Riddle-Master Book Review: Patricia McKillip's Fantasy Trilogy

1. Though this is a young man-on-a-quest story, he's no cocky princeling, sure of his destiny. He's a working prince of a farming community, and he wants it to stay that way. As he is forced into his quest, Morgon has no specific prophecy to fulfill and has no idea what he is supposed to do or how to do it. He must, unwillingly, give up as much as he gains, and lose almost everything precious to him, to win the right to become a person he never wanted to be in the first place.

2. Frequent strong female characters (including a powerful land-ruler who is surrounded by warrior women), none of them waiting around to be rescued. Though the right to Raederle's hand in marriage was won in a riddle-match, she is no prize to be passed without her will. Indeed, Raederle turns out to have a destiny as huge and overpowering as Morgon's, and possibly at odds with it, and they must work out the interweaving of those destinies through a great deal of difficulty. The second book of the trilogy is Raederle's story, as the first book is Morgon's.

3. Real originality in the backstory of this series. This is a true "other" place, not just a medieval Earth with dragons or wizards. The intricacies of the mystical land-rule alone are worth the story! This is McKillip's first published series, and the writing in the first book could have been a bit tighter, but even so it is a compelling story, and the writing improves with each volume to the exciting climax.

Read below for a brief synopsis of each book and for a word to parents. Sorry, no spoilers, so there isn't much on the last book!

Don't profane crows; some of my ancestors were crows.

   ~ Rood of An

I never heard that destiny is of any use at all to a Prince of Hed.

   ~ Morgon, Prince of Hed

Will you wait for me in Hed? I think I can get us both safely that far.
   No.
Then will you --
   No.
All right; then --
   No.
Then will you come with me? Because I could not bear to leave you.

   ~ conversation between Morgon and Raederle

^{Quotations from Patricia A. McKillip, Riddle of Stars} 

But since the death of his father he has come home to take up his duties as the land-ruler of Hed. His unknown destiny, however, will not leave him in the peace of Hed, but drives him out to seek the answer to the unanswered riddle: why was he born with three stars on his forehead, and why were there no answers in Caithnard? Morgon's innate desire to understand and find answers is at war with the equally strong desire to stay in the land he loves and do the work of a land-ruler. An ancient, unknown enemy who apparently understands the stars on his head and desires to kill him before he can find out the answers himself tips the balance. He sets out for Erlenstar Mountain, to ask his riddles of the High One.

As he feared before setting out on the journey, Morgon finds he cannot get to Erlenstar Mountain and be the same simple land-ruler of peaceful Hed as he was when he began. And what if all he finds awaiting him at the end of his quest is betrayal?

Raederle, promised by her father since birth to the man who won the riddling match and crown from the long-dead wraith Peven of Aum, is angered to realize that no one did anything to help her betrothed. She meets up with Lyra, daughter of the Morgol of Herun, who brings her warrior maidens along to help Raederle find out what happened.

The three ladies set out on a dangerous journey north to Erlenstar Mountain, not knowing what may await them on the way, or what they may find when they arrive. Raederle in particular begins to recognize that she may have a destiny as powerful - and overpowering - as Morgon's awaiting her if she has the courage to grasp it.