Lord of Mountains

A Novel of the Change

By: S. M. Stirling

Narrated by: Todd McLaren

Length: 12 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

Rudi Mackenize, now Artos the First, High King of Montival, and his allies have won several key battles against the Church Universal and Triumphant. But still the war rages on, taking countless lives, ravaging the land once known as the United States of America. Artos and his Queen, Mathilda, must unite the realms into a single kingdom to ensure a lasting peace.

If the leaders of the Changed world are to accept Artos as their ruler, he will need to undertake a quest to the Lake at the Heart of the Mountains and take part in a crowning ceremony - a ceremony binding him to his people, his ancestors, and his land. Then, once he has secured his place and allegiances, Artos can go forward and lead his forces to the heart of the enemy's territory.

©2012 S. M. Stirling (P)2012 Tantor

Same Great Story, One too Many Books...

The Book

I actually loved the story, but the '4 out of 5' rating and the title of this review stem from the fact that I feel, like others who have written reviews here, that this book and the last should have been a single work - the majority of "Lord of Mountains" was simply a continuation of "Tears of the Sun." It is clearly necessary for there to be continuity between books in a series, but this one felt more like a "Part II" of "Tears" rather than a sequel that could stand alone. Each of Stirling's other novels in the series constantly built on each other, but could easily have been grabbed at random and, while the reader might scratch his/her head for a moment pondering details, would still have been able to convey the essentials of the story - not true here.

However, even if "Lord of Mountains" should have been packed into the last book,it was another fantastic installment in a unique and fulfilling series. I have been with the story since "Dies the Fire," and I read the Nantucket series, from which the Emberverse series sprang, before that. Never before has a series captivated me as much. I "plug in" on my commute to and from work, at my lunch break, and any time I have a spare moment or two - it is definitely worth the read (or listen)!

Still, as much as I love the series, I hope "The Given Sacrifice" draws the story to a close before there are "diminishing returns;" i.e., before the story stagnates. I have heard rumors that another series will follow this one, beginning yet another Changeling generation's tale, but - and it pains me to say it with as much as I have loved all of these - I sincerely hope not. I'm sure, as with other writers, that S.M. Stirling still has volumes of story and wonderful things to add to the world of The Change locked in his creative mind, but, as the saying goes: sometimes more isn't better, it's just more...all good things not only do, but should, come to an end, or they don't stay good things.


The Performance

One thing that impresses me about all the audiobooks in the series (Nantucket and Emberverse) is that Todd McLaren has a) been used for every book and, b) he, as a narrator, is so consistent in his tones, his portrayal of each character, and his ability to draw emotion from the "reader" based on his performance. There are a good many audiobook series wherein a different narrator steps in each time, or there is a disconnect when a specific narrator goes on "hiatus" for a book or two, then returns (often only to forget their characters and the overall feel they themselves set up). McLaren is a master!


In short, thumbs, way, way up for the entire 12-book (so far) story and for Todd McLaren's performance of it, but Mr. Stirling: as awesome as it is, please wrap it up before the wonder and magic start to fade!

Filler

like a lot of other people this book and the book preceding it really annoyed me. it was chock-full of a lot of filler. I have to hear about one more meal and what they ate I might go insane. or about how the latest Portland fashion is being affected by events I might also lose my mind. The battle was fun and raise the steaks but a lot of the description was missing to just give us filler. I'm hoping the next book is better because this is where I stopped on the series when I was reading it. only one way to find out I guess.

A NEVER ENDING SERIES, SO IT SEEMS!!!!

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I'VE LISTENED TO ALL OF THE "DIES THE FIRE SERIES" ALL WERE WORTH THE TIME, BUT THE STORY "MUST" END SOMETIMES, BUT AS OF YET JUST KEEPS GOING ON.

Would you recommend Lord of Mountains to your friends? Why or why not?

YES, IF THEY HAD LISTENED TO THE OTHER BOOKS FIRST

Which scene was your favorite?

THE BATTLE

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

YES, BUT ONLY IF THE REST OF THE BOOKS WERE FILMED FIRST

Any additional comments?

WHEN WILL THE SERIES END??? I'M NOW LISTENING TO THE "ISLANDS IN SEA AND TIME", S. M. STIRLINGS FIRST BOOKS BEFORE DIES THE FIRE SERIES

good ask around until

I have loved this series and book. have this the rating I did, because in the middle I found it out was a city of a CD.

he has done so many better

the story felt incomplete. it started in a weird way and ended oddly. even knowing there are more books it should in some way stand alone

Good ending, but last 3 books could have been one

Would you listen to Lord of Mountains again? Why?

I'm sure I will since I listen to the whole series in order every six months or so.

What other book might you compare Lord of Mountains to and why?

The rest of the series, or any of the better S.M. Stirling works.

Which scene was your favorite?

The last few chapters were my favorite and they summed up the whole series in a way.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No extreme reactions, but most of it was good and kept my attention.

Any additional comments?

The last three books really should have been condensed down into one or two at most, but other than that it was good.

anti-climactic, to say the least

Compared to the others, this book was really tediously written and quite anti-climactic. In every book, the repetition of backstory is annoying, mostly because it's so poorly done and in this one it's ugly. The battle scene where Artos succeeds was so scantily presented, I was fading out, and kinda missed the important part. It was boring, to put it mildly. These books are getting worse and worse, but I'm plowing ahead because I've already read book 11, and am excited for #12! Much better storyline...

What a disappointment

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No. I would recommend the entire series up to this book. I would recommend the companion series. I would recommend the vampire series the author wrote.

This was little more than an hour or so introducing the characters and reminding us who they were and what their background was. That was followed by a battle whose outcome was never in doubt. Then a little Star Wars-esque scene where the ghosts of characters past approve of Rudy. It ends with everyone sitting around the home fires eating and drinking. Yawn.

What could S. M. Stirling have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

He could have not written it. A listener who has gone through the entire series and the companion books has nearly 200 hours invested in these worlds and the characters. We want to hear how their lives are going and the challenges they overcome.

This book was about 13 hours whereas the others were 20 or so. This book needed a good 7 hours of crisis.

Let's have Rudy go head to head against the CUT. Sail the Pacific. Explore south. Overcome dissension within the kingdom. Do something.

If nothing else, we have a good foundation for the next book that I am looking forward to.

What about Todd McLaren’s performance did you like?

I will download books just because Todd McLaren is the reader. He could make a recitation of a phone book fascinating.

Could you see Lord of Mountains being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

No.

How could anyone not like this book or this series

Any additional comments?

Just a wonderful story, and best of all its almost time for the next one !

to far

love this series but should have ended a few books ago felt hollow and stretched needlessly