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Frostgrave
Frostgrave: Second Chances: A Tale of the Frozen City
A fiction novel set in the world of Frostgrave, to tie-in with Osprey's hugely popular tabletop miniatures game.
Time is running out for Yelen and Mirika Semova. Although the sisters have a gained a reputation for success among the explorers of the Frozen City, their lives are haunted by a curse that hangs over Yelen. The more she uses her magic, the closer the demon Azzanar comes to claiming her, body and soul. When the sisters recover a strange artifact, dark truths are revealed, old alliances are broken, and the sisters are separated. Each sister is faced with terrible choices. Who will they turn to for help, and what price will they pay to get it?
Time is running out for Yelen and Mirika Semova. Although the sisters have a gained a reputation for success among the explorers of the Frozen City, their lives are haunted by a curse that hangs over Yelen. The more she uses her magic, the closer the demon Azzanar comes to claiming her, body and soul. When the sisters recover a strange artifact, dark truths are revealed, old alliances are broken, and the sisters are separated. Each sister is faced with terrible choices. Who will they turn to for help, and what price will they pay to get it?
336 pages, Paperback
First published November 21, 2017
10 people are currently reading
77 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Ward
58 books437 followersMatthew Ward is a writer, cat-servant and owner of more musical instruments than he can actually play (and considerably more than he can play well). He’s afflicted with an obsession for old places – castles, historic cities and the London Underground chief amongst them – and should probably cultivate more interests to help expand out his author biography.
After a decade serving as a principal architect for Games Workshop’s Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 properties, Matthew embarked on an adventure to tell stories set in worlds of his own design. He lives near Nottingham with his extremely patient wife – as well as a pride of attention-seeking cats – and writes to entertain anyone who feels there’s not enough magic in the world.
After a decade serving as a principal architect for Games Workshop’s Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 properties, Matthew embarked on an adventure to tell stories set in worlds of his own design. He lives near Nottingham with his extremely patient wife – as well as a pride of attention-seeking cats – and writes to entertain anyone who feels there’s not enough magic in the world.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 2, 2018
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Publisher: Osprey
Publishing Date: November 2017
ISBN:9781472824646
Genre: Fantasy
Rating:2.8/5
Publishers Description: Time is running out for Yelen and Mirika Semova. Although the sisters have a gained a reputation for success among the explorers of the Frozen City, their lives are haunted by a curse that hangs over Yelen. The more she uses her magic, the closer the demon Azzanar comes to claiming her, body and soul. When the sisters recover a strange artifact, dark truths are revealed, old alliances are broken, and the sisters are separated. Each sister is faced with terrible choices. Who will they turn to for help, and what price will they pay to get it?
Review: I am a bit confused, but that should be no surprise. This started out pretty good but was quickly mired down by travel filler and internal dialogue between Yelen and her demon. While the story line was compelling enough to continue, the main characters stifled every event with trenchant myopia. “Wahhh, me, me, me. I have a demon in my head”……etc. etc.. Well while Yelen is dealing with some rather life threatening issues like a DEMON IN HER HEAD, Mirika is also possessed by an ancient fuckwit. So in between possessions there is quite a bit of to-ing and-fro-ing across the frozen reaches which takes up a lot of of the novel.
What was really well done were the supporting characters. Kain, Ras, and the whole gang were superbly rendered. When parts of the gang were sacrificed to further the novels intent, there was a pang of loss and a fear that the sisters would get more page time. IMO, main characters should share the level of intent with the supporting characters. This builds everyone in consummate fashion and leaves space for development. When characters are over the top in approach, you don’t care what happens to them. Like wishing the sisters would get swallowed by a sperm whale.
The ending is not an ending so gird yur loins for the next installment.
Publisher: Osprey
Publishing Date: November 2017
ISBN:9781472824646
Genre: Fantasy
Rating:2.8/5
Publishers Description: Time is running out for Yelen and Mirika Semova. Although the sisters have a gained a reputation for success among the explorers of the Frozen City, their lives are haunted by a curse that hangs over Yelen. The more she uses her magic, the closer the demon Azzanar comes to claiming her, body and soul. When the sisters recover a strange artifact, dark truths are revealed, old alliances are broken, and the sisters are separated. Each sister is faced with terrible choices. Who will they turn to for help, and what price will they pay to get it?
