Cecilia Dart-Thornton, any opinions?

bunnypeaches

bunnypeaches

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I've read the Bitterbynde trilogy, but when I started to read one called The Iron Tree I just couldn't get through it. Even though the book had quite a similar feel, it just didn't catch me the way the other series did.

I've never even met anyone else who's heard of her, so it'd be nice to talk to other people who have :)
 
Lovely lady -- one of the many fantasy authors to come out of Australia in recent years. I met her at Worldcon in Glasgow, 2005, and chatted with her a few times. She even has a photo I took of her with Lilian Stewart Carl up on her website (she asked permission but didn't credit, ah well) Cecilia Dart-Thornton

I've liked what I've read of her work to date but haven't The Iron Tree yet, although it's on the shelf, so can't offer an opinion... But at least I've heard of her! :)
 
She is one of my favourite Authors, her writing is beautiful. The Crowthistle chronicles are a bit harder to get into but are well worth reading. I had a similar problem at first though not with Iron tree, but with the second book. I ended up putting it aside and going back to it later but I was glad I read them. The last book is the best in my opinion.
 
I've read the Bitterbynde trilogy and The Iron Tree. I love both series/books, because her writing is just so poetic and beautiful. She really has a way with description. Though other's dislike the long-windedness, I really enjoy it.
 
I've never heard of her at all ! However i have a question, it has been mentioned by Lioness that she has quite a slow but very descriptive style. Is this at all similar to Janny Wurts ? If so i'll have to check her work out because i really like JW :D Kinda obvious i suppose from my name :D
 
I haven't read any Wurts to compare, but when her first book came out she was compared with Tolkien. She does have quite a slow style but they her books are beautifully written. She does a brilliant bad guy too!
 
Althain's Warden said:
I've never heard of her at all ! However i have a question, it has been mentioned by Lioness that she has quite a slow but very descriptive style. Is this at all similar to Janny Wurts ? If so i'll have to check her work out because i really like JW :D Kinda obvious i suppose from my name :D
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Well I know Cecilia personally as her family doesn't live too far away. She's a nice lady and very talented writer IMO. Met up with her several times and for me her original trilogy is still the best. I have Iron tree series but I'm yet to complete it.

Of course I can offer a view w.r.t. Wurts also having read her works. I don't think she's that similar to Wurts. Janny is more economical in her use of prose and a great constructor of sentences. She also, like author Partricia McKillip, demands a certain level of insight or cerebral effort from her reader to join the dots. Cecilia I personally don't believe has the same level of control or rigour. Her prose is more free flowing and poetical as someone else has already mentioned. In fact lyrical would be the best way to describe her work but not as good as Mckillip if I can use her again in my example. It certainly flows nicely. I think you would find the majority view would be in favour of Janny ahead of Cecilia with Mckillip ahead of both although I know you were not asking about her specifically. I happen to think all 3 are worthwhile and of course a key to all 3 of these authors is that they not only know how to write but are natural storytellers.

Cheers and good night.
 
Wybren said:
Gollum IMHO the last book is the best book of the Crowthistle chronicles and can almost be read without reading the earlier three.
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Thanks for the tip. Haven't got up to Fallow Blade yet..so I'll see if I agree......;)

You read Patricia McKillip's work at all?
 
Wybren said:
No, I haven't read any of her stuff at all, but from your earlier post, I think that I might give her a try :)
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She writes in a similar way to Janny Wurts. That is to say both are fairly demanding of their readers in using mental grunt when understanding certain plot elements but both have wonderful prose. I think Mckillip is the best of all 3 when it comes to the use of poetic prose.
 
Thanks Teresa, I must have been having a dense kind of day when I started this thread, seeing as I got her name wrong and then completely forgot I'd made this thread at all!

Still, seeing as I've just started re-reading the Ill Made Mute it's still kind of relevant. Nice to hear other people's opinions on her style. Personally I've always liked books with lots of descriptive passages and the 'prettiness' of her books are what I love about her books. She writes the way I wish I could!
 
I was amazed at her first trilogy, which I really enjoyed. I have never read a book that was so full of beautiful details. I've re-read it once already! Reading her second trilogy was good too but not quite so good.

I wish I could write like that as well bunnypeaches!

Personally I didn't think she wrote like Janny Wurts or Patricia McKillip.
 
I've never read either of those authors. Is it worth picking up a few of their books? If so which ones?
 
I would start with the Bitterbynde Trilogy.

Book 1 - The Ill Made Mute
Book 2 - The Lady of Sorrows
Book 3 - The Battle of Evernight
 
That's ok! She writes very well; I especially liked her first trilogy. You might like to try that one as well. :)
 
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