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

Product Details

• ISBN13: 9780756405984
• Accustom: New
• Notes: BUY WITH Poise, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and utilization to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

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.

---

Customer Reviews

City Of Night
What a page turner! You can't skip through any of this book because you might miss something. It is intriging and I didn't want to stop reading it until I finished. Michelle West gives us the best of Sci-Fi!

2010-08-19 (Mesquite, Texas) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

---

Ehhhh.
As you can tell from the title of the review, I wasn't really impressed with this book, since it's basically a re-hash of events that happened in Hidden City, and the flashback which happened for the Teraphin, or Jay, I can't remember which, in the first book of the Sun Sword series. The only thing that I hadn't read before was the preview, and the epilogue. Honestly I was disappointed in this, since I have been waiting so long for this book to come out, and had loved the first book in this series so much that it caused me to buy Mrs. West's other books and read them right after I had finished it.

Am I saying that this book is a waste of time? No. If you haven't read the Sun Sword series, then this book will be sort of new to you, about thirty percent or so, and if you don't mind the re-hash, then you'll enjoy the read. I did read the entire book, and while I was disappointed, I still will follow the series, because I love all of the books that I have read by Mrs. West. While this seems like a bad review, honestly it's not. The book was entertaining, and I always love reading favorite characters. I did however buy this book with limited funds, in a bad economy, and it won out over other, just as beloved authors because of how I enjoy Mrs. West's other works. In retrospect, I still would have bought it, but I would have waited to do so when times weren't quite so tight, and instead picked up a book that was totally new material. Still I did like the book, and hope you do too.

I hope this review has been helpful, and wish you pleasant reading.

2010-05-09 (Phoenix, Arizona United States) | Helpful Votes: 2 | Rating: 2

---

Too much old ground!
I was eagerly awaiting a continuation of the story begun in Hidden City. Starting and developing Angel as a character was fine but after that..... we'd had the plot already in Hidden City. I did make my way through it, but definitely disappointed as was hoping for the story to continue not go over old ground, albeit from different points of view etc!

2010-03-23 (New Zealand) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 1

---

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: 5 | Rating: 2

---

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 | Busy Mom | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 4

---

Into the Dark Lands (The Sundered, Book 1)

Description

---

Customer Reviews

Bad Scan Detracts from a Great Book
I like all of Michelle West's work both as Michelle West and Michelle Sagara, and I found that this series does not appear to be an exception. The Beauty and the Beast love story (as she describes it at the beginning) is fascinating, and its set up in such a strange way. This said, I do feel obliged to note, for purchasers of the kindle edition, that this is probably the worst conversion to Kindle I've ever paid for. This is clearly done as a scan of the original book, and clearly no one bothered to do a proof-read/spell check after the OCR. It is noticeable and annoying and definitely knocks the kindle edition down at least a star. If you are accustomed to reading OCRed scans, it has that familiar annoying quality, but is quite readable. If you're not, you'll find the apparent typos in this book exceedingly obnoxious, and given that book 2 isn't out on Kindle (but the rest of the series is), I'd be inclined to say its not worth it despite an otherwise great book.

2010-08-19 (Arizona, USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 3

---

Hauntingly Enjoyable - 4 1/2 Stars
After purchasing this book on the basis of strong reviews I was slogging through the first pages wondering what everybody was raving about. Its an ambling origin story, girl suffers tragedy and then throws herself into working hard to become a great warrior for her people, blah blah blah. Then somewhere around page 130 the real story starts and I fell into the beautifully crafted, tension filled, darkly romantic relationship of Erin, the warrior of the light and Stefanos, the most powerful of the dark. So much so that days after finishing I am still haunted by the echoes of this story.

A few things keep this book from rating a full 5 stars - namely the first 130 pages (do yourself a favor, skip or skim as there is little that is necessary to be found in them). And technically the conceit of the people of the light (aka the good guys) battling the more powerful people of the dark (aka the bad guys) is not perhaps the most original. However starting at page 131, all of these things fade into the background of the relationship of two people (defined loosely) who are both complex, richly imagined, passionate, and lively. The tension and chemistry between Erin and Stefanos is unexpected and yet hugely compelling. Stefanos especially is a surprise as the lord of all that is evil who is also a powerful, dark, passionate, and weirdly kind creature. So much so that by the end of the book I found myself rooting for him (which is sort of like cheering on Sauron by the end of Lord of the Rings).

The conclusion of the book is dark yet grimly satisfying and I like to believe, slightly hopeful. A surprising find that is worth checking out.

2010-05-31 | Mom of 2 Peanuts, escapist reader :P (Vermont, USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

---

When Lernan met Malthan: A Love Story
Michelle Sagara begins INTO THE DARK LANDS with a sort of neo-Taoist retelling of the Book of Genesis. In her version, God didn't "divide" the Dark and the Light; instead, the Dark and the Light already existed as gods named Malthan and Lernan. It was the unfriendly collision of these two gods that resulted in the creation of the earth, along with a small number of immortal Servants (also known as "the Sundered," because they are chips off the godly block), and mortal humans. The Servants (think "sons of God" from Genesis) procreated with humans (think "daughters of men"), producing mortal offspring (also called "the Lines") with supernatural powers proportional to the purity of their "blood." The Servants and the Lines of Dark and Light became locked in an eternal struggle, with the gods sitting on the sidelines. The First Servant of the Light (the Servants are ranked in terms of seniority and power) made a strategic mistake ("the Fall"), however, causing the gods to get involved, and making the defeat of the forces of Light inevitable. All but the last bit (and the Biblical commentary) is revealed in a short prologue, but you might want to stop here if you want the rest of the novel to be a complete surprise.

We quickly learn that young Erin, granddaughter of the First Servant of the Light (and therefore of fairly pure blood), is a skilled fighter, like her father; a talented healer, like her mother; and, when things go badly for her family, a young woman motivated as much by a need for vengeance as by an instinctual compassion. We also learn that the First Servant of the Light has had visions of the future, and she has foreseen that the only hope for the Light lies with Erin. When Erin is captured on the battlefield by Stefanos, the First Servant of Darkness, she piques his curiosity with her fearlessness and her willingness to sacrifice herself for the good of others. He brings her back to the brutal Dark Lands, where most humans are slaves, where a bloodthirsty and corrupt Church revels in human sacrifice, and where love and affection are seen as sinful and weak. There, without intending to, Erin captures Stefanos' heart and, not coincidentally, the eternal enmity of the Church. Where will the impossible, subversive romance of Stefanos and Erin lead? Can it survive? Can it somehow keep the Light from dying out?

Those questions will be raised but not answered in this book. Still, it's fairly obvious where this must all end ... assuming that "a boot stomping on a human face -- forever" (Orwell, from 1984) is not a satisfactory outcome. Darkness and light, male and female, good and evil, yin and yang, baji and naji must learn to coexist ... and it will take them four books to do so. What makes these novels interesting is the journey, not the destination.

INTO THE DARK LANDS was Sagara's first novel, and it shows. Many of the characters are flat and forgettable. The language is a bit stiff, even for high fantasy, and the writing is overly serious and earnest. As the series goes on, however, especially in books 3 and 4, early Sagara begins to read more like mature Sagara, with her characteristic humor, her stock character types (e.g., the flawed and buffoonish yet noble thief, the gruff authority figure with a heart of gold, and the honorable enemy who throws his support to the hero's cause), and with looser language.

