Gate Of Ivrel

It wasn't until the 90s that really gritty fantasy became the norm for the genre, which is why The Morgaine Stories were so different to the standard epic fantasies of the 70s. Unlike later grimdark works, there's a definite sense of good and evil. And Morgaine, Cerryh's heroine, is an example of a character that is unequivocally good, without being boring. (This means YOU, Rand al'Thor.)Why it made the listMorgaine is one of the most well written female characters to come out of the genre – an impressive achievement considering when this series was written. There's a tendency for heroes to feel unreachable – it's difficult to relate to beings that are perfect – but Morgaine has weaknesses and flaws that make her easy to relate to.The plot follows an obvious path, but it's the relationship between the two primary characters – Morgaine and Vanye – that's the true strength of the series. This is character-driven fiction at its finest. There's some subversion here: Rather than the female lead needing rescuing, Morgaine often has to come to the aid of her male counterpart. This doesn't feel contrived though, because both their relationship and their story feel natural.Cerryh hasn't written characters at the expense of creating a rich world. The world they inhabit is well realised and it's clear that Cerryh spent time thinking about the world she created. This is important because this series takes place on four different worlds. Each world is well defined and provides excellent backdrops for the development of the most rewarding aspect of The Morgaine Stories: The relationship between Morgaine and Vanye.