Sea of Sorrows

The Sun Sword #4

by Michelle West

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

Genres: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Epic, Magic

830 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 1, 2001

About the author

See also:

Michelle Sagara West
Michelle Sagara

Michelle is an author, book­seller, and lover of liter­ature based in Toronto. She writes fantasy novels as both Michelle Sagara and Michelle West (and some­times as Michelle Sagara West). You can find her books at fine booksellers.

She lives in Toronto with her long-suffering husband and her two children, and to her regret has no dogs.

Reading is one of her life-long passions, and she is some­times paid for her opinions about what she’s read by the venerable Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. No matter how many book­shelves she buys, there is Never Enough Shelf space. Ever.

She has published as Michelle Sagara (her legal name), as Michelle West (her husband's surname), and as Michelle Sagara West (a combination of the two).

Reviews

[Katyana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was hard for me in a couple ways.

The most critical one: Diora. I know, from reading reviews, that people adore her. I don't. I honestly, seriously, don't. I have never been a fan of what I call "precious" heroines - the ones who are treated like a perfect, pampered princess... usually because of something they deserve no credit for, like being born beautiful - and Diora has always been that. Now, don't get me wrong, what her father and Alesso did to her in previous books was WRONG, and infuriating - I despise Sendari - and she deserves her vengeance. But in this book, people kept heralding her as some kind of warrior for the Lady, against the Lord of Night, and she used that to position herself ... and look, we have spent a LOT of time in Diora's POV. She has never had a single thought about championing the cause of humanity against the demons. Her every single thought is either mourning her dead, beating herself up for not helping them, and vengeance. And as I said, I'm onboard with that - she deserves it (and she does not deserve to beat herself up as she does - she couldn't have done anything but what she did) - but I felt like it hurt her character a LOT in this book to suddenly be held up as this champion for Team Good Guys. She is not. It is a trick of fate that her goal happens to align with Team Good Guys, but let's be frank: if it didn't, she would be on Team Bad Guys if that's what it took to get her her vengeance. And in this book, she even admits that in a POV chapter - that if the Lord of Night offered her 10 years with her wives as long as he came to rule, she says that she would take that deal .

So it rubbed me wrong, all the time this book spent holding Diora up as some kind of perfect woman. It was, quite frankly, infuriating. And that got even worse, for me, when she outright called the Voyani - people who have helped her, sheltered her and her aunt, and the Arkosan Matriarch even died helping her - her enemies (when she said she wouldn't surrender the Heart while she's in her enemy's territory)... and refused to give them this thing that was theirs by right. And no, that wasn't helped when she admitted that she could not take it off, because she said that even if she could, she wouldn't give it to them. Seriously, you guys, I wanted them to just kill her and take it from her corpse.

Diora was the worst, most condescending ice bitch of a woman for the first half of this book. And I really, really struggled with it. She evolved a bit in the last third, and I enjoyed that much more. But I still dislike her. I dislike her constant repeated lament that she's alone in the world, when she has an almost-mother that she completely takes for granted. Teresa has literally sacrificed everything in her life to help Diora. She has given up everything she has ever known - safety, money, the lifestyle of one of the most respected clanswomen in the Dominion - and made war on her brother, and she has done it ALL for Diora. And Diora can't be bothered to acknowledge that at all. She takes Teresa's loyal Ramdan, without a thought, just as she takes every sacrifice Teresa has made, as if it is everything that she is entitled to. Guys, to me, Diora is literally the same as her father. Plays as pawns everyone around her, to further her own goals. She doesn't think for a single minute about the hurt she has done the person who loves her most in the world. She doesn't even think about that love, as she REPEATEDLY whines (in her POV) about being alone in the world with no one who loves her.

I pretty much despise her. And the events of the end of this book haven't changed it much. We'll see if those events change her behavior. But thus far, I see her as a scheming clanswoman... no different from anyone else who plays horrible games for power. She leveraged herself into a position of power in the Arkosa, just as she leveraged herself into a position of power in the Dominion. At this point, because of her games, Valedan has no choice but to marry her, as she's made herself a symbol of the kingdom. And I hate that, because frankly, he deserves better than to be tied to just another fucking stereotypical Dominion clanswoman. Because the Dominion needs to change. This culture of oppression, where power is the only thing of value, has to shatter and be remade, so this shithole country doesn't continue to fall to demons over and over and over. I mean, guys, there's a fucking reason why the Empire has never fallen to the demons. The culture in the Dominion pretty much WELCOMES the demons.

Last note: Adam. I love him. He is, to me, the kind of man that the South needs - like Valedan, compassion rules him. That said ... I was unhappy with the Evayne revelation in the end: that he's the future ruler of Tor Arkosa. Because ... come fucking on. If the Voyani claim their cities and then revert to the same fucking patriarchy of the South, I will literally punt my kindle out a window in fury.

[Izzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series just keeps getting better.

[Kaila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I DID IT.

This book was on my “currently reading” shelf for 9.5 months. I dropped it at every opportunity to read book club books, whatever showed up at the library on hold for me, the back of cereal boxes…This is a recurring theme with this series. I find it a slog, while also finding a certain emotional resonance that keeps me coming back. The words are so hard sometimes. It is often difficult to figure out who is speaking or who is the PoV – I found myself going back up lines frequently to count down to figure out who was talking. It is dense prose. Small scenes take forever. There’s an action scene in the middle of the book that took 100 pages to resolve. A single scene!

Several top-rated reviews here all say they don’t get the Diora love, and, well, I’m a Diora lover. I like her. It is the Jewel love I don’t get. There was a powerful scene with Diora and Margret learning about the Arkosan past I really enjoyed. It reminded me of my favorite scene in Book 4 of Wheel of Time, when Rand learns about the origin of the Aiel. Belief and history are powerful, and I love it when characters discover where they came from

In typical epic fantasy tradition, this book is hard to review on its own. It’s not really its own book – it’s just divided that way because you can’t have books that are 6,000 pages long (I’m looking at you, Brandon Sanderson). So instead we get six 1,000-page books that are one story put between different covers. It is such a slog, though, that I can’t recommend it. I’ll still finish the series (eventually).

[jdaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, words can’t describe how amazing this series and this book is. Probably one, if not best books I have ever read. Wow, absolutely amazing.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this series as whole, so my review of one book has to cover my review of all the books. This is one of my favorite series (and Michelle West is one of my favorite authors). When I finished the series the first time through I was compelled to go back and re-read just the parts that featured my favorite character (Jewel). I keep this series handy, because it's one I reach for time and again when I'm in the mood for a good book. Sometimes I re-read the whole series and other times I just re-read my favorite parts.

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yup, still loving this series.
7.5/10*

[Khari · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was enjoyable.

Even if we did go back to Breodanir for a moment, it was really only for a moment and so was bearable. Other than that, this book focused mostly on the Voyani and how they live, I enjoyed it. We also got to see a bit of a salvation for Diora, which made me happy, even if I didn't quite like how it came about.

It came about in the middle of what I have started to call 'the moment of all revelation', which in West's world is where some uber powerful person/god/half god comes and just blathers on and on and on for pages on end, explaining all that was, all that is, and all that ever will be in the most confusing and boring way possible. She's only done it twice, but each time I have found it quite difficult to read, difficult to grasp, and did I mention boring?

Then again, that was the only bad part. I enjoyed everything else. I especially liked the little life lessons that she embedded in it. My personal favorite was 'The less of ourselves we understand, the more prone we are to manipulation by others who understand us better.' That was just so good. It's true. When we don't understand our own drives, and our own weaknesses, we open ourselves up to be used by those that do. I guess that's why "Know thyself" was inscribed on the Temple of Apollo.

[Patrick St-Denis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just when I thought that this series couldn't really get any better, Michelle West somehow found a way to elevate her game to another level, making Sea of Sorrows the best installment thus far!

While The Broken Crown proved to be a vast introduction to a convoluted tale, its immediate sequel The Uncrowned King turned out to be a more self-contained novel that focused on the Northern storylines. In The Shining Court, West started to up the ante and brought existing threads together, introducing new plotlines which added yet new layers to an already complex story arc and further fleshing out characters and their back stories in the process. And like its predecessor, Sea of Sorrows pushes the envelope even further and makes the Sun Sword one of the best speculative fiction series I have ever read.

Yes, it's that damn good!

Here's the blurb:

The fourth novel of the acclaimed Sun Sword series returns to a war-torn world of noble houses divided and demon lords unleashed...

In the Essalieyan Empire, the armies are gathering, ready to champion the cause of Valedan kai di’Leonne, last survivor of the ruling clan of the Dominion. But Valedan himself must take a different road to war, sealing what Dominion alliances he can claim without the Empire’s backing.

Yet even before Valedan sets forth, Jewel of House Terafin has already journeyed beyond mortal realms with only her domicis Avandar to guard her back, walking through flame to join the Voyani on a trek they’ve been destined to make for centuries. Behind her she has left a House on the brink of bloody dynastic war—and her den caught in the deadly political infighting.

Kiriel, too, must face the greatest challenge of her life, torn between the conflicting demands of her father’s and her mortal heritage.

And as the Voyani—with Jewel, Avandar, Kallandras, Diora, Teresa, and Lord Celleriant of the Winter Queen’s court—embark upon the Sea of Sorrows in a desperate attempt to reach the lost Cities of Man, a spell gone awry insures that all their enemies—whether of mortal or demonkind—can trace the path they are following and strike out at them at any moment…

Structurally, it often feels as though six volumes were not enough to recount the full tale Michelle West wanted to tell. The good thing about such limitation is that her editor forced West to keep a lid of things, thus preventing her from getting lost in the mire of extraneous plot threads that plagued portions of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time, George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, Steven Erikson's The Malazan Book of the Fallen, and Brandon Sanderson's The Stormlight Archive. The bad thing is that it forces the author to juggle with several storylines, all of them important in the greater scheme of things, and somehow write them in a way that creates an interesting and cohesive whole. That is easier said than done, it goes without saying. The exciting endgame and the great finale of The Shining Court set the stage for an amazing fourth volume. Unfortunately, since the bulk of the novel took place in the Dominion, West has no choice but to backtrack and elaborate on the events that took place in the Essalieyan Empire while the proverbial shit was hitting in the fan in the South. Because as important as the Dominion plotlines were, what occurred in the North will also have far-reaching consequences in both the Sun Sword and the House War series. Ideally, the author could have written two separate books; one focusing on the North and the other on the South. In the end, she couldn't, which is why the reader is forced to go through these jarring shifts in three of the four installments so far. Imagine if, instead of writing three different books, each focusing on certain plotlines, the events of Steven Erikson's Memories of Ice, House of Chains, and Midnight Tides had been crammed together in three novels that, while being all over the place, attempted to maintain an overall story arc that was coherent with no continuity issues. That would have been quite a feat, right? And yet, though those shifts are incongruous, given that West's universe resounds with as much depth as Erikson's Malazan world it is somewhat of a wonder that she has managed to write such a compelling tale while dealing with such constraints.

Once again, the worldbuilding continues to be astonishing. I know I'm repeating myself, but in my previous reviews I mentioned that West has an eye for detail and that the imagery she creates leaps off the page at every turn. And yes, the same can be said of Sea of Sorrows. With yet more layers added with each new chapter, there is a depth to Michelle West's universe that rivals that of Tolkien, Erikson, and Bakker. How the Sun Sword somehow managed to remain the genre's best-kept secret for nearly three decades, I'll never know. If she sticks the landing, and to all ends and purposes it looks as though she does, the Sun Sword should be one of the most celebrated fantasy series out there. Here's to hoping that my reviews will entice enough readers to give these books a shot and help raise awareness in a series that should be held in high esteem by legions of SFF fans around the world. As mentioned before, with each new page, each new chapter, each new book, the author weaves a tapestry that is as complex as it is captivating.

Weighing in at 830 pages, Sea of Sorrows is no slim volume. Like The Shining Court, it is another sprawling book that covers a lot of plot threads and locales. And like its predecessor, it is as tightly written as The Uncrowned King. Though we must go through 200+ pages to find out what happened in the North since Jewel disappeared with Avandar, unlike the Evereve scenes that dragged for a while in the previous volume, the bulk of this novel made for compulsive reading. The Voyani storyline, which I found so intriguing in the third installment, takes center stage in this one and it's extraordinary. The flashback sequence that reveals the secrets of the Arkosa Voyani was the best I've read since Jordan sent Rand al'Thor into the heart of Rhuidean.

Once more, the characterization is top notch. À la Robin Hobb and Jacqueline Carey, Michelle West continues to flesh out a cast of endearing and fascinating three-dimensional characters. Even if the abrupt shift that brought us back to the imperial capital of Averalaan was a bit discordant, it was nice to get reacquainted with Kiriel and the Ospreys, Valedan, Princess Mirialyn, Ramiro kai di'Callesta, Meralonne APhaniel, Sigurne Mellifas, and Ser Anton di'Guivera. War with the Dominion is coming and it was interesting to see the first step taken in that regard. But given how The Shining Court ended, I couldn't wait to discover what the author had in store for Teresea, Diora, Jewel, and Kallandras. The Arkosan clan plays an important role in Sea of Sorrows. To a certain extent, one could say that it is their book, for so many threads have to do with them. In my last review, I said I was looking forward to see how the Voyani storyline would play out and I wasn't disappointed. Of all the protagonists, it is Margret that goes through the most character growth in this fourth volume. With a deft human touch, though she is infuriating, West really makes you feel for her. Add to that her relationships with her brother Adam, and her cousins Elena and Nicu, and there's a lot of emotional baggage to deal with. That and Margret's feelings of inadequacy when dealing with Yollana, the old Matriarch of the Havalla Voyani clan. The strained and unexpected relationship she forms with Diora, bearer of the Heart of Arkosa, truly made the book for me. Add to that new revelations about Jewel, Kallandras, Avandar, Kiriel, Celleriant, and more, and you have a novel that's impossible to put down.

Given the number of quotes I posted on Hotlist, it should come as no surprise that Michelle West's beautiful prose continues to make quite an impression on me. Problem is, in the previous volumes the author had a tendency to be quite verbose and repetitive. Which resulted in many a scene being overwritten. Not so with Sea of Sorrows. With so much to cram into a single novel, I guess that everything that wasn't important was cut from the narrative. Hence, I'm pleased to report that there are no pacing issues slowing down the rhythm of this one. Like The Shining Court, it's not a fast-paced work by any stretch of the imagination. And yet, by the time they approach the hidden remains of Arkosa, this book becomes a true page-turner!

True to form, Michelle West weaves the various threads of her story together and make them come together in another exciting endgame. For the fourth time in a row, she caps it all off with the sort of panache that makes you beg for more. I know I've been saying this in every review so far, but as good as the previous finales turned out to be, the one with which West brings Sea of Sorrows to a close is the best one yet! Four books in, it's now evident that West can swing with the best of them.

The Sun Sword deserves the highest possible recommendation. Sea of Sorrows is one of the best fantasy novels I have ever read!

For more reviews, check out www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com

[Kerry & naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading The Sea of Sorrows, the first thought that came to mind was: Michelle West is writing a great "little" epic and giving Robert Jordan some competition in that arena. When I read the first three books in The Sun Sword series, all the signs pointed to West wrapping up in the fourth book, but several more were forthcoming. West's epic seems more manageable, if you will, to me, than Jordan's (maybe because I didn’t have to wait so long between installments). She employs a wide array of characters but not as many as Jordan, and has restricted the boundaries of the setting to fewer regions and fewer magical planes.

Background

Our story concerns two countries: the Essaylieyan Empire in the north, and the Dominion of Annagar in the South. The Empire is ruled by two god-born kings, one representing knowledge, the other justice. Essalieyan nobility is largely organized around various Houses. Some Houses have a mercantile focus, others a military focus.

The Dominion is ruled by the Tyragar of Tor Leonne. The rulers, or Tyragnates, of five other provinces fall under the Tyragar. The Tyragar rules by divine right since only he (yep, only men) or his offspring can successfully unsheath and wield the Sun Sword without instant incineration.

Without giving too much away, one of the lesser nobles of the Dominion staged a coup and slaughtered the Tyragar and his entire bloodline, except of course, the Tyragar's son, Valedan, by a slave woman, sent as a hostage to the Essalieyan Empire ten years ago. And to add that extra spice, the lesser noble is in league with the Lord of Night and his demons. One just cannot have a fantasy without an overarching theme of good vs. evil, can one?

Lastly, the Voyanni are four nomadic families that wander the Dominion on the Voyanne in search of their destroyed ancestral homes: the lost Cities of Man [sic].

The Plot

Without spoiling the first three books, Valedan, the lone survivor of clan Leonne, is faced with returning to the Dominion to claim the throne with what little support he can muster.

One Voyani family, the Arkosa, begins a journey into the desert, which they call the Sea of Sorrows, still searching for the lost Cities. This time, accompanying them are some strangers: Jewel of the Essalieyan House Terafin and her servant Avandar; Kallandras, a bard-cum-assassin; Yollana, the Matriarch of the Havalla Voyanni; Diora, known as the Flower of the Dominion and the widow of the dead Tyragar's heir; and a few others of lesser import to the plot.

Margret, the young Matriarch of the Arkosa Voyanni, must lead her own people as well as the outsiders to the lost Cities. To Margret's chagrin, her mother entrusted the Heart of Arkosa to Diora before she died. The ensorcelled Heart cannot be removed from around Diora's neck no matter what anyone tries to do. Margret must also discover the traitor in her family whose cooperation with demons has made their safe passage in the Sea of Sorrows vulnerable to demon magic and monsters. If Margret is not successful in discovering the Lost Cities, the End of Days will begin and the Lord of Night and his demon horde will destroy humankind.

Themes and Veneers

As I've already alluded, this fantasy stays true to form with the fight between the powers of good and evil. West has easily tied in the coming war between Valedan and the usurper though so far in the story's development, Valedan does not have the support he needs (i.e., the Empire's armies) to make a serious bid for his family's throne.

The story is interesting enough in and of itself to keep me watching for the next book, but part of my fascination is how West portrays the clans of the Dominion culturally.

The high-ranking wives, called serras, are perfect pictures of grace, elegance, and obedience. The serras speak only when spoken to in carefully modulated tones and with an economy of words. They take pride in sitting with their sari arranged just-so; the use of a fan, the tilt of the head, the
schooled expressions are meant to show their beauty and youth. The nobility of the Dominion treasure the beauty of nature and poetry. They men aspire to be widan--a special order of warriors with a code of honor. Peel back West's thin veneer and one finds a stirring and candid portrayal of feudal Japanese society, complete with samurai, shogun, and a horribly restrictive ideal of womanhood.

West does a masterful job of manipulating feudal Japanese culture to her own ends in this tale. She has quite obviously done extensive research because if I changed the names back to "shogun," and "kimono," and "bushido," her words would still ring true about feudal Japan.

This veneer doesn't end with the names of tangible things. One of the focii of The Sea of Sorrows is the conflict between the rough and volatile Margret and the ever-controlled, ever-perfect Serra Diora. Margret's tempestuous emotions often get the better of her against the implacable Serra Diora and her protected beauty and ingrained grace. When I was an exchange student in Japan, my Japanese friends often told me I had "big" body language and emotions because even today Japanese society practices control of one's emotions and hiding one's true feelings. An American or European seems incredibly emotional and demonstrative against such a backdrop. West skillfully captures this aspect of Dominion culture as well.

Nitpicks

During the first few chapters, I struggled to understand the references to the previous books and their events since I had read the first three in quick succession over a year ago. However, as the story moved along my memory returned and West went into more detail when referring to past events.

In this respect, The Sea of Sorrows is not a stand alone book. I recommend beginning with the first book in the series, The Broken Crown and proceeding in order since the books build on each other.

Overall

I enjoyed The Sea of Sorrows and anticipated the rest of the series. Michelle West's epic is building toward a grand crescendo and this novel upholds the tempo admirably.

[Eva Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not gonna lie, I'm struggling a bit with this series. The thing is I'm deeply fascinated with West's world building, which I think comes close to Steven Eriksons Malazan series, but, with two or three exceptions, I couldn't give a damn about any of her characters. And one of them, Jewel, just annoys me like no other fictional character has ever done before.

While the second book, The Uncrowned King, was an absolute low point for me (so boring!) this one, like the third, was pretty good by comparison. I enjoyed learning more about the Tuatha'an Voiani history and culture, and the action scenes at the end of the book were very well written and thrilling to read.

Every time I pick up a book in this series I know I'm in for weeks of masochism, still I know I'm going to do it again. I have to know more about the Winter Queen, damn it! Help.

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoughts on rereading: For as much as this story is carried by what people are thinking and feeling, there are some parts that just cry out to be turned into showstopping blockbuster movie scenes. Like early on, when Valedan explains by way of example why the Ospreys are the only real choice for his bodyguards. Oh to see that done well...

For people who have already read this:

The first hints at Jewel+Avandar start here, DO NOT WANT. Not only do I not ship this, I put that ship in dry dock, set it on fire, put the ashes in a bucket, and launched it into the sun. I don't remember how much worse it gets because I've purged that from my mind, but I don't expect to be pleased.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid entry to the series!

Pros:

I really liked seeing Diora and Margret's relationship grow and change. It was nice seeing Diora from a different perspective, and how outside the context of Dominion-style perfection she is quite cold and arrogant and completely walled-off emotionally. Frankly I understood Margret's anger, and how frustrated she was that she couldn't even express it without being the bad guy and Diora being the victim. But I also understood Diora's perspective, as she's so young and had all this trauma and is placed in a totally new environment. I was a little irritated when she thought about how alone she was because hello - Teresa is right there being awesome and loving to you as always. But I get it, she kinda had blinders on.

Anyway, their slow evolution from enmity to trust was great, as were their individual character developments that helped them get there (Diora showing some vulnerability and trusting others; Margret controlling her temper and gaining some confidence in herself and her leadership position). Now I'm just sad that they'll have to split apart because they each have separate Duties that will keep them apart. Though they did promise to meet each other again, so I just hope that happens within the series! Ngl I started to ship them a little by the end. As always, West's character work and making them seem real was great.

It was nice to see Finch & co act as their own characters rather than just subordinates to Jewel. I'm intrigued as to where they're heading, though their plot is going agonizing slowly (I don't think they appeared in the last half to 2/3 of the book until the epilogue), and interested in the potential new dynamic with Adam. Speaking of whom, I really liked Adam! It was nice seeing a guy from the South who was kind, empathetic, and resolved problems through communication! He seems sweet.

Lots of fascinating world-building going on, with the past of the Cities/the Voyani, magic coming back (and the mortals maybe being able to access power again), Kiriel's sword stuff, etc.

Even though I did not care for Nicu at all, much like Diora I was still a little emotional when Margret had to kill him, so kudos to West for that.

Cons:
I see seeds for Jewel and Avandar to become romantically involved and I loathe the idea with all that I am. While learning more about his past has been interesting, he is an immortal ruthless war criminal and I would hate for them to actually get together.

I do think Jewel's band of magical servants is getting a little excessive, lol. Like the members of her den make sense and have no special abilities. Avandar does, but he's kind of a special circumstance and has been around for awhile so sure. But now there's the Winter Court guy and the magic stag who must follow her commands, too? It's just a lot.

I don't care too much about Kallandras honestly, and all of the page-time he got did not do a whole lot for me except make me resistant because I felt like the author wanted me to think he was super awesome. Like, I do like him, I just am not particularly invested in his tragic backstory and newfound brotherhood or whatever. My investment in different subplots in this book as a whole varied widely, though I think that's to be expected in novels with so many characters, plots, and moving parts. I did find it a little strange that the first part of the book rotated between all the different characters/locations, then the second part was almost entirely in the Sea of Sorrows, then we checked in with everyone again at the epilogue.

I like Kiriel, but am still kind of confused as to what's happening with her? The stuff about her sword was interesting. I am largely indifferent to Auriel or whatever his name is, and am glad he rejected her, but kind of grossed out that the possibility of them was on the table at all. Like, she's a teenager and he's old enough to be her dad, and just ugh. But I was also confused by Isladar sacrificing himself for her by feeding her sword his blood - it was set up as this big emotional thing, but then he's just chilling back at Demon HQ again without any indication that he was even weakened at all, much less permanently reduced, so I was left scratching my head. Maybe we'll find out more next book? I am intrigued as to what's going on with him and the random kid Anya kidnapped and he's now raising though.

While I like Adam, I'm kind of uncomfortable with Evayne declaring him to be the next Arkosan leader. One of the running themes has been the contrast between the uber-patriarchal Clans vs the matriarchal Voyani, and having Margret be the last Matriarch of the Arkosa for her brother to take charge with a special destiny just kind of leaves a bad taste in my mouth? I'll wait to see where it goes before passing judgment.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes a series comes at the perfect time; this was one of the ones that I didn't quite love first time round but that stayed with me and has rewarded a second read through. It's a really mature and thoughtful work which sadly has meant that it's not as popular or successful as it should be.

On my first read I found Diora and Margret difficult. This time round I warmed towards Margret but loved Diora, and this is Diora's book. Having read back through the Broken Crown I've come to appreciate what Michelle is working at here; Diora can only take any agency through being the perfect Serra, using her perfect appearance and perfect manners against the system, they are her weapons. It's the only way she can exert any influence, but it has not benefitted her personally and indeed she has suffered greatly; she has amazing strength of character and endurance. She does however get a minor power upgrade here if you are paying attention. Margret suffers in comparison because she is really only at the start of her journey, and is a minor character (although I'm sure we will see her again if Michelle is able to complete the next series and overall arc) not one of the main characters.

This is coupled with the addition of my favourite trope - mysterious and powerful remains of a previous civilisation. We get so much info here that I didn't appreciate until I'd read the whole current series, about the Cities of Man, about the war between Allasakar and the other gods, about the Firstborn, about Arienne; we even get cameos from Gilliam, and the far North. Elena/Telakar and Adam are sketched in for further development in later books. Honestly there is just so much going on in each book, so many layers, it's no wonder they are the size of bricks!

It's not perfect - Jewel's arc and the whole Terafin thing in this instalment is necessary but doesn't quite mesh smoothly with the action down South. Still it's lovely to see so many lead female characters interacting and forming actual friendships (not to mention the secondary ones). I think we go back to Valadan next instalment who I personally am not so invested in and I do tend to skip descriptions of battle in books. This is, however, a great read although not a great place to start and I recommend it to lovers of epic fantasy, lyrical prose, and fantastic characters (even the baddies are totally believable).

[Alecia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seems like things are getting back on track. Lots of action here and lots of juicy interpersonal conflicts. They aren't all super high stakes, but they help develop the characters. It was mostly filler, but I loved getting into the Voyani culture, which hasn't been too much explained up to this point. Margret has to work with the other three Voyani matriarchs as well as Diora, Teresa, and Jewel & company to fulfill her destiny. In the last book, Diora struck the killing blow to Margret's mother so that kinlords wouldn't discover the Voyani's secrets. She also received the Heart of Arkosa into safekeeping, and can't hand it over until the right moment. So she and Margret have to embark on the mystical journey of the Voyanne, and undergo the ritual which determines whether Margret is worthy to be the Matriarch. Of course, the truth behind the myth has some ugly bits. On the way, Margret has to learn how to lead without her mother and without the symbol of her authority, in front of strangers and uneasy allies.

The other part of the book follows Kiriel, who received Myrddion's fifth ring. She is struggling between her mortal and demon natures, and Meralonne APhaniel is watching closely. Jewel shows up in the middle of the Voyani action along with a winter prince and a beast who used to be the Winter King. Of course, they're wasted on her as usual. There seems to be a hint of sexual tension between Jewel and Avandar that I'm hoping doesn't develop. Kallandras shows up on assignment from the Bardic College and as usual, he doesn't disappoint. He honestly might be the best drawn character in the entire saga.

That's all I can really say without spoiling the book. Just as an aside, this was the book where my frustration with the character names in this book peaked. So far in these books we've met:
- Alana, Amara, Illana, Illia, and Alea
- Elena, Evallen, Ellora and Elonne
- Adano and Artano
- Marakas and Markaso
- Fiona, Fiara and Faida
- Samadar and Samiel
- Aiden and Daine

It's a regular DMX song up in here, is all I'm saying. LOL!

[BJ Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sea of Sorrows is the fourth book in the Sun Sword Series. Honestly, Michelle West is one of the most underrated authors in fantasy. She deserves a lot more attention than is given her and she is far better than some authors like David Gemmel, NK Jemisin, and Neil Gaman (the most overrated).

With that said, this book carries the series forward well, but doesn't stand as one of her greatest works. I loved Diora in the earlier books, but in this one, I kind of soured on her. The book props her up as some sort of hero. In the last book, she earned that. But in this one, she is just an angry teenage girl bent on revenge. Yes, that revenge is well deserved, but she also needs to be taken down a peg. Jewel is a hero. Margaret is a hero. Diora is just a spoiled brat in this one.

Speaking of Jewel, I am not a fan of some of the hints of the ship between her and her domicis. I really, really hope that is not put to sea. That ship needs to be sunk. I still think her and Angel would have been best, but I doubt that is ever going to happen.

THe Ospreys. I love the Ospreys. Give me more of them.

[Sherrez · Rating 3 out of 5]

******** SPOILERS*********
i would like to stress 2.5/ 5 for a book for me means the book is servicable and a decent read , rated it 3 stars in the end cause alot of the confusing parts were explained

i think alot of the payoffs of the books such as diora /magaret's character development, hate to love relationships


my issue with alot of the book was something during battles , kiriel vs isladar , serpents vs arkosan + outsiders and visions of diora and margaret was it kept switching between present and past , and i was so confused , what they were supposed to show , were they supposed to contrast emotion ? or something like that ? tell history but it was abit annyoning and confusing. this dropped the book literally 2 stars for me .

I did love the journey across the sea of sorrows tho .

Nicu was a cunt hated him , deserved to die, asshat FR

LOVE LOVE ADAM he is so cuteeee , and he is a healer and suppose lead arkosa tor and somehow is part of jewel's den now ? DAMN THE THREADSSSS

celleriant and kallandaras camaredrie was awesome , the thread where they would be playing their part in the war to come together , by evanye and her dad or some shit ??

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would've preferred more Jewel, but of course she's not the center of this series. The predominant focus in the south of this book is that of the Voyani, thank god; I dig the matriarchy much more than the absurd machismo of the Dominion, and the Cities of Man development is intriguing. There was some nice character growth as well the highlight being Diora, one of my least favorite characters thus far. Every sentence reminding us how beautiful she is, how perfect and graceful her every move and action is. She's cold and manipulative and utterly lacking in character. But, time with the Voyani has done some good and thawed her out a bit. Love the history bits from the Time of the Gods as well.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure where this would open or where it would go, but I was excited for it. I had been thinking of this world and these characters since I finished the previous installment, and I couldn't wait to dive into this one.

And what a ride! I grew impatient with the circuitous and sometimes opaque writing, but I still love the characters and the world, and I was intrigued and excited to see where the story was going. By this time in the world, there are so many elements in play that its quite complex and convoluted. Thankfully, things are starting to come together, and a lot happened in this book. I felt that there was a lot more forward momentum here, and I was happy to see it. Can't wait for the next book.

[K-dizzle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another brilliant book in the series. I still find the movement between characters back and forth to be a bit unusual. But I like to think it keeps me attentive to what is happening. The journey in the Sea of Sorrows in this book was spectacular and the Voyani characters have added another realm to the world. I still don't know how it will all come together in just two more books!

[god · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great world, great characters

Gripping characters and an immersive world combine for a thrilling ride.

The narrative fluidly weaves past, present, and future across multiple characters in a novel way

[Emily Abrams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was probably my favorite in the series so far. I want to dive right into the next one, which I never felt with any of the previous 3. I still find the author’s writing style to be needlessly complicated (and annoying), but it seems to be improving with each book in the series.

[Kevin James · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars, this one dragged a bit and it felt like the narrative was just spinning its wheels at times but there's still few better character writers than West so even a bit of running in place is still enjoyable in her capable hands.

[Nicole Luiken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sloooow to get going, but I really liked the Kirael/sword section and the last third of the book with the storm and what waited at their destination. Great use of flashbacks during action scenes to heighten emotional tension.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was good. The formatting of the ebook leaves something to be desired. I had to reread sections at times to completely understand for sure that there had been a change in perspective.

[Travis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The climax of an 800+ book is essentially a multi-chapter info dump and I'm completely happy with that...

[Hacen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5

[Jasvir Dhillon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent series

[Bree Pye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a solid read from start to finish and took us into different geographies than previous books, which was not only exciting, but did a lot of work in terms of world-building. Loads of character depth and a continuity of plot that previous installments lacked.

Definitely keep reading! The series is getting spicy!

[Wise_owl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like many people into fantasy, I cut my early Teeth on what is called 'High' or 'Epic' Fantasy. Of course the grand-daddy of them all; Tolkeen, and than a host of others, related or derivative from Tolkeen, as well as those derived from other fantasy traditions(I consider it one of the worst considerations of trite appraisal for people to dismiss the fantasy genre as being entirely derivative of Tolkeen, the English Prof has a vast influence, but not to the degree some people think.)

I bring this up to note that I am certainly prejudice in my appreciation of this Genre; this is the Fourth in a Six Book series which is definitely 'Epic' in Scope. The Brewing War between North and South is but a prelude to a promised grander War, and while each of the previous books has been doing a good job of building up and such, this book was truly outstanding in it's raising of the stakes, and of starting to bring thing 'to a head'.

For three books we have watched various characters develop; From Serra Diora, the beautiful Courtesan, the 'Flower of the Dominion', to Jewel, the Street-wise Street-Kid made Good, to Margret, promised leader of a Wandering Dessert people. And a host of others. But it is these three character who truly shine in this book, even as other side-charactres are developed, things are answered, and others raised.

We learn much about the 'Cities of Men' and the Wandering dessert people. We learn more about Jewel's strange Domicis, though the truth about him unravels in broader strokes. We see now that this conflict is promising to spiral out of control and that powers are being brought to bear that haven't been seen in thousands of years. This book did a fantastic job of raising the bar and the stakes, of showing how the conflict of nations was really a conflict of the world, and moving more pieces onto the board. Michelle West has done a superb job of World-building here, having spent book after book layering information is small doses and the occasional large burst. There are truths the characters learn that in less skilled hands would feel like trite exposition, but here feel natural, their revelations not contrived at all, but in some cases the entire point of the scene in question.

Obviously in a series if you get this far you are some-what committed, but I would recommend this series to any lover of Epic Fantasy.

[Bookfrog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic series by a Canadian author. Having read right from the beginning the Hunter's duology all the way to the end, it is one of my most returned to series. I don't feel that it rates as a "5" simply because there is a great deal of what I perceive as filler. The action, characters, and storyline are excellent, but Michelle does seem fond of providing reams of background and description. I prefer a cleaner story (although I don't have a problem with the flash backs and flash forwards, definitely helps to set the stage). I find myself comparing Michelle to another female author, Barbara Hambly and her Walls of Air series. Very different concept and yet in some ways a similar writing style. However, where Michelle can spend 100 pages describing a scene, Barbara is much cleaner in her exposition.

Despite my minor quibbles, an excellent series from start to finish. My biggest beef? Several of the books in this series are not available yet in digital format. Michelle has promised this for a couple of years without any change. I converted my paperback library to digital about a year and a half ago and this is one of the very few series that I would enjoy re-reading. However, missing books prevent that. I'm unsure what the issue is. Perhaps the publisher that owns the publishing rights to the book is resisting but seriously, it's 2012. Tablets are almost as common as cellphones. Pure e-reading devices such as Kindles and Kobo's are tripling sales year over year. For an author or publisher to not get on the bandwagon, so to speak is bad business. There are a few fantasy authors that seemingly refuse to convert all or some of their libary to digital; Mickey Zucker Reichert for example. I have to assume that the publishers are the culprits here. What author wouldn't want their book distributed on a global basis, easily translatable to any language and delivered instantly? (other than J. K. Rowling perhaps and even she finally broke down).