Most of the praise this series receives from readers seems to be reserved for the central romance, which, Sagara says in her introduction to INTO THE DARK LANDS (available only in the trade paperback reprint of 2005) has been compared to "Beauty and the Beast." To be sure, the improbable romance between Glinda's granddaughter and the ultimate bad boy (so to speak) is an integral part of this series, but Sagara has more on her mind than simple romance. Still, Sagara's later work is significantly better. The religious overtones are a bit odd, and the ultimate moral--we all have both good and evil within us--is a commonplace. The focus on blood, both literal and figurative blood, is also a bit creepy. The vivid descriptions of life under Malanthi rule (that is, under the control of Malthan's followers) are, despite their dark nature, among the highlights of the series, as are the tense adventures of Erin and her friends in books 3 and 4 as they attempt to restore the Light. The bottom line is that this series is probably best reserved for those who already Sagara fans; those unfamiliar with her work ought to begin with the Sun Sword series or, perhaps, the Chronicles of Elantra.

2010-05-22 (Buffalo, NY USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

---

Best Book ever!
My favorite series. This is the best series ever. They simply do NOT disappoint. Get them all! You will seriously be biting your nails off between them if you don't.

2010-04-17 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

---

The Best Book Ever!!!
After reading the product description and the various reviews on amazon.com, I was pleased to find the exact type of book I was looking for. This book combines great dark fantasy, interesting characters, a strong heroine, descriptive writing, an enigmatic anti-hero, a well thought out storyline, and of course a compelling, forbidden romance, which was portrayed very well (both tragic and beautiful) in one book...I really loved Erin's character; she was both a strong warrior and an empathetic healer, which was an interesting combination. I also loved Stephanos' character because although he was evil you couldn't help but want to see the good in him. The storyline was also very interesting; I liked the light vs. dark theme, and although the book did ,I agree, drag a little in the beginning, I think the back story and plot development was necessary in order to better understand the characters' motives. Anyway I really enjoyed this book; I couldn't help but be drawn in by Michelle Sagara West's incredible story, and I plan on reading the next three books of the series (and for those who plan on reading this, it can work well as a stand alone). Take my word for it, this is a great read.

2009-09-23 | bkwrm-rtfrk (California, USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

---

The Uncrowned King (The Sun Sword, Book 2)

Product Details

• Notes: BUY WITH Nerve, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and marines to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
• ISBN13: 9780886778019
• Ready: New

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.

---

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

---

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

---

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

---

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

---

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

---

The Riven Shield (The Sun Sword, Book 5)

Product Details

• Proviso: New
• Notes: BUY WITH Self-reliance, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and use to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
• ISBN13: 9780756401467

Description

---

Customer Reviews

This is worth ten stars
I hate buying or borrowing a book that turns out to be disappointing and as I'd never read a Michelle West book before, I didn't know what to expect when I saw "The Broken Crown" on the shelf and decided to get it. A few days later I went out and bought every Michelle West book I could find. Each one seems to get better and better, although I think they're all equally good. I've read and re-read every book in this series a number of times. Each time I get something new out of it, or read a line I hadn't focussed on before that illuminates a new angle in the story.
"The Riven Shield" is magnificent. I love it.

Michelle West is my favourite author. I hope that she lives to two hundred years at least and never stops writing these wonderful books that are just magical.

2004-01-02 | Helpful Votes: 2 | Rating: 5

---

Better than Robert Jordan!!
This is an outstanding fantasy series...the characters are complex and fascinating (including some amazing women); the cultures and contrasts between North and South, clansmen and Voyanne are intriguing; there's magic and brawn, brains and heart; and best of all, the story keeps me entertained. Michelle West has also created a great balance between political intrigue and action.

I read the Sun Sword series first, then after the 3rd or 4th book, went back to the Hunter series and loved what I learned about Jewel there. It also made me appreciate the development of Michelle West's writing abilities--she started off being good and has evolved into a fabulous fantasy writer--Robert Jordan could take some lessons!

Re-reading the books has helped me find little details that I didn't know were important at the time but, on re-reading, provided interesting foreshadowing, context and explanation for what comes later. This series is my NUMBER ONE recommendation in the fantasy genre--start reading now and you won't be waiting for years to find out what happens to characters you'll care about!

2003-11-22 (Richmond, VA) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 5

---

What a great book!!!!
I have read all of the books in this series and in the Sacred Hunt series. I have loved them all. This book is the best so far because Ms. West begins to tie all of the elements together. I am very happy that she is doing a sixth book. It would have been very hard for the author to have resolved all of the subplots in one book and done them all justice. I really feel that a person would do well to read the Sacred Hunt series before starting the Sun Sword series. I really hope that Ms. West will keep writing as she is easily one of the best fiction writer around today.

2003-09-28 | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 5

---

Eating Crow
When I tried to read the the first book in this series, I could not finish it. I got lost several times in the plot and characters spoke in such a way that I could not follow. But, being a stubborn fantasy reader, I read on.
I am so glad I did that.
The Riven Shield, the latest book in the Sun Sword series, was absolutely one of the best books I have read in a long time. And, for someone like me who has probably 300 hundred books, 90% of them fantasy related, I have read it all.
This book carries the story well and honestly, I do not want to see it end next year when the last book comes out. But, that's why people buy books: to read them as many times as they want.
If you have not read this series, then I suggest you do. Now.
Keep up the good work, Ms. West!!!

2003-09-11 | mistress_dementia (Memphis, TN) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 5

---

Of course it's not the end!
People shouldn't be so surprised! After reading the fourth book, I had a *very* hard time envisioning every angle explained in one more book. I figured it would take at least two more - and it did. Sun Sword (the true last book of the series) will be out in just a few months! Hang in there! It's already written!

2003-07-26 | Lenore (WA United States) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

---

Hunter's Oath (Daw Book Collectors)

Product Details

• Condition: New
• ISBN13: 9780886776817
• Notes: BUY WITH Courage, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and assignment to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Description

Swearing allegiance to the Hunter God, the people of Breodanir become prosperous under the protection of the Hunter Lords, and Gilliam of Elseth and the orphan boy Stephen must pledge the Oath of the Sacred Hunt. Original.

---

Customer Reviews

Great Story! Good Writing!
This is early Michelle West. Although not as well written as her superb "Hidden City", it still stands head and shoulders above much of the fantasy genre.

The two young men on the cover are the protagonists. One is the Hunter, bound to the King and through him to a 'god' of the Hunt. The other is his Hunt Brother, a life long partner. They serve their people by providing food and prosperity. It is a wonderful life with one huge catch; once a year the Hunt Lord hunts one of the King's hunters and slays them.

The world is one where there is magic, but only amongst certain people. Usually it is used to subtle perfection by the author.

I enjoyed the book very much, although at places I thought it dragged just a tiny bit.

No bad language. There is, however, sexual innuendo.

Pam T~
mom and reviewer for BooksForKids-reviews

2009-08-19 | Busy Mom | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 4

---

Wonderful New World
Michelle West does an excellent job creating an alternative world. Her characters are believable and engage your emotions. I highly recommend all of her books and not just the Hunter's series. I hope she keeps writing books for many years!

2008-02-05 | knitting_diva (Texas) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

---

Deep and multi-faceted
What I really love about Michelle West's writing is that she gets into each character's head so well. While a lot is still clothed in mystery, the switches in perspective shift this story from just another fantasy novel into something deeper and more epic. That very epic sense is what makes HUNTER'S OATH so dense. There were times that I had to pause, take a breath, and learn to savor the story itself.

Gilliam is a Hunter Lord; Stephen is his Huntbrother. Together, they must participate in the Sacred Hunt each year in order to keep Breodanir safe and bountiful, at the risk of their own lives. But it soon becomes much more than that as Stephen falls prey to the unfathomable world of magic, demon-kin, and Gods.

I suspect what many can either find fault with or relish in HUNTER'S OATH is its ability to surround you with so much that you're not sure if you're enthralled with the world... or just confused. But if you simply let go, agree to not understand every little detail - then you can let it take you on a ride that is most definitely worth reading. I found myself incredibly attached to the world, its characters, its conflicts, which was really a surprise because I never thought I'd be thrilled to be reading about hunting and dogs. But really, it's so much more than that.

I'd say, read this if you're looking to get into something interesting but also by no means an easy, sit-back-and-enjoy type of book. You'll find yourself immersed in a world wrought with intense intrigue, conflict, and sacrifice, and a mishmash of fascinating characters (time-travelers, assasins, kings, thieves) that kept me keenly interested.

2007-07-06 (CA, United States) | Helpful Votes: 5 | Rating: 4

---

poor
Whether to buy or not the second volume of this duology will not be an easy decision: I wished to set this first one down just as often as I was captivated by the story.

Many basic ideas are good, even new and original, which, in this genre, is really saying something. The writer also possesses skills because she is capable of imagining and describing settings in detail and of building proficient emotional climaxes.

Many other things I find lacking.
Breodanir is a small provincial kingdom pervaded by the cult of the Hunter God, a divinity at the same time cruel and generous, which is a clever assumption, mirrored by many existing myths.
In this kingdom women and men share the power but while describing how powerful women are our author feels very self complacent which of course is clumsy: many authors have created fantasy worlds where women detain the power but have given this as obvious trusting their readers to do the social math.

This aside there are several inconsistencies throughout the novel, from clothes style through funeral rites to laws and customs, inconsistencies that I never can fail to find annoying.
Characters are not particularly well rounded and they seldom interact: Ms West seems more interested in having them snapping at each other and building her above mentioned climaxes.

Her use of the language is often repetitive and plain: her characters' voices are so often "icy" that Breodanir should should be covered by a thick ice cap.

Another problem is how she deals with the supernatural, which is duly misty but also unclear and contrived, not to mention that I am fed up with these wise people (here the seeress Evayne) who never know enough to save the world by themselves and need to manipulate the unfortunate main heroes who never seem to have the guts to insult them thouroughly.

Homosexuality is never ever mentioned or even hinted at but gay readers will probably feel a thick subtext in the symbiotic relationship between hunter and huntbrother. Another wasted opportunity.

2007-04-08 (Genova - Italy) | Helpful Votes: 3 | Rating: 1

---

The first chapter in the development of an Epic
I loved this book, and in fact so far I have not been disappointed by anything that Michelle West has written. This series is supposed to stand alone (it does) from the Sun Sword series, but I read the Sun Sword series first, and now that I have read these two books, I wish I had read them first. They develop the world in a way that gives you insights into the second series that feel missing, once you know they were there. If you are planning on reading The sun Sword series, I suggest that you start here, first. Even though you supposedly don't need to.
These books are written in a 3rd person SHIFTING point of view. That means that if you tend to prefer books that stick in the POV of only a single character, you may not like these. I LOVED the technique though. Because of the shifting POV, it takes a little time to really learn the characters, but give it a chance. Once you do, you have an intimate knowledge of Several of the Key players and each one has a depth and motivation that makes you want to learn more about them all. You also get brief glimpses into the worlds of some of the minor players and villians and that adds dimensions to the story that would have otherwise been lacking.
The world is completely original, as well as, well developed and complex. This book really does set up the world and the larger plot on an epic scale, and though the story develops a great deal in this book, it really blooms in the next novel and in the Sun Sword series. The complexity of the plot and the complexity of characters may mean that the book might be less accessable to readers who prefer to have the story dumped into their laps. These are NOT card-board characters and you really need to watch them develop to understand them. If you enjoy a journey with interesting twists and turns along the way, you will definitely enjoy this book.

2005-07-09 | Terra (Atlanta, GA) | Helpful Votes: 15 | Rating: 5

---

Sea of Sorrows (The Sun Sword, Book 4)

Product Details

• Notes: BUY WITH Nerve, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and overhaul to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
• ISBN13: 9780886779788
• Acclimate: New

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)

---

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

---

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

---

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

---

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

---

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

---