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Wars of Light and Shadow #8
Stormed Fortress
The heartstopping conclusion to the Alliance of Light series brings Lysaer's army of Light to besiege the great citadel of Alestron. Master of Shadow, Arithon, has discovered that young Jeynsa s'Valerient whom he has sworn to protect, has joined the ranks of his disowned allies within the threatened citadel. Worse, following a failed rescue attempt, his beloved Elaira, his double, Fionn Areth, and the spellbinder Dakar are also trapped within Alestron's walls. The chancy wiles of Davien the betrayer must spirit Arithon across the enemy lines to attempt a perilous rescue mission. Arithon must seek the heartcore of his talent, even while embroiled in a savage battle against those he has vowed to protect. But treachery strikes from deep within the duke's ranks. Arithon stands alone at the hour of reckoning as the true purpose of the Koriani enchantresses becomes, at long last fully, unveiled—with the covetous Prime Matriarch now poised to snatch a prize, a prize beyond that of merely integrity and life!
624 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2007
52 people are currently reading
1611 people want to read
About the author
Janny Wurts
106 books1,951 followersJanny Wurts is the author of War of Light and Shadow series, and To Ride Hell's Chasm. Her eighteen published titles include a trilogy in audio, a short story collection, as well as the internationally best selling Empire trilogy, co authored with Raymond E. Feist, with works translated into fifteen languages worldwide. Her latest title in the Wars of Light and Shadow series, Destiny's Conflict, culminates more than thirty years of carefully evolved ideas. The cover images on the books, both in the US and abroad, are her own paintings, depicting her vision of characters and setting.
Through her combined talents as a writer/illustrator, Janny has immersed herself in a lifelong ambition: to create a seamless interface between words and pictures that will lead reader and viewer into the imagination. Her lavish use of language invites the mind into a crafted realm of experience, with characters and events woven into a complex tapestry, and drawn with an intensity to inspire active fuel for thought. Her research includes a range of direct experience, lending her fantasy a gritty realism, and her scenes involving magic crafted with intricate continuity. A self-taught painter, she draws directly from the imagination, creating scenes in a representational style that blurs the edges between dream and reality. She makes few preliminary sketches, but envisions her characters and the scenes that contain them, then executes the final directly from the initial pencil drawing.
The seed idea for the Wars of Light and Shadow series occurred, when, in the course of researching tactic and weapons, she viewed a documentary film on the Battle of Culloden Moor. This was the first time she had encountered that historical context of that brutal event, with the embroidery of romance stripped from it. The experience gave rise to an awakening, which became anger, that so often, our education, literature and entertainment slant history in a manner that equates winners and losers with moral right and wrong, and the prevalent attitude, that killing wars can be seen as justifiable solutions when only one side of the picture is presented.
Her series takes the stance that there are two sides to every question, and follows two characters who are half brothers. One a bard trained as a master of magecraft, and the other a born ruler with a charismatic passion for justice, have become cursed to lifelong enmity. As one sibling raises a devoted mass following, the other tries desperately to stave off defeat through solitary discipline and cleverness. The conflict sweeps across an imaginary world, dividing land and people through an intricate play of politics and the inborn prejudices of polarized factions already set at odds. Readers are led on a journey that embraces both viewpoints. The story explores the ironies of morality which often confound our own human condition - that what appears right and just, by one side, becomes reprehensible when seen from the opposite angle. What is apparently good for the many, too often causes devastating suffering to the nonconformist minority. Through the interactions between the characters themselves, the reader is left to their own discretion to interpret the moral impact of events.
Says Janny of her work, "I chose to frame this story against a backdrop of fantasy because I could handle even the most sensitive issues with the gloves off - explore the myriad angles of our troubled times with the least risk of offending anyone's personal sensibilities. The result, I can hope, is an expanding journey of the spirit that explores the grand depths, and rises to the challenge of mapping the ethereal potential of an evolving planetary consciousness... explore free thought and compassionate understanding."
Beyond writing, Janny's award winning paintings have been showcased in exhibitions of imaginative artwork, among them a commemorative exhibition for NASA's 25th Anniversary; the Art of the Cosmos at Hayden Planet
Through her combined talents as a writer/illustrator, Janny has immersed herself in a lifelong ambition: to create a seamless interface between words and pictures that will lead reader and viewer into the imagination. Her lavish use of language invites the mind into a crafted realm of experience, with characters and events woven into a complex tapestry, and drawn with an intensity to inspire active fuel for thought. Her research includes a range of direct experience, lending her fantasy a gritty realism, and her scenes involving magic crafted with intricate continuity. A self-taught painter, she draws directly from the imagination, creating scenes in a representational style that blurs the edges between dream and reality. She makes few preliminary sketches, but envisions her characters and the scenes that contain them, then executes the final directly from the initial pencil drawing.
The seed idea for the Wars of Light and Shadow series occurred, when, in the course of researching tactic and weapons, she viewed a documentary film on the Battle of Culloden Moor. This was the first time she had encountered that historical context of that brutal event, with the embroidery of romance stripped from it. The experience gave rise to an awakening, which became anger, that so often, our education, literature and entertainment slant history in a manner that equates winners and losers with moral right and wrong, and the prevalent attitude, that killing wars can be seen as justifiable solutions when only one side of the picture is presented.
Her series takes the stance that there are two sides to every question, and follows two characters who are half brothers. One a bard trained as a master of magecraft, and the other a born ruler with a charismatic passion for justice, have become cursed to lifelong enmity. As one sibling raises a devoted mass following, the other tries desperately to stave off defeat through solitary discipline and cleverness. The conflict sweeps across an imaginary world, dividing land and people through an intricate play of politics and the inborn prejudices of polarized factions already set at odds. Readers are led on a journey that embraces both viewpoints. The story explores the ironies of morality which often confound our own human condition - that what appears right and just, by one side, becomes reprehensible when seen from the opposite angle. What is apparently good for the many, too often causes devastating suffering to the nonconformist minority. Through the interactions between the characters themselves, the reader is left to their own discretion to interpret the moral impact of events.
Says Janny of her work, "I chose to frame this story against a backdrop of fantasy because I could handle even the most sensitive issues with the gloves off - explore the myriad angles of our troubled times with the least risk of offending anyone's personal sensibilities. The result, I can hope, is an expanding journey of the spirit that explores the grand depths, and rises to the challenge of mapping the ethereal potential of an evolving planetary consciousness... explore free thought and compassionate understanding."
Beyond writing, Janny's award winning paintings have been showcased in exhibitions of imaginative artwork, among them a commemorative exhibition for NASA's 25th Anniversary; the Art of the Cosmos at Hayden Planet
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
November 9, 2011
Stormed Fortress is the eighth novel in the WARS OF LIGHT AND SHADOW series by Janny Wurts, and the fifth and final novel in the Alliance of Light sub-arc. I’ve reviewed every novel in the series so far, and all of those reviews have been extremely positive, so by now it’s probably no secret that I’m a huge fan of these books and their author. That being said, Stormed Fortress is an outstanding novel even by the incredibly high standards of this series.
The conflict between the half-brothers Lysaer and Arithon continues unabated. The fortress mentioned in the book’s title is Alestron, home of the s’Brydion family which has played such a large and complex role in the conflict between Lysaer, the false avatar of the Light, and Arithon, the Master of Shadow. Lysaer leads the forces of his Alliance of Light to the s’Brydions’ doorstep, and through no fault of his own Arithon is drawn there too, which sets up the confrontation between the two half-brothers that’s been brewing throughout this arc.
Plot threads that were introduced four books ago at the start of the Alliance of Light arc come to fruition in Stormed Fortress. All the setup that took place in the earlier books pays off here, from Arithon’s involuntary doppelganger Fionn Areth to Lysaer’s complex and fascinating henchman Sulfin Evend. The Koriathain continue to plot, with Arithon’s love interest Elaira caught in the middle, and the Fellowship of Seven balances its long-term duties and goals with the immediate danger posed to the key players in this story.
As you’d expect from the title, a siege plays an important part in the plot of Stormed Fortress. And as people who are familiar with Janny Wurts would probably expect, the author describes this siege in a way that’s second to none. Just like the previous book in the series contained a description of a necromantic ritual that simply blew every other instance of necromancy in fantasy out of the water in terms of depth and attention to detail, what we get in Stormed Fortress is almost the platonic ideal of the description of a siege. The tension is practically unbearable, not in the least because the author manages to maintain it for hundreds of pages and describes it from various points of view, from the common soldier on up:
“Let us do what we can for your people.” Hard-set, dedicated to practical mercy, Talvish shouldered his captaincy. He was no sorcerer, no musician, no blood-born seer stung by the vista of far-sighted consequence. He accepted that he had naught else to give but the conviction of human resolve.
The amazing thing about this series is that it’s incredibly complex, but in a completely different way than you’d expect based on its size. Writing even a basic summary of the state of affairs at the end of this eighth novel would take up several pages. Janny Wurts achieves this level of complexity with a relatively small cast of characters, as opposed to series like Steven Erikson’s MALAZAN BOOK OF THE FALLEN, which features huge numbers of characters and races. With Janny Wurts, the complexity lies instead in the web of motivations that drives each of her characters, both as individuals and as part of whatever group or faction they belong to. Before I started reading this series, I was told that “it doesn’t sprawl, it deepens” — and now, after having read everything but the newest novel Initiate’s Trial, I understand completely what was meant by this: the story that’s being told here is essentially the same as the one we started out with at the beginning of The Curse of the Mistwraith, but throughout the series the author continues to reveal additional layers, reposition the markers, and explore the characters’ relationships and Athera’s deepest mysteries in ever-increasing depth. It’s no wonder that this is one of those series people end up reading and re-reading over and over.
I’m starting to get to the point where I will buy extra copies of The Curse of the Mistwraith, the first book in the WARS OF LIGHT AND SHADOW, to hand out to fantasy fans who haven’t discovered the series yet. It’s simply incomprehensible to me that more people aren’t reading these books. The entire series is back in print in the U.S., and the latest book in the series, Initiate’s Trial, is coming out today, so if you are looking for an intellectually challenging but incredibly rewarding fantasy series to read, this is a great time to get started.
(This review was originally published at www.fantasyliterature.com.)
The conflict between the half-brothers Lysaer and Arithon continues unabated. The fortress mentioned in the book’s title is Alestron, home of the s’Brydion family which has played such a large and complex role in the conflict between Lysaer, the false avatar of the Light, and Arithon, the Master of Shadow. Lysaer leads the forces of his Alliance of Light to the s’Brydions’ doorstep, and through no fault of his own Arithon is drawn there too, which sets up the confrontation between the two half-brothers that’s been brewing throughout this arc.
Plot threads that were introduced four books ago at the start of the Alliance of Light arc come to fruition in Stormed Fortress. All the setup that took place in the earlier books pays off here, from Arithon’s involuntary doppelganger Fionn Areth to Lysaer’s complex and fascinating henchman Sulfin Evend. The Koriathain continue to plot, with Arithon’s love interest Elaira caught in the middle, and the Fellowship of Seven balances its long-term duties and goals with the immediate danger posed to the key players in this story.
As you’d expect from the title, a siege plays an important part in the plot of Stormed Fortress. And as people who are familiar with Janny Wurts would probably expect, the author describes this siege in a way that’s second to none. Just like the previous book in the series contained a description of a necromantic ritual that simply blew every other instance of necromancy in fantasy out of the water in terms of depth and attention to detail, what we get in Stormed Fortress is almost the platonic ideal of the description of a siege. The tension is practically unbearable, not in the least because the author manages to maintain it for hundreds of pages and describes it from various points of view, from the common soldier on up:
“Let us do what we can for your people.” Hard-set, dedicated to practical mercy, Talvish shouldered his captaincy. He was no sorcerer, no musician, no blood-born seer stung by the vista of far-sighted consequence. He accepted that he had naught else to give but the conviction of human resolve.
The amazing thing about this series is that it’s incredibly complex, but in a completely different way than you’d expect based on its size. Writing even a basic summary of the state of affairs at the end of this eighth novel would take up several pages. Janny Wurts achieves this level of complexity with a relatively small cast of characters, as opposed to series like Steven Erikson’s MALAZAN BOOK OF THE FALLEN, which features huge numbers of characters and races. With Janny Wurts, the complexity lies instead in the web of motivations that drives each of her characters, both as individuals and as part of whatever group or faction they belong to. Before I started reading this series, I was told that “it doesn’t sprawl, it deepens” — and now, after having read everything but the newest novel Initiate’s Trial, I understand completely what was meant by this: the story that’s being told here is essentially the same as the one we started out with at the beginning of The Curse of the Mistwraith, but throughout the series the author continues to reveal additional layers, reposition the markers, and explore the characters’ relationships and Athera’s deepest mysteries in ever-increasing depth. It’s no wonder that this is one of those series people end up reading and re-reading over and over.
I’m starting to get to the point where I will buy extra copies of The Curse of the Mistwraith, the first book in the WARS OF LIGHT AND SHADOW, to hand out to fantasy fans who haven’t discovered the series yet. It’s simply incomprehensible to me that more people aren’t reading these books. The entire series is back in print in the U.S., and the latest book in the series, Initiate’s Trial, is coming out today, so if you are looking for an intellectually challenging but incredibly rewarding fantasy series to read, this is a great time to get started.
(This review was originally published at www.fantasyliterature.com.)
August 23, 2014
Of all the superlatives I've used in reviewing these books, I have to say this one tops them all. The story comes to a thrilling pause on its way to the next Arc, which Janny says will be out in the Fall. "Initiate's Trial." I can hardly wait! Even though there is no cliff hanger here, the story must continue. I felt such sadness to come to the end (temporary, to be sure) of my time spent in the world of Athera. Sigh. You've got to read these books. In order, please.
I'm adding to this review after reading this book at least twice, as I have all of the series. Some additions are called for. In this book, Ms. Wurts demonstrates her genius for bringing about conflict resolution through love and compassion instead of conflict and slaughter. Her characters are subtly shown to be less than perfectly good as well as less than evil. She manages to bring a shred of hope for redemption in even the ones I hate the most. In addition, her prose becomes part of the whole creation of the series in its bardic rhythm and complexity. Threads are tied up, issues are resolved, and I'm able to breathe a sigh of relief while I wait for the next installment of this complex, satisfying, and inspiring story.
The magic system in the series is based on energy - the energy of sound, of light, of crystals, of love, and so forth. In its creation, Wurts has drawn on quantum theory principles, most of which baffle me utterly even while I can admire their complexity and apparent soundness. I love that it makes a sort of scientifically plausible sense while still allowing a sense of wonder and awe at its power. The mysteries of the planet are still unsolved, and will be, I'm sure, resolved by the end of the series.
I'm adding to this review after reading this book at least twice, as I have all of the series. Some additions are called for. In this book, Ms. Wurts demonstrates her genius for bringing about conflict resolution through love and compassion instead of conflict and slaughter. Her characters are subtly shown to be less than perfectly good as well as less than evil. She manages to bring a shred of hope for redemption in even the ones I hate the most. In addition, her prose becomes part of the whole creation of the series in its bardic rhythm and complexity. Threads are tied up, issues are resolved, and I'm able to breathe a sigh of relief while I wait for the next installment of this complex, satisfying, and inspiring story.
The magic system in the series is based on energy - the energy of sound, of light, of crystals, of love, and so forth. In its creation, Wurts has drawn on quantum theory principles, most of which baffle me utterly even while I can admire their complexity and apparent soundness. I love that it makes a sort of scientifically plausible sense while still allowing a sense of wonder and awe at its power. The mysteries of the planet are still unsolved, and will be, I'm sure, resolved by the end of the series.
May 21, 2025
After a lot of threes and even a two, we are back to a four star rating!
In every prior review, I complained about the ridiculously slow start. This one was explosive and kept the book exciting mostly throughout (if you ignore the over elaborate prose and exposition).
‘Does vengeance or blame ease the sorrow of heart-ache? We all make mistakes. Life can’t be lived without harm to others. Worst of all, I have seen Jieret’s path was self-chosen. That sting was the hardest trial to bear. We can’t buy self-forgiveness. Can’t pay for redress through our sorry penchant for guilt-fed lament and self-punishment. I would have you set free,’ said Arithon Teir’s’Ffalenn, ‘since the man you support with such steadfast care is none else but birth kin, and my brother.’
The curse of Desh-thiere is wakened, driving Lysaer and the Alliance of Light to target the s’Brydion as Arithon’s collaborator. War is building but Arithon doesn’t want any part in it.
However, Jeynsa s’Valerient goes to Alestron, and extorts the blood oath of protection granted by Arithon at Earl Jieret’s bequest.
I cannot believe that this entire calamity is the result of a teenage girls flighty, misunderstanding actions. Especially having read the ending ugh.
Koriani Prime Matriarch had but to wait for Arithon to take her laid bait, then jerk the puppet strings tight at the opportune moment. Compared to earlier instalments, the order was less present on page.
‘And whose fault is that?’ Teive chuckled. ‘Not mine, wild woman.’ Then he sobered. ‘You know by now that wherever you go, I intend to stick like a lamprey.’
‘Including the teeth,’ declared Feylind, unmoved.
Another very emotional book in terms of characters. I also felt the dialogue back to its witty standards rather than dragging on about the same things.
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In every prior review, I complained about the ridiculously slow start. This one was explosive and kept the book exciting mostly throughout (if you ignore the over elaborate prose and exposition).
‘Does vengeance or blame ease the sorrow of heart-ache? We all make mistakes. Life can’t be lived without harm to others. Worst of all, I have seen Jieret’s path was self-chosen. That sting was the hardest trial to bear. We can’t buy self-forgiveness. Can’t pay for redress through our sorry penchant for guilt-fed lament and self-punishment. I would have you set free,’ said Arithon Teir’s’Ffalenn, ‘since the man you support with such steadfast care is none else but birth kin, and my brother.’
The curse of Desh-thiere is wakened, driving Lysaer and the Alliance of Light to target the s’Brydion as Arithon’s collaborator. War is building but Arithon doesn’t want any part in it.
However, Jeynsa s’Valerient goes to Alestron, and extorts the blood oath of protection granted by Arithon at Earl Jieret’s bequest.
I cannot believe that this entire calamity is the result of a teenage girls flighty, misunderstanding actions. Especially having read the ending ugh.
Koriani Prime Matriarch had but to wait for Arithon to take her laid bait, then jerk the puppet strings tight at the opportune moment. Compared to earlier instalments, the order was less present on page.
‘And whose fault is that?’ Teive chuckled. ‘Not mine, wild woman.’ Then he sobered. ‘You know by now that wherever you go, I intend to stick like a lamprey.’
‘Including the teeth,’ declared Feylind, unmoved.
Another very emotional book in terms of characters. I also felt the dialogue back to its witty standards rather than dragging on about the same things.
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October 18, 2018
Fast paced and compelling! A brilliant conclusion to an Arc that had me spellbound from the very beginning. And now I'm looking forward to the sequel.
FRTC
FRTC
April 10, 2015
What an Arc finale, a sweeping wrapping up and great balance of murderdom and beauty. Full circle indeed.
In this exceptional, flawless last book of the Alliance of Light Arc the story converges with intense and natural ease, and many plot threads are harmonically tied up against the backdrop of the siege of Alestron. The fortified citadel itself, with its charming atmosphere and dire straits, is a full-fledged protagonist as well as the stage of moral and armed conflicts, heroic deeds, petty revenges, opposed interests, complex strategies and fascinating mysteries permeating the book.
As always, one of the great skills of the author is to paint human feelings in impeccable prose, from tragedy to the highest form of exaltation, from sorrow, dread and ruin, to inspiration, hope and joy, inextricably intertwined with the gorgeous magic and life-force system of the world of Athera. The pace is relentless, the story superbly well-grounded yet unpredictable, one revelation follows the other, the characters are real, very rounded in their strengths and weaknesses, and they change, mature, or stay unmoving in their course, with all the nuances of the human soul which embraces both light and shadow. In this book, the themes of friendship and love are further explored, in their purest forms, free from selfishness, as the concept of loyalty to an ideal, to a cause, to a person, to a place, up to the extreme. All the involved factions pursue their goals with varying degrees of honesty and awareness, and the interests of the great opposing forces on the game-board (and beyond) converge on Alestron to influence its fate, and with it, that of the whole world.
There are many intense and expressive scenes, deliberately designed to immerse the reader in a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts; it is impossible not to feel part of the great cast of characters who, once again, enchants and surprises, particularly the half-brothers whose cursed conflict has seeded insecurity, attracted interests, escalated old enmities and invariably driven mankind to take sides.
I held high expectations for this book and the performance is impeccable. I was in awe of the delivery, with its seamless story and with Janny Wurts’ mastery for managing every scene, every character, down to the last little detail sown in the previous volumes, with consistency and originality. Depth and no sprawl, the accuracy and the boundless, scientific creativity I’ve come to expect from the author of this timeless fantasy series is evident in all the descriptions, the locations, the actions and the witty dialogues. I'm a fan of historical fiction, too, and sieges, with the maelstrom of psychology and physicality they entail, are one of my favorite themes, so I was thrilled to read such compelling and engaging siege description of a most original coastal city, it gives the story another flavor of uniqueness. This book totally enchanted me.
I can’t get enough of Athera. After a little time to recoup from the engulfing finale, I started the next book, Initiate's Trial; many questions have been answered, but the last few chapters of Stormed Fortress open new horizons with natural grace, along with the story continuation, once again raising the stakes, and setting the markers further ahead. Terrific!!
In this exceptional, flawless last book of the Alliance of Light Arc the story converges with intense and natural ease, and many plot threads are harmonically tied up against the backdrop of the siege of Alestron. The fortified citadel itself, with its charming atmosphere and dire straits, is a full-fledged protagonist as well as the stage of moral and armed conflicts, heroic deeds, petty revenges, opposed interests, complex strategies and fascinating mysteries permeating the book.
As always, one of the great skills of the author is to paint human feelings in impeccable prose, from tragedy to the highest form of exaltation, from sorrow, dread and ruin, to inspiration, hope and joy, inextricably intertwined with the gorgeous magic and life-force system of the world of Athera. The pace is relentless, the story superbly well-grounded yet unpredictable, one revelation follows the other, the characters are real, very rounded in their strengths and weaknesses, and they change, mature, or stay unmoving in their course, with all the nuances of the human soul which embraces both light and shadow. In this book, the themes of friendship and love are further explored, in their purest forms, free from selfishness, as the concept of loyalty to an ideal, to a cause, to a person, to a place, up to the extreme. All the involved factions pursue their goals with varying degrees of honesty and awareness, and the interests of the great opposing forces on the game-board (and beyond) converge on Alestron to influence its fate, and with it, that of the whole world.
There are many intense and expressive scenes, deliberately designed to immerse the reader in a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts; it is impossible not to feel part of the great cast of characters who, once again, enchants and surprises, particularly the half-brothers whose cursed conflict has seeded insecurity, attracted interests, escalated old enmities and invariably driven mankind to take sides.
I held high expectations for this book and the performance is impeccable. I was in awe of the delivery, with its seamless story and with Janny Wurts’ mastery for managing every scene, every character, down to the last little detail sown in the previous volumes, with consistency and originality. Depth and no sprawl, the accuracy and the boundless, scientific creativity I’ve come to expect from the author of this timeless fantasy series is evident in all the descriptions, the locations, the actions and the witty dialogues. I'm a fan of historical fiction, too, and sieges, with the maelstrom of psychology and physicality they entail, are one of my favorite themes, so I was thrilled to read such compelling and engaging siege description of a most original coastal city, it gives the story another flavor of uniqueness. This book totally enchanted me.
I can’t get enough of Athera. After a little time to recoup from the engulfing finale, I started the next book, Initiate's Trial; many questions have been answered, but the last few chapters of Stormed Fortress open new horizons with natural grace, along with the story continuation, once again raising the stakes, and setting the markers further ahead. Terrific!!
July 27, 2023
https://undertheradarsffbooks.com/202...
We have finally come to the final volume in Arc III also known as Alliance of Light Quintet. Stormed Fortress I can only describe as a culmination of shock and awe that will resonate with the reader for the rest of their lives. Janny will hit you with wave after wave of triumph, jaw dropping action regarding the dangers surrounding a siege, and PAIN! I was not able to predict one outcome from this epic which just goes to show you how Janny Wurts keeps her secrets close to the chest until the big reveal. There are several of those moments in Stormed Fortress and I can see why fans say this is the best volume in the series. This will be a spoiler free review but I will be touching upon events from the previous novels.
As you can probably tell by the beautiful cover art, Stormed Fortress almost entirely revolves around a siege. The great citadel of Alestron is the main target of the Alliance after Lysaer learns of the s’Brydion brothers being double agents for the Spinner of Darkness Arithon. Lysaer, still under the gaes of the Mistwraith curse, will stop at nothing to bring down the ancient fortress with the Koriani’s support. Even though the Morriel Prime Seldie has another plan in mind behind the scene.
The s’Brydion brothers will have to fight this battle alone since Arithon has decided to end their bond of protection as he refuses to fight a losing battle and the shed innocent blood. Other forces are at play in Stormed Fortress that will ultimately forces Arithon’s hand to join the fight. Even after destroying the forces of the necromancers at the conclusion of Traitor’s Knot, Arithon’s will once again be thrust into the battle with little to no help from the Seven. Bargains and secrets will come due and will lead us down a path no one will be able to predict.
To say Stormed Fortress is a wild ride is the equivalent of me saying the sky is blue. Right from the first chapter the pacing and action get off to a quick start and will not let up until the final chapter. Hints and clues dating all the way back from The Curse of the Mistwraith will sneak into the main story line as if hidden in plain sight. I realized that it is close to impossible to understand all of the nuances and histories this series has to offer on the first readthrough, but these books were made for a reread! Very much like the epic Steven Erikson says created in Malazan Book of the Fallen.
One final note I would like to discuss is the siege itself. I would say that at least 75% of the story revolves around this siege and Janny will hit you from all angles. From the mustering of the troops, to the battle plans regarding the Alliance and Koriani, to the meetings of the s’Brydion brothers, and everything else at play. All forces will converge on Alestron and for those whom think you have Janny’s story all figured out, you have seen nothing yet!
Stormed Fortress is widely regarded to be the best entry in the War of Light and Shadow series by fans and I would agree. This novel has a snowball effect that keeps on rolling and rolling until it hits you like a Mack truck. With the concluding volume in Arc III now behind me, now is the time to make my way through the series novella’s before I have the stamina to tackle Arc IV. The journey continues and I can finally see the end in sight!
Cheers!
We have finally come to the final volume in Arc III also known as Alliance of Light Quintet. Stormed Fortress I can only describe as a culmination of shock and awe that will resonate with the reader for the rest of their lives. Janny will hit you with wave after wave of triumph, jaw dropping action regarding the dangers surrounding a siege, and PAIN! I was not able to predict one outcome from this epic which just goes to show you how Janny Wurts keeps her secrets close to the chest until the big reveal. There are several of those moments in Stormed Fortress and I can see why fans say this is the best volume in the series. This will be a spoiler free review but I will be touching upon events from the previous novels.
As you can probably tell by the beautiful cover art, Stormed Fortress almost entirely revolves around a siege. The great citadel of Alestron is the main target of the Alliance after Lysaer learns of the s’Brydion brothers being double agents for the Spinner of Darkness Arithon. Lysaer, still under the gaes of the Mistwraith curse, will stop at nothing to bring down the ancient fortress with the Koriani’s support. Even though the Morriel Prime Seldie has another plan in mind behind the scene.
The s’Brydion brothers will have to fight this battle alone since Arithon has decided to end their bond of protection as he refuses to fight a losing battle and the shed innocent blood. Other forces are at play in Stormed Fortress that will ultimately forces Arithon’s hand to join the fight. Even after destroying the forces of the necromancers at the conclusion of Traitor’s Knot, Arithon’s will once again be thrust into the battle with little to no help from the Seven. Bargains and secrets will come due and will lead us down a path no one will be able to predict.
To say Stormed Fortress is a wild ride is the equivalent of me saying the sky is blue. Right from the first chapter the pacing and action get off to a quick start and will not let up until the final chapter. Hints and clues dating all the way back from The Curse of the Mistwraith will sneak into the main story line as if hidden in plain sight. I realized that it is close to impossible to understand all of the nuances and histories this series has to offer on the first readthrough, but these books were made for a reread! Very much like the epic Steven Erikson says created in Malazan Book of the Fallen.
One final note I would like to discuss is the siege itself. I would say that at least 75% of the story revolves around this siege and Janny will hit you from all angles. From the mustering of the troops, to the battle plans regarding the Alliance and Koriani, to the meetings of the s’Brydion brothers, and everything else at play. All forces will converge on Alestron and for those whom think you have Janny’s story all figured out, you have seen nothing yet!
Stormed Fortress is widely regarded to be the best entry in the War of Light and Shadow series by fans and I would agree. This novel has a snowball effect that keeps on rolling and rolling until it hits you like a Mack truck. With the concluding volume in Arc III now behind me, now is the time to make my way through the series novella’s before I have the stamina to tackle Arc IV. The journey continues and I can finally see the end in sight!
Cheers!
November 25, 2008
This book has it all: intrigue, suspense, epic battles, romance, tragedy, bravery, evil, and incredible strength. The trouble is that I can hardly talk about the contents without creating spoilers.
This is the last book in The Alliance of Light, which is the third story arc in The Wars of Light and Shadow, and as a result a lot of sub-plots are wound up, and in a way that makes the faithful reader of this series almost explode with each turn of the page. This is easily the strongest book of The Alliance of Light arc. So many loose threads are wrapped up and woven into the tapestry of this series that the reader feels somewhat sated at the end, yet plenty is left undone, so the reader eagerly awaits the beginning of Arc IV, namely Sword of the Canon: Initiate's Trial. The Wars of Light and Shadow is an epic series with five story arcs. Arc IV and V remain, and will likely total three books (by the estimation of the author, noted on her website), to add to the eight already released in this series.
What I find most thrilling about Stormed Fortress, and the series as a whole, is that it is in no way predictable. The villains in this series are multi-dimensional, believe themselves to be on the side of right, and at times are sympathetic. Also, the so-called good guys are not necessarily good all the time. The conflict is a very human one, and is therefore very honest. There is no Dark Lord here, but rather the much more ordinary and everyday human evil, which is perhaps much harder to face. As a result, this read is not mere escapism, but it is a book (and a series) that makes you better for having read it.
Wurts uses the siege of the s'Brydion fortress of Alestron to focus the conflict between the half-brothers Arithon and Lysaer in such a manner that the conflict really becomes a battle inside all of the individual characters, not just the brothers. This is Wurts' main strength. Her characters are all distinct, and do not remain static from book to book in this long a series, which is a complaint that I have about much epic fantasy. Also, her writing is a rich weaving of words that create a tapestry that is evocative of a time when the reading world was not dumbed-down by text-messaging, e-language and reality television. Her prose is beautiful and multi-layered, her command of the written word is inspiring, and her world-building is unparalleled.
Do not read this book as a stand alone. If you have not read any in the series yet, start with The Curse of the Mistwraith, as The Wars of Light and Shadow is now at eight novels, and it is complex and full of sub-plots and developments that require the series to be read as a whole. It is truly epic fantasy that tackles issues of personal and societal morality, and it is not light sword-and-sorcery fluff. There is even an obvious and yet unintentional parallel with current events in our world, which shows how history so easily repeats itself. To the reader who has not started this series, I am envious of the great first-time reading that you will enjoy. A fabulous book, well worth the overseas shipping I paid for it when the trade paperback was released from the UK in November 2007. The entire series, as noted on the author's website, is to be re-released in North America over the spring and summer of 2009. It is a welcome return for a top quality epic series to bookstore shelves.
This is the last book in The Alliance of Light, which is the third story arc in The Wars of Light and Shadow, and as a result a lot of sub-plots are wound up, and in a way that makes the faithful reader of this series almost explode with each turn of the page. This is easily the strongest book of The Alliance of Light arc. So many loose threads are wrapped up and woven into the tapestry of this series that the reader feels somewhat sated at the end, yet plenty is left undone, so the reader eagerly awaits the beginning of Arc IV, namely Sword of the Canon: Initiate's Trial. The Wars of Light and Shadow is an epic series with five story arcs. Arc IV and V remain, and will likely total three books (by the estimation of the author, noted on her website), to add to the eight already released in this series.
What I find most thrilling about Stormed Fortress, and the series as a whole, is that it is in no way predictable. The villains in this series are multi-dimensional, believe themselves to be on the side of right, and at times are sympathetic. Also, the so-called good guys are not necessarily good all the time. The conflict is a very human one, and is therefore very honest. There is no Dark Lord here, but rather the much more ordinary and everyday human evil, which is perhaps much harder to face. As a result, this read is not mere escapism, but it is a book (and a series) that makes you better for having read it.
Wurts uses the siege of the s'Brydion fortress of Alestron to focus the conflict between the half-brothers Arithon and Lysaer in such a manner that the conflict really becomes a battle inside all of the individual characters, not just the brothers. This is Wurts' main strength. Her characters are all distinct, and do not remain static from book to book in this long a series, which is a complaint that I have about much epic fantasy. Also, her writing is a rich weaving of words that create a tapestry that is evocative of a time when the reading world was not dumbed-down by text-messaging, e-language and reality television. Her prose is beautiful and multi-layered, her command of the written word is inspiring, and her world-building is unparalleled.
Do not read this book as a stand alone. If you have not read any in the series yet, start with The Curse of the Mistwraith, as The Wars of Light and Shadow is now at eight novels, and it is complex and full of sub-plots and developments that require the series to be read as a whole. It is truly epic fantasy that tackles issues of personal and societal morality, and it is not light sword-and-sorcery fluff. There is even an obvious and yet unintentional parallel with current events in our world, which shows how history so easily repeats itself. To the reader who has not started this series, I am envious of the great first-time reading that you will enjoy. A fabulous book, well worth the overseas shipping I paid for it when the trade paperback was released from the UK in November 2007. The entire series, as noted on the author's website, is to be re-released in North America over the spring and summer of 2009. It is a welcome return for a top quality epic series to bookstore shelves.
October 9, 2014
I started reading this series back in high school (back when it was also brand new), and at the time it had quite the impact on my imagination. Because of that (and similar to Jordan's Wheel of Time series), I am determined to finish it out. Unfortunately nostalgia isn't enough to help me see past all the flaws and frustrations now that I've matured as a reader.
Reading this series is like slogging through an ocean of mud. It's hard, tiring work, and every time you think you've made some progress, you realize you are pretty much back in the place you started. For 6? 7? books now, the main plot has been: Lysaer raises an army to finally take down Arithon who agonizes over how to react before inevitably getting drawn in the fracas and then escaping by the skin of his teeth, picking up a new skill in the process. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Same with this book, though because it's the last in its 5-book arc, I'm hoping maybe the next book will go a little differently.
I remember when this was supposed to be a five book series. I wish it had stayed that way. I can understand why Wurts doesn't want to pile all the leveling up on the readers at once, but given the marginal progress we've made, maybe some of it could have been combined or at least put in the same book. I personally find it exhausting to read about yet another battle (hundreds of pages get devoted to plotting and attacking and rehashing every time) and have to skim those sections at this point. I also find that sometimes, just following her characters around is also exhausting. No one seems to feel any emotion moderately anymore. After 8 books of build up, every event is potentially world-destroying and every character is constantly on knife's edge, on the verge of falling into a consuming black pit of despair from which they'll never return or experiencing such profound joy that they risk their spirit detaching to forever dance among the unparalleled beauty of the aether (and everything in between). Wurts' writing is bloated, crammed full of adjectives pressed into service to create her overwrought prose. It's also repetitive. How many times do we need to be reminded of a character's various titles and their attributes in one (one!) book? Hundreds. Or that creepy failed sex scene in the last book? Not hundreds, thankfully, but still too many. I wish Wurts would trust the reader to be able to remember these things without constant reminders. Then again, this series has been moving at a glacial pace for over 20 years now.
I think Wurts has a set of interesting characters and a good idea that have fallen prey to the dangers of a publisher willing to let her take as much time and as many books as she needs. I think that a limit might have really been beneficial in cleaning things up and giving us a tighter plot that actually feels like it is progressing after each book. Like so much fantasy, this book has substituted good writing for a long story. Good writing is not the same as having a large vocabulary or being able to construct complex sentences and detailed epic plots. Once I was happy to just spend 600 pages in this world. Now I want that stay to mean something.
Reading this series is like slogging through an ocean of mud. It's hard, tiring work, and every time you think you've made some progress, you realize you are pretty much back in the place you started. For 6? 7? books now, the main plot has been: Lysaer raises an army to finally take down Arithon who agonizes over how to react before inevitably getting drawn in the fracas and then escaping by the skin of his teeth, picking up a new skill in the process. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Same with this book, though because it's the last in its 5-book arc, I'm hoping maybe the next book will go a little differently.
I remember when this was supposed to be a five book series. I wish it had stayed that way. I can understand why Wurts doesn't want to pile all the leveling up on the readers at once, but given the marginal progress we've made, maybe some of it could have been combined or at least put in the same book. I personally find it exhausting to read about yet another battle (hundreds of pages get devoted to plotting and attacking and rehashing every time) and have to skim those sections at this point. I also find that sometimes, just following her characters around is also exhausting. No one seems to feel any emotion moderately anymore. After 8 books of build up, every event is potentially world-destroying and every character is constantly on knife's edge, on the verge of falling into a consuming black pit of despair from which they'll never return or experiencing such profound joy that they risk their spirit detaching to forever dance among the unparalleled beauty of the aether (and everything in between). Wurts' writing is bloated, crammed full of adjectives pressed into service to create her overwrought prose. It's also repetitive. How many times do we need to be reminded of a character's various titles and their attributes in one (one!) book? Hundreds. Or that creepy failed sex scene in the last book? Not hundreds, thankfully, but still too many. I wish Wurts would trust the reader to be able to remember these things without constant reminders. Then again, this series has been moving at a glacial pace for over 20 years now.
I think Wurts has a set of interesting characters and a good idea that have fallen prey to the dangers of a publisher willing to let her take as much time and as many books as she needs. I think that a limit might have really been beneficial in cleaning things up and giving us a tighter plot that actually feels like it is progressing after each book. Like so much fantasy, this book has substituted good writing for a long story. Good writing is not the same as having a large vocabulary or being able to construct complex sentences and detailed epic plots. Once I was happy to just spend 600 pages in this world. Now I want that stay to mean something.
June 25, 2011
The Alliance of Light arc in the War of Light and Shadow comes to a close in Stormed Fortress. The author clearly knows and loves her characters, with their strengths & their flaws--all the qualities that make each of them uniquely themselves. There is not a cardboard character in the bunch! The "secondary" characters develop with as much depth as the main characters, and each plays a critical role.
Many questions are answered and the story takes many unexpected twists and turns on its way to those answers. Yet searing questions remain.
At times, the complexity of the multi-layered story overwhelms my mind as the chord of the Paravian-wrought stones as Alestron or the star-song of Alithiel when drawn from its sheath.
Much to ponder as I await the final three books in this series.
Many questions are answered and the story takes many unexpected twists and turns on its way to those answers. Yet searing questions remain.
At times, the complexity of the multi-layered story overwhelms my mind as the chord of the Paravian-wrought stones as Alestron or the star-song of Alithiel when drawn from its sheath.
Much to ponder as I await the final three books in this series.
May 18, 2009
Stormed Fortress offers Janny Wurts at her absolute best. In the center of chaos: love, devotion, loyalty and (as always) long-suffering still triumph, but always at a tragic cost. For those of us who like our fantasy reading to be progressive, emotionally charged, and sensitive to the major causes of our own time (anti-oppression, eco-sensitive, pro-healing, non-aggressive, etc.)Janny Wurts stands nearly alone. Stormed Fortress brings these themes to a new height, and unsparingly depicts the tragic costs of refusing to change, even in the face of truth...as well as the rewards, sometimes mere survival, of doing the right thing, embracing compassion and forbearance.
April 13, 2011
Lovely ending to the arc - wraps up so many secondary story lines (many in surprising ways), yet leaves me hungry for the finale! And beautiful writing...
April 29, 2023
Reread of WOLAS book 8.
I don't have too many complaints about this book. It is definitely one of the stronger novels in the series.
This novel serves to wrap up most of the loose ends from the series before the novels move forward. The book goes a bit Marvel Cinematic Universe, where all important characters from the previous seven books make an appearance and have their arcs tied up. It is a fitting way to wrap up the alliance of light arc.
The novel is still burdened with pages and pages of unnecessary exposition. Elements that had been explained in previous novels get re explained for the 10 millionth time. The more philosophical conversations are more carefully considered than they were in previous books. It still feels like the author is hitting us over the head with her opinion. When these conversations do prop up they tend to be very out character for the people having them.
Arithon grows the hell up but to be honest, I am holding my judgement on his character development until I read the next book. Fugitive Prince had me thinking the same thing only for me to be disappointed in the next book.
Lysaer still deserves to be tossed feet first through a wood chipper. He has a brief moment where he breaks free of the curse before he slips right back in. I gotta be honest, I am tired of his Mommy issues.
Elaira and Arithon have sex in a way that is both creepy and boring. Davien and Arithon have better chemistry than these two. Somebody write this story- I need a Davithon beauty and the beast AU.
Trigger warning- there is a rape scene. It's not graphic, just unsettling and weird.i can't say more about it without giving away a major plot point.
Overall this was one of the stronger entries in this series. You absolutely need to read every book in the alliance of light arc to get the full impact of the story.
I don't have too many complaints about this book. It is definitely one of the stronger novels in the series.
This novel serves to wrap up most of the loose ends from the series before the novels move forward. The book goes a bit Marvel Cinematic Universe, where all important characters from the previous seven books make an appearance and have their arcs tied up. It is a fitting way to wrap up the alliance of light arc.
The novel is still burdened with pages and pages of unnecessary exposition. Elements that had been explained in previous novels get re explained for the 10 millionth time. The more philosophical conversations are more carefully considered than they were in previous books. It still feels like the author is hitting us over the head with her opinion. When these conversations do prop up they tend to be very out character for the people having them.
Arithon grows the hell up but to be honest, I am holding my judgement on his character development until I read the next book. Fugitive Prince had me thinking the same thing only for me to be disappointed in the next book.
Lysaer still deserves to be tossed feet first through a wood chipper. He has a brief moment where he breaks free of the curse before he slips right back in. I gotta be honest, I am tired of his Mommy issues.
Elaira and Arithon have sex in a way that is both creepy and boring. Davien and Arithon have better chemistry than these two. Somebody write this story- I need a Davithon beauty and the beast AU.
Trigger warning- there is a rape scene. It's not graphic, just unsettling and weird.i can't say more about it without giving away a major plot point.
Overall this was one of the stronger entries in this series. You absolutely need to read every book in the alliance of light arc to get the full impact of the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2016
Having read all of Janny's books, it's easy to come into a new one with very high expectations. The amazing thing about those expectations is that they are met every single time.
Stormed Fortress actually exceeds all expectations and it's clear that Janny is getting deeper into this epic tale and hitting her stride as a superior writer.
There are several critical revelations in this book as well as one scene that reveals a hope long sought after in the previous books.
The Wars of Light and Shadow is a very long series and the prose has always been dense and lyrical. Like the rest of the series, this book will not be read in a single sitting or even in two or three. But you don't want to rush through it because it's just that good. I actually read it and then immediately re-read it.
This is the end of the central arc and many loose ends are tied up. It remains, to me, one of the finest examples of epic fantasy anyone has ever written.
A few notes to add. This particular book will provide a view of friendship only a few other books have shown, namely the care of Samwise Gamgee for Frodo Baggins. The friendship of Lysaer and Sulfin Evand is extraordinary as is the friendship shown by Feylind and Arithon.
There is also a dragon, but unlike any dragon you've ever read about.
Stormed Fortress actually exceeds all expectations and it's clear that Janny is getting deeper into this epic tale and hitting her stride as a superior writer.
There are several critical revelations in this book as well as one scene that reveals a hope long sought after in the previous books.
The Wars of Light and Shadow is a very long series and the prose has always been dense and lyrical. Like the rest of the series, this book will not be read in a single sitting or even in two or three. But you don't want to rush through it because it's just that good. I actually read it and then immediately re-read it.
This is the end of the central arc and many loose ends are tied up. It remains, to me, one of the finest examples of epic fantasy anyone has ever written.
A few notes to add. This particular book will provide a view of friendship only a few other books have shown, namely the care of Samwise Gamgee for Frodo Baggins. The friendship of Lysaer and Sulfin Evand is extraordinary as is the friendship shown by Feylind and Arithon.
There is also a dragon, but unlike any dragon you've ever read about.
December 12, 2008
Read 12/7-12/31/07
Stormed Fortress is the 8th book in The Wars of Light and Shadow series. As the fantatics of the Light beseige the great citadel of Alestron, Arithon struggles to balance the needs of the free clansmen, the townfolk of Alestron and the mysteries of the lost Paravians. This is grand epic
fantasy,with vast, deep themes and a tangled rich set of plots. And in Arithon, a hero of gorgeous complexity - Masterbard, reluctant Prince, former pirate - he's ever fascinating. This is reputedly the last book in the
series, though I'll continue to hope for more since I'm certainly not ready to let Arithon go, LOL. Highly, highly recommended for fantasy readers but it is absolutely necessary to read all of the books in order to make any
sense at all of the story.
Update 12/12/08 - The reference above about this being the last book in the series is inaccurate. More novels to come in this marvelous, rich universe :)
Number : 108
Genre : Fantasy
Publication : 2007
Rating : 9.25
Where From : my shelves
Reason : Arithon !
Stormed Fortress is the 8th book in The Wars of Light and Shadow series. As the fantatics of the Light beseige the great citadel of Alestron, Arithon struggles to balance the needs of the free clansmen, the townfolk of Alestron and the mysteries of the lost Paravians. This is grand epic
fantasy,with vast, deep themes and a tangled rich set of plots. And in Arithon, a hero of gorgeous complexity - Masterbard, reluctant Prince, former pirate - he's ever fascinating. This is reputedly the last book in the
series, though I'll continue to hope for more since I'm certainly not ready to let Arithon go, LOL. Highly, highly recommended for fantasy readers but it is absolutely necessary to read all of the books in order to make any
sense at all of the story.
Update 12/12/08 - The reference above about this being the last book in the series is inaccurate. More novels to come in this marvelous, rich universe :)
Number : 108
Genre : Fantasy
Publication : 2007
Rating : 9.25
Where From : my shelves
Reason : Arithon !
December 9, 2021
Outstanding book!!
As the title suggests, this book mainly focuses on the siege of the s’Brydion fortress of Alestron. I really wanted to kick Duke Bransian with his asinine, stiff-necked and stupid pride. All of those needless deaths for the sake of pride! Some were upsetting, , and some were a relief, .
Once again I caught things I had missed the first time I read it. My personal Eureka! moment was the revelation about Dascen Elur, and how in the world Arithon and Lysaer were there in the first place.
Speaking of Lysaer, he's still a jerk; I don't care how many crocodile tears he sheds. He needs a good wallop upside his head.
Looking over this review I had to laugh at myself. I guess I'm just a teensy bit invested in these characters 😉
As the title suggests, this book mainly focuses on the siege of the s’Brydion fortress of Alestron. I really wanted to kick Duke Bransian with his asinine, stiff-necked and stupid pride. All of those needless deaths for the sake of pride! Some were upsetting, , and some were a relief, .
Once again I caught things I had missed the first time I read it. My personal Eureka! moment was the revelation about Dascen Elur, and how in the world Arithon and Lysaer were there in the first place.
Speaking of Lysaer, he's still a jerk; I don't care how many crocodile tears he sheds. He needs a good wallop upside his head.
Looking over this review I had to laugh at myself. I guess I'm just a teensy bit invested in these characters 😉
December 30, 2017
Janny Wurts does it again. Anyone who has been writing a fantasy series for 15 years or more, spanning sprawling narratives of six or seven hundred pages should *not* be able to keep it so coherent.
And for me, who has always scan-read her novels, from a very young age, it's always shocked me how Ms Wurts' beautifully poetic and highly descriptive sentences always snare me, refusing to be skimmed.
Definitely liked this novel better than the two previous in this arch, however, and looking forward quite a lot to the next arc and next novel in the series.
And for me, who has always scan-read her novels, from a very young age, it's always shocked me how Ms Wurts' beautifully poetic and highly descriptive sentences always snare me, refusing to be skimmed.
Definitely liked this novel better than the two previous in this arch, however, and looking forward quite a lot to the next arc and next novel in the series.
September 14, 2013
This book represents all the things I love about reading a series as opposed to individual works. Change, based on learning, experience and exposure to events, the world deepening and revealing before unknown depths, the characters having to survive mistakes and the vagaries of plans gone awry because of things not understood or known, or simply because neither people nor plans are perfect.
Wonderful ending to this arc. Looking forward to finding out where in the universe the rest of the series goes I have no idea! And that’s brilliant.
Wonderful ending to this arc. Looking forward to finding out where in the universe the rest of the series goes I have no idea! And that’s brilliant.
April 15, 2011
I am participating in a group read of this entire series via the Beyond Reality group. Click here to join in the discussions, lead by the author, Janny Wurts.
Review later after group discussion winds down.
Review later after group discussion winds down.
January 30, 2013
Abysmal,turgid prose. Plodding. The series as a whole started out strong but has become progressively lumbering with each new volume. It's like a thesaurus monster vomited onto the page. After a few chapters I felt zero motivation to complete it.
Everyone weeps. EVERYONE. Stub a toe? Weep! Latte too cold? WEEEEEP! TEARS OF MISERY!
Everyone weeps. EVERYONE. Stub a toe? Weep! Latte too cold? WEEEEEP! TEARS OF MISERY!
February 7, 2013
As always, a beautifully woven tapestry of politics and deceit, of loyalty and love. I've been a huge fan from the first book (Curse of the Mistwraith). These books always take me longer to read because there is so much depth to them, so many threads that tangle and intersect. Love, love, love it!
October 5, 2015
Janny Wurts' seried Wars of Light & Shadow is the best fantasy series I have ever read! I have no words to cover how much I like this series, it is one that I can read over and over again. If you haven't read it, READ IT!! The way it is written is beautiful. The story is amazing. RECOMMENDED!!!
October 26, 2023
Here it is, the payoff. How mind blowing it is.
Davien's book. Or maybe the s'Taleyn's. These characters carried a lot of emotional weight through the book and really came into their own more than ever this time, after the ground-setting of Traitor's Knot.
The whole arc comes to a head here, and the way things end from how they started is by far not anything I could have expected. Interestingly, the arc is 5 books, but you can look at it like a trilogy (Fugitive Prince, Grand Conspiracy + Peril's Gate, and Traitor's Knot + Stormed Fortress) too big to be published as such, but you can easily look at it as one story, and I certainly read through all 5 with no breaks, because there was no way I could simply stop reading this!
It's hard to say much without spoilers, but I am completely in awe of Janny Wurts' creativity. So many things happen that I could have never imagined, and could never even explain to people without them looking at me like I've lost my mind! Yet it all WORKS here. It hits like a ton of bricks.
You know there's so much going on when some of the huge twists come in the form of end-chapter triplets.
The final climax
This review is mostly just babbling, and that's because my mind is thoroughly blown and I can't think straight. Read this series. That's all.
Davien's book. Or maybe the s'Taleyn's. These characters carried a lot of emotional weight through the book and really came into their own more than ever this time, after the ground-setting of Traitor's Knot.
The whole arc comes to a head here, and the way things end from how they started is by far not anything I could have expected. Interestingly, the arc is 5 books, but you can look at it like a trilogy (Fugitive Prince, Grand Conspiracy + Peril's Gate, and Traitor's Knot + Stormed Fortress) too big to be published as such, but you can easily look at it as one story, and I certainly read through all 5 with no breaks, because there was no way I could simply stop reading this!
It's hard to say much without spoilers, but I am completely in awe of Janny Wurts' creativity. So many things happen that I could have never imagined, and could never even explain to people without them looking at me like I've lost my mind! Yet it all WORKS here. It hits like a ton of bricks.
You know there's so much going on when some of the huge twists come in the form of end-chapter triplets.
The final climax
This review is mostly just babbling, and that's because my mind is thoroughly blown and I can't think straight. Read this series. That's all.
November 29, 2018
I have 2 more books to go. I am sad. I love this book and this series. I love Lysaer and Arithon so much. I can't pick a favorite cause I like them about the same. I felt so bad for Arithon when he has to stand by himself againjst Lysaer. I hate how Lysaer has teamed up with such an evil person and all the hurt it is doing to him. I can't wait to continue the series. Definitely, as usual, 20 out of 10 stars.
August 15, 2024
A part of me wants to lower the rating a little as my need for another familiar fantasy siege is not comforted. This one is very differently written, with a lot happening, with substantial changes and character development.
As I read further, that hesitant voice is strengthened. The pacing seems off as we are blindsided by a minor faction making a major impact leading to side characters yammering on and on for pages. I would have hoped for a more climactic ending to the 5-book arc.
So let's say 4.25/5 and round down?
As I read further, that hesitant voice is strengthened. The pacing seems off as we are blindsided by a minor faction making a major impact leading to side characters yammering on and on for pages. I would have hoped for a more climactic ending to the 5-book arc.
So let's say 4.25/5 and round down?
February 4, 2020
I have to work to read these books, pay attention as a lot can happen quickly, but worth every minute!
December 14, 2023
“Neither man courted pretense. The Alliance’s troops were already marching. Towns in all three of the eastshore kingdoms now girded for war to take down this calm, dark-haired criminal.”
**Please note**this review touches on events that occurred in previous books in the series – thus potential SPOILERS for the previous books.**
Janny Wurts delivers the best siege-battle fantasy epic I’ve ever read, in the eighth installment in her seminal “Wars of Light and Shadow” series, “Stormed Fortress”.
Of course, this book contains so much more than thrilling, visceral scenes of warfare, as indicated by the title of the novel.
The paths of the two main characters and half-brothers, Arithon - whose monikers include the “Spinner of Darkness” – and his sworn nemesis, the professed “Lord of Light”, Lysaer, continue to hurtle towards each other, on their inevitable collision course, and a final showdown. And it appears that penultimate showdown could take place at the redoubtable and never-before-taken ancestral home of the s’Brydion family, the impregnable fortress of Alestron.
But before that can happen, Arithon seems destined for another fateful meeting with a major character, a top henchman of Lysaer’s.
Following his interactions with the Biedar Crone, and once more possessing his lyranthe, Arithon, the Crown Prince of Rathain, who has pledged not to take any part in the impending siege of Alestron, may not be able to avoid being drawn into the conflict.
Vowing to protect his feal clan allies at Selkwood from Alliance of Light’s incursion, Arithon will expose himself to further danger – and wonder – in his attempts to protect the clansfolk. Later learning that his sworn steward, the impulsive and immature Jeynsa, has become embroiled in the siege, and assisted by others, including the renegade sorcerer Davien, Arithon will be drawn irresistibly towards Alestron, and whatever fate might await him there.
Meanwhile, Lysaer readies his troops to assail Alestron. He cajoles, and eventually forces his would-be subjects to fly his standard, promotes further propaganda and fear of Arithon. Then, he demands Duke Bransian s’Brydion surrender, for the s’Byrdions being double-agents on both the side of Arithon, and Lysaer. Of course, his demand is met with typical s’Brydion abrasiveness and outright refusal and definance.
Lysaer will wield his power of the Light, seeking retribution for being wronged by the s’Brydions, and the results will be devastating. Yet, can he truly take that which has never been taken, in Alestron. And will Arithon intervene to stop him, triggering the catastrophic and potentially world-ending meeting of Darkness and Light? Will the martial prowess of the s’Brydions prevail? Or will other unforeseen powers play a role in the outcome of the siege?
The rich, utterly compelling cast of characters, headlined by Arithon and Lysaer, continues to amaze and shock with their actions, decisions, and how their arcs play out.
Arithon evolution, growing more and more in terms of majesty, self-awareness, and power, is quite evident in this book. His deep connection to the land, and its mysterious guardians – the Paravians – is becoming more attuned. We will also see his struggles to maintain his new vow of non-violence, to avoid bloodshed. He is tugged and pulled in many directions, in terms of his loyalties, allegiances, and morals.
He has severed his protection of the s’Brydions, but he still feels responsible for them, and of course for his Caithdein, Jeynsa. He offers healing to enemies, such as Lirenda, and navigates all sorts of difficult situations, with cunning, skill, compassion. Overall, my comment about Arithon in “Stormed Fortress” is that and in my view, we are beginning to see him truly come into his own, with all makings of a great future ruler.
Lysaer is particularly manipulative, deceptive, and unlikable in this book. His scorn of magic, save his own, continues to show as highly hypocritical, as he rejects an alliance with Seldie Prime and the Koriani. While most of his actions certainly do not inspire empathy, we do see him, as well, as a charismatic, dogged, and exemplary war leader, who cares about the losses of his army, in his attempts to take the fortress.
He IS one to risk himself, lead his forces from the front, motivate, and sacrifice, in order to achieve the mission. He also has a short moment of clarity, free of the Mistwraith’s curse, in this book, and it is a very poignant moment in the novel. Is there any hope of redemption whatsoever for this character, who has so much potential, it would be such a shame to see it all squandered?
While the conflict between the two-half brothers is driven by the curse, forcing factions to align with either one half-brother or the other, we witness more and more of the differences between the two (and their similarities) in especially their approach to leadership, in this novel.
Yet for me, it’s the ensemble of supporting characters that I can’t stop thinking about, in this book.
The mysterious and overburdened Fellowship Sorcerers (in particular the rouge Davien whom I love), the complicated and completely fascinating Sulfin Evend (my new favourite character in the series), the naïve, irritating, and yet brave and stalwart Fionn Areth who wears Arithon’s face, the devoted and selfless Elaira who loves Arithon without reservation or conditions, the scheming and ruthless Seldie Prime, the volatile and complex Glendien and Jeynsa, the loyal and noble Kryialt, hard-bitten and pragmatic Talvish, the irascible and wise s’Brydion matriarch Dawr, all the unpredictable and bombastic s’Brydion brothers and their formidable wives, and so many more were front-and-centre in my mind with this installment.
Their arcs will shock, frustrate, madden, inspire, delight, move one to tears, and make one want to stand up and cheer. Per usual, Wurts is a master of characterization, and for some of these characters who we have come along with on their journey to-date in the series, this is a pivotal book for many of them. Wurts gives us imminently satisfying conclusions to the fate of some, while promising all sorts of future potential for others.
Wurts continues to provoke strong emotions in the reader, via the themes she explores with adroitness and care. In the novel, there is ruin, and there is hope. There is joy and sorrow, great sacrifice and altruism, and selfishness and depravity, humour and wit, wonder and awe, love, lust, friendship, loyalty, and betrayal.
The worldbuilding continues to astound. I must comment about the magic, that is becoming more and more fully realized as the series progresses. More revelations about the precise nature of the magic system used, bit by bit, clearly includes science, in terms of quantum physics (as per my very limited understanding of the topic). The lane fluxes, the dragon’s ability to bend reality, so many more aspects of the magic are truly astonishing and spellbinding.
The mysteries of the Paravians are tearing through the curtain that Wurts has veiled the earlier books in, and it is incredible, and very rewarding, to see it happen. Readers truly begin to realize, there is so much beauty and amazement to come in the future.
“A man, and still mortal, he could not sustain his aware consciousness as the dance of raised harmonies sang past the veil…he was caught fully exposed. The exalted energies blazed through his being, eclipsed his senses, and whirled him into tingling vertigo…scouts became shocked as well by the standing wave of potentized harmony. Weeping or laughing, rushed witless by ecstasy, they could never tame the unbearable moment. The strongest of them were swept off their feet.”
As I have noted from the onset, the siege of the costal city of Alestron, as depicted in the novel, is the best representation of a medieval-type fortress siege that I’ve read thus far in fantasy fiction. And, it is brutal. The physical and mental toll on both the besiegers and the besieged – even felt by the never-say-die, adherence to a warlike posture of the s’Brydions – is considerable.
I must bring attention to the strategies and countermeasures deployed by the s’Brydions, in staunch defence of their home, for they are devastating. Your eyes will be glued to the page, as you witness the besieging forces of Light attempt to wrest the city from those entrenched there, the carnage on all sides that results, and the heroism that is on display during this conflict.
There are so many moving, expressive, emotive scenes in this book, that will absolutely tug at your heartstrings. Standout: Glendien, Artihon and Elaria figure in a scene that will, for some, be the turning point of the entire book, leave you stunned, and have major implications for coming books. Some may balk at this scene, yet free will should be considered, in my opinion, when evaluating those passages wherein this scene is contained.
Of course, once more, the prose is beyond immaculate. Every word carries weight. Every word is spun together with others to create the most joyous reading experience I have ever been treated to by any author. Wurts’ writing is sublime. No one writes like Janny Wurts, as I’ve said on numerous occasions. Enchanted and bedazzled by her prose as I am, it is always far more effective to let the wondrous writing of the author speak for itself:
“An ephemeral thrill raced over her skin, leaving her momentarily defeated and blinded. Then her dissociate senses cleared: she became the black pool, scribed with whirling eddies, and the exuberant splash, necklaced with foam under starlight. She was the rampaging gush, through the gorge, then the broad, placid sheet of Daenfal Lake, wind-ruffled and hemmed with plumed reed-beds. The expansion rushed through her, tingling her nerves, as near shore to far, she traced the meandering loops of the outflow, winding away towards the sea.”
This series has it all, and “Stormed Fortress” only enhances the loveliness, pathos, the darkness, the sheer delight of reading Janny Wurts.
It will take some time to rank where this book figures in terms of the best of the series, but surely, it will rank highly.
Regardless, Stormed Fortress is one of the best books I have ever read. And, of course, “Wars of Light and Shadow” continues to be the most rewarding fantasy series I have ever read, the most challenging fantasy series I have ever read, and the most beautiful fantasy series I have ever read.
**Please note**this review touches on events that occurred in previous books in the series – thus potential SPOILERS for the previous books.**
Janny Wurts delivers the best siege-battle fantasy epic I’ve ever read, in the eighth installment in her seminal “Wars of Light and Shadow” series, “Stormed Fortress”.
Of course, this book contains so much more than thrilling, visceral scenes of warfare, as indicated by the title of the novel.
The paths of the two main characters and half-brothers, Arithon - whose monikers include the “Spinner of Darkness” – and his sworn nemesis, the professed “Lord of Light”, Lysaer, continue to hurtle towards each other, on their inevitable collision course, and a final showdown. And it appears that penultimate showdown could take place at the redoubtable and never-before-taken ancestral home of the s’Brydion family, the impregnable fortress of Alestron.
But before that can happen, Arithon seems destined for another fateful meeting with a major character, a top henchman of Lysaer’s.
Following his interactions with the Biedar Crone, and once more possessing his lyranthe, Arithon, the Crown Prince of Rathain, who has pledged not to take any part in the impending siege of Alestron, may not be able to avoid being drawn into the conflict.
Vowing to protect his feal clan allies at Selkwood from Alliance of Light’s incursion, Arithon will expose himself to further danger – and wonder – in his attempts to protect the clansfolk. Later learning that his sworn steward, the impulsive and immature Jeynsa, has become embroiled in the siege, and assisted by others, including the renegade sorcerer Davien, Arithon will be drawn irresistibly towards Alestron, and whatever fate might await him there.
Meanwhile, Lysaer readies his troops to assail Alestron. He cajoles, and eventually forces his would-be subjects to fly his standard, promotes further propaganda and fear of Arithon. Then, he demands Duke Bransian s’Brydion surrender, for the s’Byrdions being double-agents on both the side of Arithon, and Lysaer. Of course, his demand is met with typical s’Brydion abrasiveness and outright refusal and definance.
Lysaer will wield his power of the Light, seeking retribution for being wronged by the s’Brydions, and the results will be devastating. Yet, can he truly take that which has never been taken, in Alestron. And will Arithon intervene to stop him, triggering the catastrophic and potentially world-ending meeting of Darkness and Light? Will the martial prowess of the s’Brydions prevail? Or will other unforeseen powers play a role in the outcome of the siege?
The rich, utterly compelling cast of characters, headlined by Arithon and Lysaer, continues to amaze and shock with their actions, decisions, and how their arcs play out.
Arithon evolution, growing more and more in terms of majesty, self-awareness, and power, is quite evident in this book. His deep connection to the land, and its mysterious guardians – the Paravians – is becoming more attuned. We will also see his struggles to maintain his new vow of non-violence, to avoid bloodshed. He is tugged and pulled in many directions, in terms of his loyalties, allegiances, and morals.
He has severed his protection of the s’Brydions, but he still feels responsible for them, and of course for his Caithdein, Jeynsa. He offers healing to enemies, such as Lirenda, and navigates all sorts of difficult situations, with cunning, skill, compassion. Overall, my comment about Arithon in “Stormed Fortress” is that and in my view, we are beginning to see him truly come into his own, with all makings of a great future ruler.
Lysaer is particularly manipulative, deceptive, and unlikable in this book. His scorn of magic, save his own, continues to show as highly hypocritical, as he rejects an alliance with Seldie Prime and the Koriani. While most of his actions certainly do not inspire empathy, we do see him, as well, as a charismatic, dogged, and exemplary war leader, who cares about the losses of his army, in his attempts to take the fortress.
He IS one to risk himself, lead his forces from the front, motivate, and sacrifice, in order to achieve the mission. He also has a short moment of clarity, free of the Mistwraith’s curse, in this book, and it is a very poignant moment in the novel. Is there any hope of redemption whatsoever for this character, who has so much potential, it would be such a shame to see it all squandered?
While the conflict between the two-half brothers is driven by the curse, forcing factions to align with either one half-brother or the other, we witness more and more of the differences between the two (and their similarities) in especially their approach to leadership, in this novel.
Yet for me, it’s the ensemble of supporting characters that I can’t stop thinking about, in this book.
The mysterious and overburdened Fellowship Sorcerers (in particular the rouge Davien whom I love), the complicated and completely fascinating Sulfin Evend (my new favourite character in the series), the naïve, irritating, and yet brave and stalwart Fionn Areth who wears Arithon’s face, the devoted and selfless Elaira who loves Arithon without reservation or conditions, the scheming and ruthless Seldie Prime, the volatile and complex Glendien and Jeynsa, the loyal and noble Kryialt, hard-bitten and pragmatic Talvish, the irascible and wise s’Brydion matriarch Dawr, all the unpredictable and bombastic s’Brydion brothers and their formidable wives, and so many more were front-and-centre in my mind with this installment.
Their arcs will shock, frustrate, madden, inspire, delight, move one to tears, and make one want to stand up and cheer. Per usual, Wurts is a master of characterization, and for some of these characters who we have come along with on their journey to-date in the series, this is a pivotal book for many of them. Wurts gives us imminently satisfying conclusions to the fate of some, while promising all sorts of future potential for others.
Wurts continues to provoke strong emotions in the reader, via the themes she explores with adroitness and care. In the novel, there is ruin, and there is hope. There is joy and sorrow, great sacrifice and altruism, and selfishness and depravity, humour and wit, wonder and awe, love, lust, friendship, loyalty, and betrayal.
The worldbuilding continues to astound. I must comment about the magic, that is becoming more and more fully realized as the series progresses. More revelations about the precise nature of the magic system used, bit by bit, clearly includes science, in terms of quantum physics (as per my very limited understanding of the topic). The lane fluxes, the dragon’s ability to bend reality, so many more aspects of the magic are truly astonishing and spellbinding.
The mysteries of the Paravians are tearing through the curtain that Wurts has veiled the earlier books in, and it is incredible, and very rewarding, to see it happen. Readers truly begin to realize, there is so much beauty and amazement to come in the future.
“A man, and still mortal, he could not sustain his aware consciousness as the dance of raised harmonies sang past the veil…he was caught fully exposed. The exalted energies blazed through his being, eclipsed his senses, and whirled him into tingling vertigo…scouts became shocked as well by the standing wave of potentized harmony. Weeping or laughing, rushed witless by ecstasy, they could never tame the unbearable moment. The strongest of them were swept off their feet.”
As I have noted from the onset, the siege of the costal city of Alestron, as depicted in the novel, is the best representation of a medieval-type fortress siege that I’ve read thus far in fantasy fiction. And, it is brutal. The physical and mental toll on both the besiegers and the besieged – even felt by the never-say-die, adherence to a warlike posture of the s’Brydions – is considerable.
I must bring attention to the strategies and countermeasures deployed by the s’Brydions, in staunch defence of their home, for they are devastating. Your eyes will be glued to the page, as you witness the besieging forces of Light attempt to wrest the city from those entrenched there, the carnage on all sides that results, and the heroism that is on display during this conflict.
There are so many moving, expressive, emotive scenes in this book, that will absolutely tug at your heartstrings. Standout: Glendien, Artihon and Elaria figure in a scene that will, for some, be the turning point of the entire book, leave you stunned, and have major implications for coming books. Some may balk at this scene, yet free will should be considered, in my opinion, when evaluating those passages wherein this scene is contained.
Of course, once more, the prose is beyond immaculate. Every word carries weight. Every word is spun together with others to create the most joyous reading experience I have ever been treated to by any author. Wurts’ writing is sublime. No one writes like Janny Wurts, as I’ve said on numerous occasions. Enchanted and bedazzled by her prose as I am, it is always far more effective to let the wondrous writing of the author speak for itself:
“An ephemeral thrill raced over her skin, leaving her momentarily defeated and blinded. Then her dissociate senses cleared: she became the black pool, scribed with whirling eddies, and the exuberant splash, necklaced with foam under starlight. She was the rampaging gush, through the gorge, then the broad, placid sheet of Daenfal Lake, wind-ruffled and hemmed with plumed reed-beds. The expansion rushed through her, tingling her nerves, as near shore to far, she traced the meandering loops of the outflow, winding away towards the sea.”
This series has it all, and “Stormed Fortress” only enhances the loveliness, pathos, the darkness, the sheer delight of reading Janny Wurts.
It will take some time to rank where this book figures in terms of the best of the series, but surely, it will rank highly.
Regardless, Stormed Fortress is one of the best books I have ever read. And, of course, “Wars of Light and Shadow” continues to be the most rewarding fantasy series I have ever read, the most challenging fantasy series I have ever read, and the most beautiful fantasy series I have ever read.
Read
February 19, 2012I’m unlikely to be the first to wonder about this, but I’m starting to suspect that a not unsubstantial part of the enjoyment readers derive from long series of doorstopper Fantasy novels might lie in the mere fact of having made it through the massive of printed paper – maybe indeed not unlike mountain climbing (a pastime I do not indulge in, so just speculating here) a feat of endurance with its main reward the consciousness of having surmounted a huge obstacle.[return][return]So, after having read all five fat volumes of the Alliance of Light arc of Janny Wurts’ epic The Wars of Light and Shadow in slightly over three weeks I’m feeling a bit exhausted when I look back on it and, yes, a bit proud at the sheer amount of novel I’ve managed to get through. There’s something almost physical about it, like a marathon runner making it through the whole distance, maybe even slightly masochistic – but then, it is definitely not limited to big Fantasy novels; the reader who turns the last page in the final volume of War and Peace or the Recherche feels exactly the same way.[return][return]It’s a literature of exhaustion, if you want, and I think the arrival at that state is an integral part of the reading experience – that deep sigh that mingles with the soft thud of the book clover closing, merging into a sound that signifies relief, satisfaction at an achievement and a bit of nostalgia for all things ending. And there are some things that are only possible if you do not rush but go for the slow, long duration – like a sense of development, be it of characters changing for better or worse, be it for history unfolding. You get both in Alliance of Light – looking back, the characters that survived until the end have come a long way indeed, both secondary characters like Sulfin Evend or Lirenda and major ones like Arithon, who is significantly less annoying by the end of this arc. (As an aside – with all his wallowing in self-pity and tragic postoring he reminded me more than once of Dorothy Dunnett’s Francis Crawford of Lymond – in fact, seeing how both Dunnett and Wurts have a penchant for convoluted, intricate plotting as well as a highly stylized language, I am sure there is a distinct and most likely conscious influence on The Wars of Light and Shadow here.) I also liked to see Lysaer get some attention in Stormed Fortress – in the previous volumes he seemed on his way to become a one-dimensional villain, but here he is once again presented as the tragic figure he is (much more so than Arithon, in my opinion at least).[return][return]This final installment of theAlliance of Light arc revolves, as the title indicates, mostly around a siege – and while that would appear mandatory for any work of Epic Fantasy, you do not get anything usually associated with this kind of thing in Stormed Fortress – no grand military action, no dashing sorties, no desperate last stands. What you get is almost the contrary of all that, humanity and compassion in the face of overwhelming aggression (and how many Fantasy epics are there that have given the ethics of their world and the characters populating serious thought? The only other one I can think of straight away is Kate Elliott’s Crossroads trilogy), and in general the siege of Areston is a fine example of how Janny Wurts only rarely does what you’d expect her to.[return][return]A lot of threads converge in this novel and it moves at an unusually brisk pace for this series – but that is to expected at the climax of an arc. Of course, there are even more threads left hanging, as there are still two more arcs composed of three more novels to come which I am eagerly looking forward to reading.
July 20, 2016
Phew, the end of the Alliance of Light arc of The Wars of Light and Shadow. It's been a long ride.
Stormed Fortress was definitely the best of the 5 books in this arc. All of the emotional telling and angsting finally comes to a head and Lysaer finally gets his excuse to siege the s'Brydion citadel. Because of this, the emotional telling and angsting was not as prevalent, which was a good thing.
I still don't like how some of the characters act like caricatures of people. The s'Brydion in particular don't seem like they could ever be real people or sustain any kind of successful presence anywhere, what with their tempers and egos and pride. I just don't buy it. There has to be an in-world explanation for it and I am guessing it has to do with the old blood-lines being purposefully infused with the various personality traits. s'Brydion inherited idiocy. s'Illesid got Justict. s'Ahelas got farsight. 'sFfalen got compassion. And so on. I just cannot stand how much of the conflict in the books (and this on in particular) stems from s'Brydion idiocy.
Another criticism would be Jeynsa's part in forcing Arithon to the citadel. It's an understandable reaction for her to want to investigate the prince she's never really known, but for the author to only use her to get Arithon to the citadel and then promptly drop her off of the face of the book was lame, to me.
Those were my biggest gripes, though, which is a new thing for me with this series since I know I can be over critical. The writing is still on point, and in this installment the plot is actually moving along and things are wrapping up. Asandir finally gets his projects cleared up. Davien's bargain has light shed on it(in a really great way), Sethvir gets his stuff in order, etc, etc. In other words, things actually move instead of being mired in the wah-wah-ing and slooooooow character growth of the past handful of books. I like slow build books sometimes just as much as I like action-packed novels, but for it to take so long for a real engagement to happen was painful.
A shoutout also needs to be had for Selidie to have her face pushed in(figuratively) on many occasions. Too many of the other characters have learned her M O to not be able to thwart her on the regular.
I mostly enjoyed scenes where Lysaer saw some sense. Scenes where he and Sulfin Evend got more in-sync with each other and what was happening overall.
Stormed Fortress was definitely the best of the 5 books in this arc. All of the emotional telling and angsting finally comes to a head and Lysaer finally gets his excuse to siege the s'Brydion citadel. Because of this, the emotional telling and angsting was not as prevalent, which was a good thing.
I still don't like how some of the characters act like caricatures of people. The s'Brydion in particular don't seem like they could ever be real people or sustain any kind of successful presence anywhere, what with their tempers and egos and pride. I just don't buy it. There has to be an in-world explanation for it and I am guessing it has to do with the old blood-lines being purposefully infused with the various personality traits. s'Brydion inherited idiocy. s'Illesid got Justict. s'Ahelas got farsight. 'sFfalen got compassion. And so on. I just cannot stand how much of the conflict in the books (and this on in particular) stems from s'Brydion idiocy.
Another criticism would be Jeynsa's part in forcing Arithon to the citadel. It's an understandable reaction for her to want to investigate the prince she's never really known, but for the author to only use her to get Arithon to the citadel and then promptly drop her off of the face of the book was lame, to me.
Those were my biggest gripes, though, which is a new thing for me with this series since I know I can be over critical. The writing is still on point, and in this installment the plot is actually moving along and things are wrapping up. Asandir finally gets his projects cleared up. Davien's bargain has light shed on it(in a really great way), Sethvir gets his stuff in order, etc, etc. In other words, things actually move instead of being mired in the wah-wah-ing and slooooooow character growth of the past handful of books. I like slow build books sometimes just as much as I like action-packed novels, but for it to take so long for a real engagement to happen was painful.
A shoutout also needs to be had for Selidie to have her face pushed in(figuratively) on many occasions. Too many of the other characters have learned her M O to not be able to thwart her on the regular.
I mostly enjoyed scenes where Lysaer saw some sense. Scenes where he and Sulfin Evend got more in-sync with each other and what was happening overall.
September 5, 2011
Although not the last book in the series, Stormed Fortress is the final book of the middle arc ("The Alliance of Light) of the Wars of Light and Shadow series and definitely feels like the conclusion of major threads, if not the story as a whole. For the most part the book serves as a solid finale of the (middle part of the) story, tying off a lot of loose ends, but with plot remaining for the concluding two arcs (three volumes). For the first time in awhile, the direction of future books is not at all clear. The magic system still feels too loose to me; after eight volumes one would think I'd be used to it but I somehow keep expecting it to improve.
My suspicion is that there will be a large time jump toward the beginning of the next volume (which starts a two book arc); probably not right at the outset, since certain loose ends probably need to be put into place before time jumps forward, but early on (just as there was a similar jump toward the beginning of this arc). Many of the secondary characters felt like they were tied off in such a way as to have completed their role in the story and to allow such a shift without someone wondering "what ever happened to..." Obviously, only time (and Janny Wurts) will tell.
My suspicion is that there will be a large time jump toward the beginning of the next volume (which starts a two book arc); probably not right at the outset, since certain loose ends probably need to be put into place before time jumps forward, but early on (just as there was a similar jump toward the beginning of this arc). Many of the secondary characters felt like they were tied off in such a way as to have completed their role in the story and to allow such a shift without someone wondering "what ever happened to..." Obviously, only time (and Janny Wurts) will tell.
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