Wayfarer Redemption
Wayfarer Redemption is the name of two trilogies that were released as a single six-book series in the U.S. by fantasy author Sara Douglass, and subdivided into two trilogies: the Axis trilogy, and the Wayfarer Redemption trilogy. This sequence is followed by the Darkglass Mountain trilogy.
The series is set in a fictitious land containing the lands of Tencendor, also known as Achar, Coroleas, Escator and Isembaard. The background of the series is quite extensive, and the events featured in the novels stem from a series of events that began thousands of years before the beginning of the first book.
The Axis trilogy
The Axis Trilogy is the first three books of the Wayfarer Redemption series.
The Wayfarer Redemption/BattleAxe
| Author | Sara Douglass |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Axis Trilogy |
| Genre | Fantasy novel |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
Publication date | 1995 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover, Paperback) |
| Pages | 655 (2003 edition) |
| ISBN | 0-7322-5865-0 |
| Followed by | Enchanter |
The first characters introduced are 2 unnamed women in mortal peril, one who is pregnant and one who has just given birth. The pregnant one is trying desperately to reach shelter during a snowstorm. She is an outcast of her people, the Avar, because she has decided to carry her child, conceived during a festival and considered an abomination, to term. A group of demonic creatures, skraelings, watch as her unborn child brutally eats his way out of her womb, killing her. The monsters are delighted and decide to adopt the hateful child.
The second woman had given birth to an illegitimate child 2 days before, who she believes is dead. The child was illegitimate, and she is of high-born, perhaps noble, birth. After giving birth, she is taken and dumped in the freezing cold mountains to die. She climbs the mountain until she is found by something, or someone unknown.
In the book, Axis, the Battle-Axe of the Seneschal, learns the truth of who he is and his destiny as the Starman. Lady Faraday accompanies him as he begins the journey but is drawn away to serve the Prophecy as TreeFriend; she travels with the Sentinels to Gorkenfort to marry Bornehold (half brother of Axis, also born of Rivkah).
Enchanter
| Author | Sara Douglass |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Axis Trilogy |
| Genre | Fantasy novel |
| Publisher | HarperCollinsPublishers |
Publication date | 1996 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover, Paperback) |
| Pages | 653 (2003 edition) |
| ISBN | 0-7322-5129-X |
| Preceded by | BattleAxe/Wayfarer Redemption |
| Followed by | StarMan |
Enchanter chiefly concerns the battle between Axis and his half-brother, Borneheld. Axis knows he must unite the three races of Tencendor in order to face Gorgrael, yet Borneheld is just as determined to see that he does not get the chance. StarDrifter, together with his mother MorningStar, turns Axis into one of the most powerful Enchanters the Icarii have ever seen - yet in doing so, they discover a fearful secret in his past. Gorgrael plays a much larger role in Enchanter, as does the threatening figure of the Dark Man; together they create a creature that will wreak havoc from the skies. Much of Gorgrael's background will be revealed - just how did those silly wraiths manage to raise him, anyway? Azhure, already something of a puzzle, sinks even deeper into mysteriousness, but eventually some of the elements from her lost past will begin to fall into place. Faraday learns more of her mission to help the trees but also, as does Axis, learns how dreadfully the Prophecy can both lie and manipulate.
Talking of both the Prophecy and lies and manipulations, in Enchanter the Prophet himself makes his sinister presence felt, and some of his relationship with the Sentinels will be revealed.
Axis becomes more and more obsessed by the traitor in the third verse of the Prophecy ... with all but tragic consequences.
The Icarii lifestyle and culture (and especially use of the Star Dance to weave enchantments) is explained is some detail; Talon Spike itself is explored ... and with the Icarii we spend a wild and tumultuous Beltide night.
And yes, to all those who have asked, the donkeys continue to plod through the plot. Whatever cataclysm envelops other characters, those donkeys are going to continue to come through with sweet-tempered serenity."
StarMan
| Author | Sara Douglass |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Axis Trilogy |
| Genre | Fantasy novel |
Publication date | 1996 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover, Paperback) |
| Preceded by | Enchanter |
| Followed by | Sinner |
StarMan concludes the story of Axis' battle with Gorgrael. Both Gorgrael and Axis misinterpret the third verse of the prophecy, with unforeseen and tragic results. Axis is betrayed from deep within his camp. New characters included in the third book include: Artor the Plough God; Urbeth, the great icebear of the north; and the Chitter Chatters, who Ho'Demi finds lost down a mine. The world of the Ravensbundmen is also explored in much greater detail.
Following Gorgrael's manipulations, the Gryphon swarm. By the end of the book, the Destroyer has almost 70,000 of them, enough to darken the skies of Tencendor and overwhelm Axis. Azhure and StarDrifter explore the Island of Mist and Memory, where Azhure's troubled past is finally explained, the manner of her conception revealed, and Azhure and StarDrifter finally resolve their relationship. Artor, annoyed by the progression of events in Achar/Tencendor, takes a personal interest in what's going on, but meets with opposition.
According to Douglass, while StarMan concludes the Axis trilogy, enough loose ends were left for the story to continue. While HarperCollins only bought three of the original four books, the fourth book, Sinner, subsequently became the basis for the next trilogy, The Wayfarer Redemption.[1]
The Wayfarer Redemption trilogy
Note: The Wayfarer Redemption is also another name for Battleaxe, the first book in the Axis series.