What do you think?
Rate this book
Sword of Shadows #1
A Cavern of Black Ice
A Cavern of Black Ice opens J.V. Jones's Sword of Shadows trilogy. (Her first novel was The Baker's Boy .) The story is set in a land divided among small warring clans of hunters and more sophisticated southern cities whose lords covet the clan territories. Young clansman Raif has a touch of "old blood" magic that guides his arrows to the heart. Bad times come when a hunting party that includes his father and clan chief is wiped out by a supernaturally aided attack, and Raif's open suspicion of the brutal new leader eventually drives him into exile. Meanwhile, Iss, overlord of Spire Vanis city, keeps a chained-up sorcerer whose powers he channels by revolting means, and has unexplained but shuddersome plans for his "foster daughter" Ash--herself an unwilling focus of dread forces. Raif and Ash find themselves fleeing together through wintry, hostile clanlands, pursued by Iss's vilest henchmen, seeking the dubious goal of the Cavern of Black Ice. What lifts this tale far above routine quest fantasy is Jones's deft characterization, relentless intensity, and unsparing depiction of pain and slow-healing injury. She has a flair for memorably horrid images. Here a sorcerer gloats over one of his nastier "A man could not fight when his corneas were snapped from his eyes like badges from a chest." This hefty volume is over 800 pages long, but the narrative grips hard once it's gained momentum, and the pages turn increasingly fast. Strong meat. Next comes book two, A Fortress of Grey Ice . --David Langford, Amazon.co.uk
804 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1999
228 people are currently reading
10473 people want to read
About the author
J.V. Jones
29 books866 followersJulie Victoria Jones was born in Liverpool, England. She has been writing for years, and is currently working The End Lords. She lives in San Diego, California.
All three books in The Book Of Words Trilogy are #1 national bestsellers, and have been bought for publication in England, Poland, Russia, Germany, France and Holland. Her fifth book, A Cavern of Black Ice, is the first in a new series.
J.V. enjoys cooking, gardening, reading, playing RPG's, watching old black-and-white movies, and pottering around the house!
All three books in The Book Of Words Trilogy are #1 national bestsellers, and have been bought for publication in England, Poland, Russia, Germany, France and Holland. Her fifth book, A Cavern of Black Ice, is the first in a new series.
J.V. enjoys cooking, gardening, reading, playing RPG's, watching old black-and-white movies, and pottering around the house!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 286 reviews
October 7, 2023
A Cavern of Black Ice is an impressive opening entry in J.V. Jones' dark and snowy fantasy epic, Sword of Shadows. I was invested from the start and gripped throughout as numerous hardships, betrayals, politics, magic, fate and the elements batter the characters that inhabit Jones' world.
We are first introduced to a clansman of Clan Blackhail, Raif Sevrance. He has a unique talent that makes him an excellent archer when it comes to hunting game. In A Cavern of Black Ice's opening segments, Raif's life changes dramatically and his place in the clan becomes uncertain. This is due to the fact that his morals and his quick-to-challenge nature do not align with a persuasive, wolf-like, and now pivotal superior clansman. Whereas Raif's clan resides in a settlement amidst the snowy wastes and icy plains of the Northern Territories, the other main character Ash Marsh lives in Spire Vanis, a fortress city. The Vaingate of Spire Vanis is where a baby Ash was abandoned and left to die. Fortunately, she was found and raised as the foster child of the Surlord of Spire Vanis and Keeper of the Mask Fortress, Penthero Iss. We join Ash as she approaches womanhood and begins to question her place, relationships, and her surreal nightmares that involve pleading voices and a dark cavern.
"She saw a cavern with walls of black ice. A burned hand reaching toward her, cracks between its fingers oozing blood. Dark eyes watching, waiting . . ."
If I had to find similarities elsewhere in fantasy literature to describe A Cavern of Black Ice, I would summarise it as being like the following: the beyond-the-wall sections and the unpredictable cut-throat, nobody is indispensable nature of A Song of Ice and Fire, the awful-things-happen-to-your-favourite-characters emotional barrage of The Realm of the Elderlings, and the finely crafted characterisation of heroes, villains and everything in between a la Abercrombie's The First Law.
"Either way, you are not good for this clan, Raif Sevrance. You are raven born, chosen to watch the dead. And I fear that if you stay amongst us, you will watch us all die before your eyes have had their fill."
The world-building is a massive asset to Sword of Shadows' first book. Delivered through the eight-or-so point of view perspectives, Jones slowly reveals details about this vast, complicated, and intriguing world. Raif may reflect on knowledge passed on by his father about the dangers of clan life in the snowy wilds and Ash often contemplates the histories she has been taught throughout her lessons in Spire Vanis. As the novel progresses, seemingly isolated storylines, pieces of history, or nuggets of knowledge intricately overlap, then making sense in relation to what has come before; and this is a really rewarding experience as the bigger picture is developed. The pacing of the novel is steady, creating mystery and drama throughout. This leads to and heightens some extraordinary and scintillating stand-out moments, mental images of which will stay with me for a long long time.
"The dying wind smelled of cold things from the north, of frozen lakes and ice fields and glaciers."
It is worth noting that I did have one initial concern when I started the novel, that descriptions of ice, snow, wind, frost, and the cold would get dull and repetitive yet, somehow, my worry was unfounded as Jones kept her descriptions fresh and engaging, really drawing me into her wonderful but unforgiving world. I wish to reiterate that this novel features some harsh moments, dark imagery, and scenes that could be upsetting including... ***potential spoiler following*** the rape of a main character shown through the eyes of a child's point of view perspective. Incorporating all of the above, A Cavern of Black Ice sets solid foundations, has many great characters, and is bursting with exciting possibilities in what could become an S-Tier dark fantasy masterpiece. 8.5/10.
"A man had been hung, a popular rogue and ladies’ man, and the people of Spire Vanis had taken offense at his death. Not the fact of his death, rather the manner of it, for Penthero Iss had ordered his handsome face cut off and then stitched on backward. Ash swallowed hard. Sometimes her foster father did things like that just to see what such horrors would look like."
We are first introduced to a clansman of Clan Blackhail, Raif Sevrance. He has a unique talent that makes him an excellent archer when it comes to hunting game. In A Cavern of Black Ice's opening segments, Raif's life changes dramatically and his place in the clan becomes uncertain. This is due to the fact that his morals and his quick-to-challenge nature do not align with a persuasive, wolf-like, and now pivotal superior clansman. Whereas Raif's clan resides in a settlement amidst the snowy wastes and icy plains of the Northern Territories, the other main character Ash Marsh lives in Spire Vanis, a fortress city. The Vaingate of Spire Vanis is where a baby Ash was abandoned and left to die. Fortunately, she was found and raised as the foster child of the Surlord of Spire Vanis and Keeper of the Mask Fortress, Penthero Iss. We join Ash as she approaches womanhood and begins to question her place, relationships, and her surreal nightmares that involve pleading voices and a dark cavern.
"She saw a cavern with walls of black ice. A burned hand reaching toward her, cracks between its fingers oozing blood. Dark eyes watching, waiting . . ."
If I had to find similarities elsewhere in fantasy literature to describe A Cavern of Black Ice, I would summarise it as being like the following: the beyond-the-wall sections and the unpredictable cut-throat, nobody is indispensable nature of A Song of Ice and Fire, the awful-things-happen-to-your-favourite-characters emotional barrage of The Realm of the Elderlings, and the finely crafted characterisation of heroes, villains and everything in between a la Abercrombie's The First Law.
"Either way, you are not good for this clan, Raif Sevrance. You are raven born, chosen to watch the dead. And I fear that if you stay amongst us, you will watch us all die before your eyes have had their fill."
The world-building is a massive asset to Sword of Shadows' first book. Delivered through the eight-or-so point of view perspectives, Jones slowly reveals details about this vast, complicated, and intriguing world. Raif may reflect on knowledge passed on by his father about the dangers of clan life in the snowy wilds and Ash often contemplates the histories she has been taught throughout her lessons in Spire Vanis. As the novel progresses, seemingly isolated storylines, pieces of history, or nuggets of knowledge intricately overlap, then making sense in relation to what has come before; and this is a really rewarding experience as the bigger picture is developed. The pacing of the novel is steady, creating mystery and drama throughout. This leads to and heightens some extraordinary and scintillating stand-out moments, mental images of which will stay with me for a long long time.
"The dying wind smelled of cold things from the north, of frozen lakes and ice fields and glaciers."
It is worth noting that I did have one initial concern when I started the novel, that descriptions of ice, snow, wind, frost, and the cold would get dull and repetitive yet, somehow, my worry was unfounded as Jones kept her descriptions fresh and engaging, really drawing me into her wonderful but unforgiving world. I wish to reiterate that this novel features some harsh moments, dark imagery, and scenes that could be upsetting including... ***potential spoiler following*** the rape of a main character shown through the eyes of a child's point of view perspective. Incorporating all of the above, A Cavern of Black Ice sets solid foundations, has many great characters, and is bursting with exciting possibilities in what could become an S-Tier dark fantasy masterpiece. 8.5/10.
"A man had been hung, a popular rogue and ladies’ man, and the people of Spire Vanis had taken offense at his death. Not the fact of his death, rather the manner of it, for Penthero Iss had ordered his handsome face cut off and then stitched on backward. Ash swallowed hard. Sometimes her foster father did things like that just to see what such horrors would look like."
February 13, 2020
"Other books can go screw themselves!" That was me for several weeks back in 2005 after having blasted through the four (at the time) novels in George RR Martin's Ice & Fire saga. I needed more. But I knew it'd probably be another year or two before the next installment (ahh you sweet summer child*), so eventually I decided to catch up on some other highly regarded fantasy works. I had read my fair share of high fantasy in my younger days, but mostly they were of the Tolkien/good vs evil variety filled with elves and trolls and lots of magic. I'd also devoured quite a bit of Howard and Leiber-esque sword & sorcery. Now I wanted all the backstabbing political machinations, fully-realized, morally ambiguous characters, and the feeling that "no one is safe." So I ended up checking out some of the newer, "grittier" fantasy writers that were being hyped: Erikson, Lynch, Abercrombie, Rothfuss, Bakker, Abraham -- pretty much all the hot new big guns at that time, but none quite matched Martin's opus for me.
Then one day the Tor cover of Ms. Jones' A Cavern of Black Ice caught my eye while out book-hunting. I just had to know why in the world this lady thought that her attire was suitable for the story's sub-arctic climate. I didn't find any satisfactory answers within, but I immediately found myself pulled in by the dark, cold setting and the various warring mountain tribes, which seemed inspired by both the Inuit and ancient Scottish clans. It reminded me a bit of the "beyond the wall" sections of Ice & Fire, which was definitely not a bad thing. The intertwining mysteries of young Asarhia March -- who was abandoned as a newborn at the gates Spire Vanis and is now dealing with prophetic nightmares and latent powers while a virtual prisoner in the castle -- and young clansman (also with seeming hidden powers) Raif Severence -- witness to the aftermath of the horrible slaughter of his clan that was so thoroughly devastating and one-sided that some sort of unknown black magic seems to have been used -- kept me absorbed and turning the pages for the most part, despite the occasional bloatedness that plagues nearly all modern epic fantasy novels.
That bloat is the only reason I can't quite bring myself to rate this 5 stars on my second read-through. Yes, much of the high page count is needed in setting up this world and its myriad characters, but there were a handful of times I wished Jones would just get on with the story already. Martin's novels are fat as hell, but there was always (at least in the first three books) some sort of forward momentum, each chapter ending in a mini cliffhanger that forces the reader to continue plowing through until that particular character's plot resumes. But I had no problem setting this book down for a day or two if I was mired in a particularly slow spot.
Luckily there aren't many of those, and the writing here is a step or two above the typical fantasy fare (and a huge step up from what little I've read of Jones' previous saga, The Book of Words trilogy), with characters I grew to care about and a setting so cold and unforgiving I felt like I needed a blanket around me while reading. There's also an "adventurousness" here that was, at times, absent from Martin's epic. It's definitely more of a typical quest story, but the relentlessly bleak atmosphere and excellent characterization were more than enough to separate it from the pack.
From what I recall, the second volume was very nearly as good as the first, but I never made it to the third, as my epic fantasy phase was winding down by the time it was published. Plus, I wasn't in the mood to re-read the previous 1400 pages. But now I am. And, so far, I'm enjoying the ride.
4.5 Stars.
* It took much, much longer than a year or two. Thrones fans will know what "sweet summer child" means: basically one who's naive/too young to have experienced winter (since seasons last years in that world).
Then one day the Tor cover of Ms. Jones' A Cavern of Black Ice caught my eye while out book-hunting. I just had to know why in the world this lady thought that her attire was suitable for the story's sub-arctic climate. I didn't find any satisfactory answers within, but I immediately found myself pulled in by the dark, cold setting and the various warring mountain tribes, which seemed inspired by both the Inuit and ancient Scottish clans. It reminded me a bit of the "beyond the wall" sections of Ice & Fire, which was definitely not a bad thing. The intertwining mysteries of young Asarhia March -- who was abandoned as a newborn at the gates Spire Vanis and is now dealing with prophetic nightmares and latent powers while a virtual prisoner in the castle -- and young clansman (also with seeming hidden powers) Raif Severence -- witness to the aftermath of the horrible slaughter of his clan that was so thoroughly devastating and one-sided that some sort of unknown black magic seems to have been used -- kept me absorbed and turning the pages for the most part, despite the occasional bloatedness that plagues nearly all modern epic fantasy novels.
That bloat is the only reason I can't quite bring myself to rate this 5 stars on my second read-through. Yes, much of the high page count is needed in setting up this world and its myriad characters, but there were a handful of times I wished Jones would just get on with the story already. Martin's novels are fat as hell, but there was always (at least in the first three books) some sort of forward momentum, each chapter ending in a mini cliffhanger that forces the reader to continue plowing through until that particular character's plot resumes. But I had no problem setting this book down for a day or two if I was mired in a particularly slow spot.
Luckily there aren't many of those, and the writing here is a step or two above the typical fantasy fare (and a huge step up from what little I've read of Jones' previous saga, The Book of Words trilogy), with characters I grew to care about and a setting so cold and unforgiving I felt like I needed a blanket around me while reading. There's also an "adventurousness" here that was, at times, absent from Martin's epic. It's definitely more of a typical quest story, but the relentlessly bleak atmosphere and excellent characterization were more than enough to separate it from the pack.
From what I recall, the second volume was very nearly as good as the first, but I never made it to the third, as my epic fantasy phase was winding down by the time it was published. Plus, I wasn't in the mood to re-read the previous 1400 pages. But now I am. And, so far, I'm enjoying the ride.
4.5 Stars.
* It took much, much longer than a year or two. Thrones fans will know what "sweet summer child" means: basically one who's naive/too young to have experienced winter (since seasons last years in that world).
December 16, 2014
You know what, I went into this book not knowing anything much about J V Jones and not even fully understanding what this book was going to be about. I had heard very little about Jones as a writer and although there is a quote from Jordan on the front cover saying, 'wonderful' I didn't know if I would agree because she does seem to be a very under-hyped author. Therefore when I did dive headlong into this story and found that the world, writing and lot were all wonderfully realised I couldn't give this less than a 5* rating and I will certainly be picking up the next book asap (because of the major cliff-hanger ending!)
This is a story which focuses on various different character (much like a George R R Martin story) with two as the real focus. Raif Severance is a young man and member of the Hailsmen tribe. He's very close with his father and brother and he loves his life in the Clan because it's his family and custom. However, when he's out hunting with his brother and he feels a deep sense of wrongness within him he knows that everything has changed and when the two young men venture back to their camp they find a trail of murder that starts a path for more bad stuff to come.
Raif is a caring and considerate character who has a deep rooted love for his family and fierce loyalty to his Clan, however as these are surely tested by the various plot twists he becomes a harder and more firm character and begins to see the realities of a world away from the Clan and their protection.
Raif was a character whom I instantly connected with because his backstory and current plotline was really intriguing and he is a likeable character. His strong belief in the Stone Gods and their answer to prayers is the backbone of many decisions he has to make, and he's a stubborn but sensible character.
The other major character is Ash who is a young woman living with her adopted-father Penthro Iss. Iss keeps her locked away most of the time and see has little company but all the luxury she could ask for. She's a lonely woman and her life has gradually become darker as she begins to have nightmares which pull her away from reality for minutes, hours and even days at a time. Iss seems to become more intrusive with her as he notices this, and she realises that there's something he knows about what is happening to her but he won't tell her.
Ash was a character whose story was interesting but didn't grip me straight away and it wasn't until later when she took matters into her own hands that I began to see her courage and stubborn streak that I grew to enjoy so much later in the book. She's a terrifically strong character who has to battle her demons throughout the entirety of this story and she faces much torment at their hands. I didn't like her initially when she was a young, pampered lady, but as she grew into a woman of adventure she certainly managed to win me over.
There are other important character too such as the Nameless One whose story is so dark and filled with agony that I felt as though I was reading an in-depth George R R Martin torture scene (but better!). Jones is a phenomenal writer and whilst I would say that her tone is nothing short of deadly in places, the reality she manages to create in my mind when detailing a scene of rape or torture is terrifying!
There's also Angus Lok who is a steadfast yet secretive character and one whom I admired straight away for his bold courage and wise words. He's Raif's uncle and he's a very intriguing personality who seems much more than he appears because many people seem interested in his whereabouts. He's a kind figure and a guiding presence for our two main characters and I found myself enjoying their chats even when he didn't reveal much.
Effie is Raif's young sister and she's a really interesting character because of her personality. She's not a regular child because she doesn't like running around and playing with the others, instead she prefers to keep herself to herself and live in a world of shadows, corners and dog houses rather than socialising. She's a very introverted child and many in the Clan look out for her, but she's also very good at disappearing and making herself seem invisible.
I particularly loved Effie because of her quirky disposition and outlook on life. She's wise beyond her years and she knows all sorts of things which make you ponder about whether there's far more to her than meets the eye, however it's not only the reader's attention that she catches and with her brothers frequently away on Clan business she has to be alert more often.
I would describe Effie as being very similar to Auri from Rothfuss's Kingkiller Chronicles so if you enjoyed Auri I have no doubt that Effie's another character you'll feel for.
In this world there are three main divisions; The Clans, The Sull and The Cities. Ash is from the city and has never left the city until the adventure she embarks on within this book, Raif is from the Clan and he's lived his whole life to the ways of the Clan, The Sull keep themselves to themselves and are a mystery to all the characters of the book but they're fearsome, powerful and filled with secrets.
The Magic within this book is interesting as there are a few different types. Sorcery is the most obvious and is clearly linked to a Sorcerer, this allows a variety of things such as tracking other Sorcerers, healing oneself and weaving magic and Wards. The Sull seem to have their own mysterious powers which no one really knows about and they seem to be the Race most in tune with magic and it's properties. Then we have the Lores which are special rocks worn by Clan members and these are chosen specifically for each Clan member. Sometimes these Lores have magical and mysterious omens which they reveal to certain Clan members and it's believed that this is linked with the Old powers (but no one knows for sure).
Whilst magic is not fully explained in this book it's presence is certainly felt and the power and strength it provides helps create some startling and exciting events.
Finally I HAVE to mention the beauty and wonder of Jones's writing style once more because truly she has a way with words. Page. 5 - 'He was aware only of Accomplice's hands on his jaw, repositioning his head, brushing his hair to one side, and pushing his skull hard against the bench. The man with no name felt frayed rope and beeswax thrust into his left ear...Accomplice held the nameless man's jaws wide while Pincer thrust a third wad down his throat. The desire to vomit was sudden and overpowering...A thread of animal sinew was stretched between his thumbs...thick fingers in his mouth...sinew was woven across his bottom teeth, binding his tongue in place...'
The ability that she has to get across the raw emotion of the situation in just a few phrases and sentences captivated me throughout the whole of the story and this is not the only example I could give, there are many other sections just as dark, beautiful and entrancing.
There's also a huge amount of backstory surrounding the tribes and their customs which is engrossing to read about and so different from many of the fantasy settings for most books. The book is dense due to the description, but I found myself enjoying the read and the pacing and I certainly liked the mystery of the plot.
Overall this is a great book and was such a surprise to me as it's not hugely admired. I look forward to more in the series as I have the next two books and certainly plan on getting to them soon. J V Jones is now one of my new favourite authors and I hope that this review will inspire more of you to pick up this book and experience her writing because by goodness it's worth it! :D
Let me know if you've read this series or plan to now and what thoughts you had about it!
This is a story which focuses on various different character (much like a George R R Martin story) with two as the real focus. Raif Severance is a young man and member of the Hailsmen tribe. He's very close with his father and brother and he loves his life in the Clan because it's his family and custom. However, when he's out hunting with his brother and he feels a deep sense of wrongness within him he knows that everything has changed and when the two young men venture back to their camp they find a trail of murder that starts a path for more bad stuff to come.
Raif is a caring and considerate character who has a deep rooted love for his family and fierce loyalty to his Clan, however as these are surely tested by the various plot twists he becomes a harder and more firm character and begins to see the realities of a world away from the Clan and their protection.
Raif was a character whom I instantly connected with because his backstory and current plotline was really intriguing and he is a likeable character. His strong belief in the Stone Gods and their answer to prayers is the backbone of many decisions he has to make, and he's a stubborn but sensible character.
The other major character is Ash who is a young woman living with her adopted-father Penthro Iss. Iss keeps her locked away most of the time and see has little company but all the luxury she could ask for. She's a lonely woman and her life has gradually become darker as she begins to have nightmares which pull her away from reality for minutes, hours and even days at a time. Iss seems to become more intrusive with her as he notices this, and she realises that there's something he knows about what is happening to her but he won't tell her.
Ash was a character whose story was interesting but didn't grip me straight away and it wasn't until later when she took matters into her own hands that I began to see her courage and stubborn streak that I grew to enjoy so much later in the book. She's a terrifically strong character who has to battle her demons throughout the entirety of this story and she faces much torment at their hands. I didn't like her initially when she was a young, pampered lady, but as she grew into a woman of adventure she certainly managed to win me over.
There are other important character too such as the Nameless One whose story is so dark and filled with agony that I felt as though I was reading an in-depth George R R Martin torture scene (but better!). Jones is a phenomenal writer and whilst I would say that her tone is nothing short of deadly in places, the reality she manages to create in my mind when detailing a scene of rape or torture is terrifying!
There's also Angus Lok who is a steadfast yet secretive character and one whom I admired straight away for his bold courage and wise words. He's Raif's uncle and he's a very intriguing personality who seems much more than he appears because many people seem interested in his whereabouts. He's a kind figure and a guiding presence for our two main characters and I found myself enjoying their chats even when he didn't reveal much.
Effie is Raif's young sister and she's a really interesting character because of her personality. She's not a regular child because she doesn't like running around and playing with the others, instead she prefers to keep herself to herself and live in a world of shadows, corners and dog houses rather than socialising. She's a very introverted child and many in the Clan look out for her, but she's also very good at disappearing and making herself seem invisible.
I particularly loved Effie because of her quirky disposition and outlook on life. She's wise beyond her years and she knows all sorts of things which make you ponder about whether there's far more to her than meets the eye, however it's not only the reader's attention that she catches and with her brothers frequently away on Clan business she has to be alert more often.
I would describe Effie as being very similar to Auri from Rothfuss's Kingkiller Chronicles so if you enjoyed Auri I have no doubt that Effie's another character you'll feel for.
In this world there are three main divisions; The Clans, The Sull and The Cities. Ash is from the city and has never left the city until the adventure she embarks on within this book, Raif is from the Clan and he's lived his whole life to the ways of the Clan, The Sull keep themselves to themselves and are a mystery to all the characters of the book but they're fearsome, powerful and filled with secrets.
The Magic within this book is interesting as there are a few different types. Sorcery is the most obvious and is clearly linked to a Sorcerer, this allows a variety of things such as tracking other Sorcerers, healing oneself and weaving magic and Wards. The Sull seem to have their own mysterious powers which no one really knows about and they seem to be the Race most in tune with magic and it's properties. Then we have the Lores which are special rocks worn by Clan members and these are chosen specifically for each Clan member. Sometimes these Lores have magical and mysterious omens which they reveal to certain Clan members and it's believed that this is linked with the Old powers (but no one knows for sure).
Whilst magic is not fully explained in this book it's presence is certainly felt and the power and strength it provides helps create some startling and exciting events.
Finally I HAVE to mention the beauty and wonder of Jones's writing style once more because truly she has a way with words. Page. 5 - 'He was aware only of Accomplice's hands on his jaw, repositioning his head, brushing his hair to one side, and pushing his skull hard against the bench. The man with no name felt frayed rope and beeswax thrust into his left ear...Accomplice held the nameless man's jaws wide while Pincer thrust a third wad down his throat. The desire to vomit was sudden and overpowering...A thread of animal sinew was stretched between his thumbs...thick fingers in his mouth...sinew was woven across his bottom teeth, binding his tongue in place...'
The ability that she has to get across the raw emotion of the situation in just a few phrases and sentences captivated me throughout the whole of the story and this is not the only example I could give, there are many other sections just as dark, beautiful and entrancing.
There's also a huge amount of backstory surrounding the tribes and their customs which is engrossing to read about and so different from many of the fantasy settings for most books. The book is dense due to the description, but I found myself enjoying the read and the pacing and I certainly liked the mystery of the plot.
Overall this is a great book and was such a surprise to me as it's not hugely admired. I look forward to more in the series as I have the next two books and certainly plan on getting to them soon. J V Jones is now one of my new favourite authors and I hope that this review will inspire more of you to pick up this book and experience her writing because by goodness it's worth it! :D
Let me know if you've read this series or plan to now and what thoughts you had about it!
December 17, 2012
I loved this novel. It certainly isn't run of the mill, especially as far as the setting is concerned. It's also a pretty grim book, with some rather visceral torture and battle scenes. There's a lot of ambiance in here, which is always welcome, and a lot of world lore and history, even though it is revealed in piecemeal and cryptic fashion (which I actually thought was a nice touch). Being the first in a series, it does end on a bit of a cliffhanger, albeit a pretty tantalising one. I'll be adding the sequel (A Fortress of Grey Ice) to my "to-read-soon" list.
The book is deceptively dense, and it took me a lot longer to finish than I initially anticipated. The fact that it is, in fact, a page turner didn't seem to make much of a difference. There is just so much to assimilate that you would be hard pressed to finish this at a trot.
I'm actually at a bit of a loss for words to describe my feelings about this book. It's just... different. And really good. It's a bit of a whopper, to be sure, but I highly recommend reading this if you like your fantasy on the gritty and complex side.
The book is deceptively dense, and it took me a lot longer to finish than I initially anticipated. The fact that it is, in fact, a page turner didn't seem to make much of a difference. There is just so much to assimilate that you would be hard pressed to finish this at a trot.
I'm actually at a bit of a loss for words to describe my feelings about this book. It's just... different. And really good. It's a bit of a whopper, to be sure, but I highly recommend reading this if you like your fantasy on the gritty and complex side.
May 20, 2019
A slow, but gripping start in a dark and complex tale of war, politics and sorcery.
This is basically a classic epic fantasy, but in an extremely depressive setting in a cold and hostile environment. There are only few scenes where the characters are not about to freeze.
It took me more than 200 pages to find into the story, because the situation of the protagonists was described in such a hopeless way, that I dreaded to read on. But as soon as the plot started moving and I could feel at least a tiny spark of hope for Raif and Ash, the story gripped me hard and didn't let me go till the end of the book.
I have ordered the three follow-up volumes already, but in a way I almost regret that I read this book, because the author has still not published the final volume of the saga and I fear to be stranded with an open end.
This is basically a classic epic fantasy, but in an extremely depressive setting in a cold and hostile environment. There are only few scenes where the characters are not about to freeze.
It took me more than 200 pages to find into the story, because the situation of the protagonists was described in such a hopeless way, that I dreaded to read on. But as soon as the plot started moving and I could feel at least a tiny spark of hope for Raif and Ash, the story gripped me hard and didn't let me go till the end of the book.
I have ordered the three follow-up volumes already, but in a way I almost regret that I read this book, because the author has still not published the final volume of the saga and I fear to be stranded with an open end.
October 7, 2022
I'll give a full review later.
March 2, 2019
The One with Reaching Arms Beckons
Days Darker Than Night Lie Ahead>
An intriguing, if somewhat slow start to the series.
From the prologue I was immediately pulled into the bleak, harsh arctic landscape. Throughout the book, you are constantly aware of just how bitterly, unforgiving the world can be. The snow and ice are a persistent obstacle, and the characters are always conscious of the various threats of cold exposure. The descriptions were so vivid I found myself wanting to pull out a thick, warm blanket, despite the summer heat here, and snuggle next to a fireplace. Except there were also times when I found myself tired of the cold sting of icy air, the frostbite, chilblains, and yellow skin. It became a little repetitious after 700 pages, and I would have liked more details elsewhere in the story, but how can I really complain? I couldn’t have been more attuned to the frozen world unless I was dropped in the middle of a snowstorm while reading it.
So this wasn't a perfect read, despite the wonderfully imagined world, large cast of characters and numerous interwoven conflicts. But regardless of the faults, it left me wanting more. It’s very well written, and I couldn’t help but enjoy the traditional fantasy elements.
December 30, 2017
I do think that if this series had been completed that it would reign alongside the current biggest names in the genre as one of the top five fantasy series of all times. I'm going to review as a series, rather than as an individual book. It's worth noting that if you've read previous works by Jones like The Barbed Coil or The Baker's Boy then Sword of Shadows is about twelve times better, and a clear leap up in terms of story telling.
The thing that elevates Sword of Shadows above most other fantasy is that the world is richer and more densely real than pretty much any other that I've encountered. Forget Tolkien and his banks of notes; Jones conveys the history of her world through character interactions, family history, and the events of the present. It's beautiful, mesmerising and alien, from the towers of Spire Vanis to the roundhouses of Clan Dhoone. Jones' world still feels real to me, a decade or more on.
The characters are individual, well developed and have diverse motivations. Jones creates the most loathsome villains that you'll ever encounter, and flawed heroes for you to root for.
Unfortunately at the time of writing this, we're in a long lull in the series and readership may have lost confidence that it will finish. That would be a tremendous shame, and I don't think that readers should avoid the books just because we're in a bit of a pause. I'm sure that when Jones finishes it, the series will rightly spring back to its former acclaim.
The thing that elevates Sword of Shadows above most other fantasy is that the world is richer and more densely real than pretty much any other that I've encountered. Forget Tolkien and his banks of notes; Jones conveys the history of her world through character interactions, family history, and the events of the present. It's beautiful, mesmerising and alien, from the towers of Spire Vanis to the roundhouses of Clan Dhoone. Jones' world still feels real to me, a decade or more on.
The characters are individual, well developed and have diverse motivations. Jones creates the most loathsome villains that you'll ever encounter, and flawed heroes for you to root for.
Unfortunately at the time of writing this, we're in a long lull in the series and readership may have lost confidence that it will finish. That would be a tremendous shame, and I don't think that readers should avoid the books just because we're in a bit of a pause. I'm sure that when Jones finishes it, the series will rightly spring back to its former acclaim.
May 18, 2025
I reread this book in 2025 so I could continue on with the series and be ready for the final book to be released. This is such an underrated series I never see people talk about, and that’s a shame. It’s so well written, and I love these characters. I’m starting book 2 right away this time. Easily 4.5-5 stars for me on the reread.
Original review, 2013: I would give this 4.5 stars if possible. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and wished I'd found this series earlier. Well-written and very solid characters. Very good heroic fantasy.
Original review, 2013: I would give this 4.5 stars if possible. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and wished I'd found this series earlier. Well-written and very solid characters. Very good heroic fantasy.
August 30, 2020
4.5/5
So this took me forever to read (no audiobook to combine with my physical copy sadly) but guys....GUYS. Check this out! JV Jones is unfortunately a forgotten name in fantasy but she most definitely should not be. This is on par with A Song of Ice and Fire. I know, I know, tons of fantasy series claim this but in this instance it is true. It's interesting that upon some research, this series and ASOIF were considered to be equal peers (the GoT show of course sky-rocketed the former series into greater prominence). Raif Severance is up there with Jon Snow, many of the side-characters are memorable, the world is interesting and complex, political machinations are rampant, and there are some dark doings (both horrific and violent).
Another, rather unfortunate, comparison to ASOIF is that the series unfinished. However, JV Jones is hard at work again, as noted in her Patreon page of which I support (I hope you guys will too). She has went through some insane life circumstances but it seems she has overcome this. Plenty of preview pages have been provided to her patrons and I'm stoked that she'll be making a return. She deserves to be mentioned with the likes of GRRM.
So this took me forever to read (no audiobook to combine with my physical copy sadly) but guys....GUYS. Check this out! JV Jones is unfortunately a forgotten name in fantasy but she most definitely should not be. This is on par with A Song of Ice and Fire. I know, I know, tons of fantasy series claim this but in this instance it is true. It's interesting that upon some research, this series and ASOIF were considered to be equal peers (the GoT show of course sky-rocketed the former series into greater prominence). Raif Severance is up there with Jon Snow, many of the side-characters are memorable, the world is interesting and complex, political machinations are rampant, and there are some dark doings (both horrific and violent).
Another, rather unfortunate, comparison to ASOIF is that the series unfinished. However, JV Jones is hard at work again, as noted in her Patreon page of which I support (I hope you guys will too). She has went through some insane life circumstances but it seems she has overcome this. Plenty of preview pages have been provided to her patrons and I'm stoked that she'll be making a return. She deserves to be mentioned with the likes of GRRM.
December 24, 2011
Thought it was time I read a series that’s been staring at me for over a decade.
JV Jones’s series (now up to Book Four, Watcher of the Dead, with Book Five currently being written) is initially set in a sub-Arctic-type world, with a culture and a subsistence lifestyle which made me think a la Inuit. Raif Sevrance is a young clansman with a secret magic power (the ability to guide, with his mind, arrows to the heart of a living thing) whose father and clan group are mysteriously murdered whilst they are on a hunting trip. Raif and his brother Drey return to the remainder of the clan, to find that the dead clanleader’s foster child, Mace Blackhail, has not only taken over as tribe leader but also has stirred the tribe into war with the neighbouring Bludd clan, blamed for the massacre. Raif finds the new leader, violent, unpleasant and vindictive and also suspects Mace to be the cause for the slaughter, wanting to lead the clan into a takeover of the other clan groups.
After women and children of the Bludd clan are massacred in a revenge ambush, Raif runs away from the tribe with his uncle, Angus Lok, and he ends up in Spire Vanis, one of the southern cities. There he meets runaway Asarhia March (Ash), a young step-daughter of Penthero Iss, a sorcerer and Surlord (overlord) of the city. Raif, Ash and Angus escape the city, chased by Marafice Eye, Iss’s repugnant Protector General of the Rive Watch, and at Ille Glaive meet crippled sorcerer Heritas Cant. Cant tells them that Ash is a Reach, the first person for centuries that can connect the worlds of the underworld, called The Blind, and Ash/Raif’s world. Ash is under attack by the Bound Men, who are trying to possess her through her dreams and use her to return from The Blind to the world of the living. Unless Ash discharges her Reach-power she will die. The characters travel through icy wastes to find the titular Cavern of Black Ice to do this and where Ash’s fate awaits.
What put me off this one for quite a while is what I thought were the clichés: tribespeople and primitive lifestyles of leather and wolf/seal/bearskin, which when combined with shamanistic ramblings and token magic seem to have wandered out of a Jean M. Auel novel. There’s also a bad guy being evil, a shy young hero with a destiny, a feisty young heroine under threat with her own destiny to reach, a romantic interest, and a quest for a token of power.
Many readers at this point would say, “Been there, read it (and read it and read it...)”
And to start with, that’s pretty much what we seem to get. Routine quest fantasy.
BUT... after the initial concern that it was a typical quest novel, after a rather slow start this is quite a page turner. Whilst there was still too much Clan of the Cave Bears at first for me, once our hero and heroine meet in the city of Spire Vanis, it’s a fast paced and intense read. What really works here is the characterisation. In particular, in the characters of Ash and Raif, we see the growing up of two young people who cope with varying degrees of success in situations neither would want. It’s a brutal world. As the book goes on, wider aspects of this world are revealed in an interestingly written, rich history and background rather reminiscent of George RR Martin’s rich tapestry of A Song of Ice and Fire. We have a long history of different clans and quite different races, details of previous rulers and famous people which deepen our knowledge and understanding of Raif and Ash’s world.
This harsh environment is also reflected in the scenes of battle, rape and torture which are throughout. The book begins and ends with a character whose life involves perpetual torture. In the fighting scenes there are some very gruesome details created, which are shocking in their depiction. The massacre of women and children by the Blackhail clan is wincingly heart-rending and there’s some quite visceral torture scenes. Bearing in mind that this book’s over a decade old, it’s quite a shocking revelation. Whilst it’s not quite in the same league of grue as, say, George RR Martin or Joe Abercrombie, nevertheless, it may not be for everyone.
There’s a couple of very moving cliffhangers at the end of the book. I’m pleased to say that, although my disinterest in Arctic dwellers was not altered, by the end of this hefty tome I was happy to readdress my initial pessimism and even though I could see where this one was going, even with the twist, I found I really wanted to know what happens next.
Not perfect: but a book that improves as it goes along until a cracking finale. A solidly entertaining start to the series, and one that I should’ve read earlier, perhaps.
JV Jones’s series (now up to Book Four, Watcher of the Dead, with Book Five currently being written) is initially set in a sub-Arctic-type world, with a culture and a subsistence lifestyle which made me think a la Inuit. Raif Sevrance is a young clansman with a secret magic power (the ability to guide, with his mind, arrows to the heart of a living thing) whose father and clan group are mysteriously murdered whilst they are on a hunting trip. Raif and his brother Drey return to the remainder of the clan, to find that the dead clanleader’s foster child, Mace Blackhail, has not only taken over as tribe leader but also has stirred the tribe into war with the neighbouring Bludd clan, blamed for the massacre. Raif finds the new leader, violent, unpleasant and vindictive and also suspects Mace to be the cause for the slaughter, wanting to lead the clan into a takeover of the other clan groups.
After women and children of the Bludd clan are massacred in a revenge ambush, Raif runs away from the tribe with his uncle, Angus Lok, and he ends up in Spire Vanis, one of the southern cities. There he meets runaway Asarhia March (Ash), a young step-daughter of Penthero Iss, a sorcerer and Surlord (overlord) of the city. Raif, Ash and Angus escape the city, chased by Marafice Eye, Iss’s repugnant Protector General of the Rive Watch, and at Ille Glaive meet crippled sorcerer Heritas Cant. Cant tells them that Ash is a Reach, the first person for centuries that can connect the worlds of the underworld, called The Blind, and Ash/Raif’s world. Ash is under attack by the Bound Men, who are trying to possess her through her dreams and use her to return from The Blind to the world of the living. Unless Ash discharges her Reach-power she will die. The characters travel through icy wastes to find the titular Cavern of Black Ice to do this and where Ash’s fate awaits.
What put me off this one for quite a while is what I thought were the clichés: tribespeople and primitive lifestyles of leather and wolf/seal/bearskin, which when combined with shamanistic ramblings and token magic seem to have wandered out of a Jean M. Auel novel. There’s also a bad guy being evil, a shy young hero with a destiny, a feisty young heroine under threat with her own destiny to reach, a romantic interest, and a quest for a token of power.
Many readers at this point would say, “Been there, read it (and read it and read it...)”
And to start with, that’s pretty much what we seem to get. Routine quest fantasy.
BUT... after the initial concern that it was a typical quest novel, after a rather slow start this is quite a page turner. Whilst there was still too much Clan of the Cave Bears at first for me, once our hero and heroine meet in the city of Spire Vanis, it’s a fast paced and intense read. What really works here is the characterisation. In particular, in the characters of Ash and Raif, we see the growing up of two young people who cope with varying degrees of success in situations neither would want. It’s a brutal world. As the book goes on, wider aspects of this world are revealed in an interestingly written, rich history and background rather reminiscent of George RR Martin’s rich tapestry of A Song of Ice and Fire. We have a long history of different clans and quite different races, details of previous rulers and famous people which deepen our knowledge and understanding of Raif and Ash’s world.
This harsh environment is also reflected in the scenes of battle, rape and torture which are throughout. The book begins and ends with a character whose life involves perpetual torture. In the fighting scenes there are some very gruesome details created, which are shocking in their depiction. The massacre of women and children by the Blackhail clan is wincingly heart-rending and there’s some quite visceral torture scenes. Bearing in mind that this book’s over a decade old, it’s quite a shocking revelation. Whilst it’s not quite in the same league of grue as, say, George RR Martin or Joe Abercrombie, nevertheless, it may not be for everyone.
There’s a couple of very moving cliffhangers at the end of the book. I’m pleased to say that, although my disinterest in Arctic dwellers was not altered, by the end of this hefty tome I was happy to readdress my initial pessimism and even though I could see where this one was going, even with the twist, I found I really wanted to know what happens next.
Not perfect: but a book that improves as it goes along until a cracking finale. A solidly entertaining start to the series, and one that I should’ve read earlier, perhaps.
December 15, 2012
If you pick up this book, be prepared to miss sleep and your train station.
A fantasy novel for those who don't want to read about worlds overflowing with magic or crazily powerful good guys who just need to find a magic sword or book to 'win'.
Jones builds a dark world, and against this, starkly contrasts the (usually very small and very humanly-tempered) strengths and sparks that each heroic character has, and the sickly thoughts and urges that the vile characters have. Her attention to detail of story-telling leaves few ambiguities and the reader with few frustrations, without creating a sense of predictability.
The beauty of this book lies in the characters, which Jones takes chapter upon chapter to build with incredible patience and purity to each persona, whilst somehow, subtly and seamlessly keeping movement through the plot and smaller story arcs . This means the reader does not need any patience at all, because they are drawn in each time, just as getting to know someone at a deep level is never dull. [I am quite sure I was useless at work at least 10 times this year because I kept staying up to read 'just another chapter' that turned into about 2 hours of reading]. Each chapter tends to follow one character at a time, and completely immerses the reader in that character's experiences. Importantly, Jones does not 'back-track' to tell the same story from another perspective much at all, so the reader does not feel they can predict any given story-arc. There is a strong sense of 'completeness' to the rules and capabilities of the world and the people and creatures within it, that helps ground what would otherwise be quite an incredible story to swallow for the reader.
One significant let-down: the detail that Jones uses becomes slightly cumbersome come the climax of the book, which I feel would have benefited from less, but punchier writing.
A fantasy novel for those who don't want to read about worlds overflowing with magic or crazily powerful good guys who just need to find a magic sword or book to 'win'.
Jones builds a dark world, and against this, starkly contrasts the (usually very small and very humanly-tempered) strengths and sparks that each heroic character has, and the sickly thoughts and urges that the vile characters have. Her attention to detail of story-telling leaves few ambiguities and the reader with few frustrations, without creating a sense of predictability.
The beauty of this book lies in the characters, which Jones takes chapter upon chapter to build with incredible patience and purity to each persona, whilst somehow, subtly and seamlessly keeping movement through the plot and smaller story arcs . This means the reader does not need any patience at all, because they are drawn in each time, just as getting to know someone at a deep level is never dull. [I am quite sure I was useless at work at least 10 times this year because I kept staying up to read 'just another chapter' that turned into about 2 hours of reading]. Each chapter tends to follow one character at a time, and completely immerses the reader in that character's experiences. Importantly, Jones does not 'back-track' to tell the same story from another perspective much at all, so the reader does not feel they can predict any given story-arc. There is a strong sense of 'completeness' to the rules and capabilities of the world and the people and creatures within it, that helps ground what would otherwise be quite an incredible story to swallow for the reader.
One significant let-down: the detail that Jones uses becomes slightly cumbersome come the climax of the book, which I feel would have benefited from less, but punchier writing.
March 21, 2018
A slow story full of winter and nice characters. It felt more like a big set up for the events that will follow but it didnt lack in emotions or action. There is much cruelty but not like in grimdark literature. It is more like a dark classic fantasy book. The prose and the mood is closer to the likes of Tad Williams or Robin Hobb.
I liked the worldbuilding and the setting a lot. Especially the clans and the glimpses on the Sull race. Also the hints of the darkness that surfaces slowly and menacingly. Ι have a feeling that what follows will be less narrowscope and this book was very good in fueling my anticipation for that.
Lastly but not least. Snow! Lots of Snow! I love snow and winter tales :D
I liked the worldbuilding and the setting a lot. Especially the clans and the glimpses on the Sull race. Also the hints of the darkness that surfaces slowly and menacingly. Ι have a feeling that what follows will be less narrowscope and this book was very good in fueling my anticipation for that.
Lastly but not least. Snow! Lots of Snow! I love snow and winter tales :D
June 3, 2023
Now that was one incredible book. With prose and imagination that stands with some of the greats. J.V. Jones has me in awe. This is as epic and grim as it gets in my opinion. So brutal in places. Such a wonderful horrible harsh world of clans, plotting and ancient sorcery. Can’t recommend enough.
August 16, 2016
This one felt like it took me FOREVER to finish!
To be honest, I had a hard time connecting to the characters except for Effie. Her character was written perfectly.
But Raif and Ash --- I found their roles to be one dimensional which took away from the story a bit.
This is a book where while you are reading...you can't believe how slow this story goes and keep wondering if it's going anywhere important...but then when you put the book down - you start going over everything that happened and realize how intricate the details are about the world and everything around it.
Told from many different POV's ---- there are different stories to follow.
Off to the next book and hoping that the author delves a bit deeper in the relationship between Raif and Ash!
To be honest, I had a hard time connecting to the characters except for Effie. Her character was written perfectly.
But Raif and Ash --- I found their roles to be one dimensional which took away from the story a bit.
This is a book where while you are reading...you can't believe how slow this story goes and keep wondering if it's going anywhere important...but then when you put the book down - you start going over everything that happened and realize how intricate the details are about the world and everything around it.
Told from many different POV's ---- there are different stories to follow.
Off to the next book and hoping that the author delves a bit deeper in the relationship between Raif and Ash!
January 1, 2014
I liked the plot and the world building of this book, but most of all I enjoyed Jones' writing. The author creates visuals that are so crisp that they seem almost tangible. I could see the settings in vivid detail, and even feel the bite of the cold that the characters endured. The story is a bit dark, and pretty engaging, but you will definitely be drawn into it by Jones' writing style. I would definitely recommend this for readers of dark or epic fantasy.
July 14, 2017
My considered and careful review was deleted by a bad internet connection (yes I know I really ought to use word and draft).
My objections to this book were as follows
1. Too long with too many points of view, irrelevancies and descriptions of absolutely everything.
2. Too much rape culture across what are supposed to be different cultures and too little female agency (even though one of the main characters is female, once she meets her love interest we stop seeing through her eyes and even she becomes an object of his gaze)
3. A Mary Sue. Who am I? Why am I born with a special fate I can't understand? Oh I have pretty silver hair and am too thin and am special, meandering along doing almost nothing unless men can take charge and buy her pretty clothes and carry her and stuff.
4. The romance. See 2 and 3 above. Also he falls in love with her essentially because she is as helpless as his sister (I did like the sister, an eight year old with special needs) and because she has pretty hair. She falls...no I don't now because once they meet we are no longer privy to her thoughts and she becomes an object without her own motivations (but with new added prettiness).
5. See 2 above and the brutal violence that goes with it. Regressive stereotypical forms of masculinity abound in characters we are meant to like as well as the villains and a large chunk of the book (see 1) is descriptions of torture, pain, suffering and injury. Also there are several rapes or sections where men are thinking of women obectifyingly.
6. Things that seem completely pointless (and violent or depressing) within the book like Penthero Iss getting an Assassin to kill Angus' family (I won't say whether the assassin succeeds). I get that he hates Angus and fears him, but that seems calculated to make a more dangerous enemy of him. Also Raina giving into Mace so easily. Maybe she gets the revenge she has alluded to later in the trilogy, but when each installment is 800 wearying pages you want some closure!
There are aspects of the plot and setting that are genuinely creative (all the bits with caul flies are very gross though, see 1 and 5 and there is too much so you end up being sort of desensitised anyway). I don't have the stomach for 800 more pages of it, so my mild curiosity about what happens next will remain unanswered.
My objections to this book were as follows
1. Too long with too many points of view, irrelevancies and descriptions of absolutely everything.
2. Too much rape culture across what are supposed to be different cultures and too little female agency (even though one of the main characters is female, once she meets her love interest we stop seeing through her eyes and even she becomes an object of his gaze)
3. A Mary Sue. Who am I? Why am I born with a special fate I can't understand? Oh I have pretty silver hair and am too thin and am special, meandering along doing almost nothing unless men can take charge and buy her pretty clothes and carry her and stuff.
4. The romance. See 2 and 3 above. Also he falls in love with her essentially because she is as helpless as his sister (I did like the sister, an eight year old with special needs) and because she has pretty hair. She falls...no I don't now because once they meet we are no longer privy to her thoughts and she becomes an object without her own motivations (but with new added prettiness).
5. See 2 above and the brutal violence that goes with it. Regressive stereotypical forms of masculinity abound in characters we are meant to like as well as the villains and a large chunk of the book (see 1) is descriptions of torture, pain, suffering and injury. Also there are several rapes or sections where men are thinking of women obectifyingly.
6. Things that seem completely pointless (and violent or depressing) within the book like Penthero Iss getting an Assassin to kill Angus' family (I won't say whether the assassin succeeds). I get that he hates Angus and fears him, but that seems calculated to make a more dangerous enemy of him. Also Raina giving into Mace so easily. Maybe she gets the revenge she has alluded to later in the trilogy, but when each installment is 800 wearying pages you want some closure!
There are aspects of the plot and setting that are genuinely creative (all the bits with caul flies are very gross though, see 1 and 5 and there is too much so you end up being sort of desensitised anyway). I don't have the stomach for 800 more pages of it, so my mild curiosity about what happens next will remain unanswered.
February 14, 2017
I think this is a very promising start to a fantasy series. The dynamics of the ice tribes or "clans" and the settled cities with their differing gods and beliefs was really interesting. I fell in love with most of the characters and my heart was almost ripped out by how cruel the author was to them. Very solid, very enjoyable. 4 stars.
June 19, 2017
At first, this book reminded me a lot of A Song Of Ice And Fire series by G.R.R. Martin. I even compared the characters and found parallel ones in the other series. That feeling never completely left off, but I guess it's quite different from ASoIaF.
I liked the story. It was easy to get into and the writing style kept me interested enough. It was a fun read. Although a long one (it took me two months! University be damned!!!), but if I had more time, I could have finished it earlier. I liked the characters, especially Raif, Vaylo Bludd and Effie, Raif's sister. Others I don't care about much, especially Ash. I guess she's going to be the love interest, and even though she has a big role in the book, I never liked her much. Too much fuss about a little girl.
I want to know what happened to Angus! Is he dead, captured, alive?!?! I want to see reunion with his family (well, what was left of it. I hate that part.)! I want to see him with Raif and Ash again!
I wish to know more about Raif and Effie's destiny. What are they? How could it be possible they have so much power? Is it because of their mother? But how come Drey is nothing special? Maybe he took after his father more? Ugh, so many questions left unanswered!
I hear that J.V. Jones has the same syndrome of not writing the last book as G.R.R. Martin. Maybe they're friends and have an agreement on torturing their readers? I just hope it won't take more time. But you never know with these two.
I hope I'll find the next book soon enough, so I won't have to question what happened in the previous one.
I recommend it to people who like epic fantasy and/or ASoIaF. Be prepared for madness.
I liked the story. It was easy to get into and the writing style kept me interested enough. It was a fun read. Although a long one (it took me two months! University be damned!!!), but if I had more time, I could have finished it earlier. I liked the characters, especially Raif, Vaylo Bludd and Effie, Raif's sister. Others I don't care about much, especially Ash. I guess she's going to be the love interest, and even though she has a big role in the book, I never liked her much. Too much fuss about a little girl.
I want to know what happened to Angus! Is he dead, captured, alive?!?! I want to see reunion with his family (well, what was left of it. I hate that part.)! I want to see him with Raif and Ash again!
I wish to know more about Raif and Effie's destiny. What are they? How could it be possible they have so much power? Is it because of their mother? But how come Drey is nothing special? Maybe he took after his father more? Ugh, so many questions left unanswered!
I hear that J.V. Jones has the same syndrome of not writing the last book as G.R.R. Martin. Maybe they're friends and have an agreement on torturing their readers? I just hope it won't take more time. But you never know with these two.
I hope I'll find the next book soon enough, so I won't have to question what happened in the previous one.
I recommend it to people who like epic fantasy and/or ASoIaF. Be prepared for madness.
March 28, 2018
I've accidentally started another fantasy series that looks like it will never ever get finished. The series has been on hiatus since 2010, and although the author seems to be getting back on track,it could still be a few years before we get the next book.
Never mind- I actually found this novel works pretty well as a standalone. It's a fantasy novel featuring a young clansman,Raif, and an girl named Ash who was adopted as a baby by a powerful and sinister man. The pair both have magical powers brewing within them that can really only lead to trouble.
The book takes a long time to get going,and we get fully aquainted with both Raif and Ash separately before they meet later in the novel. I liked this approach as I felt we really got to know them as individuals, and understood their motivations before the main plot kicked in.
The full cast of characters was very likeable and they all had fleshed out, distinct personalities. The only characters that persistently bored me were the two Severance brothers Raif and Drey and it was unfortunate they were both given so much focus. Ash was a much more compelling and likeable lead than Raif but for whatever reason he ended up with the bulk of the point of view chapters.
I thought the villans of the piece were exceptionally well done. I always enjoyed the chapters when Ash's adoptive father Iss was the focus. His henchman, The Knife, was just the right amount of ruthless, with underlying loyalty to his men. The different clan chiefs were all written in a very balanced way as well.
I have every confidence that fans of A Song of Ice and Fire would love this.
Never mind- I actually found this novel works pretty well as a standalone. It's a fantasy novel featuring a young clansman,Raif, and an girl named Ash who was adopted as a baby by a powerful and sinister man. The pair both have magical powers brewing within them that can really only lead to trouble.
The book takes a long time to get going,and we get fully aquainted with both Raif and Ash separately before they meet later in the novel. I liked this approach as I felt we really got to know them as individuals, and understood their motivations before the main plot kicked in.
The full cast of characters was very likeable and they all had fleshed out, distinct personalities. The only characters that persistently bored me were the two Severance brothers Raif and Drey and it was unfortunate they were both given so much focus. Ash was a much more compelling and likeable lead than Raif but for whatever reason he ended up with the bulk of the point of view chapters.
I thought the villans of the piece were exceptionally well done. I always enjoyed the chapters when Ash's adoptive father Iss was the focus. His henchman, The Knife, was just the right amount of ruthless, with underlying loyalty to his men. The different clan chiefs were all written in a very balanced way as well.
I have every confidence that fans of A Song of Ice and Fire would love this.
May 14, 2018
5+++. This was amazing, I can't believe I'd never read this before now.
Find this review at Forever Lost in Literature!
A few weeks ago I was reading through some recommendations of some dark fantasy novels written by female authors. A Cavern of Black Ice was one (of many) that caught my eye, and since I enjoy catching up on backlist titles I thought I'd give it a go. This book was first published in 1999, so it's very backlist, and Jones is also apparently currently working on the fifth book of this series after many years, so that's a plus for starting the series now. I was only maybe one-two hundred pages in--there are over seven hundred--when I realized that this book was more than likely going to end up as a favorite. By the time I finished, I knew that undoubtedly it was becoming one of my new favorite fantasy books.
A Cavern of Black Ice and JV Jones are, in my humble opinion, incredibly underrated. I don't really understand why I don't see this book recommended more often or why it took so long for me to find it, but I am so glad I finally did. The world-building in this book is fascinating, the characters are incredibly well-drawn and well-developed, and the plot itself is compelling, with both simple and complex elements that kept me hooked.
This book is set in what is probably one of the coldest settings I've ever read. I've read plenty of books set in snow and deep winter, but I have never read a book so cold that people's eyes get frozen together or where they have to wear layers and layers of different oils on their faces so that they can ride through the cold air without destroying their skin. I'm one hundred percent positive that I would die in about two seconds if I lived in this world. I loved this setting, however, and it's part of what made this book so brutal and so wonderful. It's constant and all-encompassing, and something about that just really made this book stand out to me as something remarkable. I also really loved reading about the different clans that exist in this story, as well as the various places that the characters come from. I was particularly intrigued by the Sull, an old group of people that have such a reputation that they are almost revered in a strange way.
Raif Sevrance and Ash March are the main protagonists and also the two main perspectives (both third person) that we follow, though this book does follow many different characters as well. We also meet Raif's brother and sister, Drey and Effie, respectively, and his uncle, Angus Lok. Effie and Angus were two of my favorite characters, and I felt a connection to both Effie and Ash because of some of the elements of their personalities and how they reacted to different circumstances. Angus is one of those men that is always lovingly grumbling about 'my wife'll be mad if I don't do this' and similar sentiments of that nature, but you can easily tell that he's perfectly happy and loves his wife and daughters unconditionally--he's an incredibly endearing person and father-figure that I loved.
Both Raif and Ash were incredibly engaging and I was equally immersed in both of their stories. Raif is a thoughtful young man who does not readily accept whatever is told to him. He is constantly questioning what people say and wondering if there is more to something than what is being said. Although he always does what he thinks is best for himself and his family, Raif tends to put his family and his clan above his own safety which occasionally leads to dangerous situations for himself. I liked how he matured throughout this book and we are able to see him grow from a boy fiercely loyal to his clan to a young man with incredibly responsibilities placed upon his back and a realization that he must move forward and put his past behind him for good.
Ash comes from a very different lifestyle to Raif, but she is also someone who knows when people aren't fully truthful about their intentions and doesn't always hesitate to question that. She is rather quiet, but she is also extremely clever and holds a bit of darkness and unexpected strength within her, which I found myself immensely drawn to. She may be a physically weak and unassuming girl, but there is much more to her than what appears. I also enjoyed watching her grow throughout this story, and I was drawn to her perseverance and ability to make difficult decisions when also faced with incredible responsibilities that she never expected.
Another thing that I loved about this book was that even the 'villain' characters were written in multi-dimensional ways with interesting stories. For instance, Vaylo Bludd, aka the Dog Lord, is, on the surface, a cold-hearted, bloodthirsty man who wants nothing more than power. But when we visit his perspective, we learn that he also has a strong love and passion for his dogs and his grandchildren, the latter of which he loves fiercely. He is power hungry, but he's also an interesting person. You want to dislike him, but you can't help but appreciate how much passion he has for the things in his life that he loves. There's also Marafice Eye, a towering force of brutality who has very few redeeming qualities except for the fact that he is fiercely loyal to the men under his command and is genuinely upset when one is lost. And, of course, there is Penthero Iss, Ash's foster father who is creepy as hell, but also a simply interesting figure. He appears to want to protect Ash, but he also has ulterior motives.
This is a super dark, bleak book. There really isn't much at all in the way of positive things going on, just really small bits of light or humor amidst the ninety-nine percent constant darkness. Despite this--or perhaps because of this--I was unequivocally captivated by this story. It took me much longer to read this book than it usually does and I didn't mind one bit. I savored every page and every event in this book. The pacing is definitely on the slower side, but I felt that ever part was important and added something to the story and I didn't mind the slower pace at all. I think that it helped to really dive into this world and become fully immersed.
I gave A Cavern of Black Ice a well-deserve and obvious five stars. If you are any sort of fantasy fan, then I cannot recommend this book enough--in fact, I implore you to read it for yourself. Maybe you'll just love it also.
Find this review at Forever Lost in Literature!
A few weeks ago I was reading through some recommendations of some dark fantasy novels written by female authors. A Cavern of Black Ice was one (of many) that caught my eye, and since I enjoy catching up on backlist titles I thought I'd give it a go. This book was first published in 1999, so it's very backlist, and Jones is also apparently currently working on the fifth book of this series after many years, so that's a plus for starting the series now. I was only maybe one-two hundred pages in--there are over seven hundred--when I realized that this book was more than likely going to end up as a favorite. By the time I finished, I knew that undoubtedly it was becoming one of my new favorite fantasy books.
A Cavern of Black Ice and JV Jones are, in my humble opinion, incredibly underrated. I don't really understand why I don't see this book recommended more often or why it took so long for me to find it, but I am so glad I finally did. The world-building in this book is fascinating, the characters are incredibly well-drawn and well-developed, and the plot itself is compelling, with both simple and complex elements that kept me hooked.
This book is set in what is probably one of the coldest settings I've ever read. I've read plenty of books set in snow and deep winter, but I have never read a book so cold that people's eyes get frozen together or where they have to wear layers and layers of different oils on their faces so that they can ride through the cold air without destroying their skin. I'm one hundred percent positive that I would die in about two seconds if I lived in this world. I loved this setting, however, and it's part of what made this book so brutal and so wonderful. It's constant and all-encompassing, and something about that just really made this book stand out to me as something remarkable. I also really loved reading about the different clans that exist in this story, as well as the various places that the characters come from. I was particularly intrigued by the Sull, an old group of people that have such a reputation that they are almost revered in a strange way.
Raif Sevrance and Ash March are the main protagonists and also the two main perspectives (both third person) that we follow, though this book does follow many different characters as well. We also meet Raif's brother and sister, Drey and Effie, respectively, and his uncle, Angus Lok. Effie and Angus were two of my favorite characters, and I felt a connection to both Effie and Ash because of some of the elements of their personalities and how they reacted to different circumstances. Angus is one of those men that is always lovingly grumbling about 'my wife'll be mad if I don't do this' and similar sentiments of that nature, but you can easily tell that he's perfectly happy and loves his wife and daughters unconditionally--he's an incredibly endearing person and father-figure that I loved.
Both Raif and Ash were incredibly engaging and I was equally immersed in both of their stories. Raif is a thoughtful young man who does not readily accept whatever is told to him. He is constantly questioning what people say and wondering if there is more to something than what is being said. Although he always does what he thinks is best for himself and his family, Raif tends to put his family and his clan above his own safety which occasionally leads to dangerous situations for himself. I liked how he matured throughout this book and we are able to see him grow from a boy fiercely loyal to his clan to a young man with incredibly responsibilities placed upon his back and a realization that he must move forward and put his past behind him for good.
Ash comes from a very different lifestyle to Raif, but she is also someone who knows when people aren't fully truthful about their intentions and doesn't always hesitate to question that. She is rather quiet, but she is also extremely clever and holds a bit of darkness and unexpected strength within her, which I found myself immensely drawn to. She may be a physically weak and unassuming girl, but there is much more to her than what appears. I also enjoyed watching her grow throughout this story, and I was drawn to her perseverance and ability to make difficult decisions when also faced with incredible responsibilities that she never expected.
Another thing that I loved about this book was that even the 'villain' characters were written in multi-dimensional ways with interesting stories. For instance, Vaylo Bludd, aka the Dog Lord, is, on the surface, a cold-hearted, bloodthirsty man who wants nothing more than power. But when we visit his perspective, we learn that he also has a strong love and passion for his dogs and his grandchildren, the latter of which he loves fiercely. He is power hungry, but he's also an interesting person. You want to dislike him, but you can't help but appreciate how much passion he has for the things in his life that he loves. There's also Marafice Eye, a towering force of brutality who has very few redeeming qualities except for the fact that he is fiercely loyal to the men under his command and is genuinely upset when one is lost. And, of course, there is Penthero Iss, Ash's foster father who is creepy as hell, but also a simply interesting figure. He appears to want to protect Ash, but he also has ulterior motives.
This is a super dark, bleak book. There really isn't much at all in the way of positive things going on, just really small bits of light or humor amidst the ninety-nine percent constant darkness. Despite this--or perhaps because of this--I was unequivocally captivated by this story. It took me much longer to read this book than it usually does and I didn't mind one bit. I savored every page and every event in this book. The pacing is definitely on the slower side, but I felt that ever part was important and added something to the story and I didn't mind the slower pace at all. I think that it helped to really dive into this world and become fully immersed.
I gave A Cavern of Black Ice a well-deserve and obvious five stars. If you are any sort of fantasy fan, then I cannot recommend this book enough--in fact, I implore you to read it for yourself. Maybe you'll just love it also.
November 6, 2021
I wanted to like this book. It's a compelling story, extremely well written, but dark. Very dark. And the darkness does not seem to lift, even for a moment, at least in the 229 pages I read. Much of it dealt with political intrigue and questions of war and peace. Those parts kept me up late at night, unable to stop reading.
But the description of a rape disturbed me so much I had to put the book aside for a couple of days. And after the totally unnecessary details of a young girl's first menstruation--and her foster father's intense interest in that event--I decided that this book and author were not for me.
Maybe it's the times we live in. COVID, police brutality and the rise of right-wing extremism have left me more pessimistic than ever about society and life in general. More often than not when I read fiction I am looking for escapism. As far as fantasy is concerned, I am looking for likable characters and worlds that perhaps I might like to live in. The world of "A Cavern of Black Ice" is just too bleak for me.
My introduction to fantasy came more than 50 years ago through the simplistic sword-and-sorcery tales of Robert E. Howard. More recently I have read and enjoyed many of the Forgotten Realms novels. I have been looking for new fantasy authors and fantasy worlds to occupy my winter evenings. I have never read George R.R. Martin, but maybe he will fit the bill.
But the description of a rape disturbed me so much I had to put the book aside for a couple of days. And after the totally unnecessary details of a young girl's first menstruation--and her foster father's intense interest in that event--I decided that this book and author were not for me.
Maybe it's the times we live in. COVID, police brutality and the rise of right-wing extremism have left me more pessimistic than ever about society and life in general. More often than not when I read fiction I am looking for escapism. As far as fantasy is concerned, I am looking for likable characters and worlds that perhaps I might like to live in. The world of "A Cavern of Black Ice" is just too bleak for me.
My introduction to fantasy came more than 50 years ago through the simplistic sword-and-sorcery tales of Robert E. Howard. More recently I have read and enjoyed many of the Forgotten Realms novels. I have been looking for new fantasy authors and fantasy worlds to occupy my winter evenings. I have never read George R.R. Martin, but maybe he will fit the bill.
October 7, 2013
Loved it! Got the 2nd book on hold at the library. The characters are so well described you can virtually see them in person. The harsh world of frozen tundra is a new world for me, survival is foremost a part of everyday life, the author is so amazing at describing the extreme weather you can imagine being half frozen yourself! The things they have to do just to survive! I have been ill in bed when I read it and was feeling sick anyway but when I read of them drinking horses's blood to get by I actually vomited! no joke lol Raif's world of clan people are tough and adapted to hard living. Ash is fascinating and with the 2 of them together the story gets much more exciting. His affection for her and the lengths and depths he will go to for her is extreme love whilst he doesn't even know it. You get attached to the "good" characters in the book and the story ends just at the end of a rising crescendo, you think its the end but its just the beginning of more. Have book 2 on hold at the library and cant wait to get back into that chilling book full of raw life and magic and characters you miss when the pages have all been turned.
December 8, 2020
I keep hearing the name JV Jones popping up lately. I read the blurb and I thought that was something I'd like to read. Then I happened to spot one of her books in my library's book sale, so I grabbed it. Turns out I read it a long time ago, and I remember really liking it. It was dark and pacy and exciting. What more can you ask from a book?
May 11, 2019
This novel is at its best when weaving a tale of intrigue. All the characters are hiding secrets or discovering secrets about themselves. It’s exciting to try and piece together all of the elements and understand all the motivations. Raif’s moral dilemmas are compelling and complex. Where the novel fails for me is when the travelogue takes over. The long descriptions of nearly every geological feature the characters come across, the occasional history lessons surrounding all the rivers and clan holdings, and repetitive plot points made the second half of the novel a complete slog. And I say that as someone who loves a good travelogue fantasy. But a good fantasist finds a way to maintain the tension in the journey, and Jones really doesn’t do that here. Not sure if the net of intrigue or Jones’ stunning prose is enough to make me want to pick up the second volume.
May 30, 2012
This is my 3rd time reading J.V. Jones' brilliant Sword of Shadows series, and it never fails to impress me. Her attention to character development, pacing and gritty detail is unparalleled. As the series stretches on, some of the secondary characters get too much page time when I'd rather be reading about the primary characters (Raife and Ash), which tends to make the novels feel a bit padded, but the central story and characters are so strong and so compelling I'm willing to overlook that minor flaw in the series. All four books are highly recommended.
June 11, 2008
I had forgotten that I had read J.V. Jones's books before. Several years ago I read "The Book of Words" series start to finish (3 books) and just like that series, the "Sword of Shadow" series is a solid fantasy read, with wonderful characters, that are engaging and compelling. You always feel like there is a great history and vision to her worlds, while at the same time she only provides history and geography on a need to know basis, keeping you hungry for more and keeping the story focused on what's important.
in "A Cavern of Black Ice" you are introduced at the same time, to two of the main characters, but not why they are important, and you spend the first half of the book watching them become caught up in their destinies, but not what that destiny is. I thought this provided a nice buildup, and I was satisfied when the plot finally came together.
I would recommend this as a solid and enjoyable read, and one that is quite long!
in "A Cavern of Black Ice" you are introduced at the same time, to two of the main characters, but not why they are important, and you spend the first half of the book watching them become caught up in their destinies, but not what that destiny is. I thought this provided a nice buildup, and I was satisfied when the plot finally came together.
I would recommend this as a solid and enjoyable read, and one that is quite long!
May 19, 2014
This book started out really strong. I couldn't put it down, and I was engrossed in the tales of Raif and Ash. Mace Blackhail was the kind of villain that made my blood boil and I just had to keep reading to see him get his comeuppance. Then as the story unfolds and widens, it started to lose me. Ash's father, the Halfman, and Marafice Eye are all cardboard stereotype villains. As Ash and Raif's storylines come together, it's mostly just annoying. And the whole resolution isn't really explained very well, nor does it set up that great of a launching into the next books. It's never really shown what is at stake, and at a certain point the danger just doesn't feel very compelling. Feels like very little risk, which makes for a somewhat boring finish.
That makes it sound like I didn't like the book, but I did. I just wish the second half had lived up to the promise of the first and it hadn't turned into such a cliched story. I am hopeful that as the story continues it can become engrossing again.
That makes it sound like I didn't like the book, but I did. I just wish the second half had lived up to the promise of the first and it hadn't turned into such a cliched story. I am hopeful that as the story continues it can become engrossing again.
January 5, 2016
If you like George R.R. Martin and Robin Hobb's writing style then immerse in J.V. Jones's world of cold dread, dark adventure, and a gloom-and-doom atmosphere.
J.V. Jones's writing is what drives the story-telling. Although slow paced at times to the point where it brings a dreamy narrative, Jones does a fantastic job bringing this world to life with its clans and cultures.
To me, J.V. Jones is the godmother of grimdark. She writes gruesome scenes, survival realism, and hopeless characters.
If you think the Wall from Westeros is hell-cold. Then bring a sweater and cuddle up near a warm fire because A Cavern of Black Ice will bring its coldest and darkest upbringing in fantasy.
J.V. Jones's writing is what drives the story-telling. Although slow paced at times to the point where it brings a dreamy narrative, Jones does a fantastic job bringing this world to life with its clans and cultures.
To me, J.V. Jones is the godmother of grimdark. She writes gruesome scenes, survival realism, and hopeless characters.
If you think the Wall from Westeros is hell-cold. Then bring a sweater and cuddle up near a warm fire because A Cavern of Black Ice will bring its coldest and darkest upbringing in fantasy.
May 12, 2021
Fantastic. Honestly, this novel blew me away. After A Song Of Ice and Fire which is for me perfection, this is my 2nd favourite fantasy series. The warring clans provided a compelling backdrop to the main thrust of the narrative concerning Raif and Ash the two main characters. The Dog Lord and Penthero Iss and Marafice Eye were all fascinating characters with complex personal histories and conflicted motivations. Overall a really decent read and I'll definitely be continuing on with this under appreciated series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 286 reviews