Series Review – The Lyra Novels by Patricia C. Wrede
While the Enchanted Forest Chronicles remain Patricia C. Wrede’s most famous fantasy book series, she also began The Lyra Novels before her later success.
Now, reading early novels by writers you enjoy can be a lot of fun. Readers can see how professional authors grow and change as writers. However, sometimes, these original novels are not as good as the ones that came out later, and sometimes, they are still solid pieces of fiction. For me, The Lyra Novels by Patricia C. Wrede are certainly the latter.
The Basics
Patricia C. Wrede’s Lyra Novels include five books: Shadow Magic (1982), Daughter of Witches (1983), The Harp of Imach Thyssel (1985), Caught in Crystal (1987), and The Raven Ring (1994).
Each story follows a different set of characters in the same magical realm, and each book builds on the next, satisfyingly and logically. That said, every book in the series could be read as a standalone.
Genre-wise, The Lyra Novels are a fantasy series, so expect warring kingdoms, magical artifacts causing trouble, and a variety of memorable heroes and heroines.
In many ways, The Lyra Novels are also your typical eighties fantasy romp, and I loved every minute of it (some minutes more than others). There are magic forests and immortal/ancient beings, and each story also features a variation on the coming-of-age story.
Characters come into their own, either discovering their true potential or finally returning to their roots. I love this, and it makes me appreciate the series even more.
The Writing
Overall, the story is solid. Patricia C Wrede writes similarly to Anne McCaffrey and Tamora Pierce, so if you’re a fan of these fantasy authors, you should enjoy The Lyra books.
In the series, there’s just enough exposition, so readers aren’t confused, but not so much that we’re overwhelmed with details.
Generally, I enjoyed the world she created in The Lyra Novels, and I also appreciated the magic system. As the characters learned, so did we. There were times I mixed up the geography of the world a little bit, but that could just be me.
Besides the excellent world-building, there were memorable romances, but it never overshadows the main plot. Still, there were some sweet romances in the series romance fans will appreciate.
Still, it was odd reading this series. I know Patricia C. Wrede from The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, and Sorcery and Cecilia (Or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot). Both of those books have a ton of humor embedded in the core of the story.
There is markedly less humor in The Lyra Novels. The lack of humor is not a bad thing, by any means, but if you are familiar with Wrede through her more humorous works, be prepared for the shift.
Patricia C. Wrede
Reading this series, however, I was reminded just how talented of a writer Wrede is. She can write serious fantasy and poke fun at the genre in her satire. Wrede also writes dynamic characters you want to follow, and a fictional world that draws you into the story throughout.
While I would rather live in the world of The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, I was happy to stop in The Lyra Novels for a little while. To be clear, I was just there as a visitor; I don’t want to live there.
Overall Thoughts
If you enjoy works of fantasy or fiction epics from the 1980s, you might want to give The Lyra Novels a try. If you’re a fan of Patricia C Wrede’s other works, or just looking to try something new, consider adding this to your reading list. I got my set on Amazon when they were in a Kindle bundle for less than five bucks. They’re back up now but watch them. Like a ton of classic fantasy, they often go on sale.
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Something I also appreciate about this series is that it doesn’t have gratuitous violence and felt, on the whole, quite clean. There was some violence, a war, and characters fleeing assassination, torture, and certain death, but I never felt like it lingered on.
The violence was brief to show the characters and us that, yes, we can all be better. Patricia C. Wrede’s The Lyra Novels is a worthwhile adventure. You’ll probably love three of the novels and like two of them. At least that’s how it worked out for me.
Content Note: There is some violence, both performed on and by our characters. Characters also die. But it’s not too graphic.
Have you read The Lyra Novels? Which is your favorite?
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