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Lord of the Isles #5
Goddess of the Ice Realm
Starting in Lord of the Isles and continuing in Queen of Demons, Servant of the Dragon, and Mistress of the Catacombs, David Drake has told the continuing, interlocking stories of Garric and Sharina, Cashel and Ilna, young brother and sister pairs who journey together from a small town to the capital. Their destiny is to reunite the island kingdoms of the Isles into one empire for the first time in a millennium. They seek to do this at a moment in history when the cosmic forces upon which magicians draw are at a thousand year peak. Wizards of even small learning are immensely powerful. Human greed and evil are reinforced by supernatural energies
In Goddess of the Ice Realm , as Garric and his retinue reach the island city of Carcosa, the wizard Tenoctris perceives a powerful supernatural assault directed against them. Ilna and her beloved, Chalcus, are sent to investigate a magical threat to shipping in the north. Cashel is translated into another world by evil magic, and Sharina to yet another. All of them face deadly dangers and overcome them before they are again united during the terrifying and dramatic climax.
Filled with action, startling revelations, romance and sorcery, Goddess of the Ice Realm is epic fantasy at its exciting best.
In Goddess of the Ice Realm , as Garric and his retinue reach the island city of Carcosa, the wizard Tenoctris perceives a powerful supernatural assault directed against them. Ilna and her beloved, Chalcus, are sent to investigate a magical threat to shipping in the north. Cashel is translated into another world by evil magic, and Sharina to yet another. All of them face deadly dangers and overcome them before they are again united during the terrifying and dramatic climax.
Filled with action, startling revelations, romance and sorcery, Goddess of the Ice Realm is epic fantasy at its exciting best.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
12 people are currently reading
503 people want to read
About the author
David Drake
306 books886 followersDavid Drake is an American author of science fiction and fantasy literature. A Vietnam War veteran who has worked as a lawyer, he is now one of the major authors of the military science fiction genre.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 10, 2023
More of the same from David Drake.
His imagination for new worlds continues to be extensive and delightful to discover but the same problems that have haunted this series continue to haunt. This feels like the fifth time I have read the same book . Character development has not progressed from book two, I don't feel like we're coming any closer to a conclusion of the wider plot, and Drake still insists on continuing dialogue from the same character in a new damn paragraph.
One particularly weird habit I noticed in this book was the use of very awkward similes. I don't know if Drake was going for the Robert Jordan technique of having character POV-appropriate similes, but lines such as "erupting like mud when frogs crawl to the surface of a dried pond during the first rains" in the middle of a battle sequence do sort of take you out of the moment. He also had a thing for enemies being killed with a thrust to the head, which hilariously seemed to cause all of them to leap about 30 feet in the air. Once that happened twice on the same page.
You would be forgiven at this stage for wondering why I have read five of these books now with the criticisms I have been levelling at them. Partly it has to do with having had them all on my shelf and not being able to get rid of books. But, more seriously, there are some genuinely enjoyable moments. If you're looking for original, objectively good fantasy you will not find it here. But if you want a fantastical story with heroes and magic to take you out of the mundanity of everyday life, these books will tick the box.
His imagination for new worlds continues to be extensive and delightful to discover but the same problems that have haunted this series continue to haunt. This feels like the fifth time I have read the same book . Character development has not progressed from book two, I don't feel like we're coming any closer to a conclusion of the wider plot, and Drake still insists on continuing dialogue from the same character in a new damn paragraph.
One particularly weird habit I noticed in this book was the use of very awkward similes. I don't know if Drake was going for the Robert Jordan technique of having character POV-appropriate similes, but lines such as "erupting like mud when frogs crawl to the surface of a dried pond during the first rains" in the middle of a battle sequence do sort of take you out of the moment. He also had a thing for enemies being killed with a thrust to the head, which hilariously seemed to cause all of them to leap about 30 feet in the air. Once that happened twice on the same page.
You would be forgiven at this stage for wondering why I have read five of these books now with the criticisms I have been levelling at them. Partly it has to do with having had them all on my shelf and not being able to get rid of books. But, more seriously, there are some genuinely enjoyable moments. If you're looking for original, objectively good fantasy you will not find it here. But if you want a fantastical story with heroes and magic to take you out of the mundanity of everyday life, these books will tick the box.
August 22, 2022
Drake falls into a pattern at times of becoming repetitive when describing his characters. I thought that Robert Jordan did this even more in Wheel of Time. This isn’t the same caliber of series, but has a pattern that stood out to me. I am enjoying the series and will finish it in a few weeks after I take a short break.
October 22, 2020
In the Lord of the Isles series, David Drake developed a technique for producing expansive narratives through the use of individual story arcs. This is not unique to David Drake. You can see a similar model at work in George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) epic. Drake starts this book with his usual cast of major characters: the brother sister pairs of Garric and Sharina, Cashel and Ilna, their friend the wizard Tenoctris, Ilna's friend Chalcus, and Garric's fiancee Liane. Each chapter has a section, and usually only one section, on each of the four primary characters. The group starts off united - in this case, sailing into the port of Carcosa, a city on the west coast of Haft. In the early stages, they each encounter challenges which result in our having four separate adventures to track. In the last few chapters, the characters reassemble to deal with the major malign force, the titular Goddess of the Ice Realm, who has raised the various disturbances they've been resolving. In the end, all evil vanquished, our victorious characters, together again, heave a sigh of relief. And wait for the next challenge.
Which brings me to Drake's major strength: inventiveness. He comes up with evil characters, evil powers which are not human, natural and unnatural circumstances that test the strength and resolve of the characters, and an infinity of variation on human weaknesses.
The result is a propulsive narrative that keeps you turning pages until you reach the end. And wait for the next volume.
Which brings me to Drake's major strength: inventiveness. He comes up with evil characters, evil powers which are not human, natural and unnatural circumstances that test the strength and resolve of the characters, and an infinity of variation on human weaknesses.
The result is a propulsive narrative that keeps you turning pages until you reach the end. And wait for the next volume.
October 23, 2021
Fantastic as always!
Drake never fails to amaze, entertain, and provoke thought with his works. Highly recommended and well worth the read--I eagerly await the next part of the saga.
Drake never fails to amaze, entertain, and provoke thought with his works. Highly recommended and well worth the read--I eagerly await the next part of the saga.
March 9, 2018
Wizards, Good Guys, Bad Guys, Good Girls, BAD Girls, naked girls, monsters, and Mayhem.
March 29, 2022
Great new characters!
April 19, 2013
In the 5th novel of the series, Garric and his friends reach the city of Carcosa, where there is tension between the three priesthoods. When Tenoctris, accompanied by Cashel, tries to find out whether one temple is a trap, evil magic is set upon them, leaving Cashel with a choice - die in its grasp or serve a powerful young wizard who pulls him to her world before the end. Embroiled in her fight, he finds himself trying to save a whole soceity instead. Worried about her fiance, Sharina is caught in another trap and flung into another world, one that seems uncannily like the one she has left, except this one is covered in show and ice, and strange predators hunt amongst the ruins. A few humans survive and she joins them, using a magical axe to help them fight and survive. She realises that to get home, she has to fight the cause of all the suffering, the Goddess of Ice, who came to the world and sucked all the heat from it to feed her power. Ilna and Chalcus have their own task, to find out why ships are being attacked in the north and whether the reports of winged demons are true. But even they find magic behind the deaths. Garric, Tenoctris and Liane are left to pick up the pieces and try to find where their friends have gone. Also under attack by a powerful wizard strangely fixated on Garric himself, they discover a way into another world too. As each quest is fulfilled, so the Goddess of the Ice Realm is brought to an end.
I enjoyed reading this, even though it follows exactly the same formula as the rest of the series. Split everyone up, let them have their own adventures and then bring them crashing back together at the end for the final fight. However, it is written so well that you can forgive the repetition. The twist towards the end, about who the Goddess is, was a good one and the hints throughout the story are subtle enough that the reader only guesses a few pages before the characters. Brilliant. Another good read - looking forward to the next.
I enjoyed reading this, even though it follows exactly the same formula as the rest of the series. Split everyone up, let them have their own adventures and then bring them crashing back together at the end for the final fight. However, it is written so well that you can forgive the repetition. The twist towards the end, about who the Goddess is, was a good one and the hints throughout the story are subtle enough that the reader only guesses a few pages before the characters. Brilliant. Another good read - looking forward to the next.
February 17, 2008
I had enjoyed the Lord of the Isles original trilogy, so I was a little surprised when I found out that it had become a longer series. While this book was good, I don't know that I would have been able to follow who everyone was if I hadn't already read the other books in the series. This is definitely a book you want read in its proper sequence. It was nice to hear more about the characters that I had really come to enjoy, but the premise seems like it is being stretched out a bit by the author to keep the series going.
April 14, 2008
A good read in early medevil setting (post Roman Empire styled setting). The heros of the story are on continuing quest to unify the Isles (story is not bound by earth's geography). Their world is most warter and the known land masses collectively are known as the Isles.
There is a lot of fantacy in the story line (wizards and monsters). It makes for entertaining light reading.
There is a lot of fantacy in the story line (wizards and monsters). It makes for entertaining light reading.
November 29, 2011
I really enjoyed this one. Sharina and Beard were probably my two favorite characters. I loved their interaction. I'm trying to understand Ilna and Chalcus, particularly their relationship and I feel like I'm missing something, something that would shed the light on why they are the way they are. Anyway, good story, romping fun action and a great pace throughout.
July 24, 2015
I liked this one more than some of the previous. I noticed there are details missing between this one and the next. For instance, no wedding and no mention of there ever having been a wedding scheduled. When did they leave for Erdin? If they are doing a roundabout circuit why hasn't more time lapsed? The inner sea does not seem to be that small.
September 21, 2015
A good ending to this one, pulling a lot of threads together well. Nice character development too. Mind you - these books are getting really long, and a lot of it's padding. I think this is the last one I'll read.
April 21, 2008
same roadmap but still ok... if you ignore the same stuff he puts in all the books, he tells a good story
August 20, 2012
The series is starting to fall into a rut. He is using the same plot device in every book. It's still interesting, but he is running out of ideas. His character creation, as usual, is superb.
December 6, 2015
Part 5 of the Lord of the Isles series. Great fantasy.
April 1, 2016
Gripping story, with a surprise twist at the end. I wasn't expecting that. Very well told, and keeps you hooked wanting more.
March 6, 2014
home audio - no idea about this at all.
hmm
Not for me at this time
hmm
Not for me at this time
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September 26, 2012Mac-ebooks
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews