Harpist in the Wind (Riddlemaster #3) ★★★☆ ½

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Title: Harpist in the Wind
Series: Riddlemaster #3
Author: Patricia McKillip
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 260
Format: Digital Edition

The shapeshifters from the Sea continue and escalate their battle against humanity. But their fighting makes no sense, as they simply occupy areas where the old Earthmasters cities used to be.

Morgan keeps on running away and Raederle keeps finding him and getting him back on track. It is revealed that the High One’s harpist, who betrayed Morgan, is actually the High One and that he was using Gwych for his own ends. Morgan and Gwych duke it out and Morgan, as the Starbearer, wins.

The Shapeshifters are revealed as the losers in a war between the Earthmasters. The High One is the last Earthmaster and when he dies, they will break loose and rule all creation. The High One has made Morgan his landheir and hopes his power can lock them away again.

Morgan succeeds with the help of all the kings and the queens of the land and he is now the High One, a fully human High One married to a sorceress of Earthmaster descent.

Honestly, so much happened so quickly that if you didn’t read every single sentence huge things would change in an eyeblink. Take Deth the Harpist. He’ supposedly dead and then he shows up as a Wizard and it all takes place in a sentence or as an aside.

Morgan was just as stubborn as the first book and I don’t realy like when a character is fighting against what they know is right “just because”. And then when he seals up the Shapeshifters so he doesn’t have to kill them, that was the exact same problem that the original High One had, for at one point they’ll break loose AGAIN and start the cycle all over. You don’t hold a threat in a pen, you destroy it.

Most likely the least enjoyable McKillip I’ve re-read so far. I wasn’t quite so confused as last time but my goodness, I wasn’t enthralled just kind of whirling along hoping to stay conscious until the end. Definitely would NOT recommend this for a first timer of McKillip. If I ever do another re-read of her stuff, I’m going to try to remember to skip this trilogy.

★★★☆ ½

• Harpist in the Wind (2007 Review)
• Riddlemaster of Hed (Book 1)
• Heir of Sea and Fire (Book 2)