The Plains of Kallanash Brightmoon Book 1 eBook Pauline M Ross
Download As PDF : The Plains of Kallanash Brightmoon Book 1 eBook Pauline M Ross 
A stand-alone epic fantasy set in the Brightmoon world…
What happens when you stop fighting an endless war and start asking why?
It’s not easy being the junior wife. Mia’s only dream is to catch the eye of the dashing lead husband, and her sister’s unexpected death gives her the chance at last. But was it just a tragic accident? Mia wants to find out, but asking questions can be a deadly mistake.
It’s not easy being the junior husband. For years, Hurst has longed to test his sword against the barbarians in the wilderness outside his orderly world, longed to take the lead, longed for Mia. When she’s taken from him, Hurst will risk everything to save her, even if it means taking up his sword against the barbarians, his own people, and the gods themselves. And that’s when they discover what their world is really like, and who they’re really fighting.
Yet there’s one secret they don’t expect to uncover because everyone knows there’s no such thing as magic, right?
The Plains of Kallanash Brightmoon Book 1 eBook Pauline M Ross
The Plains of Kallanash takes us into a world where magic once existed but was lost in a great Catastrophe. The Plains at the heart of the world are now peopled by a civilization ruled by a mysterious, powerful, and omnipresent religion, which enforces a highly stratified social order governed by strict rules and customs. Group marriage is the norm among the nobility, or Karningholders, and the men of the Plains are engaged in a never-ending but carefully-regulated war against rampaging barbarians beyond their borders.Quiet and gentle Mia, her sister-wife Tella, and their co-husbands Jonnor and Hurst enjoy a comfortable, stable life despite Mia's feelings of unrequited love for Jonnor, who has taken Tella as his primary wife, and Hurst's for Mia; as the junior partners in the marriage, they are forbidden to consummate their relationship without permission from the senior husband. When first one and then the other of the senior couple die under mysterious circumstances, Mia begins to ask too many questions, and finds herself banished into a world she never imagined. When Hurst undertakes to discover the truth, the lies on which their civilization is based are gradually revealed, bringing Hurst and others to the unavoidable conclusion that everything they know has to be overturned.
This is a very long book, with a lot going on. It starts out at a good pace, developing the complex relationships between the characters and the original, and cruel and chilling, society they live in (among other things, when a member of the nobility dies, his or her Companions, something between an adopted sibling and a servant, are put to death alongside them). The mystery deepens with the deaths in Mia's household until the shocking revelations that come in the wake of her own punishment. From there, the pacing and conflict sometimes sags, though we do get to see some fascinating glimpses of the Plains' ancient magical history. Hurst's discovery of the truth culminates in a cleverly-plotted rebellion, which brings in more surprising revelations about the world. The climax of the book seems incomplete, a little too easy and comfortable, and some key events are told at a distance. I would have liked to be more in the thick of things as they were worked out, and for the protagonists to experience more tension and hardship in the process. After the climax, most of the story threads are tied up nicely, with just a few left dangling for future stories set in the same world.
The romantic aspect takes an unexpected turn, as Mia finds herself torn between two lovers (cue cheesy 70s pop song, or rather, don't). The unconventional solution proves satisfactory to all involved; however, I'm somewhat more conventional and straightlaced in my romance preferences and was a little taken aback. The book contains some mildly graphic sex scenes, including some menage-y bits.
The writing style is clear, smooth, and literate. The author doesn't over-explain the strange customs and other alien aspects of her world, but does give the reader enough clues to have a comfortable grasp of what's going on.
On the whole, The Plains of Kallanash is an enjoyable epic fantasy in a highly original setting combining echoes of an ancient magical past with surprisingly advanced technology such as skyships, with a mysterious history, likeable, engaging characters, and an unconventional romance. Recommended for fantasy readers who want something a little different.
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The Plains of Kallanash Brightmoon Book 1 eBook Pauline M Ross Reviews
4.5/5 stars
A cozy, enjoyable read, thought provoking and sexy... I'd read and loved The Fire Mages before and was thrilled to read this first book in the Brightmoon series. I think I'd call this a fantasy mystery with romantic elements, written in third-person limited multiple POV with two viewpoint characters. The book opens with the main characters involved in a four-person marriage, with a senior pair and a junior pair. Mia, the junior wife, is infatuated with Jonnor, the senior husband, who only has eyes for Tellah, the senior wife and Mia's sister. Meanwhile, Hurst, the junior husband, suffers in la douleur exquise, hopelessly in love with Mia.
That, in and of itself, is an interesting setup and drew me in. But add to that a mysterious religion and something happening to Tellah, and the story really takes off. Mia is the lens character as we're drawn in to unraveling secrets and shadowy goings-on. Nothing is as it seems in the book's world, and I greatly enjoyed learning its truths. I don't want to spoil it, but if you enjoy low fantasy and mystery and have an open mind about polyamory, this is the book for you.
Speaking of polyamory, yes, it's an unconventional situation in the novel, but in terms of heat level, this is mild--more broad strokes and hints and not really Romance level and certainly not erotic-romance level. But if you can't handle the idea of more than two people being in a relationship in a fantasy novel, best look elsewhere for your next read. But this setup enabled one of my favorite parts of the book--the blue arrows. Essentially, when spouses come into conflict, it can be resolved with three special arrows for each of them (if requested), which they could use against each other with the chance of death from each--god's will. Brilliant setup.
The character list was huge, and I found myself wishing it were smaller and deeper; there were many named minor characters that were hard to keep track of. Mia was a joy to read, her development from the beginning to end was heartwarming and encouraging. Hurst's journey was a joy, too. My favorite character was Dethin, and I hope I get to hear some tidbits about him in future books! Jonnor and Tellah were believable and interesting, and really, all the major characters were well thought out and believable as people.
The book was slow at times. A fast-paced, action-packed read this is not. It's more like a slow burn, bewitching you page and page and inviting you deeper and deeper into its world. This is a book for the reader who is willing to set aside the time and have the patience to go to another world. And it's worth it. That said, there were certain parts that lost me at times. When the characters were bored, there were lengthy descriptions of the mundane things they did. A little adds flavor, but a lot can make you feel just like the character bored. There was also a lot of tunnel-traveling in the third act, on and on, and it really slowed the momentum. I'm glad I read on, though, as the rest of the book was worth the effort. I *loved* the ending.
I really enjoyed the voice, too. This isn't tight, spare prose, but winding, flowing, and as Jacqueline Carey likes to call her own writing, "baroque." Different and quite fitting for the fantasy/mystery content. I've already read and enjoyed The Fire Mages, but I'm planning a reread soon to catch up with the rest of the Brightmoon books. ) Highly recommended for fans of low fantasy and mystery who enjoy a slow burn and are open minded about polyamorous romantic elements. You'll love to unravel all the story's secrets! )
Well, that was interesting. Ms. Ross weaves an intricate tale with threads leading to deep in the world's culture. The prose is clear and well-done. The world-building is superb.
I often say characters will make or break a story for me. Hurst and Dethin were of some interest to me, but they didn't captivate me. Mia was a door mat for the beginning parts of the book, and therefore I didn't have much vested in her. Gantor had the most personality, and I'd have to say he was most memorable and probably my favorite.
Many of the other reviews use the word "different" to describe this book, and I agree. The themes of sex and religion are heavy throughout this book, sex in particular. It wasn't hot or erotic necessarily, just a lot of it. If that disturbs you, then this is probably not your type of book. I should also warn about polygamy, in case that affects your reception.
As far as events go, chapter 34 was my favorite. The both the fight and trial were handled delightfully and I even squealed. Dethin and Hurst earned my appreciation in that chapter. I was less impressed with what is probably considered to be the final battle. A minor character steps into the lead role and, well, our heroes don't have much to do. It wasn't boring, but for my personal tastes, I would've liked to have seen more action on their part.
Overall, it's a thought-provoking, down-to-earth read--not a lot of adventure or levity. It's best suited for those who enjoy character-transformation drama (not whiny-girl-causing-issues drama, but more of an ignorant girl learning life isn't as wonderful as she had hoped).
The Plains of Kallanash takes us into a world where magic once existed but was lost in a great Catastrophe. The Plains at the heart of the world are now peopled by a civilization ruled by a mysterious, powerful, and omnipresent religion, which enforces a highly stratified social order governed by strict rules and customs. Group marriage is the norm among the nobility, or Karningholders, and the men of the Plains are engaged in a never-ending but carefully-regulated war against rampaging barbarians beyond their borders.
Quiet and gentle Mia, her sister-wife Tella, and their co-husbands Jonnor and Hurst enjoy a comfortable, stable life despite Mia's feelings of unrequited love for Jonnor, who has taken Tella as his primary wife, and Hurst's for Mia; as the junior partners in the marriage, they are forbidden to consummate their relationship without permission from the senior husband. When first one and then the other of the senior couple die under mysterious circumstances, Mia begins to ask too many questions, and finds herself banished into a world she never imagined. When Hurst undertakes to discover the truth, the lies on which their civilization is based are gradually revealed, bringing Hurst and others to the unavoidable conclusion that everything they know has to be overturned.
This is a very long book, with a lot going on. It starts out at a good pace, developing the complex relationships between the characters and the original, and cruel and chilling, society they live in (among other things, when a member of the nobility dies, his or her Companions, something between an adopted sibling and a servant, are put to death alongside them). The mystery deepens with the deaths in Mia's household until the shocking revelations that come in the wake of her own punishment. From there, the pacing and conflict sometimes sags, though we do get to see some fascinating glimpses of the Plains' ancient magical history. Hurst's discovery of the truth culminates in a cleverly-plotted rebellion, which brings in more surprising revelations about the world. The climax of the book seems incomplete, a little too easy and comfortable, and some key events are told at a distance. I would have liked to be more in the thick of things as they were worked out, and for the protagonists to experience more tension and hardship in the process. After the climax, most of the story threads are tied up nicely, with just a few left dangling for future stories set in the same world.
The romantic aspect takes an unexpected turn, as Mia finds herself torn between two lovers (cue cheesy 70s pop song, or rather, don't). The unconventional solution proves satisfactory to all involved; however, I'm somewhat more conventional and straightlaced in my romance preferences and was a little taken aback. The book contains some mildly graphic sex scenes, including some menage-y bits.
The writing style is clear, smooth, and literate. The author doesn't over-explain the strange customs and other alien aspects of her world, but does give the reader enough clues to have a comfortable grasp of what's going on.
On the whole, The Plains of Kallanash is an enjoyable epic fantasy in a highly original setting combining echoes of an ancient magical past with surprisingly advanced technology such as skyships, with a mysterious history, likeable, engaging characters, and an unconventional romance. Recommended for fantasy readers who want something a little different.
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