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Obsidian Mirror #4
The Speed of Darkness
A great storm brews out at sea and batters the Devon coast, flooding vast swathes of land. At Wintercombe Abbey the preceding weeks have been spent in a ferment of experimentation, as Jake Wilde's father, David and Maskelyne work furiously on Operation Leah. They have been practising changing tiny events in the past, in preparation for the rescue of Venn's wife Leah from death, the culmination of their work with the Obsidian Mirror. But in the aftermath of the storm, the Abbey is a drowned house. Where is the Mirror? What has happened to the two halves of the Janus coin? Whose is the mysterious boat wrecked up on the nearby beach? And what plans of mischief and mayhem lay in store for Halloween - the day chosen for Leah's return? Riddles and mysteries unfold in the spellbinding conclusion to The Obsidian Mirror quartet.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 4, 2016
7 people are currently reading
657 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Fisher
64 books1,611 followersCatherine Fisher was born in Newport, Wales. She graduated from the University of Wales with a degree in English and a fascination for myth and history. She has worked in education and archaeology and as a lecturer in creative writing at the University of Glamorgan. She is a Fellow of the Welsh Academy.
Catherine is an acclaimed poet and novelist, regularly lecturing and giving readings to groups of all ages. She leads sessions for teachers and librarians and is an experienced broadcaster and adjudicator. She lives in Newport, Gwent.
Catherine has won many awards and much critical acclaim for her work. Her poetry has appeared in leading periodicals and anthologies and her volume Immrama won the WAC Young Writers' Prize. She won the Cardiff International Poetry Competition in 1990.
Her first novel, The Conjuror's Game, was shortlisted for the Smarties Books prize and The Snow-Walker's Son for the W.H.Smith Award. Equally acclaimed is her quartet The Book of the Crow, a classic of fantasy fiction.
The Oracle, the first volume in the Oracle trilogy, blends Egyptian and Greek elements of magic and adventure and was shortlisted for the Whitbread Children's Books prize. The trilogy was an international bestseller and has appeared in over twenty languages. The Candleman won the Welsh Books Council's Tir Na n'Og Prize and Catherine was also shortlisted for the remarkable Corbenic, a modern re-inventing of the Grail legend.
Her futuristic novel Incarceron was published to widespread praise in 2007, winning the Mythopoeic Society of America's Children's Fiction Award and selected by The Times as its Children's Book of the Year. The sequel, Sapphique, was published in September 2008.
Catherine is an acclaimed poet and novelist, regularly lecturing and giving readings to groups of all ages. She leads sessions for teachers and librarians and is an experienced broadcaster and adjudicator. She lives in Newport, Gwent.
Catherine has won many awards and much critical acclaim for her work. Her poetry has appeared in leading periodicals and anthologies and her volume Immrama won the WAC Young Writers' Prize. She won the Cardiff International Poetry Competition in 1990.
Her first novel, The Conjuror's Game, was shortlisted for the Smarties Books prize and The Snow-Walker's Son for the W.H.Smith Award. Equally acclaimed is her quartet The Book of the Crow, a classic of fantasy fiction.
The Oracle, the first volume in the Oracle trilogy, blends Egyptian and Greek elements of magic and adventure and was shortlisted for the Whitbread Children's Books prize. The trilogy was an international bestseller and has appeared in over twenty languages. The Candleman won the Welsh Books Council's Tir Na n'Og Prize and Catherine was also shortlisted for the remarkable Corbenic, a modern re-inventing of the Grail legend.
Her futuristic novel Incarceron was published to widespread praise in 2007, winning the Mythopoeic Society of America's Children's Fiction Award and selected by The Times as its Children's Book of the Year. The sequel, Sapphique, was published in September 2008.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 17, 2016
This sorry saga of a quartet comes to a rambling end and I just don't really care much. Fisher's total lack of planning lets her down completely in this disappointing waste of good ideas that also lacks some internal self-consistency. It should have been half as long (two volumes), taut and well thought out, but it is none of these things. Easily the worst time I've had with Fisher.
