Tomes of Spellcasting

Welcome to the land of mystery, where the impossible is possible, and the improbable the reality. Join me as I investigate worlds filled with magic and meet the souls that wield this wondrous powers.

W A R N I N G !

This review does not represent the opinions of the general public. It reflects my personal thoughts and opinions on the book.

That said, on to the review!

Title: The Dreaming Tree
Author: C. J. Cherryh
Publisher: DAW Books, Inc.
Format: Paperback
Copyright Date: 1997

Long, long ago the Faery ruled all, living in harmony with the world around them. Then, men came into the land, bringing with them the ways of chaos, strife, and war. The Faery abandoned the world, journeying to a land beyond the land where men could not follow. Only one of their number remained, dwelling in the Ealdwood, the last bastion of the old order and its great magic. Arafel the Sidhe lives there and defends her place desparately, but the Ealdwood is dying, and in time she, too, will have to depart. Before she can do that, however, events places her firmly in the middle of a mortal conflict.

Someone has usurped the throne, leaving the true heir to skulk about the land and rally men beneath his unclaimed banner. Skirmishes edge ever closer to the Ealdwood, and Arafel must make her presence known if she is to protect her home. As time passes, she finds herself allied to mortal men who fear her even as they worship her. Through her assistance and intervention, the true king reclaims his throne, an evil man dies, and a mortal who is distant kin to herself ascends in the dead man's place. For a time, peace reigns over mortal lands and Ealdwood alike. Then, in a place of long forgotten evil, something stirs that whispers sweet lies into the ears of gullible mortals. Arafel discovers the dark spirit too late and turns to the only one who might aid her...if he can rediscover the heritage so long lost to him and his.

The Dreaming Tree is actually a composite of two separate works that the author published earlier. The Dreamstone follows the struggle to place an usurped king back on the throne and the strange alliance mortal men must make with the world's last remaining Sidhe to achieve their end. In The Tree of Swords the fey-born Ciaran Cuilean acquires a gift from Arafel that changes his life entirely, for now he becomes the Sidhe whose sword he possesses. He must become the Sidhe, for only one of the Fair Folk can even hope to best the darkness growing among men. This novel brings together the two novels into a connected collective.

C.J. Cherryh has written numerous novels in the genres of science fiction and historic fantasy. I've read some of each, and I have to say I enjoyed reading The Dreaming Tree. A word of caution, however. This composite includes numerous words and names originating in the Celtic, Welsh, and Old English languages. Cherryh includes a glossary of names at the end of the book, so you'll know what the words mean and sound like, but it might still be difficult reading. I had an advantage, fortunately: I took courses in Old English so I knew what some of it meant!

Rating: Thumbs up! The meshing of Celtic/Welsh/Old English folklore with reality is stupendous!

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