The Pillars Of The World – Book Review
Book One Of The Tir Alainn Trilogy, By Anne Bishop
Apr 21, 2009
Witches are being tortured and slaughtered by black-coat wearing men called Inquisitors. Their quest to destroy magic leads to Fae clans being lost and for any surviving witches to flee. But for many, it is too late.
The Pillars Of The World Overview
The story begins with the introduction of the arrogant Fae, and the news that the shining roads, roads that lead from the Fae clans to the human world, are closing, leaving the Fae within those clans trapped forever.
The uprising of the Inquisitors, or witch-hunters, killing witches and repressing women, in an attempt to rid the world of all magic, so that men can rule, is what is causing the shining roads to close. And yet, the selfish Fae, who consider humans and witches as playthings and servants, refuse to lift a finger to help.
The Pillars Of The World Review
This is the first book in a series of three that revolves around a young witch named Ari, the last in a long line of witches and the Fae, who are unaware of why the roads leading from Tir Alainn to the human world are disappearing. If a road vanishes, so too do the Fae clans in those areas, as they become anchored to that place, and are never seen again.
The Fae must establish why the roads are closing, and all they have to go on is information passed between Bards through songs and music about wiccanfae and The Pillars of the World.
The Fae are arrogant and selfish, particularly the males, often taking a human lover, and on occasion leaving her with child. The human world is for their amusement and pleasure, not their burden.
When Lucian meets Ari he becomes her lover, offering her trinkets and jewels, but what she really wants is a faithful companion and love. Lucian, like most Fae, considers humans beneath them and will never become more then a lover, but is furious when a human male shows affection towards Ari.
Ari anchors magic in her home of Brightwood, which keeps the roads open in Lucian’s piece of Tir Alainn, but with the inquisitors on their way, killing and torturing witches, it becomes far too dangerous for her to stay.
This is an excellent fantasy novel. The characters have depth and emotion and are very likable. There is also depth to the evil characters, and it is just as easy to dislike them. The witches’ magic is linked to the Great Mother, with witches having strengths in one branch or another of earth, air, fire and water.
Bishop paints a remarkable world and her descriptions are very visual. The Pillars of the World could be a stand-alone novel, however, it is such a joy to read that most readers will want to continue the series.
The Pillars of the World was first published in 2001 by Roc and again in 2004 by HarperCollins (ISBN 978-0-732-27986-8). Bishop has written a number of books in addition to the Tir Alainn Trilogy (The Pillars of the World, Shadows and Light, The House of Gaian), including The Black Jewels Trilogy, The Invisible Ring and Dreams Made Flesh.
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