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March 14, 2016Oh my goodness it drives me crazy that so few people seem to have read these books. The series contains such a wonderful mash-up of fantasy and SF–you’ve got time travel, dystopian futures, and potentially universe-destroying technology right along with Faerie woods and changelings and magic. There’s quite a diverse cast of characters, all with their own motives and secrets, constantly shifting alliances and struggling to achieve their individual goals. This final book does a fairly good job of paying off on all the various threads--I particularly liked the reveal about the origins of Janus--though I felt my personal favorite character (Gideon the faerie changeling) got a bit shortchanged in his arc compared to some of the others. But overall, the series is a great read that I wish more people would discover.
February 18, 2016
The author of any story dealing with time travel has the problem of handling the inherent paradoxes. The most successful handling of this problem that I've seen was that of the third Harry Potter movie. But the potential time travel paradox in that movie occurred during a relatively short sequence within the movie.
Here, we have the concluding volume to a quartet that has been centered entirely on time travel. The paradoxes abound, and the characters openly acknowledge those paradoxes and attempt to come to grip with them within the boundaries of the plot.
I would have to go back and read all four books again to find out how successful the author was. Not all that successful, I suspect. The books were enjoyable and well-written and worth one reading. But only one such reading, I think.
Aside from my concerns with the time travel paradoxes presented by the plot -- which really is the central issue, explicit in the books themselves, and not something swept under the carpet -- this final volume is an exciting read, as we watch the fairly large cast of characters experience great adventures and continue their development as persons, their motivations becoming more evident to us, and, interestingly, to themselves as well. Even the greatest villain, the dastardly Janus, arouses a certain sense of pathos. Summer, the queen of the fairy Shee, remains remorseless, superficial and without feeling -- but still appealing to us in a perverse way.
And the changeling Gideon, to me the most sympathetic of the characters from the very first volume, finally has his wish fulfilled, although not the wish I would have wished for him.
A good read. But, of course, the first three books are an absolute prerequisite if this book is to make any sense at all.
Here, we have the concluding volume to a quartet that has been centered entirely on time travel. The paradoxes abound, and the characters openly acknowledge those paradoxes and attempt to come to grip with them within the boundaries of the plot.
I would have to go back and read all four books again to find out how successful the author was. Not all that successful, I suspect. The books were enjoyable and well-written and worth one reading. But only one such reading, I think.
Aside from my concerns with the time travel paradoxes presented by the plot -- which really is the central issue, explicit in the books themselves, and not something swept under the carpet -- this final volume is an exciting read, as we watch the fairly large cast of characters experience great adventures and continue their development as persons, their motivations becoming more evident to us, and, interestingly, to themselves as well. Even the greatest villain, the dastardly Janus, arouses a certain sense of pathos. Summer, the queen of the fairy Shee, remains remorseless, superficial and without feeling -- but still appealing to us in a perverse way.
And the changeling Gideon, to me the most sympathetic of the characters from the very first volume, finally has his wish fulfilled, although not the wish I would have wished for him.
A good read. But, of course, the first three books are an absolute prerequisite if this book is to make any sense at all.
June 1, 2016
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What a culmination of this quartet! It took me no time at all to read The Speed of Darkness ... I was so engrossed.
Sarah makes Venn see that before he makes a decision, he must experience what the world is to become. Their journey gave me some heart pounding moments! and Janus' world is fabulously dark. Rebecca is trapped at Wintercombe and Gideon is trapped by Summer. The shaman and his spells give moments of darkness and Janus' tower is very surreal. I must admit I was surprised by the monster in the cave ... I didn't pick up on any clues or have any idea that it was going to be who it was! The Wild Hunt is fabulous and I held my breath several times. For the first time I saw another side to Venn and finally felt a connection with him. I knew there was something more to Janus and thought his thread was genius in how it all ties in.
I'm not a reader who has to have an ending cut and dried or else feel cheated. The Speed of Darkness has left me pondering on all of our characters as to me, the ending is no ending at all and for some, a new beginning.
Catherine Fisher's writing draws you along and takes you under alongside the characters. As with all the other novels we have quests and plenty of action plus another underlying meaning of mythical themes which are common in all cultures. I've really enjoyed this in the Chroniptika Quartet which is why I recommend for adult as well as YA readers.
All four books have been keepers for me and I have no hesitation in highly recommending if you love sci-fi/fantasy.
I would like to thank the publishers for pre-approval via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
What a culmination of this quartet! It took me no time at all to read The Speed of Darkness ... I was so engrossed.
Sarah makes Venn see that before he makes a decision, he must experience what the world is to become. Their journey gave me some heart pounding moments! and Janus' world is fabulously dark. Rebecca is trapped at Wintercombe and Gideon is trapped by Summer. The shaman and his spells give moments of darkness and Janus' tower is very surreal. I must admit I was surprised by the monster in the cave ... I didn't pick up on any clues or have any idea that it was going to be who it was! The Wild Hunt is fabulous and I held my breath several times. For the first time I saw another side to Venn and finally felt a connection with him. I knew there was something more to Janus and thought his thread was genius in how it all ties in.
I'm not a reader who has to have an ending cut and dried or else feel cheated. The Speed of Darkness has left me pondering on all of our characters as to me, the ending is no ending at all and for some, a new beginning.
Catherine Fisher's writing draws you along and takes you under alongside the characters. As with all the other novels we have quests and plenty of action plus another underlying meaning of mythical themes which are common in all cultures. I've really enjoyed this in the Chroniptika Quartet which is why I recommend for adult as well as YA readers.
All four books have been keepers for me and I have no hesitation in highly recommending if you love sci-fi/fantasy.
I would like to thank the publishers for pre-approval via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 3, 2016
This is the way the series ends: not with a bang, but with a whimper. Too many plot threads wrapped up too easily - too many to have any done justice; too many obvious character decisions; no meaningful conclusion.
November 10, 2019
I actually didn't know this book was in a series. That was on me. I still read it though because I didn't want to stop a book I started reading. I was a bit confused at first because of how I didn't know what was going on because of the series. I have actually done the same thing one other time and I got it from the library. It didn't have the book number on the side. But over all I think this book was good. I got into it besides not knowing what happened before that. I really should check before I start a book. Anyways 3 stars!
June 11, 2016
and it's 3 because i like catherine fisher ALOT and it's the last book and i am so happy that i'm done with this series! after the first book, i really didn't like the other three, didn't like the characters all that much and disliked some of them, wasn't interseted in the story and really didn't care what happened to any of them, i think the story started soundly (maybe) but after a while the author didn't know what to do with it either, there were all these half ideas that really were not a full story. would not recommend to anyone and so am sad that i didn't like a catherine fisher book :(
April 23, 2018
The book The Speed of Darkness by Catherine Fisher is a boom I would recommend only to a select audience who enjoys complex sci-fi story filled with strange creatures and time travel. It was a disappointing end to this series, with an amazing start introducing the characters with mystery allowing shocking and creative reveals. As the series comes to an end there was a lack of the original spark. Ever since the character had been around for three past books and the main plot points already explained there was less material to use for turns in the story. I was expecting a better ending to a series that started so great.
The plot could have been arranged better, with it following a same basic structure from the first books. Certain characters could have been used better to further the plot such as Piers, a support character, was a great well-developed character but was not used that much. It shared main themes with the other books such as trust is a fragile concept and once trust is broken it is hard to earn back.
There was some slightly violent imagery but nothing highly offensive or gruesome. This book had potential to be great but fell short of the mark and sits in the shadows of the first book.
The plot could have been arranged better, with it following a same basic structure from the first books. Certain characters could have been used better to further the plot such as Piers, a support character, was a great well-developed character but was not used that much. It shared main themes with the other books such as trust is a fragile concept and once trust is broken it is hard to earn back.
There was some slightly violent imagery but nothing highly offensive or gruesome. This book had potential to be great but fell short of the mark and sits in the shadows of the first book.
March 15, 2017
I know I reviewed this before. What happened!?
This is a brilliant series. In this final volume, Venn, Jake, and David try to use the obsidian mirror to save lives. But changing the past can influence the future in unexpected ways. And the mirror itself is a destructive force-
I was disturbed and puzzled by a new character, a young shaman from prehistoric Britain. I couldn't help wondering whether this boy was Maskelyne of the future. If so, that's even more disturbing. Another loose end was Summer and her relationship with Venn. But, otherwise, this story was very well worked out. Leah, Venn's wife, is pretty awesome when we meet her, and so are Sarah and Rebecca. I loved Piers and Wharton and their interactions, and I loved all the echoes of "The Tempest".
A solid conclusion to a fine series, none the worse for a few dangling threads.
This is a brilliant series. In this final volume, Venn, Jake, and David try to use the obsidian mirror to save lives. But changing the past can influence the future in unexpected ways. And the mirror itself is a destructive force-
I was disturbed and puzzled by a new character, a young shaman from prehistoric Britain. I couldn't help wondering whether this boy was Maskelyne of the future. If so, that's even more disturbing. Another loose end was Summer and her relationship with Venn. But, otherwise, this story was very well worked out. Leah, Venn's wife, is pretty awesome when we meet her, and so are Sarah and Rebecca. I loved Piers and Wharton and their interactions, and I loved all the echoes of "The Tempest".
A solid conclusion to a fine series, none the worse for a few dangling threads.
June 11, 2017
Honestly this disappointed me. I was hoping for something better. Everything ended too easily. The story is lead to be something so grand and then it just ends just like that. Not to mention a plot discrepancy at one point. *sigh*
However, I can't just give this a 1 star rating - the story itself was so interesting (for the most part). The overall planning just could have been done better.
Fisher is a devil at fantasy, but sometimes her fantasy seems to delude her from proper storytelling.
However, I can't just give this a 1 star rating - the story itself was so interesting (for the most part). The overall planning just could have been done better.
Fisher is a devil at fantasy, but sometimes her fantasy seems to delude her from proper storytelling.
April 26, 2021
Teen fantasy that takes place in our world. Very imaginative, engrossing, faie, gritty, a bit scary, and complicated/involved. I read all four books and recommend them for anyone who likes books with the kind of adjectives I just used.
#2 The Slanted Worlds
#3 The Door in the Moon
#4 The Speed of Darkness
#2 The Slanted Worlds
#3 The Door in the Moon
#4 The Speed of Darkness
October 2, 2025
I read this ages ago, probably 10 years or more. I stopped reading anything from her though because both of the 2 series I read (also Incarceron), do NOT have satisfying endings!!! I hate that and refuse to read any more of her books!
January 12, 2021
The chaotic conclusion of the Obsidian Mirror series. Great reading for the teenage kids. Fantasy, Time travel, Mystery and lots of adventures. Nice work. Enjoy
March 7, 2017
This is the volume that answers all the questions--will Oberon Venn save his wife's life? What will happen to Jake and his father? To Gideon, the changeling boy? To Sarah, the girl from the future, and to George Wharton and Rebecca and the mysterious Maskelyne, to Piers, and to the mirror itself? In order to persuade him that the mirror must be destroyed, Sarah urges Venn to travel to the future and see what the world will become if the Obsidian mirror isn't destroyed. In the meantime, the Shee besiege Venn's house, and Wharton and Piers end up in the past facing unknown monsters.
I said this book answered all the questions, but that isn't quite true. Oh, the plot is well and fairly worked out. After all, this is Catherine Fisher! But the author also leaves us with some troubling questions. Is it true that a kindness can have disastrous consequences? Can it ever be wrong to save a life? And I wondered who Maskelyne was, and whether he had any relationship to a new character in the novel. I also wondered whether Gideon might be related to Venn. Finally, there's a bit of a cliff hanger; it isn't clear that Venn will escape the Shee and their fearsome leader, Summer.
I pretty much love everything Fisher writes. In the end, I didn't love this final volume as much as the third in the series, but I still thought it excellent and well worth reading. Oh - an addenda. One of the great pleasures of Fisher's novels, for me, is her commentary on classic tales and tropes. In the earlier volumes, there were echoes of Shakespeare (especially "Hamlet" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream") and Dickens. In this book, the Shakespeare play that is retold is "The Tempest". What Fisher does with it is moving and intelligent.
I said this book answered all the questions, but that isn't quite true. Oh, the plot is well and fairly worked out. After all, this is Catherine Fisher! But the author also leaves us with some troubling questions. Is it true that a kindness can have disastrous consequences? Can it ever be wrong to save a life? And I wondered who Maskelyne was, and whether he had any relationship to a new character in the novel. I also wondered whether Gideon might be related to Venn. Finally, there's a bit of a cliff hanger; it isn't clear that Venn will escape the Shee and their fearsome leader, Summer.
I pretty much love everything Fisher writes. In the end, I didn't love this final volume as much as the third in the series, but I still thought it excellent and well worth reading. Oh - an addenda. One of the great pleasures of Fisher's novels, for me, is her commentary on classic tales and tropes. In the earlier volumes, there were echoes of Shakespeare (especially "Hamlet" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream") and Dickens. In this book, the Shakespeare play that is retold is "The Tempest". What Fisher does with it is moving and intelligent.
