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The Army of the Regent Arrosh advances on the forces loyal to Saalshen, homeland of the serrin people, as the serrin s friends are in full retreat. Their only hope is to reach the city of Jahnd - the serrin word for Haven - across the River Ipshaal, the only human city in Saalshen itself.
The Army of Lenayin marches with the Regent, but Sasha, sister of newly crowned King Koenyg, can no longer stomach the awful cause for which her people march. As tensions between herself and her brothers rise, Sasha s sister Sofy, wedded to the Regent, travels to the city of Tracato, to attempt to negotiate a peaceful transition of its wonderful heritage to her husband s rule. But there are forces beneath the Regent s banner that wish to see all serrin and serrin-influenced civilisation destroyed for good. While the serrin people fight for survival, families must be betrayed, enemies reconciled, nations persuaded and great armies fought, as Sasha's tale reaches its dramatic conclusion.
The Army of Lenayin marches with the Regent, but Sasha, sister of newly crowned King Koenyg, can no longer stomach the awful cause for which her people march. As tensions between herself and her brothers rise, Sasha s sister Sofy, wedded to the Regent, travels to the city of Tracato, to attempt to negotiate a peaceful transition of its wonderful heritage to her husband s rule. But there are forces beneath the Regent s banner that wish to see all serrin and serrin-influenced civilisation destroyed for good. While the serrin people fight for survival, families must be betrayed, enemies reconciled, nations persuaded and great armies fought, as Sasha's tale reaches its dramatic conclusion.
608 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2010
39 people are currently reading
463 people want to read
About the author
Joel Shepherd
27 books776 followersJoel Shepherd is an Australian science fiction author. He moved to Perth, Western Australia with his family when he was seven, where he later studied film and television arts at Curtin University. He now lives in Adelaide.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
August 9, 2023
Not really a 5 star book in itself - 4 stars like most of the rest of the series - but I really wanted to indicate a higher liking for the series than any of its individual books. This title is almost all action - a fitting conclusion after the long ramp-up of the other books, starting from straight world-and-character-building in the first and gradually turning to be more and more plot-centered as the series progressed. Really an excellent example of series fantasy.
Re-read 8/13.
Re-read 9/15.
Listened, 5/22 ; 8/23.
Re-read 8/13.
Re-read 9/15.
Listened, 5/22 ; 8/23.
November 13, 2019
Pretty good.
October 16, 2010
A tangibly unkempt ending to a story whose parts has always been greater than its whole. Dubious feeling over the cohesiveness of the narrative aside, there are things that Shepherd does here which is well beyond much of his contemporaries: a realistic depiction of feudal-based societies, honest accounting of the human capacity to stew in bigotry and ignorance and hate, raucously diverse world-building, and an understanding of when to ratchet up the Conan-factor in a primarily sword-absent-sorcery genre outing.
Politically and socially cognizant, as well as self -aware, there's no doubting the author's intelligence, but I wish he had let the story and characters have greater room to breathe. Yes, this is one of the few times when I wish a fantasy author was less of a Kearney and more of an Erikson. But with the ending we're given, I have a suspicion this won't be the last we see of Sasha.
Politically and socially cognizant, as well as self -aware, there's no doubting the author's intelligence, but I wish he had let the story and characters have greater room to breathe. Yes, this is one of the few times when I wish a fantasy author was less of a Kearney and more of an Erikson. But with the ending we're given, I have a suspicion this won't be the last we see of Sasha.
May 4, 2020
She couch not be party to this. Her land and her people were all she had that remained, and she marched with them into the very gates of Loth...but she could not be party to this. She would rather die. She had to die. She had no other choices left.
The final installation of the Trial of Blood and Steel series!
Arguably this is the best book of the series. Favourite characters gain depth as they meet their breaking points; new friends are made and last minute alliances finalised; the final battle begins. Actually, it was the battle that lost the book its 1*. I want to know who wins, and to some extent I want to know how, but I get bored after reading chapters and chapters of in-depth battle descriptions. My fault for reading those sorts of books.
In Tracato, we saw Sasha's hopes and dreams for the Saalshen Bacosh crushed and her retreat into the arms of her family and the Lenay army. In Haven, we see the consequences of that decision: depression and mounting conviction that she is not alone in her belief that they're fighting for the wrong side.
Not breaking from tradition, Shepherd shows us to a new country (Ilduur) and a new town (Andal), teetering on the brink of... you guess it, civil war. Sasha must work fast, and even brutally, to stabilise the last of the Saalshen Bacosh nations if she is to gain the allies she needs in time for the last battle. Yes it's predictable, but as usual, it's also exciting and intriguing.
We see surprisingly little of Errollyn in Haven, and what we do see is mostly battle coordination. Like Sasha, he is torn by the situation he finds himself in, fighting for his homeland against his lover. And like Sasha, he changes because of it.
'You've killed enough, Kessleigh said shortly.
'I don't mind.'
'I know,' said Kessleigh. 'That's the problem.'
I would have loved to have seen more of this, not to mention more of the tender moments between him and Sasha, especially at the end. Jaryd and Sofy at least got their moment
All in all, a fantastic finale. I would happily read more of Sasha, Errollyn and Kessleigh's stories but sadly I doubt that Shepherd will oblige.
January 19, 2012
Joel Shepherd has wrapped up his A Trial of Blood and Steel tetralogy in the same way he started it: With a complex plot that puts well-drawn characters in both physical and moral quandaries – and gives them no easy ways out.
“Haven” (Pyr, $16, 450 pages) completes the set that begins with “Sasha”, and it’s a necessity to start with book one, as a solid grasp of Shepherd’s detailed world-building is vital to keeping up with the various political factions and character motivations. (In fact, it would have been helpful to add a bit more background in “Haven,” as it takes a while to remember which group is which group, and on which side.)
The pre-industrial setting is familiar, and there’s some magic as well, but what makes “Haven” and its three predecessors exceptional is Shepherd’s carefully developed characters and his refusal to simplify situations for either his protagonists or his readers.
If you haven’t taken the plunge with “Sasha,” now’s the time to start – and if you’re up to speed with the series, “Haven” is a worthy conclusion.
“Haven” (Pyr, $16, 450 pages) completes the set that begins with “Sasha”, and it’s a necessity to start with book one, as a solid grasp of Shepherd’s detailed world-building is vital to keeping up with the various political factions and character motivations. (In fact, it would have been helpful to add a bit more background in “Haven,” as it takes a while to remember which group is which group, and on which side.)
The pre-industrial setting is familiar, and there’s some magic as well, but what makes “Haven” and its three predecessors exceptional is Shepherd’s carefully developed characters and his refusal to simplify situations for either his protagonists or his readers.
If you haven’t taken the plunge with “Sasha,” now’s the time to start – and if you’re up to speed with the series, “Haven” is a worthy conclusion.
January 20, 2011
The fourth and final book in the series, this book was truly amazing. A complex, horrific and detailed description of war, giving an amazing sense of realism to the trials and politics involved in warfare. However, it leaves the reader feeling satisfied with the tale, and seeking a life as filled with purpose as the ones the main characters fulfill.
June 8, 2019
I had to put this aside for a day so I could recover from the epic resolution and end of this series. And now?
Wow.
Sasha ended up just where she should, and so did most of her supporting cast. Good job, Mr. Shepherd.
Wow.
Sasha ended up just where she should, and so did most of her supporting cast. Good job, Mr. Shepherd.
December 22, 2012
I enjoyed the series tremendously, from book 1 thru book 4. The characters are well thought out, and isn't just a run-of-the mill fantasy chicks-in-chainmail sort of book. It also delves into prejudice, xenophobia and chauvinism, and this sets it above the average fantasy book one. There were a minor issues that bothered me, the main being the Serrin--why did there have to be elfy sorts in the book? I suppose I should be happy that they weren't typical elfy types--all perfect in an annoying way, so as far as elfy types go, they were alright.
One thing I really liked about this series was Shepard's willingness to kill off characters that I'd grown to like in the course of reading the four novels. Of course, he didn't kill them all (unfortunately, in some cases), but the series didn't degenerate into one of those series where all the long time characters act like they were in the same frat during college
If this series and the Kresanov series before it are an indication of the future, Joel Shepard is definitely on my must-buy list for everything that comes off his keyboard
One thing I really liked about this series was Shepard's willingness to kill off characters that I'd grown to like in the course of reading the four novels. Of course, he didn't kill them all (unfortunately, in some cases), but the series didn't degenerate into one of those series where all the long time characters act like they were in the same frat during college
If this series and the Kresanov series before it are an indication of the future, Joel Shepard is definitely on my must-buy list for everything that comes off his keyboard
February 23, 2014
What an epic, ambitious series that takes us through great fights, vivid characters, heart-wrenching scenes, and so many painful truths. It is impressively full of historical allegories and both social and philosophical critique. A bit heavy-handed at times with its pronouncements of good and evil, but even the greatest antagonistic characters are painted carefully in familiar, sympathetic light. We get a wonderfully gritty, flawed, and kick-ass heroine who grows up fast and dedicates the same fierce intensity to everything she encounters. The cast of supporting characters are also interesting and oh so much fun to follow.
It was difficult to push through the almost excessive details at times, especially the early info dumping in the first book, but if you survive that, the rest of the series is a wonderful treat. Glad I didn't give up on this.
It was difficult to push through the almost excessive details at times, especially the early info dumping in the first book, but if you survive that, the rest of the series is a wonderful treat. Glad I didn't give up on this.
June 14, 2011
Haven[Image] is the fourth and final book in A Trial of Blood and Steel series by Joel Shepherd. The final battle between the army of the Regent Arosh and the people loyal to the serrin people is at hand. Sasha finds that she cannot support the actions of the Regent’s army and leaves to join the other side. She joined by others in her family and is forced to face her destiny as a leader and warlord.
Joel Shepherd has created a sweeping world for this series. It is a good setting for the epic battle that must be fought. All of the characters are back, sides are chosen and one man’s decision will decide the victor. Haven is a fitting ending to this series but having created this vast world Shepherd seems to have left room for future stories.
Joel Shepherd has created a sweeping world for this series. It is a good setting for the epic battle that must be fought. All of the characters are back, sides are chosen and one man’s decision will decide the victor. Haven is a fitting ending to this series but having created this vast world Shepherd seems to have left room for future stories.
March 17, 2012
the last of the series. poor Sasha is now a woman, she still has to make choices that are hard and take others along with her, this story has captured my imagination with the country side so well described and emotions of the character can make you laugh along with the good moments, a hard life for all in this time period.
the whole series was worth the read and considering it is a male writer, he had captured the female mind with ease.
well done Joel
the whole series was worth the read and considering it is a male writer, he had captured the female mind with ease.
well done Joel
February 2, 2012
Good series. A fairly good treatment by a male author of a female protagonist. Series is fairly political, with plenty of battle and strategy for. the casual fan of such things. The end was a little abrupt, and may have benefitted by an epilouge, with a little about how the characters fared in the aftermath of all that happened.
August 28, 2012
Series climax, leading to obligatory humongous battle and aftermath. LOTS of plot, and less explication and philosophical discussion than in previous volumes....so less to skip. Author is very good at battle descriptions, and his depiction of the elves (they're called Serrin here, and aside from a psychic bond do no magic) really captures their alienness. Very good series, glad to have read it.
November 25, 2013
An excellent conclusion to an excellent series of fantasy novels. Shepherd has created a uniquely strong female lead in Sasha, and has avoided many of the pitfalls that male authors doing so often fall prey to. Between this series, and his Kresnov SF series, he has quickly become one of my favorite authors.
June 1, 2014
This was a good end to the tale. The war is complicated, filled with inconsistencies, changing allegiances, successful brilliant strategy, failed brilliant strategy, and idiots. Sasha truly comes into her own setting aside some of her insecurities in favor of trusting her experience. I am glad to have taken this journey with her.
July 31, 2011
I love that this came to a conclusion and I didn't have to wait for any of the books. I loved the ending-- it was enough of an ending to satisfy the story but not so much that it's unrealistic. I hope that Shepherd doesn't leave Lenayin and these lands. I would love to read more about them.
October 23, 2010
it was difficult to keep reading in parts, but others it was impossible to put down. loved it, but it ended a bit quiet for my liking, expected to end the way the whole series was, FAST AND FURIOUS, still a wonderful novel though, as the whole series was. definately worth reading
January 5, 2013
This series was quite an up and down ride but overall I really liked it. Sasha has to be one of my favourite female characters in the fantasy genre and the battles were well written with a good amount of detail.
January 14, 2015
Possibly the best book in the series, though the ending was rather weak and disappointing when one considers literally ALL the other side characters who could've done what needed to be done in the end. But that aside, excellent book and a wonderful conclusion to Sasha's story!
April 5, 2013
See my review of this series under book two, Petrador.
January 26, 2014
Great way to end a series I want more books!
July 27, 2019
This series has some great elements - strong female character, complex world building, and sneaky political mechanisations that will keep you guessing. Unfortunately it also struggles a bit and gets bogged down with explanations or long descriptions. Props to the author for crafting a story I really wanted to read the end of, but I wish he'd pitied the reader a bit more and made things a little tighter. After many days of setting the book down because I was bored with the exhaustive battle scene that is the last third of the book, I started to skim it. If you really love grimdark this series might be for you, but at the end I can't really recommend it.
December 5, 2018
Good ending book of the series, although half of it describes battles, tactics and man-to-man fighting in too many details, it sometimes becomes boring. It has a lot in common with Lord of the Rings 3 by Tolkien ( e.g. army of Ildur that joins Sasha as the army of Undead folowing Aragorn, defense of Jahnd as the defense of Minas Tirith, the main characters as the Fellowship...).
July 10, 2024
Lots of fighting, otherwise good
December 30, 2020
The end. I thought this ended well, which isn't super easy to do with all these threads. Not too happy not too sad.
March 21, 2022
While I like the story, there are many errors to be found. Some things just don't add up. Though not as poorly as previous novels in the series
June 10, 2019
This didn't have the epic conclusion that I was hoping for -- the series felt more like it was a year in the life of Sasha. Seemed like there were plenty more political differences and war was always going to be on a future agenda -- like real life?
I still really enjoyed the books and was immersed in the action (days went by without doing laundry). Oh and totally surprised by an unexpected hero in the final battle -- that just about tore me up. The final pages fast-forward another year and the author was good about tying up loose ends. There could easily be more to this series -- still a lot of potential for political issues and adventure.
I still really enjoyed the books and was immersed in the action (days went by without doing laundry). Oh and totally surprised by an unexpected hero in the final battle -- that just about tore me up. The final pages fast-forward another year and the author was good about tying up loose ends. There could easily be more to this series -- still a lot of potential for political issues and adventure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 15, 2014
I've read all 4 of these books and they were right on the border between "good enough to recommend" and "too many flaws to continue." I guess in the end I read them, but if Shepherd good add one level to his game, these could be really good. The world-building is pretty good, there's a lot of political intrigue and alliances that shift here and there, and the elves (they're not called elves but they are elves) are interesting... Of course, elves have been interesting for many authors and that's why they keep coming back, but Shepherd does a good job of flushing them out as individuals and showing us their capacity for flawed and emotional behavior, making them more relatable than most depictions.
There was a certain dissatisfaction with the crucial moment of the series, the moment where the good guys triumphed, since it leaned on the back of a minor character that we had rarely seen in the book to that point. I'm sensitive to the possibility that this was on purpose: not everything in the world hinges on some deep thematic discussion; sometimes it is a minor decision by a minor character that swings things. But that would have worked better if that had been a consistent theme throughout the book; instead, most of the twists and turns *were* associated with big themes, e.g. Sasha's struggle to decide (and flip-flopping) if she wants to be loyal to her religion or her "people".
Characterizations are again just a smidge off. You certainly get the impression that the author is *trying* to do interesting characterizations, but there's something about the technique that just leaves you a little empty as a reader. Perhaps it's the *number* of characters that we are exposed to in the story, or perhaps the characters are just a little cliched... Perhaps a way of putting it is that I've been reading Shepherd intermixed with Stephen Erickson's masterful series, and there's a richness that comes through in the latter that just isn't there for Shepherd.
All in all, these books are readable for good world building, some interesting characters, and some interesting themes in the colliding of base human civilization and the advanced elven civilizations, but they still feel like amateur-plus books rather than professional-minus books.
There was a certain dissatisfaction with the crucial moment of the series, the moment where the good guys triumphed, since it leaned on the back of a minor character that we had rarely seen in the book to that point. I'm sensitive to the possibility that this was on purpose: not everything in the world hinges on some deep thematic discussion; sometimes it is a minor decision by a minor character that swings things. But that would have worked better if that had been a consistent theme throughout the book; instead, most of the twists and turns *were* associated with big themes, e.g. Sasha's struggle to decide (and flip-flopping) if she wants to be loyal to her religion or her "people".
Characterizations are again just a smidge off. You certainly get the impression that the author is *trying* to do interesting characterizations, but there's something about the technique that just leaves you a little empty as a reader. Perhaps it's the *number* of characters that we are exposed to in the story, or perhaps the characters are just a little cliched... Perhaps a way of putting it is that I've been reading Shepherd intermixed with Stephen Erickson's masterful series, and there's a richness that comes through in the latter that just isn't there for Shepherd.
All in all, these books are readable for good world building, some interesting characters, and some interesting themes in the colliding of base human civilization and the advanced elven civilizations, but they still feel like amateur-plus books rather than professional-minus books.
August 30, 2015
The battle of the Saalshen Bacosh is over. The battle for Jahnd is about to begin.
This gripping conclusion to the "A Trial of Blood and Steel" quartet has been everything I wanted and more. Shepherd has once again woven a fantastic story, filled with exceptional detail, characters you both love and hate, tearful moments and times where you just couldn't help but smile like a dork.
I first read "Sasha" years ago, and have read it a few times since starting it again just over a month ago. Back then, I knew I was going to fall in love with the world that Shepherd had created. I'm only sad that's it has taken me this long to finally realise that further and complete the series.
This book in particular has fine moments of battle description that leaves the reader on the edge of their seat, hoping for the best outcome for Sasha and company. It's described so well, that I felt as if I was Sasha, the Synnich-ahn, felling my enemies with svaalverd, or Damon charging with the Lenayin cavalry, or Errollyn, Aisha and Rhillian, firing deadly arrows within the talmaad.
This book is a perfect finale for the series and although certain things made me upset and wish that they hadn't happened, I realise that they only make the story stronger.
This gripping conclusion to the "A Trial of Blood and Steel" quartet has been everything I wanted and more. Shepherd has once again woven a fantastic story, filled with exceptional detail, characters you both love and hate, tearful moments and times where you just couldn't help but smile like a dork.
I first read "Sasha" years ago, and have read it a few times since starting it again just over a month ago. Back then, I knew I was going to fall in love with the world that Shepherd had created. I'm only sad that's it has taken me this long to finally realise that further and complete the series.
This book in particular has fine moments of battle description that leaves the reader on the edge of their seat, hoping for the best outcome for Sasha and company. It's described so well, that I felt as if I was Sasha, the Synnich-ahn, felling my enemies with svaalverd, or Damon charging with the Lenayin cavalry, or Errollyn, Aisha and Rhillian, firing deadly arrows within the talmaad.
This book is a perfect finale for the series and although certain things made me upset and wish that they hadn't happened, I realise that they only make the story stronger.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2013
My lukewarm reaction has nothing to do with an interesting plot, believable three dimensional characters or prose. I've come to a realization that I'm not a fan of military fantasy, no matter how good they may be. I found myself skipping pages during the battle scenes.
However, I do want to point out the positives for those who like military fantasy. Sasha is easily one of the most believable female warriors I have read. The closest similarity is Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarrion.
I really liked the characteriztions of Sasha's family, especially Prince Damon.
The plot moves forward at a good clip and it deals with themes such as religous intolerance, freedom of thoughts and ideas, honour and family.
If you like battles (small and large scale) and tactics with a strong female protagonist, then this series is for you.
However, I do want to point out the positives for those who like military fantasy. Sasha is easily one of the most believable female warriors I have read. The closest similarity is Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarrion.
I really liked the characteriztions of Sasha's family, especially Prince Damon.
The plot moves forward at a good clip and it deals with themes such as religous intolerance, freedom of thoughts and ideas, honour and family.
If you like battles (small and large scale) and tactics with a strong female protagonist, then this series is for you.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews