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| Plot Summary of Mother Of Kings |
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"
Tor, Sep 2001, 27.95, 444 pp.
ISBN: 0312874480
In the tenth century, Gunnhild, daughter of a Norse chieftain, learns her lessons quite well as a child. Her father's concubine teaches her how witchcraft can aid and protect a female from men. The death of her mother teaches her to never yield to male ogres and their demands and commands. Gunnhild vows to never be a weak female dependent on the other sex for safety and comfort.
To attain her goal of total independence, Gunnhild trains under witches and sorcerers learning the crafts. She marries the only man she ever felt affection for, Eirik Blood-Ax. Together with their strengths and iron-wills, they will either forge a dynasty that legends will whisper about for millenniums to come or fade to dust under the relentless attack of their enemies who want this union to fail.
Poul Anderson is already a legend among speculative fiction readers and authors. Yet his latest dark tale, MOTHER OF KINGS, shows why the recently deceased author has been revered for decades and the recipient of so many prestigious awards. The genre's guru blends mythology and history into a powerhouse of a tale that tells readers the story of Gunnhild, a real persona who has received legendary status over the last millennium. The gritty but vivid story line provides a powerful look at the tenth century as rarely seen by literature except perhaps Beowulf and that is a few centuries earlier. The beginning of the end of the Age of the Vikings is fitting posthumous triumph from one of the greats.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Mother Of Kings |
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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).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- alternate history
Youngster becomes
- great warrior
Romance
Yes
Political power play
Yes
Mental/magical powers focus
Yes
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Profession/status:
- warrior/knight
Age:
- 20's-30's
Has magical/special powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character:
- fire/lightning/weather cntrl
- mind reading
- clairvoyant
- can cast many different spells
- healing
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- mastermind
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Setting
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
How much dialogue?
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Poul Anderson Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 Alan Tompkins
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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