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The Crowthistle Chronicles #4
Lamafulva (The Crowthistle Chronicles)
Sui Quattro Regni di Tir, gia attraversati da sinistri presagi, sta per abbattersi il terribile spettro della guerra. Un'alleanza segreta fra i regni del sud, celata dalla spietata tenacia di Re Uabhar e fortificata dal cruento sostegno dei deformi Predatori delle montagne, minaccia di gettare nel caos l'intero continente. Lo spietato monarca, nelle sue follie da conquistatore, rischia di spezzare i Regni di Tir, gia indeboliti dall'uccisione di molti dei Signori del Clima, trucidati con l'inganno dalle trame scellerate su cui la guerra e stata costruita. Il continente di Tir e stato privato dei suoi piu potenti difensori, e sembra che il destino delle terre libere sia nelle mani di Asr thiel, l'invulnerabile maga delle tempeste, e di pochi altri difensori ad essa alleati, uniti in un solo schieramento per opporsi all'avanzata verso nord delle armate di invasori. Un altro pericolo, tuttavia, incombe sui gia martoriati regni umani, una minaccia ben piu terribile ed infinitamente piu letale della guerra fratricida scatenata dal Tiranno del sud. Nel mezzo di questo conflitto, fra dolori e speranze, Asr thiel scoprira che ad essere in gioco non e solo l'equilibrio di poteri fra i Quattro Regni, ma la sopravvivenza stessa dell'intera razza umana. . . Un racconto epico che corona la quadrilogia delle Cronache di Fior di Cardo, portando a degna conclusione l'epopea dei Quattro Regni di Tir. Una forza malvagia si fa strada verso di noi...
568 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2007
3 people are currently reading
546 people want to read
About the author
Cecilia Dart-Thornton
39 books409 followersJoin Cecilia's blog: https://ceciliadartthornton.substack....
Cecilia Dart-Thornton was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, graduating from Monash University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology.
She became a schoolteacher before working as an editor, bookseller, illustrator and book designer.
She started and ran her own business, but became a full-time writer in 2000 after her work was 'discovered' on the Internet and published by Time Warner (New York).
A keen supporter of animal rights and wilderness conservation, she also loves clay sculpting, oil painting, and performing in folk music bands.
Her books are published around the world and have been translated into several languages.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
THE BITTERBYNDE TRILOGY
'This series follows the journey of a mute, amnesiac foundling through a world of beauty and peril, teeming with faerie creatures.'
The Ill-Made Mute (2001)
The Lady of the Sorrows (2002)
The Battle of Evernight (2003)
THE CROWTHISTLE CHRONICLES
'A four-part epic fantasy describing the adventures that befall a cursed and gifted family.'
The Iron Tree (2004)
The Well of Tears (2005)
Weatherwitch (2006)
Fallowblade (2007)
SHORT STORIES
Long the Clouds are Over me Tonight (Published in the anthology Emerald Magic: Great Tales of Irish Fantasy; Tor Books, 2004)
The Stolen Swanmaiden (Published in Australian Women's Weekly September 2005)
The Lanes of Camberwell (Published by Harper Collins in the anthology DREAMING AGAIN, 2008)
The Enchanted (Published by Harper Collins in the anthology LEGENDS OF AUSTRALIAN FANTASY, 2010)
Cecilia Dart-Thornton was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, graduating from Monash University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology.
She became a schoolteacher before working as an editor, bookseller, illustrator and book designer.
She started and ran her own business, but became a full-time writer in 2000 after her work was 'discovered' on the Internet and published by Time Warner (New York).
A keen supporter of animal rights and wilderness conservation, she also loves clay sculpting, oil painting, and performing in folk music bands.
Her books are published around the world and have been translated into several languages.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
THE BITTERBYNDE TRILOGY
'This series follows the journey of a mute, amnesiac foundling through a world of beauty and peril, teeming with faerie creatures.'
The Ill-Made Mute (2001)
The Lady of the Sorrows (2002)
The Battle of Evernight (2003)
THE CROWTHISTLE CHRONICLES
'A four-part epic fantasy describing the adventures that befall a cursed and gifted family.'
The Iron Tree (2004)
The Well of Tears (2005)
Weatherwitch (2006)
Fallowblade (2007)
SHORT STORIES
Long the Clouds are Over me Tonight (Published in the anthology Emerald Magic: Great Tales of Irish Fantasy; Tor Books, 2004)
The Stolen Swanmaiden (Published in Australian Women's Weekly September 2005)
The Lanes of Camberwell (Published by Harper Collins in the anthology DREAMING AGAIN, 2008)
The Enchanted (Published by Harper Collins in the anthology LEGENDS OF AUSTRALIAN FANTASY, 2010)
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
March 15, 2018
I really love Dart-Thorntons familiarity and use of folklore, however in this series she used it to pull the wool over my eyes so she could deliver what is essentially a vegan manifesto. Seriously, the plot is based on faeries being angry with humans for eating animals. This is only revealed in the final book however, the first three books are actually just a really long backstory for her mary-sue character, explaining how she is immortal, the best witch evar, and really really ridiculously good looking. For some reason her eyelids are permanently blue, the colour "of a butterflies wing", which indicates a severe vitamin deficiency - probably anemia from being a vegan. It's essentially really bad fanfiction for a book of celtic folk tales.
January 5, 2014
The whole series was thoroughly confused and not within cooee of the high standard of CDT's previous books. Book one was little better than a Mills and Boon romance. Book two was a repeat of book one. Book three read like it came from a different series and bore no resemblance to the direction set in the first book. Book four was different again and pointlessly changed direction a few times. It would appear that the author had no idea where she wanted to go, so she just wandered around anywhere, allowing her political views on animal welfare to dominate the story line far too strongly.
January 4, 2011
Throughout this series I've found myself getting a little exasperated by what I found to be irrelevant and overly long details present in every book written by this author. I loved the beautiful tragedy that was the end of The Iron Tree, but I really felt like The Well of Tears dragged a bit (I mean, did it really have to be so long?) and Weatherwitch was just plain filler. However, every time I would get annoyed at this, Cecilia Dart-Thornton would reel me in with some beautiful concept or passage of writing. I loved this book though. Unlike the others, it got me in right away, and blew me away.
Fallowblade continues the story of Asrathiel, who is a powerful weathermage, and searching for her lost aunts and uncles (murdered in Weatherwitch by an evil king), and then a battle between kingdoms for control.
This goes on for about half of the book, then a new foe in the form of a goblin army amasses (having found a way to release themselves from their prison), and attacks the four kingdoms, forcing them to unite.
The twist? Goblins are not ugly little beings, but cold, vicious and incredibly handsome men. Also, they are strict vegetarians and loathe humans for the way they use and eat animals. Now we see why Asrathiel and her views on the matter are relevant! (A little over the author's prejudices in this area coming through all the time - WE GET IT).
The dreaded Goblin King mysteriously returns to lead his army, and Asrathiel is immediately smitten. He shows some uncharacteristic generosity, taking 3 prisoners and allowing the decimated human army to live. Asrathiel is of course one of the prisoners, and her time in captivity was so engaging, intense and passionate. Aside from the beauty of the characters (when Astrathiel is constantly musing about the Goblin King taking her breath away I got a little annoyed - what kind of future can you have with someone who you can't breathe around?), I found the writing so powerful particularly in this section.
Unlike her previous series which ended disappointingly, this one is tied up perfectly, with plenty of happy endings to go around.
I wouldn't re-read the other books in this series for the sheer difficulty of finding the key parts, but this one I could read over and over again!
Fallowblade continues the story of Asrathiel, who is a powerful weathermage, and searching for her lost aunts and uncles (murdered in Weatherwitch by an evil king), and then a battle between kingdoms for control.
This goes on for about half of the book, then a new foe in the form of a goblin army amasses (having found a way to release themselves from their prison), and attacks the four kingdoms, forcing them to unite.
The twist? Goblins are not ugly little beings, but cold, vicious and incredibly handsome men. Also, they are strict vegetarians and loathe humans for the way they use and eat animals. Now we see why Asrathiel and her views on the matter are relevant! (A little over the author's prejudices in this area coming through all the time - WE GET IT).
The dreaded Goblin King mysteriously returns to lead his army, and Asrathiel is immediately smitten. He shows some uncharacteristic generosity, taking 3 prisoners and allowing the decimated human army to live. Asrathiel is of course one of the prisoners, and her time in captivity was so engaging, intense and passionate. Aside from the beauty of the characters (when Astrathiel is constantly musing about the Goblin King taking her breath away I got a little annoyed - what kind of future can you have with someone who you can't breathe around?), I found the writing so powerful particularly in this section.
Unlike her previous series which ended disappointingly, this one is tied up perfectly, with plenty of happy endings to go around.
I wouldn't re-read the other books in this series for the sheer difficulty of finding the key parts, but this one I could read over and over again!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2012
This was, in my opinion, undoubtedly the best book written by Cecilia Dart-Thornton and an utterly beautiful and grand finale to the Crowthistle Chronicles. Though the previous books were marvels individually, I thought Fallowblade tied each story together superbly. I could not easily find loose threads in the plot; and when one reads the chronicle for the second time, more subtle sections can be completely understood, which is a joy!
I found the characters to be both likeable and admirable. The bond between Zaravaz and Asrathiel was the type of romance I love, and I found their conversations a delight to read over and over again. The urisk Crowthistle was a loveable character despite his sometimes arrogant personality, and Asrathiel was the beautiful, powerful and perfect heroine. Together, they created a couple which has certainly been my most favourite a long time.
I love Fallowblade entirely and asolutely, and would recommend it to any lover of romantic fantasy! I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.
I found the characters to be both likeable and admirable. The bond between Zaravaz and Asrathiel was the type of romance I love, and I found their conversations a delight to read over and over again. The urisk Crowthistle was a loveable character despite his sometimes arrogant personality, and Asrathiel was the beautiful, powerful and perfect heroine. Together, they created a couple which has certainly been my most favourite a long time.
I love Fallowblade entirely and asolutely, and would recommend it to any lover of romantic fantasy! I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2018
I actually read every single one of these books. By the final one the "recap" at the beginning is ridiculously long - but actually a better and more enjoyable than the books it recaps. I recommend getting this, the final book in the series and skipping the previous books - that is, if you absolutely have to. I just couldn't warm to this series. Each book felt like a retelling of the book preceding it in the series with little variation.
October 15, 2009
This was a beautiful finish to a lovely series of books. It was full of romance and adventure.
May 27, 2017
Just lousy! Throatshowing of the author's own opinions.
April 27, 2009
this is my favoutirte book.
June 22, 2024
Il mondo creato dalla Dart-Thornton è meraviglioso ma i personaggi sono terribili.
In questo quarto volume la protagonista, una delle peggiori Mary Sue di sempre, raggiunge l'apice del suo snobismo e antipatia.
Le idee, la scrittura, tutto sarebbe così bello ma è rovinato dalla perfezione della protagonista, del nemico e poi dall'intento sfacciatamente propagandistico dell'autrice che giustifica lo sterminio degli esseri umani perché sono cattivi e mangiano la carne e trattano male gli animali.
Da una saga fantasy di quattro volumi non mi aspettavo un manifesto vegano.
Se poi a sostenere tale propaganda sono pure una protagonista odiosamente perfetta e i cattivi non-poi-così-cattivi che sono immortali, non ha bisogno di mangiare, di bere e non soffrono il freddo e le malattie, mi urta ancora di più.
In questo quarto volume la protagonista, una delle peggiori Mary Sue di sempre, raggiunge l'apice del suo snobismo e antipatia.
Le idee, la scrittura, tutto sarebbe così bello ma è rovinato dalla perfezione della protagonista, del nemico e poi dall'intento sfacciatamente propagandistico dell'autrice che giustifica lo sterminio degli esseri umani perché sono cattivi e mangiano la carne e trattano male gli animali.
Da una saga fantasy di quattro volumi non mi aspettavo un manifesto vegano.
Se poi a sostenere tale propaganda sono pure una protagonista odiosamente perfetta e i cattivi non-poi-così-cattivi che sono immortali, non ha bisogno di mangiare, di bere e non soffrono il freddo e le malattie, mi urta ancora di più.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2019
Saga davvero interessante (Crowthistle chronicles), di cui questo volume è la conclusione. Davvero consigliata, anche se in questo volume, rispetto ai precedenti, il tema dell'ecologia e del veganesimo non viene solo introdotto, ma diventa davvero un elemento invadente rispetto la storia, distorcendo l'attenzione dalla trama in alcuni punti.
Non so se è un "regalo" del traduttore, ma è un intermezzo pesantemente ricorrente, tanto da far sembrare il libro in alcuni punti come una sorta di testo di propaganda del veganesimo.
Se la cosa non dà noia, il libro resta godibilissimo.
Non so se è un "regalo" del traduttore, ma è un intermezzo pesantemente ricorrente, tanto da far sembrare il libro in alcuni punti come una sorta di testo di propaganda del veganesimo.
Se la cosa non dà noia, il libro resta godibilissimo.
April 14, 2022
I am glad I am finished the set. This started hard to read until the "hostages" were taken. Very predictable ending and journey but again I semi enjoyed it once the pace of the book picked up from excessive details.
May 15, 2022
Adored this book which I didn't expect as I was honestly losing the will to live with the previous books
Worth wading through the series for this one - though Weather Witch isn't too bad, or at least the last 3rd.
Keep going, you can do it!
Worth wading through the series for this one - though Weather Witch isn't too bad, or at least the last 3rd.
Keep going, you can do it!
September 25, 2022
First half was exciting, second half was just plain boring. Ending felt too rushed, goblin king didn't feel fleshed out as a character, just felt like a cheap whore. At-least it is a happy ending I guess.
October 23, 2023
Absolutely loved these books and stories - Cecilia Dart Thorton - her imagination - I find absolutely astonishing! and the ease with which she creates these amazing worlds and characters through words that just bloom in my mind - thanku🙇♀️🌌
March 1, 2024
Se si potessero dare zero stelle lo farei.
Personaggi senza senso che fanno cose senza senso. È praticamente impossibile empatizzare con la protagonista in quanto il suo carattere è profondo quanto una tazzina da caffè e scopa col re dei cattivi solo perché è "un figo della madonna" (semicit).
Un personaggio che è stato visto una volta di sfuggita nel primo libro viene solamente citato in questo, solo per farci sapere che è morto felice. Utilità nella storia: zero.
Alcuni (la maggior parte) dei personaggi sembrano soffrire di disturbo della personalità multipla, dicendo una cosa e facendo tutto il contrario un secondo dopo.
Ci sono QUASI VENTI PAGINE di descrizione di metalli e della metallurgia. Venti pagine. *inserire bestemmia random qui*
Non aiuta il fatto che l'edizione italiana sia costellata di errori (grammaticali, di impaginazione...), talmente tanti da far salire il nervoso in quanto rendono faticosa la lettura.
In sintesi: i cattivi in realtà sono buoni solo perché sono vegani. E bellissimi.
Personaggi senza senso che fanno cose senza senso. È praticamente impossibile empatizzare con la protagonista in quanto il suo carattere è profondo quanto una tazzina da caffè e scopa col re dei cattivi solo perché è "un figo della madonna" (semicit).
Un personaggio che è stato visto una volta di sfuggita nel primo libro viene solamente citato in questo, solo per farci sapere che è morto felice. Utilità nella storia: zero.
Alcuni (la maggior parte) dei personaggi sembrano soffrire di disturbo della personalità multipla, dicendo una cosa e facendo tutto il contrario un secondo dopo.
Ci sono QUASI VENTI PAGINE di descrizione di metalli e della metallurgia. Venti pagine. *inserire bestemmia random qui*
Non aiuta il fatto che l'edizione italiana sia costellata di errori (grammaticali, di impaginazione...), talmente tanti da far salire il nervoso in quanto rendono faticosa la lettura.
In sintesi: i cattivi in realtà sono buoni solo perché sono vegani. E bellissimi.
April 19, 2015
This was the worst of the four books, in my opinion. Like in the previous ones the author seems to confuse descriptiveness (such as Tolkien's way of providing all details about the environment and so on) with repetition. Characters' ideals and characteristics are repeated over and over and over again. It also seemed to much of a clear reflection of the authors' own convictions, turning some bits of the story into almost-propaganga souding text. The plot is wonderful, the sceneries very well described, but the series lost their magic with all its ecological lecturing (and I'm an ecologist!)
February 9, 2016
Unlike the previous books I got quite hooked into this one. It tied up all the loose ends well and I liked that previous events from the other books were finally explained (there are some tedious descriptions in the previous books that up until now I thought were a waste of time reading).
I wouldn't read this series again, and I probably wouldn't recommend it to friends as a first choice fantasy series, but I am glad I have read it.
I wouldn't read this series again, and I probably wouldn't recommend it to friends as a first choice fantasy series, but I am glad I have read it.
July 7, 2016
Fallowblade was my favourite of the series, it had an interesting and different love story to the other books. One criticism was the constant repeating of animal rights and veganism by the author. I am sympathetic to this view but she did repeat herself a lot. Overall I do really enjoy Dart-Thornton's writing and she incorporates old celtic words and Australian flora and fauna.
July 30, 2023
One of the reasons I read all four books was that I really enjoyed the detailed descriptions, drawing a beautiful detailed fay world. This book the descriptions turned into rambling. What should have been an amazing discovery was overshadowed by the brow beating by the vegan agenda. Wasn’t able to finish book.
January 29, 2014
the best of the four books in the series. im glad I finally stuck it out and finished the series.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews