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Crossroads #2
Shadow Gate
The captivating, bestselling Spirit Gate swept readers into the turbulent world of the Hundred, where the peace and order of life under the protection of the immortal Guardians has given way to chaos and violence. In the face of a vast horde of marauders led by a rogue Guardian, the bravery and resourcefulness of a lone eagle-reeve and others who risk their lives for the common good have prevented death and destruction from overwhelming the Hundred.
In Shadow Gate, the enthralling sequel, the source of corruption of the Guardians is still a mystery to the mortals who fight to withstand the forces that have turned against them. And when three new Guardians emerge, a struggle begins among the immortals, with nothing less at stake than the future of the land and its gods.
With all the color, excitement, and narrative power that have made Kate Elliott an enormously popular writer, Shadow Gate weaves a powerful spell of action, romance, and magic that will entrance legions of readers.
In Shadow Gate, the enthralling sequel, the source of corruption of the Guardians is still a mystery to the mortals who fight to withstand the forces that have turned against them. And when three new Guardians emerge, a struggle begins among the immortals, with nothing less at stake than the future of the land and its gods.
With all the color, excitement, and narrative power that have made Kate Elliott an enormously popular writer, Shadow Gate weaves a powerful spell of action, romance, and magic that will entrance legions of readers.
757 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 15, 2008
43 people are currently reading
1320 people want to read
About the author
Kate Elliott
109 books2,877 followersAs a child in rural Oregon, Kate Elliott made up stories because she longed to escape to a world of lurid adventure fiction. She now writes fantasy, steampunk, and science fiction, often with a romantic edge. She currently lives in Hawaii, where she paddles outrigger canoes and spoils her schnauzer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
January 6, 2014
this was one of my favorite reads
of 2013. i don't read much adult epic
fantasy any more. i don't seem to have
the attention span for a large cast
of characters and multiple storylines,
and pacing that can often feel to me like
meandering. (and i used to in
my twenties, so this is personal taste
entirely as my preferences evolve.)
so it says a lot that i read and loved
Shadow Gate, which is a hefty book indeed.
as a reader, i loved all of the major
characters in this trilogy. (this is book
2 of 3.) it is indeed grim, and hard, with
impending war and chaos and factions taking
place. but the world building is so well done,
and i admired as a writer seeing elliott pull
together all the story threads while at
the same time making each character seem
unique and individual to me. the storytelling
is in third close with a wide range of view
points--so i think it's a tremendous
accomplishment.
not only has elliott woven a complex
and complicated storyline with multiple
tensions--she's put complex and complicated
characters into this world to inhabit them.
and i loved reading all of it.
the asian inspired setting is extra mapo
sauce all the way.
of 2013. i don't read much adult epic
fantasy any more. i don't seem to have
the attention span for a large cast
of characters and multiple storylines,
and pacing that can often feel to me like
meandering. (and i used to in
my twenties, so this is personal taste
entirely as my preferences evolve.)
so it says a lot that i read and loved
Shadow Gate, which is a hefty book indeed.
as a reader, i loved all of the major
characters in this trilogy. (this is book
2 of 3.) it is indeed grim, and hard, with
impending war and chaos and factions taking
place. but the world building is so well done,
and i admired as a writer seeing elliott pull
together all the story threads while at
the same time making each character seem
unique and individual to me. the storytelling
is in third close with a wide range of view
points--so i think it's a tremendous
accomplishment.
not only has elliott woven a complex
and complicated storyline with multiple
tensions--she's put complex and complicated
characters into this world to inhabit them.
and i loved reading all of it.
the asian inspired setting is extra mapo
sauce all the way.
November 16, 2016
Again I found the author's choice to not explain a bunch of things somewhat frustrating, but the complexity of the narrative was very impressive. It was good to see the characters develop, and unexpected ones flourish or disappoint.
February 10, 2015
I found Kate Elliott's "Spirit Gate" to be a well written story, with great character development, but which took a little too long getting nowhere. With this in mind, seeing the sheer size of the second in the series was nearly enough to put me off.
Marit is sure she is dead, as she distinctly remembers being stabbed and her eagle is dead, which usually means death for a reeve. However, she is wandering around and all the evidence points to her not only being dead but also being a Guardian, one of nine who used to rule The Hundred. But they are all supposedly dead as well, which makes no sense to her. Worse, one of the others seems to be Lord Iliyas of Radat, the man she is sure was responsible for her death.
Like Marit, some of the other Guardians are coming to their own realisations of their situations and who they are. Some have taken on the knowledge and the role quite well, but others are disturbed by memories of their past lives and struggle to adapt. It soon becomes clear to Marit that not all of the other Guardians are fighting for true justice, but for control of The Hundred and the people and this is another struggle she must involve herself in.
Meanwhile, life amongst the human occupants of The Hundred is recovering from the events of "Spirit Gate". Joss is now marshal of Argent Hall and is trying to rebuild it after the reign of Marshal Yordenas. This is a more difficult task than he first thought, as he needs to find new reeves to replace those killed in the battles. Meanwhile, the Qin are looking to settle in The Hundred; making claims to wives and land and Olossi is in the process of being rebuilt after the battle against the raiders from the North. Meanwhile, these raiders may have lost the battle, but they haven't given up on the war and are regrouping for another try.
If it all sounds pretty confusing, that's largely because it is. This is the second part in what is supposedly a seven book series and Elliott jumps straight in on the assumption that you'll have read the opening part. This means that if you haven't read the opening part, you'll be struggling to know what's going on, as everything follows on from events in that book and there is very little recounting of those events to help the new reader.
Even as someone who had read the opening part, however, I was struggling to keep up at times, because Elliott frequently jumps between characters and time frames with very little explanation. The opening section has a couple of false starts which made me a little dizzy and there was a long section later on where she moved onto a character's back story with no explanation. It wasn't until nearly the end that everything came together and I knew which character's story it was, which was a shame as it was a tragic tale and written well enough that I could have become completely immersed in it, except that I never stopped wondering which character's story it was, which never allowed me to relax and enjoy it to the full.
I didn't feel that the pacing of the story was quite right for parts of the book, which didn't help the story along. Whereas the Guardians were constantly moving and the Northern armies were preparing, the people of Olossi were recovering and rebuilding and these bits were slow and lacking in action by comparison. This wasn't always true, but these sections did take the edge off the story a little and I felt it interrupted the flow in many parts, even though later events proved that these sections were essential in building the bigger picture; not just in this book, but for the whole series.
Regardless of the pacing, parts of the story show Kate Elliott at her best. Her strength is in her characters and how well drawn they are. Admittedly, in the large Northern army some of the soldiers blend together a little, but for all the essential characters, they are so individually drawn that there is no danger of getting any of them mixed up; even in the cast of hundreds she has here. Her way of describing features isn't the best, but she describes feelings so well that at one point, I honestly believed I knew how it felt to be pregnant, which is impossible.
The ending shocked me slightly, as well. The book kind of petered out and it almost seemed to pause, rather than to end. However, there was a bit right near the end which took me quite by surprise. Just when I was starting to wonder how on earth the story in its current form could last for seven books, she threw in a new development which could well provide its own story arc and help keep the intrigue high. On one page, I was thinking that the next book could turn out to be rather dull, then on the next I was suddenly looking forward to it.
I found the book to be a bit of a slog, even compared to the first one. However, I also found it to contain some wonderful moments and some characters I could really care about. On balance, I didn't think the story as a whole was entrancing enough to make it worth the slog, but the ending and the characters almost did. Had there been a more even pace or if some of the slower parts had been left out, this would have been a much better read, but as it stands it felt a bit like filler to prop up a larger story. How essential reading this book is will depend entirely on how good the series as a whole turns out to be.
This review may also appear, in whole or in part, under my name at any or all of www.ciao.co.uk, www.thebookbag.co.uk, www.goodreads.com, www.amazon.co.uk and www.dooyoo.co.uk
Marit is sure she is dead, as she distinctly remembers being stabbed and her eagle is dead, which usually means death for a reeve. However, she is wandering around and all the evidence points to her not only being dead but also being a Guardian, one of nine who used to rule The Hundred. But they are all supposedly dead as well, which makes no sense to her. Worse, one of the others seems to be Lord Iliyas of Radat, the man she is sure was responsible for her death.
Like Marit, some of the other Guardians are coming to their own realisations of their situations and who they are. Some have taken on the knowledge and the role quite well, but others are disturbed by memories of their past lives and struggle to adapt. It soon becomes clear to Marit that not all of the other Guardians are fighting for true justice, but for control of The Hundred and the people and this is another struggle she must involve herself in.
Meanwhile, life amongst the human occupants of The Hundred is recovering from the events of "Spirit Gate". Joss is now marshal of Argent Hall and is trying to rebuild it after the reign of Marshal Yordenas. This is a more difficult task than he first thought, as he needs to find new reeves to replace those killed in the battles. Meanwhile, the Qin are looking to settle in The Hundred; making claims to wives and land and Olossi is in the process of being rebuilt after the battle against the raiders from the North. Meanwhile, these raiders may have lost the battle, but they haven't given up on the war and are regrouping for another try.
If it all sounds pretty confusing, that's largely because it is. This is the second part in what is supposedly a seven book series and Elliott jumps straight in on the assumption that you'll have read the opening part. This means that if you haven't read the opening part, you'll be struggling to know what's going on, as everything follows on from events in that book and there is very little recounting of those events to help the new reader.
Even as someone who had read the opening part, however, I was struggling to keep up at times, because Elliott frequently jumps between characters and time frames with very little explanation. The opening section has a couple of false starts which made me a little dizzy and there was a long section later on where she moved onto a character's back story with no explanation. It wasn't until nearly the end that everything came together and I knew which character's story it was, which was a shame as it was a tragic tale and written well enough that I could have become completely immersed in it, except that I never stopped wondering which character's story it was, which never allowed me to relax and enjoy it to the full.
I didn't feel that the pacing of the story was quite right for parts of the book, which didn't help the story along. Whereas the Guardians were constantly moving and the Northern armies were preparing, the people of Olossi were recovering and rebuilding and these bits were slow and lacking in action by comparison. This wasn't always true, but these sections did take the edge off the story a little and I felt it interrupted the flow in many parts, even though later events proved that these sections were essential in building the bigger picture; not just in this book, but for the whole series.
Regardless of the pacing, parts of the story show Kate Elliott at her best. Her strength is in her characters and how well drawn they are. Admittedly, in the large Northern army some of the soldiers blend together a little, but for all the essential characters, they are so individually drawn that there is no danger of getting any of them mixed up; even in the cast of hundreds she has here. Her way of describing features isn't the best, but she describes feelings so well that at one point, I honestly believed I knew how it felt to be pregnant, which is impossible.
The ending shocked me slightly, as well. The book kind of petered out and it almost seemed to pause, rather than to end. However, there was a bit right near the end which took me quite by surprise. Just when I was starting to wonder how on earth the story in its current form could last for seven books, she threw in a new development which could well provide its own story arc and help keep the intrigue high. On one page, I was thinking that the next book could turn out to be rather dull, then on the next I was suddenly looking forward to it.
I found the book to be a bit of a slog, even compared to the first one. However, I also found it to contain some wonderful moments and some characters I could really care about. On balance, I didn't think the story as a whole was entrancing enough to make it worth the slog, but the ending and the characters almost did. Had there been a more even pace or if some of the slower parts had been left out, this would have been a much better read, but as it stands it felt a bit like filler to prop up a larger story. How essential reading this book is will depend entirely on how good the series as a whole turns out to be.
This review may also appear, in whole or in part, under my name at any or all of www.ciao.co.uk, www.thebookbag.co.uk, www.goodreads.com, www.amazon.co.uk and www.dooyoo.co.uk
April 21, 2022
I definitely got into the swing of this series a bit better in the second book. There’s still a lot of description, but at least I got better at predicting where relevant details tend to pop up, so I wasn’t lost and rereading as often. I liked getting to see what Marit has been up to and hearing Cornflower’s backstory. Honestly my favorite character is Keshad, because even though he’s a jerk, I still feel frustrated on his behalf seeing other people treat him like dirt. I think it’s a good illustration of a vicious cycle, where people treat him badly because he deserves it, but that makes him feel justified in continuing to be a jerk.
Overall, though, I still found this a bit of a slog to get through.
Overall, though, I still found this a bit of a slog to get through.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2011
Was difficult to finish this. Disappointing, because I really like Elliot's work. Like the first book in this series, I found it difficult to actually care about the main characters. Also, like the first book, the amount of smut has made me begin to wonder if this series hasn't been improperly categorized. It's really not to my taste. Sad, really, since I bought the whole series. Well, here's hoping the third one's the charm...
July 31, 2017
This book should have been a lot better. I liked the story, the characters, the world; but the pacing is just awful. I slogged my way through it and haven't yet decided if I will continue the series.
November 10, 2021
Spoilers for the first book, Spirit Gate. This one definitely feels like a middle book, in that I know the plot developed, things happened, but it didn't really feel like it? The plot may not have moved super far, but what happened was that we get a lot of new information: backstories and explanations for a lot of what was going on in Spirit Gate.
So looking at what I learned: Marit is a main character! Bringing back a female character who I thought was fridged offscreen in the first one back to main character relevance! What a plus! I felt achingly sad for her and Joss - the fact that they can't go back to what they had before... You know, when I first read their first scene in Spirit Gate, I didn't think it was anything special. But reading this book, my mind kept going back to that scene and just thinking, "Gosh, if only..."
I call that a win for character writing!
Mai is still great. The Ri Amarah took more of a backseat in this novel, unfortunately, which is too bad as I really liked Miravia. Same with Mai, she didn't have so much to do. I guess this is a point against the book, but there was so much going on, I can see why they didn't have as central of a role.
Guess who I'm not really liking anymore - Anji! The Qin have the habit of calling whatever is outside their experience demons. His insistence on how terrible these demons are chafes to the max, the fact that he was the one who ran off Cornflower aggravates me, and the Qin's homophobia just - ugh. His stock has definitely gone down in my eyes. Something still in their favour, Anji and the others do make a solid effort to adapt to the Hundred's ways.
In fact, it is mostly noticeable with Anji, Mai, and company, but these books are certainly about culture clash, more obvious as we go on. A central theme has been getting stronger up through the first two books, and that's about how people try to adapt to a new homeland. It's all about people from different cultures and with different values trying to understand and accept each other.
It's part of why Anji's refusal to see Guardians as people (Kirit, especially) is especially infuriating. "It's a demon, can't be trusted" no shut the fuck up. But I have hope that Anji will change his mind, seeing as Kirit and the other Guardians are getting plenty of characterization, screen time, and sympathetic characterizations for like, at least four of the Guardians. It seems to be where the theme is heading, so...
Unlike the first book, I was hooked pretty much right away! Every section in the first half ended right as a cliffhanger and I was just DYING to know what happened next! Momentum was not an issue this book, it felt really thrilling as we moved. I was actually groaning in aggravation at my Kobo ereader at 3 in the morning, trying to keep the noise to a minimum, because the chapters ended on such dramatic moments! Too many to mention, but that was my feeling throughout.
And that leads me to: new favourite character alert! Introducing Nallo! I love her to pieces. I was almost stomping my feet with the anxiety about her leaving the Hall and not wanting to be a reeve. Her concerns were totally on point with the knowledge that she had, but me as the reader knowing that she was wrong??? Aiyaaaaa. I was so relieved when Arda the fawkner finally managed to convince her. (And let's be honest, Joss really fucked that one up. But good writing - an actual character flaw on our handsome womanizing male lead that led to actual consequences!)
I found it impossible not to like Nallo. I appreciate a character who cuts through bullshit and demands it from everyone else. This is a kind of character that moves plot along. She'll have nothing less! Haha. I know the character of talking-mean always-angry woman can be a bad staple in fantasy (side-eyeing Wheel of Time), but I found Nallo to be really well done, and she gets along great with other characters! Canon - bisexual? Canon been in a relationship with men but have only seen her express real sexual/romantic interest in other ladies, anyway! :D I hope she sticks around.
Okay, wrapping up thoughts. Some character death I was not expecting. There wasn't a build-up to it, it just... is a result of the times they're living in. Indicative of what they're facing. I appreciate how Elliott does it. It doesn't fit into the pointlessly gritty "anyone can die!" vibe that's ubiquitous these days, but - I'm feeling it this time. It feels random, but not in an overdone way. Like "yeah, these people were in the line of fire, sometimes these things happen."
Keshad got worse. I actively dislike him, now. Not much to say there. He's an asshole, of the variety you meet everywhere. Fuck off, Keshad.
Shai got some really good development! Kirit had a great point, in that he refused to have sex with Cornflower for all the wrong reasons, and he was no less guilty of objectifying her than Shai's brothers. But Shai really grew. There was a moment, stated explicitly that he realizes the weight of what he did to her when he "rented" her out and is just aggrieved. I think it's up to Cornflower to decide what to do with him, still, but the fact that he truly honestly felt genuine remorse, and then in the end, didn't ask Kirit to forgive him?? This guy has grown.
I wasn't going to judge Kirit for taking her vengeance (in her place I think I would be a lot worse, honestly - I would have made it more painful). But I also was so proud of her when she protected Shai and the slave children. She's grieved some, gotten some revenge, and wants to move on. Hells yeah, girl, I'm rooting for you.
Anyway, I've already started the third book, so more to come in this series!
So looking at what I learned: Marit is a main character! Bringing back a female character who I thought was fridged offscreen in the first one back to main character relevance! What a plus! I felt achingly sad for her and Joss - the fact that they can't go back to what they had before... You know, when I first read their first scene in Spirit Gate, I didn't think it was anything special. But reading this book, my mind kept going back to that scene and just thinking, "Gosh, if only..."
I call that a win for character writing!
Mai is still great. The Ri Amarah took more of a backseat in this novel, unfortunately, which is too bad as I really liked Miravia. Same with Mai, she didn't have so much to do. I guess this is a point against the book, but there was so much going on, I can see why they didn't have as central of a role.
Guess who I'm not really liking anymore - Anji! The Qin have the habit of calling whatever is outside their experience demons. His insistence on how terrible these demons are chafes to the max, the fact that he was the one who ran off Cornflower aggravates me, and the Qin's homophobia just - ugh. His stock has definitely gone down in my eyes. Something still in their favour, Anji and the others do make a solid effort to adapt to the Hundred's ways.
In fact, it is mostly noticeable with Anji, Mai, and company, but these books are certainly about culture clash, more obvious as we go on. A central theme has been getting stronger up through the first two books, and that's about how people try to adapt to a new homeland. It's all about people from different cultures and with different values trying to understand and accept each other.
It's part of why Anji's refusal to see Guardians as people (Kirit, especially) is especially infuriating. "It's a demon, can't be trusted" no shut the fuck up. But I have hope that Anji will change his mind, seeing as Kirit and the other Guardians are getting plenty of characterization, screen time, and sympathetic characterizations for like, at least four of the Guardians. It seems to be where the theme is heading, so...
Unlike the first book, I was hooked pretty much right away! Every section in the first half ended right as a cliffhanger and I was just DYING to know what happened next! Momentum was not an issue this book, it felt really thrilling as we moved. I was actually groaning in aggravation at my Kobo ereader at 3 in the morning, trying to keep the noise to a minimum, because the chapters ended on such dramatic moments! Too many to mention, but that was my feeling throughout.
And that leads me to: new favourite character alert! Introducing Nallo! I love her to pieces. I was almost stomping my feet with the anxiety about her leaving the Hall and not wanting to be a reeve. Her concerns were totally on point with the knowledge that she had, but me as the reader knowing that she was wrong??? Aiyaaaaa. I was so relieved when Arda the fawkner finally managed to convince her. (And let's be honest, Joss really fucked that one up. But good writing - an actual character flaw on our handsome womanizing male lead that led to actual consequences!)
I found it impossible not to like Nallo. I appreciate a character who cuts through bullshit and demands it from everyone else. This is a kind of character that moves plot along. She'll have nothing less! Haha. I know the character of talking-mean always-angry woman can be a bad staple in fantasy (side-eyeing Wheel of Time), but I found Nallo to be really well done, and she gets along great with other characters! Canon - bisexual? Canon been in a relationship with men but have only seen her express real sexual/romantic interest in other ladies, anyway! :D I hope she sticks around.
Okay, wrapping up thoughts. Some character death I was not expecting. There wasn't a build-up to it, it just... is a result of the times they're living in. Indicative of what they're facing. I appreciate how Elliott does it. It doesn't fit into the pointlessly gritty "anyone can die!" vibe that's ubiquitous these days, but - I'm feeling it this time. It feels random, but not in an overdone way. Like "yeah, these people were in the line of fire, sometimes these things happen."
Keshad got worse. I actively dislike him, now. Not much to say there. He's an asshole, of the variety you meet everywhere. Fuck off, Keshad.
Shai got some really good development! Kirit had a great point, in that he refused to have sex with Cornflower for all the wrong reasons, and he was no less guilty of objectifying her than Shai's brothers. But Shai really grew. There was a moment, stated explicitly that he realizes the weight of what he did to her when he "rented" her out and is just aggrieved. I think it's up to Cornflower to decide what to do with him, still, but the fact that he truly honestly felt genuine remorse, and then in the end, didn't ask Kirit to forgive him?? This guy has grown.
I wasn't going to judge Kirit for taking her vengeance (in her place I think I would be a lot worse, honestly - I would have made it more painful). But I also was so proud of her when she protected Shai and the slave children. She's grieved some, gotten some revenge, and wants to move on. Hells yeah, girl, I'm rooting for you.
Anyway, I've already started the third book, so more to come in this series!
November 24, 2008
It pains me that I have to wait 9 months for the next book in this series to come out. It also pains me that I spent all weekend reading this instead of getting work done, and now I'm going to have to put in 18 hour days this week... this is why I shouldn't pick up such good books to begin with.
May 3, 2024
I like this second book a great deal better than the first. The first book gave us four major male POV characters and only one female, which would have been less of a problem if 1) I hadn't despised every one of those male POV characters, and 2) female characters were all but absent from the male POV sections, with the female supporting characters congregating in the female POV sequences. Yet Kate Elliott is an author I trust, and I felt fairly confident matters would improve in the sequels.
First, we get more female perspectives this time around, with Marit returning and Nallo and Avisha entering the story. Kirit/Cornflower getting more page time was a welcome surprise, as she seemed like little more than a frail, silent object of abuse in the first book; I loved seeing her get a dose of revenge, but also felt relief when she chose not to take it too far and move past the point where I could root for her.
Second, the male perspectives were a little more tolerable. Joss didn't bother me as much this time, as his womanizing habits are downplayed while his leadership skills are emphasized. Shai, Mai's cousin who committed the atrocity of selling Cornflower as a sex slave to the Qin army in the last book, gets a dose of redemption as a caretaker of a group of enslaved children who are subjected to the same kinds of abuse Cornflower underwent. The only male POV character I still heartily dislike is Keshad. That guy needs a punch in the jaw.
Third, as my problems with some of the characters got out of the way, I was able to appreciate more fully the care Kate Elliott takes in developing her world and its cultures and making the place feel "lived in." I loved the breadth of it, the epicness. Is it as good as Black Wolves? No. But it's still a well-written, intriguing epic fantasy with female characters at its center, and I'll always be up for that.
First, we get more female perspectives this time around, with Marit returning and Nallo and Avisha entering the story. Kirit/Cornflower getting more page time was a welcome surprise, as she seemed like little more than a frail, silent object of abuse in the first book; I loved seeing her get a dose of revenge, but also felt relief when she chose not to take it too far and move past the point where I could root for her.
Second, the male perspectives were a little more tolerable. Joss didn't bother me as much this time, as his womanizing habits are downplayed while his leadership skills are emphasized. Shai, Mai's cousin who committed the atrocity of selling Cornflower as a sex slave to the Qin army in the last book, gets a dose of redemption as a caretaker of a group of enslaved children who are subjected to the same kinds of abuse Cornflower underwent. The only male POV character I still heartily dislike is Keshad. That guy needs a punch in the jaw.
Third, as my problems with some of the characters got out of the way, I was able to appreciate more fully the care Kate Elliott takes in developing her world and its cultures and making the place feel "lived in." I loved the breadth of it, the epicness. Is it as good as Black Wolves? No. But it's still a well-written, intriguing epic fantasy with female characters at its center, and I'll always be up for that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2024
What a great opening line to this middle volume in the trilogy, ha! Following in the aftermath of the battle at Olossi, it's a combination of post-battle recovery, impending doom, and the revelation of mysteries. We get two great flashback sequences that really deepened my understanding of characters from the first book, but the new characters in this one (especially Nallo and Avisha) really added a lot to people's beliefs and attitudes. The mysterious Guardians are explained better, but there's still a lot to be discovered. Just really really interesting to me.
April 20, 2025
8.5/10
Elliott is an excellent story-teller, and this story is complex. The various plots, loosely connected but always part of the whole, are each engaging in their own way. The different cultures and religions are well-developed, as are the individual characters. I’m looking forward to the final book in this trilogy.
Elliott is an excellent story-teller, and this story is complex. The various plots, loosely connected but always part of the whole, are each engaging in their own way. The different cultures and religions are well-developed, as are the individual characters. I’m looking forward to the final book in this trilogy.
December 15, 2022
The worldbuilding here is fantastic, but the seemingly endless rape scenes (especially the lengthy mid-book flashback) were wearying to read.
December 19, 2023
The second book in Kate Elliott's Crossroads trilogy (though there's more to come, apparently) is as good as the first, though it must be said that it drags a bit more than Spirit Gate. But it again pulls a four-star rating out of the fire with a strong conclusion.
Much of Shadow Gate is about new beginnings. Two characters killed early in the first book, and another who died before the action started, come back as Guardians, apparently immortal beings supposed to act as benign caretakers but many of whom have been corrupted. There's also a woman chosen as a reeve who turns her back on that duty and declines to ride with the eagle who chose her (she'll want to rethink that).The opening section, in which a woman slowly comes to the realization that she has been reborn as a Guardian, is fantastic. After this strong start, the book becomes tedious for about a hundred pages as Elliott seems to be engaged in make-work between the saga's major events — and, be warned, there are not as many battle or action scenes in Book 2. Still, the story builds interestingly, if sometimes slowly, revealing the back story of another new Guardian. Cornflower/Kirit endured horrifying hardships as a slave, and, back as someone who can't be killed (at least permanently) is determined to bring vengeance upon those who used her, at least until she can figure out what sort of Guardian she wants to be.
Elsewhere, the reeve Joss stays busy as he helps the Qin mercenary Anji prepare the Hundred for the next stage in the battle against Guardian-led armies.
The Guardians, who are borne by winged horses, are quite prominent here, and their machinations drive the tale's "bigger" events even as Elliott continues her world-building in smaller ways, piece by piece. The fact that there's a Guardian pictured on the book's cover (U.S. edition) hints at the prominence here of the beings mostly hinted at in the first book. As for the art; in my opinion there have been few excellent fantasy authors so poorly served by her cover art, from the Crown of Stars series (though a couple aren't that bad) onward. I firmly believe more compelling artwork would have made this strong fantasy author more popular than she is.
Back to the story: A few characters — the "good" Guardians, for instance — make decisions that don't seem logical or advisable, and again, at a couple points in the tale Elliott's pacing lags. But Shadow Gate is another good one, setting up the "final" book nicely.
Much of Shadow Gate is about new beginnings. Two characters killed early in the first book, and another who died before the action started, come back as Guardians, apparently immortal beings supposed to act as benign caretakers but many of whom have been corrupted. There's also a woman chosen as a reeve who turns her back on that duty and declines to ride with the eagle who chose her (she'll want to rethink that).The opening section, in which a woman slowly comes to the realization that she has been reborn as a Guardian, is fantastic. After this strong start, the book becomes tedious for about a hundred pages as Elliott seems to be engaged in make-work between the saga's major events — and, be warned, there are not as many battle or action scenes in Book 2. Still, the story builds interestingly, if sometimes slowly, revealing the back story of another new Guardian. Cornflower/Kirit endured horrifying hardships as a slave, and, back as someone who can't be killed (at least permanently) is determined to bring vengeance upon those who used her, at least until she can figure out what sort of Guardian she wants to be.
Elsewhere, the reeve Joss stays busy as he helps the Qin mercenary Anji prepare the Hundred for the next stage in the battle against Guardian-led armies.
The Guardians, who are borne by winged horses, are quite prominent here, and their machinations drive the tale's "bigger" events even as Elliott continues her world-building in smaller ways, piece by piece. The fact that there's a Guardian pictured on the book's cover (U.S. edition) hints at the prominence here of the beings mostly hinted at in the first book. As for the art; in my opinion there have been few excellent fantasy authors so poorly served by her cover art, from the Crown of Stars series (though a couple aren't that bad) onward. I firmly believe more compelling artwork would have made this strong fantasy author more popular than she is.
Back to the story: A few characters — the "good" Guardians, for instance — make decisions that don't seem logical or advisable, and again, at a couple points in the tale Elliott's pacing lags. But Shadow Gate is another good one, setting up the "final" book nicely.
February 22, 2010
This is a big fat book, rich is calories and flavor. Consider the ingredients:
- Worldbuilding. Being Filipino, the asian and pacific islander influences in the cultures of the Qin & The Hundred are such a kick to me. The level of detail is wonderful; the feeling that this world really exists we're only seeing bits of it.
- Characters. Let me see if I can explain what I really like about the characters. They are all full of the prejudices of beliefs of their culture and upbringing, and they all consider their own worldviews to be perfectly valid. And that's how they are.
- Mastery. I don't know what else to call the storytelling. The choices she makes in the way she tells the story are just very good. Take for example, Cornflower's story. I usually dislike flashback's, but I appreciated the choice here, since it allows some emotional distance from what would otherwise have been too painful.
Grand and bewilderingly big, like the construction of a Gothic cathedral -- that's what I think this series is like.
- Worldbuilding. Being Filipino, the asian and pacific islander influences in the cultures of the Qin & The Hundred are such a kick to me. The level of detail is wonderful; the feeling that this world really exists we're only seeing bits of it.
- Characters. Let me see if I can explain what I really like about the characters. They are all full of the prejudices of beliefs of their culture and upbringing, and they all consider their own worldviews to be perfectly valid. And that's how they are.
- Mastery. I don't know what else to call the storytelling. The choices she makes in the way she tells the story are just very good. Take for example, Cornflower's story. I usually dislike flashback's, but I appreciated the choice here, since it allows some emotional distance from what would otherwise have been too painful.
Grand and bewilderingly big, like the construction of a Gothic cathedral -- that's what I think this series is like.
April 4, 2009
So far, so good. I was looking for a good (reasonably well written, preferably a page turner) High Fantasy series for quite a while, and had been recommended Kate Elliott's Crown of Stars series, but it was quite a long series, and I have a hard time not finishing series, even if I don't like them much, so I held off. Then I saw the first two Crossroads books on sale, and thought WTH and bought them both. I like most of the main characters, I like most of the plot, I like how most of the social issues are handled. I *love* the idea of the raptors, I like the fact that she's doing a LeGuin and having most of the peoples be various shades of brown, rather than WASPs in medieval garb. In short, this is some of the best High Fantasy I've read in years. I just hope I won't be disappointed by the last book. ;)
January 18, 2010
This is the second book of the series. The tale continues with my favorite couples - , Marit and Joss and Mai and Anjii. The first book, is mostly the tale of Joss who in a moment of impulse takes Marit to a forbidden Guardian altar and Marit is captured by an evil band. The book is well-written and gave me a sense of culture of the time. The role of women in the society reminds me of Old Japan.
Kate Elliott weaves the story and you start to really want to see what happens to everyone with magical wars, emperor wars and just ordinary people trying to live through it all.
Kate Elliott weaves the story and you start to really want to see what happens to everyone with magical wars, emperor wars and just ordinary people trying to live through it all.
September 28, 2011
In a way, more enjoyable than the first, because the world is now established and no longer so confusing. But it definitely felt like a middle book ... I didn't really feel too much tension throughout. And it's just way too long for that.
I was really upset when Elliott killed off one of my favorite characters :( It's so cruel, getting you to really like someone and then killing them off ... no mercy, that Elliott.
I was really upset when Elliott killed off one of my favorite characters :( It's so cruel, getting you to really like someone and then killing them off ... no mercy, that Elliott.
Read
July 6, 2014The story grows in interesting ways. Characters believed to be dead come back in interesting ways. Characters grow and change, as well. Struggles continue, and change, and grow, though not necessarily through combat. New interesting characters are introduced. The ending is strong, and throws a monkey wrench (or the Hundred equivalent) into Plans. I started "Traitors' Gate" as soon as I finished this one, because I couldn't wait.
October 18, 2009
I'm re-reading this novel as I'm sick and bedridden. She keeps amazing me with how clearly she manages to tell three or more storylines and weave them amongst each other. It's a feat sometimes attempted, yet rarely as successfully achieved. On top of that, she weaves an amazing storyline.
October 8, 2012
This is not a review, just a heads up. If you are going to read this series then buy all 3 and read them together - pretend they are 1 book because although the series has a proper ending, neither books 1 or 2 have a satisfactory ending. Don't say you weren't warned!
May 12, 2011
Unlike in Spirit Gate, the pace is fairly consistent in this second volume; while there are a few slow spots, there was enough tension to keep me going throughout. Structurally, yes, it's a middle book, so not quite as much happens on the macro, political level as in books one and three. But still, partway through this book I fell in love with the trilogy, largely because I'd become so invested in the characters. This one introduces a couple of my favorite characters (Nallo and Marit--well, that's a reintroduction, but a great plotline) and I loved Shai's redemption arc.
A spoiler-free review of the trilogy:
STORYLINE/PACING: Like many an epic fantasy, this could be summarized as "a defensive war against evil." But being a character-driven book, the plot is as much about each character's individual arcs and subplots, and being toward the realistic end of the fantasy spectrum, good and evil aren't clear-cut. There's much more character interaction than swordfighting, and the pacing is maybe a bit on the slow side, but once it gets going midway through the first book, the plot is compelling and something is always happening.
While there are logical ending points for the first and second books, like most fantasy trilogies this one is of the "three-volume novel" variety, and I rushed through them all back-to-back. But although more novels are planned in this world, there's a solid resolution at the end.
CHARACTERS: The character development overall is quite good, and most of the main characters are sympathetic and likable if at times frustrating. Elliott is a rare epic fantasy writer in that she uses the multi-book format to actually further develop the characters, and I found my opinions on several of them changing book by book.
A few things that stand out: One, the characters have actual interests, like carpentry, gardening, etc., beyond fulfilling their plot-related goals (these books made me realize how rare that is in fantasy). Two, they're products of their cultures, and have baggage and prejudices that they never shed. I was expecting the main characters by the end to repudiate slavery and realize there's no such thing as demons.... but most of them never did, and that made it better. Three, I liked the way sexual relationships are handled. There's romance (surprisingly little of it), and there's meaningless sex, and there's attraction that never turns into relationships. Characters (women included!) can be attracted to and have sex with more than one person in the series. Speaking of which: there are a lot of strong female characters, but more in a realistic way than a wish-fulfillment kind of way; it's good stuff.
For the first two books I did feel that personal morality aligns rather too closely with which side of the war a character is on, and wished for more moral ambiguity. To a large degree that's subverted in the final volume, though.
WORLDBUILDING: A highlight of this trilogy. There are multiple highly-detailed cultures. I loved the amount of thought Elliott clearly put into the customs, religions, and so forth, and the fact that the inspiration was non-European. I see some Pacific Islander, Chinese, Mongol, Muslim and Zoroastrian influences, and undoubtedly didn't recognize many more. The world is increasingly well-developed in subsequent volumes.
The Hundred, where most of the action takes place, is a bit idealized, but every culture has its strengths and weaknesses. The Hundred does very well (especially compared to the other countries in this world) in women's rights and accepting homosexuality, and has been peaceful for generations despite no strong central government. But slavery is widespread, arranged/forced marriages are normal, and there's corruption, xenophobia and disenfranchisement of religious minorities. Meanwhile, the only group in the entire world that opposes slavery also forces its women to wear something burqa-ish, and virtually imprisons them in the home.
The introduction to the world is handled well. Customs aren't explained so much as mentioned in passing, allowing the readers to deduce cultural practices and background from context. Sometimes a custom will be alluded to and never mentioned again, hinting at hidden depths. So, thank you Ms. Elliott for treating readers like adults here.
THEMATICS: You can tell Elliott thinks about what her books are saying, and epic fantasy still being a somewhat conservative and male-dominated genre, I love reading good fantasy books informed by a progressive and feminist ethos. The trilogy examines how power affects people, how cultures interact and change and has a fascinating take on the myth of the fantasy hero and the good-vs-evil dichotomy.
I did think that the "good" side (with very different, conflicting ideas of what's "good") was better drawn than the "evil" side. It's great that the "evil" army is human, comes from within the Hundred itself and that the problem was at least partially caused by actual corruption and ignored problems--but in my judgment Elliott didn't do enough with that, and there's no apparent reason why many of the people on the evil side are quite as evil as they are, and why there are so many of them. One has to read between the lines to figure it out, where the author should probably have explored the reasons for this more or else not had so much cruelty on the one side and so little on the other.
WRITING: The prose is average. Not bad, but workmanlike. It's true there's a lot of description, which I mostly liked but isn't for everyone. There are several POV characters, but dealt with in a disciplined way; we don't get into everybody's head, the POVs are well-developed and there's no head-hopping.
MAGIC: Not much of it, thankfully. No sorcerers, although a very limited number of people have very limited magical powers. The supernatural elements are mostly in the worldbuilding, while the real focus here is on people, as it should be.
OTHER THINGS I LIKED:
1) Groups that are usually either evil or two-dimensional in fantasy are neither here: merchants, conquering horsemen, people who wear headscarves or turbans, and most notably, non-white people (which describes almost everyone in the trilogy). Even slave traders aren't automatically written off.
2) Elliott allows main characters to be illiterate. Most authors do cortortions to avoid this even where it's realistic.
OTHER THINGS I DISLIKED:
1) Being told halfway through the second book that "week," "month" and "year" don't mean what I thought they meant. What do you mean a year has 432 days? Couldn't another word have been used to clue me in to this sooner? Do I have to recalculate everyone's ages now? Blargh.
2) Characters coincidentally meet rather too frequently.
Overall, a great series for those who like thoughtful, character-driven fantasy set in fully realized secondary worlds.
A spoiler-free review of the trilogy:
STORYLINE/PACING: Like many an epic fantasy, this could be summarized as "a defensive war against evil." But being a character-driven book, the plot is as much about each character's individual arcs and subplots, and being toward the realistic end of the fantasy spectrum, good and evil aren't clear-cut. There's much more character interaction than swordfighting, and the pacing is maybe a bit on the slow side, but once it gets going midway through the first book, the plot is compelling and something is always happening.
While there are logical ending points for the first and second books, like most fantasy trilogies this one is of the "three-volume novel" variety, and I rushed through them all back-to-back. But although more novels are planned in this world, there's a solid resolution at the end.
CHARACTERS: The character development overall is quite good, and most of the main characters are sympathetic and likable if at times frustrating. Elliott is a rare epic fantasy writer in that she uses the multi-book format to actually further develop the characters, and I found my opinions on several of them changing book by book.
A few things that stand out: One, the characters have actual interests, like carpentry, gardening, etc., beyond fulfilling their plot-related goals (these books made me realize how rare that is in fantasy). Two, they're products of their cultures, and have baggage and prejudices that they never shed. I was expecting the main characters by the end to repudiate slavery and realize there's no such thing as demons.... but most of them never did, and that made it better. Three, I liked the way sexual relationships are handled. There's romance (surprisingly little of it), and there's meaningless sex, and there's attraction that never turns into relationships. Characters (women included!) can be attracted to and have sex with more than one person in the series. Speaking of which: there are a lot of strong female characters, but more in a realistic way than a wish-fulfillment kind of way; it's good stuff.
For the first two books I did feel that personal morality aligns rather too closely with which side of the war a character is on, and wished for more moral ambiguity. To a large degree that's subverted in the final volume, though.
WORLDBUILDING: A highlight of this trilogy. There are multiple highly-detailed cultures. I loved the amount of thought Elliott clearly put into the customs, religions, and so forth, and the fact that the inspiration was non-European. I see some Pacific Islander, Chinese, Mongol, Muslim and Zoroastrian influences, and undoubtedly didn't recognize many more. The world is increasingly well-developed in subsequent volumes.
The Hundred, where most of the action takes place, is a bit idealized, but every culture has its strengths and weaknesses. The Hundred does very well (especially compared to the other countries in this world) in women's rights and accepting homosexuality, and has been peaceful for generations despite no strong central government. But slavery is widespread, arranged/forced marriages are normal, and there's corruption, xenophobia and disenfranchisement of religious minorities. Meanwhile, the only group in the entire world that opposes slavery also forces its women to wear something burqa-ish, and virtually imprisons them in the home.
The introduction to the world is handled well. Customs aren't explained so much as mentioned in passing, allowing the readers to deduce cultural practices and background from context. Sometimes a custom will be alluded to and never mentioned again, hinting at hidden depths. So, thank you Ms. Elliott for treating readers like adults here.
THEMATICS: You can tell Elliott thinks about what her books are saying, and epic fantasy still being a somewhat conservative and male-dominated genre, I love reading good fantasy books informed by a progressive and feminist ethos. The trilogy examines how power affects people, how cultures interact and change and has a fascinating take on the myth of the fantasy hero and the good-vs-evil dichotomy.
I did think that the "good" side (with very different, conflicting ideas of what's "good") was better drawn than the "evil" side. It's great that the "evil" army is human, comes from within the Hundred itself and that the problem was at least partially caused by actual corruption and ignored problems--but in my judgment Elliott didn't do enough with that, and there's no apparent reason why many of the people on the evil side are quite as evil as they are, and why there are so many of them. One has to read between the lines to figure it out, where the author should probably have explored the reasons for this more or else not had so much cruelty on the one side and so little on the other.
WRITING: The prose is average. Not bad, but workmanlike. It's true there's a lot of description, which I mostly liked but isn't for everyone. There are several POV characters, but dealt with in a disciplined way; we don't get into everybody's head, the POVs are well-developed and there's no head-hopping.
MAGIC: Not much of it, thankfully. No sorcerers, although a very limited number of people have very limited magical powers. The supernatural elements are mostly in the worldbuilding, while the real focus here is on people, as it should be.
OTHER THINGS I LIKED:
1) Groups that are usually either evil or two-dimensional in fantasy are neither here: merchants, conquering horsemen, people who wear headscarves or turbans, and most notably, non-white people (which describes almost everyone in the trilogy). Even slave traders aren't automatically written off.
2) Elliott allows main characters to be illiterate. Most authors do cortortions to avoid this even where it's realistic.
OTHER THINGS I DISLIKED:
1) Being told halfway through the second book that "week," "month" and "year" don't mean what I thought they meant. What do you mean a year has 432 days? Couldn't another word have been used to clue me in to this sooner? Do I have to recalculate everyone's ages now? Blargh.
2) Characters coincidentally meet rather too frequently.
Overall, a great series for those who like thoughtful, character-driven fantasy set in fully realized secondary worlds.
September 17, 2020
In the hands of a lesser writer, this book would be little more than a collection of component parts creeping slowly toward a truncated finale. In Elliott's hands, it shines. Every aside, every detail, every step backward in time is fascinating and satisfying to read.
Continuing her method of world-building via culture, we nonetheless discover more of the world and more of the characters and indeed, Cornflower comes into her own in this book, and I couldn't be happier. But it's Shai who we watch go from an aggravating and complicit-in-evils almost-bystander to a stalwart who melted my heart.
The worst is Mai though, who has just become a vehicle for the vapors, passing out and swooning constantly. It never quite distracts, but it is disappointing to see her getting worse rather than getting better.
Rich and full of depth and detail, Shadow Gate is a treat for the imagination and other than Elliott's aversion to a meaty climax (she is much like William Gibson that way), there is little to detract from the masterpiece of time and place that is this book.
Continuing her method of world-building via culture, we nonetheless discover more of the world and more of the characters and indeed, Cornflower comes into her own in this book, and I couldn't be happier. But it's Shai who we watch go from an aggravating and complicit-in-evils almost-bystander to a stalwart who melted my heart.
The worst is Mai though, who has just become a vehicle for the vapors, passing out and swooning constantly. It never quite distracts, but it is disappointing to see her getting worse rather than getting better.
Rich and full of depth and detail, Shadow Gate is a treat for the imagination and other than Elliott's aversion to a meaty climax (she is much like William Gibson that way), there is little to detract from the masterpiece of time and place that is this book.
April 18, 2020
It's a middle book! A good middle book, but I cannot give it five stars because it spends a lot of time meandering and following characters as they get into position for the third book. There's no true core plotline like there was in the first, which is fine, but it was tough to read.
Also, huge warning: if you're sensitive to rape and worse, when Cornflower's past is addressed, the moment the boys leave the caravan and she enters it, skip ahead. Please god skip ahead. That was really tough reading. The author handles trauma well but you don't have to subject yourself to it.
And finally: I was spoiled on the major twist in the last book so I'm taking a break to read other books before I resume and finish the series. I want to know how it all ends and I adore most of the characters, but I need time. To those of you out there reading books: be careful of wikipedia, it doesn't use spoiler tags to its detriment.
Also, huge warning: if you're sensitive to rape and worse, when Cornflower's past is addressed, the moment the boys leave the caravan and she enters it, skip ahead. Please god skip ahead. That was really tough reading. The author handles trauma well but you don't have to subject yourself to it.
And finally: I was spoiled on the major twist in the last book so I'm taking a break to read other books before I resume and finish the series. I want to know how it all ends and I adore most of the characters, but I need time. To those of you out there reading books: be careful of wikipedia, it doesn't use spoiler tags to its detriment.
January 29, 2020
Back in 2007, when I was reviewing books for what is now the East Bay Times, I was sent volume one of this series. I reviewed it and posted it here -- but for whatever reason, I never was sent the next two books. Fast forward to 2019, when I decided I wanted to read more of Kate Elliott's work, and I re-read "Spirit Gate," completely unaware I had read it before. (That's one benefit of reading so many books, I guess ...)
In any event, I now have finally read the second volume, and it's another good one from Elliott. Some of the protagonists are flawed, though some are almost annoyingly perfect, but the complex tale of eagle-flying reeves, winged-horse-flying Guardians and political infighting on an unnamed, pre-industrial planet with occasional magic flows right along.
And of course I'm ready for volume three -- just a decade or so late.
In any event, I now have finally read the second volume, and it's another good one from Elliott. Some of the protagonists are flawed, though some are almost annoyingly perfect, but the complex tale of eagle-flying reeves, winged-horse-flying Guardians and political infighting on an unnamed, pre-industrial planet with occasional magic flows right along.
And of course I'm ready for volume three -- just a decade or so late.
June 18, 2019
I was impressed with this book. Most of the second books in trilogies I've read in the past tend to drag on, content with filling in the plot as they move toward the more exciting conclusion to the series. Shadow Gate was different to me; although it took a while to read through. It introduced fascinating characters and expanded their stories in original ways. It kept me engaged and immersed in the author's world. The detailed landscape, varied cultures, unique peoples, and religions spread throughout this world were more fully realized and expanded from the first book. I felt like it was a solid extension of the story instead of a simple passage to the third book with a few stops along the way. I look forward to completing this series.
July 22, 2020
3,5 stars, rounded down to 3. A very uneven book. It makes me wonder about the author's relationship with her editors and agents. Strong character development and good world building. On the other hand, at times I felt like I was reading a 5 star book only to be suddenly bogged down in an unnecessary and overly extended plot development. A really good editor would have greatly improved this book. In any event, I liked the overall impression this book left me with and intend to finish the series. I started reading this author with the book Black Wolves which evolved from this series but was abandoned by the publisher. Pity, I thought it was an improvement over its predecessors. Looking forward to trying the author's new book, Unconquerable Sun.
November 17, 2024
Went on too long. While I did enjoy the way the various story arcs intersected at different points in the story, some of them didn't add much overall, and it was a bit of a slog to read to the end. The Guardians turned out to be a bit of a non-event in the end - despite the fact that 'they cannot die', it seems that a determined person can kill them, without any magical or special weapons! I think a better exploration of the wildings, delvings, lendings etc could have been interesting. Overall, disappointing.
October 14, 2023
The author has created a complex novel, with many characters, each one pursuing his own adventures, in widely separate places. I get very involved with the life of one, and then she moves to another character and another story line. Perhaps they will all come together in the final book of the series. The basic underlying story is the battle between good and evil. Of course, who wouldn't love flying, either on a winged horse or a giant eagle?
December 5, 2016
I really struggled getting through this. while I like the premise of the series well enough, I thought this book was rather ponderous and plodding, with many of the major developments being rather obvious andvtelegraphed. While I will finish this trilogy, I'm not liking this series nearly as much as the "Crown of Stars" series.
May 18, 2020
I enjoyed reading this book, and read it quite quickly, and yet, looking back on it, it hardly left an impression on me. OK, lots of things and events happened, but somehow I'm just not that interested. I don't know if it's me or the book.
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