The meaning of a prophecy is in the scrye of the beholder. The actual meaning might be quite different from the first perception. Silver Wolf, Black Falcon is the fourteenth Mithgar book. It draws upon four visions of the future gathered from the previous books. These prophecies may or may not be true, and may or may not be related. The fact that the final prophecy did not end as I had expected was a delightful surprise.This book starts where the Eye of the Hunter ends. There is about a three-chapter overlap to set the stage for this epic and bring new readers up to speed. The Elves of Arden decide all these visions might refer to the newborn Bair, a shapeshifter with a wolf alter ego. They raise Bair for his role, to open the pathways between dimensions and lead the fight in a world-spanning war. Aravan, Bair's mentor and a principle character from Voyage of the Fox Rider, is back, seeking revenge for the murder of Galarun and trying to master a crystal containing a black falcon figure. Bair and Aravan do an admirable job of living their destiny-ridden lives, without being paralyzed by indecision or being grief-stricken over the outcome of their deeds.
If you are a new traveler to Mithgar, do not be overwhelmed by the vast amount of history creeping through the first few chapters. As young Bair grows up, his kinfolk and teachers explain the history and customs of the Elves, Dwarves, Dragons and Humans that populate Mithgar. As Bair gains awareness of his world, you too will come to know Mithgar.
As a veteran traveler to Mithgar, I am greatly amused by the references to the past books. As Bair speculates on the history of an old ruined mill (pp. 97-98), I know the unknown miller's name was Tipperton. The mill was in the first few chapters and on the cover of Into the Forge. I could see what was coming and I was tempted to use a score card to tally the number of references.
The best aspect of Silver Wolf, Black Falcon is the smooth manner in which it gathers, interweaves and resolves many of the loose ends: what happened to the Mages of Rwn, who killed Galarun, how did the Dragonstone escape the destruction of Rwn, and where do little Rucks come from?
It was delightful to visit with all my old friends from the previous books. Lord Gildor Goldbranch, from "The Dark Tower Trilogy", makes a cameo appearance (p. 357). Lady Arin Flameseer, the principle character from The Dragonstone, arranges for a hunting party to be in the right place, at exactly the right time, to provide food and horses to the wolf and the falcon (p. 360). You might say her planning showed a great "foresight". The cover scene described on pp. 362-363 is almost faithful to the text. The Falcon is supposed to be perched on Bair's shoulder, but some art director decided a flying raptor is more dramatic - I think so too.
I assume the "Red Slipper" Inn (p. 451) is an inside joke, based on the author's forward from The Dragonstone. Many red slippers clutter the landscape of Mithgar, each with a tale to tell. When you pick up one of the slippers, another slipper may fall out, revealing a story within a story.
I am saddened this will likely be the last Mithgar book, because I feel I've actually been there. It's a wild and beautiful world to visit, with a complex, well-woven history. I've enjoyed my journeys, but I may travel back and re-visit some of those places to refresh my memory, relive the experiences and improve my understanding of the intermingled events. Dennis McKiernan's parting words sum up my perceptions of Silver Wolf, Black Falcon and the other Mithgar books: "It's all connected, you know".
<*> Ariann <*>