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Tears of Artamon #3
Children of the Serpent Gate
In this third novel in her acclaimed Tears of Artamon saga, Sarah Ash once again transports readers to a realm where sorcery collides with political intrigue . . . and where one man haunted by a dark legacy is locked in a fierce struggle between the forces of good and evil battling for supremacy within him. . . .
Gavril Nagarian is believed dead--perished in the heat of battle. But the Lord Drakhaon of Azhkendir lives on. Now he is entrusted with a sacred mission: to rescue the aged Magus, who has been kidnapped and in whose possession are the five priceless rubies that compose the fabled Tears of Artamon. Ancient law decrees that whoever possesses the coveted stones has the power to impose his rule over the five princedoms in the Empire of New Rossiya.
But the task exacts a cost. The Drakhaoul that destroyed his forebears has penetrated Gavril's psyche and is gaining power over his soul. With the dark forces inside him seeking immortality, Gavril must feed on the blood of innocents--or die.
Toppled by the loss of the Tears of Artamon, Emperor Eugene of Tielen is tormented by his own daemon. Now he must defend his lands against King Enguerrand of Francia, who claims ownership of the Tears. But both men share a common goal: to destroy Gavril Nagarian and the Drakhaoul that lives within him once and for all.
Ingenious and unforgettable, Children of the Serpent Gate delivers a thrilling conclusion to the epic trials of a man of honor in a world run amok--a calamity that can be laid to rest only by an Emperor's Tears.
Gavril Nagarian is believed dead--perished in the heat of battle. But the Lord Drakhaon of Azhkendir lives on. Now he is entrusted with a sacred mission: to rescue the aged Magus, who has been kidnapped and in whose possession are the five priceless rubies that compose the fabled Tears of Artamon. Ancient law decrees that whoever possesses the coveted stones has the power to impose his rule over the five princedoms in the Empire of New Rossiya.
But the task exacts a cost. The Drakhaoul that destroyed his forebears has penetrated Gavril's psyche and is gaining power over his soul. With the dark forces inside him seeking immortality, Gavril must feed on the blood of innocents--or die.
Toppled by the loss of the Tears of Artamon, Emperor Eugene of Tielen is tormented by his own daemon. Now he must defend his lands against King Enguerrand of Francia, who claims ownership of the Tears. But both men share a common goal: to destroy Gavril Nagarian and the Drakhaoul that lives within him once and for all.
Ingenious and unforgettable, Children of the Serpent Gate delivers a thrilling conclusion to the epic trials of a man of honor in a world run amok--a calamity that can be laid to rest only by an Emperor's Tears.
610 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
16 people are currently reading
671 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Ash
25 books184 followersSarah Ash was born and brought up in Bath. At university she trained as a musician, but returned to her childhood love of writing as the author of highly-praised novels, including the Tears of Artamon Trilogy. Sarah also writes about her love of anime and manga for Anime UK News. Check out her Guest Blog to read posts by other SFF authors about their fiction!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
September 25, 2012
“Children of the Serpent Gate” is a spectacular, stunning conclusion to this wonderful series that has claimed a place in my top 5 best fantasy sagas. This has been such a powerful story and I’ve enjoyed every word of it. It’s a layered, complex and enthralling story that stays with you long after you’ve finished the last page.
Kaspar Linnaius is a prisoner of the Commanderie in Francia, Gavril has just found Kiukiu but is about to lose here again, Kiukiu is struggling with the Drakhaoul’s Children’s cry for help from the Ways Beyond, Eugene is at the brink of war and Astasia is torn between her loyalty for Andrei and her love for Eugene.
It’s a tale about love, loyalty, hope, bitterness and choosing between right and wrong. It’s about living with the choices you make and fighting for the things you believe in.
Gavril embarks on an unexpected journey that takes us to another foreign country, with a resemblance to France. Gavril gets to meet new people, struggle with old temptations and gather information that will help him on his important mission. Because failing will come at a great cost, but to get to his goal, he has to sacrifice a lot of himself.
I don’t want to give away too much about this final installment, because I’m a little scared of spoiling things for the people who have loved the first two books as much as I did.
There are some unexpected twists that left my breathless and dumbstruck. For one in particular I had to take a little time to take it in. I had to close the book, sit back and think about what just happened. It was so sad, but at the same time it defined the character in this particular scene so well, I didn’t know how to feel about it. (I’m sorry for the cryptic description, I just don’t want to spoil anything! Maybe you will have the same feeling after reading the book and understand what I’m talking about.)
In the second book I began to feel sympathetic for Khezef, but I wasn’t sure if I was right about him. He’s still a daemon after all. In this book he totally won me over. I felt so sorry for him at some points. Great right? I’m actually feeling sorry for a daemon. And that reminds me of something one of my best friends said today (she’s kind of my soul mate ^^): there’s always something good and something bad in a person. Portraying someone as plain bad, or plain good isn’t realistic. There are two sides, we all have our good qualities and our bad ones.
The truth about where the drakhaouls came from was really fascinating. I’m really glad we got to know them and their heritage a little better.
To wrap it up: this is a must read for every true fantasy fan, especially those who love political intrigue and a darker side of fantasy. It has a lot of depth and kept me glued to the pages for many hours.
Visit my Fantasy bookblog http://draumrkpa.blogspot.be/ for more reviews, new releases,...
Kaspar Linnaius is a prisoner of the Commanderie in Francia, Gavril has just found Kiukiu but is about to lose here again, Kiukiu is struggling with the Drakhaoul’s Children’s cry for help from the Ways Beyond, Eugene is at the brink of war and Astasia is torn between her loyalty for Andrei and her love for Eugene.
It’s a tale about love, loyalty, hope, bitterness and choosing between right and wrong. It’s about living with the choices you make and fighting for the things you believe in.
Gavril embarks on an unexpected journey that takes us to another foreign country, with a resemblance to France. Gavril gets to meet new people, struggle with old temptations and gather information that will help him on his important mission. Because failing will come at a great cost, but to get to his goal, he has to sacrifice a lot of himself.
I don’t want to give away too much about this final installment, because I’m a little scared of spoiling things for the people who have loved the first two books as much as I did.
There are some unexpected twists that left my breathless and dumbstruck. For one in particular I had to take a little time to take it in. I had to close the book, sit back and think about what just happened. It was so sad, but at the same time it defined the character in this particular scene so well, I didn’t know how to feel about it. (I’m sorry for the cryptic description, I just don’t want to spoil anything! Maybe you will have the same feeling after reading the book and understand what I’m talking about.)
In the second book I began to feel sympathetic for Khezef, but I wasn’t sure if I was right about him. He’s still a daemon after all. In this book he totally won me over. I felt so sorry for him at some points. Great right? I’m actually feeling sorry for a daemon. And that reminds me of something one of my best friends said today (she’s kind of my soul mate ^^): there’s always something good and something bad in a person. Portraying someone as plain bad, or plain good isn’t realistic. There are two sides, we all have our good qualities and our bad ones.
The truth about where the drakhaouls came from was really fascinating. I’m really glad we got to know them and their heritage a little better.
To wrap it up: this is a must read for every true fantasy fan, especially those who love political intrigue and a darker side of fantasy. It has a lot of depth and kept me glued to the pages for many hours.
Visit my Fantasy bookblog http://draumrkpa.blogspot.be/ for more reviews, new releases,...
September 12, 2010
It took me five months to finish this book, which is a long time for me to be reading a book. So long, in fact, that friends and co-workers began to ask me why I didn't just stop reading it if it was so obviously terrible.
And there's the problem. It wasn't terrible, it was mediocre, and I found that mediocrity terribly disappointing. It took me forever to finish this book because, after a certain point, reading it was a chore; I didn't stop reading this book because, even though I had stopped caring, I was still in love with the potential the story had in its first installment, Lord of Snow and Shadows.
Even writing this review feels like a chore—and I love writing reviews—so I'm just going to make some quick points and move on with my reading life.
- By the time we reach Children of the Serpent Gate, the world has lost much of the color and uniqueness it had in the first book. We've left the ancient blood feud between the Nagarians and the Arkhels—something that consumed the pages of the first book—far, far behind. Even the interesting combination of Russian and Western European culture that defined the first book has faded as the plot drives on to a fantasy version of France and a convoluted explanation of the drakhouls that is reminiscent of Paradise Lost.
- Many new elements (such as the convoluted explanation mentioned above) are thrown in during this book. While these elements are intriguing, they are introduced so late that they are left underdeveloped and unconvincing.
- The book seemed to drag on forever because of endless (though speedy) traveling and backtracking that did little for the story or the characters. Then, after some more traveling, the turmoil of world-ending proportions finds resolution in the last 50 pages or so.
- Because of the points mentioned above, I became more annoyed with the flat characters. That this series was plot-driven instead of character-driven never bothered me until the plot began to falter. My eyes began to roll at contrived dialogue and interactions, and Malusha is, quite possibly, the least convincing character I have ever encountered. Ever.
So, why two stars instead of just one? Because, like I said before, it wasn't terrible, just terribly disappointing.
And there's the problem. It wasn't terrible, it was mediocre, and I found that mediocrity terribly disappointing. It took me forever to finish this book because, after a certain point, reading it was a chore; I didn't stop reading this book because, even though I had stopped caring, I was still in love with the potential the story had in its first installment, Lord of Snow and Shadows.
Even writing this review feels like a chore—and I love writing reviews—so I'm just going to make some quick points and move on with my reading life.
- By the time we reach Children of the Serpent Gate, the world has lost much of the color and uniqueness it had in the first book. We've left the ancient blood feud between the Nagarians and the Arkhels—something that consumed the pages of the first book—far, far behind. Even the interesting combination of Russian and Western European culture that defined the first book has faded as the plot drives on to a fantasy version of France and a convoluted explanation of the drakhouls that is reminiscent of Paradise Lost.
- Many new elements (such as the convoluted explanation mentioned above) are thrown in during this book. While these elements are intriguing, they are introduced so late that they are left underdeveloped and unconvincing.
- The book seemed to drag on forever because of endless (though speedy) traveling and backtracking that did little for the story or the characters. Then, after some more traveling, the turmoil of world-ending proportions finds resolution in the last 50 pages or so.
- Because of the points mentioned above, I became more annoyed with the flat characters. That this series was plot-driven instead of character-driven never bothered me until the plot began to falter. My eyes began to roll at contrived dialogue and interactions, and Malusha is, quite possibly, the least convincing character I have ever encountered. Ever.
So, why two stars instead of just one? Because, like I said before, it wasn't terrible, just terribly disappointing.
October 7, 2012
"I liked it."
First: OH MY GOD I AM SO DISTRESSED OVER WHAT HAPPENED TO PIPPI, COME ON SARAH ASH THAT WAS JUST NEEDLESSLY CRUEL ;_;
Okay, despite the fact that I gave this a lower rating than Lord of Snow and Shadows and Prisoner of the Iron Tower, I actually didn't like it any less. In fact, if anything, I liked it more. Shit Got Real very quickly here and I was incredibly impressed with how tightly constructed the ending was considering just how many characters and things were going on. I absolutely loved the explicit use of Judeochristian myths about demons and angels and that stuff all paid off bigtime. My favourite element of these books has always been the mystery of the children of the serpent gate, and TRUE TO THE TITLE we got all of that nicely and elegantly concluded here.
That said, with all said and done, I feel the entire SERIES lacked a lot of focus. Things that got a lot of words dedicated to them only ended up mattering in extremely tangential ways, and while I liked this book better than the first two, I feel that weighed as a series my ratings for the entire series goes down a bit. I genuinely enjoyed these books and will absolutely be reading the sequel duology, there are just a lot of stylistic weirdnesses in Ms Ash's writing that I was hoping would pay off, but really didn't in the end. I was hugely impressed with how intense and well focused the conclusion itself was, but yes.
The biggest point of annoyance on that front is the weird complex relationship between Celestine, Jagu, Kaspar, and Andrei. I know that Celestine stars in the sequel duology, which makes me happy, but after being EXTREMELY important characters for most of this book, Celestine and Jagu COMPLETELY fell off the radar halfway through and there weren't any vague curious comments made about them in the epilogue like Kaspar and Andrei. And on the topic of Andrei, I felt that he and Oskar/Sahariel weren't given nearly enough build-up and screentime for the role that they played in the end. I also felt that the exact nature of the relationship between the Drakhaouls and the children wasn't suuuper well explained. Also in the column of taking up a bunch of words with little payoff: the Tielen/Francian war literally didn't appear to have an ending.
On the more positive end of things, I was EXTREMELY happy with Eugene in this book, oh my god. Eugene has been one of my favourites all along but he's always been a curious sort of character who's been hard to get a finger on. Do I respect him or hate him? Is he a villain or a hero? Do I WANT him to be Emperor of New Rossiya? I love how Eugene has been such a ROLLER COASTER ride from the very start and I'm totally thrilled with how things ended up for him, and between he and Gavril and Astasia. And Karila, oh Karila, I love you so much. One of my favourite child characters in any fantasy for sure.
Also worth mentionning is how much I just loved Enguerrand and truly wished that there was more of him. I hope he does shit in the other series because he is just so sweet and adorable and my heart BROKE for him when he realized the truth behind Nilaihah. I totally ship him and Aude for so many reasons and I'm glad the ending implied that they ended up together. Definitely wish that Andrei had more of a satisfying ending, too, because he really can't be blamed for anything that happened to him, sigh.
IN SHORT I definitely enjoyed this series and recommend it but if I felt right about it I'd prolly go back and change my ratings on the first two to be three stars, too. That's a positive review, just not a glowing one! The last book is definitely the best as a book but it also reveals all the little holes in the series.
First: OH MY GOD I AM SO DISTRESSED OVER WHAT HAPPENED TO PIPPI, COME ON SARAH ASH THAT WAS JUST NEEDLESSLY CRUEL ;_;
Okay, despite the fact that I gave this a lower rating than Lord of Snow and Shadows and Prisoner of the Iron Tower, I actually didn't like it any less. In fact, if anything, I liked it more. Shit Got Real very quickly here and I was incredibly impressed with how tightly constructed the ending was considering just how many characters and things were going on. I absolutely loved the explicit use of Judeochristian myths about demons and angels and that stuff all paid off bigtime. My favourite element of these books has always been the mystery of the children of the serpent gate, and TRUE TO THE TITLE we got all of that nicely and elegantly concluded here.
That said, with all said and done, I feel the entire SERIES lacked a lot of focus. Things that got a lot of words dedicated to them only ended up mattering in extremely tangential ways, and while I liked this book better than the first two, I feel that weighed as a series my ratings for the entire series goes down a bit. I genuinely enjoyed these books and will absolutely be reading the sequel duology, there are just a lot of stylistic weirdnesses in Ms Ash's writing that I was hoping would pay off, but really didn't in the end. I was hugely impressed with how intense and well focused the conclusion itself was, but yes.
The biggest point of annoyance on that front is the weird complex relationship between Celestine, Jagu, Kaspar, and Andrei. I know that Celestine stars in the sequel duology, which makes me happy, but after being EXTREMELY important characters for most of this book, Celestine and Jagu COMPLETELY fell off the radar halfway through and there weren't any vague curious comments made about them in the epilogue like Kaspar and Andrei. And on the topic of Andrei, I felt that he and Oskar/Sahariel weren't given nearly enough build-up and screentime for the role that they played in the end. I also felt that the exact nature of the relationship between the Drakhaouls and the children wasn't suuuper well explained. Also in the column of taking up a bunch of words with little payoff: the Tielen/Francian war literally didn't appear to have an ending.
On the more positive end of things, I was EXTREMELY happy with Eugene in this book, oh my god. Eugene has been one of my favourites all along but he's always been a curious sort of character who's been hard to get a finger on. Do I respect him or hate him? Is he a villain or a hero? Do I WANT him to be Emperor of New Rossiya? I love how Eugene has been such a ROLLER COASTER ride from the very start and I'm totally thrilled with how things ended up for him, and between he and Gavril and Astasia. And Karila, oh Karila, I love you so much. One of my favourite child characters in any fantasy for sure.
Also worth mentionning is how much I just loved Enguerrand and truly wished that there was more of him. I hope he does shit in the other series because he is just so sweet and adorable and my heart BROKE for him when he realized the truth behind Nilaihah. I totally ship him and Aude for so many reasons and I'm glad the ending implied that they ended up together. Definitely wish that Andrei had more of a satisfying ending, too, because he really can't be blamed for anything that happened to him, sigh.
IN SHORT I definitely enjoyed this series and recommend it but if I felt right about it I'd prolly go back and change my ratings on the first two to be three stars, too. That's a positive review, just not a glowing one! The last book is definitely the best as a book but it also reveals all the little holes in the series.
September 26, 2024
The dramatic final installment of Sarah Ash's Tears of Artamon series definitely delivers on the first of those adjectives. The battles between dragon-demons, armies and dark gods are matched in scale only by the increasing shades of soap-opera - . The entwining of action and romance ensures something for everyone but comes at the risk of alienating certain readers for whom one or other of these does not appeal.
As in previous installments, the pace is hurtling. One can't help feeling that the book would have benefitted from more breaths taken and at least double the page count to allow us to fully immerse in the story. The story itself, though, contains promise. The warring states based on 19th Century Europe make a refreshing change from the typical generic mediaevalism, the political relations are engagingly twisty, and the magic - in particular Kiukiu's spiritsinging - stands out as original in a genre where much has been done before.
Unfortunately, this far into the series I found myself losing the grasp of what made it engaging. There are too many threads pulling in too many different directions, and while Ash does weave them together one can't help but feel there are a number of ends being left loose. The resulting pattern is a clash of colours rather than a harmonious whole. I found I just couldn't care enough about which character was matched to which Power Rangers-coloured demon to retain full investment in the plot and lost track of exactly what their aims and motivations were.
There is also a disturbing note struck by the development of the demons and their thirst for (invariably young, female) blood. It seems even a hero can get away with murder as long as the demon made him do it and he feels a little remorse at plot-critical moments. The impact of demon possession, as with so much else in this series, fell short because it was made to share space with too much else and never had the room to be fully explored.
It feels a shame to be so hard on this book, but sometimes it is those things with potential that we judge harder. There is a lot to admire about this series. The concept is original, the characters interesting. The plot is ambitious and so nearly lives up to that ambition, but Ash has reached slightly too far and taken on more than she can handle. Instead of an epic, we have a fantasy beach read: fast-paced and page-turnery but lacking the depth that really makes a reader care. I did enjoy it, but would I recommend it? Not really.
As in previous installments, the pace is hurtling. One can't help feeling that the book would have benefitted from more breaths taken and at least double the page count to allow us to fully immerse in the story. The story itself, though, contains promise. The warring states based on 19th Century Europe make a refreshing change from the typical generic mediaevalism, the political relations are engagingly twisty, and the magic - in particular Kiukiu's spiritsinging - stands out as original in a genre where much has been done before.
Unfortunately, this far into the series I found myself losing the grasp of what made it engaging. There are too many threads pulling in too many different directions, and while Ash does weave them together one can't help but feel there are a number of ends being left loose. The resulting pattern is a clash of colours rather than a harmonious whole. I found I just couldn't care enough about which character was matched to which Power Rangers-coloured demon to retain full investment in the plot and lost track of exactly what their aims and motivations were.
There is also a disturbing note struck by the development of the demons and their thirst for (invariably young, female) blood. It seems even a hero can get away with murder as long as the demon made him do it and he feels a little remorse at plot-critical moments. The impact of demon possession, as with so much else in this series, fell short because it was made to share space with too much else and never had the room to be fully explored.
It feels a shame to be so hard on this book, but sometimes it is those things with potential that we judge harder. There is a lot to admire about this series. The concept is original, the characters interesting. The plot is ambitious and so nearly lives up to that ambition, but Ash has reached slightly too far and taken on more than she can handle. Instead of an epic, we have a fantasy beach read: fast-paced and page-turnery but lacking the depth that really makes a reader care. I did enjoy it, but would I recommend it? Not really.
December 30, 2013
SPOILER ALERT... I thought it was a great ending to the trilogy! It was unfortunate as far as Andrei is concerned. I feel like like he was robbed in a lot of ways. He was possessed from the start (after his awakening, so to speak). I wish Lilias paid a much bigger price. Her threats at the end weren't really addressed, although I don't think they will really matter after her conduct and the fact she would be going up against the Emperor himself. I wish she was sent to Arnskammar. I imagine the Linnaius gave his life and possibly his power as a Magus for just enough time to help in the end. I wish she told us what he gave up both times! Other than these few thing I was pleased with the exciting ending to Children Of The Serpent Gate. I think Eugene is better because of the experience, and I also love the feeling Khezef showed at the end, a feeling of genuine love for Gavril, Tilua, and especially Kari. Kiukiu's trade was a pretty big one, although it seems her powers are much stronger (after all she didn't have a gusly to do her part in the end).The small reference that Chinua would help wasn't very reassuring, but I think she'll figure it out. All in all I loved how the story unfolded and how it ended. Thank you, Sarah Ash, for a good read!
August 9, 2008
While the final conflict seems a little absurd compared to the relative realism of the rest of the series, the epic confrontations and character development converge to create a satisfying ending. Thoroughly enjoyable.
January 23, 2011
This is a lovely ending to this great trilogy. It's all doom and gloom which I like. The hopelessness is a bit heavy to bear yet make the story so much better for me. Gavril does not lead an easy life. This tale is the final obstacle. It's complicated and well written. I'd read it again.
August 6, 2025
Enguerrand, King of Francia, has taken ownership of the five rubies, the fabled Tears of Artamon, therefore laying claim to the Empire of New Rossiya. The Francians are devout believers, duty-bound to cast drakhaouls from this world, including the vow to destroy Gavril and the dark spirit that possesses him.
And so this epic fantasy continues into the third instalment, with family and politics, love and betrayal, truth and falsehoods, weaving twisting, turning pathways through the layered landscapes and seas of the Empire. Enemies and allies war and unite, in a saga where lives are at stake and souls are at stake, and for some lost souls the dark continues to haunt. Light and dark transcend societies and cultures and character’s stories that are well-paced and relatable. As in previous books in the series, Gavril’s storyline takes a leading role, a man haunted by the demon that claimed his soul. Now he must confront those who would destroy his world and all that he holds dear. His quest leads him face to face with the fate of the woman he loves, Kiukiu, now cursed with premature old age following her journey crossing plains of the material world and into the Ways Beyond. But how can he help her when he can’t help himself. As always Gavril’s character demonstrates the delicious mix of strength, power, vulnerability, frailty, and corruption. He must confront himself, since the place where he ends and the demon begins is beginning to blur.
As in previous books in this series, Kiukiu continues to also be a standout character for me. After being cursed in the Ways Beyond when she went in search of Gavril, to help him, now she appears as an old woman and lives a quiet life with her grandmother, Malusha. She has seen the darkness that resides in Gavril’s soul, and knows it is getting stronger. But it is only after getting lost in the Ways Beyond that she understands the depth of that darkness. He had been dying in the tower, forced to look to the strength of the Drakhaoul for strength, but at what cost?
Gavril and Kiukiu’s fates entwine, demonstrating a depth of love and friendship founded in a willingness to sacrifice. Each of their journeys thus far have taken an enormous toll, and yet the love they hold for one another is undiminishing. It is a wonderful reflection of hope that I found incredibly endearing, for two characters I have been invested in from the very beginning. The emotional stakes are high, the story arcs are compelling, and the world, expertly drawn is a feast for the senses, a place to get lost, and found, spurred on by the desire to explore. As with all I have read by this author, this is fantasy at it’s best, superbly written, reminiscent of traditional and well-loved storytelling that also feels contemporary. The range of characters, intricately woven, add beautiful depth and surprise. Expect a world beyond the confines of gender stereotyping, with a refreshing cast, memorable relationships, and individuals that teach us that nothing is certain; nothing stays the same. It is a world of complexity, art, music, culture, colour, power and magic, where those born with silver eyes can twist a wind and see the place of spirit singers. A magical read.
And so this epic fantasy continues into the third instalment, with family and politics, love and betrayal, truth and falsehoods, weaving twisting, turning pathways through the layered landscapes and seas of the Empire. Enemies and allies war and unite, in a saga where lives are at stake and souls are at stake, and for some lost souls the dark continues to haunt. Light and dark transcend societies and cultures and character’s stories that are well-paced and relatable. As in previous books in the series, Gavril’s storyline takes a leading role, a man haunted by the demon that claimed his soul. Now he must confront those who would destroy his world and all that he holds dear. His quest leads him face to face with the fate of the woman he loves, Kiukiu, now cursed with premature old age following her journey crossing plains of the material world and into the Ways Beyond. But how can he help her when he can’t help himself. As always Gavril’s character demonstrates the delicious mix of strength, power, vulnerability, frailty, and corruption. He must confront himself, since the place where he ends and the demon begins is beginning to blur.
As in previous books in this series, Kiukiu continues to also be a standout character for me. After being cursed in the Ways Beyond when she went in search of Gavril, to help him, now she appears as an old woman and lives a quiet life with her grandmother, Malusha. She has seen the darkness that resides in Gavril’s soul, and knows it is getting stronger. But it is only after getting lost in the Ways Beyond that she understands the depth of that darkness. He had been dying in the tower, forced to look to the strength of the Drakhaoul for strength, but at what cost?
Gavril and Kiukiu’s fates entwine, demonstrating a depth of love and friendship founded in a willingness to sacrifice. Each of their journeys thus far have taken an enormous toll, and yet the love they hold for one another is undiminishing. It is a wonderful reflection of hope that I found incredibly endearing, for two characters I have been invested in from the very beginning. The emotional stakes are high, the story arcs are compelling, and the world, expertly drawn is a feast for the senses, a place to get lost, and found, spurred on by the desire to explore. As with all I have read by this author, this is fantasy at it’s best, superbly written, reminiscent of traditional and well-loved storytelling that also feels contemporary. The range of characters, intricately woven, add beautiful depth and surprise. Expect a world beyond the confines of gender stereotyping, with a refreshing cast, memorable relationships, and individuals that teach us that nothing is certain; nothing stays the same. It is a world of complexity, art, music, culture, colour, power and magic, where those born with silver eyes can twist a wind and see the place of spirit singers. A magical read.
November 25, 2019
I liked it, it was an interesting story. Not as good as the previous books, which spent time developing characters and establishing the world. It sort of threw in a lot of last minute concepts and characters to bulk up or facilitate a part of the plot. It feels like a longer story cut short, like it got out of hand and it needed to be wrapped up. Still, I loved the tale from. The first two so I'll give it 4 stars and writing an ending is never easy. But typically, it's probably more a 3 star piece of writing. Worth reading if you've read the first two books.
March 15, 2019
This book was an exceptional end to the Tears of Artamon series. I think it combined aspects from the first two books very well, and plot twists waited in every chapter. Karila's death and resurrection was a surprising moment and the betrayal of Belberith sparked my interest enough to make me read through to the end. Well worth reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2021
The story does wind to a conclusion, but seems too lengthy and often repetitive (and at the same time less clear than you would hope for). Suffers from a few too many characters which are hard to keep track of through the hundreds of pages, although admittedly it does total 1500 pages or something so it has to have a fair number of those to keep going . . .
April 23, 2020
Novaya Rossiya's Emperor Eugene makes an alliance of convenience with Gavril Nagarian, Lord Drakhaon of Azhkendir, to rescue the evil magus Kaspar, the emperor’s chief support, from King Enguerrand of Francia.
July 24, 2017
Excellent ending to the trilogy
February 7, 2018
Nota Geral: 2.8/5
Escrita: 3
Cenário: 3
Originalidade: 2.5
Personagens: 2.5
Suspense: 2.5
Humor: 2.5
Romance: 3
Capa: 3.5
Aditivo: 3
Previsível: 2.5
Escrita: 3
Cenário: 3
Originalidade: 2.5
Personagens: 2.5
Suspense: 2.5
Humor: 2.5
Romance: 3
Capa: 3.5
Aditivo: 3
Previsível: 2.5
August 21, 2018
Excellent
I was a bit concerned whether in the last part of the book whether the author wood resolve the conflict. She surpassed her writing skills. Thanks again,
I was a bit concerned whether in the last part of the book whether the author wood resolve the conflict. She surpassed her writing skills. Thanks again,
October 14, 2018
Read in 2006ish. Was my first ever adult fantasy series. Can't really remember the plot. Adding it to goodreads for stats sake.
March 23, 2020
It was not until the end that I remembered why I wanted to reread this trilogy. It is a pretty good ending. The whole story itself suffers from rushed storytelling, though.
April 24, 2020
Totally enjoyed the book
May 1, 2020
Excellent...another!!
October 9, 2023
This was a fairly good fantasy book.
January 17, 2024
A pretty good ending (I have yet to find a copy of the sequel). I liked the setting, and the writing was very good. However, I found the pace uneven.
April 12, 2020
To explain why this book has such a low rating, I have to explain shortly about the ratings of the previous two in the series.
While the first book completely blew my mind, had compelling characters, plot twists and So. Much. Potential!, and the second being a "typical" second part which set up a lot of things for the glorious conclusion, the third one was, well...
A complete disappointment.
Most unsettling to me were the loose ends everywhere. Most of them were more minor things but one annoyed me to no end. The main female lead/love interest of the protagonist (sorry, I read it years ago, dunno why I decided to write this review now)
**** SPOILER ALERT ***** (though I would encourage you to read it to save yourself the trouble of reading the book)
got a horrible deal of having to promise her firstborn to a witch to be able to save her beloved one. Since, to my knowledge, there will be no further books, this feels completely....wrong??? This is such a big plot line for a character we know and care for and it just ends hanging in the air and it came out of nowhere! Completely pointless to add this if as an author if you don't elaborate further or at least give a hint about it or some other open end with said child to get our imagination going. This was just... empty and irritating.
**** SPOILER END *****
Even the main plot line, which was at least, thankfully, tied up neatly with a bow on top, ended in what felt like 2 minutes and, again, with not much explanation or continuity.
And then there were all the new characters....
If you want to create entire arks for new characters then, for Pete's sake, briefly introduce them in this one and then write a spin-off or something! Some of them showed up halfway in the book and three quarters in had finished their character ark! I don't know who you are! I don't care! Why are you taking away space in the story about other characters I am trying to read?? I felt only slightly bad for one of the characters who also became possessed and then had to die because he got corrupted with the power (again, sorry, I forgot what his name was...) because he didn't seem like any worse a person than the protagonist but got a bit carried away and didn't even have an opportunity to redeem himself but just the short end of the stick with everyone hating him because the book ended. Or, if he were meant to be the character descending into darkness and you ending up hating him, then that failed as well - I had nothing against the guy other than that I didn't know much about him.
So, tl;dr, unsatisfying conclusion because a) too many swiftly introduced major characters b) tons of loose ends c) even the main arc was finished off really quickly and sloppily.
While the first book completely blew my mind, had compelling characters, plot twists and So. Much. Potential!, and the second being a "typical" second part which set up a lot of things for the glorious conclusion, the third one was, well...
A complete disappointment.
Most unsettling to me were the loose ends everywhere. Most of them were more minor things but one annoyed me to no end. The main female lead/love interest of the protagonist (sorry, I read it years ago, dunno why I decided to write this review now)
**** SPOILER ALERT ***** (though I would encourage you to read it to save yourself the trouble of reading the book)
got a horrible deal of having to promise her firstborn to a witch to be able to save her beloved one. Since, to my knowledge, there will be no further books, this feels completely....wrong??? This is such a big plot line for a character we know and care for and it just ends hanging in the air and it came out of nowhere! Completely pointless to add this if as an author if you don't elaborate further or at least give a hint about it or some other open end with said child to get our imagination going. This was just... empty and irritating.
**** SPOILER END *****
Even the main plot line, which was at least, thankfully, tied up neatly with a bow on top, ended in what felt like 2 minutes and, again, with not much explanation or continuity.
And then there were all the new characters....
If you want to create entire arks for new characters then, for Pete's sake, briefly introduce them in this one and then write a spin-off or something! Some of them showed up halfway in the book and three quarters in had finished their character ark! I don't know who you are! I don't care! Why are you taking away space in the story about other characters I am trying to read?? I felt only slightly bad for one of the characters who also became possessed and then had to die because he got corrupted with the power (again, sorry, I forgot what his name was...) because he didn't seem like any worse a person than the protagonist but got a bit carried away and didn't even have an opportunity to redeem himself but just the short end of the stick with everyone hating him because the book ended. Or, if he were meant to be the character descending into darkness and you ending up hating him, then that failed as well - I had nothing against the guy other than that I didn't know much about him.
So, tl;dr, unsatisfying conclusion because a) too many swiftly introduced major characters b) tons of loose ends c) even the main arc was finished off really quickly and sloppily.
May 15, 2012
Reviewing "Prisoner of the Iron Tower" and "Children of the Serpent Gate" together.
These are #2 and #3 in the trilogy, and I feel much the same way about them as I did about the first book: I really liked them.
Thee aren't books I would recommend to a non-fantasy fan in order to win them over to fantasy - but if you're a fan of long, complex fantasies with lots of plotting and politics as well as action and magic and just a little romance - well, these deliver.
The ante is upped here, as more of the drakhaoul are released, and enter humans - giving their hosts the ability to shapeshift into a dragon of terrifying power. But such power comes with a price - and the dragons may have their own motivations and agenda.
I felt that both books maintained the pacing set by the first in the series, and that the story was drawn to a satisfying conclusion. Enjoyable light reading - I'll be reading more from Ash in the future.
These are #2 and #3 in the trilogy, and I feel much the same way about them as I did about the first book: I really liked them.
Thee aren't books I would recommend to a non-fantasy fan in order to win them over to fantasy - but if you're a fan of long, complex fantasies with lots of plotting and politics as well as action and magic and just a little romance - well, these deliver.
The ante is upped here, as more of the drakhaoul are released, and enter humans - giving their hosts the ability to shapeshift into a dragon of terrifying power. But such power comes with a price - and the dragons may have their own motivations and agenda.
I felt that both books maintained the pacing set by the first in the series, and that the story was drawn to a satisfying conclusion. Enjoyable light reading - I'll be reading more from Ash in the future.
September 5, 2008
So, this was pretty good. My only real complaint is that some parts of the story didn’t really get wrapped up and kinda left me hanging and some important characters hardly showed up in this volume. One thing that I really enjoyed was all the stuff about Astasia when she was pregnant and when her baby was born. I just recently became a father so I smiled a lot as they were talking about baby stuff that I can now relate too. Especially the part where the baby gets fussy and starts to cry and as a result looks like a little old man. My son has a little old man face when he cries too. Anyway, enough of the “proud papa” stuff. All in all though, I really enjoyed this series. If I do end up reading it again I will try to not read as sporadically as I did this time because it made it a little hard to follow.
April 27, 2013
The final installment of this Trilogy, Children of the Serpent Gate, was full of action. The beginning of the book could have been more eventful in my opinion but still it was not boring at all. The ending chapters were ful of action and I could not put the book down. Nevertheless I did find that it left me with many unanswered questions, like "What will happen to Kiukiu's first born?" or "What was the price the Magus paid, and what will happen to him now, will he train Karila?". Finally I am happy Khezef and the other Drakhaon found a way home, but this leaves Gavril unprotected. Now he is just the same as anyone else, which means that our main protagonist is the same as everyone else, when the story ends. For these reasons I gave it four stars instead of five. Overall now I loved this trilogy and I cannot wait to pick up other books by Sarah Ash
January 29, 2010
This is a lengthy triology and the ending was not satisfactory. It is quite clear there will be more to the story for several of the main characters. The book was excellently put together and the storyline was unique. Even the good guys were forced to do horrible things to survive. There is suffering with little reward. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy books like The Name of the Wind or Deep Waters.
October 3, 2011
Sarah Ash’s Tears of Artamon series, which concludes dismally with ‘Children of the Serpent Gate’ (Bantam Spectra, $23, 516 pages). ‘Children of the Serpent Gate’ echoes the depression of ‘Prisoner of the Iron Tower’, and what redemption comes arrives not only very late, but almost completely unbelievably. If you’ve started this series, the finish isn’t really worth the time and energy; if you haven’t, don’t bother.
September 29, 2007
The series ends with a whimper, honestly, although you may as well read it if you enjoyed the first two. Things get very confused, major new elements are added on a last-minute basis, and the world loses much of its color, on the whole.
Still. . .some cool ideas, and the characters remain fairly appealing.
Still. . .some cool ideas, and the characters remain fairly appealing.
June 25, 2008
I am still WOWed! This one took me a little longer to get through because the pace was a little congested. With a cast of characters as big as this book has, it's no wonder that it took so long to finish the tale. But the finish was everything I had hoped for yet nothing that I expected. Wonderful ending for a wonderful series.
January 22, 2009
The ending left a few questions unanswered, which I guess leaves room for another series, although the main points were wrapped up well.
I ended up enjoying this book a bit more than the others in the series. I'm not sure if it's because I read them all in a row and so I felt I got to know the characters more, or because it was a bit faster paced.
I ended up enjoying this book a bit more than the others in the series. I'm not sure if it's because I read them all in a row and so I felt I got to know the characters more, or because it was a bit faster paced.
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