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Scarlet and the White Wolf #3
The Land of Night
Struggling to come to terms with his new life in Rshan na Ostre, young Scarlet is trying to find his place in a decadent, foreign society that bears an ancient hatred for all Hilurin. As Liall is pulled away from Scarlet and into the jaded intrigues of a royal court, the young pedlar wonders if they've made a terrible mistake in journeying to Rshan.
Each passing day, Liall seems more like a stranger, more like one of the haughty Rshani nobility and less like the bandit leader Scarlet knew in Byzantur. As Liall contends with the aristocracy to uphold his fourteen-year-old brother's claim to the throne, an infinitely more dangerous enemy draws nearer, determined to part the lovers forever.
301 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2007
28 people are currently reading
887 people want to read
About the author
Kirby Crow
24 books383 followersKirby Crow worked as an entertainment editor and ghostwriter for several years before happily giving it up to bake brownies, read yaoi, play video games, and write her own novels. Whenever she isn't slaying Orcs or flying a battleship for the glory of the Amarr Empire, she can be found in the kitchen, her vegetable garden, or at the keyboard, tapping away at her next book.
Kirby is a winner of the EPIC Award and the Rainbow Award. She is the author of the bestselling "Scarlet and the White Wolf" series of fantasy novels.
Her published novels are:
Prisoner of the Raven
Scarlet and the White Wolf: The Pedlar and the Bandit King
Scarlet and the White Wolf: Mariner's Luck
Scarlet and the White Wolf: The Land of Night
Angels of the Deep
Hammer and Bone
Malachite
Scarlet and the White Wolf: The King of Forever
Meridian
Windward
Scarlet and the White Wolf: The Temple Road
Novellas:
Turks Cay
Poison Apples
Circuit Theory
The Art of Fire
Chimera
For upcoming news of her future novels, visit http://kirbycrow.com
Kirby is a winner of the EPIC Award and the Rainbow Award. She is the author of the bestselling "Scarlet and the White Wolf" series of fantasy novels.
Her published novels are:
Prisoner of the Raven
Scarlet and the White Wolf: The Pedlar and the Bandit King
Scarlet and the White Wolf: Mariner's Luck
Scarlet and the White Wolf: The Land of Night
Angels of the Deep
Hammer and Bone
Malachite
Scarlet and the White Wolf: The King of Forever
Meridian
Windward
Scarlet and the White Wolf: The Temple Road
Novellas:
Turks Cay
Poison Apples
Circuit Theory
The Art of Fire
Chimera
For upcoming news of her future novels, visit http://kirbycrow.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
March 14, 2016
I'm not really sure there's anything left unsaid about this series so I'm not going to try because honestly my skills are no where near adequate for this one so I'm just going to say...
"I love Scarlet, I love Liall, I freaking loved this series. Start to finish it was freaking fantastic. Add my name to the list of those who are anxiously awaiting the next book because when it's released I am so there."
Also...thanks M'rella for kicking my ass to the e-reader on this one.
"I love Scarlet, I love Liall, I freaking loved this series. Start to finish it was freaking fantastic. Add my name to the list of those who are anxiously awaiting the next book because when it's released I am so there."
Also...thanks M'rella for kicking my ass to the e-reader on this one.
February 28, 2011
My honest opinion about this series: not so good.
The story has potential, but the writing is just... I dunno.... not good. There is a lot of telling how people are, but not showing us by their actions. Scarlet is supposed to be a temperamental guy, but hardly ever acts it. We also are told at least 3 or 4 times in as many pages that his race, the Hilurin, has black hair, pale skin and black eyes. Things like that.
The first 50 pages of the first book introduce all these lands and races of people and then does nothing with them, they never appear again. The whole second half of the series is set in the far north, which isn't on the map. So we have a map of many lands and places, which we don't need, but the map we do need we don't have.
Poor Scarlet is pretty much locked in a ship's cabin and then a royal apartment for two books straight, because else he wouldn't be safe from rape/murder apparently, but that gets quite boring for the reader. He supposedly has all these special powers, but doesn't do much more than light the occasional fire without a flint. He pretty much sits around waiting for his significant other to come home and visit.
All in all, potentially good story, but poorly executed. If reading a good fantasy/scifi is like falling in love, this one is more of a one night stand you vaguely regret in the morning.
The story has potential, but the writing is just... I dunno.... not good. There is a lot of telling how people are, but not showing us by their actions. Scarlet is supposed to be a temperamental guy, but hardly ever acts it. We also are told at least 3 or 4 times in as many pages that his race, the Hilurin, has black hair, pale skin and black eyes. Things like that.
The first 50 pages of the first book introduce all these lands and races of people and then does nothing with them, they never appear again. The whole second half of the series is set in the far north, which isn't on the map. So we have a map of many lands and places, which we don't need, but the map we do need we don't have.
Poor Scarlet is pretty much locked in a ship's cabin and then a royal apartment for two books straight, because else he wouldn't be safe from rape/murder apparently, but that gets quite boring for the reader. He supposedly has all these special powers, but doesn't do much more than light the occasional fire without a flint. He pretty much sits around waiting for his significant other to come home and visit.
All in all, potentially good story, but poorly executed. If reading a good fantasy/scifi is like falling in love, this one is more of a one night stand you vaguely regret in the morning.
October 7, 2012
Snapshot of me... reading the end of the book
NOW HERE'S SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERYDAY ...... a fantasy book that
anxiously waiting for the next book
and oh yeah, 5 stars and no doubt! THIS ONE is my favorite book of the serie!
NOW HERE'S SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERYDAY ...... a fantasy book that
anxiously waiting for the next book
and oh yeah, 5 stars and no doubt! THIS ONE is my favorite book of the serie!
July 6, 2017
4 Stars
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book from the author. This has not influenced my review.*
This book surprised me. I'm not a big fan of books about royal courts and intrigue, so I feared I wouldn't like this book as much as the others, but it ended up being my favorite in the series so far. It wasn't as intimate and quaint as the others, but it had more action while still maintaining the character and relationship development that's made the previous books so enjoyable.
Scarlet got on my nerves a little with how he kept going against and complaining about everything, seemingly unable to understand that things are different when living among royalty and in an entirely different culture *MILD SPOILER* *END SPOILER*, but I still liked him for his strength and spirit. I especially loved that scene in the library when one character tried to embarrass him for being illiterate, but he just owned up to it, completely unashamed, and instead ended up charming everyone in the room with his sincerity and impressing them with his ability to memorize the maps and roads of his land (since he couldn't read names on a map).
Liall also got on my nerves some because of all the secrets he was keeping from Scarlet, but I still liked him a lot too. He's made a lot of mistakes (in all the books), lost his temper, said things he didn't mean or unfairly taken frustrations out on Scarlet, but he's never gone so far as to actually be verbally or physically abusive, and he's always realized his mistakes and apologized for them. I can accept that---a temper is a realistic flaw, and the way he handles it makes him still a good person.
I also really liked the struggles in their relationship in this book. It was kind of angsty, but in a good way. I could understand both sides, but more so Scarlet's. I wouldn't like it either if I was thrown into this new world and the one person I thought I knew started changing and seeming different and keeping everything secret from me. But ultimately their drama led to growth, and that's a good thing.
Also---this is completely random, but it cracked me up so much that I have to mention it---this has to be the greatest response I've ever heard about the concern of someone walking in on two characters fooling around in a semi-public place:
I did get confused when it came to some of the stuff about the history of the people and the Shining Ones and the Deva, but I still wasn't that used to high fantasy when I read this, so that could be why. And I actually did understand most of the political stuff, despite that not being my norm either.
Overall, this was another enjoyable book in the series with the same great character development, a little more relationship drama and growth, and significantly more intrigue and action!
Recommended For:
Fans of Books 1 and 2 in Kirby Crow's Scarlet & the White Wolf Series. M/M high fantasy readers who like slow-paced, character-focused books with sweet relationships.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book from the author. This has not influenced my review.*
This book surprised me. I'm not a big fan of books about royal courts and intrigue, so I feared I wouldn't like this book as much as the others, but it ended up being my favorite in the series so far. It wasn't as intimate and quaint as the others, but it had more action while still maintaining the character and relationship development that's made the previous books so enjoyable.
Scarlet got on my nerves a little with how he kept going against and complaining about everything, seemingly unable to understand that things are different when living among royalty and in an entirely different culture *MILD SPOILER* *END SPOILER*, but I still liked him for his strength and spirit. I especially loved that scene in the library when one character tried to embarrass him for being illiterate, but he just owned up to it, completely unashamed, and instead ended up charming everyone in the room with his sincerity and impressing them with his ability to memorize the maps and roads of his land (since he couldn't read names on a map).
Liall also got on my nerves some because of all the secrets he was keeping from Scarlet, but I still liked him a lot too. He's made a lot of mistakes (in all the books), lost his temper, said things he didn't mean or unfairly taken frustrations out on Scarlet, but he's never gone so far as to actually be verbally or physically abusive, and he's always realized his mistakes and apologized for them. I can accept that---a temper is a realistic flaw, and the way he handles it makes him still a good person.
I also really liked the struggles in their relationship in this book. It was kind of angsty, but in a good way. I could understand both sides, but more so Scarlet's. I wouldn't like it either if I was thrown into this new world and the one person I thought I knew started changing and seeming different and keeping everything secret from me. But ultimately their drama led to growth, and that's a good thing.
Also---this is completely random, but it cracked me up so much that I have to mention it---this has to be the greatest response I've ever heard about the concern of someone walking in on two characters fooling around in a semi-public place:
“Liall, what if someone comes in?”
“Then they will go back out very quickly.”
I did get confused when it came to some of the stuff about the history of the people and the Shining Ones and the Deva, but I still wasn't that used to high fantasy when I read this, so that could be why. And I actually did understand most of the political stuff, despite that not being my norm either.
Overall, this was another enjoyable book in the series with the same great character development, a little more relationship drama and growth, and significantly more intrigue and action!
Recommended For:
Fans of Books 1 and 2 in Kirby Crow's Scarlet & the White Wolf Series. M/M high fantasy readers who like slow-paced, character-focused books with sweet relationships.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
August 13, 2014
There is plenty of intrigue and hidden/not-so hidden danger in the court of Rshan, and plenty of secrets, spying, and even some double crossing *cough*VLADEI*cough*
Scarlet and Liall are both trying to navigate this hotbed in their own ways. Liall is trying to help uphold his brothers' claim to to the throne, and has tread carefully, specially with a certain family member.
There was one scene with Scarlet on the snow bear hunt and near the end where my heart was in my throat, saying over and over 'OhMyGodPleaseLetHimBeOkay' Miss Crow knows how to write suspense haha.
Cestimir I fell in love with, such a wonderful character, and Jochi too :)
Vladei I would have loved to see raked over hot coals and/or dragged behind a sleigh.. with horse poop on the ground. A well written villain.
One character I didn't expect treachery from but kind of suspected him after Scarlet's magic display (a small excerpt of that on the back cover) and he healed Scarlet. Mentally cheering Scarlet for his strength and bravery. I was not sorry to see his fate.
We learn more of the Shining Ones and the legend of how the Hilurin came by their magic as well, which was very interesting.
Secrets do come to light and it does cause some strife between Scarlet/Liall... I understood sometimes but mostly I wanted to smack them upside the head and drag them in a room and lock the door till they resolved everything.
Despite my love for the characters and the surroundings, most of this book was just bleh for me...the pattern was basically "Interesting-bleh-oh crap!-interesting-bleh-bleh' It was good enough to keep me going but it left me a bit underwhelmed.
The one character's fate had me crying and cursing another character... the ending I thought fit, it was decisive yet leaving possibilities open at the same time (especially with what Scarlet learned) but I doubt I'll be picking up another installment.. I have good memories of this series and I'm happy with that :).
Its still a good book, you may see it differently but for me some parts fell flat.
3.5 stars, would still recommend *waves* Happy reading!
=^-^=
Scarlet and Liall are both trying to navigate this hotbed in their own ways. Liall is trying to help uphold his brothers' claim to to the throne, and has tread carefully, specially with a certain family member.
There was one scene with Scarlet on the snow bear hunt and near the end where my heart was in my throat, saying over and over 'OhMyGodPleaseLetHimBeOkay' Miss Crow knows how to write suspense haha.
Cestimir I fell in love with, such a wonderful character, and Jochi too :)
Vladei I would have loved to see raked over hot coals and/or dragged behind a sleigh.. with horse poop on the ground. A well written villain.
One character I didn't expect treachery from but kind of suspected him after Scarlet's magic display (a small excerpt of that on the back cover) and he healed Scarlet. Mentally cheering Scarlet for his strength and bravery. I was not sorry to see his fate.
We learn more of the Shining Ones and the legend of how the Hilurin came by their magic as well, which was very interesting.
Secrets do come to light and it does cause some strife between Scarlet/Liall... I understood sometimes but mostly I wanted to smack them upside the head and drag them in a room and lock the door till they resolved everything.
Despite my love for the characters and the surroundings, most of this book was just bleh for me...the pattern was basically "Interesting-bleh-oh crap!-interesting-bleh-bleh' It was good enough to keep me going but it left me a bit underwhelmed.
The one character's fate had me crying and cursing another character... the ending I thought fit, it was decisive yet leaving possibilities open at the same time (especially with what Scarlet learned) but I doubt I'll be picking up another installment.. I have good memories of this series and I'm happy with that :).
Its still a good book, you may see it differently but for me some parts fell flat.
3.5 stars, would still recommend *waves* Happy reading!
=^-^=
October 28, 2012
2,5 stars
I really liked the beginning that settled a great ambiance of court machinations in an icy, labyrinthic castle and I thought : wow, fantasy Medici in a fantasy Louvre!
Sadly, I steadily lost interest until the bear hunt that occurred at approximately 60% and was breathtaking, lost it again and finally read the last 30% with mild interest but no thrill.
3 stars for the whole series
I liked the first book very much : the light characterization and exploration of the characters’ relationships didn’t bother me that much because I read it as a tale of wandering adventures in open foreign spaces and I was delighted with the imagery and the bursts of action.
The second and third book, however, took place in confined spaces that enhanced emotions and thus the awkwardness of the psychological introspections. The plot focused on the romance and the web of political and familial alliances and struggles; my moderate investment in the MC’s romance became more and more tenuous, my patience for their misunderstandings thiner and thiner and my interest for the kingdom’s fate more and more fluctuating.
In my opinion, Kirby Crow’s talent (in this series at least) lies in her very visually evocative writing : she draws gorgeous decors and sets vivid atmospheres that explode in breathtaking actions. This is why I will definitely explore more of her work.
I really liked the beginning that settled a great ambiance of court machinations in an icy, labyrinthic castle and I thought : wow, fantasy Medici in a fantasy Louvre!
Sadly, I steadily lost interest until the bear hunt that occurred at approximately 60% and was breathtaking, lost it again and finally read the last 30% with mild interest but no thrill.
3 stars for the whole series
I liked the first book very much : the light characterization and exploration of the characters’ relationships didn’t bother me that much because I read it as a tale of wandering adventures in open foreign spaces and I was delighted with the imagery and the bursts of action.
The second and third book, however, took place in confined spaces that enhanced emotions and thus the awkwardness of the psychological introspections. The plot focused on the romance and the web of political and familial alliances and struggles; my moderate investment in the MC’s romance became more and more tenuous, my patience for their misunderstandings thiner and thiner and my interest for the kingdom’s fate more and more fluctuating.
In my opinion, Kirby Crow’s talent (in this series at least) lies in her very visually evocative writing : she draws gorgeous decors and sets vivid atmospheres that explode in breathtaking actions. This is why I will definitely explore more of her work.
April 2, 2011
A dazzling conclusion to this trilogy.
Crow opts to focus on royal machinations of the I, Claudius and Claudius the God variety in this slam-bang finish to her series. As always, she deepends the growth and intimacy between her protagonists and refracts their development with event and incident that force thrilling, terrible choices from all. Breathtaking romantic writing.
This is a bar by which to measure other gay romance fantasies. I am only sad that I've finished, except that now I can go back to the start and read it again.
Superlative M/M and a must read.
Crow opts to focus on royal machinations of the I, Claudius and Claudius the God variety in this slam-bang finish to her series. As always, she deepends the growth and intimacy between her protagonists and refracts their development with event and incident that force thrilling, terrible choices from all. Breathtaking romantic writing.
This is a bar by which to measure other gay romance fantasies. I am only sad that I've finished, except that now I can go back to the start and read it again.
Superlative M/M and a must read.
July 9, 2016
3.5 stars!
I liked it more than the last book, I'm really curious to see what happens next :D
I liked it more than the last book, I'm really curious to see what happens next :D
August 20, 2020
Rating 3,5
I thought when I picked this, that it would be a vastly different than the other fantasy book I read this month, that the only similarity would be a gay main character. BUT NO! This one ALSO decided to add in a sci-fi element of an alien race and while there won't be risk of me confusing the two, it's still quite the coincidence.
I wasn't bored the in the first half this time, which has been the case for the previous two. And while the action parts weren't entirely unpredictable, I was still entertained. I still find their lack of comminication an eye-rolling nuisance, which is why I don't rate this higher.
This was the dealbreaker though, if I would continue on with the series or not, and after having finished it, I think I will. I said think, because you never know, but at least it's still on the list.
I thought when I picked this, that it would be a vastly different than the other fantasy book I read this month, that the only similarity would be a gay main character. BUT NO! This one ALSO decided to add in a sci-fi element of an alien race and while there won't be risk of me confusing the two, it's still quite the coincidence.
I wasn't bored the in the first half this time, which has been the case for the previous two. And while the action parts weren't entirely unpredictable, I was still entertained. I still find their lack of comminication an eye-rolling nuisance, which is why I don't rate this higher.
This was the dealbreaker though, if I would continue on with the series or not, and after having finished it, I think I will. I said think, because you never know, but at least it's still on the list.
February 18, 2018
To be honest, this one was the less favourite in the series... It's not that I am really complaining, I enjoyed the reading and I am not disappointed in it, but the first two books were better.
Liall and Scarlet are cute and the story is interesting and fast-paced. I liked a lot of other characters too, because they weren't plain, and that's a thing that I really appreciate in books.
And at the beginning of this book is written that this is the last book, but it's not true so... not so happy!
Liall and Scarlet are cute and the story is interesting and fast-paced. I liked a lot of other characters too, because they weren't plain, and that's a thing that I really appreciate in books.
And at the beginning of this book is written that this is the last book, but it's not true so... not so happy!
November 13, 2011
OK. I'm a bit against the stream here. This book 3 is not working for me. It started okay, with still Scarlet O'Hara and Rhett Butler feelings. In the middle, however, it drops quickly.
This is supposedly a story of royal intrigue. Liall was at home and he was asked by his Queen mother to be a regent for his 14-yr old Crown Prince brother. Their cousins by marriage had been gunning for the crown for long and had gathered allies that would destabilize the crown. They tried to kill Liall on the way back home, and they even had tried openly to kill Liall yesterday. In such dangerous situation, where the enemy's eyes were everywhere, what did Scarlet and the Crown Prince do? They went skiing alone, ignoring Liall's order not to go out the palace unattended. So, naturally, they both were captured by the enemy and tortured!
Yes, it happens when Scarlet was angry that Liall kept a secret from him. And Liall was also angry that Scarlet did the same to him. But, WTF? Scarlet is portrayed as well traveled. Yet, his inability to understand the social environment in Liall's palace seems off, despite being tutored by one of Liall's confidants.
Another thing is a hint of incestous relationship between Liall and his dead brother. It may not be intended that way, but it's difficult to shake off that impression since Liall always compares his love to Scarlet with his love to his dead brother...
Finally, making Liall the king would only bring a lot of issues, such as the future heir of the kingdom. Would Liall be forced to take a queen, and put Scarlet in the 2nd position?
I don't know. It's probably just not my cup of tea. In a story with political intrigue, I prefer the characters (both protagonists and antagonists) to engage in witty, smart behaviors that outdo each other. Not stupid things like these characters do. Too bad. The world building is actually nice.
This is supposedly a story of royal intrigue. Liall was at home and he was asked by his Queen mother to be a regent for his 14-yr old Crown Prince brother. Their cousins by marriage had been gunning for the crown for long and had gathered allies that would destabilize the crown. They tried to kill Liall on the way back home, and they even had tried openly to kill Liall yesterday. In such dangerous situation, where the enemy's eyes were everywhere, what did Scarlet and the Crown Prince do? They went skiing alone, ignoring Liall's order not to go out the palace unattended. So, naturally, they both were captured by the enemy and tortured!
Yes, it happens when Scarlet was angry that Liall kept a secret from him. And Liall was also angry that Scarlet did the same to him. But, WTF? Scarlet is portrayed as well traveled. Yet, his inability to understand the social environment in Liall's palace seems off, despite being tutored by one of Liall's confidants.
Another thing is a hint of incestous relationship between Liall and his dead brother. It may not be intended that way, but it's difficult to shake off that impression since Liall always compares his love to Scarlet with his love to his dead brother...
Finally, making Liall the king would only bring a lot of issues, such as the future heir of the kingdom. Would Liall be forced to take a queen, and put Scarlet in the 2nd position?
I don't know. It's probably just not my cup of tea. In a story with political intrigue, I prefer the characters (both protagonists and antagonists) to engage in witty, smart behaviors that outdo each other. Not stupid things like these characters do. Too bad. The world building is actually nice.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2011
The Land of Night is a bit longer than the first two books, and there's a lot going on -- it's much more political than the first book, and more evenly paced than the second. There were a lot more likeable characters than in the second book, too -- Nadiushka, Cestimir, Jochi... It isn't at all gentle with those characters, so of course I got my heart bruised a little, but still -- it was better with them than if they hadn't been present or if they'd been unlikeable.
The world-building does come to a head fairly satisfactorily, here. I wish there had been more of a lead-up to the reveal, in some ways, because it touches on a more science fiction-like theme, where it was all fantasy before... I think there's more a problem in the minds of readers than anything else, though, because the clues are there and there's nothing to stop a fantastical world having technology or space exploration or whatever. We're creating a world other than our own, but it usually obeys most of the same rules of the world that we know.
The conflicts and misunderstandings between Liall and Scarlet are well handled, I think. Nothing too ridiculous -- a real threat to their relationship -- but not things I would stop respecting real people for forgiving and forgetting.
I've read that there will be another book, and I'm glad. I do think this is a satisfactory end, but... I do want more, too. I hope Liall and Scarlet continue to grow and accept each other and their situation -- and I want to see how it plays out.
The world-building does come to a head fairly satisfactorily, here. I wish there had been more of a lead-up to the reveal, in some ways, because it touches on a more science fiction-like theme, where it was all fantasy before... I think there's more a problem in the minds of readers than anything else, though, because the clues are there and there's nothing to stop a fantastical world having technology or space exploration or whatever. We're creating a world other than our own, but it usually obeys most of the same rules of the world that we know.
The conflicts and misunderstandings between Liall and Scarlet are well handled, I think. Nothing too ridiculous -- a real threat to their relationship -- but not things I would stop respecting real people for forgiving and forgetting.
I've read that there will be another book, and I'm glad. I do think this is a satisfactory end, but... I do want more, too. I hope Liall and Scarlet continue to grow and accept each other and their situation -- and I want to see how it plays out.
June 12, 2016
Review in the first book, Scarlet and the White Wolf.
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
September 27, 2010
Out of all three books, this one has to be my favorite. I loved the banter and the fighting that went on between Scarlet and Liall. I also loved how different Cestimir was from every other person at court and he had to have been my favorite character. Although, I loved Liall and Scarlet, I wanted to reach my hand into the book and smack Liall across his face at times. Of course, I refrained from doing so because I mostly likely would have hurt my hand instead of his head. :D
But still. I liked the deception/betrayal that Scarlet felt towards the end when all the avoiding Liall did caught up with him. I (kinda) liked how it ended but I wished Scarlet and Liall would have more books so we can see them travel. Which they never will since Liall is now king.
However, I was tempted to give this four stars because of Cestimir being killed. I would have liked Cestimir to be alive when Liall went after Scarlet and Cestimir so that Cestimir could become king and Liall and Scarlet can journey out to the places Liall promises at the end. :( And to learn more about the Shining Ones and about Scarlet's magic.
Alas, that will not happen. It was a good book, all in all. I would recommend it and I hope there will be more books in this time and setting. Whether they are about Scarlet and Liall or another couple doesn't matter to me but I did like the world that was weaved.
But still. I liked the deception/betrayal that Scarlet felt towards the end when all the avoiding Liall did caught up with him. I (kinda) liked how it ended but I wished Scarlet and Liall would have more books so we can see them travel. Which they never will since Liall is now king.
However, I was tempted to give this four stars because of Cestimir being killed. I would have liked Cestimir to be alive when Liall went after Scarlet and Cestimir so that Cestimir could become king and Liall and Scarlet can journey out to the places Liall promises at the end. :( And to learn more about the Shining Ones and about Scarlet's magic.
Alas, that will not happen. It was a good book, all in all. I would recommend it and I hope there will be more books in this time and setting. Whether they are about Scarlet and Liall or another couple doesn't matter to me but I did like the world that was weaved.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2013
It seemed like a great trilogy, and it was, up until the end. It's no fun when a poor conclusion to a great journey spoils the first impression from the series. It'd have been so much better if they left the land of night to see what the rest of the world has to offer and never came back.
Hugely dissapointed.
Hugely dissapointed.
January 31, 2017
Queen Nadiushka, mwahaha. Three stars only for that. If you want to use Russian names, do it right! It's like King Johnny or Queen Little Kathy, but worse XD
Also all the pseudo-Russian costumes made me uncomfortable. It was sweet but so confusing. Like a bad imitation of medieval Japanese culture, ya know, for a Japanese reader.
Also all the pseudo-Russian costumes made me uncomfortable. It was sweet but so confusing. Like a bad imitation of medieval Japanese culture, ya know, for a Japanese reader.
July 1, 2015
4.5
Все. Я довольна. Одним счастливым читателем сегодня больше!
Даже не знаю, хочу ли читать дальше. По мне так история вполне себе закончилась.
Все. Я довольна. Одним счастливым читателем сегодня больше!
Даже не знаю, хочу ли читать дальше. По мне так история вполне себе закончилась.
August 28, 2015
still awesome! And I am not getting bored yet. Only one book to go.
July 12, 2022
this book is 50% things i wanted and 50% things i did not want at all
July 10, 2015
3.75 stars
August 21, 2019
This series just gets better as it goes along. The love between Liall and Scarlet is so deep and complicated. Liall being the Prince and Scarlet, a forgeiner not wanted by most to be in their country continues to cause much pain for each other.
The two constantly argue and make up. To very strong willed men and Scarlet doesn't understand the language of this new world nor its rules makes an exciting dangerous situation. This was a sad book as a murderous prince takes a life that's very dear to the two men.
The two constantly argue and make up. To very strong willed men and Scarlet doesn't understand the language of this new world nor its rules makes an exciting dangerous situation. This was a sad book as a murderous prince takes a life that's very dear to the two men.
January 12, 2019
4.25 stars
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January 3, 2015
This book could have had a lot more of an emotional impact on me than it already did (it's lucky I didn't cry more really), but Crow's foreshadowing helped soften the blow I took while reading this book. Honestly though, I expected a lot more tragedy throughout these books than I've gotten. A lot of that is because I've been comparing them to Mercedes Lackey's "the gay books"
Valdemar: The Last Herald-Mage
which is so full of angst that it makes your heart bleed if you fall in love with the characters and their love. I'm very happy to say that even book three of Scarlet and Liall didn't make me cry as much as Vanyel's story did.
Sadly, however, while it was easy to see what initial tragedy the book had in store (the dreams between Scarlet and Liall through the series alluded to it well enough that it isn't a surprise), I was in no way prepared for what I feel to have been the true heartbreak in this book. A lot of that was just wishful thinking and misled hope . But even while knowing in my heart it was inevitable if The Land of Night was to come to the close it did, reading was not made any easier. I cried and hours later I still feel like crying, and I don't expect the feeling will pass any time soon.
I feel much of the reason I am so affected by above mentioned events is that I grew to love some of the side characters almost as much as I love Scarlet and Liall. It does hurt less than it would if it had been one of our beloved main characters, but the pain is still very much there. I also feel as though Crow was subtly alluding to this tragic passing every time she foreshadowed the hunt of the snow bear, but by the time I caught on to it it was already .
Despite all of the depressing feelings I was left with towards the end of the book, there are still many happy moments and I actually laughed aloud which is rare. I laughed and I smiled and I grinned all the way through as I gobbled this story up just as I did the previous two in the series, and as I'm sure I will devour the upcoming 4th book as we learn of Scarlet and Liall's fate in The King of Forever and what they make of this turn of events.
Falling in love with the side characters was easy. Much easier than I thought since I was sure my entire focus would remain solely on Scarlet and Liall. That didn't happen and my feelings are mixed on this note.
I would have liked for things to have gone differently in this book, especially with the end. However, despite my wishes, which were never going to come true, I still have to give this 5 stars like the previous two. It held my attention and I didn't want to put it down, except for the times when I did because I was scared of what was comingthat always happens to me. I really can't wait to read the next book and I highly recommend this series to anyone interested.
Sadly, however, while it was easy to see what initial tragedy the book had in store (the dreams between Scarlet and Liall through the series alluded to it well enough that it isn't a surprise), I was in no way prepared for what I feel to have been the true heartbreak in this book. A lot of that was just wishful thinking and misled hope . But even while knowing in my heart it was inevitable if The Land of Night was to come to the close it did, reading was not made any easier. I cried and hours later I still feel like crying, and I don't expect the feeling will pass any time soon.
I feel much of the reason I am so affected by above mentioned events is that I grew to love some of the side characters almost as much as I love Scarlet and Liall. It does hurt less than it would if it had been one of our beloved main characters, but the pain is still very much there. I also feel as though Crow was subtly alluding to this tragic passing every time she foreshadowed the hunt of the snow bear, but by the time I caught on to it it was already .
Despite all of the depressing feelings I was left with towards the end of the book, there are still many happy moments and I actually laughed aloud which is rare. I laughed and I smiled and I grinned all the way through as I gobbled this story up just as I did the previous two in the series, and as I'm sure I will devour the upcoming 4th book as we learn of Scarlet and Liall's fate in The King of Forever and what they make of this turn of events.
Falling in love with the side characters was easy. Much easier than I thought since I was sure my entire focus would remain solely on Scarlet and Liall. That didn't happen and my feelings are mixed on this note.
I would have liked for things to have gone differently in this book, especially with the end. However, despite my wishes, which were never going to come true, I still have to give this 5 stars like the previous two. It held my attention and I didn't want to put it down, except for the times when I did because I was scared of what was coming
December 31, 2015
2 stars
3 stars for the series
(If you haven’t read Books 1 & 2 in the series, this review will/can/might contain spoilers. I’m so verklempt over it all, I can’t decide...)
Poor Scarlet. He started off such a dynamic, colorful character in book one -- full of wanderlust and chutzpah. There, he met up with the dashing Liall, a sexy, wolfish bandit leader. It is this initial dynamic that drew them to each other. So, it’s a shame that in this third installment, Scarlet becomes a shadow of himself, the kept man of a now, cold and secretive Liall.
I have to be careful not to judge this by how I wished it could have been, I was so excited by the promise of the first book. But, once again, the first third of the story is a miss for me. As with book two, there is a lot of set-up for the last third or so of the story, and this ultimately reads as a lot of wasted opportunity.
Some of this installment is told through Liall’s musings and inner dialogue as he fits back into his home, a virtual prisoner to his mother’s wishes. Some of it is told through Scarlet’s experience, living as a virtual prisoner to Liall’s whims.
And we get a lot of details: the court customs and intrigue and political plotting; Liall’s worrying over it all; who’s wearing what; what Scarlet will or will not wear; what he will or will not eat (Liall coaxing him to eat and feeding him from his fork like a lap-dog at one point)…
So many details, yes, and they’re interesting, but there’s so much inaction. Things just seem to stall. It’s almost as if the author doesn’t know what to do with these great characters. Liall comes across as a dithering aging man -- we don’t get to see what he’s doing at court. And Scarlet is relegated to kept-woman status as we watch this previous dynamo of a character put up with it all.
Until the last third of the book where we’re all waiting for the bloody bear hunt. And even then it’s pretty obvious what will happen. Yes, Scarlet comes into his own and some questions get answered, but it’s all so tepid.
I’m sorry to say that, for me, the shining expectations from the first book are not met here. It’s not a terrible story, it is well written… but it falls flat. This is a very interesting world with some great lore, but the romantic aspect isn’t strong enough, and this is where the story stumbles for me. This is a fantasy/fairy tale, but that is no excuse for sloppy execution.
It seems that this was initially to be the last book in a trilogy (!!!!). There are rumors of one, or even, two more books. It remains to be seen whether we can get back to the fun and excitement of Scarlet and Liall’s beginnings. I would certainly hope so.
3 stars for the series
(If you haven’t read Books 1 & 2 in the series, this review will/can/might contain spoilers. I’m so verklempt over it all, I can’t decide...)
Poor Scarlet. He started off such a dynamic, colorful character in book one -- full of wanderlust and chutzpah. There, he met up with the dashing Liall, a sexy, wolfish bandit leader. It is this initial dynamic that drew them to each other. So, it’s a shame that in this third installment, Scarlet becomes a shadow of himself, the kept man of a now, cold and secretive Liall.
I have to be careful not to judge this by how I wished it could have been, I was so excited by the promise of the first book. But, once again, the first third of the story is a miss for me. As with book two, there is a lot of set-up for the last third or so of the story, and this ultimately reads as a lot of wasted opportunity.
Some of this installment is told through Liall’s musings and inner dialogue as he fits back into his home, a virtual prisoner to his mother’s wishes. Some of it is told through Scarlet’s experience, living as a virtual prisoner to Liall’s whims.
And we get a lot of details: the court customs and intrigue and political plotting; Liall’s worrying over it all; who’s wearing what; what Scarlet will or will not wear; what he will or will not eat (Liall coaxing him to eat and feeding him from his fork like a lap-dog at one point)…
So many details, yes, and they’re interesting, but there’s so much inaction. Things just seem to stall. It’s almost as if the author doesn’t know what to do with these great characters. Liall comes across as a dithering aging man -- we don’t get to see what he’s doing at court. And Scarlet is relegated to kept-woman status as we watch this previous dynamo of a character put up with it all.
Until the last third of the book where we’re all waiting for the bloody bear hunt. And even then it’s pretty obvious what will happen. Yes, Scarlet comes into his own and some questions get answered, but it’s all so tepid.
I’m sorry to say that, for me, the shining expectations from the first book are not met here. It’s not a terrible story, it is well written… but it falls flat. This is a very interesting world with some great lore, but the romantic aspect isn’t strong enough, and this is where the story stumbles for me. This is a fantasy/fairy tale, but that is no excuse for sloppy execution.
It seems that this was initially to be the last book in a trilogy (!!!!). There are rumors of one, or even, two more books. It remains to be seen whether we can get back to the fun and excitement of Scarlet and Liall’s beginnings. I would certainly hope so.
September 17, 2012
There's still a lot to do before this series is over, I think the end of the book is the point where a whole new storyline begins.
The first book is my favorite and it coincides with Scarlet's journey. In the second and in the third book I felt as if Scarlet's spirit was stifled in a claustrophobic ship or a labyrinthic palace. Except for the very last 20% of the book, where the protagonists are forced to wander outside again, the book was confined to small spaces. On one hand I'm sure it served the purpose of showing how much out of his element Scarlet was, but on the other hand I don't feel that the story fully took advantage of this aspect. Scarlet often complains that he doesn't want to be secluded to his rooms or the palace anymore, but he always accepts Liall's decisions. Home is where the heart is, indeed.
I must confess that I was expecting something different from the way the previous book ended, I was expecting a sort of separation. Liall and Scarlet don't see much of each other, because Liall is always attending some meeting and involved in politics and Scarlet doesn't speak the Rshani language and he has very few occasions to interact with someone. I enjoyed the parts where Scarlet made new friends, how he would both entrance and alienate Liall's people. I enjoyed the Bear Hunt very much. From the previous book I was also expecting a more prominent role for Liall's female general, because she was pretty dazzling. That's why I don't think the story is told and I hope that we get to read a sequel soon. Scarlet's Gift is also something that must be explored and that whole t'aishka thing, I'm quite fond of the concept. I realize I'm frustrated because I loved it.
A few typos were a bit distracting, I'd love if they were fixed in a new edition.
The first book is my favorite and it coincides with Scarlet's journey. In the second and in the third book I felt as if Scarlet's spirit was stifled in a claustrophobic ship or a labyrinthic palace. Except for the very last 20% of the book, where the protagonists are forced to wander outside again, the book was confined to small spaces. On one hand I'm sure it served the purpose of showing how much out of his element Scarlet was, but on the other hand I don't feel that the story fully took advantage of this aspect. Scarlet often complains that he doesn't want to be secluded to his rooms or the palace anymore, but he always accepts Liall's decisions. Home is where the heart is, indeed.
I must confess that I was expecting something different from the way the previous book ended, I was expecting a sort of separation. Liall and Scarlet don't see much of each other, because Liall is always attending some meeting and involved in politics and Scarlet doesn't speak the Rshani language and he has very few occasions to interact with someone. I enjoyed the parts where Scarlet made new friends, how he would both entrance and alienate Liall's people. I enjoyed the Bear Hunt very much. From the previous book I was also expecting a more prominent role for Liall's female general, because she was pretty dazzling. That's why I don't think the story is told and I hope that we get to read a sequel soon. Scarlet's Gift is also something that must be explored and that whole t'aishka thing, I'm quite fond of the concept. I realize I'm frustrated because I loved it.
A few typos were a bit distracting, I'd love if they were fixed in a new edition.
September 9, 2012
I'm confused. Is this not the last book? Because I do not see how this solves the succession problem in the slightest, merely postpones it.
And what about Scarlet's wanderlust? Or was that line about "home is where he is" supposed to neatly tie that up? Yeah, not sure I'm buying that. (I sort of prefer how that issue turned out in Strawberries for Dessert, but that's not really an option here. Totally unrelated story. Anyway.)
God, the typos were massively annoying in this one. Did anyone proof it? Ugh. (Not the first time I've had this problem with this publisher.)
So, I enjoyed the story and the characters and the writing a lot. Needs some more proofing. Things really don't seem to be all that greatly tied up and you could make a fourth book from some of those leftover questions/court intrigues.
ETA: Oh, yeah, and time passing was impossible to tell. I'm not sure how long they've actually been in Rshan na Ostre by the end of this story.
Also, I really liked the preface in this book and the last one. If you forgot the highlights of the previous story in the series, the preface will catch you up to date with the points you need to remember (and then some).
And what about Scarlet's wanderlust? Or was that line about "home is where he is" supposed to neatly tie that up? Yeah, not sure I'm buying that. (I sort of prefer how that issue turned out in Strawberries for Dessert, but that's not really an option here. Totally unrelated story. Anyway.)
God, the typos were massively annoying in this one. Did anyone proof it? Ugh. (Not the first time I've had this problem with this publisher.)
So, I enjoyed the story and the characters and the writing a lot. Needs some more proofing. Things really don't seem to be all that greatly tied up and you could make a fourth book from some of those leftover questions/court intrigues.
ETA: Oh, yeah, and time passing was impossible to tell. I'm not sure how long they've actually been in Rshan na Ostre by the end of this story.
Also, I really liked the preface in this book and the last one. If you forgot the highlights of the previous story in the series, the preface will catch you up to date with the points you need to remember (and then some).
October 5, 2010
I'd originally given this 5 stars, but after sleeping on it have dropped it to 4.
The books are really good, excellent plot lines, great characters, overall I did love this book. But then, the end...
Everything was going great until the very end, and then in the last 20 or 30 pages, fantasy skewed into sci-fi. And either I was being slow, or some things were just not clearly explained. Yeah, there's a symbiosis of some sort between the Shining Ones and the Anlyribeth, but umm, what exactly is it? And it's kind of just thrown out that Scarlet's gift got stronger because of proximity to Liall. But what does that really mean to them and their future?
Scarlet also asked if there were more people like Melev and was told there were but not around here. So what does that mean to the story?
It just feels like the book was going along great, everything was getting wrapped up beautifully and being paced well and then the book ends with a bunch of new unanswered questions.
This would be ok if this wasn't the last book in the series, but since it is, it's left me mildly unsatisfied because of those unanswered questions.
Still, overall an excellent series with a much more intelligent and stronger plot than most m/m.
The books are really good, excellent plot lines, great characters, overall I did love this book. But then, the end...
Everything was going great until the very end, and then in the last 20 or 30 pages, fantasy skewed into sci-fi. And either I was being slow, or some things were just not clearly explained. Yeah, there's a symbiosis of some sort between the Shining Ones and the Anlyribeth, but umm, what exactly is it? And it's kind of just thrown out that Scarlet's gift got stronger because of proximity to Liall. But what does that really mean to them and their future?
Scarlet also asked if there were more people like Melev and was told there were but not around here. So what does that mean to the story?
It just feels like the book was going along great, everything was getting wrapped up beautifully and being paced well and then the book ends with a bunch of new unanswered questions.
This would be ok if this wasn't the last book in the series, but since it is, it's left me mildly unsatisfied because of those unanswered questions.
Still, overall an excellent series with a much more intelligent and stronger plot than most m/m.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2011
I'm sad to see the end of these books, as I have really enjoyed them, although I must admit that this volume and particularly the ending was not what I expected, as it left too many questions.
Things I would have liked to know are:
1) What is Liall's actual age?
2) Where did the aliens come from and why did they leave their world?
3) What is Deva and what is her function?
4) Why was the relationship between the Shining Ones and the Anlyribeth so fragile that it could be abused, when they were supposedly bonded to each other?
2) What is going to happen as Scarlet ages faster than Liall?
3) How Liall and Scarlet are going to be happy cooped up in the palace forever? Scarlet's wanderlust will not stay quiet for long, I suspect.
4) How Liall is going to keep the peace in Rshan, as king without an heir?
So for me, a fourth installment would have been welcome tying up some of these loose ends. Although I will freely admit I was still tempted to give 5 stars to this book, just because of the book cover, which is gorgeous!
Things I would have liked to know are:
1) What is Liall's actual age?
2) Where did the aliens come from and why did they leave their world?
3) What is Deva and what is her function?
4) Why was the relationship between the Shining Ones and the Anlyribeth so fragile that it could be abused, when they were supposedly bonded to each other?
2) What is going to happen as Scarlet ages faster than Liall?
3) How Liall and Scarlet are going to be happy cooped up in the palace forever? Scarlet's wanderlust will not stay quiet for long, I suspect.
4) How Liall is going to keep the peace in Rshan, as king without an heir?
So for me, a fourth installment would have been welcome tying up some of these loose ends. Although I will freely admit I was still tempted to give 5 stars to this book, just because of the book cover, which is gorgeous!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2012
More or less a satisfactory ending. Most of the mysteries were essentially resolved. However, in the style of a fantasy rather than romance book, the ending did not really give us a happily ever after - did not really resolve the tension in their relationship.
But it also did not really explore the potential of the magic system. In this plot, it does not entirely make sense for the magic system to be completely explained and the "spirits of the dead" plot device for explaining the amount Mr. Crow chose to explain was clever, but I would still love to see him come back to this world and talk more of the magic powers.
But it also did not really explore the potential of the magic system. In this plot, it does not entirely make sense for the magic system to be completely explained and the "spirits of the dead" plot device for explaining the amount Mr. Crow chose to explain was clever, but I would still love to see him come back to this world and talk more of the magic powers.
August 3, 2016
What can I say? This series captured me with its first two books, and it's just getting better and better. I still spend a lot of time swearing at Scarlet and Liall, but that doesn't change the fact that I love them both - now probably more than ever. I liked the plot (politics and intrigue in fantasy, yesss, gimme MORE) and the worldbuilding. It's been a really long time since a book made me lose track of time, but this whole series did. Yeah, nothing better than being up at 3 AM, knowing you have to get up early, but still not being able to stop reading because you NEED to know how the story ends.
Ignore me. I just found yet another favourite series... :D
Ignore me. I just found yet another favourite series... :D
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