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Sinner (The Wayfarer Redemption book 4) by Sara Douglass
01/09/2005 . Source: Sue Davies 
pub: TOR. 464 page hardback. Price: $26.95 (US), $37.95 (CAN). ISBN: 1-312-87046-9. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. check out website: www.tor.com and www.saradouglass.com
This is book four of a series of six books known as 'The Wayfarer Redemption'. However, it forms the first part of a separate trilogy which takes place forty years after the first three books. It is not necessary to read the others first but it may avoid initial confusion.
Caleum Sunsoar rules over a land previously torn apart by war. The uneasy peace has been created by destroying the kingdom of Achar and creating two princedoms. The two princes: Zared, Prince of the Northm and Askam, Prince of the Westm already have issues before Zared declares his love for Leagh, sister to Askam.
There are other problems not of the mortal type. Something is trying to get through the Stargate. The cries of the children sacrificed by Wolfstar Sunsoar, resurrected ruler of Tencendor, are blocking out the Stardance but much worse there is a threat to the existence of all the world's population...despair is coming!
There are several story threads to follow. At first, it seems that the love story between Zared and Leagh will be central but then we are introduced to Riverstar Sunsoar. Riverstar is a vain and lascivious woman who has found a new and inexhaustible lover. Drago, her twin, now mortal, has been condemned by his actions as an unthinking infant, to a miserable life and early death. Their sister, Zenith, feels compassion for Drago but she soon learns that her life is not her own. She has her own internal battles to command. These members of the Sunsoar dynasty are commanded by Caelum, their eldest brother, who must attempt not only to avoid rifts in his own family and the country but tackle the horror that is about to come through the Stargate.
There are good and bad people but there are also who cannot tell themselves which side they will fall on. With some potentially interesting characters and also some well-evoked darker images which help weave the story together this drama continues into another two books.
Getting to grips with the names and relationships aside, the main problem I have with the story is that there is not enough of it. There are tantalising openings but it seems we have to wait for the next two books to get some more meat on the bones. With over 400 pages I wanted some resolution and got more questions than answers. I enjoyed Douglass' other books more but although I found the lack of an ending disappointing, the story has got its hooks into me and I still want to know what happens in books five and six.
Sue Davies
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