Talk:Lord of the Isles series

Notability
This series appears to have zero notability, sadly. The second work in the series, Queen of Demons, may be notable (I've added some reviews) and could serve as a redirect target (we don't have and seems we never had the entry for the first book in the series, Lord of the Isles (novel)?). The third book already seems to fail that (Servant of the Dragon has only one review according to ISFDb), and note I've just prodded The Gods Return, which seems to be the final, 9th volume (We don't have entries on other books in that series; note I intend to prod Servant... in the foreseeable future). Note that the first book (Lord of the Isles) seems to be notable, based on the reviews listed in ISFDb. Perhaps this article could be rescued by being rewritten/refocused from the series to the first volume? @Cunard, @Daranios

PS. ISFDb links: https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pe.cgi?7511 (series), https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?22053 (first volume) Piotr Konieczny aka Prokonsul Piotrus&#124; reply here 08:29, 19 May 2023 (UTC)
 * It's a shame that Google Books hits are generally not accessible, because they seem promising: Preview of Analog Science Fiction & Fact, Vol. 128, p. 138 says "It's easy to see why David Drake's Lord of the Isles series is popular. If you have any taste at all for heroic fantasy, you'll love it." Snippet of Rapport, vol. 20, p. 30 on the Lord of the Isles novel: "One of the most satisfying things about a well-crafte fantasy novel is its ability to carry you off to a world of the writer's own making. While there, you are persuaded to accept the reality of the place; and when the story ends, you may even regret your departure. With this sweeping tour of a magical...". Hard to say more on that. However, Publishers Weekly seems to be a promising source which has short reviews on the individual novels: Lord of the Iles, Servant of the Dragon, ... (Might push novels with so far only one review over the notability threshold...) So presumably the series article could function as a collective place to collect relevant content from secondary sources when the books individually are not notable in accordance with WP:MERGEREASON no. 3 and WP:CSC. Sorry, no more time look into this more deeply. Daranios (talk) 09:39, 19 May 2023 (UTC)

Hi. I've removed the proposed deletion for The Gods Return as it received reviews in Booklist and Publishers Weekly. Servant of the Dragon is notable as it received reviews in Booklist, Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Vector. Here are some sources about the series:  The book notes: "In Drake's Lord of the Isles, the author "uses his experience writing military and historical sf to craft an intricate first book in a new epic fantasy series," commented Susan Hamburger in Library Journal. Booklist reviewer Roland Green, commenting that Drake is suited to the saga form, found the cast "large and well drawn, the pacing brisk, the world building outstanding." ..." The book further notes: "Drake's sequel to Lord of the Isles, Queen of Demons, was faulted by some critics for involving too many subplots. Many critics, however, lauded other aspects of the work. A Publishers Weekly contributor claimed: "Drake conjures a sense of enchantment—and danger—with original and convincing settings, situations and characters. Moreover, unlike too many fantasy characters, these protagonists mature through their adventures." "Imaginative world-building and attention to magical details makes this a good choice for most fantasy collections," argued Jackie Cassada in Library Journal." The book further notes: "In the third book in the Lord of the Isles series. Servant of the Dragon, ..." The book further notes: "Goddess of the Ice Realm, continues the "Lord of the Isles" series and features King Garric's adviser ..." The book further notes: "Fortress of Glass is a part of the "Lord of the Isles" series but also the first in a trilogy ..."  The book notes: "III. Drake, who has strong interests in history and mythology, is producing his own Arthurian saga, Lord of the Isles. It follows the fortunes of four characters: Garric and Sharina and Cashel and Ilna, brother-and-sister pairs whose destiny is to reunite the island kingdom of the Isles into one empire for the first time in 1,000 years. Time-traveling sorceress Tenoctris and the evil Hooded One play big roles in this mix- ture of SF, fantasy, and Celtic mythology. Numbers 7 and 8 are volumes in a projected Crown of the Isles trilogy that will wrap up the series." The book then lists the eight books in the Lord of the Isles with a summary of each. Lord of the Isles reviews:  The review notes: "This epic has everything that serious fantasy readers demand -- heroic action, mysterious magical forces, strange beasts, ghosts, sorcerers and good writing. ... Drake's characters generally are credible and well-drawn. To add authenticity, Drake researched ancient magic and used actual spells. This is the first book of a series."  The review notes: "A book that is obviously a series but with no indication of how many are to follow is Lord of the Isles by David Drake (Millennium, 625pp, $14.95). When the real world intrudes into the backwater of Barca's Hamlet, life for some is changed forever. Four friends set out on different paths unaware that they are being manipulated by powerful and evil forces. At stake is, of course, the fate of the world as they know it. A complex tale involving all sorts of magic, demons and heroic feats."  The review notes: "This substantial fantasy, in which moral and physical threats are serious and the actions of the characters have real consequences, will appeal to those tired of watered-down myth."  The review notes: "Rather than being the obvious first installment of a larger whole, this story has its own internal structure and conclusions-evidence that Drake is admirably suited to tackling the demanding saga form." <li> The review notes: "Drake uses his experience writing military and historical sf to craft an intricate first book in a new epic fantasy series. ... This routine sword-and-sorcery fantasy is recommended for larger collections."</li> </li></ol>

<li>Queen of Demons reviews:<ol> <li> The review notes: "This sequel to Lord of the Isles (LJ 4/15/97) showcases Drake's talent for epic fantasy."</li> <li> The review notes: "In the sequel to Lord of the Isles [BKL Ag 97], young Garric, would-be king of the Isles, and his companions are now long gone from their homes and struggling to survive and succeed in the larger world of the Isles. ... Teens who read and enjoyed the first in the series will want this involving installment."</li> <li> The review notes: "As the protagonists in this sequel to Lord of the isles (1997) journey through multiple worlds, Drake conjures a sense of enchantment-and danger-with original and convincing settings, situations and characters."</li> </li></ol>

<li>Servant of the Dragon reviews:<ol> <li> The review notes: "The Lord of the Isles saga (Lord of the Isles; Queen of Demons) progresses little in this volume. ... Drake is taking his time resolving the deeper conflicts of the series, but the trip is inventive and satisfying, so few readers will complain."</li> <li> The review notes: "In the third book in Drake's Lord of the Isles series, young King Garric  seeks to raise a new army and fleet to make his title more than an empty honorific. ... Lord of the Isles could end here, creditably, but it could also continue and still satisfy readers."</li> <li> The review notes: "Drake's talent for creating personable characters driven by their loyalty to one another to achieve great deeds makes this title a good addition to most fantasy collections."</li> <li> The review notes: "This title is the third in Drake's "The Lord of the Isles" series. ... Libraries that already own the first two books in the series will find this an essential purchase; those without may wish to buy all three."</li> </li></ol>

<li>Mistress of the Catacombs articles and reviews:<ol> <li> The article notes: "Although David Drake is perhaps best known for his military science fiction he is equally adept at writing fantasy, as his latest book, "Mistress of the Catacombs" (number four in the Lord of the Isles series), clearly demonstrates."</li> <li> The review notes: "Volume four in Drake's generic fantasy on future wizardry (Lord of the Isles, Queen of Demons, and 1999's Servant of the Dragon), which fast approaches the length of In Search of Lost Tune while presenting somewhat more of a struggle for adults to read."</li> <li> The review notes: "That adversely affects pacing but not world building, characterization, and systems of magic, which are all so well conceived that the saga continues to be Drake's most ambitious work to date."</li> <li> The review notes: "In the fourth volume of Drake's ambitious high-fantasy saga Lord of the Isles (after 1999's Servant of the Dragon), conflicts continue but few are resolved. ... The result is comparatively uneven pacing, which does not prevent this volume from being a worthwhile continuation of what is emerging as the author's most important work."</li> </li></ol>

<li>Goddess of the Ice Realm reviews:<ol> <li> The review notes: "The fifth volume of Drake's magisterial Lord of the Isles will quite probably be the last. The title character, on stage throughout, even if sometimes only as a sinister influence, remains so potent, however, that narrative interest and impetus are sustained straight through to the last chapter."</li> <li> The review notes: "Written in an accessible style and with only mild violence and no sex, this series is particularly suitable for adolescent fantasy fans, especially those with a lot of patience."</li> </li></ol>

<li>Master of the Cauldron reviews:<ol> <li> The review notes: "The sixth volume of the imposing Lord of the Isles saga involves a royal progress by Garric, aspiring ruler of the Isles. ... The audience for this kind of fantasy saga should prove large and ongoing, and for this volume, at least, it will be well deserved."</li> <li> The review notes: "The sixth addition to his "Lord of the Isles" series belongs in most fantasy collections, particularly where the series is popular."</li> </li></ol>

<li>The Fortress of Glass reviews:<ol> <li> The review notes: "David Drake, who's also a Name Brand in military SF, has started a new trilogy in his Lord of the Isles series, "The Fortress of Glass" (Tor, 384 pages, $25.95). There are plenty of backstory threads to untangle here, too, but the plots move right along. Plots plural, mind, because characters get separated into different bits of Drake's multiverse through supernatural agencies and just plain old magic. When the body of an old ruler gets up from the funeral pyre, things get odder and odder, up to the cliffhanger at the end of this volume."</li> <li> The review notes: "At the start of Drake's solidly crafted fantasy, the first of a trilogy that will wrap up the author's Lord of the Isles series ... Drake, whose world building has been weak in past books, makes the most of his setting based on the classical Mediterranean world, and he's no longer uncertain in his handling of female characters."</li> <li> The review notes: "A bit trite, but the temporal displacement of Prince Garric adds a new wrinkle to the story."</li> <li> The review notes: "Lord of the Isles, Drake's grand fantasy saga set in an adapted classical Mediterranean world, takes on new dimensions in the opening volume of a new trilogy that will bring down the curtain on the whole shebang. ... Those who have sailed with him through the preceding two Isles trilogies ought to eagerly demand it."</li> <li> The review notes: "Drake's latest series intertwines with his current "Lord of the Isles" titles. Drake's inventive approach to magic and his solidly built characters make this a good addition to most fantasy collections and a must for libraries owning the "Lord of the Isles" books."</li> </li></ol>

<li>The Mirror of Worlds reviews:<ol> <li> The review notes: "The second volume in the third trilogy of the Lord of the Isles saga focuses tightly on Prince Garric and his faithful companions. ... In short, the book re-offers just about everything the saga has provided thus far, including an absolute surfeit of weird, sometimes terrifying creatures."</li> <li> The review notes: "Three strong women on separate missions dominate this slow-moving middle volume (after 2006's The Fortress of Glass) in the trilogy slated to round out Drake's long-running Lord of the Isles series."</li> <li> The review notes: "In this second volume of his "Crown of the Isles" trilogy (after The Fortress of Glass), Drake maintains his consistently excellent storytelling, creating appealing characters and intriguing situations while offering a new twist on world events. Fans of Drake's "Lord of the Isles" series will want this latest installment in a popular fantasy saga."</li> </li></ol>

<li>The Gods Return reviews:<ol> <li> The review notes: "Drake has a well-known ability to make the nasty really nasty, and the fates the new gods threaten for Garric and company are quite unspeakable. The conclusion suggests some hope, also that Drake may be done traveling the road to the Isles."</li> <li> The review notes: "Though his characterization of women has greatly improved since the series began, most of the people appear bland compared with the challenges they face."</li> </li></ol>

</ol>Cunard (talk) 08:12, 21 May 2023 (UTC)