Review: I am a bit confused, but that should be no surprise. This started out pretty good but was quickly mired down by travel filler and internal dialogue between Yelen and her demon. While the story line was compelling enough to continue, the main characters stifled every event with trenchant myopia. “Wahhh, me, me, me. I have a demon in my head”……etc. etc.. Well while Yelen is dealing with some rather life threatening issues like a DEMON IN HER HEAD, Mirika is also possessed by an ancient fuckwit. So in between possessions there is quite a bit of to-ing and-fro-ing across the frozen reaches which takes up a lot of of the novel.
What was really well done were the supporting characters. Kain, Ras, and the whole gang were superbly rendered. When parts of the gang were sacrificed to further the novels intent, there was a pang of loss and a fear that the sisters would get more page time. IMO, main characters should share the level of intent with the supporting characters. This builds everyone in consummate fashion and leaves space for development. When characters are over the top in approach, you don’t care what happens to them. Like wishing the sisters would get swallowed by a sperm whale.
The ending is not an ending so gird yur loins for the next installment.
November 21, 2017
I’ve interviewed Frostgrave’s Joseph A. McCullough, the creator, designer and writer of the Frostgrave miniatures game this book is based on. He’s told me in no uncertain terms that the wider world of the fabled city of Felstad, and the newer game Frostgrave: Ghost Archipelago, will remain undefined and unexplored. There will be no larger map, of the city or the land it inhabits, and no definitive realms, kings, queens or kingdoms, and that the phrase ‘here be dragons’ applies to the rest of the world as it’s Terra Incognita.
So where does that leave writers who have been asked to write a novel-length tale about the city, it’s people and the dangers within? If you’re writing the first book about people in the world of Frostgrave and you need to draw new readers - and possibly players – into the setting, where does that leave you?
It leaves you with an unenviable task. Thankfully, Matthew Ward has taken the route of making the characters the centre of the story, not the world itself. And at that, I feel, he’s succeeded.
The story gets off to an action-packed start in the Temple of Draconostra, where the Semova sisters are trying to recover a reliquiary for their master Torik; Mirika is a Chronomancer and can play with time, but her younger sister Yelen has little magical talent except for that gifted to her by the demon Azzanar. The more Yelen uses the power the closer Azzanar comes to taking her body and using it for her own nefarious ends.
The relationship between the two sisters is palpable and you really feel for their plight as the story progresses. All they want is for Yelen to be rid of this demon and their delves into the dungeons and catacombs of Felstad are to realise that end. Mirika, the eldest sister, is hotheaded and rash, confident in her power and ability. Yelen, however, is jealous of her older sister’s abilities but loves her regardless, and this creates a very complicated relationship underlined by the simple fact that they love each other dearly. This leads to dramatic moments in the book where you feel for their plight, and there are times during conflicts where you find yourself really drawn in. It’s the characters and relationships of this book that really shine, and the two primary antagonists are likeable, interesting and enjoyable to read.
The secondary characters are also well defined and interesting so much so that when something happens to them - for good or ill – you do feel it. There are a couple of throwaway characters that are stereotypes to make a scene work, but they don’t last long and are there to serve the encounter. The secondary characters, especially the Knight Kain with her harsh attitude and Cavril Magnis the dashing if somewhat untrustworthy leader of a band called the Gilded Rose, really work and add a layer of depth to the story.
The story itself is a long chase – from the start to safety, then from safety back into danger as every character is given a reason to chase, flee or otherwise make haste away from or towards friends, wealth or salvation. There are plenty of plot twists and turns and sometimes you’re never too sure where the story is going to go, or even who’s side you’re on, and that adds a sense of excitement to the proceedings, pulling you into a ‘just one more page’ situation that may result in a late night or two.
In many books I read I like to feel that the world the protagonists inhabit is a character in itself, defined and with form and structure to make it feel real. With the ‘here be dragons’ proviso and not having a full idea of the larger world I can imagine that defning that world would be quite hard. I did get a feel for Felstad but could never really visualise it, not the way it has been visualised by the excellent artist Dmitry Burmak in this book or in the main game itself. There were descriptions of the locations and the city but more detail was lavished on the characters than the setting and I didn’t get a feeling for the world; the barrows, the tombs, the settlement they rested at, it was all there on the page but I never really felt it, or could conjure up a proper mental image. It was definitely the characters that held this book together for sure.
It’s a great book with a twisting plot, well-defined characters and great scenes of dangerous/exciting encounters, and although it ends rather abruptly the climax of the story is satisfactory and leaves it open for further adventures – and I, for one, will be in line for that.
And for the Frostgrave players out there, there’s a nice scenario at the back of the book to use in your next wargame session called ‘Corpsfire’. I don’t want to go into detail as it references a part of the book, but it’s a cool encounter with plenty of special rules.
Highly recommended.
So where does that leave writers who have been asked to write a novel-length tale about the city, it’s people and the dangers within? If you’re writing the first book about people in the world of Frostgrave and you need to draw new readers - and possibly players – into the setting, where does that leave you?
It leaves you with an unenviable task. Thankfully, Matthew Ward has taken the route of making the characters the centre of the story, not the world itself. And at that, I feel, he’s succeeded.
The story gets off to an action-packed start in the Temple of Draconostra, where the Semova sisters are trying to recover a reliquiary for their master Torik; Mirika is a Chronomancer and can play with time, but her younger sister Yelen has little magical talent except for that gifted to her by the demon Azzanar. The more Yelen uses the power the closer Azzanar comes to taking her body and using it for her own nefarious ends.
The relationship between the two sisters is palpable and you really feel for their plight as the story progresses. All they want is for Yelen to be rid of this demon and their delves into the dungeons and catacombs of Felstad are to realise that end. Mirika, the eldest sister, is hotheaded and rash, confident in her power and ability. Yelen, however, is jealous of her older sister’s abilities but loves her regardless, and this creates a very complicated relationship underlined by the simple fact that they love each other dearly. This leads to dramatic moments in the book where you feel for their plight, and there are times during conflicts where you find yourself really drawn in. It’s the characters and relationships of this book that really shine, and the two primary antagonists are likeable, interesting and enjoyable to read.
The secondary characters are also well defined and interesting so much so that when something happens to them - for good or ill – you do feel it. There are a couple of throwaway characters that are stereotypes to make a scene work, but they don’t last long and are there to serve the encounter. The secondary characters, especially the Knight Kain with her harsh attitude and Cavril Magnis the dashing if somewhat untrustworthy leader of a band called the Gilded Rose, really work and add a layer of depth to the story.
The story itself is a long chase – from the start to safety, then from safety back into danger as every character is given a reason to chase, flee or otherwise make haste away from or towards friends, wealth or salvation. There are plenty of plot twists and turns and sometimes you’re never too sure where the story is going to go, or even who’s side you’re on, and that adds a sense of excitement to the proceedings, pulling you into a ‘just one more page’ situation that may result in a late night or two.
In many books I read I like to feel that the world the protagonists inhabit is a character in itself, defined and with form and structure to make it feel real. With the ‘here be dragons’ proviso and not having a full idea of the larger world I can imagine that defning that world would be quite hard. I did get a feel for Felstad but could never really visualise it, not the way it has been visualised by the excellent artist Dmitry Burmak in this book or in the main game itself. There were descriptions of the locations and the city but more detail was lavished on the characters than the setting and I didn’t get a feeling for the world; the barrows, the tombs, the settlement they rested at, it was all there on the page but I never really felt it, or could conjure up a proper mental image. It was definitely the characters that held this book together for sure.
It’s a great book with a twisting plot, well-defined characters and great scenes of dangerous/exciting encounters, and although it ends rather abruptly the climax of the story is satisfactory and leaves it open for further adventures – and I, for one, will be in line for that.
And for the Frostgrave players out there, there’s a nice scenario at the back of the book to use in your next wargame session called ‘Corpsfire’. I don’t want to go into detail as it references a part of the book, but it’s a cool encounter with plenty of special rules.
Highly recommended.
November 22, 2019
I really wanted to like this book. There were definitely parts that I found cool (some of the descriptions about how the sisters manipulated the time flow to engage in combat and heal were things that I found to be amazing concepts) and the summary of the plot on the back cover was intriguing. But when I started reading it, I found myself constantly comparing it to a not as well done adaptation of Malus Darkblade and his own struggle with a daemon. When all was done I wasn't sure what the point of most of it was.
March 15, 2022
Spoiler-free.
Really neat Novel that happens to be a game tie in, normally tie-in novels are mediocre and trying to pander to the gamers. This one however tells a story and is very fun and enjoyable using elements of the game without being ruled by it. Speaking objectively it's a 3.5-4 star book, but for me, it's a 5.
Most of the twists are not a surprise at all, there are a few things he tries to be clever on without success, but it didn't matter for me because I just enjoyed the sisters and the story so much. Cool concepts, great atmosphere, fun read.
Really neat Novel that happens to be a game tie in, normally tie-in novels are mediocre and trying to pander to the gamers. This one however tells a story and is very fun and enjoyable using elements of the game without being ruled by it. Speaking objectively it's a 3.5-4 star book, but for me, it's a 5.
Most of the twists are not a surprise at all, there are a few things he tries to be clever on without success, but it didn't matter for me because I just enjoyed the sisters and the story so much. Cool concepts, great atmosphere, fun read.
April 7, 2020
A fun read, once it gets moving. But the first four chapters give it a slow start. The Frostgrave scenario at the ends looks like it will be fun to play.
June 14, 2018
I absolutely love the Pathfinder Tales stories, so was excited to find another RPG style series. While I didn't think Frostgrave: Second Chances was as well written as my favorite Pathfinder Tales, it was a decent story. I'm hoping future stories in the Frostgrave world are more developed. I found this tale to be kind of slow moving, once you got past the initial burst of action. There was a lot of introspection and sister dialog, which isn't my cup of tea. I prefer more action and old school epic fantasy (which I was hoping for here). Well written and I will definitely keep my eye out for future tales though.
March 17, 2025
A serviceable string of adventures, and misadventures, for a pair of sisters traveling through Felstad.
It's pretty linear with a few clever reveals. Both of Ward's Frostgrave novels complement the game's unique setting. It's disappointing to think a third book is unlikely.
It's pretty linear with a few clever reveals. Both of Ward's Frostgrave novels complement the game's unique setting. It's disappointing to think a third book is unlikely.
May 29, 2018
No me esperaba que siendo de un wargame, estuviese tan entretenida.
April 12, 2018
I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I adore the cover for this book, and the blurb. At the beginning, the story starts right in the inciting event with action and purpose. It snared me right into the story.
However, the initial event lasted for nearly the first 10% of the book, so after awhile it began to drag, despite the action. I wanted to get there and get out of the cave to explore the rest of Frostgrave. When it finally happened, the characters stopped and entered a long segment of sitting and talking and reminiscing. It stalled the story, and thus my interest.
I tried every few days to pick it back up as I really wanted to continue this tale, but unfortunately by the time anything happened again I'd lost the connection. This is purely subjective on my part as characters sitting and talking in long droves loses me in any story. DNF at 16%
While continuing this story isn't for me, I'd probably recommend it to readers who love fantasy and stories that focus on sister relationships.
I adore the cover for this book, and the blurb. At the beginning, the story starts right in the inciting event with action and purpose. It snared me right into the story.
However, the initial event lasted for nearly the first 10% of the book, so after awhile it began to drag, despite the action. I wanted to get there and get out of the cave to explore the rest of Frostgrave. When it finally happened, the characters stopped and entered a long segment of sitting and talking and reminiscing. It stalled the story, and thus my interest.
I tried every few days to pick it back up as I really wanted to continue this tale, but unfortunately by the time anything happened again I'd lost the connection. This is purely subjective on my part as characters sitting and talking in long droves loses me in any story. DNF at 16%
While continuing this story isn't for me, I'd probably recommend it to readers who love fantasy and stories that focus on sister relationships.
February 20, 2018
This was one of the best books I've read lately. It was a welcome respite from the usual fantasy, with elves, dragons and the like. This one has catacombs, time manipulation, trolls and treks through the frozen wastelands of Frostgrave. I loved it!
Mirika and Yelen are sisters making a living in Rekamark. Sent to retrieve a special artifact from a tomb in order to help Yelen control her demon, the sisters unwittingly release into the world an worse evil who takes over Mirika.
Helped by the members of the Gilded Rose, they embark on a journey to rescuse Mirika and put a stop to an evil sorcerer's plans.
I really hope there is a sequel to this book, because I want to read more about Yelen and Mirika.
Mirika and Yelen are sisters making a living in Rekamark. Sent to retrieve a special artifact from a tomb in order to help Yelen control her demon, the sisters unwittingly release into the world an worse evil who takes over Mirika.
Helped by the members of the Gilded Rose, they embark on a journey to rescuse Mirika and put a stop to an evil sorcerer's plans.
I really hope there is a sequel to this book, because I want to read more about Yelen and Mirika.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews