Join me as I give my review of Prisoner of Haven by Nancy Varian Berberick live! Share your thoughts on this fourth novel in the Age of Mortals trilogy. It was released by Wizards of the Coast on June 1, 2004. You can pick up a copy here: https://amzn.to/4y6Y6kx
About Prisoner of Haven
The latest title in a series based on characters from the best-selling War of Souls trilogy.
This title is the next in a series that explores the lives of key characters from Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman’s New York Times best-selling War of Souls trilogy. Prisoner of Haven describes events that directly overlap events during the War of Souls, and it features a character originally introduced in Dragons of Summer Flame. Author Berberick also wrote The Lioness, a previous title in this same series.
Review
Welcome to another DragonLance Saga review episode. It is Kirinor, Reapember the 2nd. My name is Adam and today I am going to give you my review of Prisoner of Haven by Nancy Varian Berberick. I would like to take a moment and thank the DLSaga members and Patreon patrons, and invite you to consider becoming a member or patron. You can even pick up Dragonlance media or get $10 by signing up to StartPlaying.Games using my affiliate links. This is my perspective only, and if you have any thoughts or disagree with mine, I invite you to share them in YouTube chat.
Review
I had zero expectations about this novel, knowing nothing about it. I assumed it would be one thing and it turned out to be something entirely different. We begin with Usha Majere, Palin’s wife, and Dezra Majere, Palin’s sister, traveling to Haven with five others. They are going to pick up hops for Caramon and the Inn of the Last Home. Dezra is also going there to meet her secret lover. While there, they meet some old acquaintances like Aline Caroel, now Aline Wrackham. She is leading her now dead husband to burial. She has a bit of a sordid past, having sent a love trinket to be delivered to another and it was kept by a former diviner and now an information broker, Madoc. We are learning about the personal lives of Dezra, Usha and her estranged relationship with Palin, and how magic is failing and the town is ripe with rumors of an attack from the Dark Knights. Many believe it to be hype but they do attack on red dragonback, burning much of the city. Then they take the town that night with little resistance.
Sir Radulf, the Dark Knight commander, now runs Haven and no one can leave without a pass, which is never granted. They are locking down the city to create a sense of control. Usha and Dezra try to leave but quickly realize it is not possible and go to stay at an inn and plan. Usha decides to start painting to pay for their room and board and save some money to buy a pass to leave. Dezra goes off to see her lover, I believe. Aline has a guard named Dunbrae. This dwarf is always around to protect her. One night with Dezra they are jumped by dark elves. They kill them and dispose of the bodies. Someone clearly wants to silence Aline. Usha rises to the notice of the city’s elite, even one of its wealthier lords, Loren Halgard, who now pines after her. Aline used to run a sort of underground smuggling of elves out of Qualinesti but it has since stopped for an unknown reason.
One night Dezra discovers her lover and others killed by the Dark Knight enforcer, Lady Mearah, and it is seemingly the last straw. She wants out of the city now! Usha agrees to meet with Madoc to learn what he knows about the city and any possible ways out, but she will not leave until her commissions are done. She is making a name for herself and the aristocracy is noticing her. More specifically Loren notices her. What follows is a lot of mundane daily life exploration. Dezra doesn’t trust Madoc, but Aline and Usha do. Loren is getting closer to Lord Radulf to help ease the occupation and the Dark Knights dismantle the council and mayor’s office, giving Loren the intermediary position between citizen and Dark Knights.
When the citizens hear about the dissolution of their leadership they nearly riot, until the dragons fly overhead and their fear seeps into the heart of every citizen. The Dark Knights route the riot and order is returned. As the Qui’thonas or underground railroad begins smuggling families out of the city, distrust grows between Dezra and Madoc. It really never goes anywhere though. More interesting is Usha’s relationship with Loren. There is growing love between them, and Usha is a married woman. While it’s true that Palin has grown cold and absent, emotionally and physically, to the point where Usha has no idea where he is, it is hard to read about her getting close and kissing Loren.
But this is the reality of the human condition. A relationship takes compromise, effort, and presence. In the absence of all that, a relationship doesn’t actually exist. I was told by a family member years ago in my youth, if you don’t give love to your partner, someone else will. And it is true. As much as we hate to admit it or even recognize it in our own lives or in fiction, if you don’t love someone actively, someone else will. And it may break your heart but you are ultimately to blame. Everyone deserves the opportunity of love in their lives. When you have it, work that flame. With intention. When it dwindles, work at reigniting it. But know that you ignore it at your own peril.
Now Usha does kiss him and send him away, she is clearly confused and conflicted. This entrapment in the city, not knowing where her husband is, and trying her best to pass along information learned from Loran to Dezra is clearly taking its toll. It’s wild because there are aspects of this story I enjoy but I find it a chore to read. I think ultimately it comes down to the fact that it is presented as a spy and mystery story taking place in an enemy occupied city, but it reads more like an intimate romance novel. Boy did that third act change the tone a bit. We went from Pride and Prejudice to Escape from New York!
Usha and Loren actually become lovers! She ends up telling Dezra who takes it as you would expect her to, not well at all. She sees it as not only an infidelity on her brother, but her whole family. Dezra isn’t in the story much at all, as she is off helping people escape through the Qui’thonas, so the matter seems to be an ‘agree to disagree’ situation. Then a massive flood hits Haven, destroying much of the town and food becomes scarce. As the citizens start to rebel, Lady Mearah just kills them, not bothering with formal executions by hanging but rather, a knife in the street. Dragons patrol the skies and river frequently and bring food and goods to Sir Radulf, leaving the citizens to try to scrounge what they can.
Loren’s daughter Tamara is betrothed to Sir Radulf. Loren believes this will not only ensure his daughter’s safety, but put him in an advantageous position in the city. Ultimately they realize what a monster he is and Tamara refuses to marry him. She ends up with her throat cut in the back alleys for it. This sets into motion a final purge of the Qui’thonas by the Dark Knights where they torture informants to discover those behind it. This forces Alia, Dezra, Madoc, Dunbrae, and Usha to flee. At first Loren blames Usha for Tamara’s death but he comes to the side of reason and even ends up killing Lady Mearah himself as revenge. He plans on playing the innocent fool who knows his place so he can run the Qui’thonas moving forward as they all escape. There is a heartwarming moment between Usha and Loran but they do part and Dezra and Usha finally go back home. They had received word that Caramon had died when they were in Haven, so they don’t really know what they are returning to.
Usha says that she loves Palin, but they need to work on their relationship together, in the harsh reality of both of their actions and past. I really believe this is the most adult Dragonlance novel I have read. It is complex in its relationships, sometimes to the point of absurdity with the village residents and power players. But the dynamics mirror the complexity of real life. Sometimes people lose themselves and have to find their way back. Sometimes in losing themselves they lose everything they had. If I could give any advice, it would be the same advice I was given years ago. Fantasy is always better than reality. When you have found someone you love, be in love with them. Tell them how you feel. Communicate when you are frustrated or unhappy and put in the work. After having been married for almost 30 years to my high school sweetheart, I can honestly tell you it is worth the effort.
If you enjoy messy romances, convoluted mysteries, or over the top thrillers, I think you will appreciate this novel. It’s not the best I have read, but that third act really did turn around my appreciation for it.
Outro
And that’s it for my review of Prisoner of Haven by Nancy Varian Berberick. What do you think of Usha taking Loren as a lover? Do you think Loren will succeed in keeping the Qui’thonan alive? And finally, what do you think will happen with Haven? Feel free to email me at info@dlsaga.com or leave a comment below.
Thank you Creator Patrons Aaron Hardy & D. Robert Handy, Producer Patrons David Galindo, Joe Lyons & HollyMac79, Developer Patrons Chris Androu & Sam Ruiz, and all of the YouTube Members! I would also like to take a moment and remind you to subscribe to this YouTube channel, ring the bell to get notified about upcoming videos and click the like button. This all goes to help other Dragonlance fans learn about this channel and its content.
This channel is all about celebrating the wonderful world of the Dragonlance Saga, and I hope you will join me in the celebration. Thank you for watching, this has been Adam with DragonLance Saga and until next time Slàinte mhath (slan-ge-var).
