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Sword of Shadows #3
A Sword from Red Ice
J.V. Jones made her impressive fantasy debut with the Book of Words trilogy (“Wonderful… J.V. Jones is a striking writer.”—Robert Jordan). A Sword from Red Ice is the latest in the Sword of Shadows, a uniquely powerful epic fantasy series of enormous scope, peopled by fascinating, compelling characters whom readers will take to their hearts.
This sharply observed saga makes utterly real the hope and heartbreak of a cold, splintered world on the brink of a terrible war. A thousand years earlier, the Unmade, souls of the dead, shook the land and decimated the Sull, a legendary ancient people. The Blindwall, breached by power unleashed by enigmatic, powerful young Ash March, no longer will hold back the Unmade from the land of the living, so the Sull are readying for a war that must inevitably come.
Across the land, clans oblivious to the threat vie for dominance. Dangerous, arrogant clan chiefs urge their followers to frenzied battles, killing one another and plotting against rivals. And a darker threat comes from Spire Vanis, a city with a black heart of evil, whose rulers have long sought to control the outlying clanholds, and whose new protector, Marafice Eye, is bent on conquest.
As Ash trains to become the great mystic warrior predicted by the Sull, Raif Sevrance, who loves her and has been exiled from his clan, seeks to discover where he belongs. The Rift, a deep crevice in the barren land of the Want, draws him. And that puts him in grave danger, for the Rift is said also to be a crack between the world of the living and that of the Unmade.
Raif, Ash, and those whose fates are tied to them must follow their own paths with courage and faith in themselves and their goals, lest all be lost when the war with the Endlords is come.
This sharply observed saga makes utterly real the hope and heartbreak of a cold, splintered world on the brink of a terrible war. A thousand years earlier, the Unmade, souls of the dead, shook the land and decimated the Sull, a legendary ancient people. The Blindwall, breached by power unleashed by enigmatic, powerful young Ash March, no longer will hold back the Unmade from the land of the living, so the Sull are readying for a war that must inevitably come.
Across the land, clans oblivious to the threat vie for dominance. Dangerous, arrogant clan chiefs urge their followers to frenzied battles, killing one another and plotting against rivals. And a darker threat comes from Spire Vanis, a city with a black heart of evil, whose rulers have long sought to control the outlying clanholds, and whose new protector, Marafice Eye, is bent on conquest.
As Ash trains to become the great mystic warrior predicted by the Sull, Raif Sevrance, who loves her and has been exiled from his clan, seeks to discover where he belongs. The Rift, a deep crevice in the barren land of the Want, draws him. And that puts him in grave danger, for the Rift is said also to be a crack between the world of the living and that of the Unmade.
Raif, Ash, and those whose fates are tied to them must follow their own paths with courage and faith in themselves and their goals, lest all be lost when the war with the Endlords is come.
720 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 16, 2007
67 people are currently reading
1673 people want to read
About the author
J.V. Jones
29 books863 followersJulie Victoria Jones was born in Liverpool, England. She has been writing for years, and is currently working The End Lords. She lives in San Diego, California.
All three books in The Book Of Words Trilogy are #1 national bestsellers, and have been bought for publication in England, Poland, Russia, Germany, France and Holland. Her fifth book, A Cavern of Black Ice, is the first in a new series.
J.V. enjoys cooking, gardening, reading, playing RPG's, watching old black-and-white movies, and pottering around the house!
All three books in The Book Of Words Trilogy are #1 national bestsellers, and have been bought for publication in England, Poland, Russia, Germany, France and Holland. Her fifth book, A Cavern of Black Ice, is the first in a new series.
J.V. enjoys cooking, gardening, reading, playing RPG's, watching old black-and-white movies, and pottering around the house!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
December 18, 2023
A Sword from Red Ice is the third entry in J.V. Jones' epic, dark, and snowy fantasy series, Sword of Shadows. I am completely invested in Jones' grim world and fully engaged with the characters, their adventures, and the turmoil that they face. This novel continues presenting the same elements that have gripped me so far, however, some of the plot progression this time seemed drawn out and mundane.
Following the climax of A Fortress of Grey Ice, a frustrated, injured, and starving Raif finds himself wandering through the Want, an area that, being broken by sorcery, is bewitching and does not follow nature's laws. Elsewhere, Clan Blackhail's chief's wife Raina is disenchanted with her clan's actions, believing they are going against the morals and ethics that made Blackhail so formidable and respected a clan, culminating in the Gods deserting them. As these events are unfolding, the formidable yet aging Dog Lord and his party of five are still trying to avoid detection from rivals after escaping through the Tomb of Dhoone Princes. These viewpoints, alongside Bram, Robbie Dun Dhoone's younger brother, are the most enjoyable chapters to follow, being the most action-packed and thought-provoking.
“I need you to tell your brother two things. First, you must tell him old grievances should be forgotten. Whilst we fight amongst ourselves the city men circle like wolves. When they spy weakness they will strike.” He paused, waiting. Bram made the smallest possible movement that could be taken for a nod. “And there’s another thing. Tell him days darker than night lie ahead.”
There are approximately twelve point-of-view perspectives and all of them are intriguing and focused so that no viewpoints blur into one another or are cumbersome. Main players Effie Sevrance and Ash Marsh continue to be fascinating characters yet I cannot help but assess that their arcs, this time, were more about them travelling from point A to point B. Essentially, just traversing to where they have to be for their particular culminations at A Sword from Red Ice's conclusion. Less page time is given to loyal giant Crope and the brutal, beast of a man, Marifice Eye. Both are interesting to follow, showcasing and giving detailed insights into further aspects of Jones' world, including those magical and political.
A Sword from Red Ice contains dozens of cinematic and incredible set pieces. A portion of these reflect that the stakes are increasing. This is because the vale between reality and the blind has been pierced, with the shadowy unmade now stalking the land. Other stunning segments include pivotal meetings of main characters from different factions, heartwrenching sequences, oath-setting, hardships and deaths, and stunning scenes with Raif and Traggis Mole. The latter are, to me, some of the pinnacles of dark fantasy literature.
Jones' world is incredible and immersive. Furthermore, it is a testament to her skill as a writer that main characters such as Angus Lok and Drey Sevrance are rarely seen throughout this book but their presence and influence are felt. Although I am reading what is featured here, I am considering implications elsewhere and what is taking place behind the words on the page. Jones allows us to use our imagination to fill in the blanks behind the scenes, based upon what clues are given. For example, Bram is now fostering with Clan Castlemilk (and doing very well), but, because of this, we are no longer are given a front-row view of the Thorn King, Robbie Dun Dhoone. As this is the case, our image of Robbie becomes altered based on how other characters perceive him as his legacy builds.
This novel is a long read at 600+ pages yet, even so, it took me a month to read which I believe reflects the pacing and my overall enjoyment. Some of the point-of-view perspectives felt like they were only given 2-to 3 chapters over the entire course of the book therefore feeling like there was little progression. On the contrary, I adored Raif's and the Dog Lord's chapters which were full of drama and updates, and I was always smiling when we returned to see how things were progressing.
"That sense of peace would not last for long. Mor Drakka, Watcher of the Dead, Oathbreaker, Twelve Kill: a man possessing such names could not expect to live a peaceful life."
A Sword from Red Ice is a solid dark fantasy read with moments of brilliance and fantastic dialogue but it can sometimes be hard work during more plodding sections. I feel the highest I can award this is a 7/10. Next, I shall move on to Watcher of the Dead, the final novel released by Jones for Sword of Shadows, which is a proposed series of 6 books.
Following the climax of A Fortress of Grey Ice, a frustrated, injured, and starving Raif finds himself wandering through the Want, an area that, being broken by sorcery, is bewitching and does not follow nature's laws. Elsewhere, Clan Blackhail's chief's wife Raina is disenchanted with her clan's actions, believing they are going against the morals and ethics that made Blackhail so formidable and respected a clan, culminating in the Gods deserting them. As these events are unfolding, the formidable yet aging Dog Lord and his party of five are still trying to avoid detection from rivals after escaping through the Tomb of Dhoone Princes. These viewpoints, alongside Bram, Robbie Dun Dhoone's younger brother, are the most enjoyable chapters to follow, being the most action-packed and thought-provoking.
“I need you to tell your brother two things. First, you must tell him old grievances should be forgotten. Whilst we fight amongst ourselves the city men circle like wolves. When they spy weakness they will strike.” He paused, waiting. Bram made the smallest possible movement that could be taken for a nod. “And there’s another thing. Tell him days darker than night lie ahead.”
There are approximately twelve point-of-view perspectives and all of them are intriguing and focused so that no viewpoints blur into one another or are cumbersome. Main players Effie Sevrance and Ash Marsh continue to be fascinating characters yet I cannot help but assess that their arcs, this time, were more about them travelling from point A to point B. Essentially, just traversing to where they have to be for their particular culminations at A Sword from Red Ice's conclusion. Less page time is given to loyal giant Crope and the brutal, beast of a man, Marifice Eye. Both are interesting to follow, showcasing and giving detailed insights into further aspects of Jones' world, including those magical and political.
A Sword from Red Ice contains dozens of cinematic and incredible set pieces. A portion of these reflect that the stakes are increasing. This is because the vale between reality and the blind has been pierced, with the shadowy unmade now stalking the land. Other stunning segments include pivotal meetings of main characters from different factions, heartwrenching sequences, oath-setting, hardships and deaths, and stunning scenes with Raif and Traggis Mole. The latter are, to me, some of the pinnacles of dark fantasy literature.
Jones' world is incredible and immersive. Furthermore, it is a testament to her skill as a writer that main characters such as Angus Lok and Drey Sevrance are rarely seen throughout this book but their presence and influence are felt. Although I am reading what is featured here, I am considering implications elsewhere and what is taking place behind the words on the page. Jones allows us to use our imagination to fill in the blanks behind the scenes, based upon what clues are given. For example, Bram is now fostering with Clan Castlemilk (and doing very well), but, because of this, we are no longer are given a front-row view of the Thorn King, Robbie Dun Dhoone. As this is the case, our image of Robbie becomes altered based on how other characters perceive him as his legacy builds.
This novel is a long read at 600+ pages yet, even so, it took me a month to read which I believe reflects the pacing and my overall enjoyment. Some of the point-of-view perspectives felt like they were only given 2-to 3 chapters over the entire course of the book therefore feeling like there was little progression. On the contrary, I adored Raif's and the Dog Lord's chapters which were full of drama and updates, and I was always smiling when we returned to see how things were progressing.
"That sense of peace would not last for long. Mor Drakka, Watcher of the Dead, Oathbreaker, Twelve Kill: a man possessing such names could not expect to live a peaceful life."
A Sword from Red Ice is a solid dark fantasy read with moments of brilliance and fantastic dialogue but it can sometimes be hard work during more plodding sections. I feel the highest I can award this is a 7/10. Next, I shall move on to Watcher of the Dead, the final novel released by Jones for Sword of Shadows, which is a proposed series of 6 books.
December 28, 2020
In volume 3 of the Sword of Shadows series, the progress of the story is rather hesitant.
Lots of interesting things happen, but there is hardly any real progress in the main storyline. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the book, even if I was not carried away by a long, exciting narrative flow.
I cannot mention details of the story here without spoiling the story for others.
Overall, perhaps a little less fascinating than the first two volumes, I rate with 4 stars.
--------------------------------------------------------
In Band 3 der Sword of Shadows-Reihe gestaltet sich der Fortgang der Geschichte eher zögerlich.
Es geschehen viele interessante Dinge, aber es ist kaum ein richtiger Fortschritt im Haupthandlungsstrang zu erkennen. Dennoch habe ich das Buch wirklich genossen, auch wenn mich kein langanhaltender spannender Erzählfluss mitgerissen hat.
Details zur Geschichte kann ich hier nicht erwähnen, ohne ins Spoilern zu geraten.
Insgesamt vielleicht ein bisschen weniger faszinierend als die ersten beiden Bände vergebe ich hier 4 Sterne.
Lots of interesting things happen, but there is hardly any real progress in the main storyline. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the book, even if I was not carried away by a long, exciting narrative flow.
I cannot mention details of the story here without spoiling the story for others.
Overall, perhaps a little less fascinating than the first two volumes, I rate with 4 stars.
--------------------------------------------------------
In Band 3 der Sword of Shadows-Reihe gestaltet sich der Fortgang der Geschichte eher zögerlich.
Es geschehen viele interessante Dinge, aber es ist kaum ein richtiger Fortschritt im Haupthandlungsstrang zu erkennen. Dennoch habe ich das Buch wirklich genossen, auch wenn mich kein langanhaltender spannender Erzählfluss mitgerissen hat.
Details zur Geschichte kann ich hier nicht erwähnen, ohne ins Spoilern zu geraten.
Insgesamt vielleicht ein bisschen weniger faszinierend als die ersten beiden Bände vergebe ich hier 4 Sterne.
March 11, 2017
The armies of Spire Vanis have invaded the clanholds and are marching against Ganmiddich. The clans are responding, mustering their armies to defeat the invaders and claim the prize of the Ganmiddich roundhouse. However, events back in Spire Vanis are outpacing the armies and may soon render the whole conflict moot.
Meanwhile, Raif Sevrance has succeeded in defeating the Endlords at the Fortress of Grey Ice, but knows the victory is only temporary. His path takes him back to the Rift, where his fellow Maimed Men are besieged by a servant of the Endlords, but he must also strike out beyond, in search of the mysterious sword known as Loss.
A Sword from Red Ice was originally published in 2007, five years after the publication of the previous novel in the series, A Fortress of Grey Ice. It is fair to say it faced a mixed reaction, with some readers citing it as Jones's best book to date and others as a novel with very limited plot development and poor pacing.
I elected not to read the novel on release, instead waiting for additional volumes to appear. Reading A Sword from Red Ice immediately after A Fortress of Grey Ice, it is clear there's been no major drop-off in quality or indeed pacing. A Fortress of Grey Ice was a slightly weaker novel than the first book in the series, A Cavern of Black Ice, because it introduced several new POV characters and storylines and the need to service all of these plus the existing characters resulted in a lessening of focus. Actually, this seems to have been one of the two main reasons for the delays to the third novel (the other being the fact that the publishers sat on it for more than a year before releasing it, due to scheduling issues): Jones had introduced even more storylines and characters to the mix and seriously pared these back in editing, allowing her to spend more time on the core characters.
The result is a book in which, when taken as a whole, a lot happens: Raif crosses the continent (twice), undertakes a quest, saves a city and finally finds a home and place in the world; the biggest battle in the series to date is fought, with the consequences being enormous; and the political situation within both Clan Blackhail and Clan Bludd shifts dangerously and dramatically. However, other individual storyline progress more modestly: Angus Lok only appears in the prologue and the epilogue; what he's doing for the rest of the book seems rather unclear, especially given the months that have passed in the interim. Effie Sevrance spends the whole book (though that's only four chapters from her POV) going up a river on a boat. Ash March, despite being set up as the series' second main character after Raif, spends the whole book traipsing through a wood. There is a definite sense of a dislocation of time in the novel, with some characters spending weeks or months travelling and others apparently only having a few days unfold in their storyline (Lok, most notably). I am also rather uncertain what Bram Cormac's storyline adds to that of the series overall. He spends most of this book (and the previous one) wandering around unable to make a decision about his future and angsting about it, like an introverted student on a particularly chilly gap year. He finally does commit to a new cause at the end of the novel, but it's questionable if we really needed this amount of set-up for him.
Of course, epic fantasies which get so big that the author loses control a little bit of them and ends up (inadvertently or not) adding more material than we strictly need is nothing new. Fortunately Red Ice is much more of a Dance with Dragons - a novel with problematic pacing and some storylines that could have been handled better but also some very fine moments sprinkled throughout - than a Crossroads of Twilight, where the reader will have more fun reading the Wikipedia summary than suffering through the novel itself. Raif reaching the titular Red Ice is a satisfyingly mythic moment. Raina Blackhail finally taking matters into her own hands and seizing control of her own and her clan's destinies is an important moment in her character arc (especially as she is arguably one of the best-written characters in the series). Ash realising the full potential of her powers is a powerful scene. If A Sword from Red Ice disappoints in some areas, it excels in others.
A Sword from Red Ice (****) is well-written, particularly well-characterised and its strongest moments shine. At other times the pace falters and some storylines are left under-developed (Book of Words fans hoping to learn more from Baralis will be disappointed). But a few problems aside, this is a strong addition to the series.
Meanwhile, Raif Sevrance has succeeded in defeating the Endlords at the Fortress of Grey Ice, but knows the victory is only temporary. His path takes him back to the Rift, where his fellow Maimed Men are besieged by a servant of the Endlords, but he must also strike out beyond, in search of the mysterious sword known as Loss.
A Sword from Red Ice was originally published in 2007, five years after the publication of the previous novel in the series, A Fortress of Grey Ice. It is fair to say it faced a mixed reaction, with some readers citing it as Jones's best book to date and others as a novel with very limited plot development and poor pacing.
I elected not to read the novel on release, instead waiting for additional volumes to appear. Reading A Sword from Red Ice immediately after A Fortress of Grey Ice, it is clear there's been no major drop-off in quality or indeed pacing. A Fortress of Grey Ice was a slightly weaker novel than the first book in the series, A Cavern of Black Ice, because it introduced several new POV characters and storylines and the need to service all of these plus the existing characters resulted in a lessening of focus. Actually, this seems to have been one of the two main reasons for the delays to the third novel (the other being the fact that the publishers sat on it for more than a year before releasing it, due to scheduling issues): Jones had introduced even more storylines and characters to the mix and seriously pared these back in editing, allowing her to spend more time on the core characters.
The result is a book in which, when taken as a whole, a lot happens: Raif crosses the continent (twice), undertakes a quest, saves a city and finally finds a home and place in the world; the biggest battle in the series to date is fought, with the consequences being enormous; and the political situation within both Clan Blackhail and Clan Bludd shifts dangerously and dramatically. However, other individual storyline progress more modestly: Angus Lok only appears in the prologue and the epilogue; what he's doing for the rest of the book seems rather unclear, especially given the months that have passed in the interim. Effie Sevrance spends the whole book (though that's only four chapters from her POV) going up a river on a boat. Ash March, despite being set up as the series' second main character after Raif, spends the whole book traipsing through a wood. There is a definite sense of a dislocation of time in the novel, with some characters spending weeks or months travelling and others apparently only having a few days unfold in their storyline (Lok, most notably). I am also rather uncertain what Bram Cormac's storyline adds to that of the series overall. He spends most of this book (and the previous one) wandering around unable to make a decision about his future and angsting about it, like an introverted student on a particularly chilly gap year. He finally does commit to a new cause at the end of the novel, but it's questionable if we really needed this amount of set-up for him.
Of course, epic fantasies which get so big that the author loses control a little bit of them and ends up (inadvertently or not) adding more material than we strictly need is nothing new. Fortunately Red Ice is much more of a Dance with Dragons - a novel with problematic pacing and some storylines that could have been handled better but also some very fine moments sprinkled throughout - than a Crossroads of Twilight, where the reader will have more fun reading the Wikipedia summary than suffering through the novel itself. Raif reaching the titular Red Ice is a satisfyingly mythic moment. Raina Blackhail finally taking matters into her own hands and seizing control of her own and her clan's destinies is an important moment in her character arc (especially as she is arguably one of the best-written characters in the series). Ash realising the full potential of her powers is a powerful scene. If A Sword from Red Ice disappoints in some areas, it excels in others.
A Sword from Red Ice (****) is well-written, particularly well-characterised and its strongest moments shine. At other times the pace falters and some storylines are left under-developed (Book of Words fans hoping to learn more from Baralis will be disappointed). But a few problems aside, this is a strong addition to the series.
June 25, 2012
Really liked the first two I read - the grey ice and black ice, grey fortress and black cavern ( all so confusing) - Jones does write with a terrific sense of place and some evocative use of language.... but this one? It's one thing to give the reader a sense of place, quite another when the description of that place takes over from story. Am only 25% in on my kindle, but the amount that has actually happened could be detailed without losing too much in around 50 words. And that's 150 pages reading real book time.
So no. Will plod on, but this is boring. It reads like filler; someone doesn't want to move the plot along too quickly, or at all, because she knows now she's going to spin it out to five books instead of three. Robert Jordan syndrome: starts strong and then slows ......right.............do..w...n..........
So no. Will plod on, but this is boring. It reads like filler; someone doesn't want to move the plot along too quickly, or at all, because she knows now she's going to spin it out to five books instead of three. Robert Jordan syndrome: starts strong and then slows ......right.............do..w...n..........
June 12, 2013
This was the book that convinced me to drop this series. Cavern of Black Ice drew me in, and I suffered through Fortress of Grey Ice, carried by the enthusiasm and affection the first book had given me. A Sword from Red Ice, being more of the same poorly paced nonsense as Fortress of Grey Ice, finally killed my affection.
As with the previous two books I read them this one several years ago so if I have misremembered any details I apologise. I have not, however, misremembered the profound disappointment I felt reading it.
I had been under the distinct impression that this series was a trilogy before this book was released, and thus there would be some payoff in the finale. I was even ready to write off many of the disappointments of Fortress as the lull of a middle book in a trilogy. However, once I finished this book and found nothing even vaguely resembling a conclusion at the end of it, I learned that the series was now ongoing for however many books it would take for something to happen.
The book continues the various storylines from the previous book, although it doesn't continue them very far. Worse still, some really boring characters show up from out of nowhere to give us their point of view on stuff we don't care about. The main character once again spends ages achieving very little. And of course, of the many, many PoVs we're given, none of them have anything to do with one another.
Don't read this book. Don't read Fortress. Read Cavern of Black Ice and enjoy it. The sequels will only mistreat you as a reader.
As with the previous two books I read them this one several years ago so if I have misremembered any details I apologise. I have not, however, misremembered the profound disappointment I felt reading it.
I had been under the distinct impression that this series was a trilogy before this book was released, and thus there would be some payoff in the finale. I was even ready to write off many of the disappointments of Fortress as the lull of a middle book in a trilogy. However, once I finished this book and found nothing even vaguely resembling a conclusion at the end of it, I learned that the series was now ongoing for however many books it would take for something to happen.
The book continues the various storylines from the previous book, although it doesn't continue them very far. Worse still, some really boring characters show up from out of nowhere to give us their point of view on stuff we don't care about. The main character once again spends ages achieving very little. And of course, of the many, many PoVs we're given, none of them have anything to do with one another.
Don't read this book. Don't read Fortress. Read Cavern of Black Ice and enjoy it. The sequels will only mistreat you as a reader.
November 21, 2013
Yet another great instalment in this series by J V Jones.
I am totally gripped with wondering what will happen with all the various characters in the book.
I must say I am so cross with Ash, fancy giving it up to that creep Fallstar.
She should have waited for Raif, he waited for her.
Some great stories within stories, if I had any criticism it is that due to the large number of characters it is difficult to progress each persons story fully within one book and I never get enough of any one persons story.
I am totally gripped with wondering what will happen with all the various characters in the book.
I must say I am so cross with Ash, fancy giving it up to that creep Fallstar.
She should have waited for Raif, he waited for her.
Some great stories within stories, if I had any criticism it is that due to the large number of characters it is difficult to progress each persons story fully within one book and I never get enough of any one persons story.
November 16, 2023
Another great entry in the Sword of Shadows series. The slow and ominous build in this epic is fantastic.
Now that being said this book took me a little time to adjust to. While it’s predecessors had a steady march forward this takes a different approach.
This book widens the world.
We learn more about the clans as well as the many other inhabitants of the realm.
So while it elevates these other characters the familiar heroes stories slow in a sense.
Once I adjusted to this I was all in. I found the second half riveting.
Can’t wait to start Watcher of the Dead!
Now that being said this book took me a little time to adjust to. While it’s predecessors had a steady march forward this takes a different approach.
This book widens the world.
We learn more about the clans as well as the many other inhabitants of the realm.
So while it elevates these other characters the familiar heroes stories slow in a sense.
Once I adjusted to this I was all in. I found the second half riveting.
Can’t wait to start Watcher of the Dead!
November 28, 2022
J.V . Jones...as always 5 stars!
January 4, 2024
The most underappreciated fantasy series of our time 😔
December 29, 2016
After reading the first two books in this series, I came into this one with huge expectations. JV Jones is widely acknowledged as one of the top talents in fantasy, with intensely emotional and hard-hitting drama making her books some of the most engaging and unforgettable in the genre. Often the scenes she writes are so gut-wrenching, heart-pounding, and tear-jerking (not to mention highly graphic) that I've hesitated to recommend her to very young readers or readers susceptible to being upset by heavy and intense emotion. Those are also the precise reasons why I loved the fist two books in this series so much. As Raif, Ash, Effie, and the rest tumble through this hard-hitting saga, where the brutal reality is never forgiving and ill luck seems around every corner, I came to love these characters and develop a faith in Jones that she would keep the series moving with the same intensity and brutality that she began it with. I thought she did that in Book 2, but this book really dropped off the cliff as far as intensity and real drama. Unlike the first two books, which kept me up late as I couldn't put them down, this one felt like more of a slog that I looked forward to being done with. While there were still a few spots of the greatness Jones is capable of in this one, most of the book read more like a travelogue, just getting characters into positions for story elements yet to come. I can understand the need for some transitional material, and maybe the same frenetic pace can't be expected through the entire series, but this book just had too little of the good stuff spread out over a very long-feeling and plodding book. I still have high hopes for the series, which will hopefully pick back up some steam with Watcher of the Dead, but if it is written in the same vein as this one, Jones will have come a lot closer to losing me.
One of the biggest mistake Jones made in this series in my opinion was the sudden killing of the only knowable antagonist, Penthero Iss, at the end of book 2. His demise came as a shock, and there was so much more that could have been done with him I wondered if it could have been a mis-direction. Alas, it doesn't seem so, and the resulting storyline of Marafice Eye and the Grangelords vying for power is frankly unthrilling and unnecessary. It also means that the only real antagonist we have now (with the exception of Mace Blackhail and a couple of other semi-bad human characters) are the unknowable Endlords and their minions. Unless the Endlords are somehow going to become understandable and develop some kind of character base, I don't think they are going to provide a great uplift to the story as the sole antagonist.
Still recommended, because necessary for the series (which is great!), but a disappointing installment.
One of the biggest mistake Jones made in this series in my opinion was the sudden killing of the only knowable antagonist, Penthero Iss, at the end of book 2. His demise came as a shock, and there was so much more that could have been done with him I wondered if it could have been a mis-direction. Alas, it doesn't seem so, and the resulting storyline of Marafice Eye and the Grangelords vying for power is frankly unthrilling and unnecessary. It also means that the only real antagonist we have now (with the exception of Mace Blackhail and a couple of other semi-bad human characters) are the unknowable Endlords and their minions. Unless the Endlords are somehow going to become understandable and develop some kind of character base, I don't think they are going to provide a great uplift to the story as the sole antagonist.
Still recommended, because necessary for the series (which is great!), but a disappointing installment.
April 28, 2016
And we're back once again!
A Sword from Red Ice picks back up (much like A Fortress of Gray Ice) from the exact ending of the previous book in the Sword of Shadows series. And that's not the only thing it shares with its predecessor either- if you've read Fortress you pretty much know what to expect from this next installment.
This is another slow burner, a glacial chunk of a book, where things happen slowly and purposefully and we grind along to another ending that occurs abruptly and doesn't provide much closure. Jones adds a few more characters and a couple of more layers of world building here and there but I still have just as many questions as I did at the end of Fortress (perhaps more).
That's not to say I didn't enjoy this book or that I'm losing interest- after around 2100 pages I'm still very invested in this world and I want to know how everything finally ends. But Sword is a much more uneven read than the other two and certain viewpoints start to wear out their welcome pretty quickly. Raina's chapters in particular (of which there are a fair number) started to become stale and it was very easy to identify a pattern to them where, for every step forward, she took three steps back. It felt deliberately protracted and forced and it made the character (whom I initially liked) into an indecisive, insipid idiot.
I also have to bring up the point that this is the second book in a row where there's been no big 'revelation' moment at the end. I appreciate Jones' pacing which does her complex world justice, but I also feel like readers should get rewarded at the end of a 700 page installment with something a little more substantial than what we're served here. I don't want the entire puzzle of the novels to slot into place by Book 3 but I do want to get my hands on a substantial piece of it so I can start playing around with the bigger picture it might create. 3 books in and questions from the middle of book 1 still haunt us here: What exactly is a Reach and what do they really do? What's the meaning behind Raif's moniker Watcher of the Dead? etc. etc. Even if we don't get the complete answer, tossing us a bone at the halfway point just seems like common courtesy at this point.
Props as always to Jones' fantastic prose and a special mention here for her names which are some of the best and most authentic sounding in fantasy that I've come across (seriously). Props as well and always to her frigid, murderous world, her evolving set of characters, and her mythos which grows with each book.
And, hey- props to us readers who've made it this far chasing after answers!
A Sword from Red Ice picks back up (much like A Fortress of Gray Ice) from the exact ending of the previous book in the Sword of Shadows series. And that's not the only thing it shares with its predecessor either- if you've read Fortress you pretty much know what to expect from this next installment.
This is another slow burner, a glacial chunk of a book, where things happen slowly and purposefully and we grind along to another ending that occurs abruptly and doesn't provide much closure. Jones adds a few more characters and a couple of more layers of world building here and there but I still have just as many questions as I did at the end of Fortress (perhaps more).
That's not to say I didn't enjoy this book or that I'm losing interest- after around 2100 pages I'm still very invested in this world and I want to know how everything finally ends. But Sword is a much more uneven read than the other two and certain viewpoints start to wear out their welcome pretty quickly. Raina's chapters in particular (of which there are a fair number) started to become stale and it was very easy to identify a pattern to them where, for every step forward, she took three steps back. It felt deliberately protracted and forced and it made the character (whom I initially liked) into an indecisive, insipid idiot.
I also have to bring up the point that this is the second book in a row where there's been no big 'revelation' moment at the end. I appreciate Jones' pacing which does her complex world justice, but I also feel like readers should get rewarded at the end of a 700 page installment with something a little more substantial than what we're served here. I don't want the entire puzzle of the novels to slot into place by Book 3 but I do want to get my hands on a substantial piece of it so I can start playing around with the bigger picture it might create. 3 books in and questions from the middle of book 1 still haunt us here: What exactly is a Reach and what do they really do? What's the meaning behind Raif's moniker Watcher of the Dead? etc. etc. Even if we don't get the complete answer, tossing us a bone at the halfway point just seems like common courtesy at this point.
Props as always to Jones' fantastic prose and a special mention here for her names which are some of the best and most authentic sounding in fantasy that I've come across (seriously). Props as well and always to her frigid, murderous world, her evolving set of characters, and her mythos which grows with each book.
And, hey- props to us readers who've made it this far chasing after answers!
August 15, 2012
Fuller world than previous books, and ultimately more satisfying, but I was more willing to put it down for the night. drawn in by Effie but don't care much for the despairing Blackhail. At least she finally took action. Yet another oath breaker, but why did the chief allow Bram to take the oath when she seems to have wanted him to break it? Puzzle for another book perhaps.
Let me guess: there's a sword we need to find. It's cold and winter is staying. Bram seems to be a like able misfit. Raids from the north. Have I heard any of this before?
Solid read but some issues with pacing and borrowed themes make this a 3.
Let me guess: there's a sword we need to find. It's cold and winter is staying. Bram seems to be a like able misfit. Raids from the north. Have I heard any of this before?
Solid read but some issues with pacing and borrowed themes make this a 3.
May 5, 2017
I continue to be enthralled by this series. I did feel the pacing has been inconsistent. Entire characters go from being focal points to rare backdrops. Some characters have very sparce plot or character development, while others (specifically Raif) seem to require a huge leap and bound in development for the plot to function.
Looking forward to seeing how everything resolves.
Looking forward to seeing how everything resolves.
August 23, 2011
Hmmm, disappointing in the end, this was due to be a trilogy.
On the whole this felt more a filler until the main action in the 4th (and hopefully final) installment....
Nicely written though.
On the whole this felt more a filler until the main action in the 4th (and hopefully final) installment....
Nicely written though.
May 15, 2021
[Beware: There are Spoilers in this Review!]
Really disappointed in this one.
The first two books always rode a fine line between enveloping me in the world, making me see and feel and know it, and taxing my patience. "Cavern" and "Fortress" aren't exactly page-turners, but the overall experience I got out of it was riveting and satisfying despite a lot of unnecessary lengthy passages.
In "A Sword from Red Ice", J.V. Jones finally overdoes it. Reading this book was one of the hardest slogs I ever read, worse even than the worst "Wheel of Time"-Books. My head was spinning by the barrage of traveling and landscape descriptions. And all the while, barely anything noteworthy happens. Most of the Chapters have the POV-Character navigating some terrain (The Want, The Clanholds, Some Underground Cavern) for 75% of the page-time, with everything being described in excruciating detail, and only some plot and character related stuff happening in the last quarter.
It's not that nothing is happening in this book. Quite a bit does. It's just that it's buried under all the fluff. Ash is probably the worst off here. She has four chapters, and all she accomplishes here is entering the Sull lands and losing her virginity. The Dog Lord basically just gets to safety and up to date about the threat concerning the endlords. Despite not being very exciting, I enjoyed Bram's chapters. Jones is still a very skilled character writer and really knows to convey the perspective of a young man trying to find his way in life. Raif's story gets bogged down in endless travelogues.
My favorite chapters in this book where the ones about Raina Blackhail. You really feel the noose tighten around her, driving her to more and more desperate acts. The Chapter with the title "Raina Blackhail" near the end is one of the two emotional highlights I had in this novel (the other being were Bram and Vaylo meet and have a wonderful conversation). Unlike the other characters in this book, she's actually given a satisfying climactic chapter that encapsulates everything she had to experience so far and culminates in a dramatic character change.
However, even these chapters are not without issues. To be honest, by now, Clan Blackhail just deserves to vanish and be destroyed. They might be tricked and manipulated by their chief, but even the most naive clan member should realize by now that their House is turned into a trash heap and slowly taken over by another clan. It is ridiculous that everything depends on Raina and there isn't even the tiniest vocal opposition to the massive changes and violations of traditions that are taking place. As much as I enjoy Rainas Chapters, the conflict she finds herself in feels at least a little bit forced.
The sheer unnecessary length of the novel must have been a criticism at the time, as the fourth book, "Watcher of the Dead", is a lot shorter. I'm curious how that works out, as I would hate to read another sluggish tome full of repetitive travelogues.
Really disappointed in this one.
The first two books always rode a fine line between enveloping me in the world, making me see and feel and know it, and taxing my patience. "Cavern" and "Fortress" aren't exactly page-turners, but the overall experience I got out of it was riveting and satisfying despite a lot of unnecessary lengthy passages.
In "A Sword from Red Ice", J.V. Jones finally overdoes it. Reading this book was one of the hardest slogs I ever read, worse even than the worst "Wheel of Time"-Books. My head was spinning by the barrage of traveling and landscape descriptions. And all the while, barely anything noteworthy happens. Most of the Chapters have the POV-Character navigating some terrain (The Want, The Clanholds, Some Underground Cavern) for 75% of the page-time, with everything being described in excruciating detail, and only some plot and character related stuff happening in the last quarter.
It's not that nothing is happening in this book. Quite a bit does. It's just that it's buried under all the fluff. Ash is probably the worst off here. She has four chapters, and all she accomplishes here is entering the Sull lands and losing her virginity. The Dog Lord basically just gets to safety and up to date about the threat concerning the endlords. Despite not being very exciting, I enjoyed Bram's chapters. Jones is still a very skilled character writer and really knows to convey the perspective of a young man trying to find his way in life. Raif's story gets bogged down in endless travelogues.
My favorite chapters in this book where the ones about Raina Blackhail. You really feel the noose tighten around her, driving her to more and more desperate acts. The Chapter with the title "Raina Blackhail" near the end is one of the two emotional highlights I had in this novel (the other being were Bram and Vaylo meet and have a wonderful conversation). Unlike the other characters in this book, she's actually given a satisfying climactic chapter that encapsulates everything she had to experience so far and culminates in a dramatic character change.
However, even these chapters are not without issues. To be honest, by now, Clan Blackhail just deserves to vanish and be destroyed. They might be tricked and manipulated by their chief, but even the most naive clan member should realize by now that their House is turned into a trash heap and slowly taken over by another clan. It is ridiculous that everything depends on Raina and there isn't even the tiniest vocal opposition to the massive changes and violations of traditions that are taking place. As much as I enjoy Rainas Chapters, the conflict she finds herself in feels at least a little bit forced.
The sheer unnecessary length of the novel must have been a criticism at the time, as the fourth book, "Watcher of the Dead", is a lot shorter. I'm curious how that works out, as I would hate to read another sluggish tome full of repetitive travelogues.
May 17, 2018
A "Cavern of black ice" was a good read, sometimes a bit chewy but bearable. In the second book I started skipping pages randomly, sometimes as many as 10 without having missed the slightest bit of information actually needed.
With this book, thought processes of characters are being dragged out endlessly, there are too many absolutely unnecessary phrases and information, scenes and their descriptions over 10 - 15 pages.
The best example for this would be the start at which the Hailstone explodes. It is a big event, sure and some information has to be given, but not the clan guides entire childhood and his complete thought process about everything that has happened in the past 2 years.
Not every bit in his environment that changes has to be described.
31 pages packed with this do not build up tension, they bore me.
What also comes to mind is something very illogical. A sandstone structure, 3 feet thick that has been settling for centuries through storms, earthquakes and whatnot, collapses partially from a stone that explodes. A stone that was surrounded by a wall and bursts into thousands of pieces, blows a 15 x 20 foot hole into a massive sandstone wall. No, certainly not.
Flaws in a book and its logic are absolutely acceptable, I wouldn't care really if the way it was written wouldn't be absolutely exhausting.
It feels like the author is trying to stuff her book with all of this, just to make it longer and give the impression that something is actually happening, which it is not.
With this book, thought processes of characters are being dragged out endlessly, there are too many absolutely unnecessary phrases and information, scenes and their descriptions over 10 - 15 pages.
The best example for this would be the start at which the Hailstone explodes. It is a big event, sure and some information has to be given, but not the clan guides entire childhood and his complete thought process about everything that has happened in the past 2 years.
Not every bit in his environment that changes has to be described.
31 pages packed with this do not build up tension, they bore me.
What also comes to mind is something very illogical. A sandstone structure, 3 feet thick that has been settling for centuries through storms, earthquakes and whatnot, collapses partially from a stone that explodes. A stone that was surrounded by a wall and bursts into thousands of pieces, blows a 15 x 20 foot hole into a massive sandstone wall. No, certainly not.
Flaws in a book and its logic are absolutely acceptable, I wouldn't care really if the way it was written wouldn't be absolutely exhausting.
It feels like the author is trying to stuff her book with all of this, just to make it longer and give the impression that something is actually happening, which it is not.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2018
I was a little disappointed with this book. I loved the first two in the series and this one seemed to go on and on and never really get anywhere. Everyone seemed to be on the journey they started in the second book and they are still traveling when the book ends. Very little advance was made on the story arc. I was still intrigued enough to keep coming back and finish the book. I am eager to read the next book and hope she finishes the last one soon.
July 31, 2020
So I wasted $8 on books 3 & 4 when I was warned by reviews here. Should have listened. But I really liked "Book of Words" and book 1 of this series. Book 2 started to slow way down with lengthy descriptions of landscape (ice and snow). Book 3 just falls apart completely. Nothing happens. Just hundreds of pages of filler. I was so taken by the earlier J V Jones. What happened? DNF.
September 14, 2021
I really don't see the usefulness of some of the character in this series or where some of the them are even going in this book, theres hardly any progress to say the least.
Ash Marsh the so called "Important character" was worse useless very annoying.
The timing is also very inconsistent.... Despite all this I'm hoping book 4 turns out well.
Ash Marsh the so called "Important character" was worse useless very annoying.
The timing is also very inconsistent.... Despite all this I'm hoping book 4 turns out well.
December 26, 2021
La idea de que los protagonistas se separen para que cada uno viva aventuras por su lado no me acaba de gustar. Las aventuras de Raif me han interesado mucho más que las de Cendra (cada vez más raras) y las de Raina me han parecido muy superficiales. La guerra de los clanes apenas está esbozada, creo que el título no es muy acertado. esperaba más.
February 7, 2025
Characters - Raif, Raina, Vaylo, Angus, Bram, Marafice eye, Hammie, Effie, Addie
Scenes - Vaylo racing Hammoe and his grandkids, Raina talking to the widows about where the Hailsman can stay, Parley between Bran and Vaylo, Marafice eye checking on his troops, Cluff and his army pledges swords to Vaylo, Raif, Addie, and Stillborn hunting, Raifs oath to the Mole
It just keeps getting better!!!!!!
Scenes - Vaylo racing Hammoe and his grandkids, Raina talking to the widows about where the Hailsman can stay, Parley between Bran and Vaylo, Marafice eye checking on his troops, Cluff and his army pledges swords to Vaylo, Raif, Addie, and Stillborn hunting, Raifs oath to the Mole
It just keeps getting better!!!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2019
Probably one of the weaker books in the series. I just felt like everyone spent this whole book trying to get somewhere and not lot happened. Hopefully the 4th book will be stronger and the 5th book might get published some time soon.
October 19, 2017
An exciting story filled with action, the threat is quite tangible and the character must struggle to attain greater power to face it.
September 29, 2018
3 stars. Series keeps going downhill. I'm done
April 23, 2020
Brilliant. Gritty. Dark.
January 14, 2022
See book 4 for combined review
November 10, 2022
I loved the book as well as the other books in this series but had to give it one star as the author left us hanging and NEVER COMPLETED THE SERIES!!! It has been 12 years since the last book.
April 13, 2023
This series is blowing me away....
July 15, 2023
Dark, desperate and depressing with a unsatisfactory ending but otherwise I liked it.
August 31, 2023
Much worse than the first three books. Now I understand why they didn't translate it
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