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The Saga of the Trillium #5
Sky Trillium
Three sister-princesses . . . three magical talismans . . . one chance to save a world from utter SKY TRILLIUM!
In the World of the Three Moons, an unknown evil stirs . . . and severe earthquakes, widespread volcanic eruptions, and disastrous weather rock the land . . .
Only the legendary Sky Trillium--made from the three talismans of the princesses Kadiya, Anigel, and Haramis--can heal the ancient wounds of the world. But Anigel's is missing, and Kadiya's talisman has lost its potency. Yet even if the sisters are able to regain all three of the talismans, will they be strong enough to control the awesome magic of the Sky Trillium?
Encounter the wondrous world of the Black Trillium, originally created by three of fantasy's stellar Julian May, André Norton, and Marion Zimmer Bradley.
In the World of the Three Moons, an unknown evil stirs . . . and severe earthquakes, widespread volcanic eruptions, and disastrous weather rock the land . . .
Only the legendary Sky Trillium--made from the three talismans of the princesses Kadiya, Anigel, and Haramis--can heal the ancient wounds of the world. But Anigel's is missing, and Kadiya's talisman has lost its potency. Yet even if the sisters are able to regain all three of the talismans, will they be strong enough to control the awesome magic of the Sky Trillium?
Encounter the wondrous world of the Black Trillium, originally created by three of fantasy's stellar Julian May, André Norton, and Marion Zimmer Bradley.
371 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
15 people are currently reading
671 people want to read
About the author
Julian May
201 books590 followersJulian May was an American science fiction, fantasy, horror, science and children's writer who also used several pseudonyms including Ian Thorne, Lee N. Falconer and many others.
Some 1960's and 1970's biographies and children's science books may belong to Julian May (the science fiction & fantasy writer) profile but no reliable source has been found
Per Encyclopedia.com, May wrote juvenile science non-fiction along with the science fiction novels for adults. (https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/edu...)
Some 1960's and 1970's biographies and children's science books may belong to Julian May (the science fiction & fantasy writer) profile but no reliable source has been found
Per Encyclopedia.com, May wrote juvenile science non-fiction along with the science fiction novels for adults. (https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/edu...)
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 21, 2009
While I really enjoyed this book, but I have issues with the series of 5 books:
If one is attempting the read these books (The Saga of the Trillium) in order, or, really, in any order, it becomes quite frustrating. The first two books in the series clearly follow one another. Not true for the final three. In fact, the final three totally disregard events in each others' books. Couldn't these women (May, Norton, Bradley) have taken an afternoon to read/skim/whatever the already published books before they went on to write the next one?
My suggestion is to read Black Trillium, Blood Trillium, and then Sky Trillium. Skip Lady of the Trillium and skip Golden Trillium. Not because they are bad books, because on their own they are not. But because they muddle the world you are being asked to enter.
Another option would be to read Black, Blood, Golden, and then Lady, but skip Sky Trillium. I only suggest the first option because I so thoroughly enjoyed Sky Trillium.
If one is attempting the read these books (The Saga of the Trillium) in order, or, really, in any order, it becomes quite frustrating. The first two books in the series clearly follow one another. Not true for the final three. In fact, the final three totally disregard events in each others' books. Couldn't these women (May, Norton, Bradley) have taken an afternoon to read/skim/whatever the already published books before they went on to write the next one?
My suggestion is to read Black Trillium, Blood Trillium, and then Sky Trillium. Skip Lady of the Trillium and skip Golden Trillium. Not because they are bad books, because on their own they are not. But because they muddle the world you are being asked to enter.
Another option would be to read Black, Blood, Golden, and then Lady, but skip Sky Trillium. I only suggest the first option because I so thoroughly enjoyed Sky Trillium.
December 29, 2025
just couldn't get into the story
February 14, 2025
I loved Sky Trillium the most of the saga, especially given the new lore of the World of the Three Moons and how the sisters achieve their ultimate destiny through love and adventure. However, the end of May's trilogy rewards Orogastus rather than sees him punished, which I find a bit disbelieving. While I can see where May was coming from (love winning over hate), I felt that it ignored the darker path Orogastus has tread through the books thus far, the deaths he had caused, etc.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2022
OK, so finally, a conclusion to the story from the first two books! At least we find out what happened to Oragastus! The story is kind of much of the same, this time with the sisters joining forces with the Star to overcome the global catastrophe that threatens the land - although, to be fair, the book isn't hugely clear on HOW that's achieved. The sister's don't seem to have learnt or changed all that much since the first book, making the same mistakes and luckily helping each other out from scrapes, but the story did march along at a fair pace and kept me entertained for a few days.
Personally, I would recommend reading ' Black', 'Blood' and 'Sky' as one trilogy. Then reading 'Golden' and 'Lady' at a different time, imagining them to be set in parallel worlds, so that the inconsistencies don't make your head hurt!
Personally, I would recommend reading ' Black', 'Blood' and 'Sky' as one trilogy. Then reading 'Golden' and 'Lady' at a different time, imagining them to be set in parallel worlds, so that the inconsistencies don't make your head hurt!
April 9, 2021
I really struggled with the third book in this series, written by Andre Norton, but I love Julian May's writing and this book didn't let me down. Visual, fast paced, and with an intriguing plot, I was once more drawn back into the world of the Black Trillium after being kicked out of it by Norton.
What I will say is that if you read the first book, the one written by Norton, May and Zimmer Bradley, then take the individual sequels by those authors as different/alternative endings for the series. Norton's work, Golden Trillium, takes the plot and Kadiya's character in one direction; May's works, Blood Trillium and Sky Trillium, are truer to the original cowritten debut; and Lady of the Trillium by Marion Zimmer Bradley is another path the story and characters can take.
Personally, I like May's creation and how it leads from the first book, but I'll always hold a soft spot for Zimmer Bradley's Lady of the Trillium, as it was the first one I read as a child and the one that sparked my love of fantasy.
So, in summary, this book (Sky Trillium) is good old fashioned war and magic fantasy, but the series as a whole separates into three strands once the authors develop their sequels, which is a bit disappointing and jarring. I would have loved for them to have at least pinned down the general plot and character arcs before writing their own sequels, but that's just me!
What I will say is that if you read the first book, the one written by Norton, May and Zimmer Bradley, then take the individual sequels by those authors as different/alternative endings for the series. Norton's work, Golden Trillium, takes the plot and Kadiya's character in one direction; May's works, Blood Trillium and Sky Trillium, are truer to the original cowritten debut; and Lady of the Trillium by Marion Zimmer Bradley is another path the story and characters can take.
Personally, I like May's creation and how it leads from the first book, but I'll always hold a soft spot for Zimmer Bradley's Lady of the Trillium, as it was the first one I read as a child and the one that sparked my love of fantasy.
So, in summary, this book (Sky Trillium) is good old fashioned war and magic fantasy, but the series as a whole separates into three strands once the authors develop their sequels, which is a bit disappointing and jarring. I would have loved for them to have at least pinned down the general plot and character arcs before writing their own sequels, but that's just me!
October 15, 2025
Libro interessante, anche se non di facilissima lettura. Troppi nomi, troppi esseri, troppe razze. La trama è interessante ma troppo lenta in alcune parti, facendo così perdere il ritmo della narrazione. Troppe descrizioni a volte non necessarie.
La parte più bella è vedere come Orogastus riesca a convertirsi, non per l’amore che prova per Haramis, che lo guida fin dalla sua prima apparizione, ma grazie alla comprensione lucida e razionale che con il potere non è possibile ottenere nulla se non coabitano anche amore, collaborazione, e parità di intenti.
Bella anche la forza d’animo di Haramis stessa, che pur amando Orogastus è pronta ad opporsi ai suoi piani perché comprende che in questo modo il mondo diverrebbe qualcosa di terribile.
Bello anche il personaggio di Larvadis, il Pirata. Sebbene sia brutto e storpio è il più valoroso di tutti e pronto a lottare contro il destino pur di acquistare libertà, giustizia e il cuore della sua giovane amata.
La parte più bella è vedere come Orogastus riesca a convertirsi, non per l’amore che prova per Haramis, che lo guida fin dalla sua prima apparizione, ma grazie alla comprensione lucida e razionale che con il potere non è possibile ottenere nulla se non coabitano anche amore, collaborazione, e parità di intenti.
Bella anche la forza d’animo di Haramis stessa, che pur amando Orogastus è pronta ad opporsi ai suoi piani perché comprende che in questo modo il mondo diverrebbe qualcosa di terribile.
Bello anche il personaggio di Larvadis, il Pirata. Sebbene sia brutto e storpio è il più valoroso di tutti e pronto a lottare contro il destino pur di acquistare libertà, giustizia e il cuore della sua giovane amata.
October 7, 2021
New trouble in the World with Three Moons. Anigel's talisman is still missing--her son Tolivar has it--Kadiya's doesn't work, and the Star Guild is on the loose again. Monarchs all over the world are being kidnapped--including the pregnant Anigel. Haramis spends some time with the Archmage of the Aky and finds out the cataclysm is imminent unless the Sceptre is formed. The Vanished Ones also never vanished--they are in one of the moons--really a spaceship. Orogastus must be brought around, which his love for Haramis compels, and the Sceptre of Power heals the world. He becomes the new Sky Mage and Keeper of the Three-Headed Monster. The royals pull together to help each other too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2024
Not the ending I pictured.
A long saga, ending on a surprising note. But still, full of peril and adventure. As befits the title, the Trillium wins out over all. And evil is vanquished.
A long saga, ending on a surprising note. But still, full of peril and adventure. As befits the title, the Trillium wins out over all. And evil is vanquished.
September 11, 2023
Una chiusura vincente per una saga che mi rimarrà nel cuore...
Consiglio a tutti di leggere qualcosa di questi autori....
Consiglio a tutti di leggere qualcosa di questi autori....
March 11, 2024
A satisfactory conclusion
January 29, 2025
A really good conclusion to the series, and a very apt one too. I only read the three books Black, Blood and Sky Trillium but they nearly tell a compelling and enjoyable story!
December 1, 2013
When the world is threatened by unnatural forces and the land is on the brink of destruction the three sisters who can try to avert disaster find that their magic alone cannot bring about a reversal of the melting icecap and other natural disasters swallowing their kingdoms, add into the mix the fact that two out of three of the magical talismans needed to aid Haramis, Anigel and Kadiya have been lost or stolen.
Haramis alone who still has her magical weapon has been kidnapped by a mad sorcerer Denby Varcour and imprisoned in the Sky Trillium leaving Anigel and Kadiya to fight alone while Denby's created evil wizard Oragastus tries to take over the Earth but are his motives as dark as they appear and is he truly now a servant of Denby or has his love for Haramis blinded him to his original evil machinations?
Can the prophecy be fulfilled and the world saved? Can the "Flower sisters" of the living Trillium even fight this alone or will they have to turn to an old enemy to help against all odds in the face of a shared tragedy?
Brilliant story but in my opinion it suffered a little from continuity problems, due to it being a triumvirate work of fiction the three authors involved have made a few mistakes that does impinge hugely on the narrative.
For instance in book four to save someone Haramis sacrifices herself on a ritual alter and in book five she is miraculously alive again with no reference to the preceeding book or the situations that brought about her death or subsequent reincarnation at all and the other themes in the book tally quite well with the other novels so it is not written in retrospect or "prequel" so I think that part could have been handled a little better but overall definitely worth reading as the other stories are totally incomplete as none of them are stand alone novels.
Haramis alone who still has her magical weapon has been kidnapped by a mad sorcerer Denby Varcour and imprisoned in the Sky Trillium leaving Anigel and Kadiya to fight alone while Denby's created evil wizard Oragastus tries to take over the Earth but are his motives as dark as they appear and is he truly now a servant of Denby or has his love for Haramis blinded him to his original evil machinations?
Can the prophecy be fulfilled and the world saved? Can the "Flower sisters" of the living Trillium even fight this alone or will they have to turn to an old enemy to help against all odds in the face of a shared tragedy?
Brilliant story but in my opinion it suffered a little from continuity problems, due to it being a triumvirate work of fiction the three authors involved have made a few mistakes that does impinge hugely on the narrative.
For instance in book four to save someone Haramis sacrifices herself on a ritual alter and in book five she is miraculously alive again with no reference to the preceeding book or the situations that brought about her death or subsequent reincarnation at all and the other themes in the book tally quite well with the other novels so it is not written in retrospect or "prequel" so I think that part could have been handled a little better but overall definitely worth reading as the other stories are totally incomplete as none of them are stand alone novels.
June 8, 2016
I don't know, guys. I feel like everything I have to say about this I've said in reviews of the other Trillium books. This one felt a little more preachy in its good-vs-evil moralizing.
I guess the characters are a bit less annoying (or I'm getting Stockholm syndrome) and a little more likable. I do think the romance angle continues to be contrived. In fact, almost all of the interpersonal conversations are pretty sappy-sweet. I rolled my eyes quite frequently when Orogastus made an appearance.
Similar to some of the other novels, the ending to this one seems to take forever to come, but once it does, IT'S HERE, BABY! The final act is on you in no time; they resolve the giant horrible terrible crisis in about 4 pages.
The setting has the potential to be wonderful, but I don't feel like it's really been done justice in any of these books. The lackluster writing ruins the potential.
I guess the characters are a bit less annoying (or I'm getting Stockholm syndrome) and a little more likable. I do think the romance angle continues to be contrived. In fact, almost all of the interpersonal conversations are pretty sappy-sweet. I rolled my eyes quite frequently when Orogastus made an appearance.
Similar to some of the other novels, the ending to this one seems to take forever to come, but once it does, IT'S HERE, BABY! The final act is on you in no time; they resolve the giant horrible terrible crisis in about 4 pages.
The setting has the potential to be wonderful, but I don't feel like it's really been done justice in any of these books. The lackluster writing ruins the potential.
August 9, 2015
this is the last of the trillium stories. Although the events that occur in this story happen before the events in book four. I like this story, yet again the daughters of the trillium must save their world from destruction and the star guild sorcerer Oragustus. I like that each of the triplets had their own part to play, and the events of the story were very interesting. This is generally a fantasy novel, with science fiction undertones. I liked the "folk" people who were indigenous and created for this planet with three moons. The entire series is written by Marion Zimmer Bradly, Andre Norton, And Julian May, and they are all worth reading.
January 3, 2014
The first book in the trilogy I truly loved. The second one was a little duller. This one, which I thought was the third, was so dull and slow moving at the beginning that I almost didn't finish it. It got better towards the end, but I almost didn't make it there. I am seriously debating whether or not I want to go back and read the ones I didn't know were there. This story which centers around Orogastus' latest attempt to take over, seemed very disjointed. Although, that may be because somehow I skipped two books.
June 25, 2015
My favorite book of the series after Black Trillium. After the first book, each of the 3 authors went on to create their own "universe," but I think Julian May's world is the closest spirit-wise to the original. I actually like MBZ's writing the best in terms of diction, word choice, etc., but in terms of plot, Julian May stands bar none.
One thing I really liked about this book was that it gave some more backstory on Orogastus, who I loved from BT. Great way to end the Trillium series.
One thing I really liked about this book was that it gave some more backstory on Orogastus, who I loved from BT. Great way to end the Trillium series.
July 19, 2009
Book 5 in the Saga of the Trillium (a collaboration between Marion Zimmer Bradley, Andre Norton, and Julian May). This one is by Julian May.
This time the kingdom is in danger from the Star Men. The three princesses must once again overcome individual weaknesses and bring their talismans together to form the Star Trillium, the only hope for defeating the Star Men.
This time the kingdom is in danger from the Star Men. The three princesses must once again overcome individual weaknesses and bring their talismans together to form the Star Trillium, the only hope for defeating the Star Men.
January 8, 2011
La Saga del Giglio, che ha il suo unico (mediocre) momento di gloria con il primo libro, è altrimenti un susseguirsi di noia e personaggi irritanti.
Quanto di peggio io abbia letto che sia stato firmato (di facciata o meno) Marion Zimmer Bradley.
Quanto di peggio io abbia letto che sia stato firmato (di facciata o meno) Marion Zimmer Bradley.
November 2, 2010
Non molto interessante, solo le vicende di una delle tre sorelle erano riuscite ad appassionarmi.
January 7, 2014
the fifth book in the trillium series, written by one of the authors, looking at the life of one of the three main characters and how she lived after the adventures of the others
April 25, 2014
This ends the series and brings it all together. It contradicts the book by Andrea Norton (which had never explained what happened when Tolivar stole his mother's crown and where did Gastagus go?
June 26, 2015
Nice conclusion to series which quality has it's ups and downs.
September 19, 2015
I did enjoy the book but I felt the ending was a bit disappointing. Overall I think the saga is worth reading but it is not a masterpiece.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews