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Sword of Shadows #2
The Fortress of Grey Ice
"Wonderful . . . J. V. Jones is a striking writer." So says Robert Jordan, the author of The Wheel of Time epic fantasy series. And Jones lives up to that praise in the highly charged epic adventure of Ash March and Raif Sevrance, two outcasts whose fate are entwined by ancient prophecies and need, in the cold, dark world that threatens to be torn asunder by a war to end all wars. Isolated by their birthrights, they are but two who fight the dreaded Endlords, and their strength and courage will be needed if the world is to be saved from darkness."Raif, wrongly accused and cut off from his clan by the treachery of their new headsman, has a talent for killing that is part of his curse and his burden. But he bears another burden of greater weight. Ash is a sacred warrior to the Sull, an ancient race whose numbers have declined. Raised as a foundling, never knowing her true history, she must learn to accept the terrible gifts of her heritage.But as Ash learns more of her greater fate, Raif's task looms dark and desperate, for he must journey through the nightmare realm of the Want, a place where even the Sull now fear to tread. For deep within the Want is the Fortress of Grey Ice, and there he must heal the breach in the Blindwall that already threatens the world. Should he fail, not even Ash's powers can save them. . . .At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
628 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2003
74 people are currently reading
1947 people want to read
About the author
J.V. Jones
29 books866 followersJulie Victoria Jones was born in Liverpool, England. She has been writing for years, and is currently working The End Lords. She lives in San Diego, California.
All three books in The Book Of Words Trilogy are #1 national bestsellers, and have been bought for publication in England, Poland, Russia, Germany, France and Holland. Her fifth book, A Cavern of Black Ice, is the first in a new series.
J.V. enjoys cooking, gardening, reading, playing RPG's, watching old black-and-white movies, and pottering around the house!
All three books in The Book Of Words Trilogy are #1 national bestsellers, and have been bought for publication in England, Poland, Russia, Germany, France and Holland. Her fifth book, A Cavern of Black Ice, is the first in a new series.
J.V. enjoys cooking, gardening, reading, playing RPG's, watching old black-and-white movies, and pottering around the house!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
November 4, 2023
A Fortress of Grey Ice is the second entry in J.V. Jones' Sword of Shadows series. The novel is another impressive character-driven epic fantasy, continuing the action that was introduced with A Cavern of Black Ice. The scope has been expanded this time, giving readers more insights into both the happenings of the clan wars and Panthero Iss and his forces at Spire Vanis using the turmoil to their advantage. We are presented with further understandings surrounding the world's magics, political factions and complications. The main threat is bubbling beyond the blindwall and the majority of the dramatis personae are oblivious to this nightmare presence. The Endlords and their shadowy taken are currently behind the magical veil but this protection is constantly weakening.
My favourite character and point of view perspective to follow was Raif's, who is akin to this series' Jon Snow. His chapters include hardships, unequivocally difficult decisions, truly incredible setpieces, and great support characters, such as Stillborn. The concept of the Maimed Men is one of the most intriguing groups I can remember being introduced to in a dark fantasy narrative. Being ostracised from his clan, there are not many options for Raif, leading him down some harrowing roads, littered with (what have to be) the series' standout moments.
"Yes, Clansman. I know who you are. I have seen the raven riding on your back. I have heard the sound of footsteps at your heels. Death follows you. She named you. Watcher of the Dead. Yes, you are cursed."
Unfortunately, I was not as enthusiastic about Ash's point of view chapters this time although I understand their importance and necessity, diverting her away from the other main players, plot-wise and with regards to her fate in this story. Finding out further details about the Sull, though, was a positive from these moments.
"We are the only ones left who fight the darkness. Whilst clansmen and city men feud amongst themselves over land once claimed by the Sull, we will ride out and battle with the Endlords and their taken. Make no mistake, Ash March, I offer you little in return for your soul."
Another excellent progression in A Fortress of Grey Ice was the internal conflict, and civil war storyline, following a self-styled King of Dhoone (Robbie the Thorn King), through the observant eyes of his 15-year-old younger brother. These chapters featuring Robbie, his brother Bram, and the King's forces are action-packed, showing insights into the loyalty and unification that the would-be monarch inspires. Another aspect of these segments was Scotland-inspired imagery and language which I thought was a great touch, possibly more so as I read some of this novel whilst on a trip to Glasgow.
The Dog Lord's page time is just as enjoyable to follow as the last book, Angus Lok is still enigmatic and influential although does not frequent the drama as much as in A Cavern of Black Ice, and new points of view, delivered by Raina Blackhail and Crope, are interesting too. Raina is the clan chief of Blackhail's wife and Crope is a misunderstood giant of a man with a mysterious past and allegiance.
I would have wished to have spent a longer duration witnessing events through Raina's eyes but like Effie Sevrance (Raif's 9-year-old sister), their moments are impactful but seem less frequent. Right now, danger and uncertainty stalk Effie Sevrance's heels, with her being witness to and part of one traumatic scene in particular. This occasion was thrilling, emotionally intense, and draining.
Even though I am aware this is a grimdark read, I could not help but hope that some hero would arrive at the last moment, bellow "stop this nonsense now!" and the darkness and dread would dissipate. Alas, this is not to be the case in Jones' frozen and cruel world. Any character who could be referred to as a typical hero has probably already been murdered or is off fighting on the fringes, placed there so that they are unable to influence these plot points, however much they would want to.
A final note before I conclude: I wish to bring attention to the fact that I feel Traggis Mole is an incredible character. To me, one of the finest grimdark side characters I have come across. Utterly dangerous and formidable, respected and feared, and although his agendas seem nefarious, he may have less dastardly motives than it first seems. Every interaction that featured him, I felt as if something was going to explode. I was upset that I could not find any fan art of him, this, unfortunately, represents that this series does not seem to have the size and dedication of readership that the quality befits.
"As the Robber Chief turned away, his gaze met Raif’s. Traggis Mole’s eyes were black and haunted, and there was such a force behind them Raif fought the desire to step back. Harm us and die, the Robber Chief warned him, and then swept his gaze away."
A Fortress of Grey Ice is another top-tier fantasy read, with an intricately crafted plot that is deep and a joy to get lost in and that statement takes into consideration my prior awareness that this journey is painful, and will continue to be so. My only real complaint is that there are a few plodding and duller moments but as an overall package, the standard is high. 8.5/10.
My favourite character and point of view perspective to follow was Raif's, who is akin to this series' Jon Snow. His chapters include hardships, unequivocally difficult decisions, truly incredible setpieces, and great support characters, such as Stillborn. The concept of the Maimed Men is one of the most intriguing groups I can remember being introduced to in a dark fantasy narrative. Being ostracised from his clan, there are not many options for Raif, leading him down some harrowing roads, littered with (what have to be) the series' standout moments.
"Yes, Clansman. I know who you are. I have seen the raven riding on your back. I have heard the sound of footsteps at your heels. Death follows you. She named you. Watcher of the Dead. Yes, you are cursed."
Unfortunately, I was not as enthusiastic about Ash's point of view chapters this time although I understand their importance and necessity, diverting her away from the other main players, plot-wise and with regards to her fate in this story. Finding out further details about the Sull, though, was a positive from these moments.
"We are the only ones left who fight the darkness. Whilst clansmen and city men feud amongst themselves over land once claimed by the Sull, we will ride out and battle with the Endlords and their taken. Make no mistake, Ash March, I offer you little in return for your soul."
Another excellent progression in A Fortress of Grey Ice was the internal conflict, and civil war storyline, following a self-styled King of Dhoone (Robbie the Thorn King), through the observant eyes of his 15-year-old younger brother. These chapters featuring Robbie, his brother Bram, and the King's forces are action-packed, showing insights into the loyalty and unification that the would-be monarch inspires. Another aspect of these segments was Scotland-inspired imagery and language which I thought was a great touch, possibly more so as I read some of this novel whilst on a trip to Glasgow.
The Dog Lord's page time is just as enjoyable to follow as the last book, Angus Lok is still enigmatic and influential although does not frequent the drama as much as in A Cavern of Black Ice, and new points of view, delivered by Raina Blackhail and Crope, are interesting too. Raina is the clan chief of Blackhail's wife and Crope is a misunderstood giant of a man with a mysterious past and allegiance.
I would have wished to have spent a longer duration witnessing events through Raina's eyes but like Effie Sevrance (Raif's 9-year-old sister), their moments are impactful but seem less frequent. Right now, danger and uncertainty stalk Effie Sevrance's heels, with her being witness to and part of one traumatic scene in particular. This occasion was thrilling, emotionally intense, and draining.
Even though I am aware this is a grimdark read, I could not help but hope that some hero would arrive at the last moment, bellow "stop this nonsense now!" and the darkness and dread would dissipate. Alas, this is not to be the case in Jones' frozen and cruel world. Any character who could be referred to as a typical hero has probably already been murdered or is off fighting on the fringes, placed there so that they are unable to influence these plot points, however much they would want to.
A final note before I conclude: I wish to bring attention to the fact that I feel Traggis Mole is an incredible character. To me, one of the finest grimdark side characters I have come across. Utterly dangerous and formidable, respected and feared, and although his agendas seem nefarious, he may have less dastardly motives than it first seems. Every interaction that featured him, I felt as if something was going to explode. I was upset that I could not find any fan art of him, this, unfortunately, represents that this series does not seem to have the size and dedication of readership that the quality befits.
"As the Robber Chief turned away, his gaze met Raif’s. Traggis Mole’s eyes were black and haunted, and there was such a force behind them Raif fought the desire to step back. Harm us and die, the Robber Chief warned him, and then swept his gaze away."
A Fortress of Grey Ice is another top-tier fantasy read, with an intricately crafted plot that is deep and a joy to get lost in and that statement takes into consideration my prior awareness that this journey is painful, and will continue to be so. My only real complaint is that there are a few plodding and duller moments but as an overall package, the standard is high. 8.5/10.
October 4, 2020
Volume 2 of the Sword of Shadows saga is as dark and awesome as the first part.
As in the first volume the story starts slightly slower, but gains quite a bit of momentum in the second half of the book.
J.V. Jones introduces two more storylines with two new protagonists. She keeps the chapters short with ever changing perspectives which allows the reader to keep an overview ot the story in total.
This tale is neither uplifting nor joyful, but it really keeps getting to me, emotionally and mentally.
Jones describes here tribes that have cauterized their communities of even the slightest touch of humanity. Others pretend to be responsible and caring, but are willing to surrender this behaviour for the slightest advantage, gold or power.
Our protagonists have to face pain and tremendous obstacles. They have to overcome their own shortcomings and keep on living with the evil and weak sides of their personalities. But they have to push on, because the survival of humankind is at stake.
There are two antagonists so far I can’t find any positive about. But I really like that none of the protagonists is a plain good person (except maybe Ash, but not even her), but all of them have also a dark an evil face if circumstances require it.
And all this is set in a cold, rough and unforgiving landscape. Just to read it makes me shiver.
I don’t think I ever read such a dark fantasy before.
My highest recommendation for everyone who is into adult and very dark fantasy.
As in the first volume the story starts slightly slower, but gains quite a bit of momentum in the second half of the book.
J.V. Jones introduces two more storylines with two new protagonists. She keeps the chapters short with ever changing perspectives which allows the reader to keep an overview ot the story in total.
This tale is neither uplifting nor joyful, but it really keeps getting to me, emotionally and mentally.
Jones describes here tribes that have cauterized their communities of even the slightest touch of humanity. Others pretend to be responsible and caring, but are willing to surrender this behaviour for the slightest advantage, gold or power.
Our protagonists have to face pain and tremendous obstacles. They have to overcome their own shortcomings and keep on living with the evil and weak sides of their personalities. But they have to push on, because the survival of humankind is at stake.
There are two antagonists so far I can’t find any positive about. But I really like that none of the protagonists is a plain good person (except maybe Ash, but not even her), but all of them have also a dark an evil face if circumstances require it.
And all this is set in a cold, rough and unforgiving landscape. Just to read it makes me shiver.
I don’t think I ever read such a dark fantasy before.
My highest recommendation for everyone who is into adult and very dark fantasy.
April 1, 2016
Thinking back on it, almost nothing happened in this book. If it were to summarize what happened to each of our main characters I could probably do it in about 1-3 sentences each, and with room to spare for most of them, because the plot progresses at a glacially slow pace right until the last five chapters or so when things suddenly flare up. Ordinarily, I’d write something like this and feel this way about a book I didn’t like but, crazily enough, I actually enjoyed a Fortress of Grey Ice a lot.
The credit has to go to Jones’ amazing writing style which hid the fact that this novel treads a very fine line between installment and filler. It was only when I finished it and had some time to think about the series as a whole, that I realized how little actually happened in Fortress. And it’s not like I feel tricked now that I recognize it- what *does* happen is quite intense and I feel a bit more connected with a couple of the fringe characters now that they’ve been given a significant number of chapters of their own. The setting continues to delight in just how cold and brutish and nasty it is and the mystery of our main characters’ roles in the upcoming big Struggle is still there and enticing. And like every big, chunky, multi volume fantasy series, for every answer we receive there are three more questions that spring up in its place.
Does this mean this was as good a book as Caverns of Black Ice? No. It’s apparent pretty early on that we replace some of our stronger point of view chapters with new additions that just don’t hold the same punch. The political maneuverings and power struggle between two of our ‘baddies’ also gets cut and the antagonists from the first book hardly interact with the protagonists at all. Just by nature of how the story developed, this novel has far less tension and less of a sense of urgency than its predecessor and it’s evident. I also didn’t like one major death that happened about 3/4ths of the way through because it prematurely ended a viewpoint and a perspective that I’d been curious about since the start of book 1. I felt that death was sloppy, too sudden, and just kind of ridiculous.
Quibbles aside though, I did really enjoy the read. I have to admit, however, that this isn’t a series that I would go back and re-read anytime soon because Jones tires you out with her world. I can't think of any other way to describe it and I don’t know about everyone else, but after reading about the deathly cold, the frostbite, the storms, and the drinking of warm animal blood to revive yourself after a miserable night out in the open, I feel the need to retreat under 3 layers of blankets, bury my head under my floppy pillow, and sleep until summer.
The credit has to go to Jones’ amazing writing style which hid the fact that this novel treads a very fine line between installment and filler. It was only when I finished it and had some time to think about the series as a whole, that I realized how little actually happened in Fortress. And it’s not like I feel tricked now that I recognize it- what *does* happen is quite intense and I feel a bit more connected with a couple of the fringe characters now that they’ve been given a significant number of chapters of their own. The setting continues to delight in just how cold and brutish and nasty it is and the mystery of our main characters’ roles in the upcoming big Struggle is still there and enticing. And like every big, chunky, multi volume fantasy series, for every answer we receive there are three more questions that spring up in its place.
Does this mean this was as good a book as Caverns of Black Ice? No. It’s apparent pretty early on that we replace some of our stronger point of view chapters with new additions that just don’t hold the same punch. The political maneuverings and power struggle between two of our ‘baddies’ also gets cut and the antagonists from the first book hardly interact with the protagonists at all. Just by nature of how the story developed, this novel has far less tension and less of a sense of urgency than its predecessor and it’s evident. I also didn’t like one major death that happened about 3/4ths of the way through because it prematurely ended a viewpoint and a perspective that I’d been curious about since the start of book 1. I felt that death was sloppy, too sudden, and just kind of ridiculous.
Quibbles aside though, I did really enjoy the read. I have to admit, however, that this isn’t a series that I would go back and re-read anytime soon because Jones tires you out with her world. I can't think of any other way to describe it and I don’t know about everyone else, but after reading about the deathly cold, the frostbite, the storms, and the drinking of warm animal blood to revive yourself after a miserable night out in the open, I feel the need to retreat under 3 layers of blankets, bury my head under my floppy pillow, and sleep until summer.
April 9, 2020
I read this book 5 years after I read the first in the series, yet so much of it came back to me and there's a recap in the beginning which covers much of the first book as a refresher. I absolutely loved the first book, and hoped to do so with this one too, and on the whole it's a lot of fun but it's also a typically very slow fantasy build up.
This story is the tale of Raif and Ash for the most part still, however we also follow Effie and Raina in their new roles too. Raif and Ash are the two very key characters who, it appears, have the task of saving the world. Each of them is tasked with learning new things and following new pathways that open to them in order to one day save the world from the Rift and the Endlords who may emerge.
Effie is a young girl accused of being a witch by her clan, she's forced into hiding and she's a resourceful young thing. I do like her plot even though it's a little few and far between, and I think she will have a more major role as the books go on.
Raina is the chief wife and yet she's not happy with the husband she has who is her second. He's manipulative and nasty and controlling and she thinks that something needs to be done.
The pacing in this one is SLOW and actually I could summarise what 'actually' happens in the book in far fewer words, but with that being said I think this is the sort of read you could dive headlong into to escape the current world and that's kind of what I did over the last few days.
The magic of this book really didn't feature so much, it's there in the creatures and on the fringes of the story more than in centre-stage, but I am always intrigued when I do see some magical parts.
Overall, it's a solid - if slow - continuation and I definitely keep going with the story. This is set to be a 5-book series but the author hasn't yet finished book #5 (and there's no sign that it will be for a good while yet) so I'm in no rush to move immediately on, but if they all have the little recap at the front like this one then it should be fine whenever I get to the sequel.
3.5*s from me.
This story is the tale of Raif and Ash for the most part still, however we also follow Effie and Raina in their new roles too. Raif and Ash are the two very key characters who, it appears, have the task of saving the world. Each of them is tasked with learning new things and following new pathways that open to them in order to one day save the world from the Rift and the Endlords who may emerge.
Effie is a young girl accused of being a witch by her clan, she's forced into hiding and she's a resourceful young thing. I do like her plot even though it's a little few and far between, and I think she will have a more major role as the books go on.
Raina is the chief wife and yet she's not happy with the husband she has who is her second. He's manipulative and nasty and controlling and she thinks that something needs to be done.
The pacing in this one is SLOW and actually I could summarise what 'actually' happens in the book in far fewer words, but with that being said I think this is the sort of read you could dive headlong into to escape the current world and that's kind of what I did over the last few days.
The magic of this book really didn't feature so much, it's there in the creatures and on the fringes of the story more than in centre-stage, but I am always intrigued when I do see some magical parts.
Overall, it's a solid - if slow - continuation and I definitely keep going with the story. This is set to be a 5-book series but the author hasn't yet finished book #5 (and there's no sign that it will be for a good while yet) so I'm in no rush to move immediately on, but if they all have the little recap at the front like this one then it should be fine whenever I get to the sequel.
3.5*s from me.
August 19, 2016
This one was better paced and moved much faster...I felt myself being able to connect to the characters and the way that the author is proceeding with the storyline - I don't have to worry about the development of Ash and Raif's relationship.
Much much better...but will I go on to read the next in the series?
I don't think so, I ended up reading the reviews and there was a spoiler that kind of turned me off from reading further.
Much much better...but will I go on to read the next in the series?
I don't think so, I ended up reading the reviews and there was a spoiler that kind of turned me off from reading further.
December 8, 2020
Somehow, in the sands of time, I'd forgotten the name JV Jones. What I haven't forgotten was how much I liked this book. It had lots of action, an interesting world, and a fine dark streak, which is always a plus. Apparently the series has gone unfinished, but I think I'll catch up on the next few books at some stage, even though it might be 20 years since I last read them. Yes, I remember liking it that much.
February 10, 2017
WOW! It took a while to complete this but was sooo worth it!
January 21, 2020
Temps lēnāks kā pirmajā grāmatā. Tā it kā autore gatavotu lasītāju lielajiem notikumiem, kuri tā īsti nepienāk. Nu varbūt tad nākamajā daļā.
April 29, 2013
It's been four or five years since I read this, so I might misremember some details, and possibly get details mixed up with the sequel. The two blend together and suffer from exactly the same problems, only further exacerbated in the third book.
This series suffers from what, with the benefit of hindsight, I would like to call "Song of Ice and Fire" syndrome. The first book is great fun, tightly packed with a strong central plot and a lot of characters. Then as the series goes on, it loses focus and bogs us down with chapter after chapter about characters who are tens of miles apart and never going to meet up ever again.
The trouble starts near the very start of the book when the two main characters from the first book go their separate ways on extremely flimsy pretenses. For the female lead, Ash, this will be a voyage into obscurity, as she spends two books achieving precisely nothing. Raif, the male lead and real main character, will veeery sloooowly advance the main plot of the book. However, he only stumbles upon the titular Fortress of Grey Ice near the very end of the book and quickly dispatches the nasty monster that lives there, toppling the whole place. We're barely given any detail of what the fortress looks like and despite being teased with it all book long, it's there and gone in the blink of an eye. Totally disappointing.
This would be lessened if not for the myriad of other (pointless) characters in the book. Some PoV characters from the first book are kept up, or other existing characters promoted to PoV characters, but they are no longer there to advance the central plot. Instead they just keep the wheels spinning. There's a huge clan war that encircles the whole world of the book, but does not touch Raif or Ash (the main characters) at all. In this we can, again, see the clear influence of Song of Ice and Fire, with the bulk of the world consumed in a boring political conflict while up north a magical undead army prepares to take over the world. By the end of the book I wished they'd get a move on and kill off the dozens of boring characters I was forced to read about.
There are a couple of gems in the mix, PoV characters who are a joy to read about in their own right, but they're in the minority, and there is absolutely no reason not to rip every chapter out of the book and organise them by character. You'll miss absolutely nothing by reading all of Raif's chapters together, or all of Vaylo's chapters together. Although you might notice how little actually happens in the book.
Very disappointing after the first book was so captivating.
This series suffers from what, with the benefit of hindsight, I would like to call "Song of Ice and Fire" syndrome. The first book is great fun, tightly packed with a strong central plot and a lot of characters. Then as the series goes on, it loses focus and bogs us down with chapter after chapter about characters who are tens of miles apart and never going to meet up ever again.
The trouble starts near the very start of the book when the two main characters from the first book go their separate ways on extremely flimsy pretenses. For the female lead, Ash, this will be a voyage into obscurity, as she spends two books achieving precisely nothing. Raif, the male lead and real main character, will veeery sloooowly advance the main plot of the book. However, he only stumbles upon the titular Fortress of Grey Ice near the very end of the book and quickly dispatches the nasty monster that lives there, toppling the whole place. We're barely given any detail of what the fortress looks like and despite being teased with it all book long, it's there and gone in the blink of an eye. Totally disappointing.
This would be lessened if not for the myriad of other (pointless) characters in the book. Some PoV characters from the first book are kept up, or other existing characters promoted to PoV characters, but they are no longer there to advance the central plot. Instead they just keep the wheels spinning. There's a huge clan war that encircles the whole world of the book, but does not touch Raif or Ash (the main characters) at all. In this we can, again, see the clear influence of Song of Ice and Fire, with the bulk of the world consumed in a boring political conflict while up north a magical undead army prepares to take over the world. By the end of the book I wished they'd get a move on and kill off the dozens of boring characters I was forced to read about.
There are a couple of gems in the mix, PoV characters who are a joy to read about in their own right, but they're in the minority, and there is absolutely no reason not to rip every chapter out of the book and organise them by character. You'll miss absolutely nothing by reading all of Raif's chapters together, or all of Vaylo's chapters together. Although you might notice how little actually happens in the book.
Very disappointing after the first book was so captivating.
February 8, 2015
First of all, if you don't like spoilers, don't read the blurb!! It's essentially a summary of the entire book.
The four star rating is purely because I was disappointed by the ending. I was thoroughly enjoying the book and felt like it was building up to some exciting or unexpected event that never happened. Crope's storyline was my favourite - I loved this new character and his interaction with one of my favourite storylines from the first book. Aside from that, I just felt like the book was setting the scene for the next installment.
That's the only criticism I have though. Jones has the perfect combination of storytelling and literary skills and I love the world and the characters she's created. I was rooting for every single one of the characters all through the book and I'm really looking forward to the rest of the series.
The four star rating is purely because I was disappointed by the ending. I was thoroughly enjoying the book and felt like it was building up to some exciting or unexpected event that never happened. Crope's storyline was my favourite - I loved this new character and his interaction with one of my favourite storylines from the first book. Aside from that, I just felt like the book was setting the scene for the next installment.
That's the only criticism I have though. Jones has the perfect combination of storytelling and literary skills and I love the world and the characters she's created. I was rooting for every single one of the characters all through the book and I'm really looking forward to the rest of the series.
January 30, 2013
One of the first times the second book has been better than the first. The writing was much stronger, and I found I cared deeply for the characters, Effie Sevrance most notably. There are very dark themes at play, and I was moved to tears a couple times. Great book, great series, great author. Can't wait to finish it.
December 15, 2019
What can I say, I'm just really enjoying this series! It ticks all the right boxes and I'm really enjoying getting perspectives from so many different people. I love how much of the world (which has some excellent world-building!) we get to explore. Can't wait to track down and dive into the next book.
August 10, 2025
I continue to believe this is an underrated series. Very solid characters and a great story so far. Excited to move forward with book 3. Some good mysteries as to where this might go.
September 2, 2022
Didn't expect to cry. I don't even care that this series may never be finished. I love J.V. Jones.
December 29, 2013
A soap opera with frost barbarians. Multiple characters separately dealing with changing times at the northern edge of a fantasy world. A good read, a slowly building plot, where magic from an ancient race threatens the entire weird. a bit heavy on introspection, a little light on action
October 9, 2021
Such an incredible series. Such an incredible author. This sequel is every much as great as it predecessor. It has a slow methodical pace that builds the tension of each scene. The wonderfully fleshed out characters. The beautifully described landscape. This is epic storytelling at its finest.
January 11, 2016
WTF! I'm not prone to swearing, but that was my initial reaction on reading the last three chapters while trying to relax in a nice hot bath!
But first, synopsis - errrrr! It's hard to actually say what this book is about, because of the sheer amount going on. There's literally loads of plotlines, peopled by so many characters, that the story didn't feel that cohesive to me, so actually saying what's happened is hard. In fact, that was by biggest problem with this book - it's the second book in a four book series and yet it read more like an extended prologue. There seems to be a lot of setting up of characters and situations, and yet nothing really solid to get your teeth into. Whole chapters go by and I wouldn't say that the story has moved on at all.
That said, the writing is good and it's not hard to keep track of everything that is going on. I didn't like Raif any better than in the first book, although he does have a few moments here that are good, even if the main bit of his storyline (the search for the Fortress of Grey Ice ie. the title of the book) seems to come out of nowhere and is crammed into the last few chapters of the book. Ash's character does seem to be developing, but again, with only a few chapters dedicated to her vs all the other characters, I can't say for sure.
However, as to actually what is going on, I can only read on to the next book. At least some dark and evil monsters were released in this one, even if you have to read chapter after chapter of non-related stuff before they are dealt with.
But first, synopsis - errrrr! It's hard to actually say what this book is about, because of the sheer amount going on. There's literally loads of plotlines, peopled by so many characters, that the story didn't feel that cohesive to me, so actually saying what's happened is hard. In fact, that was by biggest problem with this book - it's the second book in a four book series and yet it read more like an extended prologue. There seems to be a lot of setting up of characters and situations, and yet nothing really solid to get your teeth into. Whole chapters go by and I wouldn't say that the story has moved on at all.
That said, the writing is good and it's not hard to keep track of everything that is going on. I didn't like Raif any better than in the first book, although he does have a few moments here that are good, even if the main bit of his storyline (the search for the Fortress of Grey Ice ie. the title of the book) seems to come out of nowhere and is crammed into the last few chapters of the book. Ash's character does seem to be developing, but again, with only a few chapters dedicated to her vs all the other characters, I can't say for sure.
However, as to actually what is going on, I can only read on to the next book. At least some dark and evil monsters were released in this one, even if you have to read chapter after chapter of non-related stuff before they are dealt with.
September 6, 2019
What a beautifully paced book! It was a lot tighter than the first one, that took me over 400 pages to really get invested in. You feel the weight of the victories and the failures of each of the main characters. It ends on a relatively good cliff hanger as well, which makes me look forward to the next book in the series!
February 26, 2021
I can see now, why J.V. Jones "Sword of Shadows"-Series never shot up in popularity compared to other titles like "A Song of Ice and Fire" or "Mistborn". When it comes to accessibility, this series hurls quite a number of stones in your way. "A Cavern of Black Ice", the first book in the series, had a very slow start, a very gripping middle, and a slow, anticlimactic finale with many plot strands hanging in the open. The second entry isn't much better in that regard. The pacing is horribly slow, pushing the characters' journeys forward in ever so small steps. This time around, the individual plotlines receive some kind of conclusion, but instead of having a massive, epic finale, where many paths come together, it is rather a series of smaller finales that mark the end of a station for each POV-Character in this book. The big 'Wow'-effect isn't quite there.
Despite all of that, "The Fortress of Grey Ice" was a satisfying read. Jones' writing style is even more refined than in the first book. Details are more wisely chosen. It's still overwhelming in the amount of descriptions at times, but it manages again to masterfully create a graspable world and vivid imagery.
There are three new POV-Characters - Raina, Crope and Bram - who all join wonderfully into the cadre of central characters. Their POVs are all well written. Jones is very crafty at creating suspenseful, tense and emotional situations. Especially Crope was a new favorite of mine. Reading about him battling against the world and his own personal limitations in order to save his master was just excellent. Effie, the Dog Lord, Raif and Ash all pull of their own ways of being amazing or sympathetic characters. Only Penthero Iss was a disappointment here. The political intrigues of Spire Vanis are barely the focus of this book and the surlord gets basically nothing to do here. It seems his mysteries and his story is already at an end, and it kinda feels like that whilre reading every single chapter he is in.
I was also puzzled for quite some time with Raif's decision to join the Maimed Men. At the start of the novel, he is free to go where he pleases. But instead of - I don't know - choosing some place warm and cozy and leaving his clan behind for good, he decides to join a band of murderous maniacs who tend to mutilate newcomers in their community and periodically embark on raids in the clan regions. By the end, you get a vague explanation and a notion that the invisible hand of destiny is at work here, but I still find that particular decision quite mindboggling.
Like its predecessor, "The Fortress of Grey Ice" isn't exactly a page turner, and the overall pace is very slow. Patient readers, however, will be rewarded with incredible chapters and situations that occur from time to time (e.g. a fairly mean spirited witch trial, or a very dramatic archery contest).
Definitely looking forward to the third book...
Despite all of that, "The Fortress of Grey Ice" was a satisfying read. Jones' writing style is even more refined than in the first book. Details are more wisely chosen. It's still overwhelming in the amount of descriptions at times, but it manages again to masterfully create a graspable world and vivid imagery.
There are three new POV-Characters - Raina, Crope and Bram - who all join wonderfully into the cadre of central characters. Their POVs are all well written. Jones is very crafty at creating suspenseful, tense and emotional situations. Especially Crope was a new favorite of mine. Reading about him battling against the world and his own personal limitations in order to save his master was just excellent. Effie, the Dog Lord, Raif and Ash all pull of their own ways of being amazing or sympathetic characters. Only Penthero Iss was a disappointment here. The political intrigues of Spire Vanis are barely the focus of this book and the surlord gets basically nothing to do here. It seems his mysteries and his story is already at an end, and it kinda feels like that whilre reading every single chapter he is in.
I was also puzzled for quite some time with Raif's decision to join the Maimed Men. At the start of the novel, he is free to go where he pleases. But instead of - I don't know - choosing some place warm and cozy and leaving his clan behind for good, he decides to join a band of murderous maniacs who tend to mutilate newcomers in their community and periodically embark on raids in the clan regions. By the end, you get a vague explanation and a notion that the invisible hand of destiny is at work here, but I still find that particular decision quite mindboggling.
Like its predecessor, "The Fortress of Grey Ice" isn't exactly a page turner, and the overall pace is very slow. Patient readers, however, will be rewarded with incredible chapters and situations that occur from time to time (e.g. a fairly mean spirited witch trial, or a very dramatic archery contest).
Definitely looking forward to the third book...
September 18, 2021
I just finished Fortress of Grey Ice. While I agree with other reviewers that it might not be for everyone, I found it satisfying. First, my complaints:
What I did not care for was the overall backstory involving creatures from the depths, evil lords from the beginning of time just waiting to break free of their prison and wreak havoc on the world, etc. etc. Doesn't work for me.
I would have liked a better and more detailed map. And, as in much genre writing these days, editing is a problem. While Jones' prose style is far better than much of fantasy these days, she could have tightened it up a bit.
One thing I like about this series is the richness of Jones' imagination. I loved her descriptions of towns, castles, landscapes and did not find them at all boring or too much elongated I like to linger in an imaginative world, but that is me. Readers who want a fast pace do have reason to complain.
Raif Sevrance is the kind of character who usually gets a supporting role, and I am fascinated watching his growth into the kind of man of valor and high competence who does, not necessarily what is good, but what has to be done. Long, difficult journeys, unheralded battles, and loss in love are all part of the story arc of this kind of character. Nor does such a man usually get a helpful band of companions. His battles are fought, and much of his life spent, in solitude. I hope he finds true friends and a woman worthy of him. The emotionally shallow Ash March is exactly whom he does not need. Of course she found the brilliant and cold hearted Sull travelers congenial. A spoilt child of privilege would. She isn't passive and has a capacity to live and act in the present moment, along with the confidence which comes with beauty and a comfortable upbringing, but other than that, and inherited talents, there is not much to her.
As for the rest, I liked seeing more of the clan holdings; I cheered when a successful sociopath got his comeuppance at the hands of a person of slow mind and large heart; I continue to want to wring Drey Sevrance's neck for failing to protect his sister, Effie. (Someone who read the first book of this series, please explain so as I can understand, who takes a child along to an assignation, or where she has reason to believe that an importunate suitor might show up? And what older brother does not then step forward and say you two might be clan chief and wife, but you get nothing to say about my sister, and if the pair of you don't like it, there are other clans who will accept us?)
There are new characters, plots and counterplots. Me as a detail person, I liked all of it and would have happily accepted more. Nothing felt forced or artificial to me, with the exception I noted above.
What I did not care for was the overall backstory involving creatures from the depths, evil lords from the beginning of time just waiting to break free of their prison and wreak havoc on the world, etc. etc. Doesn't work for me.
I would have liked a better and more detailed map. And, as in much genre writing these days, editing is a problem. While Jones' prose style is far better than much of fantasy these days, she could have tightened it up a bit.
One thing I like about this series is the richness of Jones' imagination. I loved her descriptions of towns, castles, landscapes and did not find them at all boring or too much elongated I like to linger in an imaginative world, but that is me. Readers who want a fast pace do have reason to complain.
Raif Sevrance is the kind of character who usually gets a supporting role, and I am fascinated watching his growth into the kind of man of valor and high competence who does, not necessarily what is good, but what has to be done. Long, difficult journeys, unheralded battles, and loss in love are all part of the story arc of this kind of character. Nor does such a man usually get a helpful band of companions. His battles are fought, and much of his life spent, in solitude. I hope he finds true friends and a woman worthy of him. The emotionally shallow Ash March is exactly whom he does not need. Of course she found the brilliant and cold hearted Sull travelers congenial. A spoilt child of privilege would. She isn't passive and has a capacity to live and act in the present moment, along with the confidence which comes with beauty and a comfortable upbringing, but other than that, and inherited talents, there is not much to her.
As for the rest, I liked seeing more of the clan holdings; I cheered when a successful sociopath got his comeuppance at the hands of a person of slow mind and large heart; I continue to want to wring Drey Sevrance's neck for failing to protect his sister, Effie. (Someone who read the first book of this series, please explain so as I can understand, who takes a child along to an assignation, or where she has reason to believe that an importunate suitor might show up? And what older brother does not then step forward and say you two might be clan chief and wife, but you get nothing to say about my sister, and if the pair of you don't like it, there are other clans who will accept us?)
There are new characters, plots and counterplots. Me as a detail person, I liked all of it and would have happily accepted more. Nothing felt forced or artificial to me, with the exception I noted above.
December 29, 2016
This second volume in the Sword of Shadows series (now up to 4 books) continues the emotionally-intense, hard-hitting epic style that so impressed me in A Cavern of Black Ice. Here, J.V. Jones takes advantage of the already established setting to focus more on character and story development. Raif, Ash, and the rest are helplessly swept along towards their destinies, facing daunting trials but growing throughout this book into remarkably fleshed-out characters, something that was arguably missing from the first book. At the same time, the story maintains the same level of intensity in this book as it had in the first, as Jones continues to elevate the plot and build up towards a still-mysterious climax that I can't wait to reach. She puts her characters through absolutely terrible scenarios, described in a no-holds-bared way that may be too much for some readers. She is among the best at evoking emotion in the reader, and utilizes that talent frequently during this book to create some frankly disturbing scenes. Even a hardened veteran of dark fantasies like me couldn't help cringing at parts of this book (the fate of the old Shankshound), another thing this one had in common with its predecessor, and one of the reasons these books are so powerfully captivating.
The cast of POV characters has changed a bit since the first book, and now includes: Raif, Ash, Effie, Penthero Iss, the Dog Lord, Raina, Bram Cormac, and Crope. Bram is half-brother to the would-be Dhoone King, Robbie Dhoone, and mostly just serves as another eye in the Clan Wars, but is starting to develop into an interesting/important character in his own right. Crope is a great new character that starts as a slave in a diamond mine but soon escapes and sets out to rescue his old lord, the Bound One. He'll be loved by all readers, and his story is sure to continue and be very impactful on the overall arc in the next couple of books. I would actually say that Jones did an even better job in this book than the first in selecting her POV characters and in pacing the novel to each of their individual stories. And they really do remain individual in this one, but will almost surely start coming together in the next? And as is stands now, you don't get the feeling that Jones has overreached with too many stories or characters here. For the most part, each of the individual stories and characters seem to be heading towards a single, uniting goal.
With this second novel, the series firms up its position amongst my favorite epic fantasies. Can't wait to read more adventures in this cold, gritty, and unforgiving setting! Highly recommended!
The cast of POV characters has changed a bit since the first book, and now includes: Raif, Ash, Effie, Penthero Iss, the Dog Lord, Raina, Bram Cormac, and Crope. Bram is half-brother to the would-be Dhoone King, Robbie Dhoone, and mostly just serves as another eye in the Clan Wars, but is starting to develop into an interesting/important character in his own right. Crope is a great new character that starts as a slave in a diamond mine but soon escapes and sets out to rescue his old lord, the Bound One. He'll be loved by all readers, and his story is sure to continue and be very impactful on the overall arc in the next couple of books. I would actually say that Jones did an even better job in this book than the first in selecting her POV characters and in pacing the novel to each of their individual stories. And they really do remain individual in this one, but will almost surely start coming together in the next? And as is stands now, you don't get the feeling that Jones has overreached with too many stories or characters here. For the most part, each of the individual stories and characters seem to be heading towards a single, uniting goal.
With this second novel, the series firms up its position amongst my favorite epic fantasies. Can't wait to read more adventures in this cold, gritty, and unforgiving setting! Highly recommended!
March 11, 2017
Ash March has visited the Cavern of Black Ice and stalled the arrival of the evil Endlords, at least for now. She must now make her way to the homeland of the enigmatic Sull, where her true path will be revealed. Meanwhile, Raif Sevrance's role in events seems to have conclude, and he now seeks a life for himself amongst the exiles of the Maimed Men. But it seems that his destiny has not done with him yet, as he is called into the vastness of the Great Want in search of the Fortress of Grey Ice...
Middle volumes are always the most problematic part for any ongoing series. They don't have a clearly-defined beginning or end and structurally can end up as a bit of a mess if the author isn't careful. In the case of J.V. Jones's Sword of Shadows fantasy sequence this is even more of a danger. Planned to be five books in length, this gives her no less than three middle volumes to navigate through and retain the audience's attention.
She got off to an excellent start with A Cavern of Black Ice, one of the strongest opening volumes to an epic fantasy series ever written, one that showed an impressive growth in writing ability since her debut work, the somewhat more traditional Book of Words trilogy. With its considerably more nuanced characterisation, restrained toned and thorough-but-not-overwhelming worldbuilding (particularly showing that the clans may be relatively primitive, but they are not mindless savages and have complex systems of agriculture and mining), the Sword of Shadows is a more mature and interesting work.
This quality carries forwards into A Fortress of Grey Ice, though Jones is only partially successful in navigating through the problems of middle volume syndrom. On the plus side, she introduces several new storylines (particularly the civil war within Clan Dhoone) which make for interesting reading, expanding the scope of the story and the world without resorting to filler. Raif Sevrance's storyline, as he goes from rejected hero to a member of the Maimed Men to searching for the enigmatic Fortress of Grey Ice, is also structurally well-handled, giving the book a narrative spine with its own beginning, middle and end. Book of Words fans will also appreciate the arrival of Crope, a notable supporting character from that work, and his role in this novel (which ends in the death of a major character so impressively offhand that both Paul Kearney and George R.R. Martin would applaud it). Elsewhere, other characters and storylines suffer. Ash March spends the whole book on a journey from A to B and doesn't even get there at the end of the book. Raina Blackhail's potentially gripping story of political machinations within the Hailhouse are given very short shrift. The Dog Lord's storyline, though entertaining, seems to rely on a few too many obviously unwise decisions for it to be fully convincing.
The star of the book - and probably the whole series - is the wind-lashed, freezing cold landscape of the Northern Territories. Jones's research for this series appears to be formidable, with musings on the dangers of frostbite and how the climate works within an ice desert. George R.R. Martin's descriptions of the land beyond the Wall in A Song of Ice and Fire are impressive, but Jones's depiction of her frozen setting is even more impressive (as the whole series is set there).
A Fortress of Grey Ice (****½) is well-written and finely-characterised, with a formidably vivid setting. The plot and pacing is not as impressive as in the first book, and some storylines feel drawn out, whilst others are given relatively short shrift. However, this is still a well-above-average epic fantasy and the conclusion will leave readers eager to move onto the third book (which they can do immediately, rather than waiting five years as fans had to back when this novel was first published).
Middle volumes are always the most problematic part for any ongoing series. They don't have a clearly-defined beginning or end and structurally can end up as a bit of a mess if the author isn't careful. In the case of J.V. Jones's Sword of Shadows fantasy sequence this is even more of a danger. Planned to be five books in length, this gives her no less than three middle volumes to navigate through and retain the audience's attention.
She got off to an excellent start with A Cavern of Black Ice, one of the strongest opening volumes to an epic fantasy series ever written, one that showed an impressive growth in writing ability since her debut work, the somewhat more traditional Book of Words trilogy. With its considerably more nuanced characterisation, restrained toned and thorough-but-not-overwhelming worldbuilding (particularly showing that the clans may be relatively primitive, but they are not mindless savages and have complex systems of agriculture and mining), the Sword of Shadows is a more mature and interesting work.
This quality carries forwards into A Fortress of Grey Ice, though Jones is only partially successful in navigating through the problems of middle volume syndrom. On the plus side, she introduces several new storylines (particularly the civil war within Clan Dhoone) which make for interesting reading, expanding the scope of the story and the world without resorting to filler. Raif Sevrance's storyline, as he goes from rejected hero to a member of the Maimed Men to searching for the enigmatic Fortress of Grey Ice, is also structurally well-handled, giving the book a narrative spine with its own beginning, middle and end. Book of Words fans will also appreciate the arrival of Crope, a notable supporting character from that work, and his role in this novel (which ends in the death of a major character so impressively offhand that both Paul Kearney and George R.R. Martin would applaud it). Elsewhere, other characters and storylines suffer. Ash March spends the whole book on a journey from A to B and doesn't even get there at the end of the book. Raina Blackhail's potentially gripping story of political machinations within the Hailhouse are given very short shrift. The Dog Lord's storyline, though entertaining, seems to rely on a few too many obviously unwise decisions for it to be fully convincing.
The star of the book - and probably the whole series - is the wind-lashed, freezing cold landscape of the Northern Territories. Jones's research for this series appears to be formidable, with musings on the dangers of frostbite and how the climate works within an ice desert. George R.R. Martin's descriptions of the land beyond the Wall in A Song of Ice and Fire are impressive, but Jones's depiction of her frozen setting is even more impressive (as the whole series is set there).
A Fortress of Grey Ice (****½) is well-written and finely-characterised, with a formidably vivid setting. The plot and pacing is not as impressive as in the first book, and some storylines feel drawn out, whilst others are given relatively short shrift. However, this is still a well-above-average epic fantasy and the conclusion will leave readers eager to move onto the third book (which they can do immediately, rather than waiting five years as fans had to back when this novel was first published).
December 11, 2017
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Franchement une lecture sympa, même si ce tome est franchement un tome de transition car on n'a pas trop d'idée d’où est l'intrigue principale pendant un long moment.
L'histoire reprends la ou elle c'était arrêté dans le tome précédent. Ash et Raif sont séparés, la première s'en va avec les Sulls pour achever sa formation quand à l'autre il essaye de la rattraper mais fini par échouer avec les renégats humains au bord de la faille qui fait peur même au Sulls ...
Cela parait simple mais en fait ça ne l'est pas vraiment. Comme je l'ai dit ce tome est un tome de transition. Transition parce que les héros principaux ont finalement pas mal de révélations sur eux même et ou ça pourra les amener plus tard.
En plus de nos deux héros du tome précédents nous suivons aussi de nombreux autres personnages. Les points de vue se multiplient pour nous donner une image globale de ce qu'il se passe un peu de partout.
Et c'est un autre point que j'ai bien aimé ici, le fait que ces points de vue soient vraiment de tout bord. Aussi bien des personnages très sympathique que d'autres pas du tout mais important pour l'histoire.
Et c'est vrai qu'on est dans un monde dur, froid et la sensibilité n'est pas de mise ici ou la moindre erreur fini par par une mort. Du coup l'ambiance est très sombre, et il faut tuer ou être tué. On suis des personnages à qui il arrive des horreurs ou d'autres qui vivent une horreur quotidienne, il faut des fois s'accrocher. Par exemple un des points de vue qu'on avait déjà dans le premier est celui d'une femme qui a du épouser son violeur pour pouvoir survivre, et il la pousse dans ses derniers retranchements car il est très vicieux. Mais le pire c'est que elle-même finalement le prend limite mieux que moi sur ce coup, elle survit et ça lui convient même si elle fait tout pour arranger les choses et le combattre, elle n'est pas du tout sur le ton du désespoir ou de la défaite.
L'alternance rapide entre les points de vue donne l'impression d'avancer alors qu'en fait si on y réfléchi, si chaque personnage individuellement avance dans sa voie personnelle, l'histoire principale elle est au même rythme que les glaces dans lesquelles ce tome à lieu, c'est à dire très lente.
Du coup je dois avouer que j'ai mis un temps fou à le terminer, plus d'une semaine ce qui est vraiment exceptionnel pour moi qui dévore d'habitude mes livres en 2 ou 3 jours.
Mais ça ne m'a pas dérangé dans mon plaisir de lire. Pour tout dire une fois dedans j'étais lancée dans un rythme ou j'aurais largement pu continuer sur le suivant directement sans me lasser malgré le nombre important de pages.
En fait cette série est vraiment sympa de par son atmosphère glaçante et son intrigue qui se joue plus sur l'intégralité des personnages dans la région que juste sur un héros. Elle m'a fortement rappelé l'Arcane des Épées de Tad Williams aussi bien de par son rythme, son type de récit et le fait que ça se passe aussi dans le froid, sans parler bien sur des Sulls qui rappellent pas mal les Sithis du maître mais sans le coté coloré et été de ces derniers. Par contre l'intrigue de Simon est bien plus gentille que celle de Raif ici.
C'est un livre dans lequel on s'installe et après un temps d'adaptation on fini par se laisser emporter par son rythme et l'envie d'en savoir plus sur chacun des points de vue.
Après certes en lui même ce tome est quand même moins bon que le précédent, rien que parce qu'il n'a pas vraiment d'histoire principale que je peux résumer et qui marquerait un avancement quelconque.
Du coup je déconseille cette série aux amateurs de lectures rapide mais il plaira aux amateurs d'ambiance forte et dure, même plus que le premier tome qui avait un trame plus classique et moins sombre. C'est finalement de la fantasy qui se lit bien, qui est intéressante et qui donne une envie de plus à chaque fois !
Du coup j'ai envie de lire le suivant assez rapidement parce que mon envie d'avancement n'a pas vraiment été satisfait dans ce tome, malgré le fait que c'est très lent et très long à lire.
16/20
Franchement une lecture sympa, même si ce tome est franchement un tome de transition car on n'a pas trop d'idée d’où est l'intrigue principale pendant un long moment.
L'histoire reprends la ou elle c'était arrêté dans le tome précédent. Ash et Raif sont séparés, la première s'en va avec les Sulls pour achever sa formation quand à l'autre il essaye de la rattraper mais fini par échouer avec les renégats humains au bord de la faille qui fait peur même au Sulls ...
Cela parait simple mais en fait ça ne l'est pas vraiment. Comme je l'ai dit ce tome est un tome de transition. Transition parce que les héros principaux ont finalement pas mal de révélations sur eux même et ou ça pourra les amener plus tard.
En plus de nos deux héros du tome précédents nous suivons aussi de nombreux autres personnages. Les points de vue se multiplient pour nous donner une image globale de ce qu'il se passe un peu de partout.
Et c'est un autre point que j'ai bien aimé ici, le fait que ces points de vue soient vraiment de tout bord. Aussi bien des personnages très sympathique que d'autres pas du tout mais important pour l'histoire.
Et c'est vrai qu'on est dans un monde dur, froid et la sensibilité n'est pas de mise ici ou la moindre erreur fini par par une mort. Du coup l'ambiance est très sombre, et il faut tuer ou être tué. On suis des personnages à qui il arrive des horreurs ou d'autres qui vivent une horreur quotidienne, il faut des fois s'accrocher. Par exemple un des points de vue qu'on avait déjà dans le premier est celui d'une femme qui a du épouser son violeur pour pouvoir survivre, et il la pousse dans ses derniers retranchements car il est très vicieux. Mais le pire c'est que elle-même finalement le prend limite mieux que moi sur ce coup, elle survit et ça lui convient même si elle fait tout pour arranger les choses et le combattre, elle n'est pas du tout sur le ton du désespoir ou de la défaite.
L'alternance rapide entre les points de vue donne l'impression d'avancer alors qu'en fait si on y réfléchi, si chaque personnage individuellement avance dans sa voie personnelle, l'histoire principale elle est au même rythme que les glaces dans lesquelles ce tome à lieu, c'est à dire très lente.
Du coup je dois avouer que j'ai mis un temps fou à le terminer, plus d'une semaine ce qui est vraiment exceptionnel pour moi qui dévore d'habitude mes livres en 2 ou 3 jours.
Mais ça ne m'a pas dérangé dans mon plaisir de lire. Pour tout dire une fois dedans j'étais lancée dans un rythme ou j'aurais largement pu continuer sur le suivant directement sans me lasser malgré le nombre important de pages.
En fait cette série est vraiment sympa de par son atmosphère glaçante et son intrigue qui se joue plus sur l'intégralité des personnages dans la région que juste sur un héros. Elle m'a fortement rappelé l'Arcane des Épées de Tad Williams aussi bien de par son rythme, son type de récit et le fait que ça se passe aussi dans le froid, sans parler bien sur des Sulls qui rappellent pas mal les Sithis du maître mais sans le coté coloré et été de ces derniers. Par contre l'intrigue de Simon est bien plus gentille que celle de Raif ici.
C'est un livre dans lequel on s'installe et après un temps d'adaptation on fini par se laisser emporter par son rythme et l'envie d'en savoir plus sur chacun des points de vue.
Après certes en lui même ce tome est quand même moins bon que le précédent, rien que parce qu'il n'a pas vraiment d'histoire principale que je peux résumer et qui marquerait un avancement quelconque.
Du coup je déconseille cette série aux amateurs de lectures rapide mais il plaira aux amateurs d'ambiance forte et dure, même plus que le premier tome qui avait un trame plus classique et moins sombre. C'est finalement de la fantasy qui se lit bien, qui est intéressante et qui donne une envie de plus à chaque fois !
Du coup j'ai envie de lire le suivant assez rapidement parce que mon envie d'avancement n'a pas vraiment été satisfait dans ce tome, malgré le fait que c'est très lent et très long à lire.
16/20
February 2, 2025
Top 5 characters - Raif, Vaylo, Raina, Bram, Angus,
Top 5 scenes - Raina and Corbies conversation about Spynie Orrl, Vaylo, his sons, and Dry debating who goes to the Doonewall, the meeting between Robbie Doone and the Milkhouse Queen, The meeting between Raina, Orwin, and Anwyn, Robbie Doone raiding Clan Bludd at the Doonhouse.
This series is on its way to being one of my favorite fantasy series, of all time! I could see how soon could read this and feel as if this has middle book syndrome, but for me, J.V. Jones writing is so capturing, that I do not care that the story is slower. Her character work is second to only probly George R.R. Martin.
Raif is a tragic hero. In the first book, it feels as if he's going to be your standard fantasy protagonist. But towards the end, Raif is anything but standard. He is a man who is lost. He has betrayed his clan, brother, and his father. Most importantly, he feels as if he has betrayed himself. Seeing Raif struggle with this was heartbreaking, but also real. And that what separates J.V. Jones characters from others. They feel so real.
Vaylo once again is arguably one of the best written characters I have ever read. I started this series not being a fan of Vaylo way of seeing the people around him. But as I have continued reading, Vaylo has showed why he is the leader of clan Bludd. He loves his grandkids. He loves his dogs. he loves his men. He loves Nan. And they all love him back.
Bram was a standout character for me. I love characters who are the smartest in the room but get overlooked due to their physical aspects. Bram is a perfect example of this and I loved reading his POV
Raina is the strongest character in this series. She has endured so much pain from her husband, yet she perseveres. She had the best dialogue scenes in the book, and as a fan of good dialogue, I could not stop dissecting every scene she starred in.
Top 5 scenes - Raina and Corbies conversation about Spynie Orrl, Vaylo, his sons, and Dry debating who goes to the Doonewall, the meeting between Robbie Doone and the Milkhouse Queen, The meeting between Raina, Orwin, and Anwyn, Robbie Doone raiding Clan Bludd at the Doonhouse.
This series is on its way to being one of my favorite fantasy series, of all time! I could see how soon could read this and feel as if this has middle book syndrome, but for me, J.V. Jones writing is so capturing, that I do not care that the story is slower. Her character work is second to only probly George R.R. Martin.
Raif is a tragic hero. In the first book, it feels as if he's going to be your standard fantasy protagonist. But towards the end, Raif is anything but standard. He is a man who is lost. He has betrayed his clan, brother, and his father. Most importantly, he feels as if he has betrayed himself. Seeing Raif struggle with this was heartbreaking, but also real. And that what separates J.V. Jones characters from others. They feel so real.
Vaylo once again is arguably one of the best written characters I have ever read. I started this series not being a fan of Vaylo way of seeing the people around him. But as I have continued reading, Vaylo has showed why he is the leader of clan Bludd. He loves his grandkids. He loves his dogs. he loves his men. He loves Nan. And they all love him back.
Bram was a standout character for me. I love characters who are the smartest in the room but get overlooked due to their physical aspects. Bram is a perfect example of this and I loved reading his POV
Raina is the strongest character in this series. She has endured so much pain from her husband, yet she perseveres. She had the best dialogue scenes in the book, and as a fan of good dialogue, I could not stop dissecting every scene she starred in.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2023
The characters are dispersed over great distance so you will find yourself moving between separate and often unrelated stories, although they are all tantamount to the larger plot in this universe. The to and fro can be frustrating especially when you are just getting into an individual arc only for it to end on a cliff hanger. There is a lot of detail about characters back stories and or the place they find themselves in which can often slow the pace a bit, but all in all I really enjoyed this book and JV Jones' writing style. Went a bit off concept perhaps but the different characters move the plot along toward what I can only assume is a grand finale in the last book of this series, Endlords.
It picks up pace in the last half, I found the locations interesting, atmosphere, climate and elements are well described, sometimes I just wanted to focus on Raif and found myself skim reading Ash's arc and I found that I did not have to go back to check on any missed detail which makes me think her story is perhaps not as good as his. Although her scene on the floating bridge had me grinding my teeth!
The ending was really good but not excellent and I know that there is more to come.
It picks up pace in the last half, I found the locations interesting, atmosphere, climate and elements are well described, sometimes I just wanted to focus on Raif and found myself skim reading Ash's arc and I found that I did not have to go back to check on any missed detail which makes me think her story is perhaps not as good as his. Although her scene on the floating bridge had me grinding my teeth!
The ending was really good but not excellent and I know that there is more to come.
December 11, 2016
Overall I enjoyed this book more than the first book of the series.
Some of the main villains from the first book take a back seat in this book but we are introduced to some new characters who are interesting and add to the story. However you get the feeling that its still jsut setting things up for the main body of the story. This book is mostly just people travelling trying to get somewhere for 90% of the story and all the action happens in their last chapter. Having said that though the story has a decent pace and doesn't feel like its dragging.
So all in all its was an enjoyable read and I'm going to try and pick up book 3 in the series in the next few weeks and keep going with the series.
Some of the main villains from the first book take a back seat in this book but we are introduced to some new characters who are interesting and add to the story. However you get the feeling that its still jsut setting things up for the main body of the story. This book is mostly just people travelling trying to get somewhere for 90% of the story and all the action happens in their last chapter. Having said that though the story has a decent pace and doesn't feel like its dragging.
So all in all its was an enjoyable read and I'm going to try and pick up book 3 in the series in the next few weeks and keep going with the series.
July 31, 2013
I had high hopes for J V Jones’ first book in the, “the Sword of Shadows” series and I was pleasantly surprised when “A Cavern of Black Ice” met all of them. Reviews heralded Jones as an author similar in style with George R R Martin, I agreed to an extant but also found a smidge of Abercrombie and a hint of Jennifer Fallon in there as well.
Knowing there was a long wait between books, I waited a long time to read the second book in the hope that the final book will be released when I get to it. My expectations were once again high.
The blurb:
The war to end all wars is coming. The Endlords are preparing themselves for invasion. City men and clansmen should come together to fight the dark forces, yet they feud amongst themselves. Only the Sull are preparing: an ancient, dwindling race, they fear this fight might be their last.
Before I start a review on the book itself, I would like to commend J. V. Jones on taking the effort to provide an in depth summary of the events that occurred in the first book. It is something I feel every fantasy book should have, but for some reason is never provided. All TV series do it, sometimes from one episode to the next. It just makes the reading experience that bit better.
In this instance not only did the summary provide a vital refresh of book one, but it also increased my excitement for the book I was about to read.
The Fortress of Grey Ice continues straight after the events of the first book. Once again the terrain is tough and the weather is bleak. Somehow, J. V. Jones continues to convey just how harsh and cold her world is, without it once sounding boring. The freezing temperature reaches out to you and makes you feel the chill.
The main character is again Raif, with other characters also getting their own points of view. In the first book, although I enjoyed Raif Severance, I found the people he interacted with more interesting than him. In this book however, it was Raif’s chapters that I enjoyed the most. Raif is far more vulnerable in this book. He fails early on in his mission and soon finds himself out of options of people he can turn to.
As a result Raif finds himself amongst the Maimed Men. It is here, he is reduced to surviving on his wits in a way of life alien to him. He is eager to prove himself yet at the same time cautious not to overstep the mark. The outcome is a much more likeable Raif who is pro-active and chooses his own destiny.
Ash Marsh too goes on a journey of discovery as she joins up with the Sull. The time she spend with the two mysterious Sull is intriguing. J. V. Jones uses these characters to carefully drip feeds us information about the world and its history. We knew from the first book that Ash was important, but in this book her potential is met with indifference. The Sull are happy to have acquired her, but she is dispensable. It is a nice touch as it makes her vulnerable.
Effie on the other hand, comes across as the victim a bit more. She is protected by a few who are loyal to her but is mostly passive in the events that unfold. She does however, have one defining moment that hints at the woman to come.
It is Raina who emerges as the strong force in the novel though. Disillusioned with the direction of her clan under the leadership of her husband, she realises that she must make changes herself. The growth of her character is fascinating as her attempts to involve others in her schemes constantly meet dead ends.
Other familiar characters take more of a back sit. Penthero Iss continues to manipulate the royalty but we only see his malevolence in fleeting moments, whilst Angus Lok has a greatly reduced role, which is disappointing considering he was one of the highlights of the first book. The Dog Lord has a higher profile this time round, but despite liking his character, I found his story disjointed and not as engaging as the others.
There are new characters too. Crope Is an interesting man. A giant with considerable strength who is also dim-witted may sound stereotypical, but he is anything but. His chapters are among the best and his innocence is quite touching.
Robbie Dhoone is a nice edition. He is seen through the eyes of his younger brother Bram. Bram witnesses the rise of his brother to clan chief. Robbie recruits several men to his cause but in the process leaves his bewildered brother behind.
Unfortunately, in terms of the plot, all of these different points of view remain just that – different. There is hardly any interaction among the main characters and so, no matter how excellent the writing is, or how interesting the storylines are, you never get a sense they are building towards anything. You can see where some characters are going to cross paths in future, but for the moment, each person continues in their own secluded arc.
This is not a bad thing, but the story would have benefitted with a tighter plot or at least a resolution to some of the characters. The ending despite being exciting and well written feels very similar to the first book and you get the sense that not much has been resolved. The final confrontation is also a little disappointing. It is confusing and over quickly.
All in all, I really enjoyed the “Fortress of Grey Ice.” In places it is excellent and there are never any moments where I felt it dragged, despite it being a large novel. However, it does suffer from the middle book syndrome, where the character’s arcs have all sprawled out in different directions and there is no sign of them coming together. This spoils the book a little although I am already looking forward to reading book three.
My Rating: 8.6
Knowing there was a long wait between books, I waited a long time to read the second book in the hope that the final book will be released when I get to it. My expectations were once again high.
The blurb:
The war to end all wars is coming. The Endlords are preparing themselves for invasion. City men and clansmen should come together to fight the dark forces, yet they feud amongst themselves. Only the Sull are preparing: an ancient, dwindling race, they fear this fight might be their last.
Before I start a review on the book itself, I would like to commend J. V. Jones on taking the effort to provide an in depth summary of the events that occurred in the first book. It is something I feel every fantasy book should have, but for some reason is never provided. All TV series do it, sometimes from one episode to the next. It just makes the reading experience that bit better.
In this instance not only did the summary provide a vital refresh of book one, but it also increased my excitement for the book I was about to read.
The Fortress of Grey Ice continues straight after the events of the first book. Once again the terrain is tough and the weather is bleak. Somehow, J. V. Jones continues to convey just how harsh and cold her world is, without it once sounding boring. The freezing temperature reaches out to you and makes you feel the chill.
The main character is again Raif, with other characters also getting their own points of view. In the first book, although I enjoyed Raif Severance, I found the people he interacted with more interesting than him. In this book however, it was Raif’s chapters that I enjoyed the most. Raif is far more vulnerable in this book. He fails early on in his mission and soon finds himself out of options of people he can turn to.
As a result Raif finds himself amongst the Maimed Men. It is here, he is reduced to surviving on his wits in a way of life alien to him. He is eager to prove himself yet at the same time cautious not to overstep the mark. The outcome is a much more likeable Raif who is pro-active and chooses his own destiny.
Ash Marsh too goes on a journey of discovery as she joins up with the Sull. The time she spend with the two mysterious Sull is intriguing. J. V. Jones uses these characters to carefully drip feeds us information about the world and its history. We knew from the first book that Ash was important, but in this book her potential is met with indifference. The Sull are happy to have acquired her, but she is dispensable. It is a nice touch as it makes her vulnerable.
Effie on the other hand, comes across as the victim a bit more. She is protected by a few who are loyal to her but is mostly passive in the events that unfold. She does however, have one defining moment that hints at the woman to come.
It is Raina who emerges as the strong force in the novel though. Disillusioned with the direction of her clan under the leadership of her husband, she realises that she must make changes herself. The growth of her character is fascinating as her attempts to involve others in her schemes constantly meet dead ends.
Other familiar characters take more of a back sit. Penthero Iss continues to manipulate the royalty but we only see his malevolence in fleeting moments, whilst Angus Lok has a greatly reduced role, which is disappointing considering he was one of the highlights of the first book. The Dog Lord has a higher profile this time round, but despite liking his character, I found his story disjointed and not as engaging as the others.
There are new characters too. Crope Is an interesting man. A giant with considerable strength who is also dim-witted may sound stereotypical, but he is anything but. His chapters are among the best and his innocence is quite touching.
Robbie Dhoone is a nice edition. He is seen through the eyes of his younger brother Bram. Bram witnesses the rise of his brother to clan chief. Robbie recruits several men to his cause but in the process leaves his bewildered brother behind.
Unfortunately, in terms of the plot, all of these different points of view remain just that – different. There is hardly any interaction among the main characters and so, no matter how excellent the writing is, or how interesting the storylines are, you never get a sense they are building towards anything. You can see where some characters are going to cross paths in future, but for the moment, each person continues in their own secluded arc.
This is not a bad thing, but the story would have benefitted with a tighter plot or at least a resolution to some of the characters. The ending despite being exciting and well written feels very similar to the first book and you get the sense that not much has been resolved. The final confrontation is also a little disappointing. It is confusing and over quickly.
All in all, I really enjoyed the “Fortress of Grey Ice.” In places it is excellent and there are never any moments where I felt it dragged, despite it being a large novel. However, it does suffer from the middle book syndrome, where the character’s arcs have all sprawled out in different directions and there is no sign of them coming together. This spoils the book a little although I am already looking forward to reading book three.
My Rating: 8.6
July 30, 2021
En esta segunda parte quedan mejor definidos los personajes principales, Raif y Cendra, y empiezan a adquirir protagonismo otros, como Effie. Hay poca historia relacionada con el clan y con Maza, lo cual hace que me indigne menos por las muchas maldades de ciertas personas, y más por lo inevitable del destino.
He leído alguna crítica por ahí que dice que no le ha gustado esta segunda parte porque en realidad no pasa nada. Y es cierto, es un lento caminar hacia una meta al estilo Señor de los Anillos. Pero ese nada que pasa está maravillosamente bien descrito, y hace mucho tiempo que no disfrutaba tanto simplemente del lenguaje y no de la acción
He leído alguna crítica por ahí que dice que no le ha gustado esta segunda parte porque en realidad no pasa nada. Y es cierto, es un lento caminar hacia una meta al estilo Señor de los Anillos. Pero ese nada que pasa está maravillosamente bien descrito, y hace mucho tiempo que no disfrutaba tanto simplemente del lenguaje y no de la acción
June 14, 2024
I really love this book series. I love the world building and the character development that can be seen as each book develops.
Some might not enjoy that each book has no definitive point, but that’s what I like about these books. They suck you in and make you desperate to see what happens to each character, which ultimately keeps you coming back to the next book.
If you can tolerate some world building and story development that does not always lead to an epic battle or plot twist and is a bit slower than the average pace of a book, then I would recommend this fantasy series. It’s definitely a slow burner but worth the wait.
Some might not enjoy that each book has no definitive point, but that’s what I like about these books. They suck you in and make you desperate to see what happens to each character, which ultimately keeps you coming back to the next book.
If you can tolerate some world building and story development that does not always lead to an epic battle or plot twist and is a bit slower than the average pace of a book, then I would recommend this fantasy series. It’s definitely a slow burner but worth the wait.
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December 31, 2024sin querer darle demasiadas vueltas a un libro de fantasía creo que aquí su mayor virtud es su mayor problema. j.v. jones huye durante la mayor parte del libro de las grandes profecías y viajes heroicos que tanto daño hacen a las sagas eternas que se publican en la actualidad y apuesta por bajar a los personajes y a sus propias batallas (à la asoiaf). el problema? que lo que al principio es fascinante se acaba convirtiendo en pueril y uno acaba entreviendo las costuras de lo poco pensado que tiene todo la autora.
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