# Caledor, and the Sundering trilogy



## Vaz (Mar 19, 2008)

*caution - spoilers*

The final part in the Sundering Trilogy I have finally got; it's a masterpiece. I've wanted to really find out how the dragons both fight, as well as the attitudes of the reclusive Caledorians; not to mention how exactly Imrik became the Ruling Prince, after his father passed rulership to Caledrian.

The battles are outstandingly written, clear, yet confusing in the sense that you'd imagine the battle to be; none of the gods eye view that many writers put across, but rather written as if you were in a third person view behind the characters.

The shocking deaths - Aerenis, and Thyrinor, as well as those of Caledrian put across, not empathy, that's too strong a word, but make you feel real hatred for Malekith - something that I thought had been missing.

Chaos, unlike 40K, in Fantasy is not the all encompassing evil (or rather to the same extent). Chaos is an ever present threat, but it's capriciousness is not to the same level of risk that the Vampires or Dark Elves put out. They are meant to be hated, meant to be loathed. The first, Malekith, disappointed me - there was no real turning from good to bad, just the machinations of his mother.

Alith Anar put across the torment of the Anar's and the deprevations of the Khainites perfectly, but even so, it was just the melodrama of the instant turn of Malekith from Book 1 which hadn't been explained, but now in book 3, when everything has come full circle that it's explained - and put across beautifully.

I'm not meant to feel sorry for Malekith. I'm not meant to feel *empathy* with the deposed prince, or hatred for the scheming mother. The disappointment I felt towards Aenarion though for being such a blind foolish twat, however, that was done well, but otherwise, taking in the entire story from what we knew prior to "Malekith", it didn't make all that much sense, and for that reason, I maintain that it is one of the poorest books written so far in the time of legends series. On the other hand, combine all 3 books, and it's one of the best - far more so that the Sigmar series (which while I'm not a fan of, but still). The Nagash series won't be finished until Q4 2011, so I won't pass too much judgement, but as a whole, the story and execution rivals that of Mike Lee's epic - my favourite fantasy book to date (even if he did rape the existing fluff of the sorceror's - in Liber Necris, he placed an obsidian bridal on the sorceress after she had expended her usefulness, after he had put out her eyes with an obsidian dagger and cut off her fingers, eyes, nose and tongue then sealed her alive in a crypt with her two bodyguards - now, she died due to a stonehead dropping on her. But I'll forgive that after hearing about the Ushabti of Geheb in Mahrak - made me want to get a living sphinx for a Khemri army).


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## Bane_of_Kings (Oct 28, 2009)

I've read _Malekith_ but to be honest, I didn't really enjoy it. I have _Caledor_ but unfortuantly I lack _Shadow King_. , so can't read _Caledor_ yet. Although thanks for your comments, looks like I'll be picking up book 2 soon.


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## Hammer49 (Feb 12, 2011)

I would have to agree that its a very good series of books, and this last one was probably my favourite.
However I surprised by how few dragons were actually in the book in the caledor army.


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## Daemon Prince Paintbox (Feb 21, 2011)

Currently reading Caledor now. It rules. Currently half way through it. Loving it so far. Definitely one of my favourite trilogies.


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## Worldkiller (Jun 16, 2010)

I sincerly hope Gav Thorpe write more on Alith Anar in the future. He is without a doubt my favorite WHF character.


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## Alvarius (May 10, 2011)

I loved the book. But like many other BL-books i would love to see more maps. I mean, a map after the Sundering gives me a poor view of Ultuhan. Why not a map before the Sundering, after the sundering and some smaler maps of the battlefields and gates? I would love that. So more maps in the books please!


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## bobss (May 18, 2008)

Vaz said:


> (even if he did rape the existing fluff of the sorceror's - in Liber Necris, he placed an obsidian bridal on the sorceress after she had expended her usefulness, after he had put out her eyes with an obsidian dagger and cut off her fingers, eyes, nose and tongue then sealed her alive in a crypt with her two bodyguards - now, she died due to a stonehead dropping on her. But I'll forgive that after hearing about the Ushabti of Geheb in Mahrak - made me want to get a living sphinx for a Khemri army).


Hahaha, I'm glad someone else noticed that :biggrin:

In addition to the gore, the 6th edition Vampire Counts Armybook implored that the Druchii Witch had all her limbs sheared off, before she was buried alive, blind and tongueless, at the foot of Nagash's Great Black Pyramid. But this is trivial violence, which I felt dissapointed Mike Lee didn't capitalise on.

I understand your not a fan of the Sigmar Trilogy; or don't hold it in the same esteem as Thorpe's and Lee's contributions. I thought _Heldenhammer_ was pretty damn good, more for the Germanic cultureshock and the Battle of Blackfire Pass. _Empire_, on the contrary, despite it's David Gemmel Award (Pah) was lackluster. The duel in the ruins of Ulrik's temple, between Herald of Khorne and Sigmar was reminiscent, to my mind, of the traditional 'Knight of the Realm slaying the Big Bad Dragon', but I'm still mildly pissed Sigmar didn't fight the First Everchosen of Chaos.

Unless he does in _God King_?

On that note, am I the only one who couldn't give a fuck about Sigmar fighting Nagash? I'm a massive fan of Lee's Nagash trilogy, and _Nagash Immortal _is the book highlight of my year, but I don't want Sigmar fighting hordes of zombies. It's boring. I'd prefer Sigmar duelling Skulltaker in the World Edge Mountains, smashing aside daemons in the Wastes, or driving Ghal-Maraz through the First Everchosen. 

Plus, God King's cover, Sigmar is wielding a fuck-off Weetabix.


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