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Tears of Artamon #1
Lord of Snow and Shadows
From Book 1: Combining the best of fantasy traditions with her own unique vision, Sarah Ash brings us a new saga filled with epic adventure and unforgettable characters—set in a world teeming with political intrigue, astonishing magic, and passions both dark and light. . . .
“Unusual . . . exotic . . . Well worth the read!”—Katherine Kurtz, author of Crusade of Fire
Raised by his protective mother in the sunny climes of the south, Gavril Andar knows nothing of his father—or of the ominous legacy that awaits him. But now the man who ruled the wintry kingdom of Azhkendir, a man infused with the burning blood of the dragon-warrior known as Drakhaoul—has been murdered by his enemies.
Expected to avenge his father’s death—and still his unquiet ghost—Gavril soon learns that becoming Drakhaon means not only ascending to the throne of Azhkendir but slowly changing into a being of extraordinary power and might. A being that must be replenished with the blood of innocents in order to survive…
“Unusual . . . exotic . . . Well worth the read!”—Katherine Kurtz, author of Crusade of Fire
Raised by his protective mother in the sunny climes of the south, Gavril Andar knows nothing of his father—or of the ominous legacy that awaits him. But now the man who ruled the wintry kingdom of Azhkendir, a man infused with the burning blood of the dragon-warrior known as Drakhaoul—has been murdered by his enemies.
Expected to avenge his father’s death—and still his unquiet ghost—Gavril soon learns that becoming Drakhaon means not only ascending to the throne of Azhkendir but slowly changing into a being of extraordinary power and might. A being that must be replenished with the blood of innocents in order to survive…
574 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
113 people are currently reading
2539 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Ash
25 books184 followersSarah Ash was born and brought up in Bath. At university she trained as a musician, but returned to her childhood love of writing as the author of highly-praised novels, including the Tears of Artamon Trilogy. Sarah also writes about her love of anime and manga for Anime UK News. Check out her Guest Blog to read posts by other SFF authors about their fiction!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
December 14, 2017
I love Sarah Ash. Now before you take that the wrong way, let me explain. Sarah has this rare ability to create this amazing story in her head and then actually succeed in pulling it off when she transmits that story to paper (or laptop screen if you will). Many authors can do one or the other but there are very few who can do both well. I'm happy to say that Sarah is one of them. The tears of Artamon series is set in an icy desolate Russia-like setting where dragons exist and can even manifest themselves in human form. It's definitely an original take on the usual template of tropey fantasy. Quite refreshing to say the least. The setting is also perfect for a winter read while the prose is excellent and what I come to expect from Ms. Ash. I thoroughly enjoyed this first book and I plan on picking up the second one very very soon. If you are looking for a "different" type of fantasy series, this one fits the bill. Check it out.
February 17, 2009
People read different books for different reasons, and they look for different things. A lot of people read for plot and character, which is why most of the reviews are rather low. I don't dispute their claims.
But I read with one criterion in mind, and one criterion only: style. If Sarah Ash has nothing else, it is style. Her description is beautiful and concise, and her settings are wonderful. It's delightful to see non-Western-based worlds once in awhile, and her world is much more realistic and varied than your generic sword and sorcery.
I do wish she'd come up with something other than Drakhaoul, though. Anything else, and the vampire overtones would have been significantly less noticeable.
But I read with one criterion in mind, and one criterion only: style. If Sarah Ash has nothing else, it is style. Her description is beautiful and concise, and her settings are wonderful. It's delightful to see non-Western-based worlds once in awhile, and her world is much more realistic and varied than your generic sword and sorcery.
I do wish she'd come up with something other than Drakhaoul, though. Anything else, and the vampire overtones would have been significantly less noticeable.
July 30, 2016
Abandoned at about halfway point: repetitive, uninspired writing, uninteresting characters, weird juxtaposition of fantasy with reality, and altogether pretty predictable. And, as I recall, a level of sadism and torture porn that should have come with a warning label. Nope.
December 2, 2008
Some aspects of this book could have been redeeming (some really good action scenes), but on the whole, I didn't like this novel. The characters were all too one-dimensional, and it's hard to become invested in their stories because they are thrown into the plot as quickly as the reader is. And it's very disorienting and only serves to make the reader feel dispassionate toward the characters.
I'd anticipated reading this novel for awhile, but I think other authors do a better job with some of the same concepts.
I'd anticipated reading this novel for awhile, but I think other authors do a better job with some of the same concepts.
July 27, 2017
Disappointing. :/
I've had this forever -- it survived multiple cullings with the best of intentions -- but something about it isn't working, because I really don't care. The setting is great; I like the modified historical aspect of the trappings therein, & the concept is a good one. But the writing is so...blah. And the characters are so...blah. Not to mention the way these protags sound like they stepped off a cheesy YA fic. Dude, you're 20 years old & YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THE GIRL! Man the hell up. Stop pining & harping on Astasia's perfection like a tween fantasy-hero. And Kiukiu, you're 18? Odd, that, because your sudden onset of power is Sew OMG~~ & the cringing doormat routine is that of a bullied gradeschooler. As for Astasia, she's just like any other self-insert rebellious daughter of rich folks wanting to chart her own life path. Yawn.
Despite the 'adult fantasy' publisher & threats of violence, this feels like modified YA. The pacing sucks (reader is dropped into the middle of a pivotal moment in a multi-book saga without bothering to build credible characters) & the dialogue is set to Endless Whine on a repeat playlist. The past plot involving Gavril's mother & father sounded more interesting, but clearly that's not the focus of the story. Yawn. Again. Say what you will about George RR Martin -- I'm not going to excuse his faults, which are many -- but even so, the characterization & plotting in early ASOIAF novels put this to shame.
DNF @ roughly 20%.
2 stars for the concept only.
I've had this forever -- it survived multiple cullings with the best of intentions -- but something about it isn't working, because I really don't care. The setting is great; I like the modified historical aspect of the trappings therein, & the concept is a good one. But the writing is so...blah. And the characters are so...blah. Not to mention the way these protags sound like they stepped off a cheesy YA fic. Dude, you're 20 years old & YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THE GIRL! Man the hell up. Stop pining & harping on Astasia's perfection like a tween fantasy-hero. And Kiukiu, you're 18? Odd, that, because your sudden onset of power is Sew OMG~~ & the cringing doormat routine is that of a bullied gradeschooler. As for Astasia, she's just like any other self-insert rebellious daughter of rich folks wanting to chart her own life path. Yawn.
Despite the 'adult fantasy' publisher & threats of violence, this feels like modified YA. The pacing sucks (reader is dropped into the middle of a pivotal moment in a multi-book saga without bothering to build credible characters) & the dialogue is set to Endless Whine on a repeat playlist. The past plot involving Gavril's mother & father sounded more interesting, but clearly that's not the focus of the story. Yawn. Again. Say what you will about George RR Martin -- I'm not going to excuse his faults, which are many -- but even so, the characterization & plotting in early ASOIAF novels put this to shame.
DNF @ roughly 20%.
2 stars for the concept only.
March 1, 2012
I bought this book just 'cause of the pretty cover art. I wasn't familiar with the author at all.
About half way through the book, I ordered the two sequels, and just today I bought another book from the author. So - she's won me over!
This is very enjoyable epic fantasy. I very much liked the semi-Russian feel to the culture, and the interplay/conflict between magic and technology/science. Yes, the characterizations and politics are a bit simplistic - but I thought it worked, in the context of a fable.
I enjoyed both the two main plot threads - first, the story of Gavril - a young artist whose mother has shielded him from knowledge of his father's heritage: possession by a dragon-like spirit which gives great power, but only at the cost of ones humanity. Second - the story of Kiukiu, a girl who, similarly has had her heritage hidden. Her father was a magician who, through music, could cross the boundaries of life and death, and she also has unknowingly inherited powers.
Recommended for fans of Robin Hobb, Carol Berg, etc.
About half way through the book, I ordered the two sequels, and just today I bought another book from the author. So - she's won me over!
This is very enjoyable epic fantasy. I very much liked the semi-Russian feel to the culture, and the interplay/conflict between magic and technology/science. Yes, the characterizations and politics are a bit simplistic - but I thought it worked, in the context of a fable.
I enjoyed both the two main plot threads - first, the story of Gavril - a young artist whose mother has shielded him from knowledge of his father's heritage: possession by a dragon-like spirit which gives great power, but only at the cost of ones humanity. Second - the story of Kiukiu, a girl who, similarly has had her heritage hidden. Her father was a magician who, through music, could cross the boundaries of life and death, and she also has unknowingly inherited powers.
Recommended for fans of Robin Hobb, Carol Berg, etc.
February 15, 2009
Not only are the characters flat, their flimsy flat. I keep trying to understand their motives for their actions and it just doesn't happen. Clan (a) attacks clan (b) breaking into the castle and killing woman and children. Clan (b) repels clan (a) and counter attacks wiping out all but one of the clan (a) blood line. But clan (b) is portrayed as the "bad" guys. The head of clan (b) see's himself as the bad Guy because of his father’s actions in eliminating the threat to the family...
Then there are friendships that just appear; out of enemies. No rhyme or reason, just simply “Hey, you killed my father, and our clans are in a blood feud but eh, lets be friends."
If one were to correct the poor character development and poor use of tiered plot devices then the story would be pretty good. As it stands I am sad to say I don't have anything else to read at the moment so I am going to force myself to read the next two books... Somebody hold my hand.
Then there are friendships that just appear; out of enemies. No rhyme or reason, just simply “Hey, you killed my father, and our clans are in a blood feud but eh, lets be friends."
If one were to correct the poor character development and poor use of tiered plot devices then the story would be pretty good. As it stands I am sad to say I don't have anything else to read at the moment so I am going to force myself to read the next two books... Somebody hold my hand.
August 12, 2008
I was in the library looking for a book to read and came across this series. I had never heard of it but it had a cool enough looking cover so I got it. I wasn’t disappointed. I really enjoyed this book. It had a lot of really interesting and likable characters and a very clever and exciting storyline. I did get a little confused at some points and found that certain parts weren’t very well explained but other then that it was really an enjoyable book. I really liked the way it ended and look forward to starting the next book.
August 1, 2020
A solid fantasy tale. RTC
July 2, 2012
I am too lazy to write a legit review for this right now which I know I'll regret later when I want to come back to read my thoughts on it but WHATEVER.
This book is excellent. It's extremely unique and when you've read as much fantasy as I have, unique counts for a lot. The setting is 18th/19th century Russia inspired, based around Slavic mythology and the Russian revolution. The primary political factors in the book revolve around the rise of potential communism in the nation of Muscobar and the prince who wants to bring the sundered nation of Rossiya back to its former united glory. The primary magical one involves the main character, Gavril Nagarian, having been possessed by the "Drakhaoul," a spirit-monster that turns him into a creature part demon, part dragon, and part vampire.
There's a whole lot of fantasy potential untapped in Slavic roots. The Dracula-esque Drakhaon was unique and interesting, while the political unrest framed a great backround. I loved the Guslyars, an extremely unique order of magician that's part bard, part shaman, and part necromancer. Sarah Ash focuses more on the wonder of magic than the rules that govern it, something that I appreciate now more than even in this post-Mistborn age. I love and respect and appreciate complex, tightly woven magic systems ... but I prefer my magic to be incorporeal and strange and dark.
I really liked all the characters, major and minor both. Ash was just comfortable enough killing characters that I feared for everybody the entire time. I really appreciated the different mix of characters. There's no prevalent archetype here, and the nature of this story let us have all sorts of different character types. I didn't find either the barbaric Azhkendi or the more civilized southerners were intended to be seen as more "right" than the other, which is something I ALWAYS really appreciate. I prefer my fantasy balanced, yo.
The writing is also BEAUTIFUL. While there are a few problems picturing the scene -- she leaves out key transitions and I need to adjust my mental picture when I realize we've moved further than I thought -- she turns a beautiful phrase, especially the descriptions of the Drakhaoul's magic and of the ways beyond.
My one complaint about this book is one that I'm not sure is really a complaint, but damn. The pacing in this thing is bizarre and strange. Conflicts arise and are resolved so quickly and seemingly irrelevantly that it made my head spin a few times. I mean, almost 300 pages dedicated to the ghost of Volkh, and the solution was so anticlimatic? Or what about the werewolves? Or the revolution in Muscobar? It's not a bad thing, neccessarily, but it was ... odd. There was also the problem that some things developed a little more quickly than they seemed they should. Namely, the relationships between Kiukiu, Gavril, and Jaromir. I think there was a large chunk of time at the abbey that I would have liekd to have actually seen onscreen, exciting or not, because I felt it hard to really believe that Jaro and Gavril had become as close as the book told me they had.
So since this is a lazy review I don't need to come up with a nice conclusion for it. I loved this book and I'm definitely getting the next one asap.
This book is excellent. It's extremely unique and when you've read as much fantasy as I have, unique counts for a lot. The setting is 18th/19th century Russia inspired, based around Slavic mythology and the Russian revolution. The primary political factors in the book revolve around the rise of potential communism in the nation of Muscobar and the prince who wants to bring the sundered nation of Rossiya back to its former united glory. The primary magical one involves the main character, Gavril Nagarian, having been possessed by the "Drakhaoul," a spirit-monster that turns him into a creature part demon, part dragon, and part vampire.
There's a whole lot of fantasy potential untapped in Slavic roots. The Dracula-esque Drakhaon was unique and interesting, while the political unrest framed a great backround. I loved the Guslyars, an extremely unique order of magician that's part bard, part shaman, and part necromancer. Sarah Ash focuses more on the wonder of magic than the rules that govern it, something that I appreciate now more than even in this post-Mistborn age. I love and respect and appreciate complex, tightly woven magic systems ... but I prefer my magic to be incorporeal and strange and dark.
I really liked all the characters, major and minor both. Ash was just comfortable enough killing characters that I feared for everybody the entire time. I really appreciated the different mix of characters. There's no prevalent archetype here, and the nature of this story let us have all sorts of different character types. I didn't find either the barbaric Azhkendi or the more civilized southerners were intended to be seen as more "right" than the other, which is something I ALWAYS really appreciate. I prefer my fantasy balanced, yo.
The writing is also BEAUTIFUL. While there are a few problems picturing the scene -- she leaves out key transitions and I need to adjust my mental picture when I realize we've moved further than I thought -- she turns a beautiful phrase, especially the descriptions of the Drakhaoul's magic and of the ways beyond.
My one complaint about this book is one that I'm not sure is really a complaint, but damn. The pacing in this thing is bizarre and strange. Conflicts arise and are resolved so quickly and seemingly irrelevantly that it made my head spin a few times. I mean, almost 300 pages dedicated to the ghost of Volkh, and the solution was so anticlimatic? Or what about the werewolves? Or the revolution in Muscobar? It's not a bad thing, neccessarily, but it was ... odd. There was also the problem that some things developed a little more quickly than they seemed they should. Namely, the relationships between Kiukiu, Gavril, and Jaromir. I think there was a large chunk of time at the abbey that I would have liekd to have actually seen onscreen, exciting or not, because I felt it hard to really believe that Jaro and Gavril had become as close as the book told me they had.
So since this is a lazy review I don't need to come up with a nice conclusion for it. I loved this book and I'm definitely getting the next one asap.
April 21, 2015
Gavril has no idea what he’s up against. In one day, he goes from being a talented, but commonly born peasant with little knowledge of his parentage painting (and falling in love with) the local nobleman’s daughter, to being kidnapped and told his father’s not only the king of a foreign country, but that he’s dead and Gavril’s the heir to a monstrous legacy. Not exactly a good day, but it gets worse from there.
Lord of Snow and Shadows is really a book about being a victim of fate; not only being a victim, either, but railing against fate and trying to make the choices that aren’t easy, even when other people would give in considering the odds against them. It’s not only Gavril that faces these incredible circumstances, but also his mother, the nobleman’s daughter, and even a serving girl in Gavril’s castle. Most of these people live up to that challenge and come out the other side stronger and better people for it, despite the fact that easy exits are provided for them along the way and they are provided with every motivation to quit.
I was really looking forward to this book for a couple of really foolish reasons – but every girl can be a little foolish once in a while without hurting anything. I really liked this cover. From the standpoint of looking at this cover, it just looked like an amazing book, and I was excited about it.
The second reason is that this book is billed as epic fantasy, and honestly, I really don’t feel like it lives up to this standard; epic fantasy tends to have elaborate plots and sweeping story arcs, but this book was far too straightforward to fit into that category. I really think it was unfair to class this as epic fantasy. If it had been categorized as regular fantasy, just a normal story, I wouldn’t have had such a sour taste in my mouth at the end of it. I also feel like the plot was a little neglected at times, considering that it could have been so much better, in favor of rushing off to do one thing or another. Considering that I also think that the characters were neglected, I sort of want to blame an overzealous editor who wanted to keep the book small. This could have been done in a much better way.
This is not to say that the book isn’t interesting. Having it in a Tsarist Russian setting was unique and gave it a flavor not unlike Paula Volsky’s A Wolf in Winter, a book I very much did enjoy and does indeed deserve to be categorized as epic fantasy, but with a writing style that is much more like Mercedes Lackey and Robin Hobb.
All in all, I’m slightly disappointed. It was a good read and I enjoyed it for that, and I definitely enjoyed Ash’s approach toward her characters and their methods of dealing with the hands they were dealt, but I wouldn’t feel like I’d broken my heart if I sold the book to a used bookstore. I will definitely not be reading the follow-up novels.
Lord of Snow and Shadows is really a book about being a victim of fate; not only being a victim, either, but railing against fate and trying to make the choices that aren’t easy, even when other people would give in considering the odds against them. It’s not only Gavril that faces these incredible circumstances, but also his mother, the nobleman’s daughter, and even a serving girl in Gavril’s castle. Most of these people live up to that challenge and come out the other side stronger and better people for it, despite the fact that easy exits are provided for them along the way and they are provided with every motivation to quit.
I was really looking forward to this book for a couple of really foolish reasons – but every girl can be a little foolish once in a while without hurting anything. I really liked this cover. From the standpoint of looking at this cover, it just looked like an amazing book, and I was excited about it.
The second reason is that this book is billed as epic fantasy, and honestly, I really don’t feel like it lives up to this standard; epic fantasy tends to have elaborate plots and sweeping story arcs, but this book was far too straightforward to fit into that category. I really think it was unfair to class this as epic fantasy. If it had been categorized as regular fantasy, just a normal story, I wouldn’t have had such a sour taste in my mouth at the end of it. I also feel like the plot was a little neglected at times, considering that it could have been so much better, in favor of rushing off to do one thing or another. Considering that I also think that the characters were neglected, I sort of want to blame an overzealous editor who wanted to keep the book small. This could have been done in a much better way.
This is not to say that the book isn’t interesting. Having it in a Tsarist Russian setting was unique and gave it a flavor not unlike Paula Volsky’s A Wolf in Winter, a book I very much did enjoy and does indeed deserve to be categorized as epic fantasy, but with a writing style that is much more like Mercedes Lackey and Robin Hobb.
All in all, I’m slightly disappointed. It was a good read and I enjoyed it for that, and I definitely enjoyed Ash’s approach toward her characters and their methods of dealing with the hands they were dealt, but I wouldn’t feel like I’d broken my heart if I sold the book to a used bookstore. I will definitely not be reading the follow-up novels.
August 25, 2014
Not a full review but reading the comments here I really wanted to say that I think this book is a little underrated, mostly because it seems no one gets where Ashe is coming from in this series. One complaint is that it that the time period doesn't make sense, another that names and words are hard to say, others about the amount of clan wars or the mixture of elements.
I'm not an expert on the subject matter but .. I think what Ashe did here was very clever and refreshing. She has tried to evoke a Bylina through her trilogy in that she takes faucets of Russian history over several epochs and blends it heavily with folklore. Bogatyrs and Guslis aren't figments of Ash's imagination (yes guslis are actual instruments) and if she were to translate to western equivalents for easier reading the trilogy would have lost its feeling and intent. There are many clan wars because there were many clan wars in actual history. The idea of Drakhoul comes from Vlad, the inspiration for Dracula. If you are familiar with history you know Vlad was part of the order of the Dragon. He was therefore known as Vlad Dracul or, in English, Vlad the Dragon. Dracula literally means Son of the Dragon. If you are aware of this the combination of dragon and vampire makes much more sense. We also know that Vlad was reputed for horrific acts of violence and being a great warload. He also used a scorched earth policy. Everything else about the Trilogy is the same: You will appreciate it better if you know some history as well as a thing or two about Russia in general.
I'm impressed with the concept behind the book and the way it was executed. Every time I read the book I find a new thread to pull.. a name or event tying to Russia's past or mythology. Ash also has a great style. She is descriptive enough to conjure the exotic history and folklore she was trying to bring to life but not so much it slowed the story down. Unlike other reviewers I loved the cast of characters. I may not have liked each character but I enjoyed how they were portrayed. Ash took the time to show different aspects of their personality and their motivations .. Prince Eugene, for instance, we get to see both his soft and cruel sides. I think sometimes Ash was just too subtle that maybe some people would have preferred a clearer explanation but I myself liked the subtle way the characters personalities were revealed.
I do agree the writing could have been a bit stronger in some places. The plot is also very fast paced. Sometimes I think Ash glossed over a thing or two getting too caught up in her story. Still I think it's a great read whether you are reading it to escape into an exotic and intriguing landscape with a romantic backstory or you appreciate Ash's attempt to conjure the culture, history, and folklore of Rossiya.
I'm not an expert on the subject matter but .. I think what Ashe did here was very clever and refreshing. She has tried to evoke a Bylina through her trilogy in that she takes faucets of Russian history over several epochs and blends it heavily with folklore. Bogatyrs and Guslis aren't figments of Ash's imagination (yes guslis are actual instruments) and if she were to translate to western equivalents for easier reading the trilogy would have lost its feeling and intent. There are many clan wars because there were many clan wars in actual history. The idea of Drakhoul comes from Vlad, the inspiration for Dracula. If you are familiar with history you know Vlad was part of the order of the Dragon. He was therefore known as Vlad Dracul or, in English, Vlad the Dragon. Dracula literally means Son of the Dragon. If you are aware of this the combination of dragon and vampire makes much more sense. We also know that Vlad was reputed for horrific acts of violence and being a great warload. He also used a scorched earth policy. Everything else about the Trilogy is the same: You will appreciate it better if you know some history as well as a thing or two about Russia in general.
I'm impressed with the concept behind the book and the way it was executed. Every time I read the book I find a new thread to pull.. a name or event tying to Russia's past or mythology. Ash also has a great style. She is descriptive enough to conjure the exotic history and folklore she was trying to bring to life but not so much it slowed the story down. Unlike other reviewers I loved the cast of characters. I may not have liked each character but I enjoyed how they were portrayed. Ash took the time to show different aspects of their personality and their motivations .. Prince Eugene, for instance, we get to see both his soft and cruel sides. I think sometimes Ash was just too subtle that maybe some people would have preferred a clearer explanation but I myself liked the subtle way the characters personalities were revealed.
I do agree the writing could have been a bit stronger in some places. The plot is also very fast paced. Sometimes I think Ash glossed over a thing or two getting too caught up in her story. Still I think it's a great read whether you are reading it to escape into an exotic and intriguing landscape with a romantic backstory or you appreciate Ash's attempt to conjure the culture, history, and folklore of Rossiya.
April 7, 2010
There is a lot I liked about this book, but there are a handful of things that irked me as well. Reviews for it seem to be mixed, which is understandable. This is a heavily plot-driven book, it focuses more on the story it's telling than on the development of each character, and some people just don't like that. I, however, can appreciate a book for the story it tells without needing to feel significantly attached to any of the characters. I like a good story, and this is a good story.
Lord of Snow and Shadows is set in Rossiya, an empire divided into five princedoms long ago. Gavril Andar grew up in the summer lands of Smarna, raised by his mother without any knowledge of his father. He lives as a painter, an apprentice to his mother, until the day men, warriors called druzhina, come for him from the frozen northern princedom of Azhkendir. The ruler of Azhkendir, the Drakhoan, has been assassinated, and Gavril is his only heir. But Gavril has inherited more than lands and a title; he now finds himself in the middle of a decades old blood feud, surrounded by people who expect him to avenge the death of his father and, in doing so, submit to the dark, terrible power within himself.
The writing is simple, but the plot moves quickly enough that I couldn't put it down. One specific thing in the writing that drove me a bit crazy was Ash's propensity to describe things as being like mist over the moors. Or fog over the moors. Or snow over the moors. Or wind over the moors. Over the moors. Over the moors. It was pretty the first time, charming the second, and after that I was just annoyed. The characters, though underdeveloped, are likable, even intriguing in some cases. I can't say that I really care for any of them, but I am curious to see where the story takes them. I do hope, however, that in the following two books, if none of the other characters get developed more, that at least little Princess Karila starts speaking and behaving like the child she is.
I really do like the story, though, and the world. It's very different from the worlds in other fantasy books I've read. It's an interesting combination of medieval and Victorian culture, a fantasy cousin of Russia in the dying days of the Romanovs. There is something sorrowful and dangerous about the magic and the future the political turmoil is leading to, and I'm going to keep reading for that.
Lord of Snow and Shadows is set in Rossiya, an empire divided into five princedoms long ago. Gavril Andar grew up in the summer lands of Smarna, raised by his mother without any knowledge of his father. He lives as a painter, an apprentice to his mother, until the day men, warriors called druzhina, come for him from the frozen northern princedom of Azhkendir. The ruler of Azhkendir, the Drakhoan, has been assassinated, and Gavril is his only heir. But Gavril has inherited more than lands and a title; he now finds himself in the middle of a decades old blood feud, surrounded by people who expect him to avenge the death of his father and, in doing so, submit to the dark, terrible power within himself.
The writing is simple, but the plot moves quickly enough that I couldn't put it down. One specific thing in the writing that drove me a bit crazy was Ash's propensity to describe things as being like mist over the moors. Or fog over the moors. Or snow over the moors. Or wind over the moors. Over the moors. Over the moors. It was pretty the first time, charming the second, and after that I was just annoyed. The characters, though underdeveloped, are likable, even intriguing in some cases. I can't say that I really care for any of them, but I am curious to see where the story takes them. I do hope, however, that in the following two books, if none of the other characters get developed more, that at least little Princess Karila starts speaking and behaving like the child she is.
I really do like the story, though, and the world. It's very different from the worlds in other fantasy books I've read. It's an interesting combination of medieval and Victorian culture, a fantasy cousin of Russia in the dying days of the Romanovs. There is something sorrowful and dangerous about the magic and the future the political turmoil is leading to, and I'm going to keep reading for that.
November 15, 2013
da www.sognipensieriparole.com
Lords of Snow and Shadows è un fantasy avvincente, con regni in lotta, casati distrutti e eredi sopravvissuti, amori tra membri di famiglie nemiche, monaci guaritori e stregoni nascosti sotto le spoglie di scienziati, e persino incantatori di magia oscura, capaci di chiamare indietro le anime dei morti. C’è un po’ di tutto, però quel tutto è stato oculatamente dosato, confezionando un buon prodotto, con capitoli brevi, continui cambi di scene, e con un ritmo sempre sostenuto (tanto che le seicento pagine scorrono via velocissime).
Rispetto ai fantasy a cui sono abituata, l’autrice ha preferito una chiave più magica e sfumata, rifuggendo da tocchi troppo sanguinari o sentimenti marcati (c’è solo un accenno ad un amore “proibito”, con un bacio fugace che sembra quasi sfuggito per sbaglio), però ammetto che mi sono ugualmente appassionata.
Alcuni personaggi sono meno approfonditi di altri, mentre almeno un paio di figure, sempre a mio parere, avrebbero meritato maggiore attenzione (penso ad esempio a Kiukiu, la cui evoluzione è forse delineata in modo troppo veloce per permettere di apprezzarla appieno, e al principale antagonista, su cui riponevo grandi aspettative, e che viene liquidato sbrigativamente), tuttavia vi è anche da dire che – essendo il primo volume di una trilogia – la Ash ha probabilmente preferito mettere parecchia carne sul fuoco per poi cuocere (e sviluppare) il tutto con calma.
E in effetti il finale - apertissimo – tiene parecchio in sospeso.
Lords of Snow and Shadows è un fantasy avvincente, con regni in lotta, casati distrutti e eredi sopravvissuti, amori tra membri di famiglie nemiche, monaci guaritori e stregoni nascosti sotto le spoglie di scienziati, e persino incantatori di magia oscura, capaci di chiamare indietro le anime dei morti. C’è un po’ di tutto, però quel tutto è stato oculatamente dosato, confezionando un buon prodotto, con capitoli brevi, continui cambi di scene, e con un ritmo sempre sostenuto (tanto che le seicento pagine scorrono via velocissime).
Rispetto ai fantasy a cui sono abituata, l’autrice ha preferito una chiave più magica e sfumata, rifuggendo da tocchi troppo sanguinari o sentimenti marcati (c’è solo un accenno ad un amore “proibito”, con un bacio fugace che sembra quasi sfuggito per sbaglio), però ammetto che mi sono ugualmente appassionata.
Alcuni personaggi sono meno approfonditi di altri, mentre almeno un paio di figure, sempre a mio parere, avrebbero meritato maggiore attenzione (penso ad esempio a Kiukiu, la cui evoluzione è forse delineata in modo troppo veloce per permettere di apprezzarla appieno, e al principale antagonista, su cui riponevo grandi aspettative, e che viene liquidato sbrigativamente), tuttavia vi è anche da dire che – essendo il primo volume di una trilogia – la Ash ha probabilmente preferito mettere parecchia carne sul fuoco per poi cuocere (e sviluppare) il tutto con calma.
E in effetti il finale - apertissimo – tiene parecchio in sospeso.
November 13, 2022
I really enjoyed this despite the slow start. I had several questions and none were honestly truly answered but enough events and dialog occurred i could infer my answers. I've very curious to see how this story plays out for 3 more books. Kind concerns me because how this book left off I don't think there is enough for this long of a series but my husband loves this series so I'm giving it the benifit of the doubt.
March 19, 2009
A wonderful, inventive start to Sarah Ash's "The Tears of Artamon" trilogy. She has created a rich world of varied cultures and a diverse and sympathetic cast of characters. I particularly enjoyed the character development and look forward to seeing them evolve further in the next two books. I highly recommend this book.
August 31, 2009
It's a bad sign when you get to the end of the first book in a series and you really don't care what happens next.
June 1, 2015
Just like 13 years ago, I still love this book!! <3
December 24, 2023
(Perhaps a few spoilers. You’ve been warned) I read Lord of Snow and Shadows (The Tears of Artamon Book 1) by Sarah Ash before and had been meaning to read book 2, but I wasn’t sure why I wanted to read book 2 since I rated this book a 3/5 the first time around. I decided to re-read it again and give it a real review this time.
I understand the 3/5 rating now although it’s probably more like a 3.5/5. not quite a 4. Here’s why.
The first time I read this book, I remember I had difficulty understanding the political world. It’s not a complicated world but reading it a second time made a lot more sense. I still don’t think it was fleshed out well. The leaders, nations, and intrigues. Perhaps that is just me, but I thought it could have been handled better.
The story begins with a simple young painter named Gavril Andar painting a portrait for a wealthy young woman, Altessa Astasia Orlova in Muscobar, which is under Orlov rule. She is betrothed to another man for political reasons.
Eugene of Tielen invaded Khitari, and in order to keep the peace, her family promised her to a prince and this portrait is for him.
Gavril, however, falls for Astasia quickly, and she falls for him. Why? Not exactly sure. He’s a poor painter and has nothing to offer her other than his looks. And then the guards discover them together (he wasn’t supposed to be painting her without a chaperone). Gavril is thrown out of the palace.
Gavril had a rough night, suffering terrifying dreams and seeing shadows. He feels an odd wretchedness in his body that causes him to grow ill. His mother, Elysia, is upset that he lost the contract to paint Astasia because they are poor.
And that’s when Kostya Torzianin, the Bogatyr of the druzhina (warriors) in Azhkendir arrive and tell “Lord Gavril” that his father, Volkh, is dead, and that he was betrayed and murdered.
Gavril has no idea what they are talking about until his mother admits to hiding the truth from him. His father, Volkh, was a clan leader, a barbarian of sorts from Azhkendir. Elysia tells her son that she hid the truth from him because his father was impulsive with a dark, destructive temper, and savagely cruel.
Kostya and the other barbarians say Gavril is the heir and must come with them to Azhkendir, a snow-covered icy world, far different than Muscobar. Elysia tells her son he can simply renounce the inheritance, to which the druzhina respond, he can’t because it is a right of blood. He is Drakhaon.
Gavril goes for a walk on the beach to clear his head and think on Astasia and the new information he’s learned about his father, wondering if this means he could marry the girl, when Kostya kidnaps him. On the ship, they tell him that his father intended to visit him on his 21st birthday and tell him about his powers. They are unhappy to find that Gavril is no warrior and his mother taught him nothing about their ways. They warn him about the physical changes that will now come because his father is dead. Blue stains on his nails are the first sign.
At the port of Arkhelskoye, they cut Gavril’s hand to prove to the others that Gavril is Drakhaon. The blood was extra dark and releases a blue vapor. Gavril is told that when a Clan Lord dies dishonored, his spirit cannot rest until his son exacts revenge and kills his father’s murderer. Gavril wants nothing to do with this but has no choice.
In the Drakhaon’s castles, we learn that a woman named, Lilias, lives there and she is with child. She has been telling everyone that the child is Volkh’s son although the druzhina don’t seem to care or believe it. A woman named Sosia runs the maids of the keep, of which one is called Kiukiu (Kiukirilya). She is young and has a fondest for Lord Volkh’s son, Gavril, knowing him only by a portrait Lord Volkh kept of him as a boy in his room.
Kiukiu is called by a voice that sounds like Lord Volkh, in a mirror. The voice tells her that she has “the gift”. And through a fog in a mirror, she accidentally releases Lord Volkh’s spirit from the Ways Beyond before dropping and breaking the mirror.
Gavril arrives at the castle and the rooms, especially the one where his father died, seem to speak to him. He has visions of the murder. Kostya is not happy because he realizes that a spirit-wraith has been brought back into the world and he wants to find out who summoned it. Kiukiu is scared because she has no idea how she released it or how to send it back, so she doesn’t tell anyone, although Sosia already knew Kiukiu had this gift and didn’t tell her..
Amazing how many stories there are where young people stumble across hidden powers they have because the adults in their lives didn’t bother to tell them the truth.
A reading of the will tells everyone that Gavril inherits everything which upsets Lilias, who wants her unborn infant to inherit the title of Drakhaon. The druzhina call her a whore and warn Gavril that she will be trouble if he lets her stay there, but he doesn’t even want to be there, so he lets her remain.
Back home, Elysia fears her son has been kidnapped and tries her best to ingratiate those in power to help her. She eventually travels with a small party traveling to Tielen to meet with Eugene who she hopes will help her negotiate for her son’s release.
We come to find out later on that Eugene with aid of Magus Kaspar Linnaius, a wizardly sort, has been engineering werewolves to fight their enemies, and one such was Jaromir, whom he treated like a son. Jaromir had something to do with the death of Lord Volkh and wasn’t captured by the druzhina but hasn’t returned either. There is also a missing doctor who has information everyone wants.
Gavril and Kiukiu end up forming a secret relationship over the recovery of a snowy owl, an Arkhel Owl, which are outlawed in his new country.
Eugene is after all the jewels of an imperial crown, that of Artamon the Great, last emperor of Rossiya.
Kiukiu is finally told by Sosia that she is the bastard child of a leader of Arkhel and Lord Volkh spared her life because of her people’s songs. Lord Volkh apparently wants her to sing him back to life. And when Abbot Yephiny tries to exorcise him, Kiukiu interrupts the ceremony.
While Gavril is away with the druzhina hunting werewolves, another thing he doesn’t want to do, another druzhine named Oleg, presents before everyone some bloody owl feathers. Kiukiu is upset they killed the snow owl but they remind everyone that the creatures are a curse and outlawed. Lilias demands Kiukiu be arrested or exiled. Michailo, who has been left in charge, tells Kiukiu she is dismissed and must leave.
Kiukiu has never been anywhere else and snow is beginning to fall. Sosia tells Kiukiu about people she has in the nearest town and to go there. Alone, Kiukiu leaves but in the night and snow, gets lost.
Gavril, fighting werewolves, experiences for the first time his true powers and somehow burns up the wolves. Weakened, he has difficulty remembering anything about it and returns to the castle to find that Kiukiu has been expelled. He’s upset and sends out search parties.
Kiukiu is discovered by an old woman who turns out to be her grandmother, a descendant the Arkhels, enemies of Gavril’s people. Grandmother takes care of snow owls who apparently host the spirits of lords and ladies of Arkhel. She explains to Kiukiu that she is a Guslyar and they play an instrument called a guslyar which helps them communicate with those in the Ways Beyond. Grandmother begins to train Kiukiu the instrument.
Gavril’s mother, Elysia, is still trying to find a way to find her son, and meets with the doctor who supposedly has a remedy to the curse in his blood.
The intrigues of Eugene eventually lead to Elysia being taken prisoner and the doctor sent to weaken Gavril, so his lands can be conquered.
Gavril learns more and more about the power, the spirit of the dragon inhabiting him and taking over. He’s becoming less and less human. He also learns about a secret passage and secret laboratory in the keep where this doctor had been employed by his father to discover a cure. It turns out his father didn’t want this power either and was looking for a way to be rid of it.
I won’t say more about the story itself other than to say there are some good, exciting moments and it’s a tale I think is well designed and interesting. The problem I have is with the characters themselves. As much as I was enjoying the story and plotlines, I didn’t care about anyone in it. I had no emotional connections at all. I didn’t care who lived or died. I didn’t love or hate any of them. I knew a lot about them, but it somehow didn’t make me even the least bit fond of them. Gavril and Kiukiu had good parts to play but I didn’t even care when she was thrown out in the cold, or he was kidnapped. It just seemed like these things were happening and whatever happened, it was ok.
It was only near the end when Gavril was truly torn between saving the people he had come to care about and the dragon spirit in him, that I felt something for him. I could feel the anguish he was going through. But than a bit about him using the dragon’s powers to save his mother in a far-off city at the last minute took the story to an awkward unbelievable moment which I didn’t care for.
I liked the story itself. I wish there had been more emotion involved. I wish I cared more about the characters or at least hated some of them, even the bad guys. It just wasn’t there. I supposed I’m just a bit interested to see where the story goes next. I will probably read book 2. Perhaps there will be more depth and emotion in that one. 3.5 stars.
I understand the 3/5 rating now although it’s probably more like a 3.5/5. not quite a 4. Here’s why.
The first time I read this book, I remember I had difficulty understanding the political world. It’s not a complicated world but reading it a second time made a lot more sense. I still don’t think it was fleshed out well. The leaders, nations, and intrigues. Perhaps that is just me, but I thought it could have been handled better.
The story begins with a simple young painter named Gavril Andar painting a portrait for a wealthy young woman, Altessa Astasia Orlova in Muscobar, which is under Orlov rule. She is betrothed to another man for political reasons.
Eugene of Tielen invaded Khitari, and in order to keep the peace, her family promised her to a prince and this portrait is for him.
Gavril, however, falls for Astasia quickly, and she falls for him. Why? Not exactly sure. He’s a poor painter and has nothing to offer her other than his looks. And then the guards discover them together (he wasn’t supposed to be painting her without a chaperone). Gavril is thrown out of the palace.
Gavril had a rough night, suffering terrifying dreams and seeing shadows. He feels an odd wretchedness in his body that causes him to grow ill. His mother, Elysia, is upset that he lost the contract to paint Astasia because they are poor.
And that’s when Kostya Torzianin, the Bogatyr of the druzhina (warriors) in Azhkendir arrive and tell “Lord Gavril” that his father, Volkh, is dead, and that he was betrayed and murdered.
Gavril has no idea what they are talking about until his mother admits to hiding the truth from him. His father, Volkh, was a clan leader, a barbarian of sorts from Azhkendir. Elysia tells her son that she hid the truth from him because his father was impulsive with a dark, destructive temper, and savagely cruel.
Kostya and the other barbarians say Gavril is the heir and must come with them to Azhkendir, a snow-covered icy world, far different than Muscobar. Elysia tells her son he can simply renounce the inheritance, to which the druzhina respond, he can’t because it is a right of blood. He is Drakhaon.
Gavril goes for a walk on the beach to clear his head and think on Astasia and the new information he’s learned about his father, wondering if this means he could marry the girl, when Kostya kidnaps him. On the ship, they tell him that his father intended to visit him on his 21st birthday and tell him about his powers. They are unhappy to find that Gavril is no warrior and his mother taught him nothing about their ways. They warn him about the physical changes that will now come because his father is dead. Blue stains on his nails are the first sign.
At the port of Arkhelskoye, they cut Gavril’s hand to prove to the others that Gavril is Drakhaon. The blood was extra dark and releases a blue vapor. Gavril is told that when a Clan Lord dies dishonored, his spirit cannot rest until his son exacts revenge and kills his father’s murderer. Gavril wants nothing to do with this but has no choice.
In the Drakhaon’s castles, we learn that a woman named, Lilias, lives there and she is with child. She has been telling everyone that the child is Volkh’s son although the druzhina don’t seem to care or believe it. A woman named Sosia runs the maids of the keep, of which one is called Kiukiu (Kiukirilya). She is young and has a fondest for Lord Volkh’s son, Gavril, knowing him only by a portrait Lord Volkh kept of him as a boy in his room.
Kiukiu is called by a voice that sounds like Lord Volkh, in a mirror. The voice tells her that she has “the gift”. And through a fog in a mirror, she accidentally releases Lord Volkh’s spirit from the Ways Beyond before dropping and breaking the mirror.
Gavril arrives at the castle and the rooms, especially the one where his father died, seem to speak to him. He has visions of the murder. Kostya is not happy because he realizes that a spirit-wraith has been brought back into the world and he wants to find out who summoned it. Kiukiu is scared because she has no idea how she released it or how to send it back, so she doesn’t tell anyone, although Sosia already knew Kiukiu had this gift and didn’t tell her..
Amazing how many stories there are where young people stumble across hidden powers they have because the adults in their lives didn’t bother to tell them the truth.
A reading of the will tells everyone that Gavril inherits everything which upsets Lilias, who wants her unborn infant to inherit the title of Drakhaon. The druzhina call her a whore and warn Gavril that she will be trouble if he lets her stay there, but he doesn’t even want to be there, so he lets her remain.
Back home, Elysia fears her son has been kidnapped and tries her best to ingratiate those in power to help her. She eventually travels with a small party traveling to Tielen to meet with Eugene who she hopes will help her negotiate for her son’s release.
We come to find out later on that Eugene with aid of Magus Kaspar Linnaius, a wizardly sort, has been engineering werewolves to fight their enemies, and one such was Jaromir, whom he treated like a son. Jaromir had something to do with the death of Lord Volkh and wasn’t captured by the druzhina but hasn’t returned either. There is also a missing doctor who has information everyone wants.
Gavril and Kiukiu end up forming a secret relationship over the recovery of a snowy owl, an Arkhel Owl, which are outlawed in his new country.
Eugene is after all the jewels of an imperial crown, that of Artamon the Great, last emperor of Rossiya.
Kiukiu is finally told by Sosia that she is the bastard child of a leader of Arkhel and Lord Volkh spared her life because of her people’s songs. Lord Volkh apparently wants her to sing him back to life. And when Abbot Yephiny tries to exorcise him, Kiukiu interrupts the ceremony.
While Gavril is away with the druzhina hunting werewolves, another thing he doesn’t want to do, another druzhine named Oleg, presents before everyone some bloody owl feathers. Kiukiu is upset they killed the snow owl but they remind everyone that the creatures are a curse and outlawed. Lilias demands Kiukiu be arrested or exiled. Michailo, who has been left in charge, tells Kiukiu she is dismissed and must leave.
Kiukiu has never been anywhere else and snow is beginning to fall. Sosia tells Kiukiu about people she has in the nearest town and to go there. Alone, Kiukiu leaves but in the night and snow, gets lost.
Gavril, fighting werewolves, experiences for the first time his true powers and somehow burns up the wolves. Weakened, he has difficulty remembering anything about it and returns to the castle to find that Kiukiu has been expelled. He’s upset and sends out search parties.
Kiukiu is discovered by an old woman who turns out to be her grandmother, a descendant the Arkhels, enemies of Gavril’s people. Grandmother takes care of snow owls who apparently host the spirits of lords and ladies of Arkhel. She explains to Kiukiu that she is a Guslyar and they play an instrument called a guslyar which helps them communicate with those in the Ways Beyond. Grandmother begins to train Kiukiu the instrument.
Gavril’s mother, Elysia, is still trying to find a way to find her son, and meets with the doctor who supposedly has a remedy to the curse in his blood.
The intrigues of Eugene eventually lead to Elysia being taken prisoner and the doctor sent to weaken Gavril, so his lands can be conquered.
Gavril learns more and more about the power, the spirit of the dragon inhabiting him and taking over. He’s becoming less and less human. He also learns about a secret passage and secret laboratory in the keep where this doctor had been employed by his father to discover a cure. It turns out his father didn’t want this power either and was looking for a way to be rid of it.
I won’t say more about the story itself other than to say there are some good, exciting moments and it’s a tale I think is well designed and interesting. The problem I have is with the characters themselves. As much as I was enjoying the story and plotlines, I didn’t care about anyone in it. I had no emotional connections at all. I didn’t care who lived or died. I didn’t love or hate any of them. I knew a lot about them, but it somehow didn’t make me even the least bit fond of them. Gavril and Kiukiu had good parts to play but I didn’t even care when she was thrown out in the cold, or he was kidnapped. It just seemed like these things were happening and whatever happened, it was ok.
It was only near the end when Gavril was truly torn between saving the people he had come to care about and the dragon spirit in him, that I felt something for him. I could feel the anguish he was going through. But than a bit about him using the dragon’s powers to save his mother in a far-off city at the last minute took the story to an awkward unbelievable moment which I didn’t care for.
I liked the story itself. I wish there had been more emotion involved. I wish I cared more about the characters or at least hated some of them, even the bad guys. It just wasn’t there. I supposed I’m just a bit interested to see where the story goes next. I will probably read book 2. Perhaps there will be more depth and emotion in that one. 3.5 stars.
March 15, 2024
Do you ever pick up a book that looks promising only to leave it gathering dust for years months? Do you ever then read the book and wonder why you left it so long?
By the time I came to read Lord of Snow and Shadows I had long forgotten what made me pick it up in the first place. Trusting my past self, I decided to go into it without looking at the blurb, knowing only that it looked like fantasy and something about it must have caught my eye. This, then, is a review uncoloured by expectation.
Main character Gavril is a farmboy in all but name. From a small part of the world, concerned mainly with painting and the girl he fancies, Gavril is unprepared for the destiny that comes calling. This destiny takes him far from the home he knows, ties him up in geopolitical struggles, pits him against men and monsters, and forces him to find out exactly how far he will go to protect the ones he loves.
On paper it reads as pretty generic fantasy, but there is a reason fans of the genre keep coming back to the same worn tropes. When done well it is incredibly fun to read. This book has a tendency to lean very heavily on the standard tropes of fantasy but Ash keeps the plot twisty enough that there is little risk of growing bored. Particularly in the latter half of the book, events move along at a hectic pace.
Both magic and worldbuilding tend towards the softer side, though both culturally and politically influenced by Russo-Swedish relations in the eighteenth century. Aesthetically this made for a pleasant change from the usual "generic Medieval Europe" and modern familiarity with imagery from the time gave Ash space to describe the more fantastical elements in greater detail.
The cast is large - another fantasy commonplace - but deftly handled. Real-world phonaesthetics are a helpful shorthand for distinguishing residents of one country from another (in Tielen, for example, the names appear very Swedish, while in Muscobar they are more Russian) and Ash moves smoothly from country to country, keeping us updated on the pertinent developments. It can be easy to succumb to partisanship when working at this scale but in Lord of Snow and Shadows there are no "good guys" and "bad guys". People on every side are capable of morally disagreeable actions, and almost every character is treated sympathetically: they do what they do for reasons they believe to be right.
There is perhaps a tendency towards an excess of drama. The shifting allegiances, betrayals, tangled love affairs and quests for revenge were at times more appropriate to a soap opera than a fantasy novel. But at the same time these threads allowed for some poignantly elegiac moments.
Anyone looking for novelty in fantasy would do well to look elsewhere, but for fans of a good fantasy adventure with all the comforting elements we know and love, this book should tick the boxes. The next installment is already on my wishlist.
By the time I came to read Lord of Snow and Shadows I had long forgotten what made me pick it up in the first place. Trusting my past self, I decided to go into it without looking at the blurb, knowing only that it looked like fantasy and something about it must have caught my eye. This, then, is a review uncoloured by expectation.
Main character Gavril is a farmboy in all but name. From a small part of the world, concerned mainly with painting and the girl he fancies, Gavril is unprepared for the destiny that comes calling. This destiny takes him far from the home he knows, ties him up in geopolitical struggles, pits him against men and monsters, and forces him to find out exactly how far he will go to protect the ones he loves.
On paper it reads as pretty generic fantasy, but there is a reason fans of the genre keep coming back to the same worn tropes. When done well it is incredibly fun to read. This book has a tendency to lean very heavily on the standard tropes of fantasy but Ash keeps the plot twisty enough that there is little risk of growing bored. Particularly in the latter half of the book, events move along at a hectic pace.
Both magic and worldbuilding tend towards the softer side, though both culturally and politically influenced by Russo-Swedish relations in the eighteenth century. Aesthetically this made for a pleasant change from the usual "generic Medieval Europe" and modern familiarity with imagery from the time gave Ash space to describe the more fantastical elements in greater detail.
The cast is large - another fantasy commonplace - but deftly handled. Real-world phonaesthetics are a helpful shorthand for distinguishing residents of one country from another (in Tielen, for example, the names appear very Swedish, while in Muscobar they are more Russian) and Ash moves smoothly from country to country, keeping us updated on the pertinent developments. It can be easy to succumb to partisanship when working at this scale but in Lord of Snow and Shadows there are no "good guys" and "bad guys". People on every side are capable of morally disagreeable actions, and almost every character is treated sympathetically: they do what they do for reasons they believe to be right.
There is perhaps a tendency towards an excess of drama. The shifting allegiances, betrayals, tangled love affairs and quests for revenge were at times more appropriate to a soap opera than a fantasy novel. But at the same time these threads allowed for some poignantly elegiac moments.
Anyone looking for novelty in fantasy would do well to look elsewhere, but for fans of a good fantasy adventure with all the comforting elements we know and love, this book should tick the boxes. The next installment is already on my wishlist.
September 14, 2022
Love this book. Not sure why it took me this long to read it, but I absolutely loved it.
October 14, 2018
Read in 2006ish. Was my first ever adult fantasy series. Can't really remember the plot. Adding it to goodreads for stats sake.
June 19, 2009
Lord of Snow and Shadows begins quietly: a portraitist and his sitter, a conversation, a kiss. It is a fairy tale extended: archetypal love hampered by status and opposed by blueblood parents; a lowly painter, named Gavril, forbidden communication with the lovely, aristocratic Altessa Astasia who loves him.
This burst of conflict is the story’s first impetus, quickly followed and surpassed by the initiating incident: the appearance of strange, barbarian men who claim to be the loyal bodyguard of Gavril’s father; a revelation from his mother, Elysia (Gavril is in truth highborn, son of a nefarious king his mother never told him about! As usual, a child is kept ignorant of his or her origins until it is too late); and kidnap. Gavril is snatched away by his father’s bodyguard, who are determined that he shall take his inherited place as their ruler. Despite Gavril’s protests, a stage has been crossed, and return is out of the question; stakes are alluded to, Gavril drugged, and the story begins in full.
The cast of names and titles has by this time caught my attention: it’s impossible that they don’t. Their pronunciations don’t come easily; neither mental processing nor audible attempts can shuffle these outlandish mixtures of consonants and vowels into an effortless articulation. Quite early, I gave up trying to make sense of Kiukirilya, Azhkendi, Bogatyr, Kazimir. Scenes with political underpinnings are a sore bombardment of titles, forenames, surnames, and countries. Only halfway through the novel did these names begin to take hold, and that tenuously.
Sarah Ash’s writing, conversely, is breathlessly straightforward: my eyes and bookmark took a sleigh ride down the steep hill of each page. The prose felt a touch prosaic, drummed out and undemanding. But writing suited to the quick pace at which the tale proceeds.
The abundant description, however, enriches the prose considerably. Sumptuous imagery abounds: summer-splashed Smarna, winter-bound Azhkendir, Prince Eugene’s palace. I thought the author brought my favourite place in the novel, Azhkendir, a land of winter scarred where Gavril’s vengeful father burned the earth black, beautifully. The country’s solitude is tangible, forested and white with snow. Russia was evoked with each description of Azhkendir; the Russian ambiance, strong in this land of desolation and snow, perhaps explains the naming system the author chose to employ.
By page 100, when Gavril and readers alike have been introduced to Azhkendir and the rest of the world, I’ve grown comfortable with Gavril and Kiukiu’s point of views. Kiukiu is a servant girl working in the castle that is to be Gavril’s Azhkendi home; hers is one of the four major POVs from whose perspective the story unfolds.
The other two points of view are Gavril’s mother, Elysia, and a man who wants to be emperor, Prince Eugene. Neither interested me. Azhkendir is something new; the locales through which Elysia and Eugene move are irritatingly familiar, filled with palaces, balls, and politics, a very sleepy array after Azhkendir. Both characters are out to accomplish something (Elysia the recovery of her son, Eugene the steps that will bring him to emperor-hood). However, neither resonate strongly. Elysia’s attempt to salvage Gavril feel half-hearted and contrived, and Eugene tends to sit back, give orders, and read the reports of the consequences. Both Elysia and Eugene are active, but active within locales that never drew my interest with any strength.
Lord of Snows and Shadows figures some mysteries for the reader to solve, such as “Who murdered Gavril’s father? Why?” But just as I had exclaimed, “Eureka!” I was spirited away to Eugene’s court, where the mystery and its connections are bluntly and briefly solved. There is no time to relish a case resolved. The reader is given the answer, and any other hope of mystery void. I was disappointed.
The cast of characters is an interesting one, running the gamut of those I find do not interest me to those that appeal greatly. Gavril and KiuKiu are among the latter, and the author illustrates their changes throughout the novel convincingly (though KiuKiu’s changes hinge upon a secret gift everyone but she knows about. I sigh).
Not every subplot is tied up at the end of the novel, but Snow and Shadows begins a trilogy; its ending is easily forgiven.
I didn't find this novel to be a spectacular work of fantasy, but it was an interesting read.
This burst of conflict is the story’s first impetus, quickly followed and surpassed by the initiating incident: the appearance of strange, barbarian men who claim to be the loyal bodyguard of Gavril’s father; a revelation from his mother, Elysia (Gavril is in truth highborn, son of a nefarious king his mother never told him about! As usual, a child is kept ignorant of his or her origins until it is too late); and kidnap. Gavril is snatched away by his father’s bodyguard, who are determined that he shall take his inherited place as their ruler. Despite Gavril’s protests, a stage has been crossed, and return is out of the question; stakes are alluded to, Gavril drugged, and the story begins in full.
The cast of names and titles has by this time caught my attention: it’s impossible that they don’t. Their pronunciations don’t come easily; neither mental processing nor audible attempts can shuffle these outlandish mixtures of consonants and vowels into an effortless articulation. Quite early, I gave up trying to make sense of Kiukirilya, Azhkendi, Bogatyr, Kazimir. Scenes with political underpinnings are a sore bombardment of titles, forenames, surnames, and countries. Only halfway through the novel did these names begin to take hold, and that tenuously.
Sarah Ash’s writing, conversely, is breathlessly straightforward: my eyes and bookmark took a sleigh ride down the steep hill of each page. The prose felt a touch prosaic, drummed out and undemanding. But writing suited to the quick pace at which the tale proceeds.
The abundant description, however, enriches the prose considerably. Sumptuous imagery abounds: summer-splashed Smarna, winter-bound Azhkendir, Prince Eugene’s palace. I thought the author brought my favourite place in the novel, Azhkendir, a land of winter scarred where Gavril’s vengeful father burned the earth black, beautifully. The country’s solitude is tangible, forested and white with snow. Russia was evoked with each description of Azhkendir; the Russian ambiance, strong in this land of desolation and snow, perhaps explains the naming system the author chose to employ.
By page 100, when Gavril and readers alike have been introduced to Azhkendir and the rest of the world, I’ve grown comfortable with Gavril and Kiukiu’s point of views. Kiukiu is a servant girl working in the castle that is to be Gavril’s Azhkendi home; hers is one of the four major POVs from whose perspective the story unfolds.
The other two points of view are Gavril’s mother, Elysia, and a man who wants to be emperor, Prince Eugene. Neither interested me. Azhkendir is something new; the locales through which Elysia and Eugene move are irritatingly familiar, filled with palaces, balls, and politics, a very sleepy array after Azhkendir. Both characters are out to accomplish something (Elysia the recovery of her son, Eugene the steps that will bring him to emperor-hood). However, neither resonate strongly. Elysia’s attempt to salvage Gavril feel half-hearted and contrived, and Eugene tends to sit back, give orders, and read the reports of the consequences. Both Elysia and Eugene are active, but active within locales that never drew my interest with any strength.
Lord of Snows and Shadows figures some mysteries for the reader to solve, such as “Who murdered Gavril’s father? Why?” But just as I had exclaimed, “Eureka!” I was spirited away to Eugene’s court, where the mystery and its connections are bluntly and briefly solved. There is no time to relish a case resolved. The reader is given the answer, and any other hope of mystery void. I was disappointed.
The cast of characters is an interesting one, running the gamut of those I find do not interest me to those that appeal greatly. Gavril and KiuKiu are among the latter, and the author illustrates their changes throughout the novel convincingly (though KiuKiu’s changes hinge upon a secret gift everyone but she knows about. I sigh).
Not every subplot is tied up at the end of the novel, but Snow and Shadows begins a trilogy; its ending is easily forgiven.
I didn't find this novel to be a spectacular work of fantasy, but it was an interesting read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2007
Gavril Andar is a talented painter who learns that he is really the heir to a kingdom in a mysterious northern realm known as Azkendir. Gavril's father is cruelly murdered and his men-at-arms come to fetch Gavril to take his rightful place as ruler. Kidnapped and made prisoner in the snowy, dreary Kastel, Gavril slowly learns the full truth of his inheritance. Meanwhile Gavril is a target. Eugene of Tielen wants to crown himself emperor and invading and subduing all of the lands of Rossiya (of which Azkhendir is one) is priority. And Eugene believes that the time is ripe to destroy Akzhendir while the untested and weak Gavril is too new to his rule to be a real threat. Treachery, evil spirits, magic, deceit, betrayal and revolution all meld together as Gavril is forced to embrace his fate.
When I read the reviews of this book, I was excited because the praise seemed to point to a plot and characters that were different from standard issue fantasy fare and full of fresh ideas and surprises. This is certainly true....sort of.
The book is largely set in a time and place that is reminiscent of Tsarist Russia (right down to having a character named Astasia and hungry commoners threatening revolt). The main character turns into a creature that is a weird amalgm of vampire and dragon and he is referred to as Drakhoul or Draghoan. There is magic and alchemy, but they are presented side by side with such "modern" technology as guns, cannon and a device that sounds kinda like an ornately ornamental walkie-talkie. Overall the book has a very old world eastern European vibe as opposed to the decidedly medieval era western European vibe you get with a lot of the fantasy being written. So in this instance the feel of the book is very different.
What isn't so outstanding or spectacular is the execution of the story. Somewhere inside this book is a better book dying to get out. The characters were intriguing but flat. They had no real flesh, to me. I felt that the character development really suffered because the plot took so much precedence. There are a lot of characters and a lot of things happened to those characters very quickly. One character finds out about her parentage after having lived all of her life in ignorance and then a few chapters later, by chance, meets her long lost grandmother and then a few chapters later, masters a difficult inherited family trait. I guess there is a reason why so many fantasy writers write volumes that are 600 or more pages long.
I obviously can't give the book unqualified praise. But I didn't hate it either. I am looking forward to the follow up books if for no other reason than to see if the characters develop better and to see what happens next.
When I read the reviews of this book, I was excited because the praise seemed to point to a plot and characters that were different from standard issue fantasy fare and full of fresh ideas and surprises. This is certainly true....sort of.
The book is largely set in a time and place that is reminiscent of Tsarist Russia (right down to having a character named Astasia and hungry commoners threatening revolt). The main character turns into a creature that is a weird amalgm of vampire and dragon and he is referred to as Drakhoul or Draghoan. There is magic and alchemy, but they are presented side by side with such "modern" technology as guns, cannon and a device that sounds kinda like an ornately ornamental walkie-talkie. Overall the book has a very old world eastern European vibe as opposed to the decidedly medieval era western European vibe you get with a lot of the fantasy being written. So in this instance the feel of the book is very different.
What isn't so outstanding or spectacular is the execution of the story. Somewhere inside this book is a better book dying to get out. The characters were intriguing but flat. They had no real flesh, to me. I felt that the character development really suffered because the plot took so much precedence. There are a lot of characters and a lot of things happened to those characters very quickly. One character finds out about her parentage after having lived all of her life in ignorance and then a few chapters later, by chance, meets her long lost grandmother and then a few chapters later, masters a difficult inherited family trait. I guess there is a reason why so many fantasy writers write volumes that are 600 or more pages long.
I obviously can't give the book unqualified praise. But I didn't hate it either. I am looking forward to the follow up books if for no other reason than to see if the characters develop better and to see what happens next.
November 8, 2013
Seicento pagine, scritte con uno stile fluido, prettamente dialogato, ma perfettamente adatto a creare un bel fantasy, ambientato in un mondo misterioso, dalle atmosfere cupe, luogo di intrighi e complotti, per il potere e per l’eterna lotta fra il bene e il male.
È qui che si ritrova catapultato il giovane artista, Gavril Andar, amante del suo stile di vita semplice, umile, e attratto dalla bella duchessina, Astasia, che ritrae su commissione. Il suo universo esistenziale, costituito di cose semplici, fatto di armonia, di luce e della serenità, che possiede stando accanto alla madre, con la quale condivide la stessa passione per l’arte, viene stravolto. Gavril vive nella regione della Smarna, un luogo pieno del potente calore del sole. L’amato paesaggio viene sostituito dagli spazi nevosi, freddi e gelidi del Nord, quando viene rapito da un gruppo di guerrieri del regno di Azhkendir.
Lord Volkh, il Signore del gelido Regno di Drakhoul, è stato assassinato. La vendetta è ineluttabile e soltanto lui, Gavril, timido e profondamente buono, può compierla dal momento che Volkh era il padre, che lui non sapeva di avere, e con il quale ha in comune un maledetto destino, quello che è toccato a tutti i maschi Nagarian. Tutto quel potere e la loro immane forza hanno un amaro prezzo da pagare ed è perdere la propria anima, la parte umana. Infatti, in loro, c’è lo spirito-Drago che, ogni volta che li possiede, li fa diventare progressivamente meno umani. Gavril, come suo padre, prima di lui, vuole cercare il modo per evitare questa terribile maledizione.
In una narrazione che è un susseguirsi di eventi e avvenimenti, oltre a lottare per il bene, Gavril lotta per salvare se stesso e coloro che ama.
Mentre la vendetta si fa sempre più imminente e la lunga lotta dei clan è già in atto, accade di tutto in una sorta di epopea umana per la sopravvivenza e ogni personaggio ha la sua motivazione personale per agire. Ogni personaggio è ben caratterizzato e ricco di sfumature psicologiche.
Il Signore della Neve e delle Ombre di Sarah Ash è un fantasy appassionante, avvincente, che si legge scorrevolmente e quasi tutto d’un fiato. È un romanzo dove non mancano fantasmi, licantropi e mostri accanto a visioni, allucinazioni, profezie ed esorcismi, complotti ed intrighi, nella costante lotta fra le luci e le ombre, fra il sole e il ghiaccio, fra il bene e il male.
http://youtu.be/TSXPN-ESn1s
È qui che si ritrova catapultato il giovane artista, Gavril Andar, amante del suo stile di vita semplice, umile, e attratto dalla bella duchessina, Astasia, che ritrae su commissione. Il suo universo esistenziale, costituito di cose semplici, fatto di armonia, di luce e della serenità, che possiede stando accanto alla madre, con la quale condivide la stessa passione per l’arte, viene stravolto. Gavril vive nella regione della Smarna, un luogo pieno del potente calore del sole. L’amato paesaggio viene sostituito dagli spazi nevosi, freddi e gelidi del Nord, quando viene rapito da un gruppo di guerrieri del regno di Azhkendir.
Lord Volkh, il Signore del gelido Regno di Drakhoul, è stato assassinato. La vendetta è ineluttabile e soltanto lui, Gavril, timido e profondamente buono, può compierla dal momento che Volkh era il padre, che lui non sapeva di avere, e con il quale ha in comune un maledetto destino, quello che è toccato a tutti i maschi Nagarian. Tutto quel potere e la loro immane forza hanno un amaro prezzo da pagare ed è perdere la propria anima, la parte umana. Infatti, in loro, c’è lo spirito-Drago che, ogni volta che li possiede, li fa diventare progressivamente meno umani. Gavril, come suo padre, prima di lui, vuole cercare il modo per evitare questa terribile maledizione.
In una narrazione che è un susseguirsi di eventi e avvenimenti, oltre a lottare per il bene, Gavril lotta per salvare se stesso e coloro che ama.
Mentre la vendetta si fa sempre più imminente e la lunga lotta dei clan è già in atto, accade di tutto in una sorta di epopea umana per la sopravvivenza e ogni personaggio ha la sua motivazione personale per agire. Ogni personaggio è ben caratterizzato e ricco di sfumature psicologiche.
Il Signore della Neve e delle Ombre di Sarah Ash è un fantasy appassionante, avvincente, che si legge scorrevolmente e quasi tutto d’un fiato. È un romanzo dove non mancano fantasmi, licantropi e mostri accanto a visioni, allucinazioni, profezie ed esorcismi, complotti ed intrighi, nella costante lotta fra le luci e le ombre, fra il sole e il ghiaccio, fra il bene e il male.
http://youtu.be/TSXPN-ESn1s
March 10, 2014
La casa editrice romana Gargoyle Books ci presenta Il Signore della Neve e delle Ombre, primo dei tre romanzi di Sarah Ash che compongono il ciclo de Le lacrime di Artamon.
Nel libro vengono narrate le avventure di un giovane pittore, Gavril, che vive nella regione della Smarna, un luogo soleggiato e tranquillo. L’amato paesaggio verrà purtroppo sostituito dagli spazi nevosi e gelidi del Nord, quando il ragazzo viene rapito da un gruppo di guerrieri del regno di Azhkendir facendogli scoprire di essere figlio del Drakhaon e dunque erede al trono della desolata Azhkendir. Sarà qui infatti che dovrà forzatamente recarsi subito dopo la morte del padre, assassinato in seguito a loschi intrighi politici; costretto ad adeguarsi ai costumi di un popolo barbaro Gavril si troverà coinvolto in qualcosa molto più grande di lui.
Regno antagonista in questa difficile disputa è quello di Tielen, che vuole la supremazia sull’Azhkendir e sul Muscobar, patria della bella Astasia, duchessina di cui Gavril è innamorato. Insieme all’Azhkendir, Gavril erediterà dal padre poteri enormi legati alla trasformazione del suo corpo in un demone con la forma di un drago che si ciba di anime innocenti. Gavril combatterà per non perdere la sua umanità una lotta estenuante. Con l’aiuto di Kiukiu una ragazzina con poteri magici legati alla musica e di un altro alleato, Gavril affronterà gli ostacoli che gli si presenteranno, lottando sia contro i suoi nemici che contro la sua duplice natura di uomo e di mostro.
Continua su:
http://www.lastambergadeilettori.com/...
Nel libro vengono narrate le avventure di un giovane pittore, Gavril, che vive nella regione della Smarna, un luogo soleggiato e tranquillo. L’amato paesaggio verrà purtroppo sostituito dagli spazi nevosi e gelidi del Nord, quando il ragazzo viene rapito da un gruppo di guerrieri del regno di Azhkendir facendogli scoprire di essere figlio del Drakhaon e dunque erede al trono della desolata Azhkendir. Sarà qui infatti che dovrà forzatamente recarsi subito dopo la morte del padre, assassinato in seguito a loschi intrighi politici; costretto ad adeguarsi ai costumi di un popolo barbaro Gavril si troverà coinvolto in qualcosa molto più grande di lui.
Regno antagonista in questa difficile disputa è quello di Tielen, che vuole la supremazia sull’Azhkendir e sul Muscobar, patria della bella Astasia, duchessina di cui Gavril è innamorato. Insieme all’Azhkendir, Gavril erediterà dal padre poteri enormi legati alla trasformazione del suo corpo in un demone con la forma di un drago che si ciba di anime innocenti. Gavril combatterà per non perdere la sua umanità una lotta estenuante. Con l’aiuto di Kiukiu una ragazzina con poteri magici legati alla musica e di un altro alleato, Gavril affronterà gli ostacoli che gli si presenteranno, lottando sia contro i suoi nemici che contro la sua duplice natura di uomo e di mostro.
Continua su:
http://www.lastambergadeilettori.com/...
April 1, 2017
Really enjoyed this departure from the usual fantasy setting of pseudo medieval. This is an alternative 18th century story of revolution and war, foregrounding characters from the ruling classes of countries which are reminiscent of historical Russia or Romania. It features many characters but they are all well distinguished and I was rooting for various of them, given the many setbacks and twists of disaster. Although it ends on a cautiously positive note, you are aware of the brewing problems that still exist for Gavrin, ruler of Azhkendir and his nearest and dearest. A nice note is the complexity of motivation - characters who are 'bad guys' still have their own reasons for why they believe what they are doing is for the best.
May 26, 2017
This book was truly incredible. The author's characters were very realistic, complex and even the misguided ones still managed to maintain there humanity. Of course my favorite character was Gavril, though Jaromir was definitely a close second. The world that the author has created is rich and diverse. Everytime I had to set this book down, the story called to me and I had to pick it up again and continue reading. If you like fantasy on an epic scale then this is a must read for you. Starting "Prisoner of the Iron Tower" book 2 in the series tonight. I can't wait to see what happens in the next two books of the series!
August 9, 2008
The unique world is the main feature of this book and its subsequent series: fantasy, war, and magic meets a fictional clone of Russia during an industrial (and academic/social) revolution. It is perhaps more...emotional and love-triangle centered than other titles in the genre that I would usually read, but that actually made it quite refreshing. I liked the characters, plot, and setting a lot, but the epic feel was inexplicably missing. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a slightly different kind of fantasy novel.
October 25, 2022
My husband has been begging me to read this book for months and I finally gave in. It wasn't terrible. It has an interesting premise, blending the ideas of Dracula and dragons, and setting it within a Russian-style culture as opposed to the traditional European fantasy. However, some elements felt a little too modern for this type of fantasy (such as the use of "carbines"). And overall the story just felt about as cold as the landscape where most of it takes place - I didn't really feel invested in the plot or the characters.
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