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Starman
Sara Douglass Book Review

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Plot Summary of Starman
"

Tor, May 2002, 27.95, 558 pp.
ISBN: 0312878885

Already bone weary from battle Axis SunSoar knows his destiny requires he fulfill Wolfstar's prophecy, but the Icarii patriarch's words are vague and it is hard to understand what must be done. Axis realizes he needs to fight WolfStar's malevolent half-brother, Gorgrael and sacrifice the evil one's lover. However who is this woman? Is it Axis' own wife, the niece of his enemy Gorgrael, a pregnant Azhure carrying sorcery killing twins? Or perhaps Axis' former lover Faraday is the intended victim? Or is some unknown other female?

At the same time Gorgrael creates deadly gryphons who have seemingly endless litters containing nine puppies and seem constantly pregnant or giving birth. At the rate they multiply, the world is endangered.

Battle is eminent between the forces of Axis and those of Gorgrael. Axis and Gorgrael, prepare for the epic confrontation in different ways.

STARMAN closes out the Wayfarer Redemption sub-trilogy with a solid epic fantasy but not quite on a par with THE WAYFARER REDEMPTION and ENCHANTER novels because the final confrontation seems too brief and Utopian. The story line for the most part is exciting and fast-paced as the forces of good and evil ready for war though mystical pregnancies abound in this plot playing with the hormones of strong individuals. Still fans of the series will relish Sara Douglass' latest tale and want to read the remaining Tencendor tales; for those who cannot wait for the American release, go to amazon.co.uk to obtain most if not all of the remaining novels not just this sub-trilogy.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

"StarMan is the third and final book of the Axis Trilogy (started with BattleAxe and Enchanter).

After defeating his half-brother Borneheld, Axis and his army march North for the final battle against Gorgrael, whose bringing along his terrible legion of Gryphon. The situation seems hopeless.

Meanwhile the Prophecy of the Destroyer goes on enfolding, and Azhure and Faraday both set off on a journey to fulfill their part. Azhure, accompanied by StarDrifter, travels to the Island of Mist and Memory, where she'll unravel the mystery of her and Axis's heritage. Faraday, now freed from both Borneheld's and Axis's love, moves East to replant the forty-two thousand seedlings, souls of the dead Avar banes, and reawaken the ancient forests whose power must, in the end, help Axis defeat Gorgrael.

The only two reasons why I didn't give this book five stars is because some battles sometimes seemed to be won too easily, and because I found the Skraelings and Gryphon a tad grotesque. But aside from this, StarMan is an spellbinding, beautifully woven tale of love and friendship, where enchanting moments and unexpected events take place, and where the descriptions and atmosphere betray the author's deep, passionate love of nature."

crooty, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Starman
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 15%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 25%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%




Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy world/fantasy past
Political power play Yes
Political plotlets - saving govt/kingdom from external overthrow - factions fight within govt for control
Mental/magical powers focus Yes
magical powers: - clash between evenly matched magical power(s) (fantasy)
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - champion of justice - mage/magician
Age: - 20's-30's
Has magical/special powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character: - mind reading - teleportation - can cast many different spells - can read emotions
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - magical being - Male
Age: - 20's-30's - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - mastermind - mage/magician
Has magical powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist: - fire/thunder/weather cntrl - mind reading - mind control - can cast all sorts of spells
Eccentric: Yes - obsessed - emotionally unstable
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount - an average amount
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic - average physique

Setting
Terrain - Mountains - Forests
Earth setting: - during "Tolkien" (fairytime) times
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment - moderately detailed references to deaths
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
Most similar books to Starman
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Sara Douglass Resident Scholar Profiles

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