. So, I am two books into this series, a year of waiting between both, I have talked it up to my friends, they have read my copy, couldn’t stand not having their own so went to buy another copy. Then we get this announcement, because you didn’t buy enough you are out of luck. WTF is that?
So, I have spoken with my pocketbook and the publisher did not listen. So, what do I do now? I know part of the business model is to make a profit, but part of this happened not because of the readers or the authors but simply because the company did not have a realistic plan.
I will do my best to give LUNA the benefit of the doubt. Still, if I waited 10 years for Jean Auel, I can wait as long as needed for a publisher to take up the torch.
Taekduu-
I’ve waited years for the last book in the Gor series (John Norman), it was released in hardcover 2?3? years ago, *still* isn’t out in paperback.
So I hear ya.
I’ve scoured the Net for books by certain authors if I really, REALLY want them. I’m still looking for the UK released books in the final Time Master Trilogy by Louise Cooper, that were never released in the States (the first one was, but the second 2 weren’t, annoying that).
Sara Douglass’ Wayfarer series was finally released here, it’s been out for years in Australia, and friends from there were asking why it took so long for me to find it!
US Publishers don’t really pay as much attention to what the public wants as they would have us believe. In the end, it’s all about the bottom line. And when they advertise something wrong, thus losing money, they are quick to blame the public.
It’s official, Gail’s next book has been picked up!!!!
http://juno-books.com/blog/?p=64
Juno bought the rights.