February 12, 2019
Weak ending. Good twist in the middle...
February 10, 2017
The fourth of four books in the Chronoptika finds our band of time travelers at the beginning, middle, and end of all times. No one character is the main focus, all have their part of the story to tell.
I don't want to say too much here. As much as I like to read the last line of a book before I get there, full on spoilers are never fun. And yet, to share much of what I read in this review would be to spoil the story. So let me share this.
It ends in the only way it can, and in the way of life only you can decide if that is satisfying or not. I choose to find it satisfying.
This final monologue from "A Midsummer's Night Dream" has been running through my mind since I read the first line of this story. I think it's appropriate to end my review with it.
If these shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumbered here
Whilst these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding than a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend:
If you pardon, we will mend.
And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck
Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long;
Else the Puck a liar call;
So, goodnight unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.
I don't want to say too much here. As much as I like to read the last line of a book before I get there, full on spoilers are never fun. And yet, to share much of what I read in this review would be to spoil the story. So let me share this.
It ends in the only way it can, and in the way of life only you can decide if that is satisfying or not. I choose to find it satisfying.
This final monologue from "A Midsummer's Night Dream" has been running through my mind since I read the first line of this story. I think it's appropriate to end my review with it.
If these shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumbered here
Whilst these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding than a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend:
If you pardon, we will mend.
And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck
Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long;
Else the Puck a liar call;
So, goodnight unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2017
Wow! This book was an epic conclusion to this fantastic series! It was fast paced with many surprising moments. The action and tension was non stop right down to the last page. It is impossible to put down. I thought the resolution concerning the time travel was perfectly portrayed and that the characters' acceptance of it was well done too. Each character arc was wrapped up nicely (though there was one that I wished we could have encountered once more) the best example being Venn who finally finds resolution within himself. Though the ending is bitter sweet and for sure leaves some questions and mystery to the fates of certain characters the ending was very satisfying. The ending was also impossible to see coming in its entirety but was completely believable once it happened. Overall I really enjoyed this book and think it is an excellent ending to the Chronoptika series! I think a perfect song for this book is The Way Back by From Sorrow to Serenity.
'Fear the end, for it is within our grasp
Will you stand by and watch as everything we know slips through our fingers
There is nothing left but to watch the world burn
Watch it burn'
'Fear the end, for it is within our grasp
Will you stand by and watch as everything we know slips through our fingers
There is nothing left but to watch the world burn
Watch it burn'
May 15, 2016
I have to say, this is a fascinating series. I gave book 4, The Speed of Darkness, 4 stars instead of 5 because there is just soooo much going on in it that at times it becomes confusing. I have to hand it to the author, she has a very creative mind and has been able to intertwine characters and events from the past, present, and future into a story that ultimately says that good will triumph over evil.
March 13, 2016
Books about time travel are tough. The inherent paradoxes often leave me feeling frustrated and/or confused. But Catherine Fisher did a really great job of dealing with this in this series. This book was an excellent conclusion. Very satisfying, sensible, and she tied up the myriad loose ends. I was very pleased.
May 19, 2016
A good conclusion to a unique series. I have never read something that included so many disparate elements - time travel, dystopia, the fae - and yet ended up working together so well. Four stars instead of five due to some loose emotional threads at the end.
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The Raven Boys
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August 29, 2016
One of the best series I've ever read in my entire life. The story was woven so smoothly and flawlessly that it left me completely in awe. Catherine Fisher casts breathtaking spells with her words and I would willingly step into one of her world's and happily stay there for all my life. Even if it was with the Shee!
June 1, 2016
Great ending...Boy did this time travel stuff twist up my head sometimes. But over all I loved it!!!! (I just wish we got to see Moll again) regardless I thought it was very very good.
November 13, 2016
That was gripping. But I am so confused. Time travel books are hard on the brain.
I think this could've done with a better wrap-up.
I think this could've done with a better wrap-up.
December 28, 2016
4.5 stars. This series wasn't handled perfectly, but I still love it, and it's weird to have finally finished it after over three years.
January 9, 2017
A really great book. I wish I didn't have to end, but I'm glad that Oberon Venn didn't rescue Leah. Even though it was a little sad...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews