fantasy

The Merchant Emperor – Symphony of the Ages #7 by Elizabeth Haydon

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Title: The Merchant Emperor

Author: Elizabeth Haydon

Series: Symphony of Ages

Sexual Content: Minimal

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (from Goodreads): The war that they had feared is now upon them. Ashe and Rhapsody, leaders of the Cymrian Alliance, are gathering their allies to combat the machinations of Talquist, who will soon be crowned emperor of Sorbold. Gwydion Navarne remains by Ashe’s side. Anborn, Lord Marshal, has taken to the field. And Rhapsody has been forced into hiding to protect the life of her infant son.

The Merchant Emperor of Sorbold has unintentionally allied himself with a pair of demons and has begun targeting the dragons that remain on the Middle Continent. Talquist will stop at nothing until the Cymrians are wiped out and the entire continent and the rest of the Known World is under his rule.

Assailed by danger from all sides, surrounded by lies and intrigue, Rhapsody is left with one undeniable truth: if their forces are to prevail, she must join the war herself, wielding the Daystar Clarion, an ancient weapon whose power is nearly unparalleled. As she struggles to reconcile her duties as a mother and ruler, a danger far more devastating than Talquist is stirring beneath the surface of the land itself.

My Review

The Merchant Emperor starts off a bit slow, with a lot of dialogue. Rhapsody and Ashe have called a secret meeting of those they trust most to share what they all know of the current situation in the world. By the end, the various members of the council part ways, each to tend to their own duties in the coming war.

The Three are united once again as it is decided that Rhapsody should return to Ylorc with Grunthor and Achmed in order to protect the newly born Meridion. While there, Rhapsody assists Achmed in testing out his Lightcatcher.

There is a fair amount going on with various characters in difference places in this book. I’m happy to see more of Grunthor as he is definitely one of my favourite characters in this series. Achmed seems even grumpier than usual, though the exact reason isn’t really revealed until later. Ashe, on his own without his family, is slowly losing his mind. Finally, it is decided the best thing for him to do is leave Highmeadow in search of what has happened to distant allies, leaving Gwydion Navarne in his stead. Thankfully, this mission snaps him out of his madness and he’s actually useful once again.

About three quarters of the way through the book, Rhapsody makes a life altering decision that will change every thing. I honestly did not see this coming. It was mentioned that she would eventually have to enter the war, as the wielder of Daystar Clarion, but I would never have guessed what she would do in order to make that happen.

My rating for The Merchant Emperor is 4 out of 5 stars.

Have you read this book? What are your thoughts?

The Assassin King – Symphony of the Ages #6 by Elizabeth Haydon

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Title: The Assassin King

Author: Elizabeth Haydon

Series: Symphony of Ages

Sexual Content: Minimal

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (From Goodreads): The Assassin King opens at winter’s end with the arrival by sea of a mysterious hunter, a man of ancient race and purpose, who endlessly chants the names of the pantheon of demons that are his intended victims, as well as one other: Ysk, the original name of the Brother, now known as Achmed, the Assassin King of Ylorc.

At the same moment of this portentous arrival, two gatherings of great import are taking place. The first is a convocation of dragons, who gather in a primeval forest glade–the site of the horrific ending of Llauron, one of the last of their kind. They mourn not only his irrevocable death, but the loss of the lore and control over the Earth itself that it represents. The ancient wyrms are terrified for what will come as a result of this loss.

The second gathering is a council of war held in the depths of the keep of Haguefort: Ashe and Rhapsody, rulers of the alliance that protects the Middle Continent; Gwydion, the new Duke of Navarne; Anborn, the Lord Marshall; Achmed, the King of Ylorc, and Grunthor, his Sergeant-Major. Each brings news that form the pieces of a great puzzle. And as each piece is added it becomes quite clear: War is coming, the likes of which the world has never known.

Cataclysm, both large and small, await in this sixth volume of the USA Today bestselling fantasy series, The Symphony of Ages. A twisting, fast-moving tale, The Assassin King promises endless surprises–most of which lead to pain.

My Review

Given the amount of set that occurred in the previous book, I was expecting the Assassin King to be much more fast paced. Instead, it starts with a meeting and a lot of dialogue. The characters have all come together to share what they learned in Elegy for a Lost Star. Anwyn is still alive and hunting for Rhapsody and a new character appears, searching for Achmed.

I don’t really have a lot to say about this books, in terms of a review. I found the beginning slow, but it picks up later on. I liked reading it, I’m ready for the next book. Three more novels and this series will be complete, which has been a goal for quite some time. i think it will be very satisfying once I have finished the entire series.

I may update this review in the future when my brain is working better.

Anyway, 4 out of 5 stars!

Elegy For a Lost Star – Symphony of the Ages #5 by Elizabeth Haydon

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Title: Elegy For a Lost Star

Author: Elizabeth Haydon

Series: Symphony of Ages

Sexual Content: Minimal

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (From Goodreads🙂 Elegy for a Lost Star sets the stage for a major turning point in the Symphony of Ages series. The dragon Anwyn–who has lain for three years in deathlike sleep in a grave of rock and black coal is freed by the cataclysm that concluded Requiem for the Sun . Disoriented and confused, she remembers only the person who trapped her in dragon form and locked her in a rocky grave–Rhapsody; and an all-encompassing desire to wreak vengeance. Meanwhile, Achmed, the Firbolg king, resumes rebuilding his shattered home, while a guild of merciless assassins set about taking revenge on him for the killing of their leader. A horribly deformed but magical being finds its way through a carnival of freaks to the palace of an evil despot, who sees in it the potential to be the instrument by which his plans of conquest and brutal domination of a continent will be realized. With the rise of new leaders, good and evil, the long-awaited birth of the Child of Time, the dark plans of assassins and rulers, a confrontation that shakes the relationship of the Three, and a battle to the death between two dragons of unimaginable elemental power, the seeds of chaos are planted for a war that will, by its end, consume half of the world.

My Review

Picking up shortly after Requiem for a Dream ended, Elegy for a Star begins with Gwydion Navarne being invested as Duke. With the impending birth of their baby, Rhapsody and Ashe plan to move to their own keep. After the explosion that nearly destroyed the Firbolg kingdom, the dragon Anwyn, believed to be dead, has been awoken. Though her memories are fragmented, the one thing she does remember is her hatred for Rhapsody and begins to hunt her down.

Faron, the child of the F’Dor host Michael, is now adrift in this world. Found by a pair of fishermen, it is sold to a passing carnival as a “freak.” When the carnival makes it’s way to Sorbold, Faron comes under the notice of the emperor to be. Unfortunately, the would be emperor notices the scales Faron tries to hide and immediately buys it from the carnival for his own twisted purposes.

Unaware that Anwyn is alive and hunting her, Rhapsody goes to the dragon Elysynos during her pregnancy. As no one really knows what to expect with such a child, the dragon’s lair seems the safest place.

Elegy for a Lost Star very much feels like a “staging novel.” By this I mean that it’s setting up a great deal to be resolved in the next book. Other than Anwyn, there isn’t really a central antagonist to be fought against. Everything is ramping up for the next book.

The focus in this book has somewhat shifted away from the Three, following other characters to show what is happening in other parts of the continent. This is fine of course, not everything has to focus on Rhapsody, Achmed and Grunthor. Although, Achmed is getting more focus as of late.

This book is enjoyable and a must read if you read Requiem for the Sun. My rating for Elegy for a Lost Star is 4 out of 5 stars and I look forward to the next book in the series.

Requiem for the Sun – Symphony of the Ages #4 by Elizabeth Haydon

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Title: Requiem for the Sun

Author: Elizabeth Haydon

Series: Symphony of Ages

Sexual Content: Minimal

Objectional Content: Violence, Sexual violence, violence against children

Synopsis (From Goodreads): Requiem for the Sun , Sequel to the USA Today bestselling Rhapsody Trilogy

It has been three years since their devastating battle, and peace has settled across their land. But to the south an empire lies ready to crumble. When the Dowager Empress dies, along with her successor, a great war breaks out, threatening to overwhelm the known world.

And an old nemesis of Rhapsody’s–presumed dead for centuries–resurfaces, forcing her to choose between facing his depravity or sacrificing her own life . . . and that of her unborn child.

My Review

Requiem for the Sun starts off three years after the end of Destiny. Rhapsody and Ashe are married, and Lord and Lady Cymrian. During those three years, there has been relative peace in the Alliance. As the happy couple decide it’s time to have a baby, the Dowager Empress of Sorbold and her son die. Rhapsody, too ill from her pregnancy to attend the funeral, travels back to Haguefort, while Ashe goes to the funeral.

After leaving Haguefort, Rhapsody intends to travel to see the dragon Elysynos, but on the way she is ambushed by an old foe and taken prisoner. The moment it is known Rhapsody is missing, both Ashe and Achmed begin searching for her immediately.

Rhapsody continues to be an amazing character. Her resilience and determination is unmatched. I think many people in her situation may have given up and died, unable to find a way out of the predicament. With the life of her unborn child on the line, giving up is not an option in Rhapsody’s mind. One way or another, she will get out and she will be free.

When with his wife, Ashe can be unsufferable. His obsession with Rhapsody is rather irritating. However, separate the two, and suddenly he’s a likable character, doing whatever he must to get his wife back. It’s at times like these that his badassery shines.

I felt like Grunthor didn’t get as much page time time in this novel, but he is definitely still there and just the same as ever. In fact we do find out an interesting tid bit about Grunthor that I thought was fantastic.

One thing that bothered me about this book, and may be a bit of a SPOILER, is that Rhapsody is trapped in a cave for days on end. A cave that fills with water when the tide comes in. Her husband is literally tied to the element of water. Was there not some way she could have called to him through the water? That made no sense to me. END SPOILER

Overall, Requiem for the Sun is a fantastic addition to the Symphony of Ages series, and a good start on a new trilogy. My rating for this book is 4 out of 5 stars. I recommend it to anyone who has read the original trilogy. If you haven’t read the original trilogy, I suggest you read that first.

Thanks for reading!

Destiny: Child of the Sky – Symphony of the Ages # 3 by Elizabeth Haydon

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Destiny: Child of the Sky - Symphony of the Ages #3 by Elizabeth Haydon

Title: Destiny: Child of the Sky

Author: Elizabeth Haydon

Series: Symphony of Ages

Sexual Content: Minimal

Objectional Content: Violence, Sexual violence, violence against children

Synopsis (From Goodreads): A FELLOWSHIP OF THREE

To stand against the F’dor– an ancient, vile being intent on destroying the world– a fellowship has been forged: Rhapsody, a Singer of great talent and beauty; Achmed, an assassin with unearthly talents; and Grunthor, a giant of jolly disposition and lethal skill with weapons.

Driven by prophetic visions, the three know that time is running short, know that they must find their elusive enemy before his darkness consumes them all. But after their final, brutal confrontation with the F’dor, their world crosses the threshold of disaster and faces utter oblivion. The action reaches a fevered pitch, achieving a crescendo of tragedy, love, and triumph of human spirit over world-shattering cataclysm.

With death at hand and the world crumbling at their feet, these three will finally discover their true …

DESTINY

My Review

Destiny picks up where Prophecy left off. Rhapsody and Ashe have parted ways. While Ashe goes off to prepare to take on the mantle of Lord Cymrian, Rhapsody heads out into the world with Achmed to find the children of the F’dor. It is their hope to separate out the demon blood for Achmed to use to track it down and kill it once and for all.

i have to say, I enjoyed this book more than Prophecy. I think because the story focused a lot less on Rhapsody and Ashe’s relationship. She is with Achmed in the beginning of this book, looking for the demonspawn children. After, she goes to find several of them on her own, allowing her to be an independent person once again. The focus also shifts onto other characters as well, though I would say Grunthor doesn’t get nearly enough page time.

Rhapsody goes through a great deal in this book. It’s actually pretty amazing how she’s able to survive perilous situations, nearly dying, and overcoming overwhelming despair. Rhapsody is definitely a fantasy heroine for the ages.

While above, I indicated that the sexual content was minimal, what there is comes close to a rape scene. This is a warning for anyone who might be triggered by such scenes. It is thankfully relatively brief.

I feel like the reader gets to see a lot more into Achmed’s mind and feeling in this novel as well. He may not be one for emotional displays, but he is utterly devoted to Rhapsody and loves her in his own way.

If you wanted to, you could stop reading the series here. It was originally meant to be only a trilogy and the plot is nicely wrapped up by the end. The series does continue on with Requiem for the Sun, which I will be reading next.

My rating for Destiny is 4 out of 5 stars (Ashe is still annoying) and I would recommend that anyone who has read Prophecy, read Destiny. And if you haven’t read any of these books yet, start with Rhapsody.

Thanks for reading!

And if you are interested in any handmade book related accessories, please check out my shop!

Prophecy: Child of Earth – Symphony of the Ages #2 by Elizabeth Haydon

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Title: Prophecy: Child of Earth

Author: Elizabeth Haydon

Series: Symphony of Ages

Sexual Content: Descriptive

Objectional Content: Violence, Sexual violence, violence against children

Synopsis (from Goodreads) In Rhapsody, a fellowship was forged–three companions who, through great adversity, became a force to be reckoned with: Rhapsody, a singer of great talent and even greater beauty; Achmed, an assassin with unearthly talents; and Grunthor, a giant Sergeant-Major whose jolly disposition stands at odds with his deadly skill at weapons. Having fled the F’dor–an ancient, powerful evil–the three emerged on the other side of the world, only to discover fourteen centuries had passed. Their homeland had been destroyed, their people scattered across several continents, and everyone they ever knew had long since passed away…except, perhaps, the F’dor.

Prophecy continues this powerful epic. Driven by a prophetic vision, Rhapsody races to rescue the religious leader of her new homeland while Achmed and Grunthor seek evidence of the F’dor. These three may be their world’s only hope, the heroes spoken of in the Prophecy of the Three, but their time is running short. They must find their elusive enemy before his darkness consumes them all.

My Review

So, I’m not really sure how to review this. I started reading Prophecy in January, right after I’d finished the first book, Rhapsody. It is now June and i just finished it. i don’t think it’s ever taken me six months to get through an entire book before. This should not be taken as any sort of reflection the book itself, because the book is fantastic. I really enjoyed reading, when I read it. The problem here is me. For some reason, I just did not want to read.

The latter half of the book (the part most fresh in my mind) focuses quite a bit on the relationship between Rhapsody and Ashe. Now, I have no problem with romance in books, but in this one it meant a fair amount of sex scenes. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it just didn’t feel like it added a lot to the story overall. Mostly, it makes Ashe look a little pathetic. He’s been in love with Rhapsody from the moment he saw her and his desperation is really starting to show. Their relationship also causes Rhapsody to ignore some of the things she should be responsible for, much to Achmed and Grunthor’s annoyance.

There is a lot more going on besides just Rhapsody and Ashe, but i don’t want to spoil anything so I’m not really going to say anything about it. Though I would like to say that there is some pretty descriptive violent scenes that may be triggering for some people.

My rating for Prophecy is 4 out of 5 stars. l’m on to the third book, Destiny, which hopefully won’t take me six months to read!

Thanks for reading!

Rhapsody: Child of Blood – Symphony of the Ages #1 by Elizabeth Haydon

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Rhapsody: Child of Blood Symphony of Ages #1 by Elizabeth Haydon

Title: Rhapsody: Child of Blood

Author: Elizabeth Haydon

Series: Symphony of Ages

Sexual Content: Descriptive

Objectional Content: Violence, Sexual violence, violence against children

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Rhapsody is a woman, a Singer of some talent, who is swept up into events of world-shattering import. On the run from an old romantic interest who won’t take no for an answer, Rhapsody literally bumps into a couple of shady characters: half-breeds who come to her rescue in the nick of time. Only the rescue turns into an abduction, and Rhapsody soon finds herself dragged along on an epic voyage, one that spans centuries and ranges across a wonder-filled fantasy world– a world so real you can hear the sweet music of Rhapsody’s aubade and smell the smoldering forges deep within the Cauldron.

My Review

Rhapsody is a book I first read several years ago. At the time, the entire series hadn’t yet been published. After what feels like forever, I’m finally rereading the entire series so I can read the last two books.

It has been so long since I first read Rhapsody that, although I remember a few key things, it was like reading it for the first time again. I think I enjoyed it more than I did the first time around. Truly, I loved this book.

The trio of main characters, Rhapsody, Achmed and Grunthor, could not be more different from one another. However, the bond they form is more than I’ve seen in most books, especially without it somehow turning romantic. Elizabeth Haydon has an amazing ability to keep the reader engaged even during some scenes that could be considered boring or tedious. I felt invested in these characters from the very beginning.

Rhapsody, especially, is a complex and intriguing character. She has lived through some very traumatic experiences and yet still manages to smile and have a positive outlook. Where some people would become bitter and withdraw into themselves, Rhapsody’s experiences make her want to help people even more, but especially children. She may be small in stature, but she is ferocious when she needs to be.

I always have any objectional content listed at the top of my reviews, but in this case, I feel the need to reiterate that there is some graphic violence involving children, some of it sexual in nature. These things are meant to disgust the reader and portray the level of evil of the antagonists. It all has it’s place in the story. However, if child violence is something that is just not for you, or may be triggering for any reason, this may not be the book for you.

My rating for Rhapsody is 5 out of 5 stars. I was honestly never bored reading this. I would recommend this book to fans of high fantasy looking for an exciting new adventure!

Thanks for reading!

Law of the Broken Earth – The Griffin Mage #3 by Rachel Neumeier

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Title: Law of the Broken Earth

Author: Rachel Neumeier

Series: The Griffin Mage

Sexual Content: none

Objectional Content: Mild violence

Synopsis: (from Goodreads) : In Feierabiand, in the wide green Delta, far from the burning heat of the griffin’s desert, Mienthe’s peaceful life has been shaken. Tan — clever, cynical, and an experienced spy — has brought a deadly secret out of the neighboring country of Linularinum. Now, as three countries and two species rush toward destruction, Mienthe fears that even her powerful cousin Bertaud may be neither able nor even willing to find a safe path between the secret Linularinum would kill to preserve and the desperate ferocity of the griffins. But can Mienthe? And, in the end, will Tan help her . . . or do everything in his power to stand in her way?

My Review

It has been approximately half an hour since I finished reading Law of the Broken Earth as I begin to write this review and honestly? I’m not entirely sure what to say. This book begins by introducing whole new characters. There’s nothing wrong with that, I like both of the characters and they play an integral part in the plot of this book.

The Great Wall created in the previous book is cracked and on the verge of breaking completely. The griffins want the wall to come down so they can invade the country of earth and destroy it. Naturally, the inhabitants of the countries of earth don’t want this to happen. Events are set in motion to prevent this from happening and find a resolution once and for all.

My dislikes about this book are pretty much the same as the previous books. There aren’t enough griffins in a trilogy called “the Griffin Mage”, the names of places and some people are impossible to pronounce and the plot moves along slowly til near the end when everything seems to happen all at once.

I like the character, Mienthe, even if I have no idea how to say her name properly. She was interesting to follow as she discovers her own unique gift and is instrumental in bringing everything to a satisfactory close. I liked that characters from the previous books returned and had roles to play, however small.

The ending did bring the overall conflict of the trilogy to a close, though it just wasn’t what I was expecting or really wanting out of the books. I won’t say that they were bad, as they weren’t, they just weren’t as good as I thought they could be.

My rating for Law of the Broken Earth is 3 out of 5 stars.

Thanks for reading even though this review is sort of all over the place.

Lord of the Changing Winds – The Griffin Mage #1 by Rachel Neumeier

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Lord of the Changing Winds, book one of the Griffin Mage trilogy by Rachel Neumeier

Title: Lord of the Changing Winds

Author: Rachel Neumeier

Series: The Griffin Mage

Sexual Content: none

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Little ever happens in the quiet villages of peaceful Feierabiand. The course of Kes’ life seems set: she’ll grow up to be an herb-woman and healer for the village of Minas Ford, never quite fitting in but always more or less accepted. And she’s content with that path — or she thinks she is. Until the day the griffins come down from the mountains, bringing with them the fiery wind of their desert and a desperate need for a healer. But what the griffins need is a healer who is not quite human . . . or a healer who can be made into something not quite human.

My Review

I’m going to start this review a little differently than normal and begin with what I didn’t like about this book. There are a lot of names featured in this novel that are somewhat long and difficult to pronounce. The author clearly put in a lot of effort and creativity in these names, however, having to stop and try to sound out these words is really disruptive to the flow of reading. I also found it difficult to remember who the characters were since I couldn’t pronounce their names. This book would have benefited from a pronunciation guide and even a list of characters. Fortunately, the main characters names were not as difficult to pronounce.

Setting that aside, this book is a satisfactory fantasy novel. I haven’t read a lot of books featuring griffins so I found this to be fresh. Kes, the main character, is a quiet girl who has never really fit in with the people in her village and finds acceptance among the griffins. Except for the griffin part, I think this is something a lot of teens can relate to.

I found the writing to be quite beautiful, especially the descriptions of the griffins and the desert. The plot isn’t anything to rave about, but the world itself is interesting. Although this isn’t the most amazing fantasy novel I’ve ever read, I did find it easy to read and interesting enough that I wasn’t bored. It’s a fun quick read and I look forward to starting the next book.

My rating for The Lord of the Changing Wind is 3 out of 5 stars and I’d recommend it to someone looks for a light fantasy.

Thanks for reading!

A Tapestry of Lions – Chronicles of the Cheysuli #8 by Jennifer Roberson

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Title: A Tapestry of Lions

Author: Jennifer Roberson

Series: Chronicles of the Cheysuli

Sexual Content: minimal

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (From Goodreads): Nearly a century has passed since the Prophecy of the Firstborn was set in motion—the generational quest to recreate the magical race which once held sway in the lands ruled by Homana’s Mujar. Now, Kellin, heir to Homana’s throne, has only to sire an offspring with an Ihlini woman to reach this goal. But Kellin wants nothing of prophecy, nor even of his own magical heritage. Embittered by tragedy, he refuses the sacred lir-bonding, becoming anathema in the eyes of his Cheysuli kin. But willing participant or not, Kellin provides a very real threat to the Ihlini—the ancient enemies of the Cheysuli people—for should the prophecy be fulfilled, life as the Ihlini know it will end. How can a lirless warrior ever hope to escape the traps of the Ihlini sorcerers? And how can the prophecy ever be realized when the man born to become its final champion shuns his destined role?

My Review

Going into this book, I really didn’t know what to expect. All the previous books have been about the prophecy and mixing the correct bloodlines to bring the prophecy to fruition. Only one bloodline remains, that of the Ihlini. But what Cheysuli would willingly and knowingly be with an Ihlini?

Kellin, Aidan’s son, is the main focus of A Tapestry of Lions. He is a child filled with bitterness that his own father gave him up (though he eventually does the same to his own bastard children). After experiencing tragedy and loss, Kellin rejects the gods and vows to never have a lir. As a man he has become even more bitter and rebellious, closing himself off to any meaningful relationship so he can’t be hurt by losing someone. He also resents that he is not so important as the son he will one day sire.

Kellin honestly changes and grows in leaps and bounds in this book. He starts out as a child proud of his Cheysuli heritage, looking forward to the day he receives his lir and lir gold, wanting to be recognized as a warrior of the clans. Then he experiences loss and grows up to sleep with random whores, get in fights and gambles. He goes through a lot and comes out the end a much better person.

I wasn’t sure how it was all going to end. As I was reading, I kept thinking there wasn’t enough left in the book to wrap it all up. In the end though, I was satisfied with the ending. I’m sure the author could write more books in this world if she wanted to, but I wouldn’t say it was necessary to round off the story.

Overall, I would say the series is an enjoyable one. There were definitely elements about it that I didn’t like. For instance, the first book is about a strong female character and then the subsequent books are almost all about male characters and the majority of the female characters are sort of relegated to a background role of have babies.

My rating for A Tapestry of Lions is 3 out of 5 stars. My rating for the Chronicles of the Cheysuli is also 3 out of 5 stars and I would recommend it to people who enjoy older, slower paced fantasy that covers multiple generations and different protagonists.