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The Gates of the World #2
The City of Ice
An ancient city. A wondrous invention. A perilous journey.
The epic sequel to the incredible debut novel The Iron Ship.
Deep in the polar south stands a city like no other, a city built aeons ago by a civilisation mighty and wise.
The City of Ice promises the secrets of the ancients to whomever can reach it first. It may prove too little knowledge too late, for the closest approach of the Twin in 4000 years draws near, an event that has heralded terrible destruction in past ages.
As the Kressind siblings pursue their fortunes, the world stands upon the dawn of a new era, but it may yet be consumed by a darkness from the past.
Industry and magic, gods and steampower collide in the captivating sequel to The Iron Ship.
The epic sequel to the incredible debut novel The Iron Ship.
Deep in the polar south stands a city like no other, a city built aeons ago by a civilisation mighty and wise.
The City of Ice promises the secrets of the ancients to whomever can reach it first. It may prove too little knowledge too late, for the closest approach of the Twin in 4000 years draws near, an event that has heralded terrible destruction in past ages.
As the Kressind siblings pursue their fortunes, the world stands upon the dawn of a new era, but it may yet be consumed by a darkness from the past.
Industry and magic, gods and steampower collide in the captivating sequel to The Iron Ship.
400 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 27, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
December 21, 2016
This is the second in The Gates of the World series and I sincerely wished I had read the first, The Iron Ship, because I really struggled to piece together a dense story with a very large cast of characters. I tried to work out what was going on and who exactly was who. This is epic and wondrous world building that takes in the lives of the Kressinds, their lives and adventures in different parts of the world. Then there is the Iron Ship on a quest to reach the City of Ice in the polar regions. Needless to say, it is a fraught, dangerous and perilous journey in search of greater knowledge for which there has to be a price which has to be paid.
The Kressinds find themselves engaged in separate battles with the gods of this world and those from other worlds. This is a beautifully imagined novel delivered through multiple perspectives. The writing is beautiful, lucid and vivid, you feel as if you are on the Iron Ship. It takes in political movements, industry, unions, lots of magic, a quest for ancient secrets and great characters. It is packed with suspense and tension keeping the reader absorbed. However, let me reiterate the importance of reading the first book as I found out to my cost. A recommended read. Thanks to Rebellion for an ARC.
The Kressinds find themselves engaged in separate battles with the gods of this world and those from other worlds. This is a beautifully imagined novel delivered through multiple perspectives. The writing is beautiful, lucid and vivid, you feel as if you are on the Iron Ship. It takes in political movements, industry, unions, lots of magic, a quest for ancient secrets and great characters. It is packed with suspense and tension keeping the reader absorbed. However, let me reiterate the importance of reading the first book as I found out to my cost. A recommended read. Thanks to Rebellion for an ARC.
March 23, 2017
Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths.
Epic fantasy has become a hit-or-miss situation for me. The stories and themes which mesmerized me a decade ago, not really working anymore. Sure, there have been a few novels which lived up to their hype, but many more quickly lost my interest and faded into my growing D-N-F pile, patiently waiting to start a new life upon the shelves of the local used bookstore. So when I read The Iron Ship back in 2015, I had high hopes, as well as a lot of real trepidation, as to whether this ambitious epic fantasy would capture my imagination, but it did – missteps and all. The City of Ice immediately becoming one of my most anticipated novels of 2016, because I had a feeling K. M. McKinley was going to pull everything together in this second installment, and I was right: this book is a great one.
Following in the age old tradition of sprawling epics with multiple point of view characters, The City of Ice mainly focuses on the Kressinds (though there are other characters I’ll mention later). These very different siblings scattered across the world, dealing with unique problems all their own, but also unwittingly embroiled in a global threat to their entire way of life!
Our lead Kressind this time around is Trassan, who invented and now stands upon the prow of the mighty Iron Ship, which uses magic to break through the frozen southern seas in route to a forgotten city of ice, where the vast knowledge of ancient times lies undiscovered. Left back at home, Trassan’s sister, Katriona, is waging a fight for fair labor rights for the mistreated workers of her country, while a continent away Rel Kressind flees from certain death near the mysterious Glass Fort. Meanwhile, Aarin Kressind has braved his fears to travel to the Final Isle, waiting to visit an ominous oracle regarding the souls of the dead. And, lastly, Garten Kressind finds himself neck deep in political machinations, as he attends the election of a High Legate in ancient Maceriya.
If this is not enough story for everyone, K.M. McKinley also has several minor plot lines going on at the same time. From the Fifty Shades of Grey-like tale of Madelyne and The Infernal Duke of Maceriya to the brief appearances of Adamanka Sharane, last of the Iron Mages, sole devotee of the Iron Church, messiah to a forgotten people, and the herald to the ancient gods, to Vols Iapetus, ancestor of the Driver of the Gods, to Josan and Josanad of the Morfaan, the author keeps the names, places, and excitement coming in an endless wave of epic fantasy fun.
Certainly, all that sounds ominous and overwhelming when I describe it that way. However, I want to assure everyone that each one of these plots is very organically woven into the ongoing narrative. Every character given the utmost opportunity to strut their stuff, develop their part in the tale before passing the torch to the next in line, who then rinse and repeat the process. All of this keeping the narrative fresh, both entertaining and informative, as key information regarding the ongoing mystery is revealed, driving The City of Ice to its explosive conclusion rather than weighing it down.
So it goes without saying that I really enjoyed the novel. Loved the multiple point of view characters. Thought the pacing was excellent for a book with so many divergent story lines going on. And found the world building even more amazing than book one (which is a great compliment, since I thought that was the greatest element in The Iron Ship).
But was there anything I didn’t like about it, you ask? Of course.
First off, I thought a few of the characters did not get as much page time as they deserved, specifically Katriona, Rel, and Aaarin Kressind. These guys were some of the most important players in book one, yet here they took a backseat to their siblings. While I understood why and thought the author still found a way to incorporate them into the story, I just wished they had played a larger role in this part of the tale.
Second, the Madelyne-Infernal Duke story line seemed a bit out of place. Nothing wrong with the Fifty Shades of Grey relationship these two had with one another, but it just did not seem to add very much to the ongoing story line. Perhaps I will be proven wrong by the author on that point, but right now, these two felt like filler material.
Overall, The City of Ice exceeded its predecessor in almost every way. It was near perfection to me. The diverse cast, unique settings, and mysterious, overarching plot persuading me every night to put off sleep just a couple more hours to remain in pursuit of the answers I desperately craved from the narrative. K.M. McKinley skillfully keeping all the revelations just out of my reach, frustrating me yet enthralling me with this masterful epic fantasy, which has renewed my love of the sprawling epic with a huge cast of characters.
I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
Epic fantasy has become a hit-or-miss situation for me. The stories and themes which mesmerized me a decade ago, not really working anymore. Sure, there have been a few novels which lived up to their hype, but many more quickly lost my interest and faded into my growing D-N-F pile, patiently waiting to start a new life upon the shelves of the local used bookstore. So when I read The Iron Ship back in 2015, I had high hopes, as well as a lot of real trepidation, as to whether this ambitious epic fantasy would capture my imagination, but it did – missteps and all. The City of Ice immediately becoming one of my most anticipated novels of 2016, because I had a feeling K. M. McKinley was going to pull everything together in this second installment, and I was right: this book is a great one.
Following in the age old tradition of sprawling epics with multiple point of view characters, The City of Ice mainly focuses on the Kressinds (though there are other characters I’ll mention later). These very different siblings scattered across the world, dealing with unique problems all their own, but also unwittingly embroiled in a global threat to their entire way of life!
Our lead Kressind this time around is Trassan, who invented and now stands upon the prow of the mighty Iron Ship, which uses magic to break through the frozen southern seas in route to a forgotten city of ice, where the vast knowledge of ancient times lies undiscovered. Left back at home, Trassan’s sister, Katriona, is waging a fight for fair labor rights for the mistreated workers of her country, while a continent away Rel Kressind flees from certain death near the mysterious Glass Fort. Meanwhile, Aarin Kressind has braved his fears to travel to the Final Isle, waiting to visit an ominous oracle regarding the souls of the dead. And, lastly, Garten Kressind finds himself neck deep in political machinations, as he attends the election of a High Legate in ancient Maceriya.
If this is not enough story for everyone, K.M. McKinley also has several minor plot lines going on at the same time. From the Fifty Shades of Grey-like tale of Madelyne and The Infernal Duke of Maceriya to the brief appearances of Adamanka Sharane, last of the Iron Mages, sole devotee of the Iron Church, messiah to a forgotten people, and the herald to the ancient gods, to Vols Iapetus, ancestor of the Driver of the Gods, to Josan and Josanad of the Morfaan, the author keeps the names, places, and excitement coming in an endless wave of epic fantasy fun.
Certainly, all that sounds ominous and overwhelming when I describe it that way. However, I want to assure everyone that each one of these plots is very organically woven into the ongoing narrative. Every character given the utmost opportunity to strut their stuff, develop their part in the tale before passing the torch to the next in line, who then rinse and repeat the process. All of this keeping the narrative fresh, both entertaining and informative, as key information regarding the ongoing mystery is revealed, driving The City of Ice to its explosive conclusion rather than weighing it down.
So it goes without saying that I really enjoyed the novel. Loved the multiple point of view characters. Thought the pacing was excellent for a book with so many divergent story lines going on. And found the world building even more amazing than book one (which is a great compliment, since I thought that was the greatest element in The Iron Ship).
But was there anything I didn’t like about it, you ask? Of course.
First off, I thought a few of the characters did not get as much page time as they deserved, specifically Katriona, Rel, and Aaarin Kressind. These guys were some of the most important players in book one, yet here they took a backseat to their siblings. While I understood why and thought the author still found a way to incorporate them into the story, I just wished they had played a larger role in this part of the tale.
Second, the Madelyne-Infernal Duke story line seemed a bit out of place. Nothing wrong with the Fifty Shades of Grey relationship these two had with one another, but it just did not seem to add very much to the ongoing story line. Perhaps I will be proven wrong by the author on that point, but right now, these two felt like filler material.
Overall, The City of Ice exceeded its predecessor in almost every way. It was near perfection to me. The diverse cast, unique settings, and mysterious, overarching plot persuading me every night to put off sleep just a couple more hours to remain in pursuit of the answers I desperately craved from the narrative. K.M. McKinley skillfully keeping all the revelations just out of my reach, frustrating me yet enthralling me with this masterful epic fantasy, which has renewed my love of the sprawling epic with a huge cast of characters.
I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
February 7, 2017
Do not even think about starting here! If you haven't read the first one, go here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and read 'The Iron Ship' first! These are really not 'books in a series' but one continuing story... scratch that; it's several continuing stories, some of them with very little relation to one another. (And if you don't start at the beginning, they will seem like they have absolutely no relationship to each other.)
I have to admit, the looseness of the plotting could be seen as a flaw in this epic work. However, at the end of the day, I don't really mind. I really like this story (stories.) I found all of the separate plot threads engaging, I enjoyed all of the imaginative detail, and the big epic-fantasy threat-to-the-world-itself works well here too (and succeeds in tying together all of the separate dramas going on here just enough.)
There's a bit of something here for everyone... wizard battles, steampunk-ish technology, a nautical quest for the city of the title, ancient technology, dire hordes from other worlds, alien/inhuman powers, rogues and conmen, brave warriors and military action - and even a dash of sadomasochistic romance.
I recommend the series - but again, start at the beginning!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Solaris for the opportunity to read. As always, my opinions are solely my own.
I have to admit, the looseness of the plotting could be seen as a flaw in this epic work. However, at the end of the day, I don't really mind. I really like this story (stories.) I found all of the separate plot threads engaging, I enjoyed all of the imaginative detail, and the big epic-fantasy threat-to-the-world-itself works well here too (and succeeds in tying together all of the separate dramas going on here just enough.)
There's a bit of something here for everyone... wizard battles, steampunk-ish technology, a nautical quest for the city of the title, ancient technology, dire hordes from other worlds, alien/inhuman powers, rogues and conmen, brave warriors and military action - and even a dash of sadomasochistic romance.
I recommend the series - but again, start at the beginning!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Solaris for the opportunity to read. As always, my opinions are solely my own.
November 21, 2016
https://koeur.wordpress.com/2016/11/2...
Publisher: Solaris
Publishing Date: December 2016
ISBN: 9781781084861
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4.3/5
Publishers Description: An ancient city. A wondrous invention. A perilous journey. The epic sequel to the incredible debut novel The Iron Ship. Deep in the polar south stands a city like no other, a city built aeons ago by a civilisation mighty and wise. The City of Ice promises the secrets of the ancients to whomever can reach it first. It may prove too little knowledge too late, for the closest approach of the Twin in 4000 years draws near, an event that has heralded terrible destruction in past ages.
Review: Ruh roh, not as good as the first novel in the series, “The Iron Ship” which honestly was/is a tough act to follow. This novel that continues to loosely follow the lives and journeys of family “Kressind“, jumps around like a kid on candy. Other characters are added into the storyline and it does take awhile to culminate the fractious lives of the many into a salable novel. What was really weird was the fantasy steam punk version of 50 Shades of Grey, where a young prostitute is chosen by a lesser god to get porked in various ways with leashes, bindings…..well you know the drill. If I sound slightly misogynist then I merely echo the content of the novel, and really fail to bring its reality to the fore. I can continue in this vein but I might upset a certain Feminist in the Netherlands.
Still, this was frickin’ good. This is some of the best, or should I say consummate character development I have ever read. It blows the mind how elegant the play is between the movement and the characters. What transpires in every scene is interesting in so much that you are transported to another reality. There is so much going on that to iterate any of the memorable passages would fail to do the whole justice. And don’t get me started on the world building. GET THIS!
Publisher: Solaris
Publishing Date: December 2016
ISBN: 9781781084861
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4.3/5
Publishers Description: An ancient city. A wondrous invention. A perilous journey. The epic sequel to the incredible debut novel The Iron Ship. Deep in the polar south stands a city like no other, a city built aeons ago by a civilisation mighty and wise. The City of Ice promises the secrets of the ancients to whomever can reach it first. It may prove too little knowledge too late, for the closest approach of the Twin in 4000 years draws near, an event that has heralded terrible destruction in past ages.
Review: Ruh roh, not as good as the first novel in the series, “The Iron Ship” which honestly was/is a tough act to follow. This novel that continues to loosely follow the lives and journeys of family “Kressind“, jumps around like a kid on candy. Other characters are added into the storyline and it does take awhile to culminate the fractious lives of the many into a salable novel. What was really weird was the fantasy steam punk version of 50 Shades of Grey, where a young prostitute is chosen by a lesser god to get porked in various ways with leashes, bindings…..well you know the drill. If I sound slightly misogynist then I merely echo the content of the novel, and really fail to bring its reality to the fore. I can continue in this vein but I might upset a certain Feminist in the Netherlands.
Still, this was frickin’ good. This is some of the best, or should I say consummate character development I have ever read. It blows the mind how elegant the play is between the movement and the characters. What transpires in every scene is interesting in so much that you are transported to another reality. There is so much going on that to iterate any of the memorable passages would fail to do the whole justice. And don’t get me started on the world building. GET THIS!
December 17, 2016
I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and Rebellion Solaris.
This second book in The Gates of the World series proved to be as much of a conflicting, confounding, and consuming reading experience as the first, The Iron Ship. This portion delves into what has to happen in this fantasy world in order for the gates of the worlds to begin to open. Prepare yourself for a mystical experience which was oftentimes frustrating for me on one level while being totally absorbing on another. The Kressind siblings - brothers and sister - are scattered throughout this world, still each involved in their own adventure which will ultimately involve them in the mortal combat between gods of this world and others, the World of Form, the World of Will. The main portion of this novel centers on the efforts to sail the iron ship through the harrowing icy seas to find the City of Ice. I was positively chilled to the bone the entire time I was reading the words used by K. M. McKinley. Such beautiful prose.
The two books in this series have also shared the same negative aspect for me. There are simply so many characters scattered throughout this world with so much going on at the same time that I wished many, many times that I had begun early on to keep a cheat sheet to help me remember who (or what) someone was and who (or what) they were struggling against. There is so much material here that I am finding it hard to keep all the names of people, places, worlds, gods, even dragons and dracons settled in my mind.
I can usually begin reading at any point in a series and, by paying good attention to what is going on, adjust to the situations I'm given and pick up on clues left by the author concerning previous actions and catch up with the story and the fantasy world. Not so in this series. Please, please do yourself the favor of beginning with the first book before you begin reading this one. This author writes under the assumption that you will have read the first book and she spends no time in covering ground already explained in that first book. Start here and you will be not just lost, but frustrated and confused, and you will miss out on this truly epic story.
This second book in The Gates of the World series proved to be as much of a conflicting, confounding, and consuming reading experience as the first, The Iron Ship. This portion delves into what has to happen in this fantasy world in order for the gates of the worlds to begin to open. Prepare yourself for a mystical experience which was oftentimes frustrating for me on one level while being totally absorbing on another. The Kressind siblings - brothers and sister - are scattered throughout this world, still each involved in their own adventure which will ultimately involve them in the mortal combat between gods of this world and others, the World of Form, the World of Will. The main portion of this novel centers on the efforts to sail the iron ship through the harrowing icy seas to find the City of Ice. I was positively chilled to the bone the entire time I was reading the words used by K. M. McKinley. Such beautiful prose.
The two books in this series have also shared the same negative aspect for me. There are simply so many characters scattered throughout this world with so much going on at the same time that I wished many, many times that I had begun early on to keep a cheat sheet to help me remember who (or what) someone was and who (or what) they were struggling against. There is so much material here that I am finding it hard to keep all the names of people, places, worlds, gods, even dragons and dracons settled in my mind.
I can usually begin reading at any point in a series and, by paying good attention to what is going on, adjust to the situations I'm given and pick up on clues left by the author concerning previous actions and catch up with the story and the fantasy world. Not so in this series. Please, please do yourself the favor of beginning with the first book before you begin reading this one. This author writes under the assumption that you will have read the first book and she spends no time in covering ground already explained in that first book. Start here and you will be not just lost, but frustrated and confused, and you will miss out on this truly epic story.
May 18, 2018
The Iron Ship was brilliantly detailed, if quite unfocused - this direct sequel takes a slightly different route and focuses heavily on Trassan Kressind's expedition to the the south pole, and on Garten Kressind's posting to the city of Perus, only tangentially touching on the other Kressinds. McKinley expands further on the mythology of the world, on the Form and the Will, the Morfaan and the Draathis, and we get a glimpse of what catastrophes are coming this world's way...
Again, the detailing is both fascinating and overwhelming at the same time. The scale of the worldbuilding is absolutely astonishing, and at times the characters feel quite lost in it. I have to recommend that you refresh yourself with The Iron Ship before continuing the voyage into this volume.
Yet the decision to focus on Trassan and Garten does benefit the story, giving the narrative a greater velocity and pulling the reader ever faster to the explosive cliff-hangers at the end. The only real criticism I have is the number of proofreading errors that have slipped through the text - misspellings, missed words, and near-homophones make for a flawed gem.
Again, the detailing is both fascinating and overwhelming at the same time. The scale of the worldbuilding is absolutely astonishing, and at times the characters feel quite lost in it. I have to recommend that you refresh yourself with The Iron Ship before continuing the voyage into this volume.
Yet the decision to focus on Trassan and Garten does benefit the story, giving the narrative a greater velocity and pulling the reader ever faster to the explosive cliff-hangers at the end. The only real criticism I have is the number of proofreading errors that have slipped through the text - misspellings, missed words, and near-homophones make for a flawed gem.
July 9, 2017
We all wear masks - some for others, some for ourselves. Some are placed upon us without our knowing.
I had some issues with The Iron Ship, the first book in the trilogy but was intrigued enough that I wanted to read the second book as well. One of the things that bothered me in the first book was that it was all so slow-going. A lot of it was either people preparing for a journey or people already on a journey (and only in some cases I had a vague idea about what expected them at the end of the journey). But the end promised that in the next book there would be more action.
Well. Trassan, the character who prepared to go on a journey in the last book, goes on that journey. It takes for most of the book. Then, towards the end of the book, something big happens. Guis, one of my favourite character from the first book, barely appears (he only has one chapter). Katriona, my other fave, got furious about the lack of laws forbidding child labour and did something about it. She was awesome. Just like in the previous book where she dealt with embezzlement. No, I'm not being sarcastic here, I love that we get a female character like her in a fantasy novel. But I still have no idea how her story connects to the larger plot.
Garten, the character who spent the last book with lots of bureaucracy and diplomacy, does more diplomacy. Then, towards the end of the book, something big happens. Aarid who got worried about something in the last book and went somewhere to discuss his worries finally arrived there. He waited for a while and then something unexpected happened. (Not towards the end. More halfway through. But then we didn't hear from him anymore). Rel, who spent the last book getting from one point to another, continued traveling. By the end, he has arrived somewhere. I think.
We also got new characters. Like the immortal guy who is into BDSM but has some trouble with the 'sane' and the 'consensual' bit of it. He was also an ass in general and while there was some entertainment value in a fantasy novel talking about "a series of sexual practices outlawed in many kingdoms" I just didn't see the point of that plotline at all. It could have definitely been shortened a lot.
So overall, I feel conned after reading this book. Because it was just like the first book. Long stretches of not much happening, right until the end where things go boom (literally in some cases) and you are promised that things get more exciting in the next book.
And I feel even more conned because of course, I'm going to read the final book. I want to know what happens next. Even if there's a danger that 200 pages of it are going to be people traveling through the ice/the dessert and discussions of a minimum wage before something happens. Because I really want to know hat is going to happen to those characters (and that world in general).
Review of The Iron Ship
ARC provided by NetGalley
May 13, 2025
this author paints a delicious story. I love this world and the characters and she keeps me guessing to what will happen which is so refreshing. sadly the series is incomplete and I can't find any information whether she will continue it. although won't stop me from reading the third book, perhaps I like to torture myself
April 6, 2026
Much like 'The Iron Ship," this book has no shortage of fascinating worldbuilding and immersive scenery. Too much, if I am being honest, and I do not lack patience. It also has a surplus of characters, some quite interesting, most mediocre, and a few that were quite frankly a waste of time. Not to mention the strange BDSM sideplot with the demon prince, which felt like the author's very amateur attempt at a fantasy erotica randomly thrown into a story that it contributed very little to. The main plot of the story (the parts revolving around the coming catastrophe/alien monster invasion) also gets a bit old somewhere around the halfway mark, as you are told for the thousandth time that "the world of form and the world of will are going to collide and civilization will end in a big battle" or whatever. And finally, the action isn't much to write home about, particularly considering how long it takes for the book to ever reach it.
February 3, 2019
The celestial convergence of the Earth and the Twin is coming. Worlds are about to come in contact for the first time in 4 thousand years, and once again, this is supposed to herald a a time of chaos and destruction. As enterprising human magisters (magical engineers) drain the world's finite magic, the banished gods stir and plot. Caught in the middle of all this are the Kressind siblings, who continue to follow their paths. The explorer Trassan leads his iron ship to the city of the precursor race Morfaan lost in the southern ice continent; Garten, the secretary to the minister of foreign affairs is summoned to the capital of the Hundred Kingdoms for the election of a new Legate. Aarin, the Guider, servant of the God of Death seeks answers for his order; Rel, the soldier faces an invasion from another world coming from the Glimmering Sands, the world's magic oil fields; Gius the eldest grapples with the dark entity inside himself; and Katriona, the only Kressind sister fights her own battles, as she prepares a social revolution in the early industrial society where workers are treated worse than serfs.
"City of Ice" is a bit of a schizophrenic book in how it jumps between various PoVs. Along with the Kressind siblings we also get insight from the enigmatic Morfaan, and Madelyne, a lowborn adventuress who seeks to trick the Duke of Hell. As agents of the Iron Gods work behind the scene to bring ruin to the world, the various characters act out their own struggles. The book reads at times like an exploration story (when dealing with Trassan's expedition), before jumping into global or social politics, and then dipping into a deeply personal story with Madelyne. For a while, there was some confusion as to where some of the stories are going, but towards the mid-point of the book, everything becomes clear, and the conclusion is exhilarating, if maybe a little rushed. Overall, the story is really interesting, and the pacing is good, which is enough for me to continue recommending the series, as I can't wait to find out what happens next.
"City of Ice" is a bit of a schizophrenic book in how it jumps between various PoVs. Along with the Kressind siblings we also get insight from the enigmatic Morfaan, and Madelyne, a lowborn adventuress who seeks to trick the Duke of Hell. As agents of the Iron Gods work behind the scene to bring ruin to the world, the various characters act out their own struggles. The book reads at times like an exploration story (when dealing with Trassan's expedition), before jumping into global or social politics, and then dipping into a deeply personal story with Madelyne. For a while, there was some confusion as to where some of the stories are going, but towards the mid-point of the book, everything becomes clear, and the conclusion is exhilarating, if maybe a little rushed. Overall, the story is really interesting, and the pacing is good, which is enough for me to continue recommending the series, as I can't wait to find out what happens next.
January 8, 2017
super, super cool and fast, couldn't stop for a second till i reached the last page.
February 8, 2021
I liked this a lot, it's very different from other fantasy series I've read. Love the characters, the world and the story is great. But it can be slow to read at times.
February 5, 2017
I posted this book review on my book review blog The Purple Booker first.
I have to start this review by saying I have not read the first book in the series. When I saw this book on Netgalley I got so excited by the description I overlooked that it was book #2. So some of my thoughts on this book spring from that which is my own fault. Now with that said, on to the review.
This is an absorbing book that takes place in a world that is complex, rich and absorbing. It did take me a little longer to get into this book than I would have liked, but I suspect that comes from not reading the first book. I was a little confused as to everything going on in this world, but eventually I did get settled in and I enjoyed the book a great deal. I plan on going back and reading the Iron Ship and then revisiting this story so see more things in context.
This book is simply one of those kind of books that seems to sprawl out before you in one grand adventure. It is the kind of book that allows you to feel as if you are in the pages, in that world with the characters and not just an outside reader. I feel that this fantasy world ranks right up there with the likes of Middle Earth and Narnia. I couldn't personally develop any "feelings" towards the characters in this book, but I feel that might change as I delve deeper into the series. This book is simply a very enjoyable read and the land in which it takes place is so well described it feels like a place I could go to.
There is a huge cast of characters within the book and they all seem to be getting ready to have some kind of convergence when the series comes to an end. While the large cast of characters makes it interesting, I feel it is also the reason I couldn't connect with anyone. At the end of the day, this is a book worth reading and a series worth getting excited about. If you like fantasy I think you will enjoy this book, it made me want to make like Bilbo Baggins and yell that I was going on an adventure!
I have to start this review by saying I have not read the first book in the series. When I saw this book on Netgalley I got so excited by the description I overlooked that it was book #2. So some of my thoughts on this book spring from that which is my own fault. Now with that said, on to the review.
This is an absorbing book that takes place in a world that is complex, rich and absorbing. It did take me a little longer to get into this book than I would have liked, but I suspect that comes from not reading the first book. I was a little confused as to everything going on in this world, but eventually I did get settled in and I enjoyed the book a great deal. I plan on going back and reading the Iron Ship and then revisiting this story so see more things in context.
This book is simply one of those kind of books that seems to sprawl out before you in one grand adventure. It is the kind of book that allows you to feel as if you are in the pages, in that world with the characters and not just an outside reader. I feel that this fantasy world ranks right up there with the likes of Middle Earth and Narnia. I couldn't personally develop any "feelings" towards the characters in this book, but I feel that might change as I delve deeper into the series. This book is simply a very enjoyable read and the land in which it takes place is so well described it feels like a place I could go to.
There is a huge cast of characters within the book and they all seem to be getting ready to have some kind of convergence when the series comes to an end. While the large cast of characters makes it interesting, I feel it is also the reason I couldn't connect with anyone. At the end of the day, this is a book worth reading and a series worth getting excited about. If you like fantasy I think you will enjoy this book, it made me want to make like Bilbo Baggins and yell that I was going on an adventure!
January 10, 2018
I'll start by saying I can't believe the majority of reviewers for this book have never read 'The Iron Ship' - the first one in the series - that's like starting Lord of the Rings on book 2!! I picked up The Iron Ship when it was on a cheap deal and I am so glad I did - it is fast becoming one of my favourite fantasy series and this next installment did not disappoint at all.
The story picks up where the last one left off and introduces yet more characters and plotlines, you are taken in very capable hands throughout this massive, sprawling fantasy world but never feel like it's too much or that any character is left out. Trassand and his ice ship's voyage to the City of Ice is interspersed with Madelyne's almost '50 Shades' relationship with the Duke, a quest to discover what is happening to the Afterlife by Aaron, Rel's desert adventure, Garten's dabble in politics, Katriona's labour revolution and a history of the Morfaan civilisation. It's a great balance and there's a lot going on but it never feels rushed or too drawn out.
Gods and glimmer meet iron and practicality and the only bad thing I can say is that as I picked this book up on day of release I'll be waiting a long time for the next one! Highly recommended but pick up the first book first before you read it if you haven't already!
The story picks up where the last one left off and introduces yet more characters and plotlines, you are taken in very capable hands throughout this massive, sprawling fantasy world but never feel like it's too much or that any character is left out. Trassand and his ice ship's voyage to the City of Ice is interspersed with Madelyne's almost '50 Shades' relationship with the Duke, a quest to discover what is happening to the Afterlife by Aaron, Rel's desert adventure, Garten's dabble in politics, Katriona's labour revolution and a history of the Morfaan civilisation. It's a great balance and there's a lot going on but it never feels rushed or too drawn out.
Gods and glimmer meet iron and practicality and the only bad thing I can say is that as I picked this book up on day of release I'll be waiting a long time for the next one! Highly recommended but pick up the first book first before you read it if you haven't already!
August 27, 2017
So the Iron Ship was no fluke, and K.M. McKinley is still one of the best new world-builders I've encountered; the setting for The Gates of the World so fascinating that I will gladly keep turning the pages. If this book stumbled at all, it was only that it needed a few more forward narrative surges rather than a lot of the shifting of vantage points. That's not to say it doesn't happen, because it does, but the balance was a little off, and several of the storylines from the Iron Ship don't seem to move along quite at the same pacing. Ultimately, though, there's no end to the inventiveness here, some other personalities are fleshed out very well, and remains one of the best fantasies running, with scenes and characters that stick in my brain long after I finish. Eager for the third book.
August 21, 2024
Could have been a much better book if not for...the torture and abuse of women by a God for their "pleasure." It's absurd and disgusting and it completely ruined the story for me. The storyline may continue in the third book but in my opinion, there is never a call for that kind of plot. It added absolutely nothing to the story and just showed more twisted, delusional, male-centric thinking. Add on top of that the other strong sexism in the book and a great story got brought down to something barely readable.
March 12, 2018
Enjoyable
Really liking this story. Why? Well, I'm not sure. I usually look for dark, gritty battle fueled stories. This isn't it. What you do get is a whole bunch of good characters, there's multiple story lines going on. The world is huge and very detailed. What really sucked me in is the story telling, this story is just so easy to read. A book you definitely get lost in as time flies by. If you enjoy a big character list, try this story out.
Really liking this story. Why? Well, I'm not sure. I usually look for dark, gritty battle fueled stories. This isn't it. What you do get is a whole bunch of good characters, there's multiple story lines going on. The world is huge and very detailed. What really sucked me in is the story telling, this story is just so easy to read. A book you definitely get lost in as time flies by. If you enjoy a big character list, try this story out.
October 22, 2017
I didnt enjoy this second book in the series as much as the first. Too many threads with the consequent change in point of view and then not enough depth given to each thread. Also a bit hyper-dramatic at times.
The premise and plot is still great. But I was secretly relieved to get to the end. (Ok so that’s not so much of a secret now...)
The premise and plot is still great. But I was secretly relieved to get to the end. (Ok so that’s not so much of a secret now...)
March 29, 2020
I do enjoy McKinley's intricate fantasy. The style is more accommodating to the traditional tropes of quest and apocalypse within the cycle of lost civilisations that we see from other genre novels. The modern voices of irony and sarcasm (embodied by Karsa) carry the novel forward; familiar protagonists raise the enjoyment.
July 19, 2020
An improvement on its pretty good predecessor, the story finally comes alive and is much more propulsive now. There are moments of more pedestrian plotting though, the subplot of Madelyne and the Infernal Duke for example, but these are thankfully brief. The metaphysics of the world figure more and the conclusion seems to loom. Will be reading the final volume.
June 20, 2017
A great second entry. A number of new threads but written so that things aren't left hanging from book 1.
The world here is so fully formed and leagues ahead of many fantasy books and it's the same for the prose.
The world here is so fully formed and leagues ahead of many fantasy books and it's the same for the prose.
November 4, 2017
Interesting but not exciting
In bad need of a good editor. The explanations at the end of book two should have been at the beginning of book one. There are bound to be more books to come so wait til the series is finished to read all at once. It will make more sense.
In bad need of a good editor. The explanations at the end of book two should have been at the beginning of book one. There are bound to be more books to come so wait til the series is finished to read all at once. It will make more sense.
November 28, 2016
*copy from Netgalley in exchange for a review*
The City of Ice is the second in K.M. McKinley’s “The Gates of the World” series. We reviewed the first, “The Iron Ship” a while ago. It impressed with a sprawling and imaginative geography, as well as a social setting which was, at the very least, intriguing, whilst providing an enormous cast of well drawn characters to populate the world; it was a tour-de-force for the imagination, if a little lacking in focus. The City of Ice works hard to pare things back to a manageable level, and it succeeds – at least most of the time.
There continue to be a multitude of point-of-view characters. Several of the family Kressind are only available for key scenes, but others have an ongoing role in the narrative. There’s the heiress, determined to provide for those working in her mills, coming slowly around to unionisation as a binder for being humanitarian. There’s the speaker-to-the-dead, investigating why the recently deceased are stronger and more determined to hang around and make trouble for their descendants. Then there’s the shipwright, the man who built a craft of iron which is able to ross polar oceans, toward a purported hidden city. These are the Kressind siblings with the clearest roles; it’s interesting to see the Speaker wrestle with his conscience, a man determined to do the right thing – though perhaps not at any cost. He’s tenacious, determined to think things through – but has a willingness to compromise growing from the pressures on his character which is interesting to watch. By contrast, there’s the efforts by his sister to act as a focal point for labour rights. Here is someone insecure in their own heritage, but determined to forge onward, to take an aggressive role and lock down what they see as the right thing to do – via direct action and politivs, when required.
Both feel overshadowed by the engineer, the Kressind who created the impossible – a self propelled craft powered by magic, driving through the arctic seas in search of a lost city. There’s a certain idealism, and an Indiana-Jones quality to his ideals, which makes these sections especially piquant.
The Kressinds are joined by a large supporting cast, from the seemingly friendly but potentially lethal fae-esque creatures (one asks their putative master not to release them, because then the fae will be free to murder them), through mages, whose strength is based on their ability to shape reality to fit their perceptions, to the alien Morfaan, a seemingly advanced species, the remnants of whom are, at the very least, damaged, and may not be as benevolent as they appear.
The result of which is, there’s a lot of fabulous character building on display here. It’s a diverse, complex cast, and the ties between friends and relatives are believably done, and just as fraught as you might expect.
The world is at least as broad as it was from the first book; but there’s a tighter focus here – the most memorable environs are those of the tundra surrounding the titular City of Ice. Its to McKinley’s credit that she can bring us a thriving urban cityscape, an urban metropolis brought together by expectation, a thronging mass of humanity, each individual part of a whole – and also the stark white of a polar region, populated by a small band of explorers, on the hard edge between life and slow starvation; both are plausible, and both feel real – the muttering heat of a city before the arrival of an expected sign, the hard deals and cut-throat politics – and the stark simplicity of the ice, driving towards and unknowable, seemingly impossible goal – in all cases, this is a world which lives and breathes, I’d love to see more of it, but as with the previous book in the series, I’m sure more will become available as the story continues.
The plot is, at least seemingly, more focused than the first book. We’re following an expedition toward a polar region on their quest, and tracking the Kressinds as they meddle in the politics of their region. Gradually, the feeling that there is more at stake becomes more concrete – though as always with the acquisition of knowledge, there’s a price to pay. This is a book with significant emotional depth, which is unafraid to explore both joy and sorrow, in the broader and the micro states – and the consequences that both can wreak on families. There’s some interesting revelations here, chasing up hints left in the first book – and some explosive and cleverly defined magic as well. There’s duels, which I admit I sat through with heart in mouth – and compromises, and alliances and stark betrayals.
In the end, this is an excellent sequel, which delivers on the promise of its predecessor. It may lose some mystique by beginning to explain some of the mysteries left by the previous volume, but it’s a tighter and better crafted volume overall – and a fascinating addition to the series. You’d need to read the first volume to really keep track of what’s going on – but having done so, this second volume gives you access to rich characters, in a vivid and convincing world – and I, for one, want to know where they go next.
The City of Ice is the second in K.M. McKinley’s “The Gates of the World” series. We reviewed the first, “The Iron Ship” a while ago. It impressed with a sprawling and imaginative geography, as well as a social setting which was, at the very least, intriguing, whilst providing an enormous cast of well drawn characters to populate the world; it was a tour-de-force for the imagination, if a little lacking in focus. The City of Ice works hard to pare things back to a manageable level, and it succeeds – at least most of the time.
There continue to be a multitude of point-of-view characters. Several of the family Kressind are only available for key scenes, but others have an ongoing role in the narrative. There’s the heiress, determined to provide for those working in her mills, coming slowly around to unionisation as a binder for being humanitarian. There’s the speaker-to-the-dead, investigating why the recently deceased are stronger and more determined to hang around and make trouble for their descendants. Then there’s the shipwright, the man who built a craft of iron which is able to ross polar oceans, toward a purported hidden city. These are the Kressind siblings with the clearest roles; it’s interesting to see the Speaker wrestle with his conscience, a man determined to do the right thing – though perhaps not at any cost. He’s tenacious, determined to think things through – but has a willingness to compromise growing from the pressures on his character which is interesting to watch. By contrast, there’s the efforts by his sister to act as a focal point for labour rights. Here is someone insecure in their own heritage, but determined to forge onward, to take an aggressive role and lock down what they see as the right thing to do – via direct action and politivs, when required.
Both feel overshadowed by the engineer, the Kressind who created the impossible – a self propelled craft powered by magic, driving through the arctic seas in search of a lost city. There’s a certain idealism, and an Indiana-Jones quality to his ideals, which makes these sections especially piquant.
The Kressinds are joined by a large supporting cast, from the seemingly friendly but potentially lethal fae-esque creatures (one asks their putative master not to release them, because then the fae will be free to murder them), through mages, whose strength is based on their ability to shape reality to fit their perceptions, to the alien Morfaan, a seemingly advanced species, the remnants of whom are, at the very least, damaged, and may not be as benevolent as they appear.
The result of which is, there’s a lot of fabulous character building on display here. It’s a diverse, complex cast, and the ties between friends and relatives are believably done, and just as fraught as you might expect.
The world is at least as broad as it was from the first book; but there’s a tighter focus here – the most memorable environs are those of the tundra surrounding the titular City of Ice. Its to McKinley’s credit that she can bring us a thriving urban cityscape, an urban metropolis brought together by expectation, a thronging mass of humanity, each individual part of a whole – and also the stark white of a polar region, populated by a small band of explorers, on the hard edge between life and slow starvation; both are plausible, and both feel real – the muttering heat of a city before the arrival of an expected sign, the hard deals and cut-throat politics – and the stark simplicity of the ice, driving towards and unknowable, seemingly impossible goal – in all cases, this is a world which lives and breathes, I’d love to see more of it, but as with the previous book in the series, I’m sure more will become available as the story continues.
The plot is, at least seemingly, more focused than the first book. We’re following an expedition toward a polar region on their quest, and tracking the Kressinds as they meddle in the politics of their region. Gradually, the feeling that there is more at stake becomes more concrete – though as always with the acquisition of knowledge, there’s a price to pay. This is a book with significant emotional depth, which is unafraid to explore both joy and sorrow, in the broader and the micro states – and the consequences that both can wreak on families. There’s some interesting revelations here, chasing up hints left in the first book – and some explosive and cleverly defined magic as well. There’s duels, which I admit I sat through with heart in mouth – and compromises, and alliances and stark betrayals.
In the end, this is an excellent sequel, which delivers on the promise of its predecessor. It may lose some mystique by beginning to explain some of the mysteries left by the previous volume, but it’s a tighter and better crafted volume overall – and a fascinating addition to the series. You’d need to read the first volume to really keep track of what’s going on – but having done so, this second volume gives you access to rich characters, in a vivid and convincing world – and I, for one, want to know where they go next.
March 12, 2017
4 stars from Bill, read the full review at FANTASY LITERATURE
Disclaimer: just so you know, some of the books we review are received free from publishers
I was going to start out this review of K.M. McKinley’s The City of Ice (2016) by saying that I could pretty much cut and paste the first paragraph of my review of its predecessor The Iron Ship, since it matched exactly what I’d say about The City of Ice. But then I realized why say I could when I actually can do that. So here it is, with some edits.
The Iron Ship City of Ice is a sprawling, slow build of a story that mostly follows the POV exploits of five siblings whose stories generally wend their own way. With its large cast, leisurely characterization, separate plots, unhurried approach to worldbuilding, and focus on an accretion of detail (admittedly, sometimes to a somewhat befuddling amount), I can’t say McKinley’s debut sequel is particularly energetic or compelling. But it does suck you in (again), even if The City of Ice feels its length a bit more than The Iron Ship did....4 stars from Bill, read the full review at FANTASY LITERATURE
Disclaimer: just so you know, some of the books we review are received free from publishers
I was going to start out this review of K.M. McKinley’s The City of Ice (2016) by saying that I could pretty much cut and paste the first paragraph of my review of its predecessor The Iron Ship, since it matched exactly what I’d say about The City of Ice. But then I realized why say I could when I actually can do that. So here it is, with some edits.
The Iron Ship City of Ice is a sprawling, slow build of a story that mostly follows the POV exploits of five siblings whose stories generally wend their own way. With its large cast, leisurely characterization, separate plots, unhurried approach to worldbuilding, and focus on an accretion of detail (admittedly, sometimes to a somewhat befuddling amount), I can’t say McKinley’s debut sequel is particularly energetic or compelling. But it does suck you in (again), even if The City of Ice feels its length a bit more than The Iron Ship did....4 stars from Bill, read the full review at FANTASY LITERATURE
July 29, 2019
Really rather good, enjoyed it a lot
September 5, 2019
Not quite as good as the first, as we expand and populate the world. Good set up for the next book.
February 1, 2020
A good follow up to the first in the series, The Iron Ship.
December 29, 2016
It did take a while to get going, but then I wasn’t invested or aware of the cast of characters featuring in this sprawling fantasy as I hadn’t read the previous book, The Iron Ship. However, once I worked out who was doing what to whom, I became engrossed in this interesting and original take on a very familiar format. For starters, this is something of a genre mash-up. The society depicted is in the early stages of an industrial revolution and use magic to power their machinery, which is having some unfortunate side effects. While the Kressind family were clearly at the heart of the previous book, the plot has since snaked off into all sorts of directions, so that there were a number of intriguing storylines that had me wanting to know more.
The main one I really enjoyed was the progress of the intrepid explorers heading towards the City of Ice in a bid to uncover more of the secrets of an ancient race that, until recently, ruled over humanity. McKinley is very good at scene setting, so the biting cold allied to the constant need for chipping away the ice constantly forming on the superstructure of this metal ship sprang from the pages. Add to the mix a stowaway and talking dogs and you’ll appreciate this is a voyage where plenty is going on other than an exploration to a fabled city.
The other interesting plot that held me throughout the book was that of Madalyn, who offered herself to the Dark Lord, a horned godling with a fearsome reputation. She has got herself into something of a financial muddle, so offers to be his female companion in return for a very generous settlement if all goes well. If it doesn’t – she won’t need to worry about her finances, anyway… This is a fascinating subplot that also included the story of the Godhome, an abandoned palace that was attacked by the most powerful mage in history who drove out the gods on the grounds that they didn’t have mankind’s best interests at heart.
There are also the tyn, demons who will happily feast on humans but who can also be brought under control by magical means. They exist more or less alongside humanity, though as you can imagine, it isn’t always an easy relationship… I could go on about more of the interesting stories McKinley portrays in this rich, multi-faceted world, but instead I suggest you give yourself an early New Year’s treat and get hold of The Iron Ship. For fans of epic fantasy – even if it isn’t your go-to genre – this is an enjoyable, nicely intricate world with plenty to ponder once you’ve reached the climactic ending.
Receiving a copy of The City of Ice from the publisher via NetGalley has in no way affected my honest opinion of this book.
9/10
The main one I really enjoyed was the progress of the intrepid explorers heading towards the City of Ice in a bid to uncover more of the secrets of an ancient race that, until recently, ruled over humanity. McKinley is very good at scene setting, so the biting cold allied to the constant need for chipping away the ice constantly forming on the superstructure of this metal ship sprang from the pages. Add to the mix a stowaway and talking dogs and you’ll appreciate this is a voyage where plenty is going on other than an exploration to a fabled city.
The other interesting plot that held me throughout the book was that of Madalyn, who offered herself to the Dark Lord, a horned godling with a fearsome reputation. She has got herself into something of a financial muddle, so offers to be his female companion in return for a very generous settlement if all goes well. If it doesn’t – she won’t need to worry about her finances, anyway… This is a fascinating subplot that also included the story of the Godhome, an abandoned palace that was attacked by the most powerful mage in history who drove out the gods on the grounds that they didn’t have mankind’s best interests at heart.
There are also the tyn, demons who will happily feast on humans but who can also be brought under control by magical means. They exist more or less alongside humanity, though as you can imagine, it isn’t always an easy relationship… I could go on about more of the interesting stories McKinley portrays in this rich, multi-faceted world, but instead I suggest you give yourself an early New Year’s treat and get hold of The Iron Ship. For fans of epic fantasy – even if it isn’t your go-to genre – this is an enjoyable, nicely intricate world with plenty to ponder once you’ve reached the climactic ending.
Receiving a copy of The City of Ice from the publisher via NetGalley has in no way affected my honest opinion of this book.
9/10
February 13, 2017
The second book in an epic fantasy/steampunk hybrid series. I loved the first book, The Iron Ship; this one is not as satisfying.
The first book followed the fortunes of a group of 6 siblings, the Kressinds, each of them pursuing very different paths in life. In this book, several of those siblings barely appear at all. Most of the focus is on just two of them: Trassan, who is leading a voyage of exploration to the world's southern polar region; and Garten, an advisor to an aristocrat who's been sent to an important diplomatic conference. A few new characters also get POV chapters; especially Madelyne, the heroine of a "50 Shades of Grey" subplot which I could have done without (and which, frankly, knocked at least 1 star off my rating).
As often happens with middle books in a series, this is largely a placeholder installment; it resolves nothing, but adds welcome depth and detail to its complex world. There are so many plot threads that were barely serviced in this volume that I doubt the series is intended to be only a trilogy. I still look forward to the next book in the series, even if this one was not always to my taste.
The first book followed the fortunes of a group of 6 siblings, the Kressinds, each of them pursuing very different paths in life. In this book, several of those siblings barely appear at all. Most of the focus is on just two of them: Trassan, who is leading a voyage of exploration to the world's southern polar region; and Garten, an advisor to an aristocrat who's been sent to an important diplomatic conference. A few new characters also get POV chapters; especially Madelyne, the heroine of a "50 Shades of Grey" subplot which I could have done without (and which, frankly, knocked at least 1 star off my rating).
As often happens with middle books in a series, this is largely a placeholder installment; it resolves nothing, but adds welcome depth and detail to its complex world. There are so many plot threads that were barely serviced in this volume that I doubt the series is intended to be only a trilogy. I still look forward to the next book in the series, even if this one was not always to my taste.
February 13, 2017
The City of Ice picks up where the previous book The Iron Ship left off with crew of the Prince Alfra heading into the Morfaan ice fortress but at the same time events on the mainland continue to evolve withe the Morfaan returning! :D
As with The Iron Ships the story is split between events of the ships crew and the political skulduggery happening back on the mainland! :D The book is clearly a mid book as it sets up a lot of things for the next book with plot threads being setup and new characters introduced who on the face of it may not influence events but it would seem will play a factor in the future events as the twin planet approaches! :D
At the same time more of the backstory is established with the civilisations that have already existed on this Earth and sets thing's going for a rematch with the Draathis! :D
The City of Ice is fast paced, has an Indiana Jones/ The Mummy vibe, adventurous and action packed! :D Brilliant and highly Recommended! :D
As with The Iron Ships the story is split between events of the ships crew and the political skulduggery happening back on the mainland! :D The book is clearly a mid book as it sets up a lot of things for the next book with plot threads being setup and new characters introduced who on the face of it may not influence events but it would seem will play a factor in the future events as the twin planet approaches! :D
At the same time more of the backstory is established with the civilisations that have already existed on this Earth and sets thing's going for a rematch with the Draathis! :D
The City of Ice is fast paced, has an Indiana Jones/ The Mummy vibe, adventurous and action packed! :D Brilliant and highly Recommended! :D
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