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Book of the Ice #3
The Girl and the Moon
In the third exhilarating novel in this dazzling epic fantasy series, a young outcast will fight against staggering odds to save her world.
On the planet Abeth, a narrow Corridor of green land is surrounded on all sides by ice plains where only the strong survive. Ice triber Yaz has completed a perilous journey and arrived at the Corridor, and it exceeds and overwhelms all of her expectations. Everything seems different but some constants remain: her old enemies are still two steps ahead, bent on her destruction. She makes her way to the Convent of Sweet Mercy, where nuns train young girls who show the old gifts, but like the Corridor itself the convent is packed with peril and opportunity. Yaz has much to learn from the nuns—if they don’t decide to execute her.
The fate of everyone squeezed between the Corridor’s vast walls, and ultimately the fate of those laboring to survive out on ice itself, hangs from the moon, and the battle to save the moon centers on the Ark of the Missing, buried beneath the emperor’s palace. Everyone wants Yaz to be the key that will open the Ark – the one the wise have sought for generations. But sometimes wanting isn’t enough.
On the planet Abeth, a narrow Corridor of green land is surrounded on all sides by ice plains where only the strong survive. Ice triber Yaz has completed a perilous journey and arrived at the Corridor, and it exceeds and overwhelms all of her expectations. Everything seems different but some constants remain: her old enemies are still two steps ahead, bent on her destruction. She makes her way to the Convent of Sweet Mercy, where nuns train young girls who show the old gifts, but like the Corridor itself the convent is packed with peril and opportunity. Yaz has much to learn from the nuns—if they don’t decide to execute her.
The fate of everyone squeezed between the Corridor’s vast walls, and ultimately the fate of those laboring to survive out on ice itself, hangs from the moon, and the battle to save the moon centers on the Ark of the Missing, buried beneath the emperor’s palace. Everyone wants Yaz to be the key that will open the Ark – the one the wise have sought for generations. But sometimes wanting isn’t enough.
544 pages, Paperback
First published April 26, 2022
327 people are currently reading
7863 people want to read
About the author
Mark Lawrence
99 books56.1k followersMy books vary a LOT - so
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Mark Lawrence is married with four children, one of whom is severely disabled. Before becoming a fulltime writer in 2015 day job was as a research scientist focused on various rather intractable problems in the field of artificial intelligence. He has held secret level clearance with both US and UK governments. At one point he was qualified to say 'this isn't rocket science ... oh wait, it actually is'.
Mark used to have a list of hobbies back when he did science by day. Now his time is really just divided between writing and caring for his disabled daughter. There are occasional forays into computer games too.
[My new book The Book That Broke The World is out now!]
Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/marklawrencea...
Blog here: http://mark---lawrence.blogspot.co.uk/
I'm on Youtube now! *excitement!*
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIrB...
Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/MarkLawrence...
https://www.instagram.com/mark___lawr...
Threads
https://www.threads.net/@mark___lawrence
Blue Sky
https://bsky.app/profile/marklawrence...
Three-emails-a-year newsletter here:
http://eepurl.com/cimnK1 #Prizes #FreeContent
I'm even on Tumblr!
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/marklawre...
Pintrest!
https://uk.pinterest.com/princeofthor...
Plus I have free stuff on Wattpad!
https://www.wattpad.com/user/MarkLawr...
Mark Lawrence is married with four children, one of whom is severely disabled. Before becoming a fulltime writer in 2015 day job was as a research scientist focused on various rather intractable problems in the field of artificial intelligence. He has held secret level clearance with both US and UK governments. At one point he was qualified to say 'this isn't rocket science ... oh wait, it actually is'.
Mark used to have a list of hobbies back when he did science by day. Now his time is really just divided between writing and caring for his disabled daughter. There are occasional forays into computer games too.
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August 5, 2024
My complete review is published at Before We Go Blog.
My pick for Best Book of 2022 - read more at Grimdark Magazine.
I had very high expectations for The Girl and the Moon, the final installment in The Book of the Ice trilogy, and Mark Lawrence blew those expectations out of the water. Lawrence is known for his consistent high-quality writing, and even by those high standards this ranks among his best work to date.
The Girl and the Moon picks up immediately after the cliffhanger ending of The Girl and the Mountain. There is so much action here from the first pages to the last, making the book essentially unputdownable.
Mark Lawrence does an outstanding job with all aspects of worldbuilding and character development. I love the characters and the friendships that develop among them, which become especially strong in this final volume of the trilogy. There are so many touching moments and subtle callbacks to Lawrence’s earlier books. For example, the last words that Yaz utters to a young Sister Pan in The Book of the Ice are exactly the same last words that centenarian Sister Pan uses to implore Nona Grey at the end of Holy Sister. Mark Lawrence is so good at capturing these details, which add extra emotional depth as well as understanding of the connections across his five trilogies.
Speaking of connections, this is the book that brings everything together from across all five of Mark Lawrence’s trilogies. I had guessed at some of the connections prior to reading The Book of the Ice, but there was still so much here that I hadn’t predicted. I’m not going to spoil anything for your future reading enjoyment, but let me just say that one character who is never mentioned by name in either The Book of the Ancestor or The Book of the Ice has been present in subtle and not-so-subtle ways across both of these trilogies. It’s not until the midway point of The Girl and the Moon that this becomes clear, and even then this character is not mentioned by name. Looking back, there were so many subtle hints sprinkled across all the books and even Mark Lawrence’s short stories. For example, his short story, “The Devil You Know,” essentially spells out one of these important connections. It went right over my head the first time I read it, but now the connection is obvious. The clue is even there in the title.
When it comes to interconnected universes, Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere usually gets the most attention, and indeed he has done a tremendous job conceiving the multiple planets, religions, magic systems, world-hopping characters, etc., throughout his universe. Across his fifteen books, Mark Lawrence has built an equally impressive universe across two planets (Earth and Abeth), but he has built these connections in a much more subtle way. In his Cosmere books, Sanderson is quite explicit about all of these details. In the Lawrencian universe, Mark Lawrence leaves much more to the reader to notice subtle details and put the pieces together. I love both of these universes, but I have found Mark Lawrence’s work to be the more rewarding of the two, owing to the more subtle way that he approaches his worldbuilding. Also, while Sanderson’s writing ranges from excellent (think Words of Radiance) to mediocre (in some cases), Lawrence’s writing is consistently outstanding. He combines the lyricism of Patrick Rothfuss with the ability to put out at least one new book every year (not the ridiculously high publication rate of Sanderson, but still very high).
The key character that runs throughout all of Mark Lawrence’s books is Dr. Elias Taproot, whom we first meet as a brilliant young scientist in the Impossible Times trilogy set here on Earth. Taproot appears again throughout the post-apocalyptic Earth depicted in both The Broken Empire and The Red Queen’s War trilogies. And then he is present on Abeth in a subtle way in The Book of the Ancestor and more explicitly in The Book of the Ice. But the connections across the trilogies run so much deeper than just one character, spanning religion, anthropology, history/mythology, and science/technology.
The scientific and technological aspects of Lawrence’s work are especially rewarding for me as a reader, particularly in how he cleverly blends fantasy and science-fiction. All the “magic” depicted across his trilogies has a scientific or technological basis. This becomes apparent if you put together the pieces of information from across his body of work.
Although I’m emphasizing the brilliant interconnected universe that Mark Lawrence has created, I should also stress that any of these trilogies, including The Book of the Ice, can be enjoyed independently of the others. In other words, you don’t have to read all these other books before reading The Book of the Ice. The trilogies themselves can be read in any order.
As a trilogy, The Book of the Ice is more of a slow-burn than Mark Lawrence’s other work. The first book, The Girl and the Stars, takes place in the stark world of the ice-tribes on Abeth. Much of it occurs underground, with many scenes having a claustrophobic, fever-dream-like quality. The first half of The Girl and the Mountain finds Yaz and friends confronting the priests of the Black Rock and then trekking their way across the dangerous ice toward the narrow Corridor of green vegetation that encircles Abeth. It’s not till the latter part of The Girl and the Mountain that Yaz’s storyline intersects directly with The Book of the Ancestor, when she finally arrives at the Convent of Sweet Mercy.
I love how Mark Lawrence writes about Yaz’s experiences in the Corridor during The Girl and the Moon. The vibrant colors and smells are a stark contrast to the white, sterile world of the ice. I smiled so many times as Yaz ate the delicious food of the Corridor or encountered animals and plants for the first time.
Most of all, I love the friendships that were developed among the four characters who arrived from the ice (Yaz, Quina, Thurin, and Erris), together with the novices and sisters of Sweet Mercy. This is so well done, at the same level that Mark Lawrence employed throughout The Book of the Ancestor. I would suggest that another appropriate name for The Girl and the Moon would be Mystic Sister, since this book feels like a fourth installment of The Book of the Ancestor and the two principal characters (Yaz and Mali, a.k.a., Sister Pan) are both powerful quantals.
The Girl and the Moon is a book that is intellectually stimulating while at the same time having a lot of heart. I’ve formed such a strong emotional bond to this book—to all of Mark Lawrence’s novels, actually—which is a testament to his ability to develop such an amazing cast of characters across an intricately detailed and intellectually compelling universe.
Let me just say it: The Girl and the Moon is my #1 new book of the year. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have.
My pick for Best Book of 2022 - read more at Grimdark Magazine.
I had very high expectations for The Girl and the Moon, the final installment in The Book of the Ice trilogy, and Mark Lawrence blew those expectations out of the water. Lawrence is known for his consistent high-quality writing, and even by those high standards this ranks among his best work to date.
The Girl and the Moon picks up immediately after the cliffhanger ending of The Girl and the Mountain. There is so much action here from the first pages to the last, making the book essentially unputdownable.
Mark Lawrence does an outstanding job with all aspects of worldbuilding and character development. I love the characters and the friendships that develop among them, which become especially strong in this final volume of the trilogy. There are so many touching moments and subtle callbacks to Lawrence’s earlier books. For example, the last words that Yaz utters to a young Sister Pan in The Book of the Ice are exactly the same last words that centenarian Sister Pan uses to implore Nona Grey at the end of Holy Sister. Mark Lawrence is so good at capturing these details, which add extra emotional depth as well as understanding of the connections across his five trilogies.
Speaking of connections, this is the book that brings everything together from across all five of Mark Lawrence’s trilogies. I had guessed at some of the connections prior to reading The Book of the Ice, but there was still so much here that I hadn’t predicted. I’m not going to spoil anything for your future reading enjoyment, but let me just say that one character who is never mentioned by name in either The Book of the Ancestor or The Book of the Ice has been present in subtle and not-so-subtle ways across both of these trilogies. It’s not until the midway point of The Girl and the Moon that this becomes clear, and even then this character is not mentioned by name. Looking back, there were so many subtle hints sprinkled across all the books and even Mark Lawrence’s short stories. For example, his short story, “The Devil You Know,” essentially spells out one of these important connections. It went right over my head the first time I read it, but now the connection is obvious. The clue is even there in the title.
When it comes to interconnected universes, Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere usually gets the most attention, and indeed he has done a tremendous job conceiving the multiple planets, religions, magic systems, world-hopping characters, etc., throughout his universe. Across his fifteen books, Mark Lawrence has built an equally impressive universe across two planets (Earth and Abeth), but he has built these connections in a much more subtle way. In his Cosmere books, Sanderson is quite explicit about all of these details. In the Lawrencian universe, Mark Lawrence leaves much more to the reader to notice subtle details and put the pieces together. I love both of these universes, but I have found Mark Lawrence’s work to be the more rewarding of the two, owing to the more subtle way that he approaches his worldbuilding. Also, while Sanderson’s writing ranges from excellent (think Words of Radiance) to mediocre (in some cases), Lawrence’s writing is consistently outstanding. He combines the lyricism of Patrick Rothfuss with the ability to put out at least one new book every year (not the ridiculously high publication rate of Sanderson, but still very high).
The key character that runs throughout all of Mark Lawrence’s books is Dr. Elias Taproot, whom we first meet as a brilliant young scientist in the Impossible Times trilogy set here on Earth. Taproot appears again throughout the post-apocalyptic Earth depicted in both The Broken Empire and The Red Queen’s War trilogies. And then he is present on Abeth in a subtle way in The Book of the Ancestor and more explicitly in The Book of the Ice. But the connections across the trilogies run so much deeper than just one character, spanning religion, anthropology, history/mythology, and science/technology.
The scientific and technological aspects of Lawrence’s work are especially rewarding for me as a reader, particularly in how he cleverly blends fantasy and science-fiction. All the “magic” depicted across his trilogies has a scientific or technological basis. This becomes apparent if you put together the pieces of information from across his body of work.
Although I’m emphasizing the brilliant interconnected universe that Mark Lawrence has created, I should also stress that any of these trilogies, including The Book of the Ice, can be enjoyed independently of the others. In other words, you don’t have to read all these other books before reading The Book of the Ice. The trilogies themselves can be read in any order.
As a trilogy, The Book of the Ice is more of a slow-burn than Mark Lawrence’s other work. The first book, The Girl and the Stars, takes place in the stark world of the ice-tribes on Abeth. Much of it occurs underground, with many scenes having a claustrophobic, fever-dream-like quality. The first half of The Girl and the Mountain finds Yaz and friends confronting the priests of the Black Rock and then trekking their way across the dangerous ice toward the narrow Corridor of green vegetation that encircles Abeth. It’s not till the latter part of The Girl and the Mountain that Yaz’s storyline intersects directly with The Book of the Ancestor, when she finally arrives at the Convent of Sweet Mercy.
I love how Mark Lawrence writes about Yaz’s experiences in the Corridor during The Girl and the Moon. The vibrant colors and smells are a stark contrast to the white, sterile world of the ice. I smiled so many times as Yaz ate the delicious food of the Corridor or encountered animals and plants for the first time.
Most of all, I love the friendships that were developed among the four characters who arrived from the ice (Yaz, Quina, Thurin, and Erris), together with the novices and sisters of Sweet Mercy. This is so well done, at the same level that Mark Lawrence employed throughout The Book of the Ancestor. I would suggest that another appropriate name for The Girl and the Moon would be Mystic Sister, since this book feels like a fourth installment of The Book of the Ancestor and the two principal characters (Yaz and Mali, a.k.a., Sister Pan) are both powerful quantals.
The Girl and the Moon is a book that is intellectually stimulating while at the same time having a lot of heart. I’ve formed such a strong emotional bond to this book—to all of Mark Lawrence’s novels, actually—which is a testament to his ability to develop such an amazing cast of characters across an intricately detailed and intellectually compelling universe.
Let me just say it: The Girl and the Moon is my #1 new book of the year. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have.
Read
May 31, 2025My 15th published book ... FIFTEENTH
This one has connections to all the others (especially Red Sister / Book of the Ancestor), so plenty for Lawrenceologists to pick up on. But it definitely works fine as a standalone trilogy - as witnessed by reviews from readers who've read nothing of mine but these three books.
“People fasten on to hatred for reasons that have little or nothing to do with fairness or reason. And neither fairness nor reason is a tool that will prise them free from it.”
The Girl And The Moon, Third Book of the Ice.
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This one has connections to all the others (especially Red Sister / Book of the Ancestor), so plenty for Lawrenceologists to pick up on. But it definitely works fine as a standalone trilogy - as witnessed by reviews from readers who've read nothing of mine but these three books.
“People fasten on to hatred for reasons that have little or nothing to do with fairness or reason. And neither fairness nor reason is a tool that will prise them free from it.”
The Girl And The Moon, Third Book of the Ice.
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
...
March 25, 2022
Mark Lawrence was once asked in an interview if he was a planter or a pantser—whether he planned his stories far out in advance or flew by the seat of his pants—and he described himself as the latter. After finishing The Girl and the Moon, it’s getting harder and harder to believe him. The final chapter of the Book of the Ice series not only caps the trilogy with an exceptionally strong finish but it also feels like an exclamation mark on his entire body of work, culminating all the major storylines from his other series throughout his publishing career into an Avengers: Endgame-style finale filled with triumph, tragedy, and hope.
Books one and two spoilers ahead.
After escaping Black Rock, traversing the ice, and making their way through a warp gate, Yaz, Theus, Quina, Thurin, Mali, and Erris have found themselves inside Sweet Mercy Convent, awaiting trial for theft and murder, thanks to the treacherous Eular. Right out of the … ahem... gate, the first few chapters place our heroes under heavy duress and the book is basically unputdownable until the opening sequence is resolved. Mark has a talent for strong openings, but this is his fastest, most exciting, highest-stakes opening sequence out of any of his novels, full-stop. The second quarter of the novel slows things down a bit as the troupe gets situated into their new surroundings, and the story does start to feel like it loses a bit of direction, as the characters don’t really know the best path to take. That quickly changes around the halfway mark, as there is a dramatic shift, several plot twists, some surprising character choices, and we’re off to the races until the rollercoaster ending.
The last line of dialogue feels like the both the symbolic and definitive end to the Broken Empire & Abeth saga, with a clear message that the last pages of this universe have been written, and something else entirely is on the horizon for Mark’s next projects. I get a sense that for the first time it will be unlinked to anything else he’s written before. If true, I’ll be sad to see this incredible world go, but it has been concluded with the utmost care for its characters and environment.
There was one moment in the closing half when a few lines of dialogue casually dropped, and it changed everything. Careful readers and longtime fans will pick up on the reference and will have their perspective on the whole trilogy re-evaluated, though it is possible to miss! Looking back, knowing what I know now, I am seeing the clues doled out along the way. I like to think I’m good at picking up on these things, but this time I was blindsided by the revelation and absolutely adored it. It’s rare to feel such an unexpected payoff that feels so earned and justified, and Lawrence pulled it off beautifully.
The Book of the Ice series is less of a sequel series than a companion series to The Book of the Ancestor, and strangely enough, I think that can be said for all of Mark’s series. Even though they take place at different points along the same timeline, there’s a fair argument that a new and thrilling experience can be gleaned by reading any of his series in any order you choose. I read them in order of publication, but I’m now curious at the different perspective I’d have gained if I read them in a different order. It’s a testament to Mark’s jazz-like style of storytelling – sometimes it’s the words not said that speak loudest – which adds to the mystique of each new volume’s release.
The Girl and the Moon is not only an exciting and rewarding finish to Yaz’s saga, but also a love letter to the universe and the fans who have appreciated its construction over the years. It is a rare book that makes its preceding books even better.
Books one and two spoilers ahead.
After escaping Black Rock, traversing the ice, and making their way through a warp gate, Yaz, Theus, Quina, Thurin, Mali, and Erris have found themselves inside Sweet Mercy Convent, awaiting trial for theft and murder, thanks to the treacherous Eular. Right out of the … ahem... gate, the first few chapters place our heroes under heavy duress and the book is basically unputdownable until the opening sequence is resolved. Mark has a talent for strong openings, but this is his fastest, most exciting, highest-stakes opening sequence out of any of his novels, full-stop. The second quarter of the novel slows things down a bit as the troupe gets situated into their new surroundings, and the story does start to feel like it loses a bit of direction, as the characters don’t really know the best path to take. That quickly changes around the halfway mark, as there is a dramatic shift, several plot twists, some surprising character choices, and we’re off to the races until the rollercoaster ending.
The last line of dialogue feels like the both the symbolic and definitive end to the Broken Empire & Abeth saga, with a clear message that the last pages of this universe have been written, and something else entirely is on the horizon for Mark’s next projects. I get a sense that for the first time it will be unlinked to anything else he’s written before. If true, I’ll be sad to see this incredible world go, but it has been concluded with the utmost care for its characters and environment.
There was one moment in the closing half when a few lines of dialogue casually dropped, and it changed everything. Careful readers and longtime fans will pick up on the reference and will have their perspective on the whole trilogy re-evaluated, though it is possible to miss! Looking back, knowing what I know now, I am seeing the clues doled out along the way. I like to think I’m good at picking up on these things, but this time I was blindsided by the revelation and absolutely adored it. It’s rare to feel such an unexpected payoff that feels so earned and justified, and Lawrence pulled it off beautifully.
The Book of the Ice series is less of a sequel series than a companion series to The Book of the Ancestor, and strangely enough, I think that can be said for all of Mark’s series. Even though they take place at different points along the same timeline, there’s a fair argument that a new and thrilling experience can be gleaned by reading any of his series in any order you choose. I read them in order of publication, but I’m now curious at the different perspective I’d have gained if I read them in a different order. It’s a testament to Mark’s jazz-like style of storytelling – sometimes it’s the words not said that speak loudest – which adds to the mystique of each new volume’s release.
The Girl and the Moon is not only an exciting and rewarding finish to Yaz’s saga, but also a love letter to the universe and the fans who have appreciated its construction over the years. It is a rare book that makes its preceding books even better.
March 13, 2021
If you have not read any of Mark's previous trilogies, The Book Of The Ice will hit you with a force that makes you pick them up and read them.
Albeit, it won't be obvious from the first book, yet, but if you have read the Impossible Times, you will appreciate the story even more. If you have read The Book of the Ancestor you will love this to pieces. And if you have read the Broken Empire, you may also find yourself in tears by the end of book 3. It's not just simply epic. It's so good it hurts.
I was very lucky to be the beta-reader for this trilogy once again. Hope you will all love these books, too!
Albeit, it won't be obvious from the first book, yet, but if you have read the Impossible Times, you will appreciate the story even more. If you have read The Book of the Ancestor you will love this to pieces. And if you have read the Broken Empire, you may also find yourself in tears by the end of book 3. It's not just simply epic. It's so good it hurts.
I was very lucky to be the beta-reader for this trilogy once again. Hope you will all love these books, too!
June 13, 2022
Well I finished all three books, although none of them grabbed me anything like the Book of the Ancestor did, even though this final book brought in elements of the superior trilogy.
At times the story and action are really gripping and the characters are colourful and interesting, but never with the same warmth as the novices and their friendships from the convent. The story robs them all of their character in the end.
I did want to know how it all ended and Yaz is once again the central heroine, but it all became a bit of a convoluted mish mash by the end. Some good storytelling, but ultimately it fell flat for me.
3.5
At times the story and action are really gripping and the characters are colourful and interesting, but never with the same warmth as the novices and their friendships from the convent. The story robs them all of their character in the end.
I did want to know how it all ended and Yaz is once again the central heroine, but it all became a bit of a convoluted mish mash by the end. Some good storytelling, but ultimately it fell flat for me.
3.5
January 28, 2022
The Girl and the Moon is the culmination of the Book of the Ice trilogy. And as such, it's a terrific conclusion to a superior series. But it's so much more than that. It's also the culmination of Mark Lawrence's entire body of work, and that's what makes this one so special. Though it doesn't provide all the answers and it raises its fair share of new questions, this third installment is the novel that ties the Broken Empire, The Red Queen's War, the Book of the Ancestor, the Impossible Times, and the Book of the Ice series together in ways that will shock you.
Some authors such as Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordan, George R. R. Martin, Steven Erikson, and R. Scott Bakker set out to write dense and ambitious sagas, multilayered and continents-spanning epics filled with countless characters, and so vast in scope and vision that at times can be mind-blowing. Others, like Robin Hobb, Joe Abercrombie, Jacqueline Carey, and now Mark Lawrence, write shorter series and stand-alones that build on one another, slowly but surely creating worlds and protagonists that echo with as much depth as the universes of these aforementioned renowned worldbuilders. I've often complained that Lawrence played his cards too close to his chest when it came to worldbuilding, but the sneaky bastard really pulled the rug from under me. The funny thing about all this is that it wasn't truly planned to be this way. The author told me that planning is a hard concept to pin now. It has many incarnations, layers, and resolutions. Lawrence never sat down and wrote a detailed master plan spanning multiple trilogies. But he does have ideas, themes, etc, that he orbits about. Whatever the case may be, planned or not, in the end it brings those five series to a thrilling and fascinating conclusion.
You can read my full review here: https://fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com/2...
Some authors such as Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordan, George R. R. Martin, Steven Erikson, and R. Scott Bakker set out to write dense and ambitious sagas, multilayered and continents-spanning epics filled with countless characters, and so vast in scope and vision that at times can be mind-blowing. Others, like Robin Hobb, Joe Abercrombie, Jacqueline Carey, and now Mark Lawrence, write shorter series and stand-alones that build on one another, slowly but surely creating worlds and protagonists that echo with as much depth as the universes of these aforementioned renowned worldbuilders. I've often complained that Lawrence played his cards too close to his chest when it came to worldbuilding, but the sneaky bastard really pulled the rug from under me. The funny thing about all this is that it wasn't truly planned to be this way. The author told me that planning is a hard concept to pin now. It has many incarnations, layers, and resolutions. Lawrence never sat down and wrote a detailed master plan spanning multiple trilogies. But he does have ideas, themes, etc, that he orbits about. Whatever the case may be, planned or not, in the end it brings those five series to a thrilling and fascinating conclusion.
You can read my full review here: https://fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com/2...
April 11, 2022
This is the easiest 5/5 I've given since Broken Empire (including all read books, not just Lawrence's).
My talents are better suited to listing every single spoiler rather than avoiding all of them, so I will keep this very brief:
It is rare that a 3rd installment in a series is as good as the 1st and even more rare that a 3rd outshines the 1st. This is not to say that The Girl and the Stars wasn't a good book, this is to say that The Girl and the Moon was phenomenal!
I did actually list every single spoiler (probably), but I'll keep that file under lock until official release :)
My talents are better suited to listing every single spoiler rather than avoiding all of them, so I will keep this very brief:
It is rare that a 3rd installment in a series is as good as the 1st and even more rare that a 3rd outshines the 1st. This is not to say that The Girl and the Stars wasn't a good book, this is to say that The Girl and the Moon was phenomenal!
I did actually list every single spoiler (probably), but I'll keep that file under lock until official release :)
July 31, 2022
This third and final volume of Book of the Ice is a continuation of Mark Lawrence's Book of the Ancestor series, full of references that I only get mildly because I had only read the first book in that trilogy. HOWEVER, the sisters are in full swing in this volume.
Good? Good. That being said, and ignoring the food worship bits, I think this book was full of some really neat ideas and some great adventure that includes, but is never limited to, some classic SF tropes.
If you want some real genre details, here you go:
Did I enjoy it? Yes, of course. It might have been my mood, but there was a bit more normal stuff in this, filler-type stuff, than I normally would have liked. But when it got right down to the big stuff, I was quite pleased. A good ending?
It was fun for exactly what it was. :)
Good? Good. That being said, and ignoring the food worship bits, I think this book was full of some really neat ideas and some great adventure that includes, but is never limited to, some classic SF tropes.
If you want some real genre details, here you go:
Did I enjoy it? Yes, of course. It might have been my mood, but there was a bit more normal stuff in this, filler-type stuff, than I normally would have liked. But when it got right down to the big stuff, I was quite pleased. A good ending?
It was fun for exactly what it was. :)
April 26, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Mark Lawrence really knows how to plot trilogies expertly. So far, I've read Book of the Ancestor and Book of the Ice and loved them both. I own the Impossible Times trilogy, and once I read those, will go back for Broken Empire.
I care deeply about the characters in this trilogy, as much as the ones from Book of the Ancestor, and really need more. The blurb doesn't say "trilogy," instead saying "series," so maybe this one will have more? *sighs*
Highly recommend this one, but with the caveat that you at least need to read the first two Book of the Ice before picking this one up. I'd definitely suggest reading Book of the Ancestor first as well, and as many others have mentioned his other series, perhaps those too. There are connections a-plenty.
Mark Lawrence really knows how to plot trilogies expertly. So far, I've read Book of the Ancestor and Book of the Ice and loved them both. I own the Impossible Times trilogy, and once I read those, will go back for Broken Empire.
I care deeply about the characters in this trilogy, as much as the ones from Book of the Ancestor, and really need more. The blurb doesn't say "trilogy," instead saying "series," so maybe this one will have more? *sighs*
Highly recommend this one, but with the caveat that you at least need to read the first two Book of the Ice before picking this one up. I'd definitely suggest reading Book of the Ancestor first as well, and as many others have mentioned his other series, perhaps those too. There are connections a-plenty.
January 25, 2022
My thanks to NetGalley for making an eARC of this book available to me.
This, the third book in the author's latest series, was a very satisfying read. Pretty much non-stop action, many of the chapters leaving you at a cliffhanger just to switch perspectives to a different character in the next chapter. This could have been annoying, but instead it just made me want to keep on reading. The last 10% of the book has so many twists and turns that it will make your head spin, including a bit of an homage to the Wizard of Oz. I keep seeing ways in which this trilogy is definitely related to previous trilogies, and other ways in which I may be imagining those relationships.
Get this book, buckle up, and get ready for a fantastic ride.
This, the third book in the author's latest series, was a very satisfying read. Pretty much non-stop action, many of the chapters leaving you at a cliffhanger just to switch perspectives to a different character in the next chapter. This could have been annoying, but instead it just made me want to keep on reading. The last 10% of the book has so many twists and turns that it will make your head spin, including a bit of an homage to the Wizard of Oz. I keep seeing ways in which this trilogy is definitely related to previous trilogies, and other ways in which I may be imagining those relationships.
Get this book, buckle up, and get ready for a fantastic ride.
May 11, 2022
I’ve read fantasy series or trilogies I’ve enjoyed overall to find the very end is maybe not so satisfying. Maybe even a bit disappointing. This final book in the Book of the Ice trilogy is certainly not one of those! An excellent conclusion to a very involved storyline and a complex world. You need to read right to the end too, to get the full story.
You certainly don’t get into a settled routine reading this story. A nice mix of quieter sections, where the background is expanded at a gentle pace, with sudden action-rich events, especially towards the end of the book. And a background ‘drip drip’ unveiling to the back story of this dying world, its history but also the unusual backstory of some of the characters. Excellent prose, of course, a feature I enjoy in all this author’s books.
I’d emphasise that this book, in line with the series, is one of the more complex fantasy reads I’ve come across in recent years. The ice-world of Abeth with its narrow equatorial habitable zone is fascinating, with a mysterious history that’s been increasingly revealed to a significant degree over the course of the trilogy, with perhaps most of the major links coming out in his volume. Like many of ML’s books it has a magic system that has a science fiction core though still mysterious enough to us to be in a sort of transition between magic and advanced technology. Personally I love this aspect of the story.
At least 50% of the main characters are young adults. I must confess to being cautious about YA character rich stories as I often find them populated by poorly written young love angles and immature emotions. Absolutely not the case here. Certainly the YA characters are curious about life, relationships and new emotions, but this aspect is handled, I think, in an intelligent, mature manner.
Also the oblique link to the previous trilogy on this world (The Book of the Ancestor) becomes a bit more obvious too. Something you discover for yourself, and not presented on a plate to you…
As I’ve indicated this series required more concentration than most of my fantasy reads. Not just because of my ageing brain either. It’s clearly a world, with a complex history and characters, that’s required a great deal of thought to conjure up.
A word about how easy it was to pick up the story too, after a year’s gap from volume 2 publication. This is often a tricky aspect for me in many fantasy series where I’m reading as the fresh volumes are published, given that in the period between volumes I may have read 60+ other books.
This author is one of the minority who does give a good ‘story so far’ in his later volumes, and a character list. Much appreciated. I was surprised to see how quickly I got back into this rich tale using the author’s ‘story so far’. However, for many involved stories which I’ve gotten deeply into I like to also prepare by checking out some ‘spoiler rich’ reviews of preceding volumes before embarking on this final volume. That preparation was very necessary for me with the last Abercrombie series which didn’t have the ‘story so far’ in the books (though it’s online). Less important here but I still found that trick useful for this book - if that helps anyone to know!
In summary, a quite unique fantasy series, well concluded in this final volume. One of the richest and most imaginative worlds I’ve come across in fantasy. It needs work and concentration, for me anyway, but you finish with a satisfied glow at having experienced such a varied, unusual and interesting story.
You certainly don’t get into a settled routine reading this story. A nice mix of quieter sections, where the background is expanded at a gentle pace, with sudden action-rich events, especially towards the end of the book. And a background ‘drip drip’ unveiling to the back story of this dying world, its history but also the unusual backstory of some of the characters. Excellent prose, of course, a feature I enjoy in all this author’s books.
I’d emphasise that this book, in line with the series, is one of the more complex fantasy reads I’ve come across in recent years. The ice-world of Abeth with its narrow equatorial habitable zone is fascinating, with a mysterious history that’s been increasingly revealed to a significant degree over the course of the trilogy, with perhaps most of the major links coming out in his volume. Like many of ML’s books it has a magic system that has a science fiction core though still mysterious enough to us to be in a sort of transition between magic and advanced technology. Personally I love this aspect of the story.
At least 50% of the main characters are young adults. I must confess to being cautious about YA character rich stories as I often find them populated by poorly written young love angles and immature emotions. Absolutely not the case here. Certainly the YA characters are curious about life, relationships and new emotions, but this aspect is handled, I think, in an intelligent, mature manner.
Also the oblique link to the previous trilogy on this world (The Book of the Ancestor) becomes a bit more obvious too. Something you discover for yourself, and not presented on a plate to you…
As I’ve indicated this series required more concentration than most of my fantasy reads. Not just because of my ageing brain either. It’s clearly a world, with a complex history and characters, that’s required a great deal of thought to conjure up.
A word about how easy it was to pick up the story too, after a year’s gap from volume 2 publication. This is often a tricky aspect for me in many fantasy series where I’m reading as the fresh volumes are published, given that in the period between volumes I may have read 60+ other books.
This author is one of the minority who does give a good ‘story so far’ in his later volumes, and a character list. Much appreciated. I was surprised to see how quickly I got back into this rich tale using the author’s ‘story so far’. However, for many involved stories which I’ve gotten deeply into I like to also prepare by checking out some ‘spoiler rich’ reviews of preceding volumes before embarking on this final volume. That preparation was very necessary for me with the last Abercrombie series which didn’t have the ‘story so far’ in the books (though it’s online). Less important here but I still found that trick useful for this book - if that helps anyone to know!
In summary, a quite unique fantasy series, well concluded in this final volume. One of the richest and most imaginative worlds I’ve come across in fantasy. It needs work and concentration, for me anyway, but you finish with a satisfied glow at having experienced such a varied, unusual and interesting story.
March 21, 2022
Oh bittersweet emotions of finishing a series I’ve been reading for years 🥲 This was an absolutely stunning conclusion to the story I’ve been following since Red Sister. My only complaint is that it’s done, and I’m not ready for it to be over.
April 8, 2024
I know I am a bit of an outlier here, but this trilogy did not really do it for me. I really only kept reading the series because in this last volume, the action finally made it to the green corridor and the Sisters of Mercy covenant. Yet, when Yaz and friends arrived at the covenant, it was about 100 years before the Ancestor trilogy! While some of the characters had some shades of grey, the entire series felt awful black and white, pulling on old fantasy tropes but not really breathing much new life into them.
Yaz, the young woman from the ice, plus her gaggle of close friends, must somehow overcome huge obstacles to save the green corridor from the evil machinations of a deranged city mind and his avatar. Unfortunately, the city mind, via his minions, has the ear of the emperor and several highly placed individuals in the church of the ancestor. Just after Yaz and company arrive at the covenant, a church bigwig, along with the Inquisition, arrive at Sisters of Mercy and charge Yaz with the killing of some church members and theft of a sacred box (which they brought from the ice and contains the mind of an ancient). Found guilty, they are sentenced to drown immediately. True to form (at least for this series), the group manages to survive and now have to plot to save the world...
The number of tight squeezes Yaz and company survived due to dues ex machina became a bit of a joke; this could have been a fine drinking game! I will not get into spoiler territory, but yes, the end finally reveals some connection to Zola of the Ancestor trilogy. The ice barbarians shock and awe at the greenlands became old pretty quick and the YA vibes are strong with this one. Definitely not Lawrence's best, and I am still not sure what he was aiming for here. A move toward more mainstream YA fantasy for the masses? Sure felt like it. I just hope his current trilogy is better. 2.5 limping stars...
Yaz, the young woman from the ice, plus her gaggle of close friends, must somehow overcome huge obstacles to save the green corridor from the evil machinations of a deranged city mind and his avatar. Unfortunately, the city mind, via his minions, has the ear of the emperor and several highly placed individuals in the church of the ancestor. Just after Yaz and company arrive at the covenant, a church bigwig, along with the Inquisition, arrive at Sisters of Mercy and charge Yaz with the killing of some church members and theft of a sacred box (which they brought from the ice and contains the mind of an ancient). Found guilty, they are sentenced to drown immediately. True to form (at least for this series), the group manages to survive and now have to plot to save the world...
The number of tight squeezes Yaz and company survived due to dues ex machina became a bit of a joke; this could have been a fine drinking game! I will not get into spoiler territory, but yes, the end finally reveals some connection to Zola of the Ancestor trilogy. The ice barbarians shock and awe at the greenlands became old pretty quick and the YA vibes are strong with this one. Definitely not Lawrence's best, and I am still not sure what he was aiming for here. A move toward more mainstream YA fantasy for the masses? Sure felt like it. I just hope his current trilogy is better. 2.5 limping stars...
March 13, 2022
Yaz had walked on water her entire life, and now in this place where it fell molten from the skies they planned to drown her in the stuff.
Third and final volume of Book of the Ice - you won’t want to miss this. As usual, Lawrence begins with points from the previous books to aide your memory. If you haven’t read books 1 and 2 - do so, in fact read all his books!
Yaz and her friends have reached the Greenlands - imagine having only seen ice, snow, melted seas, fish (eaten raw). Now, there are countless types of green plants, food aplenty and enemies that arrived before you!
What follows is a masterpiece of storytelling that packs so much into a mere 400 pages. The conclusion is truly outstanding and brings in links to previous trilogies in unexpected ways. Those last few pages…. no, even hinting would ruin it. Spectacular. Do yourself a favour and pre-order this. Read the first two while you wait.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for providing this E- ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Third and final volume of Book of the Ice - you won’t want to miss this. As usual, Lawrence begins with points from the previous books to aide your memory. If you haven’t read books 1 and 2 - do so, in fact read all his books!
Yaz and her friends have reached the Greenlands - imagine having only seen ice, snow, melted seas, fish (eaten raw). Now, there are countless types of green plants, food aplenty and enemies that arrived before you!
What follows is a masterpiece of storytelling that packs so much into a mere 400 pages. The conclusion is truly outstanding and brings in links to previous trilogies in unexpected ways. Those last few pages…. no, even hinting would ruin it. Spectacular. Do yourself a favour and pre-order this. Read the first two while you wait.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for providing this E- ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 12, 2022
Okay, Mark, you did it again, you brilliant writer, you! That is why I try to space out reading your trilogies. I have a life, you know! Other things to do than stay up late or take prolonged bathroom visits just to read one more page.
Going into the Book of the Ice, I had no idea what it was about. I avoided reading about it, as I wanted to be surprised. I knew it was tied to the Book of the Ancestor, but loosely? tightly? past? future? I had no idea.
I don't regret that decision, as I was pleasantly surprised at how neatly this was tied to the BotA. I enjoy reading the work of smart writers and it's a special treat reading Mark's work. He's got a way with language and with plot and I couldn't be more tickled!
He ties up all the threads concerning the characters and gives us an idea about the future of Abeth. My only complaint is that I wanted just a couple of pages more in the end. But that, perhaps, only means I didn't want the book to end.
After I finished the Book of the Ancestor, I went and bought all three of the books, hardcovers. Support one of your favourite authors, I thought to myself.
A few pages before the last one in the Book of the Ice, I went and joined Mark Lawrence's Patreon.
The only trilogy I haven't read so far is the Red Queen. What will I do to show my support after I finish that one, though? I'm running out of options!
Going into the Book of the Ice, I had no idea what it was about. I avoided reading about it, as I wanted to be surprised. I knew it was tied to the Book of the Ancestor, but loosely? tightly? past? future? I had no idea.
I don't regret that decision, as I was pleasantly surprised at how neatly this was tied to the BotA. I enjoy reading the work of smart writers and it's a special treat reading Mark's work. He's got a way with language and with plot and I couldn't be more tickled!
He ties up all the threads concerning the characters and gives us an idea about the future of Abeth. My only complaint is that I wanted just a couple of pages more in the end. But that, perhaps, only means I didn't want the book to end.
After I finished the Book of the Ancestor, I went and bought all three of the books, hardcovers. Support one of your favourite authors, I thought to myself.
A few pages before the last one in the Book of the Ice, I went and joined Mark Lawrence's Patreon.
The only trilogy I haven't read so far is the Red Queen. What will I do to show my support after I finish that one, though? I'm running out of options!
July 20, 2022
This book was excellent. This trilogy was amazing. I find myself thinking this is my favorite trilogy of Mark's. This usually happens at the end of all his trilogies though. One thing I will say is now I am going to re-read the Book of the Ancestor trilogy with the knowledge from the Book of the Ice trilogy to see if I notice anything different. I will then have to re-read the Book of the Ice trilogy after that. This could turn into a vicious circle of never-ending re-reads.
May 15, 2022
Amazing story! All the threads coming together, had me going back to Holy Sister for a refresher. The entire trilogy is a wonderful journey, but all the interweaving of characters, technology, magics, with previous series is mind blowing. Now I'll have to go back and re-read everything Lawrence has written to put my reeling mind to rest.
February 24, 2023
"Some sacrifices maybe acceptable in the morality of weight and scales. But any success gained through such acts will rot from the heart outwards and you will ultimately have lost what you fought to preserve."
By the end, I realised just how interconnected (though somewhat loosely in some instances) the books of Mark Lawrence are; the ending of this series provide answers to some questions that were unanswered at the end of the Book of the Ancestor as well as have call backs to the Impossible Times and some interesting ones, I am sure that I have missed, aimed at his other series (The Broken Empire and The Red Queen's War) which I have yet to read.
My only issue with the ending was the abruptness of Eular's ending. I was expecting one last showdown.
Neatly wrapped up, an enjoyable read all throughout.
5 out of 5 stars.
By the end, I realised just how interconnected (though somewhat loosely in some instances) the books of Mark Lawrence are; the ending of this series provide answers to some questions that were unanswered at the end of the Book of the Ancestor as well as have call backs to the Impossible Times and some interesting ones, I am sure that I have missed, aimed at his other series (The Broken Empire and The Red Queen's War) which I have yet to read.
My only issue with the ending was the abruptness of Eular's ending. I was expecting one last showdown.
Neatly wrapped up, an enjoyable read all throughout.
5 out of 5 stars.
March 24, 2022
Oh, how I wish I could write a review that's just a stack of emojis showing my facial expressions while reading... I think I went through my entire range while reading "The Girl and the Moon". If you've been following my reviews you'll know how much I loved "The Girl and the Stars" and "The Girl and the Mountain", I love this final book in the trilogy just as much... and the whole series is just stunning. Read it, or I'll weep!!
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
May 9, 2022
I loved The Girl and the Moon. It continued the awesome I felt when I read book 1.
March 8, 2022
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-the-gi...
A compelling read, that grasps you from the start and drags you into a relentless ride of twists and turns ending in a breathtaking epic finale. One of the best ending to a fantasy series…ever!
I don’t say this lightly as I dived in expecting Mark’s shenanigans and was still blown out by the climax.
After leaving us hanging (near literally) by the climax of The Girl and the Mountain, the book picks the plot seamlessly up. The story follows Yaz as she struggles to unravel the mysteries of the Moon aided by her friends while being hunted by forces which are far superior, more resourceful and always a step or two ahead of her. In what turns out to be a cat and mouse game as Yaz struggles to open the Arc all the while trying to deny Seus, the plot moves at a breakneck pace through the book as I was hooked binge reading till the finish. The plot branches out early on and we get multiple PoVs from Yaz, Mali, Thurin each revealing hints of the puzzle all the while giving the characters nice advancement.
I never cease to be impressed by the Abbess(es) of Sweet Mercy and their sharp tactical acumen. Abbess Claw herein doesn’t disappoint and the balancing act she does between Yaz and the Archon is as compelling as anything fans of Abbess Glass (of Book of the Ancestor series) can expect. Also as readers of Book 2 may know, there are some nice tie-in’s to Book of the Ancestor series that takes place down the line in time after this.
I’m a huge fan of Mark’s blend of ancient sci-fi meets current magical world since Broken Empire and still continue to be spellbound by it. The plot is woven with the leftovers of Ancient Cities & Artificial Intelligence merging smoothly with the Four Tribes magic of current day flawlessly. And as if that wasn’t enough….more surprises! I really have bunch more stuff to write, but will abstain for fear of spoilers however mild or unintentional.
Overall, this book caps a highly entertaining series that all fans of fantasy must read! Certainly is one of my favourite reads of this year!
A compelling read, that grasps you from the start and drags you into a relentless ride of twists and turns ending in a breathtaking epic finale. One of the best ending to a fantasy series…ever!
I don’t say this lightly as I dived in expecting Mark’s shenanigans and was still blown out by the climax.
After leaving us hanging (near literally) by the climax of The Girl and the Mountain, the book picks the plot seamlessly up. The story follows Yaz as she struggles to unravel the mysteries of the Moon aided by her friends while being hunted by forces which are far superior, more resourceful and always a step or two ahead of her. In what turns out to be a cat and mouse game as Yaz struggles to open the Arc all the while trying to deny Seus, the plot moves at a breakneck pace through the book as I was hooked binge reading till the finish. The plot branches out early on and we get multiple PoVs from Yaz, Mali, Thurin each revealing hints of the puzzle all the while giving the characters nice advancement.
I never cease to be impressed by the Abbess(es) of Sweet Mercy and their sharp tactical acumen. Abbess Claw herein doesn’t disappoint and the balancing act she does between Yaz and the Archon is as compelling as anything fans of Abbess Glass (of Book of the Ancestor series) can expect. Also as readers of Book 2 may know, there are some nice tie-in’s to Book of the Ancestor series that takes place down the line in time after this.
I’m a huge fan of Mark’s blend of ancient sci-fi meets current magical world since Broken Empire and still continue to be spellbound by it. The plot is woven with the leftovers of Ancient Cities & Artificial Intelligence merging smoothly with the Four Tribes magic of current day flawlessly. And as if that wasn’t enough….more surprises! I really have bunch more stuff to write, but will abstain for fear of spoilers however mild or unintentional.
Overall, this book caps a highly entertaining series that all fans of fantasy must read! Certainly is one of my favourite reads of this year!
May 29, 2022
5 Stars!
A great conclusion to the Book of the Ice Trilogy. The Girl and the moon answers lots of questions and ties in well with Mark Lawrence's other series. Excellent character development and a fantastic finish to the series.
A great conclusion to the Book of the Ice Trilogy. The Girl and the moon answers lots of questions and ties in well with Mark Lawrence's other series. Excellent character development and a fantastic finish to the series.
October 28, 2022
This entire trilogy is fantastic, maybe not as insightful on human nature as the book of the ancestor, but likely on balance more exciting. The weaving of times and characters is great. The twists. The craft of writing. It’s all great.
August 30, 2022
Wow, take a bow Mark Lawrence, genius writing. An amazing end to the trilogy which interweaves and connects so many of his other stories and characters. Exceptional.
January 16, 2023
Very satisfying ending, and I loved the world and characters
May 26, 2022
Excellent writing, excellent story
Mark manages to build very robust worlds with a feel to them that is utterly unique. He blends sci fi and fantasy like a master of this art form!
Mark manages to build very robust worlds with a feel to them that is utterly unique. He blends sci fi and fantasy like a master of this art form!
January 2, 2023
Oh boy, this was brilliant.
July 4, 2022
If you'd like to watch a video version of my review, you can find it here: https://youtu.be/mdM4S80F-7c
Endings are damnably hard to nail—especially when the kind we’re talking about is the culmination not just of a trilogy but of disparate elements woven throughout an entire fifteen-book oeuvre. I cannot judge too well on the latter, having read only half of Mark Lawrence’s novels; but gun pressed to my head, I’ll tell you right now, The Girl and the Moon is as fine a conclusion to a trilogy as any I’ve read.
Its greatest weakness is that I wish I could spend more time with all these characters; I wish I could witness them do more, grow even further, experience new trials and tribulations and be tortured by Lawrence in yet more unspeakable ways—and that’s what an excellent novel does, isn’t it? You wish you could keep readin+g well after the covers have closed, hoping beyond hope that the magic blossoms once more in some second, third, fifth trilogy featuring the same characters. But that’s another one of the markings of a great work: it leaves you wanting for more. Mark Lawrence is proficient at this—reading his Impossible Times trilogy proved as much, and having begun the Book of the Ancestor trilogy, I’m willing to bet that one will make me cry my eyes out and want more in one fell swoop.
Thank the gods I read Red Sister before The Girl and the Moon, too—just that first part of the Ancestor trilogy gave me so much more context about the world than I otherwise would have. The prior books in the Book of the Ice introduced Abeth’s vast icy surface. The unforgiving, frigid wasteland of a planet supports life as we would recognize it only across a fifty-mile-wide Corridor, kept open by the eponymous moon, an artificial device preciously close to falling out of the sky—an event that’ll hail the apocalypse for all the Corridor’s denizens. Yaz’s heart-wrenching, beautiful adventure sees its climactic finale here, as the struggle against Seus for the heart of the moon turns well and truly desperate. Yaz, Quina, Erris, Theus, Ice&Fire Boy, Mali and as-many-delightful-murder-y-Nuns-as-Mark-Lawrence-could-have-thrown-in-here-without-raising-everyone’s-eyebrows have their work cut out for them as enemies come rearing their ugly heads. Nowhere is safe: not the Convent of Sweet Mercy, not the Imperial Capital of Verity and its Academy and certainly not the path to the Ark of the Missing. The last holds the key to shoring up the Moon’s defences, and it’s Yaz and her party’s aim to frustrate Seus’s attempts to bring the artificial body down from the skies.
Characters are drawn together, torn apart by cruel fate, and faced with some remarkable tests of their skills and wits—seeing Yaz overcome so much, her final confrontations, the losses along the way and the suffering she had to endure…only an Ichta could do it all.
I was thrilled by the connective tissue between Moon and Red Sister; realizing that a major character in the former is one of the most memorable characters in the latter was a thrill, and another few cameos made me cheer out loud. I also drew some information from Yaz and her friends’ perspectives that is helping along with a smorgasbord of interesting ideas, which I will share with you—or won’t—some far-off day.
I finished The Girl and the Moon a few weeks ago but have been holding on writing this review because past experience with the final parts of a trilogy have taught me caution. Sometimes you get overexcited, end up singing the praises of a book without accounting for its weaknesses. “No,” I thought, “better to let it lie in the crevices of my mind, see if anything shifty crawls out—and not just my usual kind of shifty, that’s accounted for.”* Well, reader, I think back on The Girl and the Moon and can find no flaws in it, nothing that took away from my enjoyment of a journey finished alongside characters who are as real as any I’ve read about. More so, even. A stellar example of Mark Lawrence’s capacity to stick a landing, The Girl and the Moon cements the Book of the Ice as another must-read trilogy in the great and mighty Fantasy Canon™.
*I do a lot of internal monologing like that. My mind is not a happy place, at all.
Endings are damnably hard to nail—especially when the kind we’re talking about is the culmination not just of a trilogy but of disparate elements woven throughout an entire fifteen-book oeuvre. I cannot judge too well on the latter, having read only half of Mark Lawrence’s novels; but gun pressed to my head, I’ll tell you right now, The Girl and the Moon is as fine a conclusion to a trilogy as any I’ve read.
Its greatest weakness is that I wish I could spend more time with all these characters; I wish I could witness them do more, grow even further, experience new trials and tribulations and be tortured by Lawrence in yet more unspeakable ways—and that’s what an excellent novel does, isn’t it? You wish you could keep readin+g well after the covers have closed, hoping beyond hope that the magic blossoms once more in some second, third, fifth trilogy featuring the same characters. But that’s another one of the markings of a great work: it leaves you wanting for more. Mark Lawrence is proficient at this—reading his Impossible Times trilogy proved as much, and having begun the Book of the Ancestor trilogy, I’m willing to bet that one will make me cry my eyes out and want more in one fell swoop.
Thank the gods I read Red Sister before The Girl and the Moon, too—just that first part of the Ancestor trilogy gave me so much more context about the world than I otherwise would have. The prior books in the Book of the Ice introduced Abeth’s vast icy surface. The unforgiving, frigid wasteland of a planet supports life as we would recognize it only across a fifty-mile-wide Corridor, kept open by the eponymous moon, an artificial device preciously close to falling out of the sky—an event that’ll hail the apocalypse for all the Corridor’s denizens. Yaz’s heart-wrenching, beautiful adventure sees its climactic finale here, as the struggle against Seus for the heart of the moon turns well and truly desperate. Yaz, Quina, Erris, Theus, Ice&Fire Boy, Mali and as-many-delightful-murder-y-Nuns-as-Mark-Lawrence-could-have-thrown-in-here-without-raising-everyone’s-eyebrows have their work cut out for them as enemies come rearing their ugly heads. Nowhere is safe: not the Convent of Sweet Mercy, not the Imperial Capital of Verity and its Academy and certainly not the path to the Ark of the Missing. The last holds the key to shoring up the Moon’s defences, and it’s Yaz and her party’s aim to frustrate Seus’s attempts to bring the artificial body down from the skies.
Characters are drawn together, torn apart by cruel fate, and faced with some remarkable tests of their skills and wits—seeing Yaz overcome so much, her final confrontations, the losses along the way and the suffering she had to endure…only an Ichta could do it all.
I was thrilled by the connective tissue between Moon and Red Sister; realizing that a major character in the former is one of the most memorable characters in the latter was a thrill, and another few cameos made me cheer out loud. I also drew some information from Yaz and her friends’ perspectives that is helping along with a smorgasbord of interesting ideas, which I will share with you—or won’t—some far-off day.
I finished The Girl and the Moon a few weeks ago but have been holding on writing this review because past experience with the final parts of a trilogy have taught me caution. Sometimes you get overexcited, end up singing the praises of a book without accounting for its weaknesses. “No,” I thought, “better to let it lie in the crevices of my mind, see if anything shifty crawls out—and not just my usual kind of shifty, that’s accounted for.”* Well, reader, I think back on The Girl and the Moon and can find no flaws in it, nothing that took away from my enjoyment of a journey finished alongside characters who are as real as any I’ve read about. More so, even. A stellar example of Mark Lawrence’s capacity to stick a landing, The Girl and the Moon cements the Book of the Ice as another must-read trilogy in the great and mighty Fantasy Canon™.
*I do a lot of internal monologing like that. My mind is not a happy place, at all.
April 21, 2022
I was introduced to the work of Mark Lawrence by a bookish friend during the latter half of 2021…she was persistent and unrelenting in her championing of his work and the necessity that I read them! She gave me a list of his books in the order that they should be read from Broken Empire through to Book of the Ancestor and so on, until I hit The Book of the Ice trilogy last month…the first of which, The Girl and the Stars had lain unread in my TBR after I received it in an Illumicrate Box in May 2020! Why the hell did I wait so long! I fell head over heels into Mark’s amazing Sci Fi meets magical fantasy and have been spellbound ever since, even if my dog Gertrude remains suspicious of Mark’s treatment of dogs!
Mark was kind enough to send me a copy of The Girl and the Moon that I dived straight into following the huge cliff-hanger at the end of The Girl and the Mountain, that I luckily only finished yesterday! The Girl and the Moon (which comes with a wonderful catch up for those who have had to take a longer break between the two,) seamlessly picks up from where The Girl and the Mountain left with Yaz and her friends facing Eular’s accusations of theft and facing death.
From this point on, no fucks are given to you (the reader,) as you are pulled on an awe inspiring, breath taking ride that simultaneously engrosses and enthrals, dragging you on to an unchallenged rollercoaster of twists, and turns, that leaves you not knowing your arse from your elbow, left from right or down from up, until you face the final, heart rending, breath-taking, epic conclusion to this spectacular and immense body of work!
The world-building that Mark Lawrence delivers continues to be top shelf quality, built upon the foundational layers of the trilogies released prior to The Book of the Ice series takes us from the Ice to the Greenlands, and the Convent of Sweet Mercy (Book of the Ancestor.) The Girl and the Moon builds upon these foundations to add a new layer to this deep, complex, onion-like universe and as you read it truly feels four dimensional. Kudos to him for this, particularly as he is well known for describing himself as a Pantser (seat of pants,) writer, rather than a Planter…are you sure about that Mr Lawrence?
The cast of characters in this, the final book in the trilogy is immense. Not only do we meet Abbess Claw of Sweet Mercy, a worthy rival to Abbess Glass (Book of the Ancestor,) for their political acumen that can only be surpassed by Sun Tzu (The Art of War.) We also re-unite with Yaz and her motley crew from the previous books in the trilogy, who are portrayed with such sensitivity, depth, and complexity, that they are true reflections of humanity. The book is told from multiple character PoVs, as they each take their own journey through the story.
Yaz’s journey alone is almost overwhelming, from young displaced girl, who does not feel that she fits within her tribe and very narrow, limited Ice world to her growth and development into the mature character she becomes, as she makes friends, questions her tribe’s principles, faces her own emotional and physical vulnerabilities to embodying strength, determination, love and self-sacrifice for her friends and the world.
As I referenced above the book is told from multiple PoVs (Yaz, Mali and Thurin,) each providing a different perspective and piece of the puzzle that gradually build to answer so many questions from this and previous trilogies, but as expected from Mark Lawrence poses more, not all of which are answered and based on my reading of a certain part of this book are unlikely to be answered in the future.
Please note that I am doing my best here to not share any significant spoilers, which I know that you will want to discover for yourself…whilst I am bouncing and eager to spill all the stars! My poor husband has had to tolerate my gushing far more than anyone who reads my review will ever have to!
From reading the first pages of Prince of Thorns, I became a huge fan of Mark Lawrence’s work and despite my dog’s reluctance to share my enthusiasm, I will remain so…with plans for a reread of his work so far to be undertaken in the near future. In earlier times, Mr Lawrence would most definitely have been a (rock star) bard (please don’t get The Witcher tune in your head,) with his skill in weaving the real (artificial intelligence, scientific advancement,) to fantasy (magic, myth, and mystery,) tales, worlds, and characters to create an immense tapestry of work that traverse the boundaries of time, magic, imagination, and space.
Sending a huge, huge thank you to Mark Lawrence for sending me an advance finished copy of The Girl and The Moon, for which I gladly provide the above most honest review!
Mark was kind enough to send me a copy of The Girl and the Moon that I dived straight into following the huge cliff-hanger at the end of The Girl and the Mountain, that I luckily only finished yesterday! The Girl and the Moon (which comes with a wonderful catch up for those who have had to take a longer break between the two,) seamlessly picks up from where The Girl and the Mountain left with Yaz and her friends facing Eular’s accusations of theft and facing death.
From this point on, no fucks are given to you (the reader,) as you are pulled on an awe inspiring, breath taking ride that simultaneously engrosses and enthrals, dragging you on to an unchallenged rollercoaster of twists, and turns, that leaves you not knowing your arse from your elbow, left from right or down from up, until you face the final, heart rending, breath-taking, epic conclusion to this spectacular and immense body of work!
The world-building that Mark Lawrence delivers continues to be top shelf quality, built upon the foundational layers of the trilogies released prior to The Book of the Ice series takes us from the Ice to the Greenlands, and the Convent of Sweet Mercy (Book of the Ancestor.) The Girl and the Moon builds upon these foundations to add a new layer to this deep, complex, onion-like universe and as you read it truly feels four dimensional. Kudos to him for this, particularly as he is well known for describing himself as a Pantser (seat of pants,) writer, rather than a Planter…are you sure about that Mr Lawrence?
The cast of characters in this, the final book in the trilogy is immense. Not only do we meet Abbess Claw of Sweet Mercy, a worthy rival to Abbess Glass (Book of the Ancestor,) for their political acumen that can only be surpassed by Sun Tzu (The Art of War.) We also re-unite with Yaz and her motley crew from the previous books in the trilogy, who are portrayed with such sensitivity, depth, and complexity, that they are true reflections of humanity. The book is told from multiple character PoVs, as they each take their own journey through the story.
Yaz’s journey alone is almost overwhelming, from young displaced girl, who does not feel that she fits within her tribe and very narrow, limited Ice world to her growth and development into the mature character she becomes, as she makes friends, questions her tribe’s principles, faces her own emotional and physical vulnerabilities to embodying strength, determination, love and self-sacrifice for her friends and the world.
As I referenced above the book is told from multiple PoVs (Yaz, Mali and Thurin,) each providing a different perspective and piece of the puzzle that gradually build to answer so many questions from this and previous trilogies, but as expected from Mark Lawrence poses more, not all of which are answered and based on my reading of a certain part of this book are unlikely to be answered in the future.
Please note that I am doing my best here to not share any significant spoilers, which I know that you will want to discover for yourself…whilst I am bouncing and eager to spill all the stars! My poor husband has had to tolerate my gushing far more than anyone who reads my review will ever have to!
From reading the first pages of Prince of Thorns, I became a huge fan of Mark Lawrence’s work and despite my dog’s reluctance to share my enthusiasm, I will remain so…with plans for a reread of his work so far to be undertaken in the near future. In earlier times, Mr Lawrence would most definitely have been a (rock star) bard (please don’t get The Witcher tune in your head,) with his skill in weaving the real (artificial intelligence, scientific advancement,) to fantasy (magic, myth, and mystery,) tales, worlds, and characters to create an immense tapestry of work that traverse the boundaries of time, magic, imagination, and space.
Sending a huge, huge thank you to Mark Lawrence for sending me an advance finished copy of The Girl and The Moon, for which I gladly provide the above most honest review!
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