The Prize in the Game

by Jo Walton

Book Overview

When a friendly competition leads to the death of a beloved horse and incurs the wrath of the Horse Goddess, the kingdoms of the island of Tir Isarnagiri are doomed to suffer. As the goddess' curse chases them down the years, four friends destined for kingship-Conal, Emer, Darag, and Ferdia-are forced into conflict as their countries build towards war.Matters are complicated when Emer and Conal fall in love, and dream of escaping together from the...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0765302632
• ISBN13: 9780765302632
• Release Date: December 2002
• Publisher: Tor Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.4" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Very enjoyable

The story has several lead characters (Conal, Emer, Elenn, Darag, Ferdia, and more), as well as quite a few secondary ones. However, once the reader gets into the story, knows everyone, and the plot comes into focus, the story zeros in on Conal and Emer. Conal, Darag, and Ferdia are rivals for the High Kingship. Emer becomes Conal's charioteer. On a favorable day, they "take up arms" and complete a ritual marking them as adults in the eyes of their countries. Conal and Emer fall in love. They dream of running off together, but honor and duty hold them tightly. When a friendly competition leads to the death of a horse, the Horse Goddess sets a curse upon the island of Tir Isarnagiri. Of course, politics and betrayals must follow. **** This is a well written story that slowly weaves its way into several complex situations. The more I ready, the more I became enthralled with the characters, plots, and sub-plots. Bravo, Jo Walton! Recommended! ****

Gods and the curses that they bring

The Prize in the Game is a short novel that takes place in the world of Walton's The King's Peace and The King's Name. It gives a little history on a few of the characters, and takes place before the other two books, with events in this one leading up to the characters' entrances in The King's Peace. It's a wonderfully done piece, with not a word wasted. At 253 pages, it is certainly a quick read, but there is so much packed into it that it feels like a longer book. Walton writes a lean and mean novel that doesn't use any extraneous language or plots. The book is about Emer and Conal, but it is also about Elenn and how she compares to her sister, Emer. It's about friendship, love, and honour, and the power that all three have over the life we live. How Walton manages to package all of this together in such a small package, I have no idea.Emer and Conal's love story is a sight to behold. They both start out the book very young, with not much idea of what their future holds. Emer is sixteen, and really too young to be considered an adult, but she takes arms just like her slightly older companions do. Conal starts out the book talking about how beautiful Elenn is, but you quickly realize that he has no feelings for her whatsoever. When he stumbles across Emer (relatively plain compared to Elenn), he finds that he has discovered the love of his life. When both take up arms, Emer wants nothing more than to be Conal's charioteer and wife. When Walton writes these two, they just spring off the page. You feel their pain when they realize the many obstacles in their path, both from her mother and from the circumstances around them. They are well-rounded characters who are very interesting as well.The second story has to do with Elenn. She is not the military sort like her sister, and she has no interest in going out and killing something. She's more than ready to be married off by her mother for a good alliance. She doesn't like the fact that she won't get to choose her husband, and she has fallen in love with Ferdia. But Ferdia would not make a good alliance as it doesn't look like he's going to become king of anything. Also, Ferdia is not in love with her, which adds an air of tragedy to the whole proceedings. This is especially true when Ferdia is forced into a potentially deadly situation because he can't let on that he doesn't love her and doesn't want to marry her. In less capable hands, Elenn could have come off as nothing but a spoiled brat. Walton handles her delicately and is able to make you interested in her story. She still comes off as a bit of a spoiled brat, but she slowly learns what it will take to get out from under her mother's thumb and what it takes to truly be an adult. She is probably my least favourite character, but not because Walton does her badly. It's just that the other characters are so much better. That's a good thing in a writer. It's truly sad when her mother (Maga) gets her into a situation wh

Stunning fantasy read - Highly recommended

A moment of carelessness leads to tragedy when a warhorse dies. In retaliation for the animal's death, Rhiannon, the Goddess of Horse and other Beasts, curses the kingdoms of the island of Tir Isarnagiri. This cursed, four friends, Conal, Emer, Darag, and Ferdia, prepare for kingship. Soon they are subsequently forced into conflict as their countries move toward war.The narrative voices shift between Conal, Elenn, Emer, and Ferdia. Emer and Conal fall in love, although she is expected to wed Darag. They dream of disappearing together, but a lifetime of preparation for duty does not allow Conal to abandon responsibility. Conal and Darag are rivals for the kingship; the plot follows their attempts to win the throne and the deteriorating relationship between them. THE PRIZE IN THE GAME is set in the same world as THE KING'S PEACE and THE KING'S NAME. Told from four shifting points of view, this Arthurian style unfolds in a world of magic and fantasy. Heroic challenges of battle and loyalty combine for a slow heat that reaches a roiling boil as the climax prepares the reader for another sequel. Richly realized characterizations, and a rich historic tapestry overlaid with glisten strands of magic, make THE PRIZE IN THE GAME an exceptional read coming highly recommended.

interesting Arthurian-like fantasy

Teenage Princes Conal, Darag, and Ferdia, and Princesses Emer and her sister Elenn are in training together. However, during a competition, a war-horse dies in a tragic accident. The careless incident angers Rhiannon, the Goddess of Horses and other Beasts. She curses the kingdoms of the island of Tir Isarnagiri.Though expected to marry Darag, Emer falls in love with Conal. He shares her deepest feelings as both fantasize of vanishing together. However the Prince knows he cannot leave as he has responsibility to his people being one of the two future contenders for the High King of the island. When war abetted by Rhiannon explodes, Emer confronts a personal dilemma between her duty to her beloved homeland and loyalty to her beloved Conal with the choice she makes impacting Tir Isarnagiri forever.Expanding on a chapter from the KING'S PEACE, THE PRIZE IN THE GAME is an interesting Arthurian-like fantasy that allows readers to see up close the personalities of the key cast before they go on their differing quests. The story line slowly heats up so that the audience knows how each of the quintet interacts with one another, but once the plot boils it never cools off until the climax that sets in motion another sequel. Though told mostly through what happens to Conal, Emer, or Elenn, the five key characters enable fans to feel they know this fantasy realm as well as they do their homeland (then again in the USA geography is not a forte). Fantasy aficionados will look forward to the next novel set in Jo Walton's fantasy world.Harriet Klausner

The Prize In The Game

The story has several lead characters (Conal, Emer, Elenn, Darag, Ferdia, and more), as well as quite a few secondary ones. However, once the reader gets into the story, knows everyone, and the plot comes into focus, the story zeros in on Conal and Emer. Conal, Darag, and Ferdia are rivals for the High Kingship. Emer becomes Conal's charioteer. On a favorable day, they "take up arms" and complete a ritual marking them as adults in the eyes of their countries. Conal and Emer fall in love. They dream of running off together, but honor and duty hold them tightly. When a friendly competition leads to the death of a horse, the Horse Goddess sets a curse upon the island of Tir Isarnagiri. Of course, politics and betrayals must follow. **** This is a well written story that slowly weaves its way into several complex situations. The more I ready, the more I became enthralled with the characters, plots, and sub-plots. Bravo, Jo Walton! Recommended! **** Reviewed by Detra Fitch.