Steelflower in Snow

The Steelflower Chronicles #3

by Lilith Saintcrow

Kaia Steelflower meant to spend her winter resting, but the high price upon the head of her barbarian companion Redfist has drawn her out of safety and through the northern passes to the Highlands.

Bandits, blood, and treachery, Kaia's seen it all before. But something else lingers in the snowy wastes north of the mountain Rim. Ancient power has found a new host, plans have been laid for rebellion, and the giants of Skaialan do not take kindly to foreigners. Saving Rainak Redfist will demand all the skill, strength, and cunning the Steelflower can muster; saving herself--and her new princeling husband--might be impossible.

Winter in the Highlands is brutal, and it's only just begun...

Genres: Fantasy, Magic

240 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2018

About the author

Lilith Saintcrow was born in New Mexico, bounced around the world as a child, and fell in love with writing stories when she was ten years old. She and her library co-habitate in Vancouver, Washington.

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do hope the series continues, although from that ending - they aren't heading home any time soon.

[Geri Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed how she is learning how to accept emotion (and maybe help) can’t wait for the next in the series. Scary bad guy and her team need to be more understanding of her.

[Mindi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last two books should have been combined and seriously edited. There was no forward momentum - Kaia takes 1 step forward and 338 steps back. She understands every nuance of a fight, as relayed in agonizing detail over and over, yet she's incapable of even the simplest of emotions. The other characters used to be interesting and are now one-dimensional lumps that exist for Kaia to be mad at. This series feels pointless.

[Debby Tiner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book raised more questions than answers, and it appears the series will not be finished, despite its cliffhanger ending. Disappointing, but it is what it is.

Always appreciate the inclusion of the glossary, and the attention to world building that it represents. The diverse landscape, especially its focus on languages, is always such a joy in this series.

There was a lot of foreshadowing and not much resolution, especially in regards to Lady Needleslay, who I am tentatively calling my favorite character from this book.

The book addressed issues of sexism and racism, themes fairly relevant to the whole series.

There were a few typos in this copy.

Quotes:

“I could not be dead. It hurt too badly.”

“What little of Redfist's tongue he had managed to teach me did not help much, though I could now ask for the location of the privy and three mugs of mead comfortably enough.”

“what is assassination but a theft of life?”

[Agnieszka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this series! First of all, the world-building is excellent, love multitude of cultures, languages, lands and characters living in them. Secondly, we get a bit of medieval mixed with totally foreign taste (thanks to speech patterns & all of the above) but we know that the first colonies came from the stars. It all adds to my favorite type of fantasy where the developing of separate and unlike-anything-on-Earth environment creates whole new universe. I detest book in which everything is like on our world but with different creatures... this is NOT supposed to be URBAN fantasy! The worst thing that can happen to me is read american slang from the mouth of some troll or elf -_-'
It still feels like the beginning of the series, our heroine went from 'I have no power' to 'I have a very weak power' in her character development so SOME progress (yay!) but I REALLY do love her! She's very strong, stubborn yet so insecure... Hoping for the next book!!!

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was a trilogy but ends with to be continues...
In this book the main character has become unlikeable. She's dictatorial and shrewish always in conflict with her companions. Things that had been resolved, her twin relationship, mind speak, etc. are back to the beginning. She grants guest privilege but doesn't hesitate to violate it. She is the only one who can do anything. Plus the repeated comments about being a simple sellsword, when she never was (assassin, thief, etc.) us frustrating.

On the positive side: great world building and premise to the story. This could easily be a fantastic book/series.

[John A. Sillasen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Want More Need More As Impatient as a Sellsword On Her 1st Battle

Or so Kai'a Steelflower would say if the book ended as abruptly with you wanting, nay, needing more right then and now. We're left with our heroine as weak as a newborn colt, bedridden and a war Council in the waiting. Waiting on her recovery! That is one patient friend, her Rainak Redfist of the Northern Giants people.

[Sarani Rangarajan · Rating 4 out of 5]

And she continues to grow

I liked this book a lot. I had felt that perhaps the previous book was a bit of a slim one, with not much substance— but the chronicles are fairly shaping up to be pretty episodic. I could wish these two had been combined. I enjoyed this conversation episode.

[DemetraP · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this series. I enjoy reading about a strong female character who fights with a sword and is learning to use her magic.

My only complaint is that the romance is barely mentioned. Are they getting to know each other? I'm not even sure if they've slept together. At one point we're told D'ri uses the G'mai word for sword that could also mean the more intimate aspects of the twin bond.

So I guess he made a dirty joke to Kaia?

Right now this book is only available as a paperback, it will eventually be released as an ebook.

[CherylB · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in this series. It follows Kaia Steelflower’s travels. In this book she is backing up her barbarian companion Redfist. They have survived the assassination attempts and now must travel to the north to cut off the threat at the source. But Kaia finds that she is not suited to cold weather. And she can’t even soak in a bath. But things are more dire than they knew. And there is an evil entity involved. Can Kaia and Darik save Redfist and his clan? Will she survive in this strange environment? I am so glad that this story continues. I highly recommend it!

[Groucho42 · Rating 3 out of 5]

They go up north to deal with Rainak's issues and the typical mayhem happens. Nothing really special and it's a novella. While I'd keep reading, I see why she probably has dropped the series since there have been no new books in a couple of years.

[Terps2225 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I still want to know how the story ends. But not much to like on most characters part in this entry.

[H Volk · Rating 4 out of 5]

really dislike it when a book ends with the words "to be continued"

[Nicole Luiken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great world-building and action scenes, plus a prickly, competent heroine. So glad that book four is being written!

[Jessica Lerbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm finding Kaia's journey fascinating, and the series has plenty of adventure. Really don't like Redfist at all now, though.

[Gaiainc · Rating 4 out of 5]

More 3.5 than 4. Just need Kaia to stop thinking of herself.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Allie S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy news and update!!: Ms. Saintcrow is continuing Kaia’s story and is currently releasing new chapters weekly via her Patreon. The new book is titled The Highlands War.