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The Winter of the World #4
The Castle of the Winds
Centuries before the building of the Great Causeway, when the enveloping Ice seems to be in retreat, the lands of the North and South are on uneasy terms. War appears to be inevitable. But there is still some trade between them, particularly for the peerless weapons created by the Northern mastersmiths.
In one small town, Kunrad, one young mastersmith, has carved out a reputation as a fine armourer. Helped by his two apprentices, the ox-like Olvar and the silver-tongued Gille, Kunrad has created the greatest suit of armour ever made: armour fit for a hero or a king.
When that armour is stolen by a powerful Southern lord, Kunrad has only one concern - to regain it. And so begins an epic journey of discovery, filled with danger, magic - and love.
In one small town, Kunrad, one young mastersmith, has carved out a reputation as a fine armourer. Helped by his two apprentices, the ox-like Olvar and the silver-tongued Gille, Kunrad has created the greatest suit of armour ever made: armour fit for a hero or a king.
When that armour is stolen by a powerful Southern lord, Kunrad has only one concern - to regain it. And so begins an epic journey of discovery, filled with danger, magic - and love.
454 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 5, 1998
11 people are currently reading
362 people want to read
About the author
Michael Scott Rohan
38 books82 followersMichael Scott Rohan (born 1951 in Edinburgh) was a Scottish fantasy and science fiction author and writer on opera.
He had a number of short stories published before his first books, the science fiction novel Run to the Stars and the non-fiction First Byte. He then collaborated with Allan J. Scott on the nonfiction The Hammer and The Cross (an account of Christianity arriving in Viking lands, not to be confused with Harry Harrison's similarly themed novel trilogy of the same name) and the fantasy novels The Ice King and A Spell of Empire.
Rohan is best known for the Ice Age-set trilogy The Winter of the World. He also wrote the Spiral novels, in which our world is the Hub, or Core, of a spiral of mythic and legendary versions of familiar cities, countries and continents.
In the "Author's Note" to The Lord of Middle Air, Rohan asserts that he and Walter Scott have a common ancestor in Michael Scot, who is a character in the novel.
[copied and adapted from en.wikipedia.org]
He had a number of short stories published before his first books, the science fiction novel Run to the Stars and the non-fiction First Byte. He then collaborated with Allan J. Scott on the nonfiction The Hammer and The Cross (an account of Christianity arriving in Viking lands, not to be confused with Harry Harrison's similarly themed novel trilogy of the same name) and the fantasy novels The Ice King and A Spell of Empire.
Rohan is best known for the Ice Age-set trilogy The Winter of the World. He also wrote the Spiral novels, in which our world is the Hub, or Core, of a spiral of mythic and legendary versions of familiar cities, countries and continents.
In the "Author's Note" to The Lord of Middle Air, Rohan asserts that he and Walter Scott have a common ancestor in Michael Scot, who is a character in the novel.
[copied and adapted from en.wikipedia.org]
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 13, 2014
It was hard to get going with Castle of the Winds. It felt like the characters were trespassing in Elof's world. But after a slow-ish start, I grew to really enjoy the story.
Kunrad, Olvar and Gille, the Mastersmith and his two apprentices living in north Nordeny grow to be engaging characters. Kunrad is a weaponsmith who has made the most amazing armour which is then stolen by a Southron lord. Kunrad has literally put his soul into the making of the armour and needs it back, so a chase ensues which takes in Nordeny, the Great Marsh and the Southron lands.
What is great about this book is it's an action fantasy, but there is a proper love story woven in - Alais Kermorvan is a fantastic character in her own right. we also get to meet another Kermorvan ancestor who is as unlike Keryn Kermorvan as you could possibly imagine.
The book is also far more amusing than the three Elof books as the main characters are perhaps less burdened by the Powers and fate. There is plenty of humour to be found amidst the action.
I'd not read this before, so it was a nice surprise to find that I enjoyed it so much as I did. I'm never sure about reading books set in a milieu where beloved and long-known characters once roamed, but are no longer present.
Kunrad, Olvar and Gille, the Mastersmith and his two apprentices living in north Nordeny grow to be engaging characters. Kunrad is a weaponsmith who has made the most amazing armour which is then stolen by a Southron lord. Kunrad has literally put his soul into the making of the armour and needs it back, so a chase ensues which takes in Nordeny, the Great Marsh and the Southron lands.
What is great about this book is it's an action fantasy, but there is a proper love story woven in - Alais Kermorvan is a fantastic character in her own right. we also get to meet another Kermorvan ancestor who is as unlike Keryn Kermorvan as you could possibly imagine.
The book is also far more amusing than the three Elof books as the main characters are perhaps less burdened by the Powers and fate. There is plenty of humour to be found amidst the action.
I'd not read this before, so it was a nice surprise to find that I enjoyed it so much as I did. I'm never sure about reading books set in a milieu where beloved and long-known characters once roamed, but are no longer present.
April 12, 2021
Picked this book up as years ago I had read the first three and remembered enjoying them with their fresh approach to the fantasy worlds. Unfortunately I didn't gain that same feeling this time. The writing seemed a little simplistic as well as the story line.
June 23, 2022
The series is really fantastic, these books are definitely awesome.
September 28, 2020
I bloody love this series. For me it is and has always been my favourite fantasy series, bar non.
In the Winter of the World Series Rohan has created one of the most original and well thought through worlds. Yes there are familiar tropes but he does something very different with them than other writers.
The Castle of the Winds is a separate story from the first 3 of the series, set in the world he previously created but building upon what has gone before. He has also done something very difficult to do with this story, create a prequal that never feels constrained by what has gone before. It is set far enough away from his original trilogy for their story not to intrude too heavily in this.
Orion Books really need to re release this series as I am currently reading my copies to death and will need to replace them soon.
In the Winter of the World Series Rohan has created one of the most original and well thought through worlds. Yes there are familiar tropes but he does something very different with them than other writers.
The Castle of the Winds is a separate story from the first 3 of the series, set in the world he previously created but building upon what has gone before. He has also done something very difficult to do with this story, create a prequal that never feels constrained by what has gone before. It is set far enough away from his original trilogy for their story not to intrude too heavily in this.
Orion Books really need to re release this series as I am currently reading my copies to death and will need to replace them soon.
May 12, 2014
I loved this book. almost as much as Rohans wotw trilogy, but for entirely different reasons.
A standalone supplement to the series, the shorter and less expansive storyline still manages to capture that same kind of intensity I loved so much about his earlier books.
I'm really looking forward to the other prequel books, mixed with the bittersweet knowledge that there aren't any more, nor any more on the horizon. I feel bereft
A standalone supplement to the series, the shorter and less expansive storyline still manages to capture that same kind of intensity I loved so much about his earlier books.
I'm really looking forward to the other prequel books, mixed with the bittersweet knowledge that there aren't any more, nor any more on the horizon. I feel bereft
October 30, 2019
Thankfully I marked this as 4 star on my Kindle before letting it slide into the 'I really must write a review of that soon' group which has got far too large recently. So, yeah, I really liked this one... I think it was not only the writing style and prose, but the exploration of a part of the world. A pretty decent plot as I recall and good character development. Sadly, if I do not write these things soon after reading, they become rather less useful.
July 30, 2011
I honestly thought that Rohan might merely have been "milking" the original trilogy by writing this... but no, it is a damn good yarn all on it's own. Though the main character is basically just Elof (from the trilogy), it doesn't really matter - it works. My commendations concerning the Winter of the World apply here as well, Rohan does a fine job with the action and development of the tale, his pacing is spot-on. I found myself again impressed by his antagonist - more so than the main character this time.
December 30, 2010
Re-read December 2010.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews