City of Night: A Novel of The House War (House wars)

Product Details

• Prerequisite: NEW
• ISBN13: 9780756405984
• Notes: Trade mark New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Description

Enter a "vivid and detailed universe"* and "a richly woven world."* -*Quill & Quire

Demonic activity has escalated in both the Undercity and the mortal surface level city as the worshipers and servants of the Lord of the Hells strive to complete the rituals that will return their god to the mortal realm. As Rath joins with mages and the Twin Kings' agents to wage a secret battle against this nearly unstoppable foe, he gives Jewel Markess and her den of orphans the opportunity to escape the chaos by providing them with a note of introduction to the head of House Terafin, where Jewel will discover her destiny.

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Customer Reviews

What went wrong?
I gave The Hidden City five stars and finished it in one reading. It was one of the best books written by this author, in my opinion. Therefore, when I heard about the coming out of this book, I pre-ordered it because I could not wait to find out what happened to Jewel (or Jay) and her gang after "The Hidden City". Well, it caught me in surprise when the beginning of the new book was totally devoted to Angel and his late father. However, it was very enjoyable and intriguing and I began to enjoy reading it. To my chagrin, all of a sudden, it shifted Angel back to being a part of Jay's gang and there it totally lost me because everything that was covered after that was "deja vu" and was already covered in "The Hidden City", only better and more enjoyable. I heard the author had to divide the "City of Night" into two books and may be the second one will be better and will review what happened to Jay and her gang after "The Hidden City", but before that I simply do not understand the purpose of this new book. May be I am too harsh on the author and this book should derserve better than two stars, but I simply cannot understand why it would receive all these 4-star and 5-star ratings if these raters had really read both "The Hidden City" and compared it with this book. What would they give "The Hidden City" then? 6 or 7 stars.
My advice is, unless you are a devoted fan of this author and cannot do without her new books, you would better wait till the paper back comes out before you will get it because you simply would not find out too much about Jay and her gang from reading this book. This book was now sitting in one of my bathrooms, waiting for me to finish the last part of it because I had totally lost interest with it at this time, unlike the first book, "The Hidden City" was finished reading by me in one reading. I would love to hear comments from other readers who love this author, it is possible that I might have inadvertently missed some really good parts of this book.

2010-02-23 (U.S.A.) | Helpful Votes: 2 | Rating: 2

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WOW!!! What an Ending!
If you have read the first book, "Hidden City", and liked it, then you are going to have to read "City of Night" as it continues the fascinating story of Jay (Jewel) and her den. The ending is particularly good and shows some of Michelle's best prose... BUT, before you get there, there is uneven plotting. I tell you this not so much to dissuade you from buying this book up, as to hint that you might need to be patient.

The book begins, for one thing, with an entirely new character. He appears to be the focus of the book for quite awhile, and then he sinks into the background. After consideration, I can see why this was necessary to the overall plot arc, but it's a bit disconcerting. At least I found it so.

The only other thing I would note is that you might want to refresh your memory by either reading or flipping through the "Hidden City". It's a complicated and wonderful world that Ms. West has created, and there are hardly any words spent in reminding us what we were told in the first book. The mages, the gods, the houses, yikes!, there's a lot going on and none of the usual textual reminders we've come to expect in follow-up books.


I really liked this book and recommend it to West fans.

Pam T~

2010-02-18 | Harmless | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 4

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Building the Anticipation for Next Book
In the Hidden City, we are introduced to Jewel Markess, an orphaned girl with more heart and courage than many grown men. We follow her journey through the Hidden City, the unknown streets that lay buried under the city streets of Averalaan. She builds a relationship with Rath, a conflicted bitter man, who against his better judgement trains her to survive and to hide her talent. We watched her form her Den of fellow children into a new family against all odds. We understand her relationship with Duster, a severely abused girl, who has become a killer to survive.

In City of Night, we follow the journey of Angel, a farm boy with a tragic ancestry, who joins Jewel's Den. In this book, we learn of the dark forces at work in the Hidden City. We learn of the pivotal role Rath is playing to both protect Averalaan and Jewel. This story finishes the introduction to the formative experiences the define Jewel as a future leader, but expressed through the points of view of Rath, and her Den. The background story of Angel is a revelation, and leads to speculation of his importance for the future conflict. For those readers who have read Hunter's Death some points of the plot will not be a surprise, but the character development brings a richer understanding than seen in the previous book. I will be eagerly anticipating the next book, which I believe will leap forward to look at the new conflict for the leadership of House Terafin.

2010-02-12 | closet dreamer (Dallas, TX USA) | Helpful Votes: 2 | Rating: 5

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Eagerly Anticipated
In the second novel of the House War series, Michelle West has added depth to Jewel "Jay" Markess' den and the ties that bind them all together and to their leader. The first book, Hidden City, began with the formation of the den. In this novel, City of Night, Jay's den is complete. We FINALLY meet Angel and surprisingly enough, this book is MORE Angel's book than Jay's. We get to see her from his prospective. All words flow to Jay and the growth of leader abilities in her. We also learn more about Jay's interactions with her den, and their sacrifices to and from each other.

I eagerly anticipate the third book of the House Wars and when in this fantastic world it begins.

For all the readers who have patiently awaiting this book, it is enriching, enchanting and gasping for more.

2010-02-05 (MT, USA) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 5

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Another strong entry
Having read all the Books in the Hunter's Oath, Sun Sword world, I found City of the Night to be another enjoyable entry. The detail about Jewel's den and the switch of POV to other characters, helps flesh out the world even more. Events continue to build and I look forward to the next entry.

2010-02-05 (Cambridge, MA USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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The Hidden City: The House Wars: Book One

Product Details

• Shape: NEW
• ISBN13: 9780756405403
• Notes: Variety New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Description

At last, the story fantasy fans have been waiting for— Now in paperback.

The incredible story that fans of The Sun Sword series have been waiting to read—the battle for control of House Terafin...

Orphaned and left to fend for herself in the slums of Averalaan, Jewel Markess—Jay to her friends—meets an unlikely savior in Rath, a man who prowls the ruins of the undercity in search of artifacts and treasure. Nursing Jay back to health is an unusual act for a man who renounced his own family long ago, and the situation becomes stranger still when Jay begins to form a den of other rescued children in Rath’s home. But worse perils lurk beneath the slums: the demons that once nearly destroyed the Essalieyan Empire are stirring again, and soon Rath and Jay will find themselves targets of these deadly and ruthless beings.

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Customer Reviews

Habit forming
Michelle Sagara West is different. Good different. Her world-making is incredibly detailed and multilayered. It, in my view, is what distinguishes her work in this series (bearing in mind I've not read some of her others) from so much of the "lesser" work in the sword and sorcery genre. That very detail and texture, though, makes it often difficult, if not impossible, to resolve everything at once.

The story of The Essalieyan Empire and The Dominion as told in her Sun Sword epic extends to six volumes and over 3000 pages. It was so long and complexly textured that she had trouble (or so it seems to me) bringing it to a single "conclusion". She left hanging one of the major sub-plots as one of the truely great characters she created, Jewel ATerafin, was facing a major and surely going to be bloody struggle for control of the House of Terafin (one of the Ten greatest merchant houses of the Empire).

To assuage that, however, Ms West returns now to that thread of plot. But, as with the Sun Sword series, she does so by starting another monumental undertaking. She takes Jewel Markess back to her roots as an 11 year old seer-born girl who looses, in fairly rapid succession, her grandmother and both parents. The last to go is her father in a shipyard work accident that she (as seer) had forseen 5 days in advance. But, as a young girl, she could not make her "grown-up" male father take seriously her warning. After his death, she takes her gift, unpredictable and uncontrolable, and what money she had (her father's last 3 days of pay) and goes the only place she can, to the streets. She acquires, much to his consternation, a guide and protector in the shadowy and taciturn figure of Rath, the fallen son of a great merchant family turned himself to the streets many years ago after an angry renunciation of his birthright as heir to that house because his sister "deserted" the House of her birth for one of the ten great houses, Terafin.

Jewel ATerafin is, by the end of the Sun Sword books 30+ years old (if memory serves). She's a remarkable character and that series obliquely touches on some of the events that made her that way. Instead, however, of picking her up there and simply continuing the house war story, Michelle West takes us back and will attempt to show us how Jewel Markess became Jewel ATerafin and where her "den", that cadre of personally loyal friends and supporters who follow her to the House of Terafin, was acquired and how. It's a fascinating journey. It will, as another reviewer has noted tend to keep you up til the wee hours of the morning. It'll make you exult and smile, worry and weep in the process. You will meet extraordinary characters other than just the main ones, like the dress maker with a hidden and dangerous past, Haval, who helps instruct Jewel and her darkest, most dangerous den-mate, Duster, on how to act like a merchant's daughter and her servant for the key mission/test of this the first episode.

The whole is a "pistol" of a stroy. There are Demons and their syncophants, brawlers, high born, low born, Magicians, and all sundrey of supporting cast. I'm not sure how you end up caring about so many of these folks, hating of course some of them, but you do and it will keep you turning pages. It's probably better to have read the Sun Sword series, but not essential. I suspect if you haven't you will as a result of starting this one. If you really like (or even think you might like) good sword and scorcery world building, pick up this series or the Sun Sword one and dig in. If you're just an "action junkie", this may move too slow (although I find it full of action and suspense) with its finely drawn and psychologically complex characters.

These books/series are a monumental undertaking, both in their production and their appreciation. One really good thing if you start now: the second book of this series is already out, and the whole of the Sun Sword series is available so you won't have to wait months and months for your second "fix" of Michelle West and this world of Empire and Dominion she's created, but watch out these books really are habit forming.

2010-02-16 (Harrisburg, Pa. USA) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 5

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Wordy but fascinating.
A man who denied his noble family found himself attached to an orphaned girl, Jay, who brings more orphans into their new family. Jay gets all of them to try to correct wrongs, even if several of her new family have rarely done so before. The Hidden City is darkly fascinating even though it bogged down sometimes. I read it in 2 days.

2010-01-13 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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A successful prequel
It must be difficult to write a prequel; the authors' hands are tied by what the readers already know about the characters and their histories. We know that Jewel Markess will eventually become very powerful, that her mentor Rath will be murdered, and that several of her "den", including the dangerous and thoroughly unlovable Duster, will die bloody deaths as well. We previously knew little about Jewel's reluctant benefactor Rath, however, and much of what is good about THE HIDDEN CITY has to do with his character and history and not with Jewel or the orphans she collects. Rath's friend Haval, who teaches Jewel and Duster how to be seen as something other than what they are, is also a wonderfully drawn if enigmatic character. The wonders of the long-abandoned underground city that gives the book its name are intriguing, but, unfortunately, West gives them little space in this 600-page-plus book. As always, West overdoes it a bit; a good editor could have cut it down to 400 pages, made it punchier, and lost virtually nothing. Despite the book's flaws (and there are a number I haven't mentioned), it's a good read with many virtues and certainly worthwhile to those who have read the Sun Sword series and the earlier Hunter books. Note that readers may find value in re-reading the Hunter books, particularly HUNTER'S DEATH, before tackling HIDDEN CITY.

2009-10-03 (Buffalo, NY USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Pleased
Very interesting world structure. I love the character of Rath. I found the book to bring up a TON of questions and hardly any answers. It is the first in a series so I am hoping that the rest of the books will answer all of those loose ends and unexplained things.
The cover is a bit confusing, I believe it is supposed to be Jewel, but she is supposed to be like 9 or 10? The lady on the cover looks like an adult to me.

2009-09-17 | Cordeleann (Pueblo, CO USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 3

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better than expected
I really enjoyed the careful deliberation and writing that went into this book. I was more taken with it than i thought i would be and couldn't put it down. I have not read her other books but the only criticism i have is that it often felt like important story details were ignored or quickly glossed over as if they had been explored somewhere else. I do think an author should create and assume that all works can stand on their own. Nonetheless this book is a good read.

2009-08-05 (San Francisco) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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The Broken Crown (The Sun Sword, Book 1)

Product Details

• Demand: NEW
• Notes: Discredit New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• ISBN13: 9780886777401

Description

Treachery threatens the Dominion of Annagar as two power-hungry men--a skilled general and a sorcerer--seek to overthrow the clan of Leonne, whose control over the magic of the Sun Sword has kept the peace. Original."

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Customer Reviews

A Beautiful Beginning
I read this book back when I was young enough to choose books based on cover art. What I am left with, after completing this series and rereading it a few times, is a sense of how lucky I was to find this novel. Few stories have stuck with me like the saga of The Sun Sword, and The Broken Crown started it all. It is best to take this not as individual books, but as a complete story broken up into six parts, and this story is definitely worth starting.

After a brief prologue in the Empire, the majority of The Broken Crown takes place in the Dominion, a harsh setting that tempers steel in the characters we find there, and is in juxtaposition with the liberal Empire to the north.

Yes, it's slow. Yes, it takes time and is certainly not for skimmers. The story is not for everyone. I've read reviews that cannot reconcile the Dominion's ruthlessness, but the fact that we find things with which to sympathize in such a culture will play out in subsequent novels, none of which delve into the nuances of the South like The Broken Crown.

The beauty of West's work is in its complexity. For instance, throughout the series, my view of who the villains actually were shifted or got fuzzy--the demons? the general? the father? This book introduces a wide array of characters, but they are fleshed out so magnificently that we cannot condemn even the demons (for what is the nature of demons, but to reeve?). We are not allowed to dismiss anyone's actions as overtly evil, and the end of the series will bring you a startling amount remorse for the characters who make the wrong choices and must overcome or succumb to the consequences. This is the novel that shows our future villains as the bright, ambitious people they were before the cost of the means eclipses the ends.

If you like to lose yourself in stories for not just a night, but days, weeks, months, start the journey. For the impatient, this one's not for you. The payoffs are not quick, and the best are not in the first book, but when you finally get there, they stay with you. I first read this more than a decade ago, but it remains to this day Book 1 in one of my very favorite series.

2009-03-12 (Florida) | Helpful Votes: 2 | Rating: 5

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Intricately complex... as the first book it is the slowest
The characters and setting are incredibly complex and well developed. However, this also makes for a slower read. This is the slowest paced book in the series and takes some time, and at times patience, to get through. While it is well written, it is not nearly as involving as the books that come afterwards. The more you read this series the more involving and interesting it gets. Every character has their own story and history, there are no flat characters here! When I first read "The Broken Crown" I enjoyed the complexity and characters, but at times was turned off by the slow pace and had to force myself on, the only reason I went on to the second book was because once I start something I want to know the whole story, but with the second and third books the entire plot and story picks up it's pace and becomes addicting (there are 6 books in the series right now). I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a well developed plot with complex characters and can handle intricacy. (Tip for those reading the whole series, keep earlier books nearby in case you need to look back at something!)

2008-04-19 (Juneau, Alaska) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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I just read this novel for the first time and loved it.
I just read this novel for the first time and loved it, and now I can't wait to read the rest of the series. The scope of world building is amazing, and there are so many characters and so many relationships between them that I never got bored. And even though the society she describes is incredibly sexist, the author isn't. The relationships between women are of incredible importance, even as the male characters in the novel dismiss them.

Like some other reviewers have noted, it's not for everyone - it's long and it's complicated, and there are dozens of characters to keep track of. I found that the characters were individual enough that even if I couldn't remember their names, I could figure out who it was very quickly just from their actions. I didn't find it confusing at all, but if you have a difficult time following multiple storylines and keeping track of a large cast of characters then this probably isn't a good match for you. In addition, most of the action is political and manipulative, and some people don't like stories without constant fighting or romance.

2008-03-13 | dlr (Austin, TX) | Helpful Votes: 3 | Rating: 5

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Intricate and fluid
I was first handed this series by my sister and brother-in-law; who insisted it was worth the read inspite of its daunting size. It started off slowly, and was really difficult to wrap my brain around all that was happening. However, 1/2 through the book I was hooked.

She has written a truly amazing book (and series) and woven the intricacies of politics and power in to an amazing story. I often have to pause and re-read a section to make sure I pick up on all the small nuances that seem to mean so much.

She has written such an amazing story of intrigue that I frequently stop in amazement at her brilliance (and ability to keep it all straight!).

If you can make it through the initial complexities, you will be rewarded with a great story (and yes, it too will make it to my comfort reading shelf).

2007-01-26 (Minnesota, USA) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 5

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An intricate, detailed new world to be immersed in.
Michelle West has an incredible ability when it comes to creating realistic worlds. Yes, this book is lengthy, detailed, complex, and verbose at times. But I know of very few authors with the same ability to create a universe like hers. You will become completely immersed in this new world: West thoroughly fleshes out the different aspects of politics, religion, family life throughout her novels.

Her characters are genuine: you learn to understand what drives each one of them. There are no clear cut 'bad guys' or 'good guys'. Simply stated: there are people who have goals and ambitions that clash with others to create conflict throught her story. I think that this makes her characters more human like: even the most likeable characters have their flaws. In the end, I am as attached to some of the 'villains' as i am attached to the 'heroes'. This isn't a simple good versus bad story: instead it is multi-dimensional and constantly changing.

The first hundred pages are slow going: you have to get the hang of West's terminology. Once you do, you start to appreciate all the intricate details that West has woven into her world and story. It does get confusing: just as you get used to reading about Diora and life among the clans, West decides to switch it up and you're suddenly reading about characters from the Northern Realms. But once I started to understand her world, I could not put the book down.

I think that this book is completely worth the initial struggle and confusion, and five books later in the series, I still feel that way. West's books remain at the top of my bookshelf as one of my favorite series. Mayhap it'll become one of your favorites too.

2006-10-18 (United States) | Helpful Votes: 6 | Rating: 5

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Sea of Sorrows (The Sun Sword, Book 4)

Product Details

• Environment: NEW
• Notes: Manufacturer New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• ISBN13: 9780886779788

Description

Michelle West's epic saga of The Sun Sword is set in the same universe as her Sacred Hunt novels, but is greater and richer in scope.

In Sea of Sorrows, the ancient Powers have awakened and new allegiances are forged. As the rightful ruler of the Dominion seeks to overthrow the man who killed his entire family, the Voyani embark upon the Sea of Sorrows to find the lost Cities of Man-a journey that seems certain to lead to a deadly confrontation with the Lord of Night.

Praise for the saga of The Sun Sword:Intriguing. (Locus)

Compelling...a tremendous momentum that will keep you reading far into the night. (Romantic Times)Complex characters and an even more complex plot [will] keep the reader thoroughly engrossed...another great series, one worth the wait between books. (SF Site)

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Customer Reviews

All the way to the end..
I just finished the series a couple days ago and still have the bitter, bitter aftertaste of disappointment. Honestly, I loved all of these novels; I fell in love with the characters and their complexity. I think Michelle is too good of a writer to just tack on the ending as an after-thought. Completely ruined what I had come to think of, while reading them, as top ten all time favs. I still love the books, but the conclusion left far too many unanswered questions for me to be satisfied with the reading of them.

2007-05-25 (Midwest, USA) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 5

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West presents another beautiful and entrancing masterpiece
I tend to agree with most reviews stating that it's difficult to find a good contemporary fantasy writer. When a wonderful one surfaces, their books are nothing short of cherished gems. I absorbed all 830 pages of this book in less then a week for a mixture of reasons- first off, West's unique, descriptive and elegant writing style has captivated me. Each sentence is a pleasure to my eyes and my imagination.

Second, as her cast continues on its course of development, she falters not one bit in the focus of the novel. There's always something new, exciting, and building. Her level of suspense is something that you have to understand, with how she works at her novels to build and build for a good three to five hundred pages (which aren't, in the least sense, a nag to read... even what many people might consider "slow" sections of this novel are impressive alone by her writing) before the hard action occurs, and usually by that point, as it was in particular with this book, I found myself incapable of putting down the novel until its completion.

Lastly, despite how accustomed I am to her style and the manner in which she portrays her characters and handles them, she still can get me running through a box of tissues at the end, with his novel of know exception. Some people think it's foolish to cry at the end of a fantasy novel, but I believe that the only reason West's novels evoke such emotions out of me is becuase she has the talent to create a cast and a world so indepth and real that you cannot help but feel their triumphs and sorrows as if they were your own. As of this date (August 2004), I have yet to finish the Sun Sword series, but "Sea of Sorrows" is currently my favorite Sun Sword book as of yet. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading because, as always, there are aspects about it that everyone can enjoy.

2004-08-24 (CA, USA) | Helpful Votes: 4 | Rating: 5

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Good book but would have been better if it was shorter
My first impression of this book was that everyone has a story to tell but not everyone has a story I want to hear. Although the title of the book refers to the Voyani, the first third of the book has large sections about a butler, er domicis, and Jewel Terafin's `den'. It bothered me that MW has succumbed to Robert Jordan sequelitis and keeps introducing new characters and new storylines without actually ending the existing stories. As such, I was pretty disappointed. The beginning and middle really dragged on and on.

But the last third of this book is fantastic. There are large flashback sections that explain the history of Arkosa and the story is GOOD. Very creative. Well told. For the last 200 pages, I could not stop reading. :)

Due to the excellent ending, I will read the next book and I have a positive overall impression. However this book would have been much better if it had just told the Voyani tale from beginning to end.

2004-02-28 (Seattle, WA USA) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 4

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Another good one.
Michelle West mentions in the beginning of my copy of this book that she was at fault for the delay of this book. I would guess, reading it, that it is because she had some trouble writing it. Certainly the scene where Kiriel and Isladar face off is one that I think she had trouble writing. It comes across as labored; it goes on far too long, for one thing and has several too many interruptions. However, there is some good character work being done there--the revelation about Isladar and Ashaf, while it had been dealt with to some extent before, is very emotionally powerful and well-done. Furthermore the friendship between Diora and Margret is well-detailed and convincing. She continues to evince a great deal of interest in the parent-child relationship (Diora-Sendari, Diora-Teresa, functioning as a surrogate mother; Kiriel-Isladar; Kiriel-Ashaf, Isladar-Anya--her behavior was very child-like in nature; Margret-Evallen, etc. etc.), which is one of the things I find original about her series; it is practically de rigeur for a fantasy series to concentrate on romantic (usually heterosexual) relationships, and parent-child relationships are almost never explored. Jordan, for example, obviously gives male-female relationships center stage and what few parent-child relationships there are (i.e. Faile and her parents) are extremely minor and almost non-existence. Elayne is now pregnant with Rand's child, but I seriously doubt that her motherhood will be explored in great detail (and Rand's fatherhood not at all).

Speaking of Robert Jordan, several people have compared the two authors. In my opinion there is no comparison. First of all, her writing style is far better, if at times too ornate. Second of all, her characters are much more well-developed than Jordan's characters, who somehow never come across as anything more than 2-D cutouts despite the copious amount of time he has had to develop them. Her female characters in particular are much, much *much* better written than Jordan's, and portrayed with a great deal more respect; I have the feeling that Jordan thinks he portrays female characters very well, but in my opinion he does not. She treats her characters as characters, not as pieces on a playing board as Jordan often seems to. Third of all, her narrative still feels vibrant and alive. Jordan's is dead; it died somewhere around book six (Lord of Chaos), killed, in my opinion, by world-building that was so restrictive it choked the life out of his storyline. Keep up the good work, Michelle West--I can't wait for Riven Shield.

2003-05-05 | debeehr (Illinois, USA) | Helpful Votes: 2 | Rating: 5

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How she isn't Best Seller, is beyond me
Her books are absolutely wonderful. She simply gets better and better. I have reread all 6 books of hers multiple times and find new nuances each time. Be sure to read her Hunters duology also.

2003-04-07 (Plano,TX) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 5

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The Uncrowned King (The Sun Sword, Book 2)

Product Details

• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Leftovers Mark.
• Fettle: NEW
• ISBN13: 9780886778019

Description

The uneasy peace within the Dominion's borders was shattered when treacherous forces seized the crown by slaughtering all members of the ruling Clan Leonne. Now, in a neighboring empire, the sole surviving heir to the throne, a young man never destined to rule, must prove his worthiness to claim the crown, even as his family's murderers and their sinister demonic allies plot his doom.

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Customer Reviews

Michelle Sagara West world builds
This is volume 2 of the Sun Sword series. While any of her books can technically be read alone; I've always found them to be stronger in sequence; as many of the nuances of comment are more filled with meaning if the rest of the story is fresh in your mind.

Michelle Sagara West writes character driven books in worlds that feel like echoes of our own. The things that make me extremely fond of this series (and all of her other writing) is likely to drive others away. If you like books where the people are truly 3 dimensional, the plot is complex and you have to infer between people's lines as to what they really think, this book (and everything else by her) is for you.

If you prefer plot driven stories that are clear and unambiguous where everything gets tied up neatly at the end; this book will probably drive you crazy. Every character in these books carries their own believes, values, relationships and needs with them; and they behave, sometimes extremely unexpectedly, according to their realities. For me, this is a fascinating method of story telling, which feels reminiscent of real life, where you never really know what anyone else thinks or why they make the decisions you do; and trying to understand their world view and internal logic is half the fun!

2008-11-04 | Shayananna (Portland, OR United States) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Good on it's own, bad as "Volume 2"
I loved the first book in this series, and got this book to read more about the main character, Diora, and her mysterious, wonderful, terrifying world.
Instead I got your basic sword-and-sorcery in a totally different world. Yeah, it's the same planet but the difference is as extreme as Afghanistan and Los Angeles.
If you read this book without expectations of the first, it's not a bad book at all. The character of Jewel is fun. Valedan is not explored as deeply or as well as he should be, and I wish there had been more and simpler background on the Kings.
A great deal is left to supposition and imagination. It reads like volume 2, but not of this series. Events and backgrounds are hinted at and it really seems like there MUST have been a book or a chapter missing. That's pretty annoying.

2007-06-14 (Burlington, Iowa, United States) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 3

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Good story, But the writing...
I consider myself a person who is usually up to the challenge of a difficult read. But difficult just for the sake of being difficult...
Maybe it's the authors writing style, but this book is bogged down with details and an extremely slow narrative. All the action is killed my the passive voice. What makes me not like this series so far (I've read up to book 2) is the way the author takes very simple things and somehoe finds a way to present them in a twisted convuluted fashion. I mean, I understand if a situation is complex...it should be written so. But two characters having a mundane conversation should not sound like a passage from the bible.
Exmple:
"She opened the door, feinting as she stepped out"
Turns into

"She heard him say something, brushed his words away with the heavy wave of a hand, took a step toward the doors and teetered there, on the edge of night.
And fell in"
- Michelle West, The Uncrowned King

You don't really figure out that the character feinted until a few paragraphs later in the story. I'm not saying the author should have wrote in the way I wrote it above, but you get the idea. Almost everything is written like this, especially in Book 2! It is so annoying!
I personally do not want to read poetry when I am supposed to be reading prose.

*note, Book 2 is a little more interesting and I really want to find out what happens in the story, becuase it is a good plot, but the writing is killing me.

2004-12-06 | Helpful Votes: 6 | Rating: 3

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Let's shed the spotlight on the Empire for a bit...
Mmmm... Valedan. At least, those were my thoughts when I first began reading this novel. I read the first 90 pages the same night after I finished "The Uncrowned King", so the characters were heavy in my mind. I was by now accustomed to the ways of the South and the new cast, and being a long-term Devon ATerafin fanatic from the Sacred Hunt series *and* a Valedan fan, I found this book quite enjoyable. As always, West had to put a spin on things. New trials, new triumphs. The focus on this book is Valedan proving himself capable of taking the position of Tyr'agar by competing in the most difficult and challenging games in the Northern Empire. As always, I enjoyed West's new characters. They added a new shade, a new perspective onto the story, as to dive deeper into the history and tragedies of the Dominion as well as the triumphs and tragedies of the North. Mysterious characters, such as Kiriel, go into further development and change as well as the story progresses.

Now, a warning to all readers- the characters from the Southern Dominion are, for the most part, forgotten throughout this story, as it occurs within the confines of the Northen Empire. But fear not, they will get their turn in the spotlight as well.

As typical with Michelle West, you have to wait until the last few hundred page sof the novel for the most delicious moments, but it's well worth the read, especially if you're a Valedan or Jewel fan!

2004-08-24 (CA, USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Does anybody ever die???
.... this book seemed to repeat the first 25 pages over and over and over again. Someone tries to kill someone. Some magical hero stops them. over and over. Bad guys always lose, good guys always win. Assassination attempt after assasination attempt is NARROWLY avoided, due to the last-minute revelation of one of the characters. I becomes quite annoying. How can the book contain any drama if you know the bad guys are always weaker than the "good guys?" I skimmed through half of the book.

In any case, I have already purchased the entire series, on the merits of the first book ... so hopefully it will get better. Although,r eally, I doubt it. This author seems to have a tendency to repeat herself, and to make the good guys invincible.

2004-06-22 | casioit (USA) | Helpful Votes: 2 | Rating: 3

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The Shining Court (The Sun Sword, Book 3)

Product Details

• Notes: Disgrace New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Persuade: NEW
• ISBN13: 9780886778378

Description

In the Essalieyan Empire, Jewel, of House Terafin, has been having visions which are about to send her into the heart of enemy territory with only her domicis Avander to watch her back. Behind her she leaves a House on the brink of a bloody dynastic war--a house to which she is the unoffical heir. Before her lies the Dominion, home to the clans which are the sworn enemies of all who dwell in the Empire. But far more deadly than the clans are those with whom they have formed an unholy alliance--the demons of the Shining court!

Praise for Michelle West:

"Non-stop excitement...spellbinding reading...a mesmerizing work."-- Romantic Times, for The Uncrowned King

"A fine example of epic fantasy."-- Science Fiction Chronicle, for The Uncrowned King

"This is going to be another great series...one well worth the wait."-- Science Fiction Site, for The Broken Crown

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Customer Reviews

Plodding, boring
I loved the first book. The second book was okay. I figured there would be resolution in this, the third book, of the lives of Diora and Valedan. I supposed I thought the two of them would join forces.
The Shining Court invalidates the wonderful first book and uses a couple of characters from the second to come up with an unsatisfying tale.
I won't bother reading anything else she wrote.

2007-06-14 (Burlington, Iowa, United States) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 2

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not my style of writing
well... first i must say that i dont like the writing style. she spends so much time explaining something very, very simple. leave some of the imagination to the readers. second, she explains it over and over throughout the book. third, the action scenes... well, those are done horribly. she'll start to get into and then starts jumping back and forth with the characters past... just let the fight scene finish!!!!

these books were recommened by a friend (dont know if i should call him a friend anymore after trying to read through these books).

i guess after reading george rr martin's books you expect a lot from authors. i must say that i am really disappointed with this series because it has a great story line, just isnt written well.

mel

2005-06-05 (bronx, ny) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 2

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An unforgettable read
As always, I'm left with nothing but words of praise for West's works. Aside from her beautiful and unique writing style, her characters have been developed to the point where she can enter whole new emotional levels between each other. I found this most significant between Jewel and the Terafin, and Diora and Sendari. I confess, with this book was complete, as usual, I was running through tissues, simply because of the emotion that West is able to capture between her characters. It requires true talent to create a cast with that much depth that can rival most literary works that I'm familiar with (considering I'm an English major...).

The plot, as usual, is phenomenal. However, this book takes the story in a whole new direction with the conspiracy behind the masks at the Festival of the Moon and the drama that occurs particularly with Jewel and Diora as the story unfolds. I was at first indifferent to the appearance of the Voyani, but I found their inclusion as a critical element to the plot very well done on West's part. Now, while I was critical of their existence, I confess that I am a Voyani fan (laughs). I also confess that if you are a Valedan fan, you will find this book lacking severely... that was my initial problem with the book, because it felt awkward to have my two of my favorite Sun Sword characters absent for the most part, if not completely (Valedan and Devon ATerafin), but the only other thing I can say about characters, without truly spoiling any of the plot, is that if you haven't already fallen in love with Sendari, or sense compassion, understanding or some kind of emotion for him, you *will* before this book is over.

Overall, the book is a much different turn from the first two, so readers might be hesitant to open it up, but it's like breaking away the outer surface of a rock and finding a beautiful glistening gift from the earth burried deep inside. I recommend it for all fantasy readers, and especially for anyone who is just as addicted to Michelle West as myself!

2004-08-24 (CA, USA) | Helpful Votes: 3 | Rating: 5

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Robert Jordan Syndrome.
Where to begin? This book was, quite simply, a waste of time. And, like Jordan, West introduces characters that contribute vaguely to the story, pale in comparison to the original characters introduced, and, honestly, just feel like personalities FORCED into the storyline for personal reasons.

I blatantly skimmed through any of the sections involving Jewel. I can scarcely recall a character I cared so little about. She is one-dimensional, uninteresting, and seems to just repeat over and over and over. The entire venture with the "desert nomads," the Voyani, is also completely derivative and quite boring itself.

Sometimes the novel felt like a grab bag of characters from other epics who fit poorly with the existing characters. West should have saved many of these characters for another series. i.e ... Jewel and her "den" (a horrible, horrible subplot), the Voyani, the entire 200 page escapade with her "mysterious" mage servant ... etc, etc. This book should have been about 100 pages long -- all the sections with Valedan, Kiriel, and Doira combined.

I truly hope West returns back to Doira, Valedan, and Kiriel. And, honestly, the demon court is extremely well written also. West is an incredible writer. But she needs to stick to the core characters, the core plot, the core conflict. We don't need to know everything about every friends of every character, we don't care. She should kill off Jewel ASAP, as she is completely out of place in the novels, and quite a derivative, cliche-ish bore.

Hopefully the next books will be better. But I am doubting it at this point ... Jordan-itis seems to be rampant in authors.

2004-06-29 | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 2

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Satisfying on every level.
Michelle West is truly an excellent writer. She seems to have excellent control over her material at almost all points in this book. Many times when writers throw in character-developing events they can seem contrived or extraneous to the plot; however, in Michelle West's hands they are not only appropriate but much anticipated and actually serve to move the plot along. Sendari's and Teresa's argument truly felt like an ending to their troubled relationship as siblings; Sendari's and Diora's face-off was something I had been looking forward to since the first book and it was *excellently* handled. Some have complained that they felt that the revelation about Avandar's past was thrown in without reflection; I disagree. It felt to me like something she had planned from the first. Jewel's and Avandar's trip through the Stone Deepings was a little drawn-out; however, again, Jewel's confrontation with Duster was very well handled, enough to satisfy while not enough to be indulgent. I had been looking forward to meeting Duster since the first book also, and I was pleased with meeting her here. The mystery of the masks was well-handled, and I *really* want to see more of Anya a'Cooper.

2003-05-05 | debeehr (Illinois, USA) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 5

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